To the Editor:

I have come to know and respect Tori Jennings, candidate for Stevens Point District 1 alderperson in my capacity as the District 7 alderperson.

Like myself, Tori arrived in Stevens Point because of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, she as a professor, me as a student.

She, like me, fell in love with Stevens Point. Because of this shared love for our adopted community, I know Tori will be a creative, knowledgeable, committed representative for District 1. We share a belief that service to our community is a privilege and an honor. I have no doubt Tori will serve not only her constituents, but the city as a whole.

Jennings is creative and forward-thinking. As a member of the Stevens Point Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, she was a driving force behind the acquisition of an almost $400,000 grant for the city.

This will allow Stevens Point to begin fulfilling some of the recommendations in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Incremental changes like these, over time, are large contributors to the economic well-being of our community.

Tori has prepared and delivered several presentations to the Common Council and the community as a representative of Revisioning Point, all of which challenged us to think outside the box.

As an anthropologist, she would bring a unique perspective on livability issues to the Council. I have seen her often at city meetings, county meetings and public forums. She is already involved and very well informed about the serious issues the city will face in the coming years.

Jennings has an abiding commitment to preserving natural spaces and understands their value to the community. She is a strong advocate for the many things that make our community unique, the Green Circle, Historic Preservation, our park system, a vibrant downtown.

As a former fire captain in Colorado, she has had extensive experience in the workings of budgeting, prioritizing needs and engaging citizen input in local government. She can hit the ground running, as the old adage says, and will serve District 1 well.

Mary Kneebone

District 7