‘With us, not for us’
Dear Editor:
“Transparency” is a word we hear often from our local leaders. It’s meant to reassure – a promise that decisions will be made openly, with the community informed and involved. But that promise only matters if residents actually experience it.
In a community like Erin, transparency should mean more than meeting minimum notice requirements. It should mean clearly informing residents – especially those directly affected – and giving them a meaningful opportunity to understand and weigh in before decisions are made.
The recent approval of a large commercial fill operation highlights the gap between that expectation and reality. For a project with significant long-term impacts on traffic, the environment and daily life, many residents only learned about it after key decisions were already in place.
This isn’t just about one outcome – it’s about the process. When people are left out of decisions that directly affect them, confidence in local leadership erodes.
Transparency was a central campaign promise of the current mayor. It is reasonable for taxpayers to expect more than procedure; they expect openness, communication and a willingness to listen to their concerns. In an election year, that commitment should matter even more.
As voters, we also have a role to play. This year, we should look beyond familiar buzzwords and ask whether those promises have been matched by actions.
Our community deserves decisions made with us, not for us.
Jacqueline Guagliardi,
Erin