NEW PALTZ – A public hearing Wednesday night gathered more comments on the possible consolidation of the Town and the Village of New Paltz.
Boards from both the village and town endorsed a Proposed Joint Consolidation Agreement at joint board meeting June 1.
After this hearing, the final of three, both boards may adopt a final version of the joint consolidation agreement and set a date for a referendum at a later date, or the boards may opt to stop the process.
If a referendum is scheduled, voters in both the village and those living in the town outside the village will cast ballots on whether to consolidate the village into the town.
Joe Miller, of the New Paltz Fire Department, said department has received a memo from its lawyers and will review it.
“Currently, our members do not have an agreement with the village or the town concerning fire services should be consolidation be approved,” said Miller.
Village resident Paul Brown spoke in favor of the village’s existence, civic pride and its independence.
“The Village of New Paltz is no hole in anyone’s doughnut as characterized by your consultants and some public officials,” he said. “All you will accomplish by in dis-incorporating the village is to consolidate power in the office of the supervisor of the Town of New Paltz.”
Other speakers spoke against the plan, stating that a possible November referendum is too soon or are concerned about property tax increases as other speakers cited streamlined services as a positive outcome of consolidation.
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