Editorial: Think about big picture in rural election

Super Tuesday was this week in presidential politics.

Super Tuesday locally could be March 13, when Goodhue County’s 21 townships hold annual elections. The big issues here: wind development and mining silica sand. Both have been hotly debated on the opinion page.

Every spring townships elect at least one supervisor and, in most cases, also elect either a treasurer or a clerk. Townships also traditionally set an annual budget. Such elections are almost routine.

Every now and then, however, a big issue surfaces. This may prompt an incumbent to step down or compel citizens to elect someone new. Some of those issues in the past have included spreading of biosolids, siting a landfill and battling methamphetamine production.

Wind energy and frac sand have the potential to shift local leadership in numerous townships. Indeed, both are countywide concerns regardless of if, when and where wind turbines and mines may be located.

We remind 2012 voters that however important wind and sand are, there is more to township government than these issues. Roads, bridges, fire and ambulance services, water protection, building permits and variances.

Unfortunately, a few single-issue candidates of the past haven’t paid attention to such issues. When the hot-button topics fades away, so does their interest and leadership.

As the late Richard Featherstone — longtime Featherstone Township leader — put it years ago: “We’ll see how they like it when someone calls at 4 a.m. about plowing the road.”

Diligent, informed citizens don’t choose a presidential candidate on a single issue. They pick someone based on a broad platform.

The township voters shouldn’t choose single-issue candidates either.

Tags: opinion, editorials