Category: Our Neighbors

2011 is an election year in the Town of Dresden so I’ll be continuing my interviews with candidates running for local office during the weeks ahead.

Today, I’m asking a few questions of Allen Wilbur, a Republican nominee who is running for one of two seats up for election on the Town Board. Allen is married to Marci Wilbur, the current Town Clerk, so don’t get confused. I ran Marci’s interview last week. Today, I ask some questions of Allen who is running for a seat on the Town Board. His responses are below.

To begin, could you tell us a little about yourself? (Education, hobbies, etc.)

Hello, my name is Allen Wilbur. I was born and raised in the town of Dresden. I graduated from Whitehall High school in 1984, I then attended the NYS Corrections Academy in 1989 and have worked in Comstock, NY since 1992. I am also a small business owner here in Dresden. My wife, Marci, and I started Lake View Blueberries in 2004 and also started our own Maple sugar house last year to add to the business. I like to fly fish and tie my own flies as well, and have given a few lessons now and then. I love to grow things in our gardens and our fruit trees are just doing awesome and get better with the passing of time.

It’s always good to have new people interested in serving. Are there any issues which spurred you to run?

I decided to run for no other reason than, I love this great little town. I would like to see it grow with a small store maybe, something more convenient for all. I have served on a budget committee for the Log Chapel in Putnam, and am a trustee for Grace Baptist Church in Whitehall.

Why should people consider voting for you?

I only want what is best for the town as a whole. I don’t want to hear about our side or their side of the mountain, I only want what’s best for all. I have always been known as a man of my word. If I don’t know the answer I don’t have a problem saying so, but I also will get the answer if I can.

Taxes have always been a big issue in Dresden. Can you give us your thoughts on Dresden’s tax policy.

Our town taxes don’t seem to be the issue. It’s the school taxes that are hurting us all.

Dresden is a large town, made up of unique sections. The different areas that make up Dresden sometimes see things differently. What is your vision for the entire town moving forward?

Like I had said before, we need to focus as one town as a whole. If we keep dividing it into separate parts we won’t accomplish anything.

Thanks Allen for taking the time to inform the voters and good luck in the election. We need people committed to making our town a better place for everyone.

2011 is an election year in the Town of Dresden. Many offices are uncontested but I’ll be asking the candidates some questions over the weeks ahead to help the readers of the Huletts Current stay informed.

Today’s candidate interview is with Marci Wilbur who is running for another term as Town Clerk. She is the incumbent, having held the office for 4 years. While she is currently running unopposed, I thought this would be an opportune time to ask her some questions about her position.

While many people know you as the Town Clerk, could you tell us a little bit about yourself? (Interests, hobbies, etc.)

I am a stay at home mother having raised a family of 6 children. Three of our children have begun their own lives and I continue to be active with my remaining three children. I enjoy hunting and fishing and raising a vegtable garden as well as flower gardens. My husband and I have a small blueberry farm located at our home as well as plants located a mile away at my parents house.

Could you tell the readers of the Huletts Current, what the duties of the Town Clerk are?

Some duties of the town clerk include distributing Washington County Recycling stickers and selling the hunting and fishing licenses. People can also come to my office to apply for a marriage license and for purchasing a dog license. I am the Local Registrar of Vital Statistics and maintain the birth/death/marriage records for our town dating as far back as 1920. As the town clerk my duty during a town board meeting is to record the minutes of business taking place.

It has been in the news recently that Town Clerk’s are responsible for marriage licenses. Does Dresden get a lot of marriage license requests and do you actually officiate marriages?

The town of Dresden does not have a lot of marriage license requests and I do not actually officiate a marriage, that is performed by clergy or magistrate.

Many people know that you are the official tax collector for the town but you probably get an earful when people have to pay their taxes. However, you don’t actually set the amount of taxes people pay?

The actual amount of taxes collected is determined by the Washington County budget process as well as the town budget process. There is a trickle down effect that occurs based on State Aid for certain programs offered by the county. A shortage in aid will increase county taxes that is passed along to the residents. There is very little amount to be raised by taxes, if any, generated in our town and most increases are due to the county level of revenue and spending. Also when there are questions of assessed value of property I am not able to answer those questions and refer to our town assessor June Maniacek.

As I understand it, you also take the minutes at all town board meetings. Are those minutes available to the public?

The minutes of each town meeting are kept in the town clerk’s office and are available to anyone who wished to read them. I have posted them on the hulettsnews website occasionally and there seems to be an interest in that continuing. I will be making an effort to follow up with that interest.

I’d finish the interview by wishing you good luck in the election, but because you’re running unopposed I think its a foregone conclusion that the voters have already made up their mind. How do you run for election when you’re unopposed?

I continue to be available to my constituents and as I continue to hold this position I am exposed to all aspects of how to effectively assist them with reliable answers to their every need. To be unopposed doesn’t automatically assure me a free ride and a guarantee. So in conlusion I welcome any comments from your readers to better serve their needs and when I don’t have the answer, I will get to the bottom of it and respond. Thank you for this opportunity to serve as your town clerk once again.

The Chapel at the Teresian House in Albany is dedicated to longtime Huletts resident, Francis DeRossi, M.D.

There are moments in life, when we all step back and remember good friends who have done good things with their lives. This was the case recently when I stopped in the Teresian House in Albany and froze in my tracks when I saw the above pictured plaque.

The Teresian House Center for the Elderly is a long term care facility for the elderly run by the Catholic Carmelite sisters. Longtime Huletts resident, Francis DeRossi was the medical director there for 27 years. Dr. DeRossi died a few years ago and is remembered fondly by many in Huletts Landing. I have many good memories of Dr. DeRossi; playing golf, fishing and just taking the time to be hospitable to so many.

I had heard that after his passing, the chapel at the Teresian House was dedicated in his honor. So when I found myself in Albany recently, I stopped in to pay a visit.

I know many people in Huletts who knew Dr. DeRossi would be interested in learning about the chapel, but are unable to stop in Albany. So I thought I would share a few pictures.

When I stopped in, I had to ask the person at the front desk where the chapel was and was directed down the first floor hallway. When I came upon the plaque commemorating the chapel in Dr. DeRossi’s name, (which is outside of the chapel), I froze because the bronze relief is so well done and his likeness is so authentic. Memories of Dr. DeRossi came flooding back to me, so I wanted to share here what I saw because so many people remember Dr. DeRossi and his many good deeds.

I have to conclude by giving the Teresian House due credit. They could not have picked a better person to commemorate their chapel in honor of. Huletts was certainly fortunate to have him as a resident for so many years.

“May God support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us a safe lodging, and a holy rest and peace at the last.”

(Click on the images to see full scale.)

Mountain Grove Guild
Presents

“Ryan Reilly”
in Concert

August 20, 2011
7:30 pm
Mountain Grove Memorial Church

Tickets $10

This afternoon, I spoke to Louise Davidson, who is the Co-Chair of the Dresden Democratic Committee. She told me that the Dresden Democratic Committee met earlier this week and did not nominate anyone to run for any town office.

“We were very disappointed,” said Ms. Davidson. “If there are any Democrats out there who would like to run, they should talk to the committee,” continued Ms. Davidson.

What does this mean? Presently, the Republicans have filed a slate of candidates and while there are other independent lines that candidates can run on, some offices may go uncontested.

I’ll have more after Labor Day and I will will still submit candidate questionnaires to all those running.