A firefighter for Mulroy

Joe Mulroy deserves re-election to the Denton City Council. He’s done an outstanding job and has earned my support. I’m writing not just as a professional firefighter, but also as a city of Denton employee.

I am grateful these last four years to have had leadership on the council from someone who has been responsible for and understands the concept of a good workplace.

Joe Mulroy never refers to anyone as an employee but rather as a member of our professional family. He contributes his knowledge of health insurance, workplace insurance, pension plans and compensation equity for the betterment of our overall work environment.

I like having experienced leadership that truly understands. Please join me in voting for Joe Mulroy for City Council, Place 6.

Ken Gold,

Denton

Burroughs has the gift

Denton is at a crossroads for managing the sprawl from the south. These circumstances present both opportunity and risk. Leadership will determine whether inevitable changes will produce a better Denton, and Mark Burroughs is the person we need to make the most of what is to come.

While many of us believe we have the answers, the problem is that we have different answers.

Real leaders identify the best middle ground between disparate views, finding ways to help us understand that compromise was the best solution all along. Facilitating this type of consensus is a special talent, one many gifted people do not have or lack the motivation to access.

Mark Burroughs has the gift; he thrives when using it, and he revels in seeing his efforts produce a better community for all of us. Denton has been privileged to have many outstanding leaders; electing Mark Bur­roughs as the future mayor offers Denton the best opportunity to reach beyond to be­come the city we all know it can be.

Marc Culp,

Denton

McNeill’s a winner

Thirty-two years ago when I accepted a position in Dallas, a good neighbor in our Cleveland, Ohio, suburb, who had lived in a number of U.S. and international cities, told us that the best city they had ever lived in was Denton, Texas. We took one look, moved here, and never regretted the decision. 

The city has gone from 40,000 to almost 108,000 over these years and is still on the grow and on the go.

Today, it is remains as one of the best places to live in the U.S. Denton is not the suburb of any other city, but does share the benefits of being close to D/FW and the airport.  

We have the least expensive electricity (along with Co Serve) in D/FW and most of Texas, have cooperated and benefited from the Barnet Shale drilling, make biodiesel for our trucks and buses, recycle and sell yard waste, recycle plastics, metals and paper.

Two universities have thrived, our school system has met the growing needs of the population, we are becoming noted for our medical services and hospitals, our local airport is expanding, and fire rescue and police departments have expanded and are superb.

All in all, this is because of team efforts and everyone working together.

Overall, our pluses greatly overcome the minuses. Everyone knows what has often been quoted: “Don’t mess with success.” And, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  

Re-elect Perry McNeill as our experienced and completely dedicated full-time mayor with no conflicts of interest. 

David Dailey,

Denton

McNeill’s leadership

It seems that every city election is more important than the last, and this one is no exception.

Denton County remains one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation and the city of Denton is now beginning to realize this tremendous growth. Mayor Perry McNeill has provided the leadership skills necessary to manage this growth. 

Perry is a proven leader who is well-respected within the many local, state and federal boards and commissions he serves. He has worked tirelessly to bring quality growth to Denton that will result in an in­creased tax base and higher paying jobs. 

Mayor McNeill has had a very unifying influence on the City Council during his tenure. Over 95 percent of council votes while he has been mayor have been unanimous. 

Perry leads by example. He is honest, well- informed on all issues and after careful study votes for what he feels is in the best interest of all citizens of Denton. 

Please join me in voting to re-elect Perry McNeill as mayor of Denton.

Dick Smith,

Denton

Voters guide available

The League of Women Voters of Denton has published a voters guide for the approaching City Council election. It is available at all public and university libraries in Denton and on our Web site, www.lwvdenton.org.

The purpose of the guide is to help voters make informed decisions about the candidates. Questions were submitted to the candidates and their answers were printed without editing.

Early voting is available at Denton City Hall  through Tuesday, May 6.

Election Day is Saturday, May 10. Polling places will be listed in the Denton Record-Chronicle.

Please study the issues and make every effort to vote.

Sue Smith, president,

League of Women Voters of Denton

Role models

Sitting in on the Tuesday [April 22] meeting of the Denton Independent School District’s school board meeting, I patiently listened to speech after speech while parents, faculties, and students attempted to sway the board of trustees in one direction or another in regards to the recent redistricting fiasco.

Some speakers were more eloquent than others, and some were painful to listen to. In particular, upon watching a small cadre of concerned parents as they each in turn spoke at the podium and sat in the audience, I became shocked at their immaturity and re­markably self-centered notions, comparable to that of a petulant child who is not, after all, receiving that second scoop of ice cream.

These parents are active in the community. They are not only the voice of their absent or silent children, but they are also supposed role models.

Yet from their mannerisms and topics of speech, each displayed such a lack of maturity that I should be quite shocked if their children become kind, benevolent, up­standing members of society.

One man in particular verbally accosted a woman in front of the entire auditorium when she had voiced opinions not to his liking while defending her child’s alma mater.

Is this the example from which today’s youth are to learn from?

Theodore Yan,

Denton

Supporting Pete Kamp

We are writing this letter in hopes that Pete Kamp will again be able to serve the people of Denton. She has done an excellent job of fulfilling her obligations to her constituents and working as hard as possible for all the residents of Denton.

We have known Pete since she was in high school and have found her to be a very capable young woman. The fact that she wants to keep on serving is a testament to her dedication to her community.

Please consider when you vote May 10, and please vote.

Bill and Deanna Carrico,

Denton