Editor:

The June 9 letter to the editor by George McKenna once again shows how he misleads and does a disservice to everyone.

The reality of developing a town budget involves the entire Town Board. We discuss and question every part of it before we as a Town Board vote on it. Because of a small window of time prior to when we vote is offered by NY State in which we can decide to vote to go over the tax cap, we discuss that option but we haven’t voted for it and kept the budget under. George is also not the only successful business owner on the Town Board either.

Now I’m going to sound like George. When I first took office almost eight years ago, I did not like how the town’s money was sitting in a low interest bank account. We decided at that time to invest in CD’s that provided a higher interest rate.

Later when networking with other Supervisors, I learned about an investment program that we could earn higher interest. I contacted the NY State Comptroller’s Office to make sure we can invest in the program and received a “green light.” I then contacted the area representative for further information to share with the board and ask them to address the board.

After the presentation, we discussed our options and we as a whole voted to invest in the program. George was right about one thing; we do see a greater return on our investment. But George lied, it was I doing my due diligence as the Financial Officer for the Town of Barre that investigated and presented the information to the Town Board so that we could vote on it.

Water District #10 would have been in the ground in 2020 if not for COVID. As we all know the cost of everything doubled including the materials for WD#10. This resulted in a greater yearly expense to the residents of the district. Prior to COVID we had about 90% of the residents in favor of the district. Post COVID that dropped to 30-40% due to the increased cost.

We canvassed the residents and had a public hearing to get their feeling of the situation. Some of the residents believed George was discouraging them from installing the water district. We have been pursuing different and additional funding sources to find a way to lower the cost. We have not stopped trying to cut the costs. Next month we are pursuing another option to lower the cost.

A Comprehensive Plan is to lay out the plan for town development in the future. George, who was the Town Board representative to the Comp Plan Committee, became the self-appointed chairperson who then pushed his private agenda and dwelled upon the past – specifically, Heritage Wind, and not the future of the town.

As an active member of “Clear Skies Above Barre,” George uses every platform to try and cause blockage in a project that has been approved by the state and will be constructed. George’s agenda is to dwell on the past and not look to the future. George stated there was opposition to updating the Comp Plan. Again, he tells an untruth. There was no opposition to updating the plan just his private agenda. Sounds like he was the wrong person to be on the Comp Plan Committee.

George, his wife, Iva, and Scott Burnside, all members of Clear Skies Above Barre, have their own hidden agenda. They all want you to believe that there is still a chance to stop Heritage Wind. If these three get into office and try stopping a state-approved project then there will be lawsuits. Who will pay for all the legal fees and judgments? We, the residents will pay through higher taxes.

George talks about what he believes are harmful issues of having wind turbines and pushes his beliefs onto anyone that will listen as the truth. George uses non-researched, invalid, information from the internet and sells it as the truth. This is a man who, prior to being on the Town Board, stood in the back of the room during a Town Board meeting, holding a strobe light in the faces of the board members and was laughing. This is the man who up until seven years ago, believed in wind turbines.

Yes, the amount of money the town will receive from Heritage Wind will be less per year than originally planned. The payment to the town is based on the maximum number of megawatts that each turbine can produce times a set amount per Mw – not what it does produce.

The original turbines were large and would have a larger cumulative Mw capacity. Through no fault of Heritage Wind, the manufacturer stated that they could provide that model but offered the next smaller model. Smaller model, smaller amount of Mw’s per turbine but still the same agreed amount per Mw. So yes, the town will receive less money per year. A “successful businessman” would realize that issues do arise. I’m sure that he has had issues with his supplies as well.

If George did his homework he would have known that there is a decommissioning agreement in place. There is an insurance bond, made out to the Town of Barre to cover the costs in case they or their successor leave. This bond is to be revisited every five years to re-evaluate the cost of decommissioning and set the new bond amount.

With the two new major energy projects going into the town, there will be a substantial amount of money coming to the town and should be applied towards our town taxes lowering them if not eliminating them for 30 years.

Scott Burnside has written to the state saying he will do whatever he can to stop Heritage Wind. That sounds like a lawsuit to me and increased taxes. If Scott were truly interested in becoming the Supervisor, you would think he would be more involved in the job entails. He rarely even shows up for a board meeting if at all. He has signs around town but how many residents have had a chance to talk to him and hear his platform other than stop Heritage Wind?

George McKenna in his letter was all “I” as if he is the only one on the board. The Town Board consists of five members that work together as a “We.” NY State requires Planning Board members to complete at least four hours of training every year. George was on the board for three years and completed ZERO hours of training.

The state also requires Town Board members to complete at least two hours of training every year. In his 3.5 years on the board he has completed only two hours total his first year in office. Does it look like he takes his job very seriously to do his best for the Town of Barre that he says he trying to “fight for the health and safety of our residents”? A man who tells untruths and spins them to fit his beliefs.

Iva McKenna, the lady that stands on tabletops in a Town Board meeting. Sends text messages to her husband, George, during board meetings coaching him what to say.

These are the same two people that publicly claimed that we shouldn’t have brothers-in-law on the town board. They could influence the outcomes of the board. But guess what? They saw no problem with a father (George) and daughter to be on the board at the same time and now they want husband and wife to be on the board at the same time for the next four years? Sounds like a control of board outcomes to me.

If you want representation on the Town Board that have for years worked on other boards and do complete their training every year. If you want representatives that will listen and respond to your concerns, representatives that will look forward and not backward.

Then the team you want are, as Supervisor, Stephen Coville, for Town Board, David Allen and Wesley Miller.

If you want to go backwards with untruths, hidden agendas, all with a smile and a candy, then vote for the others but be careful what you wish for.

Dr. Sean P. Pogue

Supervisor for Town of Barre

Editor:

My name is Nancy (McHugh) Draper and I am a lifelong resident of the Town of Shelby. As a past Court Clerk of 25 years, having served a few of those years employed by the Town of Shelby Court. Also, many years ago my Dad, Don (Mac) McHugh worked for the Town of Shelby, driving truck, plowing snow, building roads, etc. He worked under Bud Howe and then Vic Caleb.

My past experience, of several years ago, was that the Town of Shelby supervisors and board members worked with the people of the T/Shelby. The records from audits completed by the New York State Comptroller’s office were found to be accurate and in order. They listened to the resident’s concerns.

That does not seem to be the ways things are done in the present. The taxpaying residents are either not allowed to speak or are cut off and/or argued with by the supervisor and/or board members. There are outbursts, arguments and disrespect from those we have elected to these positions. I personally find this very unnerving and inappropriate!

That is one of the many reasons why I will be voting for Jim Heminway for Supervisor for the Town of Shelby. I have known Jim since High School and I feel he would definitely lower the “temperature” at board meetings, listen to any/all concerns of the Town of Shelby residents whether at board meetings or on the street.

I believe Jim would handle any disputes with understanding and respect, for both sides of any issues, and come up with a satisfactory outcome. I believe Jim would work well with all of the town departments. I believe he would be fiscally responsible for the residents of the T/Shelby. I believe Jim has the knowledge and background to be a superb Town of Shelby Supervisor and to me, would be a “breath of fresh air!”

I am confident that Jim knows and will remember that those of us who live within the Village of Medina also pay taxes in the Town of Shelby and that we expect both municipalities to work together on any projects that benefit both the V/Medina and the T/Shelby residents. Why should we continue to pay taxes to both municipalities without receiving any type of benefits from the T/Shelby?

And  FYI, I will also be voting for Eddie Zelazny. Not because I had been Judge Zelazny’s (Eddie’s Dad) court clerk, but because I have known the Zelazny family for years. I know them to be a hardworking, caring family and have known Eddie to be a fine young man who, alongside Jim Heminway, would calmly listen and consider options and do what is best for the Town of Shelby residents.

Nancy Draper

Medina

Editor:

We, the members of the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association, are writing to voice our opposition to Project Double Reed, a hyperscale data center at the STAMP industrial site in Alabama, NY.

We are a group of neighbors living near Point Breeze, a beautiful, peaceful area where the Oak Orchard River flows into Lake Ontario. As a center for tourism, recreational boating, and world class fishing, our neighborhood is an important contributor to the economic health of Orleans County, generating around $30 million in annual economic activity.

The mission of our group focuses on local issues – efforts to improve and protect our community. Therefore, although a large number of strong arguments against the data center can be and have been made, we will focus only on two with the largest local implications: 1) the data center will increase the risk to the health of the river, a river that is already ecologically impaired, and 2) the data center will likely impose a financial burden on our members.

The river is a fragile ecosystem and is already considered by the NYSDEC to be impaired with phosphorus, a material that is key for the formation of the large, smelly, unsightly algae blooms. The current plan is for STAMP to pump treated sewage (which inevitably contains phosphorus) into a tributary of Oak Orchard Creek at Oakfield, where it will ultimately make its way to our community.

High phosphorus levels can lead to explosive algae blooms, and possibly to the ecological “death” of the river from oxygen depletion. Why is the data center important to this process? The data center is key to completing an electrical substation that will bring hundreds of megawatts of power to STAMP, power that is needed for a full buildout, with many companies and potentially a huge increase in wastewater (high-end estimates of perhaps millions of gallons per day) that is destined for our neighborhood.

What about the economic issues? The data center will consume unfathomably large amounts of electricity. The expectation is that the center will apply for and be granted low cost “hydropower” rates. As many reputable publications have noted, the inevitable result of this infrastructure buildout will be higher rates for ordinary ratepayers and businesses.

A second economic factor involves the astronomically high tax abatements offered to the data center, around $470 million, or about $3.9 million per job created! Less tax paid by the data center will result in an economic burden – either increased taxes or reduced services – for ordinary citizens and businesses. Please note that the corporation benefiting from the low electric rates and the tax abatements – a Fortune 50 company that has a soft commitment with STAMP – is one of the richest on the planet.

We stress that the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association is not anti-growth or anti-jobs. We enthusiastically support local businesses and sensible, smart economic growth initiatives. Our area needs more good jobs. In our view the proposed data center at STAMP is neither sensible nor smart. We do not support its construction.

The Members of the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association

Point Breeze

(Submitted by Dave Giacherio, Recording Secretary of OONA)

Editor:

In response to a recent letter I would  like to clarify that the Plug Power project at the STAMP site has been on pause since January 2024 due to financial difficulties and nothing to do with the Inflation Reduction Act  being under attack.

I, as a lifelong Republican, felt it necessary to address this. I would also like to encourage area residents to search out info on how Data Centers require massive amounts of electricity to power servers and cooling systems. Cooling data centers can be water intensive, potentially impacting local water resources.

I believe the age-old rule of supply and demand will factor in here and our electric rates will increase. I would also encourage local residents to search Silicon, a critical component of solar cells and see that it is far from a green energy process from extraction (open mining) and production which involves the use of hydrocarbons derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource.

It’s my belief that most of these so-called green energy projects are far from it and must be researched prior to accepting what some people might tell you. Back in the day between 1976 and 1992 a consumer advocate show, hosted by David Horowitz, was on TV his closing statement was “Stay aware and informed and don’t let anyone rip you off.”

If someone is telling you how great green energy is remember David Horowitz quote and do research!

Scott Carlton

Medina

Editor:

This is my response to the Shelby Town Supervisor. Plain and simple we had a set date for interviews just like Shelby. Neither you, nor the Republican-endorsed candidates, or your town chairman made an effort to make intent. The Conservative Party-endorsed Republicans made their intent early and came for an interview on the set date.

I am the Chaiman. I do not tell my committee who to vote for. I make it clear to the candidates that they are not guaranteed an endorsement and it’s up to the committee interviewing them not me who gets endorsed.

I also make it known that everyone in the room is elected conservative party committee, and no one is there who does not belong there. I accept whoever they endorse. I make it clear that if a candidate seeks or takes the Working Families Party endorsement, (Communist Party) we will pull their endorsement.

The candidates that came before us were totally qualified. How is that? They attended meetings and workshops for years. They knew what was going on. They had documentation and FOILS to back up their case. They presented themselves as conservatives, not one bit liberal as you accuse, sir. Just like you did when you came and then governed the opposite.

Your town is a mess. It’s not made up. “Nothing to see here” is insulting. These candidates have better things to do than run for public office. It’s being done because they are at ends wit. Are you to blame for all of it? No, but the tactics you are using are out of the Democrat Party playbook, so you have that backwards.

Mr. Supervisor, we endorsed you before. We gave you the benefit of the doubt because you had a great resume but from what has transpired over the last two years, I can guarantee you, had you come again you would not have gotten the endorsement. The Republicans may endorse incompetence and shady tactics, but the Conservative Party does not do that. How can I say these things, well here’s why.

I wasn’t going to publicly bring this up but here’s how it went. After we did our endorsements, about when the petitions were about to circulate, I got a phone call from your town Chairman asking me about interviews. He acknowledged that it was late and was wondering if there was still a chance.

I explained that it was too late and petitions were made up and about to be circulated. He let me know Mr. Heminway was a Democrat that changed parties. I have news for you, most of the Republicans in this county are Democrats (RINO’s) and you can tell by the way they govern and the tactics they use but that’s for another letter.

About another week or so goes by and I get another phone call from your chairman asking me if I can just sign a paper authorizing you and the other candidates that he endorsed, no interviews, no nothing, just put his guys in because “he doesn’t want to have to deal with our endorsed candidates in November in the general election.”

I can tell you the conversation got real tense after that. Can you imagine calling another party’s chairman and asking him to screw over his committee, his candidates and make a complete fool of himself to do him a favor or as I call it tamper with the election.

The total disrespect and delusion of this man that I thought was friend and we had endorsed before having the gall to make such a request. I repeatedly told him during the conversation that I could not believe he could even ask such a thing, I could not believe it.

He blamed you for the phone call Mr. Supervisor and the other candidates. He said you were on him to call me and ask me this. I told him I would never ever do what he was asking to my committee, my candidates and my party, repeatedly. Mr. Supervisor, that is not corrupt? That is not shady? You expect me and others not to believe what is being said about you when a tactic like that was used on me?

Oh, it wasn’t over yet, your town chairman hadn’t finished convincing me he had lost his mind, in my opinion, oh no. The petitions start circulating and I get a call from my Shelby committeeman stating that he had been to a house and the registered conservative would not sign his petition because your town chairman had been there with a conservative and already got a signature for you and the candidates so they could be on the conservative line. Yeah, kind of twilight zone.

He even went to the Board of Elections in which they shut him down completely. Only my secretary and I can authorize the Conservative Party-endorsed candidates, and I would never as I made it clear ever risk my reputation to conspire to rig the election in favor of incompetence and inexperience.

To be clear the Shelby chairman never offered me anything to do that, but it burned his bridges at both ends with me and the Conservative Party and he won’t be welcomed back. Some people should never be entrusted with power because it turns them into monsters. So, there you have it. On June 24th please vote for the Conservative Party-endorsed candidates, James Heminway, Larry Waters and re-elect Ed Zelazny because Shelby deserves better.

Paul Lauricella

Conservative Party Chairman

Editor:

President Trump issued the Alien Enemies Act on March 15, 2025. The reason for issuing the Alien Enemies Act, according to the White House proclamation, was an invasion by the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang directed from Venezuelan government. (Note, if we are being invaded by Venezuela why did the Trump administration send troops to Los Angeles?)

The Administration alleges that the gang is engaged in “undermining public safety and supporting the Maduro regime’s goal of destabilizing democratic nations in the Americas, including the United States.”

Mr. Trump’s own intelligence disputes these claims, meaning there is no supporting evidence for the Alien Enemies Act. Mr. Trump is using this act to detain and deport citizens of foreign countries especially citizens from Central and South America or Africa, (except white Africans), without due process, in violation of the Constitution.

The immigration officers used to detain and arrest immigrants use full military tactical gear and facial coverings to hide their identities like a secret police force. The reason given for the masks is to avoid being doxed by bystanders.

But they are operating more like a secret police force of an authoritarian regime. For example, they targeted legal residents Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk for their constitutionally protected free speech in opposition to Israelian action.

Further, despite a court order preventing the deportation of alleged migrants to a prison in El Salvador, they were deported without due process; also, in violation of the Constitution.  Recently, agents have detained and handcuffed officials without a warrant for doing their mandated oversight, in violation of the Constitution.

Contrary to official explanations, video and audio recording show that the officials were not interfering with agents’ official duties. These violation of the Constitution should concern all citizens.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

It appears Washington political tactics have arrived in the Town of Shelby.  The far left liberal agenda of attack, mislead, and accuse has arrived in Shelby.

Never in my life have I seen a Conservative Party chairman endorse a life-long liberal Democrat without even giving the Republican-endorsed candidates an interview, let alone endorse the other two liberal candidates.

I thought being a Conservative or Republican meant core values of truth, honesty, respect.  But as is apparent by the political flyers and Facebook posts, that is not part of their plan.

Mr. Zelazny voted against joining with Orleans County in fighting the advancement of the STAMP plant (resolution 74-23). He also voted 3 times to give a raise to the town clerk who he rents farm land from. He also voted against the Town Code of ethics law holding elected official to high standards. (Why is that?)

Mr. Zelazny refuses to publicly state his family will not allow a mine to open on his family property. Is that because he knows he just needs a board majority to overturn the protective overlay? Mr. Zelazny can make all the false accusations he wants. He can make political video character assassinations against me, it doesn’t matter.

Mr. Waters falsely accused councilman Schiffer of tax evasion. No need for evidence, just make it public and let the news travel. Doesn’t matter if it’s true. No need to apologize, damage is done.

The statements on Mr. Heminway’s political flyers and rhetoric are pure fiction. If you attended the candidate debate, you witnessed everything he said was “Medina”, “Medina”, Medina”.  Not once did he stand up for Shelby.

If you want to know the truth come see me at town hall, or get ahold of me, I’ll answer any questions you have.  I am not going to slander or falsely accuse anyone. Do I want you to vote for the endorsed Republican candidates, yes, but the important thing is to vote on June 24^th. It’s a right many veterans fought for you to have.

Scott Wengewicz

Shelby Town Supervisor

Editor:

Did you see that?

Me neither! The Barre Republican endorsed candidates are not disclosing who is paying for their campaign. This is not transparent and maybe illegal!

“Effective January 1, 2020, all political communication must identify the political committee paying for the advertisement or communication in a clear and prominent manner to read or be spoken as follows: “Paid for by [the name or the political committee making the expenditure].” (EL 14-106(2))

I look at these candidates and wonder “who has funded the postcards, the banners, the yard signs, the ads?”  I noticed candidates are using the same designs as past candidates that were financially conflicted in the Heritage Wind LLC project. So then I checked the Heritage Wind LLC NYS required Code of Conduct disclosure list and voila! I find that Steve Coville is listed as a conflicted member. He has an easement and setback waiver for his property being paid up to $5,000 annually. And so here we are left to wonder, who is actually paying for this campaign?

Before you vote in this primary please ask yourself:

• Who is paying for their campaigns?
• Are these candidates transparent about who they are representing?
• Do these candidates understand the laws? Will they try their hardest to abide by them?

The other side of this primary – three individuals whose transparency is the most important aspect they are running on. Who spend countless hours, their own money and time to find out what Barre residents actually think, and strive to protect everyone.

They recognize that the turbine project has been approved at the state level, yet they know the project has continued to change (drastically) after the approval, and in order to protect the residents of our community they need to stay aware and vigilant. This race is not just about industrial wind turbines. This race is about the future of Barre, water districts, future projects and our community.

• Remember a few years ago when two candidates sent out personal letters, paid for by themselves with a stamped return envelope included (for ease of return) to all residents of Barre so that their thoughts and opinions on Industrial Wind in our community could be voiced? An overwhelming majority did not want the wind ordinance to be changed in favor of taller wind turbines (87%!) and had big concerns about the project overall. The Town Board at the time thought they knew best so they did not take the time and energy to find out. Iva and George did – dedicating time and money for their community! Truth first!
• Post-Covid Water District 10 costs came back significantly higher than when the resident signatures were obtained. George said, “I am all for this but only if the residents still want it at the higher cost.” So what did George do? He went to every home in Water District 10 and asked them if they still wanted it with the higher numbers. The truth was they did not even know about the financial increase. The Majority of them said that they would not be able to afford the significantly higher annual amount that they would have to pay. George put the residents first!
• He fought for your right to vote (combat war veteran). He has been serving our community on the Comprehensive Plan Committee and is dedicated to serving the Town of Barre. Scott Burnside believes in doing what is right and truly cares about our Barre!

Please vote Scott Burnside Supervisor, George McKenna and Iva McKenna Councilman; they have given of their own money, and paid for their own campaign. They research and ask questions to make sure that they do things the right way.

I am proud of all that they have given, and continue to give, to our community. They genuinely care about you, and want to help move Barre in a positive manner.

Be sure to vote on June 24th for our future!

Thank you,

Kerri Richardson

Barre

Editor:

Being a first time person heading up the food for the Strawberry Festival, I would really like to thank the following people: Aric Albright, Kyle Piccirilli, Will Malone, Kevin Kelly, Jay Pahura, Scott Bradshaw, Vance VanSkiver, Shaun Stephens, Ron Ricker, Steve Borowczyk, Rob Lightning, Charlie Ricci, Don James, Shawn Diebel, Pete Mathew and Jon Rissinger.

If it was not for all these hard working people I would not have had everything I need to get the job done. I really don’t think the community knows what these great people do behind the scenes from the electric to the garbage cans, closing down roads, putting picnic tables up, cleaning the streets and making sure everything is taking down and village is back to normal.

They also gave their cell phone numbers and said whatever you need, call.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you very much.

Thanks.

Jeff Holler

Albion

Editor:

If there was ever a time for change that time is now!  The people of the Town of Shelby deserve better and can’t afford to let any more time go on under the same leadership that we have been under the past few years.

We went over 18 months without a Supervisor’s Report. We finally received one at the June 10 board meeting. How can our budget already be over in two areas and we are not even half way through the year?

Legal fees with a budget of $80,000 this year and already we find out there has been $95,000 spent! For what? Is this why we weren’t seeing Supervisor Reports? Does he even know or have any idea how to do them or know anything about budgeting? Maybe he was just too embarrassed to show us how much he is spending!

Some of you received a letter in the mail from Supervisor Scott Wengewicz. Don’t be fooled! Unless you have attended board meetings (because the town’s YouTube channel doesn’t always work) you would know that most of these things on the list that he said he has accomplished while being Supervisor were not even done by him. But here he goes again doing what he does best…… trying to get credit and make himself look good for something that someone else did! (Reference June 10 board meeting public comments on YouTube).

The overspending and wasting of your tax dollars can be stopped by getting out and voting for new leadership. Both Jim Heminway and Larry Waters have been attending the Shelby board meetings for many years. Voting for them and re-electing Ed Zelazny only makes sense as they are all honest, hardworking and strive to do what is best for the town.

Linda Limina and Ed Zelazny have been a great team but they need the voters help, they can’t do it alone.

So please vote in the Town of Shelby June 24 primary: Jim Heminway – Supervisor, Ed Zelazny – Councilman, and Larry Waters – Councilman.

Together they can make Shelby great again!

Thank you.

Sharlene Pratt

Shelby

Editor:

At this month’s Shelby Town Board meeting, a non-Shelby resident made a political statement or joke – not sure which way he meant to go with it – about an event that happened to the highway supervisor, Mr. Dale Root.

I’m not sure how you take a life-and-death situation and turn it into a political joke, but hey you just keep riding that big man power trip. Maybe you should go to church on Sunday and check your moral compass.

For I was there working the 3.5-ton jack to try to stop 8,000 pounds from coming through the block holding the secondary lift support. I did not find it funny at the time as words and phrases race through my mind that might be the last words that I speak to him.

Even with his wife, grandchild, daughter and son all there and 8,000 pounds determined to come through the block, Mr. Root was able to keep a cool level head to assist us in placing the jack in the correct spot and to assist first responders.

A cooler leveler head than if your favorite flavored whipped cream for your Frozen latte at the local Tim Hortons was suddenly out of stock. But I’m glad that somebody can laugh about it for that means that his grandchildren still have a grandfather.

With that the Root family would like to again thank the first responders and neighbors that came to assist. Also the local NAPA store for not weeks before selling us the new Carlyle 3.5 ton jack that could lift more than 7,000 lb.

In conclusion I would like to end with a public service announcement. Careful what you lay under it could hurt you.

Joseph Root

Shelby

Editor:

Good day Shelby Republican voters! Primary election is here and it is important to get out and make your voice heard.

Please utilize early voting at the County Office building (Rt 31 Albion) if you are unable to vote at the Shelby building June 24, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Your endorsed candidates are incumbent Scott Wengewicz for Town Supervisor, Mike Moriarty and Vassilious Bitsas for Council member.

As we gear up for another week of slander mailings and Facebook posts let it be known that before the Republican interviews for endorsement, Mr. Heminway (life-long Democrat), Mr. Zelazny (failed to attend interviews for a Republican endorsement or debate on 5/22/25) and Mr. Waters went to the Conservatives to be endorsed, making a Republican endorsement a secondary need. So, are they behind Republican values or seeking to be elected as Republicans in Name Only?

Mike and Vassilious are new to local government involvement. Both have voiced that the constituents of Shelby deserve better than what they have had the last 2-4 years with the bickering and finger pointing from council members who find fault, offering no solutions.

When interviewed to garner endorsement, Mike presented with confidence and spoke well on topics of personnel, budget and business. He is open minded and able to think for himself.

The committee agreed with his thoughts on the direction the town should be going in. He owns a small business and manages a multimillion dollar international produce company. Mike would like to see more business come to Shelby, but that is hard when a board is unwilling to work together.

Vassilious, while soft spoken, processes thoughts before speaking – a rare skill to some most days. He is very astute about his families business. He has the ability to function under pressure, multitask – think outside the box and is a team player showing leadership quality.

We found him engaging and what we thought a council member should bring to our town. Both would be fresh eyes and ears in bringing new ideas to the table. They do not have hidden agendas or a history of grudges with other town council members or supervisor.

Scott has been on an uphill battle since day one as Shelby Town Supervisor inheriting the 2023 budget. Extinguishing problems of personnel issues, harassment complaints, financial software problems, working with department heads & budgeting ARPA funds. Stood up for residents and looked for solutions to water rates while being ignored from Village of Medina and when members of both boards met to negotiate 2 hours later nothing was resolved.

He does the best he can with the limited support from his council members. He is looking forward to and continue working for the residents of Shelby. Scott would like to explore renegotiating the municipal agreement with the Village of Medina so Shelby receives the taxes from Maple Ridge merchants, research funding to rebuild the park in Shelby Center, and continue working on the water lines to form a loop so more dead end areas will no longer need to be flushed.

As we approach voting day June 24th, remember these individuals are our neighbors. Respect their rights to seek a public office. The amount of slander and bullying needs to stop. The residents of our amazing town deserve better.

Thank you,

Dale S. Root

Shelby Republican Chairman

Editor:

Dear Shelby residents, your voice is important, especially for this primary. It needs to be heard loud and clear so our Town can succeed.

As a council member for just over a year, I unfortunately cannot endorse the current course of action that we are taking, a tax-and-spend approach. When I decided to run for office it was with the intent to help my fellow neighbors, be sure Shelby’s best interests were being represented, and frankly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t voice my concerns.

Too many meetings have come and gone where critical information has been missing, my questions go unanswered, 42 years of experience in finance is dismissed, and all our research is disregarded by the current majority. This is unacceptable going forward.

The lack of transparency throughout the Town Board majority is appalling. It’s frowned upon to inquire about the simplest tasks, let alone major projects like changing our water supplier!

The majority, led by the Supervisor, fails to promote collaboration and shuts down any discussion from board members like myself and Mr. Zelazny. I like to think that we all decided to run for office to better our town, so our actions should speak louder than our campaign promises.

It’s unacceptable when the current majority purchases water at a cheaper rate and six months later, still has no plan to pass the savings onto residents! That’s poor leadership and it happens every day which hurts our families. Our Town deserves better.

New leadership is desperately needed. We need representatives like those who have shown up to Town meetings for years, and stayed up to date with issues, not ones who just take marching orders at a meeting.

Council members are not supposed to be “yes” people. A culture change is needed, a new majority without ties to the status-quo should be our path. Town government should work by being professional, inclusive, and fostering discussions which lead to solutions – values our current town supervisor does not promote.

Shelby needs us to raise the bar for Town Government. We need more people like myself and Mr. Zelazny to take a deeper look into the financials and make sure they get sorted out. We don’t have a revenue problem in our Town; we have a spending problem. Every budget this Supervisor has done has been riddled with financial mismanagement that sets Shelby deeper into chaos.

Residents of Shelby, please read these words and help change our town for the better. It takes a new majority and new leadership, not an endorsed status quo.

Councilman Zelazny and I need help to fight against this mismanagement. Return him to office with other new faces who have come to Town meetings for years, offer a fresh perspective on Town issues, and did this before some committee handpicked them to run for office. We need a better plan than the current tax and spend.

You have a chance in the upcoming June 24th primary to make a choice for change. Respectfully,

Linda Limina

Shelby

Editor:

I don’t have a horse in this race as I’m not one of the 4,800+ people that live in the Town of Shelby. However, I do know a strong manager and have worked with Jim Heminway for over 9 years, initially as a colleague when he was the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Digital Alert Systems (formerly known as Monroe Electronics) in Lyndonville and currently with his continued efforts as a board member for our company.

When considering someone for the position of Town Supervisor for Shelby, the ability to work with people is key. I’ve seen Jim work in a professional manner, remain calm during tense situations, have the intellectual strength to work through complex laws/rules governing our industry, understand the need for strong fiscal responsibility and hold the trust of our employees.

All these attributes will make him an excellent Town Supervisor, yet please allow me to describe the man beyond the manager.

Jim is excellent at listening to people’s points of view, whether he agrees with them or not. He is willing to listen and consider if he is missing a particular point that would improve a decision. He is not a “my way or the highway” kind of guy.

He is quick to ask, “How is your day” and mean it. If someone is struggling, Jim steps up with an attitude of cooperation, listening to their needs, offering alternative paths to move forward and rolling up his sleeves to assist.

Jim is quick to share a story and interacts with individuals with ease. He is sharp-witted but never sharp-tongued. He genuinely cares about the people he works with and seeks to elevate people rather than tear them down.

Jim is able to hold people accountable for doing their jobs but with a tone of guidance and respect.

The role of Town Supervisor is one of management but also one of heart. Jim Heminway has both.

I hope you will do Jim Heminway the honor of casting your vote for him as Town Supervisor of the Town of Shelby.

Anne Wakeman

Executive Vice President

Digital Alert Systems, Inc.

Lyndonville

Editor:

The Town of Barre has a Republican primary this year.  We need all registered voters to turn out as in a small town, every vote matters.

We are the candidates endorsed by the Republican party: Steven Coville for Town Supervisor; Dave Allen and Wes Miller for Town Board.

We seek to represent our community with integrity, commitment and common-sense leadership.  While there are other Republicans in the race, we believe our priorities, vision and dedication to practical solutions set us apart as the best choice  for our town’s future.

Our many years of voluntarily serving on the planning and grievance committees and serving on the zoning committee demonstrates our commitment to serving this community.

Agriculture is the backbone of our community and we fully support our local farm businesses and ag-related businesses. We understand the challenges they face from regulations to marketing and we will be a strong advocate for protecting and expanding our ag economy.

Clean reliable drinking water should never be a luxury. All residents should have safe and secure access to clean drinking water. This is a quality-of-life issue. Portions of our town are without public water or internet access.

We also believe we are stronger when we work together. That’s why we will actively seek partnerships with neighboring communities to tackle challenges to the benefit of everyone.

Fiscal responsibility is not a campaign promise for us, but it’s a guiding principle. Every dollar must be used wisely and transparently. We will prioritize budgeting that reflects the needs and values of our residents, not waste or politics.

Mostly we will listen. We believe in hearing from all sides, considering every viewpoint and then making a decision that is truly in the best interest of our entire town.

This election is about who can lead with clarity, fairness and a commitment to all residents.  We are ready to do the work and ask for your trust and vote on June 24th.

Thank you.

Your Republican candidates,

Steven Coville

Dave Allen

Wesley Miller

Barre