The following letter was published in this week’s issue of the Gazette.
To the Editor:
The North Riverside re-zoning plan will go forward regardless of public input. Some of the quotes I hear from residents are: “It’s a done deal”, “They’ll do whatever they want” and “The meetings and questionnaire were just window dressing.”
Unfortunately, this is a result of a one party government. This is not new to Croton and it has happened before. The Municipal Place skate park debacle at a cost of $100K or more. The Gouveia Park sham which will continue to drain resources and can only get worse. A former mayor receiving a Cadillac health plan for his family. The Croton Point Avenue project and the five million dollar renovation of the Municipal Building.
The common threads are the same: One party rule, stacked committees, public meetings that appear to get residents input but are ignored. The same cabal will always be in the background pulling the strings. The current party ran on transparency and open government, but it seems that more goes on in secret than in the public arena. You can make a public comment at a Board meeting but a response is unlikely. This board has met all the minimal requirements of public discourse and the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. They could do a better job of pretending to care about the voice of the people they represent.
When I served on the Board, a good example of listening to the people was the Sunset Park discussion. There was an actual discussion with residents on how to best replace the park equipment. It was spirited at times and we ended up with a great result. The system worked.
Finally, the supporters of the current board will say, “If you don’t like it, run for office.” It’s an easy out for them. People don’t run as a non-Democrat because of the fear of retribution. You will be branded as a Republican regardless of you independent status. Some quotes: “I can’t run because I might need a building permit.” “I’m afraid to run, I’ll end up on the bad list and won’t be able to call the Village with a problem.” “I’ll be attacked by their social media troll.” And “They’ll try to dig up something or make up something to discredit me and my family.”
My advice is to not give up. Don’t be fearful. Let the Board know how you feel. Send the email. Write a letter. Go to a meeting. It’s time to let the sun shine in and get the government you deserve. If you do nothing you’ll get nothing.
Bob Anderson