Wi-Fi Sprinklers--You're Kidding, Right?

Reading through The Journal News online one day last week, I came across Khurram Saed's article "More calls than ever coming into Rockland's human services hotline." The reporter explained, "More people are calling InfoRock, the county's free health and human services hotline, asking about food stamps, help to pay heating bills and housing assistance--another telltale sign Rockland residents are feeling the pain of the recession." Susan Sherwood of the Department of Social Services said in the article, "I kind of look upon InfoRock as our early warning system, kind of what's happening out in the community--a first line of defense."

Not a good sign. But there aren't very many good signs around.

Flipped around a few more pages and came across a sidebar piece on the Ramapo Town Board report. Down near the bottom of the list of new items added to the taxpayers' bill was this: "Add $2,500 worth of land grading to a Spook Rock Golf Course Project. The total to install a wireless irrigation system was increased to $1,505,232.00."

One-and-a-half-million dollars for a radio-controlled system to water the lawns at the golf course at a time when the InfoRock emergency line has "the highest volume (of calls) in its history."

I’m sure those who don’t know whether they’re going to be in their homes six months from now will be comforted with the thought that millions in their Town taxes will keep the greens and fairways lush over at Spook Rock this summer.

Michael Castelluccio