This week's Gazette has a number of important letters regarding the upcoming elections, fracking, the constant need for village residents to submit freedom of info requests, write-in candidate Virginia Calcutti's positions on the Croton Point Avenue Project, Gouveia, the Croton Gorge cell tower, and other timely issues.
With permission, some, but not all of these letters will be posted online. You are encouraged to pick up a copy of The Gazette, however, which is sold just about everywhere in the area--so that you can read them all. In the meantime, this is my letter on the Gouveia Property Deal:
To the editor:
At the September 23rd meeting, Trustee Murtaugh assured the public that the board had not made up its mind on the Gouveia Property Deal. When you have officials willing to go to the following lengths, however, that’s hard to believe. Here are the facts:
--The Examiner News, May 2011: “During the May 16 meeting Trustee Ann Gallelli retracted comments she had made previously that led the public to believe that the Town of Cortlandt and the Open Space Institute wanted the Gouveia property and that the property was to be removed from the village and the school tax rolls. She publicly admitted that neither party has an interest in the property."
--The Gazette, October 2011 “Trustee Murtaugh said that an entity like the Westchester Land Trust would be interested in acquiring the site. They are not, stated Trustee Schmidt, including that he had already spoken with them, and they rejected the idea citing “too high maintenance”.
--March 2012, assorted village documents spanning various years: These documents outline a disturbing, potentially expensive, and long-simmering “three phase plan” formulated by Mayor Wiegman and Trustee Gallelli once the property is acquired. Residents learned of this plan not by full disclosure from our officials to the public, but through a freedom of information request instead.
--The plan was sent to Mrs. Gouveia after a number of private meetings were held between Mrs. Gouveia, the Mayor and/or Trustee Gallelli, whom the Mayor describes as Mrs. Gallelli’s “friend.” Write-in candidate for village trustee Virginia Calcutti has repeatedly--and rightfully--called for Trustee Gallelli to recuse herself from any vote based on that friendship. Trustee Gallelli has yet to do so. You can read these documents here http://on.fb.me/1auVwFz
There’s more but the bottom line is clear: Gouveia is only a “done deal” when people stay home instead of saying enough is enough. Go to a meeting. Write a letter. Do it now. And then repeat. If you don’t, you have no right to complain when a “friend” of Trustee Gallelli—the mayor’s word not mine--enjoys the kind of tax-free village lifestyle you can only dream about.
*****
READ MORE ABOUT THE GOUVEIA PROPERTY DEAL HERE/GAZETTE ARTICLE WITH ADDITIONAL LINKS http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2013/10/village-continues-its-pursuit-of.html
AND OCTOBER GAZETTE ARTICLE HERE http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2013/10/highlights-101013-gazette-article-on.html
AND OCTOBER GAZETTE ARTICLE HERE http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2013/10/highlights-101013-gazette-article-on.html
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