My name is Paul Mahlow and I am running for the Soil and Water Conservation District. Named in a recent article, those of you who may have read it might misinterpret it.

I was asked to serve just like I was asked to serve in Vietnam. There was a recruitment and I served as a helicopter pilot.

I haven’t listed many qualifications, but my nearly 40 years of experience managing environmental health and safety has given me experience in dealing with protection regulations water, air and soil.

My degree in Economics (BA) helps me understand the economic pressures we are under and my BS in Security Administration has prepared me for public administration issues.

My Juris Doctor (law degree) helps me understand the regulations and formulate responses or plans to respond to them.

The writer was not interested in my qualifications but rather in criticizing the Republican Central Committee and its leadership. My interest is to protect small, independent farmers, their water and property rights as population and development continue to encroach.

They nourish us and deserve the opportunity to succeed instead of the restrictions they currently face. If the writer had been interested, she could have called me as other voters did. She didn’t do it.

Finally, I have not accepted any donations to this campaign for an unpaid position, but if you elect me, I will serve Kootenai and Shoshone County.

PAUL MAHLOW

Hayden Lake