‘Does representing all of us include Kiryas Joel?'

To the editor: The SaveMonroe Plan, as summarized in a Sept. 16 advertisement, includes addressing regional issues and treating all residents with fairness and respect. Of course, any local government striving for community betterment must follow these principals, just as the Monroe Town Board has done for years. Supervisor Leonard and I worked for more than five years with the members of surrounding municipalities and the County of Orange in the group known as the Southeast Regional Traffic Task Force. With the help of Congresswoman Sue Kelly, we have obtained grants totaling $8.56 million to correct major regional traffic problems. SaveMonroe did not attend these monthly meetings, nor did they contribute to developing the regional solutions to these traffic problems that they constantly complain about. Since 1990, the Town Board has encouraged dialogue with residents during monthly meetings to discuss local issues. SaveMonroe members disrupted this process. They have alienated countless residents who would like to return to the dialogue and bring their issues before the Town Board. The most recent attack by SaveMonroe on the residents of the Village of Kiryas Joel offers yet another example of how SaveMonroe cannot follow their own principals. They claim they will represent all residents fairly and state they are the only team that "represents all of us." The Village of Kiryas Joel is more than 45 percent of our population, so does representing all of us include the Village of Kiryas Joel or not? By criticizing the Village of Kiryas Joel residents for voting their choice, SaveMonroe continues their alienation of our residents, this time almost half of our population. Given the positions that SaveMonroe has taken regarding the internal affairs of the residents of the Village of Kiryas Joel, why should the primary election results be a surprise? SaveMonroe continues to use faulty logic, while trying to support their inconsistent rhetoric. Sincerely, Peter J. Martin, Ph.D. Councilman, Town of Monroe