Heiden will be a team player for Johnson County

I worked closely with Pat Heiden for several years when I was the chairwoman of the Resident Council at Oaknoll Retirement Residence. I was asked by the Oaknoll board to comment on Pat's work during that time. The following observations were true of Heiden in 2009, and they are relevant now.

Heiden is a caring person. She is considerate of other people's feelings and is respectful of differing viewpoints and preferences. In meetings she is able to draw comments and questions from people who might be intimidated by someone else. She listens to all viewpoints nonjudgmentally and does not dodge touchy issues, but deals with them honestly and with clarity. She respects personal privacy when dealing with problems brought into public discussion. Pat is accessible and in close touch with her community - its assets and its challenges. She is a team player and is encouraging to those with allied areas of expertise.

She is aware that not all problems have perfect solutions, but she works with those around her to find the best answers.

It is my pleasure to enthusiastically recommend Heiden for a seat on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

Ruth Kuntz

Iowa City