Letter To The Editor – Take Your Advice And…

To the Editor:
After reading about the joint Berlin/Petersburgh Town Board meeting that was reported in the February 26, 2010 Eastwick, I wish to congratulate the town boards on their resolve to improve and add to their programs for our towns’ youth. Kudos to the town boards!
Actually, the main reason for my letter is regarding Heinz Noeding. Isn’t it amazing that a man would tout himself as a banker; considering what our country is going through right now, I certainly wouldn’t tell any one if I were one. Banker leaves a bad taste in your mouth, doesn’t it? Since I had only recently become aware of Mr. Noeding’s existence I went on line to public documents to find that we are very blessed to have Mr. Noeding here, to pay his taxes. Mr. Noeding’s home is valued at 1.5 million dollars, but he is only assessed on $840,000 and receives no Star exemption. Is this because this is not his primary residence, or is he so wealthy that he doesn’t need to apply? Mr. Noeding pays $21,000+ in school tax and $16,000+ in land tax. Now, let me get this straight, $37,000+ in taxes alone, to reside in this town full of “Crackers” who don’t care about new property owners or how their town looks to others. I bet that figure is more than what the majority of Petersburgh’s population earns per year.
First of all, this special meeting of joint town boards wasn’t the place for Mr. Noeding to throw his weight around. This was about the local youth. It has come to my attention that Mr. Noeding is now joining forces with Mr. Zlotnick from Grafton, another newbie, at the Berlin Central School Board meetings, where they treat our school board members like they’re village idiots. It’s so nice to have newcomers come here and tell us poor hicks how to do things right. I guess we’re just supposed to genuflect and say, “Yes, Sir!”
Well, boys and girls let me just say my family has been here since 1780 and I for one am not going to roll over and do things the way some “banker from the city” says I should. Now, if Mr. Noeding doesn’t like that garage that looks like it’s falling into the ravine, maybe he should just purchase it, raze it and plant posies there, so his sensitive nature isn’t offended. That garage has been that way since he moved here. What, did he buy here sight unseen? Smart, good reason to just let him move in and take over.
Might I suggest at this point that even “Dumb Crackers,” which is how Mr. Noeding treated our Town’s elected officials, don’t have to take his overbearing attitude. Mr. Noeding might find it useful to sit down, in a pleasant manner, difficult but not impossible, with a relative newcomer, our Supervisor Mr. Schaaphok, and ask how he became so widely respected, even by those of us who didn’t always agree with him. First of all, he, Mr. Schaaphok, offered to be helpful to his new town, without remuneration, I might add. If Mr. Noeding wants to be accepted and listened to by others here maybe he should offer to give something other than unsolicited advice ie. volunteer with the youth commission, join the fire company or take an EMT course and help a neighbor. Just several suggestions, but they might help to dispel that bad taste people get when he lets them know that he’s a “banker from the city.”
Nobody cares, just pay those lovely taxes!
Sincerely,
Lenore J. Humphrey
Russell Road, Petersburgh
Editor’s Note: I think this letter is a little unfair to Mr. Noeding. I was at this meeting (the writer of this letter was not) and although he was quite insistent about his point of view, he was not disrespectful. Let’s not all agree to be disagreeable. The assessment and tax data that Humphrey quotes in this letter are a matter of public record.