RALLY ON MARCH 11

PRESS RELEASE

HOW MUCH WILL THE OCKAWAMICK PLAN REALLY COST? IS IT TRULY THE BEST OPTION?

MORE INFORMATION IS NECESSARY BEFORE A VOTE CAN BE TAKEN.

The Columbia County Board of Supervisors is poised to move 15 county departments away from Hudson and into the abandoned former Ockawamick School in Claverack without full consideration of Plan "B," a viable option that
provides the space needed, keeps the departments accessible and will cost the taxpayers less.

By contrast, the plan currently favored by the board leadership will place the Department of Social Services SIX MILES OUTSIDE of the city, despite the fact that the majority of DSS clients live in the 12534 area code. In these hard times, how can this be a smart, economic move? Is it reasonable to expect people to pay $10 to travel by taxi from Hudson— and $10 to return—when they need access to the services offered by DSS?

WITHOUT AN EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OR TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN PLACE HOW WILL PEOPLE GET TO OCKAWAMICK? HOW CAN A DECISION BE MADE WITHOUT THE ANSWER TO THIS ESSENTIAL QUESTION?

On Wednesday, March 11, the Board of Supervisors will be asked to vote on the proposal to remove DSS from the city. If the vote goes forward at that time the decision will be made without the benefit of critical information and analysis, and a substantial number of people will suffer as a result.

Come to 401 State Street (corner of State and Fourth streets) at 6:30 p.m. and,

• Tell the board a decision made now almost guarantees that children and families will be denied access to essential human services. People in need will fall between the bureaucratic cracks of an already overburdened system.

• Tell the board to stop this ill-conceived and unfair proposal before it goes any further. Urge all the supervisors to visit the existing DSS office on Railroad Avenue—see what a day there entails, and experience the issues first hand.

• Tell the board to wait—to vote after important questions are answered, and every supervisor has the information required to make a fully informed decision.

• Tell the board to seek comparisons (from outside contractors/developers) between building a new Dept. of Social Services facility vs. renovation of the old school at Ockawamick and give real consideration to "Plan B."

"Due diligence is the effort a party makes to avoid harm to another party." The Bottom Line is that this needs to be done. This goes beyond being a "square foot" issue.

Rally to be seen and heard 6:30 p.m., Wednesday (March 11), 401 State Street, Hudson.

For more information, call Linda Mussmann at (518) 209-7966.