Mayor didn’t mean to dishonorThe controversy over the lowering of the flag to honor Walter Rich by Cooperstown Mayor Carol Waller got me thinking. I am not sure over the legality of the gesture, but the intent was to honor Rich, not to detract or take anything away from our veterans. Mr. Butler’s objections to the lowering of the flag are not just the legality of the gesture. He raised no objections when it was done in the past. Butler’s objections stem from a long-time feud between these two men that has lasted over 20 years. I have known both men for longer than that, and I am familiar with the feud. I was the engineer of the train involved in the accident in Poolville. I had been relieved just before the accident, but I was there during the reenactment and investigation. Butler was the railroad chief of police at the time, and he didn’t like the engineer that was driving the train and suspected he was the cause of the accident. Rich defended his crew. As with any accident, there were many contributing factors, a perfect storm of things that came together to cause a tragedy. The accident was investigated by local, state and federal authorities. A settlement was reached with the families. The case was closed, but the feud had just begun. Allegations and accusations flew back and forth, and Butler lost his job and found it hard to find another job in law enforcement. He has for years tried to get the case reopened and has written a book about this. I know Butler and he is, by all accounts, an honorable man. He has served his country, his community and raised a family that any man would be proud of. For years, he has run a successful and respected contracting business. Rich and his railroad also went on. I worked for Walter for almost 30 years. He gave me, a simple farm boy, a job when there were no jobs in this area. Not just a job, a good paying job. He took a chance on many of us from this area, trained us, and gave us opportunities that were not available here at that time. Why is there a railroad headquartered in Cooperstown? It would make much more sense to put it in New Jersey or Binghamton where it had large terminals. It’s because that is where many of us that started with Walter are from, and he resisted moving everyone. Walter did wine and dine politicians, but this is the state of our politics today. The state and federal government fund the highways the trucks run on, the waterways the barges run in. Why should they not help save that feed mill in Sangerfield, or the factory in Cortland and the jobs and lives associated with these? Walter dined with the president and powerful politicians, but he also dined with me and my family. He sat down and ate sandwiches with the laborers and crew members on job sites. He attended our weddings and funerals, he listened and cared about us and our families. Everyone knew that if it was something serious we could go to Edgewater and Walter would receive you and listen. He was a farm boy that worked hard and made good. He stayed humble and gave back; he is my inspiration. I believe the mayor was trying to honor that spirit and a life well lived. She had the right idea and good intentions. Gary Sikkema Cooperstown
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