ELLENVILLE – The Ellenville School Board Election has taken a less than savory turn over the past two weeks. At least three village businesses, the owners of which refused to be publicly identified, have confirmed that they were approached by individuals opposed to the candidacy of Donald Oglesby. The individuals then asked the owners of these establishments to take down campaign signs Mr. Oglesby had, with permission, placed in the windows of these businesses. They further alleged that some of these individuals had direct ties to particular, competing campaigns.

Mr. Oglesby says that he understands that running for office sometimes means playing hardball, but he also feels that he is being singled out because he has been critical of the school district and the board of education. Mr. Oglesby and his wife Sandra are in fact suing the district in federal court over numerous civil rights violations to which they claim to have been subject.

In one incident, the business owner was told that Mr. Oglesby would be disruptive force on the school board, and that supporting his candidacy could be "bad for business." The owner, who originally felt that it was important, in the interest of fairness, to allow campaign signs for any of the school board candidates, has since decided that no campaign signs will be placed in the windows of the business.

In another incident, the owner of the business said that she has ties to the school district, and didn't feel it was appropriate for her to appear to be favoring one candidate over another, thus she took the sign down.

In the last, and perhaps most troubling incident, a worker at a third business told the owner that a member of the Ellenville Teacher's Union had indicated a group of teachers would withhold their business unless the sign was taken down. When reached for comment, the union member said that the employee didn't have his or her facts straight. He refused, however, to explain exactly what occurred at the establishment, stating that it was "personal business."

"You have your information wrong and that's it," the union member said. "I don't really want to comment on it, because it adds fuel to fire that I'm really not that involved with."

He did assure the Journal that there is "no organized movement" against Mr. Oglesby, and that the union is prepared to work with whomever wins the election on May 18.

He refused to explain any further, stating that to do so would be inflammatory.

Interestingly, the third business has since refused to take down Mr. Oglesby's sign; and a new sign — this one supporting the incumbent candidates and Phil Mattracion — was recently placed in an adjacent window of the same establishment.

Mr. Oglesby has also reported that a number of his campaign lawn-signs have been stolen, though he acknowledges that this is somewhat of a tradition in local elections. This past election in November, in fact, saw sign-stealing incidents in virtually every town the Journal covers. Oglesby did say, however, that he filed a report with the state police regarding the stolen signs.