www.2Towns4ThePeople.

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April 15, 2014 To: Residents of the Towns of Ridgeway & Shelby In recent weeks, the Towns of Ridgeway & Shelby have been publically criticized, by the mayor of Medina and in the press, for not cooperating with the mayors planned dissolution efforts. These assertions are not accurate. The topic of dissolution of the Village of Medina has been a controversial subject and one that we plan to shed more light on for the benefit of all concerned. Town supervisors and board members are making a concerted effort to present the facts as we learn them. While we are all in agreement that three municipal bodies may not be necessary for a community of approximately 12,000 people, we maintain that accurate data has not been presented from the onset and we firmly believe the dissolution process is flawed. As the Towns of Ridgeway and Shelby continue to be the subject of biased media reporting, we agreed to join together to mutually communicate and inform residents of both towns about the true nature of the issues facing our community. We have attached our recent press release, disseminated to the media on April 14, 2014, which details the history of the towns involvement in the dissolution process. We elected to send you the complete release, as it became evident the local press was selective in their reporting. Introducing extraneous topics, in a biased manner, that have nothing to do with taxation, the efficient delivery of municipal services and other issues pertaining to dissolution, insults the intelligence of us all; and certain outlets continue to attempt to sway public opinion in a manner that violates the journalistic ethics and standards of objectivity, fairness and impartiality. Examples:
http://www.journal-register.com/local/x1445045333/Towns-retain-public-relations-consultant http://www.orleanshub.com/news2014/Ridgeway-Shelby-hire-PR-firm.htm

For these reasons, the fact that the position of Town Supervisor is not full-time, and because we both have other jobs, we felt it was essential to hire a media consultant (Mindful Media Group), to create methods to deliver communications uniformly to members of both towns, as well as develop several messaging platforms to provide information on how dissolution of the village will impact you, your families, friends and neighbors.

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We are not attempting to hide behind a PR firm, as was suggested in a local online publication this week. Yet, in an effort to be inclusive, neither supervisor will slight the other by speaking to the press unless both towns are equally represented in the conversation. The towns are unified in our messaging and communication methods and the need to deliver essential facts and information on the proposed dissolution plan to all residents. We have not refused to speak to all the press yet we will not be divided, take part in an agenda that will not serve residents or be swayed to participate in divisive media tactics that deter from the issues at hand. Our primary goal is to represent the people we serve. To that end, we have also consulted the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC and the CPA firm, Amato Fox & Company. In past talks, the mayor indicated he was unable to separate the costs in his budget, when both towns requested a more detailed breakdown. Serious doubt also exists as to the assertions made by the mayor and the committees plan for services such as: water, sewer, fire, ambulance, the creation of an LDC and turning over assets to an LDC for a nominal amount. A month ago it was reported that the cost savings of dissolution would be approximately $350,000; yet on 4/10/14 the amount reported was $277,000, a $73,000 reduction from what reports stated only a month ago. Even if we take the most recent numbers at face value, it is an overall savings of only 2% to dissolve the village. We believe the practice of cost shifting has dominated dissolution proceedings, rather than the development of a true long term cost savings plan. We are confident that by working with our consultants, all legal, financial and communication needs of the residents of Ridgeway & Shelby will now be addressed & prioritized. For your convenience, we have established a 24-hour Cares & Concerns line (716-507-8533) where you may record your questions or concerns on the topic. We will answer them as best we can, with the information we have to date, via posting the questions with answers on www.2Towns4ThePeople.com and on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/DissolutionFacts. For some of you that may not have access to the above-mentioned platforms, we will reach out by telephone and provide you with responses when we are able to sufficiently address your concerns. We both very much appreciate your feedback to date and sincerely thank you all for your continued support. Sincerely,

Merle Draper Shelby Town Supervisor

Brian Napoli Ridgeway Town Supervisor