Christmas dinner is scheduled for Dec. 9
(New Woodstock, NY – Nov. 2011) The New Woodstock Malcolm Taylor American Legion Post # 172 held their annual Veterans’ Day dinner on Nov. 11, 2011. It was held at the Legion Post in New Woodstock. There were 26 members and their guests in attendance.
Girls’ State attendee, Jessica Deyo of Erieville came with her parents. She made an interesting presentation with photographs about her time at Girls’ State held at SUNY Brockport, this past summer.
Gary Foster, commander of Post #172 made a poignant presentation on Prisoners’ of War and Missing in Action. There was an empty chair at a table set for one person to represent the POWs and MIAs. There was a moment of silence for the Legion members and other Veterans that have passed away.
Chaplin Beverly Slocum of the Women’s Auxiliary gave the prayer before we all enjoyed a delicious dinner.
After enjoying an array of desserts, Bob Conway, Chaplin for the Legion gave a final prayer.
The members also brought canned goods to be delivered to the Food Pantry in Georgetown.
There will be a Christmas Dinner on Dec. 9 at the Legion. Instead of exchanging gifts the members are asked to make a monetary donation. The funds will be used to help another Veterans’ organization, such as Disabled Veterans’.
Just a sampling of local foods sold at the Poolville Winter Farmers’ Market. The market opens again Dec. 10. (Photo by Chris Hoffman)
By Chris Hoffman
(Poolville, NY – Nov. 2011
) Saturday, Nov. 12 was the opening day of this year’s Winter Farmers Market at the Poolville Community Center (PCC), and as in years past, people turned out in droves.
New managers Martine Cook of Heirloom Meadows Farm in North Brookfield and Amy Somers of Somers Harvest Farm in Hamilton took the helm this year after Things From Here ran the market beginning in 2009.
A new feature of the market this year is the presence of a “guest chef” from a different local restaurant each month. This month the guest chef was Janssen Fay who, along with his wife Leah, opened Nola’s Restaurant in Clinton in 2005.
Janssen and Fay offered a lunch of cream of mushroom soup, salad, and made-to-order grilled sandwiches.
Next month, the guest chefs will be Roger Foster and Charles Wilburn of the Poolville Country Store.
Cook said, “The idea is to showcase a variety of local restaurants who make the effort to source their ingredients from local farms and producers.” Half the profits from these sales are donated to the PCC to help with upkeep of the building.
In years past, separate fundraising efforts raised money to help pay the PCC’s electric and heating bills. Beginning this year, vendors have agreed to pay $60 each for the season to offset the PCC’s costs.
Cook also said that there are enough vendors now who have had a very satisfying experience in the past with this market that if a particular vendor can’t make one of the dates, there are others who can step up to fill what would otherwise be an empty slot. This way shoppers always have a full market with plenty of choices.
The vendors at Saturday’s market included Highland Farm from Hamilton, Ingleside Meadows Farm from Canastota, Johnston’s Honeybee Farm from Eaton, Dutch Girl Cheese from Leonardsville, the Poolville Country Store, The Imaginary Farmer from Hubbardsville, Lucky Moon Farm from Cazenovia, Quarry Brook Farm from Sherburne, G&M Farms from Morrisville, Fruit of the Fungi from Lebanon, Mizrahi Manor Farm from Norwich, Heirloom Meadows Farm from North Brookfield, Somer’s Harvest Farm from Hamilton, Sabino’s Farm from Sherburne, Windy Hill Apple Orchard from Cassville, and Jake’s Gouda Cheese from Deansboro. Beginning next month, Evans Farmhouse Creamery in Norwich will return to the market.
Vendors offer a wide variety of products: eggs; pasture-raised pork, beef, lamb, and goat meat; onions, garlic, and root vegetables; fresh and dried herbs, as well as greenhouse grown salad greens, chard, kale, and collards; mushrooms; jams, jellies, and salsas; peppers and seasonings; apples and cider. Additionally, Bruce Rivington from Red Gate Farm is selling Kriemhild butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows from four local farms: Journey’s Joy Farm in Peterboro, Monanfran Farm in Canastota, Sunny Acres Farm in Georgetown, and Red Gate Farm in Hamilton.
The market is open from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturdays of the winter months: Dec. 10, Feb. 11, March 10, and April 14 (no market in January).
For more information, or to get on their mailing list, email poolvillefarmersmarket@gmail.com.
Submitted Photo/Mike Jaquays
(Morrisville, NY – Oct. 2011) Madison County Halloween, Oct. 29 offered a very lively and exciting ghost walk Saturday night at Madison Hall in Morrisville; the event was part of the Madison County Halloween, a fundraiser for the Spirit House Society.
Madis Senner dressed in a hunter’s costume is standing in front of Madison Hall right next to an earth chakra. Earth chakras, like human chakras, are power points where energy is pulled in to be distributed into the physical earth by Mother Earth. It is at power points such as this where people can feel things, see things and orbs or spirits may appear in pictures.
The walk and talk was really more about exploring Mother Earth and the unseen world rather than a traditional ghost walk. People learned and experienced firsthand how Mother Earth is often behind our mystical experiences and knowing her features and where to go is critical. Energy points can cause earth lights or give you a dose of energy that can help you see another reality. In other words, during a ghost sighting, we are often either seeing an aspect of Mother Earth or we are being boosted by Mother Earth’s geomagnetic field, which is empowering us to see another reality. Participants visited many other places in and around Madison Hall.
Everyone had a great time, many felt things. Of course everyone smudged themselves afterward
Proposed Budget to Keep Tax Levy Increase at or Below 1 Percent
(Town of Lebanon, NY – Nov. 2011) Lebanon town board members will present a proposed 2012 town budget to the public for comment Thursday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m., at the Town Office, 1210 Bradley Brook Road in the hamlet.
The public is invited to attend.
Town officials have also invited representatives of various fire contract and ambulance contract agencies or other contractual programs that they fund to answer questions posed by the public.
Supervisor Jim Goldstein reported that the Town Board met for its budget workshop Monday, Oct. 24, and finalized the budget to be presented to the public. The proposed 2012 budget estimates that the town tax levy will increase about 1 percent or less, and that the town tax rate will increase between 2 to 3 percent, depending on final sales tax figures to be applied to the budget.
Town officials cited the principal concern being the large increase requested by the Georgetown Board of Fire Commissioners, which is requesting an increase of 33 percent, or raising their contract for fire and ambulance protection from $26,300 in 2011 to $33,790 in 2012.
All other fire and ambulance contracts to date have not requested an increase, and several fire contracts in Hamilton and Earlville are projecting a decrease for 2012. Town board members had Goldstein request the Georgetown Fire Department attend the budget hearing with current numbers and rationale for the increase requested and to answer any questions members of the public who reside within that protection area may have.
Town board members voted unanimously at the Oct. 24 workshop to increase the salaries of Town Clerk/Tax Collector Nicole Viera and Town Highway Superintendent Alex Hodge about 4 percent after meeting in executive session to discuss individual personnel performance.
Town officials cited Viera’s records improvements, launching the town website, townoflebanon.org, and helping out in a multitude of other areas as reasons for granting her a $300-per-year increase in her town clerk and tax collector lines, increasing her town clerk salary from $9,734 to $10,034 and her tax collector salary from $2,266 to $2,566.
The town historian position at $500 per year remains vacant.
Town officials praised Hodge’s efforts with town FEMA repairs; more than $269,000 in road and bridge work will be reimbursed by FEMA and State Emergency Management Office thanks to his documentation of all labor, fringe, materials and fuel to ensure maximum coverage for the town for flood damages.
Hodge also was recognized for continuing to do a superb job of being proactive and keeping a close eye on natural gas developer Norse Energy, Inc., in terms of road use and road impacts. He was granted a $2,000 increase in salary from $43,500 to $45,500, with the expectation by town officials that FEMA reimbursements will more than cover that balance, given all town labor associated with FEMA repairs was carefully tracked and applied as appropriate.
The town has gotten by on three highway employees and Hodge for the last two summers, after having had a crew of four full-time workers in prior years.
Goldstein reported that final sales tax numbers to be applied to the budget might increase as much as $5,000, which would more than cover these increases.
Hodge discussed beginning the process this winter of trying out the one-person plow units with some town roads to see how the system works, with the expectation of additional cost savings down the road if he finds the system is doable for the town in the winter.
Town officials are still waiting to hear from Norse Energy on finalization of its agreement to transfer the $82,500 for Vosburgh Road repairs to be completed by Vestal Asphalt next spring into a town escrow account held by the Town Attorney until the work is completed, given recent announcements by Norse that it has significantly reduced its workforce, has put its assets up for sale and is $90 million in debt by some news accounts.
Guest Column
By Madis Senner
Heaven on Earth
As Spiritualism began to catch fire, people began to practice mediumship and communication with Spirits among small circles of friends. These people were earnest and passionate about their practices, as are many people today; however, others saw the opportunity for fortune.
Several became mediums for profit and began employing theatrics. Fraud became increasingly rampant as Spiritualism grew.
While the Fox Sisters were taking Broadway by storm, others saw Spiritualism as an agent of liberation and as a break from the materialism of the modern world, not as a profit-making venture.
John B. Buescher in his book The Other Side of Salvation: Spiritualism and the Nineteenth Century Religious Experience notes that there were several strains, or minor movements, within the larger Spiritualist movement.
One of those strains saw communication with Spirits as means for making a better world, or a heaven on earth.
“Many…who turned to Spiritualism sensed a biblical millennium, which manifested itself in plans for egalitarian utopias where humans mingle with angels or become angels themselves,” he wrote. “Thus, Spiritualism was not just a means of contacting the spirits of the deceased or of exploring the afterlife. Rather, it meant the opening wide of a gate between a perfect Heaven and an imperfect Earth. This idea provided a link between spiritualism and social reform” (page 123).
Many social reformers believed that angels could help guide them in bringing about a better world, or that Spiritualism opened up a higher mind.
“Spiritualists gave voice to an enlightened progressivism and were among the era’s strongest proponents of the liberation of all people from oppressive bonds and limitations. Spiritualism was simultaneously idealistic, liberal and anarchic” (ibid page 151).
Ann Braude notes that “The Spiritualist network, including Progressive Friends, assembled large audiences for radical causes” (page 69). Abolitionism, women’s rights, free speech, food reform, were some of the causes.
The Fire Burned Out
The spark or consciousness that had burned brightly within Spiritualism as a vehicle of divine transformation began to wane as the decades progressed. It increasingly began to be associated with the money grabbers, circus performers and fraudsters that were bilking the public.
While the ranks of Spiritualism would continue to grow until early in the 20th century, the social reformers and dreamers were long gone from the movement by then.
Braude notes that public wrath began pouring on mediums within Spiritualism during the 1870s (page 181). One of the first critics was Andrew Jackson Davis. Madame Blavatsky, who would go on to found Theosophy, similarly would aggressively expose fraud and bogus theatrics.
Buescher notes “by the 1880s, reform advocates were often either members of mainstream liberal churches … or where anarchists or atheists… By that time, much of Spiritualism had devolved into stage magic or where co-opted by its later competitors” (ibid page 235).
While many would passionately and earnestly continue to devote themselves to Spiritualism, the stigma of the charlatans and money grabbers would dwindle their ranks as well.
A New Age
When I reflect on Spirit House and Timothy Brown who advocated things such as free speech and community by opening up Spirit House to all, I see him as being part of the social reform segment of the Spiritualist movement.
Had he built Spirit House a few decades later, he would probably have advocated for one of the liberal Christian or progressive alternative Spiritual strains then flowering. During his time, Spiritualism was a popular vehicle for spirituality and social reform while the Burnt Over period in New York state raged. It was emancipating.
So how does one honor the tradition of Spiritualism that Brown and other social reformers espoused?
I don’t see it as embracing Spiritualism that exists today that seems focused on communication with Spirits and little if any interest in social reform or social justice causes. I think we need to view the intent and consciousness that drove Brown and other Spiritualist reformers.
They saw the possibility of being inspired by the divine or developing one’s inner faculties and working with the mystical to help transform the world. We must embrace that consciousness to see how we can give it strength or manifest in this world of ours no matter how it is adorned.
We must, as they did, look at ways of bringing about heaven on earth, and then we will be similarly embracing the divine that inspired them.
Sources: Ann Braude, Radical Spirits: Spiritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth-Century America; John B. Buescher, The Other Side of Salvation: Spiritualism and the Nineteenth-Century Religious Experience; Slater Brown, The Heyday of Spiritualism.
Madis Senner is founder of the Spirit House Society, a group committed to the purchase and preservation of the nationally recognized historic monument.
Pictured from top are Douglas Havens, Chris Rossi, Dominick Pangallo, John LaGorga, Jennifer Basic, John Laubscher, Joshua Haar, Linda Mather, Liz Moran, Ralph Monforte, Scott Mills, John Salka and Tom Clarke.
By Martha E. Conway
(Madison County, NY – Nov. 2011) The Courier emailed as many candidates as we could find with a few questions to give them one last opportunity to reach voters. We asked:
a. What is the most pressing issue facing the office you seek and how would you work to resolve it?
b. What is your leadership philosophy?
c. What is the most positive trend you’ve seen concerning local government-related current events or activities during the past two years?
Some responded to our questions (name is in bold); others submitted statements.
Here’s a lineup of everyone on the ballots and what some of them had to say.
Those who did not respond are marked as “did not participate” below their name.
Pictures are posted in no particular order.
Brookfield
Supervisor
Joshua Haar (Liberty)
Fellow citizens of Brookfield:
Here’s my two cents on our local political situation. Plain and simple, our town government is being run with little concern for limiting the growth of government and the tax burden on the citizens of Brookfield.
Over the past two years, this has been amply demonstrated. Rather than just finding fault, I’ll offer a solution: this time, elect a new supervisor. Regarding my capability for the job, you don’t end up with a 4.0 in accounting by not being able to balance revenues and expenditures.
Regarding my platform, here’s my view on the growth of government. As Americans, we have established our government to preserve the conditions necessary for us to prosper, delegating to it limited authority. Over the years, primarily at the national and state levels, broad interpretations of this role have resulted in a massive governmental structure that lowers us ever deeper into debt in order to finance the government’s expansion.
This same expansion of power and expense is becoming a concern at the local level, as well.
I oppose adding responsibilities to Brookfield’s government (having the government “help out” in new areas) because that can hardly result in the lower taxes or simplified regulations that are essential to our rural way of life.
If elected, I’ll work to keep taxes down and the town government in line. I’m perfectly comfortable with the job of representing this town at the county and state levels, and I won’t try to transform Brookfield into some suburban paradise, complete with homes magnificent enough and incomes large enough to contribute thousands in taxes without noticing it.
We’ll keep our cabins in the woods (most of us, anyway), thank you.
I welcome questions or comments; email me at jhaar13@student.mvcc.edu or call me at (315) 855-4465.
John Salka (Brookfield Republicans, Madison County Independence Party, Madison County Conservative Party)
The most pressing issue is how to keep our town intact financially and still maintain the wonderful rural lifestyle we enjoy. I feel that bringing all together to brainstorm on how we can make the best use of scarce resources is not only the best option, but also makes for good government.
My leadership philosophy is making sure that the members of a community are involved, informed and enlightened. For instance, I instituted a relatively simple practice of holding town board meetings in all three parts of the township, and it has been a success. People feel that government is coming to them, and although I would always like to see better attendance from positive, well-intended members of the town, we are always respectful of those that show up and voice their opinion.
Our town website and public signboard at the town hall is also a key to keeping people informed.
As far as positive trends, in the town of Brookfield we have been building a Comprehensive Plan that has given the opportunity for our community to become involved on how we are planning for the future of Brookfield.
Part of the plan involved sending out a survey to the community with very well thought-out questions on what people think we should do for the future of our town. It was very successful, and we are able to use that data to lay the groundwork to determine the best direction in which to take our town.
I will continue to offer the citizens of Brookfield mature, responsible and conservative leadership that is responsive to the needs of our town and is able to cope with an ever-changing fiscal environment. Small towns are the bread and butter of what this country is all about, and we need to fight for them every day.
Thank you.
Highway Superintendent
Roderick B. Jennison
Endorsed by the Democratic, Conservative, People’s Choice and Independence parties
My name is rod Jennison; my name appears on the November ballot, and I am seeking your support for a second term as highway superintendent for the town of Brookfield.
In the last two years, I have worked diligently with the Brookfield Town Council to provide the best possible services while at the same tie keeping costs to you, the taxpayer, down as much as possible.
We have upgraded some of the equipment at the highway garage and cut expenses such as our debt service – reduced $1,000 a year, the equipment repair line reduced $10,000 a year, and there is a good possibility that there may be money left in this line at year’s end.
At this time, there is $32,000 in the snow removal line and approximately $20,000 in the payroll line that should roll over into the town’s saving account at year’s end.
As your highway superintendent, I will continue to work hard to provide safe travel for you and your family, at the same time respecting the costs to you, the taxpayer.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Robert J. Piersma
Did not participate.
Council
Clinton A. Abrams
Did not participate.
Jefferson L. Mayne
Did not participate.
Marylou A. Rhodes
Did not participate.
Joseph H. Walker
Did not participate.
Cazenovia
Supervisor
Thomas J. Clarke (Democratic, Strong Community)
There are two equally pressing issues in Cazenovia: the possibility of [hydraulic fracturing] operations in the town and maintaining the health and quality of Cazenovia Lake. [Hydraulic fracturing] is a serious concern and information about its legality, safety and hazards to the environment are constantly changing.
Currently, there is no case law regarding bans on [hydraulic fracturing] operations and municipalities may not specifically target them. To ensure the wellbeing of our rural community, Cazenovia should begin now to put in place protective measures that will limit any adverse effects, such as water and soil contamination, wastewater disposal, safety issues, impact on emergency services, road damage, noise, air pollution and visual disruption.
Cazenovia Lake is a critical natural and recreational resource for the community. In the past two years, the lake has been treated twice for Eurasian milfoil infestation. Another treatment will occur next spring. Plans to mitigate additional infestation should be prepared quickly to ensure the long term health of the lake.
The town council must work cooperatively with the village, Cazenovia Lake Association and other community groups to prepare a long-term maintenance and funding plan for Cazenovia Lake, including sewers around the lake.
This will require substantial research into costs, viable systems and impact on the environment and neighborhoods. Public participation will be essential. Fighting for the lake’s healthy future will require a community effort.
My leadership philosophy is one of consultation, cooperation and consensus-building, all of which are necessary for meaningful progress in Cazenovia and Madison County. The town supervisor serves as chair of the town board and represents Cazenovia on the Madison County Board of Supervisors. Decisions by both boards should be made openly with opportunities for the public to express ideas and concerns. I am a good listener, respectful of differing opinions and committed to effective follow-through.
The most positive trend I’ve observed about government-related events and activities in the last several years is the interest in local government that has been demonstrated by Cazenovia town residents. Planning board meetings and town public hearings are well-attended, and residents are enthusiastic about serving on various committees.
To reinforce that interest, I will solicit advice and counsel from Cazenovia residents using scheduled office hours and print and electronic media to keep the community informed about public issues. The life and vitality of Cazenovia depend on the energy, interest, enthusiasm and contributions of its residents.
Another equally positive trend in local government is consideration of sharing services among municipalities. In a demanding economic environment, fiscal scrutiny is crucial. Taxpayers expect the most effective use of their tax dollars.
Wherever services, such as highway departments, courts, billing and purchasing can be shared efficiently, it is useful to examine cost benefits and effectiveness. Boundaries should be invisible when neighboring municipalities benefit from cooperative undertakings.
Ralph M. Monforte (Republican, Independence, Conservative)
The most pressing issue facing the office I seek is to balance the rights of land owners while keeping in mind the needs of our community as a whole. Oftentimes, the legislation that has been put in place, such as the laws governing development in the lake watershed or the commercial areas that have been identified in the Comprehensive Plan, have produced results that have unintentional and costly impacts on people’s lives.
My plans for resolution of this issue is to continually review legislation that is in place as the needs for development in our community arise and, where appropriate, seek remedies or recommendations for change.
My leadership philosophy is simple: Give, get or get out.
The most positive trend I have seen has been the local resident entrepreneur choosing to invest in their communities by building or relocating their businesses here and creating fiscal opportunities and quality of life for their neighbors. They are our best source for economic stability going forward.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Linda Mather (Republican)
Submission courtesy Cazenovia Republican Committee
Linda has committed 24 years to serving the people of Cazenovia. As our town clerk for more than two decades, Linda’s responsibilities also included tax collector, registrar of vital statistics, records management officer, records access officer, NYS Town Clerk’s Association, and NYS Tax Collectors Association.
Linda’s constant attention to detail has worked well to serve the people of Cazenovia for many years. Her dedication and personal effort in everything she does is greatly reflected in the results she obtains.
Linda has become a familiar face to all for a reason. She is trustworthy, attentive, detailed and thorough in all that she does.
Linda and her husband Walt raised two children and reside in New Woodstock. She is a life resident of the town of Cazenovia.
Council
Jennifer Basic (Republican)
Submission courtesy Cazenovia Republican Committee
Jen is a local business owner, mother of three, and longtime resident of Cazenovia. In addition, she is currently serving her fifth year on the Cazenovia Town Planning Board. It is because of these life experiences that Jen has firsthand knowledge of community and family concerns, local business owner concerns and wider community development issues.
Additionally, Jen’s husband Joe grew up working on his family’s dairy farm (which is still in operation), giving her a strong respect for the farming heritage of our community.
Over the years, Jen has served on many local boards ranging from the library board, to Caz Forum, to president of the Madison County Bar Association.
These experiences have given Jen the opportunity to hear many perspectives from people in our community on numerous issues. As an attorney, her education, experience as a parent with young children in our schools, time on the planning board during the era ushering in the enforcement of the Comprehensive Plan, sensitivity to our history as a farming community, along with her experience as a local business owner provide Jen with a unique skill set to serve on the town board.
Elizabeth C. Moran (Democratic, Strong Community)
The issues facing the town of Cazenovia relate to wise stewardship of our natural resources and growth management. With the property tax cap in place, we will face tough choices in the future.
My professional background will help the town board implement the next phases of the Cazenovia Lake restoration effort, and my previous public service will help us craft effective and fair policies to encourage growth and investment in the community.
My leadership philosophy is to listen well, gather information from all sides and make rational, not ideological, decisions. My previous record attests to my fair and effective leadership skills.
Over the past two years, Cazenovia has begun to see the positive outcome of our immersion in planning and zoning revisions. New commercial activity has finally begun on Route 20, and without the contentious debate that hampered previous efforts.
We have also had more open and frequent conversations about shared services, and the possibility of eventual consolidation of the town and village.
William N. Zupan (Democratic, Strong Community)
Did not participate.
DeRuyter
Supervisor
Daniel S. Degear (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Rebecca M. Wightman (Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Walter C. Cook (Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
John Farewell (Republican, Good Neighbor)
Did not participate.
Town Justice
John A. Fox (Republican)
Did not participate.
Town Council
Cedric M. Barnes, Jr, (Republican)
Did not participate.
Edwin B. Coon (Republican)
Did not participate.
Eaton
Supervisor
James C. Monahan (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Priscilla Suits (Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Larry J. Phillips II, (Democratic, Country Roads)
Did not participate.
Council
Ellen M. Andros (Democratic, Good Neighbor)
Did not participate.
Richard DePuy (Republican)
Did not participate.
Fenner
Supervisor
Russell L. Cary (Republican, Conservative)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk
Joanne E. Buyea (Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Frank M. Hyatt (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
David R. Jones (Republican)
Did not participate.
William W. Wester (Republican)
Did not participate.
Tax Collector
Sharon E. Larkin (Republican)
Did not participate.
Georgetown
Supervisor
David Coye (Republican)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Sarah Brush (Democratic, Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Howard F. Hunter (Democratic, Happy Roads)
Did not participate.
Duane J. Newton (Republican, Independence)
Did not participate.
Town Justice
Ronald Hailston (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Paul H. Walrod (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Bart C. Chapin (Local Citizens)
Did not participate.
Hamilton
Supervisor
Scott Mills (Republican, Hometown)
The most pressing issue locally is the town budget and the ensuing 30-plus-percent tax rate increase. I served on the town council for 12 years as councilman and deputy supervisor. I always looked at expenditures and issues facing the town as carefully as possible.
We maintained a replacement schedule for equipment that allowed the town to never have the need to borrow money. This approach allowed 100 percent of taxpayer capital to pay for services instead of debt service.
It also allowed us to have a steady budget without huge increases in the tax rate from year to year.
If we did not deplete our line items in the budget, we used the savings to set some reserve funds aside for a financial cushion.
This budgeting and spending plan only works if you keep expenditures to a minimum, especially something for which you may not have budgeted.
The present issues with the budget and the huge budget increase has more to do with a total new majority on council and the length of time needed to get up to speed. There has been a large turnover of bookkeeping budgeting staff that has led to a poor snapshot for budgeting.
The solution is reducing the politics affecting town business and hire one qualified person; even with a qualified person, it will not be a fast fix. The town with the right mix of people on the board will move past this and get the financial part of the town government in order.
Other than this town government issue, we live in a great area and have much going for us regionally.
Eve Ann Shwartz (Democratic, Good Government)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Catherine S. Hotaling (Republican, Hometown)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Bert F. Glazier (Democratic, Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Kerry Dart (Republican, Hometown)
Did not participate
David N. Holcomb (Republican, Hometown)
Did not participate.
Dominick Pangallo (Democratic, Good Government)
In Hamilton, the dual challenges brought about by the poor bookkeeping and budgeting practices of the past – which has resulted in a tough current budget and tax situation today – and the completely botched 2011 town-wide property revaluation will require competent and proactive leadership to remedy.
By working together in a civil and positive fashion, we can implement all of the Office of the State Comptroller’s audit recommendations to get our town back on track, end unfair tax practices and rebuild Hamilton’s finances.
Further, we must ensure that all future reappraisal contracts are awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, that the appraiser is respectful in his or her interactions with our citizens and that the assessment and appeals processes are conducted in a more objective and equitable fashion.
Finally, Hamilton must establish a town website, so residents can easily learn about upcoming hearings and meetings, access public documents (including monthly and annual town financial statements, meeting agendas and minutes) and find out how to contact their elected representatives.
My leadership philosophy is informed by my graduate studies in public administration and my volunteer efforts with local community groups in Hamilton like the Public Library, the Palace Theater, and the Parents Advisory Committee of the Chenango Nursery School.
I believe strongly in a collaborative, citizen-led government that engages all residents, is respectful of all stakeholders and their opinions and interests that leads to well-planned policy decisions considering the short-term desires of residents and the long-term fiscal health of the town.
There have been three positive trends I would like to continue and grow further if elected to the town council. The first is the large-scale citizen participation in local government following the bungled revaluation; while the goal is to have civic engagement be positive and civil. Any time citizens become more involved in the political process, our democracy is ultimately strengthened.
Second, the current town government has come together across party lines to support a tough, but ultimately fiscally prudent, budget and tax levy for 2012. Finally, good progress has begun to be made in terms of shared services, both through formal agreements and informal collaboration between town and village governments.
More can be done, however, and we must plan for a future of mandates and policies from the county and state that require our towns to be more innovative in how they work with other governments to share services and cut costs, partner with non-governmental local stakeholders and organizations and seek grants and other non-tax funding to lessen the burden on our taxpayers.
Chris Rossi (Democratic, Good Government)
Hamilton is emerging from a past of poor accounting practices that created confusion in the budget process. This was further complicated by a well-intentioned but unsustainable tax dip last year leading to a substantial projected tax raise for 2012.
In addition, Hamilton recently suffered a badly managed property revaluation resulting in an inequitable assessment. There is a long history of missteps with the budget and the revaluation that stretch across party lines.
Fortunately, we can learn from these mistakes and work together to make sure they do not happen again. The Office of the State Comptroller has provided us with guidelines to get our budgeting process back on track, ensure fairness in how we tax and plan for the future.
In terms of the revaluation, we will need to do another to rectify the inequities created in the 2011 process. As with all future appraisals, we need to hire a truly qualified bidder (not just the lowest) and make sure the process is done in a fair, predictable and transparent manner.
Working with my community as co-chair of STOP NYRI has greatly shaped my leadership philosophy. We won the power line fight by doing our homework, clearly communicating what we learned and working together with all members of our town toward a common goal.
That open and inclusive community participation in local government is something I want to foster. Key to this effort is involving citizens as partners in shaping the future of their town through open and accessible meetings, the creation of citizen task forces and the use of a town website to ensure easy access to information and resources.
The mistakes of the past have made divisions in our town. There is already good work being done to better our community and bring people together. During the revaluation, citizens first alerted town government to the unfairness of the process then volunteered their time to help each other understand and navigate the appeals and grievances.
More recently, the current board has made a good start in working together in a bi-partisan effort to make the needed corrections to our budget and accounting practices following recommendations from the State Comptroller’s 2009 audit. We need to expand on these inclusive and engaged efforts to better plan for Hamilton’s future and the challenges it will bring.
Lebanon
Supervisor
James S. Goldstein (Democratic, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Nicole Viera (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Alex P. Hodge (Democratic, Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Marie Morgan (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Carol A. King (Democratic, Republican)
Did not participate.
Lenox
Supervisor
Rocco J. DiVeronica (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Richard L. Rossi (Friendship)
Did not participate.
Town Justice
Edward A. Pokorny (Republican)
Did not participate.
Grace E. Rapasadi (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Tom Bush (Republican)
Did not participate.
Edward Cerasia (Independence)
Did not participate.
Douglas Havens, III (Democratic)
For me, the most pressing issue is transparency. We are very open now, but I feel that the town council should lead the way in being as open, honest and available to our community as it can be.
That is why I want to modernize the conduct of town meetings, making it so that they can be viewed live from anyone’s home computer. Everyone would have the ability to give us their opinions and ideas for all issues.
My leadership philosophy is a team approach, working with others to get the job done. There are wonderful people with terrific ideas about how to make our community better. By getting out once a month to talk about the issues, I feel that their ideas can be easily passed to the board to help develop our community for the future.
The town of Lenox has done an excellent job of keeping taxes low and taking care of many people. Mr. DiVeronica, Mr. Hadyk and Mr. Palamara have been great board members; I feel that I can easily work with them to continue to improve our town.
I am young, ambitious and have a great vision for growth in our community. Canastota and the town of Lenox used to be a center of activity due to the Erie Canal and railroad, and I think we can bring that back once again.
There is opportunity for business to move into our community, with the Thruway right here in town, and the prospect for outdoor parks that all community members could enjoy.
Given our central location, I would love to see a community college, or SUNY college satellite office be established in our community.
Richard Wimmer (Republican)
Did not participate.
Lincoln
Supervisor
Darrin P. Ball (Republican, Independence)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk (two-year vacancy)
Linda A. Happle (Republican)
Did not participate.
Town Justice
H. T. Kissel (Republican)
Did not participate.
Robert B. Sturdevant, Jr. (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Heather A. Eddy (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Wayne B. Hertel (Republican)
Did not participate.
Madison
Town Justice
Mike Hynes (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Council
Brad Dixon (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Anne Meyering (Democratic)
The most pressing issue is to find ways to continue to provide services essential to the safety and health of the residents of the town of Madison with limited revenue.
My leadership philosophy is to provide as many occasions as possible for the views of the broadest possible array of residents to be heard on issues before the town of Madison, including town meetings and Internet communication.
The most important positive trend in local government in the town of Madison is a recognition that cooperation and commitment to the common interests of all residents are essential to achieve the best use of limited resources.
Gregory M. Reuter (Republican, Independence)
Did not participate.
Madison County
Madison County Judge (County, Surrogate’s and Family Courts)
Dennis K. McDermott (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Nelson
Supervisor
Roger D. Bradstreet (Democratic, Independence)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Deborah J. Costello (Republican, Good Neighbor)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
John R. Sevier, Jr. (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Sharon A. Driscoll (Democratic)
Did not participate.
John LaGorga (Democratic)
I believe the town of Nelson is currently governed and managed satisfactorily. I am seeking the town board position not because I have an agenda or to make significant changes, but rather as a means to serve my community and to share my 20 years of experience as a municipal-civil engineer specializing in water, wastewater and storm water-related projects.
I believe the most pressing issue, or my greatest responsibility as a town board member, is to create, adopt and implement a cost-efficient budget. I will help create the most cost-efficient budget by applying proven business practices to our municipal budget. These practices rely on understanding the true life-cycle costs of our town’s assets and applying this knowledge to get the most out of our assets for the least cost.
I have applied these practices for other municipalities as a municipal-civil engineer, and I look forward to applying them in the town of Nelson. I will also encourage shared services to create a cost-efficient budget. From my professional experience, I have witnessed municipalities formally and informally sharing services, such as seeking unit price contracts together or sharing a piece of equipment.
Shared service is different from consolidation. As a town board member I will encourage shared services and engage in discussions about consolidation, but I am not currently an advocate for consolidation.
By using asset management practices and encouraging shared service, I seek to create a cost effective town budget.
In terms of leadership style, I am a true democratic leader. I seek consultation and input from stakeholders, and I thoughtfully deliberate on this input to make decisions. I am well-practiced at listening to people and taking the time to understand their point of view or input.
I am also well-practiced at evaluating input, which allows me to make informed and thoughtful decisions. Although the process of seeking and receiving input may appear indecisive, I contend that this is a critical part of the municipal decision-making process and leads to decisive decisions and actions.
I am pleased with our town’s comprehensive planning effort and how it has led to our new town of Nelson Land Use and Development Law. I appreciate the hard work that was put forth to update the town’s Comprehensive Plan and create the new zoning law.
I believe the comprehensive planning process has set the town on a sustainable and successful path forward, and I am fully committed to “preserving the town’s rural agrarian culture, image and practices, while protecting the many sensitive environmental, cultural and historic resources, as well as promoting and supporting a sustainable local economy.”
John E. Laubscher (Republican)
The most pressing issue is budget and revenue. I would work with all parties to minimize spending, investigate grant opportunities, and focus our resources on maintaining infrastructure. To understand the equipment assets and infrastructure needs to allow long range planning. To work towards having the necessary cash reserves on hand as required.
Lead by example, walking the walk before talking the talk!
That everyone has value, to listen to others and understand them.
That everyone one has individual rights, and to respect everyone and their opinions.
To do the necessary research to make good, sound, common sense recommendations and decisions.
Regarding any positive current or recent trending, nothing seems to be remarkably different or improved. A number of items have been discussed and some brought to resolution as have happened in the past. A goal for improvement would be to get more public input in decision-making.
Oneida
Mayor
Donald W. Hudson (Republican, Conservative)
Did not participate.
Leo Matzke (Democratic, Working Families, Independence)
Did not participate.
City Chamberlain
Nancy Andrews (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Supervisor Wards 1-3
Scott A. Henderson (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
John A. Reinhardt (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Supervisor Wards 4-6
James V. Rafte, Sr. (Democratic, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Lewis Carinci (Democratic, Conservative)
Did not participate.
Council Ward 1
Susan Stratton (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Brahim Zogby (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council Ward 2
David Cimpi (Republican, Independence)
Did not participate.
Council Ward 3
A. Max Smith (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council Ward 4
Michael Kaiser (Democratic, Working Families)
Did not participate.
Council Ward 5
Jim Chamberlain (Democratic, Working Families)
Did not participate.
Brian E. Karst (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Council Ward 6
Claudette Buss (Democratic, Independence)
Did not participate.
Thomas L. Simchik (Republican, Conservative)
Did not participate.
Smithfield
Supervisor
Richard O. Bargabos (Republican)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Page B. Winn (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Janice C. Sebring (Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Jason D. DeGroat (Republican, Conservative)
Did not participate.
Town Justice
Harriet H. McNamara (Republican)
Council
Karen Huller Pitts (Republican)
Did not participate.
James A. Zophy, III (Republican)
Did not participate.
Stockbridge
Supervisor
Alexander R. Stepanski (Republican)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Cami L. Kiehn (Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Peter R. Kiehn, Sr. (Republican)
Did not participate.
Council
Roy E. Meeker (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Kyle R. Russ (Democratic)
Did not participate.
Roland C. Shea, Sr. (Republican)
To all the voters of the town of Stockbridge, I have served as your town councilman for the last four years, attending every meeting, along with special meetings.
I have worked to improve the playground in Carlon Field and Love Memorial Park with some grants and town money, supported new equipment for the Highway Department, road and bridge improvements and have worked to improve
Sullivan
Supervisor
John M. Becker (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
Town Clerk/Tax Collector
Charlotte A. Ferstler (Republican)
Did not participate.
Highway Superintendent
Elwin C. Centner, Jr. (Republican, Conservative)
Did not participate.
Council
William S. Cole (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate.
John E. Brzuszkiewicz (Republican, Conservative, Independence)
Did not participate
Spirit House Society News
(Morrisville, NY – Oct. 2011) Madison County Halloween will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Madison Hall in Morrisville. The event will offer a unique and intriguing ghost walk.
This will not be your run-of-the-mill ghost walk of historians reporting on the past or paranormal investigators with their electronic equipment poking and prodding like Don Quixote chasing windmills. It will be an educational and informative walk and talk where you will learn about the unseen world and its various inhabitants and where they may be found in and around Madison Hall.
You will learn about our imprint on Mother Earth and how this could affect sightings and apparitions. You will hear about the God Helmet. Most of all, you will learn about Mother Earth and how she can affect what we see or don’t see and where we do so.
Admission is $5; children and pets are free, one per adult. Due to subject content, children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult to participate in the Ghost Walk.
There will be a sign-up sheet on the first floor. If demand is strong extra walks may be scheduled after the 11 a.m. walk, immediately afterward. We suggest coming early if you are interested in the Ghost Walks. The 7 p.m. Ghost Walk will fill up early.
A Dowser and Sentient of Mother Earth and…
Madis Senner, founder of the Spirit House Society (spirithousesociety.org) will be leading two Ghost Walks at 11 a.m. and at 7 p.m. that will rely upon his knowledge of Mother Earth, dowsing, and history.
Senner has lectured at the annual American Society of Dowsers convention, written numerous articles and a book about Mother Earth and the unseen world, and maintains a web page at motherearthprayers.org. His work at clearing and creating sacred space has given him many experiences and encounters that are truly unique.
Doug George-Kanentiio will entertain us with Iroquois Ghost Stories at 3 p.m. Hear tales of sorcerers, stone giants and flying heads that are part of the Haudenosaunee Indian tradition – truly a unique opportunity.
Mother Earth, the unseen world and its inhabitants are a big mystery. Join us as we delve in and begin exploring. Bring your dowsing rods (L- rods) or buy a pair upstairs beforehand. Rods are not mandatory.
A Witch’s Brew
The Madison County Halloween will also feature historical talks and skits, lectures on energy healing, children’s’ story tellers, a dash of psychic readings, a pinch of metaphysical vendors and a handful of healers.
You will be able to get a pet reading or a healing for you and your pet. There will also be a silent auction. There will be fine food and sandwiches made with homemade breads by Red & White Café of DeRuyter and, of course, their Monster Cookies.
The Madison County Halloween is a blend of entertainment as well as a chance to chat with local historical associations and learn about Madison County.
“We thought it important to bring together local historical associations and historic homes, and Halloween provides a great opportunity to do so,” Senner said. “A Halloween event gives us a chance to add a mysterious and spooky twist that will attract people and hopefully teach them about Madison County and Central New York’s rich history and our local treasures such as Spirit House. It’s an eclectic group with a lot to offer, but I guess that is what the Spirit House Society is all about.”
Guest Column
By Madis Senner
(Georgetown, NY – Oct. 2011) My understanding of Spiritualism, particularity in its early days, has changed dramatically since I first began my effort to restore Spirit House, a nationally registered historic home in Georgetown that was a Mecca of Spiritualism in the mid-19th century.
Instead of a world of mediums, psychics and spiritual peddlers, I see a very radical movement that helped liberate and raise consciousness. It clearly, or at least elements of it, need to be considered part of the “burnt-over” period in upstate New York when a great awakening of spiritual and social justice flourished that helped change the world and still reverberate today.
The Burnt Over District
During the 19th century, the area along the old Erie Canal route was a hotbed of spiritual awakening and social action. It was the birthplace of the women’s movement, which began with the Women’s Rights Convention in 1848 in Seneca Falls.
Abolitionism was strong and the area was referred to as “Northstar Country” for all the freedom seekers that found refuge here. There were a host of other initiatives from free speech to food reform, as well as Utopian communities and other social experiments.
It was also a time of great spiritual and religious awakening.
Charles Grandison Finney, a lawyer by trade, had an epiphany in North Adams one day and became a minister and is credited with starting America’s Second Great Awakening.
Joseph Smith created Mormonism.
It was also the birthplace of the New Age movement.
A variety of protestant offshoots or denominations sprouted.
The area was also referred to as the “Burnt Over District” because the spiritual wildfires burned passionately and what was born one day seemed to be burnt over by something new the next.
The Founding of Spiritualism
Long before the Fox sisters heard their spirit rappings in Hydesville (near Rochester) in 1848 and the Spiritualist mania of the mid-19th century began, there was Emanuel Swedenborg.
Swedenborg, born in Sweden in 1688, was a scientist until 1741 when at the age of 53 he began to have mystical experiences. This culminated with his spiritual rebirth and the cataloguing of the unseen or spiritual world. He became a traveler in this world, visiting heaven and hell and communicating with its inhabitants.
While he reaffirmed eternal life, he also shattered the conventional wisdom of the day by empowering people with the possibility of communication with the spirit world.
Anton Mesmer, a French physician, contributed to the belief in an unseen world through his doctrine of “animal magnetism” that there was an energy transfer between animate and inanimate objects.
He also developed, “mesmerism” or what we call hypnotism.
Mesmerists would put people into trance for health reasons and to communicate or gain knowledge of the spiritual world. They provided a vehicle and means for communication to this other dimension.
Andrew Jackson Davis, the Poughkeepsie Seer, appeared on the national stage a few years before the Fox sisters and has been called Spiritualism’s “St. John the Baptist.” It is said that he had an epiphany on a hill outside of Poughkeepsie; the next day found himself 40 miles away in the Catskill Mountains claiming to have encountered Emanuel Swedenborg and Greek philosopher and physician Galen.
Like Edgar Cayce he began to do healings using his clairvoyance. Based upon revelations received, he published the Principles of Nature in 1847, in which he presented a cosmology of the unseen world and noted how Spirits communicate with us, “[a]nd the world will hail with delight the ushering in of that era when the interiors of men will be opened, and the spiritual communion will be established.”
This work would serve as the doctrine or scriptures for Spiritualism.
So the ground was fertile when the Fox sisters heard their rappings in 1848. They popularized the movement causing its membership to surge into the millions. Under the auspices of their sister Leah, they also commercialized it (Slater Brown).
A Radical Movement
Spiritualism became the rage and saw many converts or participants to it for a variety of reasons.
It empowered people and liberated them from the control of the church that saw itself as the sole medium to the divine. It offered hope and intimacy with the divine and salvation compared to the Calvinist doctrine of predestination and said that we are all evolving and could determine our own destiny.
It also offered the hope to communicate with deceased relatives at a time of high mortality, particularly after the Civil War.
It also empowered women.
Mediums were primarily women and were given prominence and spoke publicly, which was unheard of at the time. Not surprisingly, many advocates for women’s rights became Spiritualists.
Ann Braude, in her book “Radical Spirits,” notes that the popularity of Spiritualism within the women’s movement saying that, while many women’s advocates were spiritualists, not all were, but all Spiritualists were women’s advocates.
Spiritualism would become involved with many social causes, many of which burned passionately in the Burnt Over District.
To be continued.
Madis Senner is founder of the Spirit House Society, a group committed to the purchase and preservation of the nationally recognized historic monument.
(Wampsville, NY – Oct. 2011) Madison County Commissioners of Elections Lynne M. Jones and Laura P. Costello announced last week that the Madison County Board of Elections office in the county office building, Wampsville, will be open four evenings and two Saturday mornings previous to the General Election scheduled for Nov. 8.
The extended hours are to provide an opportunity for those who cannot get in to the Board of Elections during regular hours to apply for an absentee ballot to vote. Applicants may apply and vote at the time of visit.
The evenings will be as follows:
Tuesday, Oct. 25, and Thursday, Oct. 27, from 5 to 7 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 31, and Thursday, Nov. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The Saturday mornings will be as follows:
Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon.
It is too late to register to vote for this General Election. This time is merely to assist those who wish to vote by absentee ballot.
For more information, call (315) 366-2231.
General Election Notice
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Statutes of this State that at the General Election to be held in this state on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November, which is Nov. 8 the following may be lawfully voted for, to wit:
Madison County Judge – County, Surrogate’s & Family Courts
City of Oneida: mayor, city chamberlain, two supervisors for Wards 1-2-3, two supervisors for Wards 4-5-6, one councilmember Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Also, in each town, the following may be voted for:
Supervisor, except in the town of Madison
Town clerks, except the towns of Brookfield, Eaton, Lenox, Lincoln and Madison
Highway superintendent, except the towns of Lenox, Lincoln and Madison
Town justice will be voted on in DeRuyter, Georgetown, Lenox (2), Lincoln (2), Madison, Nelson and Smithfield
Town council (2)
In the town of Fenner only, there will be voting for tax collector
In the town of Lincoln only, there will be voting for town clerk/collector – two-year vacancy
In the town of Eaton, two local ballot proposals
In the city of Oneida, one local ballot proposal
