Why John Wapner ran for Town Board

By John Wapner

 I decided to run for Town Board again because I could not get the government to address concerns about overall transparency and many more specific issues that have remained off the agenda.

I tried to get the board to address these issues during the two years I served with Kevin Weldon as minority members of the board (2019-2021). After completing my term in 2021, I continued to attend board meetings and remained a member of the Town’s Communications Committee.

I got nowhere. Most of the issues I am concerned about, like STRs, zoning, recreation planning, and road issues, were never on the agenda.

I decided that the only way to have these issues addressed by the board was to be part of a majority that could influence the administration and direction of Town Government. At age 74, I thought I had the stamina to do all the work and be an effective candidate. I did have the stamina, and I also had enormous support from the Chatham Democrats. The Chatham Democrats provided financial and professional assistance and drivers that made door to door campaigning a team effort.

Too often when I knocked on a door hoping to have a conversation about town government, no one was home and all I accomplished was the infamous “Literature Drop.” Sadly, when a citizen did answer and I asked about town concerns, they often had little to say. I found I had to tell them about current issues. This is understandable. The Chatham Courier is long gone, and the Columbia paper does not cover town-board meetings. The Register Star has a small Chatham section with limited material about government.

The policy of the Town’s newsletter is not to be “political,” meaning it does not offer information about current issues. I would often tell people that the most reliable information about town government is available in this Chatham Dems newsletter.

I hope to find ways to improve participation in and communication about town governance. We also have a handful of longstanding important issues that remain on the shelf. I will work on those also during my term as town board member.

Thanks for all the support!