Konfederak: Why I am a write-in candidate for Apache Junction City Council

My name is Ted Konfederak and I’m seeking a two-year term on the Apache Junction City Council as a write-in candidate.

My wife, Karen, and I have resided in Apache Junction since 2011 and have come to love this unique place.

I retired from the U.S. Army after nearly 30 years of both active and reserve component service, as an infantry colonel with overseas service in both Germany and Vietnam. My major assignments include battalion command, chief of the counterdrug division, Headquarters Sixth U.S. Army; future force integration branch chief, Headquarters Department of the Army; and chief of future force integration, Army Directorate, National Guard Bureau.

After retiring from the Army I moved to Arizona and taught high school Army JROTC at both Trevor Brown and Highland high schools before retiring for the second time in 2013.

During my period of reserve component service I managed a municipal swimming facility for the Oak Lawn, Illinois Park District; was a restaurant manager for Ponderosa Systems; a police officer, evidence technician and investigator for the Village of Bolingbrook, Illinois; and operated an insurance agency in Palos Hills, Illinois.

My military education and training includes the infantry officer candidate course, basic airborne course, ranger course, both the infantry and military police officer basic courses, the infantry officer advanced course, Command and General Staff College, the mobilization planning and deployment course and the force integration officer course. My civilian education includes a bachelor of science degree in administration of criminal justice from Bradley University and a master of arts degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago where I also began post graduate study in public policy analysis.

I am a volunteer at the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler, serve as a vice president of the Territorial Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army and officiate high school swimming as an Arizona Interscholastic Association referee/starter. I have been honored to officiate several Division 3 State Swimming Championships and have officiated home meets for Apache Junction High School for the past five years.

I seek a position on the City Council because the decisions made today will impact Apache Junction for years to come. I have a broad range of knowledge together with extensive leadership, managerial and planning experience which I believe positions me well to serve the citizens of Apache Junction as we begin a period of unprecedented growth and opportunity.

I believe that public policy made in haste will always result in bad policy and that the unintended consequences of public policy can be extremely destructive. As such I will welcome and seek a wide range of inputs in the decision making process.

I believe in small government and the uniform enforcement of law and I wish to preserve the history and heritage of Apache Junction even as we grow. Further, we must encourage small business and do everything possible to make opening and running a business in Apache Junction as open, transparent and affordable as possible.

Lastly, I believe the primary purpose of government, at all levels, is to protect and serve the citizenry so they may enjoy the blessings of liberty. I respectfully ask that you consider entering my name on your primary election ballot so that I may serve a two-year term as a member of the Apache Junction City Council.