Time for another vote
Over the past two weeks we’ve read articles on how screwed up the plan is to build a new high school. It’s time for the district and school board to declare the existing vote to build a new high school null and void and schedule a new vote on whatever you have in mind.
At the moment we don’t know what you want to build, what it would provide in the area of improved instruction, what its size will be, what it will cost, what is the schedule to get it done, and most important of all, what is the district taxpayer cost obligation over what period of time.
In the process of documenting the above and scheduling a new vote you will begin to rebuild our confidence in your ability to use our money wisely. For now we don’t believe you have the ability to organize a two-car funeral much less intelligently oversee a multimillion-dollar construction project.
Dr. Padalino, the ball is in your court.
Ronald E. Dietl, Kingston
It’s not the railroad’s corridor
Meg Carey, in her letter “Rail and trail would be win-win”, March 26, seems to be acting with an air of authority in matters pertaining to the Catskill Mountain Railroad Company, Inc.
She says she could support a county legislature resolution to “reach an agreeable solution for all parties regarding the use of the former Ulster & Delaware railroad corridor” and that “It’s time for the trail/cycling community to accept that the railroad has its place from Kingston to the Ashokan Reservoir, and perhaps further … ” and that “Many in Ulster County feel that keeping the railroad and building a trail alongside would be a win-win solution.”
Nice! Everyone likes a win-win solution! CMRRC, Inc. can use its new-found projected profits to fund what Ms. Carey says will satisfy “the many.” That would be a restored-to-tip-top-condition railroad that is up to federal Class 1 standards for passenger use, and a multi-use trail built to federal standards as well alongside it, with all the “improvements” deeded to the taxpayer owners of the corridor, before another lease could be considered.
But, it’s a not certain that CMRRC, Inc. will still be in the picture beyond the end of their lease, 13 months from now, given their current lease and lawsuit problems. With the end of the CMRRC, Inc.’s lease right around the corner, shouldn’t the railroad first be required to submit a plan to their landlord defining how they’re going to remove their equipment from County property by May 2016?
What is certain, and goes beyond the wish for a resolution that could be used to stall, delay, postpone and obfuscate an issue that’s already been studied and decided are these facts: the “railroad” doesn’t own the corridor or have any claim to it. They’re tenants. The 185,000 Ulster County taxpayer owners, through representative government and enacted legislation, wisely committed to dedicate this public resource as a multi-use trail for the benefit of residents and tourists, with rail where it’s appropriate, not a limited-use, private-corporation-owned amusement park ride that excludes the owners by blocking the gateway to the trail in Kingston.
Nick Mercurio, Rosendale
Join the family! 
