It’s 26 miles between Newburgh City Hall and the Mohonk Mountain House Resort and Spa. Driving time along the Thruway, with its tolls, is 34 minutes, but the elegant resort is a world away from Broadway, Newburgh.

It’s hard to imagine that more than a few City of Newburgh residents have ever set foot on the grounds of the Victorian castle nestled high in the Shawangunks, let along spent a night there, but they are about to foot the bill for ten city officials for a weekend stay.

The City Council recently - and unanimously - approved a contract with the resort to conduct a “governance and team building workshop” there April 19 - 21. The cost for rooms for the two-night stay is $18,060. The agreement also provides “contracted banquet food and beverage revenue” for $19,108.90. Last month, the council also approved a contract with Baker Tilly US, LLP to provide professional and technical consulting services to facilitate the governance and team building workshop in the amount of $24,900.

The schedule of events made available by the city, shows a series of meetings taking place over the two days, along with three meals daily, and presumably the attendees will have opportunities to take advantage of some of the other amnities available at the castle. The Mohonk website includes entertainment, lectures, guided hikes, wellness and “mindfulness sessions” - clearly useful here - along with lakeside immersion, forest bathing, stargazing Yin Yoga and paddle board yoga. Tea is served promptly at 4 p.m.

Taxpayers are well within their rights to wonder what sort of team building is worth $62,000 in a city where the median individual income in 2020 was $27,131 (US. Census) and the household income was $43,435. The city administration has done a good job of patting itself on the back for improving its fiscal stress scores, but the reality is that the city still cannot afford to hire an adequate number of police and firefighters and there are still potholes to fill along our streets. There are likely better ways to spend $62,000 than at a resort.

Team building can be useful, but the optics here are not good. It can be done without the expense of an overnight stay at a luxury resort only 26 miles away. There are conference rooms available in or near the city. There are also three historic buildings on Grand Street that will soon be converted into boutique hotel space. Perhaps the conference could have waited until that project was completed, allowing the opportunity to invest in a city business.

At the very least, pick a venue in Orange County, and keep our money closer to home.