My very first impression of Cindy Couture was on a Saturday morning in May 2016, where about 100 fellow citizens met in the Community Center to discuss and compile some resolutions based on the VisionFH study that had preceded it.

During public comments, it was this Cindy Couture person who energetically articulated just how important support for our schools was in her vision for the town. With her extensive experience as a teacher, I was impressed. She knew of what she spoke and was very lucid describing her perspective.

Since then, I have observed Cindy immersing herself in many town activities as a volunteer and she can often be seen, for example, at the Fountain Hills Theater, Make A Difference Day, as a student advisor, and a Great Fair volunteer. She notably attends many Town Council meetings and is keenly aware of the challenges facing our town leaders on many fronts.

This leads me to her leadership skills and fitness to collaborate with those around her. Besides teaching, Cindy has over the years served as an English Department Chair, treasurer for an HOA, chair of statewide journalism conferences and managing editor for two national mortgage magazines. For me, however, her ability to command and hold the attention of students is most impressive. A good teacher must be a coach, a negotiator and a counselor, besides being a purveyor of knowledge. From what I have heard, Cindy has exceeded on all counts.

Since being a permanent resident of Fountain Hills, Cindy Couture has followed town events, town challenges, town development and believes in our small-town “brand.” I am absolutely confident that she can work well with Town staff, Town Council and, of course, us.