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1997-05-15 Patti Axe/by 2038631131 -rENNEC7f'- 4/30/97 Dear Ms. Snowden, Would you be so kind as to present this letter to the Town Board for discussion at their next meeting? Thank you very much. David & Patti Axelby ~o . May 15, 1997 Wappingers Falls Town Board PO Box 324 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Dear Board Members, Thank you for your consideration at the Town Board Meeting on May 12, 1997. I would like to elaborate on some of the discussion which occurred that night. 1. Let me assure you that all of the limbs that I moved down to the road were a result of damage incurred during the storm. I would be happy to provide the board with letters from my neighbors stating such facts. 2. Mr. Foster commented that ifhe removed my brush, then he would have to remove everyone's brush, which would delay the bulk pickup and other commitments. Why should my particular situation involve everyone else? I don't know the particular situation of other people but I'm sure not all of them have valid and legitimate complaints. What's fair is fair. Therefore, for those who feel strongly about their own situation, I would expect them to take the same course of events that I have. 3. I do feel that I have the responsibility for trees on my property. On May 8, 1997, my neighbor and I had two large trees, which were damaged during the storm, removed by a professional for a cost of$I,170.00. I also feel that the highway department has a responsibility to communicate information correctly. As I am held accountable for my actions at work and at home, so should any department in our town. Thank you again for your time and patience in this matter. If you have any other questions please call me. SinC~4= David R. Axelby 45 Park Hill Drive Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 Work Telephone (914) 736-8721 Home Telephone (914) 896-9493 CC ,/PxJ J ~,/f l-\.~ --'I ~{ql 1>~ a ~ ~;. ~~ ~~~ /$ ~^ ".~ \S'~ ~ V '( o~ ~+ ~~~ RECE'VED May 10, 1997 Mr. Graham Foster Superintendent of Highways PO Box 324 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 MAY 1 2 1997 ELAINE SNOWDEN TOWN CLeRK Dear Mr. Foster, As I had heard from several people, your gift for twisting the facts is quite impressive yet your insinuations were quite insulting. To straighten out the facts let me impress you again with my total recollection of our conservation. 1. In response to my question whether you were responsible for infonnation given by your secretary, you made the analogy that if you called my home and was promised something by one of my children, that I also, shouldn't be held accountable for their promise. I then made my own analogy, not a threat, and said if the reason you couldn't come out to my home was because you didn't have the time, then you would somehow fmd the time if the branches were in the middle of the road. 2. I don't see the correlation between me owning a truck and your office promising to pick up my branches. I hope you're not saying that since I own a truck I don't have the same consideration as those people who don't own trucks. There are laws which govern discrimination of any type. 3. I found your insinuation that I would dump my brush on town property insulting and uncalled for. Never in our conversation or my letter to the Town Board did I suggest doing such a thing. And since you are so familiar with my property, I'm surprised you neglected to point out that dumping on bordering town property would mean for me, hauling the branches more than 200 feet, up a very steep incline ( more than 30 feet high), and through a heavily wooded area. To set the record straight again, my first thought was to rent a chipper, yet after calling your office twice to confmn your collection, I felt assured you were coming out to pick up my branches. I'm sure your secretary is very competent and as you pointed out in your letter has your, "full support on decisions she must make under difficult conditions." It seems that your support for her is only worthy when it's convenient for you to support her decisions. Again as stated in your letter if your secretary was carrying out your, "instructions to the letter", then the infonnation given to me by her must have been coming directly from you. Are you now telling me that you are not accountable for your own information? cc: Town Board Aineere!}'1 ~pt~ David Axelby 45 Park Hill Dr. Hopewell Jet. NY 12533 ~..- ...~ ..: -" Wappingers Falls Town Board C/O Elaine Snowden, Town Clerk P.O. Box 324 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 RECEIVED MAY 0 2 1997 ELAINE SNOWDEN TOWN CLERK April 30, 1997 Dear Board Members, I was wondering if you could help me rectify a situation with the Superintendent of Highways, Mr. Graham Foster. During the storm on April 1, 1997, our yard sustained severe tree damage. After hearing from a coworker that the town would be picking up and chipping limbs and branches, I called Mr. Graham's office on Monday, April 7 to verify this pickup. When I called, I spoke with a gentlemen who told me that they were in the Cedar Hill area and that they would be on Park Hill Drive, my road, before the end of the week (April 7 - 11). I was also instructed how to stack the limbs and the maximum size allowed. Therefore, I proceeded to take a vacation day on Tuesday, April 8 in order to haul all of the branches and limbs to the roadside. On Tuesday, the morning of April 8, before I moved a single branch, I again called the Highway Department to verify that they would be coming around to pick up branches and limbs. This time I talked to Mr. Graham's secretary Dot, who told me that they were still in the Cedar Hill area and that they wouldn't be out to Park Hill Drive until sometime during the beginning of the next week (Apri114 - 18). Again I was instructed on the rules of limb stacking. Since I was already home on a vacation day, I decided to move all the branches that day. 6 hours later, all the branches and limbs were down by the road and stacked as instructed. To clarify, I live on the "hill" side of Park Hill Drive, therefore the reason for calling the Highway Department twice was to ensure that if they had told me that the Highway Department had previously collected tree limbs on my road, I would have found another means to dispose of the limbs and branches before I dragged everything even farther down the hill to the roadside. When the significant stack of limbs had not been cleared by April 22 , I proceeded to call Mr. Foster's office to find out if there was a problem. At this point, I again spoke with Mr. Foster's secretary who informed me that the Highway Department had already completed Park Hill Drive. When I questioned her why my branches had not been picked up, she said I needed to talk to Mr. Foster himself. At 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, Mr. Foster returned my call and informed me that the Highway Department had already completed Park Hill Drive and that they were not coming back. In fact he told me that they had come through the area around April 4. I then told him of the two phone calls I made to his office and about the information that .' ~. David R. Axelby April 30, 1997 Page 2 was given to me by his employees, one being his secretary. He then said to me that he is not responsible for information that is given by his office unless I speak to him directly. His analogy was if he called my home and spoke to one of my children, that I would not be responsible for what my child promised. The major fallacy here, of course, is that employees are not the same as children! After 45 minutes of conversation he told me to call back on Friday, April 25 at which point he would give me an answer as to whether he "could" come out to do Park Hill Drive and if he was not in. to speak to his secretarv!! When I did call back, the obvious and expected answer from Mr. Foster was "no". He said to get the Town Board to give him some money and he would come out to clean up my branches. Hence. the reason for this letter. Obviously, I would like for Mr. Foster to deliver on a promise that his department gave to me and pick up my branches and limbs. I feel that I did all that was required to participate in this curbside pickup, in fact, I followed all of the instructions that the Highway Department gave to me. I also think that Mr. Foster's secretary is his representative, and therefore should be held as a reliable source. After all, does Mr. Foster actually mean that you must only speak to him to get the REAL answers? I am sure that he does not have the time nor the inclination to sit at his desk and answer questions all day. Furthermore, when my wife spoke with Elaine Snowden, Ms. Snowden said that Mr. Foster always tells her office how to respond when answering questions regarding his department. It seems as if Mr. Foster is willing to disseminate information to his subordinates, however, only considers it to be the truth when it comes directly out of his mouth. Please help me in this situation. I just want to have the limbs and branches cleared, as did many other tax paying citizens. I feel that although I followed all the rules, I have been treated unfairly and have no other course of action. Thank you very much for your time and consideration in this matter. ~~~ David R. Axelby 45 Park Hill Drive Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 Work Telephone (914)736-8721 Home Telephone (914)896-9493