Mayor thanks police for solving murder

By Dan Hust
MONTICELLO — Mayor Gordon Jenkins thanked the Monticello Police Department and Community Progressive Response (CPR) for their role in tracking down two suspects in the June murder of Monticello resident Carl Williams.
But, he cautioned, “we still have to stay on top of gang issues in Monticello.”
Teenagers David Perkins, 16, of Woodbourne, and Jacquis Lowery, 17, of Monticello, have been charged with murdering Williams. The District Attorney’s Office believes the motive was robbery.
boiler replaced
A boiler malfunction in the Ted Stroebele Recreation Center led to its emergency replacement.
Board members unanimously approved the $12,000 job, though it cost the village $8,000 thanks to a $4,000 donation by Albee Bockman of MobileMedic, the ambulance service that occupies the center’s garage.
A village hall wishlist
After another back-and-forth, the board informally agreed to provide Village Manager Ray Nargizian with a wishlist of repairs and upgrades to the current village hall, which was built 60 years ago.
Jenkins felt the decor is badly worn and outdated, but Rue worried about the cost. Jenkins said money was available in the budget, but the board did not agree to an actual spending plan.
Nargizian is expected to return to the next meeting with a list from which to cull ideas.
Corrections made
A land use report that was given to the village two weeks ago by Dykstra Associates of Goshen was once again given to the board Monday.
Dykstra had submitted the report for free as a way of pitching its planning and zoning consulting capabilities to officials, but a hastily-written, error-filled copy was accidentally given to the board, said a rep.
Monday’s resubmitted version corrected what were mostly spelling errors, but the board did not take any action other than to accept it.
grants new and old
Board members unanimously agreed to bond up to $15 million for the massive work planned on the village’s wastewater system, which will be reimbursed by the federal government.
“These are the biggest, most innovative infrastructure projects going on in the county,” announced a relieved Glenn Gidaly from the village’s engineering firm of Barton and LoGuidice, who has been working to design the project and obtain funding.
But the mayor’s signature is still missing from a Federal Assistance Expenditure Form the state requires to close out grants already given to the village.
Jenkins has continued to stall on signing his name to the document, citing a lack of information. He and Trustee TC Hutchins have also argued against allowing Nargizian to sign instead, considering it a conflict of interest.
Nargizian denied such a conflict exists, pointing out the state would allow it if the mayor would simply agree to it.
“Ray, don’t forget: you work for the board,” Jenkins said, claiming Nargizian has “a tendency to override the board.”
“Gordon, may I ask you something?” Nargizian replied. “Why don’t you sign it?”
“Ray, you don’t ask questions,” Hutchins responded.
So Trustee Carmen Rue asked it of Jenkins, who said he wanted to table the matter until he got more information.
“Believe me, the village is not going to lose any money,” he assured, “because they [state officials] understand we have some issues here, and we’re trying to straighten it out.”