LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Trustee wrong to offer recommendation

Dear editor, Not one to be of any particular political bent, or being one who gets bent about politics, I did recently take exception to an article in your paper on the retirement of Ethel Gardiner. While I recognize Ethel has done a good job in her position, there is still a lot to be done and a lot of political debate remains on who is best suited to replace her. It is every person's right to state their personal opinion when it comes to a replacement. That being said, I do not believe it appropriate that an outgoing trustee provide a recommendation on any individual in a manner that may influence voters and have the support of the newspaper in doing so. I know it is done, I simply disagree with the process unless equal time is provided to the competition. While Ethel's selection of her recommended replacement is a valid candidate, he is not the only one and I believe all candidates need to be evaluated on their individual platforms, not on the outgoing trustee's personal views. By stating one candidate has "integrity", is she saying the other candidates do not? Is she saying the community will not be "well served" by all the candidates? Will the others not work "tirelessly" as well? I believe all candidates have the ability to service the community "well", as Ethel clearly noted. That being said, my preferred replacement for Ethel is the one who goes "well" beyond that. Richard Van Dyk, Georgetown