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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7-22-2020 Transcript HWY Public Hearing07-22-2020PublicHearingHS.mp3 Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:00:00] ​And we'll now open the Public Hearing on the proposed local law to abolish the elective office of the Highway Superintendent of the Town of Enfield and create the appointed office of the Highway Superintendent of the Town of Enfield. Ellen could please read the Public Hearing notice. Town Clerk Ellen Woods ​[00:00:28] ​Notice of Public Hearings. Seven, twenty to twenty, six thirty p.m. please take notice that a Public Hearing will be held upon July 22nd, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.. via the Zoom online meeting platform. In the town of Enfield, New York, for the purpose of receiving public input and comments upon 2 proposed local laws. Notice of Public Hearing for proposed local law of the year 2020 to abolish the elective office of Highway Superintendent and create the appointed office of Highway Superintendent of the Town of Enfield, New York. Please take notice that a Public Hearing will be held upon July 22, 2020, 6:30 p.m. Via Zoom online meeting point forum in the Town of Enfield, New York. For the purpose of receiving public input and comments upon local law 2020 to adopt a local law to convert the position of Town Highway Superintendent from an elective to an appointed position at the end of the current officers term, subject to a mandatory Town line public reference. Such local law is on file and available for review with the Town Clerk's office for anyone to desiring to review the same local laws also published for public review in the window of the Town Hall 168 Enfield Main Road Ithaca, New York 14850. The local law may be accessed at the Web site of the town of Enfield at the time and the place of such Public Hearing. The Town Board will take statements, testimony and evidence for all persons interested in the subject. Hereof and concerning the same. And the Town Board may or will take such other action there upon as is required and permitted by law. All residents of the Town and the general public are invited to attend the Public Hearing. Individuals with a visual hearing and other impairments or disabilities that require or request assistance should contact Town Clerk Ellen Woods 607-273-8256 or Town Clerk and Townofenfield.org at least forty eight hours to the time of the Public Hearing. The town of Enfield Web site contains information on how to participate in a Public Hearing by telephone or online. Comments may also be dropped off in a secure Dropbox of the Town Hall at 168 Enfield Main Road Ithaca, New York 14850 mailed to the same address or email to townboard@townofenfield.org. Comments must be received by July 22nd 2020 to be read at the Public Hearing and it's dated 7/11/2020. By order of the Town Board, Ellen Woods Town Clerk Town of Enfield. And I'm just noting for the record that this was published on 7/15 in the paper record for the town of Enfield, which is the Ithaca Journal. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:03:15] ​Thank you. Stephanie, would you please read the proposed law? Councilperson Stephanie Redmond ​[00:03:23] ​Yes. OK. A local law abolishing the elective office of Highway Superintendent and creating the appointed office of Highway Superintendent of the Town of Enfield, New York. Be it enacted by the Town Board of the town of Enfield, New York, as follows Article one. Pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law 10, the Town hereby abolishes the elected or the elected office of the Highway Superintendent affected at the effective at the expiration of the term of office of the present incumbent at the day. At the end of the day. December 31, 2021. Article 2. The elective office of superintendent is hereby abolished as of the term of office of the present incumbent at the end of the day, December 31,v2021. Article 3. The appointive office of the Superintendent is hereby created as of January 1st. 2022, the first day of January, succeeding the first biennial Town election held after the effective date of this local law. Article 4 at the biannual Town election succeeding the effective date of this local law. No superintendent shall be elected. And upon the expiration of the term of the elected superintendent for whom no successor shall be elected, the board shall appoint a superintendent who shall hold office for a term of two years commencing January 1st. 2022, the first day of January 20, January, succeeding the expiration of the of the term of Office of the Elective Superintendent Article 5. This local law self supersede Town law 21 Ab with respect to the mode of selection of the Highway Superintendent. Article 6. This local law is subject to mandatory referendum according to the provisions of Municipal Home Rule Law 23 shall local law # blank of 2020 entitled Local Law abolishing the elective office of the Highway Superintendent and establishing the appointed office of Highway Superintendent of the Town of Enfield be approved. And that's the law. Article 7. This local law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State and after approval of the majority of the electors of voting thereon in accordance with the requirements of municipal home rule law. Number 22. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:05:53] ​Thank you. So as with the first proposed local law, this, if adopted by the Town Board, would move to referendum for the electors of the Town to decide how they would like these positions to be chosen. And just to repeat, this local law cannot go into effect unless approved by the majority of voters in Enfield. So as with before a public comment, all people who wish to have three minutes to speak may. All comments must be directed to the entire board, not to other red or the other residents. This is an opportunity for residents to share their comments regarding the public, the issue at Public Hearing. It is not a debate and board members are not obligated to respond. Please state your name. When you're called upon and for the hearing record before beginning your comments, if you want to comment and want to be recognized, please use the raise your hand option in the Zoom app. Anyone who has not had an opportunity to do that or cannot cannot make their device do it. I will. On mute, as I did at the last one, to make sure that everyone who would like to speak will speak. If you're on the phone, you may use the Star 9 buttons in order to toggle, raising your hand on and off. And I will also repeat that there were 4 email statements that had been shared to the Town Board. Each of them stated opposition to being appointed. And those emails will be shared with the Town Clerk, for the record. McKenzie, Newhart. Mackenzie Newhart ​[00:08:08] ​Hi. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:08:09] ​Hi. Mackenzie Newhart ​[00:08:15] ​So, like before, I'm talking on behalf of not being for this whole thing. So voting for a Town representative means a little more to me now that I'm also helping choose my husband's boss. We have both voted for Buddy for a long time. I have understood why Buddy hired a summer helper this summer, because the highway department is behind on their projects because of CoVid. I am very grateful for Buddy that he stood up for his employees this spring with the whole CoVid thing. Hiring help for late in the season cannot be much worse than increasing salaries and changing in hiring positions. I think he should have the access to the money instead of constantly asking permission. As long as is some not a huge purchase, it's going into the Town, which should be the top priority. He has been doing this for 10 plus years. I think he knows what he should be doing right now. If you all were there to hire for someone for a Highway Superintendent job, they would need their CDL experience running equipment and plowing. It's not all about the budget. The members of all of the board have so much disrespect for what these guys do. Plowing the roads is not an easy job I would want to do myself. Beth, you rode in a truck and seen it firsthand. On one of our bad snowy days. They risk their lives. They are on call 24/7. They miss holidays. He's missed Christmas before. To make sure the Town is safe for all of the people I heard in the last meeting, someone say they are paid too much. Funny, because I work at Cornell with no experience, no special license, and make a little over three dollars less than them. I'm still also offered work two weeks at a time, paid for the last four months. So apparently it's not illegal to do that. We don't need a Highway Superintendent in there that will get stone by the cost of the length of their driveway or someone who thinks Meterology is advanced that you can schedule a week out without calling in workers if there is a flood. April 30th blew out of the water literally because there was flooding that day. Wednesday, they called the flood warning. So I wouldn't want to say that is too advanced. We need to keep Enfield elected. And that is all I have said. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:10:54] ​Thank you, McKenzie. Mackenzie Newhart ​[00:10:54] ​You're welcome Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:11:07] ​Ed Heatherington. Ed Hetherington ​[00:11:10] ​All right, Ed Hetherington 210 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca basically Town of Enfield. I want to reiterate my position of wanting to keep these two positions as elected the Clerk and the Highway Superintendent. I do not want to lose my right to be able to vote to pick who I want for a certain position. That is basically all I've got to say. I appreciate you. [00:11:45] ​Taking away his rights. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:11:50] ​Greg Stevenson. Greg Stevenson ​[00:11:55] ​Thank you. I hadn't planned to speak again. But a couple of things compelled me to do that. I start my video here. First of all, I'd like to reiterate how much I feel that while very entertaining, a Zoom meeting is not a legit Public Hearing with respect to the Highway Superintendent job, in the years that I've lived in Enfield about 28 years. We've had a handful of Highway Superintendents and they all brought a minimum competence to the job. They also brought varied skills and abilities depending on the individual. But what they all brought to the job was a passion for the job and a passion that I think is rarely seen in a career. I think that's to the benefit of the Town. And I'm I'm thankful for what all of those Highway Superintendents have done for the Town. Lastly, before I let others speak, I think maybe I didn't hear something right, but I thought that I heard Town Board members suggest that Town residents who's in favor of electing department head level positions, that allowing them to spend unlimited amounts of money is somehow synonymous. And again, maybe I missed something. But clearly, I think the voters, elect officials, including the Town Board members, to work together to make the town go. I don't think anybody that I know feels that we should elect a Highway Superintendent and then allow him or her to spend money unchecked. I think that's to suggest otherwise is, I think, very misleading. So thank you for your time. And thank you for your service. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:14:38] ​Thanks, Greg. Town Clerk Ellen Woods ​[00:14:55] ​So I'd like to speak briefly on behalf of the Highway Superintendent and on behalf of the electoral process. Ellen Woods ​[00:15:02] ​So, you know, when I when I was elected, I didn't know very much about Buddy Rollins. And I think we all know that when Buddy was elected, he ran against Denny Hubbell, who currently runs the Fire Company and who was a Supervisor in dispatch for 20 years. So there's. There's very few people I believe are just as qualified as Denny, but they ran against each other twice and the town of Enfield decided that they don't want the same person running the highway department and the fire company. And that's fair. And that just speaks to the wisdom of the electorate. But this was very much clash of the Titans. Both of these men have extensive experience in highway department operations, which are very vital and safety oriented operations. So I'd also like to speak to the idea that the board would be like really influencing day to day operations. At first I thought it was more appropriate. But when I saw how the board responded to something in my office, as simple as putting an auto responder on my email was some helpful information from the Town. I was told that certain members of the board would never email me again if I had a simple auto responder, which is very common office practice, and I really cannot believe the level of micromanagement. So speaking specifically to the Student Youth Employment Program, I myself have a student youth employee. And when I took her on board, I was specifically required by Tompkins County to sign paperwork that explicitly stated that I would not replace a paid position with a student youth employee. So I can furnish that paperwork to the board. It's specifically prohibited by the program. And so I think everyone in the Town besides the board can understand the ridiculousness of having a student youth intern that is working for minimum wage, flagging roads and operating heavy equipment. I mean, as a mom, you know. That's not right. But. Additionally, no one on the board actually even called Tompkins County to ask if they could replace a full time highway seasonal employee with a student youth intern. So we're taking people who are not highway employees who do not have a strong OSHA safety background, and they are trying to make day to day operational decisions for the highway department. So I think that is what we need to consider. The other thing that we need to consider is you'll keep bringing up the bookkeeper. And I love the bookkeeper, but he's a contractor. He might be technically in point appointed, but he lives in Horseheads. So the idea that that was a hire on the board said they interviewed him several times. Did you interview several people? Because usually you interview three people one time, not one person three times. So the idea that the board even knows how to conduct the hiring process is sort of suspect. So that's all I have to say. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:18:21] ​Thank you. Ann Rider. Ann Rider ​[00:18:33] ​... Yes. I didn't plan to speak again. But it's. Some, changed my mind. I am against changing this office to appointed. But I and I feel that this is a no go and we'll continue to to be an elected position by referendum. But this is not a perfect scenario and there are many things that are unrepresentational, especially about the Highway Superintendent. For instance. My guess is about 40 percent of the electorate live on Town roads are actually affected by this position. The majority of people in this town are not affected by this position and they're that's pretty unfair, it seems to me. But under New York state law the Town Board highway budget and for any Town Board member to say they want to abdicate that responsibility is not fulfilling their position as a Town Councilperson. OK. It's going to be confrontational. It's not going to be easy. It's part of the job. And that is the control that the Town Board has over the Highway Superintendent the budget to roll over and not take any responsibility or interest in that process is most, most most dangerous to this municipality. It's the biggest part of the budget. And you gotta step up to the plate and do your job. You have control over the budget and you need to exert control. Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:21:18] ​Thank you Ann. Buddy Rollins. Superintendent Buddy Rollins ​[00:21:34] ​Yes, Buddy 139 South Applegate Road. We're discussing whether it would be better to appoint a Highway Superintendent because then not just one person will be in charge of the highway budget false. The Highway Superintendent is not in charge of the highway budget. The Town Board decides that the Highway Superintendent manages it. Some facts. Appointed Highway Superintendent has the same responsibility and authority by highway law as an elected. If you had an appointed Highway Superintendent. Then you have a minimum of three people deciding who is the best choice instead of over 3000 residents of Enfield. The only true difference between an elected and appointed Highway Superintendent is the board hires who they want. They can also fire an appointed Highway Superintendent at their will and they can hire an out of town person. As a board, as a Town Board, look at your qualifications, who are on the board right now can honestly say they understand highway work and laws enough to choose a superintendent. When still today, I have heard many of you say you are still learning about your jobs as board members and the Town business. The Town has many residents that are qualified to make this choice because of their experience and knowledge. This is why I believe the position should remain elected. And I echo this for the position of the Town Clerk. These positions both. Should both be elected. I also want to say there is already on record at least a hundred and fifteen residents that do not want these positions to be appointed before the night is over. I would like the board Town Board to inform us how many residents, why this issue brought to the table, or is it simply this board's ideal an agenda? That's all. Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:24:02] ​Thanks, Buddy. Gabe Newhart. Gabe Newhart ​[00:24:10] ​All right. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:24:11] ​I. Gabe ​Newhart ​[00:24:13] ​Gabe Newhart 183 Griffin Road, Newfield, New York. I just want to say I'm opposed about these two new laws. I don't know who in their right mind will give up their right to vote. That's all I got to say. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:24:36] ​Thanks to Dave. Joanna Green. Joanna Green. Joanna Green ​[00:25:00] ​Yes. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:25:05] ​Joanna. Joanna Green ​[00:25:06] ​Sorry. Sorry, I was doing my laundry. I was listening, though. I want to say just that. I really appreciate Buddy's work and I love what he's done on our roads sometimes, but I don't I don't think that's the issue. I think just like the Town Clerk. I don't think there's a compelling reason to go to an appointed position. However. One of my great frustrations living in the town of Enfield is watching some of the decisions, some of the management of our roadways that the current Highway Superintendent is putting in place. And so whatever the I mean, hopefully we'll keep this as an elected position. But I do think that there needs to be some mechanism and perhaps there is for public input into the priorities of the highway department, which I have grave reservations about. And I just I you know, I just I have failed to find a way to act on that, though, on those concerns that I have. But I would encourage us as a Town maybe there could be some kind of highway advisory committee or something. But I just I, I my heart breaks when I see some of the things that are being done by the highway crew to some of our most beautiful rural roads. So I want it to stay in elected position, but I want to figure out some way of having more public input and dialog with the Highway Superintendent. Thanks. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:26:59] ​Thanks Joanna. I'm unmuting everyone, if there's anyone who has not spoken on the issue at hand for the Public Hearing regarding the Highway Superintendent position. Is there anyone who would like to speak who has not? [00:27:23] ​I kind of would like you to answer Buddy question, if you don't mind. How many people in the Town actually wanted this as a referendum? Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:27:35] ​This is a place for you to make your comments. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:28:04] ​ Tammy Alling. Tammy Alling ​[00:28:12] ​I am going to say at this time, I can't. I want to say at this time, I can't believe that we're going through this with everything else that's going on in the world. Another thing to worry about, another thing that disputes, another thing to have an upset over or be in the news about Enfield has obviously been in the public eye quite a bit lately. And it doesn't really need to be, in my opinion. But I'm still against the board trying to make these positions appointed instead of elective. There's too much people not playing nice or people not getting along. And I think that's ridiculous, as we're all supposed to be trying to get along, even even in positions or people you don't like in this world. You still have to deal with it and you still have to move on and try to make things work. I travel in the morning, early morning hours in winter conditions on at least three Town roads, one county record and one or maybe two state roads. I have to say that by our Town, whoever does my road and a couple of other roads I travel on are done very early in the morning and I really appreciate that. I can't say the other roads are just as nice. There's been some days that I don't know how I managed to go on them and be able to get through them to get to the other roads, to be able to get to Ithaca. Every time I've needed one of them, they've been very punctual. Worked very well with the fire company as far as I'm concerned. I've been to quite a few meetings, this Zoom business. This is not for anybody that is over 40. In my opinion and I'm not I'm well over 40. This is hard for me to even do. And I think it's absolutely not fair to the public. I think that, you know, you people aren't thinking about the fact of other people that don't have the accessibility. I'm all in a Town with not as much Internet and things like that. It's not fair. And I don't think that you're taking a lot of that in consideration. And I think it's all about whoever's making these decisions. It's all about you. It's not about the Town. The decisions being made are about you. So why don't we try working together as a team and make this work? Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:30:33] ​Thanks, Tammy. Is there anyone who has not spoken for the Public Hearing on the issue at hand regarding the Highway Superintendent position? [00:30:52] ​Yeah, this is.... Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:30:55] ​I'm sorry. Courtney. Courtney Bailey ​[00:30:59] ​Yes,. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:31:00] ​Go ahead Courtney. Courtney Bailey ​[00:31:04] ​I think Tammy has a point. We've been in the news way too often. All of these changes strike me as a personal agenda. I've seen way too many things that have happened in the last year or so that even being brought up is not in the best interest of our Town. And during CoVid. Yeah. Do we really not have something better to do with our time? I've now been on this call. I got on late so since seven o'clock. And unfortunately, with my kids and dogs, I'm afraid that when I speak, sometimes it's not getting through clear and it's disruptive to the meeting. We have we do we have better things to do at our time. And from the public outcry that I've been hearing about, no, we don't need to change this wasting our town's money to put this down and ballot. It's just that it's wasting our time and it's wasting our money. Everyone does need to learn to get along and diplomacy needs to be part of it, even in stressful times, possibly even more important during these stressful times. And I guess it's all I can say on the matter. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:32:19] ​Thanks, Courtney. Patrick Head ​[00:32:23] ​This is Patrick Head. I am against this being brought up for a vote. I just want to put my opinion out there. We should all keep our right to vote. have a goodnight. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:32:39] ​Thanks, Pat. Ellen. Ellen Woods ​[00:32:53] ​Hi. So so I just had one. One more thing to say. Well, two more things to say, which is I think, you know, I believe that the board members who are saying this and the former board member who are saying this have good intentions. But I'm asking you, please, to realize that this isn't academic for Buddy or for me. We still have to get up every day and we have to want to come in and we want to have to serve this Town. And it's, in my opinion, very naive to think that the board members and their friends who want this initiative are just going to sit back and let the voters just vote how they will. We all know that they're going to campaign their hearts out. And a lot of that campaigning will naturally be focused on destroying two human beings who get up to serve this Town every day. Buddy and I are both human beings. Buddy and I both have to do a job. We both have families. We're both in a pandemic. And I believe in my heart of hearts that the supervisor knows that this is a futile initiative. So I am wondering why she would want to destroy two people for the next six months over a futile initiative. And that's all I have to say. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:34:10] ​I will respond to that. Election Day is in three months and. Whatever way the voters of the Town would decide would be how the Town Board needs to move forward. This Town supervisor is not going to be in office to address it as a member of the public at that time. I will vote on it. But I won't be in office to address it, so I won't be campaigning for it or against it. It is if I vote for it this evening to be put to a referendum. The main reason it is actually I'll give my reasons if that's moved. So at that time. During board discussion. But I just want to be clear that a whole lot of slinging stuff at the Town supervisor happens and the Town supervisor is not the Town boss. The Town supervisor is one member of a five member board. Aaron Abb Aaron Abb ​[00:35:31] ​I am opposed to the proposal for the new law to make the town supervisor of Highway an appointed position. I believe that if the residents have a say, they should be given that opportunity at notice or in or hearing or Town or Town Board meeting to state the priorities that are desired, and I think that an elected position is the best way to do that in this town and the size and shape and the budget that is contained therein. Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:36:18] ​Thank you Aaron. There's a person with their hand raised. Aimee. Aimee Rollins ​[00:36:29] ​Aimee Rollins. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:36:32] ​Go ahead, Amy. Aimee Rollins ​[00:36:34] ​Well, first of all, I'm against, you know, taking away electron elected positions because like other people have said, you're taking away our right to vote. I also wanted to say that I think it's absolutely ridiculous the amount of disrespect shown not only to the Highway Superintendent and the Town Clerk, but also to other board members by the Town Supervisor, just by your facial expressions, shaking your head when people were talking. And I would also I know why you were okay with responding to the Town Clerk, but not when another resident asked a question. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:37:15] ​I didn't respond to the Town Clerk. I clarified a statement that she made. Aimee Rollins ​[00:37:21] ​So you even said you were choosing to respond to the Clerk Town Clerk? Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:37:25] ​Well, I will respond to all of the questions that the board has during the time that we are entertaining this as a as an adoption. Aimee Rollins ​[00:37:34] ​That the board has, but not the residents? Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:37:39] ​Each board member will have an opportunity during the discussion regarding these particular laws to adopt, to state why they're voting one way or another. Aimee Rollins ​[00:37:54] ​Oh, great. But a resident asked you if any residents had brought this to you or if it was just the board members and you will not answer that question. That's my... Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:38:05] ​Though I can answer that and that. I've been in office for almost seven years and many times people have asked why this is not the case. So that's my answer to that question many times. Aimee Rollins ​[00:38:22] ​OK. I have nothing else. Nice to say. So I'm going to stop. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:38:26] ​Thanks. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:38:32] ​Patricia. Patricia Speno ​[00:38:35] ​Hello, I'm Patricia Speno, Deputy Town Clerk of Enfield. And I just want to reiterate on what I said earlier, I can see the advantages of being elected. I can see the advantages of being appointed either. Either job here takes a lot of forethought and planning and consideration. As far as an appointed highway supervisor, superintendent. It's the same as, I guess, the only advantage. The only difference, according to Mr. Rollins, is that you can be fired. Well, anybody anything can happen any time. I'm very happy with the roads the way they are right now at this time. I don't travel all the roads of Enfield, but I do feel that there is always somebody better out there, you know? And as far as my job is concerned, too, you know, it could be here today, gone tomorrow but I do my best every day and I have today and. But as far as changing it from elected to appointed, it would take a lot of information for me to bring that to a vote, you know, to vote on it. I would have to do a lot of research and I have done a little bit. And I know it would require a lot of reorganization within the Town. It would be a very expensive and time consuming process, and it wouldn't happen overnight. Not successfully. That's I do believe the town of Enfield is not quite prepared to make an appointment for Highway Superintendent. Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:40:34] ​Thank you, Patricia. So it's. Denny Hubbell? Denny Hubbell ​[00:40:50] ​Oh. Yup I'm here. Can hear me? Yes. I just wanted to make a quick comment here. Again, I. I oppose, you know, any appointed position. And one thing that I, I learned, I actually had a friend of mine that lives in another county who has an appointed Highway Superintendent. And when I told him about this. And this is something that you have to keep in mind because not knowing who Town Boards are going to be. But he actually told me it took three generations for the last name to change on their Highway Superintendent. So it basically went through three generations of the same family and not necessarily the best people because of the good old boys thing and the Town Board. So that's something. Also, keep in mind, there's absolutely a possibility you never can get a change. So that's all I had. Thanks. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:41:48] ​Thank you, Denny. I'm going to unmute everyone. Is there anyone who has not spoken for privilege of the floor who would like to or I'm sorry for the Public Hearing? Art Godin ​[00:42:27] ​Hello, Joanna. Green is yielding her rectangle on this Zoom call to me. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:42:33] ​Art? Hi Art Art Godin ​[00:42:34] ​Yes, hi. This is a small point. I just don't get. How? How? I think I think the Zoom calls are worth having and I thank the board for organizing this call, I don't know how we could get together in person at a meeting involving this many people, but I know that for me, this discussion has been very valuable and I appreciate what everyone had to say. And I think if there are people out there, older people that can't use Zoom, perhaps we could find a way to teach them how, given that that's probably the best way we have to get together and have discussions like this currently. I don't think it's that hard. And I do appreciate the opportunity to hear everyone's voice. Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:43:33] ​Thanks Art. Bob Lynch. Robert Lynch ​[00:43:40] ​Good evening. I'm speaking as an individual, but of course, I am a member of the Town Board. Robert Lynch, 175 Gray Road Town of Enfield. Let's make one thing clear. The decisions before us tonight are not about choice. They're about power, raw political power. Say their names. Let's be polite. I'll say only my own Councilperson Robert Lynch. The question before us tonight is whether I and my four colleagues can grab as much power as we can by taking it away from others, namely our constituents. It's the power to elect the next Town Clerk and Highway Superintendent. Let's be precise. It's the power of any three member majority of us to do so. Why do we seek that power? Because some unnamed members among us don't like Buddy, Rollin's or Ellen Woods, all that much. We scrap with them at meetings and launched snarky exchanges on Town email. That's not a good enough reason for me. Elections resolve personality fights like that. Stealing democracy from the voters does not. I, for one, don't want more power. It's one of five on this legislative body. I've got enough power already. I don't want to rule the excavator, patch the pothole or sell the dog license, nor hire the person who does that stuff. Let the voters do the hiring and the firing. Not me. I've been told these proposed referendums are about giving the voters a choice, but to me the argument rings hollow, collapsing on its face through comparison. We can decide lots of things by referendum. Suppose I proposed we abolish the town of Enfield. It might save money in this pandemic split the town right down Route 79, the north coast, Ulysses, the south goes to Newfield. You're crazy, Bob. Most would tell me we love our Town. Why did you ever do that? And why did we ever vote for you? But I am only offering you a choice. I might respond. We don't want that choice. They'd answer. We want Enfield. First, they'd vote down this initiative with near unanimity, then they'd exact revenge, removing me in the next election with democracy's equivalent of banishment to Alcatraz. My own term comes up in 2023. I'd like to be reelected. I'd like this community's respect then and now. I would think you, my colleagues would also want that respect. Whether or not you intend to run again. That's why I will proudly vote no tonight on these local laws. I hope you will vote no as well. Thank you. Supervisor Beth McGee ​[00:46:38] ​Thank you Bob. OK, I'm unmuting everyone once again. Is there anyone who is not spoken who would like to speak at the Public Hearing?