Shelby town supervisor candidate says he would lead town back to firm financial footing

Editor:

As a lifelong resident of Medina, I looked forward to spending my retirement here with friends and family, enjoying the life I worked hard for. Like most of you, I paid little attention to the workings of our local government.

That changed with the rapid increase in taxes and other issues like the STAMP wastewater pipeline project that threatened to overwhelm Medina’s infrastructure capabilities and damage our county’s natural resources.

Attending the Shelby Town Board meetings and budget workshops made me increasingly concerned about the inability to manage our tax dollars.

The NYS 2021 Comptroller’s Audit Report and the 2024 follow-up audit reveal that leadership has failed to follow basic bookkeeping practices and legally-mandated reporting for years. If you watch the YouTube recordings of these meetings, you will see how the “Majority 3” has fought tooth and nail against two other board members—not just to maintain the status quo but to block transparency and the public’s right to know.

From the 2024 follow-up audit:

“Town officials did not take meaningful actions to implement corrective action. Of the seven audit recommendations, six were not implemented and one was partially implemented.”

“As the chief financial officer, the Supervisor is responsible for maintaining complete and accurate accounting records.  Without complete and accurate records, the Board and Town officials do not have sufficient information to properly manage and monitor financial operations.”

And:

“In addition, neither the former nor the current Supervisor resolved the discrepancies in the Town’s accounting records and could not provide a reasonable explanation for not correcting the discrepancies”

Writing letters and speaking at meetings has had no effect. That is why I have decided to run for Shelby Town Supervisor. With over 40 years of experience managing people, projects and budgets, I know I can lead the board toward better solutions.

Starting February 24, I will be gathering petition signatures to qualify for the Republican primary in June. Expect to see me or a volunteer making the rounds.

I thank the Orleans County Conservative Party for their endorsement.

Together, we can put Shelby back on firm financial footing and make it a willing community partner once again.

I look forward to your support.

Jim Heminway

Medina