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An Enforcement Brouhaha In The Town Of Wawarsing
An Agenda Item Shows Growing Board Discord

WAWARSING – On Tuesday morning, July 19, at least two town board members were saying they weren't prepared to eliminate two code enforcement officers and hire an out-of-county engineering firm as first publicized on the upcoming July 21 meeting's agenda.

Councilman Mike Durso said that the building department doesn't currently employ a building inspector with the proper certification to oversee the department and hasn't had one for some time, and added that the town board has been looking at ways to rectify the problem left when former building inspector Bryant Arms resigned from the position last year.

For Thursday's meeting, an agenda publicized on the town's website noted that the town was set to vote on okaying the supervisor to execute an agreement with Fusco Engineering & Land Surveying P.C. of Middletown to provide services pertaining to the administration of code enforcement as well as building and fire inspections. The agenda further calls for the elimination of two code enforcement positions and creation of a professional services budget line to fund the contract with Fusco.

In a separate interview, councilman Dan Johnson said the situation was sensitive, and because of potential personnel involvement he couldn't divulge much information except to say that the board had reviewed other companies and held interviews with them while noting how Fusco was "a great company" and its proposal "attractive to look at." He added that other towns, such as Deerpark in Orange County, utilize the same company.

Johnson then reiterated that just because an item was on the agenda didn't mean the town board would ultimately approve it... or even consider it, opting perhaps to table it instead.

If the board were to approve the proposed motions, current Wawarsing code enforcement officers Robin Coleman and Dan Pollen would be pushed out of their jobs.

"Honestly, I have no idea why," Coleman said of the moves she noticed on the agenda last week. The town, she continued, wouldn't be saving money since the salaries and benefits for the two amounted to about $120,000 annually, while the town was ready to spend roughly $200,000 annually for the outside company to come in.

Coleman further recounted her employment history with the town, noting how she had been first hired in 1993 as the planning board secretary. The town board at that time, she said, asked her to go back to school to get her certificate for code enforcement, saying that she would work directly under former building inspector Jack Kissel. Coleman received her CEO certificate through the Department of State in February 1999.

That certificate, she added, enables her to conduct inspections and perform regulatory functions to assure compliance with the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Construction Code, as well as all codes established through the town. It does not permit her, however, to oversee the department... a point she did not dispute, although she added how the county civil service department explained to the town that she could manage the department as long as the town supervisor or town board oversaw her work.

Going on, Coleman noted that there were personal issues between herself and the board after Kissel's retirement, when Coleman ran the department until Arms was hired in 2011. Since his resignation, she added, she was put into the position of head without being asked whether she wanted the job. Shifting directions, Coleman asked why Pollen — who was hired just a year ago and received his CEO certification under the direction of the board — might be let go, as well.

"I don't know where this is coming from," Coleman said, pointing out that she has less than four years until retirement.

When she saw the agenda, Coleman added, she confronted town supervisor Leonard Distel, who said not to worry about it. She also went to various councilmen, who told her it was "just a sales pitch" and to "keep an open mind."

"I call them my family. I've never put them in jeopardy... my friends, neighbors," Coleman said this week on the eve of having to undergo major surgery. "It's just so unconceivable that they feel this is the best for the community."

Distel said the whole issue has bothered him from the get-go, although he never brought it up before being asked about it, and was reported to have been a force behind the experienced and well-respected Arms' resignation last year.

"I think it's not a good situation. They can't do what they're doing," Distel said, adding that if it goes through the board would be violating the same town procurement policy he was charged with bypassing... by not going out for request for proposals.

By Tuesday afternoon, however, it appeared, at least according to Durso, that the board would be tabling its proposal... even though the supervisor said he hadn't been notified of any such changes, and at least two councilmen, Terrie Houck and Steve Bradley, were not returning calls about the matter.

"I don't know what these guys are planning," Distel said. "I think they got the message, that it would be bad news, politically."

Meanwhile, by Wednesday petitions and announcements were circulating Wawarsing, and making it to the local press, calling for a protest against the possible shift at this Thursday's town board meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.

"We, a majority of the residents of the town of Wawarsing are opposed to this, and request to stop all actions bringing outside personnel to run the building department due to the following reasons: People in town will lose jobs. People outside our town are not aware and don't have the knowledge and understanding of the priorities and specific needs of our town residents. Be aware, you have no right to spend millions of dollars, town money unnecessarily, not leaving enough funds that are important for town use," it read in fax form received anonymously at Journal offices. "Keep our town as it was the last 100 years."



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