I’ve been having a hard time this week. While I’m pleased with the results of Tuesday’s city commission election -- and would have been pleased regardless of the final outcome given the strong field of candidates -- at the end of the day, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I took the low turnout that personally.

Two years ago, we tried to get Brentwood Home Page up and running in time to cover and report on the 2009 city election. When we determined that would not be feasible, I created BrentWord.blogspot.com, as a baby step. One of my goals then was to drive up voter participation, which traditionally has been low.

I did the same this time with BHP. We chose not to endorse candidates, but to cover the election as thoroughly as we could so voters could make educated decisions in the voting booth.

But when all was said and done on Tuesday, only 11.53 percent of the city’s registered voters had found the time and made the effort to vote, either over the TWO WEEK early voting period, via absentee ballot or by stopping by their nearby precinct on Tuesday. All were open for TWELVE hours.

That’s an even smaller percentage than voted two years ago despite the extensive coverage by BHP and other media outlets, a much larger social media presence by all of the candidates, an aggressive get-out-the-vote campaign by the Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber and the fact that at least TWO NEW people would be elected to serve.

The face of the commission will change dramatically come Monday when “the Joes” – Joe Reagan and Joe Sweeney -- won’t be there.

Several readers posted comments on our election story.

“I feel that low voter turnout equates more to satisfaction than apathy,” wrote one. “... taxes and zoning garner higher numbers because people feel strongly about those things. I think low numbers mean we're on the right track.”

True, but taxes and zoning may very likely be issues to come before the new commission. And soon if the county’s request for a sales-tax increase to help fund local schools becomes reality.

Another noted that, “I always feel that having to remember a special date to vote in a local election is part of the reason for low voter turnout. If the local elections occurred in Nov along with the state and national elections turn out would be much greater. But I also agree most Brentwood residents are satisfied with the status quo.”

A lot of people our correspondents talked with on Tuesday echoed the thought that the election should be moved to coincide with another one, perhaps a county and state primary that would help keep local issues in focus. And it would save the city a chunk of change. It cost the city about $35,000 every two years to fund an independent election.

“So 88.47% of the voters in a highly educated, conservative community like Brentwood couldn't be bothered to vote,” asked another BHP reader. “This was the most highly marketed City Commission election in our history. Multiple community organizations, the media, including the BHP, and City promoted the election. There were two weeks of early elections, including two Saturdays. Signs were all over the place yesterday. You'd have to be living under a rock to have not noticed there was an election.”

My thoughts exactly (but I promise I didn’t write it!).

“No issues? There are plenty of issues impacting our community that we should be involved in. Growth management, traffic control and maximizing commercial revenues to keep property taxes low just to mention a few.

“Weather? People had two weeks to vote, and it cleared up by early afternoon anyway.

“Young men and women in our armed forces are fighting and dying to preserve our freedoms. Voting is one of our most sacred freedoms and a privilege that we should never take for granted. In light of the events this week, one would have assumed a ‘patriotic community’ as ours would be fueled with pride and out in mass at the polls. The fact that they didn’t is shameful,” the writer continued.

I don’t have any answers about how to increase turnout or to engage residents in “local politics” which includes the Williamson County School board and the County Commission. In fact, those two bodies have a huge issue in front of them right now – the county budget, a k a the school budget.

There is lots of talk about “cutting the fluff” and tightening the belt strap in our local budgets. Newsflash: There isn’t fluff in our city and county budgets. Both entities are fiscally conservative by nature, which is why we have AAA bond ratings and fared far better than most counties and even nearby municipalities did during the recent economic downturn.

If you haven’t noticed, we don’t have a Taj Mahal for a county administrative complex. We have an aging converted hospital that still looks the part. Our own city hall is getting its first face lift in 20 years. Have you looked at the salaries we pay our public servants? Few can afford to live within the city limits or even in our county.

Our city and county governments have a huge effect on our lives. Unlike many politicians at the state and federal levels, they can’t and don’t waste taxpayers' time on issues that have nothing to do with the real issues they are elected to oversee and act on.

Like I said, it’s going to take awhile for me to get over this one. And when the next rezoning request or tax proposal or school rezoning or public emergency comes up that gets the public riled up, I hope that the city or county commission or school board asks every resident who calls to complain if they voted.

I will.