Hardly a Snooze

Michael Brendan Dougherty Candidates Smith, McConville, Borkowski, and DeStefano draw lots to determine the order of speaking at the debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters in Carmel. The next debate will be August 20 in Kent. Tuesday was a steamy night in the Carmel VFW, where the League of Women Voters held a candidate forum for Carmel Town Board, Carmel Supervisor, and Putnam County Sheriff. Inadequate air conditioning in a crowded venue seemed to add to the testy tone of the gathering.

The most dramatic moment of the night came when an audience member asked about low morale in the sheriff’s department. Candidate Jim Borkowski produced a photograph of former Inspector General Patrick Perry sleeping at his desk, and asked, “How low must morale be for an officer to risk his job by taking this picture?” Borkowski had already accused Perry of being the recipient of a patronage position for managing Smith’s campaign in 2001. The Inspector General is a part-time position that pays $80,000.

Photo Provided by James Borkowski During the League of Women Voters debate, Sheriff candidate Jim Borkowski displayed this photo of Patrick Perry, the former inspector general of the sheriff’s department. Perry, who was in the audience, said Borkowski had “some nerve,” adding that he had been struggling with cancer treatment. During Borkowski’s remarks, Perry shouted from the audience that Borkowski had “some nerve” to produce a photograph taken by a “scumbag,” noting that he had been struggling with cancer treatment.

“I was just back from Sloan-Kettering,” Perry said to those in attendance. “I came back and I’m a cancer patient and some slimeball took that picture.”

Speaking to the Courier on Wednesday afternoon, Perry said Borkowski’s action was “an all-time low.”

“I have dedicated 45 years of my life in working and teaching in the criminal justice system,” Perry said. “This candidate’s actions were despicable, attacking my personal honor and reputation after I received cancer treatment.”

“I have six children and 11 grandchildren, and all I have to pass on to them is my good name and reputation,” Perry said.

On Wednesday, Sheriff Don Smith called Perry “one of the most honorable, decent, and hardworking gentlemen that I have ever known.”

“His integrity and willingness to go into harm’s way, to stand up for what is right and just, and to always look for the total truth, made him the perfect choice” for inspector general, Smith said. “I believe that this personal attack on him is the lowest of the lows, occurring in a campaign that has been riddled with lies, innuendos, distortions, and personal attacks.”

Borkowski said he would not reveal the identity of the photographer, in order to protect the person’s position in the sheriff’s department, and he told the Courier he does not regret showing the photo.

“My comments about Don Smith and Patrick Perry are not personal,” he said. “It’s about whether or not the job in the Sheriff’s office is getting done.”

The sheriff’s debate included incumbent Sheriff Smith, Borkowski and fellow Republican challenger Andrew DeStefano, and Democratic challenger Kevin McConville. The forum, attended by nearly 200 spectators, was marked by accusations of patronage, absenteeism, poor crime control methods, and low morale in the department.

In his opening statement Sheriff Smith touted declines in crime dating back to the time he took over in 2002. He said he changed the culture in the sheriff’s department and dramatically stepped up DWI enforcement. Retired NYPD Captain DeStefano opened by saying, “I’m not a politician. I’m a cop. I’m not endorsed by the good old boys. Policing is my career, not a stepping stone.”

Jim Borkowski, former Southeast judge, asked if people felt safer than they did four years ago and if people felt secure walking through the streets of Brewster or in downtown Mahopac. He noted that he had been endorsed by 57 Policeman’s Benevolent Associations. McConville, the former chief of the MTA police, said that while crime has been falling in Westchester and Dutchess over the last three years, it is rising in Putnam.

Much of the debate revolved around problems stemming from illegal immigration. Sheriff Smith cited statistics about the number of times his department had worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while DeStefano, Borkowski, and McConville hammered him for the release of a criminal illegal alien, Segundo Ordonez- Tanay, two weeks ago because the ICE office in Castle Point could not be reached on weekends. Borkowski added that Smith was away in Florida during the incident, which Smith attempted to correct by saying that, in fact, he was in New Hampshire at the time.

The candidates focused on the themes of their campaign. DeStefano promised to “take back the streets of Brewster Village.” He added that quality of life issues like beer-drinking in the street, disorderly conduct, and code violations “were not federal issues” and could be dealt with by the department and funded by asset forfeiture.

Borkowski emphasized his strong relationships with police on the force, his law-and-order background, and his record of reducing costs to taxpayers by promoting teleconferencing in the Putnam County jail. McConville highlighted his experience and promised to clean up the streets by having cops walk a beat and build relationships in the community.

Smith stood up to close the debate, saying that the statistics spoke for themselves, emphasizing that Putnam was the second safest county in New York and by far the safest in the Hudson Valley.

The intensity of the Sheriff’s exchange was preceded by a debate for Carmel supervisor featuring the incumbent Republican Kenneth Schmitt and Democratic challenger David McKay- Wilson. Schmitt endured a barrage of questions about blasting ordinances and the activities of Pulte Homes. He promised to look into passing ordinances that would allow for notification of nearby residents during blasting.

Schmitt also touted his ability to get state grants for improvements to infrastructure in the town and noted that he had applied for more than $30 million in federal stimulus spending, though it was unlikely to be granted, due to Putnam’s electoral makeup.

McKay-Wilson explained that he was not a neophyte to politics, that his journalism background gave him a unique insight into the working of local government. He challenged town board rules that allow residents to speak only after town business has been conducted, saying that he welcomed discussion and dissent. He promised to be a better steward of taxpayer dollars than the current administration. He also said he supported efforts to integrate the immigrant community in Carmel.

Schmitt closed by holding up a list of his accomplishments as supervisor, saying that the town was moving “in a progressive direction” under his leadership.

The night also featured a town board candidates debate which included Suzanne McDonough and Mark Pekowsky representing Democrats, and with Greg Ellner, Frank Lombardi, Robert Mc- Guigan, and Allison Winstanley on the Republican side.

Pekowsky called for a more civil tone in town board meetings, which he said was reflected in the reasoned and respectful debate of that night. Greg Ellner told the audience, “the Founding Fathers would be rolling in their graves” at the idea of citizens being shut out of debate in their local towns, adding that he “was not a professional politician.” Suzanne McDonough and Allison Winstanley touted their experience in civic groups and town committees. Mark McGuigan and Frank Lombardi both promised a more proactive approach to issues created by illegal immigration, and they pledged to be responsible in their handling of town finances.

The League of Women Voters is sponsoring another debate Thursday, August 20, in Kent, at the Lake Carmel Community Center, and another in Patterson the last week of August, with the date and time to be announced.