Skip to content

Consider This: Solutions for Creston Valley could come from public meeting

Some brought forth concerns, ideas and even workable solutions. They came together and a non-political, non-partisan group is emerging...
23689crestoncertik_vladimir_consider_this
Vladimir Certik believes that thinking outside the box and engaging fellow citizens may bring simple solutions to complex problems. The West Creston resident can be reached at 250-402-0055.

Imagine these challenges: an urgent need to join the battle abandoned over a year ago, and a submission for the Advance is written but it doesn’t feel right.

My inner assurance was to wait in the midst of turmoil, but that looks like procrastination. An announced meeting was coming. Nothing was clear. What would you do?

Try this: Hold your fire. Wait out that internal battle. Wait until you know what to do. If you’re sensitive, willing and patient, it bubbles up most of the time.

First, that battle abandoned and lesson learned:

A once favourite and trusted politician seemed to be firmly in a spiderweb of an insidious group with a questionable agenda, becoming their poster boy. Not realizing that it was this band of brothers pitting us against each other, I abandoned him and the cause. Instead of a public counterproposal exposing smarties, giving an elected official a choice between deceit and a for-the-people solution, there has been a power vacuum filled with turmoil, divisions and many unnecessary blows.

Furthermore, biblically, one is supposed to pray — for non-religious folks, I know prayer has become a dirty, useless word; I mean sincere intercession on behalf of good against evil — for those in authority so that they may resist evil and stand their ground.

Truth and reconciliation emerged. The politician in question knows we won’t fight each other anymore but pursue what is right no matter what. Since from now on he can count on me and some of my friends, we are relieved, as we became each other’s brother’s keeper.

The Advance column? It was ready and acceptable, yet that inner feeling was saying there was something what needed to be said or done first. Impatient waiting continued. Finally the meeting announced in a Consider This column took place. There were worries that people do not really care anymore and that it would end up happening only once if two or three people showed up, exchanged a few complimentary words and wished each other all the best in 2014.

The opposite happened. Over two dozen came. Some brought forth concerns, ideas, and even workable solutions to several problems presented. That was like a Boxing Day present from Creston Valley residents. They came together and a non-political, non-partisan group is emerging. The dream of meeting once a month is closer to reality. We have no official name, no affiliation and only one goal in mind: to explore the problems, find solutions and work on implementing the most viable ones.

We agreed there is a need to start with several local issues while educating ourselves and the community about bigger ones.

The greatest asset coming out of it was people pulling together, taking no side, and with no selfish or narrow-minded agenda, putting brains together for the common good in a way that drains nobody, belittles no individual and puts people and community together instead of breaking them up.

The meeting brought into the open some fellow citizens with a wealth of experience willing to share how to turn NATO (no action, talk only) into ART (action replacing talk). This great recipe comes from one gentleman in attendance. Want to find out more? Come next time and bring a like-minded, serious, determined friend or a neighbour with you.

For those who could not make it due to illness or other commitment, we will meet again at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 in the Erickson Room at the Creston and District Community Complex. It is never too late to join a good cause, put mind, heart and soul to it, and above all, persevere together until it bears fruit.

Vladimir Certik believes that thinking outside the box and engaging fellow citizens may bring simple solutions to complex problems. The West Creston resident can be reached at 250-402-0055.