New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers is arguing that it may be time to eliminate the mayor’s position — as well as the entire village government. This was shared during the joint meeting of municipal and village councils held on November 21. Rogers believes the delays in exploring local government consolidation are proof that it should be done, one way or another. Dissolving the village might be the simplest route to relieving the residents of New Paltz from the burden of two overlapping governments.

Discussions about finding a way to unify New Paltz resumed in January. Rogers spearheaded this effort because the financial benefits could be significant. While consultant bills for developing all the necessary plans could reach five figures, the successful transformation of two governments into one would ensure that the remaining New Paltz government would now receive $1 million in direct aid from the State every year.

Village and town governments are based on different sections of state law, and any process to merge them will require careful planning. Local leaders have considered different ways to consolidate the two, and village officials have already received a State Department grant for the process. Town and village board members agreed on the choice of a consulting firm, but those on the town council then suggested a number of changes to the contract. Anxious to see the entire process managed by two masters, the managers of the Laberge Group decided not to work under these conditions.

Since the grant to pay for Laberge was awarded to the village, Rogers still decided to move forward. Just as the contract for a village-centered approach would only require approval from a single group of board members, any proposed changes involving the dissolution of the village would be voted on only by village residents. However, Rogers raised this issue at a joint meeting, believing that close collaboration is the best way to ensure the vote is successful. The plan that would be considered would explain how to dissolve the village, including the fate of the village’s employees, assets and debts.

Esi Lewis and Edgar Rodriguez expressed reluctance to continue working with a consultant after being told what they thought was no fun working with city officials. However, as there is no longer a financial stake at the city level, the decision to stick with the Laberge Group is beyond their control.

Rogers is passionate, saying, “Personally, I believe in it so much that I basically talk myself out of quitting my job. » Members of both governments spend a considerable amount of time determining the legal requirements of working together on their many joint projects, and Rogers believes that time would be better spent focusing on planning for growth and ensuring that the infrastructure exists to accommodate any problem. growth agreed in a master plan. Historically, both councils have gone through periods of good cooperation and non-cooperation, but the challenges the mayor invariably describes are part of the challenge governing in New Paltz.

It is likely that future joint meetings will focus on the proposed plan to integrate village services into town government, should a vote to dissolve be passed and succeed.