I am writing in response to false claims and factual errors that have appeared in the print edition of the News-Gazette, on your website and in direct response to the personal attack and untrue claims made by Elizabeth Combs in a letter to the editor. Ms. Combs is referring to me in her letter and her claims are very far from the truth.
Ms. Combs writes that one of the councilmen “seems to use this position for the health insurance it gives him” and goes on to state later in her letter that this “insurance pays most of my medical bills.” Both claims are wrong. The policy that I have through the City of Leitchfield is a secondary policy. If I wanted to retire, I could do so and continue to have this secondary policy due to my years working for the county and service on the council. Another policy I have covers 80% percent of my medical expenses. I am running for reelection because I enjoy serving on the council and working to improve our city.
Your online readers have attacked my wife, children, and I on various levels. My wife and children have always campaigned for me. As long as I was able, I would go door-to-door with them. Since my health has deteriorated, I am no longer able to do so. Due to my health, my wife has done most of the door-to-door campaigning during the past election. I attend as many city and county events as possible to campaign. When campaigning, my wife has never “begged for votes, cause ‘they need the insurance’” as claimed by one of your online readers. This is absolutely not true. Once again, the insurance policy I have through the city is a secondary policy and I could retire and keep this policy. Your website has provided the perfect forum for these personal attacks, lies, and rumors to be spread. It is much easier to lie when someone faces no consequences because they do not have to claim their words.
We had a float in both the Labor Day Parade and in the Honey Fest Parade even though I was unable to attend either one. My wife and children wanted to have a float in both parades. They realize how much serving on the Council means to me and will do whatever they can to help me be reelected. In fact, my son flew home to be here for the Labor Day Parade. Also, by having a float in the parades we were doing our part to help the parades be successful. I thank my wife, my children, and all of our friends who were in the parades for their help.
I have been criticized for missing City Council meetings. Almost every time I have missed a Council meeting, I have been in the hospital. On average, I have missed two meetings a year for vacation since being elected for the first time in 1995. Ms. Combs claims that I once went from the hospital to Florida for a Nascar Event. Like her other assertions, this one is a lie. I have went to Florida shortly after leaving the hospital because I find time spent there therapeutic and the trip had been planned for months. I am an avid Nascar fan, but unfortunately have not been able to go to a race in over eight years due to my health. I have always tried to take my children on a vacation each year and now that they are grown and have gone their separate ways this is even more important. Our vacations have allowed Kathy and I to visit Chancellor or for us all to reunite as a family.
Moreover, there has been much discussion about my health by your anonymous online readers and Ms. Combs refers to my “illness”—yes, she used parenthesis, as if I am not truly sick, but claim to be sick. In 1999, I underwent a kidney transplant and suffered severe complications. I was forced to go on dialysis and have been on dialysis ever since. I have been in and out of the hospital several times due to infections, set backs, complications, etc. Last February, I was diagnosed with leukemia. My latest test results show that my white blood count is down, indicating the leukemia is improving.
Those are the facts. I am sick and my family and I deal with it on a day-to-day basis. Some days are better than others. I have had to give up many things in my life. I am no longer able to work full time, attend Nascar events like I once did, golf, etc. One of the things that I am still able to do is serving on the Council. It provides me great pleasure and I truly enjoy helping making our city better for all of us. I was on the Council before I became sick, and I am very lucky that I am still able to attend meetings and serve the citizens of Leitchfield. It is one thing that has not been taken away from me and it has been an honor to be on the Council.
Having been involved in city and county politics for years, I am shocked by the nasty turn this race has taken. Lies and rumors are circulating about candidates. Your paper’s website has provided the perfect forum for people to launch these attacks since they can do so anonymously. Ms. Combs’ assertions are so far from the truth, I would welcome the opportunity to talk to her to see how she has been so wrongly misinformed.
If you have questions or issues regarding my time on the Council or any other issue that has been raised by Ms. Combs and your online readers, I ask you to contact me personally.
Steve Dennison
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