Thanking both Political Parties

To The Editor:

I would like to go on record in thanking the Copake Chronicle and both political parties for showing smart restraint when it comes to placing political signs in Copake. There seems to be only a few idiots, who can’t or won’t behave in following the rules of the town and additionally show some respect to their neighbors.

I won’t mention his name, but the owner of the house on 22 should know better. 

J. Miller 

A letter of thanks to Copake Falls:

Dear Neighbors:

When the Copake Falls Day Planning Committee met for the first time in the winter of 2007, we never could have imagined that four years later, it would take three single spaced, typewritten pages to name and thank everybody who participated in and contributed to Copake Falls Day 2011.

So with the deepest possible gratitude, the Copake Falls Day Planning Committee takes this opportunity to thank each and every person who made the day possible:  To all of our neighbors in Copake Falls who made available their gardens, backyards, front lawns, storefronts, driveways and more, please accept this most heartfelt thank you.  To Bill Gregory and his incredible Highway Department team, where would we be without you?  To virtually every business in Copake Falls, Copake and Hillsdale - your support of our event with prizes for our raffle and chance auctions allowed us to put the icing on a delicious cake.  To all our local vendors, farmers, crafters, horsewomen, face painters and road runners, thank you for making Copake Falls Day unique!  To the artists, musicians, playwrights, local authors and pitmasters whose special presentations book-ended a wonderful day, our deepest thanks.

We hope you’ll all join us again on Saturday, August 18, 2012 for the Fifth Annual Copake Falls Day.  We can’t do it without you.

Sincerely,

Milbrey Zelley on behalf of the Copake Falls Day Planning Committee

A More Consistent Practice of Open Government

Dear Editor

The Copake Chronicle has frequently urged more consistent practice of open government. Because town law focuses so narrowly on forbidding the assembly of a quorum of any committee or board outside of called and advertised public meeting, a very important benefit of open government is often overlooked. I suggest shifting focus from what should not be done to what should be done.

By talking to each other about pending cases or issues, pairs of committee and board members can clarify both their own tentative positions and areas in which they need to increase their information and understanding. That process, which is characteristic of conscientious members, can benefit the town by leading to wiser decisions. The manner in which ideas are generated, however, is less important than what becomes of them after they are formed. Critically important ideas may well originate with a minority or bare quorum of a board or committee; deliberation by all members, however, is typically the means by which good ideas are brought to full fruition. It is that process of full and open discussion that should always take place in public meeting, not in private collaboration. Having the opportunity to hear that discussion, Copake citizens can understand the basis of board or committee decisions and recommendations, and so provide support for governmental action.

We should bear in mind John Stuart Mill’s illustration of the value of having one’s ideas questioned or challenged. The challenger may present a valid and valuable idea that I can incorporate in my improved proposal. If I find no such source of improvement, I shall, in the course of defending my idea, have gained appreciation of its merits.

All members of Copake boards and committees have a local constituency. When any one of them is ignored or shunted aside, full democratic representation is denied to a portion of the Copake populace. To be as productive as it ought to be, a board or committee meeting should be a learning experience for all present, whether members or audience. Respect for each, including opponents, can only benefit all.

Respectfully submitted,

Mac Simms

Broadband - $75 billion in new Capital Spending

The President projects that the Federal government can raise $27.8 billion over the next decade by auctioning off wireless spectrum, something wireless carriers eagerly want the government to do. Under Obama's plan, $10 billion of this money will pay for an expansion of the Public Safety Broadband Network and to build out wireless broadband to cover 98% of the nation.

"Recent data shows that making additional spectrum available for wireless will lead to 500,000 new jobs in America," said Jonathan Spalter, chairman of the non-profit wireless industry think tank Mobile Future, in a written statement.

A report that Mobile Future released in August spelled it out: "Building on previous studies, we estimate that the reassignment of 300 MHz of spectrum to mobile broadband within five years will spur $75 billion in new capital spending, creating more than 300,000 jobs and $230 billion in additional Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The release of an additional 200 MHz of new spectrum after five years will create an additional 200,000 jobs and increase GDP by an additional $155 billion."

Plus the study said the economy would benefit from a "spillover" effect. Companies like Apple, Google, Qualcomm and small application developers would boom as they created new mobile broadband applications to be carried upon all that ubiquitous bandwidth. Here's wishing wireless and jobs for all.

Shirley Ripullone