What are trustees’ real agendas?

I have sat back for the past several months watching and listening to our most recent elected officials in an attempt to understand the real reasons why they choose to run for public office. At this time I find it necessary to bring out the following points and I think we should all be asking for answers to these questions:

• In his very first official meeting one of our Trustees made it a point to remove a dumpster belonging to village employees from the wastewater treatment plant. Keeping in mind that this dumpster was at no expense to the village nor was anyone making profit on it, it was said to be a private enterprise. He also stated that it was a liability to the village and was setting a bad example and in his opinion a class E felony. However the board is still allowing another private dumpster to remain on village property and allows a local contractor to park his equipment on village property. Was this really done to protect the liability of the village and to set a good example or was it done to blatantly attack the village employees?
• Prior to taking office one of our board members made a point to bring out that our past village administrator had not paid his water bill and again this was setting a bad example and should be addressed. However, we now have a member of the board who has not paid his most recent water bill. Although unsubstantiated, I have been told by many that he wants the bill placed on his taxes so that it can be written off. Is this setting a good example or more importantly is it legal?
• Was the time and money spent to abolish the village administrator’s position done for the betterment of the community or was it done to make good on campaign promises which, other than running on the shirt tails of our current mayor, was obviously the main reason you were able to get elected?
• The wasteful spending of money to bring in and get advice from another engineering firm when it had already decided to go forward with the wastewater treatment plant with data supplied by a long standing reputable engineering firm used by the village for many years.
• Is the cutting of manhours budgeted to our already understaffed and overworked police department really an attempt to make Dansville a secure place to live? Or could it be a political attempt to destroy and do away with our local department and bring in the county sheriff’s office to handle law enforcement in our community?
• We have an elderly, longtime resident that unknowingly placed brush at the curbside before the scheduled brush pick up. This resident received a letter stating that if it wasn’t removed she would be facing a citation for violation of the village code. She complied immediately. Back in the spring I met with the mayor, deputy mayor and the chief of police to discuss my concerns over property owned by one of our village trustees. At this time I filed an official complaint and was told that the matter would go through the process and be taken care of. I have just learned that to date the only action taken was that this trustee was sent a letter and nothing more. The property has yet to be cleaned up and gives the appearance that our village official is snubbing his nose at the village codes while others are made to comply.

Although there is much more that could be said I think it’s time for our village officials to step back and take a serious look at what they are trying to accomplish. Are you really trying to make Dansville a better place to live or is your agenda to satisfy yourselves and few others by destroying the village and pushing this community into liquidation.

Dennis C. Cox, Dansville