Dear Committee Member,
I am writing to you concerning an article about the Board of Elections that the Poughkeepsie Journal is planning on running. I believe that the reporter will slant the story against Democrats including myself and our hard working staff. I base this suspicion on some questions and information the reporter is being fed from the County Executive and Patricia Hohmann, the Clerk of the Legislature (former Deputy to David Gamache until January of this year).
First, let me state for the record - I am and will continue to be a strong, vocal presence for Democrats, the disenfranchised and all voters in our county. I believe that our Democratic staff at the BOE does an outstanding job on behalf of all of you.
Some of the reporter’s questions focused on hiring politically active individuals. The NYS constitution set up our office to be bi-partisan not NON-partisan. The bi-partisan structure insures a check and balance. Some Elections Commissioners are even Chairman of their County Committee.
The Dutchess County Republican Party, however, has used this office to hire politically connected people who have had other political jobs. For example:
- In 2007, when the Democrats won control of the County Legislature, the Clerk, the Deputy Clerk and an assistant were hired here at the BOE by Gamache. In fact, the party forced John Kennedy to retire to let Patricia Hohmann take his Deputy Commissioner position. In January, all three went back to the county legislature.
- Lori Patricola was the office manager for Congressman John Sweeney. When Sweeney lost to Senator Gillibrand, Lori was immediately hired here at the BOE.
- Christopher Baiano, who was a former Deputy County Clerk, was laid off by Brad Kendall but was hired here by Dave Gamache.
- Julia Pagones is the daughter of Supreme Court Justice James Pagones and Fishkill Town Supervisor Joan Pagones was hired here last December.
- Donna Shea, the Republican Town Chair in Lagrange and former Secretary to the Beekman Town Supervisor, was recently hired here as well.
This article will focus on the Democrats and the Board of Elections. It will not be fair or balanced. For the last thirty years, Republicans have used the entire County government to hire politically connected people. The Poughkeepsie Journal will ignore the Republican monopoly and will attack Democrats. I have attached a list of politically connected county employees who are Republicans.
As Commissioner, I strive to hire the most qualified and highly educated staff who happen to be Democrats. I have a Masters Degree as does Vicky Perry and Dan French. Four other Democratic staff have four year college degrees and one is working on his Masters. I will match the Democratic Board staff with any other BOE staff in the entire State. My staff has varied backgrounds with skills in all Microsoft programs, computers, web site design and development, data base creation and management, power point presentations and video production.
Working in this office is not always easy. We deal with a political dynamic that no one can really understand unless you are here every day. Some candidates have witnessed firsthand my counterpart’s antics, vindictiveness and partisan attacks, voter suppression, verbal outbursts, degrading humor and much more.
I want to assure you that I will not be deterred by these political, partisan attacks as I have been the victim of these before during my 11 years as a county legislator and ever since I became Elections Commissioner. Our staff will continue to work hard each and every day on behalf of all of you.
I am committed to running a professional office and look forward to a smooth transition with our new voting system this year. Please don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions
Fran
