The Eastwick Press Newspaper

To the Editor:
For residents who didn’t attend the last monthly Town Board meeting, you had better hear what was said. It began with the Town Supervisor, Keith Cipperly, reading a prepared statement in which he verbally attacked Zeke Wright [reporter for the Bennington Banner], people on Facebook and Jim Martinez as President of the Hoosick Federal Credit Union. Character assassination seemed to be the order of the day. It’s a common tactic used when the facts are not in your favor. If you weren’t there, the following is a summary of some of what was said.
Mr. Cipperly singled out Jim Martinez and made it a point to state that Jim was the President of Hoosick Federal Credit Union. He said that Jim was not honest and that he was to blame for the damage done to Mr. Cipperly’s reputation and his family. Apparently Mr. Cipperly didn’t want to take responsibility for his own actions. After all, Jim was merely exercising his constitutional right when he foiled for a police report that referred to Mr. Cipperly as a suspect in the break-in or trespass at the HAYC3 facility. It is understandable Mr. Cipperly didn’t want everyone knowing about his involvement, but it is certain that Jim Martinez did not create that report or have any involvement with Mr. Cipperly being named as a suspect. It should be noted that Mr. Cipperly, in a previous meeting, was adamant about being able to exercise his constitutional right to carry a firearm. Yet, his stance now seems to indicate that he doesn’t believe the Constitution applies to one and all. In the meeting, when I got a chance to defend myself, I mentioned several facts that I believed everyone should know regarding his tenure as Supervisor:
1. Overspent the Town Highway Fund to the tune of $377,268 – per State audit;
2. Likely trespassed or illegally entered an area not leased by the town – per local police report;
3. Town Highway negotiations expense has increased from 0 to $10,000 to 15,000 – per Town Meeting – brought on by shoddy treatment of the Highway Department. Trustee Surdam commented on the change made to the highway insurance made by Mr. Cipperly without knowledge of the Board after he told the crew their insurance wouldn’t change;
4. Used *69 to find out where someone was calling the Town Office from only to follow up with a call to harass a local business, the Credit Union.
I will reiterate what I said at the meeting. I don’t know the Supervisor personally and don’t have a personal issue with him. I do have issues with the job that the Town Supervisor and Trustees are doing. What I do know is that the Town has engaged in behavior that would cost most people their jobs. I also know that I scare Mr. Cipperly because I only speak when I know the facts. He, however, in the words of fellow Councilman Mark Surdam, loves to use smoke and mirrors. If, as a citizen, you are okay with these types of actions, you shouldn’t have a problem not attending the meetings. If you care about the Town and want to see them stop, you had better make an effort to get involved.
As a side note, I attended that meeting as a concerned citizen of the Town of Hoosick. I did not attend nor have I written to the paper in my position as President of Hoosick Federal Credit Union. If and when I do need to represent the Hoosick Federal Credit Union in the public arena, I will do so proudly and, as always, honestly.
Signed,
Jim Martinez, Concerned Town of Hoosick Resident
Church Street, Hoosick Falls