To the Editor:
I am not sure what serious defects exist in the lives of people that they can represent make-believe and lies as truths to their neighbors and friends. Sue and Matt VonHaugg reappear, in writing, right before elections to lie to their neighbors to try and persuade you they are informed about what the Knox government is up to [“Ken and Karl will make sure Knox continues in the right direction,” Letter to the Editor, The Altamont Enterprise, Oct. 28, 2021].

I have attended almost all the monthly Knox Town Board meetings since early 2018 along with numerous planning board and zoning board of appeals meetings and rarely see Ms. VonHaugg present.  Since January 2020, when the Knox Town Board was fully taken over by Vas [Lefkaditis] supporters (despite his repeated failures to perform the duties of the job), I can honestly not recall seeing her present at even one board meeting (I have attended all but two).

Even during COVID (at risk to my health as our illustrious board refuses to wear masks or follow COVID protocols)! Additionally, I have no recollection of her being accompanied by any person that could have been her husband the few times I did see her prior to 2020. Ever. Nor have I ever seen him alone. (For the record, I do ask others attending meetings to help identify people I don’t recognize if they are not there to present.)

Perhaps if you know them you can ask where their information comes from. Because it certainly isn’t firsthand knowledge! I would love to know what they get out of this behavior.

What the VonHauggs failed to mention in their letter is that, while Ms. VonHaugg did observe me during the 2019 Democratic primary displaying signs opposing the sitting supervisor, where she lied to all of you (committing libel) was in claiming the signs displayed were profanity-laced.

I know that she knew that what they wrote in this letter was a lie because she took photos of us wearing the signs that day. How do you feel about her lying to you for whatever joy she gets out of manipulating you?

If Councilwoman June Springer is a woman of her word — “I don’t associate with liars” — Ms. VonHaugg will lose at least one friend over this. Councilwoman Springer also stated during a board meeting/public hearing on the multi-use recreational district that she had done a great deal of research and was well informed on COVID and “the best way to fight it was sunshine and vitamin C” — so maybe not.

As someone who has missed perhaps a handful of board meetings over the past 3.5 years, I assure you that many of the items the VonHauggs credit to the current supervisor and the board were in fact the fruition of work started by the herculean efforts of others, including the previous administration.

For example, the park that everyone lauds — well, if you love it, you owe MaryEllen Gillis a debt of gratitude for her planning and efforts (including applying for grants). As for the wonderful LED [light-emitting diode] lighting, thank Amy Pokorny; she secured a NYSERDA [New York State Energy Research and Development Authority] grant and stepped back in to help the board when they were long overdue in submitting required paperwork to receive the funds that paid for them.

And let’s discuss the increased cash balances they claim. For one thing, the town is again out of compliance with General Municipal Laws for not filing financials on time. There are no financial statements available for the public to view to determine this, so ask yourselves: How could the VonHauggs put in writing that he has built up anything?

Another note to this topic — prior to Hurricane Irene and the subsequent damages that were paid for on an emergency basis, the fund balances built up under the previous administration were huge!  The previous administration spent some of those funds on an emergency basis and then started the process of working with FEMA to get reimbursed for those funds. 

The “fund balance build up” that many Vas supporters have incorrectly referenced was merely the FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] reimbursement of those emergency expenditures finally being received (it can take years to receive all reimbursements). 

Not once over the past 3.5 years has anyone currently sitting on the board ever questioned or demanded that the supervisor perform the actual duties of the office he was elected to, despite repeated notifications from yours truly. They are all negligent!

Sue and Matt VonHaugg couldn’t possibly correctly acknowledge how the playground and lighting upgrades really happened, because they don’t put in the time to research or attend meetings to determine the truth.

As for increased services, the town is without both Senior and Youth Services coordinators, so those services certainly haven’t been increased. As for the only remaining town service, the transfer station, per the Oct. 19 board meeting, everyone on the board concurred that it is understaffed.

This board is squarely to blame for that fact.

They also discussed that the town is having trouble retaining employees and unsuccessful at hiring due to insufficient pay. Sounds like maybe town tax dollars needed to be increased a little to invest in our employees (instead of in legal fees for getting rid of them illegally).

Or perhaps, no one wants to work for a town that will treat employees the way that Joe, Dick, and Mark were treated? There is going to be a price to pay in the town of Knox for all this incompetence. We can’t afford any more time with incompetent people at the helm, wasting our hard-earned tax dollars and we shouldn’t be listening to people who pretend to be informed.

Your fact-checking neighbor —

Brigitte McAuliffe

Knox

Editor’s note: Brigitte McAuliffe is running for Knox Town Board on a party line she created, the Accountability Party.