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McGivney: Projects like power authority, youth center keep me interested
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| Doug McGivney |
By Francesca Olsen
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Doug McGivney, a 38-year resident of Columbia County, is seeking another term as Kinderhook supervisor. The registered Democrat has been endorsed by the Democratic, Working Families and Common Sense parties.
McGivney says he is running again because his work just isn’t done yet. “I want to continue to make a difference. There are things I am still working on I want to happen,” he said.
One project in the works is the Kinderhook Power Authority. “We can get solar,” he said. “We’ve got it in the works with three of our buildings.” A power authority would mean the town can buy and distribute power locally. McGivney also wants to explore other energy sources, such as wind energy or biofuels.
McGivney said he also wants to see a youth center opened in Kinderhook, “as the seniors did, with little or no money....it can be done with volunteers. The crucial part is going to be having it staffed with volunteer parents, a male and female. It’s these kind of things that I want to continue.”
At the time, McGivney said, the county’s purchase of the Ockawamick school building in Claverack was a good decision. “The whole question was to move. Where (DSS) is right now isn’t satisfactory...we knew we had to move.”
McGivney said that when moving departments was discussed years ago, the One City Centre building in Hudson was actually the county’s first choice, but the asking price was much higher then. “We are back to there,” he said. “I’m glad the bank became available, because it satisfied people who became offended by the decision.”
Concerning Pine Haven, McGivney still supports developer Ron DeVito’s plan to build a senior living community in Valatie over building another exclusively county-owned facility on the existing Pine Haven site.
“That was an off the cuff recommendation by a subcommittee. You notice how the full committee didn’t endorse that,” he said, adding that the county needs senior housing desperately. “We shouldn’t be looking at the aging population as a burden. It is an economic opportunity. There are many needs to be met, housing being the big one.”
Additionally, McGivney said Kinderhook would be a better place for a skilled-nursing facility because of its multiple doctors and businesses, and because the tax in Kinderhook is lower. McGivney said he hopes DeVito will still build in Kinderhook.
McGivney said he thinks the county is on the right track. “In every way,” he said. “We are pursuing goals that are realistic.” Reductions to the county’s collected sales and mortgage tax do present a problem.
“One of our problems is the cash flow situation,” he said. “We’re going to have to plan for the reductions of programs and plan our budgets for smaller bites...on the town level, we may have to cut programs or increase fees.”
Some cuts and increases have already been implemented this year. When McGivney found Kinderhook’s first 2009 mortgage recording check $20,000 under budget, the town’s swim program was reduced and fees to parents were increased. “And I didn’t get a single complaint about that,” he said.
McGivney also said that keeping the town at a 100 percent equalization rate was a high priority, because the STAR exemption program favors higher equalization rates, resulting in lower school taxes for Kinderhook residents.
“I’d like to continue for as long as I can to make a difference,” he said. “On the town level, we have made a lot of progress.”
McGivney said one of the things he was most proud of as supervisor is the Kinderhook park, put together with a lot of volunteer help. He said when he passes the park and sees people playing soccer there, “it just makes me feel like a king. I just feel so happy that that happened, and that I was a part of it.”
McGivney says he is running again because his work just isn’t done yet. “I want to continue to make a difference. There are things I am still working on I want to happen,” he said.
One project in the works is the Kinderhook Power Authority. “We can get solar,” he said. “We’ve got it in the works with three of our buildings.” A power authority would mean the town can buy and distribute power locally. McGivney also wants to explore other energy sources, such as wind energy or biofuels.
McGivney said he also wants to see a youth center opened in Kinderhook, “as the seniors did, with little or no money....it can be done with volunteers. The crucial part is going to be having it staffed with volunteer parents, a male and female. It’s these kind of things that I want to continue.”
At the time, McGivney said, the county’s purchase of the Ockawamick school building in Claverack was a good decision. “The whole question was to move. Where (DSS) is right now isn’t satisfactory...we knew we had to move.”
McGivney said that when moving departments was discussed years ago, the One City Centre building in Hudson was actually the county’s first choice, but the asking price was much higher then. “We are back to there,” he said. “I’m glad the bank became available, because it satisfied people who became offended by the decision.”
Concerning Pine Haven, McGivney still supports developer Ron DeVito’s plan to build a senior living community in Valatie over building another exclusively county-owned facility on the existing Pine Haven site.
“That was an off the cuff recommendation by a subcommittee. You notice how the full committee didn’t endorse that,” he said, adding that the county needs senior housing desperately. “We shouldn’t be looking at the aging population as a burden. It is an economic opportunity. There are many needs to be met, housing being the big one.”
Additionally, McGivney said Kinderhook would be a better place for a skilled-nursing facility because of its multiple doctors and businesses, and because the tax in Kinderhook is lower. McGivney said he hopes DeVito will still build in Kinderhook.
McGivney said he thinks the county is on the right track. “In every way,” he said. “We are pursuing goals that are realistic.” Reductions to the county’s collected sales and mortgage tax do present a problem.
“One of our problems is the cash flow situation,” he said. “We’re going to have to plan for the reductions of programs and plan our budgets for smaller bites...on the town level, we may have to cut programs or increase fees.”
Some cuts and increases have already been implemented this year. When McGivney found Kinderhook’s first 2009 mortgage recording check $20,000 under budget, the town’s swim program was reduced and fees to parents were increased. “And I didn’t get a single complaint about that,” he said.
McGivney also said that keeping the town at a 100 percent equalization rate was a high priority, because the STAR exemption program favors higher equalization rates, resulting in lower school taxes for Kinderhook residents.
“I’d like to continue for as long as I can to make a difference,” he said. “On the town level, we have made a lot of progress.”
McGivney said one of the things he was most proud of as supervisor is the Kinderhook park, put together with a lot of volunteer help. He said when he passes the park and sees people playing soccer there, “it just makes me feel like a king. I just feel so happy that that happened, and that I was a part of it.”
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OV Observer wrote on Oct 17, 2009 1:36 PM: