According to Merriam-Webster, stewardship is defined as

“the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”.

When the idea of stewardship is mentioned, most people immediately think of “money”. However, stewardship involves so much more than that; it can include our time, our resources, our infrastructure, and, finally, the trust our community places in us.

Highland is already showing great financial responsibility and in my view it is essential that sound fiscal management be maintained. However, responsible management also involves looking after what we currently have, making careful plans for our future needs, and drawing up decisions which benefit the community for many years—not merely for the coming budget cycle.

When I am a member of the City Council I will have the idea that we are merely temporary managers of resources which are for the use of everyone. This involves respecting taxpayer money, keeping our roads and public facilities in good condition, safeguarding the services that our residents rely on, and making careful choices regarding growth and development.

What constitutes good stewardship is to ask not merely “Can we do this?” but also “Should we do this and is it the best way of using the resources of our community?” It involves going beyond immediate successes and taking into account the long-term effects on our neighborhoods, our families, and future generations.

We need leaders who will guard the investments that we have already made while at the same time planning responsibly for the future; I think that stewardship means leaving Highland in a better condition than we found it and also ensuring that the decisions we take today on continues to bring benefits to our community tomorrow.