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Dissolving the Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Committee
Last Sunday over 97 million people watched the Super Bowl. During the two weeks leading up to the contest, both teams' coaches skillfully and comprehensively developed their respective game plans for the big event. Both teams had a lot riding on this game. They both wanted to win and both were convinced that their respective game plan would allow them to beat the other team.
What does this have to do with dissolving the Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Committee?
Permit me, please, to continue the analogy and offer a scenario.
Both teams run out onto the field, thoroughly prepared to play. Just before the starting whistle, the coaches from both teams trot off the field - and into their box suites, way above the playing field. They all proceed to watch the entire game.
When interviewed afterward, all of them strenuously and in a chorus of denial insist that their plans were written when they entered their boxes. They said, in effect, "Oh, our jobs were done. We wrote the plan. We just wanted to watch the results."
In my opinion (I'm only a fan), embarrassing chaos would have resulted. The coaches, firm in the conviction that their job was done, simply stepped back and watched the results. They did have many other important tasks; planning for the next season, the upcoming draft and all the other important things that coaches must do. But for now - they just wanted to watch the game being executed. Their job was done. Their plans had been written.
Granted, municipal government is different. Legislation may be a necessary part of the execution of a plan. But that is true of many comprehensive plans. That doesn't mean that the legislators are now the sole parties responsible for carrying out, i.e., executing, the plan.
The Putnam Valley Comprehensive Plan Committee, with their Plan now written and unanimously approved is now about to start the game. The execution of the plan is the culmination of the months and months of plan writing. You, however, argue that it is the sole responsibility of the elected Town Board to legislate the appropriate laws to implement the Comprehensive Master Plan because only they can pass legislative laws that govern the Town. Does that imply that we are to trust that you and your three to two majority Board will simply carry out the legislation without the knowledge and wisdom that "the coaching staff" has accumulated? (Mr.Yetter is the exception to this - but he is new at legislating!) It sounds to me that you and the majority of the board are going to go into your suites and do the legislating, and the plan executing, with no communication from the coaching staff, and therefore possibly without following the plan.
Mister Supervisor, let this "coaching staff" finish their work.
You ran on a platform of bringing the community together. I can see no more divisive action than your insistent desire to disband this highly qualified group so as to execute it yourself.
Peter Tarrant, Senior
Putnam Valley
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