The Morgan Hill Times has taken on a big task with its series of articles regarding leadership accountability this year. There have been enough instances where the good words at the beginning of the year ended up being forgotten when it came time to actually doing anything.
This is all about leadership. Peter Drucker once differentiated between a management and leadership. Management according to Drucker was doing things right while leadership is doing the right thing.
One good example is the incoherent manner in which the City of Morgan Hill has dealt with the idea of energy efficient buildings. When the plans for the Aquatics Center were being put together, there were more than myself who spoke up to call attention to the fact that this facility would be expensive to operate, primarily the result of the high energy costs for heating, filtering and lighting. However, the choice was made to spend all of the capital budget on features rather than on making the facility efficient to operate. As a result, we now have a facility the continues to operate at a deficit.
Then, we turn around and ask developers to do what the city was not willing to do itself by giving preference under Measure “P” for new housing that has certain “green” features. It was rather a case of do as I say and not as I do.
It is too bad that the Morgan Hill Times Editorial Board did not include Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gate in its project. Admittedly, we are only a part of Supervisory District 1 and there are four other supervisors who make the decisions. But we need to have the same level of interest in that office as we have in our mayor and City Council.
Now, Santa Clara County is turning to corporate America to fund the services the we, the citizens, have not been willing or able to fund for ourselves. I am not sure that this is a good idea.
I can envision the day when the new Harvey Bear Park might become Harley-Davidson Park, as long as it were opened up to off-highway-vehicle use. This entire issue of selling naming rights makes me wonder where it all stops. I really don’t mind it if the San Francisco Giants want to play at AT&T Park. That was a private venture. But when we start to put a corporate brand on everything we do, on all that we the citizens own, then something is not right.
Maybe this can be an extension of leadership accountability. What is it that Santa Clara County needs to do that we are not willing to pay for? If we the citizens demand and need certain services, then we should be willing to pay what is required for those services. If they cost too much, then we need to get better managers.
It seems that we want to have the services without paying for them. Maybe we look at the branding as free money. After all, it did not come from my pocket.
So, maybe we should also turn the accountability spotlight on the citizens of this town, county, state. Eventually there will be nothing left to brand except our souls.
I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; We must do.
– Leonardo DaVinci
Wes Rolley is an artist and concerned citizen. The Board of Contributors is comprised of local writers whose views appear on Tuesdays and Fridays.
