I don't think it will be that difficult. I would think that it's easy to find out who and how many legitimate people voted. And ya can't go wrong with paper. I mean how many people are we talking about here?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
ROTTERDAM Town readies for vote on sewer district plan Masullo Estates referendum Tuesday BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Town officials have mailed polling instructions to property owners in Masullo Estates in advance of a vote next week on a proposed sewer district in the neighborhood. Tuesday’s referendum will decide whether homeowners will support a bond to extend a dry sewer line while the town conducts a multimillion dollar drainage and road reconstruction project. The vote will take place by paper ballot between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. at Town Hall, with the results announced shortly after the polls close. “We’ll know that night,” said Supervisor Steve Tommasone. If the plan is approved, the 88 homeowners in the development would pay roughly $611 annually over 15 years to establish a sewer district that would one day hook into a main extended to the proposed Helderberg Meadows development. Were the referendum to fail, Tommasone said the town would move quickly to start the rest of the project. “We’re going to be moving to ensure we have the appropriate funding in place for the drainage improvements and road reconstruction,” he said. Residents participating in the special election must show photo identification, such a driver’s license or passport, to receive a ballot. There will be no absentee ballots included in the referendum, according to the town. In related developments, town officials are expected to call a public hearing later this month regarding the extension of Sewer District 2 into Helderberg Meadows. Town Board members will also consider a resolution hiring Attorney William Ryan Jr. to prepare any necessary documentation to advance the extension, which would carry waste produced by the approved 261-unit complex. Ryan also advised the town on the Masullo referendum.
If the plan is approved, the 88 homeowners in the development would pay roughly $611 annually over 15 years to establish a sewer district that would one day hook into a main extended to the proposed Helderberg Meadows development. Were the referendum to fail, Tommasone said the town would move quickly to start the rest of the project.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high. There's a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far Behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, Away above the chimney tops. That's where you'll find me. Somewhere, over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow, Why then - oh, why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, Why, oh, why can't I?
The mechanics of the vote seemed okay from what I observed while voting so some of my lingering concerns were alleviated after all. By the way, I understand the fat lady is singing so we'll see how fast the Town moves now. It will be especially telling.
ROTTERDAM Masullo owners reject sewer project BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net
Property owners of Masullo Estates overwhelmingly rejected a dry sewer line proposed as part of a multimillion-dollar drainage and road reconstruction slated for the neighborhood. Voters turned down the proposed sewer district extension 86-18, with about 70 percent of eligible property owners turning out Tuesday. Four voters filed affidavit ballots. Public Works Coordinator Michael Griesemer wasn’t surprised by the results. He said many neighborhood residents had expressed skepticism about the project before the vote. “The people have elected not to have sewers,” he said. “You could see people weren’t behind it 100 percent.” Town officials said they will now move to begin the long-awaited drainage and road reconstruction project in the development. Supervisor Steve Tommasone said the next step is to get the department heads together and figure out which parts of the project can be completed by the town and what will need to be bid out. “We’ll move forward with the drainage and roadwork that’s necessary,” he said. East Lucille Lane resident Michael O’Connor said the vote was predictable. He hoped the town would be diligent in moving forward on the project now that the sewer district is no longer an option. “We want to get back to where we started, which is moving forward on the drainage and road reconstruction project,” he said following the vote. “Whether that can be accomplished remains to be seen.” O’Connor said the vote demonstrated the sewer project’s unpopularity. He said residents were always more concerned with drainage and road reconstruction, rather than bringing sewers into their neighborhood. “That was never our desire,” he said. “That was the town’s desire more than ours.” Meanwhile, the nearby Helderberg Meadows development is likely to take another step forward today during the Town Board meeting. Town officials are expected to call a public hearing later this month regarding the extension of town sewer service into the 261-unit proposal. The Masullo project would have been independent from this.
Posted on: 06/11/08 Ross Marvin, Spotlight Staff email: marvinr@spotlightnews.com
Residents of Masullo Estates voted against a proposed sewer line extension to their 88-home neighborhood in a referendum vote Tuesday, June 10, at Town Hall.
Homeowners voted 86-to-18, defeating a proposal to bond for the extension of a dry sewer line while the town conducts a major drainage and road reconstruction project.
Now, Rotterdam Supervisor Steve Tommasone said the town will move quickly to help resolve the neighborhood’s problems with poor drainage and deteriorating roadways.
Tommasone said he’s hopeful work by the town’s highway department could begin this year, but he realizes that if the project goes out to bid, construction might not begin until next year.
The proposed sewer line extension would have cost each household about $610.40 over 15 years for debt service, operation and maintenance.
But for some residents, especially those on East Lucille Lane who would have been unable to hook into the gravity sewer line, the cost would have been much more.
Those affected residents called the cost of the project prohibitive because they would also have to install grinder pumps, which could cost several thousand dollars.
“The extension proposed disproportionately burdens some homeowners,” said Michael O’Conner of East Lucille Lane at an April town board meeting.
Other East Lucille residents agreed with O’Connor. Joe Angerami voted against the proposal because he said the costs were prohibitive.
“Some people would have to crush their septic systems and put in grinder pumps,” said Angerami. “The total cost is quite a few bucks.”
If the sewer extension had passed, the town planned to hook the line into a main extended to the town-approved, 261-home Helderberg Meadows development.
A public hearing is set for Wednesday, June 25, in town hall regarding an extension of Sewer District 2 to Helderberg Meadows.
The Town Board will also consider a resolution to hire attorney William Ryan of the Albany firm Tabner, Ryan and Keniry to prepare the appropriate documentation for the project for no more than $3,000. Ryan was retained as counsel by the town on the Masullo Estates proposed sewer line.
Tommasone said that hiring an outside attorney is a way to ensure politics does not play into the proposal. Tommasone also said that Ryan has expertise in the area of sewer line extensions.
According to Tommasone, the defeated Masullo Estates extension would not deter the Helderberg Meadows project, although, he said, it may cost residents more in debt service.
“That project will move ahead irrespective of the project in Masullo Estates,” said Tommasone.
The sewers were never the issue.....the drainage ditches and storm drains in the development were never kept up and some are substandard(this is my understanding after attending meetings and Michaels postings) so now the water has not been properly diverted.....a river always meanders and water always goes to the lowest point.......
Helderburg Meadows could compound this issue without GOOD ground work.........or it could help relieve it and the town should work parallel with development to upgrade the drainage in Masullo Estates no matter what.....the sad part is that if sewers are later wanted/needed the roads would have to be torn up again and repaved (America's streets are paved in gold, black gold)
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
ROTTERDAM Town projects could cost $2MNeighborhoods need drainage, road work BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Three drainage and road reconstruction projects in separate neighborhoods across Rotterdam could cost nearly $2 million to complete over the next year, according to Supervisor Steven Tommasone. Tommasone said drainage improvements needed in the culdu-sac neighborhoods of Horizon Boulevard and Bluebird Lane could cost roughly $250,000. This estimate is about the same as one for a drainage and road reconstruction project the town is planning along Houlton Avenue, between Crane Street and Altamont Avenue, which has deteriorated as a result of high ground water. At the same time, the town is preparing to launch a $1.35 million road reconstruction and drainage project in Masullo Estates. The long-awaited project cleared one issue this week after property owners in the neighborhood voted down a sewer line extension proposed as part of the reconstruction. “We’re going to have to borrow some money to get these projects finished,” Tommasone said following the Town Board meeting Wednesday. “But the longer we wait, the more it’s going to cost us.” Tommasone said the town had waited for the outcome of the Masullo Estates sewer vote before proceeding with the Horizon Boulevard and Bluebird Lane project. He said the anticipation was to complete both projects at the same time to lower the overall cost. “We wanted to time the work needed in Masullo and the work done [at Horizon and Bluebird] at the same time,” he said. Board members unanimously approved an allocation of $10,000 to hire engineer Brett Steenburgh to prepare construction documents and bid services for the Horizon and Bluebird project. Tommasone still anticipates town workers will be able to complete some of the work in the subdivision, which is also known as Koolkill Meadows. Studies conducted by the Cobleskill-based Lamont Engineers in November determined the neighborhood’s faulty drain system could be lowered 3 feet and then rerouted to an existing outflow system located nearby off Viewpoint Drive. Tommasone said the town is also trying to ensure it has the proper easements to repair a malfunctioning outflow pipe that leads to a storm pond off Bluebird Lane. The town is also still maneuvering for easements or ownership of a small parcel that will help the Masullo Estates project. In November, town officials began discussing a three-way deal between property owner Carmen Masullo and the Helderberg Estates developers to acquire the land. The property — which lies at the end of East Lucille Lane — has long been sought by the town because it is in an area where ground water from the saturated development could be drained to a future storm water system for the proposed 261-unit development of Helderberg Meadows. Tommasone expressed optimism the town would soon be able to gain control of the property. “I’m confident we’re going to be able to come to some agreement,” he said. Meanwhile, town officials scheduled a public hearing for June 25 to discuss a proposed sewer district extension to the Helderberg Meadows project. If approved, the extension and any upgrades to the town’s sewer plant will be funded by the developers.
And Michael, I just want to let you know that I got to the town board meeting on Wednesday. I know that it was the day after the vote, so many of the people in Masullo were probably just upset that it even came to the point that they had to vote, especially when the margin of defeat was so wide on the sewers. From what I have been hearing at the meetings, the SMALLEST part of the issues in Masullo would be sewers. The main issue that you ladies and gentlemen who live in that neighborhood need help with is drainage, whether it be due to standing water or buckling roads. I still remember that piece of the road that you or one of your neighbors brought in.
When the public priveledge of the floor came up last night, I decided to stand up and speak on a few issues, one of which was that I was glad that the people over in Sunrise Estates are getting money immediately for what they needed, drainage. I also stressed the point MORE that it seemed that this was exactly what Masullo had been needing and the fact that it's sad that it came to Sunrise Estates getting it before you did. Now, don't take me as saying that the people of Sunrise Estates shouldn't get the money or don't deserve it as taxpaying residents of Rotterdam. What I AM saying is that the residents of Masullo Estates have been asking for the same thing for much longer and now they're going to look at giving you what you need.
Was there a specific reason that it came to a sewer vote? Was it thought that this would alleviate the problem over there more than fixing the drainage issues? From listening at town board meetings, sewers didn't seem like the answer you would have been looking for, even before this vote came about.
I truly hope that you get some relief over there soon.
And, oh, as a side note, Nu-Look Car Wash, which isn't too far from you up on Curry Rd was looking to build on. There was a public hearing to request changing of zoning of 2 parts of their property, one section to have them able to add a warehouse so they could store their tires on-site and the other area to have as about a 1/2 acre of something you don't see much new zoning in Rotterdam for at all nowadays. A single family residence, as well as a condition that there would be no back cut-thru for traffic to cut through to get to the back streets from Nu-Look carwash. The residents already spoke out about how they had already been having drainage issues in this area, specifically on Swampscott Street, however, I don't remember exactly where they said the issues were. They said that after a rainstorm, they usually have standing water for days. Good thing to have during this nice hot weather we've been having.
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