Public service is a good thing.

That’s why anyone who wants to get involved and make a difference should ponder seriously applying for the open position on the Pendleton City Council.

The city council will accept applications for the open slot until Oct. 30. Already, three residents — Lonnie Read, Roy Jones and Tom Kligel — have sent in applications. Interested applicants can send a letter of interest to Mayor John Turner, 500 S.W. Dorion Ave., and all city residents are eligible.

Time is of the essence to apply. The council has yet to set a date for interviews, but apparently wants to seat a new councilor at its Nov. 3 regular meeting.

Three candidate applications are a good sign that there is interest in serving the public. However, the more diverse the field of applicants is, the better off the greater body politic will be. An open seat on the council creates an opportunity for everyone — including people of color — to step up and get involved in city government.

Local city politics and government are the bedrock of our great democracy. Sure, no one is going to make a million dollars serving as a city councilor and often the job can evolve into one that appears to be more trouble than it’s worth, but that view is a transitory one. That’s because the overall value to a position on the city council typically cancels out the challenges.

Serving as a city councilor is one good way to give back to the community. The job also gives ordinary residents the chance to interact with others who may not carry the same worldview as they do. That’s a good thing. Debate, diversity and finding compromises are key ingredients in our democracy — or at least it should be.

At first glance, a city council position may not offer an opportunity to make historical decisions that affect millions and get logged in the history book. However, work on a local elected board is so critical to our overall success.

Democracy — our democracy — remains an experiment. That means it is a constantly shifting paradigm, but the ideas that spin out of what may first appear to be chaos make us a better town, county and state.

Our community needs interested and dedicated individual from all walks of life who seek to make a difference and help their community out. Any type of public service is good for democracy and serving as a member of the Pendleton City Council is a way to guide our path into the future and help our grand experiment succeed.