When earning a journalism degree at Ohio University, I had more classroom hours in political science than journalism. Part of that was because I originally planned to go to law school and a political science background was a great companion. Law school became a financial non-starter at some point along the way.
But I also fell in love with the whole political science world — the systematic study of government, politics and political behavior. It studies how a society governs itself at all levels and examines various ideas about how it should be governed in the future.
I have loved watching and reporting on government ever since. I have been doing this for a while. In the first Mansfield City Council meeting I covered in 1990, elected officials included leaders like the Rev. Henry Washington, Ed Meehan and Ocie Hill (whose picture now hangs in the council meeting room).
This is a long-winded intro into the fact I am going to focus a lot of attention on local politics for the Richland Source in my newly expanded role. This is going to be a fascinating local municipal election year (primary and general) in the City of Mansfield.
I have been around and covering Mansfield politics for almost 30 years and don’t recall so many new, interesting faces all emerging at the same time.
Voting decisions local residents make in May and November could shape the next decade of political decision-making in this city.
Mansfield is at a crucial point in its history. I want to ensure voters are energized about participating in the process. I want to ensure your great questions get asked — and answered.
Through the powerful Richland Source platform, I want all candidates to be able to express their views — while holding them accountable for those views.
Guided by our readers, we will ask the tough, deep questions — and then question those answers even more deeply.
Don’t believe local politics impacts your life? It does.
Sometimes, local politics can be as simple and meaningful as how long it takes to get your street plowed after a winter storm — and how deep into your pocket you will allow the government to reach in order to pay for it.
That’s one of the topics set for discussion tonight at Mansfield City Council. My guess is a lot of residents will show up to speak their minds after last month’s winter storm.
There will be a lot of comments (and political posturing) by elected officials who seek re-election this year (or perhaps seek advancement to a higher office.)
The conversation may get heated. And that’s OK. As the fictional Mr. Dooley said in 1895, “Politics ain’t bean-bag.” Played correctly, politics is not for the weak-at-heart.
The battle for the future of Mansfield is already underway. Join us at the Richland Source and help decide who wins that battle.
(Carl Hunnell did indeed graduate from the Ohio University School of Journalism — way back in 1983. He learned to write on manual typewriters and believes he is the better for it. He first came to Mansfield as, hard as it sounds to believe, a health reporter in 1990.)
