Open mind, thoughtful discussion

It all started with a phone call from now retired editorial page editor Jeff Tecklenburg. Jeff asked me if I was interested in joining the board for 2014 and I, somewhat reluctantly, said I'd try it out.

I had a fairly negative opinion of the editorial board before becoming a member. I could quickly point to a handful of editorials that I strongly disagreed with, but would have been hard-pressed to remember one that I agreed with. This made it difficult to open up with my true feelings the first couple weeks of meeting with the board. Part of me expected to be shot down and humiliated for expressing my opinion.

This was far from the case. The open dialogue atmosphere became more evident the more meetings I went to. Discussions have always been civil, regardless of how divisive a topic may have been. I quickly learned that the purpose of the editorial board is to embrace opinions, not to reject them.

The board is a great outlet to get your opinions known to the public. We regularly get to interview different organizations to learn about what is going on in the community and then give our opinions about it. Some examples include meeting with the casino investors, the Prairie Meadows softball complex group, parents for the SILO tax and much more. It is an exciting experience to be a part of the news that is being created right in front of us.

The most enjoyable experience for me was getting to meet with the 2014 political candidates. From county supervisor to governor, we got to meet with almost every candidate that will represent this area. It is exciting to sit across the table from people like Governor Branstad, Congressman Braley, and State Senator Jack Hatch and speak to them one-on-one. It was also my opportunity to get a selfie with some of the most powerful people in the state of Iowa.

Whether or not I agreed with the candidates, I always tried to keep an open mind and be thoughtful of the discussion that was taking place.

Disagreement and open dialogue are an important part of the ever-changing world we live in. To sit down and discuss divisive topics with others has been a great experience to challenge my opinions on issues and the thought process on how I came to those opinions.

We all have opinions and we all want to make the world a better place. The editorial board has taught me a very important lesson that rather than simply listening to the news, and keeping up-to-date on current events, that I can play a role in creating that news. Viewing the media as a tool to help influence the public's perception has, for example, been a huge asset for my work with the Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association. The neighborhood has seen some incredible growth the past couple years, and the media has helped to spread the word about the great changes that are going on in the area. The neighborhood association is working to slowly change a perception of the area that has been perpetuated for over 30 years.

It has been a pleasure to spend the last year on the editorial board. My opinion about the board has changed greatly over the past year in a very positive way. I have learned a lot, gotten to meet some great people, and been a part of the constant discussion that goes on about how we can make this world a better place.

' Justin Wasson is president of the Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association and 2014 community editorial board member. Comments: jrwasson@live.com

Interested in joining our editorial board? We are currently seeking community members for 2015.