Fire training center fruit of shady political process

Dear Editor, An unprincipled politician putting his personal ambition before his constituents seems like a contemporary cliché. However, in this case, what’s at stake is a fragile environment in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Stone Ridge.

The politician is Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and his scheme was designed to unfold under the radar of public opinion. While the aim of the project was admirable — build a countywide fire training facility — the process has been shady.

County firefighters deserve the best training resources and it’s the responsibility of public officials to find the ideal site.

Why is Hein short circuiting the process by choosing a site with inadequate water; a location that will prevent firefighters training in broad array of exercises? With over two years and $25,000, to spend, why did his appointees not find a site in a non-residential zone? Why locate in the middle of 300 family homes?

Hein is silent on the subject and inquiries to his office go unanswered.

Recently, Hein assembled the media and posed in front of shiny fire truck where he declared the site location would be on Cottekill Road, Stone Ridge; yet another in a line of countless photo-ops for a future “Mike Hein for Governor” campaign.

Left out of the process: the people. Not once did his expensive search committee seek public comment.

Honest officials will tell you the Cottekill site would violate the rights of residents and destroy fragile wetlands serving as a nature corridor to a variety of protected species. There are better locations offering a broader array of training possibilities.

It’s time for Hein to put aside political ambitions and do the right thing for our firefighters and the people of Ulster County.

Carol Meyer High Falls, N.Y.