For the first time in my 30-year history of being associated with Fayetteville/Cumberland County youth baseball,

I was greatly disappointed that out of 17 combined city and county elected officials, no one representing this community’s residents felt it necessary enough to show up at the Kiwanis Recreation Center’s ballfields to participate and celebrate the excitement of Youth Baseball’s Opening Day.

Hundreds of people gathered together last Saturday morning when the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club welcomed the “children of summer” onto the baseball field. Where were our Cumberland Commissioners, Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin, and any member of the Fayetteville City Council?

The most glaring absence was that of Councilman Johnny Dawkins since the ballpark and all that Opening Day excitement was taking place in his home District 5. Oops! Or, perhaps we should refer to this as his other home in District 5. His real home, where his wife resides, is in the Raleigh-Garner area, as recently reported by the news media. I doubt living part-time elsewhere would qualify as an “excused absence.”

However, it does speak volumes to the adage “out of sight, out of mind.”
Like many others elected, Dawkins likes to get out of Fayetteville as often as he can. A disturbing circumstance for someone elected to represent ALL the residents of Fayetteville full-time.

But this editorial is not about Dawkins. This local newspaper believes that elected city and county officials are responsible for representing their constituents and promoting their community's interests.
Elected officials cannot do this if they are constantly absent from major public events, meetings and local social gatherings.

Our present elected officials constantly shield themselves from the public. And, rightfully so. Why? Accountability. They know all too well that by making themselves more visible and accessible to their constituents, they would be held accountable and responsible for their actions and decisions. And, since many of them are oblivious to what is happening in the community, they cannot intelligently explain their actions or behavior, which makes this matter even more egregious.

We, as responsible citizens, want to get to know our elected officials. We want them to see our support, yet we intend to hold them accountable for their actions. But, there are other reasons they should make themselves accessible. They should want to build trust and relationships with residents. Getting out in public allows elected officials to connect with constituents personally, which builds confidence, trust and promotes transparency.

Elected officials should want to raise awareness of important city and county issues and initiatives and engage the community by asking for their input.
Effective elected officials demonstrate leadership by appearing at public events like Opening Days, Dogwood Festivals, Karen Chandler Concerts, and Chamber of Commerce events, etc., taking advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate and endorse their commitment to the community while taking an active and genuine role in representing Fayetteville/Cumberland County constituents to promote positive change and enhance the quality of life.

In closing, I feel being out in public and promoting constituents' interests is their overall responsibility. Attending public events and mingling with the people is integral to an elected official’s role in serving the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community.

They need to stop trying to communicate with us through ineffective websites, social media and Constant Contact email blasts. Nothing works better than transparency and face-to-face interaction.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.