Wanting More

"Columbia's Grande Point decision leaves some wanting more" reads the headline. HoCo Times reporter Amanda Yeager outlines the abrupt cancellation by Tom Carbo to speak the the Oakland Mills communuty about a possibly purchase. As thorough as it is, the article itself leaves me wanting more.

How is it even remotely acceptable for two (possibly three?) members of the Village Board to hold a secret meeting with Mr. Carbo without communicating with the full board in any way? This violates everything I know about Columbia Village leadership.

Why would anyone want to run for their village board if they can see that their participation may be completely dismissed if something controversial comes up? How can we encourage a next generation of leadership when long-time residents play keep-away with community issues?

The long-term goal of anyone who truly loves Columbia should be a vibrant and involved citizenry. Instead what we have is a few self-styled power-brokers who treat any newcomers as though they belong at the children's table. And so community involvement is seen as distasteful. And eventually irrelevant.

I wish that Mr. Carbo had realized that the Oakland Mills community is bigger than the kind of people who hold secret meetings to get their way. But why should he? That's the face that we are presenting to the world. If we want it to be different we need to turn out for Village elections and change it.

Oh, but wait. Why would we do that? It's all just nastiness and useless squabbling anyway.

Wanting more? Yes, I want to know a lot more. I want to know why, in this awesome community, some people think it is their job to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Isn't it enough to enjoy the golden egg, share it, care for it?

We all know how that story turns out.