Editor, The Spotlight;
I was disappointed to see that in last week’s Spotlight Jeff Kuhn attempted to distract the voters from the important issues by resorting to petty personal attacks and bullying. I would not typically dignify such statements with a response, however, I felt it important to set the record straight on a few of Mr. Kuhn’s assertions.
First, let me state that I am proud of the 28 years I spent serving this community as a Bethlehem Police Officer. Mr. Kuhn, however, attempts to transform my years of service to our residents into a slur by stating that I have “direct ties to the police unions,” insinuating that my many years of service to our community will bias my approach to town government. That is simply not true. Before I was a police officer I was a Town of Bethlehem taxpayer, and I remain one now. The residents of Bethlehem are the only people to whom I am beholden. Although Mr. Kuhn views my years of experience as a negative, it is actually an asset because my firsthand experience leaves me better prepared to address the challenges of keeping police costs manageable and structuring the agency to best serve the residents.
Mr. Kuhn next attempts to further malign my campaign by stating that “Mr. Harrington’s main campaign issue appears to be his claim that the town has ‘refused’ his attempted donation of a surplus dog from his business.” As an attorney, I would have expected Mr. Kuhn to have done his research and checked his facts, because this assertion is again simply not accurate. Mr. Kuhn need only refer to my palm card — which I have distributed to thousands of homes — for my main campaign platforms. None of those platforms mention a K9 unit for Bethlehem.
Although I still feel strongly that the Town should have a K9 unit to protect our community and assist in locating children and vulnerable adults who wander off during cold winter months when minutes can literally mean the difference between life and death, this is not the only issue that is important to me. However, rather than engage in constructive discussion of my many other platforms and ideas, Mr. Kuhn chooses to attack me on this narrow issue of public safety.
Mr. Kuhn along with Supervisor Clarkson and his fellow Town Board members must truly be desperate if this is how they hope to save the election after their administration has been plagued by repeated instances of mismanagement including last fall’s leaf collection debacle, the town’s involvement in the disastrous Normans Kill landslide, and the recent sexual harassment claim filed against the town by a former female employee.
Finally, Mr. Kuhn states that management of the town requires “serious professionalism, expertise and integrity” in our elected officials, and I share that view. That is why Bethlehem cannot afford another 2 years under John Clarkson’s administration. If I am elected to the Town Board, I will help restore those missing virtues to Town Hall.
Dave Harrington
Delmar
