On occasion, some readers’ comments are just so good and so on-topic that we think they should be published on their own as free-standing articles. With this in mind, we’ll be publishing what we call “Letters to the Editor,” similar to those you’d read in any of the local rags, but much more informative and honest, of course. It’s so much better to have readers themselves do the writing, since that frees us up to do more research and uncover more facts for you.

This letter-to-the-editor is the second letter of a two-part series that we think you’ll really enjoy, especially in this pre-election run-up period in Ravena. When reading these letters, you may want to ask you why these commonsense actions haven’t been taken already by the residents of Ravena and Coeymans and the town of Coeymans. After all, Ravena and the Hamlet of Coeymans were once one single municipality. They’ve had several decades to make the division work but to date the split of Ravena and the Hamlet of Coeymans has caused only problems and bitterness. Why not go back to the merged community and have some peace and save some money? So here goes!

Dear Editor, Dear Neighbors:

As we know, some things and some things remain the same. However, at some point, change is necessary, needed and valuable.

With this in mind, I offer the following:

The Hamlet of Coeymans seems to be in a stagnant situation, both  with a population that is not increasing and with a lack of services that its residents should have. The residents pay higher fees for both Village of Ravena drinking water and Sewer District Tax.

In contrast to what is perceived as a modern move to consolidation, I propose that the Hamlet of Coeymans petition the Village of Ravena for Annexation-that is, the residents of the Hamlet actually become ‘residents’ of the Village of Ravena with all the privileges afforded the current residents of the Village.

I offer there must be a number of caveats to this Annexation (and there are more I am sure):

1.  Coeymans Fire Company maintains its current structure and coverage area along with the current taxing authority to maintain its equipment and continue to be able to protect its area in the exemplary manner it always has.

2. The ‘new’ residents continue to have and use the current Post Office, Zip Code and address-much like Colonie and Menands residents do with regard to and with their relationships to Albany. The idea of mail delivery to those who wish to take advantage should also be investigated

 By the Annexation, users of the Village of Ravena water supply and the Sewer Customers of the District would all be under the auspices of the Village of Ravena, who would be responsible for the entire systems. Of course this would take additional resources but we can get to that later.  Additionally, all the customers of the Water and Sewer Distrcts would pay the same rates, in contrast to the current system-this means the former Hamlet residents would see a sharp drop in both rates which may equate to the now payable Village of Ravena tax!

 The new residents would also be able to take advantage of services formerly available to only the original Village residents, like brush pickup, street cleaning, Holiday Decorations, a second vendor for Cable TV Services, stump removal and the like.
 
With regard to staffing, workload and duties: I offer that the Current Village Building Department be responsible not only for the expanded Village but also for the rest of the Town of Coeymans and staff from Coeymans be moved to accommodate this. It would make sense too as Coeymans Building Department needs would go down and the Village up. I would think the same issues might be in line for the Clerk Offices, Highway Department and Court Offices too. We may even have a chance for some building/office consolidation and economic savings to boot!

 At the same time, the Annexation would allow the Town of Coeymans to explore the possibility of having it’s own municipal water and sewer systems to encourage community growth and maybe enjoy some prosperity because of it. Just imagine municipal water and sewers ‘out back’, on the northern Route9W and northern 144 ends of Town!!

 Seeing as the current Route 144  ‘home’ for the Town Highway Employees (the former Coeymans Firehouse) will not be needed any longer, it can go back to taxable property and maybe a Stewart’s or the like will show up!  The former Town occupants will have less to do as the park would be now on Village property, so the remaining employees can either move to the Town Office Building or the Highway Department as their new workstation. [Editor's Note: Once the Town of Coeymans makes the right choice and eliminates the Coeymans police department, the space in the basement of the Town Hall can accommodate both a Sheriff's satellite office and the highway department staff! Actually, it might make a great RC Youth and Teen Activities Center!]

 I know there is more to this than I have outlined but the idea may just have merit and is worth discussing. Why not talk about it?

Outsider

Now isn’t this what our elected town board and village board should be thinking about and proposing, instead of acting like grinning idiots every time someone wants to create a dump or a transfer station in residents’ back yards? Isn’t this what our elected officials should be envisioning instead of bickering like a coven of old hags and creating discord and anxiety, while resident’s basements are filling with water and sewerage, 100-year-old water mains are failing, village and town are hemorrhaging residents, tax base, and businesses? Come on, people, listen to the Voice of Reason and make some changes!

Get rid of Bruno and his gang-bangers, and kick the Town of Coeymans’ board in the ass and get some action!

Outsider is a frequent commenter and reader. We think he’s been in local government in the past because he knows an awful lot about the people and events. He also thinks like a good administrator should think. But we’d like to hear what YOU think about Outsider’s letter. Please leave a comment.

Stay Tuned: In the Days Leading Up to the Ravena Elections,
We’ll Be Running the Series,

10 Reasons Why You Should Vote NO!
for Bruno-Case-Persico!

(Get the latest Election Poll Results at: RESULTS!)