I have some suggestions that hopefully may help us make more informed voting decisions in November when we choose city commissioners.

First, incumbency should be considered but should not be the primary reason for selecting the wrong candidate. The more incumbency becomes the primary reason for voting for or against candidates, the less likely it is that issues and the specifics of what officeholders have done (or not done) receive proper attention.

Second, elected officials should cooperate, but like incumbency, placing most of our attention on demeanor also increases the effects in point one. Sociological studies of groups such as the city commission show that when members fear dissent or debate, and especially if they fear disagreeing publicly with others, poorer decisions are made.

Third, economic development and job growth that have been major commission concerns are important. Yet, because Bowling Green is growing and becoming more internationally diverse, economic development heightens the importance of a wide range of non-economic issues in areas such as schooling, housing, public safety, traffic control and public transportation, intercultural relations and others. Rezoning and extending city limits also heightens the importance of these non-economic issues.

Fourth, in a year’s time the present commission members have been unable to develop a citywide, comprehensive and more enforceable code of nuisance statutes. The dynamics of resident life referred to above make the need for such a code extremely important and the failure to update existent statutes a major shortcoming.

Finally, in the November election campaigning I hope that we learn more from the candidates about their interests in and stances on non-economic issues and an updated nuisance code. I suggest that Brian Nash is worthy of our consideration and support because of his well-established concerns on many non-economic issues.

James W. Grimm

Bowling Green