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Resident presses board on veterans committee politics, landfill risks and alleged computer wipe
Summary
During public comment a longtime volunteer criticized recent changes to the veterans committee, warned of development near a former hotel landfill with potential contamination, and alleged town computer files were deleted; board members said the issues are under investigation and that the state issued a stop-work order on recent driveway work.
A lengthy public comment session at the Plattekill Town Board meeting featured a resident who raised three major concerns: politicization of the volunteer veterans committee, possible environmental risks from recent work near a former hotel landfill, and allegations that town computer files had been wiped.
The resident, who identified long service on the veterans committee, said the committee has always been volunteer-run and nonpolitical. They recounted fundraising and recordkeeping practices and said recent changes — including reappointments and committee leadership shifts — had introduced politics into a body that previously avoided political discussion.
"No politics to be discussed in any way, shape or form because our job was to do for the veteran. Everybody was a volunteer," the resident said, urging the board to "put that person back" on the committee and to keep veterans work nonpolitical.
The speaker also described observing new driveway work near a property they said abuts a former hotel landfill and recounted historical dumping incidents that raised contamination concerns. They said an EPA restriction limits well drilling within a specified distance of the landfill and reported that the state issued a stop-work order after a driveway was cut without permits.
On a separate allegation, the speaker and others said IT personnel confirmed files had been deleted from a town computer. Board members said they did not have full knowledge of what files might be missing, that some records remain with the clerk/bookkeeper, and that the issue was under investigation.
Board responses included statements that at least one committee reappointment had been restored and that the building department and state officials had issued or supported stop-work actions where permits were lacking. Officials asked for time to investigate claims about deleted files and emphasized a desire to follow procedure for committee appointments.
The resident said they would continue investigating and expected to return to a future meeting with additional information.
The board closed public input later in the meeting and deferred unrelated items such as a mowing bid to a future meeting.
