We are not pawns for local politicians to treat as though we are cordwood

To the Editor:

This is a letter of wholehearted apology I wrote to Dennis Palow.

Dear Sergeant Palow,

It is with humility that I must apologize for the behavior of our town supervisor at our last Berne Town Board meeting.

As you stood before the community to question the ethics of Mr. [Kevin] Crosier’s refusal to grant, a cost-of-living wage to our town employees, the obvious gasp of everyone in the room, including two county legislators, confirmed the shock we all felt.

Berne residents appreciate and respect your lifetime of service in our military, defending our Constitutional rights — the very rights that Mr. Crosier demands Mr. [highway Superintendent Randy] Bashwinger give up! Mr. Bashwinger has given his perspective of the Crosier regime through his social-media comments. Free speech is foundational for a just and healthy republic.

Becoming a town of Berne employee or appointee does not mean we have to check these freedoms at the door. Once an individual is appointed, elected, or hired, we become employees and are entitled to the laws and protocols of state and federal government. We are not pawns for local politicians to treat as though we are cordwood.

No one is opposed to our highway workers using a schedule of four 10-hour days or an annual stipend. It  helps morale, reduces expenses on their families, and saves energy — a no-brainer.

Thank you for your service to our country, and your participation in our local government.

Tim Lippert

Berne

Editor’s note: Tim Lippert, who works as Berne’s zoning and building administrator, signed his letter as “Berne employee/Local farmer.” Lippert’s partner, Scott Green, was fired by Supervisor Kevin Crosier. (See related story.)

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