Conservation Commission Requests Council Make Good On Resolution

Sheila Stoane, chair of Middletown's Conservation Commission has sent a letter to Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, and the Common Council questioning the decision to use proceeds for the sale of Cucia Park to the Army Corps of Engineers, to balance the city budget.

The following is the unedited text of the letter:

May 17, 2009

Dear Mayor Guiliano and
The Members of the Common Council,


We understand that the Common Council voted, last Thursday, to use the proceeds of the sale of Cucia Park as revenue for balancing the current budget.

This contradicts Common Council’s Resolution 10-12, passed by the Common Council in October, which required that "monies sufficient to replace the park and open space land as a result of such sale would be placed in a special City Account for the purchase of park and/or open space land." The sale of Cucia Park was agreed to only after Councilmen Serra and Daley introduced an amendment that stated that the money from the sale of Cucia Park be specifically dedicated to replace the loss of open space. The current situation specifically contradicts a previously agreed upon resolution.

Although times are very difficult for the city, the Conservation Commission believes that Open Space purchases continues to be an important investment in the future. There should be no net loss of Open Space!

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Sheila Stoane, Chair
Conservation Commission