John White Conflict Of Interest For Trumansburg Mayor?
Tuesday is Election Day here in Trumansburg, with two seats on the Board of Trustees up for grabs, along with the position of Mayor of our village.
As the campaign approaches its zenith, there are political lawn signs up and down our streets, and even a big billboard far outside of village limits on route 96. What’s more important, however, is the talk going on around town about the candidates. In a small community like ours, what people already know about a candidate is not easily overpowered by a quick investment in campaign gear.
This weekend, much of the talk has to do with Republican mayoral candidate John White, who is seeking to replace incumbent Democrat Marty Petrovic. The concern being expressed has to do with one of the hottest political topics in our region: Natural gas drilling, and the impact of its fracking technology on our local water supplies.
It seems that John White owns a good deal of land outside of Trumansburg – land that’s leased out to natural gas drilling companies. In order for those leases to bring a profit to White, however, there would have to be an arrangement for local water to be used, so that dangerous substances could be added to it for hydrofracking, in which natural gas is released through the pumping of the resulting mixture into the ground.
As Mayor of Trumansburg, John White would be in a position to lead the village into providing some of our water to natural gas drilling companies such as the one that holds a lease on his own property. It smells like a serious conflict of interest.
Thanks for bringing this out Jon. We’ve already heard why Mr. White supposedly couldn’t pay his taxes . . . until he decided to run for Mayor. He also has bilked local businesses out of thousands (ask the Millspaughs). He’s a fraud through and through, but very good at promoting himself as the friend of the underdog. Here’s hoping that most of us won’t be fooled by this very adept manipulator. Otherwise, we’re in for a very long and difficult four years.
I just received an email that was quite disturbing. The current Mayor of Trumansburg, Marty Petrovic, was out campaigning on a truck riding around the village when he passed John White’s house on Main street (the other candidate for Mayor). Mr John White came out on his porch and gave Mayor Petrovic and his driver the finger (middle finger). They were not sure this actually happened as it is so hard to believe a candidate for Mayor would do such a vile act. So they stopped the truck in front of John White house and he was looking out the window, John White did it again. The driver of the truchk for Mr Petrovic had his grandaughter with him and attempted to confront Mr White about this. Mr John White turned and ran inside his house. Extremeley disturbing and COWARDLY on his part. This man has no business running for Mayor of Trumansburg or any leadership position. Trumansburg do yourself a favor and do not vote for this ‘man’. He is a fraud and coward.
This is a perfect example of unsubstantiated hearsay. This is called mudslinging. Why am I not surprised the post is anonymous? John White’s house is set back quite a way from the road. His front porch is covered, so he would be in shadow. And how do we know that this is any more than pure fabrication? Can we see the evidence?
Can’t we talk about the issues? Did I mention that John White is currently opposed to ambulance privatization?
Do we actually know that John would have a conflict of interest in that he would want to advocate for selling the hydrofrackers water? I’m completely opposed to hydrofracking, but can we stop it by not selling them water? I certainly don’t think we should sell them water, but if we don’t sell it to them, do you think they might find some water somewhere else?
Did John own the land when the lease was written? Was hydrofacking the method of choice at that time? Are we jumping to conclusions?
I’m disappointed with the current Board in that they passed a resolution to ban the sale of water to hydrofrackers that want to use it outside of the Village, but Marty said that there was nothing they could do if they wanted to use it within the village limits. That’s riduculous. They probably haven’t asked the Village attorney. If they have, we need a new attorney.
Alan, did it ever cross your mind that John white is not telling the truth? Agreeing with all the issues you and many other tburgers find important just to get elected?
His questionable character aside, If John White supports and proffits from the rape of our ecosystem through potentially dangerous hydrofracking he should not only be ASHAMED, but excuse himself from the village mayoral bid.
Arrogance is NOT leadership John.
Alan, do you seriously believe this horse manure you are promulgating? “Mr” white has been accused of self interest in terms of the water issues, giving the finger to supporters of his opponent, skipping out on debts owed to a local hardware store, not paying his taxes, and going to a school benefit and refusing to pay – insulting and threatening the volunteers trying to collect donations. Surely some of these are accurate? You don’t get such a bad rep for no reason whatsoever. Not in a town this small…
To be fair, sometimes people get a bad reputation because they’re being smeared by a group of people opposed to their agenda. I don’t think that the personal attacks will make an impact on this election. It’s the matters of policy substance, not whether someone sticks their middle finger up in the air now and then, that people care the most about.
The issues are what matter to so many of us here in Tburg. After reading these (and others) comments regarding fracking ect, I asked Mr. White myself how he stood on the issue. He not only is against fracking he has already said this several time in print. He took the time to discuss with me several issues at hand and even aanswered questions we had regarding different accusations. If you read the journal tomorrow, Mr. Millspaugh is submitting a letter to all of Trumansburg to read. I suggest you read it BEFORE you vote as I will, I am sure.
I would question the judgment – especially the fiscal judgment – of a man who paid for not one, but TWO billboards, and yet couldn’t pay his property taxes. I’ve heard a lot of dirt on this guy – not pretty. He didn’t help his case with that poorly-written, rambling, ego-centric letter he sent out.
mary, he did pay his taxes…is this really tburg??? WHY arent any issues being discussed? mudslinging, name calling and mean mean lies are not what this town used to be about. this is one of many tburgers who are disgusted with the petty crap of this election. gosh, one would think marty is worried…………….? why dont you all rename this town for what you are doing to it? “Upper Ithaca” ?
whoever wins, good luck in bringing Trumansburg back together.
Dear Mr. Duh,
Of course it crossed my mind. Has it ever crossed yours that perhaps it is wiser to vote for someone who says he’s on your side, even if you don’t have complete confidence, than it is to vote for someone who has proven that he is not on your side?
I’m going to vote on the issues, not rumors about personality. Debbie Nottke is the only one on the Board that voted against moving forward towards ambulance billing (the most critical issue) so she definitely gets my vote. We never know for sure how our representatives will vote in the future, but John White and Matthew Taylor have told me that they do not support billing at this time, and all of the Democrats tell us they do.
Oh by the way here is what the John White trash contingent think of all of you (comment from the Ithaca Journal):
“T-burg used to be a quaint little town. Then the liberals from Ithaca came up here to settle because they didn’t like the high taxes the socialist city of Ithaca was costing them. Only problem is they brought their socialist tendancies and appetites with them. Now T-burg has the same issues as Ithaca.
The project in the center of town is a classic example. Millions spent on NOTHING but pavers and morter. And it jams the traffic in the center of town on Rte 96 closer together than it needs to be. Should have left it alone as it was fine for 100 years before with no issues.
But the socialists that are running the town now had to spend it because that is what they do. Tax and spend.
And the whiners who tried to stop the new Byrne Dairy from opening!?! Classic NIMBY whiners. They too were nothing but transplants from the liberal mecca of Ithaca.
Its time T-burg went back to its more conservative roots and drove the liberal socialists back towards Ithaca.”
WANT YOUR PROPERTY VALUES TO NOSEDIVE?? LET THIS TRASH ELEMENT BACK IN AND VOTE JOHN WHITE.
Johnathon,
I agree it’s not a huge deal to give someone the finger, but if you are running for mayor AND on the school board, don’t you think you should have to clean up your act just a little? Especially if the party of people you are flipping off (twice) includes a young kid (my 7 year old daughter).
well, if you are so concerned about your granddaughter, cori, where was her seatbelt in the back of the pickup? God forbid another tragic accident with another one of “our” kids like john g.
this race is ridiculous with the level of meanness shown. People who support a candidate are not trash just because they are sick of having the town they love turned into a non personal city type place!
the trash delivered on peoples lawns was a pain. I for one am so glad it is almost over!
Oh, yes, I agree that a person ought to try to be as straight and narrow and kind and generous and decent as they can while running for office. In fact, I think that 5 years of remarkably reasonable behavior would be most advantageous. However, general temperament is already known by most in the community, and I don’t think that bringing that kind of personal issue out just before the election works to the benefit of John White’s opponents. It may even backfire.
Besides, we all have our weak moments when, under stress, we behave inappropriately. In a small community like this one, people understand their neighbors aren’t perfect… or they end up moving away to someplace where people put tall fences between houses and don’t talk to each other. No one running for the board should be expected to be sunshine and roses 24/7. In the end, people are looking for someone who represents their perspective, and stories of John White’s personal flaws tend to feed into the story line of Trumansburg Democrats being nothing more than a bunch of arrogant outsiders who think they’re better than everyone else.
I’ve learned that it’s better strategy to talk policy, and keep personality attacks out of politics – at least at the local level.
John,
The only reason I bring up this “personal” issue just beofre the election is because it just happened Sunday afternoon. That’s his bad timing, not mine.
I for one am very concerned about what was thrown on to the lawns of our village residents.
A copy of the judgement regarding the Millspaugh issue.
Mostly, I am concerned for one group of people in particular, the business owners themselves.
This case was settled a long time ago, and paid. How it all came about is no body’s business other than Millspaughs and their customer.
I highly doubt that the people who thought this was a “brilliant idea” had any consideration at all as to how it would effect a local business.
It is beyond any level of decorum that a person or group of people would stoop so low as to not consider what consequences might be brought forth to a completely innocent party. All this means to me, is that whoever did this is willing to do anything without regard to who they hurt as long as it helps them get the result they want.
Someone owes Millspaugh Brothers a HUGE apology.
oh news flash. rednecks don’t like young families with jobs who move into their towns. who would have known?
Slander, backbiting, typical small town. The hardware store and not paying bills, what about over-charging, refusing to deliver if they don’t like you? The powers now are rushing zoning laws, and certain businesses, friends, need no permits? Many issues and money spent to convert Trumansburg into another Commons, and Dryden! A major route 96 or 13 down the middle and as Dryden, it becomes a ghost town and no place for children and people to safely walk and enjoy a small country town. Look what the socialists have done to downtown Ithaca?
What about the gas drilling, in Pennsylvania the water is trucked in by the hundreds. No local water, 500 trucks or more a week used for there water. Yet fears and socialistic agenda’s masked by slander and lies!
“…and (drove) the liberal socialists back toward Ithaca.”??? (posts Good Morning, above)
Egad!
Hey, you forget me in your shilling for Mr. White – I came to this beautiful, progressive community from Santa Cruz!
Wow, not having to use your real name really creates a dysfunctional breeding ground of dialogue where people have little respect or compassion for others- resulting in very unproductive conversation. I doubt people would be so petty if they had to use their real names- manners might follow.
I don’t think you can blame this particular medium for the problem, Carissa. It’s not anonymous blog comments that led someone to throw a yellow piece of paper with a copy of someone else’s private legal document onto my driveway over the weekend. The responsibility for that lies somewhere else.
The things I’ve heard people say about the people running for election this year, by email, in conversation on the street, in person, face to face, have been every bit as crude and vicious as what you see here – if not more so.
There’s a serious problem with the tone of the campaigning by the political parties in this town.
Whatever we may wish to achieve in a political sense, it’s important to remember that we’re all neighbors, and that we are all very fallible human beings. Some compassion and humility would be much more in order.
petrovic won 70% to 30%.
I guess we’ve not all been hoodwinked by angry white men.
Jon,
Court documents, including judgments, are never private unless they’re specifically sealed by the court. They’re public and available to anyone with the gumption to get them. In White’s case, these judgments against him even resulted in a large lien being placed on his property. The sole purpose of the lien was to notify anyone with an interest in buying his property of the outstanding debt.
If someone decides to become a politician in today’s world, they had better be prepared to have very little privacy. I generally think that’s good as transparency exposes possible issues that may affect a person’s judgment and/or provides clues as to the person’s underlying values and beliefs.
Chester ponders:
“Look what the socialists have done to downtown Ithaca?”
Kudos I-town…b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!
its nice to hear that john lost the campain… he is nothin but a crap talker & has lots of it to spead around. i am glad that people are really seeing him for what he really is.. hes not what he says he is he just wants you all to think hes the next best thing. and him flippin off his componet doest surprise me in the least…,.
Game over! Time to move on and support Marty’s common sense and real world approach to things. The White bogus mythology has been exposed as the fraud that it always has been. Sitting on one’s porch, putting up billboards, not paying one’s debts, and fooling the yahoos with made up bull**** about your “leadership” won’t work in T-burg. I’m proud of us.
P.S. Mr. civic duty “leadership for the future” White didn’t even bother to show up for the latest school board meeting. Tom, did you forget? Wednesday night, remember? Or was this a crisis like the one that made you somehow forget to pay your debts even though you can afford to put up vanity billboards?
That quaint, southern expression “Bless his heart” should be applied to the angry White guy. Just smile ‘n wave, while doing the right thing in this wonderful, progressive community of ours.
‘Nuff said.