Response to Mayor Strevell's Comments onValatie Senior Center

This is response to the press release by Village of Valatie Mayor Gary Strevell, and published in the Register Star.

The following are the facts, as compared to Gary’s rant:

1. I did not oppose the grant. Neither was I asked to support.
2. I did not try to get the state to revoke the grant.
3. I did not demand that Valatie remove may name.

4. I did offer to help.

That offer was to be conveyed to Mayor Strevell by Mr. Rabito. Mayor Strevell never contacted me. Mr. Grattan did contact me to explore ideas, but there was no follow up. I did not want the Valatie Tax payers to return the $ 400,000.00 and stated such to all that asked including Mr. Rabito.

5. I did meet once with Mr. Rabito.

That occurred – last March or April, in the company of Tri Village Seniors representatives and the RS (Paul Crossman).

6. I did contact the State ..

when the sign indicated that I, as Supervisor for the Town of Kinderhook, supported and sponsored the grant. I did not call Mr. Rabito, as I did not know him at the time. I did state that I was never asked to support nor was the Town Board of Kinderhook neither asked for support nor asked to sponsor the facility. If I had been asked at the time of the grant application, I am sure I would have echoed the sentiments of Dottie Ostrowski, President of the Tri Village Seniors club. She was contacted by a Valatie official and she said no, as Tri Village Seniors had a center. Her response was not mentioned in the grant application although the grant application indicates that the Tri Village Seniors supported it. Shortly after relaying the truth of the matter to NYS my name was removed.

As is apparent from Mayor Strevell’s statement to the Register Star and on the Valatie Web Site, and even statements attributed to other Village officials there is no real intent to operate a Senior Center, as envisioned by the grant application. Village officials hope NYS will stop policing its use by signing the Memorandum of Understanding. Mayor Strevell and Attorney Patrick Grattan are apparently ignorant of the law which provides that for five (5) years they are subject to the pay back and other remedies if they stray from providing the services they have promised. The annual debt service on the $ 120,000.00 Valatie borrowed for the center and the cost of operation of all the activities promised by the grant application and law governing same will be a tremendous burden on the Valatie taxpayers.

The lack of a population base of a size to support the center is a recipe for failure. Remember this is not just a place for seniors to gather – like Kinderhook’s Dottie Ostrowski Center, it is a full time and full service operation for poor seniors. The Village officials in order to qualify for the grant had to offer a full time and full service facility that provided congregate meals and other services for needy seniors. In order to get the grant, Valatie’s grant includes Barnwell and Valatie Woods Residents in its service population. Valatie Wood’s residence have a meeting place and receive “Meals on Wheels” that serves many of its residents and they like the program of meals delivered to their door. Barnwell residents receive “congregate meals” as part of the cost of residence. There are only 62 seniors in the Village of Valatie that receive Enhanced Star exemptions. How many of them want regular “congregate meals”? There has been no survey to determine this, but it is doubted that many want regular congregate meals. Those who want meals get them from the Town and County “Meals on Wheels” program. Mr. Grattan’s claim of 333 rental units seems very high, unless Valatie Woods and Barnwell are counted. Even if there were 333 rental units, not counting Barnwell and Valatie Woods all would have to house seniors desiring all the services offered in this full service facility. The grant, after all was $ 400,000. That kind of money is not given for just a part time gathering place.

The reference to other non-compliant grant recipients by Mayor Strevell is disingenuous; as he fails to disclose is that Valatie’s grant writer Mr. Kirk also obtained those grants. Mr. Kirk had special access to former Governor Pataki’s Office of Small City Grants Program. The Grant Program was even operated out of the Governor’s Second floor offices.

It is ironic for Mayor Strevell to accuse me of “politics” when this grant was announced by former Congressman Sweeney just before an election; was granted by the politically motivated second floor of the Governor Pataki offices, and the grant lacked basic detail like proof of community support from seniors or other Town of County officials. The public hearings heard only from seniors that opposed the application. That opposition was not addressed in the grant application. The numbers of seniors to be served does not exist – but on the grant application. Village residents have to ask themselves, how did we get here? How much will it cost to continue? $120,000.00 has already been borrowed and the village tax rate just went up $0.60 per thousand – way more than Kinderhook Village which was lower to begin with.

What ever happens, I am willing to work on a solution. I previously offered to help through the one meeting I had with Mr. Rabito. Unfortunately, the Valatie leadership continues to think it can use the facility for a village hall and court room as soon as the State turns its back. Already it is paying salaries for the limited services it does offer.