My mother was an educator before she was a mom. She knew much about Western New York history. So she always took pleasure noting that the Town of Marilla was named for an early school teacher, Marilla Rogers. “Any town that bears a teacher’s name can’t be all bad,” she would say.
And last night, seeing Marilla shine on a bright summer evening, I thought of both my parents, and all those who love our region and want to make it better.
Before speaking with the town board, I visited the Marilla Historical Society’s museum, with its 19th century farming tools, and then walked town hall’s tranquil grounds. From the town gazebo that overlooks Marilla’s gently rolling hills, I could see horses grazing on farmland.
Supervisor George Getz, his council members and I had a lively 90-minute discussion about downsizing. At first, they cited the problems of other government levels beyond our control. But once we exhausted that topic, and focused on changing that which we can, they offered measured responses to my proposal. Fred Specht aggressively challenged my research, and then gracefully allowed that change should be considered.
Driving by Marilla United Methodist Church after our meeting, I noticed that their congregation sign read, “Bloom Where You Are Planted.” It made me think of Theodore Roosevelt’s favorite motto, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
With this government reform effort, I hope that I’m doing just that.
