July 11, 2008
Town building ban imposed
9-month stay slows dorm plan
By Michael Valkys
Poughkeepsie Journal
Residential construction in some parts of the Town of Poughkeepsie will end for at least nine months - likely delaying Dutchess Community College's plan to construct a dorm complex off Cottage Road in Fairview.
The town board unanimously approved a nine-month moratorium on residential construction in institutional zones, which includes property owned by Dutchess, Vassar and Marist colleges, as well as Saint Francis Hospital.
A total of 940 acres townwide would be affected. The measure approved Wednesday allows the board to extend the moratorium two times, or an additional 18 months, if necessary.
Supervisor Patricia Myers said the moratorium is needed to give officials time to review potential effects of development in institutional zones throughout the town.
"We really didn't look at what could happen in the institutional districts when we did the master plan," Myers said Thursday of the updated planning document the board approved in September. "We have to take a look at what could happen."
Several residents sporting shirts promoting the local citizen group Fairness for Fairview were at town hall to support the moratorium. Many Fairview Fire District residents are concerned about safety and increasing fire tax bills in a district with many tax-exempt properties.
While some tax-exempt properties have payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT agreements, to help offset costs in Fairview, many residents believe those property owners should pay more, considering the amount of public services the parcels receive.
"They give a little bit, but it's just not enough," Fairness member Linda Rutherford said. "Our taxes have just skyrocketed."
Latest obstacle
The moratorium is the latest setback for DCC's plan to construct a 450-student dorm near its town campus on county-owned land. Officials had hoped to have the complex open by fall 2009.
College spokeswoman Ann Winfield Thursday said officials there had no comment on the moratorium or the dorm project's status.
The town last month initiated what is known as an Article 78 proceeding in state Supreme Court in Westchester County related to the dorm proposal.
The town claims the proposal failed to undergo the environmental review process known as SEQR, or state environmental quality review. Article 78 actions allow plaintiffs to challenge decisions by governing bodies or agencies.
The matter is scheduled for an initial court session July 31 in White Plains.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Tax Load Shared Unfairly, Critics Say (Pok. Journal 7/6/08)
July 6, 2008
Tax load shared unfairly, critics say
Residents want slew of exempt entities to pay for services they use
By Jenny Lee
Poughkeepsie Journal
Nearly half the calls the Fairview Fire District responded to last year were to properties that paid no taxes to the fire district. Five of the top six places that had the most calls in 2007 were tax-exempt properties, according to fire district records.
About 45 percent of the 1,817 responses Fairview crews made in 2007 were to tax-exempt properties.
As of June 2008, about half of the 845 cases that occurred this year have been at tax-exempt properties, fire Chief Tory Gallante said. The other 50 percent represents calls for residential and commercial properties and roads.
Fire districts are independent entities run by elected fire commissioners who set budgets and can raise taxes to meet the needs of the towns and villages in the district. Fairview covers parts of the towns of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park.
Many home and business owners in the fire district are angry they are paying for emergency services for colleges, hospitals and other groups that geographically dominate the district, but contribute nothing in property taxes. Residents have argued the 4.5 square mile district is about 80 percent tax-exempt. Fairview officials said they're calculating the exact percentage for 2007.
However, the tax-exempt groups counter they provide valuable services to the community that might be curtailed if they were required to pay property taxes. Some make annual payments to the district in place of property taxes. They also are working to reduce the number of false alarms through new technology and procedures.
Years of resentment over disparities in taxes and services used have boiled over in recent months with the announcement of plans to build a dorm to house 450 students at Dutchess Community College. Fire officials and taxpayers are concerned the dorm would increase the volume of calls, especially with false alarms.
Even without the dorm, schools, medical facilities and a homeless shelter were among the six places the Fairview Fire District responded to the most in 2007.
Out of 1,817 responses in 2007, Marist College had the most emergency responses with 246, Saint Francis Hospital had 214 responses, Hudson River Psychiatric Center had 89 and Hillcrest House & Homeless Shelter had 82. The Atrium at Saint Francis Hospital had 79 responses, and it is the only taxable property that ranks among the top six. Dutchess Community College had 50, Gallante said.
The calls were for a mix of false fire alarms, emergency medical calls and other incidents, according to representatives of the five organizations.
Pay their share
"My fire taxes are out of this world," said George Cacchione, of the Town of Poughkeepsie. A retiree, Cacchione said he will pay more than $1,000 in fire taxes this year.
"I think the nonprofits should pay their fair share," he said. Cacchione is a member of Fairness for Fairview, a group of residents who are angry about their taxes.
Residents and fire officials have been looking for solutions that could offer taxpayers some relief.
Fairness for Fairview, a group of concerned residents, is in favor of Payment In Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, agreements, in which nonprofits pay the district a certain amount for services.
Fairview Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman John E. Anspach said he wants a moratorium on construction on tax-free properties in the district.
"I want it so we can negotiate a PILOT, Payment in Lieu of Taxes," Anspach said. "They require service, police service. They should pay for police and fire service."
Another possibility is consolidating with another fire district, he said. Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie fire departments are nearby.
"It takes a long time to put this stuff together," Anspach said. "The only thing I can offer my sister district is higher taxes and more calls."
Although Marist and DCC make financial contributions to the fire district, residential and commercial property owners pay a majority of the fire taxes.
The proposed DCC dorm would be built on county property off Cottage and Creek roads in the Town of Poughkeepsie. In a close vote, the county Legislature agreed in March to support the development of a lease. The lease will come back to the Legislature for another vote, but Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, said he was not sure when that would happen.
DCC spokeswoman Ann Winfield declined to comment on DCC's rank in the number of Fairview responses.
If the dorm is built, the Dutchess Community College Association has agreed to contribute $75,000 next year to the fire district. The amount will increase 3 percent each year until 2012. Previously, the association gave $5,000 each year for several years, Gallante said.
The $75,000 would be a fraction of the multimillion dollar budget for the district.
Budget runs into millions
The district's 2007 budget was about $2.7 million, and its property-tax levy was about $2.5 million, Fairview Treasurer James Passikoff said.
Since the district covers two towns, there are two fire tax rates, Passikoff said. The 2007 fire tax rate in the Town of Poughkeepsie was $10.49 per $1,000 of assessed value and in Hyde Park it was $9.70.
The 2008 budget is $3.2 million, and the tax levy is $3 million. The 2008 fire tax rate in the Town of Poughkeepsie is $4.83 per $1,000 of assessed value and the tax rate is $13.26 in Hyde Park, Passikoff said.
The fair market value of the 24-acre county property where the dorms are proposed is $445,000, according to the Dutchess County Real Property Tax Agency. If the property were taxable in the Town of Poughkeepsie, about $2,149.35 in fire taxes would go to the district.
Marist spokesman Tim Massie sympathizes with the residents.
"I'm going to be honest," Massie said. "We agree with the folks in Fairview that their taxes are too high."
However, he said, "It's an issue that's bigger than Marist."
Hudson River Housing Executive Director Gail Webster, whose organization oversees Hillcrest House, also was sympathetic to Fairview residents. But, she said, it's difficult to get funding for her organization, which operates homeless shelters and provides transitional housing.
"I've talked for a long time of trying to pay for PILOTS at Fairview," Webster said. "I have the utmost respect for them."
Proposal is opposed
Saint Francis Hospital Chief Executive Officer Robert Savage also is aware of the controversy, and said he opposes PILOTS.
"I think everybody needs to keep in mind why Saint Francis Hospital does not pay taxes and what we provide for the community in exchange for the tax-exempt status," Savage said. "Our doors are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for anyone who needs care, whether they can pay or not. That's worth something."
Kurt Hornick, co-coordinator of Fairness for Fairview, views PILOTs as a fee that should be paid for a necessary service.
"Every month I have to assume Marist gets an electric bill from Central Hudson [Gas & Electric Corp.] and Marist has to pay for their electric service every month the same way you and I do. Well, this service is no different," Hornick said.
Marist and the district have an agreement under which the school will contribute $120,000 to the district for the 2008-09 school year, Gallante said. Marist contributed about $110,000 to the district for the 2007-08 school year.
Both sides will renegotiate the agreement in 2009, Massie said.
Curbing false alarms
The tax-exempt groups also are working to reduce the number of false alarms.
About 146 out of the 246 calls from Marist, or 59 percent, in 2007 were for auto accidents, medical emergencies and other incidents at graduation and concerts, Massie said. The rest of the calls were false alarms: burning food, malfunctions and maintenance issues, he said.
"We're doing what we can to reduce the number further," Massie said. For example, the school installed better fire alarms, he said.
Hillcrest, Saint Francis and Hudson River Psychiatric Center also upgraded their fire alarm systems, according to Webster, Savage and psychiatric center research director Dr. Roger Christenfeld.
About 178, or about 83 percent, of the 214 Fairview res-ponses to the hospital were for firefighters to control traffic when a medical helicopter makes a landing, Savage said.
Hospital officials have talked with Fairview a number of times in the past few years, Savage said.
"We suggested four years ago it wasn't necessary," he said.
Gallante said he was supposed to discuss it further with hospital officials.
The helicopter lands on a designated area near the emergency room, Gallante said. Firefighters and hospital security block roads going into the hospital to give the helicopter some space, to prevent drivers and pedestrians from gawking and to make it easier for medical staff to wheel patients into the hospital.
________________________________________
Tax load shared unfairly, critics say
Residents want slew of exempt entities to pay for services they use
By Jenny Lee
Poughkeepsie Journal
Nearly half the calls the Fairview Fire District responded to last year were to properties that paid no taxes to the fire district. Five of the top six places that had the most calls in 2007 were tax-exempt properties, according to fire district records.
About 45 percent of the 1,817 responses Fairview crews made in 2007 were to tax-exempt properties.
As of June 2008, about half of the 845 cases that occurred this year have been at tax-exempt properties, fire Chief Tory Gallante said. The other 50 percent represents calls for residential and commercial properties and roads.
Fire districts are independent entities run by elected fire commissioners who set budgets and can raise taxes to meet the needs of the towns and villages in the district. Fairview covers parts of the towns of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park.
Many home and business owners in the fire district are angry they are paying for emergency services for colleges, hospitals and other groups that geographically dominate the district, but contribute nothing in property taxes. Residents have argued the 4.5 square mile district is about 80 percent tax-exempt. Fairview officials said they're calculating the exact percentage for 2007.
However, the tax-exempt groups counter they provide valuable services to the community that might be curtailed if they were required to pay property taxes. Some make annual payments to the district in place of property taxes. They also are working to reduce the number of false alarms through new technology and procedures.
Years of resentment over disparities in taxes and services used have boiled over in recent months with the announcement of plans to build a dorm to house 450 students at Dutchess Community College. Fire officials and taxpayers are concerned the dorm would increase the volume of calls, especially with false alarms.
Even without the dorm, schools, medical facilities and a homeless shelter were among the six places the Fairview Fire District responded to the most in 2007.
Out of 1,817 responses in 2007, Marist College had the most emergency responses with 246, Saint Francis Hospital had 214 responses, Hudson River Psychiatric Center had 89 and Hillcrest House & Homeless Shelter had 82. The Atrium at Saint Francis Hospital had 79 responses, and it is the only taxable property that ranks among the top six. Dutchess Community College had 50, Gallante said.
The calls were for a mix of false fire alarms, emergency medical calls and other incidents, according to representatives of the five organizations.
Pay their share
"My fire taxes are out of this world," said George Cacchione, of the Town of Poughkeepsie. A retiree, Cacchione said he will pay more than $1,000 in fire taxes this year.
"I think the nonprofits should pay their fair share," he said. Cacchione is a member of Fairness for Fairview, a group of residents who are angry about their taxes.
Residents and fire officials have been looking for solutions that could offer taxpayers some relief.
Fairness for Fairview, a group of concerned residents, is in favor of Payment In Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, agreements, in which nonprofits pay the district a certain amount for services.
Fairview Board of Fire Commissioners Chairman John E. Anspach said he wants a moratorium on construction on tax-free properties in the district.
"I want it so we can negotiate a PILOT, Payment in Lieu of Taxes," Anspach said. "They require service, police service. They should pay for police and fire service."
Another possibility is consolidating with another fire district, he said. Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie fire departments are nearby.
"It takes a long time to put this stuff together," Anspach said. "The only thing I can offer my sister district is higher taxes and more calls."
Although Marist and DCC make financial contributions to the fire district, residential and commercial property owners pay a majority of the fire taxes.
The proposed DCC dorm would be built on county property off Cottage and Creek roads in the Town of Poughkeepsie. In a close vote, the county Legislature agreed in March to support the development of a lease. The lease will come back to the Legislature for another vote, but Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, said he was not sure when that would happen.
DCC spokeswoman Ann Winfield declined to comment on DCC's rank in the number of Fairview responses.
If the dorm is built, the Dutchess Community College Association has agreed to contribute $75,000 next year to the fire district. The amount will increase 3 percent each year until 2012. Previously, the association gave $5,000 each year for several years, Gallante said.
The $75,000 would be a fraction of the multimillion dollar budget for the district.
Budget runs into millions
The district's 2007 budget was about $2.7 million, and its property-tax levy was about $2.5 million, Fairview Treasurer James Passikoff said.
Since the district covers two towns, there are two fire tax rates, Passikoff said. The 2007 fire tax rate in the Town of Poughkeepsie was $10.49 per $1,000 of assessed value and in Hyde Park it was $9.70.
The 2008 budget is $3.2 million, and the tax levy is $3 million. The 2008 fire tax rate in the Town of Poughkeepsie is $4.83 per $1,000 of assessed value and the tax rate is $13.26 in Hyde Park, Passikoff said.
The fair market value of the 24-acre county property where the dorms are proposed is $445,000, according to the Dutchess County Real Property Tax Agency. If the property were taxable in the Town of Poughkeepsie, about $2,149.35 in fire taxes would go to the district.
Marist spokesman Tim Massie sympathizes with the residents.
"I'm going to be honest," Massie said. "We agree with the folks in Fairview that their taxes are too high."
However, he said, "It's an issue that's bigger than Marist."
Hudson River Housing Executive Director Gail Webster, whose organization oversees Hillcrest House, also was sympathetic to Fairview residents. But, she said, it's difficult to get funding for her organization, which operates homeless shelters and provides transitional housing.
"I've talked for a long time of trying to pay for PILOTS at Fairview," Webster said. "I have the utmost respect for them."
Proposal is opposed
Saint Francis Hospital Chief Executive Officer Robert Savage also is aware of the controversy, and said he opposes PILOTS.
"I think everybody needs to keep in mind why Saint Francis Hospital does not pay taxes and what we provide for the community in exchange for the tax-exempt status," Savage said. "Our doors are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for anyone who needs care, whether they can pay or not. That's worth something."
Kurt Hornick, co-coordinator of Fairness for Fairview, views PILOTs as a fee that should be paid for a necessary service.
"Every month I have to assume Marist gets an electric bill from Central Hudson [Gas & Electric Corp.] and Marist has to pay for their electric service every month the same way you and I do. Well, this service is no different," Hornick said.
Marist and the district have an agreement under which the school will contribute $120,000 to the district for the 2008-09 school year, Gallante said. Marist contributed about $110,000 to the district for the 2007-08 school year.
Both sides will renegotiate the agreement in 2009, Massie said.
Curbing false alarms
The tax-exempt groups also are working to reduce the number of false alarms.
About 146 out of the 246 calls from Marist, or 59 percent, in 2007 were for auto accidents, medical emergencies and other incidents at graduation and concerts, Massie said. The rest of the calls were false alarms: burning food, malfunctions and maintenance issues, he said.
"We're doing what we can to reduce the number further," Massie said. For example, the school installed better fire alarms, he said.
Hillcrest, Saint Francis and Hudson River Psychiatric Center also upgraded their fire alarm systems, according to Webster, Savage and psychiatric center research director Dr. Roger Christenfeld.
About 178, or about 83 percent, of the 214 Fairview res-ponses to the hospital were for firefighters to control traffic when a medical helicopter makes a landing, Savage said.
Hospital officials have talked with Fairview a number of times in the past few years, Savage said.
"We suggested four years ago it wasn't necessary," he said.
Gallante said he was supposed to discuss it further with hospital officials.
The helicopter lands on a designated area near the emergency room, Gallante said. Firefighters and hospital security block roads going into the hospital to give the helicopter some space, to prevent drivers and pedestrians from gawking and to make it easier for medical staff to wheel patients into the hospital.
________________________________________
Sunday, June 29, 2008
What Is An Article 78 Lawsuit?
From http://article78.com/primer/2.shtml
An Article 78 is a type of lawsuit. It was created by the New York legislature in 1937. Generally, Article 78 proceedings are used to challenge action (or inaction) by agencies and officers of state and local government. Sometime even the actions of private corporations are subject to Article 78 review. If you feel that an agency has screwed up your administrative case, filing an Article 78 will bring your case into a New York Supreme Court. There, a judge will review your administrative case, scrutinize the agency's actions and decisions, and if necessary reverse an agency's decision. If you are concerned that you will be harmed by the agency's action while you are waiting for the judge to complete his review of the case, the judge can prevent the agency from taking any further action until the Article 78 has been resolved.
An Article 78 is a type of lawsuit. It was created by the New York legislature in 1937. Generally, Article 78 proceedings are used to challenge action (or inaction) by agencies and officers of state and local government. Sometime even the actions of private corporations are subject to Article 78 review. If you feel that an agency has screwed up your administrative case, filing an Article 78 will bring your case into a New York Supreme Court. There, a judge will review your administrative case, scrutinize the agency's actions and decisions, and if necessary reverse an agency's decision. If you are concerned that you will be harmed by the agency's action while you are waiting for the judge to complete his review of the case, the judge can prevent the agency from taking any further action until the Article 78 has been resolved.
Town Sues Over DCC Dorm Plan (Pok. Journal 6/29/08)
June 29, 2008
Town sues over DCC dorm plan
Action cites failure to seek environmental review
By Michael Valkys
Poughkeepsie Journal
The Town of Poughkeepsie has initiated legal action that will likely delay Dutchess Community College's plan to open a dormitory complex next year off Cottage Road in the town.
The town, in court papers, claims the project failed to undergo the environmental review process known as SEQR, or state environmental quality review. The town argues that review should have been triggered when the county Legislature in March voted to pursue a lease agreement needed for the dorm project to proceed.
Town special counsel Rich-ard Cantor filed what is known as an Article 78 proceeding in state Supreme Court in Westchester County, asking it be heard in the court's Environmental Claims Part. Article 78 actions allow plaintiffs to challenge decisions by governing bodies or agencies.
A judge would eventually decide whether the town's case has merit.
The town, and three residents, are challenging the March vote by the Legislature that supported entering into a long-term lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association regarding county-owned land where the 450-student dormitory would be located.
Cantor said the town wants the Legislature's resolution nullified because it "required an environmental review before its adoption."
In court papers, the town asserts it is "an involved agency" for a SEQR review because the dorm project is subject to town land-use laws.
Residents join petition
Along with the town, residents Kenneth and Cheryl Rose and Karin Hanson are listed as petitioners in the action. Court papers said the residents live near the proposed dorm site and could be adversely affected if the complex is constructed.
Named as respondents in the town's case are the county, the college and its association.
County Attorney Ronald Wozniak did not immediately return a call Friday seeking comment, nor did college spokeswoman Ann Winfield.
While the Legislature ap-proved moving forward with a lease agreement, no final proposal from the college has been sent to that body for approval and no lease has been signed.
But in court papers filed June 20, Cantor argues the March vote indicates the agreement is essentially a done deal and "practically determinative" of a future course of action.
"Barring unforeseen circumstances," Cantor wrote, "the lease has for all practical purposes been approved."
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, noted that body discussed many issues, including questions about environmental effects, before the March resolution was approved by a single vote, 13-12. He said approval of a final lease agreement is far from certain.
"To me it's very presumptive to think it's a done deal," Higgins said of the town's argument that the March vote was tantamount to final approval. "It would seem to me they are on somewhat shaky legal ground."
Court papers indicate the matter is due to be heard July 31 in White Plains.
2009 opening was sought
College officials have said they hoped to have the dorm complex open by fall 2009, which appears unlikely with the matter tied up in court.
The dorm proposal has also sparked concern from residents in the Fairview Fire District. Many are worried over rising fire taxes in a district dominated by tax-exempt properties.
To help ease the crunch on taxpayers and offset costs, the college association agreed to pay the fire district $75,000 next year. The payment would increase 3 percent each year until 2012, when the deal would be renegotiated.
Critics of the deal have said the payments will not be enough to cover increased costs the dorm might bring the fire district.
Town officials and residents are also concerned over traffic the dorm might generate, and its impact on safety in Fairview.
The dorm project faces other potential hurdles.
The town board is considering a nine-month moratorium on residential development in institutional zones. Such zones include land where local colleges and Saint Francis Hospital are located. A public hearing on the proposed moratorium is set for July 9.
Supporters of the dorm project have cited a 2005 study commissioned by the college association that found a need for affordable housing on campus.
College officials have said the complex would make DCC more attractive to students and eliminate commutes for many who live far from the school's Poughkeepsie campus.
Town sues over DCC dorm plan
Action cites failure to seek environmental review
By Michael Valkys
Poughkeepsie Journal
The Town of Poughkeepsie has initiated legal action that will likely delay Dutchess Community College's plan to open a dormitory complex next year off Cottage Road in the town.
The town, in court papers, claims the project failed to undergo the environmental review process known as SEQR, or state environmental quality review. The town argues that review should have been triggered when the county Legislature in March voted to pursue a lease agreement needed for the dorm project to proceed.
Town special counsel Rich-ard Cantor filed what is known as an Article 78 proceeding in state Supreme Court in Westchester County, asking it be heard in the court's Environmental Claims Part. Article 78 actions allow plaintiffs to challenge decisions by governing bodies or agencies.
A judge would eventually decide whether the town's case has merit.
The town, and three residents, are challenging the March vote by the Legislature that supported entering into a long-term lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association regarding county-owned land where the 450-student dormitory would be located.
Cantor said the town wants the Legislature's resolution nullified because it "required an environmental review before its adoption."
In court papers, the town asserts it is "an involved agency" for a SEQR review because the dorm project is subject to town land-use laws.
Residents join petition
Along with the town, residents Kenneth and Cheryl Rose and Karin Hanson are listed as petitioners in the action. Court papers said the residents live near the proposed dorm site and could be adversely affected if the complex is constructed.
Named as respondents in the town's case are the county, the college and its association.
County Attorney Ronald Wozniak did not immediately return a call Friday seeking comment, nor did college spokeswoman Ann Winfield.
While the Legislature ap-proved moving forward with a lease agreement, no final proposal from the college has been sent to that body for approval and no lease has been signed.
But in court papers filed June 20, Cantor argues the March vote indicates the agreement is essentially a done deal and "practically determinative" of a future course of action.
"Barring unforeseen circumstances," Cantor wrote, "the lease has for all practical purposes been approved."
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, noted that body discussed many issues, including questions about environmental effects, before the March resolution was approved by a single vote, 13-12. He said approval of a final lease agreement is far from certain.
"To me it's very presumptive to think it's a done deal," Higgins said of the town's argument that the March vote was tantamount to final approval. "It would seem to me they are on somewhat shaky legal ground."
Court papers indicate the matter is due to be heard July 31 in White Plains.
2009 opening was sought
College officials have said they hoped to have the dorm complex open by fall 2009, which appears unlikely with the matter tied up in court.
The dorm proposal has also sparked concern from residents in the Fairview Fire District. Many are worried over rising fire taxes in a district dominated by tax-exempt properties.
To help ease the crunch on taxpayers and offset costs, the college association agreed to pay the fire district $75,000 next year. The payment would increase 3 percent each year until 2012, when the deal would be renegotiated.
Critics of the deal have said the payments will not be enough to cover increased costs the dorm might bring the fire district.
Town officials and residents are also concerned over traffic the dorm might generate, and its impact on safety in Fairview.
The dorm project faces other potential hurdles.
The town board is considering a nine-month moratorium on residential development in institutional zones. Such zones include land where local colleges and Saint Francis Hospital are located. A public hearing on the proposed moratorium is set for July 9.
Supporters of the dorm project have cited a 2005 study commissioned by the college association that found a need for affordable housing on campus.
College officials have said the complex would make DCC more attractive to students and eliminate commutes for many who live far from the school's Poughkeepsie campus.
Pomp Amid Protest (The Dutchess Beat 5/23/08)
The Dutchess Beat - May 23, 2008
Pomp amid protest
DCC graduates reflect as Fairview residents protest dorm building plan
By Greg Lucid
Almost 900 graduating students gathered at Dutchess Community College for the school’s 49th commencement on May 15 at George A. Strba Soccer Field in Poughkeepsie, while some residents turned out on a nearby road to protest the college’s plan to build dormitories.
Laura Newswanger of Hyde Park had a look of joy and determination on her face after completing two years of study at the college. With her tassel turned, Newswanger said she knows her education doesn’t end at DCC.
“It feels good, but it’s only the halfway mark,” she said, adding that she looks forward to attending the State University of New York at Oneonta, where she will major in nutrition.
Indeed, the overall message at the ceremony was clear: one’s education shouldn’t end at graduation.
“You can and must never stop learning,” said graduation speaker Anthony V. Campilii, a member of the Class of 1960, the first graduating class of DCC, who added to students that they should participate in charitable and civic activities beyond the classroom.
Shannan Sweeney of Wappingers Falls, a graduate from the business program at DCC, said her three years at the college were well-spent because of class size.
“It’s a lot smaller, and you learn more about yourself,” she said.
Some students reflected on their mentors, friends and teachers who they will miss. Peter Martin of Pawling, a liberal arts and humanities degree recipient, plans on attending the State University of New York at Binghamton and said he will remember the advice one of his professors, Richard Reitano, the ceremony’s faculty marshal, lectured to him.
“He (Reitano) said you should never make excuses about anything in life,” Martin said.
Unfair?
Following the ceremony, approximately 12 individuals from a disgruntled citizens group, Fairness for Fairview, chanted “No Dorms Needed” along Cottage Road on county property near DCC, in reference to the school’s proposal to build a 450-bed dormitory along the road as part of Phase I of a construction project.
Town residents such as Fairness member Virginia Buechele are angry that the county and DCC are moving ahead with plans to build the dorm, when DCC and Marist College, two colleges in the Fairview Fire District, are tax-exempt, and make up for the majority of calls to the district.
Buechele said Fairness for Fairview didn’t want to spoil the graduation, so the group waited until the end of the ceremony near one of the college’s exits.
“We have a right to assemble and protest,” she said, adding that the group had received approval to rally from the town attorney and police department.
“They didn’t disrupt the ceremony,” said Ann Winfield, director of community relations at DCC. “The college understands that the citizens wanted to get their concerns heard. We take the community’s concerns seriously.”
“We’ve got a lot of people’s attention. We wanted to do this in a respectful way. I think we did. We didn’t even come out here until 7:30 p.m. and by that point graduation was two-thirds done,” said Kurt Hornick, spokesman for Fairness for Fairview.
Buechele and several others also protested along Route 9 at Marist College’s commencement ceremony on May 17.
Hornick said Marist pays town police overtime for any events such as a college graduation ceremony.
“Fire and EMT calls are the ultimate cost passed on to the taxpayer,” Hornick said. “If Marist could pay for services they use, it would help homeowners.”
“Dutchess and Marist need to be aware of the gravity of the situation,” Hornick said. “People are losing their homes because the fire tax is out of control.”
The fire district responded to 247 incidents in 2007 at Marist College, and 109 incidents so far in 2008, while they answered approximately 49 calls in 2007 at DCC and 19 so far this year.
“The people of Fairview have a valid point in that they need help with high taxes,” said Tim Massie, Marist College spokesman. “Marist should not be the target.”
Pomp amid protest
DCC graduates reflect as Fairview residents protest dorm building plan
By Greg Lucid
Almost 900 graduating students gathered at Dutchess Community College for the school’s 49th commencement on May 15 at George A. Strba Soccer Field in Poughkeepsie, while some residents turned out on a nearby road to protest the college’s plan to build dormitories.
Laura Newswanger of Hyde Park had a look of joy and determination on her face after completing two years of study at the college. With her tassel turned, Newswanger said she knows her education doesn’t end at DCC.
“It feels good, but it’s only the halfway mark,” she said, adding that she looks forward to attending the State University of New York at Oneonta, where she will major in nutrition.
Indeed, the overall message at the ceremony was clear: one’s education shouldn’t end at graduation.
“You can and must never stop learning,” said graduation speaker Anthony V. Campilii, a member of the Class of 1960, the first graduating class of DCC, who added to students that they should participate in charitable and civic activities beyond the classroom.
Shannan Sweeney of Wappingers Falls, a graduate from the business program at DCC, said her three years at the college were well-spent because of class size.
“It’s a lot smaller, and you learn more about yourself,” she said.
Some students reflected on their mentors, friends and teachers who they will miss. Peter Martin of Pawling, a liberal arts and humanities degree recipient, plans on attending the State University of New York at Binghamton and said he will remember the advice one of his professors, Richard Reitano, the ceremony’s faculty marshal, lectured to him.
“He (Reitano) said you should never make excuses about anything in life,” Martin said.
Unfair?
Following the ceremony, approximately 12 individuals from a disgruntled citizens group, Fairness for Fairview, chanted “No Dorms Needed” along Cottage Road on county property near DCC, in reference to the school’s proposal to build a 450-bed dormitory along the road as part of Phase I of a construction project.
Town residents such as Fairness member Virginia Buechele are angry that the county and DCC are moving ahead with plans to build the dorm, when DCC and Marist College, two colleges in the Fairview Fire District, are tax-exempt, and make up for the majority of calls to the district.
Buechele said Fairness for Fairview didn’t want to spoil the graduation, so the group waited until the end of the ceremony near one of the college’s exits.
“We have a right to assemble and protest,” she said, adding that the group had received approval to rally from the town attorney and police department.
“They didn’t disrupt the ceremony,” said Ann Winfield, director of community relations at DCC. “The college understands that the citizens wanted to get their concerns heard. We take the community’s concerns seriously.”
“We’ve got a lot of people’s attention. We wanted to do this in a respectful way. I think we did. We didn’t even come out here until 7:30 p.m. and by that point graduation was two-thirds done,” said Kurt Hornick, spokesman for Fairness for Fairview.
Buechele and several others also protested along Route 9 at Marist College’s commencement ceremony on May 17.
Hornick said Marist pays town police overtime for any events such as a college graduation ceremony.
“Fire and EMT calls are the ultimate cost passed on to the taxpayer,” Hornick said. “If Marist could pay for services they use, it would help homeowners.”
“Dutchess and Marist need to be aware of the gravity of the situation,” Hornick said. “People are losing their homes because the fire tax is out of control.”
The fire district responded to 247 incidents in 2007 at Marist College, and 109 incidents so far in 2008, while they answered approximately 49 calls in 2007 at DCC and 19 so far this year.
“The people of Fairview have a valid point in that they need help with high taxes,” said Tim Massie, Marist College spokesman. “Marist should not be the target.”
Fed up Fairview Residents Protest (Hyde Park Townsman 5/29/08)
Fed up Fairview residents protest
By: Matthew Renda, Staff Reporter
05/29/2008 - Hyde Park Townsman
While students at Dutchess Community College and Marist College were flinging their caps into the air in a jubilant celebration of graduation, protestors from Fairness for Fairview were attempting to spread the word about the unfair taxes being levied against residents who make their homes inside the Fairview Fire District.
Fairness for Fairview is comprised of disaffected residents living within the Fairview Fire District who have organized in an attempt to disseminate their message regarding what they see as an unfair tax situation afflicting the area.
The Fairview Fire District, which straddles the border of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park, is home to Marist College, Dutchess Community College, the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie and St. Francis Hospital, all of which are afforded tax-exempt status according to the constitution of the state of New York.
Thus, homeowners, who only constitute approximately 20 percent of the district, are responsible for paying 100 percent of the cost associated with operating a fire district.
To make matters even worse for taxpayers, all of the tax-exempt institutions within the district create a serious need for the services. Firefighters are required by law to respond to every alarm that sounds on a college campus, which includes a large number of false alarms in the dormitories, where a college student might burn popcorn in a microwave and set off alarms, for example.
Residents are furious that despite being a large burden on the fire services, these institutions have not financially contributed to the district operation.
The situation was recently exacerbated by the Dutchess County government's decision to sell a parcel of land to Dutchess Community College for the express purpose of constructing a dormitory.
Residents met at Violent Avenue Elementary last month in order to express their fury and demand that elected officials find a resolution to the tax problem.
"I have a quarter-acre parcel of land and my fire taxes were $1,100 this year," said Karin Hanson, one of the principal organizers of Fairness for Fairview. "I live in Poughkeepsie and I have been told by Hyde Park residents living in the district that their taxes have gone up by more than 30 percent."
Hanson said the Fairness for Fairview organization wanted to protest the graduations in order to spread the word about the unfair plight that she and her fellow residents have been saddled with.
"We are not anti-education," she said. "We just believe that Marist and Dutchess (Community College) are not paying their fair share of taxes. We hope that getting the word out will put pressure on government officials to respond to the situation."
During the recent meeting at Violet Avenue Elementary, representatives from the state government were lustily booed by hundreds of residents who had gathered for the event.
State Assemblyman Joel Miller (R,C,I-Poughkeepsie) promised he would contact County Executive William Steinhaus, who he identified as the primary culprit in the ongoing tax debacle.
State Sen. Steve Saland (R,C-Poughkeepsie) made a similar pledge.
According to Hanson, she had not heard of any progress from the government.
"We are still waiting to hear from Mr. Steinhaus," she said.
Until progress is made, Hanson said that she and her cohorts would continue to exploit every opportunity to spread the message regarding the unfair situation in the Fairview Fire District.
©Hyde Park Townsman 2008
By: Matthew Renda, Staff Reporter
05/29/2008 - Hyde Park Townsman
While students at Dutchess Community College and Marist College were flinging their caps into the air in a jubilant celebration of graduation, protestors from Fairness for Fairview were attempting to spread the word about the unfair taxes being levied against residents who make their homes inside the Fairview Fire District.
Fairness for Fairview is comprised of disaffected residents living within the Fairview Fire District who have organized in an attempt to disseminate their message regarding what they see as an unfair tax situation afflicting the area.
The Fairview Fire District, which straddles the border of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park, is home to Marist College, Dutchess Community College, the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie and St. Francis Hospital, all of which are afforded tax-exempt status according to the constitution of the state of New York.
Thus, homeowners, who only constitute approximately 20 percent of the district, are responsible for paying 100 percent of the cost associated with operating a fire district.
To make matters even worse for taxpayers, all of the tax-exempt institutions within the district create a serious need for the services. Firefighters are required by law to respond to every alarm that sounds on a college campus, which includes a large number of false alarms in the dormitories, where a college student might burn popcorn in a microwave and set off alarms, for example.
Residents are furious that despite being a large burden on the fire services, these institutions have not financially contributed to the district operation.
The situation was recently exacerbated by the Dutchess County government's decision to sell a parcel of land to Dutchess Community College for the express purpose of constructing a dormitory.
Residents met at Violent Avenue Elementary last month in order to express their fury and demand that elected officials find a resolution to the tax problem.
"I have a quarter-acre parcel of land and my fire taxes were $1,100 this year," said Karin Hanson, one of the principal organizers of Fairness for Fairview. "I live in Poughkeepsie and I have been told by Hyde Park residents living in the district that their taxes have gone up by more than 30 percent."
Hanson said the Fairness for Fairview organization wanted to protest the graduations in order to spread the word about the unfair plight that she and her fellow residents have been saddled with.
"We are not anti-education," she said. "We just believe that Marist and Dutchess (Community College) are not paying their fair share of taxes. We hope that getting the word out will put pressure on government officials to respond to the situation."
During the recent meeting at Violet Avenue Elementary, representatives from the state government were lustily booed by hundreds of residents who had gathered for the event.
State Assemblyman Joel Miller (R,C,I-Poughkeepsie) promised he would contact County Executive William Steinhaus, who he identified as the primary culprit in the ongoing tax debacle.
State Sen. Steve Saland (R,C-Poughkeepsie) made a similar pledge.
According to Hanson, she had not heard of any progress from the government.
"We are still waiting to hear from Mr. Steinhaus," she said.
Until progress is made, Hanson said that she and her cohorts would continue to exploit every opportunity to spread the message regarding the unfair situation in the Fairview Fire District.
©Hyde Park Townsman 2008
Town Hires Lawyer, Preps For Dorm Fight (Pok. Journal 5/30/08)
Town hires lawyer, preps for dorm fight
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - May 30, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Michael Valkys
Preparing for a possible legal fight over a proposed 450-student dormitory they oppose near Dutchess Community College , Town of Poughkeepsie leaders have hired an attorney to handle any litigation that may arise.
The town board recently voted 7-0 to hire local attorney Richard Cantor as a special counsel at $175 per hour. No cap was placed on how much Cantor could eventually earn.
While town officials stopped short of saying they would definitely go to court over the dorm issue, Supervisor Patricia Myers said Cantor was hired "in case we need him" to represent Poughkeepsie.
Town officials have opposed construction of the townhouse-style dorm complex off Cottage Road near the college in the town's Fairview section.
The county Legislature in March approved a measure supporting a long-term lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association regarding the county-owned land where the dorm would be located. The lease proposal is still being developed, and any agreement must be approved by the Legislature. College officials hope to have the dorm open by fall 2009.
Myers said whether the town goes to court "depends on what the county Legislature does."
She said town leaders vehemently oppose the current dorm plan, citing safety concerns related to traffic and the impact on residents in the heavily taxed Fairview Fire District.
"We still remain adamant this is a town issue and the town should be in charge," Myers said.
Town officials and others contend the project should go through the town planning board for approvals. No such review would apparently be required under the current proposal, and may be an issue for a court to decide.
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, said "I don't have any problems" with the town's decision to hire an attorney.
"They represent a certain constituency and they think it's important their position is represented," Higgins said of town leaders.
Taxes a worry for Fairview
The Legislature approved the lease measure, which gained bipartisan support, in a 13-12 vote.
Higgins, who voted for the measure, said college officials are finalizing a lease proposal for the Legislature to review. If that body approves it, the lease would then go to County Executive William Steinhaus for his approval.
College spokeswoman Ann Winfield said Thursday officials there had no comment on the town's decision to hire a lawyer, or on the status of the lease proposal.
College officials have said the dorm would reduce commutes of students living far from campus. A 2005 study commissioned by the college association reported a need for affordable on-campus housing.
Fairview residents have told legislators they are worried their taxes would rise due to the increased burden of emergency calls if the dorm is built. Most property in the fire district is tax-exempt.
The college association has agreed to pay the fire district $75,000 in 2009 in an effort to offset costs. That figure would increase 3 percent each year until 2012, when the payments would be renegotiated.
Some have questioned whether that money would be enough to cover increased costs the dorm complex would bring to the fire district.
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - May 30, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Michael Valkys
Preparing for a possible legal fight over a proposed 450-student dormitory they oppose near Dutchess Community College , Town of Poughkeepsie leaders have hired an attorney to handle any litigation that may arise.
The town board recently voted 7-0 to hire local attorney Richard Cantor as a special counsel at $175 per hour. No cap was placed on how much Cantor could eventually earn.
While town officials stopped short of saying they would definitely go to court over the dorm issue, Supervisor Patricia Myers said Cantor was hired "in case we need him" to represent Poughkeepsie.
Town officials have opposed construction of the townhouse-style dorm complex off Cottage Road near the college in the town's Fairview section.
The county Legislature in March approved a measure supporting a long-term lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association regarding the county-owned land where the dorm would be located. The lease proposal is still being developed, and any agreement must be approved by the Legislature. College officials hope to have the dorm open by fall 2009.
Myers said whether the town goes to court "depends on what the county Legislature does."
She said town leaders vehemently oppose the current dorm plan, citing safety concerns related to traffic and the impact on residents in the heavily taxed Fairview Fire District.
"We still remain adamant this is a town issue and the town should be in charge," Myers said.
Town officials and others contend the project should go through the town planning board for approvals. No such review would apparently be required under the current proposal, and may be an issue for a court to decide.
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, said "I don't have any problems" with the town's decision to hire an attorney.
"They represent a certain constituency and they think it's important their position is represented," Higgins said of town leaders.
Taxes a worry for Fairview
The Legislature approved the lease measure, which gained bipartisan support, in a 13-12 vote.
Higgins, who voted for the measure, said college officials are finalizing a lease proposal for the Legislature to review. If that body approves it, the lease would then go to County Executive William Steinhaus for his approval.
College spokeswoman Ann Winfield said Thursday officials there had no comment on the town's decision to hire a lawyer, or on the status of the lease proposal.
College officials have said the dorm would reduce commutes of students living far from campus. A 2005 study commissioned by the college association reported a need for affordable on-campus housing.
Fairview residents have told legislators they are worried their taxes would rise due to the increased burden of emergency calls if the dorm is built. Most property in the fire district is tax-exempt.
The college association has agreed to pay the fire district $75,000 in 2009 in an effort to offset costs. That figure would increase 3 percent each year until 2012, when the payments would be renegotiated.
Some have questioned whether that money would be enough to cover increased costs the dorm complex would bring to the fire district.
Town Weighs Time-out; Dorm Plan May Stall (Pok. Journal 6/5/08)
Town weighs time-out; dorm plan may stall
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - June 5, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Christine Pizzuti
The Poughkeepsie town board could approve a temporary moratorium on residential development in institutional zones, affecting Dutchess Community College's plan to build dorms for 450 students.
The board Wednesday night voted to hold a public hearing on the subject July 9. The decision came after the board discovered it overlooked institutional properties' potentials when building the master plan, Supervisor Patricia Myers said.
"When we did the master plan, the new zoning, we overlooked the potential buildout in the institutional districts and whatever impact that would have on the community," Myers said. "We want to step back for a moment."
College President D. David Conklin could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
The temporary moratorium would last nine months. It would apply to all institutional zones, including Vassar and Marist colleges and Saint Francis Hospital.
In 2005, the board enacted a temporary moratorium on large residential projects, but extended it several times in 28 months. It expired in September 2007.
In late March, the Dutchess County Legislature approved the development of a lease agreement between the county and the DCC Association to build dorms. Before the Legislature approved the agreement, the town board sent a letter asking it not to consider the lease, based on taxes and an overwhelmed fire department, among other reasons.
"Often, these not-for-profit entities need to pay their fair share of the fire and EMT services, which are being pushed on the backs of homeowners in the Fairview Fire District," said Kurt Hornick, who coordinates a group of concerned residents called Fairness for Fairview. "And Marist, DCC and Saint Francis are the biggest offenders of that."
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - June 5, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Christine Pizzuti
The Poughkeepsie town board could approve a temporary moratorium on residential development in institutional zones, affecting Dutchess Community College's plan to build dorms for 450 students.
The board Wednesday night voted to hold a public hearing on the subject July 9. The decision came after the board discovered it overlooked institutional properties' potentials when building the master plan, Supervisor Patricia Myers said.
"When we did the master plan, the new zoning, we overlooked the potential buildout in the institutional districts and whatever impact that would have on the community," Myers said. "We want to step back for a moment."
College President D. David Conklin could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
The temporary moratorium would last nine months. It would apply to all institutional zones, including Vassar and Marist colleges and Saint Francis Hospital.
In 2005, the board enacted a temporary moratorium on large residential projects, but extended it several times in 28 months. It expired in September 2007.
In late March, the Dutchess County Legislature approved the development of a lease agreement between the county and the DCC Association to build dorms. Before the Legislature approved the agreement, the town board sent a letter asking it not to consider the lease, based on taxes and an overwhelmed fire department, among other reasons.
"Often, these not-for-profit entities need to pay their fair share of the fire and EMT services, which are being pushed on the backs of homeowners in the Fairview Fire District," said Kurt Hornick, who coordinates a group of concerned residents called Fairness for Fairview. "And Marist, DCC and Saint Francis are the biggest offenders of that."
Town Poised to Sue Over Dorm Plan (Pok Journal 6/13/08)
Town poised to sue over dorm plan
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - June 13, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Michael Valkys
The Town of Poughkeepsie will go to court to fight a proposal from Dutchess Community College to build a dormitory complex in the town's Fairview section.
The town board Wednesday authorized special counsel Richard Cantor to initiate what is known as an Article 78 proceeding, a type of lawsuit in which plaintiffs can challenge decisions by governing bodies or agencies.
Supervisor Patricia Myers said the town is seeking control of the approval process for the project, which apparently does not have to go through the town planning board.
"This piece of property is in the Town of Poughkeepsie," Myers said Thursday of the proposed dorm site off Cottage Road. "The Town of Poughkeepsie should be the one making the decisions. ... That's the crux of the matter."
The court action, and other moves by town officials, could delay construction of the dorm, which college officials hoped to open by fall 2009.
Anticipating a legal fight, the town last month hired the Poughkeepsie-based Cantor at a rate of $175 per hour. He did not return calls Thursday seeking comment.
It was not immediately clear what entities might be named as defendants in the town's case. The resolution approved Wed-nesday by the town board listed "Dutchess County et al."
Myers said potential defendants include the county, the college and its association.
"It could be everybody," Myers said, adding Cantor is expected to file the suit soon.
College spokeswoman Ann Winfield said officials there had no comment.
Lease deal sought
The county Legislature in March approved a measure supporting a long-term lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association regarding the county-owned land where the dorm complex would be located.
No final lease proposal from the college has been sent to the county Legislature for consideration.
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, seemed perplexed by the town's decision to go to court, noting a final lease proposal has yet to be submitted to county lawmakers.
"I don't know how you can launch any legal action," Higgins said. "There's been nothing signed."
If approved by the Legislature, the lease would then go to County Executive William Steinhaus for his approval.
Judge could decide
With the town's pending court action, a judge could ultimately decide if county officials have acted properly regarding the proposal, and whether the town planning board should have the final say over the project.
The town's decision to challenge the proposal is the latest potential setback for the project, which has faced opposition from Fairview residents. Many there are concerned about rising fire taxes in a district laden with tax-exempt properties.
In an effort to ease the burden on taxpayers and offset costs, the college association has agreed to pay the Fairview Fire District $75,000 next year. That payment would increase 3 percent each year until 2012, when the deal would be renegotiated.
Some officials and residents have questioned whether the payments will be enough to cover increased costs the dorm might bring the fire district.
Town officials and residents have also expressed concerns over traffic the 450-student dorm might generate, and its impact on safety in the area.
The town board Wednesday also rehired consultant Neil Wilson, who helped develop the town's new master plan. Wilson will work with an engineer to review the college's dorm proposal and examine issues such as traffic, wastewater and other potential effects.
The dorm project faces another potential hurdle that could delay college plans to have the units open by next year.
The town board is considering approving a temporary moratorium on residential development in institutional zones, which includes land where local colleges and Saint Francis Hospital are located.
The proposed moratorium, which would last nine months, could be approved July 9 following a public hearing at town hall.
Supporters of the dorm project have cited a 2005 study commissioned by the college association that found a need for affordable housing on campus.
College officials have said the complex would make DCC more attractive to students, offering them an atmosphere similar to four-year schools, where dorms are common. The dorm complex would also reduce commutes for students who live far from the school's Poughkeepsie campus.
Higgins said he ultimately wants to see a finished project "that the community can be proud of," even if that means delaying work so various issues between the town and college can be resolved.
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - June 13, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Michael Valkys
The Town of Poughkeepsie will go to court to fight a proposal from Dutchess Community College to build a dormitory complex in the town's Fairview section.
The town board Wednesday authorized special counsel Richard Cantor to initiate what is known as an Article 78 proceeding, a type of lawsuit in which plaintiffs can challenge decisions by governing bodies or agencies.
Supervisor Patricia Myers said the town is seeking control of the approval process for the project, which apparently does not have to go through the town planning board.
"This piece of property is in the Town of Poughkeepsie," Myers said Thursday of the proposed dorm site off Cottage Road. "The Town of Poughkeepsie should be the one making the decisions. ... That's the crux of the matter."
The court action, and other moves by town officials, could delay construction of the dorm, which college officials hoped to open by fall 2009.
Anticipating a legal fight, the town last month hired the Poughkeepsie-based Cantor at a rate of $175 per hour. He did not return calls Thursday seeking comment.
It was not immediately clear what entities might be named as defendants in the town's case. The resolution approved Wed-nesday by the town board listed "Dutchess County et al."
Myers said potential defendants include the county, the college and its association.
"It could be everybody," Myers said, adding Cantor is expected to file the suit soon.
College spokeswoman Ann Winfield said officials there had no comment.
Lease deal sought
The county Legislature in March approved a measure supporting a long-term lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association regarding the county-owned land where the dorm complex would be located.
No final lease proposal from the college has been sent to the county Legislature for consideration.
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, seemed perplexed by the town's decision to go to court, noting a final lease proposal has yet to be submitted to county lawmakers.
"I don't know how you can launch any legal action," Higgins said. "There's been nothing signed."
If approved by the Legislature, the lease would then go to County Executive William Steinhaus for his approval.
Judge could decide
With the town's pending court action, a judge could ultimately decide if county officials have acted properly regarding the proposal, and whether the town planning board should have the final say over the project.
The town's decision to challenge the proposal is the latest potential setback for the project, which has faced opposition from Fairview residents. Many there are concerned about rising fire taxes in a district laden with tax-exempt properties.
In an effort to ease the burden on taxpayers and offset costs, the college association has agreed to pay the Fairview Fire District $75,000 next year. That payment would increase 3 percent each year until 2012, when the deal would be renegotiated.
Some officials and residents have questioned whether the payments will be enough to cover increased costs the dorm might bring the fire district.
Town officials and residents have also expressed concerns over traffic the 450-student dorm might generate, and its impact on safety in the area.
The town board Wednesday also rehired consultant Neil Wilson, who helped develop the town's new master plan. Wilson will work with an engineer to review the college's dorm proposal and examine issues such as traffic, wastewater and other potential effects.
The dorm project faces another potential hurdle that could delay college plans to have the units open by next year.
The town board is considering approving a temporary moratorium on residential development in institutional zones, which includes land where local colleges and Saint Francis Hospital are located.
The proposed moratorium, which would last nine months, could be approved July 9 following a public hearing at town hall.
Supporters of the dorm project have cited a 2005 study commissioned by the college association that found a need for affordable housing on campus.
College officials have said the complex would make DCC more attractive to students, offering them an atmosphere similar to four-year schools, where dorms are common. The dorm complex would also reduce commutes for students who live far from the school's Poughkeepsie campus.
Higgins said he ultimately wants to see a finished project "that the community can be proud of," even if that means delaying work so various issues between the town and college can be resolved.
Letter to the Editor (Pok. Journal 6/25/08)
State politicians should help middle class more
This letter is for the taxpayers of the Fairview Fire District. State Sen. Steve Saland secured a $1.2 million grant for another private school. This is taxpayer money. I don't know why the Culinary Institute of America gets state money since they have a very large endowment fund.
We get $50,000 for a command vehicle, which will need to be maintained. Our tax burden is out of sight and the answer we get from our politicians is "we're working on it."
In the meantime, St. Francis is putting up more buildings, Dutchess Community College wants dorms and Marist continues to build more dorms. All their expansions mean more property will be taken off the tax rolls and these not-for-profits will receive 100 percent services at the expense of the Fairview taxpayer.
Saland and Assemblyman Joel Miller have been in office too long and favor the rich and powerful, not middle-class citizens. Is your life better off since they have been in office?
We need change. Remember this at election time.
Thomas Sutherland, Poughkeepsie
This letter is for the taxpayers of the Fairview Fire District. State Sen. Steve Saland secured a $1.2 million grant for another private school. This is taxpayer money. I don't know why the Culinary Institute of America gets state money since they have a very large endowment fund.
We get $50,000 for a command vehicle, which will need to be maintained. Our tax burden is out of sight and the answer we get from our politicians is "we're working on it."
In the meantime, St. Francis is putting up more buildings, Dutchess Community College wants dorms and Marist continues to build more dorms. All their expansions mean more property will be taken off the tax rolls and these not-for-profits will receive 100 percent services at the expense of the Fairview taxpayer.
Saland and Assemblyman Joel Miller have been in office too long and favor the rich and powerful, not middle-class citizens. Is your life better off since they have been in office?
We need change. Remember this at election time.
Thomas Sutherland, Poughkeepsie
Letter to the Editor (Pok. Journal 5/18/08)
Reverse mortgage comment insulting
After reading a recent article in the Poughkeepsie Journal ("Remark on Fairview spurs discord," May 3), I felt it necessary to send this letter to the editor.
D. David Conklin said he did not remember the date of the public meeting when a woman spoke about the reverse mortgage. It was March 25, and I was the lady at that meeting. I mentioned the reverse mortgage and my objections to that as a solution to our senior tax problem in relation to the excessive fire tax in Fairview.
I may be 85, Conklin, but I know what a reverse mortgage is. Please do not assume, as you stated, that I don't know what a reverse mortgage is since it wasn't explained to me. If I needed it because my husband or I were in failing health, I might consider a reverse mortgage to help us with our living expenses. But not so you can have a "feather in your cap" by having dorms for DCC .
If students want to live in dorms , we have many state universities to accommodate them. Dutchess Community College should stay a community college.
Catherine Faust
Poughkeepsie
After reading a recent article in the Poughkeepsie Journal ("Remark on Fairview spurs discord," May 3), I felt it necessary to send this letter to the editor.
D. David Conklin said he did not remember the date of the public meeting when a woman spoke about the reverse mortgage. It was March 25, and I was the lady at that meeting. I mentioned the reverse mortgage and my objections to that as a solution to our senior tax problem in relation to the excessive fire tax in Fairview.
I may be 85, Conklin, but I know what a reverse mortgage is. Please do not assume, as you stated, that I don't know what a reverse mortgage is since it wasn't explained to me. If I needed it because my husband or I were in failing health, I might consider a reverse mortgage to help us with our living expenses. But not so you can have a "feather in your cap" by having dorms for DCC .
If students want to live in dorms , we have many state universities to accommodate them. Dutchess Community College should stay a community college.
Catherine Faust
Poughkeepsie
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Letter to the Editor (Pok. Journal 5/7/08)
Poughkeepsie colleges are poor neighbors
Regarding the dorm proposal for Dutchess Community College, I'd like to remind the Town of Poughkeepsie politicians who the voters are - we, the locals, who live and support the community year round. To even consider dorms for a community college is asinine enough, not to mention devaluating a once quiet woodsy area.
Consider the fact Poughkeepsie has become a complete college town, and we locals must contend with it daily. Look at the destruction Marist College alone has created in the area - quiet neighborhood streets replaced with acres of dorms. Residents cannot even get in or out of Home Depot Plaza due to the obscene traffic, and Washington Street is a clutter of college bar hoppers at night. Try getting into Saint Francis Hospital off Cedar Street. Impossible. Vassar College and its roundabouts are another headache for locals.
Marist, Vassar and DCC, keep it on your own campus, and stop running the locals out of their backyards.
Disa Werner
Poughkeepsie
Regarding the dorm proposal for Dutchess Community College, I'd like to remind the Town of Poughkeepsie politicians who the voters are - we, the locals, who live and support the community year round. To even consider dorms for a community college is asinine enough, not to mention devaluating a once quiet woodsy area.
Consider the fact Poughkeepsie has become a complete college town, and we locals must contend with it daily. Look at the destruction Marist College alone has created in the area - quiet neighborhood streets replaced with acres of dorms. Residents cannot even get in or out of Home Depot Plaza due to the obscene traffic, and Washington Street is a clutter of college bar hoppers at night. Try getting into Saint Francis Hospital off Cedar Street. Impossible. Vassar College and its roundabouts are another headache for locals.
Marist, Vassar and DCC, keep it on your own campus, and stop running the locals out of their backyards.
Disa Werner
Poughkeepsie
Dutchess Beat Article 5/2/08 - Airing Grievances
Airing grievances
Fairview District residents tell political leaders tax changes are needed
By Greg Lucid
Members of the Fairview Fire District attended a meeting with residents, county legislators and other local political leaders at Violet Avenue Elementary School in Poughkeepsie on Thursday, April 24. More than 400 residents were in attendance, as many voiced concerns about a fire tax burning a hole in their wallets.
Approximately 80 percent of properties in the Fairview district are tax-exempt, leaving some residents to shoulder an overwhelming portion of the tax load.
But local lawmakers are saying they’ll help as best they can.
State Sen. Stephen Saland (R-Poughkeepsie) and Assemblyman Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie) promised to talk to Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus to collect back taxes and possibly add some county land back to the tax rolls. Both Saland and Miller left before the three-hour meeting ended.
Steinhaus did not attend the meeting and did not send a representative.
Town of Poughkeepsie board member Michael Cifone (R-4th Ward) said to the lawmakers, “Talk to Bill Steinhaus. Tell him we need help. Your support in talking to Mr. Steinhaus might get him to play ball.”
Richard Lambert, a Poughkeepsie resident, said he was stunned when he opened his tax bill.
“A 34 percent increase is ridiculous. And they tell me it’s going to be 37 percent next year … to the politicians, please take note, because this is job No. 1 for you. We need to get a cap,” he said.
Marist College is one of the tax-exempt properties under heavy criticism by Fairview residents, with some even saying that they wouldn’t pay their upcoming fire tax out of protest.
“Marist has their own security, their own police department … let them have their own fire department,” said Peter Gaffney.
Gaffney, a 35-year area resident, said he’s concerned about whether he and others can afford to remain in the area.
Kurt Hornick, a resident and leader of the ad-hoc group Fairness for Fairview, said his group formed in response to a March 25 vote by the Dutchess County Legislature, 13-12 in favor of a county land lease to Dutchess Community College for dormitory construction. Hornick said he vehemently opposes such construction.
“We feel the vote is flawed as two of our county legislators, William McCabe (D) and David Kelly (R), have ties to the college, which we feel is a conflict of interest,” said Hornick. Kelly is a member of the Board of Trustees for the college.
“Approximately 50 residents came before the legislature to plead with them not to make a bad situation worse for residents for Fairview … The 13 legislators who voted in favor of approving this lease agreement ignored us. They ignored the cries of the residents as well as the requests of the towns of Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie and the City of Poughkeepsie to suspend this project,” said Hornick. “Enough is enough.”
“We are the only fire district in all of New York State with 80 percent of its properties off the tax roll,” said Hornick.
Following up
On April 25, after the meeting, Miller said he placed a call to Steinhaus about the situation.
Steinhaus was unavailable for comment for this story.
“I have been working on this project for over 10 years. I met with Mr. Miller and Mr. Saland. They have promised me that they would get back to me, but no one has gotten back to me in 10 years,” said resident Anne Sutherland.
“We are in constant contact with Fairview,” said Miller. “It happens to be a unique situation. We have solutions at the state level that have been held up in the state assembly. Our friends from New York City aren’t rushing to do this,” said Miller.
“I have spoken with St. Francis Hospital and Marist College more than once to help with this district,” Saland said at the meeting. “If you want me to speak with County Executive, I’d be more than happy to do that.”
Fairview District residents tell political leaders tax changes are needed
By Greg Lucid
Members of the Fairview Fire District attended a meeting with residents, county legislators and other local political leaders at Violet Avenue Elementary School in Poughkeepsie on Thursday, April 24. More than 400 residents were in attendance, as many voiced concerns about a fire tax burning a hole in their wallets.
Approximately 80 percent of properties in the Fairview district are tax-exempt, leaving some residents to shoulder an overwhelming portion of the tax load.
But local lawmakers are saying they’ll help as best they can.
State Sen. Stephen Saland (R-Poughkeepsie) and Assemblyman Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie) promised to talk to Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus to collect back taxes and possibly add some county land back to the tax rolls. Both Saland and Miller left before the three-hour meeting ended.
Steinhaus did not attend the meeting and did not send a representative.
Town of Poughkeepsie board member Michael Cifone (R-4th Ward) said to the lawmakers, “Talk to Bill Steinhaus. Tell him we need help. Your support in talking to Mr. Steinhaus might get him to play ball.”
Richard Lambert, a Poughkeepsie resident, said he was stunned when he opened his tax bill.
“A 34 percent increase is ridiculous. And they tell me it’s going to be 37 percent next year … to the politicians, please take note, because this is job No. 1 for you. We need to get a cap,” he said.
Marist College is one of the tax-exempt properties under heavy criticism by Fairview residents, with some even saying that they wouldn’t pay their upcoming fire tax out of protest.
“Marist has their own security, their own police department … let them have their own fire department,” said Peter Gaffney.
Gaffney, a 35-year area resident, said he’s concerned about whether he and others can afford to remain in the area.
Kurt Hornick, a resident and leader of the ad-hoc group Fairness for Fairview, said his group formed in response to a March 25 vote by the Dutchess County Legislature, 13-12 in favor of a county land lease to Dutchess Community College for dormitory construction. Hornick said he vehemently opposes such construction.
“We feel the vote is flawed as two of our county legislators, William McCabe (D) and David Kelly (R), have ties to the college, which we feel is a conflict of interest,” said Hornick. Kelly is a member of the Board of Trustees for the college.
“Approximately 50 residents came before the legislature to plead with them not to make a bad situation worse for residents for Fairview … The 13 legislators who voted in favor of approving this lease agreement ignored us. They ignored the cries of the residents as well as the requests of the towns of Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie and the City of Poughkeepsie to suspend this project,” said Hornick. “Enough is enough.”
“We are the only fire district in all of New York State with 80 percent of its properties off the tax roll,” said Hornick.
Following up
On April 25, after the meeting, Miller said he placed a call to Steinhaus about the situation.
Steinhaus was unavailable for comment for this story.
“I have been working on this project for over 10 years. I met with Mr. Miller and Mr. Saland. They have promised me that they would get back to me, but no one has gotten back to me in 10 years,” said resident Anne Sutherland.
“We are in constant contact with Fairview,” said Miller. “It happens to be a unique situation. We have solutions at the state level that have been held up in the state assembly. Our friends from New York City aren’t rushing to do this,” said Miller.
“I have spoken with St. Francis Hospital and Marist College more than once to help with this district,” Saland said at the meeting. “If you want me to speak with County Executive, I’d be more than happy to do that.”
Monday, May 5, 2008
Why we should fight the DCC Dorms!
The following is a list of facts & reasons why we should fight the DCC dorms.
~DCC stated that they did a survey of students in 2005 asking if they
felt there was a need to have dormitories for students at DCC. These
same students would have graduated by now therefore, would not have a
need for these dorms.
~When these students were surveyed, DCC did not ask the opinion of DCC
professors as they would know first hand whether or not these students
would benefit from dorms
~DCC refuses to go through the Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board.
Dr. Conklin insists that they go through the Dutchess County Planning
Board
~DCC would need to negotiate with the Town of Poughkeepsie to join the
4th ward sewer district. If DCC refuses to go through the Town
planning board, the Town will not entertain an agreement
~If DCC goes forward with building the dorms, the Town of Poughkeepsie
will seek legal action against DCC which means that EVERYONE in the
Town of Poughkeepsie will be paying the legal costs associated with
the lawsuit
~DCC has not addressed any of the safety issues that have been brought
up by the public. This includes:
~Safety of responding fire fighters if there is a fire at the dorms,
this includes lack of manpower
~Safety of the students crossing Cottage Rd. to get to campus
~Safety of the public
~For those living in the areas around the dorms
~If there was a fire call made to the Fairview Fire Dept. and
they were out on another call or responding to a malicious fire call
~DCC has also failed to address:
~Environmental impacts
~Impacts on local roads/infrastructure
~Security at the dorms
~Meal plans for students
~Physical/Mental health services for students at the dorms (well
they said that the Fairview Fire Dept. & Alamo can scoop them up &
drop them off at St. Francis)
~No mention on how they will comply with the American's With
Disabilities Act at the dorm (I'd hate to see how a person in a
wheelchair can feel comfortable crossing Cottage Rd.)
~DCC's offer to the Fairview Fire Dept. doesn't even cover the amount
of fire calls made to the college last year
~Last year DCC had about $85,000 worth of calls
~DCC only gave the fire dept. $5,000 payment to offset that cost
~DCC hasn't contributed ANYTHING to the fire dept. this year
~DCC offered some free classes to the Fairview fire fighters, these
guys don't need classes, they need safety so they can go home to their
families!
~DCC states that they want to be a good neighbor but,
~DCC never asked their neighbors how they would feel about dormitory
facilities essentially in their backyard
~DCC wants their neighbors to prove that their flooding problems are
being caused by the college & only then will they address it
~DCC hasn't informed the public that the dorms will be built next to a
homeless shelter & Hudson River Psych Center which currently houses
patients
~As we all know, 20% of the taxable properties in Fairview are paying
100% of the fire tax. We have to start pushing back & right now the
dorms are a starting point!
~The president of the college has been quoted as saying that senior
citizens who can't afford to pay their taxes should apply for a
reverse mortgage (no respect for his elders)
~The proposed dorms are only Phase 1 of what can be many phases
~If the dorms are not opened by August 2009 like DCC wants, the offer
that they made with the Fairview Fire Dept. is off the table & the
fire dept. GETS NOTHING!
~If the dorms fail to get the required students needed to make the
dorms self sufficient, who will pay for the upkeep?
~Can we expect to see tuition increases for everyone making what was
once an affordable option to students no longer affordable?
~If the dorms fail, what will happen to these buildings? (Section 8
housing?, another homeless shelter?)
~County Executive Bill Steinhaus has refused to negotiate the land
lease with DCC
~He dropped it back into the County Legislature which is not allowed
to negotiate the terms of the lease
~He could have vetoed the lease agreement but decided not to so he
comes out smelling like a rose
~How does this benefit the residents of the Fairview Fire District?
Knowledge is Power! Educate yourself on the issues here. Let your legislators know that you don't want these dorms!
~DCC stated that they did a survey of students in 2005 asking if they
felt there was a need to have dormitories for students at DCC. These
same students would have graduated by now therefore, would not have a
need for these dorms.
~When these students were surveyed, DCC did not ask the opinion of DCC
professors as they would know first hand whether or not these students
would benefit from dorms
~DCC refuses to go through the Town of Poughkeepsie Planning Board.
Dr. Conklin insists that they go through the Dutchess County Planning
Board
~DCC would need to negotiate with the Town of Poughkeepsie to join the
4th ward sewer district. If DCC refuses to go through the Town
planning board, the Town will not entertain an agreement
~If DCC goes forward with building the dorms, the Town of Poughkeepsie
will seek legal action against DCC which means that EVERYONE in the
Town of Poughkeepsie will be paying the legal costs associated with
the lawsuit
~DCC has not addressed any of the safety issues that have been brought
up by the public. This includes:
~Safety of responding fire fighters if there is a fire at the dorms,
this includes lack of manpower
~Safety of the students crossing Cottage Rd. to get to campus
~Safety of the public
~For those living in the areas around the dorms
~If there was a fire call made to the Fairview Fire Dept. and
they were out on another call or responding to a malicious fire call
~DCC has also failed to address:
~Environmental impacts
~Impacts on local roads/infrastructure
~Security at the dorms
~Meal plans for students
~Physical/Mental health services for students at the dorms (well
they said that the Fairview Fire Dept. & Alamo can scoop them up &
drop them off at St. Francis)
~No mention on how they will comply with the American's With
Disabilities Act at the dorm (I'd hate to see how a person in a
wheelchair can feel comfortable crossing Cottage Rd.)
~DCC's offer to the Fairview Fire Dept. doesn't even cover the amount
of fire calls made to the college last year
~Last year DCC had about $85,000 worth of calls
~DCC only gave the fire dept. $5,000 payment to offset that cost
~DCC hasn't contributed ANYTHING to the fire dept. this year
~DCC offered some free classes to the Fairview fire fighters, these
guys don't need classes, they need safety so they can go home to their
families!
~DCC states that they want to be a good neighbor but,
~DCC never asked their neighbors how they would feel about dormitory
facilities essentially in their backyard
~DCC wants their neighbors to prove that their flooding problems are
being caused by the college & only then will they address it
~DCC hasn't informed the public that the dorms will be built next to a
homeless shelter & Hudson River Psych Center which currently houses
patients
~As we all know, 20% of the taxable properties in Fairview are paying
100% of the fire tax. We have to start pushing back & right now the
dorms are a starting point!
~The president of the college has been quoted as saying that senior
citizens who can't afford to pay their taxes should apply for a
reverse mortgage (no respect for his elders)
~The proposed dorms are only Phase 1 of what can be many phases
~If the dorms are not opened by August 2009 like DCC wants, the offer
that they made with the Fairview Fire Dept. is off the table & the
fire dept. GETS NOTHING!
~If the dorms fail to get the required students needed to make the
dorms self sufficient, who will pay for the upkeep?
~Can we expect to see tuition increases for everyone making what was
once an affordable option to students no longer affordable?
~If the dorms fail, what will happen to these buildings? (Section 8
housing?, another homeless shelter?)
~County Executive Bill Steinhaus has refused to negotiate the land
lease with DCC
~He dropped it back into the County Legislature which is not allowed
to negotiate the terms of the lease
~He could have vetoed the lease agreement but decided not to so he
comes out smelling like a rose
~How does this benefit the residents of the Fairview Fire District?
Knowledge is Power! Educate yourself on the issues here. Let your legislators know that you don't want these dorms!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Remark on Fairview spurs discord (Pok. Journal 5/3/08)
Remark on Fairview spurs discord
DCC head, legislator recall fire district talk differently
By Jenny Lee
Poughkeepsie Journal
A remark Dutchess Community College President D. David Conklin allegedly made about reverse mortgages has been repeated at public meetings, angering government officials and residents, but what was said and what was meant is in question.
Dutchess County Legislator James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie, recalled Conklin saying at a one-on-one Feb. 11 meeting in Conklin's office seniors living in Fairview Fire District could take out reverse mortgages to pay the fire taxes.
Conklin flatly denies Doxsey's version, saying he did not make any reference to Fairview seniors when he made a general statement about reverse mortgages.
Dorm plan controversy
The alleged remark has become a sore point in an escalating debate over DCC's proposal to build a college dorm on county-owned land and fire taxes in a district that is 80 percent tax-exempt. The dorm would hold 450 students.
The fire district covers parts of the towns of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park.
A reverse mortgage is a loan that allows homeowners to convert a portion of their home's equity into cash, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which created one of the first programs. Repaying the loan is not required until the homeowners do not use the home as their primary residence.
Doxsey remembers the meeting this way: "I was telling him (Conklin) seniors were just being murdered, just being killed by this fire tax. He says, 'Jim, there is a very simple solution to this problem. Seniors own their homes. Chances are, they don't have a mortgage on it because they've been here 40, 50, 60 years. The simple answer is they can get a reverse mortgage on their homes.' "
"I was really appalled he would say such a thing because it was upsetting to me he wanted the seniors to take out money on their homes," Doxsey said.
Asked how he responded to Conklin, Doxsey said, "I didn't. I couldn't. I was speechless."
Conklin recalled the meeting differently. He said it was an informal meeting to orient Doxsey, a new member of the county Legislature, to the college.
"During the course of the discussion, he (Doxsey) said he had a great feeling for senior citizens in his district. I had just received a mailing about reverse mortgages. I talked to him generally about the concept of the reverse mortgages," Conklin said. "It was not said in reference to residents of Fairview. It was said in reference to senior citizens throughout the country," Conklin said.
"Why would he (Doxsey) be appalled about discussing a program that was established by the federal government to benefit senior citizens?" Conklin said, referring to reverse mortgages.
Doxsey recalled addressing Conklin about the remark at a public meeting.
"I know when I verbally said it to him about the reverse mortgage, he (Conklin) didn't deny it," Doxsey said. "He didn't own up to it." Doxsey did not remember details about the meetings, including the date.
Taken out of context
Conklin said he did not remember if Doxsey addressed him about reverse mortgages at a public meeting. He rebut-ted Doxsey's statement, repeating he was not referring to Fairview seniors in the Feb. 11 private meeting with Doxsey.
Conklin said he remembers one woman who got up at a public meeting and said Doxsey had told her Conklin said the solution was a reverse mortgage, but it was not a solution for her. Conklin didn't remember which public meeting it was.
"I don't think she knew what a reverse mortgage was," Conklin said. "I didn't say anything at that meeting. I don't have a reaction. I don't think it was explained to her."
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Reader Reactions:
---it should be on a tape because the meeting was on line the night of the meeting(this meeting mysteriously disappeared from the the Dutchess County website)
---Mr. Concklin should be fired. Why would he have brought up reverse mortgages at all? This is an obvious damage control after the fact on his part and not done very well. Mr. Doxsey make sure you do all you can do to fire Mr. Conklin. He must think he is so smart, because he feels that some woman didn't know what a reverse mortgage was, but she did know it wasn't for her, well which is it?
---You know Dr. Conklin - You can fool some of the peoople all of the time, all of the people some of the time but you can't fool all the people all of the time.
---Hey Dr. Conklin, it was the March 25th meeting where the 82 year old woman spoke to the legislature about what you had said about the reverse mortgage, guess you forgot about that huh?
You had the opportunity to rebutt that remark after the legislature voted in favor of those dorms but you chose not to.
You had no problem trying to defend DCC in saying that they were a good neighbor. Good neighbors don't try to force the elderly to seek a reverse mortgage to pay for their taxes.
So much for being a good neighbor........
if(typeof gcion_enable_bt != 'undefined') { if(gcion_enable_bt) { document.writeln('---Mr Conklin shame on you for the way you are treating the taxpayers and the elderly. I hope your children aren't listening, they are learning lesson of a lifetime from your fine example.
---If the topic of reverse mortgages comes up in any substantive way during a discussion of how people can afford thier taxes SOMETHING IS WRONG ! The only 2 people who know what was really said (and in what context) are the 2 who held the conversation but it sure sounds like another example of outright arrogance on the part of another of our esteemed educational administrators.
---Dr. Conklin's comments are a disgrace to a fine academic institution, its alumni, and its trustees, and is an insult to Fairview taxpayers. Moreover, HOW CONDESCENDING AND ARROGANT it is for him to say, "I don't think she knew what a reverse mortgage was "I don't think it was explained to her." Legislators and Trustees take note: Dr. Conklin is an embarrassment to DCC.
---I'm thinking that Dr. Conklin most likely made these comments in the presence of others at various times also.
However, the others may not be as willing to put themselves "out there" as Leg. Doxsey is - then again it may just not have been published yet.
Leg. Doxsey speaks his mind and vote his conscience - Good for Him!
When he speaks up for the seniors - he's speaking up for the rest of us too!
Stay Tuned!
---That guy is clueless and a phoney.
---Jim Doxey shouyld be running DCC. Dr. Conklin is a delusional liar! All meetings concerning the public must be recorded or was that law forgotten in NY???
Another Letter to the Editor from a DCC Professor (Pok. Journal 5/2/08)
Taxpayers, DCC staff left out of dorm issue
As a Dutchess Community College professor and Fairview homeowner, I am writing to address the construction of college dormitories. I believe this decision will negatively impact the positive campus culture we enjoy.
Recently, the Dutchess County Legislature voted to support the land lease for DCC dorms (see video: www.totalwebcast ing.com/live/dutchess). Legislator Angela Flesland expressed her fondness for the sense of community she felt attending DCC, and that, at her transfer institution, a polarity between resident students and commuters prevailed. Such polarization would not be in keeping with the mission of DCC.
It concerns me that, to the best of my knowledge, feedback about the dormitory proposal was never formally solicited from the faculty and other professional educators of DCC.
We Fairview Fire District taxpayers, who own 20 percent of the land, are responsible for 100 percent of the tax burden. Despite assurances from DCC to the contrary, we fail to see how dormitories will not increase our tax burden. At the March 25 Legislature meeting, college President D. David Conklin said DCC wants to "be a good neighbor." In my view, good neighbors have open dialogue about issues that affect their community, and I don't see that such dialogue has occurred in any meaningful way.
Clearly, new dorms will leave additional burdens on Fairview taxpayers, yet we were never surveyed by DCC as to our disposition. Would a thorough needs assessment and planning document not include the results of such a survey?
Mark Condon
Poughkeepsie
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Reader Comments:
---I feel sorry for the folks of Fairview Fire District who will now have to bear the excess tax burden of the DCC dorms, without even the opportunity to discuss the plans. Your neighbors in the City of Poughkeepsie felt very strongly that DCC could make good use of some of the buildings in the City of Poughkeepsie for dorms and classrooms (including the Nelson House) much like NYU or Emerson in Boston - rather than breaking new ground. It would have very much helped revitalize the City too - but Conklin would have nothing to do with it - and White, fearing the loss of a huge project for the County, voted it in. Barneyfyfe makes a good argument - in light of the number of colleges in this area, we have failed to really share the economic assets they bring. The colleges all come into the city to use the Bardavon & the Mid-Hudson Civic Center - so why can't they play a role in revitalizing the city? Help us make it safer- and all be good friends and neighbors.---Well said Mr. Condon - same as I said to Mr. O'Connor's Letter yesterday.
Those concerned with this issued should visit this website for Fairness for Fairview
http://www.geocities.com/teamfairview/
My husband attended their last meeting and came home super charged and ready to keep up the fight - I'll be there along side him and you, our fellow firefighters and the many other residents of Fairview who will keep up the fight for FAIRNESS and NO DCC DORMS.
---Well said Dr. Condon, well said!
---Quite frankly, the whole issue of colleges as completely tax free entities, needs to be reviewed. Dorms are a source of revenue to a college. A good source at that. The Culinary Institue of America also has restaurants that generate revenue as well as a store to sell books and kitchen stuff. Revenue outside of tuition should be taxed and that tax paid to the communities they reside in. We all reap the rewards of having education institutions in our area by having students and visiting families spending money locally. However, these same education institutions need to be good citizens and pay a fair share of tax on revenue collected outside of tuition.
Fire district residents ask for tax relief (Pok. Journal 4/25/08)
***There is currently 114 comments/reader reactions to this article on the Poughkeepsie Journal website***
Fire district residents ask for tax relief
Big crowd at Fairview meeting boos lawmakers
By Jenny Lee
Poughkeepsie Journal
Fairview Fire District residents railed against local lawmakers and fire officials, calling on them for tax relief, while lawmakers said they would help the best they could.
The district is about 80 percent tax-exempt, meaning residents pay the bulk of fire taxes.
More than 400 residents came to the meeting Thursday at Violet Avenue Elementary School in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
After enduring boos from residents for not solving the problem, state Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, and Assemblyman Joel Miller, R-Poughkeepsie, promised to talk with Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus to clamp down on back taxes and possibly get county land back on the tax rolls.
Town of Poughkeepsie Councilman Michael Cifone of the 4th Ward made the request. He told the two lawmakers, "Talk to Bill Steinhaus. Tell him we need help. Your support in talking to Mr. Steinhaus might get him to play ball."
Steinhaus was not at the meeting.
Saland said he could not do anything about tax-exempt properties protected by the state Constitution. However, he said he's pushing for legislation that would allow fire districts with 70 percent tax-exempt properties to ask the state to reimburse them for expenses exceeding $100.
"We can't keep going up to Albany and come back with nothing," Cifone said.
Saland left the meeting after 8 p.m. for another engagement. Miller stayed a little longer, but also left early. The crowd booed when each left.
Maria Briggs, who lives near Marist College, said, "It's more Marist being my issue because they're constantly putting on fireworks and spending money that they should just donate to the fire house, yet our taxes are going up."
Briggs said she thought Marist should have its own fire department.
Editorial written by a DCC student Pok. Journal 4/27/08)
Dorms at DCC reflect needed change
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - April 27, 2008
Author: READERS ; ALISON YOUNG
What is the college initiative, if not to provide suitable amenities for students?
Despite Dutchess being a community college, dormitories would supply adequate housing for financially struggling students; living quarters on Dutchess Community College grounds would cut down the commutes students endure.
A 2005 study concluded students support the concept of resident halls; data showed a demand for housing occupancy amounting to well over 800 beds. Utilizing the strategy of economies of scale, it was decided a 450-bed establishment would more than suffice the recommendations of DCC students.
If we have the opportunity to experience living on campus, in a safe, affordable environment, what is so wrong with that?
Students are an integral aspect of college, so if we want dorms , why neglect this desire?
That being said, I feel strongly about all DCC faculty and staff being polled, because their opinions matter, too. It troubles me this aspect was overlooked during the preliminary planning stages of such a large-scale, hasty project. I feel polling for their viewpoints allows for gaining their vital perspectives, ideas and input. The professors at DCC , all employed instructors, and staff deserve their voices to be heard. Each individual warrants the same respect given to each student. We together comprise the voice of the college base.
Embrace change
Change is inevitable, and to move forward, one has to embrace it, not fight it.
For the past 50 years, DCC has consistently provided an excellent education to the residents of the county, but it can no longer rest solely on its laurels. The college, too, has to embrace change. It has a responsibility to provide an education that benefits students and gives them what they want. At the same time, DCC has a responsibility to heed to the concerns of its well-experience, thoroughly educated instructors and employees.
The recent report by the state Commission on Higher Education states the fundamental problems underlying SUNY and CUNY colleges are "too little revenue, too little investment, and too much regulation." This imbalance can go on no longer.
Regardless of the prohibition on community college dormitories, more than half of the 30 SUNY community colleges have built or are in the process of building dorms .
Repeatedly, critics of this project have voiced concerns about their taxes. To reassure them, the college announced that no taxpayer money will be used to subsidize the campus housing; in fact, the money will come directly from the fees charged by the college for us to live there. The tax issue is a systemic problem with the fire district itself, and not a repercussion of DCC building dorms . This point needs to be recognized.
Besides, a more pertinent concern should be in the area of environmental impact issues. A recent report of nine colleges and universities, including SUNY, states 80 percent of respondents would pay $20 more for rooming if it meant the housing was ecologically and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, today's freshmen are twice as likely as those three years ago to base their decision on a college's sustainability practices. Students here are no different, so DCC needs to regard the multitude of concerns on all fronts before barreling through with this endeavor.
Alison Young
is president of the Dutchess Community College Student Government Association and a student trustee.
Section: OPINIONDespite Dutchess being a community college, dormitories would supply adequate housing for financially struggling students; living quarters on Dutchess Community College grounds would cut down the commutes students endure.
A 2005 study concluded students support the concept of resident halls; data showed a demand for housing occupancy amounting to well over 800 beds. Utilizing the strategy of economies of scale, it was decided a 450-bed establishment would more than suffice the recommendations of DCC students.
If we have the opportunity to experience living on campus, in a safe, affordable environment, what is so wrong with that?
Students are an integral aspect of college, so if we want dorms , why neglect this desire?
That being said, I feel strongly about all DCC faculty and staff being polled, because their opinions matter, too. It troubles me this aspect was overlooked during the preliminary planning stages of such a large-scale, hasty project. I feel polling for their viewpoints allows for gaining their vital perspectives, ideas and input. The professors at DCC , all employed instructors, and staff deserve their voices to be heard. Each individual warrants the same respect given to each student. We together comprise the voice of the college base.
Embrace change
Change is inevitable, and to move forward, one has to embrace it, not fight it.
For the past 50 years, DCC has consistently provided an excellent education to the residents of the county, but it can no longer rest solely on its laurels. The college, too, has to embrace change. It has a responsibility to provide an education that benefits students and gives them what they want. At the same time, DCC has a responsibility to heed to the concerns of its well-experience, thoroughly educated instructors and employees.
The recent report by the state Commission on Higher Education states the fundamental problems underlying SUNY and CUNY colleges are "too little revenue, too little investment, and too much regulation." This imbalance can go on no longer.
Regardless of the prohibition on community college dormitories, more than half of the 30 SUNY community colleges have built or are in the process of building dorms .
Repeatedly, critics of this project have voiced concerns about their taxes. To reassure them, the college announced that no taxpayer money will be used to subsidize the campus housing; in fact, the money will come directly from the fees charged by the college for us to live there. The tax issue is a systemic problem with the fire district itself, and not a repercussion of DCC building dorms . This point needs to be recognized.
Besides, a more pertinent concern should be in the area of environmental impact issues. A recent report of nine colleges and universities, including SUNY, states 80 percent of respondents would pay $20 more for rooming if it meant the housing was ecologically and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, today's freshmen are twice as likely as those three years ago to base their decision on a college's sustainability practices. Students here are no different, so DCC needs to regard the multitude of concerns on all fronts before barreling through with this endeavor.
Alison Young
is president of the Dutchess Community College Student Government Association and a student trustee.
Page: 14A
Record Number: pgh46844323
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Fairview Fire District to let taxpayers sound off (Pok. Journal 4/24/08)
Fairview Fire District to let taxpayers sound off
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - April 24, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Jenny Lee
Fairview Fire District residents will get a chance today to air their concerns about high fire taxes to elected officials.
Residents have long complained about their fire taxes in a district that's about 80 percent tax-exempt, saying they are paying more than their fair share for emergency services. The proposed dorm for Dutchess Community College on county-owned land has flared up residents' concerns even more. The dorm would hold 450 students.
"We have a tax base of mostly older houses and folks who have been here a long time," said Kurt Hornick, coordinator for Fairness for Fairview, a group of concerned residents. "Again, we have a lot of older folks here living on fixed incomes. They just can't afford these high tax bills."
The fire district is holding the meeting so residents can vent their frustrations about tax inequity, said John E. Anspach, chairman of the board of fire commissioners.
The officials who will be at the special board meeting are a representative of state Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie; Assemblyman Joel Miller, R-Poughkeepsie; and county and town officials from the Town of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park, Anspach said.
DCC President D. David Conklin and Dean of Administration John Dunn will attend the meeting, spokeswoman Ann Winfield said.
The district is a "special district" under state law and cannot charge tax-exempt entities, Anspach explained. If the state Legislature were to change the wording in the law, the fire district could charge everyone for services, he said.
"We can't get it through in Albany," Anspach said.
Resolution spurs group
The group Fairness for Fairview was created after the Dutchess County Legislature approved a resolution March 25 to support a land-lease agreement between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association, according to Hornick.
Group member Karin Hanson said one solution is to create a Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, requiring tax-exempt entities, such as DCC , Marist College, Saint Francis Hospital and others, to make payments to offset the costs of fire and medical protection.
"We need action," Hanson said. "We need help because we can't continue like this."
Marist College will contribute $115,000 this year to the fire district, and DCC has agreed to contribute $75,000 next year, Anspach said.
Studies have shown the fire district needs eight more firefighters to handle emergency calls in the district, Anspach said.
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835.
The Fairview Fire District will have a special board meeting at 7 tonight at the Violet Avenue Elementary School, 191 Violet Ave.
Residents have long complained about their fire taxes in a district that's about 80 percent tax-exempt, saying they are paying more than their fair share for emergency services. The proposed dorm for Dutchess Community College on county-owned land has flared up residents' concerns even more. The dorm would hold 450 students.
"We have a tax base of mostly older houses and folks who have been here a long time," said Kurt Hornick, coordinator for Fairness for Fairview, a group of concerned residents. "Again, we have a lot of older folks here living on fixed incomes. They just can't afford these high tax bills."
The fire district is holding the meeting so residents can vent their frustrations about tax inequity, said John E. Anspach, chairman of the board of fire commissioners.
The officials who will be at the special board meeting are a representative of state Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie; Assemblyman Joel Miller, R-Poughkeepsie; and county and town officials from the Town of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park, Anspach said.
DCC President D. David Conklin and Dean of Administration John Dunn will attend the meeting, spokeswoman Ann Winfield said.
The district is a "special district" under state law and cannot charge tax-exempt entities, Anspach explained. If the state Legislature were to change the wording in the law, the fire district could charge everyone for services, he said.
"We can't get it through in Albany," Anspach said.
Resolution spurs group
The group Fairness for Fairview was created after the Dutchess County Legislature approved a resolution March 25 to support a land-lease agreement between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association, according to Hornick.
Group member Karin Hanson said one solution is to create a Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, requiring tax-exempt entities, such as DCC , Marist College, Saint Francis Hospital and others, to make payments to offset the costs of fire and medical protection.
"We need action," Hanson said. "We need help because we can't continue like this."
Marist College will contribute $115,000 this year to the fire district, and DCC has agreed to contribute $75,000 next year, Anspach said.
Studies have shown the fire district needs eight more firefighters to handle emergency calls in the district, Anspach said.
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835.
The Fairview Fire District will have a special board meeting at 7 tonight at the Violet Avenue Elementary School, 191 Violet Ave.
Section: MID-HUDSON
Page: 1B
Record Number: pgh46780570
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Record Number: pgh46780570
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Letter to the Editor from a DCC Professor (Pok. Journal 4/13/08)
Dorms would change DCC for ill
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - April 13, 2008
Author: READERS ; Randy Ross
Although Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, Dutchess Community College President David Conklin and others have presented well thought out arguments supporting the building of dorms at the DCC main campus, having dorms on campus and students living there may present problems that will literally change the face of an institution that has been very successful for the past 50 years.
One of the successes through the years the college can rightly point to is the policy of "open admissions." This policy has allowed students of all locations and backgrounds to attend an institution, which, for some, has been their only opportunity for higher education. Either because of economic hardships or grades that are considered unacceptable at other schools, students have flourished at DCC despite - and sometimes because of - their varied backgrounds.
A DCC with dorms will inevitably raise the price of admission, pushing away students who cannot afford it. This, then, will change the demographics of the student body, effectively canceling out a successful policy that has brought truly outstanding education to a varied group of individuals.
Another success at DCC has been the availability of scheduling classes so students who choose to work one (and sometimes two) jobs, or raise families, may do so. Again, dorms will fracture the student body - placing the "haves" on campus, and the students who must work will just be commuters.
Comparisons not apt
Higgins has pointed out that other community colleges have gone to dorms with success. These other campuses are in areas where students must travel very far in rough weather to get to class. Community colleges with dorms that service large areas make sense. Not in Dutchess County, where students can safely get home or get to work.
The other problems with dorms at DCC have been debated already: higher town taxes, safety and fire issues. These are all true. But success at DCC has been measured for the past 50 years by the alumni who are teachers, county legislators, parents and business people in our communities. Their success can be traced to a college that catered to their specific needs: a college that was local, and accessible to a part-time worker, a parent in need of a babysitter, or a student who has just enough money saved to take one or two classes a semester.
Building dorms will change the face of DCC and create a new, and perhaps not improved, institution. Why argue with success?
Randy Ross is an adjunct instructor in English at Dutchess Community College and a member of the Dutchess County Youth Bureau. He resides in Wappingers Falls.
Section: OPINIONOne of the successes through the years the college can rightly point to is the policy of "open admissions." This policy has allowed students of all locations and backgrounds to attend an institution, which, for some, has been their only opportunity for higher education. Either because of economic hardships or grades that are considered unacceptable at other schools, students have flourished at DCC despite - and sometimes because of - their varied backgrounds.
A DCC with dorms will inevitably raise the price of admission, pushing away students who cannot afford it. This, then, will change the demographics of the student body, effectively canceling out a successful policy that has brought truly outstanding education to a varied group of individuals.
Another success at DCC has been the availability of scheduling classes so students who choose to work one (and sometimes two) jobs, or raise families, may do so. Again, dorms will fracture the student body - placing the "haves" on campus, and the students who must work will just be commuters.
Comparisons not apt
Higgins has pointed out that other community colleges have gone to dorms with success. These other campuses are in areas where students must travel very far in rough weather to get to class. Community colleges with dorms that service large areas make sense. Not in Dutchess County, where students can safely get home or get to work.
The other problems with dorms at DCC have been debated already: higher town taxes, safety and fire issues. These are all true. But success at DCC has been measured for the past 50 years by the alumni who are teachers, county legislators, parents and business people in our communities. Their success can be traced to a college that catered to their specific needs: a college that was local, and accessible to a part-time worker, a parent in need of a babysitter, or a student who has just enough money saved to take one or two classes a semester.
Building dorms will change the face of DCC and create a new, and perhaps not improved, institution. Why argue with success?
Randy Ross is an adjunct instructor in English at Dutchess Community College and a member of the Dutchess County Youth Bureau. He resides in Wappingers Falls.
Page: 15A
Record Number: pgh46209443
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Letters to the Editor (Pok. Journal 3/31/08 & 4/11/08)
DCC dorms project will tax seniors out of homes
Those in the Dutchess County Legislature who voted in favor of the Dutchess Community College dorms should be ashamed of themselves.
Once again you have failed the people in the Fairview Fire District. You say you feel our pain with the additional tax burden put on us, but in truth you could care less. If you cared, you would have listened to our pleas.
This additional burden will tax seniors right out of their homes. These people have lived in this area all of their life, and yet you don't seem to get it. It will tax my husband and I right out of our home as well. You just don't get it. All you're interested in is how much money the county will make.
For the legislators who voted against it, I thank you for your support in trying to help the people in the Fairview Fire District. For all those people who don't get it, our district picks up 79.63 percent of all the tax exemptions in this area. You figure out how much we pay.
Linda Rutherford
Poughkeepsie Section: OPINION
Page: 4A
Record Number: pgh45578538
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Residents should say no to dorms at DCC
We, as taxpayers, must stop the insanity.
Dutchess Community College President D. David Conklin insists there will be no impact on taxpayers in building dormitories at DCC . He insists building costs will be contained and the project will not require new tax levies by the Dutchess Legislature. According to Conklin, students and alumni will pay for the structures.
What happens if there are overruns? From where will the funding come for maintenance and capital improvements? At some point, I believe taxpayers will bear the burden. In addition, what infrastructure improvements will be required to support the dorms and to whom will that burden fall?
I ask every Dutchess resident to contact their county legislators and tell them they do not support the proposed DCC dorms .
Dutchess Community College was designed to be a commuter college. If students wish to reside at college, may I suggest a four-year school?
SUNY New Paltz is close to Dutchess if the consideration is not to commute, but reside at school. There are many other options in the area as well. Dorms at DCC should not be one of them.
Joseph A. Zeleznik
Poughkeepsie
Section: OPINION
Page: 10A
Record Number: pgh46159820
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
Those in the Dutchess County Legislature who voted in favor of the Dutchess Community College dorms should be ashamed of themselves.
Once again you have failed the people in the Fairview Fire District. You say you feel our pain with the additional tax burden put on us, but in truth you could care less. If you cared, you would have listened to our pleas.
This additional burden will tax seniors right out of their homes. These people have lived in this area all of their life, and yet you don't seem to get it. It will tax my husband and I right out of our home as well. You just don't get it. All you're interested in is how much money the county will make.
For the legislators who voted against it, I thank you for your support in trying to help the people in the Fairview Fire District. For all those people who don't get it, our district picks up 79.63 percent of all the tax exemptions in this area. You figure out how much we pay.
Linda Rutherford
Poughkeepsie Section: OPINION
Page: 4A
Record Number: pgh45578538
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
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Residents should say no to dorms at DCC
We, as taxpayers, must stop the insanity.
Dutchess Community College President D. David Conklin insists there will be no impact on taxpayers in building dormitories at DCC . He insists building costs will be contained and the project will not require new tax levies by the Dutchess Legislature. According to Conklin, students and alumni will pay for the structures.
What happens if there are overruns? From where will the funding come for maintenance and capital improvements? At some point, I believe taxpayers will bear the burden. In addition, what infrastructure improvements will be required to support the dorms and to whom will that burden fall?
I ask every Dutchess resident to contact their county legislators and tell them they do not support the proposed DCC dorms .
Dutchess Community College was designed to be a commuter college. If students wish to reside at college, may I suggest a four-year school?
SUNY New Paltz is close to Dutchess if the consideration is not to commute, but reside at school. There are many other options in the area as well. Dorms at DCC should not be one of them.
Joseph A. Zeleznik
Poughkeepsie
Section: OPINION
Page: 10A
Record Number: pgh46159820
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
DCC land lease gained bipartisan support (pok. Journal 3/27/08)
DCC land lease gained bipartisan support
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - March 27, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Jenny Lee
Although the land lease for the Dutchess Community College dorm was a contentious issue, Democratic and Republican county legislators said they felt encouraged by the bipartisan vote.
The Legislature voted 13-12 Tuesday to support the development of a ground lease agreement between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association to build a dorm for 450 students on county property off Cottage Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
Seven Democrats and six Republicans voted "yes." Six Democrats, five Republicans and a Conservative, caucused with the Democrats, voted "no."
Since January, votes on controversial issues, such as legislative staff appointments, were usually split along party lines.
"I think it's a perfect example, I think, of how bipartisan politics is supposed to work," said Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, who voted for the measure. "Obviously, I'd like to have more votes on both sides. It just squeaked by."
Residents fear tax hikes
At Tuesday's meeting, many residents of the Fairview Fire District were worried their taxes would go up with the increased burden of 911 calls on the firefighters. Town of Poughkeepsie officials want the project to be vetted by the town planning board.
The fire district covers parts of the towns of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park.
Some legislators who represent those towns voted against the measure.
"I truly believe many of the legislators voted their conscience," said Legislator Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park, who voted against the resolution. "To me, with the diversity of the vote, I look at that as a positive sign there are true areas of legislation that both parties should be able to work together on."
Legislator James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie, who worries about the tax burden on residents, said, "People really don't understand. In my opinion, the 13 legislators that voted for the dorm didn't really know or understand what the residents were going through. I've never had a problem with the dorms . I just oppose the way they're going about it."
Although there are exceptions, Minority Leader Gary Cooper, R-Pine Plains, pointed out legislators closer to the college seemed to vote against the resolution, while others farther away voted for it.
"For the people in my district, it opens another avenue for them to have a dorm life and find a job close to the dorm ," he said.
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835
How they voted
"Yes" votes
Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg
Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappinger
Minority Leader Gary Cooper, R-Pine Plains
Assistant Minority Leader Robert Rolison, R-City of Poughkeepsie
Steve White, D-City of Poughkeepsie
Barbara Jeter-Jackson, D-City of Poughkeepsie
William McCabe, D-Union Vale
James Miccio, R-Village of Fishkill
John Forman, R-Beacon
Thomas Mansfield, D-Red Hook
Gerald Hutchings, R-Beekman
David Kelly, R-Pawling
Peter Wassell, D-Dover
"No" votes
Assistant Majority Leader Margaret Fettes, D-Millbrook
James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie
Suzanne Horn, R-Pleasant Valley
David Sears, R-LaGrange
Diane Nash, D-Hyde Park
Richard Keller-Coffey, D-Town of Poughkeepsie
Angela Flesland, R-Town of Poughkeepsie
Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park
Joel Tyner, D-Clinton
Robert Weiss, R-Town of East Fishkill
Allison MacAvery, D-Town of Fishkill
Marge Horton, R-Town of East Fishkill
Dutchess County Legislature Office
The Legislature voted 13-12 Tuesday to support the development of a ground lease agreement between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association to build a dorm for 450 students on county property off Cottage Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
Seven Democrats and six Republicans voted "yes." Six Democrats, five Republicans and a Conservative, caucused with the Democrats, voted "no."
Since January, votes on controversial issues, such as legislative staff appointments, were usually split along party lines.
"I think it's a perfect example, I think, of how bipartisan politics is supposed to work," said Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, who voted for the measure. "Obviously, I'd like to have more votes on both sides. It just squeaked by."
Residents fear tax hikes
At Tuesday's meeting, many residents of the Fairview Fire District were worried their taxes would go up with the increased burden of 911 calls on the firefighters. Town of Poughkeepsie officials want the project to be vetted by the town planning board.
The fire district covers parts of the towns of Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park.
Some legislators who represent those towns voted against the measure.
"I truly believe many of the legislators voted their conscience," said Legislator Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park, who voted against the resolution. "To me, with the diversity of the vote, I look at that as a positive sign there are true areas of legislation that both parties should be able to work together on."
Legislator James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie, who worries about the tax burden on residents, said, "People really don't understand. In my opinion, the 13 legislators that voted for the dorm didn't really know or understand what the residents were going through. I've never had a problem with the dorms . I just oppose the way they're going about it."
Although there are exceptions, Minority Leader Gary Cooper, R-Pine Plains, pointed out legislators closer to the college seemed to vote against the resolution, while others farther away voted for it.
"For the people in my district, it opens another avenue for them to have a dorm life and find a job close to the dorm ," he said.
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835
How they voted
"Yes" votes
Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg
Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappinger
Minority Leader Gary Cooper, R-Pine Plains
Assistant Minority Leader Robert Rolison, R-City of Poughkeepsie
Steve White, D-City of Poughkeepsie
Barbara Jeter-Jackson, D-City of Poughkeepsie
William McCabe, D-Union Vale
James Miccio, R-Village of Fishkill
John Forman, R-Beacon
Thomas Mansfield, D-Red Hook
Gerald Hutchings, R-Beekman
David Kelly, R-Pawling
Peter Wassell, D-Dover
"No" votes
Assistant Majority Leader Margaret Fettes, D-Millbrook
James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie
Suzanne Horn, R-Pleasant Valley
David Sears, R-LaGrange
Diane Nash, D-Hyde Park
Richard Keller-Coffey, D-Town of Poughkeepsie
Angela Flesland, R-Town of Poughkeepsie
Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park
Joel Tyner, D-Clinton
Robert Weiss, R-Town of East Fishkill
Allison MacAvery, D-Town of Fishkill
Marge Horton, R-Town of East Fishkill
Dutchess County Legislature Office
Section: NEWS
Page: 1B
Correction: ***CORRECTION*** Names incorrect- The first name of Dutchess County Legislator Robert Sears, R-LaGrange, was incorrect in an article on Page 2B of Thursday's edition. The first name of Legislator Alison MacAvery, D-Town of Fishkill, also was misspelled in the article.
Record Number: pgh45409559
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
Page: 1B
Correction: ***CORRECTION*** Names incorrect- The first name of Dutchess County Legislator Robert Sears, R-LaGrange, was incorrect in an article on Page 2B of Thursday's edition. The first name of Legislator Alison MacAvery, D-Town of Fishkill, also was misspelled in the article.
Record Number: pgh45409559
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Legislators support dorm lease (Pok. Journal 3/26/08)
Legislators support dorm lease
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - March 26, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Jenny Lee
The Dutchess Community College Association will be able to build a dorm on county-owned land off Cottage Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
The county Legislature Tuesday approved a resolution 13-12 that puts legislators' support behind a proposed long-term ground lease with the association to build a residence hall for about 450 students. The dorm would open in fall 2009.
Legislator Richard Keller-Coffey, D-Town of Poughkeepsie, asked to table the resolution, but the motion failed with 17 voting "no" and eight voting "yes."
County Executive William Steinhaus would negotiate the lease, and the ground lease agreement would come before the Legislature for approval.
More than 40 people came to the Legislature's special meeting Tuesday night. Many said the issue should be tabled.
Town of Poughkeepsie officials and others said the project should go through the town planning board, and they had public safety concerns.
Residents of the Fairview Fire District told legislators they were worried their taxes would go up with the increased burden of emergency calls on the fire district if the dorm were built.
DCC President David Conklin said, "Passing the resolution begins the process of addressing the issues that are going to be raised and we will do that as part of the process."
About 80 percent of land in the fire district is tax-exempt, and district officials say it is understaffed.
"I'm not against Dutchess Community College," said John E. Anspach, chairman of the board of fire commissioners of the district. "It's time no more property should be taken off the tax rolls."
Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappinger, who voted for the resolution, said the property would not be taken off the tax rolls.
"The college has done a lot of surveys of the students. There's a lot of interest in the dorms ," Goldberg said. While Goldberg is concerned about high fire district taxes, she said, "I'm empathetic. But I'd like to work on that issue separate from the dorm ."
The association would pay the district $75,000 in 2009 with the amount increasing by 3 percent each year until 2012, according to the agreement. The payments will be renegotiated at the end of the agreement.
Tim O'Connor, president of the Dutchess-Fairview Professional Firefighters Union, said the fire district had to take the money. He urged legislators to address the problem of understaffing at fire stations.
Some legislators were passionate about the issue.
After researching the issue, Legislator James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie, said if the dorm was built, there would be a $136,000 increase in costs to the fire district in 2009, which would become a burden on taxpayers.
"These people need tax relief, not a tax handout," Doxsey said. The college association's $75,000 contribution is a tax handout, he said.
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835.
Section: NEWSThe county Legislature Tuesday approved a resolution 13-12 that puts legislators' support behind a proposed long-term ground lease with the association to build a residence hall for about 450 students. The dorm would open in fall 2009.
Legislator Richard Keller-Coffey, D-Town of Poughkeepsie, asked to table the resolution, but the motion failed with 17 voting "no" and eight voting "yes."
County Executive William Steinhaus would negotiate the lease, and the ground lease agreement would come before the Legislature for approval.
More than 40 people came to the Legislature's special meeting Tuesday night. Many said the issue should be tabled.
Town of Poughkeepsie officials and others said the project should go through the town planning board, and they had public safety concerns.
Residents of the Fairview Fire District told legislators they were worried their taxes would go up with the increased burden of emergency calls on the fire district if the dorm were built.
DCC President David Conklin said, "Passing the resolution begins the process of addressing the issues that are going to be raised and we will do that as part of the process."
About 80 percent of land in the fire district is tax-exempt, and district officials say it is understaffed.
"I'm not against Dutchess Community College," said John E. Anspach, chairman of the board of fire commissioners of the district. "It's time no more property should be taken off the tax rolls."
Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappinger, who voted for the resolution, said the property would not be taken off the tax rolls.
"The college has done a lot of surveys of the students. There's a lot of interest in the dorms ," Goldberg said. While Goldberg is concerned about high fire district taxes, she said, "I'm empathetic. But I'd like to work on that issue separate from the dorm ."
The association would pay the district $75,000 in 2009 with the amount increasing by 3 percent each year until 2012, according to the agreement. The payments will be renegotiated at the end of the agreement.
Tim O'Connor, president of the Dutchess-Fairview Professional Firefighters Union, said the fire district had to take the money. He urged legislators to address the problem of understaffing at fire stations.
Some legislators were passionate about the issue.
After researching the issue, Legislator James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie, said if the dorm was built, there would be a $136,000 increase in costs to the fire district in 2009, which would become a burden on taxpayers.
"These people need tax relief, not a tax handout," Doxsey said. The college association's $75,000 contribution is a tax handout, he said.
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835.
Page: 1A
Record Number: pgh45405947
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Legislators asked to back DCC lease (Pok. Journal 3/25/08)
Legislators asked to back DCC lease
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - March 25, 2008
Author: STAFF ; Jenny Lee
The Dutchess County Legislature will vote today on a resolution that asks legislators to support a ground lease between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association to build a dorm on county property.
Legislators will vote on whether to support the development of a long-term lease. If the resolution is approved, the college association and County Executive William Steinhaus would negotiate the lease. Once that is resolved, the Legislature would vote on the actual lease agreement.
The college wants to build a residence hall for about 450 students on land off Cottage Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie and open the dorm in fall 2009, DCC President David Conklin said.
One issue with the project was resolved recently. Fairview Fire District officials were concerned about handling more emergency calls from the college since the district is understaffed.
Since the college association agreed to make annual payments to the district to defray costs, Conklin said, "I'm confident we're going to have the votes."
However, Town of Poughkeepsie Supervisor Patricia Myers wants the project to go through the town planning board. She said, "I would suggest to table it until the decision is made on who's going to be in charge of the planning is resolved."
The fire district and the college association reached an agreement requiring the association to pay the district $75,000 in 2009 with the amount increasing by 3 percent each year until 2012, according to a letter Conklin and Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas LeGrand wrote to John E. Anspach, chairman of the board of fire commissioners for the district.
The payments will be renegotiated at the end of the agreement. The college will permit district employees and active volunteers to take 15 credits per academic semester without paying tuition, the letter said.
Anspach said officials asked 70 taxpayers their opinion of the agreement at a meeting last week. A majority of the residents there voted for it and convinced the board of fire commissioners to approve it.
"The board was pleased they (college officials) were willing to sit down and work with us," Anspach said.
The district will not be able to hire more firefighters even with the payments, but the money would help the district balance its budget, he said.
Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, supports the project.
"I think the college has done an excellent job informing the Legislature," he said. "I think they've made a very strong case."
Legislator Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park, is undecided. "I'll continue," he said, "to look at this particular issue, particularly since part of the Fairview district is in my represented district."
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835
Meeting today
The Dutchess County Legislature will have a Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee meeting at 5 p.m. today at 22 Market St., Poughkeepsie, to discuss a resolution that asks for legislators' support of a ground lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association to build a dorm on county property. The Legislature will vote on the matter at a special board meeting at 7 p.m. today at the same location.
Editorial
The Legislature should approve the DCC dorm plan because it will help the school better fill its students' needs. 4A
Section: NEWSLegislators will vote on whether to support the development of a long-term lease. If the resolution is approved, the college association and County Executive William Steinhaus would negotiate the lease. Once that is resolved, the Legislature would vote on the actual lease agreement.
The college wants to build a residence hall for about 450 students on land off Cottage Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie and open the dorm in fall 2009, DCC President David Conklin said.
One issue with the project was resolved recently. Fairview Fire District officials were concerned about handling more emergency calls from the college since the district is understaffed.
Since the college association agreed to make annual payments to the district to defray costs, Conklin said, "I'm confident we're going to have the votes."
However, Town of Poughkeepsie Supervisor Patricia Myers wants the project to go through the town planning board. She said, "I would suggest to table it until the decision is made on who's going to be in charge of the planning is resolved."
The fire district and the college association reached an agreement requiring the association to pay the district $75,000 in 2009 with the amount increasing by 3 percent each year until 2012, according to a letter Conklin and Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas LeGrand wrote to John E. Anspach, chairman of the board of fire commissioners for the district.
The payments will be renegotiated at the end of the agreement. The college will permit district employees and active volunteers to take 15 credits per academic semester without paying tuition, the letter said.
Anspach said officials asked 70 taxpayers their opinion of the agreement at a meeting last week. A majority of the residents there voted for it and convinced the board of fire commissioners to approve it.
"The board was pleased they (college officials) were willing to sit down and work with us," Anspach said.
The district will not be able to hire more firefighters even with the payments, but the money would help the district balance its budget, he said.
Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg, supports the project.
"I think the college has done an excellent job informing the Legislature," he said. "I think they've made a very strong case."
Legislator Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park, is undecided. "I'll continue," he said, "to look at this particular issue, particularly since part of the Fairview district is in my represented district."
Reach Jenny Lee at leeja@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4835
Meeting today
The Dutchess County Legislature will have a Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee meeting at 5 p.m. today at 22 Market St., Poughkeepsie, to discuss a resolution that asks for legislators' support of a ground lease agreement with the Dutchess Community College Association to build a dorm on county property. The Legislature will vote on the matter at a special board meeting at 7 p.m. today at the same location.
Editorial
The Legislature should approve the DCC dorm plan because it will help the school better fill its students' needs. 4A
Page: 1A
Record Number: pgh45365339
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
Editorial: Legislature should back DCC dorms (Pok. Journal 3/25/08)
Editorial: Legislature should back DCC dorms
Poughkeepsie Journal (NY) - March 25, 2008
Author: STAFF
Dutchess County lawmakers can strengthen the community college today by allowing it to move forward with an important plan to build a student dormitory.
Legislators should wait no longer. They need to support a lease between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association, which would allow the association to construct a dormitory on county-owned property that has been set aside specifically for college use.
At this point, the college wants to build one dormitory to serve about 450 students, part of a trend that has occurred throughout the nation as community colleges have looked to broaden their roles and better serve students. The dormitory, which the college hopes to have open by fall 2009, would be built on part of 25 acres off Cottage Road next to the college.
The $30 million plan faces some opposition, but the college alleviated one major concern by agreeing to make annual payments to the beleaguered Fairview Fire District to provide emergency services.
An astounding 80 percent of that district's land is tax exempt, including the DCC property, Saint Francis Hospital and Marist College. The taxpaying property owners of this district are carrying too large a burden, and other initiatives are clearly needed to provide relief. If the dormitory is approved and operational by the anticipated start date, Dutchess Community College has agreed to make a $75,000 payment in the first year, with 3 percent increases each year until 2012, when both the district and the college could reassess the situation to make any necessary adjustments.
Voters support proposal
It's a reasonable compromise, one a majority of fire district members supported in a recent vote.
No other concern overrides the fact the college has a sound plan, believes this is the best way to go and wants students in a dormitory setting close to the college, where getting to and from classes would be much easier than any other alternative.
The DCC association commissioned a study a few years back and found students would be receptive to having a dormitory near the campus. That report also suggested the association would have to attract at least 450 students if the facility is to be self-supporting. With more than 8,000 students, DCC should be able to meet its housing objective.
DCC President David Conklin noted dormitory funding would not come out of DCC 's budget, paid through state and county aid and tuition. Rather, the association would run the dormitory separately, as it does the bookstore, cafeteria and day-care center.
Conklin cautions the construction plan is fairly ambitious. He says the college would need to have the dormitory ready for the start of a semester, and the project's cost will increase if it is delayed further.
Before they vote today, county lawmakers should take note of the recent findings of the state Commission on Higher Education. It places a high premium on the roles of community colleges. It realizes that with the higher costs of four-year institutions - and with the ever-increasing competition to get into those schools - strengthening New York's community colleges is critical. Interestingly, it also calls for changes in laws to make it easier for community colleges to build dormitories, noting these two-year schools have "evolved from commuter schools into multidimensional campuses serving a diverse mix of students."
That about sums up DCC . The Legislature must think long term here and back the dormitory plan.
Section: OPINIONLegislators should wait no longer. They need to support a lease between the county and the Dutchess Community College Association, which would allow the association to construct a dormitory on county-owned property that has been set aside specifically for college use.
At this point, the college wants to build one dormitory to serve about 450 students, part of a trend that has occurred throughout the nation as community colleges have looked to broaden their roles and better serve students. The dormitory, which the college hopes to have open by fall 2009, would be built on part of 25 acres off Cottage Road next to the college.
The $30 million plan faces some opposition, but the college alleviated one major concern by agreeing to make annual payments to the beleaguered Fairview Fire District to provide emergency services.
An astounding 80 percent of that district's land is tax exempt, including the DCC property, Saint Francis Hospital and Marist College. The taxpaying property owners of this district are carrying too large a burden, and other initiatives are clearly needed to provide relief. If the dormitory is approved and operational by the anticipated start date, Dutchess Community College has agreed to make a $75,000 payment in the first year, with 3 percent increases each year until 2012, when both the district and the college could reassess the situation to make any necessary adjustments.
Voters support proposal
It's a reasonable compromise, one a majority of fire district members supported in a recent vote.
No other concern overrides the fact the college has a sound plan, believes this is the best way to go and wants students in a dormitory setting close to the college, where getting to and from classes would be much easier than any other alternative.
The DCC association commissioned a study a few years back and found students would be receptive to having a dormitory near the campus. That report also suggested the association would have to attract at least 450 students if the facility is to be self-supporting. With more than 8,000 students, DCC should be able to meet its housing objective.
DCC President David Conklin noted dormitory funding would not come out of DCC 's budget, paid through state and county aid and tuition. Rather, the association would run the dormitory separately, as it does the bookstore, cafeteria and day-care center.
Conklin cautions the construction plan is fairly ambitious. He says the college would need to have the dormitory ready for the start of a semester, and the project's cost will increase if it is delayed further.
Before they vote today, county lawmakers should take note of the recent findings of the state Commission on Higher Education. It places a high premium on the roles of community colleges. It realizes that with the higher costs of four-year institutions - and with the ever-increasing competition to get into those schools - strengthening New York's community colleges is critical. Interestingly, it also calls for changes in laws to make it easier for community colleges to build dormitories, noting these two-year schools have "evolved from commuter schools into multidimensional campuses serving a diverse mix of students."
That about sums up DCC . The Legislature must think long term here and back the dormitory plan.
Page: 4A
Record Number: pgh45365568
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
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