Dear Editor,

Community vitality is essential. Without it we jeopardize our future. If you ask your friends what it means, you will hear a variety of answers. Jobs, careful use of public funds, support for new and existing business opportunities are essential to our future. I believe in supporting Dain Nysoe for County Commission. He will foster community vitality so we not only survive, but thrive.

Back when I managed Seafirst Bank here, I got the opportunity to do home loans after some training; I was excited because I could see how it would help folks buy that first home or get a larger home for a growing family. However, at that time our precious small town was struggling. We had high unemployment; we lacked living wage jobs and we lacked vitality. That limited our options when it came to home loans. The only loans available were 20% down conventional loan and FHA. Underwriters were not willing to take a chance on Dayton’s stability of a home’s value. We can look around and see where towns were but are no more. They did not have the vitality to move into the future. Covello comes to mind. I want our communities to be here 100 years from now and still have a bright future.

I am glad Dayton is doing better than Covello did in the past. If we want to continue to have a healthy community that holds a future, we need to support vitality. I’m glad that Columbia Pulp is bring jobs to our area. The windmills brought 70 permanent jobs to town. In addition to jobs, the windmills pay 33.94 percent of taxes collected in our county. I appreciate their contribution to our tax base and look forward to the assistance Columbia Pulp will have in both jobs and supporting our tax base.

I value our past and history. My husband’s family came here in 1870. I don’t want to just look back; I also want to look to the future with optimism. I strongly support Dain Nysoe. I believe that his education, career and family’s history in our county make him the best selection for commissioner. His family came here 135 years ago, and they have a long history of public service. He wants to continue the family tradition of community service, so let’s put him to work. Please join me in supporting and voting for Nysoe in November.

JoAnn Poolman

Dayton