Another interesting found on www.buffalo.com. You are not responding to the original writer. Your comments would be appreciated.

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Amherst welcomes residents' input

9/26/2003

Amherst Republican Party Committeewoman Elizabeth Freeman's recent letter attacking me for "off-camera antics" at Amherst Town Board meetings is unfair, inaccurate and certainly politically inspired.
To be blunt, I am focused on running meetings, not watching the cameras. As anyone who regularly attends meetings knows, just moving the agenda along fairly and efficiently takes a great deal of energy and concentration, especially when issues are volatile.

If Freeman attended board meetings more than rarely, she might have a different view based on her own actual experience. But distributing her letter to The News as well as a number of local Web sites smacks more of a partisan political campaign than an individual's honest opinion.

Thus far, the Amherst Republican strategy for this year's Council campaign has been "attack the supervisor" despite the fact I am not running this year. That is much easier for them than running on their track records or debating the real issues.

I invite and urge Amherst residents to attend our Town Board meetings and I welcome their close scrutiny of the board, especially as we enter the budget season. More public participation last year might have inspired the board majority to attend budget meetings, work on the budget and pass on their salary increases they attempted to add to my preliminary budget.

The public can speak at hearings, where there is no time limit, or for three minutes on any topic during Suspension of Rules at regular board meetings. Government works best as a partnership between officials and residents.

SUSAN J. GRELICK
Amherst Town Supervisor