Thursday, at a large gathering in Fountain Hills, I had the pleasure of hearing the keynote speaker, our Vice Mayor David Spelich.

I’ve been around the political arena for many years, heard more politicians than I care to think about. Most tend to sound very much alike and generally wind up saying nothing of importance. Well, that is not the case with our vice mayor. David is authentic, smart, fearless and very, very articulate. He had the audience spellbound as he gave a no-nonsense assessment of our town and what it needs and doesn’t need.

For those who don’t know him, David was elected to the council three years ago. He is a retired Chicago homicide detective, a man who doesn’t suffer fools well and is not a “politician.” This big man with a big voice has a full-time job chasing down bad actors who abuse children and somehow manages to commit a huge chunk of his time to providing major leadership on the Town Council.

David is a fiscal conservative, a man who asks tough questions, demands answers, holds everyone accountable and will never give up when an issue is in the best interest of the citizens he swore an oath to represent. I count him as a friend and am eternally grateful that David and his wife chose Fountain Hills as their home.

In these times when politicians across the spectrum enrich themselves at the public’s expense, David Spelich is a breath of fresh air. We could use four or five more like him serving Fountain Hills.