Gaines GOP chairman responds to criticism from some committee members

Editor:

This letter is to clarify inaccurate information from some of the ladies on my committee and Joe Grube.

I am responsible for accepting the position of Chairman. I am not responsible for the mediocrity, lack of enthusiasm or mere participation by several of my committee members. This is their responsibility; they chose to be a committeeman.

Our job as committeemen is to seek out the best candidates in our community to hold public office.  Secondly, to pass their petitions throughout the town and then help them become elected. It is not our job to dictate to the town officials how to run their office.

I want everyone to know there seems to be a lot of half truths being written this past weekend.

Joe Grube claims he sent me a letter in January, when in fact he sent his letter to Ron and Lisa Mannella through Ron’s email. For the record I have this letter in my possession. Lisa gave me the letter at our Gaines committee meeting. Why did he send it to them?

My committee did not have any openings for committeemen in January, therefore we could not bring his name in front of a full committee meeting for a vote to accept Joe. A full committee is when committeemen from all ten towns get together to discuss GOP business.

The original cutoff date for interviews for town clerk was June 3, which was set by our county chairman. Sharon Harding’s interview was originally scheduled for June 2.

Sharon had a death in her family and had to leave town unexpectedly for a funeral.

I received an extension from our county chairman and rescheduled her interview meeting for June 4. I believe a committee needs to be compassionate, understanding and flexible when an interviewee has a death in their family.

It is the lack of participation from committee members which left us without a quorum. Everyone should know you cannot hold an official meeting without a quorum.  This is the real reason that Sharon had to carry her own petitions. Why did Lisa Mannella and Lorienda Smith choose not to show up to the interview at the last minute?

I do follow a code of ethics when we have interviews. In 2009 I was not chairman and my wife Sue wanted to interview for town council person. I originally was against the idea and reluctantly said OK. When she came in the room to interview I announced I was leaving the room and told my fellow committeemen to ask her whatever they wanted. They endorsed her.

In 2013, Sue was up for re-election and interviewed once more. During this interview I did stay in the room. I did not participate in her interview and I abstained  when it was time to vote.

I stayed in the room to keep the interview meeting in order and on schedule because we were interviewing several people that evening for different elected positions.

I need committeemen that will support our endorsed candidates. In the past I have had some female members support their democratic friends both verbally in public places and by placing their democrat signs in their yards.

It’s ironic how people do wrong things in their life and then blame the outcome of their behavior on others. A citizen of a community needs to be responsible for their own actions or their lack of action.

Now it’s time to come out and vote this Tuesday in order for your voice to be heard.

Thanks,

Guy D. Smith

Gaines Republican Chairman and Proud Resident