Spring Valley now takes plastic
-
- May
- 1
Cash or charge?
The village of Spring Valley’s Justice Court now accepts credit cards for the payment of fines and surcharges.
The Board of Trustees voted to approve Mayor George Darden’s recommendation on the issue during a regular meeting on Tuesday night.
The board also voted 3 to 1 (one board member was absent), to approve the 2009-2010 budget, which reinstated the animal control officer’s position, but not at full-time hours. Darden had proposed eliminating the position in order to save money. The move was met with vocal disapproval from the public.
“My mortgage company isn’t going to want to hear that. My taxes aren’t going to change,” George Bernhardt, the animal control officer, said of his reduced hours.
His union is challenging the decision, saying Bernhardt’s 35-hour work week (he’ll now work 30 hours per week) was protected by contract and by law.
Bernhardt’s not the only one unhappy with the move. Village Board Trustee Demeza Delhomme also expressed disapproval with the plan. He said Bernhardt should be retained full-time, and also criticized the 3.53 percent property tax rate increase.
He and Darden got into a heated debate. Delhomme accused Darden of mismanagement, and Darden accused the trustee of ignorance of the budget process, poor English and of being a publicity seeker.
The two men faced each other in a bitterly contested Democratic mayoral primary election in 2005. The post of mayor is up for election in November.
This entry was posted
on Friday, May 1st, 2009 at 2:00 pm by Suzan Clarke. 
Print
| 
Email
