Nunda Township Flag Pole, Planter Take Heat at Board Meeting

In the absence of Nunda Township Road Commissioner Donald Kopsell, Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler and the Township Board expressed its displeasure with the expenditure of $6,500, plus labor, to install a tall flag pole and what appear to be planters.

Take a look at what I saw when I went back in daylight:

The new flag pole and concrete retaining walls that seem destined to have flowers planted behind them over which the Town Board objected when Road Commissioner Don Kopsell submitted bills for about $6,500.

All of the above is behind a chain link fence with barbed wire on top.

Heisler explained that were bills from Eagle Flag and Foxcroft Meadows for construction materials, bricks, limestone and a flag pole with “gold ornament” charged to the General Maintenance line item.

Road District employee Josh Singer was in the audience, but not representing his employer.

Nevertheless, he told the Board that he had worked on the project “a couple of days.”

Two or three of Kopsell’s employees did the work.

A motion to approve the expenditures garnered failed 3-1. Only Trustee Lee Jennings voted in favor.

Those attending the October Nunda Township Board meeting (from left to right) were Joni Smith, Lee Jennings, John Heisler and James Schlader.

“The fact remains though,” Heisler observed after the vote, “that Eagle Flag and Foxcroft have provided these goods and services in good faith.

James Militello, Sr.

When asked, Township Attorney James Militello, Sr., pointed out the denial “puts you are risk.”

“I don’t think we can not pay the bill,” Jennings commented.

“This Board doesn’t have the ability to tell the Road Commissioner [how he] should or should not be spending his money,” Militello said.

“If [there are] questions, you have to go by what the Road Commissioner is requesting.”

Then, Heisler brought the possibility of a motion to reconsider.

In the re-vote, approval of the bills passed 4-0.

“I think the process we just went through is a message-sending process.

There was also discussion about paying legal bills.  One from Road Commissioner attorney Jim Kelly was paid and one wasn’t.  The one that wasn’t had no itemization.

Militello pointed out that when there is litigation, it is not unusual for legal bills to exclude detail, but that there should be some idea what type of services were provided.

Kopsell has filed suit against the Town Fund part of township government headed by Heisler.

A $13,500 bill for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 from Kopsell was discussed at length, with Heisler stating there was never a written or verbal contract.

This year, after Kopsell said that he wanted to be paid for mowing the township’s lawn outside his complex, Heisler asked for bids.  The cheapest was $250 a cut.

Heisler said he hired his son at $100 a cut.

Trustee Tom Palmer did not attend the meeting.


Comments

Nunda Township Flag Pole, Planter Take Heat at Board Meeting — 4 Comments

  1. The board doesn’t ‘approve’ anything, all they can do it audit them to make sure 2+2=4.

    The Hwy Commissioner can yank the Supervisor’s bond and pay the bills if they refuse.

  2. If someone does not like how any township official is handling their tax dollars, ‘pull’ a petition and campaign for the office by pointing out the voters what the current official is doing.

  3. Lets talk about the fiscal responsibility of this county… $100 to mow a lawn?

    I have an acre mowed for $45.

    $6500 for a flag pole?

    Legal bills- fight with your own money.

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