To the Editor:
Generally, I look forward to reading The Eastwick Press in order to keep abreast of community events, politics, view the photos and read there related stories. Although, I enjoy reading many of these local articles, I was overwhelmed by the attention the Grafton Town Board meeting received in the March 25 edition. What surprised me even more was how misrepresented my statement to Kathleen Bly was written and that it appeared without quotes. For this, I would like to set-the-record straight.
For those who have been following Grafton Town politics, I have always supported and worked hard to provide funding for the Town’s Official Website. The citizens attending the Town Board meetings in recent years have echoed their sentiments to have the website available and regularly updated. It is my belief the citizens of the Town should know how to access their representatives; obtain general information and guidance on procedural issues. This information could be made available through the Town’s Official website. Unfortunately, the funding for the website was eliminated during past budget negotiations. My purpose for answering Kathleen’s question was that she and the citizens attending the meeting deserved an explanation from their Town Officials.
In any event, I do believe my comment was misrepresented, impart due to the absence of quotation marks identifying my statement. While the absence of quotation marks may be an oversight, the article gives the impression I am in support of raising property taxes to provide funding for the website. While, I am in support of the website, I do not support increasing property taxes unnecessarily. In fact, I was the only Town Board member who voted against the proposed 2011 Town budget, as I felt it did not adequately represent the issues presented at the public hearing.
In closing, I would urge all citizens to become involved with their government and get to know those who represent you locally. It is through this process that government can be held accountable and remain responsive to the people they serve.
Barbara Messenger,
Town Councilperson
NY Rt. 2, Grafton
Editor’s Response: Why be overwhelmed at the attention the Grafton meeting got in our last edition. The beginning of the story and the letters in these pages attest to the need for some in-depth coverage in Grafton, a need we have not met in recent years.
Regarding Messenger’s “misrepresented statement,” I, too, would like to set the record straight. When a statement is attributed to a public figure without quotation marks it is a paraphrase – most readers understand that. This is what I wrote – Board Member Barbara Messenger said that the Board had briefly discussed the issue of the cost of renewing the maintenance contract for the website during the budget discussions.
This is what my recorder says she said, which I will put in quotes – “Kathy, I can tell you that both of those topics [Town Clean-up Day and the website] were discussed at a budget workshop meeting, that I can tell you. However, they didn’t make it to the budget, unfortunately.”
The reader can decide the level of misrepresentation. In this letter, clearly, Messenger is for funding the website. She might have explicitly said so at the meeting.