By Gareth Henderson
Standard Staff
Former police officer Ron Walker has launched his second campaign for Windsor County Assistant Judge, and he is already clashing with an incumbent over alleged communication issues.
Walker, a 63-year-old Baltimore resident who ran for this office four years ago, last week became the third candidate to vie for the county’s two side judge seats. Incumbent David Singer of Hartland and candidate Jack Anderson of Woodstock had also filed, while longtime incumbent William Boardman let the deadline slide with no filing or public comment.
If elected, Walker said he would ramp up the communication between the side judges and county towns, which he said has been lacking. He criticized incumbents Singer and Boardman for not doing more to foster the link with the towns.
“The only time you ever hear from them is budget time,” said Walker, who spent nine years on the Baltimore Selectboard.
“I wasn’t too happy with Boardman the first time I ran,” Walker said. He asserted that the communication hasn’t improved since then, either. “I don’t think Dave Singer’s done much at all.”
When contacted by phone on Tuesday, Singer swiftly rejected that claim, saying he and Boardman have repeatedly reached out to the towns. That included multiple e-mails inviting town officials to county budget meetings, Singer said, adding that three people came to the last budget meeting.
“If Ronnie Walker felt he needed to participate, then he should have showed up at those meetings,” Singer said. He added that he appreciated Walker, “but I resent the implication that there was a lack of transparency.”
Singer also visited a number of selectboards during his first campaign for side judge, and he said he plans to be just as visible this time around. Singer also noted that he and Boardman reduced the county budget this past year and “created positive income” with Verizon paying to have a cell antennae on the Superior Court building in Woodstock.
As side judge, Walker said he would make a point of keeping in constant contact with town officials and visiting them.
“I’ll be going to the selectboard meetings, and I’ll let them know what’s happening,” Walker said.
Walker also said there was even more need for communication with local officials this year, given the changes coming down from the court restructuring bill passed in Montpelier. One significant change is that the county employees at Superior Court will become state employees, subject to possible budget cuts in the future. Singer said last week that those jobs appeared to be secure. Another concern Walker had was the impact on the county budget if courts should merge with another county.
“I want to make sure we’re not paying for some other county’s court,” Walker said. “I’m not sure how it’s going to work.”
Walker also said he would make sure that communication from the side judges extended to the south of Windsor County.
“Seems like the southern part of the county never knows what the northern part of the county is doing.”
Walker grew up in Springfield, graduated from Springfield High School and served with the Marine Corps for four years, including a 10 ½-month tour in Vietnam. He joined the Springfield Police force in 1969 and served there for a number of years. Walker also went on to work as a police officer in Windsor and Woodstock, and also for the Windsor County Sheriff.
