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| May 04, 2025 |
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February 26, 2012
To the Editor:
The Village Board majority consisting of the mayor and two trustees is rapidly moving to begin repairs to the DPW facility by authorizing $189,000 as the first of a number of installments for the renovations. I think we need to ask them what’s the rush. After all, we got into this mess by rushing and cutting corners, so maybe we need to move more deliberately.
The recently released Comptroller’s report confirms issues with the project that have been under public debate for some time. The DPW building was constructed too hastily, with improper foundation design for the site, in a flood plain, and against a number of very legitimate objections.
Even worse, the recent state audit has confirmed that the village paid $207,000 more than the contractually agreed cost of the building. This audit also confirms that the village bonded $538,000 more than the cost of the building should have been after the sale of the Hudson St. DPW site.
So in the rush to build the currently unusable DPW building, we paid too much, we borrowed too much and the village has yet to explain how or where that extra $207,000 was spent.
The interest alone on this huge bond will cost us approximately $378,000. This interest, added to the original $929,000 construction cost, brings the project to a total of $1,307,000. Yet, no one has ever explained the rationale behind bonding more than twice the net value of the building itself.
So I ask you, before we taxpayers go even deeper into debt to fix this horribly flawed project, don’t we deserve an accounting for every penny spent up to now? The time has come to stand up as taxpayers and demand a full accounting of the $1.3 million being spent on the DPW building before the cost of repairing it is forced upon us by a Village Board that seems intent on leaving these important questions unanswered.
There is a public meeting February 27 that will discuss the funding of the renovations, as well as possible alternatives to just renovating the building at this site. I encourage all Village citizens to attend. All points of view will be welcomed and respected. Let’s have a rational public conversation on this issue. It’s our money at stake here so let’s make sure no more if it is wasted.
Melissa Vellone
Cornwall-on-Hudson
Comments:
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>>>The Village Board majority consisting of the mayor and two trustees is rapidly moving to begin repairs to the DPW facility<<<
Incredulous.
It's been over two years since the DPW has been shut down. Rapidly moving?
posted by P W on 02/26/12 at 1:26 PM
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