A Kayak Park...Soon to be Reality!

Thanks to some sharp thinking on the part of the Town Board and the Recreation Department, ( and the help of a Government Grant), residents of the Town of Ulster will soon be able to enjoy public access to the Esopus Creek by what is to be know as Kayak Park.

Located behind the Town of Ulster Police Department on Mulvin Drive the park will provide access to the Esopus Creek for kayaking and canoeing. 

Properties owned by the Town have long been idle, the idea of utilizing these properties for the benefit of residents may not be novel but until the new administration took office was sadly overlooked.

Any one living in or visiting the Town of Ulster enjoys it's natural beauty and panoramic views. Adding public access to Esopus Creek can only improve the quality of life for everyone, residents and visitors alike.

Recreation Department A Real Success............

For those of you who are wondering how rewarding hard work and attention to detail can benefit our town, our taxes and above all our children, look no further than the Recreation Department of The Town of Ulster.

Summer Camp, a great success on the FUN front, Kid's one and all had a great time, (just ask them how much they miss it)! And as a bonus, for the first time in more than 4 years the program expense came in well under budget, YEAP, YOU READ THAT RIGHT, 'UNDER BUDGET'! In fact about $20,000 under the prior years expenditure of more than $89,000!

Rocky Who?

More importantly, the Camp Counselors and CIT's were the cream of young men and women, boys and girls from all around town, they are to be thanked and congratulated for their dedication and patience, campers of every age are better for the experience.

Just as importantly, the new fishing dock should be completed in time for the 911 Memorial Service to be held at Town of Ulster Park, (formerly Post Park ), Saturday September 11th at 10 AM. The service should be a memorable one and truly respectful of those whose lives were tragically taken by Fanatical Islamic Terrorists just 9 short years ago. 'Lest We Forget'!

On a sad note, it has come to our attention that the anger and selfishness expressed by former Councilman Rocko Secreto in his refusal to return Easter Eggs donated to the Town for the annual Easter Egg Hunt, (his insistence is they were donated to him personally), seems to have escalated to untold heights. It seems he is attempting to co-opt the Town of Ulster's 'Biddy Basketball Program' and relocate it at the Kingston YMCA. "SHAME ON YOU Rocky!"

The program has been run at elementary and middle schools in the Town for the young boys and girls of the Town and his attempt to hijack children of resident's for revenge is just plain 'CHILDISH'. Our children deserve better than to be pawns at the mercy of someone who is obviously such a sore loser.

It is our understanding that this is all a prelude in his plan to run, (yet again), for a Ulster Town Board council seat in the 2011 local election.

All this nonsense justifies the resident's choices last November. "I guess a leopard really can't change it's spots!"

Rocko...... the time has come for you to 'Go quietly into that good night'!

No News Is Good News.................

With all that is going on in County, State and Federal politics there is not much to discuss on the local front aside from the Fishing Pier at Town of Ulster Park.

Good, bad or indifferent, (opinions will vary),  the Pier adds to the landscape and will afford local fisherman a venue for catching the big one. 

"It kinda' resembles a playpen for adults, but I digress". 

The truth is, things around town have been quiet, not much news beyond the continuing push to bring finances into the black and the recent plan to allow town employees to apply for early retirement. Progress is being made and we should see a more realistic budget proposed this October.

Not much has been mentioned regarding the lawsuit brought by the mining company in Eddyville and the fact that the town attorney has asked for a 2 week postponement will keep it on the back burner for at least that long.

We have some issues regarding the new teachers pact agreed upon by KCSD, a 4.47% increase over 2 years while the economy is experiencing deflation is questionable at best, we are convinced it is a reward for their contribution of $1.2 million from the teacher's health care trust fund toward their benefit package. In itself all well and good but concerns remain regarding smaller classrooms, lower enrollment, excess staff, student performance and a pension/benefit package that will only continue to cause issues for taxpayers in the future. 

Did any one at either the School board or Union officials pay attention to Governor Chris Christi and his actions regarding union contracts in New Jersey?

This is troubling on many levels, the first of which is the fact that the only payrolls growing in this economy are that of state, federal and local government. It still takes tax dollars from the private sector to fund them and unless serious concessions are made by local unions, we don't see any improvement in the immediate future thus making these contracts even less sustainable.

On a side note: The Ulster is Your Town Too team would like to wish Councilman John Morrow continued success in his recovery and continued prayers for him and his family.

All that aside, I guess we begin discussing the impact that County, State and Congressional elections will have for local residents.

It is our position that fiscally responsible/small government candidates are our only intelligent choice. Government is growing faster than any aspect of our economy, a situation that can only spell disaster for every citizen. It is time to forget the ideology of party and entrust our future to elected officials who regard their constituency above their own ambitions. Political service should not be a career choice as many of our elected officials have opted. 

Realizing government should have little influence in social issues beyond enforcing our laws, defending the Bill of Rights and protecting our liberties, the choices we make should be based on the best man for the job rather than old party loyalties that can only divide the people and weaken what we can become: 'The most formidable force in the political landscape'.

What’s Really So URGENT………………….

It appears that the Town of Ulster has the leadership necessary to make difficult decisions in trying economic times! 

Changes approved by the Town Board acting as Town Police Commission on Thursday regarding the reorganization of the Town of Ulster Police Department are welcome and necessary. Years of blown budgets, out of control overtime and unnecessary use of official police vehicles have no place in this tough economy. 

The Taxpayer ‘gravy train’ is over! 

There is no doubt, politics being what they are, detractors of the Quigley Administration will find ways to criticize this Town Board and of course Supervisor Quigley himself for this reorganization, however, if the past administration had done its due diligence when spending the ‘people’s’ money we would not be in such dire financial straits to begin with and such cutbacks would not be necessary. 

Ulster is Your Town Too applaud Supervisor Quigley for standing up for the residents of the town. Anyone with some concept of reality would understand this was not a move to weaken the Town Police but, with the limited ways of cost cutting available, a tool in keeping the budget in the black and avoiding higher property taxes for it’s residents. 

I’m sure there will be other decisions critics will weigh in on, but the Town of Ulster Police withdrawing from URGENT should not be one of them. 

URGENT, (Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team), is well represented by the County Sheriff and City of Kingston Police Department.  Many of the daily operations are in the City of Kingston where Town of Ulster Police has no jurisdiction anyway. If the concern is the loss of shared services, lets face it, when was the last time Town of Ulster Police acted alone at a major crime scene. County Sheriff, State Trooper and at times even Federal Agencies like DEA and FBI are on scene offering their assistance and expertise. I’m sure it behooves these agencies to keep Town Police informed. After all they too would be at a loss if the information highway was to become a ‘ONE WAY’ street. 

It has become painfully obvious that the financial reporting of the Woerner Administration left much to be desired. Unraveling the books is often an adventure and always a mystery, one which would have confused even the likes of Sherlock Holmes. 

In the short time he has been in charge, Jim Quigley has done an admirable job of maintaining, even improving necessary services as well as getting control over frivolous and unnecessary spending, especially in light of the recklessness of his predecessor. 

Just a side note, If toes have been stepped on and egos dented downstairs at the Town PD, all we can say is get over it, many town residents have lost their jobs, some even their homes, a few detectives can afford a little loss of personal pride.

TechCity.........Its About Time!

Without detailing the finer points of the site plan for TechCity, (its available), it is a pleasure to note the vision of Town Supervisor, Jim Quigley.

It took Nick Woerner 4 years of foot dragging, empty promises and the 'hope of government grants', (The Hinchey Connection), to go nowhere, while Only 6 months into his term as Supervisor, Quigley has put forth a nuts and bolts plan that actually has the potential of bringing our town into the 21st Century.

Even property owner Alan Ginsberg is on board with the proposal which might finally force IBM to expend some of the $27 million fund and clean up the toxic waste so long holding up any development.

Residents of the Town are reaping the rewards of their November 2009 decision to replace incompetence with efficiency. It is a shame that 4 years of a good economic landscape were lost in the hands of Mr. Woerner and while the economy might not be ripe for economic development, by the time the legal challenges are met and the site plan approved investment capital may once again be readily available.

Does any know what has become of Andy Zweben and Steve Aaron?

 

Can You Imagine.........

After reading the article in this weeks Freeman regarding CSEA demanding and ultimately suing the City of Kingston for wages of 14 union employees who had been laid off due to 2010 budget cuts, reality sank in.

The unmitigated gall of union officials dictating how a municipality functions and meets the demands of tough economic times is appalling. The idea of paying 14 men whose jobs had been cut because of budget demands for lost wages because the work was done by convicts and volunteers, (unpaid labor), is absurd.

Taxpayers cannot afford to pay a price so a union boss can look good to his members and they shouldn't have to. I'm not a big Sotile fan, in fact I think he is the most incompetent Mayor the City of Kingston has ever had, but the truth is he made a few tough but necessary decisions. OK, they may have been 'no brainers' but the fact is he made them. The next mayor will have to make even more.

Pension Funds will become a thing of the past, so will exorbitant benefit packages and Cadillac Health plans and town supervisors and city mayors will have no choice but to fight union bosses to protect the future of their residents and the life of their municipalities.

I'm sure strikes will be threatened and work slowdowns promoted but with unemployment lingering around 10% for years to come, any such action would be self-destructive for the unions themselves.

The best way to protect the workers and residents alike is to revamp future contracts to reflect economic challenges and the reality of tough economic times.

I know Jim Quigley will no doubt have his battles with highway, sheriff and parks department employees and their union bosses, the truth is if the town goes broke, more and more jobs will have to be cut or lost, I hope these union leaders come to the table with a sense of reality rather than unrealistic expectations.

Remembering our Fallen Soldiers!

Before I begin the sentiments of the article, I would like to thank the readers of this blog for utilizing it as a forum for debate and discussion. Unlike other blogs of this nature, most commenters to our threads have maintained a high degree of decorum and refrained from the type of slander that typifies this venue.

I must also apologize to our friends and neighbors as it has been some time since my last post. Without going into detail, family issues have taken up much of my time, but with the help of GOD, things are returning to normal.

I realize that for many in our nation, Memorial Day weekend symbolizes the beginning of the summer. At long last, Bar-b-cues will be rolled out of sheds and garages and pool covers will take their place. The sound of children playing summer games late into the evening is a pleasant change to  parents who have listened too long to the noises of Xboxes and Playstations. 

Evening walks renew friendships with neighbors sitting on porches and lawns that have been ignored for much of the winter months.

All of this is a welcome sight and it brings with it a freedom that has eluded so many of us since October or November of last year.

To many Americans Memorial Day means so much more. Remembering a son or brother lost in battle in a land far away. A husband or father who has made the ultimate sacrifice, who has left a hole in the lives of those he or she loved to keep men and women they have never met safe and secure.

Arlington National Cemetery, The Vietnam War Memorial, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Gettysburg, Vickburg, Fredricksberg, Lexington, Concord, Bull Run, Iwo Jima, Corregidor, Guam and Manila, Korea, Sicily, Normandy, Bastogne, Tripoli, North Africa, the Trenches in France and Germany. The list of locations that Americans have given their best, their most, is long and sometimes filled with names of places we cannot pronounce let alone find on a map. 

For us they have done things that should not be asked of any man but without their unselfish sacrifices and the sacrifices of their friends and families this thing we call freedom, this liberty we enjoy would be but a footnote in history  books written by a dictator or other form of government whose sole purpose is to enslave and exploit the peoples they have conquered.

I am far from self-righteous and even further from heroic, I did not serve, I cannot hope to understand the feelings of those lucky to have returned from the battlefield, only to have left a buddy behind.  I have friends and family who have served from WWII to Afghanistan and to a man they all find it difficult to talk of that part of their lives, they have all left friends on the battlefield, all have seen the tragedy of war and all know of sacrifice. 

We do them as great an injustice as we do to those who have not returned if we trivialize their sacrifice with a hot dog or hamburger and forget a prayer or praise or just a plain, Thank You!

THANK YOU, Our fallen heroes, Our Marines, Air Force, Army and Navy, Thank You!