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Mamakating names appointments

By Samantha Montagna
Posted 1/28/22

MAMAKATING — During the January 18 Mamakating Town Board meeting, Town Supervisor Michael Robbins announced appointments for the Planning Board Chairman and Deputy Chairman and the Zoning …

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Mamakating names appointments

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MAMAKATING — During the January 18 Mamakating Town Board meeting, Town Supervisor Michael Robbins announced appointments for the Planning Board Chairman and Deputy Chairman and the Zoning Board Chairman.

During public comment, Kent Findlay, a Zoning Board member, criticized Robbins’ physical agenda document. Findlay stated that the budget modifications were not listed on the agenda nor were they discussed during the work session.

“What are they?,” he asked. He also said that normally the agenda would say who the appointments would be.

Robbins replied that he was planning on announcing the names during the resolutions. Findlay responded that many municipalities publish the planned resolutions on the agenda, so the public “would understand what is happening.”

The previous town board did publish resolutions on the agenda and typically discussed budget modification information, but Findlay has criticized Mamakating’s board during public comments in the past for some board members’ surprise motions/ resolutions.

Findlay said the sparse agenda “seems undercover almost,” and the board “is asking for comment, but we don’t even know what they [the resolutions] are.”

Robbins said he understood Findlay’s point and had pledged to make town government more transparent.

Robbins replied that the budget modifications are usually only visible to the board but continued to explain the modification occurring from the Building and Grounds Department.

He also announced that Lorrence Green would be reappointed as Planning Board Chairman and Alex Goodman as Deputy Chairman, and Matthew C. Morreale was appointed as the Zoning Board Chairman.

The board later voted to accept those appointments.

Robbins said he will take Findlay’s comments into consideration for the next meeting to make sure he is on “same page as everyone else.”

Chaim Friedman, a Village of Bloomingburg Trustee, commented on the previous exchange stating that “I don’t think I have ever seen such open government, so straight forward,” and he “has never seen a board apologize so quickly.”

After Hufcut’s report, Robbins explained that he did not introduce his board members at the last meeting, and he would do that during this meeting.

He said that introducing the board was a “big deal to me,” and he should have done it already. He introduced his board and announced that Councilman Matt Mordas would be a liaison to the Mamakating Environmental Education Center alongside himself and Councilman Gary Forthoffer.

He also announced that the Zoning and Planning Boards are accepting resumes for appointments, and the Assessment Review Board is accepting resumes as well.

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