THROOP - Residents within the town of Throop's proposed water line, Water District No. 1 and extension No. 1, will be voting on the project in a mandatory referendum from noon to 9 p.m. Oct. 21 in the town hall.
The town board voted unanimously at its Wednesday night meeting to go with this kind of referendum instead of a permissive referendum or a petition after a discussion on how to proceed with the project.
The town is required to conduct the vote within 40 days of passing the resolution.
At its regular meeting again on Wednesday, Oct. 14, the board can clarify any confusion among residences affected.
Who is eligible to vote needs clarification.
Property owners with names on the deed to their residence were included in a count of 85 parcels provided by Chatfield Engineers at the public hearing last week, but town attorney Norm Chirco said only one person would vote if a deed contained multiple names for a parcel.
If 85 is verified as the actual number of residences that qualify, the referendum would need 43 “yes” votes, 51 percent of eligible voters, to pass.
Chirco explained that residents who don't show up to vote would be a “no” vote because the law reads that 51 percent of the residences have to agree, not 51 percent of those who actually vote.
In addition, he believed that any resident who owned multiple houses could only vote once on the house lived in even though they would be paying taxes on more.
He will check with the engineer who compiled the list to make sure that residents know if they are qualified.
The town will send notices to all who are qualified and absentee envelopes will be given to those who can't make it to the polls.
Town Supervisor William Tarby said he voted for the mandatory referendum because the residents should have a vote rather than circulate a petition which would give property owners with more expensive houses more say in the vote.
The petition would need 51 percent of the total assessed value, meaning if three property owners with a house for $25,000, one for $50,000 and one for $100,000 voted, if the first two voted “no” and the third “yes,” the one with the most expensive house would control the vote.
Board members weighed in.
“I favor one person, one vote,” Tom Paczkowski, said. “Let the residents decide. Those with more money do not have more say even though they may counter with 'We pay more taxes.'”
“I go for everybody having their own personal vote,” Cher Guarglia said.
“I kind of favor a petition but I really want to see this water line go through, so I vote with the board,” Michael Vitale said.
Richard Signorelli said he's been in favor of everybody getting a vote since “day one.”
With that vote, the board unanimously determined that notice for the public hearing was published by law; that property owners affected are benefited by this; that those benefiting are all included within the water district; and the establishment of the extension is in the public interest.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
The town is required to conduct the vote within 40 days of passing the resolution.
At its regular meeting again on Wednesday, Oct. 14, the board can clarify any confusion among residences affected.
Who is eligible to vote needs clarification.
Property owners with names on the deed to their residence were included in a count of 85 parcels provided by Chatfield Engineers at the public hearing last week, but town attorney Norm Chirco said only one person would vote if a deed contained multiple names for a parcel.
If 85 is verified as the actual number of residences that qualify, the referendum would need 43 “yes” votes, 51 percent of eligible voters, to pass.
Chirco explained that residents who don't show up to vote would be a “no” vote because the law reads that 51 percent of the residences have to agree, not 51 percent of those who actually vote.
In addition, he believed that any resident who owned multiple houses could only vote once on the house lived in even though they would be paying taxes on more.
He will check with the engineer who compiled the list to make sure that residents know if they are qualified.
The town will send notices to all who are qualified and absentee envelopes will be given to those who can't make it to the polls.
Town Supervisor William Tarby said he voted for the mandatory referendum because the residents should have a vote rather than circulate a petition which would give property owners with more expensive houses more say in the vote.
The petition would need 51 percent of the total assessed value, meaning if three property owners with a house for $25,000, one for $50,000 and one for $100,000 voted, if the first two voted “no” and the third “yes,” the one with the most expensive house would control the vote.
Board members weighed in.
“I favor one person, one vote,” Tom Paczkowski, said. “Let the residents decide. Those with more money do not have more say even though they may counter with 'We pay more taxes.'”
“I go for everybody having their own personal vote,” Cher Guarglia said.
“I kind of favor a petition but I really want to see this water line go through, so I vote with the board,” Michael Vitale said.
Richard Signorelli said he's been in favor of everybody getting a vote since “day one.”
With that vote, the board unanimously determined that notice for the public hearing was published by law; that property owners affected are benefited by this; that those benefiting are all included within the water district; and the establishment of the extension is in the public interest.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
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