To the Editor:
More and more I have become aware of the problems that parents face when they try to get the appropriate education for their kids when those kids are faced with educational challenges. Experience should have taught us that providing the appropriate education, in the long run, is the least expensive and the most beneficial.
Unfortunately, however, the overwhelming experience of many of the parents involved in special education is that the schools spend more time, effort and money in creating obstacles than in appropriate placement. This is why I have created a Special Education Advisory Committee.
The purpose of this advisory committee is not to waste taxpayers’ money, not to create unnecessary burdens on taxpayers or school districts, but to ensure that the children’s needs are most appropriately met.
To that end, this advisory committee will work to bring parents and those involved in special education placements together to ensure that our children get the best possible education and move on to become productive citizens.
For more information on the Special Education Advisory Committee, please contact my Chief of Staff, Keri Peterson, at 463-1635 or via e-mail at millerj@assembly.state.ny.us.
Joel M. Miller
Assemblyman, 102nd District
To the Editor:
Well, folks, it’s election time again, also known as the official “Flip-Flopping Season” here in Hyde Park.
Please consider the facts of this administration:
1. Four-year term – people voted it down.
2. Boice Road fiasco – people voted it down.
3. New police/court facility – people voted it down (after we had to petition the board to vote on it). This after renewing the lease last February for three years to include the town doing maintenance, not the landlord (public record).
Their pledge and promises last campaign:
1. Tax relief – failed miserably.
2. River access as top priority – failed miserably.
3. Whistle-stop (seasonal) for tourism – failed miserably (and we own the station to boot – this fiasco is over 20 years now).
4. Tax base – failed miserably.
We’ve had two terms of a Democrat, two terms of a Republican. Both never delivered and failed the people again, as usual. Eight years of nowhere, total.
Time for a change, and fast, to move us forward. Vote “Chan Murphy” for supervisor on Nov. 6. The Independent candidate with Conservative and Republican endorsements. He owes no allegiance to any major party. Both major parties had two terms each to deliver – not done.
Please don’t get caught napping on Nov. 6. Vote Chan Murphy for supervisor.
It’s our taxes, our town, our future, our destiny by vote. The record speaks for itself and it’s pretty lousy, folks.
Bill Conn
Hyde Park
To the Editor:
Ray Duncan’s letter, published Sept. 21, has a strong suggestion of a “request” for me to apologize to Ellen Staino for my observation of her strong endorsement of Robert Creedon in the school board election: Duncan states his response is as a civilian, not as the president of the PCSD Board of Education; yet Duncan certainly rattles off information that a person in his position with access to resources has. Duncan was so incensed at the management of the district that he founded/facilitated a Web site that functioned by pointing out all the deficits of the school district. Now Ray Duncan sits in a different seat – he turns sanctimonious. I am claiming the right to freedom of speech as Duncan has done.
There is a fine line one must follow when dual roles in civilian/public servant exists. Staino’s very publicized endorsement of Creedon is very transparent: Creedon did not attend school board meetings until he decided to run. Staino’s endorsement of Creedon is very transparent to those black parents who attend meetings faithfully, actively participate in the PCSD and ran in the school board election. Why is it that when a black person speaks, an apology is necessary but when a white person speaks it’s constructive criticism?
An apology is needed for: As a parent, I cannot get a reply from the Administrators Office of the PCSD for the student planner being taken out of the student’s hands, for teacher(s) who are absent for over seven days in the fourth week of school, the Spanish class that does not have a textbook and for the high school not having a faculty moderator for homecoming. Lastly, Staino is one of the original five board members during Robert Watson’s tenure as superintendent. Watson did not do his acts alone; where were the school board and the school attorney? Ray Duncan, I am glad I got a response from you. I think you have a few hundred other parents waiting.
Denise Bolds
Poughkeepsie
To the Editor:
I was born and raised in Kingston, but moved here to the 1st Ward in Poughkeepsie a little under a year ago.
I wanted to acknowledge the hard work Thomas Parise has done as the 1st Ward councilman. I couldn’t tell you who is or was the councilman from where I lived in Kingston, yet in under a year I have watched Mr. Parise improve my neighborhood a great deal. He has done a good job creating residential and permit parking, working with residents to improve safety and crime, planting trees, cleaning fields and parks and helping our neighborhood with things such as cleanup days.
The park right behind my home has improved by leaps and bounds. A once vacant area now has regular softball games, volleyball games and the most popular, soccer games. This couldn’t have been done without Councilman Parise’s efforts to have the field cleaned and goals put in.
I am looking to forward to seeing what else he can do to make this neighborhood even cleaner, safer, and more family friendly. His actions speak loudly for the excellent job he has done and is still doing.
Adam Wood
Poughkeepsie
To the Editor:
The Cider Mill Friends of Open Space and Historic Preservation, Inc. held a successful weekend fundraiser recently at the I-84 rest area near East Fishkill. Free coffee and baked goods were served and the groups received generous decisions from people traveling through our area. Educational material was offered concerning the group’s environmental and historic preservation mission, and efforts to purchase and restore the Kimlin Cider Mill in Poughkeepsie.
The group’s goals received strong support from visitors. We met with hundreds of people from across the United States. It was heartening to hear numerous accounts of similar efforts to preserve land or historic buildings. We learned of an antique cider mill on the Finger Lakes region which was preserved through purchase. A common thread emerged in the stories we heard. Again and again, people from diverse backgrounds expressed their concern for the degradation of their home towns through over-development, the loss of natural habitat or historic sites. In educating travelers about our local history and concerns, we in turn were educated about other areas of the country, and the common concerns we share. We came away feeling enriched by the experience.
The Cider Mill Friends would like to thank the volunteers who gave their time and effort, along with: Panera Breads, Price Chopper, Stop and Shop, B.J.’s, Lexington Bagel and Hannaford for their generous donation of food.
Elisabeth Potts
Board of Directors, Cider Mill Friends of Open Space and Preservation
To the Editor:
The Republicans that are running (I mean ruining) our country are counting on the Democrats not coming out to vote. I’m asking all registered Democrats to get out to vote this year in all local elections and put as many Democrats into office as possible.
We need to send a message to the Republicans that the Democrats are the party of the people, not the party of big business, as the Republicans are.
The citizens of the 1st Ward in the City of Poughkeepsie are very fortunate this year. We have a candidate who showed me, when he was the owner of the Main Mall Green Grocer, his ability to demonstrate fairness and equality to all people on a daily basis. He continues to do that and will definitely get my vote, and he deserves your vote as well.
Please vote Row A for Frank Clark on Nov. 6 at Interfaith Towers, 66 Washington St., in the City of Poughkeepsie.
John Lester
Poughkeepsie
To the Editor:
I wish to thank the 51 Independence voters who took the time to vote in the Hyde Park primary election regardless of the lever pulled. I am grateful that they approved of the job I am doing as Town Justice.
It is a fascinating, demanding and ultimately very rewarding experience to be a candidate for elective office. It is a view of democracy from a very close up and personal vantage. I applaud every candidate who has made the decision to offer his or her qualifications to the voters and stand for election.
On behalf of all candidates, my only wish is that every citizen would register and exercise this cherished freedom to vote that we are so blessed to have in this country, but which so few choose to use.
Everyone who made it their business to vote on Primary Day for the candidates of their choice, and every citizen who will vote in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6 assure that our democratic process will survive and not lose its meaning for lack of interest.
David Steinberg
Hyde Park
To the Editor:
For anyone who grew up in the 1970s or ’80s, there are always nostalgic memories of good times spent at the South Hills Mall. I, for one, have fonder memories of when I was growing up in the 1950s and ’60s walking down Main Street in my hometown in New Jersey, a small city like Poughkeepsie. I liked the small shops, owned by Mom and Pop, that sold everything you needed at discount prices. Going downtown was a big deal and a treat. It was a racially mixed town and everyone got along. When the malls came everything changed, and when the malls came to Poughkeepsie it was a death sentence. Basically, the popularization of the automobile and suburbia brought us the Mall, white flight on a massive continental scale and the phenomenon was hard to stop. Now I read that the South Hills Mall is getting a major makeover to the tune of $65 million.
Rather than spend that enormous amount of money on a dead mall which is situated right next to another bigger profitable mall, wouldn’t it make more sense to invest $65 million dollars in downtown Main Street Poughkeepsie? Just imagine how beautiful Main Street would be, again, from the river to Cherry Street, where every single historic building would be spruced up to its’ original architectural splendor, dozens of new shops of all varieties, elegant canopies, flowers, colorful murals, public sculpture, landscaped parks with gazebos, benches and playgrounds, attractive comfortable bus shelters, outdoor cafes, etc. Are we making the same mistake all over again? Aren’t the Galleria and 50 miles of Route 9 strip malls enough?
The City of Poughkeepsie is the original victim of Mall Mania, wouldn’t it be great to spend that money in Poughkeepsie to heal it? Perhaps the city politicians of both parties should stop fighting and arguing and join forces and find a national or international corporate developer like the one fixing up the South Hills Mall and do the same for Main Street? We would all be better off.
Franc Palaia
Poughkeepsie
To the Editor:
I am strongly urging the voters in the City of Poughkeepsie to support Fred Knapp for mayor. I’ve known Fred for many years and worked closely with him on the county electrical licensing law. Fred has the ability to develop consensus, listens to all points of view and is willing to compromise. He has years of experience serving as a county legislator championing issues for working families, children and senior citizens. As a City of Poughkeepsie business owner, I welcome his fresh, bold ideas to move Poughkeepsie forward. Poughkeepsie has a clear choice in November. Vote for Fred Knapp for mayor because “he will do better.”
Mark Roth
Poughkeepsie