Over the last several months, weeks, and days, I have been researching and evaluating both candidates for Redmond mayor. Based on my contacts and research, during, before and after my own campaign of both mayoral candidates, their campaign teams, their supporters and even those who endorse them, there is only one candidate that I can fully support and endorse.

While it is important to have extensive business, including small business, experience, that alone isn’t a deciding factor for me; character is. I will always vote for character over experience any day.

I believe it is extremely important that we have a mayor who is honest, exhibits good character, who can connect and make connections with the community and who can learn on the job.

Today we have two candidates, and the candidate that I fully support and endorse is Steve Fields.

Not only does he have extensive volunteer and business experience, including small business, when asked about his experiences, he had no issues providing this information. He is open and honest.

He is free from conflict of interest with special interest groups. No special interest group(s) own him.

He has shown the willingness and capability to learn.

He does not support, encourage, or use Redmond’s bullying culture to further his causes.

While we disagree on many issues and topics, he has always been friendly and willing to discuss those issues in a friendly manner.

Given the two choices, Steve Fields is the clear choice for mayor of Redmond. Please vote for Steve Fields this November.

Andrew Koeppen

Redmond