I have attended two forums for candidates for district supervisor and have read their newspaper advertisements and yard signs.

It has been said that what a person does not say, what they “leave out,” is often more important than what they do say. This is especially true of those career politicians who cannot be believed because they have lost their credibility by making the usual empty promises of “lower taxes, better management, running the board of supervisors like a business,” etc. That credibility is even more damaged when it becomes known that the politician has little concern for law, established procedure, truthfulness and decorum.

The public is tolerant and forgiving until it becomes clear that a politician is habitually deceptive and/or willfully negligent regarding his/her sworn duty to the public, or is conducting themselves in an overbearing, defiant and autocratic manner.

There are two words which I have not seen nor heard from any of the candidates, and I am concerned about that. Those words are “law” and “decorum.”

This is somewhat shocking to me, because if a supervisor respects and follows the law, and understands the importance of decorum (“orderliness; the conventions of polite behavior”) decisions become easier and more likely to be in the public interest, which is why we elect and pay supervisors.

Unfortunately, the current board of supervisors is notorious for disruption of proceedings and for making bad decisions.

But, I am highly optimistic because I believe we will soon have new supervisors who will respect and comply with law and decorum.

Lynn Wirtz

Adams County resident