Public service and the pursuit of progress is a rewarding, yet challenging endeavor. You have to make decisions that will chart a promising path for the future. You must use every bit of your experience, intelligence, integrity and your instilled values to decide what you think is best for the community’s long term success. One of the biggest challenges we currently face is making sure we fully develop the skills and talents of our youth, and steer them away from violent crime.
The current crisis in violence and crime is deep and pervasive and will require leaders on all levels who can reach these young people and bring them the resources, understanding and change that they so desperately need.
I have taken every opportunity possible over my years in public service to provide opportunities for our youth. If there is an opportunity to invest in our recreation centers, it is my duty to make it happen. If there is an opportunity to invest in youth programming, it is my duty to take that opportunity. If there is a project coming to the City of St. Louis and a chance to invest in our youth and provide an opportunity to learn a skilled trade, it is my duty as a leader to give them a chance to benefit from that project.
Elected leaders have to use experience and forward thinking to make the best decisions on behalf of our young people. And when we have an opportunity to appoint someone to an important position, we have to put the right person in place to get the job done.
Our public school system plays an enormous role in the outcome of our young people and addressing the problems that we face. It is incredibly important that we have the best public school district as possible. One of the first big decisions I made as president of the Board of Aldermen was my appointment to the Special Administrative Board (SAB) of the St. Louis City Public Schools. I was very proud and enthused to hear last week that our schools had once again gained accreditation. This was an example of the hard work and dedication it takes to turn an institution around for the better. That announcement was 10 years in the making.
I was proud of my decision to appoint Richard Gaines to the SAB. Richard Gaines was the main architect behind the comprehensive plan that was the road map to take the school district to fully accredited status. This is a big step in the right direction. It was a lot of work and a lengthy process, but well worth the effort.
I appointed Gaines because I saw in him many of the leadership qualities that I equate with what makes a good public servant, including a commitment to community, a willingness to work and the experience and personality to drive a plan forward until it has reached its fruition. Richard was also the only appointee to the original SAB that was a former member of the elected school board. Those were things I felt were needed on that board. I factored all of that in my decision to appoint him and we are all very pleased with the result. All of those qualities played a major role in the progress the school district has made to date.
It is going to take everyone in leadership to make good decisions on behalf of our youth. We have the knowledge and resources right here in St. Louis to begin to make a positive impact. We have great institutions, businesses, and thought leaders right here in our city. We just need the right people in place, making the right decisions, to bring everyone to the table to work together toward a common goal of progress.
Lewis Reed, who is presently president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, is a Democratic candidate for mayor in the March 7 primary election.
