Sounding Off -- Tim Geddes

Between May Day (May 1) and Independence Day (July 4) a number of

prospective candidates will make up their minds to run for Huntington

Beach City Council this year. Predictably, a few dozen hopefuls will wind

up on the November ballot (especially if there are four open seats).

This will make for a long and confusing campaign. The key for

Huntington Beach voters will be to focus on the candidates who are best

equipped to lead our city through the period of unprecedented challenge

and opportunity we are now facing.

Here are 10 questions these council hopefuls should be asking

themselves:

1. How well prepared am I to be a leader? What leadership skills do I

possess?

2. Am I a problem solver? Am I prepared to seek answers and address

concerns, or will I just “deal” with issues?

3. What kind of vision do I have for the city over the next eight

years?

4. How well do I know what the duties and responsibilities of a City

Council member are?

5. How well does my background prepare me for serving in public

office?

6. How well does my business or community affairs experience translate

into civic expertise?

7. How well do I know and understand local interests, citywide

concerns, and regional issues?

8. How well do I know the city administrator and other key city staff

members?

9. How prepared am I to make quality appointments to the city boards

and commissions that are entrusted to me?

10. How prepared am I to make decisions that are honest, ethical, and

fair?

For the past two years, I have been pushing for programs to help

emerging civic leaders in Huntington Beach to prepare themselves for

roles in either elected or appointed office. They have ranged from

establishing a community leadership program called Leadership Huntington

Beach to offering city-based programs on civic leadership issues. So far,

only empty promises and empty wallets from the city. The candidates for

our new city leadership are pretty much on their own.

So are the voters in evaluating the leadership capacities of a new

crop of hopefuls.

I guess I would ask those thinking of running for the City Council

during this pre-campaign period of introspection to ask themselves one

question. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood’s character in Dirty Harry, “Do I

feel qualified?” Well, do ya candidate?

TIM GEDDES is a Huntington Beach resident. To contribute to Sounding

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