To the Editor:

Ed MacDonald is running for state representative, and I am expressing my support. I have had the opportunity to work with Ed for almost a year now, and we continue to work on the interests of the region, town, community and my department today.

As a Chief of Police, part of my responsibility is to seek additional sources of funding to support the operation and function of my department. Through Ed MacDonald’s knowledge of the legislative process, his contacts and the relationships he has established over the years, I was provided advice on whom to ask with my questions. This opened the doors to resources and grant opportunities that I can directly attribute to Ed’s professional networking. To me, this was proof that Ed already has a great working relationship with the other members of the Legislature.

One of the characteristics Ed possesses is an honest, thoughtful approach to addressing an issue or problem. Liking to meet a challenge head on, I have found Ed to do his research and give a sound opinion. I have observed Ed follow his beliefs, make some hard choices and still remain on track to the larger purpose without losing sight along the way.

It has been a pleasure working with Ed MacDonald. I believe that with Ed’s dedication and commitment, he will be an excellent state representative, and therefore I fully endorse his candidacy.

Daniel Ilnicky
Chester

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my support for Ed MacDonald, who is running for the position of state representative from the First Berkshire District. Mr. MacDonald is currently the town administrator in the community of Chester, and as the agent for the Board of Health, I have had the pleasure of working with Ed on many occasions. I have always found him to be professional, friendly and knowledgeable.

In the town of Chester, Ed works for the people. He makes it a point to get to know the residents as individuals. He always looks toward the best interests of the town and works to make those interests become reality. His background in urban planning has proven to be an asset to the town, giving him the knowledge to find ways to create jobs, to help the taxpayers put their money to work in the best, most efficient way, and to get things done correctly.

While Ed will certainly be missed as town administrator, his election to the position of state representative of the 1st Berkshire District will show you what you've been missing in a representative. He will for you and your community – because it's his community too.

Erin Kirchner
Chester
The writer is health agent for the Town of Chester.

To the Editor:

As chairman of the Chester Board of Selectmen, I had the pleasure of getting to know Ed MacDonald and working with him for over the past year. I first met Ed when the Board of Selectmen was in the process of hiring a town administrator last year at a time of chaos in the Town Hall and significant financial deficits due to cuts in local aid. We chose him because of the breadth and depth of his experience in municipal government that would be instrumental in getting our town back on its feet.

The qualities I like most about Ed was his commitment and dedication to our town and its citizens, the valuable help to the selectboard in closing a large budget deficit while maintaining all services in the FY10 budget, and the fact that he is not afraid to "roll up his sleeves" to get the job done!

I know in my heart that, if elected as your state representative, Ed will most certainly bring these same qualities to his district. He will be the kind of representative we need in Boston, dedicated to his constituents and their quality of life but cognizant of the financial difficulties the people and the state face. He will offer viable solutions to our state’s budget woes while working with his Western Mass. peers to ensure that the state’s budget is equitable. Most importantly, he will work tirelessly on your behalf and get the job done!

On Sept. 14, please vote for Ed MacDonald as your Massachusetts state representative!

Michael W. Crochiere
Chester

To the Editor:

I read with interest the letter to the editor by Herman Bishop in the September 2 Transcript concerning the race for Sherriff. While I know that as a retired police officer, Mr. Bishop has a bias towards a fellow officer, I was left wondering if we had watched the same debate. Dan Bosley clearly had the command of the issues and even Mr. Bishop’s candidate  said that he was one of the "best orators ” in the state. I believe that this is an important quality because the next Sheriff has to be a good communicator. He has to persuade others of his vision and plans. He has to negotiate contracts, sell his budget, apply and win grants, and be very clear as to the rules and regulations of the facility with inmates, guards and others. Being one of the best communicators in the state is a big plus.

However, it is not how you say something that is as important as what you say. Since Mr. Bowler didn’t propose any new ideas to meet the challenges of the jail for the third debate in a row, Mr. Bishop is left to be an apologist for his candidate and can only question the details of Dan  Bosley’ s plan.

I find that I disagree with a lot of the interpretations of the debate from the letter. For example, Mr. Bishop wrote that a lot of the programs proposed are already at the jail. Yet Mr. Bosley has demonstrated many times that the services are not there and that more is needed. Again, you have to listen to the details of the plans to understand this. Mr. Bishop criticized Bosley for the budget cut over the past two years. Notwithstanding the fact that we have been in the worst recession in the past 80 years and all programs have been cut, Mr. Bosley has been the only one who has talked about the need to seek other funding sources. He has also proposed ways to cut expenses by using new technologies and changes in the operation. So far Mr. Bowler hasn’t proposed one budgetary change.

Mr. Bishop poses the question of whether  the correctional officers are police because they direct traffic and wear a badge. I hardly think that directing traffic makes you a police officer. The Sheriff doesn’t investigate crime nor do they act as the police department. This is an administrative job.

One final note on the issue of the Sheriff being the top law enforcement officer in the county. I would ask Mr. Bishop this question: If he were a victim of a crime or saw one in progress, would he call the police department or the Sheriff’s office? Anyone who has attended any of the three debates that have been held can only come away with one inescapable conclusion. The only one of the two candidates who is qualified to become the next Sheriff based on their knowledge of the job, their experience in areas that matter, and their ability to think and communicate is Dan Bosley.
 

Wilfred Parmenter
29 Crandall Street
Adams