Reelect Theodore R. Schindler II for FMB Fire Seat 5
To the editor:
If it feels like you’ve read a lot of letters lately pleading for your vote for open fire board commissioner seats, you would be correct. I ask that you read one more today from the daughter of one of the incumbents. I may be biased as hell, but I have also worked as a journalist and know to look at facts and at evidence. Beyond this, the town of FMB is a family (a dysfunctional one, but a family, nonetheless), and it would be silly to ignore that we all have ties to every candidate on the island.
What I urge you to consider as you read my letter, and any others, is that your vote on Nov. 6 counts the most when it is given to someone who can accomplish the goals you desire for your community. So far, the new candidate letters I’ve seen talk broadly about how they want to make a difference and serve the district, but my father is the only one who has given proven examples of the changes he has made for the fire board budget and detailed the specific steps he will continue to take as a commissioner.
In a guest opinion published on Oct. 24, my father’s opponent John Bennett wrote that “elected officials often lose touch with reality,” but the reality here is that my father has been one of the few board members to consistently bring people back down to Earth and express a dissenting opinion to others’ short-sighted ideas like purchasing a fire boat. He has also demonstrated his courage to make the right choice over keeping the status quo through tough decisions like personnel pay cuts. He received a lot of initial backlash for this plan but was later commended for his foresight of the overall budget and for preserving the jobs of current servicemen and women. The other reality is that through the ups and downs of the district and through his own health battles, my father has shown up for his community and has been committed to serving it. This is more than many candidates, who have historically not bothered to attend many-or in some cases, any-board meetings can say.
Also referencing Bennett’s write-up, my father’s years serving for the FMB Fire District are not indicative of a power trip or title obsession. The title of fire board commissioner for a town of fewer than 10,000 residents isn’t exactly a showstopper. His title of lieutenant colonel carries a bit more weight, and he doesn’t often flash that one, either. My dad isn’t running for reelection because he is “thriving on power,” as his opponent has implied of the incumbents. He is running for reelection because he thrives on making this community the best it can possibly be, and because he cares for each of the 7,000+ people that call FMB home.
So, just as John Bennett urged all of you in his guest opinion to make an informed decision, I ask the same. Keep in mind that an informed decision shouldn’t be one made to shake things up just for the sake of shaking things up. An informed decision looks at history, looks at goals for moving forward and chooses the people best suited for the job. I’m all for new blood (and trust me, this is coming from someone who now lives in NYC and is very over the complacency of Gov. Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio), but bringing in new blood only works if you’re choosing the right person. Please take a step back, really examine the FMB Fire District’s challenges, needs and goals, and choose officials who are committed to making strides for the district.
Don’t believe me, the daughter of an incumbent? Fair enough, but perhaps you may believe your peers and neighbors who have written in already: Mary Smelter, John Pohland, Fred Cook, George Repetti, Councilmember Summer Stockton and the many others who have paid close attention to the board and its enormous progress over the last several years.
Finally, I do want to thank John Bennett for his 12 years of military service. That is no small feat. You all likely know that my father served in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard for a total of over 20 years, but you probably don’t know he was a rescue pilot and led countless successful missions that saved thousands of lives. You probably also don’t know he volunteers every year to provide free tax services to seniors through AARP, or that he’s received national recognition for his accomplishments as a certified financial planner. He doesn’t boast about what he’s done, because it’s not in his nature to do so. He may not have experience serving as a man in red or blue, but he knows how to manage major budgets and he used to wear another uniform that taught him the meaning of sacrifice and how important first responders are to our community.
Please allow him, as well as Raymond and Morris, the opportunity to continue serving you all on FMB and to keep the positive momentum of the district moving.
Respectfully,
Mallory Schindler
Former FMB resident