Dear Editor,

Over the last several years we have had the opportunity to work with Pat Paul on several Oakdale volunteer community activities. Attracting volunteers to get work done ranks fairly high up on the difficulty list in our own experience. Pat Paul’s approach to encouraging volunteers to step up and become involved in their community is one we fully support. Local community volunteer groups have always been the backbone of communities like ours. Pat is visionary, energetic, hard working, and a committed professional with wide educational and in-the-trenches experience in government. Elected public service is a tough job and sometimes doesn’t attract the best candidates. It is up to us citizens to determine who, of those running for office, most closely reflect our own values. Citizens who are willing to give of their time and talent for the betterment of our community deserve our support. Pat Paul has more than filled her quota of public service. As Oakdale’s mayor, Pat Paul has the requisite background, values, government experience at the county level and leadership skills to marshal our considerable community resources and lead our council to put our city back on track to sensible government.