While there is no law to my knowledge that sets out a minimum time that a candidate for Council needs to have lived in town, Ms. Harwin is a perfect example of someone who has just not lived here long enough to be considered qualified. From an issues standpoint, she did not experience the battle that Valley waged on the Village or the Village Hall construction fiasco. While she incorrectly blames the current Mayor and Deputy Mayor for our unsustainable tax increases, she didn’t even live here when the real problem started. Her very short tenure as a resident really shows through in her lack of familiarity with the issues. She didn’t live through the personal agenda driven rancor that the previous Council majority spewed for 4 year nor did she see how those agendas were voted down in the last election by a two thirds to one third majority. Funny that she talks about how we need change while campaigning on a platform that was in place for four years and was so roundly rejected just two years ago. Of course how can she be expected to know these things because she’s so new to town. I would suggest that she go to a couple of Council meetings before trying to sit on the dais. Sit in on a budget meeting or two as well. Mike Sedon, for example sat in on every Council and budget meeting for years before he ran. Our current Mayor is a long time resident who served on several committees before running for Council herself. All of Ms. Harwin’s mud slinging and misrepresentation of the truth aside, she’s just not nearly experienced enough to take on the job that she seeks.
