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Kelly Walsh. Photo provided to Decaturish

We accept letters to the editor. In advance of the Nov. 7 elections, we have invited candidates’ supporters to write no more than three letters on behalf of each candidate and have extended the opportunity to candidates to write one to two letters on their own behalf. We will not run any candidate letters after Oct. 30. 

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Dear Decaturish,

I am Kelly Walsh’s volunteer campaign manager. I have volunteered for a lot campaigns and ballot issues over many years, including managing Tony Powers’ race in 2015 and the 5 For Decatur tax exemption last year. Although I live in Decatur’s District 2 (Oakhurst), I feel we are such a tight knit community that each commissioner represents all of us. And while I can’t vote for her, I am so proud to help her become the next District 1 Commissioner.

From the day I met Kelly I knew she was someone special. I immediately found her to be an intelligent, imaginative, and perceptive woman. Her progressive values were aligned with mine and her ideas about the challenges to and the future of Decatur were well thought out. The first time I went to her house back in March to start working on her campaign plan there was a tall stack of bound books on her kitchen bar, such as would be printed at Kinkos. I asked what they were and she told me they were copies of Decatur’s 360 Comprehensive Plan, the 2000 and 2010 Strategic Plans, the Transportation Plan, the Better Together Community Action Plan, the Livable Centers Initiative, etc. I questioned if she had read them all, knowing how tedious reading stuff like that can be, and she looked at me, tilted her head and responded “Well, yes”. I knew then I had made the right choice in helping a studious, inquisitive, and dedicated candidate.

I have come to learn that Kelly’s approach to problem solving and her ability to give and take in developing concepts and ideas make working with her an enjoyable experience. Kelly is wicked smart and a natural born leader. She wants to know as much as she possibly can about an issue or project, talking to all involved, in order to make informed and quality decisions. She has a unique ability to strategize and come up with solutions that take each viewpoint into consideration coming to conclusions that meet the needs of the task. Kelly has shown me her dedication to Decatur by her total commitment to knowing as much as she can about the city and setting her priorities based, not just on facts and her own opinions, but also on the concerns of the community at large. She has the ability to ask hard questions. She is not shy about having a difference of opinion, but always listens to others knowing their thoughts are valid. She recognizes the importance of finding compromise. These attributes, coupled with her demonstrated history of volunteering tirelessly for our city, her empathy for those less fortunate, her dedication to progressive ideals, and her ability to see the big picture are what I believe make her the best choice for Decatur City Commissioner, District 1.

This is a winner-takes-all election with no runoff. Your vote could be that one vote Kelly needs to become Decatur’s next City Commissioner.

Please visit VoteKellyWalsh.com and https://www.facebook.com/VoteKellyWalsh/ to learn more about Kelly and please mark your calendars to Vote for Kelly Walsh on November 7th.

– Jodi Cobb, semi-retired architect / interior designer, glutton for punishment volunteer political operative & local campaign manager

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