Untitled (5)3A Thursday, July 10, 1975
WAPPINGERS FALLS POLICE HEADQUARTERS AT MESIER HOMESTEAD
... Historical Society seeking cleanup, repair of old building
Messy Mesier Homestead
Subject of Citizen Study
By RALPH BERNSTEIN
WAPPINGE:RS FALLS
'rile village board Wednesday
unanimously named a citizen
committee to investigate the
future of the historic Mesier
Homestead. However, the ac-
tion was taken only after exten-
Political
Picnic Set
POt'GHKEEPSIE: — A turd
raising picnic for Libertarian
candidates in this fall's election
is planned for July 19 at 2 p.tn.
at 22 Hewlett Rd , the home of
party leader Sanford Cohen -
Funds will go to the cam-
paigns of Ellen Davis, running
for DutcheSS (otlnty executive,
and Carole (.hen, candidate for
matior of Poughkeepsie, the
sponsors, Candidates for Liber-
ty. annoinued.
Three Lilwrtarians who have
been candidates for President
— hav Haroff of Ohio, Roger
McBride, and Guy W. Riggs,
the Poughkeepsie man who is
seeking the post this year, are
expected, as is Free Liber-
tarian Party Chairperson Gary
Greenberg.
sive debate about the condition
of the building and what could
be done to restore it as an
historic landmark
The homestead and the sur-
rounding Mesier Park have
been village property for more
than 80 years. The building is
currently occupied by the police
force and water department.
14'sdne,day's debate was
sparked by trustee Warren
Short's proposal for the
citizen's committee.
Norman Ferhng of the Wap-
pingers Falls Park Commission
said he had recently inspected
the homestead and was "not
very well pleased with its con-
dition." He commented:
''There was an outboard motor
and other items laying on the
floor. There are papers all over
in the police headquarters. I
holes in fte wall. though
Ih+: were patched Sunday."
Trustee Ra-Vmond Dolan r
,toted: ''It's a pig -pen.'
Acting poke chief Joseph
Bruce responded to the com-
ment, by saying ' 75 per cent of
our desk personnel are women
and they are quite busy. We
can't ask them to be janitors.
Maybe the village can find
someone, but we don't have the
time. "
Mrs. Virginia Ferris of the
village Historical Society com-
mented: ' We would like to take
pc:�ple to the exhibits upstairs.
11 e d Lke i.o f:ave it open for the
picnic in the park July 20. But
the way: it is now', people don't
w,;ut to go in there."
Bruce countered: "t don't
know of any other police force
that operates public restrooms.
m the last picnic, there were so
many people going in and out
that we couldn't run an orderly
operation." However, Mayor
Donald Synnett said that new
restroom facilities would be
available for the next picnic,
and the public would not have to
pro through police headquartcrs.
S,nnett and several trustees,
especially Dolan, exchanged
sharp words over what could be
done. Synnett indicated the
puh,,v department could not be
asked to leave the structure and
questioned the purpose of the
committee ''I can't see people
volunteering their services for
son;ethng like this to come back
and hear us say there's no
rnwnev. I've done things myself
I've been requested to do by the
bo:n-d and come back and
thc�'ve prone doa.n the drain,"
Trustee Jack S&es.tri, in a
naonu:+nt of cnthusia,r1.
ie( lare::.Let's get come
liaoncy tinct get another buldit:g
and get the police department
out of there. I'll make a motion
for a $ 100,000 bond." Dolan
countered: "You'll get no se-
cond from me on that," to
which Synnett remarked:
"That's why I see no reason for
the committee."
However, consensus was
finally arrived at when Mrs.
Fca ris stated: "SVc'rQ not ask-
ing the department to get out
tomorrow — we know that's im-
possible. We're concerned with
finding ways to keep the
building from deteriorating any
further. On the longer range,
we'll be concerned about
finding another home for the
police."
In other action Wednesday.
the village board dismissed
patrolman John McNair.
McNair had served the village
on a temporary basis pending
his taking the civil service test
for policeman, which the coun-
tv said he flunked. The board
members commented that they
t•egretted the action because
McNair had served the viilage
well. but said they had no
choice.
McNair was at the meeting
and appealed to the board not to
act. He stated that he is suing
Dutchess County, claiming lie
was discriminated against in
the civil service test, although
he did nest elaborate on the
details of the suit. The board
commented that if he wins his
suit, they will be happy to take
him back.
The board also reviewed the
status of patrolman Gary
Bayless, who had punched out
in the middle of his shift July I,
turned in his revolver, though
not his badge, and stated that
he was quitting. The board for-
mally accepted Bayless' verbal
resignation and directed the
police chief to try to get the
badge back
The board also set its 11"t
meeting on August 13 as the
date for a public hearing for a
zoning change to allow
construction of an indoor
miniature golf course in the
abandoned A& 1' supermarket
on Route 9.
The board meeting was held
at the Garner Firehouse on
West Academy Street because
of a power blackout which
knocked out all lighting at
village offices and police head-
quarters. as well as several
hcnaes