Troubling

Word that town council is disbanding two committees due to lack of public interest is troubling news, indeed.
Despite several calls for residents to fill vacancies on the Children’s Complex and Recreation Advisory committees, no applications came forward and the town was left with little choice but to dissolve them.
Sure, these committees always could be resurrected in future should the need arise. For the moment, however, this lack of interest in helping advise council on matters involving the Children’s Complex and local recreation does not reflect well on our community.
Do people just not have the time these days to volunteer their services? Or is it simply another indication of the disturbing trend of indifference towards municipal affairs—whether it be running for public office, serving on town boards and committees, and even bothering to vote whenever an election rolls around.
Town committees are an excellent way for citizens to have a say on the direction our community is going. They serve as a liaison between council and residents, where ideas and suggestions can be floated, pursued, and brought to fruition. It’s an chance for your voice to be heard.
Frankly, how can one complain about council’s decisions on providing care for our youngsters, for instance, or bemoan the lack of recreational opportunities here, if we aren’t willing to be part in the process?
Have we lost our civic pride and forgotten what it means to be a citizen? Are we waving the white flag on our town’s future?
Let’s hope not. What it boils down to, however, is whether we’re content to sit on the sidelines not caring—or be active stakeholders in Fort Frances.
It is, after all, our community and we all share a responsibility to keep it vibrant.