The three stooges?
To the Editor:
Where are the ‘Three Stooges” now?
I have lived in Yorktown for over 40 years. Over the last six weeks, since the new town board administration has been in office, it seems that they have three friends, which I choose to call “The Three Stooges,” trying to make our highway superintendant look bad.
This last snowstorm, that just devastated Yorktown, once again proved how dedicated and hard working our present highway superintendant is! When everyone is home sleeping and staying warm, our highway superintendent and his crews are working around the clock to keep all of us safe. I personally saw him plowing roads in front of my house several times and cutting down trees on my road. And guess what Mr. La Pierre, it was way after 3 p.m. in the afternoon! So where were these “Three Stooges,” Mr. Gulitz, Mr. La Pierre, and Mr. Garner during this storm? Probably home in their warm houses sleeping! Let’s see what they can say now about our highway superintendent. Maybe they will wake up and see that he is the hardest working highway super this town has ever had in over the last 40 years.
Perhaps the North County News can print something positive and nice to say, rather than always printing garbage and negativity that three individuals put together? I would personally like to say thank you to Mr. DiBartolo and his staff for all of their hard work and countless hours with little to no sleep these last four days to clean up our roads after this terrible storm. Don’t let a small handful of people try and make you look bad. Myself and the people of Yorktown know how good of a job you do and how much we all need you in Yorktown. You should give those three individuals who talk negative about you some tips on life.
Peggy Foster
Yorktown
Conflict of interest?
To the Editor:
Buchanan voters should know that Trustee Sean Murray, as mayor, cannot serve two masters, Entergy as his employer and the Village, and be fair to both. Entergy, by its code of conduct requires him to “advance” company interests when “the opportunity arises” and forbids him to have “conflicts of interest with the Company.” As the village’s major taxpayer, conflicts have arisen (such as the PILOT program) and will continue to do so. Who do you suppose will have its interests served by Murray?
Imagine, if you can, the impossible scenario of employee Murray demanding and getting from his employer a meeting with corporate executives and attorneys and walking away with $53,000 as additional ’08 taxes, an agreement increasing Entergy’s annual tax liability by $53,000, gifts of a $40,000 bucket truck and $10,000 salt shed and payment of a $10,000 village debt. Mayor Donahue walked with that package; Murray would have been happy to just walk back to his job.
Just as Murray’s claim of impartiality has a hollow ring to it, so does his sudden interest in the update of our sewer treatment plant. As a member of the planning board, he was instrumental in granting a permit to Cook Company, which resulted in the disastrous 20-year contract to use our facility. Until Trustee Smith raised awareness to the plant’s dire need of repair, I believe Murray’s interest in the sewer plant was limited to his flush handle.
Both Trustee Richard and Mr. Iacomini were regular participants and contributors at board meetings before they assumed office. Their interest and involvement in village affairs is a matter of record as are their opinions on the direction the village needs to follow. If Murray’s running mates have any opinion on any subject, they have failed to give voice to it in the proper forum: village board meetings.
Sam Cherchia
Buchanan
Wants Costco
To the Editor:
In response to the letter dated Feb. 10 from Jennie and David Sunshine, I, for one, would like a Costco closer to home than Brookfield or Yonkers. My understanding is that the Costco facility and its plans for egress and exit needs the entire space proposed on Route 202 that encompasses the old motel and the existing private (commercial) plant and shrub nursery. Let’s be clear, this is not land that was ever intended for open land preservation but to Costco’s credit much of the land will be left as open space.
We have traffic already on Rt 202 from Yorktown on route to the Wal-Mart and Home Depot that the Town of Cortlandt welcomed with open arms. Note recent articles in NCN noting the zero percent tax increase in the Town of Cortlandt. The Yorktown taxpayers need a commercial tax base now more than ever. The traffic that flows through Yorktown brings no tax revenue; that all goes to the Town of Cortlandt. Yorktown had the chance to have Home Depot and Walmart here in our town but we turned them down only to have them situate themselves a stone’s throw across our border in the Town of Cortlandt, leaving Yorktown with traffic and no tax revenue.
It is unnatural for a consumer to argue that retail competition and freedom of choice in purchasing goods and services are bad. That would be very un-American and anti-capitalism. When Turco’s came to town, it forced the A& P to improve its freshness, service and variety. That’s what competition does. It did bring a lot of new traffic to the center of Yorktown but we got better food choices. Along this same train of thought, why would we assume that BJ’s Wholesale Club would go out of business and therefore jobs would be lost? I argue that we will all profit from a more improved BJ’s Wholesale Club.
It would certainly seem to me that a Marriott Courtyard or any sizeable hotel would require the entire space on 202. It would be great to have a hotel in Yorktown but that would require corporate/commercial clients to fill the hotel during the week. Just our guests on the weekend will certainly not economically sustain a hotel. The problem we have with asking for a hotel in our town is that we are putting the cart before the horse. Since the town has previously turned down corporate/commercial proposals there is no economic base for a hotel. No question, it would be nice to have better choices for our out of town guests, and if and when we have the weekday corporate business to sustain a hotel, I’m certain that it will happen.
I think I can speak for all readers; wouldn’t it be great if any one of us could be the one to choose which restaurants, food stores and just about all retail establishments opened up in our town? Of course, that’s not possible. The whole Town of Yorktown has a voice in how this town will evolve. I believe that we need Costco here in Yorktown. It will bring better selection and better prices for all of our residents and along with that will come substantial tax revenues. If we don’t want Costco, you can be sure that they will find a home very close and I’m quite certain if that happens our reward will be the extra traffic that flows through town and none of the taxes it would generate for our coffers. At some point we need good quality commercial development. I say we welcome Costco to our town.
Gerry O’Connell
Yorktown Heights
Former mayor lends support
To the Editor:
This year, voters in the Village of Buchanan are fortunate to have two individuals running for mayor. One in particular, I feel compelled to write about.
As the former mayor of Peekskill, I had the honor of working with Al Donahue. Al quickly became more than a fellow elected official; he became my friend and a friend of Peekskill. Al never waived in his desire to provide good, fiscally responsible government to Buchanan residents.
Al was someone who could work with everybody. He demonstrated integrity and an ability to work closely with elected officials of all parties at all levels of government, something missing big time in Washington and the dysfunction in Albany. As mayor of Buchanan, he was also able to help Peekskill when we needed assistance.
In theses difficult times, we all need leadership with integrity and Al Donahue represents it. I urge Buchanan residents to cast their votes for Al Donahue and his qualified running mates Gail Richard, Angelo Iacomini and Judge Daly on March 16.
John Kelly
Mohegan Lake |
