To the Editor:

Whoa! It is wonderful that Dianne Sefcik honors her father so much that she took up three columns to state it [The Altamont enterprise, Sept. 26, 2019, “My father taught me to challenge abuse and injustice”].

However, that does not mean that, because Dotty Verch shared her frustration when talking about people who have not taken Westerlo’s welfare into account for decades, Dotty should be written off or the other party’s candidate implicitly endorsed.

Dotty has lived here 49 years, and has a lot of energy. She has an impressive history in technology and business.

She and her husband ran a very successful lighting store for many years. She has worked hard and effectively to get high-speed internet to more of Westerlo so kids can do their homework without sitting in cars around the library. She has transformed the town’s planning board into an effective and proactive resource.

Just because her frustration boiled over does not mean she would not take better, more honorable care in leading our town than the ones who couldn’t find the money to paint the bleachers in the park for the kids to play ball, or who don’t plan so as to avoid needing to buy two fire trucks at one time instead of staggering the purchases.

We are lucky to have her want to help our town, instead of someone who spent $100,000 of our tax money on a still-incomplete and wildly expensive plan to fix our town hall.

Bill [Bichteman] wanted to spend millions without there being any limit or public oversight or recourse on the spending. He got mad when the townspeople countered his pet project and yelled, sulked, and tarred everyone as not “getting it.”

He continues to act on his own and is surprised and annoyed when Westerlo Town Board members or citizens question his approach. He manipulates and takes other people’s ideas for his own.

I’m glad to have Dotty.

Dianne, I share your sadness at the times we live in, but we need more people who are strong to help our town, like the good, effective folks who are on the town board now. And yes, some are Democrats.

Bonnie Kohl-Laub

Westerlo

Editor’s note: Dorothy Verch is running for Westerlo supervisor on the Republican line against Democrat William Bichteman. Bonnie Kohl-Laub is a former chairwoman of the Westerlo Republican Committee.