Letters to the Editor 9/13/2007

To the children and families of Onteora Central School District:
Please accept the warm welcome from all of our staff as we prepare to start a new year. I hope that all of your summer plans have been enjoyable, and gave you plenty of time with family and friends. Whether it was summer jobs, projects, trips, or just curling up with a good book, the staff of Phoenicia, Bennett, Woodstock Elementary, the Middle and High Schools are excited to invite you back to learn and grow for another year.
There are a few summer planning issues I thought you would like to know about. First, the Woodstock boiler is in the process of replacement. There are new pipes to carry heat to each classroom and throughout the building. When this project is complete and the reimbursement received from the state, we will move forward with renovating the Auditorium. We are in the planning stages currently for this wonderful change.
Our new Transportation Director, Mr. Dave Moraca, has been working on updating our bus routes. You might be aware that he brought the issue of transportation for students with variances to the Board’s attention. After considering all of the current needs, he has developed a plan to transport students with variances to each elementary school.
We will also be wishing High School Principal Barbara Ruben the best of luck in her new position as Principal of Alternative Education for Ulster County BOCES. Mrs. Ruben will make the transition shortly after school starts. This will give all students and families time to thank her for her years of service to the high school, and wish her well. Mr. Jack Jordan will serve as Interim Principal while we conduct a search.
We have new administrators in several buildings. Mr. Gabriel Buono, formerly the High School Assistant Principal, is now serving as Principal for Bennett Elementary School. Mr. Lance Edelman has been hired to assume the role of Assistant Principal. Mr. Paul Schwartz is the new Middle School Principal. You and your students may have met him during Orientation.
Mrs. Christine Downs is introducing something new! September 25th will be the first district “Try it Tuesday”. Whether or not a student buys lunch, they are welcome to take a taste of a savory vegetable. Look for interesting vegetables prepared for your pleasure! Woodstock Elementary School will also take advantage of the WinSNAP service for food services. WinSNAP is a comprehensive system that includes all aspects of food service from point-of-sale to inventory, purchasing and production.
Also, you will soon see an invitation to join one of the many District Committees. Space on each committee is limited, and some committees require specific training for each member. New participants will be selected by lottery, with attention to the different areas in our district.
The Board is also busy, developing goals for this year. Their focus is on the needs of students throughout our district. These will be posted on our website as soon as they are finalized.
Dr. Leslie Ford, Superintendent
Onteora Central School District
Boiceville, NY

Dear Editor,
Regarding newly appointed Director Of Transportation David Moraca's very late-in-the-game changes to the Onteora bus routes, there are several problems that need to be addressed and questions that have not yet been satisfactorily answered:
- Why were so many changes made mere weeks before the start of classes, forcing parents to scramble and come up with alternate plans to get their kids to their respective schools? There has been much worry expressed about safety and much vexation over the bureaucratic doublespeak and contradictory reasons for all the changes.
- What is the sense of segregating children with special needs in a district that prides itself on the opposite?
- How is all of this making things run smoother and saving taxpayer money?
Mr. Moraca was hired in July, and, faced with the second largest school district in the state, he does have a tough row to hoe and a mandate to make Onteora transportation run smoother. It would appear that this has all been a well-intentioned bungle. Luckily, concerned parents have begun a dialogue with him and compromises are afoot, although none of them sit well with parents nor do they seem to make much sense, fiscally or otherwise.
I live in Phoenicia, and often we are in a defensive mode because of persistent moves made by the Board Of Education which indicate that our much-beloved school is in the crosshairs of what some in the district believe is progress. So it has been hard not to view as hostile to Phoenicia the proposition to make students who variance -- the majority of whom variance to Phoenicia - go to their "home schools" whereupon they would get a shuttle to their variance school. This would get kids to school late, have them on a bus approximately 45 minutes more a day, and force them to leave school early.
Since the above proposal-made last week - concerned parents have intervened and a compromise has been set up with Mr. Moraca. But while better, it still doesn't make sense. Now there will be a stop at Sickler Road and Route 212, about which parents have safety concerns, where the kids will all meet - 10 kids in all -- with their parents, in rain, sleet, sun, and snow, to get on the bus. If things had remained as they were, the bus would have spent approximately 8 more minutes going to pick up these kids at their various stops.
Is this all to save money? If that's the case, how can it be worth it to make this alteration that is of questionable wisdom concerning safety? Especially in the dead of winter?
And then there's the issue of the special education kids, who now have their own bus. There have been two reasons given for this: the special education kids "cause problems" on the desegregated buses and make the desegregated buses late.
This is ludicrous. One of the great attributes of the Onteora system is its inclusiveness. Finding reasons to segregate and lump together "the special ed kids" as one entity is insulting. And if the special education kids "make the bus late," why is that objectionable when making the variance kids late is not? And since when are special education kids the only "troublemakers" on bus routes? Is keeping them from their non-special-needs peers going to make them calm down or make the non-special-needs-kids calm down?
And if we're still talking about fiscal responsibility, how is hiring buses to shuttle kids from Woodstock to Phoenicia and hiring a separate bus for the special education kids saving money?
At the meeting last night, Mr. Moraca admitted that the changes to the kids who variance to Phoenicia would be tough on the kids, but not hard on the administration. When I objected to that, it was put to me later that I misheard what he said. But I did not.
The way I see it, there is much hubris in all of this. Forgivable and rectifiable mistakes have been made, but rather than own up to it, those in power are trying to obfuscate the obvious with bureaucracy and give the impression that it will all come out in the wash and fix itself. But when it comes to the treatment of our kids and concerns for their dignity and safety, that's not good enough.
Robert Warren
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
The Onteora School District’s newly hired Director of Transportation, David Moraca, has decided, just before the start of school, that students attending a school on variance should not be bused directly to school, but instead must be bused to the school they would have otherwise attended, then transfer to another bus that will take them to their classroom.
For example, a kindergartener from Shady would be driven first to Woodstock Elementary, put on another bus, and then driven to Boiceville or Phoenicia.
Think about that. This means that students as young as five will have at least 30-45 minutes added to each end of their school bus ride. Every morning. Every afternoon.
Would any adult (including anyone in our school district administration) consent to such a nonsensical, wasteful and tiring commute for themselves?
Studies show a child’s school performance suffers in relation to increased time spent on the school bus. Not to mention the increased safety risk associated with time on the roadways.
Also, why doesn’t this “decision” apply to the children attending parochial and private schools, who must also be bused? Why only variance children?
The Town of Woodstock (and, I might add, the Onteora School District) have expressed the desire to becoming greener and more environmentally sensitive and sensible. How does driving these kids around in circles fit into that?
What is the basis of Mr. Moraca’s thinking? To satisfy some misguided bureaucratic urgings? To try and make a big initial splash? It certainly isn’t to benefit the kids. Nor is it to benefit the environment, nor can I believe it benefits the budget. At the recent Board of Education meeting, Mr. Moraca admitted this new plan has minimal savings for the district.
What kind of Transportation Director decrees that our children should spend MORE time on the bus and on the highways, in all kinds of weather, and that buses spend more fuel and time taking children to places they do not need to go?
Every new hire is bound to make some missteps. Let’s hope Mr. Moraca takes the opportunity to consider the practical impact of such an impractical and illogical decision, and redeems himself, and his supervisors, by rescinding it.
Laurie Osmond
Willow, NY

Dear Editor,
A recent report by Forbes magazine reported that Ulster County schools are among the worst’s in the Nation. The report measured student productivity in comparison to how much money was spent per student and ranked Ulster County schools 771st on a list of 775 counties examined. As reported Onteora’s leaders said the Forbes report is difficult to interpret because the magazine won’t divulge the formula they used. Forget the Forbes report and all the spin that has been put on the report.
The facts are clear. As reported in the October 2006 report to the Governor and the Legislature the Onteora School district has the highest cost per student in Ulster County in the Expended per Pupil unit. Ellenville has the second highest cost per student in that category. It cost $17,917 per student in the Onteora School district and $17,173 in the Ellenville district. Compare this to the $11,733 that Saugerties spends or the $12,342 that Wallkill expends per pupil. All other school districts in Ulster County spend far less then what it cost in the Onteora school district in that group.
In the Special Education K-12 Instructional Expenditures group Onteora expenditures per student is $30,052 with Ellenville spending $31,282 per pupil. All other school districts in Ulster County except Marlboro and Rondout Valley spend far less per pupil in that group with Highland, Kingston, New Paltz, Saugerties and Wallkill spending less than $20,000 per pupil.
In the Pupil/Teacher Ratio Onteora has the lowest ratio in the Pupil/Teacher Ratio category and averages 11.2 students per teacher versus Saugerties, which has 16.5 per teacher. This category may very well be one of the reasons for the very high cost per student in the Onteora school district.
With the declining student population in the school district and the budget going up by millions of dollars every year the cost per student could continue to increase drastically if serious steps aren’t taken to reduce spending which affects school taxes. Facts shown in the October 2006 report to the Governor and the Legislature leaves little doubt that Onteora’s spending helped drag down the Ulster County School’s to near the bottom of the United States as shown in the Forbes report.
William Warnecke
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
This is in response to Dave Donaldson’s negative attack letter.
While negativity is a Donaldson trademark, I was still a bit surprised because of the letter Dave sent last year praising me for my bi-partisan approach in solving county problems. It is also ironic that Donaldson seems repulsed by the very Republicans he cut deals with to be re-elected Chairman last January (a large portion of the Democratic Caucus despises Donaldson).
For the sake of brevity, I will not mention all Dave’s failures as Chairman. I will outline in another letter Dave’s manipulation of Civil Service rules so he can appoint political cronies, the county’s inability to pay vendor bills on time and his threatening of community volunteers who won’t bend to his will. Nor will I point out that most of his “accomplishments” were Republican ideas.
Instead, I will rebut the Democratic “myths” outlined in Donaldson’s letter:
* Dave brags about a Democratic-created surplus. He doesn’t mention that while Democrats campaigned in 2005 stating there would be a $23 million deficit, the county ended 2005 (the last Republican budget) with a $11.27 million surplus (Daily Freeman, 1/25/06).
* Dave takes credit for saving the county’s bond rating. But according to the June 11, 2005 Daily Freeman (the Republicans were still the Majority), Moody’s Investor Services retained the county’s bond rating.
* In the November 12, 2004 Daily Freeman, Donaldson and the Democrats stated they would not support revenue enhancers until there was “a freeze on hiring, filling vacancies, promotions and management raises.” Democrats immediately broke this promise upon assuming the majority, proposing new taxes without taking any of the actions they called for in 2005. As of June, there were actually more county employees than when the Democrats took over.
Perhaps the biggest myth of all is that Democrats had no responsibility for the 2005 budget. If Democrats had their way, property taxes would have been 10% higher! You may ask, why didn’t Democrats support revenue enhancers in 2005 to reduce property taxes? The answer is simple--politics.
One can imagine a meeting between Dave and his “brain trust”, Jeanette Provenzano and Alan Lomita (who were big supporters of the jail project, by the way). Maybe someone said, ‘if we do nothing, we can blame Republicans for a large tax increase and use the added revenue to keep taxes low when we take office.’
This is exactly what happened. Democrats did nothing to roll back the 2005 tax increase. In fact, they added another 7% in 2006--which means Democrats endorsed a 46% property tax over a two-year period. It's clear Ulster County taxpayers paid the price for Democratic political aspirations.
The truth is, even if Democrats hold on to the majority, Donaldson will not be reappointed Chairman in 2008. The choice is yours, Dave. You can use your remaining few months to reverse your image and conduct yourself with class and dignity for the rest of your tenure. Regardless, your legacy will be one of broken promises, ineptitude, tyranny, bitterness, pettiness, and hate.
Joe Roberti, County Legislator
District 4

Dear Editor,
The so called investigation of the construction of the Ulster County Jail by the Democrats gets stranger by the week. At last weeks hearing we learned that Legislator R. Parete (D-Accord), a member of the jail investigation committee, went on a fishing trip with the General Contractor on the project David Christa Construction. After the fishing trip this dynamic duo ends up at the restaurant owned by his father John Parete, Ulster County Democrat Chairman, for a little friendly chat. Not long after this friendly dinner chat the General Contractor, David Christa Construction, who had a big bucks claim against the county for extra payments received a very sweet, megabucks settlement from the county! It would seem that the restaurant owned by the Chairman of the Ulster County Democrat Party offered those diners a very unique dinning experience.
It would be worthwhile to hear the sworn public testimony from Christa Construction on the dinner had at the Parete family restaurant. This is not to be. This will be one of the many do not tell stories the Democrats will not put in the jail report. By the way, I wonder who picked up the check?
We also recently learned that three of the major principals in this investigation will not be subpoenaed to the public hearings because, according to the County Attorney, they may not show up! I always thought that a subpoena was a legal document that requires one to respond. Now we have a situation where the project architect, Crandell Associates, the project construction manager, Bovis Lend Lease, and the major consultant, Hill International will not be giving sworn public testimony. It seems to me that the sworn testimony of these three parties would be fundamental and necessary to getting all the facts of the story.
The evidence to date indicates that the Democrats are more interested in getting out a quick one sided report prior to the November election than they are in getting all the facts. An objective, non-political, analysis of this project, done by people with no vested interest, could have served a very useful purpose. The public and the County Legislature would learn the full and complete story not just the partisan political version. With the all the facts known, procedures could be developed to preclude this from happening again.
Unfortunately, this is not to be. On or about September 17, 2007 the public will be presented with a political document, prepared by the $60,000 Democrat hired spin meister the public will never learn the full story. The taxpaying public will have contributed over $90,000 to the Democrats election campaign literature and sadly, learn little of what actually went wrong. This report stands to be nothing more that a flawed and tainted political campaign document.
William R. West, Former Chairman
Ulster County Legislature
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
If this were an article for the newspaper, I would entitle it, "You Snooze, You Lose."
The Kingston Freeman and what they reported about local activists meeting with Congressman Maurice Hinchey was correct, except for the number of people in attendance--I stopped counting at 70. The room was filled to capacity, SRO, with many people on the sidewalk attempting to get in. The air temperature in the room was around 90 degrees, bringing people to near faints. People endured and debated for over two hours with Hinchey.
The Freeman didn't report that when asked why he didn't sign onto Kucinich's resolution (H.333) for impeachment, Hinchey said the resolution "circumvented the judiciary" and he "would not put his name on something that we were accusing Bush of doing." No one asked why he didn't propose an amendment to 333.
In this same article, the Freeman avoided mentioning Hinchey was concerned with the 2008 election and what impeachment would do to harm all US Democratic candidates in '08. We were told to look at the big picture and "not come just from our passion; to use our intelligence; didn't we want to win in '08?" which angered many in the crowd who thought they were being talked down to. One woman asked in a subtle rage: "Did you make a deal with Hillary to take her seat?" Hinchey didn't answer. The comment may have been prompted by an earlier statement made by Hinchey when he said he was thinking he would not run again for the House.
After two hours of intense discussion, Hinchey said, "look at censure as being the first step to impeachment." Censure, he said, would bring out all the same information as impeachment would, and then maybe a ground swell would sweep the country and demand impeachment. Hinchey never said how long censure would take. On impeachment, he said he didn't feel he could get the needed 218 votes from the House, or the 67 votes from the Senate. Why he believes he can garner the votes for censure, he did not say.
In defense of Hinchey, one man stood and said that last year he (and others) took a petition with 1,000 names to the UC Legislature asking for an Impeachment Resolution. The Fiddler's 33--majority Democratic--did nothing. Now they are going back with 2,000 signatures (in Sept/Oct) to see if this will convince the UC legislature. "This," he said, "is what we're up against locally. Imagine what Maurice is up against nationally."
Hinchey did say that Ulster County was more informed than most areas of the country where news is delivered by Hannity, Limbaugh and Beck. He didn't feel that most of the U.S. had the same passion for impeachment that our area is exhibiting.
When asked what people who wanted impeachment should do, he said "get involved with a media project and demand fair and accurate news coverage; demand it of the FCC."
Hinchey was asked why he changed his position on impeachment. He said he has not, never would, and would like to see it happen.
What he didn't say was that when he was out there ringing the bell for impeachment, the silent majority stayed silent, and only a minority of people ever came forward in support of his position. Now it seems, it's too late.
Looking back on a meeting held at the Community Center on Rock City Road in Woodstock, I recall Hinchey pressing for impeachment. He generated a lot of enthusiasm that went nowhere. How many years ago was that? People I talked with a week after that meeting were commenting on how afraid they were to step forward; afraid of the Bush administration and the possible retribution if they became vocal. It was suggested by some politicians and other "more rational" people that the activists not be hasty in taking action regarding impeachment; that we didn't have the "full picture;" that we should "sleep on it."
Well, as you can see, "You snooze, you lose."
Judith A. Boggess
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
So, our illustrious Attorney General is joining the rest of the Bush organization and returning home to spend more time with his “family”. Hmmm. What do all these people do when spending time with their family? Are they out with the kids on the baseball fields - or, could they be talking about a broader and more powerful family?
Let’s turn our attention to the potential replacements for Gonzales. I looked up one of the 3 listed in the NY Times and one that leapt to the forefront for me, is Larry Thompson, CEO and Attorney for Pepsico.
Surely, we can all agree that we need a smart Attorney General guarding the laws of our nation in the top spot, and I think that Larry Thompson is well qualified. Let’s take the case originally against Coke and Pepsi for using 2 ingredients in their products that, when combined, produce a 3rd ingredient – benzene.
Coke settled quickly, but Pepsico responded in the most intelligent way that big corporations do these days – they motioned to remove the case from the State (New Jersey), to Federal Court.
The FDA has had no standards for benzene in anything other than bottled water for years. The recent case was settled this past July of 2007, with a promise to remove the offending ingredients and an agreement to replace any returned items.
Of course, there’s the front-runner Chertoff, who did a good job in New Orleans after Katrina. After all, many of those returning to their communities after the hurricane are now living in mobile homes, also well endowed with toxic chemicals, brought to you by the great family of corporations that abide by Federal standards. I recently learned of plastic pipes that carry the drinking water into these homes, that leech small amounts of plastic and lead into the water. Illegal in California, but by Federal standards, no problem.
So, it’s clear that if you were lucky enough to be born into, or somehow managed to find your way into the corporate families of Halliburton, Exxon Mobil, GE or Honeywell, you may well want to spend more time with your family. It pays off.
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
Is it really over? Funny, I didn't hear any fat ladies sing. I do remember hearing a union representative warning the audience at a public hearing "Look, I'm tryin' to talk nice to youse and I don't got such a nice reputation." The crowd of bussed-in pro-Belleayre union workers were loud and hostile. Do we really want 1800 of them hanging out in our bars at night for 8 years? Do us taxpayers really
want to shell out $45 million for a ski lift to Golfzilla? Do local inns, restaurants and homes really deserve to be shut out of the
taxpayer funded sewage plant? If the developer gets to plug his sewage in, it will take just about every last bit of available
capacity. Good-bye hamlet revitalization. If the developer gets his way, 28 will become in his words, the "Catskill Parkway." Do we really want to pay for those extra lanes. wider bridges and condemned front lawns? Do we want to die on the Catskill Parkway when weekend warriors try to pass long lines of construction trucks? Do we really want 400 or more imported poverty wage workers on food stamps cramming themselves into our few available rental apartments?
Spitzer said to the developer: "You've got enough for one day. Don't get greedy." Remember what he's talking to. In the end, the developer's greed will be his undoing. Because of his astounding greed and lack of business smarts, we will have an opportunity to put community character, socioeconomic impact and secondary growth back on the table. We will have another round of public hearings. Make yourselves heard. A decent town government would be a good step also. We get to decide whether it will be "Home Rule" or "Gitter Rule."
Dave Channon
Shandaken NY

Dear Editor,
Reading the 5 short paragraphs titled “28 Fatal Crash” in the August 16th issue of your paper, I realized what the repercussions of that “crash” were.
The name of the victim is not nearly as important as the fact that a father, grandfather, husband, brother, uncle, son-in-law, dear friend had been taken from us because of the irresponsible behavior of just another alcoholic behind the wheel!
Yes, I knew Tonio Hurtado. He was an important part of my extended family and an honest, caring, respected man. He was returning to NYC to his job at a building on the upper west side of the city, a job where all the residents of the building loved him and miss him.
Now he is nothing more than a statistic, “dead on arrival.” This senseless death makes me very angry, furious that the drunk woman who crashed head-on into Tonio’s eastbound lane survived while we buried our friend last Thursday. When will this needless slaughter stop!? When will our laws regarding DWIs or DUI be enforced? You drive drunk, you lose your license – simple. No second chances.
Sweden has cut its road fatalities in more than half by enforcing these laws. Let’s take this seriously. Let’s think about what one irresponsible person can do when he/she takes those car keys after a night of drinking and turns the vehicle into a deadly weapon! We grieve for our good friend who deserves a better obituary.
Lee Parker
Arkville, NY

Dear Editor,
Glenn D. Ford, Captain of Shandaken/Allaben Hose Company has the honor of being named 2007 Firefighter of the Year for his heroic life saving action by Ulster County Firemen’s Association.
On the morning of December 22, 2006, the Shandaken/Allaben Hose Co. responded to an alarm of a vehicle fire, on Route 28. The first engine on the scene determined that the vehicle was an Ulster County Rural Transportation Bus. The driver of the bus, smelling smoke, pulled into the parking area of the west of the firehouse. Additional apparatus arrived and a mutual aid for a tanker from Big Indian was issued.
Captain Glenn Ford and other members were in the process of putting on their fire fighting gear, when all of a sudden the bus started to roll forward due to the immense heat. It was headed towards the engine, firefighters and towards traffic. Alfred Peck, a 40 plus year member was unaware of the impending danger, as he was putting on his fire fighting gear. Captain Ford noticed this dangerous situation, with disregard to his own safety, he rushed into the path of the rolling inferno and pushed Alfred out of harm, saving Alfred from serious injury and possibly death.
The bus continued rolling onto Route 28, crossing 2 lanes and ending up in the eastern ditch where it was finally extinguished.
Due to Captain Ford’s quick thinking, his agility and his heroic action, a catastrophic situation was averted. Congratulation Captain Ford on your life saving effort.
Howard Sebald, Fire Commissioner
Phoenicia, NY