To the Editor:
What matters when you decide whom to elect to take care of your town? There are so many facets to running a town.

It is essential that: finances are maintained in accordance with the law; bills are promptly paid; budgets are carefully prepared and timely passed; contracts are legal; and staff are properly hired and compensated. That requires knowledge, experience and skill — all of which our current Supervisor Douglas LaGrange, as well as town board members Adam Greenberg and Dan Leinung, possess.

Re-electing them will protect our town from the mismanagement that our neighbors in Berne have suffered at the hands of its inexperienced majority Republican board. The New York State Comptroller discovered that Berne illegally handled its funds and failed to accurately reflect the amount of money it had in its bank accounts as reported by The Altamont Enterprise on Oct. 12, 2021. In addition, that town’s board illegally fired its dog-control officer and hired a code-enforcement officer who was unqualified and uncertified.

Republican candidates in the town of New Scotland likewise lack experience in matters of town government. They make no claim of having any knowledge about governing a town, including with regard to such matters as building codes, solar projects, planning and zoning, highways and roads, garbage service, water districts, and town budgets.

Likewise, they make no claim to having forged important relationships like those that our town board members have developed with county and state legislators to collaborate on issues important to our town.

In adopting an updated comprehensive plan, our town board has worked hard to preserve our small-town character while simultaneously supporting small-business growth, such as the new Fred the Butcher 2 shop, and the new adjacent commercial buildings. The plan also promotes productive agriculture, improvement of government efficiency, and efficient energy use.

Adam Greenberg was instrumental in achieving our town’s certification as a New York Clean Energy Community, which came with an $80,000 grant, and Dan Leinung led the town’s push to join the Climate Smart Communities Program.

During this trying time of the COVID-19 pandemic, our residents have continued to receive the excellent services upon which we have come to rely, such as garbage pickup, road maintenance, and senior-citizen services including a COVID-19 vaccination program.

For our recreation, board members created the new Hilton Park with walking trails and eventually a skating rink, upgraded New Scotland’s section of the rail trail, built a new pavilion at our Feura Bush Park with the aid of volunteers, and secured a $1.2-million grant to rehab the Hilton Barn.

If you care about New Scotland, please vote for Douglas LaGrange, Adam Greenberg, and Dan Leinung. They have always gotten the job done and will continue to do so.  

Christine M. Galvin

New Scotland

Editor’s note: Christine Galvin is a member of the New Scotland Planning Board. See related story and online candidates’ forum.