The right path
The election is right around the corner. My opponent continues to make derogatory statements about the whole Town Board. She makes accusations to the press and when asked for an example of her statement she states she can’t think of one. The town’s financial condition is good and improving. Did we use fund balance to help offset tax increases during the nationwide economic down turn, yes. Have we been successful in lobbying the county to take over safety net expenses and election costs, yes. Are we almost debt-free, other than water, wastewater and library districts, yes. Is our fund balance now in the positive, yes. Have we been successful in getting new businesses to Saugerties recently, yes. Has our police consolidation been highly successful, yes. Are we aggressively exploring alternative energy for town facilities, yes. Are we known for our positive economic development and tourism initiatives, yes. Have we met all of New York State government efficiency requirements, yes. Do we utilize shared services agreements with the village and neighboring communities, yes.
I personally pledge to continue to manage the budget as efficiently as possible. Explore all economic development opportunities. Remain as transparent as we are now, contrary to what you are told. Continue to lead the town with the residents and taxpayers best interest at the forefront. Not allow partisan politics to influence our or my decisions. Please support me on Election Day.
Greg Helsmoortel
Saugerties
Ciarlante: For the record
During my campaign I have presented the facts on issues. I have questioned elected and political officials and considered plausible connections indicating behind-the-scene deals. Any public statements which I made were attributed the proper level of credence.
Former Democrat Chairman Mike Harkavy is reacting to the term “Demo-publican” which I coined to describe the collusion of leadership of the Democrat Party with two former chairmen of the Republican Party to endorse the re-election of left-leaning current Town Board members and supervisor. Harkavy recalls my reaching out to Democrat voters during their 2013 caucus many of which hold my same values. Is Mr. Harkavy attempting to prevent Democrats from supporting the ideals I hold and would practice as town supervisor? Specifically they are:
- Establishing a respectful relationship with constituents giving them adequate time and opportunities to be involved in local government;
- Making property taxes low and restoring Saugerties’ rating from the distressed category of fiscal ranking;
- Keeping a balance between conservation and the economy.
I have also endured Gaebel’s constant barrage against me, his attempts to dismiss this election beforehand, and repeating others’ false statements against me all while refusing to interview me until after the election.
I have discussed with Time’s editor the article last week that states that I said four of the five Town Board members are involved in real estate, which is troubling given the amount of tax foreclosures in the town. This connection was not intended for all board members but based on a prior discussion between myself and the editor regarding connections between wealth and real estate. I have always believed that anyone holding the position of town supervisor should refrain from involvement in real estate business as there is an inherent conflict of interest.
I have questioned arms length transactions between Helsmoortel and buyers of real estate who serve on the Town Board. Billy Schirmer was not intended to be presented for suspicion and in discussing it with the editor we agreed to make that correction in this week’s Times which I am doing at this time. However having made that correction and Schirmer, already informed of it, has chosen to send an overreaching letter attacking me. I have not scrutinized Schirmer’s positions on issues but now question why his delay of the anti- SAFE act resolution long enough to allow for a postponement which would bring it to a vote after the election? Why didn’t he bring the SAFE issue to the board after his election in 2013? It should have been brought by him to the board long before I requested the resolution. Now in private correspondence he is referring to it as an issue “not worth the time.”
Has he simply been embraced the Helsmoortel’s team in a desire to belong? But it is a team which does not have the best interest of the taxpayers as its priority. Voters, you can restore the proper priorities.
Vote Conservative candidates- Row C.
Gaetana Ciarlante
Conservative candidate for town supervisor
Read our article on the supervisor race.
Allen’s mission
I want to thank the thousands of voters that I have spoken to over the last 30 months and to the 1,000-plus voters who have recently told me that I have their vote.
Recently, a longtime veteran of Saugerties politics told me that this was the dirtiest campaign he had ever seen in the history of Saugerties politics. Since August, I have had nearly 40 campaign signs stolen, numerous campaign signs thrown to the ground, my character falsely assonated and had slanderous and false comments spread all over the internet about me by people that I had never even met before. In addition, I have had false allegations leveled against me which are not true. Both of my political opponents have been slandering me all over Saugerties for numerous months now. Poor sportsmanship and sore losers are not respected by anyone! In the Sept. 10 primary, I won the Independence Party line as a write-in candidate by a five-to-one margin. On that same date, I also won the Republican primary by a sizeable margin relative to the votes received by my opponents. During the petition carrying process which New York State Election Law requires that five percent of registered voters of each respective political party sign a candidate’s petition, my two political opponents barely carried the minimum amount of signatures in any singular party. As an Opportunity-to-Ballot candidate, I turned in more than twice the minimum number of Republican Party signatures, nearly four times the number of Independence Party signatures and nearly three times the number of Conservative Party signatures. As a legislator, I have worked very hard in representing District 2, and the voters know this, and this is how I won two primary elections as a write-in candidate. I have always conducted myself as a non-partisan legislator, and I firmly believe that all residents in Saugerties and Malden deserve to be represented by the most qualified person regardless of their party affiliation or whether they even vote at all. Many times when I interact with residents, they tell me that they do not vote and that they are not registered to vote, and I always tell them to call me if they need anything, because I work for everyone including those people who do not vote.
In my second term, I will continue to vote on county budgets that lower or stabilize county tax rates, pass legislation that calls attention to flaws in our health care laws, proclaim the need for more mental health services, lead the fight against the opiate addiction problem that plagues Ulster County, open discussions with companies that may expand and bring jobs into Saugerties while working towards getting economic development into all parts of Ulster County. I will also work towards improving our education system and repealing Common Core while fighting for the environment, the Esopus Creek, improved veterans benefits and our constitutional rights.
I want to thank everyone in District 2 for their continued support!
Chris Allen
Ulster County Legislature
Read our article on the District 2 race.
Thornton dedicated
We would like to thank Leeanne Thornton for all her hard work in the town and village of Saugerties. She volunteers her time for many causes and makes herself available to anyone who asks. She works tirelessly as a Town Board member and is liaison to numerous committees. She has always gone above and beyond in everything she does. We endorse her re-election this November.
Samantha and Bob Dederick
Saugerties
Join the family! 
