Former Cobleskill Mayor William Gilmore has announced that he will be seeking a seat on the Village Board of Trustees in this November's election. The seat is currently held by Rebecca Thillet, of the Community Matters Party, who was appointed by Mayor Sellers when Trustee Brinkman stepped down.
Mayor Gilmore was perhaps best known for his decision to extend water and sewer services to the proposed Lowe’s development even though it was to be located outside of the Village of Cobleskill. That decision was reversed soon after Mayor Sellers took office.
In the two years since Gilmore left office, Cobleskill’s politics has become especially bitter, with rivalries between Deputy Mayor Sandy MacKay and Tea Party activists Mark Galasso (a village trustee) and Bob LaPietra (a 2005 candidate for Mayor). Furthermore, the decision not to extend services to the proposed Lowe’s development has caused a rift between Town and Village officials.
Most likely, Gilmore will exploit these rifts in order to position himself as a moderating or healing force in Cobleskill politics. If he wins a seat on the Village board, no doubt he will try to get his old job back in 2009.
7 comments:
Sean, I could not agree with you more. What Cobleskill needs is a man of vision like Bill Gilmore calling the shots. Unfortunately, the only contested election he's ever won was for "Biggest Douche in the Universe".
Bill Gilmore! "A moderating or healing force ... "
When I contacted then "Mayor Gilmore," on behalf of the Thomas Paine Project, and offered to put on a series of free youth orientated music events (punk rock, et al), at what is euphemistically called, "Teen Town," Bill told me that the room wasn't big enough for such an event.
I countered that there was enough room for the Golding Park "Adult Cafe" folks to hold their events at "Teen Town," -- so why not shows for "Teens?"
After some additional deliberation, Mayor Gilmore agreed to allow the Thomas Paine Project to host the shows, however TPP would have to post a one million dollar bond and provide three armed security officers at each show.
"Three armed guards" because it's an event for local "Teens!"
And then there's his antipathy for "Skateboarders" ...
But that's another story, and the bottom line is; Bill Gilmore, and his supporters, are the same people who support George Bush.
Duh!
Yes, I get it - Bill Gilmore is like, so not cool man!
But you're right though, I actually think he has been a divisive figure for his role in pushing the skateboard ban and for maintaining youth-unfriendly policies in general. In my post, I'm only observing what seems to be happening, not saying I agree with it...cause I don't. But if you read the Times-Journal editorial from this week: "Welcome Back", you'll see what I mean. Yeah it's stupid, but the Times-Journal is very pro-Gilmore it seems and will try to craft an image of Gilmore as a "moderating and healing force". I just hope you're not the only one who isn't buying it.
Two items:
1. Bill Gilmore will say whatever he thinks his current listener wants to hear, and as Abraham Lincoln observed of Stephen Douglas, he too "can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know."
2. The Times Journal's publisher is in the business of selling papers. I'm not sure he's pro- or anti- anything or anyone, despite editorial statements.
Yeah okay,
for point one, that's kind of a general criticism that could apply to any politician really.
for point two, I'm not sure if your reading the TJ's editorials lately. The second to last issue (I don't have the exact date to cite) featured an editorial entitled "Welcome Back" which was about Bill Gilmore. The other editorial which was completely full of crap was about how the current village officials were bungling things up so bad (i.e. water policy). There's undoubtedly a biased view coming from the Times Journal.
Bill was a wise man who did the best with what he had. Most people with his health problems (blindness, loss of a leg and 4 major heart surguries would have stayed home. Bill went out and lived like a lion. Agree or not with his politics, he had the interest of Cobleskill in his heart. He put his the town first and himself second. It is easy to criticize but who else in recent history did more for this town?
joe
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE NAME (SLOUGHTER ) COMES FROM THE REVOLUTION AND A COMMANDER WHO'S NAME WAS SLOUGHTER, THE ORIGINAL NAME WAS SLAUGHTER BOYS BOYS CUT DOWN TO JUST SLOUGHTER
Post a Comment