Dear Editor,
This is in response to some of the comments and letters to the editor in the March 8 edition of the Pennysaver. There is a rumor going around on disbanding the police department, it’s just that, a rumor.
Phoebe Morris stated in her letter that Ann Lockwood, after the flood of 2011, voted to disband the Owego Police Department (OPD), which is untrue. I sat on that board and the only motion made was to abolish the village, I made that motion.
The former mayor wanted to cut personnel in the OPD to keep the budget down. The former chief of police said he would resign in order to keep the budget down.
Shortly after that the village decided they needed a police chief. Later the new chief wanted to hire a new officer that had no training and she wanted to send him to the police academy.
The board at that time was Phoebe Morris, Jenny Ceccherelli, Doug Worden, Earl Hoffman, Ray Rushing and myself. This man was sent to the academy with the village paying the cost, plus we paid a full-time officer’s salary to a man with no training. He did not serve as a police officer in the village. Again I voted no.
The Rebuild Owego Party wants you to believe they helped rebuild Owego after the flood; there hasn’t been any new businesses built in Owego since the Main Street plaza. Beware of rumors and scare tactics.
I was labeled as a no voter. I am not a member of any party. I voted the way I thought was right for the village, not to make myself look good.
Sincerely,
Jim Legursky
Owego, N.Y.
