WHITE LAKE — A tense argument between Bethel Town Board members and Highway Superintendent Bill Crumley exploded into a top-of-the-lungs screaming match during Wednesday's board meeting.

“We have used 53 percent of our salt budget through today,” Supervisor Dan Sturm said, referring to the salt the highway department utilizes to clear roads of ice and snow.

Though Sturm acknowledged the price of salt has risen precipitously, “at this point, there's a problem,” he told Crumley, projecting Bethel could be well over $200,000 in the red should current salt usage continue - possibly facing a 6-10 percent tax increase as a result.

“There's no negotiating when it comes to maintaining roads,” replied Crumley, who said he only uses straight salt in Smallwood and the White Lake Homes area - the rest of the roads being treated with a salt-sand mixture - because he doesn't have enough salt.

Crumley argued he'd told Sturm in September that the 1,800 tons of salt allocated to his department wouldn't be sufficient, but Deputy Supervisor Vicky Vassmer-Simpson argued back that Crumley isn't mixing that salt with sand as judiciously as he could.

“I just cannot understand why, after all these years, we have to go to straight salt!” she wondered, believing it to be a harm to both town finances and the environment.

“It's very simple,” Crumley replied. “You're dead wrong.”

He passed out a pamphlet, written in 2004 by a Cornell Local Roads Program expert, and an email from neighboring Town of Thompson Highway Supt. Rich Benjamin, both indicating a salt/chemical mixture could save significant dollars vs. a salt/sand mixture.

Crumley said his crew can cover the entirety of Smallwood's web of roads with just one load of salt, but the town board majority weren't buying that argument, pointing to the increases not just in salt expenses but overtime.

“We're not having a worse winter than last year,” Vassmer-Simpson stated.

“Yes, we are,” Crumley shot back, angrily noting that problems with his predecessors were privately “swept under the rug,” while “when I'm breaking my hump, I get nothing but beat up at these meetings!”

STAYING WITHIN BUDGET

Sturm then read a just-drafted letter, officially advising Crumley that “the town board will not transfer funds to the snow removal account again this year, absent a true emergency or unforeseen circumstances, since those funds have been designated for use and are needed elsewhere.”

He warned that if Crumley exceeds appropriated amounts, Crumley himself will be liable to pay the town back (per existing statewide law).

“This is a prospect we all want to avoid,” read Sturm. “Please stay within your budgetary allocations.”

Crumley responded by reminding town board members he's a duly elected official.

“I'm the one that's making the decisions, and I don't think I've made a wrong one yet,” Crumley responded. “So basically you're telling me not to do the roads.”

“There's plenty of time to fix this problem,” Sturm told him.

“Sure, if it's not snowing!” Crumley shot back. “You're trying to bully me into how I run that department!”

Sturm, Vassmer-Simpson and Councilwoman Lillian Hendrickson rejected that claim.

“This is not a vendetta against Billy,” Hendrickson insisted.

“It feels like it to me,” Crumley replied, claiming it was a political machination of the board majority. “Dan, you should have come to me as a man to discuss this! You love to blindside people.”

“Believe it or not, we're trying to help you,” Sturm shot back as voices rose in anger.

And help the taxpayers, said Hendrickson.

“We cannot afford our taxes to go up,” she stated, referring specifically to her and her husband, who are senior citizens on a fixed income.

“Nobody on this board is suggesting you don't take care of people's roads,” remarked Vassmer-Simpson. “... This isn't a vendetta. This is a warning.”

COHEN WEIGHS IN

Councilman and former Bethel Highway Supt. Bernie Cohen said he did understand Crumley's point about road treatment, noting other towns do use straight salt or a salt/liquid mixture.

Nevertheless, he said plain salt washes off roads too easily (leaving them vulnerable to refreezing), and he voted with three of his colleagues to formally send the letter of warning to Crumley.

Only Councilwoman Dawn Ryder was opposed.

“He [Crumley] took me for a ride and showed me,” Ryder explained of a trip about Crumley's road treatment methods. “You can clearly see the difference in the road.”

She said she trusts Crumley and does not share Sturm's concern that taxes will rise.

“We have met with Billy, and he's given me the facts and information about the manpower and salt vs. sand,” Ryder affirmed.

But Sturm said the proof is in the numbers, at one point frustratedly saying Crumley had promised not to use straight salt after January 1.

“You've got $60,000 you spent this month!” he railed at Crumley.

PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT

The highway superintendent, backed up by Kauneonga Lake businesswoman Judith Maidenbaum, lamented that town officials chose the public embarrassment method rather than discussing it privately with him.

“I've been doing it privately for a year!” Sturm argued, saying the public ought to know what's going on. “These are numbers that are incredible!”

“You don't get to have unlimited funds!” said Vassmer-Simpson.

At that point, the discussion devolved into shouts.

“Just stop it!” Vassmer-Simpson told Crumley.

“No, you stop it!” Crumley angrily replied.

The squabble brought the resident constable to his feet, but the fight - loud as it was - didn't become physical.