Editorial Preface: Before you read about what went on at this meeting, I’d like to highlight what did not happen and preface that information with a summary of a motion which occurred after the Public Comment about Town issues section of the Official Town Board Meeting of last month,  June 21, 2018. As the 6. 21. 18 meeting of the Union Vale Town Board ended, Supervisor Maas brought up the fact the the Contract with …

Non-agenda Town Bd. Meeting– July 5, 2018Read More »

  These are the people to call regarding their work on the Town Board: For best results, call all or email all members.  Betsy Maas email: supervisor@unionvaleny.us ; office phone 724-5600 Dave McMorris-email: mcmorris.uvny@gmail.com ; phone 845-279-5412 Corrina Kelley -email:corrinakelley2015@gmail.com ; phone724-3126 John Welsh -email:councilmanjohnwelsh@gmail.com ; phone 724-7060 Steven Frazier-email: councilmanfrazier@gmail.com; phone 845-227-8475 Please have your say. Democracy depends on ALL the people being involved. Thanks for reading, Anne– (The Town Board Meeting began late, …

Public May Comment Meeting: June 21, 2018-UVTown BoardRead More »

(Editor’s comments within the parenthesis–After the last public meeting it became obvious that not permitting public comments or questions during this “working meeting of the Town Board” had severe drawbacks. At the last “official” meeting the Town Board ended up voting to remove the money amounts from the Town Code procurement policy — this was a good idea to remove the costs, which change with the market, and I applaud this. But the vote was …

Notes on the No-speak, no interaction with constituents 6/7/18 UVTB MeetingRead More »

This “Official”  5/17/18 Union Vale Town Board Meeting was able to be viewed live and is on tape on Channel 22 and also on You Tube. The first Town Board Meeting of each month is still not broadcast or on tape or YouTube, and no constituent participation of any kind is permitted. Why, you wonder? So do I. Call Ms. Maas and ask her to explain her reasoning. Ms. Maas began by saying that prior …

May 17, 2018: The Official Town Board Meeting: taxpayers get to speak! Taped broadcast is on channel 22 and on Youtube.Read More »

Once, again, before we start, do you wonder, as I do, why there is no electronic recording of this other than those that members of the Union Vale Democratic Committee make on their own? Public business is discussed and public tax monies hang in the balance, so why no public distribution of the conversation? If you wonder too, please call ALL of the members of the Town Board and ask why. The first item was …

May 3, No Electronic Record, No Constituents Comment UVTBd MeetingRead More »

Prior to the Official Union Vale Town Board Meeting (UVTBM), there was a public hearing on Local Law to Amend Town Code for Collection of Escrow Deposits by Zoning Board of Appeals. No one from the public rose to speak, so the Union Vale Town Board (UVTB) voted unanimously to amend the Town Code as stipulated in the resolution. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. After the minutes were approved, …

April 20, 2018: Official UVTown Bd. Meeting: We Get to Ask QuestionsRead More »

Once again, although this summary has been put together from notes of those attending and and a recording taken by by an attendee, there is no effort on the part of the town to have this meeting officially recorded either in audio or visual form. This is a new policy this year, and the concerned reader should inquire of Supervisor Maas, who initiated it, as to why this policy is in effect. This writer sees …

No audio-visual Town Hall meeting of April 5, 2018Read More »

This Town Board Meeting is referred to as a “Work Meeting,” and Ms. Maas made clear it needs not have minutes, video recording, or public comment. We in Union Vale now have only one Town Board meeting, the second meeting of each month at which there are minutes taken, video recorded, and public comment and questions accepted– but this last has been changed to a three minute maximum as of the last public comment session …

Notes on No Minutes, No Public Comment, No Video Town Bd. Meeting 3.1.18Read More »

Notes on February 15, 2018 meeting, the once -a -month kind of meeting that is now called the “Official Town Board Meeting” Just to be clear: this official type of meeting is now the only Town Board Meeting that will have televised documentation. The second “working meeting” does not. Also during this 2/15/18 meeting a three minute cut off on Public Comments was imposed in the middle of a public comment. At this one Official …

February 15, 2018 UV TBMRead More »

Having attended the “Working Town Board Meeting”  on February 1, 2018, and listened to the Town Board members discuss the topics each has accepted as a focal point for possible revision of town procedures, I was struck most by the absence of time set aside for input of any public comment about the motions voted on at the last Town Board Meeting of Jan. 18, 2018, when a majority of the Board voted to “move …

No visual record meeting of Union Vale Town Board 2.1.18Read More »