To the Editor:

I have been reading with great interest the numerous letters of support for Mr. Ken Saddlemire and the handful for Mr. Dan Hanley as they both bid for a seat on the Knox Town Council this upcoming election.  Aside from casual introductions, I don’t know either of them very well but one thing appears to be certain, that in many ways they’re very similar.

I believe they are both good men, hardworking and family-oriented. Given Mr. Saddlemire’s decades of service to our community with the fire department and Boy Scouts, and his deep roots in Knox, there’s no question as to his volunteerism, and his commitment to the community, and I have no reason to doubt Mr. Hanley’s commitment either.    

So why vote for one over the other?  For me, it comes down to balance and compromise.

Like many others, I have attended more board meetings this year then I have in my entire life.  On several occasions this year, I attended board meetings where Kenny, too, was present and I had the luxury of getting a glimpse of the type of board member Kenny might be.  I like what I saw.

For the most part, he sat quietly.  However, when a board conversation piqued his interest or he felt that he had something to add to the conversation, he would wait his turn and voice his concerns calmly and articulate his position to the board or the supervisor many times, resulting in a brief but meaningful conversation.

It’s clear that he knows what he wants, knows how to respectfully communicate his position, and is someone who is willing to listen and compromise.  I have seen this firsthand.

In a town where entrenched public officials (Mrs. Amy Pokorny, board member; Mr. Dennis Barber, board member; Mr. Eric Kuck, appointed board member; Mrs. Dee Woessner, Knox conservation Advisory Council member; Mrs. Tara Murphy, town clerk; and Mr. Ed Nicholson, town employee) air out our dirty laundry and embarrass Knox by constantly and relentlessly attempting to bully and discredit the supervisor through the media instead of communicating and compromising, a level-headed, balanced candidate like Mr. Saddlemire is just what the doctor ordered.

In addition, red flags go up when I consider just who wrote letters of support for Mr. Hanley.  Every supporter of his who took the time to write a letter to the editor is a known representative of the old guard and that concerns me.  His letter writers include Mr. Alexander Gordon, a well-known member of the old guard; Mr. Nathan Giordano, a member of the town CAC and town clerk Tara Murphy’s husband; Mr. Travis O’Donnell, a member of the town CAC; and Mr. Barber, a town board member — to name a few.

I see his signs on Mr. Michael Hammond’s, Mr. Nicholas Viscio’s, Mrs. Pokorny’s, Mr. Earl Barcomb’s lawns.  There’s no greater indicator of who is supporting him and I believe last November the majority of voters had enough of his supporters.

Unfortunately for him, I believe Mr. Hanley would have been much better off if he had embraced the positive changes occurring in Knox instead of hitching his wagon to the same old, same old.

I wish both candidates well this upcoming election, but to me the choice is clear. A vote for Kenny Saddlemire is a vote for balance and compromise, and a vote for Dan Hanley is a vote for the old regime.

So join me in voting for Ken Saddlemire by writing in his name this Nov. 8 and sending him to the town board to support and foster Knox’s future and growth.

William Pasquini Jr.

Knox

Corrected, Nov. 4, 2016: Dennis Barber was incorrectly named as having displayed a lawn sign for Dan Hanley.