To the Editor:

I agree wholeheartedly with Ms. Katherine Dieckmann’s letter in last week’s Enterprise regarding the Berne Town Board’s partisan decision to reject Cheryl Baitsholts once again as the town’s dog-control officer [“The quintessence of partisan foolishness,” June 17, 2021].

Despite the uproar in the town when the board appointed an unqualified and inexperienced individual to this role after summarily (and illegally) firing Ms. Baitsholts, the town decreed that, because the new appointee lived in Berne, he had priority. This, despite the fact that Ms. Baitsholts had ably served the town as its dog-control officer for almost 19 years.

Now, when the Berne dog-control officer resigned based on his inability to fulfill the duties of his job — see Noah Zweifel’s article, “Baitsholts again passed over for DCO” quoting the supervisor — the town once again has decided not to rehire Ms. Baitsholts and is instead considering an arrangement with the town of Knox.

Anything to avoid hiring a qualified, dedicated, and experienced individual apparently because she is not aligned politically with the supervisor, the deputy supervisor, or board member Leo Vane.

This is but one of many decisions this town board has made against the interests of the Berne citizenry.

Please vote … for the complete Democratic ticket in November’s election so that we have a chance of having a representative local government again.

Helene G. Goldberger

Berne