Letter to the editor, March 10-16

Solve the problem; don’t resort to insults

Posted 3/9/22

In response to the February 17 editorial [about the Town of Highland’s decision regarding its Upper Delaware Scenic Byway representative] [click here to read that editorial], I agree that …

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Letter to the editor, March 10-16

Solve the problem; don’t resort to insults

Posted

In response to the February 17 editorial [about the Town of Highland’s decision regarding its Upper Delaware Scenic Byway representative] [click here to read that editorial], I agree that perceptions do matter, and so does truth, reality and telling the whole story instead of taking and pushing one tiny piece.

My perception re the “discovery the eight-year-old paperwork was incomplete” and the way it was handled gave me a very different picture, and an indication of character, maturity, and suitability for public office.

First of all, if someone cannot, or is not willing to do the, yes, sometimes-tedious and perhaps boring work of investigating and filing the proper documents for their own small business, how can they be trusted to maintain paperwork needed for the successful functioning of a town government? That we, the citizens, are paying taxes for? And would be liable for if done improperly?

Second, how was it handled?

Was the offered help in correcting the problem and completing the needed paperwork refused? Yes.

Did the involved party instead choose to publicly insult those offering to help him with name-calling? Yes.

Did the involved party publicly make false accusations against a hard-working long-standing public servant? Yes.

Did the involved party try to play the “shame and blame” game instead of accepting responsibility for his own oversight? Yes.

Yes, it was “messy,” but it didn’t have to be. People don’t have to choose to treat as enemies those who would be their friends and allies. We need younger people to step up and take leadership positions as responsible citizens. I would like to suggest that responsible parties take responsibility for their own behavior when things aren’t as they’d like, and look to problem-solve instead of trying to insult, undermine, and go down the self-pity route. We see enough of that in Washington, and in our own small, beautiful space, I for one would prefer to work together. There’s a reason the election went the way it did.

Carol Reynolds

Highland Lake, NY

Highland, election, editorial, Upper Delaware Scenic Byway

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