Lewis County board consistently ignores facts

Well, I guess you could say they're consistent — the Board of Legislators, that is. For more than three years now they have shown their disdain for facts, rules and state law while developing their so-called all-terrain vehicle trails system. They've put forward an inadequate State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) review that the State Supreme Court required them to go back and do right.

They have shown disdain for state vehicle and traffic law, both in the way they have opened roads and in the way they have encouraged towns to do so, they have put forth an inadequate Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling and have recently passed an ATV trail law that has so many holes in it, it could pass for Swiss cheese.

Ethics? Hah! Even when the chairman of the county Ethics Board renders a decision, it gets ignored.

Now they've chosen to ignore the facts as they pertain to our Solid Waste Management System in Lewis County. Not only have they ignored the facts, they have cost each and every taxpayer money, while pitting one area of the county against another. According to the March 4 Watertown Daily Times, Legislator Jerry King stated that "it is not cost-effective to have a transfer station out there." Really? Show us the facts. To the best of my knowledge, the Croghan transfer site has and is running in the black.

Legislator Richard Lucas said, "People in Osceola are now paying for a transfer site in Croghan." Let's see the numbers, Mr. Lucas, not just what you and Mr. King want to believe. Pitting one part of the county against another part may make you look good to the home folks, but when the facts don't support you it's not good government. By supporting the elimination of a site that is running in the black, you've just cost the people in Osceola money because you have eliminated a source of revenue.

There are many more examples of Lewis County being run by pre-existing beliefs rather than on facts. The recent budget fiasco is a case in point with King & Company flailing about trying to lay off employees and cutting vital agencies without full understanding of the issues.

The legislators should have acted on this only after a thorough review of the facts provided to them. I am going to request any information pertaining to this decision through the Freedom of Information Law.

The Freedom of Information Law? They are again consistent. They haven't been very good at meeting the standards set by that law either.

Bruce R. Krug

Constableville