Former Monroe Supervisor Harley Doles dies

BY ERIKA NORTON and Bob Quinn
MONROE — Former Monroe Town Supervisor Harley E. Doles III died on Friday, July 6.
Doles, 63, leaves behind his wife, Supreme Court Justice Maria Vasquez-Doles, and triplet teenage daughters.
Current Monroe Supervisor Tony Cardone issued a statement Saturday morning:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and daughters at this difficult time. Although we didn’t always agree on his governance of the town, he was still a father and husband and our deepest sympathies go out to his family.”
The flag flew at half-staff on Monday and a purple and black mourning bunting was installed at the town hall, which will remain in place for the rest of the week.
There also was a moment of silence at the town board meeting Monday night.
The Orange County Democratic Party offered condolences to Doles’ family in a Facebook post Saturday morning.
“Many of us knew Harley, his wife and his three teenage daughters, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family this morning,” the post reads.
Doles served as supervisor for four years with his term ending in 2017. He did not run for re-election.
While in office, Doles took a 10-week leave of absence for health reasons, including heart surgery.
His tumultuous time in the position included the approved 164-acre annexation of Kiryas Joel, his support for the town-owned movie theater, and having to return the town-owned furniture he took from town hall while leaving office.
Doles also ran for State Senate in 2010.
His campaign literature at the time described him this way:
“Harley Doles is the first Democratic Acting Supervisor in the Town of Monroe’s history. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Political Science and Urban Planning. His primary focus has been in disabled Veterans Services, working to help find housing for disabled homeless Veterans throughout the five boroughs.
“... He is a lifelong Democrat and has been very active throughout Orange County in GOTV, voter registration, candidate support and fund raising.”
Doles would later quit the Democratic Party, although he maintained the remained the liberal and progressive values he learned from his parents.
CommentsThe Photo News sought comment from a number of sources regarding the impact Doles had on Monroe. Several declined or did not respond to those requests.
But a number of people did:
“The Village of Kiryas Joel joins the residents of Orange County in mourning the untimely passing of former Monroe Town Supervisor Harley Doles,” said Mayor Abraham Wieder, Kiryas Joel. “We extend our condolences to the Doles Family on this profound loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to Judge Vazques-Doles and their three children. May they be comforted by the accomplishments of Supervisor Doles, laying the groundwork for the peaceful division of the Village of Kiryas Joel and the Town of Monroe with the establishment of the Town of Palm Tree. May his memory be a blessing.”
“Having known and worked with Supervisor Doles for many years, I was always struck by his passion for issues and steadfast commitment to representing the needs of our community,” said Ari Felberman, Government Relations Coordinator for the Village of Kiryas Joel. “Harley had a long career in public service and he was a strong advocate for the causes he believed in, including the housing and educational rights of the Hasidic residents of the Hudson Valley. He will be deeply missed by me and the many people he worked with through the years.”
Kathryn Troiano, who worked at Town Hall with Doles, offered this:
“What I realize now is that when people said Harley had given KJ ‘everything,’ what they really meant is that Harley had given KJ respect. He never trashed the Hasidic community, and he always said they were our neighbors and worthy of respect. And that respect, more than anything else, is what triggered the hatred and harassment he was subjected to for years on end.
“I don’t want to think about that now. I want the focus to be off the haters and to be on Harley. When I think about Harley, I remember his devotion to his wife and daughters. I remember how hysterically funny he was. I remember his childlike excitement about the swans and ducks at the Boathouse. ‘The kids are going to love them,’ he said. He was right. The kids did love them. I remember Harley and my husband nerding out and singing show tunes.(I covered my ears). I remember how excited he was about the Town of Monroe Art and Civic Center and how he hired disabled young adults to work there because ‘they are part of our community, too.’
“And that is how I’ll remember my friend.”
And then there was Doles himself.
At 5:08 p.m., last Friday, July 6, Doles was commenting on a Photo News story about the governor signing legislation pushing up the Town of Palm Tree’s creation to this upcoming January and providing $1 million in special aid to the Monroe-Woodbury School District.
“The Swan Boats are Back
“The Water Trykes are Back
“The Giant Duck Boats are Back
“The Movie theater Doles bought and United Monroe promised it would sell is still running.”