To the editor:

This letter is written in support of Lindy Ellis to be re-elected to the Franklin County legislature.

Lindy and I worked together as colleagues for over 35 years at Corning Inc. Over that time I found her to be a resourceful, rigorous and very sucessful problem solver, tackling difficult and challenging issues and resolving them to everyone’s satisfaction. I believe that for a legislator to be successful, problems need to be be solved, and Lindy knows how to do that!

Lindy cares about people. I watched how she coached and developed young engineers so that they were successful and could reach their full potential. I saw when a factory was struggling, she would partner with their leadership and provide technical understanding and resourses to help them get back on track. She knew how hard it was for people when things were not going well, and she reached out in a caring way. I believe that for a legislator to be successful they need to care about people, and Lindy does care!

Finally, I had the opportunity to work with Lindy on several different teams and staff organizations over the years, and like in a legislature, there were at times differences in opinions, approach or ideas. Lindy would always know what her thoughts and position were (she has a strong set of values and convictions), AND she would work in a respectful way, listening to others, seeking to collaborate in order to accomplish what was best for the team, the staff and the company. In these days of seeming gridlock in our national politics, it is critical that at the local level, our legislators need to strive for the common good by respecting each other and working together. Lindy operates this way!

She is a problem solver, cares about people, and she works for the common good in a respectful manner! For these reasons I urge that Lindy Ellis be re-elected to the Franklin County legislature!

Sincerely,

John Rathmell

Westfield