It's not finished; but we can move in for the winter. In Spring the floor will need to be leveled and topped with concrete. The ground outside needs contouring. We need electricity and maybe water??? We have plans for a baler and fork lift so that we can sell recyclables for more money. All these improvements however, can wait until after our June membership drive. We will temporarily skirt the bottom side of the building with some old plywood, level the "floor" with a few shovels, and move in. In June we'll move back out and, as soon as the membership drive is over, finish. Some have suggested that we have a fund drive NOW and complete it all, but there are a number of reasons why we do NOT agree… A very unusual number of expensive, municipal projects are in the works. If all are completed, the impact upon local taxes could be severe. We need to prioritize these proposals. We must discuss their impact on our tax rate as well as on our quality of life. The needs of the recycling center should be seen in this context.
A partial listing of the projects:

1. The schools: October 22 JN:
Carmel School District is planning a $40.8 million classroom expansion. The Superintendent could not say what "added costs in staff may result from the additional classrooms."

2. Kent's municipal center: Discussed at some recent Kent Town Board meetings: a plan to build a library, senior citizen housing, a new town hall and some athletic facilities in the area East of our recycling center. The plans are not at the stage where total costs are available.

3. The diversion project: This is a network of pipes which would connect all of Putnam's sewage treatment plants and pipe them to the Hudson River. Connections would also be made available to Lake Carmel and other "hot spots". NYC might pay $100 million for the network of pipes, but it remains mum about who will pay for the connection to individual homes, or individual lakes and who will pay for the expensive sewage treatment plants required before connection to the diversion "network".

4. The new Lake Carmel Firehouse: JN 10-19-00 The firemen request the town build them a new $4 million building. One reason given is that the new fire trucks, which can cost $250,000 & up, are too large for their current site. Although the taxpayer would pay for both trucks and structure, it would all be owned by the Lake Carmel FD Corporation.

5. The County, JN 10-23-00, is planning a $4 to $5 million dollar emergency response building to deal with nuclear, hurricane and fire emergencies. An unspecified amount to be funded by the "tobacco lawsuit" settlement.

With such uncertain but substantial tax rate impacts, our center should wait until it has earned the money it needs to complete our building.
Jim Baker 225-7901