Yesterday I received a phone call for polling about our local politics in Wellington.
The first question was about Jess Santamaria, to which I told the pollster that he was not a Wellington politician and no longer a county commissioner having retired.
Then came some reasonable questions about our village, something that was actually informative. But after I completed my responses, the lady stated, “I’m going to give to you some statements and then ask you questions afterward.” She then proceeded to a litany of character assassinations of both Mayor Bob Margolis and Vice Mayor John Greene, asking nothing about Mike Drahos at all and one innocuous question about Anne Gerwig.
The entire line of questions appeared to be as if Mark Bellissimo wrote the questions, and his name was mentioned therein. After each personal attack on the two sitting candidates came, “Would you vote for this person now having heard this information?”
I told the pollster that this was not a phone poll but rather an advertisement of insulting nature.
Wellington has always had relatively gentlemanly discussions and debates for our local candidates, but this brings Wellington politics to a disgusting new level.
Anne Gerwig changed the scene in her last election by introducing her political party affiliation, which had never been the case here, as most of us don’t look to parties but rather our own people’s convictions in our village, but now it has graduated to something much less neighborly.
All the dissension of the past few years has emanated from one source — Mr. Bellissimo and his mouthpieces at the Wellington Chamber Of Commerce. We have no problem here with development, but it must be approved, construction must not proceed without permits, and this poll and the mentioning of Mr. Bellissimo and Anne Gerwig (whose husband is a engineer) screams of acrimony that has followed both these persons. I have been on the architectural review and the planning and zoning committees, and except for Mr. Bellissimo, cannot recall any bitterness or fighting with any other applicant…
We have a wonderful village, with a thriving commercial aspect, that fits nicely into our community, and I always try to shop locally to help our neighborhood stores. Our equestrian element is world-renowned, and certainly Mr. Bellissimo has expanded it. But it was here and healthy, long before he arrived. I find it tragic that one developer can create such dissension…
Hint: When 99 percent of village development goes along quite smoothly, one has to wonder why one developer can change the atmosphere into acrimonious bombast, and now obviously seeming to intervene into our politics.
I’m sorry that our local politics has come to this. I have been on village committees for almost 20 years, volunteering my time with many others to improve and insure our quality of life. Sadly, some would overbuild, congest our roads, put hotels in the middle of our pristine equestrian preserve, all in the name of the almighty buck.
No, the poll that was a cover for a vicious and underhanded methodology will not affect me. I shall vote for the sitting members of our council. I will not support Anne Gerwig for mayor, for truly she is the only backer of development unstopped, and her missed votes on so many development issues (she has to absent herself due to her husband’s activities) makes her a non-viable candidate, in my opinion.
George Unger, Wellington
Unger you are a joke
I guess you have never heard of the Global Dressage Facility controversy, where the three stooges revoked permits already issues by a previous Wellington council. Fortunately, these tactics have failed and the equestrian community and the majority of the Wellington residents are aware of what really is happening here in Wellington (remember the canal clearing project and the $15 Million tennis facility?). Perhaps you might want to look into it a little further than what your best buddy, Bob Margolis tells you. He is not quite the smartest (he still has not figured out that “irregardless” is not a word). Wake up George, or are you on the take, or a puppet too!! The first stone was cast long before this election!!!!
Mr Unger,
To quote you George” “Hint: When 99 percent of village development goes along quite smoothly, one has to wonder why one developer can change the atmosphere into acrimonious bombast, and now obviously seeming to intervene into our politics.” That’s incredibly naive!!!!
Or more like it is because the Jacob’s, Hirsh and McCullough spent almost $1,000,000 (that’s one Million Dollars George!!!
To have the village idiots, Margoilis, Greene and Willhite, elected and then have instructed them (the village idiots) to deny every permit and attempt to improve the equestrian facilities and the equestrian industry and our Village.
I guess you have never heard of the Global Dressage Facility controversy, where the three stooges revoked permits already issues by a previous Wellington council. Fortunately, these tactics have failed and the equestrian community and the majority of the Wellington residents are aware of what really is happening here in Wellington (remember the canal clearing project and the $15 Million tennis facility?). Perhaps you might want to look into it a little further than what your best buddy, Bob Margolis tells you. He is not quite the smartest (he still has not figured out that “irregardless” is not a word). Wake up George, or are you on the take, or a puppet too!! The first stone was cast long before this election!!!!
George, I don’t thinh Anne will miss your vote. She got 63% of the vote last time she ran.
Oh come on George! It was a political opnion poll. I received the same call.
And do you forget what the Jacobs did in 2012 and 2014? Their slimey tactics favored your candidates so I guess you have selective memory.
I forgot to say…Thank you George!
Drahos and Gerwig are shills for the Chamber of Commerce and Bellissimo. Also, Drahos and Gerwig are on record as against affordable senior housing because it attracts “THOSE” people.
Wellington will be in deep trouble with Gerwig and another lawyer (Drahos) on Council. Just look at how messed up the US Congress is because of Politicians who are LAWYERS.
Under has been part of the problem in Wellington for too long. Now he’s pointing fingers instead of looking in the mirror. This is a dangerious man for sure.
Mr. Unger is disingenuous.
It is Mayor Margolis and Councilman Willhite who constantly adovcate for their political party and their fellow political allies during Council meetings.
Both Margolis and Willhite’s political party pals who live outside Wellington, have dipped into their own political money pot and gave donations to Margolis and Willhite’s personal campaigns thereby wedging themselves into Wellington’s elections.
Margolis and Willhite refused to criticize the County Supervisor of Election during the Wellington voting debacle, because the Supervisor belonged to their own political party.
Party politics should not be involved in the Village of Wellington. That causes dissension and that is what we will continue to have in Wellington for ANY COUNCILPERSON WHO ADVOCATES FOR THEIR OWN POLITICAL PARTY.
Mr. Unger should always state, declare in his many letters to the Town Crier that he has been appointed to Wellington committees by the people for which he is advocating.
Mr. Unger is absolutely wrong when he says that the discussions in Wellington have been ‘gentlemanly”. Talk to the residents who live nearby to KPark who were upset with the Council, talk to the Wellington staff who are belittled by certain Council members (and for that matter, the Council’s own appointees to Committees whose actions of “Heil Hiitler was directed to staff), talk to people who come before the Council to advocate for their positions. Those have NOT been ‘gentlemanly’ discussions. There has been hostility and nastiness extended to the speakers and it comes from the Council seated at the front of the room.
Mr. Unger also needs to check himself and his own uncontrolled hostility and loud behavior when he is seated on the dais during the Planning and
Zoning meetings. He constantly interrupts and speaks over others who are speaking.
And let’s not forget that Mr. Unger has been appointed to the Planning and Zoning Board by the people for which he is advocating.
No one should know what any Wellington candidates’ political leanings are. Political parties advocate for themselves, not for what is best for our own Village.
Wellington needs a new direction. We’re tired of the same old people running this Village. We have 2 new, young Councilpersons ready to lead. We need more on the Council.
Forget political parties, vote for the person who will do what is best for the Village, not their political party or political pals.