Editor:

I have always thought very proudly of myself as an educator. Although I was only a teacher by trade for 16 years, deep down inside I have always been and always will be a teacher.

As you mature and evolve into an adult with a compassion for shared learning experiences and a commitment to fostering academic excellence in your students you are constantly invigorated by their successes, as well as their challenges. It is truly the greatest profession to which you might aspire; it is an honor to be an educator.

I mention this not that the intent of this letter is to be about me, but it is about how truly valuable a quality educational experience is at any level, in any community and at any time in history.

Very sadly and very honestly when I awoke the morning of November 9, 2016, I was overcome with the realization that the public educational system of the United States had failed us. And I felt guilty and ashamed because despite our best efforts to educate and enlighten our students; ignorance had won, and America had lost.

It is inconceivable to me that any woman could have voted for POTUS in 2016 or could so again in 2020 as he is a misogynist who treats women as chattel. In the same way, I cannot believe that any African American or member of any ethnic minority group could support him knowing that he is a racist autocrat who has put your children in cages and unapologetically embraces radical White Supremist terrorists like the Proud Boys.

Although I had not been a teacher for quite some time, in 2016 I felt personally guilty that the national electorate had failed our nation and elected a President who lacks integrity and dishonors the truth with impunity.

It does not take a constitutional scholar to know that this man was not who our Founding Fathers had envisioned in their design of this great nation.

Socrates, who was among the greatest of the Ancient Greek philosophers, believed that knowledge was the ultimate virtue, best used to help people improve their lives. He wrote that “The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.”

It is imperative today and always that we use our gift of the ballot for good and be proud that as an educated populace we are empowered to reject the evils of ignorance; even when found in residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

RBG ut vos RIP.

Doug Miller

Albion

Editor:

If you look on the Orleans Hub Letters to the Editor, you will see a letter written by Pat Eick. This is why we need change in the Town of Shelby. Her letter is highly inaccurate.

Not only was Ryan Wilkin’s application turned in past the deadline that it was due, but Pat Eick (Republican Committee Chairperson) was not even present at the time of the interviews. So my question is how can she talk as if she was there first hand and knows how the interviews went with each candidate?

From what I was told at the interview before I left from the committee “just so you know there is another interview from an application that was turned in tonight.” So was it that Mr. Wilkins interview went better than mine or was it the result of a friend doing a friend a favor without the community’s best interests in mind? It clearly has nothing to do with him being the stronger candidate.

If the Shelby Republican Committee would have done a little research, they would have found out that Ryan Wilkins has many views which are contrary to many members on the Town Board. He was a registered Democrat from 12/13/05-3/2020 and then changed to non-affiliated from 3/2020-6/30/20 when he changed to Republican effective 6/30/2020.

Not only that but there seems to be some confusion amongst the Shelby Republican Committee from the Letter to the Editor from Pat Eick. She claimed Mr. Wilkins was chosen to fill the vacancy due to Kenneth Schaal’s passing, but that wasn’t the case. The position that was open, was Jeff Smith (Councilman) being he moved to Town Supervisor after the Supervisor resigned

FYI, the Hub must have been notified because they edited the article rather than leave it and post a whole new article. Is this the direction you want to see our Town moving towards? People that hold elected office that are unsure of what’s going on?

Also I think it’s important that the Town of Shelby residents know where Mr. Wilkins stood on the following proposal from a few years back.

Mr. Wilkins was a big advocate of the dissolution of Medina (One Medina) which would’ve merged Ridgeway, Medina and Shelby, as can be seen in many of his posts on social media.

This would’ve had a huge impact on our community by raising property taxes for anyone outside the village (Shelby & Ridgeway), and could have resulting in lose our police department, losing  our paid Village Fire Department and losing our ambulance service.

Those are just a few of the things we would be impacted by in our community and we can’t have someone sitting on the board that thinks let’s just throw the burden onto those people in the Towns neighboring the Village of Medina.

Instead of dissolving our Village I myself think we need to continue to find ways to share services and cut costs with the Village of Medina. I’ve been a registered Republican for the past 18 years or since I was able to register. I will always consider all views from everyone in the community when making a decision and will always try to make the best decisions for the Town of Shelby. We have to preserve the values, land and the community that makes us who we are as Town of Shelby residents!

Craig Stalker

Write-in candidate Shelby Town Councilperson

(Editor’s Note: Eick contacted the Orleans Hub soon after her letter was posted and apologized for making a mistake about the vacancy, which was then corrected to say the seat was open due to Jeff Smith being appointed town supervisor.)

Editor:

I would like to take a moment to thank the former Highway Superintendent for shedding light on the diverse responsibilities of the position. As the Supervisor of Holley’s Department of Public Works, I agree experience matters.

As a former contractor I was responsible for budgets, bidding, equipment purchases, personnel and leadership. You get up pre-dawn lace up your boots and set the tone for the day and often work late after dinner preparing for the next day. In the end there is no better education than risking your own home to build a successful business. You understand that it’s your employees who make it happen. Mutual trust and respect are earned in time and it takes management and employee cooperation to succeed.

I also interviewed for the Murray Highway Superintendent endorsement. The underlying theme of the interview was experience. The questions were direct and all business. They were interested in experience in roads, water and leadership qualities.

Mr. Morgan repeatedly acknowledges experience matters. From Dennis Mandigo’s 20 years of experience to the Town of Murray employees with “the operational skills and “experience” to maintain the high level of service that you, the residents, have come to expect and deserve.”

It is the years of practical, hands on, highway project experience that train an individual, allowing him to accumulate the wisdom and gain the knowledge to be able to most effectively LEAD and administer a highway department.

When you go to the polls on November 3rd, elect a highway Superintendent who understands the inner workings of the highway business from the ground up. Someone who will lead the Department with the experience learned over decades in the industry. Someone who understands the administration as well as the operational requirements with a proven track record.

David Nenni

Superintendent of Public Works, Holley

Editor:

As in his personal life, Trump’s driven US into deep debt (and Illness). Current targets: the Vote and Post Office.

As former GOP strategist and Bush appointee, Rick Wilson, entitled his book, “Everything Trump Touches Dies.”  Very harsh and maybe not everything.  But … 4 bankruptcies, hurting and destroying many subcontractors, investors, workers.

He has 28 major business failings, with the same trail of destruction. He couldn’t even make it at gambling and selling booze.

He has a record of dodging taxes, fines, debts, commitments, the Army, marriage, family responsibilities.

He’s apparently personally $400 million in debt.

Now, he’s driven this country into unbelievable debt (with no discernible plan to change things) and with huge tax cuts that further enriched the super-rich.

He’s polarized genders, races, police, religions, classes, the military.

He defies scientists and his own advisors. He gambled on Covid, choosing business over health, and failed both. Just like he did in Atlantic City, now he’s failed not only business, but lives as well.  We’re 1/5 of both deaths and cases in world, but we’re only 1/18th of the world population.

Now he’s attacking the vote and the U.S. Postal Service.

He’s hampering voting, using a $20 million fund to sue states trying to make voting safer, especially for elders.

He’d crush the US Postal Service, started by Benjamin Franklin, with 245 years of service. another show of disrespect for elders, and voters, and history.

Maybe Wilson is right: Everything he touches dies, or kills? And worse, he doesn’t seem to care.

Bob and Marg Golden

Waterport

Editor:

I am writing this in letter to highlight one of the candidates for Orleans County Clerk, Nadine Hanlon.

As this election season has unfolded and I had the unique opportunity to hear each candidate in the race for county clerk give their “sales pitch.” In my opinion Nadine is the most prepared for the position and is poised to make it a more efficient and effective office. She was the only candidate to share a vision to improve access to services and take the office to the next level.

I encourage voters to check out the resume Nadine has built over her career – it’s quite impressive. In brief, she has an education beyond a Bachelor’s degree, she has served in many volunteer roles, and has held countless leadership positions.

Nadine is certainly not the “Know Nothing” her opponent’s mailer would lead you to believe. Only desperate and inferior politicians with contemptible campaign managers distribute such repugnant propaganda.

Nadine has run her campaign absent a campaign manager and absent negativity. The fact that a county clerk candidate would even need a campaign manager calls into question the candidate’s long-term suitability for the job. Nadine is truly an honorable person who has let her achievements, abilities, and leadership experience stand up on their own.

While both candidates have been Orleans County employees for a significant amount of time, only Nadine was named “Employee of the Year” by her peers… Your choice for county clerk really is a simple decision to make.

Chris Caufield

Clarendon

Editor:

I am writing to urge support for Shelby Town Council candidate Ryan Wilkins. Ryan has been a Village of Medina resident for 47 of the last 49 years, and Ryan has been a resident of the Town of Shelby for 45 of the last 49 years.

The Shelby Town Board has not had a Village of Medina resident as a member since 2017. When interviewed here is what the committee saw in Ryan:

• Being a Village of Medina resident, Ryan would be able to share with the Town Board a village perspective.

• Ryan does not have any family members seated on the current Town Board.

• Ryan would like to expand the current “shared services” with the village and other area municipalities (water savings, shared fuel farm, cooperation of labor force).

• Ryan would like to ensure the best value is received from the money taxpayers pay in taxes to the Town of Shelby.

• Ryan would like to explore enhancing resident’s services without creating additional tax burden.

• Ryan would like to explore the creation of a regional ambulance service by enhancing the services provided by the Village of Medina.

These are a few of the many reasons Ryan received the Republican endorsement from the Shelby Republican Committee.

Skip Draper

Medina

Former Shelby Republican Chairman

Editor:

There are Republicans I would have voted for over Joe Biden, but I would never vote for a person who, in my view, is as depraved as Donald Trump.

Reading Judge Punch’s recent letter was encouraging, though not particularly surprising. How about that? Another Republican—along with Mitt Romney, John Kasich, Bill Weld and numerous others—with courage.

Our accidental, aberrational President is deplorable as a leader. It sickens me to think teens such as the ones I had the pleasure to work with for decades are hearing some of his rhetoric dressed up as “tweets”.  He referred to the highly respected Dr. Fauci as an “idiot” not long ago. That wasn’t strange enough, so he called someone else a “dumb (read a synonym for a child without an acknowledged father)”.

As a Democrat whose nephew is a deputy sheriff, I am offended by the notion that Joe Biden wants to “defund” the police because less than one-tenth of one percent are “bad apples” of one sort or another.  No one I know—black, white, or brown—thinks most in law enforcement are evil. I rarely miss an opportunity to thank those doing conscientious law enforcement for the dangerous work they do.

Heaven forbid that Donald Trump performs as President the way he runs his business ventures.  He will never pay our Nation’s bills any more than he has his own and will likely bankrupt the Nation the way he has so many of his businesses. My condolences to anyone who has ever worked for Mr. Trump expecting to be paid. Good luck getting paid if you ever do any work for Mr. Trump.

Isn’t it swell that he puts corporate lobbyists and those with histories of polluting and otherwise destroying the environment in charge of our regulatory agencies? (Of course, he could not do so without a complicit United States Senate to approve his appointments.) The environmental groups I support leave no doubt about which candidate is preferable if we are to save the planet.

But none of what people such as Judge Punch, Joe Gehl, Doug Miller, and I say makes any difference if voters use the cover of the secret ballot to reinstall a President who believes he is above the law and money is everything.

Your readers will have to look at themselves in their mirrors and think of some line of baloney to give their children and grandchildren should any of them ever ask how such a con man got elected President—twice!

Sincerely,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

The voters of Shelby should know who we are voting for and what they stand for.

Medina One (the dissolution of the village of Medina) was a hotly debated topic. Mr. Ryan Wilkins was very much for that proposal as seen by many of his social media posts. Another question we all should be asking of Mr. Ryan Wilkins is “What political party has he been registered as prior to July 1?”

“What is his stance on Amazon, Windmills, Solar Farms, Proposed Stone Quarry and Property Rights?”

As seen in his past social media posts, Mr. Ryan Wilkins may hold opposing views of many Republicans within Shelby. There are many significant issues that come before councilpersons that determine the future of your community and your backyards.

My father Dale Stalker (who served as councilman for Shelby for many years) took in consideration of all his constituents, not just the few, in determining the direction of our great community.

Craig Stalker, my brother, wishes to continue being that voice for our community that Dale worked so hard to protect from outside influences, that seek to take advantage of our hard-working families.

Please make your vote count and write in Craig Stalker for Town of Shelby Councilperson.

Thank you,

Michael Stalker

Medina

Editor:

The heavy promotion of industrial solar electric generating installations and their many claimed “benefits” demand further scrutiny.

Setting aside the misuse of the term “farm” and the anecdotal stories and excessive rhetoric about the benefit to bees, sheep, and such, consider the following:

• Backup Power Needed: Solar power is only available when the sun shines. Where will the power come from when the sun does not shine? Deceptively, we are told about the thousands of households solar installation will power, but no mention ever of the necessity for backup power or its source.

• Load Mismatch: Power demands peak early in the day and late in the afternoon when solar power is limited. At mid-day there may be an excess. Solar power is generated at exactly the wrong time. By what means are those relying on “clean solar” to be supplied with electrical power when it is needed and not available? California has a solution called “Rolling Blackouts.” The recent banning of the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035 only compounds their situation. The term “Rolling Blackouts” has taken on a new meaning.

• Battery Storage: One solution to the intermittent and unreliable nature of solar and wind power is battery storage. Battery storage introduces a host of environmental and safety issues that are being hidden from the public. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the storage devices proposed for use.

Hazardous chemicals are involved, fire hazards exist. There are reasons why devices (laptops and such) are not allowed to be carried in shipped luggage on commercial airlines. Further the automobile industry is currently wrestling with unexplained fires in their electric vehicles that contain lithium-ion batteries. Recalls are in the works. The safety hazard of battery storage is real and local fire companies are not equipped to fight such fires.

• Destruction of Farmland, Forests , Grasslands, Wetlands: Solar power is space hungry. Hundreds of acres of land, populated by thousands of ugly solar panels, are required for any given installation.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets considers the installation of solar panels as a permanent conversion (destruction?) of agricultural lands. Further, The Nature Conservancy considers forests, grasslands, and wetlands to be power houses for carbon storage and oxygen release. How does wanton destruction of these lands “Save the planet?” Rural communities, such as Somerset, already have policies in place to protect these valuable assets. These policies should be strengthened, not disregarded. We have become enamored with trashing up the countryside!

• Environmental Damage: Future generations will inherit thousands of tons of expended solar panels and batteries. Satisfactory recycling and disposal methods do not exist. A legacy of a junked and polluted landscape is being left to our children and grandchildren. Case on point: California considers photoelectric panels to be hazardous waste.

• Subsidies: Developers of solar and wind projects rely heavily on subsidies. Fast write-offs, production tax credits, carbon credits, direct subsidies, low interest loans and payment in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) keep the industry alive. The claim that electrical rates will be reduced is false when subsidies are stripped away. Germany, a country heavily dedicated to solar and wind, has electricity rates almost three times higher than average rates in the United States. Industries that cannot survive without endless subsidies should not survive.

Serious issues involving industrial solar installations alter the physical and social framework of a community. The same is true of industrial wind. Other options exist to clean up the environment.

They are being ignored. The cure for alleged “Climate Change” is becoming worse than the disease. Those most affected are being ignored. Big Business in conjunction with Big Government are depriving us of our freedom to decide the destiny of our communities. The opposition is mounting.

James C. Hoffman

Town of Somerset

Editor:

During this election season, there have been those who have used the Town of Murray water loss as a campaign issue.

I would like to set the record straight. Over the past couple of years, our water loss has gradually increased, despite continuous efforts to find the problem. At the beginning of this year, our loss was up to 48%.

The Water Superintendent and employees continued searching for the problem by shutting off valves and listening to services and hydrants. A leaking hydrant was repaired and the loss was lowered to 37.35% at the end of June. Another hydrant repair brought the loss to 31.92% at the end of July.

While listening to curb valves, they found a leak on Ridge Road. On September 10th, they repaired that leak, where they found a huge hole in a pipe that ran under Ridge Road. No water had ever shown at the surface. While the readings we took on September 28th showed an improvement to 29.93% loss, the full impact of that repair would show at the next reading. On October 15th, we took another reading and I am happy to document that our loss is now down to 15.5%.

Neither Dirk Lammes or Jimmy DeFilipps have a Water Operator’s License. Whomever wins the election for Highway Superintendent will work under our Interim Water Superintendent Dennis Mandigo’s water license, per NYS Department of Health regulations. We are lucky to have Dennis Mandigo’s expertise and 20 years of experience working on our water lines with our past superintendent, Ed Morgan.

Our two newest employees have completed their Water Operator’s course at Morrisville College and will be able to apply for their licenses in February and May of 2021. I am beyond proud of our employees. They are the unsung heroes of the Town of Murray, coming to work every day to keep working on the water issues, despite unfair and unwarranted criticism.

The Town of Murray Water Department has corrected the major water loss issue.  We will continue searching for water leaks and any other issues as they arise. We do not need “fixing” – we just need a leader for this great team.

Louise Passarell

Interim Town of Murray Highway Superintendent