'The record needs to be set straight with the facts'

After reading my opponent’s letter to the editor on Oct. 21, I have to say I don’t know who or where she receives her misinformation from but the record needs to be set straight with the facts. My opponent stated she has attended Town Board meetings for several years. Since the end of 2005 she has not attended a meeting until very recently. To be exact, four meetings and at the last two meetings she has used your tax dollars to campaign on channel 22 in which the Town Supervisor had to ask her to stop her campaign. In regard to the court records, there are no court records that the Town Clerk is responsible for that has ever been at the highway garage or with out any security in the Town Hall. Accepting sealed bids and opening sealed bids for town contracts are the responsibility of the Town Clerk, and in the absence of the Town Clerk, the Deputy Town Clerk assumes the responsibility. The cleaning contract bid that has been referred to I removed myself from the process right from the start. On the day the bids were opened, I was not at work. Bids were opened and read aloud by my Deputy Patti Kasch. My son disclosed his relationship to me when submitting his bid as did I disclosed my relationship to him in writing to the Town Board and Town Attorney. The bid was voted on and awarded by the Town Board and my son won the bid for the cleaning contract. All town contracts are public information including current and previous contract rates which the public can foil request. As far as my salary, it is a matter of public record for the Town of Monroe as Town Clerk and Tax Collector positions in which I take great pride in doing. My opponent stated she will only hold one position. In today’s times, downsizing and consolidating is considered cost effective this has even been said by our state government they actually are the ones that recommended this. Therefore, the Town of Monroe took the states advice and consolidated the tax collecting function into the town clerk’s office. I take great pride in the tax collecting function, one in which I put the taxes online, accept credit card payments and made the tax office available the same hours as the town clerk’s office, in doing this I increased service with a huge cost savings to the taxpayer. My opponent spoke about the economy, and believe me as Town Clerk, I hear first-hand and on a daily basis how bad the economy is. For I am also a resident and taxpayer and have found myself having to get a second job as have many of our residents. I would feel safe to say there isn’t a resident in Monroe that is not feeling one way or another the down turn that the economy has taken. I am the fire district secretary a position that was advertised in the newspaper. I was chosen over other applicants due to my experience and qualifications. Thank you for your time in letting me set the record straight. I ask you to please vote for your Town Clerk Mary Ellen F. Beams , the only candidate with experience and qualifications. Mary Ellen F. Beams Monroe