To the Editor:

I would like to comment on two letters to the editor appearing in the Feb. 25, 2021 edition of The Altamont Enterprise. The first letter by Westerlo resident Richard Filkins titled “Everyone can point fingers but sadly it was a tragic accident” was like a breath of clean fresh air.

Kudos to Mr. Filkins as his letter concerning the accident and tragic death of Peter Becker was from the heart, touching and on the mark. Mr. Filkins’s explanation was thoughtful and a result of many years of knowledge and experience as a foreman/supervisor of a large shop. What he said made sense and needed to be said.

Shame, shame, shame on Lawrence Zimmerman for his letter to the editor titled “Politics of resentment could destroy Switzkill.” I checked the calendar, it is Mr. Zimmerman’s turn this week to rant and disparage not only the lawsuit brought by town residents, but also the Town Highway Superintendent Randy Bashwinger, town officials, and opponents of the Game Farm Road property purchase.

For the moment, we are a free country; Mr. Zimmerman and others in his cabal are entitled to their opinions. The merits of the lawsuit brought by town residents regarding the Game Farm property purchase is not Mr. Zimmerman’s or members of his cabal to decide.

Mr. Zimmerman claims that no permissive referendum was required because no borrowed money was used for this clandestine purchase, just “surplus town funds.” I think we are splitting hairs here. Tax money — whether surplus or not — is still taxpayer money.

The Berne Town Board had a duty and obligation to provide appropriate notice to town residents who then may petition within the required time frame for a permissive referendum to allow residents a voice for the expenditure of taxpayer money for property acquisition.

Berne taxpayers were not notified, they were excluded and shut out of the process and blindsided by this purchase — and their tax money spent without their consent or approval. Where was the community participation in this government decision? Where was the transparency? Where was the common sense? Absent!

From what we have learned from comments in The Enterprise since this unnecessary purchase, it appears town board members (those who supposedly knew of it) failed to have the property evaluated or even inspected by a licensed inspector. They admit and lament circumventing their duties by rushing to approve the purchase instead of discussing and exploring the matter thoroughly.

In short, by any measure, they abrogated the obligations of their office and to the public. This is deplorable. Little wonder why there is political divisiveness when elected officials fail to uphold their sworn obligations.

Had taxpayers known of this purchase they would have asked: Why the need? John Boyd Thacher State Park is a mere stone’s throw away.

They have educational programs there for schoolchildren and adults. They hold weddings there. They have picnic areas and walking trails with flora and fauna. The park has great vistas of the Hudson Valley. It’s open and accessible all year!

Within the town of Berne is the Partridge Run Wildlife Management area with nearly 5,000 recreational acres! Also sprinkled within the town of Berne are numerous nature and wildlife preserves containing many hundreds of acres of land.

So why the need to buy Switzkill Farm? Why duplicate what is already available and paid for? Absurd? Absolutely! Where is the common sense? Absent!

We’re told that Switzkill Farm is precious, unique, and wonderous. Really?

Are the woods, trees, knapweeds, milkweeds, chipmunks, deer, mice, squirrels — the flora and fauna found there more precious, more unique, and more wondrous than flora and fauna found at John Boyd Thacher State Park? More precious, more unique and more wondrous than flora and fauna found in the Partridge Run Wildlife Management area or in numerous local nature and wildlife preserves or area farms? I think not.

The sad reality is that the Switzkill Farm property is a white elephant. A financial fiasco swallowing town tax revenue and resources. In my opinion and that of numerous others, calling the flora and fauna of this place precious, unique, or wondrous is ridiculous and absurd.

Did it ever occur to Mr. Zimmerman and those of his ilk that many residents like the quiet rural atmosphere of Berne? They like what it is. They are not interested in more traffic or noise or pollution.

They are not interested in paying for costly buildings with movable roofs for expensive telescopes. Dark-sky certification is not high on their list of priorities.

Frankly, if Mr. Zimmermann and his cabal friends are so interested in telescopes and dark skies, let them go to Kitt Peak, Arizona. There they can find all the telescopes and dark skies they want without having others pay for their fantasies.

I get a kick out of how Democrats have no qualms spending other people’s money and that they know better how your money should be spent. Just absurd and amazing!

Had Berne taxpayers an opportunity for a voice in this purchase and investigated the true state of disrepair of the lodge and other buildings and equipment at the Game Farm Road property, they would have never consented to such a costly and foolish purchase.

Little wonder the Buddhist owners sold the property as they realized to restore it and bring it to code and a habitable condition would have bankrupted them.

I’m curious to know how much tax money has been spent on this so-called “precious, unique and wonderful resource” since acquisition by the town. 

Robert J. Motschmann III

Berne