This is my last article as president of the Residents’ Council. This year has flown by. Where does the time go? Last September we were just opening back up. Now, we are much closer to “normal” although we are still not quite sure what post-pandemic “normal” is going to look like.

For me, it has been a busy and rewarding year. In my farewell interview on 972, Mimi asked me what I had accomplished over this year. My first response is that any accomplishments are shared with all of the members of the Residents’ Council and the members of the Council committees. Most of the work of the Residents’ Council is done in the committees. Of course, we don’t have the power to make or change policies, but we work to communicate residents’ needs to the administration and to advocate for residents. This year, we have focused on accessibility issues. Looking for ways to allow as many residents as possible to enjoy all of the activities and amenities available here at Charlestown. We have also established relationships with the Resident Advisory Councils (RAC’s) at other Erickson communities to exchange ideas and information.
All of the committees have done good work this year. The Legislative and Political Committee has provided information concerning redistricting and sponsored candidate forums to help residents make informed decisions. The Health and Wellness, Safety and Security, Conservation, and Finance Committees have provided education on the vaccines, fall prevention, recycling, and the financial well-being of Charlestown. The Benevolent Care Committee has supported fund raising activities for the Benevolent Care Fund. The Dining Committee has provided feedback and advocated for those with dietary restrictions. During the wi-fi upgrade, the Communications Committee worked to ensure that residents received the help they needed to take advantage of the upgrade as well as continuing to push for better communications using all of the avenues available. The Resident Life Committee advocated for residents and, in particular, the inclusion of lists of newcomers and memorials in the Sunburst. We are especially proud of the formation of the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Subcommittee. The Grounds, Housekeeping, and Maintenance and Engineering Committees may not be the most romantic committees, but the members of these committees represent multiples pairs of eyes that look for problems and help keep our community clean, well-kept and running smoothly.

Last but not least, the Nominating and Elections Committee recruits candidates and runs the elections for the Residents’ Council. On their behalf, I ask you for two things. First, vote in the elections on August 3rd. Second, next year, when someone asks you to consider running for the Council, please give it some serious though. The Residents’ Council is here for you only if residents step forward to participate.

Pat Rudolph
Residents’ Council President