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First, I must apologize for writing this letter.
I am uncomfortable being forced to defend myself and Pinegrove Ranch due to the malicious mailing of an anonymous letter. As owner/operator of Pinegrove Ranch, I have always strived to be a good neighbor. Over the years our little ranch has improved, day by day, dollar by dollar. It has never been easy, but our hard working employees have dedicated their lives to making Pinegrove Ranch a popular family destination. Recently, all of us received letters from Concerned Rochester Republicans, negatively characterizing myself and Pinegrove Ranch.
I am not a public official and have no intention of becoming a candidate. I vote for people, not political parties. I have made political donations to Democrats and Republicans, including a donation to Pam Duke's first campaign for Supervisor. One of the many organizations I support is the Rochester Republican Club. My membership in this Club is their justification for attacking me and the ranch. Disparaging comments and untrue statements are no longer reserved for national politics. Concerned Rochester Republicans are not concerned about Republicans; they are trying to divide Republicans. The Club's goals are simple: lower taxes and a town that fosters the growth of working families. Including Pinegrove Ranch in this letter, demeans the efforts of hundreds of employees over the years who volunteered their time and efforts to benefit Rochester's many non-profit organizations and the community as a whole.
There are a few inaccuracies in this mailing, concerning myself and the Pinegrove Ranch that I would like to correct:
1) I own less than 1000 acres in Rochester and do not have current or future plans to convert my resort ranch into a housing development with "rows and rows of houses." In the last ten years I have built one house, my home.
2) Pinegrove Ranch is not the largest employer in Rochester and never has been. We are a small family resort ranch and employ dedicated individuals, mostly from the towns of Rochester and Wawarsing.
3) Pinegrove Ranch did not "lay-off" its workforce this past Christmas. We were open for our Family Winter Holiday; Christmas Eve through New Year's Day.
I did honk my horn at the last Town Board Meeting and encouraged others to do the same. I did not drive on the side walk, as stated in the letter. My car was parked by the Town Garage and I moved it to the front of Town Hall, between two rows of parked cars. I mistakenly thought that the Town Board was holding an illegal meeting. It turns out that under the NYS Open Government Law, the Town Board is not required to accommodate all those that wish to attend.
All the misstatements and distortions in the Concerned Rochester Republicans' letter are for one political purpose: to distract residents from a current issue before the Town Board, Manuela Mihailescu. This mailing was a deceitful political tactic intended to divide Republicans and re-direct the focus of town residents. In short, they are attempting to create a new "headline" because the issue in front of the Town Board is ugly and embarrassing. This current Town Board "mess" has nothing to do with me, Pinegrove Ranch, Republicans or the Republican Club. The question all Residents should be asking is "What really happened to Manuela Mihailescu behind the closed doors of the Town Board?" We have only heard one side of the story.
Go to the March 1st Town Board Meeting this Thursday, and decide for yourself; did the Town Board act appropriately?
David F. O'Halloran
Owner/Operator
P.S. — To all those that returned their postcards with words of encouragement... THANKS. |
