County Legislator Ensures No Talk About Dissolving the City of Fulton

by Mikayla Kemp | March 10, 2016 5:27 pm

FULTON, NY – Oswego County Legislator (22^nd District) James Karasek approached the Fulton City Common Council at a regular board meeting held on Tuesday, March 1 to ensure that there is no communication on the county level regarding the idea to dissolve the city of Fulton.

The clarification comes after Oswego County Legislator (25^th District) Frank Castiglia Jr. previously approached the council with the idea and suggestion to dissolve the city of Fulton for a multitude of reasons, most notably he targeted the financial burden the city is under.

With the public response varying in degree and leading to some outraged response, Castiglia again addressed the concern in Oswego County Today’s Letter to the Editor submission entitled “The City Of Fulton By The Numbers”[1] in which he provides his own numerical evidence of Fulton’s population, conveniences and city employment that he believes support dissolution.

Castiglia goes on to explain that he believes what is currently happening and has been happening in City Hall in Fulton is not benefiting the city and its residents but instead suggests trying “something new and drastic,” such as his idea to dissolve the city.

According to NYS website[2], to dissolve a city is when a local government decides to consolidate into a single entity.

Legislator Karasek then addressed the council to ensure them that although Legislator Castiglia is also a county legislator, there is no talk on the county level that involves dissolving the city.

“There is no conversation happening in any committee, leadership or among legislature that encourages the idea to dissolve. One or two people should not come off as though they are speaking for the masses,” said Karasek.

Karasek used a personal recollection to portray his understanding of what has happened based on Castiglia’s claims.

Karasek recalls being in high school when he observed a protest of the Vietnam War while in DeMoine, Iowa. At this protest, he was witness to protesters burning the American flag, a sight that upset him and caused him to inquire with his instructors.

When bringing forth his disdain for this act of protest, it was explained to Karasek that these people have the right to free speech, and that includes their right to burn the flag if they so wish.

Furthermore, they ensured that he didn’t have to support it or agree with it, but he did have to respect their rights as individuals to freedom of speech.

“My dad would call them ‘pot-bangers.’ If you go outside and start banging a pot for no reason, people are going to think you’re crazy. But eventually, people will begin to question why you’re banging that pot, two or three people might even start to support you. Then conversation will start happening, even if it’s conversation that the majority doesn’t go along with,” he explained.

This, he explained, is his concern with the situation surrounding Legislator Castiglia and his recent suggestions.

“That’s my concern, people are making noise, which they have every right, but it’s important to identify yourself as an individual, a taxpayer, not to speak on behalf of a government agency. Then people start thinking ‘Well, the county is looking at this, maybe we should look at it’ when in fact, the county isn’t. That concerns me,” he said.

Common council president, Tom Kenyon was appreciative of Karasek’s reassurance.

“It was nice of Jim (Karasek) to come to the council meeting and assure us that there was no talk of dissolving Fulton at the county level. This subject could have been brought to the mayor’s office instead of a council meeting. The mayor would have explained it in five minutes instead of hitting the papers and getting the city all shook up,” Kenyon said.

As a resident and family that shops, educates, and worships in Fulton, Karasek says it’s his city too and he doesn’t feel that dissolution is the answer.

He suggests instead, the community comes forth with a voice.

“What do you want? Give your requests, your suggestions, ensuring that they’re things that are equitable across the county. These are the conversations that should be happening,” Karasek said.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/county-legislator-ensures-no-talk-about-dissolving-the-city-of-fulton/

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