Editor:

I have read with great interest the recent Letters to the Editor regarding the manner in which government in Orleans County keeps growing, expanding their reach and costs to county residents. Several letters have also dealt with the manner in which party candidates and committee members are chosen.

Some people think to solve this we should do away with partisan elections in the Village of Albion and perhaps across the county as if that will move more people to run for office and get involved.

It is not necessary for all elections to be non-partisan. There has always been the opportunity for  “outsiders” to run for office. For town and county positions, if someone wants to run they need only contact the Board of Elections in Orleans County or, in the Village of Albion, the Village Clerk, and request their own petitions.

They then choose the name of their party and get the required number of signatures. It is then a matter of filing these petitions by the deadline to be on the ballet. For more information contact the County Board of Elections or go to https://elections.ny.gov for more information on how to run for office.

Meanwhile, if you are truly interested in getting to know the chosen candidates and what they stand for then you should do the following:

Go to Meet & Greets and Candidate Forums to talk with and get to know the candidates beliefs and vision for the community. Just because the candidate is not of your party affiliation does not mean you cannot go and speak to them. Don’t rely on your party committee or your neighbor to decide your vote for you. Choose the best candidate no matter what party they belong to. Don’t rely on the candidates ability to go “door to door” as the weather does not always cooperate.

If you are affiliated with a political party you can attend their meetings which are open to the public.

Better yet, get on the committee itself. Political committees are currently in the process of re-organizing and now is the time to make it known that you are interested in getting on and getting involved. Check the committee website and contact the committee Chair to express your feelings about issues, candidates and how to become a committee member.

Too often people do not want to get involved. It takes conviction, energy, money and courage to run for an office. You are putting yourself out in front of the public and often there is a “behind your back” rumor mill ready to tear you down.

Run for office yourself! To use an old term “Put your money where your mouth is.” We are always looking for good committee members and good candidates.

Sandra Walter

Chairwoman of Albion Democratic Party

Editor:

Mr. Cropsey’s most recent Trump bashing letter is an insult to the intelligence of college-educated Orleans County residents. He thinks we are too ignorant to understand the fraudulent details in another “get Trump” case brought for the sole purpose of taking away our right to choose our next president. This case, in addition to the many other cases, reeks of election interference!

Mr. Cropsey continues to beat the same dead horse with his constant Trump-bashing editorials, never documenting his sources of information. (Include your sources please!) He has shown himself to be a one-trick pony, repeating the same things over and over. He seems to have lost the capability to process new information to discuss some of the many current events that are much more important than Trump at the moment.

Cropsey, along with Fine and Capurso have demonstrated their hatred for someone they don’t even know, getting their information from corrupt media sources that always, at the direction of our corrupt government, paints Trump as the devil in disguise.

All of these editorialists need a large dose of a vaccine sufficient enough to cure them of their severe case of  “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Maybe a month-long vacation and dose of reality somewhere near the southern border would help to cure them.

I don’t feel sorry for any bank or business that either made money or lost money due to President Trump’s inflated value of his worth or the worth of his property. The people who made the deals were “big boys” who understand the financial banking system enough to make millions for themselves and other investors.

Everyone thinks their assets, like houses and such, are worth more because they hope to get the best price for their property when they sell. President Trump is entitled to the same. It is up to the professional appraisers and assessors to determine the value based on their experience. That is what they get paid for! If the banks failed to utilize their services and thus failed to make a larger profit, it’s their fault!

New York has become a loser state that many people are sick of! Corrupt politicians constantly redirect budget funds to influence people to make money for themselves or to help to increase their power over us. Where are the funds coming from to pay for all the illegal migrants who are flooding our cities, taking away resources from low-income families who need these funds and services? Will these migrants be granted citizenship if they join the military in exchange for their vote to perpetuate our corrupt leadership?

President Trump was the “great interrupter” who stopped the flow of corrupt money that congressmen and women depend on to become billionaires while in office. They hate him for this!

President Trump, the outsider, worked for the people, not to further the corrupt system. Come November, we will have the opportunity to choose between a free and more prosperous America or a fascist America with never-ending wars. I hope we get this right!

Gary Deiboldt

Albion

Editor:

For once I can not recommend reading a case about Trump – the $356 million fraud case. It’s simply too darn complicated for anyone not willing to outline and digest materials equivalent to a college course.

Although Trump lies or engages in misdirection about everything involved, there is  a fundamental legal question presented which people should be looking at.

First note that emails, appraisals and numbers in sworn statements of worth and debt were laid out in dizzying detail. They were falsified.

What bank, what department, what underwriter and the like received false information was all laid out. Many times there were email discussions of what the internal records and appraisal(s) showed and leaving them out or ignoring them. They simply ensured the right people got the wrong values. It was incredibly brazen. (That said there were a couple of up appraised  property’s values which were not as strongly established by the AG. That said it would be unusual for an appeals court to reverse on the facts when the trial court indicates a belief a witness is lying and explains why.)

Second, I surprised to learn that the banks did not revalue Trump’s net worth to $2.6 billion. News reports to that effect left out a key detail. The bank actually uses 1/2 or $2.6 billion in the event of default as all they might expect to recover since they knew they would have a cut of the pie involving other creditors and expensive litigation. Therefore that is what they loaned against – and why Trump doubled and tripled values.

I expected to find problems with proving the applicable lower interest rate Trump received by inflating his net worth. That is another factual issue that is unlikely to be upset on appeal but could be. His trial estimate was obviously lower. The judge did not believe that witness.

Trump’s other deflections were resolved. Who could be believed and why was set forth in unusual detail to bullet proof the findings of fact from Appellate review which is almost always limited to law.

But to my mind the unspoken elephant in the room is way the law, the statute, was used against Trump. Usually this statute applies when business A (Trump) would lie to B (Bank) to obtain money business A (Trump) was not going to repay. This law is simplified to stop this business fraud. In this case is business A (Trump) lied to B (Bank) to pay Bank less than what the Bank was otherwise owed if the truth be told.

That may have affected the Bank’s reserve requirements  but certainly increased what it had to charge other customers to stay competitive. But is it business fraud under this law? Trump calls it a matter with “no victims.”

The question, by analogy, is if it’s fair for another property owner with a property exactly like yours to get a lower property tax bill because that owner lied on his assessment (for example on square footage). Clearly not and there are legal remedies.

So in Trump’s case the question is if the 1950s (Republican sponsored) Executive Law used in this case should be used to address rich people cheating on net worth statements, hurting the bank’s projected profit, and indirectly boosting your interest rate.

The question for the Courts will be does this particular statute apply to Trump and, if not, do we insist the law be rewritten to stop this type of cheating.

The principle of transparent pricing to make capitalism work says either nail Trump or rewrite the law. Only in communist or authoritarian countries would treat this cheating as accepted business. Its strong men could engage in with impunity.

In capitalist countries it is the fraudulent conduct we expect from “gangsters.”

$356 billion to pay or not, law to amend or not,  the entire episode tells us all exactly who Trump thinks he is and, in fact, is.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Policymakers should reconsider decisions to fluoridate public water supplies. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the practice may pose significant health risks that warrant serious consideration and immediate action.

The practice of water fluoridation is not universal and is subject to ongoing debate. Some countries and municipalities have chosen to discontinue fluoridation, citing modern dental hygiene practices (such as the widespread use of fluoride toothpaste) and the philosophy of individual choice regarding fluoride exposure. The decision to fluoridate water remains a local one, influenced by specific community health needs, public opinion, and the interpretation of current scientific evidence.

Excessive fluoride exposure is linked to dental fluorosis, a condition characterized by the discoloration and, in severe cases, the erosion of tooth enamel. This cosmetic concern, prevalent in children exposed to high fluoride levels, is just the tip of the iceberg.

More alarming are studies indicating a correlation between high fluoride intake and a range of adverse health effects, including bone fractures, thyroid dysfunction, and neurodevelopmental issues. Research published in leading medical journals suggests that fluoride can accumulate in bone tissue, leading to increased fracture risk and skeletal fluorosis—a painful and debilitating condition.

The potential impact of fluoride on brain development is particularly concerning. Recent studies have found an association between fluoride exposure in utero and reduced IQ scores in children. These findings echo the need for a precautionary approach to fluoridation policies, considering the irreversible nature of cognitive development impairments.

Despite advancements in water quality science and technology, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not significantly updated its water quality regulations for decades. This stagnation raises concerns about the adequacy of existing standards to protect public health considering emerging contaminants and new research findings.

As a result, it is imperative to question the continuation of water fluoridation programs. The principle of “do no harm” must guide public health policies. With alternative dental health strategies available, including improved access to dental care and the use of fluoride toothpaste, the risks associated with water fluoridation are unnecessary and avoidable.

It is time for policymakers to prioritize the health and well-being of the public by reevaluating the safety and efficacy of water fluoridation.

Residents can discover what’s truly in your tap water by visiting the Tap Water Database on Environmental Working Group’s website at EWG.org and simply entering your zip code. Empower yourselves with knowledge and take the first step towards safer, cleaner water.

Sincerely,

Andina Barone

Mindful Media Group

New York City

Editor:

It has become fashionable for Trump and some Republicans to bash immigrants. If you believe them, immigrants are a drag on the economy, the source of rising crime rates and other problems.

The Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, on “60 Minutes” recently stated, “The U.S. economy has benefited from immigration. And frankly, just in the last year a big part of the story of the labor market coming back to better balance is immigration returning to levels that were more typical of the pre-pandemic era.”

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office in its 10-year economic forecast said immigration is a key reason economic projections are looking better. It added that because of immigrants joining the labor-force, “we estimate from 2023-2034, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) will be greater by about 7 trillion and revenues will be greater by about 1 trillion than they would have been otherwise.”

Based on this information it appears immigrants are an economic plus for the country. Perhaps Republican President Ronald Reagan said it best: “Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.”

Perhaps it is time for anti-immigrant Republicans not descended from immigrants to identify themselves. My guess is the group to stand up would be small-only Native Americans.

Jack Capurso

AHS 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

I am running a write in campaign for Lyndonville Village Board Trustee. Election Day is March 19th at the Village Hall.

Here is a little bit of information about myself. I graduated from Lyndonville Central School. I served in the Marine Corps for 5 years, achieving the rank of Sergeant, having over 30 Marines under my charge.

I was directly responsible for the repair/maintenance of over $500 million worth of military assets, working with a very limited budget. Currently, I work for the Town of Yates Highway Department and serve on the Village Planning Board.

I reside in the village with my wife and 2 sons. In my opinion, government should not be any bigger than what is necessary to perform its basic functions. In other words, the smaller the government, the better.

I also believe government should be fiscally conservative and responsible with taxpayers’ money. My military experience, motivation, and work ethic make me an ideal candidate for Village Board Trustee.

I vow to put the best interest of the taxpayers at the forefront of all my decision making. I also vow to be transparent in regards to all Village business, it is the taxpayers’ right to know.

Write in Justin Edwards for Village Board Trustee, March 19th, at the Village Hall.

Justin Edwards

Lyndonville

Editor:

Before I begin my letter, I just want to express it is not my intention to bash anyone, and/or cause chaos. But it is my intention to express my concern, as a mother, to Orleans County’s ongoing failure to protect the people that live here.

On January 10, 2023, my 12-year-old daughter was walking home from school with a friend, who lives very close to the school. Some who know this story will consider it “jaywalking” but due to one side of the street not having a sidewalk, nor having a safe means for the children to cross over to the other side, I would not consider it this.

On this day, my daughter was struck by a vehicle driven by an 18-year-old male. When I reached the scene of the accident, I was immediately ambushed by several people. Some expressing their concerns over my daughter, and others trying to justify the driver.

The driver was not only on his cellphone, but he was also going at a rate of speed that was inappropriate for such a heavily populated area of school children walking home.

This accident was caught on a home’s ring camera and showed any mother’s biggest fear. My daughter and her friend did everything they were taught. Stop at the side of the road, look both ways, wait for the cars to pass, and cross when it is safe and there are no other vehicles coming. My daughter’s friend made it to the other side of the road, to her driveway but unfortunately, my daughter did not. She was hit. She was thrown up on the car, where her knee went through the headlight, and her head shattered the windshield, and was then thrown a few feet off the vehicle, into the street. To this day, my daughter is still undergoing medical treatment from injuries sustained from this accident.

The driver of the vehicle did not receive any consequences for hitting my daughter. He did not even receive as little as a traffic violation. He was not arrested, he did not receive a sobriety check to make sure he was not under the influence of anything while driving, he essentially received a slap on the hand.

My daughter, my family, my daughter’s friend, and her friend’s family, live everyday with the trauma of that day…her friend witnessing everything happen and having to run to her mom for help. But the driver, the driver got to go on with his life every day like he did nothing wrong. After fighting and fighting for days, weeks, months, the only thing that was accomplished out of this accident was a sign that was placed on the road, advising drivers to slow down, and children may be crossing.

Now, 12 months and 29 days after hitting my daughter, this same driver hit another person. Thankfully it was not a child but, unfortunately it was fatal. The same driver that did not receive any tickets, or consequences for his actions just 12 short months later killed someone. Ultimately, if those persons who are elected and in positions in which to protect us, would have done more, the young man that was killed on Feb. 8 may have had a chance at being alive today. I do acknowledge the current bail reform that was put into place but there are other methods of discipline that could have been taken, when my daughter was struck.

As I stated at the beginning of this letter, it is not my intention to bash anyone or cause more chaos. But we must do better. Our DA must do better, our police force must do better. Albion is not the safe and enjoyable town it once was. Our town must start holding those, who are continuously showing reckless behavior, responsible for their actions.

Kathryn Wilston

Village of Albion

Editor:

With 57 criminal charges against Trump, it is likely he will be convicted, imprisoned and subsequently become the subject of books by historians.

Politicians have long believed that the average voter has a short memory; however historians do not. And because most widely read American historians are liberal leaning, it is reasonable to assume Ms. Tenney’s record and pronouncements will be scrutinized very carefully.

Unless she changes her position on Trump, historians will likely consign her to the long list of ethically challenged politicians who betrayed their principles for votes. Her support of Trump will likely dwarf her accomplishments.

Jack Capurso

AHS Class of 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

In a previous editorial, Jim Pratt encouraged people to start thinking more about the status quo that is prevalent in Orleans County politics.

Leaders and active members of political parties want you to trust their recommendation for a particular candidate based on their say so, with few reasons to justify their support. The crookedness in politics today is one good reason not to take all that a political party tells you at face value.

Candidates, together with political parties, need to provide more information to help voters make informed decisions for whom to support. It takes time to put this information out and for voters to read, however many problems we see in government today might be lessened if voters had the facts needed to choose the best candidates for the positions.

The actions of politicians, ever more blatant, serving themselves rather than serving the people they are supposed to represent has become the norm in politics. They use a network of like-minded party members, keeping them in power to affect the changes they want to take place.

County workers and leaders function as a “large and in charge” family with everyone in the group supporting the political agenda set forth by the leaders. The name for this type of corruption in government is “nepotism.” This is what keeps Orleans County functioning or dis-functioning the way it has for many years.

Government leaders provide jobs and in return the workers vote for these leaders to retain their jobs. The more jobs, the more votes for leaders. This is how the government network keeps government growing.

We have many supportive community members participating in county government who have done a good job, however, for some, it can be difficult to maintain the truths and beliefs they ascribe to when pressured by other party members of the group with conflicting ideas. The “go along to get along” mentality usually prevails in most cases, causing the few with righteous beliefs to cave to remain a member of the group in power.

It would be more advantageous to have a few more Democrats or even an independent candidate participating in county government to balance our current one-sided system. Maybe it would be even better if all candidates stood as individuals, not endorsed by any party. People would then be able to make their own informed decision for whom they vote based on what each candidate professed, rather than being influenced by political parties.

Individual candidates, regardless of political affiliation, who wish to be elected to serve in public office need to communicate their ideas and solutions across multiple platforms to improve Orleans County for all who live here. Ideas for sharing resources and reducing duplicate services among other things, needs to prevail to lessen the burden of ever growing government on the residents of Orleans County.

The outcome of county government should be to empower all county residents to achieve success without dependency on government. Shrinking county government is the first step toward enabling the people, who are overburdened paying for it, the resources they need to achieve a better quality of life in Orleans County.

The best government is the least government and the least government is the most efficient government. I encourage you to support leaders who have your best interests in mind.

Gary Deiboldt

Albion

Editor:

Since my letter posted on Feb. 7, I have been asked numerous questions in regards to its content.

In the political arena we all realize that an endorsement can come from any political party or organization but it is still just a recommendation for support. In the political arena of Orleans County, we know that it is predominately Republican in nature and has been recorded that way in numerous past elections.

A few more thoughts are now forthcoming regarding Mr. Sansone’s endorsement by the Republican Party.

Who is endorsing and what does it mean? – “A small group of individuals stating that in their opinion all registered Republican voters should show their support for whom they recommend.”

As a refresher, 79 Orleans County Republican Committee members met on Feb. 3 to determine a majority to decide who they will support for district attorney.

That majority, (some unknown number over 50% which was not stated), of the 79 are now suggesting to all 20,000 registered voters from Orleans County as to who they should support and ultimately vote for. Again, predominately Republicans.

Previously I addressed the fact that committee members were representing districts that they did not live in. That is not illegal by any means.

Yet when this representation seems to serve a definite purpose, as in the case of endorsement voting for a specific candidate, then this is simply a scenario that must be deemed nothing less than unethical.

If the endorsed candidate, Mr. Sansone, was aware of this unethical approach, then he is truly not the candidate Orleans County needs for District Attorney.

Letters need to be concise and to the point, they must make you think.

Start Thinking!!!!

Thank You,

Jim Pratt

Albion

Editor:

February is Black History Month. I, being thirsty for knowledge, have been looking at Black History Month for years. Not only at Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X, but deeper into Black History.

Both Malcolm X and M.L.K. are well known and I enjoy and get inspiration from their quotes and stories. I found both Bass Reeves and George Washington Carver both made their mark on the world. Some years ago I came across the man Robert Smalls and I have been a Robert Small’s fan ever since.

Well I wrote some letters to seven US Congressional members stating yet another displeasure and on NY Congressman Hakeem Jeffries letter I hand wrote about the human trafficking and drug trafficking on the Southern Border and that he is a backstabber and he should strive to be like Robert Smalls.

Our history is important because words are nothing more than recycled air. It is a man’s or woman’s actions that define who and what they are. I asked all the public servants that I wrote to change their ways and work for the People of the United States and not foreigners.

Of course I also mentioned that I am overtaxed. I wrote that if it is one thing all men have in common, it is their ability to error. If a man’s mistakes determine what he was, then what he does about those mistakes should determine what he is and mentioned Robert Smalls.

We all can learn from history, whether that history is good or bad. We must learn from that history and not make the same mistakes that those in history made. I leave you and your readers a Robert Smalls quote: “My race needs no special defense for the past history of them and this country. It proves them to be equal of any people anywhere. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life.”

Steve Colon

Lyndonville

Editor:

The Supreme Court heard the case from Colorado about President Trump’s possible disqualification from holding office. I am quite sure it will not decide if the full trial below correctly concluded Trump led the “insurrection.” It will decide on problems with how to do it.

The argument proved one thing; Textualism/original intent was a tautology developed in Britain in 1948. When it is convenient, some justices rely on it and when it’s what they want.

Otherwise they ignored it. Often the key facts are assumed as what “should be” so. In fact the textualism end of this tiny band of thinkers do not want to look as what the authors said if they do not have to; the meaning is supposed to float out of the words. (When they use it.)

Original intent and the Colorado Court’s analysis was largely ignored today by these amateur historians. I actually think that rejecting the Colorado position may be warranted. It has to do with forgetting to include directions about how to implement some matters out of a statute 70 years  ago.

No matter, a lot will still have to be figured out whatever decision is reached unless the Court,  and particularly Justice Samuel Alito, does not pose false distinction that gut the provision out of existence.

But it was very interesting that Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked the historical and textualist questions and showed quite clearly the textualist/original intent analysis would dictate that Colorado should prevail! It’s courts’ jobs to figure out how to do it, not if disqualification should be done.

I couldn’t tell if Sotomayor wants Colorado to prevail. But she made the point clearly and dryly that original intent as a theory is nonsense if Colorado does not win. She showed how that analysis have been leading to originality/textualist readings are inconsistent. 1. States can gerrymander but not decide qualifications for insurrection. Or 2. Women do not have equal rights but do not have privacy rights. And so on.

In reality, American jurisprudence historically looks at new conflicting situations and starts with the Declaration of Independence and asks what is the effect on “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Obviously law has an incredibly complex framework but incrementally it needs to consider how to accommodate these founding principles from the Declaration. There are several practical legal tools of analysis, which have different names, to help figure that out. And indeed definitions and words’ actual meanings and history are integral, often paramount.

But stop letting meaning float out of a few of the words is for legal simpletons when the answers are not easy. Law is not a seance.

Today the entire argument ripped bear – totally exposed – the legal fiction which hoodwinks people when politicians want to get their way by invoking the nonsense of original intent and textualism. Knowing what a person dead for 200 years would think is arrogance pushing the limits of sanity.

No matter how the Court unravels the layers of analysis in this case, they hopefully write a decision on how to enforce the Constitution and leave a guide for future elections and how to deal with traitors. But forget them using originalism/textualism. This decision will turn on finding loopholes.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s endorsement of Mr. Trump raises some serious concerns about her character and judgement.

Mr. Trump is guilty of sexual abuse, in which the judge stated he was guilty of rape in general parlance. Furthermore, despite the fact that Mr. Trump stated he wants to be a dictator for only one day, he told a court that he believes the Presidency carries with it total and complete immunity.

When asked if that included ordering killing of his political opponents he answered yes. That is the kind of immunity Mr. Trump believes the Presidency carries and it is the kind of immunity Mr. Trump wants; it is the immunity of a dictator and a criminal. And it is the type of Presidency Mr. Trump promises in his next administration. That is the administration Ms. Tenney endorses.

Ms. Tenney is co-chair of the “Election Integrity Caucus” which aims to restore confidence in our elections. Mr. Trump was indicted, after an investigation, of interfering in the 2020 elections. The indictment reads in part: “A conspiracy to defraud the United States by using dishonesty, fraud, and deceit to impair, obstruct, and defeat the lawful federal government function by which the results of the presidential election are collected, and certified by the federal government.”

Ms. Tenney’s endorsement shows the hypocrisy of her caucus. Her endorsement of a sexual abuser shows her lack of character, and her endorsement of an individual who wants to be a dictator shows her lack of judgement.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

How soon we forget about important news events as time passes.

One year ago on February 8, 2023, a spiritual revival began at Asbury University, a Christian college in Wilmore, Kentucky. It lasted for more than two weeks and was followed by people all over the world.

Have we learned anything from this event? Now that it is over, is it just a memory, a pleasant experience or a time to move on?

Spiritual revival is where Christians get serious about their faith and their way of living before God and their friends and neighbors. It must begin after a time of sincere seeking of God and His will for our lives.

This prayer then leads to a time of confession of sins and a crying out to God for His forgiveness and cleansing in our lives. As the power of God’s Holy Spirit moves in us, we begin to publicly  cry out to God for the cleansing and healing of our lives and begin to worship Him and ask for Him to work in us to love Him more, love people more and to be obedient to the teachings of the Bible and our concern for the souls of other people.

It includes a time of serious worship of God, His love and His Holiness, admitting how sinful and disobedient we are as human beings. This often begins a time of rededication of our lives and a new commitment to carry out our Lord’s Commission to us for obedience, holy living, evangelizing the lost and making disciples for Jesus Christ.

None of this will ever take place unless it begins with pastors and other church leaders who acknowledge they have failed in their calling, humble themselves, admit their own sins and become a living example for their people and the outside world.

Much of the decadence in society and the moral decline can be attributed to the lack of preaching and teaching from God’s Word. Too many pastors and Christian leaders have been more concerned with growing a big church and securing a comfortable lifestyle and future for themselves instead of preaching on sin, repentance and obedience to God. As a  result, the church in America has become weak and ineffective.

Will Revival ever take place in Orleans County or Western New York? Only if pastors, church leaders and those in the pews become serious about pleasing God rather than man.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!

Wayne Lemcke

Waterport

Editor:

There have been some pretty good letters lately from Charles Hartway, Gary Deiboldt and Jeanne Crane. I am sure many others feel the same way.

Our local Governments from the county down have gotten out of control. Taxing, spending, regulating, below-board backroom deals, controlling, continuously growing government and just plain out of touch self-serving.

I think the folks are at the breaking point. Who politically is to blame for this? Well to be honest it’s not the local Democrats. I can’t speak for them, although I believe they really need to step up their game.

It’s not the local Conservative Party. We are at odds with the party that we are supposed to be in with like bread and butter because of the reasons listed above. We do our best not endorse that kind of candidate and have never endorsed any of the county legislators. They have strayed way too far to the left of the Republican principles that they are supposed to govern by as well as many of the towns in this county.

The Democrats and the Conservatives to be honest don’t wield much power in this county other than giving a candidate that isn’t in the Republicans’ game a line to be on the ballot.

So who is responsible for this taxing, spending, regulating, backroom dealing, out-of-touch local government municipalities? Anyone reading this past sentence, if you didn’t know the make up of Orleans County at first would think this has to Democrats. Right? No, the county is totally controlled by Republicans.

So how do these same politicians keep getting on the ballot election cycle after election cycle? Which leads into why I’m writing this letter. They are picked by the Republican committees. Every two years or even years the committees have to reorganize. 2024 is a reorganization year. These are elected positions.

The chairman of each of the 10 towns hopefully with the help of some of the committee goes out to get signatures for each of the committee members in the towns’ election districts. These committee people are supposed to represent you in each of those election districts.

There are 40 election districts in the county and two people can be elected to each district. You do not have to live in the same town and you can run for any election district within the 139th Assembly district. These are the people that endorse these same local candidates every time.

I’ll bet many of you did not know that the committee position is an elected position. You can run for this position if you are not happy with the people they are picking. The people on these committees are usually hand-picked, put on the committee and will vote the way the party tells them. Not all of them, but look what you keep getting from the candidates they endorse.

So who’s on these committees? Who is it than does the endorsing and why would any Republican endorse these taxers and spenders every time?

Here’s why. Many of the town committees have elected officials on them or their family members. So they pretty much endorse themselves. County Legislators sit on them. Highway superintendents, councilman, town supervisors, clerks, people that hold high jobs in the county, family members of elected officials, ex-elected law enforcement. You get the picture?

It can be very lucrative and beneficial for one and one’s family to be on these committees with jobs and appointments from the higher ups, to go along to get along. This one-party rule for so long is corrupted now. My opinion, many of Republican leaders are not governing with Republican principles. By changing the committees you can change the candidates.

So, I agree principled political outsiders need to run for the committees and to run for public office In our county. Contact the Orleans County Board of Elections Mike.Mele@orleanscountyny.gov or Janice.Grabowski@orleanscounty.gov and ask them for a petition pack to run for the Republican, Democrat , or Conservative Committee in your town. The Conservative Party would love more fire-breathing constitutional conservatives in our committee, so run. The petitions will start Circulating on Feb. 29 and need to be turned in around April 1. You would be on the ballot for the June 25 Primary.

If you don’t run these people are all back in again and no one would even know it. Complaining does nothing. Time for action. This is not going to stop unless good people step up. You won’t get a chance for another two years.

Below you can see the committee people from the three parties. You connect the dots. Good luck.

Republican Committee members: Albion – Peter Hendrickson Jr., James White, Deborah Zicari, Richard DeCarlo Jr., Marc O’Hearn, Sabrina DeCarlo, Jeffrey Ashbery, Robin Riemer, Dawn Allen, Sarah Basinait, Justin Oosterling and Adam Hazel; Barre – Jason Spencer, Lynn Hill, Bert Mathes and Kelly Dudley; Carlton – John Fitzak, Chris Bourke, Jeff Gifaldi, Tracy Cliff, Gayle Ashbery and Lynda Woolston; Clarendon – Megan Rombaut, Chris Caufield, James Patt, Tracy Chalker and Kevin Rombaut; Gaines – Michael DelBasso, Susan Heard, Kenneth Rush, Brett Boring, Lisa Mannella, Donald Allport, Robert Engle and Sharon Harding; Kendall – Nadine Hanlon, Michael Schultz, Lisa Stenshorn, ALeta Martin, Walter Christ and John Becker; Murray – Michael Mele, Shannon Megna, Gerald Rightmyer, Michael Christopher, Kathleen Case, Louise Passarell, Joe Sidonio, Dirk Lammes Jr., Cynthia Oliver, Lynn Wood, Kellie Gregoire and Adam Moore; Ridgeway – Charlie Smith, Kenneth Baker, Ayesha Kreutz, Dawn Meland, Gary Lawton, Matthew Kreutz, Michael Snyder, Melody Parker, Laura Bentley, Kevin Bogan, Amanda Kroening, Stephen Songer and Nancy Traxler; Shelby – James Zelazny, Dale Root, Tom Wilnas, Christopher Woodruff, Steven Seitz Sr., Christine Park and Benjamin Flansburg; Yates – Roger Wolfe, Russell martino, Lynne Johnson and Terry Chaffee; Executive Committee – Skip Draper as chairman, Gayle Ashbery and Mike Mele as co-chairs, Kim DeFrank as treasurer, and Mary Woodruff as secretary.

Orleans County Democratic Committee members include: Albion – Cynthia Turner, Michael Schmackpfeffer, Darlene Benton, Larry Harvey, Patricia Cammarata, Sandra Walter, Philip McKenna and Gary Kent; Barre – Maureen Beach, Janice Grabowski, Kriss Sniffen and Elizabeth Wood; Carlton – Jeffrey Lewis, Robert Golden, Eileen Aina and Jeanne Crane; Clarendon – James Renfrew, Donna Peterson-Spence and Christine White; Gaines – Bill Lattin Theodore Swiercznski and Ann Consler; Kendall – Catherine Renko, Kathryne Wahl, Jonathan Gillman and Lynn Szozda; Ridgeway – Jessica Marciano; Shelby – Darlene Rich and Dan Nogle; and Yates – Agnes Recco.

Orleans County Conservative Committee members include: Albion – Alan Rosenbaum; Barre – Allen Lofthouse and Kerri Richardson; Carlton – Heather Stone, Michele George and Catherine Appleton Logan; Clarendon – John Lusk and Robert Hills; Gaines – David Thom and Adolf Genter; Kendall – Beverly Lofthouse and Joshua Brusso; Murray – Vangie Behrend; Ridgeway – Lauren Sullivan, James Dix, James Wachob and Andrew JT Bresett; Shelby – Kim Tonas and Mark Wambach; and Yates – Sandra Lauricella, Stacey Freas, Paul Lauricella Jr. and Vanessa Lauricella.

Paul Lauricella

Yates

Conservative Party Chairman in Orleans County