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
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Copyright (c) Poughkeepsie Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.
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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