Editor:

I praise the people, the electorate, of San Miguel county for their wise choice of Art Goodtimes, as their commissioner last term.

This is a man of deep dedication to his place – to your place – and to you.

This is a man who listens carefully to his community, both his peers and his opponents; a man who honors his elders, and plans for the children.

You have in Art, a commissioner that knows your rivers and mountains, your splendid aspen forests are his constituents as well: lucky, lucky you!

A righteous and good-hearted man: crystal clear about where he stands, and what he stands for – this man has always served his People and his Place before all politics.

Give Art a divisive issue, and he brings everybody to the table! He knows to create council, make a circle of listening and saying: find the Yes in the story, throw a Yes into the world.

I praise you because you – yes! -– have put and kept -– so wisely! – a poet, and a potato farmer, in office.

Poets are the ones that can listen to, and eloquently speak for: the us in U.S. Poets are the ones that can see both sides of the coin: and celebrate the shine on each. Poets seek clarity, but never at the expense of compassion.

And a potato farmer knows the gift of what is Beneath, to pay attention to what supports us, knows to dig gently and deep, and to respect the roots.

“Poets," Gary Snyder wrote, "give soul to history, and express gratitude for the work and sacrifices of our predecessors. Poetry strengthens the community and honors the life of the spirit."

And Poets speak to and for our dreams: the best of what we are and hope to become. They are our Voice for the Good.

Return Art Goodtimes to office! The future of your community is precious!  Re-elect this man, a Poet, a farmer, a father, a husband: a family man that treats this so amazing world as his Family. He is a Gift from your community to all our Futures!

All Best,

– Judyth Hill