Now in Tomball, things are turning prickly after the elections of first Bill Webb in 2007 and Mark Stoll and Derek Townsend in 2009. A council that once ran like a well-oiled machine is facing opposition from two sides, with many citizens citing a split between council members. Some believe that split represents a larger divided faction among the citizenry.

In both cities, citizen unrest is, if not at a peak, certainly on the uptick. Public comment portions of each city's council meetings are typically filled with terse comments from angry citizens, directed at one administrator, leader or city entity or another. User comments on the Tribune's Web site reflect increasing frustration, particularly in Magnolia. A group of anonymous citizens have even started the Web site, savemagnolia.com, a watchdog group keeping close tabs on the governance of the City of Magnolia.

Beginning Feb. 6 in Magnolia and Feb. 8 in Tomball, city residents were able to put their name in the hat for the upcoming municipal elections in both cities. As of press time last week, the two positions up for vote in Tomball, Position 3 held by Webb and the Mayor's spot, held by Gretchen Fagan, are both up for re-election. Two residents have already announced their intention to run: Judith Wilson against Fagan and Rick Brown against Webb.

It's too early still to determine who will run in Magnolia. But now is the time for action.

Magnolia has been notorious in recent years for having unopposed races. For years, citizens have been raining fire and brimstone at the council and city administrators, but when it comes time to put their proverbial money where their mouth is, they remain silent. So now, to all of those who post anonymous comments on Web sites and speak at city council meetings, now is your time. Now is your time to take a stand and take advantage of your Constitutional right to let your voice be heard.

Complaints ring hollow from those who sit on sidelines during the ballgame, or in this case the election, but are the first to criticize how their city is being run. Granted, serving in the political realm isn't for everyone. It can be a dirty business. It can get personal. Lifelong friendships have been ruined solely for political reasons. But if someone can invest so much time and effort into piling on government officials, they should be able to invest that much fervor into their own efforts to better their city.

This year, if a political candidate runs unopposed and serves for two more years at the grumbling and grousing of its citizens, it's going to be a tough sell for someone to make a complaint against them. So, get involved. Having the opportunity to run for political office is one of the many wonderful freedoms Americans are afforded. Take advantage of the opportunity.

Application forms for council positions are available on each city's Web site, tomballtx.com and cityofmagnolia.com. Or visit Tomball City Hall, 401 Market St., or Magnolia City Hall, 18111 Buddy Riley Blvd., to pick up a copy of a ballot application.

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