To the Editor:

In the tentative budget for 2015, for the Town of Parishville it currently gives the following raises: Town Board 3%, Town Supervisor 47%, Town Clerk/Tax Collector 33.6%, Constable 29.4%, Personnel Building 3.9%, Registrar 12.9%, Recreational Director 3.3%, Historian 2.9%, Transfer Station Employee 3%, Highway Superintendent 12.1% and the list goes on.

Ten years ago our town had over a million dollars in our contingency fund. We currently now have $335,00.

In a letter to the editor (Massena Observer) on October 22, 2014, Rodney Votra stated that the town board did away with our bookkeeper position and saved the taxpayers over $50,00 in wages and benefits. This is not accurate. The town board eliminated the bookkeeper position, who was an employee of the town for over 13 years. The town board hired Larry Reece Accounting out of Potsdam at the cost of over $25,000 annually. Votra then gave himself and everybody else a raise, this is not “cutting the fat” as he was quoted as stating in the Massena Observer.

These raises are excessive and some are only to boast final average salaries for upcoming retirements. It should also be noted the that county legislators have not had a raise in over 9 years and that the Parishville Highway Workers received less than a 2% raise last year.

Last year, Rodney Votra used over $74,000 of contingency fund money. Our town transfer station loses over $8,000 annually with no solution in sight. Salt is going up over 30% next year to an increase of $16.00 a ton. For most towns this is an increase of $100,00 or more. The tentative budget gives no “cushion” for error or emergencies.

The budget projects that our town will receive $400,000 in sales tax dollars from the county this is an estimate and we can not rely on this. This also applies to the CHIPS allocation from the state. We do not know how much money we will get for this line item in the budget and it is always safer to estimate on the low side.

As quoted from the paper Rodney is “proud to present a 1.35 percent increase over last year’s budget.” This is not accurate. He never even put in Fire District into the numbers. Last year the allocations for the Fire District was close to $150,000. How do you forget an entire district when this budget has been revised four times?

Do the taxpayers want a town supervisor who has been to only half of the board meetings in the last year and a half. Rodney Votra missed the following board meetings during his term in the past two years. (2013 - Jan 3, Feb 19, Feb 26, May 28, Aug 28, Sept. 24, Oct. 29 budget meeting, Oct. 29 public hearing and Jan 7, 2014). This can be verified by the minutes on the town website. Also, according to the Town Of Hopkinton Tentative Budget Meeting minutes that was held on September 9, 2014, Rodney Votra failed to provide them with a Recreation Budget so they could finalize their numbers since they contribute to our summer program. Rodney also has not attended any of the county supervisors meeting.

Recently we cut our Summer Recreational program by two weeks in which 116 children utilized last summer.

Parishville is the only town in St. Lawrence County who has their board meetings during the day. This meeting should be held at night so the majority of taxpayers can attend. Where are our priorities and maybe we need to look at the true definition of public servant?

I will be the change to get our fund balance back up, pay off our debts and provide a six week program for the children of our community. (And yes a deer crossing sign on Catherine Street:) Please vote on November 4th!

Cassie Hayes

Parishville