Letter:  Write In Yvonne Gittelson For Hampshire Sheriff

Many of us know little to nothing about the Sheriff’s responsibilities or role in our community, but we should. The Hampshire Sheriff’s Office (HSO) seems to have flown under the radar for several years thus avoiding questions from citizens of the 20 communities it represents. With this very competitive primary, we heard of situations and practices at the HSO that at best are puzzling, at worst, raise valid questions of ethics and transparency.

The lack of specificity to back up the incumbent’s assertions about the HSO’s operations is troubling, and leads me, as a taxpayer, to only question more.  My concerns start with the quality of existing programs to deal with substance abuse and mental health issues. I have found nothing that shows how effective these programs are, or if data are even collected to continually improve approaches and better prepare people for life post-release. Even information showing how much of the $15 million budget is allocated to education programming and strategies to prevent recidivism is not readily available. With financial resources being scarce, I was further surprised to learn that the HSO returned nearly half a million dollars in education grant funding.

There are many other issues that have made the news over the past months including improper treatment of those in custody, questionable use of funds and possible intimidation of staff who also want to see a change in administration. Rather than addressing these concerns, there’s been silence. After six years, the current Sheriff is still unable to cite specific achievements that are a direct result of his actions or policies. We don’t have to be satisfied with the status quo.

In contrast, write-in challenger Yvonne Gittelson brings a new perspective and unique qualifications. She knows the prison system well having worked as an educator at the HSO, and now manages corrections education programs at the state level. Yvonne is a committed, energetic, creative leader willing to pro-actively manage through specific goals and plans. She will ask the hard questions, collaborate to solve problems, and improve the HSO environment for inmates and staff alike. She has my vote.

Christine Fowles

Christine Fowles is a resident of Southampton.