Thank you for your support in the November election. I am truly honored to again have the opportunity to serve the people of Ada County.
Because we had a large corps of volunteers helping with the campaign, and the county covers a lot of territory, it is possible that there are one or two stray campaign signs that have not yet been picked up. If you know of any such signs from my campaign, please let me know ASAP so that I can get them picked up immediately.
A cornerstone of my political beliefs is to have open, accessible and transparent government. In keeping with that philosophy, I am starting this blog. I will periodically post updates about Ada County issues of interest and look forward to hearing from you, as well.
You can reach me by telephone at (208) 362-0843 at home or by e-mail at sharonu@cableone.net. Once I take office on January 12, you can also reach me at (208) 287-7001 (direct dial in my office) or by e-mail at sharonu@adaweb.net. Please remember that messages sent to this public adaweb address will be a public record, reviewable by everyone.
Having served in this same position in 2001 and 2002, I have been asked numerous times what I plan to do differently this time around. The last time around, I spent a lot of time trying to explain issues to the media, in an effort to get information out to the public. The technology of communication is now so advanced that it is possible to communicate directly with you.
Members of the media, and of course the public, are always welcome to attend open meetings of the Ada County Commission. That is where my colleagues and I will debate and discuss the pressing issues of the day. However, I have found that trying to communicate with the public through members of the media, more often than not, only leads to misinterpretation, misrepresentation, sensationalism and “spin” – to serve the needs of the particular media outlet, rather than to meet the needs of the public.
By communicating directly with you, I am able to increase the chances of you receiving accurate and comprehensive information. I plan to do so through this blog, articles I write and submit to various local newspapers and live media interviews as well as with periodic Town Hall Meetings, held out in the community. You are also always welcome to respond to my posts here on this blog as well as to call or e-mail me to speak with me directly.
Hope to hear from you soon!