Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas – Celebrating Jesus’ Birthday
Those are the words we will be reciting tonight when we sing the Christmas Cannon. Yes, this is Christmas Eve and all those whose spiritual practice is within the Christian religion are probably preparing to celebrate the birthday of Jesus the Christ by giving gifts to friends and family. In an odd way, we are preparing our homes and our hearts for God- among us. As we give gifts to each other, we are giving gifts to God who is within us all.
Happy Birthday Jesus-God-Holy Spirit
ONE
within us and around us everywhere
Merry Christmas Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
One resolution recinded... for the moment
February 8, 2011
To the Editor
Last night, after an interesting round of idea sharing by community members and town board members, the town board of the Town of Woodstock rescinded its resolution of January 25th 2011 stating that “Shall the Town of Woodstock transfer up to $50,000 from the Building Capital Reserve type fund to the Community Center Capital Project. We would like to say thank you to those who worked so very hard to help convince our elected officials to be open to reconsidering this resolution. Thanks also to the Woodstock voters who signed the petition calling for a referendum on this resolution. Your efforts helped alert the town board members that they must take into careful consideration the needs and wishes of local taxpayers.
During part of last nights discussion, council woman Magarelli shared that it has been recommended that a structural engineer make a formal assessment of the Woodstock Community center. We and others look forward to hearing what this assessment will say about this tired old structure.
In the mean time, we would like to reemphasize that many of us urge the Woodstock Town board to give strong consideration to committing time, energy and funds to the needs of all our town employees. Think first of those who work at the police, court and dispatch and those who work at the Comeau offices. These are the areas of building improvements that we see as a priority.
Sincerely,
Janine Fallon Mower
John Mower
jmower@hvc.rr.com
To the Editor
Last night, after an interesting round of idea sharing by community members and town board members, the town board of the Town of Woodstock rescinded its resolution of January 25th 2011 stating that “Shall the Town of Woodstock transfer up to $50,000 from the Building Capital Reserve type fund to the Community Center Capital Project. We would like to say thank you to those who worked so very hard to help convince our elected officials to be open to reconsidering this resolution. Thanks also to the Woodstock voters who signed the petition calling for a referendum on this resolution. Your efforts helped alert the town board members that they must take into careful consideration the needs and wishes of local taxpayers.
During part of last nights discussion, council woman Magarelli shared that it has been recommended that a structural engineer make a formal assessment of the Woodstock Community center. We and others look forward to hearing what this assessment will say about this tired old structure.
In the mean time, we would like to reemphasize that many of us urge the Woodstock Town board to give strong consideration to committing time, energy and funds to the needs of all our town employees. Think first of those who work at the police, court and dispatch and those who work at the Comeau offices. These are the areas of building improvements that we see as a priority.
Sincerely,
Janine Fallon Mower
John Mower
jmower@hvc.rr.com
Why I agreed to carry petitions
February 1 2011
Letter to the Editor,
Why did I agree to carry a petition asking for a public referendum on a town board resolution passed on Tuesday Jan 25th 2011? When I saw the dollar amount on draft agendas of the resolution to transfer $ to a Community Center Capital Project more than double from $17,000 to $50,000 in less than 48 hours, I thought, don’t we already have plans drawn up to make improvements on this 100 year old building? The second draft agenda contained a resolution that was of more concern than the fee for an architect. The town board was prepared to vote to commit the Woodstock tax payer to $ 450,000 worth of improvements to the building that was built for summer services by the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Johns in the early 1920’s .
During the beginning of the 15 minute special town board meeting, it was apparent that something drastic needed to be done to raise community awareness to what was going to occur that night. Supervisor Moran presented the resolution and once he hastily read thru the first resolution, without taking a breath he called for a vote on the commitment of $450,000 to the Capital Improvement Fund. I interjected myself into the process by asking why the dollar figure had to be in the resolution if the purpose of the resolution was merely to create the account so that private donors would have a dedicated fund their donations could be allocated into. Jeff Moran replied that the $450,000 is a maximum or a cap to be spent on the improvements. Cathy Magarelli interjected that this resolution shows the private donors that the town has intent to spend money to renovate the town community center.
Here’s what I think. We, as taxpayers, are waiting with trepidation for the cost estimate for the renovation of another old building to improve the working condition of the police, court and dispatch. I’m not ready to commit via resolution monies from “general fund revenues “or “proceeds from the sale of bond anticipation notes, bonds not to exceed $ 450,000” for a community center. I am also; as I’m sure others are, waiting with a little impatience for a plan to be presented to improve the working conditions of the town clerk and other employees who currently work out of another aging structure at the Comeau offices.
I’m told it’s too late, the resolution has been voted on and it’s not possible to rescind. Sign the petitions calling for a referendum and send a message to the town board that we want the needs of the employees to be taken care of first.
Janine Mower
jmower@hvc.rr.com
Letter to the Editor,
Why did I agree to carry a petition asking for a public referendum on a town board resolution passed on Tuesday Jan 25th 2011? When I saw the dollar amount on draft agendas of the resolution to transfer $ to a Community Center Capital Project more than double from $17,000 to $50,000 in less than 48 hours, I thought, don’t we already have plans drawn up to make improvements on this 100 year old building? The second draft agenda contained a resolution that was of more concern than the fee for an architect. The town board was prepared to vote to commit the Woodstock tax payer to $ 450,000 worth of improvements to the building that was built for summer services by the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Johns in the early 1920’s .
During the beginning of the 15 minute special town board meeting, it was apparent that something drastic needed to be done to raise community awareness to what was going to occur that night. Supervisor Moran presented the resolution and once he hastily read thru the first resolution, without taking a breath he called for a vote on the commitment of $450,000 to the Capital Improvement Fund. I interjected myself into the process by asking why the dollar figure had to be in the resolution if the purpose of the resolution was merely to create the account so that private donors would have a dedicated fund their donations could be allocated into. Jeff Moran replied that the $450,000 is a maximum or a cap to be spent on the improvements. Cathy Magarelli interjected that this resolution shows the private donors that the town has intent to spend money to renovate the town community center.
Here’s what I think. We, as taxpayers, are waiting with trepidation for the cost estimate for the renovation of another old building to improve the working condition of the police, court and dispatch. I’m not ready to commit via resolution monies from “general fund revenues “or “proceeds from the sale of bond anticipation notes, bonds not to exceed $ 450,000” for a community center. I am also; as I’m sure others are, waiting with a little impatience for a plan to be presented to improve the working conditions of the town clerk and other employees who currently work out of another aging structure at the Comeau offices.
I’m told it’s too late, the resolution has been voted on and it’s not possible to rescind. Sign the petitions calling for a referendum and send a message to the town board that we want the needs of the employees to be taken care of first.
Janine Mower
jmower@hvc.rr.com
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Town Board Agenda for Jan 25, 2011
Description:
Agenda:
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
Purpose of the meeting:
1) To offer a resolution to access funds in the Building Capital Reserve type fund.
2) For the Land Use Subcommittee to present to the Town Board its
recommended Stewardship Management Plan as required by the First
Amendment to Deed of Conservation Easement on the Comeau Property.
3) It is expected that the Town Board will enter into executive
session at approximately 5:45 in the Supervisor’s Cottage for the
purpose of discussing: Proposals for labor negotiations.
RESOLUTIONS:
WHEREAS, the Town seeks to move forward on necessary improvements and expansions to the Woodstock Community Center building, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED to establish the Community Center Capital Project (H .064) for the renovation/rehabilitation of the Community Center, an existing structure of 3,100+/- square feet, presently used for Town Board and other public meetings, for the Senior Recreation Program, the Summer Recreation program, and other programming, for Town-sponsored special events and for other special events, and for the Woodstock Public Access television station, located at 56 Rock City Road, Woodstock, New York, as further described as follows: architectural and engineering fees; improvements to the Public Access station to accommodate new equipment, lavatory facilities, and air conditioning; expansion of the rear stage area, improvements to the building's envelope and devices for more energy efficiency, implementation of layouts and devices compliant with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, and BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED to finance the aforementioned project with appropriations from private donations made to the Community Center Trust and Agency Account T09825, and/or appropriations from General Fund Revenues, including incentives from the NYS Energy Development Authority, and/or proceeds from the sale of bond anticipation notes, bonds not to exceed $450,000, and/or reserves established for this purpose, and BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED no expenditures shall be made from this fund without the approval of the Woodstock Town Board.
WHEREAS the Town Board will require professional architectural services for the preliminary design and presentation drawings, for models of the renovation and addition project for the existing Woodstock Community Center building, and for a full set of construction documents for bidding purposes, NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED to authorize a transfer of up to $50,000 from the Building Capital Reserve (A0.901) type fund to the Community Center Capital Project (H .064) to pay for said professional architectural services, such expenditure being subject to permissive referendum, and BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Clerk shall post a legal notice in the January 25 edition of the Town’s official newspaper reading, “Shall the Town of Woodstock transfer up to $50,000 from the Building Capital Reserve type fund to the Community Center Capital Project to finance professional architectural services for the preliminary design and presentation drawings, for models of the renovation and addition project for the existing Woodstock Community Center building, and for a full set of construction documents for bidding purposes, such expenditure subject to permissive referendum.”
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
It is anticipated that the Board will enter in to EXECUTIVE SESSION at approximately 5:45PM in the Supervisor’s Cottage for the purpose of discussing: Proposals for labor negotiations and
It is expected that the Board will return to REGULAR SESSION at approximately 6:30PM to entertain a motion to adjourn.
Agenda:
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
Purpose of the meeting:
1) To offer a resolution to access funds in the Building Capital Reserve type fund.
2) For the Land Use Subcommittee to present to the Town Board its
recommended Stewardship Management Plan as required by the First
Amendment to Deed of Conservation Easement on the Comeau Property.
3) It is expected that the Town Board will enter into executive
session at approximately 5:45 in the Supervisor’s Cottage for the
purpose of discussing: Proposals for labor negotiations.
RESOLUTIONS:
WHEREAS, the Town seeks to move forward on necessary improvements and expansions to the Woodstock Community Center building, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED to establish the Community Center Capital Project (H .064) for the renovation/rehabilitation of the Community Center, an existing structure of 3,100+/- square feet, presently used for Town Board and other public meetings, for the Senior Recreation Program, the Summer Recreation program, and other programming, for Town-sponsored special events and for other special events, and for the Woodstock Public Access television station, located at 56 Rock City Road, Woodstock, New York, as further described as follows: architectural and engineering fees; improvements to the Public Access station to accommodate new equipment, lavatory facilities, and air conditioning; expansion of the rear stage area, improvements to the building's envelope and devices for more energy efficiency, implementation of layouts and devices compliant with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, and BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED to finance the aforementioned project with appropriations from private donations made to the Community Center Trust and Agency Account T09825, and/or appropriations from General Fund Revenues, including incentives from the NYS Energy Development Authority, and/or proceeds from the sale of bond anticipation notes, bonds not to exceed $450,000, and/or reserves established for this purpose, and BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED no expenditures shall be made from this fund without the approval of the Woodstock Town Board.
WHEREAS the Town Board will require professional architectural services for the preliminary design and presentation drawings, for models of the renovation and addition project for the existing Woodstock Community Center building, and for a full set of construction documents for bidding purposes, NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED to authorize a transfer of up to $50,000 from the Building Capital Reserve (A0.901) type fund to the Community Center Capital Project (H .064) to pay for said professional architectural services, such expenditure being subject to permissive referendum, and BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Clerk shall post a legal notice in the January 25 edition of the Town’s official newspaper reading, “Shall the Town of Woodstock transfer up to $50,000 from the Building Capital Reserve type fund to the Community Center Capital Project to finance professional architectural services for the preliminary design and presentation drawings, for models of the renovation and addition project for the existing Woodstock Community Center building, and for a full set of construction documents for bidding purposes, such expenditure subject to permissive referendum.”
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
It is anticipated that the Board will enter in to EXECUTIVE SESSION at approximately 5:45PM in the Supervisor’s Cottage for the purpose of discussing: Proposals for labor negotiations and
It is expected that the Board will return to REGULAR SESSION at approximately 6:30PM to entertain a motion to adjourn.
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