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YORKTOWN, N.Y. - Battle lines have been drawn between the Yorktown Town Board and a citizens group advocating the elimination of the elected highway superintendent in favor of a Department of Public Works.
Leaders of Yorktown Citizens for a DPW criticized the Town Board last week for not acting on their request to schedule a work session on their proposal and setting a public hearing in early August. The group is pushing for a referendum in November since the highway superintendent position is up for election in 2013.
Highway Superintendent Eric DiBartolo has publicly stated several times he will not be seeking re-election next year, but Yorktown Citizens for a DPW has insisted its objective is to save the town money, not force out DiBartolo.
"There are two related and intertwined issues: whether the voters want a centralized Department of Public Works that will save them money, or no DPW and the status quo with an elected superintendent who is only accountable to them once every four years and who can act independently of the Town Board," said Renee Fogarty, a spokesperson for the group. "The voters can't have it both ways - a cost saving DPW and an elected highway superintendent. They'll have to choose between the two."
Yorktown Citizens for a DPW has said its preliminary research has indicated a $251,000 annual savings, something DiBartolo vehemently denies.
That figure "is not even close to being correct," he said. "What the residents deserve is the actual numbers. It will cost the town more."
Town Supervisor Michael Grace took issue with the group, which includes former supervisors Aaron Bock and Susan Siegel, for publicly quoting figures before an in-depth analysis has been done by town officials.
"It's not helpful to throw out numbers. I have a problem passing around information that may not necessarily be true," Grace said. "The Town of Yorktown has traditionally wanted to have an elected highway superintendent. A lot of communities that have a DPW may now be regretting that they did."
Councilman Nick Bianco added, "You're assuming a lot of things. One thing you're assuming is this system doesn't work."
Grace said he was "open minded" about the proposal and promised to devote a work session to it by the end of July.
Comments (9)
Perhaps eyeonyorktown needs a new set of glasses. Maybe then, the writer would see how wrong his/her comments were.
Then again, maybe eyeonyorktown isn't really interested in the facts, especially when the facts don't support his/her opinion.
And I'm beginning to wonder if the town board is interested in the facts. The board has been quick to criticize the citizen committee's numbers but it hasn't made its own numbers available. Why not?
What's going on behind closed doors? By delaying the next DPW "discussion" until the end of July, it's becoming increasing clear that the board is doesn't want to give us a chance to vote on a DPW referendum in November.
I think our elected officials owe us some explanations.
After having the opportunity to view the Town Board meeting and review the document prepared by the DPW committee; it is our opinion the EOY Committee that the numbers put out by the DPW committee are not figures that warrants a debate. Their own charts show a coast in hiring PE and deputy PE. Not to mention the coast of all the extras. This will require the taxpayer to reach deeper into their pocket.
I'm finding it hard to follow your objections, eyeson. When you say "our," who do you mean? Who is the EOY Committee? And what is a "coast" in hiring? And what are the extras? And, I might add, it's really not up to you to decide what warrants a debate. I think it's up to the people of Yorktown to decide what to do and how to do it. I am still waiting for Mr. DiBartolo to fully disclose his full figures ... it's the only decent thing to do.
I appreciate the healthy debate -- that's a good thing! Yorktown citizens deserve the chance to hear both sides of the issue -- but taxpayers won't have a chance to do this if the Town Board continues to say it has an open mind, yet demonstrate in its actions that its mind is made up.
The citizens of Yorktown can be the only judge of what's good for them. Give them ALL the information, give them ALL opinions (based on fact), and I think they'll vote. And we'll all live with the consequences. I agree with the DPW supporters when the say: let the people decide in a November referendum. That’s called democracy!
I thought the DPW issue was about saving taxpayers money.
It's time we stopped talking about personalities -- DiBartolo, Bock, Siegel, Fogarty-- and started looking at the FACTS.
Let's have an HONEST debate about the pros and cons of the issue. I agree with abadessa that the supporters have shown their numbers. Now it's time for the other side to PROVE them wrong.
It is my understanding that the potential DPW cost savings numbers that Yorktown Citizens for a DPW gave to the Town Board on June 15 were carefully researched. They were derived from Town budget figures and research into DPWs in Westchester and upstate New York. Where “hard” numbers had not yet been developed, the cost savings analysis notes “TBD,” (to be determined).
To criticize the group’s numbers on the grounds that they are based on “assumptions,” is nonsense.
DPW or No DPW,
I think the so called group of citizens committee for DPW or DPW committee. Whatever they are calling them selves this week has summed up their agenda in all the local media papers and websites. They are out to destroy Mr. Dibartolo name and remove him from office. You may ask how I come to this conclusion. Fogarty sum’s it all up when she says ““That’s four years at $250,000. That’s a million dollars lost.”” With that said look who is on the committee former town supervisor Aaron Bock who missed place a million dollars when doing his budget and laid off employees, then said it’s the school district fault; and more recently Susan Siegel who has the honors of receiving the million dollar garbage badge and presiding over the biggest waste of taxpayers dollars the Granite Knolls purchase, lets not forget the costly lawsuits she has relinquished upon the town taxpayers. Ms. Fogarty I would stick to managing people with Talent because these two have none. Ms. Siegel has recruited you because it has been proven that she has no people skills and this is why the PEOPLE of YORKTOWN VOTED HER OUT.
I have spoken to many Yorktowners and they like the way the Town Government is set up. The residents like the idea they can hold one person responsible for the conditions of their roads or a person they can call for help in solving a road problem. This proposal has been voted down twice in the past. Let’s move on and work with the current Town Board in making Yorktown an affordable place. Ms. Siegel if you read this, and you haven’t been notified the election is over and you lost! We the people of Yorktown are tired of hearing from you. Enjoy your retirement.
Despite this sensationalistic headline and lead, it should be clear to everyone that this difference in opinion is based on what is good for the town of Yorktown. An adversarial attitude does this town no good, and is disrespectful to the citizens of Yorktown.
Nevertheless, based on this reporting, I think it would be a good thing if Mr. DiBartolo produces the figures upon which he bases his anti-DPW opinion. I believe the pro-DPW people have put together a preliminary look at facts and figures, and made it available to the Town Board and the public; if Mr. DiBartolo has a different way of looking at figures, or, indeed, different figures, the Town can only benefit if he produces his figures to the public.