To the Editor:

Last November before the election I wrote a letter to the editor titled “What Happened to Massena, where did Massena go.” In that letter I made comments about the negative changes in Massena. That letter appeared in the paper on Friday and on Saturday John Michaud was filming adults, business owners, and students cleaning up downtown – washing windows, sweeping, etc. I would like to say thank you to all who participated in that project. It was great community spirit.

As I now ride thru town, I would like to say thank you to all business owners who have taken the time, money and energy to aesthetically improve the downtown area. It takes a lot of work to plan and complete each project. It also represents the pride these business owners have.

This time I have other issues to discuss. I believe it was at the last town board meeting senior citizens from the community center were requesting the maintenance man at the center clean the bathrooms in their area of the center. The maintenance man was cleaning the rest of the center’s bathrooms but not in the senior area. Massena is the mecca for senior citizens around the county. They hold dinners, dances, fundraisers, game rooms, meeting rooms, etc. They also are the people who are drained by paying increased taxes yearly even if they don’t have enough money for food, heat, medical bills, etc. About the only place citizens can go for entertainment in this town is the Senior Center. So the moral of the story is pay as many taxes as we tell you but clean your own bathroom. How much would it cost for the maintenance man to clean bathrooms in the senior part of the center. Where did respect go? I guess that is gone with everything else.

The other issue regarding the Senior Center is their request for the town to buy a computer for their office. For years a typewriter has been used at no cost to the town. I not only think the town should purchase a computer but also a copier and maintain these systems whenever there is a problem with them. Everybody in the town hall has a computer etc. bought out of taxpayer money. How would it feel to have all computers taken away? Do everything by hand as it once was.

Now I am going to talk about Cape Air in Massena. On June 18 there was an article in the paper about Cape Air and the need for a committee to be formed for the airport. It was suggested by Ms. Pulley citing the needs for such a committee. Of course the town fathers were negative about this suggestion. One of the reasons given for not having a committee was that “Cape Air is still less than 50% capacity here and in Ogdensburg.” Ogdensburg is receiving money for expansion and improvements (guess they are doing something right!).

I travel a lot and take Cape Air to Albany airport. I have been at the airport several times in the cold, windy winter ready to board the plane at 7 a.m. But wait! The plane can’t start. Do you remember the very subzero cold and windy winter we had. Time is money in the real business world. There was no door on the hangar where the plane spent the night. If a car was left unprotected in the same kind of weather, it probably wouldn’t start either. So, therefore, the plane was frozen and when it was thawed out, it started which was around 9 a.m. Individuals were anxious, checking their watches often and trying to find other ways of leaving Massena.

This was never mentioned at the board meeting that night. This should have never happened under the supervision of the town board members and the Public Works superintendent. This was unacceptable. Also, I have to call Cape Air at least 2 weeks in advance of my travel date to make sure I have a reservation on the day I am to leave. So this also tells me Cape Air is steadily being used. I agree with Ms. Pulley. Having an Airport Committee would provide a mediator between the town board and Cape Air and to all who either come or go through the airport. Given the past actions of the board dealing with current and outside exploring businesses, hospitality is a word not in their dictionary. A committee would make sure the needs of the people and airport are met.

Election time is coming up again. Again, I will say if you want Massena to stay as a financial deficit, decrepit town, keep the same elected officials that have done nothing over the years. If it wasn’t for Mayor Currier, the main floor in the Massena firehouse would not be fixed. The fire truck has to stay outside in the sun because the floor is so bad. Would it endure the same fate as the airplanes during a cold, windy, subzero winter? Yet there were village board members who voted not to fix the floor but Mayor Currier had the deciding yes vote. Individuals like Mayor Currier who are interested in the development and advancement of Massena need to be recruited.

Rita Rinke

Massena