To the Editor:

Several years ago, six or seven I believe, Tommy Melton and I had an engaging conversation about running for office under party affiliation. &bsp;

It was his belief back then that in a county the size of Polk and in its communities, there should not be a need for people to belong to a basic conservative or liberal political party to run for office.

Tommy felt, and feels today, that the voters should be able to vote for whoever they think would be best for the office being contested as well as the candidates should not be burdened by being affiliated with political parties.&bsp; &bsp;

Tommy has been a Columbus Councilman&bsp; and is, today, a Polk County Commissioner,&bsp; running for reelection as an independent. &bsp;

Tommy grew up here, understands the rural atmosphere of our county and is protective of it.

He was the first to speak up against forced annexation. He has acted to protect our mountain ridge lines, was part of getting our courthouse restored, worked to include the horse country as part of the diversity of Polk County.

And, very important, led the effort to buy Lake Adger to insure Polk County will have a source of water in the future.

Tommy has felt for a long time that St. Lukes is critical to the health of&bsp; our county. (It was one of the reasons Devera and I moved here.) He has been on the St. Lukes Board for three years and was just appointed to the Foundation Board.

Hes also on the Polk Rutherford McDowell Health Board and the Polk County Recreation Board.

In order for Tommy to be on the ballot in November as an unaffiliated, he will need almost 600 signatures on his petition to be placed on the ballet.

The state law requires that an unaffiliated will need 4% of the total registered voters in the county to be on the November ballot.

If you havent yet signed his petition, please do so when you see him so a home town native can be elected to represent everyone.

Hugh Anderson