To The Editor:

I would like to ask St. Lawrence County’s Republican voters to join me in voting for Derek VanHouse in the Sept. 13 GOP primary.

Derek is the only candidate running for St. Lawrence County Treasurer who has real experience detecting fraud, incompetence and financial mismanagement.

Over the past two decades, local governments have hired Derek when they have needed a qualified outsider who can evaluate their internal accountants, bookkeepers and financial systems.

St. Lawrence County needs someone who has real world experience helping multi-million dollar agencies and governments strengthen their internal accounting systems to protect the taxpayers hard earned money.

With a budget of more than $225 million a year, St. Lawrence County needs a real Certified Public Accountant who can help the county’s 800 employees learn from someone who has real experience helping governments prevent costly financial mistakes.

For too long, we’ve had political insiders who have spent their careers inside county government managing our money. Now more than ever, we need someone like Derek VanHouse who has an actual track record helping governmental accountants safeguard our finances.

Vote for Derek VanHouse for St. Lawrence County treasurer on Sept. 13th.

Wayne Ashley

Mayor of Ogdensburg