Editor:

Thank you to the Democrats who had the courage and fortitude to step forward and run for an office. Yes, we lost several of the races but be proud and hold your head high. We ran a clean campaign and gave it our all.

We also owe thanks to our supporters who had faith in us and for family and friends.

We congratulate Randy Bower and wish Tom Drennan success in the future.

Jeanne Crane
Carlton
Chairwoman of Orleans County Democratic Party

Editor:

Does the Great and Powerful Oz have a secret master plan for Orleans County? Why is he so unwilling to tell us what it is?

Under the Oz master plan, one asset after another is sold, folded into Genesee County, or allowed to founder, or wither. Among these are Medina Hospital, the former County Nursing Home, the Visiting Nurse Service certification, the Continuing Day Treatment Program, our historical institutions, and now, perhaps our environment itself.

The Great and Powerful Oz decided who our next sheriff would be, by some accounts, 3, or 4, years ago. What would Oz do if he didn’t get his way and his choice came in second, or third? He really thinks he can get away with anything now that he emerged unscathed in 2013.

Would The Omniscient Oz eliminate the Sheriff’s Department road patrol?  It is one of our finer assets, and you may know how hard it is for the Omniscient Oz to recognize the things that really matter to his subjects.

The Wizard believes that we need to follow the lead of other counties, apparently because he believes Orleans County is no different than any other place. That may have helped him decide to sell one of the finest long-term care facilities in New York State.

Though belated improvements have been made with walk in mental health services in the Land of Oz, he initially disregarded the advice of one in-house expert and decreased access to such services by shifting the Continuing Day Treatment Program to Genesee County. Fortunately, he was able to revisit that mistake. Occasionally that is possible.

Among the mistakes that cannot be undone is the loss of the County Nursing Home.  Though Mr. Blajszczak, a Land of Oz court jester, thought of it as just an experiment, it is another asset that is gone forever. Of course, to P.B., it doesn’t matter. In fact the only thing that really matters in the Land of Oz are the whims of the Great and Powerful Oz.  But, such losses show how pathetically out of touch he is with his subjects.

You see, when you are the Great and Powerful Oz, you do not need surveys. All you need to do is bemoan the lack of them when you need an excuse not to lead. Or perhaps you just need to delay until after an election. Or you may wish to avoid a decision that might reveal part of your master plan.

Oz would have his loyal lemmings believe elections are equivalent to surveys. But personalities and the range of issues before voters make elections an unreliable barometer of what your subjects think.

A humble subject of the Great and Powerful Oz, and someone I consider a good friend, suggested something that never occurred to me.  He said The Oz may have refused to take a position on wind turbines in northwestern Oz because he may have invited Apex into the Land of Oz in the first place.

After all, lands beyond Oz had fallen for what was blowing in the wind.  Perhaps I am still failing to comprehend how devious the Oz can be. Perhaps my friend hit on something.

One of Oz’s northwestern prefecture subjects, thinking globally, correctly noted we have only one planet. She failed to act in a locally appropriate way when she wrote that turbines only take up half an acre.

Does the Great Oz even understand what a phenomenal asset the environment of his Land is? His subject might want to “research” the wildlife habitat we have all around us in the Land of Oz and what an industrial wind farm would mean to it.

Wind turbines are seen as environment-friendly, and they are, in the right places. The Land of Oz isn’t one of those desolate places that are right for them. But others have made mistakes. Why can’t we?

For The Great Oz, any howling from the turbines in Roscoe, Texas, or the barrens of North Dakota, may seem like beckoning from the Sirens of Greek mythology.

Most sincerely yours,

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

I was busy with my morning chores, blocking my three-corner hat and polishing my faux scepter, when I happened to come across an editorial in the Hub today. From the first few words, I thought the author might be expressing his admiration for Ozzie Osborne, the bat munching rock and reality star.

Perhaps it was a review of the television prison drama from a few years ago or maybe a travel piece on the continent of Australia. Then it came to me, it had to be an insightful piece on Ozzie’s life with Harriet, David and Ricky.

But no, it turns out it was a full frontal assault on L. Frank Baum’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the writer, I could be wrong, seemed to be attempting to make a point. There were words, thrown together haphazardly in steampunk construction fashion, that seemed to criticize, besides me, the entire county political structure of Orleans County for not doing what the omniscient author deemed to his liking ! Imagine the impertinence!

If I might site just one example, he apparently does not favor the wind project in Yates. Personally, I think the landowners and the state brown shirts wielding title 10 documents are going to decide this but he is of the opinion that big wind has to be broken. I say to you sir “do not break wind in front of me!”

Mining this piece for meaningful verbiage was difficult but apparently the creator considers himself a munchkin in this scenario. Au contraire. He should be considered the trinitarian composite of the supplicants in this drama. It might just be me, but over the years I’ve read a few of this man’s editorial comments and, if the wizard could help the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion, he might be able to help this individual.

I might site another classic The Lord of the Rings. Mr. Tolkien created a poor unfortunate creature, Gollum, who sought power for power’s sake. He disregarded all common sense, decorum and the greater good just to attain that ring, destroying his persona because of it. A pity really.

Finally, I printed this editorial remembering the comment of Max Reger (1873-1916) a German composer, pianist and organist of some noteriety. When a music critic unfairly (he thought) panned his latest effort he was quoted as saying “I am sitting in the smallest room in the house. I have your review in front of me. Soon it will be behind me”.

Well, time to get back to work. A jester needs to constantly update his material. Let’s see A minstrel, a lady in waiting and a duke walk into a privately owned, efficient and functioning nursing home and the administrator says

Paul Blajszczak
Ridgeway

Editor:

On Tuesday we will head to the polls to decide three seats on our Town Board. This is a very important moment for us.

Yates is a fantastic community with outstanding schools, great farms and businesses, and a distinguished heritage. Yet we are now faced with several substantial challenges that threaten our future.

We bring with us nearly 75 combined years of leadership experience in a wide variety of disciplines – from quality assurance and law enforcement to the military and higher education. All of us have had exemplary careers and possess the qualities best suited to lead our town. We have drive, knowledge, vision, professionalism and collaborative leadership skills.

Our message is clear and unwavering. We will do what is in the best interest of our town to help the people and to preserve our landscape and culture. We will not submit to out-of-state companies striving to divide us or state appointees who think they know better than us.

If elected, we will move deliberately toward restoring economic resilience through strategic revitalization and sound decision-making. The people of our town have demanded attention to these areas, and we are prepared to deliver. Our children deserve our very best efforts.

Given the importance of open communication and decisive leadership, we are the logical choice to move Yates toward recovery, growth and prosperity. It’s time for a new direction.

On Nov. 3, join us and allow us the opportunity to serve you and to lead Yates to a brighter future.

Respectfully Submitted,
 

Jim Simon – Write-in candidate for Town Supervisor
John Riggi – Republican Line, endorsed candidate
Glenn Maid – Conservative Line

Editor:

Please vote for the candidate who will obey the laws! After the first debate on Oct. 21, the real candidate is looking better and better. Please vote for Don Organisciak for Sheriff.

Dan Nogle
Medina

Editor:

The election will be on Tuesday. A huge issue in my very own town is the Apex Industrial Wind Turbine project.

I am running for a Legislature seat in my district so I am doing what the people who will entrust me with this leadership position would expect of me and lead. I do not support this in our community. This has been my stance since the very beginning, not something that was decided with the political winds, so to speak.

The Orleans County Legislature will not take a stand. Your very own legislator, my opponent, has been AWOL and has not given an opinion either way. After all she is the incumbent. She holds the seat. Her lack of leadership on this critical issue is very telling. This is dividing our town. I am seeing folks who were once civil with one another becoming hostile and distant.

I have lived here for 25 years. My children all went to school here. We have roots here. Our family name is reluctantly entombed in our local cemetery. We are here to stay. Over those years I have made friends with many people. The people in this community have stood by my family in our darkest hour.

Some of those people are for this turbine project. You have taken your stand and I as a man have taken mine. You are fighting to win and so am I. No matter how this turns out I will still be your friend and neighbor. Nothing will erase the bond of friendship and community that we have shared. If it does, it will be on your part not mine.

Make no mistake. I will do everything in my power as Legislature to stop this project and bring the fight to Albany to stop Article 10. The people of this community will have a leader and an ally to help them in this fight to stop this project from ever coming to light.

They will have someone to fight the IDA that stands to profit handsomely if this project takes foot. The current IDA leadership, I believe is in a gross conflict of interest with his seat on the Yates Town Board and his job as the head of the IDA. Conflict of interest or appearance of unethical practices have never stopped the Yates Town Board or the county from doing business as usual. Whatever became of the Ethics Committee up at the county?

I hope this project never happens. It is a gross waste of taxpayer money. You can not screen these with a fence or landscaping at 580-feet-plus tall. You can not put distance between you and them. They will always be visible no matter where you are in this town.

You can’t muffle the whoosh, whoosh, whoosh and mechanical grinding of the gear boxes when you step out on nice country summer night to gaze at the stars. You folks in Ridgeway will be seeing and hearing these monstrosities, too.

Turbines this big do not belong in populated areas. Just the production and installation of these things will wipe out any carbon footprint that they will save if you are inclined to believe that.

We must reduce taxes in this county. These are tax dollar hogs that will feed and feed indefinitely. Another green scam to control us. Don’t think that the Orleans County Legislature won’t throw your tax dollars at this project if it comes to be. They have volunteered your money for other foolish endeavors in the past. That’s what they do best is spend other peoples money – $60,000 dollars for a lobbyist, I will not support that.

On Nov. 3 vote for leadership. Vote on the Conservative line for someone who will be ethical, frugal with your money, expose corruption and work for his constituents.

Vote for Paul Lauricella Jr., Legislature District #2 (Yates, Ridgeway and part of Shelby).

Paul Lauricella Jr.
Lyndonville

Editor:

With all the commotion surrounding the Orleans County Sheriff’s race, the contests for Legislature have been all but forgotten. There are only two choices (out of a possible seven) this year.

Your only choices are in District 2 and Legislator At-large central. You can reward two incumbents for helping the Legislature Chairman destroy the County Nursing Home or you can vote for accountability.

You can show your disapproval of the unwillingness of two incumbents who represent Yates to take a stand on wind turbines in Yates using the excuse that there has been no survey (when that never stopped them before). Or, you can vote for candidates who want to protect our assets.

You can elect James White an at-large central legislator and Paul Lauricella District 2 legislator. James enjoys the support of both Paul and Allen Lofthouse. Their relationship shows that James has the ability to build bridges with people who do not always agree with him.

If elected legislator, James White would become New York State’s youngest legislator. Voters who can look past his youth might recognize his extraordinary maturity and commitment. Electing him would put Orleans County in a very positive light.

James has taken positions on a variety of subjects since announcing his candidacy. These include properly funding Child Protective Services, electing the C.A.O. of Orleans County, amending the S.A.F.E. Act to address issues of Constitutionality, and saying “No!” to wind turbines. He has made it quite clear that selling the County Nursing Home was a betrayal of our seniors.

His opponent seems to think that all he has to do is make unrealistic promises about something he has practically no control over. As an insider, he is part of the problem.

It is relatively rare for the more talented young people graduating from Orleans County schools to stay home and attempt to make a positive impact locally. Any teacher can tell you that such intelligent, interested, and motivated students graduate every year from every school in the County.

James White is one of those extraordinary young (21) people who cares enough that he is willing to stay. His candidacy is an opportunity for the people of Orleans County. Those who would discount him purely because of his youth are making a mistake.

One person he encountered going door-to-door told him, “You are too young to know what you are doing.” Yet, at 21, he is old enough that he could have served three years in the military by now! We have everything to gain and precious little to lose by putting him on the County Legislature. As a high school teacher of 34 years, I can assure you it would be terrific for the ability of our teachers to better motivate the young people of Orleans County.

We will either recognize the opportunity James White is offering us, or we won’t. We either “get it,” or we don’t. We can win one for ourselves, or we won’t. But we will not be able to say we didn’t have a chance to make history by electing James White to the County Legislature.

Gary Kent
Albion

Editor:

Most men and women who run for office are ordinary people with good intentions. Somehow when they become an official, they transfer to a politician who forgets what their purpose was.

They get away with this behavior because the average citizen does not pay attention or worse does not care. To get attention from most citizens requires a politician to stick a finger in the citizen’s eye.

New York State has done this with the wind turbine projects across the state. The Orleans County and the Town of Yates officials are totally frozen in place, which is cowardly.

The State has extremely high taxes which funnels down to the counties and the townships. The County of Orleans and the Town of Yates elected officials are chasing after the few dollars that will come from this terrible project.

These elected officials are willing to give up home rule to an unelected board that pays no tax to the county or the town and most likely would need to get a map to find the Town of Yates.

The local officials state they are being neutral until they get all the facts. The fact that Apex has been involved setting the table for this project for almost two years should have opened their eyes. Niagara County and the Town of Somerset figured it out and sent notice to Albany they do not want this project.

Some local residents claim that outsiders are trying to stop this project. The only outsiders are Apex who will be gone quickly if this project moves forward, and the unelected board in Albany that pay no taxes in Yates but will decide if this project goes forward.

I am not a full-time Yates resident but I am a property owner and I have paid full-time taxes in Yates for over 30 years. The Town of Yates is a wonderful place to live and I believe that this project will destroy the town for at least 40 years.

I would urge that all registered voters go to the polls and change the Town Board. Casting a write-in vote for Jim Simon, and voting for John Riggi and Glenn Maid are clear choices to improve the Town of Yates. There is a big need for men with a vision of the future and this will be a great start.

Ray Watt
Yates

Editor:

(This letter is directed to Susan Campbell.) The title of your latest letter to the editor may be the most disingenuous and personally insulting of all your statements but certainly indicative of how you really feel.

Don’t let “them” ruin “our” town is pure misrepresentation of both the facts and the perfect example of how this is tearing this town apart. Who are you to determine who is “morally” entitled to vote in an election?

You now are above the actual law? Am I less important than you Ms. Campbell? Are the other Lakers? Do you know my story? Do you know theirs? My family starting with my grandparents has owned property in this town for over 50 years.

I have spent every summer of my entire life there. I baptized all my children there. We have celebrated countless milestones of life in this town, weddings birthdays and anniversaries. My little daughter refused to have her haircut anywhere until she got home to Lyndonville.

Now my husband spent money we have worked our whole lives for and I built a home there to retire to someday. My son went to and graduated from Lyndonville schools and is now a lawyer too, thanks to the great teachers there and Dick Pucher!

His family are farmers in this town. They are my family too. My children call the lake home; it is where our heart is. I have had a job since I was 15 years old, I pay taxes, a lot of taxes and I work 60 hours a week to do so, nothing is handed to any of us.

Your statement reminds me of people who say if your child is adopted they are not “really” your child. That couldn’t be further from the truth, they are chosen. Just like all those who have chosen to adopt this as our home.

Your misrepresentation of the position of those running is wholly without merit. These men are hardworking, competent caring people with a new vision for “our” town. They are residents here. We are blessed to have so many that care enough to want this difficult job.

They are not simply anti-wind as you state. Perhaps a more effective use of your statements would be why we should keep the current board and list their accomplishments rather than your divisive anti-lake rants.

It is ironic that the title of your editorial “don’t let “them” ruin “our” town is exactly how many of us feel about APEX. They are the only true outsider.

Krista Barth Sauerberg
Lyndonville

Editor:

Nine weeks?

This is apparently how long it takes for a committee to work on a survey and process regarding the proposed wind project in the Town of Yates.

Resolution No. 72-8/15 was approved on Aug. 13 to, in part, survey town residents on the proposed wind project. Town Councilman Wes Bradley made comments about the survey at the Sept. 9 Town Board meeting.

Councilman Bradley was also quoted in an Oct. 9 article on Orleans Hub that there was no timetable to complete the survey because of the uncertainties of reaching consensus with the three parties.

What? This can’t be the first time a survey for proposed wind turbines has been developed. Even accounting for survey questions specific to the Town of Yates, there should be no need to re-invent the survey “wheel.” And what consensus needs to be reached? Funding? Question format and content? They are not developing the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.

This indeed is a Town of Yates matter regarding completing the survey. But what is decided could affect residents in positive/negative ways in the towns of Carlton, Gaines and Ridgeway. It’s reasonable that a fair amount of people are waiting to see what the survey results yield.

A survey/process should not being taking nine-plus weeks to complete. If it means extra hours for all involved to get a survey in front of town residents, that is not an unreasonable expectation.

Tom Klotzbach
Waterport

Editor:

Chris Bourke and I have the knowledge, experience, and desire to serve the people of Orleans County. The time is now to give the Office of Sheriff back to the people.

For those of you who have witnessed our campaign over the past ten months, I pledge to you that we will have the same work ethic, drive, and accessibility as your sheriff and undersheriff that has been present in our campaign efforts.

It is a team approach I am bringing to the Office of Sheriff, and you are a part of the team. As the People’s Sheriff, I will focus my service on the people and be an effective advocate for Orleans County. When necessary, I will lobby Albany and our local governments for our public safety needs. We don’t work for the State of New York or any special interests; we work for you, the people of Orleans County. We are a team opposed to the SAFE Act.

Chris and I will work as hard for you as we have with this campaign for sheriff. As lifelong Orleans County residents, coupled with our 60 years of experience, we have a keen awareness of your public safety needs. It is that awareness along with our transparency, availability, and responsiveness that set us apart from my opponents.
There are two unions that comprise the department’s workforce, and I am proud to have garnered the endorsements of both. It means a lot to me that those hard working men and women, with their boots on the ground daily, have put their faith in me. The team is in place to execute our comprehensive plan featuring attainable objectives that will improve all five divisions of the department, at no additional cost to the taxpayers.

I have absolutely loved the entire process of this campaign and meeting all of the great people of Orleans County. Over the past 10 months you have inspired me, motivated me, and encouraged me that change for the best is possible.

In closing, I am truly blessed to live a life with great family, friends, and co-workers. I am running for sheriff to serve you, the people of Orleans County, and together we can make our public safety great.

Sincerely,

Randy Bower
Holley
Candidate for Orleans County Sheriff

Editor:

Tuesday is an extremely important day that will determine the future of the Town of Yates. My name is John Riggi and I am the endorsed Republican Candidate for Yates Town Council. As the endorsed candidate, I urge every registered voter to vote on Election Day, Nov. 3. Your vote is critical!

As you may also know, I am opposed to the Apex Lighthouse Wind project. The Apex Lighthouse Wind issue has expanded into every fiber that is life in this wonderful town. Fact remains, this proposed Industrial Wind Turbine Emplacement Project will forever scar this wonderful place visually, environmentally and socially in ways that will never heal.

However, we have options.

Meaningful economic development is critical to the future of Yates and turbines do not fit the definition of meaningful development. Especially when meaningful development is defined as long term improvement in the quality of life of all residents and a growing tax base.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Thursday, October 7th that 1366 Technologies, a manufacturer of technologies for the solar energy industry, will establish its first large commercial Direct Wafer„¢ production plant and significantly grow its workforce at the high-tech Science and Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park in Alabama, Genesee County. Construction of the manufacturing facility will require two phases during which the company will create at least 1,000 new jobs within a 30 minutes commute Yates.

STAMP project final growth vector indicates 10,000 local jobs to be created at the site from numerous hi-tech business anchors.

The New York State incentive package includes up to $56.3 million and up to 8.5 megawatts of low-cost hydropower. As we have always known, there is significant hydropower capacity in Western New York and it is proven by the use of low cost hydropower to drive this largest economic development project in Genesee County history.

The approval of the STAMP project and its use of low-cost hydropower is of significant interest to the Town of Yates. 1366 Technologies will utilize this low-cost power to recruit and employ high tech, engineering personnel at a $100,000 average annual salary.

They will be spending that $100,000 average wage on homes, schools, goods and services. The competition for those people and dollars will be fierce and Yates needs to be prepared to compete for those people and dollars.

The STAMP Project illustrates one of those options available to the Town of Yates as an option much more suited to our, very unique area of New York State. And there are others as well. However, we need to resolve the turbine issue once and for all in order to move forward into the future.

The Town of Yates needs a plan to take advantage of the economic development opportunities such as the STAMP project. Otherwise, a wind turbine wasteland is our future.

The future of Yates is at stake and will be decided on Nov. 3, 2015.
There is much work to do, but we have a tremendous set of resources at our disposal to drive Yates into a successful future. I promise the constituents of the Town of Yates that I will work diligently to make use of our resources and town laws to guarantee an ever-improving Town of Yates.

John Riggi
Yates
President of Save Ontario Shores and candidate for Yates Town Board

Editor:

As I “sit, sipping coffee over the lake” this morning, I still ponder the sentiments of people like Patrick McKenna, a man I have never met, but understand is the son-in-law of Mr. Belson.

Wasn’t it fortuitous of Mr. McKenna to post that letter to the editor just before mine? Doesn’t his letter reinforce my supposition that “lake people” are resented in Lyndonville? Don’t you think it is time to act on the current state of affairs?

With all due respect to the “sitting” town supervisor and councilman running for re-election, I believe it is time to get out of your seat and address the issues. It is unconscionable that you rest on your laurels that you “love this town,” and that makes you the best candidate for office.

Isn’t it ironic that the two businesses that are your claim to fame are Amish, the very group of people who are shunned by so many of your people? Did you encourage tax breaks for those businesses, like you seem to be willing to do for an out-of-state multimillion dollar company?

Can you even begin to compare the impact Apex would have on the Town of Yates to the two Amish businesses, which, by the way, are owned by residents of this community?

I realize the positions of town supervisor and councilman are thankless jobs. It amazes me that the very busy people who are running for these positions are willing to take on even more responsibility.

They all have extremely important full-time jobs, and yet they are willing to donate countless hours to what appears to be an unappreciative town. But then, we all know that busy, talented, aggressive, forward-thinking individuals are the ones that can and do get the job done.

You have my vote and thanks, Jim Simon, Glenn Maid, and John Riggi. I have every confidence that you are the men who will do just that: Get the job done.

Cynthia Hellert
Town of Yates

Editor:

Let me start by saying that I don’t live in Orleans County. However, I have many family and friends that still do live there so I have a right to care about this sheriff’s race.

I’d just like to shed some light on some skewed information presented by people supporting Randy Bower.

In a recent letter to the Orleans Hub, writer Margo Passerell compared candidate Randy Bower’s lack of experience to retired Sheriff Dave Green and the late great former Monroe County Sheriff Andrew Meloni.

For the record, Sheriff Green was the Orleans County Coordinator of Civil Defense, Natural Disaster and Fire Investigation prior to being elected. He has also been quoted as saying Tom Drennan is the right man for the job and fully supports Drennan as the next sheriff. Comparing Bower to Green makes no sense. Not even Sheriff Green thinks Bower is the right choice.

Furthermore, Randy Bower cannot hold a candle to the Honorable Andrew Meloni, God rest his soul. Ms. Passerell said Sheriff Meloni was a part time clerk for the Sheriff’s Office before being elected Sheriff. That’s true, but it’s only part of the story.

He also served his country in the United States Army, served as Monroe County Undersheriff from 1968-1974, was named Monroe County Public Safety Administrator until 1977, and was the Director of Public Safety and Traffic at the University of Rochester. Sheriff Meloni also earned a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Empire State College in 1977. (Information courtesy of the Democrat and Chronicle)

He was THEN elected Sheriff in 1979. To say that Sheriff Meloni had no experience is shameful and disrespectful to the man and his family.

Also, according to another Bower enthusiast, Republican voters have no choice but to vote for Randy Bower because he is the Republican candidate. In a letter to the Orleans Hub, David Wells of Medina wrote that it is “blatant disloyalty to their party,” if any registered Republican supports a different candidate. He goes on to say that you should not be displaying any signage other than a Bower sign if you are a registered Republican.

Residents do not deserve to be bullied, or told what they can or can’t do. Voters are human first, and party affiliated second. They are allowed to cast their ballot of their own free will. Regardless of what your party says, you can still vote for whomever you feel is the right choice.

Bower supporters are adamant that Republicans vote the party line without doing research. Is that why Randy Bower was so excited the night he won the primary? Did he feel that voters would just flock like sheep, vote Republican and ensure him a win in November? I don’t know the answer to that, but it makes sense now that we see what Mr. Wells is ordering voters to do.

The Orleans County Republican Committee didn’t even consider Randy Bower as their candidate from the beginning. Why is that? Is it because they feel experience matters? Maybe. Is it because they have worked with an elected Bower in the past and didn’t care to do so again? Maybe. The fact remains, people can vote for whom they want, and shouldn’t be pressured to do otherwise.

Mr. Wells continues in his letter to cite the “New York State Sheriff’s Association” and the “New York State Corrections” unions support Randy Bower, and that both are “state wide law enforcement organizations.”

Again, this is only partially true. The New York State Sheriff’s Association does not support Randy Bower for Sheriff. It is a not for profit organization comprised of all sheriffs of New York State. It isn’t a union.

Mr. Wells should have said the “New York State Deputy’s Association,” which is the local union representing the Road Patrol Deputies in Orleans County. The same goes for the “New York State Corrections” union. It’s actually the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, which represents the Jailors in Orleans County. Neither is a statewide endorsement.

The Bower campaign fiercely defends the fact that experience is not necessary to become the sheriff. When there is no experience to speak of, I guess it’s worth defending. But wouldn’t it be nice if the elected sheriff did have experience, I can’t imagine how that could be seen as anything but positive.

Voters have an important decision to make on Tuesday. I just hope they do themselves a favor and really consider what they’ll get with each candidate.

Tom Drennan will not skew the truth or bully people to vote for him. Experience does and should matter. The real New York State Sheriff’s Association thinks so, and so do we.

My family has done its research, and fully supports Chief Deputy Tom Drennan for Orleans County Sheriff.

Todd Smith
Formerly of Holley
Proud Son of current Undersheriff Steven D. Smith

Editor:

My name is Paul Blajszczak and I am the independent incumbent candidate running for re-election to the position of councilman in the Town of Ridgeway.

I am asking Ridgeway voters to look for the badger’s paw print on the ballot and fill in the circle next to my name. I have been, am presently and will be responsible to every taxpayer in the Town of Ridgeway.

I read with interest an editorial by a man I admire for both his insights and community service. He asked the question, “Where is the party loyalty?” That is a very good question.

Does the groupthink of an organization necessarily negate independent thought? Do local committees of the party of Lincoln have a deeper understanding of the needs of a community than the common sense of the taxpaying members of that community?

What recourse do members of that group have? Is it a punishable act of defiance to display a political sign for the candidate they feel best qualified to hold that office?

In 1962, Ronald Reagan, an FDR, New Deal Democrat, switched parties. When asked why he left the party, he famously replied “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.” I have thought about that quote often the past few weeks.

Established political parties are, in general, having a rough time at the moment. One seems to be saddled with an apparent unpopular dowager queen succession scenario while the other is faced with nonpolitical (therefore uncontrollable) yet very popular candidates. The voters, who always end up paying the freight, seem restless. Where is party loyalty indeed.

The Reformation of the 14th and 15th centuries turned the known world upside down. The predominant religion of most nations, because of abuses of power, was displaced and it affected everyone and everything. The effects can still be felt today. Can we be witnessing the onset of a political reformation?

I hope that party loyalty will still allow the voters in Ridgeway to consider a vote for me on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

I am Paul Blajszczak and I would appreciate your vote for re-election to the position of councilman in the Town of Ridgeway.

Paul Blajszczak
Ridgeway