THANK YOU
MILAN!
Gallagher,
Campisi & Mathison all won.
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OPINION – Editorial -
October 30, 2009
Gallagher should get nod in
Milan
The Town of Milan has
interesting choices at the
polls this November,
especially with two
distinctive supervisor
candidates with strong
personalities running
against each other.
This race pits
Republican William
Gallagher, a longtime
assessor in the town, and
Democrat Russell Frehling,
who has gotten more active
in local politics because he
believes there has been too
much political bickering
going on of late.
The town would seem
to be in good hands
regardless of who gets
elected, but Gallagher
appears to be the stronger
candidate here.
Gallagher touts his sizable
record of community service,
including serving on the
town zoning and planning
boards and chairing the
"Citizens for a Livable
Milan,'' formed to defeat a
proposed ash dump in the
town. For his part, Frehling
said there is "way too much
politics'' in town
government and vows to bring
more openness to government.
He said local planning and
zoning boards in particular
should be "not just
bipartisan but
nonpartisan.'' He said, if
elected, he would work to
make the town's Web site
more accessible and
informative.
The candidates
expressed similar views on
some key issues. They agree
the town should continue to
fight for comprehensive plan
and zoning law changes that
have been voided by a judge.
The town board is appealing
a state Supreme Court ruling
that scrapped these changes,
citing procedural problems.
The town, in part, wants to
repeal a floating light
industrial zone that has
allowed gravel mines to
expand, and there has been
considerable opposition to
such expansions in town.
Town residents have raised
concerns that a proposed
mining operation would cause
traffic, noise and dust.
Both candidates also
said they would fight
proposed changes by the
Dutchess County executive,
who wants towns to share in
the costs of sheriff's
patrols and share in some
election expenses.
Regarding his
opponent, Gallagher said, "I
have nothing against him,
but where has he been?''
Frehling counters
that he and his town council
running mates have
considerable business
experience and that the town
has to get a much better
grasp on its finances.
Considering all the work he
has done on behalf of the
town to date, Gallagher
seems a good bet here.
Editor's note:
The Journal editorial board
should point out that, due
to various scheduling
conflicts, the Milan
supervisor candidates were
not interviewed in the same
room at the same time, which
is our ideal and preference.
Rather, they were
interviewed separately on
the phone.
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