I am writing in support of Matt Lessnau for Ilwaco City Council.

My wife and I own a couple of small businesses in Ilwaco and are seasonal residents who intend to transition to full time.

I have been very impressed by how much he has accomplished so far and plans to do in the future. The Bear Ridge purchase and the plan for a recreational area shows that he has vision of Ilwaco being more than just a port.

The Ilwaco that I grew to love as a young fisherman in the 70s and 80s is gone and not going to come back, so it is time to move forward.

I was disappointed to see that the person who is running against him is against having the Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center being in Ilwaco. How could anyone be against a center that would provide after school and summer activities for children of all ages and means? The summer program they put on this year (my 5-year-old loved it) was nothing short of amazing, making camp available to all and making sure each kid got multiple meals every day.

I was also very surprised to hear that the person running against him has only lived in Ilwaco for a couple of years, which is not enough time to understand the local issues and where Ilwaco is coming from and where it is going. Matt is all in on the peninsula and Ilwaco, he lives here, he works here, and he is raising his family here. Please vote for Matt in the upcoming election.

MICHAEL COLBACH

Ilwaco/Portland