by Robert Tompkins It’s a challenging time of the year for Orangetown and river village residents to tune out the high voltage coming from our national politics, the negativity littering our mailboxes and the vitriol flooding our airwaves. Let’s focus on something very local at stake this November 6th : the special election for Town Clerk, Receiver of Taxes. After a lifetime of public service, long-time Town Clerk Charlotte Madigan retired in July, creating a vacancy. I’m honored the Orangetown Democratic Committee recently placed me on the ballot as a candidate to fill the remainder of Charlotte’s term.