SPAFFORD TOWN BOARD MEETING
MAY 13, 2004
EXCERPT: 7 MIN EXCHANGE BETWEEN GRACE GRENGA, BARB RANDALL AND JOYCE BARNETT
GG: Excuse me if I don't stand. I have here a letter by Joyce Barnett to the Skan Press. In it she states Rodney King etc why can't we all get along...she also states that we should have respect and compassion for one another. She also seems to blame the town board member for everything if its not what she wants. My question to Joyce is if you are stating in here that we all should get along, and we should have respect and compassion, why are you not doing it?
JB: Your question is... do I have respect for other board members?
GG: Yes.
JB: Yes, I do.
GG: Then why are you always talking about them negative
JB: I don't think I am always talking about them negative. There are things that have happened in this town that are very, very serious. There's been physical violence, the threat of physical violence. There's been property damage.
GG: Explain the physical.
JB: I've been called names...
GG: That's not physical.
JG: Well, I'm giving you a list of things that have happened...and that's just not right. Would you agree that we should not act like that?
GG: Are you referring to the incident up at the Spafford (Firehouse) on the day of the election?
JB: In part I am.
GG: I have here a letter from the Board of Elections written by Carol Payntar, who was not even up at that district.
JB: Carol Payntar was the Chairperson of that party, just like you're the Chairperson of the Republican Party in this town.
GG: Yes, but she was not up there, so how could she write a letter making all these accusations...
JB: If you look at that letter carefully you will see that there are 5 or 6 names of people who were there who reported that incident.
GG: No, I do not see that.
JB: Yes, that is in there.
GG: I also have a copy of a letter written by the Democratic Election Inspector denying everything in that letter.
JB: Well, I don't think that is exactly what he said.
GG: She.
JB: Oh, the Democratic Election Inspector. Well, we weren't bringing that case as Democrats so I don't see what that has to do with anything.
GG: It doesn't matter if it was Republican, Democrat or what it was. The letter was sent to the Board Of Elections making all these accusations. The Democratic Election Inspector at that end said that was not true.
JB: Well that person is related to the person that caused the incident. (giggles)
GG: That doesn't matter. That doesn't matter.
JB: Well, sometimes it does matter, doesn't it?
GG: Other Democratic Election Inspectors agree with her. Now, in that letter to the Board Of Elections it stated that Barb Randall, who is here tonight, went to the door. Barb Randall will tell you herself she never left her seat.
BR: May I address that?
JB: Oh yes, this is Barbara Randall. She did come to the door. I was just looking for her.
BR: That is not true. I did not go to the door. I had not yet had my eye operation at that point (...until 2 days before Thanksgiving), and so I did not go up to the door, and I stayed in my seat the entire time. So I think that the way you're reporting this is not exactly right. However, I do have ears and I did see enough to know what went on, and I have to say that I am terribly disappointed to see some of the things that were in that letter. Because I hadn't seen that letter--I was in Florida all winter--and only had opportunity to see that letter a couple days ago. Plus, we didn't have any problems until about 20 minutes to 9, and as you know, the polls were still open. And we did have another resident who wanted to vote. And he was very insecure when he came in because that area that you were in was so disruptive over there, he wasn't sure that the polls were still open, and so I'm really disappointed in that. And also, I did not go to the door.
JB: Oh, I remember you very well (and you did go to the door).
BR: That is just not true. So you have something wrong there. Because it's not true. I did not go to the door at all. Ever. I stayed in my seat specifically because I had to be there because I was the Republican inspector, and I felt there needed to be one Republican inspector and one Democratic inspector there back at the table so voters could vote. So I didn't go up there. And that is addressed to everybody here.
JB: Well, I respect your opinion as I hope you respect mine.
BR: No, respect me. I was there.
JB: I was there too. See those video cameras? (clapping)