To the editor:

I’m not usually outspoken in politics, though I do attend board meetings and share my views. But with this election so important to Wilmington’s future, I want to respond to recent letters supporting Tim Follos and his running mates — Randy, Hannah and Cameron, who present themselves as “Team Tim.”

Wilmington has been divided in recent years and I believe Team Tim only deepens that divide. I like these candidates personally, but I don’t think they’re right for the job.

At board meetings, when their proposals fail, Team Tim often claims “disrespect.” Disagreement is not disrespect. What is disrespectful is eye-rolling, whispering, wandering around during meetings, or high-fiving after losing a vote — behavior that makes the board look dysfunctional. It feels like an intentional effort to undermine progress until they can replace others with their own bloc of “yes men.”

Tourism is Wilmington’s lifeblood. Visitors who come for skiing, biking, hiking and fishing support our businesses. Short-term rentals (STRs) are a major part of this and they provide the bed tax Tim often wants to rely on — yet he opposes STRs. He has also shown bias against the Visitor Center, where I work, going so far as to attack it during a meeting over an issue that turned out to have nothing to do with us. No apology followed.

On affordable housing: work is underway on the Homestead Project, but projects involving the state and APA move slowly. Claiming nothing is being done misleads the public. On property taxes: rising assessments are the result of inflated real estate sales, not who sits on the town board.

On the youth program: the reason it was lost last year is simple — Tim and the youth board failed to file the required Department of Health application, which must begin months in advance. Without it, there could be no program. The supervisor even tried to intervene, but DOH denied the late request. Shockingly, Tim later suggested splitting kids into groups to sidestep the rules–dangerous and unacceptable when children’s safety is involved.

As for experience, critics say Sam Haselton has never held elected office. Neither had Tim before joining the board. Sam’s managerial and budgeting background far exceeds his opponents’. I believe Sam is the better leader Wilmington needs.

My recommendations are clear: Supervisor: Write in Sam Haselton, who has real experience and resilience.

Town Board: Write in Tina Preston and elect Mindy Goddeau — both bring valuable municipal and budgeting expertise at no added cost to taxpayers.

Highway Superintendent: Re-elect Lou Adragna, whose decades of service in both the highway department and fire department prove his deep commitment to this town.

Wilmington is a special place. Let’s elect leaders who will move us forward, not backward. Please join me in voting to protect what we have and plan wisely for our future.

Charlie Terry

Wilmington