Krafve I love curmudgeons.

We had a self-proclaimed curmudgeon in a recent Bullard City Council meeting I happened to sit in on.

The thing about curmudgeons is they always ask the questions the rest of us are thinking.

Like, why in the world would our leaders do that?

Usually, leaders get so busy and so knowledgeable in the various legal and functional operations of government that they simply forget to slow down long enough to explain it to the rest of us.

On city councils and school boards all over East Texas, citizens volunteer their time and skills to serve the rest of us.

That word “volunteer” is crucial. Sometimes, the rest of us forget that our leaders are often sacrificing time away from their businesses and families to serve.

We tend to treat leaders with a healthy suspicion. I suppose that is because every now and then, a ringer gets elected.

Occasionally, we read in the local newspaper about some thief stealing from community coffers.

There’s always a quote about how that person was the “last person anyone would have suspected.”

The story usually includes some heart- breaking personal financial crisis that made the temptation a reality.

Bummer. But one of the roles of a weekly paper is to be there to hear the rumors and get to the bottom of it. Don’t ya just love freedom of speech?

For every one of those who give into temptation, there are hundreds of true public servants — volunteers — making responsible decisions every day all over East Texas.

Today, why not take a minute and thank someone you know who serves?

Anyhow, when the curmudgeon spoke up in the city council meeting, I suggested he send a letter to the editor.

Curmudgeon on! Just in case.

Cathy Primer Krafve is a columnist and reporter for the Bullard Banner News. E-mail news2@bullardnews. com.