Who Should Make The Decision?
To the Editor:
The following is the letter that I have sent to the Town of New Lebanon Supervisor
To Mike Benson, Town Supervisor
I do not think that the final decision regarding the sidewalk issue should rest exclusively with the Town Board. This is, after all, a democratic society and involves our tax dollars.
It’s being said that the Town of New Lebanon will only be responsible for 5% of the cost, Columbia County 15% and the Federal government 80% of totals that could be as little as $670,000 to as much as $1.5 million. We are constantly hearing that most of our states and the Federal government are broke – remember “Sequester”? No matter how you sugar coat it, we – the taxpayers – will be paying for it in our town taxes, our county taxes and our income taxes.
Darrow students did at one time come to shop here in town. They shopped mostly at the New Lebanon Supermarket, buying things that were probably not available at their school. Being realistic, local people don’t shop in New Lebanon – they can’t find most of what they need here. If they do shop here, most of them drive.
In the winter who will be responsible for keeping the sidewalks free of snow and ice? The highways are plowed numerous times during a storm. Is the landowner expected to clear the walk each time? Who is liable if some one falls and gets hurt whoever does the plowing, the town or the landowner?
There are issues that should be made clear up front – not as they happen. The residents of New Lebanon should be the unit to make the final decision – not the Town Board. The residents will remember in November whatever the outcome of this issue is.
Patricia Burnell
Route 20, West Lebanon
Letters & Comments
Letters To The Editor – Venting
Dear Editor:
I REALLY need to vent ! Last week I attended the New Lebanon Public Hearing re: the sidewalk project. I arrived at 6:30 and already, it was standing-room-only! This was the first public hearing held at the new meeting room, and the capacity of 45 was exceeded by almost 100%. This issue was mentioned to a Town employee prior to the meeting beginning and the response was, “So, who’s going to do anything about it?” WOW! Several other residents mentioned that it wasn’t legal to overcrowd the room by so many, but I advised them that our local officials have never OBEYED Codes and Laws, so to not expect the meeting to be moved.
As bad as this was, it didn’t bother me anywhere as much as what I witnessed once the meeting began. There were people there of all ages, including many I have never even seen before. In the six years that I have been the Citizen’s Advocate and Incumbent-Watcher in this town, and attended nearly every meeting of every Board, I have never seen as many people come out to a meeting. The majority of those present were people who NEVER attend a meeting of any kind in this town. So why, after SIX YEARS of BEGGING the residents to get involved and object to the corruption and violations of our local officials did they not turn out in such numbers before ?
Let’s look at that. I have always said on my blog that people will not take a stand for anything unless and until it knocks on their very own doors or hits their pocketbooks. Last night was the indisputable proof of that. A proposed project that could affect their tax rates got them off their couches and to the Town Hall. Criminal behavior and lack of integrity and honesty in their officials does not. Money over honor. What a sad statement, what an embarrassing picture of who the People of New Lebanon ARE. Still, that was not the worst of it.
What pained me the most about this meeting was the fact that there was not ONE man in that room with an ounce of chivalry. I looked around at the many older ladies in their 60s and 70s, standing against the walls for two hours, while younger, able bodied men sat in the chairs. Not a single one of those “men” offered his seat to one of those ladies. Nor did they offer one to the young lady who stood and held her baby for two hours. I was absolutely appalled! Did any of these men have mothers? What did their mothers teach them? Apparently not much. I would have NEVER tolerated such behavior from my own son. Despite his own bad back, he would have stood and given his seat to a lady. No question.
I can almost understand, if not excuse, this behavior from the younger guys, as Women’s Lib had a negative effect on their respect for the ladies and those “Progressive” women slit their own throats. However, what about the men in their 40s, 50s and 60s who continued to sit on their duffs while senior ladies stood? Inexcusable! Many of these men are people I know and have now lost a great deal of respect for. A few of them even had mothers present, and even the moms said nothing to their sons! I am disgusted and ashamed of them all.
Is it any wonder that our officials at every level have no integrity? Parents and schools no longer place any value on courtesy and respect. It is a ME-ME-ME world and the H_LL with YOU! We deserve what we accept, and we have accepted far too much for far too long.
JJ. Johnson-Smith
Shaker Road, New Lebanon
Letter To The Editor – The Great Oz
To the Editor:
The recent performance of the Wizard of Oz at Berlin Central School deserves to be recognized.
From the screen to our stage, this charming classic was brought to life for young and old with a stellar cast of main characters, excellent supporting cast and a troupe of delightful Munchkins and Ozians.
All the colorful costumes, the phenomenal stage sets, as well as the wonderful pit band, made this an unforgettable experience for the audience.
Thank you to all who gave so much of their time and talent to this effort, especially Dianne Mosher. What a great send-off! In the words of one viewer, “You wouldn’t believe it if you didn’t see it!”
Sherri Craib Klein
Berlin
Letter To The Editor – Supporting The Legislative District Public Library
To the editor,
I am writing this to express the benefit it is to have our Library in Stephentown. The Stephentown Memorial Library is very important to the community. The resources and services they offer create opportunities for learning and support education. The library is needed now and especially for our future generations. Our library welcomes the growing community with its family programs.
In order for the Stephentown Memorial Library to keep operating, we need the library to become a public library. This will allow and offer more funding that is needed for funding basic operations, (open hours) at the library.
Andrew Schrump
Route 43, Stephentown
Small Business Owner
Letter To The Editor – Supporting The Legislative District Public Library
To the Eastwick Press Editor:
I wish could vote Yes on March 19th.
The library is the most important part of the village of Stephentown. It honors our history and our veterans. Stephentown is a community. The idea of community is right there in the library. It is has the tradition of a village kind of library with everything you need from a big city library right there. When you ask a question, you receive a polite and articulate answer. People are genuinely friendly. It is a place to go for some.
Our family has owned land in Stephentown for three generations. We return every summer for vacation and make many visits to the library. The letter and information you sent about your special district initiative was so well done and clearly written. I wish I could help the library become a district library. It is time. It is right. I truly wish I could vote Yes on March 19th .
Claudia Hodder
410 Manitoba
Playa del Rey, CA
Letter To The Editor – Petersburgh Town Clerk Responds
To the Editor:
I am writing to clarify several points mentioned in the “Clerks and Secretaries” section of last week’s article [in The Eastwick Press] regarding the Petersburgh Town Board Meeting. While it is true that I do hold numerous positions in the Town, I have organized the responsibilities of each to avoid any possible conflicts. Discussions during this Board meeting involved only my positions as Town Clerk and Town Secretary, for which the duties have increased significantly in the past couple of years. The reason for addressing the “clerical and secretarial needs” of the Town is based upon the necessity of updating office procedures, record keeping, reporting processes and such to better accommodate the requirements of the Town and the State as well as the needs of public.
Regarding “unnecessarily raising the cost of Town government,” I would like the public to be made aware that my request has been for the hiring of Deputies to assist with the workload, for which monies have already been allotted for such purposes.
My only objective is to better serve the residents of the Town of Petersburgh by creating a more efficient and productive functioning government.
Respectfully,
Callie Crisp
Petersburgh Town Clerk
Letter To The Editor – A Question Of Security At The Grafton Town Hall
To the Editor:
I would like to elaborate further on the anonymous letter referenced in the January 18 Eastwick Press article titled “Weird Confrontations and A Sander Accident in Grafton.” The purpose for reading the anonymous letter, found in my Town Hall communication box at the January 14 Town Board meeting, was to point out that security within the Town Hall may need to be revisited.
On the surface the letter may seem as a practical joke or possibly a threat. More importantly, it speaks directly to the security of Official Town communications and correspondences. In addition to reading the anonymous letter at the meeting, I suggested the Grafton Town Board investigate additional measures to assure the security of official communication boxes and public safety.
As reported in the Eastwick Press during 2012, issues of Town Hall security were acknowledged, requiring changes in security procedures including securing communication boxes and changing locks on doors. It is apparent these procedural changes have been breached if someone can simply place an un-authored letter in Town Officials’ communication boxes located in a locked room. Residents of Grafton need to be assured their public and private information or correspondence remain secure. Every public servant has a responsibility to uphold these protections.
I would like to assure the people of Grafton as a public servant, I am committed to safeguarding YOUR information and protecting the public at large within the Town Hall and Grafton publicly owned properties.
Barbara J. Messenger
Town of Grafton Board Member
Letter To The Editor – A Feudal Firearms Law?
To the Editor:
It is with a heavy heart and utter disappointment and disgust that I find myself compelled to write this letter, the causation of which is the enactment of New York’s recent ill-conceived feudal firearms law. This law is an overbearing assault on individual Rights guaranteed by our Constitution! A knee jerk reaction to a heinous crime perpetrated by an insane individual, this does nothing to address the root of the problem, which is the state of mental health in this country, and the treatment (or lack thereof) of those so afflicted. In their haste to trample the Constitution of the United States under the pretense of public safety there was absolutely no thought put into this law, or the ramifications thereof.
While I am certain the 21 gun salute at the close of the Berlin Memorial Day Ceremony will be almost as dignified and respectful with BB guns as it was with the Garand rifles typically used which are now classified as “assault rifles” and illegal, I am not as confident our respected veterans who once carried these same rifles across Europe and the Pacific in defense of liberty and our Constitutional Rights will feel quite as proud or dignified marching down the streets of Berlin in our Independence Day Parade, a celebration of Rights and Freedoms, with broom sticks on their shoulders instead of their Garand rifles!
I must also point out that while we lack the funds to repair roads and bridges, we miraculously have funding to crush honest citizen’s Rights? Or is this destined to be yet another unfunded State mandate to be foisted upon the Counties?
While I maintain this travesty must be repealed immediately, I must applaud our State Senator Kathy Marchione for having the courage and wherewithal to stand up to the Governor and downstaters so eager to seize our Rights! And being in receipt of our copy of the Eastwick Press yesterday, dated January 25, which reported on the Petersburgh Town Board actions, I must also tip my hat to Petersburgh Town Councilman Duane Goodermote for his similar efforts to defend the Constitution.
There is yet another question that arises and that is this: If they can move so swiftly and without public debate to eliminate our Second Amendment Rights, which portion of the Constitution will they trample next? Our Right to voice our disgust with their actions, or perhaps the Right of the Eastwick Press to even be published?
Todd Hermann
Berlin
Letter To The Editor – NY Alert
To the Editor:
In the December 21 article concerning the Town of Berlin’s taking possession of the former Berlin Lumber property and subsequent Town Board meeting notes, a small notation was made under the subtitle “NY Alert” in which Ivan Wager said that “eventually private citizens will be able to register for alerts.” It should be noted that this is not an eventuality but a reality: Citizens can sign up for email and/or telephone alerts by visiting the NY Alert Civilian Portal at https://users.nyalert.gov/.
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Letter To The Editor – Thank You Doug
To the Editor:
I was born in Berlin and lived there for 17 years. I left to go into the service during the Second World War. I remember falling down up on the Plank Road, breaking my arm when I was about 10 years old. I was sitting on the side of the road crying, and Dougy Goodermote came by with his Model T car, stopped and gave me a ride home. I never forgot the kindness that he gave me. That was 75 years ago. I would like to give my condolences to his family and friends. God bless you all.
Thank you,
Bill Deyoe from Tucson, AZ.