RESIDENT: Kimball is a good man

Bridger Kimball was one of the first people I met when I first came back to Maricopa in 2007. I had no friends that lived out here, and knew no one; I couldn’t wait to sell my house and move.

I have now known him almost seven years, and this is what I can tell you about him. Here is an ambassador for Maricopa. Here is a gentleman who served his country, worked his way up from a minimum-wage employee to become owner of that company, and yes has made mistakes.

Haven’t we all?

He did not use any political clout or resources to get out of trouble, and in fact pled guilty immediately because he knew he was in the wrong.

This is a man who believes in two things that not a lot of people believe in anymore: America and the value of hard work. It sounds old fashioned, it sounds like a slogan, and it is something that far too many people in this country have abandoned.

This is a man who loves Maricopa, loves Arizona and loves the United States of America. If anything, we need more people in city, municipal, state and federal government like him, not fewer.

This incident has been publically known for quite some time, and dredging it up now for some ulterior political motive is not going to make this the proud city it should be. We have seen many political figures in Maricopa’s young history who have committed wrongs and have not had the fortitude to accept the consequences and move on, now we have a councilman who made a mistake, owned up to it and accepted the consequences rather than using his influence to get it redacted or similarly swept under the rug.

This ownership of one’s actions should be encouraged, not disparaged.

I stood by Bridger Kimball when he decided to run, as did enough of you that he became elected, and I stand by him today, as many of you should.

Casey Kupisch lives in Rancho El Dorado.