Districts won’t solve Winfield’s problems

There is an important decision for Winfield voters in Tuesday’s election to decide whether or not to divide our small village into six districts. Districting will eliminate the current ability we have to select every single trustee at large and be able to contact every single trustee on any topic. Don’t believe what you read on a blog or unsigned documents thrown in your mailbox.

Districting is not the answer to make trustees get along. Trustees who refuse to work together are the problem, not their differing opinions or where they live. Without the willingness of people to compromise and find agreeable solutions, you get the dysfunctional board we have today.

We as voters can force change by not accepting the disrespectful behavior of those who volunteered to “serve” residents before themselves. Proponents of districting will have you believe all of the fighting on the village board is because we are not districted, yet those same trustees are often the root cause of the problems because they refuse to follow or finish an agenda, are constantly adjourning meetings after they give their drawn out dissertations and expert testimony on every topic, and move what should be open discussion that can be viewed by all residents into “executive session” where the public is not allowed to witness anything and are removed from commenting altogether.

This is not open and honest government. There are real facts that do matter and then there are “promises” that will not occur by simply changing how we elect our trustees.

Please make sure to get informed about the pros and cons of “districting” prior to voting and no matter what you decide is best for Winfield. Let your voice be heard and vote.

Steve Romanelli

Winfield