Riga taxpayers to get rebate

In a move that neither included all the board members, nor requested input from taxpayers, former Town of Riga Supervisor Tim Rowe and board members - by a vote of three to one - approved a motion to return $304,450 in surplus landfill money to the voters, via a tax rebate.

At the December 30 year-end meeting, in what supervisor-elect Pam Moore called a "lame duck 11th hour" move, Rowe put forth the motion to return the surplus to the tax paying residents. The money, he said, would be distributed to property owners based on the assessed value of their property.

A press release, prepared prior to the meeting, stated, "The payment to each property owner will be $1.25 per $1,000. In other words," the release read, "a typical property assessed for $125,000 would receive a rebate check or credit for $156." Also in the release, Rowe and board members Robert Ottley, Pete Brundage and Ron Trinkl, stated the additional revenue the town receives from the landfill was intended to produce a budget that would eliminate town taxes for the residents.

In the release, Rowe stated, "we have a landfill in our town. We do not have a choice whether we want the landfill or not. However, we can negotiate an agreement that will provide the town with the benefits to improve our town for the future."

Moore objected to the move stating there was no board discussion or any workshop around the rebate. "You'd like us to approve this resolution without any due diligence or input from the community," she said. "This should have been discussed prior to a resolution being put forth.

The issue is this is the people's money and they should have a say as to its distribution."

Ottley, who distributed the press release, said he was "fully aware of the resolution."

"The people of this town overwhelmingly voted in a new slate of officials and the decision on what to do with these funds should be discussed, and made, by the newly elected officials," Moore said. "The people of this community are interested in the reserve account and we should gain their input as to what they want done with the money - their money. Now you've jammed this decision down their throats in an 11th hour move and it's extremely troublesome."

Ottley offered to amend the resolution to say if any residents don't want the rebate check they can simply return the checks and discuss what to do with the money later.

More than a year ago, the town voted to amend the host agreement with Monroe County and the Mill Seat Landfill. The amendment paved the way for the landfill to accept out-of-county trash - the move angered many residents, and Moore, because it allowed for the expansion of the landfill. The benefit to the town would be an increase in the income generated by Mill Seat.

While some residents view the return of the funds to the residents and the fulfillment of a campaign promise made by Rowe, others in attendance at the December 30 meeting saw the move as another way to thwart Moore's efforts.

Several members of the audience called out for Ottley's resignation from the board. The calls came prior to the resolution and after Ottley stated he was looking forward to working with the new administration but then put forth resolutions without discussion with the incoming board.
"This is a disgrace," resident Frank Lentine said. "Ottley clearly doesn't want to work with the new board and people are fed up with the old ways this town was run, that's why we voted for new officials. It's a disgrace that this town can't settle down and move forward."

Moore agreed the residents should receive some benefit from the landfill being in the town but said residents might have received more money if further options had been investigated prior to the resolution being passed.

January 8, 2006