Merger idea heats up Village of Woodbury candidates' debate
By Chris Mckenna
Times Herald-Record
March 04, 2009 6:00 AM
CENTRAL VALLEY — The big question for nine Woodbury candidates Tuesday night was how to limit the cost of the extra layer of government residents brought upon themselves three years ago by voting to create a village within their town.
In a debate at Central Valley Elementary School sponsored by the citizens group OCEAN, three slates of contenders for mayor and two trustee seats threw out a litany of tax-cutting ideas that included reducing the use of consultants and more aggressive grant-seeking.
But the proposal promising the greater savings — and dominating much of the debate time — was the pledge by the Common Sense Party to seek to consolidate the town and village governments, thereby eliminating a board of paid elected officials and other duplications of costs.
"That would save you $600,000 to $700,000 a year," said Michael Queenan, a town councilman who's running for mayor on the Common Sense ticket. "That's currently what it's costing you to run the village right now."
In legal parlance, he and his running mates are proposing to create a coterminous town-village, similar to several other places in New York that have a town and village with identical borders operating under a single government.
The only problem for Woodbury: its town and village are not coterminous. Their borders are nearly the same, except that the town also encompasses part of the Village of Harriman, which also sits in the Town of Monroe.
The Common Sense candidates propose to rectify that problem with special legislation in Albany — but the other two contenders are uniformly skeptical.
"It's a pie-in-the-sky idea," said Sandra Capriglione, a trustee candidate on the CommUNITY Party slate.
The three mayoral candidates running on March 18 are incumbent Stephanie Berean-Weeks of the CommUNITY Party; Ben Meyers of the Preservation Party; and Queenan.
The six candidates for two trustee seats are: Tim Egan and Tom Flood of the Common Sense Party; George Pederson and Fred Ungerer of the Preservation Party; and Fred Lindlaw and Sandy Capriglione of the CommUNITY Party.
By Chris Mckenna
Times Herald-Record
March 04, 2009 6:00 AM
CENTRAL VALLEY — The big question for nine Woodbury candidates Tuesday night was how to limit the cost of the extra layer of government residents brought upon themselves three years ago by voting to create a village within their town.
In a debate at Central Valley Elementary School sponsored by the citizens group OCEAN, three slates of contenders for mayor and two trustee seats threw out a litany of tax-cutting ideas that included reducing the use of consultants and more aggressive grant-seeking.
But the proposal promising the greater savings — and dominating much of the debate time — was the pledge by the Common Sense Party to seek to consolidate the town and village governments, thereby eliminating a board of paid elected officials and other duplications of costs.
"That would save you $600,000 to $700,000 a year," said Michael Queenan, a town councilman who's running for mayor on the Common Sense ticket. "That's currently what it's costing you to run the village right now."
In legal parlance, he and his running mates are proposing to create a coterminous town-village, similar to several other places in New York that have a town and village with identical borders operating under a single government.
The only problem for Woodbury: its town and village are not coterminous. Their borders are nearly the same, except that the town also encompasses part of the Village of Harriman, which also sits in the Town of Monroe.
The Common Sense candidates propose to rectify that problem with special legislation in Albany — but the other two contenders are uniformly skeptical.
"It's a pie-in-the-sky idea," said Sandra Capriglione, a trustee candidate on the CommUNITY Party slate.
The three mayoral candidates running on March 18 are incumbent Stephanie Berean-Weeks of the CommUNITY Party; Ben Meyers of the Preservation Party; and Queenan.
The six candidates for two trustee seats are: Tim Egan and Tom Flood of the Common Sense Party; George Pederson and Fred Ungerer of the Preservation Party; and Fred Lindlaw and Sandy Capriglione of the CommUNITY Party.
Any of you folks actually attend?
What are your impressions of what went down?
31 comments:
Can anyone tell me who the three wooden men in the middle are? The Preservations party? Isn't that Ralphs gang? And why were they making an issue about something that won't be changed during their term- the whole sales tax thing? That was decided recently and won't be up for another few years, long after these people are out office, unless they plan on running for many terms.
I guess they just wanted to pick on Roxanne.
Hey, everybody mentioned the sales tax revenue. They can keep on trying, just like Queenan's gang will keep on trying for a coterminous town and village. And what's with the Sandy bitch? If village meeting go overtime will she get up and walk out because she has another life? How rude!
I thought the "Sandy bitch" stayed through the whole thing, no??? What's rude is plastering the Village with flyers announcing the thing was gonna start at 7:30, and then holding it off for 20 minutes while Don Seibold REWROTE his questions with the help of his sidekick Mullooly. Funny though, I don't recall any question about seeing Dick, or Jane or Sally or Spot run!!
More half truths from the Common Sense party- They now post a PARTIAL video on their infamous website showing Mr. Queenan's "disappointment" in the new garbage contract, BUT they fail to show the WHOLE video depicting the actual VOTE on the contract where Mr Queenan (drum roll please) votes YES!!!! If he's so damn disappointed, vote NO!!!!
And I thought Mike A was the flipper!!!
You all can continue to beat on the Preservation Party candidates all you like but they were the most mature of the bunch. Sandy was crying about the increase of time, both book end groups arguing about subjects that didn't have anything to do with the question at hand (a real hissy fight)... The only group that kept on target was, as the 3/4 4:01 PM entry says, were the three wooden men in the middle. Wooden to you, business like to me and I'm sure to many others. I had never seen Meyers before but he exuded leadership up there. Something that neither Mike nor Stephanie could. I was thinking of splitting up the vote but the forum made me change my mind.
I also liked the pick of the moderator who, as promised, took control of the proceedings, even though Johnny boy (& I mean "boy")tried to intervene on crying Steph's groups gripes.
On the contrary- I liked the spunk that both women showed in standing up to Houston, who apparently thought it was just fine to change the rules-regardless of prior commitments or family concerns. Maybe if he and Swiller had their acts together and started on time, none of that would have come up. Houston's the one who acted rather pompous-both women showed that they can adjust to a changing situation and carry on! I liked that- shows TRUE leadership!
Easy to criticize when we don't know what's truthfully going on behind the scenes...so to the last poster, since you seem to know everything, why don't you try asking both women why they had an issue, and THEN pass judgment.
Debate + Swiller= DISRESPECTFUL SHAM
Proof:
1)Kids' desks for 2 candidates he's not supporting
2)Starting late
3)Clueless moderator
4)Affiliated timekeeper
5)Running late
6)Biased,unbalanced newspaper article.
I agree with previous poster- make it your business to talk to the candidates directly, demand answers, and make sure their "handlers" aren't around. You may be suprised.
Mike can whine for more time for his opening statement right from the start and that's just fine, but Sandy objects to running the show late by 20-30 minutes out of concern for the candidates and the AUDIENCE alike, and she's a bitch.
Only in Woodbury!
Omigod, it started late, it ran late, the seats were the wrong size, the moderator was pompous, the weather was cold, the auditorium was hot, there were no snacks on sale.
What a bunch of whiney bastards you people are.
We got a public debate. It was free. I'm glad Swiller put it together. And unlike all of you assholes I say thanks.
So, Where did Sandy get such a negative reputation? All I hear is She's such a Bit..!!
Ha ha ha.........
Someone's feathers must have gotten ruffled...wonder whose??
It is funny that when women speak out they are bitches, when men speak out they are leaders.
and only in woodbury are you not supposed to ever change your mind when new info comes in, how stupid is that?
And flipper is a dolphin you silly don.
Yes, Robin, it started later than I had planned, but not because I was waitng for Don to write his question. Tony was going through the questions he'd been given and wasn't quite ready to start. The event could have been better organized, but I was pulling it together on my own. As I recall, you refused to even help put out flyers for the debate.
Yes Don, I had made a commitment to all three slates about the ending time and that's why I asked Tony to stick to 9PM. Perhaps the idea of trying to live up to your commitments is foreign to you.
I still feel that having a debate was useful and I am glad that it happened. If I disappointed the two of you I will learn to live with it.
Johnny Angel ...
I'm done with you Jonathan. When you look back on this, I hope your new found "friends" are there for you like the rest of us have been. Goodbye.
Remember it is only business, not personal.
When you look in that special mirror of yours and see nothing, you'll know just how personal you've made it this time...unfortunately, there's no going back. Again, hopefully your new "friends" will be there to catch you when you fall...sadly, I doubt it.
When an election comes around only then do we find out who our true friends are.
It is sad that people are so small minded and conceited that they don't even realize how they sound in voice and written prose let alone their demeanor in public.
How refreshing to have a team step up to the plate to try to help the residents of Woodbury.
Say it enough times, and it may actually appear to be true.
What is this talk about friends and politics? Do you always have to agree with your friends? Does this mean a democratic party member cant be friends with a republican? Does this mean that all friends have to vote for the same people all the time?
I think what happens at election time is the stress gets to people who think they have an absolute stake in the election and then they strike out at everyone.
Sad....
Swiller, you suck, why don't you worry about cleaning up your freaking house and helping yourself out first before you go try to clean up an help Woodbury you fat pig! the place really looks like a shithole!
Uncle Mildred
we are all doomed
Jonathan knows what is being discussed.
No More rides home!!!!!
Flipper is in Florida living large. Remember he led his republican friends on till he FLIPPED. Actually, He led his neighbors on too because he had secret meetings at his house, and now its a secret how big his house is!!!
I'm somewhat curious as to who posted "No More rides home!!!!!" and what their point is?
Just look at the IP address Jonathan- we know you track them, so stop playing dumb.
"it was just fine to change the rules-regardless of prior commitments or family concerns."
Is that what Sandy is going to do if elected?
Who knows, she's never been in office- a better one to ask about "it was just fine to change the rules-regardless of prior commitments or family concerns" is Queenan- he's the newest flip-flopper!
flip flopper
flip flopper
flip flopper
flip flopper
flip flooper
Do we say it enough?
OK try this one:
you are stupid
you are stupid
you are stupid
you are stupid
you are stupid
Is it true yet?
Oh wait, it was true before we said and repeated.
So the lesson is, you mental midgets, repeating something doesn't make it true!!!
I am rich
I am rich
I am rich
OOPS still broke!
See?
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