New Paltz trustee skips town for three months

Comparative attendance records of New Paltz Village Board members, as complied by Brittany Turner, a.k.a. Legislative Barbie.

Brian Kimbiz, the only one of New Paltz's Village Trustees who was not up for relelection in this year's extremely crowded race, has announced on the village's website that he is spending the summer working for Americorps in Nebraska Nevada* -- and therefore missing three months of village business. He won't be accepting a salary for his trustee work during the time he is gone, he writes, but he'll be staying abreast of village matters via email:

During my absence I will remain in contact with my fellow members of the Board and constituents via email, and stay up to date on all pressing issues, ie. My copy of the Draft Study of Full Municipal Consolidation Options is packed and ready to go along with me. Additionally, I have decided to forgo my Village salary for the time that I will be away. I could not in good conscience accept a wage wile [sic] unable to execute my duties as a Trustee fully.

Kimbiz's announcement has prompted a flutter in the New Paltz blogosphere. The New Paltz Gadfly wondered whether it Kimbiz is enjoying a "trustee vacation." Brittany Turner used Kimbiz's announcement as an opportunity to post his record of attendance at Village Board meetings on her Legislative Barbie blog. (According to Turner, who has long been a Kimbiz-hater, Kimbiz's attendance record is less than stellar, but he's not the worst offender. You can see her side-by-side comparison of all board member attendance above -- Kimbiz's record is the yellow bar second from the left.) 

*Whoops. Sorry for the error, fixed now. --Ed.