Letter To The Editor – New Lebanon Sidewalks

Who Should Make The Decision?
To the Editor:
The following is the letter that I have sent to the Town of New Lebanon Supervisor
To Mike Benson, Town Supervisor
I do not think that the final decision regarding the sidewalk issue should rest exclusively with the Town Board. This is, after all, a democratic society and involves our tax dollars.
It’s being said that the Town of New Lebanon will only be responsible for 5% of the cost, Columbia County 15% and the Federal government 80% of totals that could be as little as $670,000 to as much as $1.5 million. We are constantly hearing that most of our states and the Federal government are broke – remember “Sequester”? No matter how you sugar coat it, we – the taxpayers – will be paying for it in our town taxes, our county taxes and our income taxes.
Darrow students did at one time come to shop here in town. They shopped mostly at the New Lebanon Supermarket, buying things that were probably not available at their school. Being realistic, local people don’t shop in New Lebanon – they can’t find most of what they need here. If they do shop here, most of them drive.
In the winter who will be responsible for keeping the sidewalks free of snow and ice? The highways are plowed numerous times during a storm. Is the landowner expected to clear the walk each time? Who is liable if some one falls and gets hurt whoever does the plowing, the town or the landowner?
There are issues that should be made clear up front – not as they happen. The residents of New Lebanon should be the unit to make the final decision – not the Town Board. The residents will remember in November whatever the outcome of this issue is.
Patricia Burnell
Route 20, West Lebanon