Our opinion: Interest is best part of Warren Worx

How those decisions pan out we won’t know for years.

But what really struck us is the fact that between 30 and 40 people attended last week’s Warren Worx meeting. Municipal meetings are typically about as well attended as a convention of living Egyptian pharaohs, so it says something that so many people took time out of a weekday night to attend and give their input.

Attendance at these meetings shows there is concern for Warren County’s future. There is a solid group of area residents who want to be part of efforts to stem our population loss and begin to drive business and population growth. People are engaged.

The decision to make Warren Worx’ executive committee meetings open to the public starting in September is another good decision. If the public is engaged with your work, the last thing that should happen is leadership having meetings behind closed doors. Doing so creates a wall separating the people who care the most about Warren Worx – and that’s something we’re sure executive committee members want to avoid. They know, as well as we do, that if Warren Worx is going to have an impact it’s because there is community interest in its work. If the effort remains exciting and is accomplishing the new organization’s goals, the public will remain engaged.

But if the public stops caring because nothing seems to be happening or Warren Worx seems to be spinning its wheels, that’s when funders should get nervous.