I’ve been a patron of Starkie Brothers Garden Center for the last four years and have never met John Starkie. I know everyone by name (except the seasonal part-timers) and they all know my name. In fact, my mom calls the Garden Center my second home I’m there so much.
I don’t even know what John looks like. I can sit here and recall everyone’s name by picturing their faces in my head and there’s no John Starkie among them. I had asked who the brother was in Starkie “Brothers” back in 2006 and was told that they broke the partnership; that John runs the landscaping company next door and Butch (George) runs the garden center, each their own separate entity of the other. Now, if John were a partner with Butch Starkie in the garden center, how come I never met him? Simple, he’s not affiliated with the Garden Center.
It saddens me that Georgiana Sena has to attack Mayor Starkie because she didn’t get the position of village trustee. I haven’t talked to the mayor about this letter, but in reading the posts made in the Farmingdale Observer, I have to say, Georgiana, that you’re wrong about him. I’m not a village resident, but I do live in Farmingdale, along with being a patron of the garden center and I feel you’re way out of line with your accusations.
I may be wrong here, but isn’t it up to the village residents to “vote” for trustees? So why is Mayor Starkie being targeted?
Cheryl Longo
