March 20, 1991
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", ., 'f SpoTLiGhT NEWSpAPERS presents Financesremai,j,.unri/sOlved .... in Clarksville SENIOR SCENE Page 3 March 20, 1991 9000 12/03/91 8M •• B 01 (01. xxxv, No, 13 BETHLEHEM PUBLIC LIBRARY 'lSI DELAIIIAF:E (WE NY 120~)4 •~ '::LMAF' .; The weekly newspaper serving the towns of I 'I••• Bethlehem and New Scottand Democrats vow battle in 1991 Road chief against town GOP stronghold to retire By Mike Larabee. By Mike larabee vember booths, the outline for a busy 8,069 to 4,562 in enrollment according to 1989 Albany County Board of Election Martin Cross, elected Bethlehem Four years ago local election season is beginning to take Highway Superintendent 13 times, Bethlehem Repub shape. data, they haVe won only one town elec won't try for number 14 this fall. Iicans, long the pro "We are shooting for a full slate of tion this century, when Burns squeaked past Thomas Scherer in 1987. A re-elec Cross, in charge of the highway I .' prietors of political Democratic candidates," said Matthew department since 1966, said Monday power in town, took Clyne, town Democratic committee tion run this year by Burns would put the party in the unfamiliar position of defend he will retire when his current term it on the chin for chairman. "We expect to have a good expires Dec. 31. the first time in campaign season." ing a town incumbent. years when Demo Though Burns hasn't said yet whether "There gets to be a time in life crat Robert Burns "I think in today's world anybody can he intends to seek a second term (he said when you just have to slow down," won a town council win running for any office," he said. last week only that he will be making a said Cross, who'll be 63 this May. "I slot by five votes. Kaplowitz final decision shortly), his seat has drawn feel that I've served the town well." Now, with Burns' Clyne said the Democrats intend to special interest from both parties. Cross said he has no specific plans and colleague Frederick Webster's board field candidates for the seven town posi for retirement. tions - supervisor, the two board slots, "I think Bob wouldn't have too much seats, thetownsupervisor'sjob, and three difficulty this time. I think he's done a "Ijustwantloretire," he said, "My county legislature positions at issue, 1991 highway superintendent, town justice, clerk, and taxcollector-and threecounty good job," said Clyne. "I think he has the wife and I wantto do a little travelling could signal whether Democrats have confidence of the public. He certainly has and just enjoy ourselves." since made inroads into town GOP con legislature seats 'on this year's election docket the confidence of the party." All told, Cross has more than 35 trol, or it may mark a return to politics as But town Republican Committee usual in the town. years service with Bethlehem since As always, it will be an uphill battle for he joined the highway. department Eight months before voters enter No- Bethlehem Democrats. Outnumbered DEMOCRATS/page 10 as a truck driver in 1955.Sooo after, , he. became a dep;rrtment foremal!-' . and ullimately was appointed su~r- •••' Be board considers more cuts intendent asa successor to' !)av~.• :: M~d.who died in office. He is past. By Susan. Wheeler tal reductions after deletions and addi place over the last six weeks, the district .··president· Qithe··New;¥orktjState/; The Bethlehem Central School Dis tions. proposed cutting $392,392 from its $30.5 . Highway $uPerint~nde~t$~jl trict Board of Education has made a te'n The tentative deletions include three million budget. An additional $285,562 in lion. ',>.• talive net reduction of $107,364 in its instructional staffing positions, accord budget reductions will be discussed at Cross said he'.seen agre/iFdeal; 1991-92 budget, according toSuperinten ing to Loomis. The proposed additions tonight's (Wednesday's) regular board of change in the·t()wn,anda meeting. These cuts, if approved by the gteab' dent Leslie Loomis. include three elementary teaching posi deal of gro)Vthasw~J1. .' .'!,;. tions, he said. The teachers are needed board, will represent a total of $677;954 Loomis said the board had initially deducted from the total budget. Loomis "1 can relllemberwhen al(lt'o'I. tentatively cut $297,800 from its budget for the additional classrooms and stu ..• these dwelopments weren't here at;; dents in the recently renovated elemen said that would bring the increase from at last week's budget workshop, but then last year's budget to this year's from 10.6 ;ill;" CroS!! said;,"1 btiilftnesfr~m1Ji proposed $190,436 in additions. The net tary schools, he said. -these ,:area:s:" ,,- '_',i/,:.- -; , •.....•.•.•..•...:: •....,...•.•..•.••..•..••. ,.:.•... :: ••.......••..... :;.•.. ,·.,., •..• ·,· .. ,..• ·...·.,' .. :' .• .•. ...;,.· reduction of $107,364 represents the to- During budget workshops that took. CUTS/page 11 ; ;' . ..:,~ .. ;, ' -;,,;->i/i<,~;;:;;)t:\/::; ,_ n_ ",,' -%rm,.,-,:};,,·.:;M.<.;.::".·.:.L.'.~~.;,.;.~.·.:::.·;.".".,.{ ~_~. Glenmont man polls residents. on Ref-Fuel plan By Susan Graves After his tour of the facility and discus lohn Thomas, a proponent of Ameri sions with plant and health officials, he can Ref-Fuel's plan to locate a waste-to said he was convinced Ref-Fuel would .Thomas' questionnaire energy plant on Cabbage Island in Beth only benefit Bethlehem by building here. lehem, believes the majority of town "How can you say no to a plan that 1. American Ref-Fuel should be allowed to construct a waste-to-plallt .. residents favor the idea and has con would bring $2 million to the school dis in the Town of Bethlehem? ductedtwo random surveys to prove his trict, $1 million to the property tax base DYes DNo point. and $500,000 to the town - every year?" Thomas, a Glenmont resident who he said. 2. If you answered "no" to Question.!: A waste-to-energy piant should. lives about two miles from the proposed According to Thomas, the plant "will be built within our town, but not by American Ref-Fuel. site, began taking an active stance favor help solve a problem. Instead of spinning DYes DNo ing the project about two years ago. "I our wheels. If people are for it. let's go. 3. Under no circumstances should a waste-to-energy plant be built in had received information in the mail and Let's go for a referendum." the Town of Bethlehem. saw how it clashed With the views," being Bethlehem Supervisor Ken Ringler DYes DNo expressed by other residents, he said. said the town "is investigating the legali 4. The TQwn of Bethlehem should construct a iandftJl to be used hnly- Some of those included members of ties of such a referendum." by our town. Bethlehem Work on Waste, which has . DYes objected to Ref-Fuel's plan since it was "If it's legally possible, we might want introduced. to consider it." he added. Thomas said he then decided to try to In keeping with his belief that a major find out the facts for himself. He said he ity should decide, Thomas has conducted did some research, and "took it upon two sample surveys. "Alii did was open myself to visit Hempstead <the location of the phone book and went through the Ref-Fuel's Long Island facility)." POLL/page 12 . Best laid recycling plan for Be Bethlehem Recycling Corner By Sharon Fisher, town recycling coordinator could be snagged by lack of funds Spring is a time for renewal, and Marlene at 434-4934 to arrange a a time when most of us do major pick up . By Michaell\ag/m because of added costs. and placed in bins or even plastic "clean out" and "throwaway proj- Saturdays, after 12:30 p.m., The Bethlehem Central School Meeting this higher rate will be bags. ects. Often reusable household apartment necessities (no furni district may have severe problems achallengeforthe district because goods end up in the trash and ture) can be dropped off at the meeting the Town's commercial the budget has been frozen since The problem lies in how re recycling requirements due to a Dec. 19, due to state funding cuts. cyclables that students bring in inevitably -overcrow~edro offices of the Ev.angelical Iackoffacilitiesandalackofmoney School Superintendent Leslie their lunches from home could b€ landfills! Christian Church, corner of after state funding cuts. Loomis said there is no money to collected. Houghton hoped th€ There are many home- ~Alexander and Clinton The Town will begin large-scale spend on recycling and, in fact, schools could just provide bins for less, some duetoftre, and ~ Street in Albany's commercial recycling of alumi- there is no money available to the materials and that the town less fortunate persons . Southend. (This is paral- num, glass. plastic, and newspa- spend on anything, except in the would not require the recyclables who cannot afford the leI to South Pearl Street.) . pers on a voluntary basis April 1. case of an emergency, for example ,to be washed out. necessities that other take Three weeks ago, 9 families for granted. The biggest calls are were supplied with boxes, nick- Commercial recycling will be an issue of health and safety. According to Houghton, the for bedding: sheets, blankets. and named "Learning-A'Living" by the mandatory beginning May 1. District Health and Safety Di- district does not have the facilities pillow cases, towels, cooking and program director. The district may have serious rector Larry Gill had no clear idea for students to rinse or wash out b.aking pans, di~hes, glassware, The Capital City Rescue Mis difficulty meeting these require- as to how recycling could be fit recyclables and the district "can't stlverware, curtams and drapes, sion at 50 Hudson Avenue, near ments because of the added costs into the budget, saying simply spend much money" to provide small working aPl?liances: toast- the Knickerbocker Arena, always involved.RobertWright,co-owner "That's a good question." He these facilities, so washing re ers, blenders, halrdryers, etc., welcomes donations of men's of Robert Wright Disposal, Inc., thought that· recyclables could cyclables would pose "a major lamps and furniture.