Murray GOP Committee candidate urges people to participate in local government

Posted 12 September 2018 at 8:26 am

Editor:

As a relative newcomer to the area I cannot claim to personally know many of you. I can, however, state my reasons for choosing to live in the community. While attending R.I.T. for Civil Engineering I had the privilege of befriending Art Knab’s daughter, and subsequently the man himself.

Recognizing that I was far from my home in Delaware, he and his wife welcomed me into their home and we have since enjoyed a strong friendship. Through my shared experiences with his family I knew by graduation that I wanted to make Murray my home.

I have personally struggled to explain my running for the Republican Committee. Now in the mail came the answer to my soul searching in the letter from Mr. Sidonio’s opponent. There in bold font appeared the word “endorsed.” The stigma in Murray that challenging those selected by the committee is somehow bad has got to change. It is every person’s right in our country to participate in their government. From the start Mr. Sidonio has faced an uphill battle for his participation. To his credit he has faced it all with documented facts and figures.

I am puzzled by the letter’s further claim of our exemplary water service, when for the past four years we have suffered the infamous water leak on Ridge Road. Odd that it ceased to exist after the race for supervisor was over. Having spoken many times with Mr. Sidonio I have never once heard him lay plans to actively harm local business. Was it not the actions of a current Republican Committee member that cost us the wedding barn on Lake Road, the haunted trail on Ridge Road, and now the threat of no parking in front of the winery on Hindsburg Road?

In response to the committee chairman’s comments on how some of our members are only recently joined Republicans. This was only possible for me in 2017 when I purchased my home in Murray. This provided me with a permanent address to use. However, even before officially moving to Murray I attended and still attend as many Town meetings as I can.

My running mate Art Knab has missed very few in the 17 years that he has attended. In this time, not once did we witness the recent two councilman appointees attend meetings prior to their appointment to the Town Board. This should not come as a surprise seeing as most Town officials also sit on the committee. Therefore, it stands to reason that change can only occur through unendorsed candidates running against the party line.

I ask all Murray Republicans to vote for their future this Thursday, September 13. I, Joseph Kellenberger, along with Arthur Knab are running for the Republican Committee in District #5. To the people of this Town I urge you to get active in our community. The status quo must go for as Sherlock Holmes said, “Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l’admire.” (“A fool always finds a greater fool to admire him.”)

Sincerely,

Joseph Kellenberger

Murray

Candidate for Republican Committee, District Number 5