I have been pretty quiet these past few months and people have called me and asked me why I haven’t written any letters to the Editor, well I have my reasons and I’ll leave it at that. But, I have a reason right now not only to write to the editor but also to, Gov Pataki, County Executive Giambra, Legislator Swanick, Assemblyman Hoyt, State Senator Brown, Rep LaFalce, Senators Schumer and Clinton. Some one of these individuals has got to come to the aid of the residents, the youth and the Tax payers of Grand Island.

What has got me all fired up? That’s easy, what group usually gets under my skin on a regular basis? Once again it’s the Conservation commision and Quality Quest. Last year $750,000.00 was spent on wetlands and hard wood forest, paid for partially with recreation money out of the Trust and Agency fund. This purchase 1 feel was done with the illegal use of recreation funds, it’s been over a year and I still have not heard from the Attorney Generals office and the State Controller H Cart McCall doesn’t have the time or resources to audit the books concerning this land purchase. $1.5 million has been spent on the restoration and dredging of Buckhorn state park. Just these two projects alone cost the taxpayers over $2million dollars. This newest project will spend more taxpayer dollars and for what? It appears to me they want to make an underwater museum for the fish and more places where we can go to see the pretty wildlife and launch a canoe. This is ludicrous and I will fight this project all the way to the top of the [adder.

With the millions of dollars spent over the years on the conservation commissions pet projects, we have ignored the Youth and the business community. We have no rec center, no pool, a dangerous sledding hill and play grounds that are falling apart and some are a hazard to our children. This constant waste of money, and outright disregard for our youth and the general health of the business community has got to stop. What will it finally take to get the residents of this island to stand up and demand action.

We live on an island that has no public access to the water and they want to bury another marina. We as residents have to pay to bring our children swimming, what choices do we have? Fantasy island and Beaver island, we have to pay for both. If a resident wants to put a boat in the water they have to pay. The state owns both ends of the island and the whole length of west river parkway. This is unfair and unethical use of this land. To charge the residents to do normal and simple things that one should be able to do on an island is unbelievable. They either have to pay or leave the island and risk getting caught in a bottle neck at the tolls and still have to pay to get home. This is ridiculous.