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Q: Why should voters elect the Common Sense Party candidates?

A: Mike, Tim and Tom each have extensive records of proven success in the business community. As a team, they possess many years of collective real world experience in the fields of government, finance, management and operations. In order to emerge successfully from this economic crisis, Woodbury must operate like a business with leaders offering sensible solutions that focus on protecting the taxpayer's wallet rather than churning out the same old "do nothing" or "reactionary" rhetoric.

Q: What does coterminous mean? Why lobby the State Legislature for special legislation to grant Woodbury the ability to function as a coterminous Village/Town?

A: A coterminous village-town is a consolidated municipality (in essence merging the two). It is a territory where there are both a village and a town having the exact same boundary. Depending on how the coterminous unit is formed, the village and the town may function together as a single unit of government. That is, the duties and responsibilities of both the village and the town are carried out by one group of officers and employees. In such an example, the same person serves as both village mayor and town supervisor, and the village board members serve also as the town board.

Currently, there are five coterminous village-towns in New York: Mount Kisco, Harrison and Scarsdale, in Westchester County, Green Island in Albany County, and East Rochester in Monroe County.

A coterminous village-town can be created in several ways. Because of the Village of Harriman we would need the State Legislature to adopt a special act creating the coterminous village-town. Since it would be for the benefit of only two municipalities, such a special act would require that the two existing governments send a "home rule request" to the Legislature to enact the bill. In the special act, the boundaries of the new municipality would be set forth, and other provisions would be written regarding governmental administration, disposition of real property and other assets and obligations of the existing municipalities. When Woodbury is permitted to operate as a coterminous village/town, the Village of Harriman would remain part of the Town of Woodbury retaining all the services it currently enjoys.

Although a referendum is not required by any existing general statute, the Legislature may condition the creation of the village-town on the approval of the voters at a referendum. By utilizing the method of a special act, the boundaries of the new village-town could follow an existing village or town boundary, or they could follow newly-drawn boundaries. Both the Village and the Town of Green Island were created by separate acts of the State Legislature.

Q: How will having a coterminous government save taxpayers money?

A: Upon becoming a coterminous Village/Town government Woodbury would, at a minimum, eliminate duplication of job services for the Village and Town in the following areas: two groups of paid elected officials and their expenses, two lawyers and their fees, two clerks and their salaries, two tax collectors and their salaries, two back office operations including equipment and supplies, two tax bill mailings, two liability and health insurance policies, two sets of code books, two audits, two budgets, two budget officers and their salaries, two sets of records, two memberships in municipal and other organizations, two elections with their associated costs and the double expense of operating and maintaining both a Village and Town Hall. Plus the ongoing inefficiency of two governments, with two visions for Woodbury, operating in the same geographic space at the same time.

Q: What are some of the biggest obstacles the Common Sense Party faces?

A: One: The short time before the election to get our message to all the voters so they feel comfortable voting for us.

Two: If we accomplish step one, we must continue to be extremely productive for the people of Woodbury so we develop as a united stronger municipality.

Three: Taking time to counteract the deceit lies and misinformation others employ because they refuse or are unable to debate or try to solve issues. For example, one group is notorious (they did it in the last three elections) for handing out inflammatory lie filled fliers or letters of bogus support one or two nights before the election, hoping there is no time to respond. Their intention is to discredit candidates by frightening voters into believing anyone running against them did or will do something so horrible that voters would be in serious jeopardy to even consider voting for anyone but them.

Q: Michael Queenan is a real estate agent, isn't that a conflict of interest?

A: Mike is licensed in the State of New York and works as an independent real estate agent. He specializes in the resale of residential homes and in the commercial market. The majority of his business is outside of Woodbury. Mike has refused to enter into the two areas of real estate that could pose a potential conflict. Therefore, he has never worked as a developer's agent and he has never exclusively sold new homes in any developer's sub-division.

Q: What do you mean by completing and abiding by the updated Comprehensive Plan?

A: The Comprehensive Plan is a most important document. Every responsible municipality in charge of zoning must have a current one. In Woodbury's case, it serves as the official guideline as well as the legal basis for: current and future zoning decisions, development (including infrastructure), protection of resources and the objectives/goals, etc. for the Village.

The Town of Woodbury paid to create an updated plan and was ready to adopt it when the Village Board took office in November 2006. Knowing they would be charged with planning and zoning, it still took more than 8 months, until July 2007, for the Village Board to form a Comprehensive Plan Recommendation Committee to review this updated essential plan again. That committee was comprised of members of the original Town CPRC. On July 3, 2008, the CPRC handed the Village Board their final recommendations. The Village Board has yet to complete and adopt the plan.

Q: Michael Queenan is a member of the Town Board. If elected Village Mayor will he remain on the Town Board?

A: Mike's term as a member of the Town Board expires this year. If elected Mayor, Mike will not seek re-election in November. Mike will resign as a member of the Town Board as soon as he ensures that a fair and orderly transition has taken place.

Q: Your Palm Card states you will begin televising Village Board meetings. Doesn't the Village Board already televise their meetings?

A: The Village Board has never televised their meetings. The Town Board offered the Village Board the use of their Cablevision broadcasting equipment. The Mayor declined the offer. Last year, the Village Board purchased additional video recording equipment, approved by the Mayor, costing taxpayers in excess of $1,000.00. However, that equipment is not compatible with the Town's Cablevision system and was never used to televise Village Board meetings. The Village Board is the only board in Woodbury that holds meetings in the Highland Mills Firehouse/Village Hall. Both the Village Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals televise their meetings from Town Hall where residents can view them on Channel 22.

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Q: Why should voters elect the Common Sense Party candidates?
A: Mike, Tim and Tom each have extensive records of proven success in the business community. As a team, they possess many years of collective real world experience in the fields of government, finance, management and operations. In order to emerge successfully from this economic crisis, Woodbury must operate like a business with leaders offering sensible solutions that focus on protecting the taxpayer's wallet rather than churning out the same old "do nothing" or "reactionary" rhetoric.
Q: What does coterminous mean? Why lobby the State Legislature for special legislation to grant Woodbury the ability to function as a coterminous Village/Town?
A: A coterminous village-town is a consolidated municipality (in essence merging the two). It is a territory where there are both a village and a town having the exact same boundary. Depending on how the coterminous unit is formed, the village and the town may function together as a single unit of government. That is, the duties and responsibilities of both the village and the town are carried out by one group of officers and employees. In such an example, the same person serves as both village mayor and town supervisor, and the village board members serve also as the town board.

Currently, there are five coterminous village-towns in New York: Mount Kisco, Harrison and Scarsdale, in Westchester County, Green Island in Albany County, and East Rochester in Monroe County.

A coterminous village-town can be created in several ways. Because of the Village of Harriman we would need the State Legislature to adopt a special act creating the coterminous village-town. Since it would be for the benefit of only two municipalities, such a special act would require that the two existing governments send a "home rule request" to the Legislature to enact the bill. In the special act, the boundaries of the new municipality would be set forth, and other provisions would be written regarding governmental administration, disposition of real property and other assets and obligations of the existing municipalities. When Woodbury is permitted to operate as a coterminous village/town, the Village of Harriman would remain part of the Town of Woodbury retaining all the services it currently enjoys.

Although a referendum is not required by any existing general statute, the Legislature may condition the creation of the village-town on the approval of the voters at a referendum. By utilizing the method of a special act, the boundaries of the new village-town could follow an existing village or town boundary, or they could follow newly-drawn boundaries. Both the Village and the Town of Green Island were created by separate acts of the State Legislature.
Q: How will having a coterminous government save taxpayers money?
A: Upon becoming a coterminous Village/Town government Woodbury would, at a minimum, eliminate duplication of job services for the Village and Town in the following areas: two groups of paid elected officials and their expenses, two lawyers and their fees, two clerks and their salaries, two tax collectors and their salaries, two back office operations including equipment and supplies, two tax bill mailings, two liability and health insurance policies, two sets of code books, two audits, two budgets, two budget officers and their salaries, two sets of records, two memberships in municipal and other organizations, two elections with their associated costs and the double expense of operating and maintaining both a Village and Town Hall. Plus the ongoing inefficiency of two governments, with two visions for Woodbury, operating in the same geographic space at the same time.
Q: What are some of the biggest obstacles the Common Sense Party faces?
A: One: The short time before the election to get our message to all the voters so they feel comfortable voting for us.

Two: If we accomplish step one, we must continue to be extremely productive for the people of Woodbury so we develop as a united stronger municipality.

Three: Taking time to counteract the deceit lies and misinformation others employ because they refuse or are unable to debate or try to solve issues. For example, one group is notorious (they did it in the last three elections) for handing out inflammatory lie filled fliers or letters of bogus support one or two nights before the election, hoping there is no time to respond. Their intention is to discredit candidates by frightening voters into believing anyone running against them did or will do something so horrible that voters would be in serious jeopardy to even consider voting for anyone but them.
Q: Michael Queenan is a real estate agent, isn't that a conflict of interest?
A: Mike is licensed in the State of New York and works as an independent real estate agent. He specializes in the resale of residential homes and in the commercial market. The majority of his business is outside of Woodbury. Mike has refused to enter into the two areas of real estate that could pose a potential conflict. Therefore, he has never worked as a developer's agent and he has never exclusively sold new homes in any developer's sub-division.
Q: What do you mean by completing and abiding by the updated Comprehensive Plan?
A: The Comprehensive Plan is a most important document. Every responsible municipality in charge of zoning must have a current one. In Woodbury's case, it serves as the official guideline as well as the legal basis for: current and future zoning decisions, development (including infrastructure), protection of resources and the objectives/goals, etc. for the Village.

The Town of Woodbury paid to create an updated plan and was ready to adopt it when the Village Board took office in November 2006. Knowing they would be charged with planning and zoning, it still took more than 8 months, until July 2007, for the Village Board to form a Comprehensive Plan Recommendation Committee to review this updated essential plan again. That committee was comprised of members of the original Town CPRC. On July 3, 2008, the CPRC handed the Village Board their final recommendations. The Village Board has yet to complete and adopt the plan.
Q: Michael Queenan is a member of the Town Board. If elected Village Mayor will he remain on the Town Board?
A: Mike's term as a member of the Town Board expires this year. If elected Mayor, Mike will not seek re-election in November. Mike will resign as a member of the Town Board as soon as he ensures that a fair and orderly transition has taken place.
Q: Your Palm Card states you will begin televising Village Board meetings. Doesn't the Village Board already televise their meetings?
A: The Village Board has never televised their meetings. The Town Board offered the Village Board the use of their Cablevision broadcasting equipment. The Mayor declined the offer. Last year, the Village Board purchased additional video recording equipment, approved by the Mayor, costing taxpayers in excess of $1,000.00. However, that equipment is not compatible with the Town's Cablevision system and was never used to televise Village Board meetings. The Village Board is the only board in Woodbury that holds meetings in the Highland Mills Firehouse/Village Hall. Both the Village Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals televise their meetings from Town Hall where residents can view them on Channel 22.