As of Friday, July 21, I have not heard from Mayor Lundquist, Trustee Mauk or Deputy Mayor Bee. If they truly want to solve the issue of St. Paul's they should be working with us and not asking residents to pay twice to get the best possible solution for our wonderful village.

Taxpayers pay for the village consultants and many of those same taxpayers are donating to the Committee to Save St. Paul's so we can pay our two consultants! This is not the best fiduciary display by a group of elected officials and is lacking in plain common sense. We are one village.

Let's act together. I can admit my errors in getting excited at his abusive language but, why can't Trustee Mauk admit to any flaws or apologize? If there was nothing questionable why was a restraining order placed on me in the first place? Why were the trustees worried about me having the emails? Why was the information we received, all supplied in discovery by Karen Backus, not supplied by our board and their attorneys?

Why was a restraining order placed on me for I was not a litigant? The village asked for it because of my role as executive director [of the Committee to Save St. Paul's]. The interesting and important fact is that I had the disc, emails and plans from Backus three weeks prior to Cullen and Dykman getting a restraining order that included me as an extension of litigants, visa vi my role as executive director.

I did not share [the information] with anyone, including my adult children, before the restraining order was also placed on me. Why? Because I saw the potential disaster and I wanted to help the village board make the right decision and give them time to stand up and do the right thing.

I love Garden City and at the time respected the mayor and board and was still trying to believe all would do the right thing. Then the restraining order came with my name as well. What were they worried about if these emails, plans and presentations were so innocent and preliminary as the "spin firm" says now? Brad O'Hearn wasn't a speck of dirt on the inner workings of the Garden City board and the Backus group back in October, November and December. How has be become such an authority?

I am a former trustee. I did not leak any of the information prior to the restraining order being placed on me. I am a citizen of this village, an honest and committed resident who wants only the best for all the people. I have no reason to lie, deceive or spin. At the end of the day I can put my head down on my pillow and sleep because I know I have done the right thing for Garden City. My moral and ethical reputation is intact and I am trying to save St. Paul's for the people and public use, using private development of some kind. I am waiting for Mr. Gould and Mr. Tilly to finish the RFP and then I will tell you more.

Eileen Burns Collins is concerned about cost - for both the purchase and the yearly maintenance. I am aware that there are residents who want the building demolished or just the façade saved. I still believe with every fiber of my being that we can save this precious St. Paul's if the mayor and village board join with me and the executive committee [of the Committee to Save to Paul's.] The tax money they have used with Backus and the public relations firm should be financing the research we have done.

Honest and upfront disclosure by all interested parties ... why did that not happen? I believe Peter Mastaglia, attorney for the village from Cullen and Dykman can tell you that Trustee Mauk's emails have an "appearance" of deception, withholding facts from the public and he (Peter) was chagrined to win the case Mr. Negri, Mr. Poole and Mr. Keating brought forward because even with the "spin" of Brad O'Hearn's firm (what are they costing we the good people of Garden City?) the board may have lost the war. Several of them have lost the public trust and confidence. Compliance and deciding to do nothing is a choice and a decision and that lack of openness needs to change.

We can agree to disagree on the many ideas regarding the use and future of St. Paul's but this is America and the voters have the final word. Each citizen is afforded the right to free speech. Please go to your POA meetings in September, write or call your trustees - all eight of them - and tell them how you feel. Give them your concerns, thoughts and suggestions. Every idea is important and every avenue should be explored. Why is this board stuck in condo concrete?

We can work together if the mayor and village board sincerely want to do the best for all of the people. "No matter what with the past is gone; the best is yet to come." I am still a believer!

Eileen Burns Collins

Executive Director of the Committee to Save St. Paul's