Are Flood Victims being used Politically?

by: Bill Liblick

Recently I received an email which was very disturbing. It took me a few days to digest. It did not come from a person with any political motivations. It came from someone who spoke from the heart, someone who lost her daughter during the tragic floods in Livingston Manor during 2006.

If you recall, Jamie Bertholf was washed away during the devastating rains of June 28, 2006. The disaster reached National headlines.

Jamie’s mother Patricia Parks is concerned members of the Sullivan County Legislature are using the dreadful floods from this past June which primarily touched Delaware County for political purposes.

When a disaster hits any area, the people of Sullivan County have always united to help those in need. Politics or political motivations have never come into play. That is why Mrs. Park’s accusations are so bothersome to me. And, in recent days I have heard similar concerns from other Sullivan County residents.

What has become a major unease are press releases being issued by legislator Elwin Wood and other members of the Sullivan County Legislature asking for donations to help the flood victims.

Even more troublesome is that the phone number of the legislature’s office is being used as the means to obtain contributions, not organizations such as the Red Cross, United Way, or a special relief fund.

Are preventive measures also being considered by the legislature to secure the area to avert another disastrous event from occurring?

No one should ever question Wood’s desire to help those in need, he was right there in the line of duty during the rescue mission searching for missing people, as was his opponent in this November’s election Tony Leone.

But, one does have to admit, that all this recent publicity asking for assistance from Sullivan County officials, does give the appearance that these flood victims live in Sullivan County. And, what happened to helping those people from the flood of 2006? Did we forget them?  Patricia Parks told me that she feels we did.

Is this just an angry mother releasing some frustrations over her tragic loss? I remember that every politician under the sun appeared on the scene when her tragedy occurred. She now feels abandoned. She says no one cares.

I would honestly hope she is wrong, absolutely wrong, when she alleges that Wood has forgotten the people of Livingston Manor and is grandstanding to get votes.

This is one of those “Catch 22” situations where you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. If Wood did not come to the aid of these people, then we would hear people complaining “where are our elected officials.” I hope Wood picks up the phone and calls Mrs. Parks to discuss and resolve the matter.

We will never really know during this hotly contested election year what the real truth is. Only the voters can interpret the facts and draw their own conclusions.

Email Bill