Opinion: Bethel Resident Supports Will Duff

Editor’s note: Bethel Patch will accept letters to the editor on behalf of political candidates through Wednesday, Oct. 28. Email your letter to wendy.mitchell@patch.com.

A Letter to the Editor from J. Philip Gallagher:

To the Editor:

First Selectman Knickerbocker has had six years to make Bethel a better town. He has not succeeded but only made things worse. It is time for a change. Bethel needs Will Duff who knows Bethel and understands its form of government.

You will not see Will Duff trying to sell off Bethel’s land and water assets as Mr. Knickerbocker tried to do because he couldn’t deal with Danbury over a water tank.

You will not see Will Duff changing the budget process as Mr. Knickerbocker has done because he doesn’t like the Board of Finance.

You will not see Will Duff changing the town meeting date and making it more difficult for the Board of Finance to enact an accurate budget as Mr. Knickerbocker has done.

You will not see Will Duff having Town employees move to cut off discussion at Town Meetings as has happened under Mr. Knickerbocker.

You will not see Will Duff turn down a State grant to renovate the old town for a Youth Center as Mr. Knickerbocker did.

You will see Will Duff supervising Town employees and not letting them improperly obligate Bethel financially as Mr. Knickerbocker most recently did.

You will see Will Duff working with the Board of Finance and providing proper budget leadership, which Mr. Knickerbocker has never done during his six years in office.

You will see Will Duff keeping citizens informed and not secretly conducting Town business as Mr. Knickerbocker did with the water sale deal.

You will see Will Duff following proper procedure and not try to raise the transfer station fees without a public hearing as Mr. Knickerbocker did.

And lastly you will see Will Duff conducting Bethel’s business in a calm, courteous fashion without the temper tantrums that have characterized the current administration.

~J. Philip Gallagher