There was about an hour’s worth of comments
Highland Falls — and Fort Montgomery — residents most definitely have opinions on local policing.
As the issue of merging local police departments has come up again at both Village and Town Board meetings, those community opinions are starting to be voiced, often loudly.
At Monday night’s Village Board meeting there were about 50 community residents in attendance, and about a third of them took advantage of the public comment section of the meeting to tell the board how they feel. That comes after the June 7 meeting of the board when a group of residents — who were also at this week’s meeting — presented a petition asking the board to put dissolution of the HFPD up for a public vote.
Here are some of the comments:
• Highland Falls’ Mary Ellen Olivia said she pays $1407 more in taxes a year than a comparable Fort Montgomery homeowner, apparently a comment toward lowering taxes in some manner, although she didn’t specifically comment on police dissolution.
• Highland Falls’ Harvey Green said he expects that town taxes — which village residents also pay — will go up if police services are moved to the town.
• Highland Falls’ Chip Lenney said “911 doesn’t work here” and telling petition carriers not to come to his door again.
• Highland Falls’ Cindy Modlin stressed that all the petition carriers want is a public vote on the matter.
• Highland Falls’ Debbie Gonzalez said: “We love our police department.”
• Anne Hess commented that she is not in favor of changing the local police forces, noting the quick response she got while having a heart attack.
• Dan Zint also said he’s not in favor of dissolving the HFPD and asked why the village doesn’t take over policing in the whole town.
• Highland Falls’ Joe DeWitt suggested a Town Hall type meeting where police consolidation is the only topic, and that there be supportive facts presented at that meeting.
• Fort Montgomery resident Frank Lilos (a part-time HFPD officer) commented that he personally has had trouble when calling 911 — “it goes straight to Putnam County because we don’t have cell towers here” he said.
• Highland Falls’ Jim Ramus (a former village trustee) noted that the financial figures in the 2017 consolidation study were not correct, and that the people need facts before voting.
• Highland Falls’ Jen Gargiulo said she is “standing behind the HFPD to make sure they come out of this whole”.
Several board members also commented on police. Trustee Melanie Guerrero, who was one of those who has been carrying petitions around the village, took note of the many police officers in the room and said she is not in favor of “making the village lawless”. She said she is looking at a “combining of forces” that would result in significant financial savings.
Deputy Mayor Brian Aylward also commented, saying he believes community residents should vote on the matter.
Mayor Joe D’Onofrio said that he has the most recent study which was done — 2017 — and should anyone want a copy of it they can stop by Village Hall. He also noted that a kick-off meeting with the recently-hired consulting firm will take place on July 7.
The public — and board — comments can be watched on YouTube, via the link on the village website, www.highlandfallsny.org.
