The kicker in this year's council election is that Carol Martinez, who is moving to Dallas, has resigned her Place 3 northside seat with two years left on her term. A special election to fill the remainder of her term will be held in conjunction with the other two races, opening the possibility of a bold, new look to the council. And judging by council member Versie Brown's disturbing comments at the recent Martin Luther King Awards Luncheon about minorities here feeling disenfranchised, there are also serious neighborhood issues, particularly on the north side from which two new council members will be chosen. It's a time for leaders to step up, leaders who are willing to do something constructive about solving problems instead of merely sitting back and throwing criticism. Public service, it's true, can be seen as a luckless task.
Every move draws a hostile reply from somewhere.
Thanks aren't always offered. But the job satisfaction that can come with making a genuine difference in the affairs of this community right now promise to be enormous. The qualifications for membership on the council are simple. Candidates must be 21. They must be qualified Texas voters.