Another response to Mayor Strevells Press Releas

The following is a letter to the Register Star editor:
Following that on this blog is my full explanation of my and/or Town of Kinerhook role.



Francis Vecellio
9 Rothermel Avenue
Kinderhook, NY 12106

October 13, 2009

Register Star
364 Warren St.
Hudson, NY 12534

To the Editor:

I read with amusement Mayor Gary Strevell’s attempt to shift blame for the Valatie Senior Center fiasco to Kinderhook Supervisor Doug McGivney. Let’s see what would have had to occur for McGivney to have been responsible:

First, Doug would have had to force the Village Board to threaten to use an imminent domain proceeding to acquire the old post office from private developers. Then, he would have had to force village officials to sign a grant application swearing that the grant money would be used for an exclusive senior center and to not use the funds for municipal purposes – when an established senior center already exists on State Farm Road. When the rehabilitation of the post office was complete, Doug would have to have ordered the firing of the volunteer senior center coordinator and carted off the furniture donated for the center for storage in order to make room for village court equipment and furnishings. In order to flaunt the misappropriation of public funds, Doug would have had to have ordered the erection of street signs around the village directing drivers to village court at the senior center.

Does the Mayor really believe anyone would buy his nonsense?

Either the Mayor and Village Board were poorly advised by the village attorney, who now seeks a promotion to control town affairs, or they chose to ignore his advice and risk being caught defrauding the state and senior citizens in some other community who could have benefited from a full-time senior center.

I know for a fact that Supervisor McGivney interceded in behalf of the taxpayers of the village and encouraged state officials to find a solution which would not require the repayment of the $400,000 grant. If the Mayor were a more responsible person, he would be thanking Supervisor McGivney and apologizing to village taxpayers for putting them at risk. Then again, if he were such a person, the entire episode would never have occurred.

Sincerely,



Francis Vecellio
Kinderhoook

758-1683 or 929-0005