Apalachin Community Press, May 2000

Town and County Government Watch

by Donald Castellucci, Jr.

Town of Owego

• The Citizens Advisory Committee has approved its first group of applicants to begin distributing the recently aquired HUD grant.

• The Owego Treadway will go before the Town Zoning Board to receive permission to add a third floor of suites to the existing structure.

• The new McDonalds/ExpressMart project in Apalachin is expected to be completed by the Fourth of July.

• The planning board approved Hadco's plans for expansion, which will create more local employment.

• The town will include swimming in this year's summer recreational program.

Village of Owego

• Two new traffic lights are being installed in the village: one at the intersection of John and Front Streets, the other at the intersection of Front and E. Front Streets. They will operate as flashers until coordination with the railroad is completed.

Tioga County

• Eunice Baker was sentenced to 15 years to life for the murder of 3-year- old Charlotte Kurtz.

• Joe Cataldo could face prison time for alledgedly violating the conditions of parole.

• Gail Barton was appointed to Deputy Commissionor of Social Services.

• The county contracted with Pictometry International to take arieal images of the county and provide software to be used with local GIS systems. These products will be available for use to local municiplalities.

• The County Legislature is requesting "a home rule law" that would allow the county to recruit correction officers from other counties. A long time problem of salaries in the Sherriffs Department makes it difficult to recruit and hold employees in the area.

• The vote to decide on whether the Owego-Apalachin School District should or should not build a new middle school at the current high school location is scheduled in June.

• The Owego-Apalachin school budget vote is scheduled for May 16.

Other Issues

• If you are a gun owner be alarmed! The Governor is trying to pass the most sweeping gun registration and restriction proposals in the country. While one can specualte why, all State Legislators need to hear from you. Enforcement is the answer to the gun problem not more laws.

While it may be politically correct to "control guns," emotional response to tradgedies isn't the solution. If you can be eighteen and fire a gun in the military you should be afforded that right as a citizen. If you have to buy a gun lock, guarantee the person breaking into my house and harming my family has a gun lock. While you're at it make sure he has to delay entry for two minutes while I unlock mine.

The Second Amendment states:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Waco, Ruby Ridge, Elian Gonzalez: Who do you want having the only guns?

• I will be presenting "Goreisms" and "Hillaryisms" translations from now until the election to help you understand their doublespeak!

Al Gore: "Risky tax scheme"- Any tax break that George Bush proposes that will put money in your pocket and not the governments.

Hillary Clinton: "It takes a Village"- Any opportunity the government can take to control your or your child's life from cradle to grave, i.e. healthcare and education.

• Finally during the last election some individuals irresponsibly spread innuendo about my views on planning and zoning. Over the next couple of issues, I will correct the misinformation and explain to you just what some federal state and local officials would like to see happen with your property in the future. Fortunately to date they are not the majority.