Murray write-in candidate for councilman wants to end dysfunctional town government

Editor:

My name is Arthur E. Knab. I moved to the town of Murray in 2001. I started attending our town meetings because I was wrongfully accused of not having a permit for an outside boiler when I did, in fact, have a permit.

That is when I knew I needed to become more involved with my town’s government. I was surprised to find that I was the only taxpayer attending these meetings. I talked to my neighbors about the town meetings, and I  encouraged them to attend the meetings.

From the start I have seen so much dysfunction within our town’s government. I have seen property issues go unaddressed or totally ignored. I have seen turnover of six code officers, three town supervisors and numerous board members with people that never attended a town meeting before.

I had wondered, if someone cared so much about the town to be in an official position, why didn’t they care enough to come to town meetings when they were a regular taxpayer? I have seen taxpayers being verbally attacked during town meetings for voicing their concerns. I have even seen town officials attack each other solely because they don’t like each other.

Town officials are supposed to work together for the best interests of the taxpayers – not engage in petty political squabbles at the expense of the taxpayer. As it turns out, the board members of the town seem to only work in the best interest of themselves and their relatives. The town officials seem to be more focused on “sticking it” to someone they don’t like, even if the solution proposed would be beneficial to the town.

This cloudiness in judgment only hurts the taxpayers in the long run. It is sad that this right and left type of behavior is the same thing we see in Washington today. I am tired of the divide between our town officials and the taxpayers. As a taxpayer, I expect the town officials to work in the best interest of all the taxpayers – not just for the benefit of a select and favorable few.

That is why I intend to run as a write-in candidate for Republican councilmen against Paul Hendel. By no means am I a politician but  I’m tired of our voices going unheard. If you want to vote for someone who will put the good of the taxpayers before personal politics, write my name, Arthur E. Knab, under Paul Hendel’s line on the voting form.

Respectfully,

Arthur E. Knab

Murray