Tony Wilkins for Greensboro city council

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GREENSBORO, NC -- With current district five city council representative Trudy Wade heading off to Raleigh as a newly elected state senator, the remaining city councilors must choose someone to fill her seat.

I don't know the other candidates who have nominated themselves to replace Wade, but I think nominee Tony Wilkins would be a good choice to replace her. Here's why:

Similar to Wade
Tony aligns with Wade politically. He's not a replica, but similar. It would be unfair to the citizens of district 5 for council to try to shift its composition significantly by selecting someone very dissimilar from the departing Wade. 2013 will bring an opportunity soon enough for voters to elect someone else if the council's choice is unsuitable to district five voters, until then, council should respect the last known preference of those voters: A mainstream conservative.

He's engaged.
Tony has experience serving on the War Memorial Commission, as executive director of the county Republican Party and as an active campaigner on behalf of others. He's politically engaged, aware and not likely to get buffaloed because of naivete.

He Blogs
Well, a little... lately. He used to much more and it is my hope he will resume if he's appointed. He has probably stopped because he's under consideration for this open seat, which is not admirable but probably practical. As a blogger, he knows the value blogs can contribute to the information stream as well as what it is like to be on the uninformed side of government secrecy. Those are insights we hope he'll not forget if appointed.

He is a business person, but not a developer
Like Wade (a veterinarian), Tony owns his own business (Furniture Connections) which he has operated for the past 30 years. I think business experience is helpful, although not required, for elected officials. It gives them a certain kind of insight and, unlike developers, retail business owners do not think that economic development means cut, plow and build.

I've also had lunch with Tony a couple of times. I respect a man with a hearty appetite and culinary curiosity, but I have even greater respect for a man who has an interest in sitting down and talking with someone with whom he knows he has some significant disagreement. To be able to do so cordially and to maintain mutual respect throughout is a sign of maturity that is appropriate for city council. He'd serve us well.