Due to issues with the live webcast last night (many residents kept receiving "cannot connect to server" messages), here are only a few highlights from the 6/23/14 meeting regarding the Gouveia "gift" from those who watched on cable.
As always, you are encouraged to watch the meeting in its entirety for yourself. The meetings are supposed to be re-played on Wednesdays at 8 pm on Channel 78. If and when the videotape is made available online, a link will be provided here. Bookmark this post. UPDATED: VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE http://webcasting.granicus.com/croton/player.php?clientname=Croton&eventname=-board&eventdate=06.23.2014
Of particular interest were the occasionally confusing comments of Trustee Slippen made during reports. Again, please listen to them yourself. To summarize:
--Ms. Slippen admitted that we DO NOT OWN the Gouveia property and with Mrs. Gouveia's death, we are essentially starting all over again in efforts to acquire it. (Editor's note: For those who have asked how much in taxpayer dollars the village has spent in legal fees to obtain the "gift"--and which are now essentially down the drain--we do not know for sure. Unofficial reports claim well in excess of $50,000. YET ANOTHER freedom of information request will probably be necessary to ascertain the exact amount. Should the village acquire the site: 1) there appears to now be no million dollars to maintain it and b) taxes of $40K a year will still have to be borne by the public.)
--Please note that attorney Staudt confirmed that the village does not own the Gouveia property as well.
--Ms. Slippen also stated that she believes this is still essentially good for the village. She also said there is a "perception" on the part of the public that the board has been secretive and that from her "perspective" this is not so. It is interesting to note that the board went into executive session (which we believe is illegal) to discuss Gouveia after the meeting and that more often than not, the public has had to submit freedom of information requests to learn real details about the "gift". Perception????
--Ms. Slippen also acknowledged that SOMETHING GOOD IN THE WORLD school had "set up on the land"; see Dan and Winn Chesnard's letter on the 4/28/14 work session http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/05/letter-to-editor-gouveia-42814-work.html)
--On 6/23, I sent an email to the village manager asking whether or not the current zoning for the Gouveia property, RA-40 residential, allows a school. There has been no response.
--SOMETHING GOOD IS PLANNING TO ERECT STRUCTURES ON THE PROPERTY, WELCOME "THOUSANDS" OF VISITORS BY FALL 2014, ETC. Do they need special permits? No answer from the village as well. So a foil was submitted; response pending. Read more here http://www.somethinggoodintheworld.org/page.php?id=45
ON MAYOR LEO WEIGMAN'S TAXPAYER FUNDED MEDICAL BENEFITS:
Former Trustee Don Daubney received rousing applause for his comments in opposition to the mayor's benefits.
Again, please listen to the videotape when it is placed online. The board went into executive session (NON-PUBLIC) to discuss Gouveia and the former Metro Enviro waste transfer station.
YOU MAY ALSO HAVE AN INTEREST IN https://www.facebook.com/crotonunited?ref_type=bookmark
AND RECENT LETTERS OPPOSING MAYOR WIEGMAN'S TAXPAYER FUNDED BENEFITS http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/06/more-on-mayor-wiegmans-full-time.html
how come we're just learning about his payments NOW? he's had weeks to say something. why all of a sudden NOW?
ReplyDeletehmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Last night the village manager defended the mayor's health insurance during REPORTS. They always do these things at reports when no one can say anything back. He said well the town of cortlandt gets these benefits.
ReplyDeleteNewsflash. THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT with officials who have responsibilities OVER AN ENTIRE TOWN--A TOWN. Not a tiny little village. WHERE THEIR HOURS ARE REGULARLY CLOCKED IN AND NOT MADE AFTER THE FACT! REAL FULL TIME JOBs FOR WHICH THEY RECEIVE FULL TIME SALARIES! Also I just confirmed that they are full time. and even if that is open to interpretation, SUPERVISOR PUGLISI IS FULL TIME. The job was full time and always has been. NOT PART TIME LIKE THE MAYOR. She also has no village manager.
The mayor also said he pays about $450 a month towards his insurance. Well gee, whoopdy do. Spend four or five grand to get $15,000 paid by someone else, the someone else being the taxpayers. Now that's a deal I'd like too.
Of course these 2 had nothing to say when Don Daubney received VERY LOUD APPLAUSE for condemning the mayor's actions.
Of course not.
I don't care what the town does. The website says the mayor's job is part time not full time. Period. We have a village manager and highly paid staff. I'm with Joel Gingold: for the first time in the village's 116 year history we have a mayor who is using this for personal gain. That's low.
ReplyDeleteWhat arrogance. Check out the smirks.
ReplyDeleteI have had it with the Mayor. Please, PLEASE can someone run against him and get rid of him! Perhaps his successor will stop pushing projects of personal interest and do what is best for this village.
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