I am writing this letter on behalf of my friend and colleague Melissa Youssef as a candidate for Durango City Council.
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Melissa as a resident and member of this community, and have watched her participate and serve in many leadership capacities in and around Durango. There is no doubt that service plays an integral part of her life and we are fortunate as a community to have members like Melissa who are willing to dedicate their time and energy to preserve and protect our future and quality of life.
As a professional in the outdoor industry, I appreciate her time and attention serving on the Trails 2000 board, as well as the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Outdoor recreation provides a vitally important benefit to our community, improving our own quality of life and bringing tourists and dollars to our town and I appreciate that Melissa actively supports this industry.
In addition, as a mother of two active children, I also appreciate her dedication and service to our public school system, serving on the Durango 9-R school Board and the Animas High School Board of Directors. I value her commitment to providing educational choice to the students of our community through our public school system.
I appreciate her open mind, collaborative approach and thoughtful service. I have witnessed her efforts at bringing our community together in a united fashion for the benefit of all, versus a divisive self-driven approach. In this day and age with a divided nation and adversarial politics, I would value someone at the table that will be a uniting force.
I will voting for Melissa Youssef for Durango City Council.
Kristen Carpenter-Ogden
Durango
