Mid Hudson Times Nov. 30 2016 | Page 4

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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , November 30 , 2016

Cameron will continue to receive police-chief salary

In Brief

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on Cameron ’ s term as acting police chief , the city council voted to create the deputy police-chief position – absent in the city since 2010 . Prior to being appointed acting police chief , Cameron served as a police lieutenant .

Cameron , who “ for all intents and purposes ” still performs the police chief ’ s job , works 60 to 70 hours per week , Ciaravino said . This generates a lot of overtime . He estimated , that in the unionized lieutenant position , Cameron would make $ 60,000 per year in overtime .

“ It would pay a heck of a lot more ,” Ciaravino said . In contrast , the deputy police-chief position would pay $ 116 with no overtime . Ciaravino described this as a “ tremendous bargain ” for the city .

City Corporate Counsel Michelle Kelson said it was both economical and “ fair to Dan Cameron , who is doing the same work , to keep the level of pay the same .”

“ If I wanted to make money on the deal , I would go

Deputy Police Chief Dan Cameron back to being lieutenant ,” Cameron said last Thursday . “ I have never been about that in my 20-year career .”

“ You are doing an excellent job with the community ,”

While having broad support from the public in his said Councilwoman Hillary Rayford , addressing Cameron role as acting police chief , Cameron has been repeatedly directly at City Hall last week . “ This back and forth has criticized for not taking the open exam by some city to stop … if there ’ s a test , please take the test .” council members . The criticism continued this week .

City adopts $ 44.4 million budget

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B ” option to lower the homestead tax rate , shifting the tax burden so homestead taxes on a $ 200,000 property would go down by $ 31 and non-residential taxes would go up $ 142 . But , it was defeated in a four-to-three council vote . Council members Torrance Harvey , Hillary Rayford and Cindy Holmes voted in support of this plan .

“ This a referendum on seniors ,” Harvey shouted , arguing seniors can no longer afford to pay the taxes on their homes .

Rev . Nelson McAllister referred to the Boston Tea Party at the beginning of the American Revolution , a time when colonists protested being taxed without representation . “ We are taxed beyond measure , with representation ,” McAllister said . “ The tax burden is getting too heavy for me as a homeowner .”

McAllister added , “ With a business , you can raise the prices … but a lot of us seniors are on a fixed income , and when the taxes go up , we can ’ t raise our income .”

“ We had to choose ,” said Councilwoman Genie Abrams .

“ It was a hard choice .”

“ My taxes are extremely high ,” said Councilwoman Karen Mejia , who said she bought her home “ at the height ” of the housing-market boom . In order to move the city forward , however , there needs to be a “ heavy focus ” on economic development , Mejia said .

On that note , Mejia said the city needs to “ be careful with the type of economic development that comes in .” The state-subsidized Mid-Broadway housing development , for example , will pay about $ 50,000 less per year than similar-sized projects without tax breaks from the city .

“ Unless we get more new ratables , your choice is between bad and worse ,” said city Democratic Committee Chairman Jonathan Jacobson , speaking about tax-paying properties . “ Parks are nice , but we need more ratables .”

The city comptroller highlighted the fact that many valuable properties in the city are owned by tax-exempt organizations , including non-profits , churches and schools . “ Everybody on this council believes the taxes are too high ,” said the mayor . “ Some of us are very much struggling to pay our own taxes .”

The city ’ s heavy tax burden is a direct result of the botched courthouse project , which blew up in 2009 , Kennedy said . “ That burden came along when this city was a week and half away from bankruptcy ,” she said , thanks to the project , which ran overbudget by $ 10 million . “ That happened long before any of us arrived here ,” she said . “ Unfortunately , there ’ s no way out of it … we have to pay those bonds .”

“ When it comes to trying to manage this budget , for the last three years , this council has kept the budget even ,” Kennedy said . “ We have squeezed and squeezed to make this work .”

PFOS forum planned for Monday

The City of Newburgh will host the fourth forum covering PFOS contamination of the City of Newburgh water supply at the Baptist Temple Church on Monday night .

The forum will include community stakeholders including clergy from various religious organizations . State officials are expected to attend . The forum begins at 7 p . m .

The Baptist Temple Church is located at 7 William Street in the City of Newburgh .

Department of Health to hold Lead Safe Coalition meeting

Orange County ’ s Department of Health is holding a Lead Safe Newburgh Coalition community outreach meeting from 10 a . m . to noon on Friday , December 9 at the Kaplan Hall Great Room on the campus of SUNY Orange in Newburgh .

The Lead Safe Newburgh ( LSN ) Coalition has been working to unite all sectors of the community to put an end to childhood lead poisoning in the City of Newburgh . Orange County ’ s Department of Health Lead Safe Orange programs regularly work with community agencies , primary care providers , daycare providers and families to provide lead poisoning prevention education , stressing the importance of having every child tested for lead and offering in-home lead inspections to eligible families .

The Orange County Department of Health is looking for residents and agencies to be on the LSN planning committee . Please contact Heidi Meehan if you are interested in participating in this coalition at 360-6680 or email at hmeehan @ orangecountygov . com .

Police to conduct gun buy back

The City of Newburgh Police Department and the New York State Attorney General ’ s office will conduct another gun buy back day on Friday , Dec . 16 , 10 a . m . - 1 p . m . at the City of Newburgh Recreation Center , 401 Washington Street .

Up to $ 150 will be paid for assault weapons - no questions asked - while handguns will fetch $ 100 . Rifles and shotguns will command $ 100 , and $ 25 will be paid for non-working or antique firearms .

Payment will be made in the form of gift cards . In accordance with the amnesty program , no questions will be asked . Members of the public may bring as many firearms as they wish to surrender .

Contact the New York State Attorney General ’ s office at 485-3900 for more information .