Don't Vote

Whatever you do on November 3rd, don’t vote.

Because if you don’t vote, Don Smith will continue to rule.

And that’s just what he wants.

If you don’t vote, we'll have the same sheriff we’ve had for 8 years.

On November 1, 2009, Lohud.com, the online component of The Journal News, reported Don Smith’s failures as sheriff, “Among the controversies is the May 2006 jail suicide of a Putnam Valley man whose family later sued the county, a case that was recently settled. There’s also Deputy Barbara Dunn, who was indicted last month on multiple charges of grand larceny, perjury and official misconduct, in part, to her investigating crimes against animals while serving as president of the Putnam Humane Society.”

“And there’s the case of a Putnam Valley Middle School student who claimed she was sexually assaulted in 2001 by a male teacher, although the crime wasn’t reported to police until 2003. A state agency found that sheriff’s investigators, the District Attorney’s Office and school officials botched the case. The teacher was never charged and was allowed to resign.”


There’s another choice. You have an opportunity this year to vote for a leader who will be accountable to the voters. You can vote for a new Putnam County Sheriff, Kevin McConville.

Lohud.com: “So many people identify with us and what we want to do,” McConville said. “I’ve met with hundreds of people who are not happy with the current administration and want change.”

“A law enforcement organization should be about professionalism and accountability,” McConville said. “That’s what I intend to bring the people of Putnam County.”

So, don’t vote if you want Don Smith to continue ruining Putnam County.

Or, vote for a new Democratic leader and change.

Carmel Debate, 10-29-09: Marc Pekowsky for Carmel Town Council

At Thursday's debate held in the Town of Carmel, Marc Pekowsky, candidate for Town Council stood head and shoulders above his opponents.

When asked about his vision and qualifications, Pekowsky explained, "I am a centrist who is willing to work on behalf of the residents and businesses in Carmel. While I live in Carmel with my wife and family, I do not work here, nor do I have any business connections in Carmel. Therefore, I can be an honest broker when it comes to making critical decisions involving taxpayers' money." Pekowsky was applauded for his honest, candid manner.

Many Carmel residents felt Pekowsky had made a strong case for his candidacy by demonstrating a fair and balanced approach to Town government. Particularly welcomed was Pekowsky's commitment to open, transparent government which has been sorely lacking in Carmel in the last 14 years. Also applauded was Pekowsky's economic vision for the Town that would preserve its character while offering job opportunities to its citizens.

Why Did Smith Fail to Win a Majority Vote from His Party: Part II

In our last blog post we addressed why Don Smith failed to win the majority vote from his party. At last night's debate in the Town of Kent, we witnessed another example of why Don Smith failed to win his party's majority vote. During the debate Kevin McConville read excerpts from the New York State Commission of Correction regarding the 2006 Putnam jail suicide of Spencer Sinkov.

The report clearly states it was the responsibility of the Sheriff to prevent the suicide: "Sinkov's death could have been prevented had proper suicide prevention precautions been taken and had department policy and procedures been properly followed." The Sheriff hung his head in shame.

Don Smith's only reply was to ignore the statistics in the FBI's 2008 Crime in the U.S. report regarding increasing crime in Putnam County (http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/index.html).

Smith also ignored the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services rising crime statistics for 2006-08 -- which Smith likes to omit although he was Sheriff during that time. To confirm these facts, visit http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/. Smith brazenly stated that crime did not rise and there is no threat to Putnam County.

Once again, he avoided discussing the Karen Meltz excessive force lawsuit, the charges of illegal search and seizure by his office in the Nelson lawsuit, and, though he was visibly shaken, denied any responsibility in the Sinkov suicide lawsuit.

If you believe in justice, if you want a safe and secure Putnam County, vote for Kevin McConville for Sheriff of Putnam County - Row A of the ballot.

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

10-2-09 Press Conference held by Putnam County Sheriff candidate, Kevin McConville

Hudson Valley Law Enforcement Golf Classic

Yesterday the Committee to Elect Kevin McConville for Putnam County Sheriff sponsored the Hudson Valley Law Enforcement Golf Classic. The site of the event was the Putnam National Golf Club in Mahopac. Boy, was it a day for golfing. As you can see from the pictures below the sun was beating down on Kevin McConville and his golfers. I hope everyone wore sunscreen.






A trip for two to Myrtle Beach, SC was raffled off as well as golf bags, putters and drivers. All proceeds from the raffle were donated to the the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

“Taking Back Carmel” Fundraising Dinner Features Democratic Congressman John Hall

The Town of Carmel Democratic Committee hosts dinner for candidates David Wilson and Marc Pekowsky

Mahopac, NY – The Town of Carmel Democratic Committee will present “Taking Back Carmel” on Saturday, September 12th – a fundraising dinner for David Wilson, Democratic Candidate for Carmel Town Supervisor, and Marc Pekowsky, Democratic Candidate for Carmel Town Council. The event will take place at the Desert Sun Restaurant in Mahopac, featuring guest of honor U.S. Congressman John Hall, Democrat, District 19.

A journalist with over 30 years of experience, Wilson operates his own business in Mahopac and has reported on municipal government for The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Journal News. He currently writes for university magazines around the country and is a regular contributor to the Harvard Education Letter. Wilson, president of the 1,300-member Westchester Cycle Club since 2005, is co-founder of the Westchester Putnam Bike Walk Alliance. Wilson has also been endorsed by the Independence Party, the Working Families Party and The Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body.

A public school teacher for 18 years, Pekowsky is a representative of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers. He serves on the Board of Directors of The Putnam Arts Council and is active in numerous civic associations. Pekowsky and his wife live in Mahopac. He has also been endorsed by the Independence Party, the Working Families Party and The Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body.

The contribution per person is $75.00 and includes a Southwestern Cuisine buffet, soft drinks, beer, wine and musical entertainment. A cash bar will also be available.

For reservations and tickets, please call 845-621-1051 or e-mail Marc(at)VoteMarc09(dot)com. For more information on the candidates, please visit www.wilsonforcarmel.com and www.votemarc09.com.

Kevin McConville Special Guest on Doc Rick's "When Your Health Matters"

Tune in to 920-AM, 1260-AM & 1420-AM @ 5pm to hear Putnam County Sheriff candidate Kevin McConville on Doctor Richard Huntoon's radio show, "When Your Health Matters". He'll be discussing safety in Putnam County.

Putnam’s Largest Labor Union Endorses David Wilson for Carmel Town Supervisor

The Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body -- Putnam’s largest labor union organization -- has endorsed David Wilson, Democratic candidate for the Carmel Town Supervisor.

The Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body represents 100,000 working men and women. Its affiliated unions represent teachers, firefighters, communication workers, electrical workers, nurses, painters, Civil Service Employees and Service Employees.

A journalist with over 30 years of experience, Wilson operates his own business in Mahopac and he has reported on municipal government for The Journal News, The New York Times and The Boston Globe. He currently writes for university magazines around the country and is a regular contributor to the Harvard Education Letter.

Wilson, president of the 1,300-member Westchester Cycle Club since 2005, is co-founder of the Westchester Putnam Bike Walk Alliance. He’s active in the Mahopac Sports Association and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Brewster. The father of two boys, Wilson lives in Mahopac.

“I’ve been in the trenches, writing about municipal government for 30 years,” said Wilson. “I know how government works and I know how to ask the right questions to fight for solutions to the tough issues that face our town.”

Wilson has also been endorsed by the Independence Party and the Working Families Party. For additional details, visit www.WilsonForCarmel.com.

AFL CIO Press Conference

Last Tuesday night was the AFL CIO press conference in Tarrytown, NY, where Kevin McConville, along with all the Westchester and Putnam County candidates, met to discuss their views. Here are just a few snapshots from the night.


Kevin McConville & the Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body President, Paul Ryan.

The Putnam County candidates.

Kevin McConville & Janet DiFiore.

All the Westchester & Putnam County candidates

Expensive Search for “Lost” Teenager Resulted from Lack of Training and Oversight Says Sheriff Candidate McConville

Cold Spring, NY, August 24, 2009 – Another case of incompetence in the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department recently involved a “lost” teenager who was actually locked up in the County jail. “This latest problem is another sad example of why we need professional, experienced and proven leadership in that law enforcement agency,” stated Democratic candidate for sheriff, Kevin McConville.

The current leadership of the Department approved a costly and unnecessary search by more than 100 volunteers, professionals, cars and a helicopter -- all at taxpayer expense. And all was wasted because the “lost” teenager was in the county jail.

What is the solution? Professionals believe that proper training and continuing oversight of law enforcement policies and practices are absolutely essential. First, though, it is essential to have a department sheriff who has experienced all the various stages of policing, from being a cop on the beat to chief of a large police agency.

“I’m running for sheriff with the commitment that effective training will be required for all deputies, and that oversight will be thoroughly planned and applied,” Kevin McConville stated. “We should never be in the position of not knowing who our detainees are and what their needs may be.”

There are specified procedures that should be followed when a defendant is remanded to the custody of the Putnam County Correctional Facility. First, appropriate screening procedures must be followed. New York State’s Commission on Corrections (SCOC) mandates a screening process, called a risk/medical assessment.

Such an assessment probably would have determined that the individual is developmentally challenged, which would require an examination by a medical professional. Thus, the needless costly search would have been stopped. The parents could have been notified and helpful in his treatment.

“If you choose to elect me as your sheriff, I commit to you that effective training will be a regular, continuing procedure,” said McConville. “Why do I believe this can be achieved in Putnam within the current budget?” McConville asked rhetorically. “Because, before I retired in January, I did these things routinely as Chief of the MTA Police Department, which has a staff of 768. And we can do them in Putnam County; all we need is a professional in the top job. I am confident I can handle that job, because as I have stated to everyone, ‘Bottom line, I’m a cop.’

“Maybe that’s why I’ve been endorsed over the incumbent by the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police…and also unanimously endorsed over the incumbent by the AFL-CIO Central Labor Body of Westchester and Putnam Counties.”

McConville concluded, “Together, we can build a ‘Safe and Secure Putnam.’”

For more information on Kevin McConville’s candidacy, visit www.kevinmcconville.com.

About Kevin McConville
Kevin McConville has 29 years of experience in law enforcement. He moved through the ranks rising from police officer to detective to captain and was appointed Chief of the MTA Police in 2005. McConville has served on the board of governors of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police and is active as a retired chief. He holds a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Kevin is a lifelong resident of Putnam County and resides with his family in Cold Spring, NY.