Cardone is ‘comfortable in moving on’

Outgoing Monroe Town Supervisor Anthony Cardone said he is “extremely comfortable in moving on,” during the Dec. 1 Monroe Town Board meeting.

“It’s been an honor and it’s been a privilege to serve this community,” he said. “My wife, our three children, our daughter-in-law, our son-in-law, and our grandchildren, they’re going to have more time for Poppy now. And I’m really happy about it. I’m not in any way upset about not being re-elected. I just want everyone to pray for Monroe into the future.”

Cardone shared kind words regarding outgoing councilmembers Mary Bingham and Dorey Houle, as well as councilmember Sal Scancarello, who will continue to serve on the board next year. Cardone also thanked his secretary Jennifer Schnaars and Town Clerk Valerie Bitzer for their service and referred to the appointment of Town Attorney Brian Nugent as one of his board’s greatest decisions.

Praise for outgoing board

Monroe resident Michael Egan, spoke about the creation of United Monroe, and approaching Cardone and Michael McGinn to run for the town board. Egan said Cardone and McGinn, who were both elected as councilmembers in 2015, cleaned up a dysfunctional board and that with Scancarello, Bingham and Houle, the council was able establish a new land-use plan, code enforcement, and improve town facilities.

McGinn reiterated Egan’s view and also said Cardone should remember all that was accomplished during his time of service, which matters more than any claims made on social media.

Charles Sommerlad thanked the outgoing board on behalf of the Monroe Joint Parks and Recreation Commission and also Cardone - whom he said he has known for 45 years - for his service to the community as both a business owner and public servant.

Orange County Legislator Peter Tuohy, who has also known Cardone for multiple decades, said he was proud to serve alongside him during his tenure as supervisor, and called him a “lifelong friend.”

Monroe Village Trustee Debra Behringer also shared her appreciation for the outgoing council members and congratulated them on their accomplishments including the town’s Food Truck Festivals and the purchase of the current Town Hall building.

Scancarello spoke highly of his time serving alongside Cardone, saying he was like a brother and that he learned a lot from him. He added that the board will continue to move in the right direction even after Cardone, Houle and Bingham’s departure.

Both Houle and Bingham thanked the public for their warm wishes and said they will continue to support the town and offer guidance to the new board.

Budget changes criticized

Other residents were less warm regarding Cardone’s tenure. Richard Troiano said Cardone, along with Houle and Scancarello, changed the town budget until it was almost unrecognizable from the preliminary version, as part of a political maneuver to hamstring the new administration. Kate Troiano also commented on the changes to the budget, saying she was hopeful the town would do the right thing after they stopped discussions with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department following the public’s expressed opposition to working with this agency. Troiano added, however, that her hopes were dashed when members of the board voted to cut parts of the budget while still raising taxes for village residents.

Richardson and the incoming board received words of encouragement from residents who hoped for civility. Tom Lapolla said he would continue to hold the new board accountable, as he’s done in the past, and asked for town business to be conducted in a respectful manner.

“I am an as-advertised council person and I will be an as-advertised supervisor. People knew exactly who they were voting for across every single culture, every single person in the town. Whoever voted for me, they were voting for someone who sees every angle, makes a thoughtful decision, and who campaigned very openly on preserving this town and planning for smart growth. That means being an inclusive voice representing every voice,” she added.

A smoother transition

During the meeting, Cardone reported certain policies were due for renewal leading to debate over whether incoming Supervisor Richardson and the new administration were given adequate time to review the information before deciding. Richardson criticized Cardone for giving her limited information and for not inviting her to or sharing minutes from the meeting where the town’s insurance policy was discussed. The board voted to table a decision on renewing the insurance policy as well as cyber liability coverage until January.

Councilwoman-elect Beth Stephens shared that during her time working for the army, leadership would go through a change of command process to ensure a smooth transfer of power. She voiced concern about a lack of cohesive transfer of information to ensure the new board is best prepared to serve the residents of Monroe.

The board also discussed whether the town should designate the entire 265 of the Rye Hill Corridor as parkland. Currently, a portion of the land is designated for town use, such as a municipal building or recreational space. While Cardone and Houle were both in favor of fully designating the area as parkland, Richardson and Bingham felt more information was needed. Richardson said she preferred to wait until the new board had more details before deciding how the public’s money would be spent going forward. Cardone countered that this move would not involve spending the public’s money. The board voted to table the decision by a vote of three to two, with Scancarello voting with Bingham and Richardson.