Breaking barriers, building community, and lifting people up – this is the role public officials can play in our lives and, I believe, should. Our elected representatives have a responsibility to REPRESENT all those in their communities and to serve selflessly and for the common good.

Local governments are the foundation upon which we build healthy neighborhoods and thriving downtowns, but it is the people serving in office that set the tone and vision of that community.

Every single Mayor, Council President, or any public official, can create the change necessary to improve the quality of life for all. However, it is OUR responsibility to hold these public servants accountable when they veer off course, and to lift those up who inspire us to do better, to be better, and to strive for excellence!

This newsletter features a guest article written by someone who has dedicated his life to improving the lives of others—an individual who made a commitment to learn about their role as a public official by attending and graduating from the Newly Elected Officials Course. With his permission, I am sharing excerpts of his remarks as the Keynote Speaker at the Graduation Ceremony.

My name is John Madison Burwell, the Mayor of Homestead, Pennsylvania, where I am the first Black Mayor of such a historical Borough where our Steel Mills produced a great amount of steel that helped erect many buildings and structures around the world.

I want us to look to the future, for it is in our hands. You may have run for office for various reasons: to put in place a new regime change, introduce new ideas to your local government, or simply it was time for you to get involved.

All of those reasons and many more are good. But you need to be educated in the best ways to achieve those changes in a positive manner.

 I believe that this NEOC course gave us just what we needed. They invited a plethora of experts, who shared their specific expertise with us to teach best practices that would help us navigate government with fewer repercussions, if we know the facts and the law.

We formed friendships with people from other municipalities and agencies, who we can call on when we need advice as well as who can call on us when collaboration of ideas and services are needed. (Priceless). And the reason why I bring that up is that if you only rely on your own thoughts and ways of fixing an issue and do not seek counsel, you are a fool.

 Simply put, if you don’t seek good advice, you run the risk of leading others astray with your complacency of thinking, which can lead to the birth of systems that do not benefit the people you promised to serve and work for them on their behalf.

However, with this unchecked power, you are bound to serve your own selfish desires.

Our role as civic leaders is to guide others in accomplishing a designated task. In addition, a good leader should be effective in making available resources for residents, and for the sustainability and growth of the local government he or she is invested in.

Above all you are to inspire people to want and be better!

 Please don’t lose sight of the common goal which is the “PUBLIC LIFE OF YOUR COMMUNITY”, to help them be informed and committed with a focus on the common good of the community.

The goal of civic engagement is to address public concerns and promote the quality and equality of the community.

Let your community catch you in the act of excellence; for excellence ought to be a habit, not just an act. I wonder where have I seen and heard that word EXCELLENCE before, yes it is in the mission statement of the LOCAL GOVERNEMENT ACADAMEY, its goal is to promote excellence.

Have you ever been to a fine upscale restaurant, you would generally see a server with a towel slung over his shoulder ready to assist you in any given situation? Make sure that your towel is BIGGER than your EGO. Because an Ego is the anesthetic that deadens the pain of stupidity.         

And, Pride is the burden of a foolish man, but wisdom will come to you when you hit failure. I’m not worried that you will fail, however, for a person who gets off the canvas is the person who will keep growing, that person is the one who will continue to grow their influence and make an impact on their community.

 I want to ask you a question, Is that person YOU?

– Mayor John Burwell, Borough of Homestead, NEOC Class of 2022