VFW submits petition for waiver

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect additional reporting since the publishing of the print version

By Nathan Mayberg
VERNON — The Veterans of Foreign Wars Wallkill Valley Post (VFW) doesn't want to pay for what it doesn't use.

Facing more than $46,000 in town and county sewer hookup charges based on a mandatory fee from the Vernon Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA), VFW past president Robert Constantine has decided to take his membership's case to the township, filing a petition on Monday asking the Township Council for relief from the fees he says the post can't afford to pay.

Constantine led a petition drive that received 795 signatures from locals who support the veterans organization receiving a waiver.

While he said his group of veterans can "probably" afford to pay the quarterly sewer charges of about $1,000, the $20,992 hook up charge from the town MUA and $25,677 charge from the county MUA is out of his membership's reach.

The veterans group numbers about 200 people, a number of whom live most of the year in Florida, according to Constantine.

Constantine said his main issue is that the veterans post is being charged about four times more than the amount of sewage service it uses.

The Vernon MUA charges facilities a sewer hookup fee largely based on the square footage of the building. According to the bylaws of the Vernon MUA, the fees can be waived by the MUA board or Township Council.

The town clerk has 20 days from Monday to certify the petition.

After it is certified, the township council can vote to approve the waiver.

"If they vote against approving the waiver, it will go on the November ballot," said Sally Rinker, who said she helped draft the petition at the request of veterans in the organization. "I feel they are being seriously overcharged by way of the EDU (equivalent dwelling units) rating they received as are all of the sewer users who are being charged."

Marotta, reached by phone on Wednesday afternoon, said he believes the VFW should pay the charges.

"It's a legal question," he said.

The assessment on the facility is based on state statute and is affected by the VFW's banquet hall and bar, he said.

"Everyone pays," Marotta said.
Further, if the township council doesn't approve the ordinance, there isn't enough time to get the question on the November ballot, he said.

Rinker disputed that. Sussex County Clerk Jeff Parrott said there could be more time, perhaps as late as Sept. 8 for the petition to go on the ballot.
Constantine said he has received "a lot of positive" feedback from the community for his petition.

"There is overwhelming support for it," he said.