Gildersleeve: The candidates I’m supporting in the upcoming election

I am grateful that many Fountain Hills residents have thrown their hats in the ring for the upcoming local election. Regardless of your politics or vision for our town, I recognize that running for office is grueling and costly. So, thank you to all who have stepped up.

That said, I am happy to support Gerry Friedel for mayor. Anyone who regularly attends or watches Town Council meetings has seen the uneven application of leadership in our current mayor. At a time when our town is at a crossroads, I believe that Gerry will bring much-needed steady leadership to the council, along with his willingness to always fight for issues that the majority of Fountain Hills residents value such as a peaceful and safe community, scrutiny to town finances, maintain our small-town vibe and ordinances that protect our neighborhoods, investments and businesses. For some politicians, these are merely empty slogans on shiny campaign postcards that get mailed out every two years. But Gerry actually walks the talk.

In addition to Gerry, we are fortunate to have Mathew Corrigan, Gayle Earle and Rick Watts running for Town Council. Mathew attends most council meetings, understands our local issues and has spoken out on sober homes and detox facilities, an important issue for most of us. Gayle is a long-time resident and small business owner. We need more business owners on the council with her commonsense perspective. Finally, Rick Watts has been an absolute rock star on the Planning and Zoning Commission. With his ability to research and analyze complex issues, he’d be an instant asset to the council.

My family is proud to support Gerry Friedel for mayor, along with Mathew Corrigan, Gayle Earle, and Rick Watts for Town Council.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.