To the Editor:

I am writing to express my strong support for Peter G. Barber for Guilderland town supervisor. 

When I heard rumors that our excellent town supervisor, Ken Runion, was retiring, I tried to be the first to encourage Mr. Barber to run for supervisor.

My support for Mr. Barber is based on personal experiences.  Mr. Barber has been chair of the Guilderland Zoning Board of Appeals for 16 years.  For seven of those years, I was member of the ZBA and watched Mr. Barber fairly treat applicants, listen intently to public comments, and issue well-reasoned decisions.

Mr. Barber has scrupulously recused himself from applications that posed a potential conflict of interest.  He stated his reasons on the record and stepped down from hearing the application.

Mr. Barber took the lead in proposing zoning code amendments to adapt the code to the changing needs of the town’s residential, agricultural, and business communities.  I attended public meetings of the committee preparing the new zoning code for which Mr. Barber was a prime drafter.

Mr. Barber has the experience and leadership to guide the town in adopting and enforcing this new zoning code.

In contrast, his opponent, Brian Forte, has no experience with zoning or land-use issues.  I have never seen him attend a zoning board or planning board meeting.  As a town board member, Mr. Forte has not proposed any local law or zoning amendment that would benefit town residents. 

Mr. Forte has shown a lack of integrity. In October 2014, while a town board member, Mr. Forte took campaign checks totaling $1,750 from the owner and broker for property opposite Stewart’s at the corner of routes 20 and 146 (http://www.elections.ny.gov/recipientstext.html for a search for contributions by candidate name).

At the same time, the town board was considering the property owner’s application to re-zone this property.   Mr. Forte chose not to recuse himself nor even inform his fellow board members of these payments.

For months, Mr. Forte remained quiet, including when he voted in favor of the application.  This striking lack of integrity disqualifies Mr. Forte from serving as town supervisor.

Charles H. Klaer 

Altamont