Democracy works.
Downtown business leaders got the collective ear of the Mitchell City Council Monday over the carnival location dispute.
After seeing all those voters and business owners in the audience and hearing their plea, council wisely directed the Corn Palace Festival Board to reconsider its decision to move the carnival farther north -- and away from the vast majority of downtown businesses.
The downtowners haven't won yet. For one, the festival board has yet to act. For two, not all downtown businesses want the carnival on their doorstep.
But apparently -- and this is the critical part -- a clear majority want to keep the carnival where it is because of the opportunities for store traffic that the carnival provides.
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Makes sense to us.
Is there some inconvenience that accompanies the annual carnival? Of course. But as local businessman and community leader Jeff Logan so clearly stated on this page a few days ago, the carnival is an opportunity to do business for those businesses that are willing to capitalize on that opportunity.
Our hope is that the Corn Palace Festival Board reverses its earlier decision. There's no shame in that. Leaders change their minds all the time based on new information. Moreover, this may be just what is needed for the committee to reclaim control of its agenda and place its leadership in the hands of one of its own instead of Corn Palace director Mark Schilling, who has been acting chairman of the group.
No slight intended to Schilling, but publicly constituted boards and committees should elect their own chairman and set their own agendas. Apparently, Schilling has moved into that role by default.
On an issue such as where the carnival should be located, there's no substitute for a majority rule -- and democracy in action.
