Two wonderful people to thank

At the end of every campaign, I start writing thank you notes. Whether we win or lose, a lot of people put a lot of time into a campaign. For the NPD117 referendum campaign, I have two really special people I want to publicly thank for their guidance and support.

Hickory Hills aAderman Tom McAvoy was our first call after we formed the Conrady YES committee. What I adore about Tom is how completely fair he is at all times. One of the first things Tom said when we met was, "If the people who voted no want to talk, I'll give them the same information." He provided more information and advice than anyone could possible process in one evening. We talked to him often during the initial campaign stages, always knowing that he would have the same conversations with the other side if they asked. It is rare to find a politician with such integrity.

From start to finish Tom McAvoy did his due diligence. He toured the building. He spent time researching possible new locations for Conrady should the referendum be approved. Tom didn't agree with us on everything, but we always knew where we stood with Tom. He's an upfront and upstanding man. I always tell people I have "alderman envy" because I wish my alderman had such integrity.

Palos Township Democrats chairman Sam Simone asked, "How can we help?" during our first meeting. Sam has a bunch of children and grandchildren who have gone through Conrady. He knew the issues better than I did from our first conversation. He gladly introduced us to people he thought could help. His group welcomed us to meetings and treated us like family. Sam is dedicated to helping citizens make our community a better place even though no one would blame him for walking away and spending more time some place warmer.

For those who think that Democrats and Republicans cannot get along, you should spend some time with Tom and Sam. These men are old school politicians who know the power of fairness and compromise. They speak highly of each other and share a mutual respect.

When I mentioned to Tom that we were going to contact Sam, Tom laughed. Sam did the same when I said we were talking to Tom. You could tell they had great respect for each other, even though they sat of different sides of the political table.

Today's divisive, angry politicians could learn a lot from Tom and Sam. We did everytime we spoke to one of them. We appreciate all their time and guidance.