Shenandoah IA 2015 Council Election Green Bio

Aaron M. Green, 42, works at Hy-Vee Foods in Shenandoah.  He is married of 23 years and has 2 left of 3 children still at home.  He is an incumbant running again for the Shenandoah City Council in 2015.  

For three years I’ve been telling myself and others that I would not be running for a second term on the City Council.  I’ve never believed in career politics, but rather to do your part and then to humbly stand aside.  Earlier this year I’ve been doing some difficult soul searching in my decision-making process to run or not run.  The answer actually came from the New Testament.  Peter and John were arrested by the Sadducees, priests and the temple captain.  They were beaten and threatened before the council.  At the counsel of Gamaliel it was agreed to let them go.  

In Acts 5:41 it states that Peter and John left rejoicing that they were found worthy to suffer in Christ’s name.  Now, obviously I’m lower than dust and don’t even come close to the stature or faith of John or Peter but it did get me thinking.  Christ is the source of all truth, so I asked myself if my intent and true conviction to serve the people of Shenandoah was still as pure as it was the first time I ran for Councilman At Large.  If it was then I should rejoice in the face of the adverse reactions of the past three years.  Long story short, my intentions are still true to serve this people according to my conscience.  Therefore, there isn’t a legitimate reason not to run for office.  It is still my passion to encourage and ensure the Shenandoah residents to pursue the true nature of liberty.  I happily do this with my arm at the square at the swearing in.

The greatest achievement that I’ve brought to Shenandoah via the City Council is, without a doubt, the suggestion and inclusion into the regular Council meeting agenda the opportunity to express a positive comment.  There is so much good that takes place in Shenandoah!  When we utilize this opportunity properly it can harmonize the Council’s decisions for the betterment of the residents.  Positive comments can help set the tone of the meeting as we attempt to keep the negativity at bay.  

In conclusion I am very disappointed that I will not be challenged on the ballot.  That may seem like an odd comment coming from one who is running for an election.  However, I know there are better people out there who heard the inner call to serve but have chosen not to seek and elected office.  For these people I love them, and hope they will advance other avenues to serve the people, that it may prepare them to run for an elected office down the road.  

The platform of this second term is two-fold; 1, Shenandoah to continue and magnify being a city of conscience and, 2, To let the water flow.  

I plan to initiate opportunities for the people to exercise their time and talents for the betterment of their fellow residents.  I believe this is part of the obligation to the moral trust that we as elected officials have been given.  To provide such opportunities.  For the second part of the platform obviously we need to get this new water plant up and running.  It was supposed to be completed this past March and we are now looking conservatively at late 2016 for completion.  We have been plagued with setbacks and problems.  It does no good to look backwards and complain.  We are where we are and we must work through this in order to produce a water plant that we can be proud of.  Though there is probably very little legal recourse we can take at this juncture to rectify certain problems, I believe we as the City of Shenandoah still possess the greatest weapon in our arsenal.  

Stay tuned on what you can do to help.

Rod Serling Twilight Zone The Shelter is Great Food for Thought

I love old television episodes of various genres.  The original Twilight Zone is one of them.  Recently I saw one episode that actually has a lot of food for thought in it.  It is called 'The Shelter.'  It struck a cord with me because it illustrates a growing trend of ill preparation for, and at the sacrifice of, the future for the emotionally perceived needs and wants of the here and now.

'The Shelter' takes place at a suburban residence just outside of New York City.  It is a birthday party for a doctor who had a strange obsession with preparedness.  The party is complete with family and friends all with fond feelings and happy faces.  In particular, his preparation included building a bomb shelter in the basement of his home.  How stupid and dumb, right?  Low and behold, only as Rod Serling can do it, a mysterious raid is publicly announced and people are urged to seek shelter.  What happens next was truly food for thought for all modern day man.
Watch Twilight Zone 'The Shelter'
The doctor and his family immediately brought down necessities to the bomb shelter.  This consisted of water, radio, his doctor's bag and other items to sustain life.  As they were headed down the stairs a knock on the door sounded.  It was one of his close neighbor friends who sought shelter for his family in the doctor's bomb shelter.  An argument broke out because the doctor was adamant that the shelter is only designed for three people and that he cannot take any more.  This basic scenario continued.

All the close friends and their families soon came over and in a violent manner began to threaten to break the door down.  Among them though started tensions as they all pinned their family's lives as more important than the other's.  As they continued to pursue the protective cover of the doctor's they were told through the door that they were warned but wouldn't listen.  If only they prioritized and had fewer parties and frivolous pursuits.  No sooner did they break down the door another public announcement was given that it was a false raid.  It was only harmless satellites overhead.

The moral of the story is to contemplate how firm is our foundation of the lives we've built.  Are our friendships strong through thick and thin?  In our personal lives are we shoring up future happiness by preparing for hard times?  Hard times doesn't have to mean bombs or wars.  What about the loss of job?  What about injury or sudden illness?  What about fires?  What if your son with a family lost his job.  Will you let his children suffer?

True happiness will never lie in the here and now.  It dwells in preparing for the future in all aspects that life may be sustained in order to pursue continued happiness.

These people thought the doctor's pursuits were trivial.  Yet, at a critical moment what was considered a lifetime friendship turned out to be convenience only for the moment.  Once a friend - can instantly turn to foe for those who are weak and ill prioritized.

I highly recommend Rod Serling's Twilight Zone original episode of 'The Shelter' for an intriguing true look at the psyche of the willing, and unwilling, mind.