Archive: Opinions

Deer are often cited as the most important issue in the upcoming Cayuga Heights election but the really important issue that has been identified by Karen Kaufmann and others is that due process and open ethical government have been at risk recently in Cayuga Heights.

When Mayor Gilmore introduced partisan politics to Cayuga Heights with his Community Party he also attempted to introduce closed governance. The deer committee was appointed without community input early in his tenure and meetings were not at first open to the public nor to all trustees, unlike previous deer committees, the work of which has been clearly summarized by Kate Supron, Chair of the present Deer Remediation Committee.

 

This Committee has not yet made any recommendations to the trustees but the Mayor is already on public record stating that Cayuga Heights will be culling deer. In fact money was taken from the Marcham Hall renovation budget line and moved to deer remediation. Why do I not find Marcham Hall renovation included in the Tompkins County Council of Governments Federal Stimulus Proposal? Why is Cayuga Heights not participating in this proposal? Open government would tell us this but meetings behind closed doors and discussions including only some trustees does not.

 

Does Cayuga Heights really want to increase the number of trustees supporting this type of government by voting for more Community Party members who support the Mayor?

 

NO. Please join me and vote for Karen Kaufmann, Nancy Green, and Mary Tabacchi, and vote for open government, and due process in our decisions on deer remediation.

From: Sally Grubb
Ithaca, NY 14850