To the editor:

It’s safe to say that after reading Roy Robinson’s campaign material, one would think that Crestwood has the best mayor anywhere.

But that would be a mistake. If you have paid attention to city politics you would know that in his tenure as mayor, Mr. Robinson has not produced the results he promised in 2005. In fact, his departure from those promises has been so extreme that most of the people who helped him get elected in 2005, myself included, are now campaigning on behalf of his opponent, Ward 2 Alderman Jeff Schlink.

While I knew that Crestwood could not afford to have Mr. Robinson elected to a third term, I also knew that I needed to learn more about Jeff Schlink before I could confidently support his candidacy. I met with Jeff, and as he fielded questions from finances to issues of transparency, I concluded that he is by far the better candidate.

In Jeff’s professional life, he is responsible for creating and staying within departmental budgets, so he is extremely comfortable with financial detail. As alderman his approach to debating issues is one of careful consideration, and he understands that the city’s interests should always be paramount. He also believes that the City Charter provides a strong foundation for how the city should conduct its business and that the charter’s provisions should be respected.

I’ve witnessed Jeff’s ability to maintain his composure during contentious debate, and have been impressed with his skills in building consensus where possible. This last quality is of utmost importance, as the mayor’s primary function is to preside at the Board of Aldermen meetings. When there is a divisive issue, a good leader sees the division as a gap to be bridged, and will use his mediating skills to build that bridge.

As Mr. Robinson has demonstrated, to the detriment of the city, he views division as an opportunity to step in and impose his own opinions. In so doing, he deepens division, and board consensus is replaced by a tie-breaking mayoral vote.

Jeff Schlink has the right skills, the right attitude, the right approach and the relevant experience to lead Crestwood, and on April 5 I will cast my vote with confidence. Please join me in electing Jeff Schlink as Crestwood’s next mayor.

Martha Duchild

Crestwood