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2014-10-18 - Columbia, KY - Photo Campaign photo.

I am Ben Arnold running as a Write-In candidate for Mayor of Columbia.

I grew up on a small farm in the Egypt community of Adair Co, attended the Egypt one-room country school and Adair Co High. I graduated from Centre College and Yale University with a Masters in Public Health and Harvard University with a Doctorate degree. My first job with the Atomic Energy Commission in Calif, allowed me a little time with Edward Teller, the father of the Atomic bomb and to work with some most interesting people. My career has mostly been devoted to developing new diagnostic exams to detect osteoporotic and cardiac diseases and has allowed me to travel the world. Although this work gives me no qualifications for Mayor, it will help me analyze information and make decisions. At my core I am a scientist, entrepreneur, and country boy. I have worked hard since a small boy on the farm. Back then when we came to town (on the back of our pickup truck), I was always excited to be in Columbia walking endlessly around the square looking in windows and smelling candy and popcorn. Columbia was emotional to me then and is still today.

When we came home to Adair County 22 years ago, I especially remember one Christmas Eve driving around that same square at dusk. There were no lights on, no cars or people to be seen, and some buildings looked so forgotten. I spent a great deal of time and money in those first years trying to improve the town center including building the fountain, restoring the Theatre and other buildings, and organizing an effort for Downtown revitalization, we called it Heart-of-Adair. The City, then Pam Hoots, participated with additional funding. Later these efforts were merged into 'Renaissance Columbia' and incorporated until Curtis Hardwick with Dwain Harris as chairperson. Many of you participated including some of our current council members, but with limited space here one early group stands out; Red Nixon, Terry Moore, Bobby Smith (concrete), Billy Joe Fudge, Joe Moore, Jerry Watson, JW Henderson, Joe Pyles (brick), Richard Phelps, John Carli , Lewis Garrison, Spoon's trucking, and more. We never had a meeting, never sat in an office, just got it done! These represent the core character and good will of Adair citizens and no one ever asked where is the City limits.

I had no intention to put my name out in a political race and no ambition to be Mayor or any other political position. So I find myself here now believing there is a need from which I must not turn away. I am not running against the other 2 mayoral candidates, they are both good and caring people. It is my belief that I have a different vision and action plan for the future of our Community. We define our world by our words. We speak our understanding with words, those words transfer to others, and power leads to actions. A quote states this better "The limits of my language are the limits of my world". Writing 2 letters to the Community forced me to focus my understanding, to generate some words that could convey that understanding and then specify plans that might materialize to actions. I seek inputs, corrections, and advice from everyone. We all have insights that when brought forward and blended, and challenged, and matured, may lead us to a better place. Let's debate ideas and plans, but then work together to execute our best ones. Let's all try that and if you want me to lead for a while, write-in my name and I will do my best.

I realize not having a name on the Ballot will reduce votes and during the next 2 weeks I will try to find ways to make that easier.

Ben Arnold
Paid for by the candidate, Ben Arnold