Rise up and row together

Last week I was at a coffee shop in town and overheard a conversation about the tense “politics” between the Pike County Commissioners and the Pike County Library Board. The speaker commented that, in the aftermath of “The library vote,” this rift seems likely to prevent any progress toward a new library and community center for Pike County. It reminded me of a quote from the late Senator Wellstone of Minnesota who said, “Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is about the improvement of people’s lives. It’s about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and in our world. Politics is about doing well for people.” This sound advice not only applies to the Commissioners and the Library Board, it applies to each of us, individually, and collectively. We are all in the same boat. Whether we live here full time or part time, this is our community. The vitality and richness of our town is determined by the choices we make and whether we can work together. There is no disputing the fact that our area needs a new library and community center. The current library is insufficient and dilapidated and we do not have a community center to speak of. One may disagree with where a new building should be built, how much it should cost or the overall design. The fact remains that there has been a considerable amount of money raised through grants and donations and it would be shameful if it is lost because we could not rise above our differences and our egos to do what is right for the overall good. The honorable thing for the Pike County Commissioners and the Library Board to do is to find common ground. And if they do that, it is our responsibility as citizens and neighbors to work with them to provide input and assistance to come up with a new plan that the majority of us can agree upon and to do whatever else is necessary to make a new library and community center a reality. Rowing together, we can make a difference to enrich and strengthen our community. Joseph A. Logan Shohola