I always look forward to reading the American Journal, particularly around election time. I am curious, though how you can call last week’s pick for mayor an endorsement.

You start out with: “At some point, the city will probably want to make a change in leadership, but right now things seem to be going relatively well.” After listing some examples of economic growth, hiring of a new police chief and referencing the new Westbrook Middle School, you go on to say, “(Bruce) Chuluda doesn’t deserve all the credit for these things, but let’s be honest – thinks have been worse.”

“Things have been worse” and “relatively well.” Wow, what kind of endorsement is that and why would we as a city settle for such mediocrity in leadership? Why not acknowledge the role that the current city councilors played in the achievements mentioned. I think if I were Mayor Chuluda I would ask you to forego endorsing me if you couldn’t be more affirmative than you were.

Here’s my endorsement: I believe Westbrook is a great city. I believe it is a gem in southern Maine and it is the best kept secret in many ways. We have outstanding schools, a growing arts community and an amazing Westbrook Housing organization. Attention to family is obvious in so many activities like Westbrook Together Days and Halloween on Main Street. Economic growth is happening, downtown is being revitalized and there is genuine care and concern for our senior population.

Are there tough challenges ahead? Definitely. Recycling, property taxes, school consolidation, economic development, parking, and hiring of a new school superintendent are just a few local issues.

The development our city is experiencing is the result of hard work on the part of so many current and former leaders, many of them have been from the Democratic Party. I think it is time to reclaim for Westbrook, by its nature a strong Democratic city, a Democratic mayor, to put in the key leadership role a strong, committed, intelligent man of vision.

My support will go to Jim Violette. I believe that Jim Violette, together with the current council, will be able to move our city forward in a positive direction and restore the trust that has slipped this past year. I believe it will take a strong leader at the helm, one who will hold municipal employees accountable for their actions and restore the trust for the people in Westbrook. We need a person of vision. Jim is not one to settle for middle of the road. He will push and prod and make things happen and he will listen – not just for listening’s sake, but really listen to the people. Ttogether with the council and us, the people of Westbrook, he will set the agenda for our city to continue to move forward.

You go on in your article to say that “we endorsed Violette last time and have not endorsed Chuluda in his previous two bids for mayor.” Well, thanks for the suggestions, but I have decided and my vote will go to the Democratic leadership that is evident in Westbrook. My vote will be for the current Democrats on the council, who have shown outstanding leadership. And my vote most certainly will be for Jim Violette for mayor.

Colleen Hilton

Westbrook