To the editor:

Elsewhere in this newspaper and the past two weeks’ editions, you can find listings of attributes that I believe make me well-stuited to continue as Lysander’s highway superintendent. Unfortunately, our part-time Lysander town supervisor and his closest follwers would not agree. They staged an ambush at the Lysander Republican Committee nomination meeting, when they knew I would have no chance to refute their exaggerations and allegations prior to the vote.

Despite their unwarranted surprise attack, I managed to come within one or two votes of nomination anyway. That left me in the precarious position of needing to run a primary campaign. Knowing that these contests often result in long-term animosity and fractures of the party, I decided to explore other more civilized options, such as talking to the people. They are, after all, the ones the highway department is working for.

I am proud to report that nearly 200 of the Democrat, Republican, Conservative and Independent voters I spoke with are far more interested in the greater welfare of the town than petty partisan politics. That cemented my decision to follow my grandpa’s footsteps and seek the Democratic ballot position. That effort was successful and I will appear on the Democrat line on Election Day, Nov. 7.

Gene Dinsmore

Lysander Highway Superintendent