To The Editor,

This letter will serve as a strong endorsement of Mike Talbott for position 2, Columbia County Com- missioner for the next four years. I have known Mike on a personal level since we were Green Giant Pre-graders back in the mid to late 1960s. After retiring from the WSU faculty in 2007 and moving to Dayton, I have gotten to know Mike again at that personal level, as well as a fellow member of the Columbia County Planning Commission for the last 4 years. I have seen how Mike works with others and how he addresses difficult issues with fairness and strength. He works well with people from all backgrounds and tries to reach a consensus on difficult issues. I know he is driven by a desire to make Columbia County a better place, not only for his family, but also for the other resi- dents of the county as well. I recommend Mike Talbott to you without reservation, believing he will do whatever is best for all of us.

With Best Regards,

R. Wes Leid

Dayton