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January 10, 2012
To the Editor,
The public hearing on the budget was the most bizarre meeting I have attended in the past four years. Mayor Coyne, Deputy Mayor Edsall and Trustee Kane were intent upon burying this community in debt.
The general fund had a net profit of $178,000 for fiscal year 09/10 and $186,000 for fiscal year 10/11. When I asked this board where those funds were and why these monies were not applied to our outstanding debt, the board had no answer.
The water fund had a profit of $293,000 for fiscal year 10/11 and as of the end of November 2011 there was a net profit of over $300,000 for this year. When I asked the board where this money was and why we were not paying the debt in the water fund, again I got no answer.
When I reminded the board that our accountants, Nuggent and Hassler, explained that half of all monies taken in were going to pay for our debt service and that we should not bond anything more, the board ignored me. I asked them to put the bond vote up for referendum so you, the residents, could vote whether you were willing to take on additional debt. They refused to do that and instead threatened to add the cost for repairs to the regular budget so we would have to pay it all next year. How is that possibly being fiscally responsible? Mr. Kane stated that the residents had voted him in and he was responsible for making financial decisions. Mr. Kane – when you were voted into office it was to represent the people and do what was in their best interest. Adding the entire cost of renovations to the DPW building to this year’s budget is not in the best interest of the residents.
Why do you need to bond this project now? The DEC has not given its approval. Why can’t you wait for until we have DEC approval? You said in tonight’s meeting that the DEC was ready to approve the project once you supplied certain documentation. So do it and get their approval. Then let the residents vote on whether to bond the project. If the residents agree, then bond the money and fix the building. But don’t make the residents suffer because you were not willing to handle this the right way.
Jan Smith
Cornwall-on-Hudson
Comments:
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I totally agree with Jan's statement.
As I see it, there are only 2 board members that have the interest of the taxpayer in mind ,as the remaining three are scrambeling to holding each other up
I say friendships and politics leave them at the door and do what is right for the taxpayers!
posted by J Buescher on 01/10/12 at 11:36 AM
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Here is the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1CTCBlMon4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
posted by Andrew Argenio on 01/10/12 at 2:05 PM
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Jan is absolutely correct in her assessment of the meeeting. I flat told the other trustees and the mayor that I will not agree to the use of taxpayer money until we hae written approval to go forward from the DEC. We have also hired a law firm to litigate and they have advised us against further action. Our auditors have told us we have too much debt. STOP NOW.......what's the hurry? Now I am threatened with them putting it in the budget. I will not succumb to pressure. Our financial decisions need to be in the best interest of the residents and this falls short. Barbara Gosda
posted by Barbara Gosda on 01/10/12 at 4:17 PM
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Stop putting the village in more debt. Find solutions without taking the easy way out.We will have to live with this debt and probably have to pay higher taxes because of it.
posted by Rae Baz on 01/10/12 at 5:43 PM
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Rae,
I don't think we have to take on more debt. We had excess money from previous years. Where are they and why can't we use them to pay for some of the items being requested? The other thing is that,in this economy we may not be able to do everything that everyone wants. We may have to make decisions on what is most important and then make true cuts in other areas. These are difficult times and may require difficult decisions.
posted by Jan Smith on 01/11/12 at 9:48 AM
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