Get involved and educated

At the Thermopolis Independent Record, as with any newspaper, we’re tasked with bringing you information about your community, not just on a local level but when residents are also involved with statewide happenings or national incidents.

For instance, in this week’s edition, you’ll read about the terrifying experience residents had during the infamous Las Vegas shootings. Stories like these help to reflect how these national tragedies connect to our corner of the world.

However, it doesn’t take horrific events to connect us on the local level. While tragedies certainly have that effect, we can also take it upon ourselves to educate and involve ourselves with what’s happening in our town.

Typically, meetings held by the school board, county commission, town council or other organizations are not well attended unless there is something on the agenda people have a problem with, or they have an issue they want to address. Very rarely is it just a case of people attending simply because they want to.

Instead, when big issues come up people tend to post anonymously on social media sites or submit letters to the editor. While this commentary is plenty welcome, and more often than not plenty of valid points are made, rarely are they also brought up at actual meetings.

It’s understandable that schedules already filled with obligations to work, school and extracurricular activities, as well as finding time for meals, sleep and a social life, make getting to these meetings somewhat difficult. Also, some might think sitting through them is not a very exciting way to spend an afternoon or evening. But it’s these meetings that result in decisions that form the structure of our community.

Furthermore, the governing bodies conducting the meetings would welcome some comment from the public. It helps keep things interesting.