This week between Christmas and New Years is known for a lot of things – family gatherings, no school, winter vacations and college bowl games.

It is also the time many people make New Year’s resolutions. Everything from dieting and quitting smoking to being a better person or saving a relationship.

I have never been big on making resolutions, probably because I realize they are too easily broken – especially if no one but me knows about them.

Another reason I haven’t made them – other than the generic ‘I resolve to be a better person’ – is because I am too busy to make them.

That is probably true for most folks. This week has a lot of things going on, so it is difficult to find the time to sit down in a quiet corner and make up some New Year’s resolutions.

So, as a public service, here are a few suggestions for resolutions for Faribault County entities, who might not have thought about making one – although they seem to be good at passing at least one resolution at each meeting.

For the Faribault County Board of Commissioners

Now that the new law enforcement center has finally opened and controversies surrounding it are starting to die down a little, resolve not to get bogged down in such micro-managing details as water softeners and refrigerators again. True, it gave area news media something to write about, but we’ll find something else, trust me.

On your next big project – if there ever is one – resolve to have an expert figure out what is needed and then go with it.

Also, resolve to do what is good for all of the people of the county, and don’t try and be all things to all people. Remember, you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

For the Winnebago City Council

OK, this is an easy one, and you could all recite it with me. Resolve to do all of your city business at the proper time and place…at a public meeting. Want to make a change in personnel, or discuss what is wrong in city hall? Fine, but do it out in the open where your electorate can see who is saying what about whom.

It is time to resolve to get back on track with doing the city’s business, and working together for the future and betterment of the community.

For the Wells City Council

It isn’t the same situation as in Winnebago, but it wouldn’t hurt to make a New Year’s resolution to work together on projects that will benefit the whole community. Not getting bogged down in old issues, petty differences and investigations isn’t easy. It is important to work on them and resolve them. But there are bigger issues and projects which also deserve time and attention in small city government.

For the Blue Earth City Council

Fortunately, the council does a fairly good job of keeping everything in the open, but they need to resolve to do more policy making and less micro-managing. There is a staff in place to handle the day to day operations of the city. The council should resolve to let their city administrator administrate, using guidelines they (the council) set up.

Another resolution could be to work together more. Discuss the issue, make a decision, and live with it. Having it come up several meetings in a row is not productive.

All of the local governmental groups have had to resolve to do less because they are getting less in state aid, or getting chunks of it unalotted. So we suggest they once again resolve to remember what are essential services to most of their constituents, and what are non-essential programs, when the next round of cuts come down the pike.

That also sounds like good advice for a New Year’s resolution for Governor Tim Pawlenty and the state legislature.

Here is wishing you, our readers, and also all of our elected officials, a very happy and meaningful new year. May 2010 bring us all just what we need, and may you follow through on all of your own New Year’s resolutions.