To the Editor:

I question Bill Reinhardt’s commitment to the residents of the town of New Scotland.  Mr. Reinhardt has spent his life dealing with environmental issues.

However, when it comes to an immediate threat, the Kinder Morgan blasting for its natural gas pipeline, he is silent, although he had told the New Scotland Democratic Committee he would support Mike Mackey’s bill to protect well owners in the vicinity of the new pipeline.

In fact, the town of Bethlehem, on whose board Bill Reinhardt sits, is the only town of the ones affected by the blasting to not submit a resolution to protect residents’ water.  What is going on in Bethlehem that keeps Bill Reinhardt silent?  The bill before the Albany County Legislature is a no-brainer. 

Bill Reinhardt is running to represent part of the town of New Scotland.  If he doesn’t support a bill so important to our town, what kind of representative would he be?

Bethlehem already has three representatives in the Albany County Legislature.  The town of New Scotland has only two.

Should New Scotland cede a seat to Bethlehem when the person running for that seat is indifferent to our water concerns?  Mike Mackey says that good policy makes good politics.  That’s a lesson Bill Reinhardt could learn.

Edie Abrams

New Scotland

Editor’s note: Edie Abrams serves on the New Scotland Planning Board.

See related story.