The Two-Hundred Thousand Dollar Question
Dr. Richard Craft appeared before the village board once again to discuss the idea of a knife museum taking up residence on the as-yet unfinished fifth floor of the Government Center. On the table for discussion this time was $200,000 for renovations of the fifth floor, which Dr. Craft said he had been told were available by Village Manager Elliott Auerbach during a previous meeting between the two. Craft had brought this figure up at the previous village board meeting on June 9, much to the surprise of the board members themselves. Auerbach was not present at the meeting to elaborate on Craft's words, so the discussion of the funds was tabled until this meeting.

Now that Auerbach was available for comment, however, it was revealed that there had been a misunderstanding between the two. Auerbach said that the $200,000 was earmarked for use on the fifth floor's completion — which is currently uninhabitable by any tenant — and the village would be taking out a Bond Anticipatory Note (BAN) to make the renovations. This is why Mayor Jeff Kaplan said that he and the rest of the board owed it to the taxpayers to ensure that should a tenant be found for the fifth floor, that they be a tax- and rent-paying entity, which would then offset the cost of the BAN.

When Dr. Craft was told about the misunderstanding and the clarification, he said that he and the group he represents would now be unable to find any kind of suitable home for the potential museum, since the knife's ideal home in the Hunt Memorial Building will not be feasible for roughly five years, when it will have all the necessary renovations to become habitable itself. As the board began to discuss the matter further, with Deputy Mayor Ray Younger beginning to suggest a way for the museum to take up temporary residence in the conference room on the Government Center's fourth floor, Dr. Craft walked out of the room. Before the discussion was closed entirely, it was suggested by Steve Krulick that Dr. Craft and his group come up with documents and a feasible business plan to help better facilitate their search for a home for the museum.

Trying to Set Up a Playdate
Ellenville Playground Committee representatives Karri DiFazio and Mike Guiney appeared before the village board to present the latest goings-on regarding the proposed play-space at the lower part of Berme Road Park. They brought their latest site-plan, which will not necessitate the moving or changing of the park's current basketball or tennis courts, as was previously thought necessary. DiFazio and Guiney also distributed a new pamphlet which details the proposed park's layout, their funds raised, and future fundraising goals, including a breakdown of how much each piece of playground equipment will cost in donations. Altogether, the committee needs nearly $70,000 to realize their goal, having already raised $60,300, which includes donations from Stewart's Shops, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, the Ellenville Central School District, Run Like the Wind, and a matching grant from the New York State Parks and Recreation Department.

Fate of a Gate
The village board, on recommendation of both Brian Shug of the Building Department and Michael Jetter of the Street Department, denied the request of the Honor's Haven Resort and Spa (formerly known as the Fallsview) to erect a gate on the Pine Street Extension. The request was denied on the grounds that the street department would not be able to plow the road during the wintertime as the gate would impede the progress of any village vehicles attempting to get the job done. Jetter also said that even if he were to have a key to unlock the gate, the prospect of doing so while plowing would be time consuming, and it was doubtful that the gate would even be able to be opened at all with snow on the ground.

Money Matters
Linda Polkoski presented her Treasurer's Report, requesting that the board amend the budget for the General Fund to account for recent state grants of $13,000 and $50,000 for the police department's new on-board cameras and computers and new police vehicles, respectively. The board did so, making sure to note that the added revenues were either already received, or would be soon reimbursed by the state.

Mayor Kaplan also noted that the village's Local Development Corporation (LDC) had recommended Dan Haspurg for the position of Economic Development Officer. Haspurg would start the job on the Wednesday of this week, and the position will be funded by the LDC and a state grant.

The Way the Village Audit Be
During his report, Village Manager Elliott Auerbach asked the board to agree to a date to meet with the New York State Comptroller's auditor, Domenick Consolo, who will be evaluating and assessing the village's policies, procedures, and internal controls, covering a period from June 2006 until today. The date was set for July 2, at 5 p.m.

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