On Oct. 21 I am going to assist in the hiring of 16 public employees. Between now and then I am going to have to read 49 resumes, listen to speeches and sales pitches. I will have to sift through the clichés, adjectives, promises and boasting to find the truth.

I take politics seriously, and tune in to the political channels and read the political articles and I will have a hard time finding 16 deserving employees. One mayor, eight councillors and seven school board trustees.

Between now and then the politicians will shine but are they the best employees?

Perhaps the best employees are the worst politicians. Incumbency and name recognition only unlevel the playing field, perhaps the incumbent is the one behind the issue that angers you the most, and perhaps you recognize the name for the wrong reason.

With 30 people running for council, if each spoke for just five minutes, that would take up the best part of three hours. How much will you get out of 30 five-minute blurbs, and will you remember who said what?

If we had four wards then we would have seven to eight people running in each ward and it would be easier to pick the best two out of eight than the best eight out of 30 as it stands now.

We will be choosing eight out of 30, then seven trustees out of 14 then one mayor out of five.

We do not have to pick all 16, we can vote for just one or two or three etc., and maybe that would be the best thing to do. Pick out the ones you want to win and that’s it. Perhaps the other ones you pick to just fill out the ballot defeats the candidates you want to win.

On Oct. 21 I will participate in the process and help hire 16 employees. I am not hiring presidents, kings, rulers and dictators; I am hiring 16 employees to look after my interest as part of a collective. I am not hiring 16 employees to represent special interest groups, and I am definitely not hiring 16 employees who believe that there is no place for public participation between elections.

I am not a member of a special interest group; I do not have advocates lobbying on my behalf. I am a husband, a father, a grandfather, a homeowner, a taxpayer, just a regular guy having to pay the bills that are being forced on me by 16 employees.

On Oct. 21 I will be voting; my wife, my children and my grandchildren deserve it.

Garfield Marks

Red Deer