Letter: Consolidation would be a joint process

Dear Editor,

Recently there has been a lot of discussion amongst the residents regarding the possible dissolution of the Village. As the Town Supervisor, I have no interest in what the Village wants to do in this regard. My involvement would only occur if the residents of the Village had a referendum and voted to move forward with the dissolution process. At that time, the Town Supervisor and the Town Board would be included on a plan to take over the operations of the Village. This would be a joint process of the two Boards with oversight from the State.  

There have been a number of comments regarding what I would do in the event of the takeover by the Town. Only one member of the Village Board has actually taken the time to meet with me and discuss the possibilities of what may happen. 

One thing that won’t happen is the Village residents will not be taken advantage of by the Town Board. This process is strictly regulated by the state to prevent this from happening. Most Village residents would not see any change. The water system would stand on its own; either as a district or be managed by a professional water company. The garbage pickup program would most likely be eliminated, as there are numerous private companies to provide this service. The library will not go away and the park will be maintained.  

There would need to be an evaluation of the various Village buildings to determine the best use for them. The tax bills would be simplified, as there would no longer be Townwide and Part Town taxes, only Townwide.  

I hope this somewhat clarifies my role in this process. There has been a lot of misinformation and gossip passed around, both in the Pennysaver readers’ column and around town. I would be glad to talk to any residents who have questions regarding my role in this process, if any, as dictated by the residents of the Village.  

Sincerely,

Stuart Yetter Jr.

Supervisor of the Town of Newark Valley

Please remember that Village residents are also valued members of the Town as a whole.