Letter to Poughkeepsie Journal responds to Joe Ely's attacks

The following letter appeared in the Poughkeepsie Journal November 4, 2007:

A recent letter from Joe Ely ("Block tries to spin his way out of poor choices," Oct. 15) regarding PANDATV23 insults the station and the municipal leaders who removed him from authority. Here are the real facts.

Ely was replaced as Rhinebeck town representative to the PANDA (Public Access Northern Dutchess Area) board in January because PANDA was suffering under his direction. PANDA's audio and video quality had deteriorated and little was done to train community producers.

Despite the loss of his board seat, Ely continued to lead PANDA as volunteer station manager. In April, he was finally removed, but it wasn't until the July 12 PANDA board meeting that those who remained loyal to Ely were finally replaced by newly elected officers.

By Aug. 2, the new officers discovered records at M&T bank showing more than $25,000 in unauthorized checks written and cashed and the PANDA treasury virtually emptied. Under Ely, the normal checks and balances were not observed. While no one is asserting Ely took part in any criminal wrongdoing, the authorities were contacted and another person has been arrested on grand larceny charges and the matter is before a grand jury.

Subsequently, each of the five PANDA communities authorized supplemental funding to keep PANDA operating, secure that the new PANDA leaders are accomplished professionals in film and commercial television with the highest personal integrity.

We could not allow self-serving inaccuracies to go without response.

Steve Block
Supervisor
Town of Rhinebeck
David Cohen
Mayor
Village of Red Hook
Marirose Blum Bump
Supervisor
Town of Red Hook
Marc Molinaro
State Assemblyman
former mayor of Tivoli