The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Letters & Comments

Letter to the Editor – I Told You So, But There Is Still A Referendum

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To the Editor,

Is it too soon to say “I told you so”?

Do you know what’s being discussed with the Berlin Central School District (BCSD) referendum?

Did you know they are talking about only getting rid of one school principal position and one school nurse position?  If we keep these salaries we could have two schools for 1/3 the cost (which includes ADA, safety and adding on)!  Weren’t we supposed to save money on salaries?  What’s next?  Although when you “shove” an additional 200 kids into one location – are we really expecting the nurse, custodian, principal, office help, librarian and kitchen staff to all do the same job, with added duties, and still get paid the same?  What is it worth to your children?  How about how your tax dollars will be spent?  How much are you willing to pay if what was promised is not followed through?

We need a lot of money to fix up the Berlin Elementary School (BES). We will not be spending enough money to do so, but there might be a fresh coat of paint in all the rooms to make it look like it.

What about the addition we are building onto BES?  Where were they putting that again? Oh, wait ą it won’t be as big as originally discussed to taxpayers.  There will be JUST ENOUGH room, so if by chance we get more than we have now there would be no room for them – so then where would they go?

Where will our kids be while the bulk of the construction is going on ą IN SCHOOL?

Are you okay with shoving kids into classrooms into what was once a closet?  Are you okay with the construction happening while our kids are in the building, not knowing what lies under the surface – when mold is on the surface?  Are we really saving money and at what cost?

Did you know you still have a voice in the matter?

When the referendum date is finally decided, you have a chance to vote. There is NO reason for adding on a building. SAVE TAX DOLLARS!  Save our children’s health and education!  Which way will you decide to vote? I will be voting NO!

Amy Reger

Grafton, NY

Letter To The Editor – Berlin Food Closet Finds Support In The Community

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To The Editor:

The Berlin Community Food Closet would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to all who responded to our recent plea for help. When an article appeared in The Eastwick Press a few weeks ago we had little money available to purchase food or help with utility bills this winter. Many individuals and institutions in the valley responded with generous gifts. We now have enough money on hand to supply those in need with food this winter and to help at least a few families with emergency fuel oil assistance.

Some who donated were unaware of the Food Closet’s work. The Berlin Community Food Closet was formed over ten years ago to help supply the needy in our community with food. Clients are provided with a three-day supply of food, based on the size of the family, on the 28th of each month (or by appointment). They are also given a voucher which can be redeemed for bread, eggs, milk and margarine at local stores. The Berlin Community Food Closet is housed at Maxson Fellowship Hall at 47 North Main Street in Berlin. It is sponsored by the United Methodist, First Baptist, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic and Seventh Day Baptist Churches of Berlin. Individuals and organizations in our community also provide extensive support for the ministry.

The Food Closet also provides emergency fuel assistance to those who are in danger of running out of fuel. We work with Eagle Energy to provide 125 gallons of fuel, often on the same day it is requested, to those in need. Given the expense of this program each family is eligible for assistance just once each year. Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and only if other assistance programs, such as HEAP, have been exhausted. The Food Closet has also helped the needy and working poor in the valley with help for electricity bills, car repair, medical expenses and other expenses when funds are available.

The Berlin Community Food Closet accepts donations of food, but cash donations will stretch your gift much farther. We are a member of the Food Bank of Northeastern New York and thus are able to purchase food from them for as little as ten cents per pound. The same fifty cents used to purchase a can of green beans at your local store will purchase as much as five pounds of green beans from the Food Bank. With the help of the Food Bank we are also able to supply diapers to our clients when they are available. These salvage diapers, which generally suffer from no defect other than an open or torn package, are also purchased from the Food Bank by the pound. The same is true of baby wipes, toiletries, cleaning supplies and other paper products. Such items are very expensive, and we are always happy when we are able to supply them to our clients. If you would like to tour the food closet or have other questions about this charity, please call Pastor Matt Olson at 658-2868.

If you donated, again, our sincere thanks to you. If you still wish to donate any gift you give, large or small, will be used to help the needy in Berlin to be well fed and warm this winter. Gifts may be sent to the Berlin Community Food Closet, P.O. Box 284, Berlin, NY, 12022. Make checks payable to the Berlin Community Food Closet.

Letter To The Editor – A Flawed Plan For Berlin Elementary School?

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Dear Editor:

As a resident and taxpayer of the Berlin School District I am deeply troubled by what I’ve been witnessing at the BOE Buildings workshop meetings. I was invited to tour the Berlin Elementary School with the BOE and the Architects Monday night, September 8, and what I saw was disastrous, and I don’t know how we got to this point.

First, the taxpayers need to know that they are going to be asked very soon to support a flawed rehabilitation plan for the Berlin Elementary School. We are going to be asked to support a plan that only addresses 50-75 % of the building issues but costs upwards of 15 million dollars. This School Board was presented many options by the blue ribbon committee they formed [the LRPC] two years ago, and they seem to be dismissing all of the options. The only thing that the BOE agrees on is that the “status quo” could not be maintained. As Chairman of the Facilities and Transportation committee of the LRPC, I know we clearly gave them options that are not being explored. After we presented all the options this School Board [minus a few members] buried their heads in the sand and cried that the only option that made economic sense was to consolidate all the elementary schools and students into one school in Berlin, close and sell off the other buildings and use the savings to pay for the Berlin rehabilitation project. If that were only the truth. As the BOE explores all the problems and looks over all the repairs they are missing the point. The point is that we need to find new ways to educate our children. We need to add to the classroom experience by upgrading materials and resources for the teachers and students;. One improvement would be by adding a certified librarian/media instructor to the BES and putting in place new strategies to reach every learner. I was so disheartened by the BES library facilities. I now have a better understanding why the students don’t achieve their full potential.  I have never seen such a mismanaged resource in all my days. The BOE should be ashamed to allow students to go there.

We as taxpayers spend over $14,900 per child to educate our children in the BCSD. That’s over 18 million dollars a year, for what? At that price I think that we should be able to send all our children to private school and get a first class education. I now understand why some of my friends are taking their children out of this school district. They tell me that the unhealthy conditions in Berlin, the longer commute and the substandard education that their children will be receiving in Berlin during the consolidation and rehabilitation project were major factors. But they told me more. They don’t want larger class sizes for elementary students, and they are less than impressed with the extracurricular activities, sports and educational programs that this district offers. 

I want to commend those teachers and a few administrators that over the years put up with all the politics and mismanagement that this school district has put them through. Good teachers can only go so far. We have had so many administrators come and go that it’s like a revolving door in these schools. Without some sort of consistent leadership it’s hard to have a good team of administrators all working together to make a better environment for our children. The leadership of this school district should flow from the school board to the superintendent and then to the building administrators. We have an interim-superintendent, who only rests on her past work to guide her, who has no clue what the Berlin School District really needs, and she has no long term commitment to the District, students, teachers, staff or the taxpayers. I find it troubling that this person will be leading us through one of the most dramatic changes that this school district has ever seen. 

There are so many questions to be answered and so few facts that I as a voter and taxpayer am unable to support the course that the BOE is taking. I will be voting for our children but not for this building project. We need to spend our taxpayers money wisely and where we can have the best return for our investment because that’s what it is, a long term investment in not only my children’s future but the next generation of students who are being born today whose parents will no doubt have greater expectations for their children. I don’t see how any of these plans will be able to deliver on those expectations.

Andrew Zlotnick

Petersburgh

Letter To The Editor – State And County Officials Ignore Rural Area

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To The Editor: 

 Since 2003 we have been addressing Senators, Governors, County Legislators, politicians (and prospective politicians), regarding a transportation problem with United Family Services, Department of Aging, for transportation to and from Stephentown. 

My husband’s health required multiple doctors and treatments in the Albany area. The van service has been very sporadic. Since May of this year we have requested the van service 21 times. He received it twice. There never has been a problem with the Veterans Department going to their facility in Albany. The American Cancer Society and the Immaculate Conception Church in New Lebanon were able to give him some assistance. Our last resort to get medical transportation was to rent an apartment in Rensselaer and prepare the house for sale in Stephentown that we have lived in for 21 years. 

My husband was told it took 45 minutes each way for the van service. Not his problem, but one for the County to address. We now pay rent, a mortgage, double utilities, insurances, etc. etc. My husband has worked all his life, speaks the English language, paid into the system but is “above the financial cut-off’ for any financial assistance. Income is only taken into consideration, not the medical and everyday living expenses.  We spend billions to kill people, but pennies to improve our health care. 

Please elect the candidates who recognize and have the compassion and power to take action for those residents (especially seniors with no relatives) living in rural areas, not only in Rensselaer County, but other rural areas. 

Frances McNamara  

Rensselaer and Stephentown

Letter To The Editor – Ham Hill Farms – Pigs Or Property Taxes?

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To The Editor:

This letter is in reply and an update to the issues and comments of Tyler Sawyer and his Ham Hill Farms. His comments were made at the [August] Grafton Town Board Meeting and published in this newspaper.

Tyler Sawyer is a former Grafton Town Supervisor – 2007, former Planning Board member – 2008 and presently the Town of Grafton’s Bookkeeper.

Mr. Sawyer talked about the “lots of communications” he received and “none of the complaints are consistent with the current Town Code.” He is probably correct. But, the complaints he received were from his concerned neighbors. Apparently Mr. Sawyer feels he can snub and disregard his neighbors and cause potential pollution of the watershed at Babcock Lake all because he has the Town Code on his side. Maybe the Town Code should be looked into to determine if it is written in such a way that the Grafton Town tax base and tax payer property values can be impacted in negative ways by one person. 

Mr. Sawyer talked about the issued permit and took “offence at the insinuation that there was impropriety in the issuance of the permit.”  Mr. Sawyer, although offended did not mentioned his threats to the Lake Community to build Ham Hill Farms to raise hogs and pigs on a plot of land approximately 110 ft. x 115 ft. with residences right next door to this enterprise.  I am sure the Town Code Official who issued the permit for Sheds was following the Town Code.

Mr. Sawyer started “this issue,” when he apparently felt slighted that he was denied the opportunity to swap his newly purchased lots for land next to his house. With this denial, he had let it be known that he did not care about his neighbors and community.  He refused to accept the same restrictions that dues paying members of Lake Estates (he is not a member) had to obey for a deed swap. In his lack of concern, he let it be known that because members did not respond fast enough to his demands that he would now build a pig and hog farm a half mile from his private residence but next to other residences.

The article also went on to say that “he (Mr. Sawyer) had received many emails and no one approached him in person.” From my understanding he had spoken to members of the property owners association in person and other residents.  In fact the Board of Directors went way overboard in their communications and conversations with Mr. Sawyer. The article went on to say, he thought that “this issue was overblown.”  If he felt it was overblown at the Town Meeting, how would you feel if a person who lives in your community, your neighbor, was given the appearance that he was attempting to affect your property values and a way of life. 

Yes, Mr. Sawyer did withdraw his building permit. This withdrawal, coincided with the report that an Article 78 would be filed in this matter. Although the Code Enforcement Officer is somewhat correct in his statement, “The matter is now considered a personal matter between Sawyer and the residents of Lake,” I believe it has far more importance to the Town’s tax base, which has numerous residential areas on the numerous lakes. Just look at the pig and hog farm that shut down in West Hoosick. Could that same company come to Grafton and start another pig farm because as Mr. Sawyer said, “There is nothing in the Grafton Town Code to stop it.”

Mr. Sawyer brought up “failing septic systems at the lake right now.” Mr. Sawyer was Town Supervisor for many years. He apparently was aware that some residences might have septic issues. Yet as an elected Town Supervisor he failed to provide assistance to those taxpayers or to protect the watershed. In fact he might have stopped the Lake Community’s request for Town action a few years ago to insure the continuous protection of the lake from the use of gasoline/oil powered engines.

Town Board Member Fredricks asked Mr. Sawyer, “If there was going to be a specific number of pigs, 4 or 5?” No answer was recorded from Mr. Sawyer.

A Mr. Jason Sawyer is reported to have told The Grafton Town Board, that he plans in “bringing in some animals to my own property, too” at the Stonybrook subdivision (the Hemlock Valley Way Inc., Homeowner’s Association). That might be fine for his area where the average residential property is in acres, while the average Lake residence lots are in feet. I understand his house is on Dyken Pond. 

There is a chance that this issue will be before the citizens of Grafton and the elected officials again. Maybe the Board should consider the term “residential areas.” As we all know the “residential areas” are made up of taxpayers and voters.  Not pigs and hogs. 

Would it not be easier and advantageous to Mr. Sawyer to have one pig and hog farm with his son on his mutable acres, than on a plot of land less than a quarter acre and less than 30 feet from a residence – a residence of one who has lived there for 70 plus years.

Town resident O’Dell commented, “We had a right to farm law and many would not have eaten without one.” Our Lake Community is 90 years old, and I have been here for forty plus years and thankfully, I have not seen or heard of any person not having food, substance, denied a vegetable patch or living happily at the Lake, until now. If that issue arose, I am sure the Community would not allow it to happen. 

Mr. Sawyer did not even attend the landowners meeting when the vote was taken. He did not appear to express his desires, request a swap or answer questions. In fact Mr. Sawyer when given the opportunity by a vote to approve a swap, refused the terms that all dues paying members have to obey. Mr. Sawyer is now cutting trees on the plot of land he owns for some enterprise. Who knew!

Thank you.

Pat Ivory

Babcock Lake, Grafton

PS: Hoosick apparently is in the process of having some form of Land Use Regulations. Will Grafton be last or Petersburgh in Rensselaer County to protect the Tax paying Homeowner? 

Remember to register to vote.

Remember your absentee ballot application.

Letter To The Editor – Slow Down In Berlin Village

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To the Editor:

Anyone interested in seeing the speed limit on Route 22 in Berlin reduced to 40 m.p.h. should call 518-388-0380. These are the people who decide that.

I pointed out also that the current speed limit signs are placed too far into the village; few vehicles slow down until they are well into settled areas.

When all the k-6 students in the District start attending the old high school on School Street in Berlin, that means even more bus loads of children will have to turn across traffic onto Southeast Hollow Road – a dangerous situation.

Berlin village deserves a lower speed limit.

Mr. Gale Shaw

South Main Street, Berlin

Letter To The Editor – Preventing Misunderstanding

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To The Editor:

In the August 22 article of the Eastwick Press, S.O.S Seniors of Stephentown, on page 11, there are two sets of figures that need clarification in order to prevent misunderstanding by the readership.

The first is – we do not have, at this writing, forty active members. What we have is forty people who have stated to me, either in person or on the phone, that they wanted to become active members. In other words, to do things to be “active.”

The second is the reference to 18 to 24 seniors showing up at meetings. The number 18 to 24 refers to the number of people who have been to our temporary meeting place (our home), to talk over plans and voice their support for S.O.S. Some of the people came on our meeting day, some the day before and a few a day or so later, for their own various reasons.

I need to say that this jumble of information is not the fault of the writer of the article, David Flint. It was most likely the fast pace of the interview and my not being able to process the  wording of the questions clearly enough.

My reason for writing this clarification is to keep the Stephentown public in general, and our new members in particular, as correctly informed as possible.

Mary DeFreest

Pres. S.O.S.


Letter to the Editor: Playground Needs Attention

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To the Editor:

It seems like the playground at the Berlin Central Elementary School needs some attention. There are broken glass beer bottles on the ground and missing slats in the jungle gym tower, among other safety concerns. Aside from obvious safety issues, what is the school’s state of disrepair telling the kids about the importance of school and community? With a bunch of community members and a couple hours some weekend it seems like we could really fix up the playground. Email me if you are interested, and we’ll pick a date. BIGBUG9@juno.com. 

Schuyler Gail

Route 22, Berlin

Letter to the Editor: Stop The Grousing

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To the editor:

On August 18, I attended the Stephentown Town Board meeting. It was a fairly normal and relatively routine meeting, except for the item on the agenda having to do with the film, Taking Woodstock. The issues were discussed briefly at the Town meeting with regard to the shoot locations on Route 43 between Calvin Cole and Tinley Road, the Stephentown Hotel and the Stephentown Evangelical Church. A number of residents who lived in and around Tinley Road made their concerns known again – and again, and again. The individuals from the film company, including the location manager continued to give as much information as possible as to how the process would work and how the company would do as much as possible to create as little inconvenience as possible. Tom Sherman, the Town Supervisor, suggested that those who still wished more information and had other questions could stay afterwards for a post-meeting get-together with the representatives from the film company.

Unfortunately, from the comments, attitudes and overall demeanor of the same residents, one would have thought that the film company was doing a three month invasion of Cambodia…. We are talking about two days of shooting on Route 43, one of which is on a Sunday with setup. All one could hear from 5 or 6 people was antagonism, negativism, grave personal “inconvenience” and seeming infringements on their personal liberties: Where would all the “extras” go? The road is too small; people were parked on part of a lawn; they would refuse “to use a placard to get to my house.” The film company was not trying to locate a lead smelting plant 100 yards from their homes. 

As I said in the meeting – after I frankly could take no more – there are communities and villages all around America (and of course in upstate New York) which would kill to have filmmaking done in their towns and locations. The Governor has a whole agency devoted to making things smooth and attractive so filming companies will come to the state, towns or cities. How can the people who are opposed to this be so myopic as to not see the benefits to the community as a whole. Have so many people in our society become so parochial and so selfish in refusing to be “inconvenienced” a very modest bit on two days, while there is a significant benefit for the community in shooting parts of a national film there? What happened to the concept of working for the betterment of the whole, even if it means a very modest personal “sacrifice” – if at all. I must commend the four young individuals from the set location unit of the film company for their patience. They really showed Job-like behavior. Honestly, I can imagine some other organizations simply snapping shut their folder and saying “Adios, who needs this hassle?” Thankfully they did not. 

The people fighting this and clamoring for “answers” to repetitive questions must not have heard that the location unit was renting a house on Garfield Road for the duration of the filmmaking. Maybe they also did not hear that many people have been paid significant sums for the use of their personal property for parts of the film or that local restaurants are already benefiting. Maybe they do not understand if an entity is cordially welcomed into a town’s midst, they will return for other films or spread the word to other companies what a nice place Stephentown is and how open and welcoming the people are. Maybe they have not heard there is a national recession and local businesses actually appreciate companies coming in and spending money. 

Rather than grousing and griping about the filmmakers coming and setting up a tent on a vacant field, maybe those people who are complaining should simply wander over and introduce themselves and tell them how glad they are that these guests can come to Stephentown and appreciate its beauty. Instead of demanding that everyone who comes on the set have “criminal background” checks, maybe they can just go and engage in polite, friendly, welcoming conversation. Just maybe, as a result of a positive interaction with other people from outside the area, the people who are clamoring and angry might not feel so insular and might even receive a significant intellectual, moral, and personal benefit.  

Brian Baker 

Main Street, Stephentown