Times are tight: this is the message that Hyde Park’s leaders are receiving from local residents.
A few moments before the Town Board was due to decide on two resolutions on May 19 that pertained to a proposed police/court facility, councilman Robert Linville (D-1st Ward) asked that the resolutions be pulled from the agenda. He then introduced two new resolutions that removed the court facility component from the plan and significantly reduced the project’s cost.
“It pains me greatly to make this motion,” said Linville, who added that the original bond resolution, which called for a combined police/court facility with a price tag of up to $4.5 million, would have been his preference. “These are tough economic times,” said Linville, who acknowledged that the reasoning for his suggestion was to save taxpayers money.
Linville submitted a new resolution that will ask voters to approve spending up to $3.8 million for a 7,450-square foot police headquarters. “This isn’t what I think is right for the departments,” said Linville, “but it’s likely to get approval from voters.”
Linville noted that based on conversations he’s had with constituents, the general consensus was that the original $4.5 million bond, “would not get support from voters.” “I’m not sure that voters see the same level of need for the courts,” said Linville, adding that an overwhelming majority of taxpayers understand that the police department is working in a substandard building and needs to be relocated.
Board member Hannah Black (D-3rd Ward) agreed with Linville’s statements, saying she has had similar conversations with residents of her ward. “At this moment in time with the cost of living, my constituents would support the police,” she said, adding that some taxpayers didn’t feel the same sense of urgency to build the court component. “We have to listen to what the voters are going to do,” said Black.
Councilman Richard Perkins (I-Ward 4) also stressed the importance of listening to voters’ concerns and supporting the needs of the police department. “We’ve got to get the police out of there,” said Perkins, suggesting that the only successful way to move the police headquarters would be to reduce the cost of the project. “We need to get voter approval … we need to be successful this time,” he said.
Conversations regarding taxpayer belt-tightening were well-warranted, as the following day Hyde Park voters defeated increased spending for the Hyde Park Central School District budget.
Supervisor Pompey Delafield (D) urged the need for the combined facility, but acknowledged that costs were prohibitive to many taxpayers. “We need both of the facilities,” he said. “I understand the problems we have, and the need not to have the price too high.”
Delafield assured residents that while the new bond resolution will approve construction of a police facility only, the building will be designed with the potential to phase in a court component in the future. Delafield also explained that the average annual costs to homeowners will be reduced from $32 per $100,000 assessed value for the original $4.5 bond initiative, to $27 per $100,000 assessed value for the revised $3.8 million plan.
Residents will vote on the revised plan on July 29 from noon to 9 p.m. at Haviland Middle School.