I admire the passion and activism of both Tonya Graham and Julie Akins, Ashland’s two candidates for mayor. The tipping point for my vote is their performance at City Council meetings.
Graham does her homework, listens carefully, and explains her positions with consideration for others’ views. What impresses me most is the quality of her follow-up questions. She digs deeper.
Akins, on the other hand, appears to have difficulty focusing on the many complex and, for many of us, boring subjects on the council agenda. She often looks distracted when others speak. She looks to me like she’d rather be elsewhere.
Being mayor requires endless patience, the ability to forgive others, and finally, a thick skin.
I believe Tonya Graham is the best choice for mayor. I think she has both the ability to inspire us and the will to work with others to get the job done.
