OPINION — For decades, I ran Don & Charlie’s Steakhouse on a simple principle: a good night happens when everybody in the building pulls in the same direction. The kitchen, the servers, the regulars, even the folks who just wandered in off the street. Nobody agreed on everything, but everybody agreed on the goal.
That’s the spirit I remember from the Drinkwater days at city hall. Councilmembers argued, sure. They had strong opinions and didn’t always vote alike. But when the meeting ended, they shook hands, shared a laugh and came back the next week ready to work. They understood that the city was bigger than any one of them, and that getting along wasn’t weakness. It was how things got done for businesses, neighbors, and families alike.
I haven’t seen much of that lately. These days, public service too often looks like a shouting match where winning the argument matters more than solving the problem.
