A handicapped bathroom project at a local VFW post, which encountered bureaucratic difficulties while processing a state grant, is now back on track. The story began on May 1 with an unusual agenda item for the Town of Mamakating's regular board meeting.

Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wurtsboro Post #4947 requested that Mamakating consider lending several thousand dollars to cover a New York State reimbursement grant financing renovation work.

Officials turned down the loan on advice of counsel. Post Commander Ken Morgan now says a Certificate of Deposit account will instead be used by the veterans to float the money for the grant. "We have a $5000 CD," Morgan explained, "What we're going to do is break the CD when it matures, and we'll give [contractors] the $4550, we'll show proof that we paid him, we'll get that money back, then when he finishes the job, we'll give him the $4550 back again, and get reimbursed. Then we'll reenact the CD." He added, "Everything's going to work out, we don't need the town's money."

However, a conflict erupted between community leaders and Town Supervisor Charles Penna. Mamakating has been embroiled in an ongoing series of arguments between rival political factions and personalities, surrounding an array of local issues. The rift has given Mamakating the reputation of a divided community. VFW got caught in the middle.

At the May 1 town board meeting, Supervisor Penna made disparaging remarks about the bathroom project's winning bidder, A&E Contracting, owned by Andy and Eileen Weil, two of Penna's most outspoken political adversaries. In an article published last week, Penna is quoted accusing Andy Weil of refusing to waive strict "up front" payment schedules in the grant project. Morgan, who spoke on his own behalf, and not for the VFW, argued that Penna's comments regarding A&E were patently false.

Morgan explained the mechanics of the grant, saying, "We were awarded a $10,000 grant from State Senator Bonacic. Charlie Penna put in the paperwork to get it for us. It's a reimbursement grant. The contract states $500 at the signing of the contract, $4550 to start the work to buy the materials, and $4550 at the completion. And that is a normal contract, anyone in business knows that you don't start on your own money, you start with up-front money."

"Charlie Penna said that Andy won't waive on this," Morgan complained. "Andy did agree to wait for the state money to come from the grant, and take that instead of us paying him, and Charlie Penna knew this," he insisted. "But the terms of the grant are that in order for us to receive the grant money from the state we have to show proof, a canceled check from our checking account, that we paid the contractor and then the state reimburses us."

Morgan continued, "Charlie Penna was aware of this, and he says that Weil won't budge on this thing, he won't waive this stuff, and that's false. Andy said he would do it, but the terms of the contract won't allow him to do it."

"All we want is the bathrooms done, and it's turned into a political mess," lamented Morgan. "I don't agree with Andy Weil's politics on a lot of the things that he does. But he is a man of integrity and he was willing to work with us, but that's not what it says in the article, and I would like an apology and a retraction printed for him."

Morgan added, "I want to set the record straight. He doesn't deserve a shot like this. I do like Charlie Penna as a person, but I can't condone what he's doing here, I'm sorry. The town supervisor's supposed to be a credible source."

Morgan went on to say, "We asked for the money, the thing was either 'yes or no,' not to divulge all this other crap. Can they have it or not? The answer should have been yes or no, instead of going into 'the contractor is Andy Weil, you know what kind of guy he is' type of thing, that was not proper at all. He used everything he could to make Weil look bad. This is maligning him [Weil] and I don't like it," he concluded. "This has been enough of a political football. All we wanted was our bathrooms, and it's turned into a nightmare."

Penna has been in trouble before for his offhand style while facilitating town board meetings, which sometimes results in his taking potshots at opponents, usually during personal asides in the middle of regular business. His tendency to attack members of the community while occupying the supervisor's seat reached a boiling point last April when a manifesto criticizing a local environmental organization was published on the town's website, causing a firestorm of public protest. The material was eventually taken offline, and the town board reigned in Penna. The supervisor offered no apology. In fact, Penna briefly applauded himself when the subject came up again at the May 1 meeting.

Supervisor Penna responded to questions regarding his discussion of the Weils' contract by saying, "I talked to Ken and I said, 'I got all respect in the world for you, but I'm not apologizing to the Weils.'" Regarding the controversy, he added, "The Weils are too sensitive." He explained, "I would have had him install the bathroom first, and then pay him upon completion. They changed the law mid stream with the new governor, where we used to get money advanced, and that was part of the problem too. There's lots of nuances that go along with it. But if you don't have the experience and expertise when you're dealing with these people, it's not getting taken advantage of, it's just not in your favor."

Penna declared, "Andy is an honorable man, I'm sure he has no intention of doing anything wrong. There is just a difference in the way I would have asked for the job to be done, and the way that it's being done. I've got thirty years experience dealing with the town as a foreman for the highway department, I've run into a thousand incidents, and if you want a job for the town, you do the job, and then you're paid. It's not the other way around. It's just procedure here."

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