Please Vote for Rick Bonart

An Open Letter to District 1 Voters

Please vote for Rick Bonart for El Paso City Council, District 1. He will be an effective leader who will champion your concerns. Certainly I agree with all of Rick’s platform and you can read more about his views online as well as in the mailers that you have probably received. However, let me tell you why I esteem this man personally and know that he will be a great City Council Representative.

Rick Bonart is conscientious. He does his homework – thoroughly. He doesn’t skim through anything regarding the important policy issues that matter to you. He delves into them. He does so because he cares about people – taxpayers, ratepayers, citizens, people; and he takes his fiduciary responsibilities very seriously.

Rick Bonart has the courage of his convictions. He wants what is best for the people of District 1 and all El Pasoans. He never backs down to those who put politics and pettiness over caring and doing the right thing for people. More than ever we the people of El Paso need a really strong advocate on City Council – someone who knows that people come first and not special interests. He not only believes in open government, he has paid personally for that belief. As the citizen advocate on the Public Service Board, Rick was tireless as he looked out for ratepayers. He even opened up the selection process to that board to the public. For such transparency he was vilified by those who protect their power over the interests of the people of El Paso and he was not re-elected by City Council for a second term on the PSB in spite of the fact that he had been designated as the number one choice by a selection committee.

Rick Bonart is a doer and not just a talker. Many advocate for this thing or that. Rick rolls up his sleeves and makes it happen. He has helped to create recreational trails throughout the Franklins. He did the hard work to open El Paso’s first complete trailhead at the Lost Dog Trail. He has been the leader for open space and conservation for decades now. He was the first Chairman of the Open Space Advisory Board. He was a leader in the successful effort to preserve 800 acres of land in the northwest.  He helped to fashion the Open Space Master Plan and the stormwater utility including setting aside 10% of the stormwater fee for purchasing needed open space.  He worked with TxDOT and conservationists alike to develop a good plan for an entrance to the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park. (That entrance is scheduled to be completed early next year.) On the Public Service Board he introduced the need for potable reuse of water to continue to supply El Paso’s increasing need for water. He fought hard for a pipeline to the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, a key eco-tourist and local recreational wildlife preserve in El Paso. He always stood strong for open, inclusive and transparent government.

Rick Bonart built a very successful business (a veterinary clinic) from scratch and managed it for 35 years. (I can tell you that he was one very knowledgeable and caring vet because both of my cats were patients.) He recently retired which means he can give 100% to serving you as your Representative. He won’t be part-time and he will be wholehearted.

Rick Bonart is honest and ethical some would say to a fault. But honesty, ethics and high standards are the ingredients of his integrity. Rick doesn’t want the lowest common denominator for El Paso. He wants the best.

Rick Bonart is a friend. Yes, he is my friend but I’m not saying that you should vote for him just because he is my friend. I’m saying that you will do well to vote for him because he is a friend. He takes people just as they are. He doesn’t hold a grudge. He’s never judgmental. He’s not spiteful nor is he power-hungry. He strives to do the right thing and he cares deeply about each individual person. He is passionate about his views. Yet I’ve always known him to listen and to understand. In all matters he has a great sense of humor and he has the humility not to take himself too seriously.

Early voting begins this Monday. For sure there are some very good people running for District 1. Rick Bonart is your best choice.

Jim Tolbert

P.S. Please see his web site and his Facebook page.