Letter To The Editor – Some Hard Feelings

To the Editor:
I would like to thank New Lebanon Fire Chief Bud Godfroy and the LVPA for assisting with the tragic accident that occurred at my home on March 24th. Oh wait…you didn’t. Had you responded, your snide comments to the injured parties about the accident being “interesting” or your comrades’ questioning my family if there was under-age drinking, would have been put to rest.
Had you responded, you would have been able to assist with many innocent people that suffered severe injuries, rather than sit at the local coffee shop to get your chuckles. I guess your political aspirations and affiliations well exceed your humanity.
I would like to thank “Judge” Jack Nevers and his wife June for stopping at the end of our driveway to take pictures the day after the accident and interrogate my 12 year old son with questions about the accident (and laughing when you were told to move along). One would think someone in your position would have the decency to leave my family alone rather than try to create a story for our local paper. Perhaps, “Judge,” you should focus your time obtaining your certification so that you can actually earn the money our town pays you.
I would like to thank Gail Heinsohn for the wonderful reporting of this accident, and hoping to find some sort of wrongdoing for my throwing a surprise 40th birthday party with my family and friends. I thank her for also, finally, refraining from libeling me (at least she is smart enough to realize I am no longer a public official) but continuing to harass me because of her own personal ill feelings toward me. Perhaps New Lebanon should have a reporter that does not LIVE in the town they report about.
I would like to thank the editors of the Chatham Courier and Register Star that did not find the under-age drinking that led to 26 arrests in my town this past January to be any story at all (probably because the arrests occurred at the Republican Supervisor’s home) and made the 19 under-age drinking arrests in Ghent a 2nd page blurb, while a picture of my home was on the front page. Apparently our local papers feel that Former Judge Poppey’s deck collapse was much more important than the need for awareness in our communities for our youth.
Lastly, I would truly like to thank Former Fire Chief Ben Wheeler, and his wife Sharon for coming to check on us and offer assistance as well as MANY people from the community that have offered their prayers and support. I want to thank the many colleagues and fellow town and county officials that I worked with who also came through with well wishes to my family and friends that were injured. I want to thank Chatham and Valatie Ambulance Squads for their prompt assistance and a very special thank you to Max Rose and Andrew Darcy for their wonderful help with the injured that evening. Though I am disappointed with the actions of a select few of the local officials during this very difficult time, I am happy to know that most of my fellow residents are among the majority for humanity. Thank you.
Darcy L. Poppey
Cemetery Road, New Lebanon