RFH 2010, To the Editor

Election Letters

Tue, Jun 08, 2010

Campaign for Justice Not About Future of Village Court

Radio Free Hamilton was wise in not including the candidates for Village Justice in the questionnaire about issues facing the Village.  As Tom Bogan said when asked about such issues at the Forum on May 27, such matters are the responsibility of the Village Board. Bogan said that, if elected, his responsibility would be simply to deal with cases that came before the court.  Nevertheless, the issue of the future of the Village Court has been introduced into some campaigning for the position of Justice.   

Voters should be clear about two matters: first, the Village Board knew when it deferred action on the future of the Court this Spring that New York law forbids dissolution of a court during the term of an elected justice. There will be a Village court until 2014. A particular justice cannot "Save the Court" unless he is re-elected in subsequent elections-and lives forever. 

Second, Tom Bogan, the nominee of the Democratic and Community Parties, has taken NO position with regard to the future of the court.  When the current justice had announced his preference for retirement, some of us tried hard to find a qualified person to run.  Leaders of the major parties shared their worries about whether we would be able to find someone for this job.  

It seemed serendipitous when one of us met a new neighbor, Tom Bogan.  Learning about his legal credentials, she talked about the need for a candidate for Village Justice - and he showed some interest.  The fact that he was interested in the position of Village Justice was made clear in an interesting way when he was interviewed by the Nominating Committee for the Village Democratic Committee.  When it was explained that in an upcoming meeting the Village Board would be considering whether to abolish the court and have the justice function taken over by the Town of Hamilton., Tom said, "Then is this a 'bait and switch'?"  This shows that he was attracted to the "bait" of Village Justice that we had offered. 

The current campaign for justice is not about the future of the village court.  Tom Bogan has taken no position on this matter-nor have leaders of the Democratic party here asked him to do so. 

Wanda Warren Berry, Chair, Town of Hamilton Democratic Committee

Husband Supports His Wife, The Candidate

It has been gratifying to read the outpouring of support for my wife of 43+ years in her run for Village Trustee.  It's clear that people in Hamilton have recognized her talents and abilities to serve as Trustee.  I'd like to add some further insight, not as a spouse, but as an observer of the person whom I have known and loved for all these years.

Debbie has that wonderful combination of brains and compassion that will make her an excellent trustee.  She has taught preschoolers in the first Head Start program back in the 1960s and difficult college students as a professor at the University of Delaware.  She reinvented herself with a post doctoral fellowship and entered into private psychology practice after achieving tenure at U of D.  All the while she was engaging in her productive professional career, she served on various Boards of Directors, The Newark Day Nursery, Big Brothers Big Sisters of DE, The Fairville School, to name some and also supervised therapists at the battered women's shelter in DE.  With Ron Hamlen in the Lyme disease support group we founded in 2003, she has published three journal articles and a book chapter on the effects of the disease on children.  Other letters illustrate her participation in Hamilton area organizations, Madison Lane and the Southern Madison Heritage Trust, etc. 

Community service with compassion and professional excellence are qualities that will serve her well as a Trustee.  Her knowledge of village history and the view of changes over the decades give her a special perspective and her willingness to speak her mind will make sure new ideas are brought forward at trustees' meetings.  I heartily support her candidacy. 

Harvey L. Kliman

Sill Kliman Supported by Bob McVaugh

I have gotten to know Deb Kliman through her work on the Village Zoning Revision Committee to which she was appointed last year because of her steady and informed interest in Planning and Zoning in Hamilton.  Her participation within the Committee is marked by deep familiarity with the Village and a willingness to engage a wide range of ideas and options.  
She does not come to the committee's important task with an axe to grind, and she is wise enough not to look for simple solutions to complex issues facing the community.  She takes on and completes assignments  reliably, and I am sure she will carry the same wisdom and energy to a term as Village Trustee.

Deb has a deep understanding of local traditions at the same time that she recognizes that communities always evolve if they are to remain vital.  I believe that she could be counted on to safeguard and support the special quality of life that characterizes  the Village of Hamilton.

Bob McVaugh

Todds Support Sill Kliman

Deborah Sill Kliman is a candidate for Village Trustee. Debbie has qualities which will make her an important addition to the Board.      

First, Debbie is thoughtful.  Whether she sits on the Zoning Revision Committee or the Board of Madison Lane as Treasurer, Debbie considers all aspects of a problem before making a decision.  The future of housing in our village is a question facing many residents; Debbie's experience on these boards has given her insight into the needs and expectations of citizens.           

Debbie is generous.  Since moving back to Hamilton with her husband Harvey in 2006, she has committed herself to volunteer work at Community Memorial Hospital, and is on the steering committee of Life Long Learning.           

Debbie is intelligent.  She was Valedictorian of her class when she graduated from Hamilton Central School.  She has degrees from Vassar, The Bank Street College and the University of Pennsylvania.  As a professional Psychologist, now retired, she is a proven collaborative team builder, a problem solver, an expert at communication.           

Debbie's roots are deep here.  As a native of Hamilton, Debbie has the perspective of life here as it has been, and life as it can be in the future.  Perhaps this is why the Mayor appointed Debbie to the Historical Commission for the Village.             

Debbie is an athlete.  She can be seen on her morning walk throughout the village, and enjoys summer and winter sports on nearby trails.  She cares about open space and about the future of agriculture in our area, is active in the Chenango Canal Association and in Southern Madison Heritage Trust.           

After college, Debbie and Harvey moved to Chadds Ford, PA, where they lived and worked for thirty years.  Now that they have returned to live in the Sill family home on West Pleasant Street, they have become valuable members of the community.  Debbie is eager to continue contributing to her beloved Hamilton by serving as Trustee.           

Please join us in voting for Debbie Sill Kliman for Village Trustee on June 15, 2010.  The polling place for the Hamilton Village Election is the Hamilton Public Library Community Room.  Please visit www.hamiltondemocrats.org for more information about Debbie and other candidates endorsed by the Democratic Party.  

Carolyn and Bill Todd 

Moran & Kerber Support Sill Kliman

We are writing in strong support of Deborah Sill Kliman's candidacy for election as Hamilton Village Trustee. We have known Debbie for many years, as the daughter of our late neighbor across the street, Patricia Sill, and later when she and her husband moved to Hamilton in 2006. Debbie is a native Hamiltonian and graduate of Hamilton Central School who chose to return after a distinguished career as an educator and clinical psychologist in private practice. After receiving her B.A. from Vassar and M.A. from The Bank Street College, Debbie began her career as a first grade teacher and director of a Head Start program in New Jersey. She received a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and was a professor at the University of Delaware, as well as a staff psychologist at a private agency. She later began a private clinical practice which she maintained for many years.

When Debbie and her husband Harvey decided to move back to Hamilton, they began a very "active" retirement, full of volunteering and community service. Debbie serves as Treasurer of Mid-York Senior Homes (Madison Lane) and Secretary of the Southern Madison Heritage Trust. She is an active volunteer at Community Memorial Hospital and a member of the Auxiliary. Among the other local organizations that have benefitted from Debbie's energy are the Chenango Canal Association, the Life Long Learning Steering Committee, the Hamilton Historical Commission, the Zoning Revision Committee, the Syracuse Symphony Committee, and the village Democratic Party.

These life experiences and commitments make Debbie a wonderful candidate for Village Trustee. She brings to the position previous work in public education, academe, and as a small business owner. She clearly has the background, ability, and desire to work with all the constituencies in our small but complex village, including the university, the business community, and all the stakeholders who value our beautiful rural location. She is a vibrant and enthusiastic neighbor who brings great zest and energy to everything she does. We are delighted to support Deborah Sill Kliman for Village Trustee.

Mary Moran and Jordan Kerber

Sill Kliman Introduces Herself

I'd like to introduce myself because I'm running for the Village Board of Trustees in the June 15 election and want to ask for your vote.

I was born and grew up in Hamilton, graduating from HCS in 1959 as Valedictorian. Many of you may remember my mother, Patty Sill and my aunt, Prudence Hawkins who was Hamilton's public librarian for many years.  Harvey and I visited family often, now live in the family home on West Pleasant Street and are delighted to live here.

Why vote for me?  I believe I have the education, skills and personal qualities to be an active, effective and informed member of the Board of Trustees.  I have a doctorate in clinical psychology and have taught at the University of Delaware as well as running a psychology private practice for 25 years.  These experiences have given me keen insight into working effectively and supportively with people from many different walks of life.  I am an excellent team player and skilled in helping groups reach compromise.

I am known as a "get things done" person.  If given a job, I'll do it promptly and effectively.  I also know when to consult others who might be more informed about an area than I am.

Growing up in Hamilton gave me a valuable picture of the village in the '40's and '50's when the business community was thriving, yet I've seen both the positive and negative changes which have occurred since then.

I am a very active member of the community and serve on several boards and committees, including appointments by Mayor McVaugh to the Historical Commission and the Zoning Revision Committee.  Through this work, I'm aware of many concerns about high property taxes, the need to bring more businesses to Hamilton and increase the residential stock, and issues about Colgate student behavior in the village.

I am eager to serve as a Trustee for the reasons mentioned above.  I have the energy, strong interest, ability to learn quickly and skills to be an effective Trustee.

Thank you for your vote.

Deborah Sill Kliman

Group Urges Support of Bogan

We urge voters to take the rare opportunity of electing Tom Bogan, a trained and experienced attorney and arbitrator, to the position of Village of Hamilton Justice. Usually villages and towns do not have a chance to elect as justice someone who is a member of the New York State Bar. But Hamilton does!  The modern world is complex and local justice courts benefit from education and experience with the law. Tom is ready to serve when elected, not needing the training New York requires of persons without legal credentials.   

Tom Bogan lived almost all of his 58 years in Clinton, a nearby village that, like Colgate, is a college town, with all of the benefits as well as problems that involves.  He practiced law and served various jurisdictions for 15 years in the Utica area. He also took his turn at various kinds of community service in the Clinton area: e.g., school board membership, leadership of athletic organizations for youth, planning boards. 

Since 1994 Tom Bogan has served as an insurance arbitrator, a position which is like that of a judge, hearing cases in the region from Buffalo to Albany.  He has had immense experience of the challenges of making judgments that are fair to all parties. 

Tom Bogan's sense of humor, mature perspectives, as well as his experience of the joys and tribulations of youth and family life were shared during the nominating process. He is registered as an unaffiliated voter and had hoped he could be put before the Village in a nonpartisan election.  When that did not work out, Tom accepted the Democratic endorsement as well as the independent "Community Party" line on the ballot.   

The controversies of the spring have been settled for now. The Village Court cannot consolidate with the Town Court during the four-year term for which a justice is being elected. The claim that the Court makes a large amount of money for the Village was contradicted by the actual figures of what remains after accounts are settled with the state. That does not really matter, since the point is to administer justice. 

The village benefits greatly when additional citizens choose to live here and, especially, when they are willing to serve the community. Vote for Tom Bogan for Hamilton village justice on June 15^th. 

Donald Berry and Wanda Warren Berry

Jim Bona

Joanne Geyer

Clara Lantz

Charlie and Susan Naef

William and Carolyn Todd

Lura 'Has What It Takes to Help Our Village'

We are fortunate to have a host of qualified candidates running for Village office in the upcoming election. I am proud to speak on behalf of Russ Lura.

Russ has served this village and Madison County for over thirty years in a variety of capacities that are already well documented. He has also quietly served the youth of our community for years, as an officer in the Little League, AYSO; and, our senior citizens, as Chair of the Board of the Madison Lanes Senior Homes.

Russ brings to the trustee position a rare wealth of experience in planning, budgeting, and community development, as well as a
commitment to and love for our youth and seniors.  He has what it takes to help our village creatively and responsibly respond to the challenges that we all know will face us as we seek keep Hamilton a wonderful place to live, learn, and raise a family.

Harry Jarcho

Lura Explains Why He is Running

I am running for the office of Village Trustee.  I believe I have the required skills and experience to be a good Trustee, and I hope I can count on your vote.  I have been endorsed by the Democratic Party and am running on both the Community Party and Democratic Party lines.

My goal as Trustee would be to ensure that Hamilton remains a good place to live with affordable taxes and a strong economic base.  Village residents and the Village Board have worked hard over the years to achieve the quality of life we now have, and I think I can bring additional expertise to ensure that we continue to prosper.

My experience includes being the Planning Director for Madison County for 21 years. As Director, I was involved in many planning, economic development, environmental, and community development activities throughout the County-all issues that the Village Board confronts on a regular basis. I was responsible for developing two business parks, assisted in the development of three others-and in Hamilton, I was in charge of developing the master plan that led to the purchase of the airport property, wrote grants that brought over $400,000 to the airpark, and developed and administered the Empire Zone Program that included the Hamilton Airport and business park.  I also developed and administered a small business loan program that is still available for use by area businesses.

In 2005,  I served as the first Madison County administrator for 3 years, during two of which I was also the Budget Officer, responsible for preparing and administering the County's $110,000,000 budget.  During those two years, despite an increase in the total budget, both the tax rate and tax levy went down-a very unusual event in today's environment.  I retired in 2008.

My community service includes the Board of Directors of the Hamilton Little League (when the Hook Wiltse Fields were developed)  Board of Directors of the Community Action Board, and Board of Madison Lane Senior Homes. where I am currently serving as Board president. I also volunteer at the Hamilton Food Cupboard.

I believe my knowledge of municipal affairs, my experience in planning, zoning, economic and community development, and my commitment to public service make me a good candidate for Village Trustee. I hope you will vote for me on June 15^th.

Russ Lura

Bona Supports Sill Kliman

We all know how great the village of Hamilton is as a place to live.  Many of us also know how great Hamilton is to raise your children and send them to school here.  There are also many who know how great Hamilton is as a place to retire to.  Debbie Sill Kliman knows how great Hamilton is because she grew up here as a child and went to school here.  She and her husband, Harvey, have also decided to return here to Hamilton to retire.

Retirement is not a passive activity for either of the Klimans.  Since their return here, they have both thrown themselves passionately into many volunteer and civic organizations to offer their unique talents and energies.  (To name a few that Debbie is involved in:  Treasurer of the board of Madison Lane, Secretary of Southern Madison Heritage Trust, member of the Village Zoning Revision Committee, member of the Village Historical Commission,  member of the Syracuse Symphony Committee, secretary for the Town of Hamilton Democratic Committee.)

This is why I am heartily recommending that you vote for Debbie Sill Kliman for village trustee on election day, 15 June.  She will devote herself to working for the people of the village of Hamilton as a public servant, as she has devoted herself to the many organizations that she belongs to here in the village.  You have to know that a person who moves back to the place where they grew up as a child after being away for many years must hold that place in very high regard.  If what Debbie has already offered back to Hamilton is any indication of what she will do in the future, you can be sure that casting your vote for her will be well worth it.

Jim Bona, Trustee, Village of Hamilton

Bogan Seeks Support for Village Justice

I am running as a candidate for Hamilton Village Justice. Since I am a relative newcomer to the community, my background and my interest in this position are not widely known. Allow me to introduce myself.

Until recently, I have lived my entire life 20 miles up the road in Clinton.  In high school (Class of 1969), I played football and hockey against Hamilton High School, and am happy to say that my one-time sports rivals are now my friends and neighbors.

After an undergraduate career interrupted by two years of military service, I graduated from Hamilton College and Cornell Law School, and returned home to practice law and raise a family.  After working as an attorney for 15 years, and after narrowly missing appointment as a Federal Magistrate, I accepted a full time job as an Arbitrator that I still hold. Five years ago, when the last of my four children left home, I sold my house in Clinton and moved to Hamilton.

I agreed to run for Village Justice initially believing that the incumbent wished to retire after a long and distinguished career. That not being the case, I have accepted the spot on the Democratic line, even though I am not affiliated with any political party.  I have had some experience of life, including the inside of courtrooms, and I would not have agreed to run for this position if I didn't think I could perform it well.

I chose to live in Hamilton because of the friendly, small-town rhythm of life punctuated by the sports and cultural opportunities offered by Colgate University.  I believe that the unique blend of town and gown here offers the best of both worlds. My platform, if one can call it that, is simple:  I would seek to maintain the safety and harmony of our village while, at the same time, preserving the rights and dignity of all those who come before me.

I believe I am qualified for this position by education, experience, and temperament.  My wife does too. Please consider voting for me on June 15.

Tom Bogan