Letter from Richard J. Sternberg, MD

Benton Caring, Compassionate

I have worked with, and observed MacGuire Benton for seven years. I have watched him grow and develop as a person and as a public servant. I have seen him define and develop solutions to problems and to bring forward opportunities. I have watched him develop a successful career in the private sector. I have seen him study in depth the positions of public trust he has served in. He truly cares for other people which he demonstrates always. I have personally experienced how that shows.

Four weeks ago, I was attending a breakfast meeting in Syracuse when I developed dizziness and then collapsed. MacGuire was independently attending the same meeting. I was helped to the floor at the site and was then taken to Upstate University Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. When I awoke, MacGuire asked me where my car was and took it upon himself to inform the hotel so it wouldn’t be towed. About 20 minutes after I arrived at the Emergency Department, MacGuire arrived. He then stayed by my side for the entire time I was there. It was about six hours until the hospital staff could diagnose and treat me. I knew he had at least six business calls to make that day and told him to take care of them and I would call him if I needed him. Instead of doing that, he canceled all his appointments and stayed by my side the entire time. Actually, not many people given permission to leave would have stayed the whole time. Even to me—who had spent most of his career in hospitals and especially Emergency Departments, and knew what was going on, and why—this was great comfort.

When I was released he drove me back to Cooperstown and the next day drove me with a friend back to Syracuse so we could retrieve my car. I told MacGuire to leave me and go do his work. Instead, he stayed with me, called all his customers to reschedule, and listened to me prattle to relieve my tension. As most of you know, being alone in an emergency room bed is a pretty upsetting position, including for a physician.

MacGuire will make a fine county clerk. His concern and desire to serve everyone is real. He doesn’t need this job for his living: He currently makes more than the salary of the county clerk.

This job will benefit from someone with vision and who has demonstrated compassion and caring. His ideas will benefit the entire population of Otsego County, will benefit everyone and not just a select few. He has worked with many people and is well liked and respected by those he has worked with. And he will develop the role of county clerk to advocate and develop resources for the entire county and not just for a few lawyers. It has been argued that a county clerk must have already been a clerk in that office and by some in that specific county. If this argument is true, then why do U.S. president, governor, senator, etc., not have specific skill requirements. MacGuire has all the legal job requirements. We elect people to lead.

MacGuire has already studied those aspects of the job for which filing skills will be helpful and even the job description for working in the clerk’s office does not include previous experience clerking. He has performed clerk’s duties while working in the Otsego County Board of Elections. In any event, MacGuire has been studying that with other county clerks around the state. That part of the job is not rocket science, but leading people should be and MacGuire Benton is the best choice for that.

Richard J. Sternberg, M.D
Cooperstown