The finger is pointing at you

August 26, 2010
This week, as last week, “community minded” people submitted letters to the editor outraged by NYS Comptroller DiNapoli’s report of what his auditors found while looking into the embezzlement of funds by former Sodus Town Clerk Linda VerHow.
On Thursday night, I witnessed Mary Ellen Fava interrogate the Sodus Town Board as she looked for answers to the DiNapoli accusation that the Town Board didn’t have the proper safeguards in place; that the Town Board wasn’t doing their job. (See letter at right from Fava.)
I received a letter from another resident of Sodus on this issue which I refused to print. Her finger pointing was so outrageous; it blamed the very person who brought Linda VerHow’s crime to light.
Last week Bill Bolling, a retired State Trooper, pointed the finger saying, “Somebody should have been watching, and trust went out in the 60’s.”
In response to the accusations – and remember they were released at a press conference by a man who is running for a very influential state office this fall – Supervisor Steve LeRoy and the Town Board appear on the defensive, they look betrayed. The accusation that they were not doing their job is what cuts deep.
As I watch all of this drama unfold, I’m asking who should we blame? Is anyone to blame beyond Linda Verhow?
I’ve been doing this job of reporting for a while now. I’ve written about town government for almost 20 years; served on town boards and have been generally involved with things all around, albeit in Williamson, but Sodus isn’t that much different. Over the years I’ve learned a few things.
The one thing that hasn’t been said is – Linda VerHow did not work for the Town Board….in fact, the board had absolutely no jurisdiction or control over what she did or did not do. Linda worked for the people of Sodus, who elected her. Linda could have told the board to go jump over Niagara Falls if she wanted to and the board could have done nothing about it. The board can’t fire her for doing a lousy job…not to mention stealing from the taxpayers…..they didn’t hire her – the people of Sodus did.
If the Town Board wanted to, they could have filed a legal suit against her, there could have been a court battle, but the board would have lost. It was only due to Linda VerHow’s confession that started the ball rolling to remove Linda from her position….that and Linda’s resignation. I know this sounds outragous, but those are the facts, based on other situations around the state.
As the finger pointing goes around, let’s look at who elected (hired) Linda VerHow to the Town Clerk position. The people of Sodus elected her. They trusted Linda, she had been Deputy Clerk for 15 years prior to being given the top job as Town Clerk. She was well known to the people and supported at the caucus and was elected. As far as the Comptroller is concerned she did a good job – up until about two years ago, when she developed an out of control gambling problem
The people could have elected someone else as Town Clerk – Mary Ellen Fava ran against her for the position in 2007, but lost. Fava ran for a spot on the Town board in 2009 (both times as a Democrat), and lost. Bill Bolling, who was unsuccessful at the Republican caucus and ran as an Independent, ran for Town Board in 2007 too, he was defeated. The people of Sodus didn’t hire them. In fact in Sodus usually the Republicans selected at caucus (now at primary elections), are hired by the voters (people) of Sodus.
Is the Town Board at fault for not doing a thorough job? Who did the people of Sodus hire? Did they hire a person with law enforcement background, who would have brought that expertise to the job? Or did they hire a person with an accounting background? No, they hired people who they knew and trusted…good Republican candidates.
I know I’m going to hell for this, but I’m going to point my finger right at the people of Sodus. Did you even suspect that Linda VerHow was going to steal from you? Of course not!
When you go to the polls this November Thomas DiNapoli is thinking that you are going to elect him because he spent your money to find out what happened in Sodus with your Town Clerk. Remember, he had up to three auditors spend five months in Sodus looking over VerHow’s records…it took them that long!?! How much did that cost you?!?
Next year, when there is another town-wide election, try not to be so single minded about who you will hire. Remember Democracy doesn’t work when there is one party controlling the elections; it only works with a good mix of community minded people who care.