The following letter was published on Accord-Kerhonkson.com. It was written by Democratic Committee member and Town Webmaster Margaret Bonner.
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Dear Editor:
Former Supervisor Lipton is right….GET SMART Rochester Residents
Harold Lipton’s letter to the editor of the Daily Freeman is right on… it’s time to GET SMART residents! You do that by knowing the full facts, not just what a disgruntled, boisterous spin off group (the Rochester Republican Club---note this is NOT, I repeat NOT the Rochester Republican Committee; this is a splinter group…) wants you to believe.
So let’s just address the issues presented by former Supervisor Lipton. Harold Lipton questions the recent raise for our Town Supervisor and lack of orderly meetings. When former Supervisor Lipton was Supervisor it was very simple to keep orderly meetings….he allowed limited opportunity for Public Comment periods, nothing was publicized and nothing was happening (at least that benefited the Town in general). Order is easy if you don’t do anything or allow any public dissent.
Also since nothing was happening (which is why we still had a Town Plan from 1969!!!), it was easy to run the Town on a part-time basis. Present Supervisor Duke and the present Town Board have been extremely proactive in moving the Town forward. Want the facts? Take a look at the Town’s website – www.townofrochester.net (which came about during Duke’s administration) and read her State of the Town reports for the past few years. This work can’t be accomplished on a part-time basis.
For three years the Supervisor continued to work with part-time pay. In 2007 her salary was increased to partially makeup for this inequity. Working 50 hours a week rather than 20, deserves a raise doesn’t it? While you’re at the website, take a look at the January 2007 minutes and the salaries of Town officials. Even with the increases, Supervisor Duke still makes less than the Highway Superintendent and Town Clerk (elected Republicans).
The budget that provides for the salary increase for the Supervisor was approved unanimously by the Town Board, including Republican Town Board member, Ron Santosky. There was also an open hearing on the budget, prior to its passage. It was available on the website and at the Town Clerk’s office for all to view before that hearing. Funny, Mr. Chipman, chair of the Rochester Republican Club, didn’t raise any questions at that point---I don’t even remember him being there. He waited until the budget was passed to raise the issue. Why? So he could manipulate the statistics and preach one side of the story.
Supervisor Lipton is right…GET SMART Rochester Residents. Get all the facts and stop listening to one side of the story.
Margaret Bonner (Rochester Resident)
Former Supervisor Lipton is right….GET SMART Rochester Residents
Harold Lipton’s letter to the editor of the Daily Freeman is right on… it’s time to GET SMART residents! You do that by knowing the full facts, not just what a disgruntled, boisterous spin off group (the Rochester Republican Club---note this is NOT, I repeat NOT the Rochester Republican Committee; this is a splinter group…) wants you to believe.
So let’s just address the issues presented by former Supervisor Lipton. Harold Lipton questions the recent raise for our Town Supervisor and lack of orderly meetings. When former Supervisor Lipton was Supervisor it was very simple to keep orderly meetings….he allowed limited opportunity for Public Comment periods, nothing was publicized and nothing was happening (at least that benefited the Town in general). Order is easy if you don’t do anything or allow any public dissent.
Also since nothing was happening (which is why we still had a Town Plan from 1969!!!), it was easy to run the Town on a part-time basis. Present Supervisor Duke and the present Town Board have been extremely proactive in moving the Town forward. Want the facts? Take a look at the Town’s website – www.townofrochester.net (which came about during Duke’s administration) and read her State of the Town reports for the past few years. This work can’t be accomplished on a part-time basis.
For three years the Supervisor continued to work with part-time pay. In 2007 her salary was increased to partially makeup for this inequity. Working 50 hours a week rather than 20, deserves a raise doesn’t it? While you’re at the website, take a look at the January 2007 minutes and the salaries of Town officials. Even with the increases, Supervisor Duke still makes less than the Highway Superintendent and Town Clerk (elected Republicans).
The budget that provides for the salary increase for the Supervisor was approved unanimously by the Town Board, including Republican Town Board member, Ron Santosky. There was also an open hearing on the budget, prior to its passage. It was available on the website and at the Town Clerk’s office for all to view before that hearing. Funny, Mr. Chipman, chair of the Rochester Republican Club, didn’t raise any questions at that point---I don’t even remember him being there. He waited until the budget was passed to raise the issue. Why? So he could manipulate the statistics and preach one side of the story.
Supervisor Lipton is right…GET SMART Rochester Residents. Get all the facts and stop listening to one side of the story.
Margaret Bonner (Rochester Resident)
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