Supports Mark Franklin

Dear Editor:

Even though Mr. Bulota of Starbuck was not known to me personally, it was nevertheless very disturbing to find that the Columbia County sheriff did not organize a search for the man right away after he went missing. Sheriff Hessler should be made to account for the fact that no search dogs or manhunt was done when Mr. Bulota went missing last March. A veteran rescue coordinator said it is far easier to find remains within a week of a fatal accident.

Sheriff Hessler later said a search for Mr. Bulota was like finding a needle in a haystack. Isn't it the job of the sheriff to try, no matter how daunting the circumstances? It seems nothing happened until Mr. Bulota's brother took up the search and rightfully demanded to know what efforts had been made to find his brother. He even had to produce and post his own missing person posters along with posting a reward. Do only "important" people or certain families with considerable wealth get the immediate attention of Sheriff Hessler? A search coming six months after a person's disappearance is, unfortunately, futile and appears to be too late for Mr. Bulota and his brother.

Please join me in voting for Mark Franklin for Columbia County Sheriff. Mark is a man who cares about all the citizens of Columbia County and would never have conducted an investigation like this in such a shameful manner.

Jim Kime,

Dayton