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Opinion

Andeen: Proud to serve, preserve & protect Paradise Valley

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I proudly serve as council member on Town Council and as a former Paradise Valley Police Department volunteer. Preserving and protecting Paradise Valley has been my objective from the beginning.

My parents instilled in me at a young age the spirit of service to our community. My focus in my adult life has been in supporting law enforcement.

I never thought I’d run for Town Council or run for re-election.

My political life started as a young girl in my PV neighborhood where I still reside today and involved Judy & Earl Eisenhower as my neighbors. Mrs. Eisenhower, who was the administrator to Senator Barry Goldwater, graciously welcomed me into their home. She would help me with my homework, which included studying U.S. and Arizona history and she would continuously quiz me.

I remember hearing political stories and being at events and parties at their house. I would hear all sorts of political angling that happened at the national level. It energized me at a young age to care about our town and the country.

At the Paradise Valley local level, I would hear about Senator Goldwater’s preservation-minded focus of Camelback Mountain. My Father, who ran and was elected in the 1980s to PV Town Council, ran on a platform of mountain preservation. I remember well hearing he and other council members discuss and debate options and solutions.

One of the most important topics for Mrs. Eisenhower was registering people to vote. When one of my brothers or I came of age to vote, she would make a special trip to our home to help get us registered. We all celebrated together this freedom and responsibility of being able to vote each time one of us registered. When one of my brother’s registered for a different party than mine or the Eisenhower’s, we still celebrated that each of us was engaged in the civic process. I have never switched parties since I registered at 18.

I have received so many wonderful emails, calls, texts from people in town thanking me for my service to Paradise Valley and offering support. It touches my heart to see so many people truly care about our town and our volunteers.

I was surprised to see the vitriol that has come from this election. This makes me ask why, for a volunteer position, would someone go to the length of having the three preservation candidates (Pace, Andeen & Labelle) websites hacked simultaneously, signs stolen and strange calls and emails, fake authors in the Independent, which has all been reported to the police department. Could all these new behaviors to run for office just be a coincidence for all three candidates?

Even in my current tenure on council, it is believed “someone” contacted my employer and had me followed, which was not reported to the police.

It makes for an uncomfortable volunteer position to have these sorts of antics taking place. Again, I ask why? Why is someone or several people trying to target the preservationist candidates.

I believe in term limits and it is something needed in Paradise Valley. We have a deep bench of good people to volunteer in various capacities and we can encourage, mentor, and train others to serve and preserve our unique town.

We do not need career politicians and a refresh this election will help move our town forward productively and eliminate distractions so we can serve the town’s best interests.

Even with these types of inappropriate attacks, my fiancé and others ask why I’d run again. It is because I still have more to do. I have no agenda other than to do my best to serve the residents of the Town of Paradise Valley. I know I have made a difference and will continue to do so if re-elected.

You have my commitment, if re-elected, I will support law enforcement, seek to preserve our beautiful open space and town character, and preserve our beautiful mountains and work to prevent overdevelopment. And, I am a fiscal conservative who thinks in numbers so I am watching the bottom line and will make sure we never have a property tax. Learn more at ellenandeenpv.com.

I humbly ask for your vote by Aug. 2.