Editor:

The Democrats wish to congratulate Sanford Church and all the winners in yesterday’s race.  We tried to give the voters a choice and all our candidates worked hard.

Orleans is very difficult for a Democrat, but maybe someday we will rise like the Phoenix.

Thank you to all the voters who supported our candidates.

Jeanne Crane

Orleans County Democratic Party Chairwoman

Photo by Tom Rivers: Trees and limbs that were cut down in Albion along the canal are stacked by the towpath near the Butts Road bridge.

Editor:

So far I have not seen any stumps being dug out on the canal.  They are being chipped to the soil surface. What mower does the canal have that will be able to mow the differing grades and angles along the canal once this nice grass grows?

As far as tourism goes, what are the bicyclists and walkers to do for shade? I would think the bicyclists who do the Buffalo to Albany ride will be disappointed. Is someone hoping that interest in the canal will fall to nothing so no one will have to pay for the upkeep?

This mess has happened since the canal changed hands. What other great ideas will they come up with? Is this the place for the high speed rail? So sad!

Maybe they should look at trying to slow down many of the boats that fly down the canal all the while causing erosion to the banks. Am I unhappy? You bet!

Lani Streb-Tozer

Albion

Photo by Tom Rivers: Riley Seielstad played Princess Winnifred in “Getting to Know…Once Upon A Mattress.”

Editor:

There is no way what we write could possibly do justice to the terrific performance of “Once Upon a Mattress” by the Albion Central School Drama team. My wife and I became aware of it Friday and attended Saturday evening. The production was truly a delight from beginning to end.  Though fairly well attended, it is an absolute shame that the Middle School Auditorium wasn’t packed for all the performances.  Those who missed it missed one hysterical production.  We had been given a “heads up”, but were, in no way, prepared for virtually flawless hilarity from beginning to end.

The entire cast was so engaged, energetic, expressive, and animated—spotlight, or no. What a phenomenal team effort.  In large part, it “worked” because every cast member believed and bought into creating a spectacle. It was about as professional as a high school play could be with amateurs taking enormous pride in their roles and as committed to excellence as one could imagine.

One did not need to be a parent, or relative, of a member of the show’s production team to find what the students involved in this effort accomplished uplifting.

If you had anything to do with it, you have every reason to be proud.  Congratulations to everyone involved.

Sincerely appreciative,

Grace and Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

Reasons to endorse Tara Albone-White for Ridgeway Town Clerk include:

1. Tara will: Engage herself completely in the office duties and strive to make the operations within; professional, courteous, timely and upbeat.

She will not: Present herself as unprofessional, egotistical, or all knowing.

2. Tara will: Strive to bring the office into the “now” with upgraded computer systems and technological equipment to maintain records and billing.

She will not: Operate in the status-quo of current practices within.

3. Tara will: Open communications with the new generations of residents that are our future and create a more user friendly atmosphere.

She will not: Continue to only use current methods of informing the town of schedules, events and notifications. Modern social media methods will be implemented to reach out to the tech savvy generation.

4. Tara will: Commit herself fully for a career as Ridgeway Town Clerk and public servant with dignity, poise and respect.

She will not: Use this position as a patsy for personal gain.

5. Tara will: Commit herself to accuracy and timeliness for the town highway crew records, timecards and pay.

She will not: Make repeated mistakes and look to lay blame on others, or gripe about the overtime that’s duly earned during the bitter winter months.

6. Tara will: Listen to the people, and her office counterparts, and work with any difficulties that arise with passion and perseverance for a speedy resolve and better outcome for the people, and staff of Ridgeway.

She will not: Grumble and complain about issues that arise, and thus, create a toxic, nonproductive office environment.

7. Tara will: Strive to bring more user friendly office operating hours to the town, knowing full well that we are an “around the clock” workforce of residents.

She will not: Look for any excuse to stay home, leave early, or complain if a late stay is necessary.

Lastly… Tara is focused on the Town of Ridgeway PEOPLE. She’s not as concerned with party lines or endorsements as the bottom line… the position and job itself. Tara is committed to the highest level of ethics and professionalism to include how she will treat the community and the office staff.

Tara’s education, clerical skills, personality, poise and attitude are exactly the traits and qualifications the town of Ridgeway community needs to run the office for us all.

Why aren’t Town of Ridgeway personnel supporting or endorsing the opponent to this position? Let that sink in for a minute.

Look on the lower line of the ballot to find the spot to vote for Tara Albone-White.

Mark Traxler

Ridgeway

Editor:

The Conservative Party along with the Democratic Party have been able to offer the voters in Orleans County an excellent choice for the position of County Court Judge with the nomination of Tonia Ettinger.

She is a salt of the earth, Orleans County hometown lady. Tonia might not have the family genealogy that would interest people like the History Professor from GCC or the Orleans County Historian who posts articles on the Orleans Hub and in The Daily News, but I believe she does appeal to the common person in this county.

Unlike Attorney Church “whose family has been lawyers for years” (his words), Tonia made the decision to further her education “First in her family to attend college” and decided that the legal profession would be the goal that she would pursue. Education finance was just one issue that she had to deal with, having come from a family with limited means. I am willing to bet that the subject wasn’t that important to the family of Sanford A. Church in his quest for higher learning. It was his duty to keep the Church name lineage intact.

I believe it to be of the utmost importance to have a clear mind when researching a case and handing down a judgement from the bench. A personal malady or dreams of being on a sports field shouldn’t compromise the thoughts of a judge while the court is in session.

The remark that Mr. Church made at the end of the interview conducted by Tom Rivers, editor of the Orleans Hub, and posted on the same 23 October 2017 is what concerned me most. Church stated, and I quote: The people that know the area (what does that mean?) and know me, who aren’t making snap judgements on me from “one experience” (if he would make a comment like this, something must be bothering him about some of his clients). They respect my ability.

Please vote for Tonia Ettinger on the Conservative or the Democrat line. Tonia is not one to rush to judgement, but will take the time required to listen and sort the information out before rendering a just decision.

Allen Lofthouse

Kendall

(Mr. Lofthouse is chairman of the Orleans County Conservative Party)

Editor:

I was never interested in addressing Ms. Heard’s competency to hold the job of Town Clerk, but because I do in fact have a backbone and am truly willing to stand up for what is right, I will.

This is what I know, there was no taking over the Clerk’s job. Supervisor Culhane is a person who is more than willing to work with people for the betterment of the whole, she will guide and direct and share any information she has to help if she can.

Something that truly bothers me about Ms. Heard’s letter are her accusations against the Supervisor. If you have nothing real to accuse her of it isn’t OK to make things up. Her willingness to write these accusations to win an election for herself and her fellow committee member is not a trait of a person who stands up for what’s right, but of a person who is self-serving.

She states she has a backbone, but I think she is confusing a backbone with a willingness to go to any lengths to serve herself. The residents of Gaines should also be aware that Ms. Heard will be collecting a retirement on the back of Orleans County Taxpayers, and will also collect the Town Clerk’s salary paid for by the Town of Gaines Taxpayers. Is she really a watchdog?

Lastly, I will restate what I have consistently stated. I am in my second year as Deputy, I know the job, I love the job, and would love to continue in the office. I serve as I would like to be served, and I take that responsibility very seriously.

Respectfully submitted,

Debra Mitchell

Candidate for Gaines Town Clerk

Editor:

Soon Murray voters of all political stripes will weigh in on our community’s future by selecting its next Supervisor. In my year-long campaign for office, I have met many fine people, and found new hope for the future of our town. Murray’s greatest strength is in its people, and with their participation, Murray can rise again. I am thankful for all of you.

Knowing our town’s potential, I also have renewed appreciation for what’s on the line in this very important election. Murray is truly at a crossroads. Will we stay the present course, and move further into the darkness of our status quo? Or, will Murray voters embrace new thinking that can lead us towards a brighter future?

I believe I am the candidate who will bring to Murray the change it so desperately needs. For proof look no further than the highly personalized, destructive campaign that the entrenched political establishment has waged against me. My campaign, and what it stands for, threatens them.

As well it should.

Together, we will clean up Murray. We will rein in frivolous spending; get our water district finances in order; end heavy handed code enforcement; and return town government to the people.

Our efforts will make Murray an even better place to work, do business, and raise a family.

From day one, this is what my campaign has been all about. Murray residents know we can do better, and our coalition of supporters has steadily grown to include not just disenchanted Republicans, but many Conservatives, Democrats, and Independents. I deeply appreciate their support and confidence.

To those Murray residents who remain undecided, I invite you to join with us. Our campaign, and our town, needs you, and I’d be honored to have your vote on November 7th.

With thanks and great respect,

Joe Sidonio

Candidate for Murray Supervisor

Conservative and Independence Lines

Editor:

The Judge in Orleans County is charged with deciding issues covering our children, our families, our loved ones who pass on, our property, our injuries, our contract disputes, our victims of crimes, the judging and sentencing of criminals, our pistol permits, and every other aspect of law in our county.

The Judge will have a deeply personal impact in our lives in profound ways.  Every single one of us will have a family member or a friend, neighbor or loved one at some point have a part of our life touched by the Judge of the County. We deserve to have a Judge that knows us, is one of us, and can do the job in a fair, respectful and professional manner.

I am Nathan Pace. I live with my wife and two youngest sons in the Village of Medina. I graduated from Medina in 1984. All of my 6 children have graduated or will graduate from Medina High School. My home, my office, my legal practice and my life is in this county. I have been an attorney since 1993, and I do not think I am the best qualified person to be the County judge. The best qualified person to the County Judge is Sandy Church.

I made the decision to support Sandy Church as our next County Court Judge for the following 6 reasons.

1. There is no other criminal attorney who is more qualified than Sandy. I and many attorneys work extensively in criminal matters in this county. But neither I or any of them are the best qualified person to be the next judge. Sanford Church is. He has more experience than any attorney in the practice and the administration of the criminal court at every level. The Monroe or Ontario County attorney running for Judge has very little if any criminal court experience, and we have not seen her on any case in this county in 7 years since she resigned from our county bar.

2. There is no other attorney more prepared to handle divorces, and civil lawsuits in supreme court then Sandy. I and many other attorneys handle divorces and civil law suits in Supreme Court in this county, but neither I or any of them are the best qualified person to be the next judge. Sanford Church is. He is better prepared and more competent than any attorney in the county in the practice and the administration of all Supreme Court issues. The Monroe or Ontario County attorney running for Judge has very little if any supreme court experience, and I have never seen her on any case in this county in 7 years since she quit our county bar and left.

3. There is no other family court attorney more experienced or better qualified than Sandy. I and many other Orleans County lawyers work every day regarding custody, visitation, child support, neglect, abuse and other similar issues, but neither I nor any of these lawyers are the right person to be the next judge. Sanford Church is. He has more experience than any attorney in the County in the Family Court system in every area. The Monroe or Ontario County attorney running for Judge has not been seen by anyone on any case in this county in 7 years since she walked away in 2010.

4. There is no other attorney that I want handling the very delicate and complicated matters that come into play in Probate or Surrogate Court. I work frequently in this area which involves families dealing with all the ramifications of estates and property when a loved one has passed away. There are many very good qualified attorneys who live and practice in this county who also work in this area, but neither I nor any of them are the best qualified person to be the next judge. Sanford Church is. He has great experience in elder law and surrogates work, he will be able to competently and comfortably make wise decisions as our Judge. The Monroe or Ontario County attorney running for Judge has little if any experience in this area of law, and has not worked with any of our court clerks or lawyers in this county in 7 years since she resigned from our county bar in 2010.

5. There is no other attorney that I want as a person to judge me or my friends or my family or my neighbors than Sandy Church. Sandy is the only candidate whose entire life is actually in this County. He raised his kids here, has coached baseball and basketball here, goes to church here, owns a home here, has buried his ancestors here, pays taxes here, and some day, far out in the future, will pass away here. He has worked as the attorney for literally thousands of men, women and children in this county. His office is on the same corner where his father’s was and his father’s was before that. He is one us. We know him, he is a good man. I trust him to be our Judge. I trust him to judge me.

6. Finally, I made the decision to support Sandy as Judge because I am offended that someone who does not live here, own a home here or raise her children here, go to church here, practice law here, buy her groceries here, or do anything at all here thinks that we should be our Judge. The Monroe or Ontario county attorney running for judge also ran for judge of Ontario County last year and lost. Of course she did! She didn’t deserve to be judge in that county either. It is pretty apparent she really wants to be a judge, and she may just do it some day, there are 62 counties in this state, eventually one of them may elect her. I would hope it would be in a county where she lives, works and raises her children. In the meantime, let’s all support Sandy Church for Orleans County Judge, he is a good man.

Nathan D. Pace

Medina

Editor:

In her letter to the editor 11/3/17, Andina Barone is clearly trying to influence our local elections. She makes inflammatory statements, most of which cannot be verified because they have no substance, they are merely her opinions. The fact that Frontier Stone is paying a public relations firm to influence our elections should tell people everything they need to know. But there are some statements she makes that require further review.

Ms. Barone claims that she, and her firm Mindful Media Group (MMG), have no connection to the Town of Shelby. Her firm may not have a contract with the Town, but when town employees are having trouble with their website, they contact info@mindfulmedia.com. Until a few weeks ago, Ms. Barone’s mother had an office in the Town Hall with her name on the door. It would be best for the town to cut all ties with MMG. Even the appearance of conflict of interest is something they should avoid.

Ms. Barone misses the point regarding Frontier’s previous quarries. The point is, it doesn’t appear that Frontier wants to operate a quarry long-term. If they did, they would still be operating the quarries they previously owned. As Ms. Barone corrects me, they sold them, to Redlands, not LaFarge. However, what Ms. Barone doesn’t mention; Redland Quarries is a subsidiary of Lafarge North America. We can argue business structure semantics all day, but the bottom line is, all of Frontier’s previous quarries now belong to parent company, LaFarge, one of the largest aggregate companies in the world.  Companies this large are capable of bankrupting a small town in litigation.

Ms. Barone continues to claim that Frontier coordinated with the USFWS. She repeatedly implies that the USFWS worked together with Frontier to further their project. I would, again, ask that she produce any letters or documents that show that the USFWS in any way endorsed the quarry project.

Ms. Barone claims that “Mr. Mahar’s express desire has always been to do no harm.” If that is the case then Mr. Mahar would not propose his quarry next to the most sensitive wildlife habitat in the State of New York. He would not propose running his trucks all day through a residential neighborhood. The Lockport Stone Formation that he plans to mine runs all the way from Michigan to Rome, NY.  There are many miles of potential sites along that formation where a quarry would be less invasive to wildlife habitat and less disruptive of a residential neighborhood.

Ms. Barone claims that there is not enough high quality agricultural lime nor DOT approved material to satisfy future needs. The only way to prove that is to review the current quarries’ stone reserves and talk to the owners of those quarries about the ability for future expansion. Or, you can make it up, to suit the needs of your project. When the local quarries were polled, the answer was no. They have never run out of quality ag lime and there is no shortage of DOT rated stone in the area now or for the foreseeable future. They have many years’ worth of reserves. Future needs should also take into consideration that in the future there will be improvements to the way stone is recycled from current roadways.

Ms. Barone accuses me of “habitual misrepresentation” for calling myself President of Citizens for Shelby Preservation (CSP) because it is not a business or corporation. CSP is a grassroots organization, formed 11 years ago by concerned citizens in the Town of Shelby who wanted to protect their neighborhood and the wildlife refuge. It doesn’t need to be a corporation or a business for that.

You have met our members at every public hearing and information session regarding the quarry since it was first proposed. We have packed the Town Hall for years because our membership has steadily grown. By challenging CSP, Ms. Barone minimizes the impact of people in our town, from every political party, and every walk of life, who have met, and worked together, for over 11 years for a common goal, to protect what they value. I am proud to have been elected president of this organization 11 years ago, and to have worked beside all of them. They are some of the finest people I know. Their commitment and dedication to this cause is unimpeachable.

Ms. Barone really gets excited about her press release. It was sent to me several years ago by several sources. I didn’t request it. I didn’t even know it existed until I received it from people who wanted to verify statements made in it. I was happy to do it. Ms. Barone attempted to have it published without being fact checked, demonstrating her clear attempt to manipulate the press. Her press release had so many false statements and manipulations of truth that it was an honor to be able to present facts for the press to verify. When she found out the press had checked out her statements, Ms. Barone was furious. She threatened to sue one news source, for doing their job. I believe that lawsuit went nowhere.

People in our town can see through her attacks. You only need to consider who stands to gain from Ms. Barone’s letters, it is obvious where her paycheck comes from. Town residents gain nothing by fighting against this quarry other than to preserve the peaceful nature of their neighborhood, and their quality of life. Wildlife and the refuge cannot repay us for our time and effort fighting on their behalf. We have nothing to gain from this fight.  Frontier Stone and Mr. Mahar have millions to gain. They are so concerned, that they are paying a public relations firm to influence our election. If her words weren’t so potentially harmful to our election process, I would be flattered.

I am not currently a public servant for the town so I am not required to keep my opinion about the quarry from the public. I don’t represent the town in any legal capacity. My opponent for Shelby Town Supervisor is not a public servant either. While he may have had a gag order over him when he served on the Town Board; that is no longer the case. Since he left the town board, he is no longer held under that rule. I’m not being critical, just honest. The voting public has the right to know where he stands on the most important issue to face the town in many years. They deserve to know, before they go to the polls, whether he will stand with them, to protect their neighborhoods and the refuge, or not.

Wendi Pencille

Shelby

Editor:

My name is Dalton Mitchell. I am a registered Democrat in the Town of Gaines, and I would like to confront some of the accusations regarding the mailer that was sent to the Democrats on Saturday.

I created these postcards, the “opponents” had nothing to do with their creation. They contain factual information regarding the cross-endorsed candidates running for Town Supervisor and Town Clerk. They are not illegal in any way shape or form, despite what Rick Ebbs may want you to think.

They do not claim to be from the Democratic Committee, nor do they contain any copyrighted material or libel. I suspect that the local Democratic Chairman is less concerned with their legality, and more concerned with how the contents of the postcard may affect his party’s fake candidates.

That is understandable, as they shed light on the fact that these candidates do not represent the ideals of the Democratic Party in the slightest. If you received a postcard, I hope that you read it, and I hope you heed it’s warning. Susan Heard and Joe Grube are not Democrats, they are Republicans who are trying to slip into office by using the Democratic ticket.

Regards,

Dalton Mitchell

Gaines

Editor:

As Chairman of the Gaines Democratic Party I want to inform Gaines Democrats: The recent post card you received was NOT from the Democratic Party. This was an illegal, unauthorized mailing. Any mail from the Democratic Party would have a return address. This is the work of the opponents.

When the Gaines Democrats met, both Joe Grube and Susan Heard had overwhelming support from the membership. They will serve as true bipartisan representatives and Gaines Democrats will be proud to vote them into office.

I have personally known Susan for 50 years (and her sisters), you can’t ask for a nicer person. She is an asset to the County, and will be an asset to the town.

When I met Joe Grube as a neighbor a few years ago, I was impressed by his friendly personality, and his government knowledge on a wide range of topics. Very impressed.

Gaines Democrats chose to cross-endorse these two candidates based on their qualifications, their dedication to the community, and their vision for the future.

Gaines Democrats, don’t let dirty politics get in the way of good government. Vote Joe Grube for Supervisor, Susan Heard for Town Clerk, Joyce Riley for Councilman and Toni Plummer for Town Justice.

Thank you,

Rick Ebbs

Gaines Democratic Party Chairman

Editor:

I do not that like politics. I do not like campaigning. However, I feel so strongly about the election for Supervisor in the Town of Murray, that I have been doing exactly that – campaigning for Bob Miller.

Bob Miller has spent his career serving the public and now that he has retired, he would like to continue to do so. He is honest and hard working. If he doesn’t know an answer, he will find it out. Since the day he became a Town Board member, he has been at the Town Hall asking questions, doing research. He does not hesitate to challenge ideas he does not agree with. He is honest and abides by the law. That is the kind of person that I would like to represent our Town.

This is a race for Supervisor. It is not a race against the Code Enforcement Officer. Despite what some have been told, the Supervisor does not have the final say, but is the deciding vote in the case of a tie.

The Supervisor cannot get rid of the Code Enforcement Officer for doing “too much” of his job. Ron Vendetti is simply enforcing the codes per NYS regulations. It is not selective enforcing. I have gotten a violation for an unlicensed car in my driveway; my daughter has gotten a violation for not bringing in garbage cans. Did I like it?  No, but it is the law. For every person that does not like these laws, there is a neighbor who appreciates them.

In regard to the criticisms about our water districts, the operating and maintenance charge for each district is based upon how many units in the district, as well as how many feet the water district is. That is why some districts pay more than others. If you have a larger district in feet (more to maintain), but have fewer properties paying on it (less units to pay that cost), it will be more expensive. It is not illegal to charge it this way and I believe it is the fairest way.

To have residents pay, based solely upon how much water they use, is not fair. Water districts benefit everyone and add value to your property, whether you are connected or not. It makes sense that everyone should pay to maintain them. After all the criticism about the water department, at a public hearing on the budgets for the water districts this past week, only two residents attended, including Mr. Sidonio. He had no questions and no comments. The entire Board, Water Superintendent, and our accountants were there. He only asks questions about water when there is no one present who can rebut his statements with the facts.

As for the Comptroller’s Audit Report, it is hardly “scathing.” Look for yourself at the entire report online, at the key findings and key recommendations. The Town did not keep a separate bank account for capital projects.  However, there are no funds unaccounted for and our accounting system kept track of all expenditures.  Recommendations to improve procedures have been followed.

The Town Board is not blindly taxing and spending! Last year, the Town Board invited a Citizen’s Budget Group, including supporters of Mr. Sidonio, to sit in on budget planning last year. Nothing to hide. They stated that our budget is lean and did not know where cuts could be made. Our tax rate went down last year and is staying the same next year. There is no spending to be “reined in.” It is easy to say you will cut spending, but I haven’t heard where, specifically, Mr. Sidonio will make cuts? What services will we lose?

Bottom line is that our Board has done a great job. I see firsthand how hard they work to keep taxes reasonable and how much time and thought goes into putting together our budget. There is no extravagance here. They are all taxpayers too, working hard for everyone.

Mr. Sidonio wants you to believe that the Murray Town Board and Supervisor are overtaxing you, and therefore, themselves. He throws around words like corruption, unethical, illegal to try to get reactions from people. He says we are the “elite.” Elite? We are farmers, teachers, police officers, laborers, clerks and taxpayers.

I do not believe in tearing other people down unfairly, simply to advance oneself, under the guise of “working for you.” Is this the kind of person we want representing our town? I do not and I am confident the residents in the Town of Murray will see through these tactics.

I respectfully ask that you vote for Bob Miller on Tuesday, November 7, along with Mike Mele and Paul Hendel.

Sincerely,

Louise Passarell

Murray

Editor:

The attorney living in Ontario County and practicing in Monroe County that is running for Orleans County Judge resigned her membership from the Orleans County Bar Association in approximately 2011 and we have not seen her since. She has not practiced in this county since that time. We believe she may have been upset that her boyfriend did not win the election for Orleans County Judge so she decided she did not want to practice here in this county and, simply, left.

As a result, the Orleans County Bar Association knows nothing of her recent experience, community outreach, or ability to serve as the County Judge who wears many hats in this county.

However, we do know that Sandy Church has all the experience, ability, and integrity to serve this community. As such, the Orleans County Bar Association unanimously endorses Sandy Church as Orleans County Judge.

Dana Graber

President of Orleans County Bar Association

Editor:

So here are two things that bother me about Susan Heard as the potential Gaines Town Clerk:

The first happened several years back, but was so questionable in my mind that it influences my choice for Town Clerk today. In this particular case, the then-Town Clerk (since retired) was part of an independent audit which showed her to be negligent and deceitful in her job. The full report from the audit was presented to the Town Board; the Town Board then had the firm present the summarized report to the public at one of our sparsely attended Town Board meetings. This is how transparency works.

Word spread about the findings of the report and townspeople began to phone the Supervisor to ask why nothing was being done to discipline the then-Town Clerk. Supervisor Culhane addressed these calls and other questions regarding the report’s findings in an open, public Town Board meeting. This is transparency.

The next Town Board meeting was attended by some friends and supporters of the Town Clerk, including Ms. Heard who was at that time (and still is) the County Treasurer; she herself handles many of the County’s finances. She accused the Board of “bullying” the Gaines Clerk when they discussed the issue raised by other residents. This seems to me to be highly improper for one elected official to come out in support of another elected official over a formal report of misconduct.

The second thing is in regards to overlevying of the water bill for some residents. It’s petty, I admit, but leads to a bigger issue of trust and truthfulness. Ms. Heard claims to have discovered the over-levying of some water districts in Gaines (Sept 8: Letters to the Editor, Orleans Hub), but this is not true.

Supervisor Culhane began looking into this after it was brought to her attention at a public Town Board meeting by a resident, Connie Mosher, who questioned a large increase on her tax bill for the water levy. Supervisor Culhane contacted several officials in attempt to correct the situation and though she was one of those people, Ms. Heard was not the original person to bring it to light, as she claimed in her editorial.

Again, small potatoes. But an overall picture has been painted for me of a person who seems to bend the truth for personal advantage, and who seems to have little regard for the significance of supporting someone who had mishandled the public’s trust (and finances) while she herself is in a position of public trust.

Marilynn Miller

Gaines resident and Town Board meeting attendee since 2008

Editor:

Looking at the upcoming election, there are more choices at the local level than I can remember in my 30-plus years as a resident of Orleans county. This is a very good thing for the voters.

We need new faces, new ideas in local politics. If one party, any party, is in power too long there are problems, which is why the Conservative Party Committee will not endorse anyone with more than 12 years in office and we encourage all other parties to follow our lead.

We have endorsed candidates this year that support our values, around controlling spending, in the case of board members and supervisors, upholding the constitution in the case of county judge and job efficiency in the case of town clerks.

In addition these candidates are not tied to the “establishment” which is the very reason we have instituted the 12-year endorsement policy mentioned earlier in this letter.

So please vote in the upcoming election, remembering to vote for those candidates the will best support those issues that you care about.

Ken Longer

Holley

Conservative Party Committee member