To the Editor:

As reported in the Dec. 14 edition of The Enterprise, our school board president’s wife has been hired to a newly established position. It appears that anyone seeking employment with district should marry into this family as the board president’s daughter and son-in-law are already on the payroll.

The timing of this coming on the heels of the increase in veterans’ exemptions and a colossal building project makes one wonder what Mr. [Matthew] Tedeschi’s real incentive is for holding the position of board president.

On another subject I wish to comment on, I supported Dennis Palow’s election to the Berne Town Board. As residents of the town of Berne, we rely on these elected officials to do what is right with their independent voice on the board. I suggest that Mr. Palow, as a newly elected board member, focus his time and energy on representing myself and my fellow residents of the town.

With that said, I read he is pushing a JROTC [Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps] program in the Berne-Knox-Westerlo schools, which he will personally oversee and teach with his unquestioned expertise.

Not only would this take time away from Mr. Palow’s duties as a town board member it would add even more stress to the school budget. Federal subsidies are not guaranteed in the future. Now perhaps if Mr. Palow were to volunteer his time for the JROTC leaving just the administrative costs to be shouldered by the taxpayers I could support this.

The taxpayers of the town of Berne and the BKW school district deserve and should expect all the officials on both boards to take close look at all spending and do what the town and district residents (taxpayers) want.

Tom Crary

South Berne