Copake Highway Superintendent Gregory responds to Morris Ordover’s letter

Letter to the Editor

Copake Highway Superintendent Gregory responds to Morris Ordover’s letter

Mr. Ordover’s letter to the Editor in last week’s Copake Chronicle was filled with many misleading facts.  Only two statements were accurate and truthful. One is that the Voters of Copake will have the opportunity to choose a Highway Superintendent in this November’s election. The other true statement is that our Highway Budget is over 50% of the total town budget. Not truthful is his statement that “For the first time in many election cycles, the voters of Copake will have an opportunity to make a choice in the election of our Highway Superintendent." The Highway Superintendent position is on the ballot every four-year election cycle; the voters have always had a choice.  

Furthermore, what Mr. Ordover fails to explain is that while our 2010 Highway budget accounts for 53% of the total town budget, nine Highway Departments in our county spend a higher percentage of their total town budgets. It is a myth of convenience, created for political advantage saying our Highway Budget is out of line with the spending of the other towns in the county.  At our recent Open House, I had on display a detailed comparison of all eighteen towns.  I have moved this display to the Town Hall for anyone who was unable to attend the Open House to view.

What follows is my response to the misleading statements made by Mr. Ordover for Mr. Jamieson:

1.      Mr. Ordover’s most misleading statement of his entire letter is Mr. Jamieson’s number one item of their platform; “Open records for all to see”.  That statement falsely leads people to believe that there are closed Highway Department records. The Town Board oversees any expenditure of monies out of the Highway Budget. The budget process starts with the Highway Superintendent submitting a budget request to the Budget Officer. Through the rest of the budget process, the Town Board may increase or decrease the Highway Budget.  After the Town Board approves a budget that they are satisfied with, the Highway Superintendent submits a Section 284 agreement detailing how the highway budget will be expended. During the following fiscal year, the Town Board has the power to accept or reject any expenditure out of the Highway Budget.  At every Town Board Meeting, the Board reviews and approves all bills out of the Highway Department.  These records of claims are public information.  I have been the Highway Superintendent for nearly ten months, neither Mr. Jamison nor Mr. Ordover have ever approached me with a request to see any records. How can someone claim to be denied access without ever making a request?

2.      “Savings through closer supervision”. Perhaps Mr. Jamieson can explain how he will supervise the department closer than myself while working part time?

3.      “Savings through a new tier of benefits for new employees reducing benefit costs”. This is not a new idea.  The following statement is taken out of the Town Board meeting minutes dated November 10, 2009: “Supervisor Crowley, we should take a stand that any new employee hired January 1, 2010 must pay a percentage of their insurance.” Highway Liaison & Town Board member Linda Gabaccia and I have met with our insurance agent to discuss initiating this policy. It is up to the Town Board to pass this resolution, not the Highway Superintendent.

4.      “Determining true personnel needs through attrition”. How convenient to overlook that is exactly what I have done by the elimination of a full time position in the Highway Department.  When I was unanimously appointed Highway Superintendent by the entire Town Board, I did not fill the position that I held in the Department.  The Department has traditionally had eight full time employees; I am now running the department with seven full time employees thereby saving the town a considerable amount of money.

5.    5)  “Reducing the cost of road maintenance while maintaining safety through more competitive bidding”. All major purchases by the Highway Department are made through either State, County or Town bids. How can Mr. Jamieson claim he will initiate a policy already in place?

6.     “Sharing and purchasing new equipment with neighboring towns”. This is another example of current policy.  Each year our Town Board approves an Inter-municipal agreement between the towns of Copake, Ancram, Hillsdale, and the Taconic Hills School District.  This allows each Department to share equipment and labor to save money.  In December of 2008 with the Town Board approval, (recorded in 12/13/2008 minutes), the above-mentioned Towns and school district applied for a 2008-2009 NY State Local Government Efficiency grant. This application was for $240,000 to purchase an Ariel bucket truck for tree work and three pieces of turf conditioning equipment. 

Although the truck was denied, the field equipment was approved and the equipment was received in 2009.  Each applicant paid $1,065.40 for equipment costing $38,354.40; ninety percent of the cost was covered in the grant. I have had discussions with my fellow Highway Superintendents and we plan to continue to work on grants to benefit the Taxpayers in these Towns & School District.

7.      “Selling unnecessary and aged equipment”. One of the first decisions I made as Superintendent, was to downsize our fleet of trucks. With board approval, we sold two trucks at auction. This is documented in our board meeting minutes, (1/14/2010). At our Open House, I detailed my intention to replace two dump trucks with one, further reducing our fleet size.

8.     “Extending the life of trucks to reduce replacement costs”. This statement from Mr. Ordover is interesting, given Mr. Jamieson’s reaction of surprise when I explained the age of some of our equipment at our recent Open House.

9.     “Passing savings on to reduce budget needs in following years”. The Highway Budget had an unexpended balance of $130,000 at the end of 2009. I hope to use some of these funds with Town Board approval to replace an older vehicle without burdening the Taxpayers.

                         “Limiting pay raises to annual cost of living increases”. Are Mr. Ordover and Mr. Jamieson aware that in 2010 the Highway employees did not receive any raise?

In my opinion, the preceding platform detailed by Mr. Ordover for Mr. Jamieson appears to be an attempt to "catch up" or an effort to deflect Mr. Jamieson's apparent lack of familiarity with how our Highway Department operates.

Even though I am a registered Republican with the endorsements of the Republican, Independence, and Conservative parties in the Town of Copake, I will continue to run the department in a non-partisan fashion, openly, honestly and with complete transparency. I will not make pledges on behalf of the Republican Party or any other Party for that matter because I do not believe this race should be about politics. I think this election should be decided on the merit and the qualifications of the candidate, not political affiliation. Will Bill Jamieson, a registered Conservative, endorsed by the Democratic Party in the Town of Copake make the same promises?

Bill Gregory

Town of Copake Highway Superintendent