As a civil engineer and master planner, I have worked on environmental projects around the world and, early on, came to realize that our clean air, safe water and livable cities are the envy of the rest of the world.

This enviable position didn’t happen by accident, but because of visionary environmental action taken by our government at federal, state and local levels. This same vision of a clean, safe and vibrant community can be found in our Town’s General Plan, where it has been an important part of making Fountain Hills the wonderful place it is.

Yet this vision for Fountain Hills has recently come under attack. I refer to the politically motivated re-writing of portions of our Town’s Environmental Plan by council members Skillicorn and Kalivianakis. The language they removed did not come to us from California, as alleged by Skillicorn. Nor was its purpose to take away your car, as alleged by Kalivianakis. It was instead good home-grown planning, prepared by Arizona professionals and written for the long-term benefit of Fountain Hills.

I hope that in the future, Skillicorn and Kalivianakis can leave their political agendas aside and we can once again make a vibrant, clean and sustainable future for Fountain Hills our clear priority.