New Albany's Mayoral War of Letters Continues

The "war of letters" over the New Albany mayor's race continues.

First, Floyd County Republican Chairman Dave Matthews wrote a letter to the New Albany Tribune recalling the record of former New Albany mayor and current Democrat mayor candidate Doug England.

How dare he cite a factual record about a Democrat?

Who does he think he is?

At least, that was the reaction of New Albany brewer and self-crowned smear detector Roger Baylor, on his blog New Albany Confidential.

The Tribune soon reprinted Baylor's blog posting, largely in full; perhaps the first time that I have ever seen a newspaper stoop to doing something like that.

Matthews responded (run in the Tribune here), noting that just comparing Roger Baylor's letter to other statements made by Baylor on his blog made for quite an interesting contrast.

Baylor, of course, answered this by quoting only the starting and ending sentences of Matthews' letter (conveniently ignoring the rest) while huffing and puffing in his usual haughty fashion.

Linda Hurst, a Democrat, then wrote in attacking Randy Hubbard, the Republican challenger to Doug England.

(What say you now, Roger Baylor? Was that a smear?)

Now, Larry Denison, Hubbard's campaign manager, has written in to respond to Hurst.

I am sure that this letter will run in the Tribune "soon":

Dear Editor,

As campaign manager for Randy Hubbard, I feel I must respond to the latest editorial from Linda Hurst. As the former Fire Chief for eight years under Robert Real, Democratic County Councilman for four years, Democratic County Commissioner for eight years and a member on the Floyd County Merit Board under Randy Hubbard for eight years I feel that I have an obligation to respond. I have known Randy for 40 years and I believe I can set the record straight in reference to his capability.

He will do the same as Mayor as he did as Sheriff and Police Chief….Randy will hire the best quality persons to fill key positions under his leadership. In the eight years of hiring police officers for the Sheriff’s department, Randy made sure that all applicants were tested and approved by the Merit Board. Randy always hired fairly and impartially….regardless the candidate’s political affiliation.

I continue to be amazed at the opinions expressed by seemingly uninformed sources about the performance of individuals like Randy Hubbard…persons who give absolutely no explanation about who they are or what qualifies them to express such opinions. I realize that opinions are like noses and that we all have one. But please explain to me who Linda Hurst is and in what capacity she has known Randy’s performance as Sheriff and New Albany Police Chief and why do her opinions differ so greatly about Randy from those who have actually served with him for all of those years.

To say that Randy was “anything but successful or respected” goes against the testimony of citizen after citizen I have spoken with who have actually worked with and for Randy all those years, many of them Democrats, who say just the opposite. I guess just anyone can write in and claim that Randy was not in the office more than two days a week……but those of us who were there saw that for the first six years, he worked 10 hours a day, six days a week and did not take a single day of vacation. For whatever an opponent might say about Randy, without exception, no one has ever called him lazy!

How easy it is for just anyone to write in and give Randy the credit for understaffing when the budget given him every year came from the City and County Councils. And how easy it is to ignore that Randy really should get credit for fighting for higher manning year after year and now we are seeing the fruits of his labor on both police forces. How convenient it must be to give Randy credit for a County Jail, planned for and designed by Democratic County Commissioners, that everyone knew would be too small from its inception and easily overlook the fact that he was the one who came up with the most viable solution of double bunking inmates. Oh yes, I forgot. We have ultra-liberals here in Floyd County who believe that those who sell drugs to my children and shoot their wives deserve better laundry and kitchen facilities! Of course, I guess what Randy could have done was build a bigger jail and taxed all county residents millions of dollars…..but wait, again, that is a function of the Commissioners not the Police Chief. Let’s at least give him credit that we didn’t have to pay extra to send those peace-loving criminals to other jails in the State….oh, but we can’t do that either because every other facility in Indiana has the same overcrowding problem Floyd County does.

Linda, I have been here for the 40 years of Randy’s public service to our community. When was the last time you or Mr. England were shot at by a crack addict or had to chase down some criminal at high speed? Linda, only someone who is misinformed, misguided or just has an axe to grind would dare take “pot shots” at one of our own, faithful law enforcement officers in days like these when we hold our national, local and personal security so dear and rightly expect those who are never paid enough to defend us. Mr. Editor, please continue to publish views counter to mine….that is the American way. But next time, publish a letter from someone who has actually been there and knows. Randy Hubbard is the man for the job of Mayor of New Albany.

Sincerely,
Larry Denison, Campaign Manager, Randy Hubbard for Mayor