To the Editor:

The Westerlo Town Board is getting ready to fast track approval of resolutions at the June 2 meeting that will saddle the taxpayers with a $2.8 million bond. This will increase taxes without input from the public at a comment meeting, or approval by the public through a ballot referendum.

Instead, a meeting to “inform” the public will be held after the fact on June 16.

This came out at the May 19 town board workshop. The next morning, I went to Town Hall to get a copy of the financial information presented by Delaware Engineering and was told by the town clerk that she was instructed only to release the schedule and no other information.

I believe this is a violation of Freedom of Information Law and will pursue getting full disclosure through a FOIL request.

I have supported the effort to replace the town highway garage and make improvements to the town hall building, but the amount keeps growing. The last figure I heard at a public meeting was in October 2014 for $1.6 million, which is a lot for our town. The dollar amount has increased significantly since then, and we're only now learning about this two weeks before the town board plans to vote on related resolutions.

The schedule information I obtained says (word-for-word): “Previous discussions the TB wants to set the maximum project cost base on the average household assessment at $100/year.”

When and where were these discussions? Is this $100/year the total for an “average” assessment?

There has been no town-wide assessment in Westerlo since the 1950s. What will happen to taxpayers when assessments are brought up to date and there's this kind of a bond repayment on top of it?

Also, the fire department has recently said it needs a new building. How will that be paid for? The months of haggling with our volunteer fire department over its budget increase of a few thousand dollars is even more disturbing given the extravagance of a $2.8 million bond.

The taxpayers of Westerlo need full public disclosure of this project and a chance to decide for themselves whether support for it is justified at this level. The town board is supposed to represent us, not pull a fast one and leave us with no option except to pay the bill.

Dianne Sefcik

Westerlo

Editor’s note: See related story.

“You have to have something to propose to have an informational meeting about,” Councilman William Bichteman said Wednesday. He noted a 30-day period would begin for a permissive referendum after a bond resolution is passed.