Money to help cover renovations to the center’s kitchen, future projects
In a change of pace from the strong words that typically make up a Rotterdam Town Board meetings, board members and the public praised Supervisor Frank Del Gallo Wednesday, April 13, for using his salary to help pay for upgrades to the senior center.
Del Gallo was following through on a promise he made to seniors when he ran for election: The center’s kitchen would be renovated.
One of the promises I made to them is that I would move this kitchen upstairs. I would take my salary and move this kitchen up on the [ground level floor], said Del Gallo. `We started this process to get that moved up, and I got all kinds of volunteers and they all agreed to work on it.`
When the blueprints were first drawn up, Del Gallo said, the cost was estimated at $40,000, and he thought the town could do it cheaper. The project ended up costing $10,600, through the use of volunteers and some donated supplies.
On April 13, the board passed a resolution to move Del Gallo’s $13,000 Town Board salary from the town’s general fund to the senior center’s budget to cover the cost of renovations because the town failed to follow through on grant funding promised by Sen. Hugh Farley totaling $10,000. If that grant money does come through, Del Gallo’s salary will still go to the senior center and could be spent as they deem fit.
`This resolution is to transfer my money, my pay from last year, to give to the seniors to do what they wish to do with it; whatever project they need,` said Del Gallo. `This resolution says that the rightful money that belongs to me will go to the seniors.`
The town also received a $1,000 donation from the Rotterdam Elk Lodge to help with renovation costs.
Diane Marco, former project coordinator for the senior center, filed a Freedom of Information Law request to see how the project was funded, which led the town realize the grant promise from Farley had not been pursued.
`Thank God she did that, because as we researched where this money came from or was supposed to come from, the paperwork was never filed. We never did get the $10,000 from Hugh Farley,` said Del Gallo. `In reality, we used my money to build that kitchen.`
Marco said she filed a FOIL request because all of the seniors at the center said Del Gallo paid for the kitchen, but after she had reviewed the approved budget, she didn’t see the numbers adding up.
`I keep saying, ‘I know he didn’t pay for it all,’` said Marco.
When the grant opportunity initially came to the town, Marco said, she personally received it and gave it to former Town Attorney Michael Godlewski to write up the proposal. She said she believes that whenGodlewski went to work for the county, the grant got lost in the shuffle.
`It is great to know that we did follow through with it now, and that we could still possibly get the money,` said Marco. `We probably we will get the $10,000.`
Del Gallo has faced criticism in the past in his dealings with the senior center issues, including transferring a center employee to a different position in the town and firing Marco. On April 13, however, there wasn’t any criticism.
`We thank you immensely,` said President of the Rotterdam Senior Association Jack Shiely. `The kitchen is wonderful. We’ve had some wonderful parties there.`
The only renovation left to be completed, said Shiely, is to put up a wall with a door so supplies can be locked up when other people are using the kitchen.
Councilwoman Nicola DiLeva thanked Del Gallo for his contribution to the seniors.
`These are people that have done so much for us in Rotterdam and I think it is great that the seniors get [the kitchen],` said DiLeva. `You know what, Frank, I honor you tonight.“
