So Mr. Langan  it at is again. I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Langan takes quotes out of context and presents them in a manner to create outrage among his readers.  In the website version of his tabloid the following article was written: 

'It has Friends and family of Katie Filiberti recently raised more than $10,000 to create a memorial in her name.   The plan was to erect a beautiful gazebo, replete with trellaces, arches and landscaping at the entrance to the Greenfields area in Hyde Park. Plans were in place to purchase the items necessary to erect the memorial.

  It was at that point that a group of people, including Linda Filiberti, Katie’s mother, met with the Town of Hyde Park Recreation Department.

  According to Gerry Thorpe, who attended the meeting, the group was told the site was unacceptable because “it doesn’t fit our master plan.” 

  But what has incensed Thorpe and others familiar with the exchange is that Recreation Director Kathleen Davis told Linda Filiberti and Louise McGarril, the mother of one of Katie Filiberti’s friends, they should consider buying “a plaque and hang it in the police station.”

  According to Thorpe, in addition to Davis, recreation members Brian Berg and Cheryl Wilson were also present. Thorpe says the group was flabbergasted by the suggestion. '

HOWEVER, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal's August 8, 2011 article, the proposed site was denied because of safety issues that the town must adhere to for building. Yes, probably the site plans were  rejected  for the reason “it doesn’t fit our master plan,” more than likely because of safety codes as well as the issue of the town now maintaining the property with the amount of cost in mind.  I would also like to point out that the meeting with the Town Recreation Department was made AFTER fundraising for the memorial park was made. Apparently the town was not approached prior to propose a memorial park be dedicated in honor of Ms. Filiberti.

Though the proposal for a memorial in honor of Ms. Filiberti is commendable in the wake her tragic death, I do have to point out the following: In order for town land to be a dedicated site there are procedures that must be followed. The Town Board, per NYS Law Article 6, Section 81: §  81.  Election  upon  proposition.  The  town board may upon its own
  motion and shall upon a petition, as hereinafter provided, cause  to  be
  submitted at a special or biennial town election, a proposition:
    1. In any town:
    (a)  To erect a monument or monuments within the town in commemoration
  of any person or event.
 
When the approval is made by the Town Board, then it has to be presented through the State Legistature for approval. When you drive over Memorial Bridges or visit  Edwin M. Schwenk Memorial Nature Preserve
 (with its legistation
http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi ), those were dedicated memorials that had to be approved by the State. Rumor has it that Yancy McArthur did NOT follow proper procedure and did not obtain approval from the state when the Memorial to Paul Tegtmeier was erected.

I didn't write this blog with the intention of presenting an opinion or attempting to sway this blog's readers in a certain direction of throught. I wrote this blog because without knowledge of the procedures that must be followed with dedicating public lands as a memorial, Mr. Langan portrays the town employees as villians. And usually he tends to leave out information to bette

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