To the editor:

I write to express my support for the re-election of Sheriff Luke Fleener. I have been blessed to know and serve with him for most of my life. I firmly believe that everyone has been created for specific purposes that serve and protect others. For many, it may take a lifetime to figure out what that purpose is, for others they come to realize it at an early age. Luke was born to be a public servant and specifically the sheriff of Webster County. This is the same thing you will hear from many who know him.

A healthy life is one that is marked by a kind of gratitude that motivates us to give back to the institutions and people who have helped make our lives enjoyable. Luke has shown these qualities while we served together at the Dayton Rodeo and now through his service at the Sheriff’s Department. I may not have realized what some of my purposes in life were if it wasn’t for Luke. When I was in high school during the early 2000s, I sat back and observed how he cast a new vision for the Dayton Rodeo. Change is hard, but part of leadership is casting a vision and explaining why that is the vision we must go toward. He went through many heated arguments, but eventually the majority came around to accepting that the rodeo needed to become more professional and do more to serve the expectations of the customer. One of the main goals was to do our personal parts to put on the best experience possible and let the results speak for themselves. This propelled the committee at that time to another level. He helped inspire me to step up and serve the rodeo rather than just be a spectator. We worked tirelessly together to make sure we did our part to serve and protect the rodeo for future committees. Him and I did not always agree, but we did not allow those divides to take our focus off the larger picture.

Developing policies that impact more than one person or group is the definition of politics. Everyone is a politician, the question is are you honest, trustworthy, hardworking, and able to communicate effectively within that task of developing sound policy? Our service to the rodeo certainly shaped both him and I in this regard. Now that Luke is sheriff, he has had to make some tough choices. Luke has again cast visions, advocated, and has implemented policies for his department to serve you better. Luke did not just run for a title; he ran to serve and protect you. It is the job of the supervisors and of the voters to say no to certain projects and requests if they feel the timing or costs are not right. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with one another occasionally. I hope the voters will remember what the core values of a public servant are, respect the work Luke has done, and elect him to serve another term for Webster County. From what I have seen from my perspective, he has done more than enough to earn our vote once again.

Sen. Jesse Green

Boone