Should Mr. Wettje be Orangetown Town Supervisor?

by Robert Tompkins, CPA, MPA

Town Supervisor is an important position and who has that job beginning January 1, 2014 for two years will be decided upon Election Day, November 5th. Mr. Andy Stewart has occupied the position since January 1, 2012 and is a well known public quantity. Mr. Walter Wettje is unknown.

I have been an active observer of Orangetown Town government and am not registered with any political party. I give credit to anyone involved in Town government if they strive to be part of the solution and not the problem.

Based on Mr. Wettje’s behavior with the Orangetown Housing Authority (OHA) I am convinced it is not in the best interests of our community to have him be Town Supervisor. In May 2012 the Town Board appointed us to the OHA Board of Directors. The OHA is an independent government entity that owns and operates Cortwood Village in Orangeburg that has 104 one-bedroom units for seniors for $800 a month rent.

I discovered under Mr. Paul Whalen's leadership as the volunteer OHA Board Chairperson there were numinous By-laws violations including the OHA electing a Vice Chairperson who was not eligible given she was not appointed by the Town Board; lacking a Treasurer, a Secretary and an Assistant Secretary / Treasurer for many years; inconsistent recording of minutes of meetings; and lacking required monthly Treasurer reports, as well as other violations. I could not fulfill my duties as a Board Director under such circumstances. 

(I wrote several blogs you can read on Pearl River Patch regarding this. See: http://pearlriver.patch.com/groups/robert-tompkinss-blog/p/558ded95-9e13-433d-bf5f-2d30f8fed3ab)

OHA Board Members take an oath to uphold the State constitution, and that means the OHA must follow the By-laws given the state approved it. Mr. Wettje at OHA Board meetings did not express any concerns about the violations.

I was hopeful the Board made progress when Mr. Wettje was elected as the volunteer OHA Treasurer in September 2012. At the public monthly Board meeting in late October I asked if there was a Treasurer's report. He appeared surprised and said it was not required. I said the By-laws require one. In a loud, I believe to be angry, voice he stated he wanted to see the By-laws and walking toward me saying, “you are wrong 99% of the time.” I said, "I respectfully disagree." I handed him the By-laws, he read it and returned it. Without a word he walked back to his seat. He said, “go ahead and read it.” I said I had not intended to. He was silent after that.

This occurred in the presence of Board Members, ARCO housing management staff and about 15 Cortwood Village residents the evening of October 25, 2012. Mr. Wettje was not present at the November meeting. His first Treasurer report was given May 2, 2013, well over six months after being appointed Treasurer, and a week after the Orangetown Republican Committee nominated him for Town Supervisor.

Town Supervisor plays an important role in the life of this community and Mr. Wettje has demonstrated he is not suited for a position of such public responsibility. He has ignored a required oath of office by being negligent with its duties and appears not to have a respectful temperament.