This letter is partly in response to the letter from Michael Gillette about the town of Rutland and the certain problems that the town has been having. I believe that the problem is not with the highway department, but with certain decisions made by the board.

Since Claude Phelps came into office, the roads have improved by 180 degrees, with fewer accidents due to bad road conditions, and I know I personally felt safer traveling in the morning to and from school. Before, I was lucky if the roads were plowed by the time I left my driveway, but with Mr. Phelps in office, I knew the roads would be plowed and the main road would be salted and sanded so I could safely arrive to my destination.

Certain members of the town board seem to be riding Mr. Phelps awfully hard, and it makes some wonder if they have a personal agenda against the highway superintendent or if they have no clue as to what is going on. Most votes have come down to a 3-2 decision, with the same three voting against the same two most of the time.

Another thing I cannot believe the town is letting happen is not paying their bills. Are they trying to run the town of Rutland's name into the ground by not paying their bills? I learned in economics class that if you don't pay your bills, your credit goes down the drain, and without credit, nothing can be accomplished.

Mr. Gillette needs to get his facts straight on certain issues and use firsthand information to make an informed decision about whom to choose for the town board. Kenneth Gleason has been a fine fire commissioner for the town for numerous years and I believe he is fully capable of making informed decisions on the town board. I do not believe you should bring the fire departments into a town issue, as they are separate municipalities and one's way of thinking on one issue may not be the same as the other.

The extravagant fire hall, which Mr. Gillette has mentioned, has nothing to do with the right candidate for town board. The residents of the town of Rutland got an anonymous letter last year stating some facts that were true, and some that were only partially true, and others that were downright lies and rumors. With the information that the town residents got, they made a decision based on information that was not right. The writer or writers of that letter were not brave enough to sign it and let the residents know whose opinions they were voting off of.

This year, I hope that the residents of the town of Rutland form their own opinions of each candidate and make decisions based on the facts of the matter, and not let others make the decision of who's running the town for them. The way they can do this is to attend town board meetings to watch the circus and then ask around to find out who the actual better candidate is. Talk to Mr. Gleason and Colleen Woolley and find out their stances on important issues, then go and look at the numbers from the town for the past five years, and make an informed decision. I know I will this year.

Sara A. Hall

Black River