Mahopac News 03.24.22

VOL. NO. Visit TapIntoMahopac.net for the latest news. THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

Town Board accused of
muting public discourse

Residents only allowed to comment
on agenda items

BY BOB DUMAS “ e podium’s gone. It’s here for the

EDITOR Zoning Board, the ECB (Environmen-

tal Conservation Board), the Planning

Former town councilman Mike Barile Board,” he said. “You obviously took the

accused the Town Board last week of podium away so that people feel uncom-

being less than transparent and trying fortable up here.

to “control the narrative” by instituting “What I want to know is why can’t I

a new policy that only allows for public ask you a question about the multi-mil-

comments on agenda items during its lion-dollar projects that I was involved in

meetings. (as a board member) that aren’t nished

“You can ask a question about anything yet and the rest of the taxpayers should

on the agenda tonight. [But] you can’t ask be aware of,” he continued. “Can I ask a

any questions now or afterwards about question on the status of something out-

what is going on in the town,” Barile told side the agenda items?”

the board at its March 16 meeting. “So, Cazzari said questions such as those,

you control the narrative on everything which are not on the agenda, can be ad-

Welcome to Mahopac! that goes on in that room (town hall con- dressed via an email or phone call to town

ference room) and up there (the dais) for o cials.

the taxpayers. What is the di erence be- “So, you don’t want the public to hear

tween the taxpayers of Mahopac and the that,” Barile replied. “If I email you and

Teachers Alana Newman and Me- community has to o er. Local com- people who live in Russia?” get an email back, the public [won’t]
gan Cappiello welcome a Lakeview munity groups set up booths to pro-
Elementary family to the district vide information for the families of Barile also noted that since Supervi- know. You are controlling the narrative of
during the English as a New Lan- 181 students who speak 11 di erent
guage (ENL) Department’s Par- languages—from Albanian to Ukrai- sor Mike Cazzari took over in January, the town.Let’s cut the nonsense out.Four
ent Night on ursday, March 10. nian. For more pictures of the event,
Families came to learn about all the see page 3. the podium that audience members used months ago, people could ask any ques-

to address the board had been removed. tion about what is going on in this town

A lone microphone on a stand sits in its and get an answer.”

place. Barile contended it was done as a Cazzari told Mahopac News that un-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAHOPAC SCHOOL DISTRICT psychological ploy to intimidate potential SEE DISCOURSE PAGE 4
speakers.
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