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4-12-2007 The Daily Star "I hope we get a good turnout; we want to hear from people," Rep. Ronald Feldstein, D-Otego, the committee’s chairman, said last week. At the start of every meeting of the county Board of Representatives, residents are free to voice their concerns, but representatives do not respond then. "We listen, but we don’t answer questions during a county board meeting because we usually have a full agenda," Feldstein said. The board does send written responses to questioners, but some people have been frustrated by not receiving immediate answers to their queries. Thursday’s committee meeting is meant to address that frustration and allow for an exchange of ideas, he said. "That’s the whole purpose of the meeting," Feldstein said. Rep. Nancy Iversen, D-Otsego, said the committee initially intended the meeting to be a forum for residents to discuss whether they would prefer to receive a tax refund this year or have their taxes reduced last year. The refunds are pending because the board inadvertently raised taxes 22 percent this year, a mistake that was not discovered until bills were in the mail. The Administration Committee, which oversees the budget, and the full board subsequently reduced expenses by more than $2 million, and the county has been preparing to refund the excess tax. Lately, however, the cost of processing and mailing the refund has become an issue, with some board members saying the public would be better served with a tax break next year. ``We were going to send out refunds, but so much time has passed that more and more people have been talking about cutting taxes next year,’’ Iversen said. ``We want to do what people want us to do, but we need to hear from them.’’ She said other issues that may arise include whether A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital should open a mental-health clinic in the county, as well as opinions on the operation of the county’s personnel and treasurer’s offices. ``We’ll see what’s on people’s minds,’’ she said. The committee’s third member, Rep. Greg Relic, RUnadilla, said he sees little reason for the meeting and will not be able to attend because of a prior commitment. "To have a meeting with no agenda and no business to conduct seems purely political to me," Relic said. He noted that Democrats on the board have been holding constituent meetings this year, allowing people to voice opinions and exchange information with representatives. "To me, it sounds like just another constituent meeting," he said. County Board Chairman Donald Lindberg, R-Worcester, attends most Administration Committee meetings but said he may not be there Thursday. |
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