The Right Decision

I am not one to give up. I often fail, sometimes miserably, but I hate giving up.

I am thirty-three years old, and I just started my studies to get my M.B.A., and I want to start my own business. On top of this, I have the cutest 1-year-old son in the world see the photographic evidence below:

 

I have a wife I don’t deserve. And a future that I feel inclined to chase. And most of all, I realized that I have been shortchanging all of these areas of my life.  I have been sacrificing my health, my family, my friends and my career.

Not Running,

I have been trying to convince myself not to run for the past two years. I have told the current Mayor, whom I wholeheartedly endorse, that I am not running, more than once. Then I would see a little glimmer of hope that my efforts might be worth it. I’ll see a kids group playing basketball in the new gymnasium; I’ll be able to help someone with their dreams of starting a business. And very rarely, someone will tell me that I am doing a good job.

I broke my foot in December at the time I was on the fence about running, and then the Belledune Residents Facebook Page popped up. In the beginning, it seemed to be a place to complain about and make up your own story about a grant that we awarded last year. While respecting the confidentiality oath that I took as a member of the council and not being one to back down from an argument, I took it upon myself to attempt and dispell the rumours. It was a lot of bluster at first, but with the presentation from the recipient and some calmer discussion, I think we got to a place where maybe not everyone agreed, but we weren’t declaring Watergate or Russian style corruption.

I prided myself on that. I felt that perhaps I could bring people to the table in a way that we could finally really make some forward progress. But when I started my course this week, I realized how much time it was going to take me. It put those small wins in perspective. I was giving up or risking a lot for an incredibly small win.

It all crystallized, and when I looked hard at what I wanted for my life and the lives of those I love, it became apparent what had to go.

Next Steps

But like I said off of the top. I don’t like quitting. Just ask all the people I anger because I won’t let the debate die. I am exiting the public sphere, but I hope that in the next six months, I, along with a few partners, will launch a Community Development Corporation. An entity dedicated to the development of local economies, workforces, rural businesses and innovation. I feel that I can do this more effectively if I am not involved with the village council at all. It’s also a passion of mine to work with people and businesses that want to succeed, challenge the status quo and do things that the negative people, the ones holding us all back think is impossible.

I want to thank the people who have supported me. I will do so in-person. I want to wish the best of luck to everyone who goes into municipal government with the intention of striving for better, and a swift and merciless fall to those who are going in to attempt to freeze or reverse progress. Please stay tuned and as always if there is any way that I can help you, do not hesitate to reach out to me.

 

All the best,

Sandenn Killoran