Dr. Patrick J. Keem - Updates / Events

Colden's Keem seeks to represent 13th District

2005-08-24 16:30:02

Posted By: Pat Keem; article by Christopher Schobert

This article appeared in the Southtowns Citizen on August 6, 2005.

When looking at Colden resident Dr. Patrick J. Keem's resume, one thing stands out above all else: his record of community service.

Keem, who is seeking election as Erie County 13th District Legislator, said these values were instilled in him as a child growing up in Cheektowaga.

"I learned it from my mom and dad," said Keem, whose petitions to enter the September Conservative Party Primary was approved Thursday by the Erie County Board of Elections. Keem, 55, and his wife, Deborah, are the proud parents of three boys and a girl and also have three grandchildren. He said being a father made community involvement very important to him.

"I love working with the kids," he said. "I want to see them stay here."

Keem continues to coach baseball even though his own children are grown. Seeing the devoted 18-to-22-year-olds on his teams has shown him why keeping kids in Western New York is so important.

"That was a major motivator," Keem said. "That's one of the final straws that got me involved... You develop personal relationships. You hate to see them leave the area."

Keem had a private dentistry practice for 27 years in East Aurora. He said it pained him to see the young patients he had known for years forced to look elsewhere for their futures.

"You run into people from Buffalo (and) they all miss home," Keem said.

That's why he proposes that the region look to other national success stories as a path to recovery.

"We have to model ourselves after success," said Keem. "If other communities do it... Why can't we?"

He said his background of community service makes him an ideal person to find ways to bring a splintered legislature together.

"I've always been a leader and a peacemaker. I've always been able to sit people down," Keem said. "I think that's a real strong suit of mine."

A member of East Aurora Moose Lodge No. 360, winner of the East Aurora's Chamber of Commerce's Small Business of the Year Award in 2001, a public address announcer for East Aurora High School Football, former Booster Club President and 31-year baseball coaching vetern, Keem is a lifelong Western New Yorker.

He said he has been both a Democrat and a Republican at various points in his life, and is running for legislator as a Conservative. However, with the Conservative Party having already endorsed John J. Mills for the job, he will have to challenge Mills in the September Primary for the right to run.

"I think that makes me pretty unique," Keem said.

District No. 13 includes the towns of Orchard Park, Aurora, Colden, Concord, and Collins. It is a vast area, and Keem said he has the time to devote to each town.

"I've got the time to do it," he said. "It'll be a fulltime job." Keem plans to give his legislator's salary to various groups and organizations in the towns.

"I'm not taking any salary at all," he said. "I look at it as community service... I'm doing it to help the people of Erie County."

Keem said he believes the prevalence of political patronage jobs is one of the county's primary problems, calling it "entrenched" in local government.

"It's the system. I won't play the game," he said. "They don't have it in their heart to change anything."

He also feels that lawmakers need to spend more time looking closely at information before voting.

"I'm not going to just rubber-stamp everything that's on my desk," he said.

Keem said New York State's policies are also part of the problem.

"Everybody's taking care of everybody," he said. "You have to get a hold on spending."

He is planning to run in the Conservative primary in September. As part of his campaign, he has been meeting with people across the region, and thinks they are looking for changes.

"I've talked to a lot of people," Keem said. "Everybody's looking for some kind of hope."

Keem made it clear that in his eyes, positive change is possible in Erie County.

"It can be done," he said. "I see a lot of hope for this region."

By Ignoring, Minor Parties, Buffalo News Sends Disturbing Message

2005-08-24 16:27:38

Posted By: Pat Keem; article by Robert Lowell Goller

This article appeared in the East Aurora Advertiser on August 4th in Robert Lowell Goller's "Out On A Limb" column.

Retired East Aurora dentist Dr. Patrick Keem is running for the Erie County Legisture Seat being vacated by Orchard Park resident Steven P. McCarville. But you wouldn't know it from reading The Buffalo News.

The newspaper July 26 noted the high number of candidates - 54, according to The News - who filed petitions to run for the County Legislature in the September primary. That is a lot, but that's only part of the story.

Dr. Keem is seeking the Conservative line in the September primary against Orchard Park Town Councilman John J. Mills, who will appear on the Republican line. Suzann M. Cushman is the Democratic candidate. Dr. Keem did not seek the major party lines because he wants to be as independent of them as possible. His decision, as the candidate backed by the political group Primary Challenge, has cost his campaign exposure in the The Buffalo News.

"Nice article in The Buffalo News on 54 petitions filed for the primaries, however you missed one!" Dr. Keem wrote in an e-mail to reporter Bob McCarthy, requesting a correction. McCarthy responded that the article noted the ballot for "major parties" was listed in the story. "That was a decision we made for space reasons, so we don't plan on printing any corrections," McCarthy said.

Newspapers, especially larger ones, often ignore the minor party lines because there are just so many of them. The minor parties often endorse a major party candidate anyway. But ignoring the minor parties the way The Buffalo News did in this case for a local election sends the message that minor party candidates who are not seeking a major party line are not important because they have a Buffalo snowball's chance of winning the election. Tell that to the Town of Aurora. Town Supervisor Terrence M. Yarnall defeated incumbant Thomas Cotton in 2003 with just the backing of the Independence Party. Yarnall was knocked out the major party lines in the primary process, but that didn't matter to the voters, who sent him to Town Hall anyway. We are lucky The Buffalo News even acknowledged Mr. Yarnall's campaign existed.

In such an important election year, given the fiscal crisis under which Erie County is suffering, all candidates - regardless of their affiliations - should be recognized, not just the ones at the top of the ballot. The Buffalo News said 54 candidates filed petitions for the primaries. Had the newspaper looked further down the list, it would have seen that its addition was off.

When candidates step up to the plate, they shouldn't be ignored. I'm not sure if I will vote for Dr. Keem, but I should at least know he's running.