There should have been a line to sign up for Franklin offices

To The Daily Sun,

To the residents of Franklin:

For those of you who attended the candidates' forum on Monday evening, Or watched a live stream on Facebook, thank you! Other than the normal question and answer format. One thing stuck out, in a huge way!

It became apparent that every candidate had their own ideas. But amazingly all of them agreed on one thing. . . more participation will be needed in local government. To me the overwhelming theme of the night turned out was CIVICS. Every candidate and incumbent, no matter the position they were seeking, brought up low engagement levels. And a general disinterest in any of the processes of running city government.

To me and many others, this is a startling reality! What has happened to our governmental process that discourages the general population from being engaged? To much acrimony? Or is the apathy a learned behavior? Is it the “only my opinion counts” mindset? Is it this what will define this generation and the generation prior?

Please become more involved and please contact your representatives, state, local and schools. Ask them how they can help inject more CIVICS values into their community — state, local and schools. We have to start back on that dutiful path this nation used to adhere to. More Civics in schools before the next generation gets too old to care.

We had only one contested race in Franklin! Protest and rallies about education, all summer Facebook exploding over the drugs/homeless all year. Seeing all the decisiveness and vitriol being spread over the summer and the outright hatred, unleashed from both sides of the issues, there should have been people lined up out the door and around the corner to register and run for official office! 5,326 registered voters eligible to run for office. And one or two with the gumption to attempt a run.That leaves Franklin in a world of hurt.

This is effectively letting the council know that they can do exactly what they want to do. No matter what the protests were about, no one else wants to do the job. So with that being said. Absolutely no one can say the council members don't care. They care enough to put themselves out there for criticism. And that is commendable. Even the ones that I disagree with sometimes. I commend them all for doing something that, apparently no one else in this city wants to do.

Despite how you feel about all the counselors. They all care more about this city than, apparently any of us because they're doing the hard job we don't want. I think that every one of them deserve a round of applause. The residents need to step up. Plain and simple, a good city does not happen by hope alone. It takes action from all!

Daniel L. Allen

Franklin