This year’s town meeting in Greene was a “huge success.” People who showed up, along with the town officials, voted to spend $85,000 for a truck to be used for plowing and getting parts. That’s right.

A truck that will be used to go get parts, if another truck breaks down.

This truck will be used for plowing snow as well. But how often is snow plowed? The rest of the time, the plow, sander and plow wing will be sitting, rusting away.

But there is a truck to go get parts.

It was also voted to give town officials a pay raise. Some officials got a $2,000 annual raise, while some others got only a 17-cent-per-hour increase. And a town building, the fire station – only 5 years old – needs $25,000 in repairs, maintenence or repairs to equipment.

When other towns are holding the line or cutting back because people are losing their homes due to foreclosure and record oil and gas prices, the vote in Greene is saying “Just come to the well for more money.”

I am not upset about the outcome of the town meeting, but I am disappointed in the town officials for not holding the line. Maybe, when the economy turns around, the town could ask for the luxury items. In my opinion, this is not the time.

I encourage every taxpayer in Greene to thank town officials for spending the money nobody has.

Robert Hack, Greene