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Legislative Committee Approves Cold Spring/County Tourism Partnership Funds
$7,500 for refuse collection awaits action by County Exec and Legislative approval
by Margaret Sternberg
 | | Cold Spring Village Mayor Phillips speaks to the Legislature's Economic Development Committee as Legislator Tamagna watches |
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Moved by the County not allotting funds to assist in its refuse collection, Cold Spring's mayor, Anthony Phillips, came before the March 18, 2008 meeting of the Legislature's Economic Development Committee to request the reinstatement of the $7,500 in County funds that had been expected to be used to offset the costs of weekend refuse collection for 2008.
Phillips was preceded in what was a succinct but powerful presentation by Legislator Vinny Tamagna, who unreservedly supported the request.
Tamagna noted that the removal of the funds from the County's budget had placed a "tremendous burden" upon Cold Spring. Adding that the Village brings in 5,000 visitors on peak weekends and that the "smallest taxing unit is responsible for the cleanup," Tamagna called the issue "something that needs to be addressed." Tamagna asked that the Legislature reconsider the action, adding that the sum actually represented less than half of what the Village budgets for cleanup, with the Village spending at least an equal amount itself.
Tamagna noted that from May through December the Village served as a mecca for tourism in the County, with the amount spent in the Village and taxes paid to the County justifying the funding, which was being used to make the Village attractive to tourists. Also noted was the trolley and the installation of the restrooms at the foot of Main Street, enhancements that had been made specifically to encourage tourism and build the infrastructure to support the community.
Phillips also commented on the influx of tourists, pointing out that MetroNorth promotes a 50-minute trip to Cold Spring from New York City, as well as Cold Spring being a land destination for kayakers. Phillips said that additional refuse pickup is not the only funding for which Cold Spring is responsible due to tourism, noting that additional police officers are on duty over the weekends, which added another $12- $13,000 to the Village's budget. Phillips said that for the village to lose "$7,500 in a village that has a budget of only $1.3 million really hurts us."
Phillips pointed to tourism in 2007, calling it "an unbelievable year for tourism" because of the weather, and saying the Village draws people from Connecticut, New Jersey and as far away as New Hampshire. He observed that weekends are not the only times tourists come, with chartered buses for seniors coming to the Village on Thursdays and Fridays.
Valerie Hickman, Director of the Putnam County Visitor's Bureau, also spoke in favor of restoring the funds, drawing laughter from Legislators and audience alike as she volunteered that she would raise the amount to $10,000.
Hickman said that she had seen the garbage overflowing, elaborating on the economic importance of Cold Spring itself to the County in terms of both revenue and as a gateway into the rest of the county.
The Committee promptly approved a resolution to restore the funding, sending the request to the Audit Committee for approval.
The funds, which had not been earmarked in the 2008 budget, will now need to be taken from the County's Contingency Fund and will require the County Executive to submit a resolution to the Legislature requesting that the funds be allocated to Cold Spring for refuse collection. The resolution will then need to be approved by a majority of the full Legislature.
The April meeting of the Economic Development Committee will be posted on the PCN&R's website as soon as it becomes available.
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