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Balance between the me and the we is delicate
By Don McCormick
A number of things have changed since the start of COVID, some good, some not-so-good. We all have our list! Things continue to evolve in this post COVID world and I suspect that a couple more years will pass before we are clear of this post-COVID hangover.
One of the not-so-good consequences of COVID is what seems to be a focus on ‘me’ rather than ‘we.’ I guess I can understand why: as fear of COVID took hold and everyone was locked down, the focus was on ‘me,’ keeping me and my family safe, the one thing individuals could control; then we had the response to the lockdowns, particularly the ‘freedom’ movement where the rights of the individual trumped that of our broader communities. And so it continues.
Everyone seems grumpy these days, as we try to sort through the chaos. The balance between the ‘me’ and the ‘we’ is delicate at the best of times; it is a real challenge right now.
It is a particular challenge for your city council. We are a mostly new council, still learning our roles.
A community is made up of many different individuals and groups. In Kimberley, we also have a large visitor community that keeps our retail economy robust (231,000 visitors in 2022).
This is not a homogeneous community. Not everyone thinks the same way. Not everyone’s needs and wants are the same. It is true that almost everyone credits ‘lifestyle’ for their primary reason for living here, but lifestyle means different things to different people.
We all wish for Kimberley to be a sustainable community – sustaining your particular lifestyle. Your city council has a tough job – how to manage the pathway to sustainability in a way that meets everyone’s expectations. We check our own personal views at the door in favour of the best interest of the entire community, knowing that there is no one common interest. We cannot cater to the loudest. Sorting through the facts is difficult as everyone seems to have their own ‘truth’.
We have processes in place to best discover the facts for informed decisions, minimizing emotion. No matter the decisions we make, not everyone will be happy. But know that if a decision does not go your way, it does not mean you were not heard.
Respect, tolerance, and understanding are values that help define our community. These are not easy attributes to follow in this post COVID chaos…and should not be taken for granted.
One positive that has come from COVID is the airing of our council meetings on the City of Kimberley YouTube channel (pictured). Tune in on Monday nights at 7 p.m. to observe our decision-making process in action.
Don McCormick is City of Kimberley Mayor
