Monroe is already awake!

This is in response to Russ Ferdico’s letter to the Photo News on May 22 titled “Wake Up, Monroe”. Ferdico’s comments are rich in hyperbole, yet lacking in context or facts.
The idea that Monroe needs to “wake up” shows a willful ignorance of our community’s civic pride on Ferdico’s part. It’s an insult to the thousands of our citizens who attend rallies and Town Board meetings, sign petitions, and support the candidates who have brought sanity back to our government. Mr. Ferdico would be hard pressed to find a body of voters who are more awake than those in Monroe.
As a matter of context, Mr. Ferdico cheers on Monroe Supervisor Harley Doles’ frequent and disturbing emails to elected officials and the press regarding the “North Monroe” issue. Perhaps he spends too much time encouraging Doles’ erratic behavior, and does not yet appreciate the commitment of Monroe voters. A quick check of election data would inform him that more than 95% of Monroe voters outside of Kiryas Joel, and over 70% town-wide, spoke out for good government by electing United Monroe candidates to the Town Board in 2015.
Mr. Ferdico’s transparent support for Harley Doles’ political agenda, which he is entitled to, does not entitle him to his own facts. His mischaracterization of United Monroe as being “about land control, money and power,” is categorically false. So are his assertions that United Monroe and County officials “signed off on over 300 acres of land for high-density housing,” and left our students and schools exposed as pawns in some wild conspiratorial “game”.
Very theatrical statements, none of which are borne out by facts or law.
I am a proud Executive Committee member of United Monroe since January 2014. Every person in our organization dedicates their time with no motive other than to fulfill a sense of civic duty. Many of us have contributed thousands of dollars of our own money to the cause. None of us have any intention to profit because of our volunteerism. Every dollar donated to Preserve Hudson Valley has gone toward paying legal expenses for the 507-acre and 164-acre annexation lawsuits, with zero administrative costs.
It’s easy to hurl accusations at others which are not substantiated in fact. There’s no work in it. What Mr. Ferdico doesn't account for is that the voters of Monroe have done their work. They are informed, enlightened and empowered. They’ve also learned to move past disruptive characters such as Harley Doles, and now Russ Ferdico.
John Allegro
United Monroe
Monroe