We love Fountain Hills, our home since 1983. A number of years ago someone complained in a letter that we didn’t have enough culture in town. Here is a portion of a poem I wrote in response: “Do you need the artist’s brush, when you have the desert sunrise? Are you eager for the singer’s voice, when you hear the coyotes call? Do you yearn for French perfumes, after summer squalls have passed? Nay, not me, as I stand in awe of Nature’s Perfect Jewel.”

We can’t take that peace, tranquility and safety for granted anymore. If you live next door to a short-term rental or a detox center, you will know that it’s not the culture we need to add. That’s why the next council that’s seated in Town Hall must insist on transparency and they must start listening to the views of residents and acting accordingly.

Democrats keep telling us that Council positions are non-partisan. Could it be that they repeat that because they know they are outnumbered by Republican and Independent voters in town? Unfortunately, the behavior and actions of members of those current “non-partisan” officials have their Democratic Socialist views oozing out through their comments and their voting records.

There has been too much arrogant preaching at us recently. That’s why a clean sweep is needed, starting with selecting Joe Arpaio for mayor and then bringing on board Brenda Kalivianakis, Allen Skillicorn and Hannah Toth to the Council. We shouldn’t stop there, for we should not take John Kavanagh’s support for this town for granted, either. John is facing a challenger for State Senate from Scottsdale. The recent grant of $2.5 million for the Dark Sky initiative, which John engineered through the state legislature, is the type of support that will disappear without Kavanagh in the Arizona Senate.