To the Editor:

Berne Watch is a diverse group of people of multiple political parties and philosophies whose goal is to inform the residents and taxpayers of Berne about the town and to promote transparency, ethical behavior, and accountability in our town government.

We regularly post newspaper articles about Berne on our Facebook Group page, and we are currently developing a SoundCloud account where we will post audio of town board meetings so that anyone who was not able to attend the live Zoom meetings can listen to them.

Berne Watch expects our town officials to be truthful and to follow Berne’s Town Code and applicable New York State laws, and we call out those who do not do so. We also applaud those who do, and those whose actions show they have the best interest of the town and its residents and taxpayers at heart, regardless of their political affiliation.

Berne Watch does not condone and will not participate in mudslinging against town officials or Berne voters, and we draw a clear and wide line separating national politics and Berne politics. We have monitored our Facebook page diligently from the start on that point and appreciate our many followers and posters for adhering to that rule.

Berne is a wonderful and beautiful town filled with wonderful and diverse people, both those whose families have lived here for generations, and those who have recently moved here. We see a bright future for Berne, where its residents and small businesses thrive, where the town’s natural beauty is showcased and attracts visitors, where its niche farming employs and feeds people both in and outside the town, and where residents and town government work cooperatively to make Berne the very best it can be.

If you love Berne and its residents like we do, please join our Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/BerneWatch), tune in to the Berne Town Board meetings on Zoom, and help us make that future the reality.

Dawn Jordan

Jennifer Merrill-Fuller

Berne Watch Facebook

Group Administrators