I had the good fortune to sit next to Clayton Corey at a community event last night. Besides being a delightful person to talk to, Clayton also exudes an optimistic, fair and reasonable approach to the issues we face in Fountain Hills.

We spent some time with me telling him how important I think it is to save the Target center. As a person approaching the point in life when I'll want to downsize, I would like to have more choices for walkable apartment living. We're constantly bombarded with messages to stay active and social as we age. Living in a place that's walkable to pick up groceries, pet food, prescriptions or maybe satisfy a hankering for a cheeseburger fits a healthy lifestyle (not counting the cheeseburger).

I know of seniors who go to Target to take a daily walk when it's too hot outside. Target has very good prices for staples like milk and eggs. And don't forget that they were one of the few places where you could buy toilet paper and paper towels during the initial throes of the COVID crisis.

I believe if apartments are built at the Target center it will attract people like me who want to stay in Fountain Hills but aren't ready for assisted living. It gives my age group (60+) another option like Park Place or Pillar for a convenient rental without the hassles of home ownership. 

Please consider voting for Corey, McMahan and Dickey who have all supported giving residents more housing options in Fountain Hills. 

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.