What is Water District #2? 

Water District #2 is a Town of Poestenkill project to expand public water service. While the project may provide a public benefit, its implementation has raised serious concerns about cost increases, poor communication, changing plans, property impacts, and accountability.

A public infrastructure project of this scale should be managed with transparency, competent planning, and respect for the residents it affects. The problem is not the goal of the project—it is how the project has been handled.

Does Water District #2 guarantee safe, clean water?

No public water system can guarantee that water will be free of contaminants. 

Residents are being asked to support a multimillion-dollar infrastructure project, but the project should not be described as providing an absolute guarantee of “clean water.”  

Who is responsible for the relevant project decisions?

As the current Poestenkill Town Supervisor, Michelle Garofolo bears significant responsibility for the Town’s oversight, communication, and administration of the project during her term. She is the Town’s most visible elected official and serves on the Town Board, which has taken formal actions concerning project funding and implementation.

However, not every field or engineering decision was made personally by the Supervisor. Technical decisions concerning the waterline, hydrant locations, construction feasibility, and changes made during construction have involved Laberge Group, the Town’s project engineers, as well as the contractor and other agencies with jurisdiction over the project.

That distinction is important— it does not eliminate Town leadership’s responsibility.

Residents should not be required to determine which engineer, contractor, agency, or official made a particular decision before receiving an explanation. The Town authorized the project, oversees its implementation, spends public money on it, and is ultimately accountable to the residents affected by it.