Maybe the mayor was daydreaming out loud.

Maybe the mayor was wishing on a star.

Or maybe, just maybe, the mayor just forgot to begin by saying, “Once upon a time…”

Mayor Val Tollefson offered an interesting — and somewhat mystifying — observation at a city council meeting when city officials again turned to the topic of next steps for the city’s Suzuki property.

At a recent meeting, a majority of the council said they favored development of the 13.83-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Sportsman Club Road and New Brooklyn Road. But the proposal to build a new subdivision that will include affordable housing has many on the island concerned about a densely developed project that may endanger a stand of old-growth trees on the property.

Tollefson recalled how, at the last meeting, one citizen called out and castigated each council member who favored development by name. In subsequent public comment, another citizen in favor of building affordable homes on the Suzuki parcel called out the same four, but with praise, instead.

“I object to both of those kinds of things,” Tollefson said.

“We are here to solve problems and we’re all doing what we think is right and we’re working hard at it. And we’re going to disagree on some things. Even if we don’t all agree with the decision, we are going to presumably work positively together to go forward from that,” he added.

“I want us to be thought of as a council who’s making decisions and not as individuals who deserve either slings or pats on the back,” Tollefson said.

Sorry, mayor. Democracy doesn’t work like that. And it shouldn’t work like that.

Democracy can be a bit messy, and elected officials don’t get to hide in a soundproof bubble, protected from public criticism for the choices they make or don’t make.

Leaders don’t get to vote on issues and then retreat into the safe refuge enjoyed by some lowly bureaucrats who can wave a dismissive hand and say, “Sorry, I only work here.”

Elected officials must own their decisions, good and bad. Leaders must endure the criticism (or enjoy the praise, for that matter) that stems from their choices. It’s called accountability, and it’s something elected officials must learn to live with. Getting elected to public office does not give one a free pass from criticism until the next election.