The surrounding communities must be learning from Rotterdam's decades of poor planning!
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
Re Nov. 10 article, “Tally shows win by five votes”: [Republican challenger] Norman Miller reportedly said that $1 million of highway taxpayer money is unaccounted for. This statement is not true. The town supervisor is the chief fi scal officer of the town. All budgets and fund disbursements are approved and overseen by the town board. Every town board for the last 20 years has reviewed and approved all vouchers submitted for payment, and makes sure proper supporting documentation is provided. An annual report is submitted every February to the state comptroller’s office, showing income, expenses, account balances and end-of-theyear bank reconciliations. It was never the highway superintendent’s responsibility to make payments for work performed. There was no time during this period that the town board questioned Nicholas Maura’s integrity or honesty. The board was looking for monthly reports on road issues, repairs, resident complaints, etc., to have an historical record and documentation for future budget planning, etc. CATHERINE M. HASBROUCK Princetown The writer is town clerk.
PRINCETOWN — Longtime Clerk and Tax Collector Cathy Hasbrouk will retire from her position after December, she announced this week. Hasbrouck will leave offi ce with two years remaining on her term. Board members are accepting resumes through Dec. 7 at Town Hall for an appointment to serve the remainder of the term, according to a news release. Hasbrouk has served the position since being elected in 1995. She said she enjoyed serving in the position, but decided recently it was time to retire. “I loved the people and the job,” she said. The temporary clerk will be appointed by the Town Board, which is expected to discuss the applicants during their regular meeting Dec. 11. The person appointed will need to run again in the fall for the remainder of Hasbrouk’s term and then again in 2009 for the full term.
http://www.dailygazette.com PRINCETOWN Land preserved as open space Mohawk Hudson Conservancy adds 67 acres BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy increased by more than half the amount of land permanently protected from development in Schenectady County through an agreement announced Thursday with a local property owner. Sandra and David Geisinger of Princetown ceded development rights on 67 acres of their land to the conservancy. The permanent arrangement means the land cannot be used for any type of development, said Jill Knapp, executive director of the conservancy. The Geisingers retain ownership and almost full rights to the property, and they will receive tax benefits under the arrangement, Knapp said, but they ceded their development rights on the property forever. The agreement allows the Geisingers to harvest timber on the land under a state-approved agreement, and to use it for farming, and they may make some improvements to five acres near their home, Knapp said. “It has taken us two years working with the Geisingers to protect the property,” Knapp said. “The Geisingers have been committed to it for years. They love the land. They want to share the land with friends.” The family shares the property with the Camp Pattersonville Christian Camp for overnight camping in the summer. The Ennis Road property is wooded with open meadows and waterfalls, hiking trails, ponds and streams. It also contains a tributary of the Sandsea Kill and has extensive wetlands to the south and west. The property is part of a 1,870-acre block of land unbroken by public roads and is enrolled in a state forest management program. The program encourages the longterm ownership of woodlands to produce forest crops, helping to increase the likelihood of a more stable forest economy in the state. The Geisingers describe the property “as a gift from God and we are very grateful. We believe that owning this land carries an obligation to manage it in a responsible manner, balancing the needs of plant and animal habitats and future generations of people to live in this area.” Calling themselves “committed conservationists,” the Geisingers said they want to preserve the land in its present state “so that future generations can enjoy it and be enriched by its natural amenities.” The conservancy, which serves Montgomery, Schenectady and Albany counties, has similar protection agreements on a further 100 acres in Schenectady County: Hoffmans Fault and Wolf Hollow in Glenville. It also has agreements to preserve 317 acres of land called Indian Ladder in Albany County. It is developing an inventory of land suitable for preservation in Montgomery County, Knapp said. Formed in 1992, the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the distinct natural, scenic, agricultural and cultural landscapes of the Mohawk and Hudson valleys. “We accomplish these goals by owning and managing land, and by working with landowners to develop preservation agreements that assure their lands are protected for future generations,” Knapp said. “Of particular importance are areas protecting wildlife habitat, watersheds, scenic vistas, hiking and biking trails, working farms and historic lands and structures.”
In reply to Catherine Hasbrouck’s Nov. 26 letter supporting Princetown’s highway chief: She defended Nick Maura Sr., stating that the $1 million in highway taxpayer funds spent under his supervision for the past 20 years are accounted for. I never implied or stated the funds were not accounted for, but that the town has no record of what the funds were spent on. In 2005, I FOILed with Mrs. Hasbrouck, who is the town clerk, for records of work performed for the past 18 years under Mr. Maura’s supervision. She responded that there were no reports, only copies of checks paid for work performed. Princetown has four miles or less of town roads, and according to the town clerk there are no records of work done on these roads. In the fall of 2005, a town councilman asked the highway superintendent how much money he was requesting for road work in the 2006 budget. He couldn’t answer, and when the councilman asked a third time, the highway superintendent invited him to step outside and settle it like a man. Not my idea of professional behavior. The highway superintendent didn’t attend another town board meeting for nearly two years. This isn’t about the town accounting for, and reporting, the funds spent; it is about the records for work performed for the town. The town finally contracted with Schenectady County to do all their road work. I am sure the county keeps good records of the work it does for the town. Princetown contracts with the Schenectady County to do all its road work, has no highway equipment or employees, but we have a highway superintendent. In my opinion it is sad that town officials don’t manage their records the same way businesses must do to stay in business. I guess the question should be: What does the highway superintendent do for the town? NORMAN MILLER Princetown The writer was an unsuccessful candidate for town supervisor, losing to Nick Maura Jr.
In 2005, I FOILed with Mrs. Hasbrouck, who is the town clerk, for records of work performed for the past 18 years under Mr. Maura’s supervision. She responded that there were no reports, only copies of checks paid for work performed. Princetown has four miles or less of town roads, and according to the town clerk there are no records of work done on these roads.
PRINCETOWN Rural specialist to guide planning project BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
After months without progress, Princetown's Comprehensive Plan Committee is banking on a professional to help them make revisions to the town's land use rules. Town officials approved the hire of Nan Stolzenburg of the Community Planning & Environmental Associates in Berne to help the nine-member committee fi nish updating the document. Board members allocated up to $29,000 for Stolzenburg's help as the committee tries to reinvigorate the effort launched in 2006. "We've struggled for 15 months," Chairman Joe Jurczynski said Tuesday before the committee's first meeting with Stolzenburg. "All of us are well meaning residents, but we have absolutely no experience in rural planning." In contrast, Stolzenburg specializes in planning for small rural communities. She helped craft comprehensive plan updates for the towns of Altamont in Albany County and Schoharie in Schoharie County, among others. "Hiring Nan has given us a bit of confidence," Jurczynski said. "She has given us some moral courage." Jurczynski said the importance of the town completing the update was highlighted recently when he discussed land use policies with an official from Aurelius, a small rural town situated on the west edge of Auburn in Cayuga County. In their discussions, he said the town fell prey to big box store development because they lacked land use laws of any kind. "The town couldn't do anything because they had no zoning, no vision for the future and everything was at the will of the developers." Similarly, several areas in Princetown could soon become targets for development. The completion of a water district along Giffords Church Road and a portion of Route 20 could spur development, as could a planned private sewer line extending to the town along Duanesburg Road from Rotterdam. Stolzenburg said the committee is just starting to hash out details for the update and has scheduled a public meeting to solicit input from residents. After briefly perusing the laws now in effect, she said the need for revisions is clear. "Their plan is very old," she said. The meeting is slated for 7 p.m. Feb. 11, at the Plotterkill Fire Department off Putnam Road. Jurczynski plans to break up the meeting into smaller work groups, which will then brainstorm about the positive and negative aspects of Princetown. "It's going to be a working meeting," he said. "We hope to get as many people as possible."
Views of residents on land use sought the Princetown Comprehensive Planning Committee will host a visioning workshop to garner residential input for the town’s new land use document. The committee has slated a meeting at the Plotterkill Fire Department off Putnam Road at 7 p.m. today. The purpose of the meeting is to have residents identify the positive and negative aspects of the town. Recently hired planner Nan Stolzenburg of Community Planning and Environmental Associates will provide background on planning ideas. She will also help the committee work with residents in small groups to brainstorm and obtain ideas for the future of the town. In the event of poor weather, the committee has scheduled a snow date for the same time on Feb. 27.
Residents offer ideas for town’s future Comprehensive plan being developed BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Residents overwhelmingly want to put the town in Princetown. While many stressed the need to maintain Princetown’s rural charm, they also want to see the town develop an identifiable center with a post office, small businesses and other amenities. “Where people can drive up and say ‘we’re in Princetown,’ ” explained Bob Morin, a member of the town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee. This view was expressed by the nearly three dozen residents attending a workshop for the comprehensive plan Monday at the Plotterkill Fire Department. The workshop was the first hosted by the committee under the guidance of planner Nan Stolzenburg, who was hired last month to help fi nish updating the town’s land-use document. Residents were asked to envision Princetown 15 years into the future, while taking into consideration the positives and negatives they perceive today. The workshop was split into six groups and then asked to reduce their visions for the town into a statement. “That is in essence what you want for the town,” Stolzenburg explained during the two-hour session. “These sentences together capture what you want for the town.” The ending statements seemed consistent. Nearly every group stressed a desire for Princetown to keep its rural roots and smalltown character. Karl Barta stood over a sheet of paper with three red circles denoting infrastructure, environment and community. But above all, he said the emphasis of the group is to maintain the town’s farming history. “The number one thing that is PRINCETOWN etown rural in character,” he said. “People are concerned about keeping it a clean and friendly place to live.” Other suggestions included embracing agri-tourism to keep the town’s farms viable and becoming the county’s first all-green energy municipality. Some suggested creating a long-range strategy to limit the pace of development experienced in neighboring towns. “We’re scared of the town being developed at a rate we’re not comfortable with,” said Gino Santabarbara, the town’s planner. Stolzenburg said the committee will compile all the comments into the final document. Eric Plura, the deputy supervisor and a 44-year resident of the town, was encouraged. He wasn’t surprised to see many of the groups come up with similar suggestions. “It’s a community effort and that’s what makes Princetown great,” he said, Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net
PRINCETOWN Town court seeks security officers Two deputies to take on role under bill BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
There are times when Justice Michelle Van Woeart could use a bit of extra help in her courtroom. The growing business of traffi c violators and criminal suspects can get a bit overwhelming for Princetown’s only local justice and her clerk. And particularly aggressive individuals can raise concerns of violence in the court, which lacks security officers or a regular police force. “It’s a potential that could happen in any courtroom that doesn’t have security,” she said Tuesday. And it’s a potential town and county officials are hoping to quash by adding two sheriff’s deputies to Princetown’s weekly court proceedings. Supervisor Nicholas Maura Jr. is asking Schenectady County to allow a contract between the town and the sheriff’s department for the coverage. Maura was unsure how much the deputies would cost annually, but said they would be cheaper than hiring a private security force. Regardless, he said, a drastic increase in the number cases handled by the court justifies the idea. “There’s a lot more activity going on there,” he said. “We’ve got a lot more exposure for something going wrong.” Legislator Angelo Santabarbara, R-Rotterdam, plans to introduce a bill to the county Legislature to allow the deal. The sheriff’s department has also supplied the town with road patrol deputies since 2001. While the issue isn’t on the agenda for tonight’s Legislature meeting, he’s hoping to bring it to the floor. “It’s going to work out very well for everyone,” he said. “It’s a winwin situation.” Sheriff Harry Buffardi said his department has enough staff to meet the need. He said deputies would be offered overtime and Princetown would pay. Deputies have already helped out during trials viewed as potentially volatile. Buffardi said deputies were asked to help out last month during the trial of a man who had prior convictions for making bombs and was already known for acting out in court. “Generally Princetown is a quiet town,” he said. “But occasionally, they’ll have some things coming into the court that bring some anxiety.” Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net.
Can they choose not to hear those cases and let the county/state do it? or would it mean they would forfeit the fines? or is it the responsibility of the township?
...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
Well, remember that there are different levels of government for a reason. In fact, the Constitution itself states that anything that is not written into law in the Constitution is thereby regulated to the states to make a decision on. Therefore, the same would apply. If there is not a state law on something, it would go to the next lowest body of government, the county, then down to the town / city. Therefore, if the person is breaking a speed limit, I guess it would depend on what road it was on. If it's on a county road, then maybe it could go into the county court, but it also depends on if there is a law at the county level...I guess.
PRINCETOWN Road chief renews pay dispute with town BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Highway Superintendent Nick Maura Sr. restarted his long-standing squabble with the Princetown Town Board this week, as he threatened to sue the town if his 2006 salary is not restored. Maura, the father of Supervisor Nick Maura Jr., said board members acted illegally when they cut the salary more than a year ago. The veteran of more than 15 years of service with the town had his salary trimmed from $3,800 to $800. “You cannot change the salary for an elected official to get rid of him,” he told the board during its meeting Tuesday. “And that is what you did here.” Maura said the money he was previously paid was about enough to cover his gas mileage expenses while he’s on the job. He said his work hadn’t changed, meaning the cut in pay was unwarranted. “In fact, there are three new roads I’m responsible for,” he said. Nick Maura Jr. recused himself before the discussion and left the meeting, leaving Deputy Supervisor Eric Plura as the chairman. Board member Richard Kietlinski was also absent. At the time of Maura’s salary reduction, the board majority argued the 5 miles of town roads essentially made the highway superintendent’s position a paper job. But others supported Maura for his small-town touch and attention to detail along the few byways he maintains. Town Attorney Todd Mathis said the board has the power to reduce Maura’s salary. “Practically, what was done was defendable,” he said. Maura said the reduction in salary was aimed specifically at chasing him out of office. He said he plans to contact the state Attorney General’s Office and may seek legal action to secure back pay. “I’m going to sue the town and everybody involved in this.”
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