Wow! The mudslinging, misinformation, cherry picks without full context, character assassination, etc., etc. going on in this Village election by local and outside supporters of ex-mayor Steve Brescia, sorry, I meant Trustee Mike Hembery.

Mike, I don’t believe too many people at the Meet the Candidates Event really believed that you were not aware of the mudslinging as you claimed. That said, let’s move on.

I too believe in electing leaders who will put the Village on a path for the future, (ref; Mike Cocks Letter to the Editor, 3/7/2024 in the Wallkill Valley Times) who will include the residents, will communicate with the residents, will respond to the residents, etc... The past autocratic rubber stamp administration should be a thing of the past, not our Village’s future. Example: Trustee Hembury brought a resolution to the floor for a vote which wasn’t on the Agenda for the evening, therefore no public input, it passed. Trustee Picarello requested that more discussion should be done and the matter should be tabled and put on the next meeting’s agenda to give the residents an opportunity to respond to the matter. Trustee Picarello voted neither yes nor no and asked that the record show she had requested the matter tabled to the next board meeting. Comments to me outside after the meeting indicated that the past administration did this quite often. Shame on me for not attending meetings more often, I know Steve liked seeing me there. Well, maybe not that much.

I would just like to say that, just because that’s the way it’s always been done doesn’t mean it cannot be improved upon.

I strongly support Randi Picarello for Mayor and Cynthia Nokland for Trustee. They both represent a Forward Vision, Strong Integrity, Respectfulness, Accountability, Resilience and most of all a Willingness to Communicate.

Change only happens when you exercise your right to vote embracing new ideas and direction. Don’t depend on your neighbor to carry the load. Please VOTE!