To the Editor:

I would like to comment on Councilman William Bichteman’s letter to the editor of Oct. 13, 2016.  He writes, “The Building Committee is comprised of the town board members and several experienced members of the community.”

He is correct in his reference “comprised of the town board members” but the “several experienced members” does not hold water with me. The word “experienced” is not the issue, it is the word “several.” There are only two residents of the town: Mr. Mike Sikule and Mr. Dick Umholtz who serve on the Building Committee along with Councilman Bichteman and the rest of the town board members. Two does not represent several.

Out of respect, I do compliment Councilman Bichteman for his sort of informative letter, but all my questions that requested a dollar amount for an answer have still not been addressed. Why?

Nor has the dollar amount of over $400,000 of interest on the building renovation loan been mentioned. Why?

The exclusion or lack of mentioning of $80,000, which had been previously approved for the basement asbestos abatement, does not paint a factual picture in my mind or the minds of many other taxpayers.  For all the voters, including renters, who I believe will have the cost passed on to them either directly or indirectly, I suggest you hunt for the location on the referendum of your ballot on Election Day.

Although,  you may read $887,000, remember this fact: The project will cost over a million dollars.  A total of $1,367,000 could be just the start of more expenses.

The highway-garage project is still being held open.  Is Westerlo going to go above the 2-percent tax cap?  If so, what is the percent? For what purpose and when will this be disclosed to the public? Will our fire company and rescue squad need more funding now and in the future?

Also ask yourselves the question: Is there a calculated time slot for all of this?  In my mind, it appears that some juggling or maneuvering has or is taking place.

Councilman Bichteman wrote, “The Building Committee met an extraordinary number of times…”  Does this mean a new budget line item for increased wages or added salaries to compensate Building Committee members?

We in the gallery have sat and endured multi-everything; we have not been financially compensated. We do have our own personal obligations and, since we are civic minded and caring, we do not want anything including monetary compensation. We do want our town’s government to be transparent and perform in a proper democratic fashion.

Councilman Bichteman wrote that “each solution option was thoroughly explored.” I ask: Where is the written data, including dollar amounts, of all your sources and why was this information not presented to the public?

As I recall, only Councilwoman Amie Burnside began a research on Palatine’s project (which was similar to Westerlo’s) but she was shut down almost at the start.  It kind of reminded me of old days when ex-Councilman Jack Milner was trying to represent the town, but was blocked off at every turn.  Why?

Continuing on, I took one of the tours. Wow! In reference to this, I could give another page of comments.  It was obvious to me that this building suffered long-term neglect and still suffers it today.

Everywhere I looked, it was evident, in order for a building to represent pride and convey it publicly, the answer was not in what over a million dollars could provide. What has the past six years of this building shown in reference to attention, maintenance, organization, management, supervision, etc.?

This tour, alerted me to a Christmas tree. I observed a Christmas tree from the holiday season still on the stage four months later.  Now it was just lying on the floor.  I believe it was in Supervisor Richard Rapp’s office. When that tree was on stage, I watched it for a time, wondering when someone was going to put it away in storage.  This tree stood on the same stage, in back of our town board representatives, near the upright vacuum, and was in plain view of every member of the public at board meetings.

One meeting, I was glad to see that someone finally put the tree away — the vacuum stayed and is still there.  Lo and behold, when the tour entered that room, I saw the Christmas tree just lying on the floor, half collapsed, unboxed, and semi-abandoned.

It wasn’t just the tree; it was what it represented — the total lack of caring for what really should have been.  This same room under the new project plan, as I understand it, will be divided into three rooms with windows redesigned and cut into the brick.

The blueprint flyer was lacking the size dimensions of the rooms, so I can’t tell you the sizes.  One room, out of those three, will be for the State Troopers.  I laughed to myself as I visualized the shoulders of the officers hitting both sides of the walls. I hope the Troopers aren’t claustrophobic.

So now we hear, pertaining to the building, something to the statement that the past is over.  I say the past will always be with us, especially if we don’t learn by it.  In conclusion, remember in reference to the referendum — it is your vote and your dollars.

Anita Marrone

Westerlo