A Call for Open Government

Dear Mayor Stevens: Where is the open government Scarsdalians expect? On Thursday, January 6th, you scheduled a Board meeting for discussion of the SCC. Shouldn't you have expected a large turn-out and therefore have held the meeting in Rutherford Hall?

It took less than 10 minutes for you to figure out that the attendees that evening couldn't legally fit in the Trustees' Board Room and you moved us to the larger hall.

But, more importantly there were no cameras/video recording made and no newspaper reporter taking notes.

As it turned out, the meeting was attended by at least 30 people who had many reasoned and factual points against the SCC financial projections.

In addition to your fiduciary responsibilities you have an obligation to conduct meetings of this importance for all to be able to review the next day.

It is strange that you are proceeding so hastily and semi-privately. Since this SCC issue is of such public importance, it is ironic that this meeting went on without the Village at large being a witness.

We would appreciate if you would reply to our e-mail of last week, asking you to inform us as to what you are planning to do next. If indeed you and the Board do not recuse yourselves completely from this SCC issue, due to personal conflicts of interest, you owe our community another public hearing for the sake of transparent government before you proceed.

The Village taxpayers have already shouldered $12,000 for SCC mailings in addition to $35,000 for last years’ consultants. Before you commit any more tax dollars for the SCC project, the public should be made aware of any additional expenses in a public forum to be held in the next few weeks.

Sincerely yours,
Jeannie and Bernard Mackler