Serving the Towns of Wawarsing, Crawford, Mamakating, Rochester and Shawangunk, and everything in between
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Advocating For Wawarsing's Children...
Rumors Of Axing Youth Commission Bring Out Supporters

WAWARSING – Bring government to the people, town supervisor Leonard Distel has said. But at last week's board meeting the people came to the Wawarsing government and they were angry.

There were rumors, they said during the October 16 meeting, that the board was considering making drastic cuts to the Ellenville Wawarsing Youth Commission, including its replacement with the Boys and Girls Club of Orange County.

Mike Guiney, youth commission member and ECS teacher, asked if the rumors were true, to reconsider their decision to change the long standing program if it were, and to advocate for the town's children.

"There is no place that we can spend money better than for the children," he said, noting that trips to Berme Road and Lippman parks were as close to a trip many of the kids take. "The community wants the children to have nice things. These are kids in a community that has a high poverty rate."

While employing an outside agency may save money initially, he continued, he didn't see the longevity of it, or how much effort, or heart, an outsider would put into the program. The youth commission keeps kids off the streets, Guiney said, asking whether a community would rather spend $100 on a child now or $75,000 for a year in jail later on.

"It's pro-active; you prevent future problems by spending money on children who learn that a community loves them and takes care of them," he added. "They don't get into trouble and they don't fill our prisons."

Former supervisor Scott Carlsen also shared his distaste for the rumors.

"You're talking about a disadvantaged community... shame on you for looking at some of the things you've looked at in terms of cuts. It's wrong," Carlsen said.

With a much-discussed 18 percent unemployment level and 60 percent of local students on school assistance lunch plans, Carlsen added that Wawarsing is a community that can appreciate the "home-grown" feel of its own youth program that includes Friday night movies at town hall.

"This program shouldn't be touched. It should be enhanced, it should be grown," he continued, asking why the current supervisor has held onto trip requests made by the commission instead of bringing them to the board for a vote, noting there was no provision for that. "You're one vote on a board. If there's a trip request then you put it before the board and five members vote."

Putting concerns to rest, councilman Dan Johnson assured residents that the program will remain status quo and that the rumors were just that... rumors. While the board as a whole didn't discuss such changes, a few had considered them — their right, he continued. He thanked residents for coming out and sharing their support.

"It's very encouraging to see all the people here tonight supporting the youth commission and director Cynthia 'Sam' Bugna," Durso said, echoing Johnson. But explaining the board's fiscal responsibility, he added that it was their job to look at each budgetary line and find ways to save.

The heavy lifting of the budget is done, Johnson added.

"The bottom line is we are actually going to have a tax decrease this year," he added, noting that was partially because the county has taken over safety net costs. "We realized that savings and it was our responsibility not to spend that savings."

As far as the youth commissions' budget goes, he continued, if they remain on track they will have a surplus of $32,000 — which he characterized as both good and bad news. The way government works, Johnson explained, was that if the commission didn't use the money, the board couldn't give it back to them next year; it would simply go to the town's reserve fund which is already over $1 million and doesn't need more.

Which raised then the question: if the commission has the funds, why were trips denied?

"I am not afraid to tell you that I disapproved a trip," Distel said.

The trip request, he noted, was for fifty students to go to Radio City Music Hall to see the Christmas show — with tickets, food and transportation, the trip would have cost $7,000.

"I could send three or four bus trips to water parks this summer for $25 a ticket and the kids would have just as much fun, if not more," the supervisor explained. "We want to give the opportunity to all our youth to participate."

He added worries over the fact that the city trip was on a first come, first served basis.

Those in attendance also brought up road condition issues as a reoccuriing problem, to which Distel answered that — with 168 town-responsible miles to cover, total — it's hard to share the wealth with everyone. He added that with black top so expensive, high-traffic areas get first priority.

In other business, councilman Terry Houck noted that Time Warner will bring cable to 97 homes in the Oak Ridge area for $120,364, or $1,240 per home, as well as to the Lippman park concession stand for security, although he pointed out, that surrounding areas will then have wifi... a nice opportunity for park attendees and the youth commission.

A public hearing on the preliminary budget has been scheduled for the next meeting, November 6.



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