Guess who got your tax money

Where Did All The Money Go? Review of Fiscal 2006

Milan United has finally gotten a copy of the year-end financial records for 2006, and we thought we would highlight some of the ways the gang of four spent your money.
One area that has taken a lot of it is through payments for consultants; two in particular Van DeWater & Van DeWater, attorneys and Greenplan, planning consultants. . During 2006, the gang of four, the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board authorized the following payments to these two firms:
Van DeWater & Van DeWater $41,794.47
Greenplan $36,920.00
Total $78,714.47

In addition, the town zoning and planning boards spent a total of $114, 854.20 of individual’s money. These escrow funds went to three consulting firms:
Paggi Martin & D was paid $ 22,462.75
Greenplan was paid $ 53,751.75
Van DeWater & Van DeWater was paid $ 38,639.70
For a total of $114,854.20

If you are wondering why property is so expensive in Milan, here’s a good reason

Notes from Feb. 27: Milan's Future Planning

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

”Milan benefits from planning” sent to Milan United by the Gang of Four’s Editorial Board. For the benefit of our readers, Milan United found it necessary to do a little editing.

Milan’s Gang of Four have systematically tackled important issues related to upsetting the community’s tranquil and rural character. In particular, approving a new master plan last year which got blasted out of the waters by the New York State Supreme Court. The town’s top priorities this year is to enact more laws which should only hinder the community’s ability to accomplish any new development.

The Gang hopes to quickly get a wetlands preservation plan in place under the direction of Councilman Williams which should take property rights away from the citizens of Milan. Wetlands naturally filter out pollution and help re-supply water bodies while also providing the right environment for all sorts of animal and plant life. While that Gang under the direction of Williams claims they are protecting animal rights; if so, they are doing it without any consideration for those who are paying the taxes.

The state concerns itself with wetlands of 12.4 acres or more and leaves smaller ones up to the federal government, which the Gang says, hasn’t adequately regulated these water bodies. Williams and Co. with their pompous attitude claim to have greater wisdom that the State or Federal Government. The proposal in Milan would put 100-foot buffers around these smaller wetlands depriving the taxpayer of the right to their ponds.Most in town may oppose these efforts. But the Williams says law is needed to better protect water bodies essential to making Milan attractive to New York City residents.

The town also will work on revising a plan to allow large landowners to cluster building lots to help maintain open space. A draft of the proposal submitted last year would have allowed large landowners one lot for every 10 acres. It also would have required landowners to put 60 percent of the land into a conservation easement without the tax benefit Williams enjoys. But many felt the law was too restrictive.

The Gang are planning to revise the proposal and working to ensure affordable housing in the hamlets, out of sight of Williams and his New York City neighbors.

The controversial issue of gravel mining in the town also remains. A state Supreme Court judge recently overturned a town law approved last year that effectively banned mining in Milan. Red Wing Sand & Gravel sued the town over the action, taken in response to residents’ concerns about the company’s plans to mine 69 acres off Turkey Hill Road.

Larger property base eases taxes.Talmage and other Gang members recognize taxes, especially school property taxes, are a drain on residents. They do not consider it necessary to look into the enormous amount of money they are recklessly spending on legal fees. Expanding Milan’s property tax base through commercial or industrial development can help ease the burden on homeowners, but the Gang refuses to allow any business into the town not even a gas station or a lemonade stand.

Over time, the town expects some commercial development along Route 199 near the hamlets of Rock City and Lafayetteville but not if the Gang can help it. But that remains to be seen.

Talmage's state of the Town Address

This Address was sent to Milan United by Team Talmage's Editorial Board. For the benefit of our readers we had to do a little editing.

Supervisor Talmage’s Address to the Town on February 17th. The big news, covered by the local press, is that the court ruled in favor of Red Wing in the lawsuit wherein they challenged Local Laws #1 and #2 of 2006. The judge's decision effectively overturned law #1, which was the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan 2006. The reasons were major technical problems simply, Williams and the Gang of Four blew it at the taxpayers’ expense

A required letter to the Dutchess County Planning Department was late because Councilman Williams missed the boat by 8 days The Comprehensive Plan itself was considered by the Courts to be a joke on the people of Milan. And since Local Law #2 had been superseded by Local Law #12, the judge indicated that the question on local law #2 was "moot" and stupid.

The Board has discussed the case with the Attorney for the Town Board (which will cost another chunk of change) and is considering whether to re-enact the Comprehensive Plan. The formal vote on this action will be at the March 12 meeting. Town Board will hold another of their secret meetings making sure that the citizens of the town are kept in the dark. The process of re-enactment will take several months unless Williams decides to go full speed ahead again and get the town into another quagmire.

The Gang of Four still must decide on certain questions related to SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review). The Gang has also passed a resolution to file a notice of appeal to the decision of the court which will cost the Taxpayer more Big Bucks.

In a related matter, the DEC has called to indicate that the Draft EIS for Red Wing's application before the DEC for a mining permit is nearing completion. The DEC permit process is separate from any town actions. Once the DEIS is complete, Williams will be up and running before the DEC can schedule public hearings on this. Watch for this, “Good Ole Boy” Supervisor Talmage will give another song and dance, but the tune is getting a bit stale.

More information on the whole Gravel Mine and Red Wing question will be available at a later time if we ever get out of this mess. In other actions, the Wetlands Law has been revised and is available online. On 3/3/07 the Board held a public information session to discuss and answer questions about the law. About 10-15 people attended the session. Ross Williams led the discussion as usual trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the few that were there. At this time, however, final passage of the Wetlands Law will await the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan.

Note that the other major land use initiative, the Rural Space Overlay will also have to await the re-adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. And lastly, the Poughkeepsie Journal ran an editorial on the Milan initiatives and basically had good words to say on the work of Milan United.

The town board and the town clerk have been in discussions to resolve the Deputy Town Clerk situation. It is expected that the situation will be taken care of at the March 12meeting.The Highway Department has responded admirably to the February and March snows.At the board meeting in February, the board adopted the No Kiddies Selling Lemonade Law.

On February 17, Supervisor Talmage spoke to about 10 people on the State of the Town. In general, things are good except for the monthly overdrafts and the lawsuit about the Plan which he said is a "bump in his head".

Williams Blew It

Councilman Williams has done it big this time; apart from embarrassing the town with the loss of a law suit, he and the rest of his Gang of Four have cost the town tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees not to mention printing costs on their worthless document known as, “The Comprehensive Plan”.
In 2005, Williams in his arrogance decided he was going to create a comprehensive plan for the town of Milan in eight months. Rhinebeck has been working on their comprehensive plan for three years, they are taking their time to be sure they do it right. Not pompous Williams, he was going to break all records, “damn the torpedoes, full speed head”. He went full speed head and he hit two torpedoes, Red Wing and The New York State Supreme Court.
Does Williams, Talmage and the rest of the gang know or care how much money they have cost the town on legal fees in producing a piece of rubbish. To add to the ignominy of the situation, Williams received an award from Talmage for his excellent work. It would be funny if it was no so pathetic. Is Williams going to acknowledge he bungled the situation and return his award?
Talmage in his incompetence, dismisses the ruling by The New York State Supreme Court as a minor procedural matter. The Court ruled three times on sections of the Comprehensive Plan as being “Null and Void”, and Talmage dismisses it as a minor procedural matter. That is not surprising coming from Supervisor Talmage considering his monthly overdrafts in the town’s accounts which he continues to dismiss as minor. He is over three years on the job and still has not figured it out.
Red Wing in the law suit is asking for their legal costs; you know who is going to pay that, The Milan Taxpayer. It looks like Red Wing will get the gravel mine, and they can thank Councilman Williams and the rest of the Gang of Four.
Support Milan United