|
Putnam Valley Organizational Meeting Once Again is Scene of Controversy and Change
Davis out as Budget Officer, Whetsel in as Deputy Supervisor
by Edward Paul Greiff
A packed standing-room-only Putnam Valley Court Room provided the stage for the 2007 Organizational appointment meeting of the Putnam Valley Town Board, held January 3, 2007. Each year this meeting brings out a partisan crowd vying for their party's favorite son or daughter and this year was no exception. The meeting is a legal requirement imposed upon all municipalities in which they must officially make these appointments before they can transact any municipal business in the new year.
Most of the approximately 45 municipal appointments and 8 contract signings were done quickly and smoothly without any controversial incidents. However, a few appointments brought out a continuation of the ongoing disagreements between Democratic and Republican constituencies and their respective party interests and agendas. A comment made by an individual leaving the meeting after it was adjourned confirms this when she said, "We didn't get to accomplish what we wanted to, so much for calling everybody out."
The controversy over appointments started almost immediately when Supervisor Sam Davis announced the Town Board liaison appointments and did not reappoint Councilman Bob Tendy to the Lake Peekskill Improvement District. Mr. Tendy immediately questioned Mr. Davis as to why. Davis responded, "a lot of people" did not want him back.
Tendy questioned who these people were, and what Mr. Davis meant by "a lot of people." Councilman Ricci also chastised Supervisor Davis for using the term "a lot of people" without supporting evidence.
Supervisor Davis continued his appointment roll call and when it came to naming the Deputy Supervisor he did not reappoint senior Town Board member Councilman Dan Ricci who has been a councilman since 2000, but instead announced Councilwoman Wendy Whetsel as his Deputy Supervisor.
When it came time to reappoint Town Attorney David Gordon, once again the flags of controversy were waving and the Board decided to table this appointment until the next regular Board meeting which is scheduled to take place on January 17th.
The biggest controversy of the evening came about when Supervisor Davis chose not to reappoint John Zarcone Jr. to the Planning Board and instead appointed an individual who is not an attorney and with considerably less experience and knowledge about issues before the Planning Board. Councilwoman Priscilla Keresey quickly objected to Supervisor Davis's tactics and offered a detailed explanation why John Zarcone should remain on the Planning Board, citing his already demonstrated planning ability and legal expertise when it comes to matters concerning real estate development in Putnam Valley.
Councilman Dan Ricci quickly came to Ms. Keresey's support citing his own reasons for maintaining the services of John Zarcone as well as reiterating what Keresey said.
Councilman Tendy joined in with Keresey and Ricci and stated how extremely fortunate the Town was to have an attorney like Mr. Zarcone willing to devote his time and legal expertise to help the Town.
The Board agreed to table the appointment of a Planning Board member until their next meeting. At the end of the evening Mr. Zarcone appeared and Councilwoman Keresey announced that she had invited him to speak to the Town Board either in public or in an Executive Session as to why he should remain on the Planning Board.
When it came time to appoint a Chief Budget Officer Councilman Ricci made a motion to table the appointment and Councilwoman Whetsel seconded it. Last year's Chief Budget Officer was Supervisor Davis at an annual stipend of $7,280. The Board agreed to table the decision until the next regular Board meeting.
The appointment of a Fire Prevention Inspector was also tabled based upon a motion made by Keresey and seconded by Ricci. Irv Sevelowitz formerly held the position.
A new position is being established called Community Media Coordinator and Maryann Arrien is temporarily hired to fulfill that position until such time as the Putnam County Personnel Department has classified and prepared a job description in that title. Along those lines, the Putnam County News and Recorder was named as official paper for the Town for 2007. The North County News was named as alternate.
Don Laurence was appointed to a five year term to fill a vacancy on the Ethics Board.
Members of the Town Board were appointed to the following committees -
Supervisor Davis: Conservation, Septic Maintenance, Parks andRecreation Commission, Highway, Emergency Services, Comprehensive Plan Committee, Lake Peekskill District.
Councilman Tendy: Justice Court, Disaster Assistance, Arts, School District, Northview, Wildwood Knolls, Parks and Recreation, Homeland Defense Disaster Assistance, Parks and Recreation Commission.
Councilwoman Whetsel: Sewer District, Planning Board, Senior Citizens, Assessor's Liaison, Glenmar gardens, Roaring Brook Lake, Barger Pond, Town Hall Buildings.
Councilman Ricci: Bulk, Town Hall Bids, Employee Safety, Lookout Manor, Lake Oscawana, Hilltop, Abele Park.
Councilwoman Keresey: Library, Conservation, Cable/Utility, ZBA, Recycling, Brookdale Gardens, Continental Village, Comprehensive Plan Committee.
Salaries were approved for various Town Employees, including Town Supervisor Sam Davis at $70,000 annually, Town Councilpersons (Keresey, Whetsel, Tendy, Ricci) at $13,000 each. Highway Superintendent Earl Smith will earn $84,240. Town Clerk/Tax Receiver Carole Hughes-DiMarco's salary will be $56,633.
Confidential Aide to the Supervisor, Dawn Powell, $36,000 and Director of Finance, Marianne DeSantis, will earn $60,320. Counsel to the Planning and Zoning Board William Zutt $48,000
Ed Vreeland as the assessor, will earn $54,080. The Building Inspector, Irv Sevelowitz, will be paid $60,746.
Peter Belefant was appointed Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals while Michael Raimondi will be the Chairman of the Planning Board.
Parks & Recreation Director Frank DiMarco will earn $58,240. Deputy Highway Superintendent Gary Wulfhop's salary was set at $58,300 and Facilities Manager and MS-4 Coordinator Susan Mano will receive $47,840.
The Town Board signed contracts with the PV Volunteer Fire Department valued at $700,000. The PV Volunteer Ambulance Corp will provide services for 2007 for $234,000. The Library annual contract was signed and amounts to $231,000.
PV's Solid Waste Contract with AAA Carting was finalized at a rate of $95 per ton. The next regularly Town Board meeting occurs on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 7pm but the Board announced on Monday that they will be having a work session on Wednesday, January 10, starting at 6pm.
Providing local news, information and opinions from
Philipstown and Putnam Valley, NY
Encompassing the Villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville,
and the hamlet of Garrison, Putnam County, NY.
This site is a publication of The Putnam County News and Recorder, the source for news and information of the Philipstown
and Putnam Valley area. The PCN&R is 139
years old, published in hard copy every Wednesday, and circulated throughout Putnam
County, NY.
The PCN&R prints LEGAL NOTICES
for: Putnam County, The Town of Philipstown, The Town of Putnam Valley, Village of Cold Spring, Village of
Nelsonville, the Haldane Union Free School District and the Garrison Union Free School
District.
Deadline for printed press releases, advertisements and classifieds is Monday at noon for
Wednesday publication. This site is updated on an as-needed basis with a minimum update
weekly on Thursdays. For further information or to request a subscription to the paper, please
contact us with your name and mailing address at:
(845) 265-2468 PO Box 185, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or e-mail us at editor@pcnr.com
If you see an advertiser on line, tell them! | 
