I was in the crowd outside City Hall the day after our present mayor had been quoted in the paper saying the Police Chief Robert Haigh Jr. would be “completely exonerated” from the charge of racial discrimination handed down by a jury of 12 in our county courthouse, and we were demanding her resignation.

She didn’t resign. Instead she put Haigh on paid administrative leave for five months and then just reinstated him, perhaps hoping the erasure of the issue would go unnoticed. It was business as usual for the mayor.

But not for those of us in Greenfield who care about challenging racism and supporting diversity inclusion and ending of discrimination. Thank goodness a jury of our peers felt the same and acted on it. What followed was the City Council cutting the Police Department budget as a response to the injustice. The mayor, it seems, retaliated by cutting the school budget and increasing the police budget.

Who stepped forward then? Virginia “Ginny” DeSorger, chair of the Ways and Means Committee on the council. Most readers know this story, but repeating it now as these two leaders are vying for the role of mayor of our city seems necessary. Wedegartner may be a good administrator, but she does not represent the values I want in our city leadership.

Ginny DeSorger is a warrior for justice, fairness, and a city I can be proud of. Please join me in voting for Ginny on Nov. 7.

Sandra Boston

Greenfield