Letter: Commending 4-H candidate forum

I would like to commend the Rolling Hills 4-H Club for once again hosting a forum of the town board candidates for the residents of the town of St. Joe. The forum, held on March 21, was very professionally conducted, following the format recommended by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters organization.

Their moderator was an impartial person who does not reside in the town and did not know any of the candidates.He did an excellent job of synthesizing questions and posing them clearly to the candidates. 4-H members served as timekeepers and kept the event moving along efficiently.

It was an excellent example of civic engagement. The participation of 4-H members allowed them to provide service to their community, as well as receiving an excellent civics lesson. Thank you to these young people and their leaders for organizing this event.

Each candidate had the opportunity to provide both an opening and closing statement, in addition to responding to each question posed by citizens, giving those in attendance a chance to hear their thoughts on a variety of issues. My personal choice for a town board member is someone with experience as well as being knowledgeable about the concerns of residents and having a desire to serve their community in a non-partisan way.

Based on these criteria, I am voting for Theresa Johnson, whose 13 years of experience as the chair of the town board show a proven ability to lead; Chris Marshall, who also has served a term and whose passion for service to his community clearly stood out; and Matt Moore, who has served on the finance committee and also clearly understands the budget, issues and priorities. All three of these individuals are committed to serving in a nonpartisan manner.