Court Clerk ex nihilo (Court Clerk "out of nothing")
From: Dwightjen2@aol.com
Date: September 8, 2012 2:26:42 PM EDT
To: "lkennedy@eastgreenbush.org" <lkennedy@eastgreenbush.org>
Cc: "klangley@eastgreenbush.org" <klangley@eastgreenbush.org>
Having FOILed for documents supporting the subject resolution and there being none, as notified by Asst. Town Clerk Kim Carlock; having reviewed the 2012 Organizational Meeting minutes and taking note of the court clerk positions appointed; having reviewed the standard work day assignments for certain town employees as denoted in Resolution 92-2012 of the same evening and noting that all three court clerks as indicated in the Organizational Meeting minutes were still employed in their original positions at the date and time of the Board Meeting and Resolution in question; having reviewed the Town Directory yesterday and noted that all three court clerks are still in the positions appointed for them at the 2012 Organizational Meeting; having reviewed the Town Board meeting minutes for the entire year and seeing no mention of or reference to an opening in the Court Clerk ranks; having noted that a budget transfer was required for this 4th Clerk, which would be unnecessary if there had indeed been a vacancy, I hereby conclude that Resolution 95-2012 was a fabrication foisted upon the people of East Greenbush and expect that you will negate Resolution 95-2012 and make void its result: the hiring of a 4th Court Clerk for a vacancy which in fact did not exist, and that you will make this correction the subject of a separate resolution at a future Town Board meeting. Please note that this notification is my initial attempt at bringing the problem to your attention and seeking reasonable modification of Resolution 95-2012. There will be further attempts if necessary.Subject: Resolution 95-2012 dated 6/20/12: for distribution to all Town Board Members/Town Attorney
Sincerely,
Dwight Jenkins
E. Greenbush NY
Resolution 95-2012 may be found in the Minutes for 6/20/2012 at the following link:
http://www.eastgreenbush.org/downloads/cat_view/49-town-board-minutes
Is this a no-show job?
ReplyDeleteNot to my knowledge, but even if the individual is working his/ her butt off the issue remains: it appears as though we were lied to by the Town Board in creating this position, and it appears directly related (payback) to the subject individual being suddenly released from Town employment just days before. Dwight
ReplyDeleteWho is the subject of payback? What/why ? I'm not making the correlation here.
ReplyDeleteDwight and all,
ReplyDeleteTown Clerk can't veto, override or rescind the Board's actions.
Nice try but a non-issue.
Anonymous 7:56, I'm not going to answer you because my gut tells me you know more than you let on and you're just looking for something to play with for reasons of your own. I think I'll let you catch your own mouse, okay? The information is out there for those that have eyes to see, to quote Jesus. Have you eyes? Dwight
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:15 Nice try, but if you take a closer look you'll see that it was addressed to the Town Clerk for distribution to the Town Board, which in fact does have the power to do so, and to the Town Attorney for advice and counsel. Sorry, still an issue. Dwight
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit lost on this matter. Are we hiring? or is someone already on board. What board member has a family or friend that needs a job?
ReplyDeleteAm I correct to assume that their is an opening at Town Hall?
Up to their old games again.
Okay, I just came from reading the Talks blog. I am dishearted to see the rage over there. I feel that this town has a lot to learn. Maybe some should reflect back to the childhood years.
ReplyDeleteName calling and putting things out on the blog that shouldn't be.
All over disagreements on how this town should be run.
Shame on all those that this pertains to.
This is great example for our kids. Is this what we have raising our children and forming their minds.
You people that are so bitter and hateful need to take a step back and think of what you really are contributiing to our society. What your intention are that you reflect on line to the other public that read this blog and others.
This town needs something and I am not sure it is any of you to voice your thoughts on any matters that is helping this town.
This blog seems to have doctumentaion on all their posts. So Talks.. Shut up or put up.
Cause this blog and these people are not going anywhere. We are here to stay. We have every right to find out what is going on with our town and to bring it all to the attention of the public weather you like it or not. Last I knew it was a free country.
No one here has gotten down and dirty with the name calling and the enuendo's that your blog has done ..
Keep your dirty minds and thoughts to yourself.
As for a former coucil persons business being put on this blog.
I feel that is none of your business and his alone.
You people are heartless. Be carefull what stones you choose to throw they have a habbit of coming back and bitting you right in the ass.
Shame on this town and shame on all of you!
Talks will post what it pleases, whether or not you agree. But thanks for your input.
DeleteThe simple reality is that the Town Board, again, lied to taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteTown Board meetings are poorly attended by our disinterested friends and neighbors so the Town Board gets away with a lot of highly questionable actions.
They lied. There was no existing position to put Laura Ingoldsby into. So, they lied when they created a resolution describing an urgent need to fill a position that never existed before it was created out of thin air for Ms. Ingoldsby.
The Town Board lied.
No they didn't...there were always three clerks prior to this resolution, one clerk didn't return after the 1st of the year...there was a vacancy- they filled it, they didn't lie !
DeleteBTW: EGB Town Court is the busiest court in Rensselaer County - excluding Troy City !
It doesn't matter to this majority board. If we had a full room they would still lie.They do what they do best. spend, lie, deseave the public and get away with it all.
ReplyDeleteJust look at the bogus stipends years back.
If it has to do with friend or family count them in on the payroll with benifits.
According to a reliable soarce, all they have to do is get their ten years in and they are set.
Full health care and that is priceless today.
9/12 @ 2:46- I researched and wrote the piece that started this thread. You can see where at the Organizational meeting in early January there were 3 clerks, as you mention. You can see the same 3 on the Town web site. And you can see the same three mentioned in Resolution 92-2012 that was on the same night that the majority board voted for a 4th clerk. So who didn't return after the first of the year? If I'm wrong and EG was operating with only two clerks for the first 6 months, then fine, but who left? You can see where anyone looking at it from the documents would say no, there was always three and we created a 4th just to keep someone employed. Please fill us in on who left and you'll save everyone a lot of angst. Thanks. Dwight Jenkins
ReplyDeleteThere were three court clerks appointed at the Jan 2011 Organizational Meeting as well. Three seems to be the magic number, busy or not. What really ices it for me though is the budget transfer that was needed to make this happen, and the fact that there was no FOILable material- no emails from the Chief Clerk asking for help, no documents from the personnel department showing a re-hire and all the things that go into putting someone in the employ of the Town, absolutely nothing. It just happened, I guess. And that can't happen. Isn't possible. Dwight
ReplyDeletesimple, folks. one clerk was reassigned leaving the Court short one person.
ReplyDeleteAnony @ 8:16PM.... Could you do a "walk-thru" that shows where the people (with names) and the money attached to them in the budget moved around? There doesn't seem to be any story that makes sense in the documents which have been produced.
ReplyDeleteSeems like any way you cut it a new position with new money got created somewhere.
DeleteWhy will you not post my earlier response which I supplied all the information including the names of the involved employees? Really , all of what I wrote was the truth without malice or prejudice. Your above statement is clearly NOT true. No new money was needed at all. No new position was created at all - just a vacancy filled. Contrary to your post, your actually dead wrong.
DeleteMichelle Kennedy did not return after January 1st. There were only two for awhile , but the court has functioned with three for at least the past 4 years , and longer but I can't specifically say how long. Michelle's replacement in the short term was Carmella, who left for the youth and seniors job, and she was back filled by Laura Ingoldsby - again in the short term.
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:16- Any idea why my Freedom of Information request produced no results, documents, memo's, messages, nothing? Things like this don't happen in a vacuum. What you say could be plausible, may be possible, but surely there would be a paper trail. Unless Town Hall is just ignoring the FOIL law. That's plausible too, I guess. Maybe even probable. This one could make a good test. If a clerk got reassigned then yes, there would be an opening. There would also be documents though, wouldn't there? Is it possible to just hire someone without documents? Dwight
ReplyDeleteSo it sounds like the reason we're being given here is that one of the 3 clerks didn't return after January (right after the Organizational Meeting minutes appointing her to a court clerk position) and that the court has been operating with only two clerks sine January, only in June filling that third slot with an individual who had just been let go? Well, we'll see what the FOIL request produces this time. Just sent another one off asking for the documents that would naturally exist if a court clerk had been reassigned to other duties. Maybe we'll get lucky and this FOIL will produce something more than the last one, which was nothing. Dwight
ReplyDeleteLast year there was court clerk (Ms. Kennedy) who was competent, skilled, and well liked. She was not reappointed in January, 2012 with a fair amount of controversy about why MOM would decide to remove her from her position. At the organizational meeting Ms. Carmella Hicks was appointed to the vacant position in the court. During the first six months of the year it became clear that Ms. Hicks was not a good match for the work in the court. At the same time, Ms. Ingoldsby was in need of a position so she was appointed to be the court clerk and is reported to be a good clerk. Ms. Hicks still reports to work at Town Hall but not to the court.
ReplyDeleteSo did Ms. Hicks take a "new" position to which she how reports? Did the money that paid her in the court position follow her to the "new" job to which she reports in Town Hall? Or did it stay with the court clerk position, thereby requiring a "new" funded position to which Ms. Hicks would report? I don't think Mr. Breig would sit still too long for carrying "funded vacancys" like the State Division of the Budget likes to do.
DeleteAh, finally a response that begins to make sense. If that is true, Anon 10:24, would the board need to do some kind of vacancy announcement or something, or would a mere Resolution vote be enough to fulfill the obligations? Langley and Matters were opposed, but I would guess that is because Langley had just fired the person who then turned into a court clerk, freeing Ms. Hicks to do other things. Any idea what those other things are? My point is she became an add-on clerk, one that we didn't have before June. Did she take someone's spot? Did someone express a need for a clerk? The problem here is that nobody ever said what you just said, yet it all kind of fits. It would have been easy for Town Hall to tell me that weeks ago, and I could have saved them some trouble on the upcoming FOILS because they didn't. Oh well, not my fault. Thank you for your insights. Dwight
ReplyDeleteMs. Hicks was apointed at the Org meeting as part-time Assessor Clerk in the Assessor’s Office and as part-time Clerk to the Justice Court.
DeleteShe's now working in Community and Recreational Services
So my question is now. Did she take a pay cut for that demoted postion?
DeleteNah, I bet not. Only the new comers coming in get pay decreases.
I bet she got a heafty raise!
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.....FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH YOUR HAIR ON FIRE ABOUT HOW QUICK YOUR COMMENTS SHOW UP ON THIS BLOG....I SHUT THE MACHINE DOWN AT ABOUT 10:00PM LAST NIGHT. THIS MORNING 8:35PM WAS IN THE SPAM FILE. GO HOLLER AT GOOGLE.
ReplyDeleteIF YOU ALL GOT TOGETHER SOMEPLACE - LIKE MAYBE DENNY'S - WITH YOUR INFORMATION, SOMETHING MIGHT GET SOLVED. I DID HEAR THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES HORSE TRADING GOING ON BETWEEN MAJORITY BOARD MEMBERS ON THIS ISSUE SO DWIGHT JUST MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING IN DIGGING IT ALL OUT.
Did ya see that one of the Machine's "get out of jail free cards" is retiring? I heard that the Board majority was having a reception for him. I wonder if the other "card" will show for it. He did show for the foto-op for Mary Pat.
ReplyDeleteTook a while, but do you think this is what Ca-ching is referring to? Go to the link and click on Calendar.
Deletehttp://www.renssdems.org/
Anon 10:26 - But there had to be something new added. If a person got let go and replaced by someone else and then re-hired in a different position, and the person that held THAT position went into another position, then the math just doesn't work. The equation would look like 4 (3 clerks and a finance minister) minus 1 who was let go + 1 replacement finance minister = 4. What we have is 4-1+1+1= 5. We added a body no matter how you look at it. And if you look at the resolution which added the extra body you can see the money adjustments that were needed. They don't equal zero, as a zero-sum equation should if everything was balanced. We are out of balance. Use your fingers if you have to, or draw pictures on a blank piece of paper and you will see what I mean. We HAD to add a body, and the accompanying salary and benefits forever, the way things worked out. Math proves it. Dwight
ReplyDeletebut the finance minister that was is no longer - Mulvey is gone ! Vacancy exists and personel were shifted - but when the shift occured- there was an opening... no??
DeleteYou're killing me, Anon 10:46! Mulvey was let go AFTER the June drama, yes? Yes, we agree. At this moment in time, right now, we are back to a balanced state but only until we find another finance minister. And then we'll be out of balance again. Unless of course we realize that that urgent need in the court clerkship no longer exists and we put Ms. Ingoldsby BACK in the Finance minster position. Think that will happen? I have even money that says it does. Dwight
DeleteThey should put her back , but re-name it as Human Resources director - not Finance Director.....the 1st is a more accurate description of the jobs function.
DeleteThen - problem solved- no??
Nope, problem not solved. At the start of the year there were 3 court clerks (1 of them being partly devoted to court clerking but a court clerk none the less) and a finance director. Now we have nobody as finance director but 3 court clerks and a clerk of another color, Ms. Hicks. 4=4. But we re-hired Ms. Ingoldsby as an urgently needed court clerk to keep the town courts running efficiently, since we are the County's busiest court system outside of Troy. So if we take her OUT of the court and rename her as an HR Director we will have an opening in the court system again and will be forced to hire an urgently needed court clerk again, putting us right back to having one more employee than we started the year with. You can rename her the Queen of Hearts but it doesn't change the math unless Resolution 95-2012 was a lie and we really didn't need another court clerk. That is exactly what I believe happened. There is also that messy business of NYS Civil Service rules about classification, getting rid of positions, etc. I just don't think it's as easy as what you're describing. This is fun though. Please don't ever stop. Dwight
DeleteHave to give credit where credit is due.
ReplyDeleteWas that our Mr. Gilbert Conservative that ran in the race last night?
Are we testing waters for further advancement?
Gee, you took good votes from people that actually have a chance to win.
What a dreamer!
Now on to the topic.
Feel like this is one of those trick questions. Or maybe who's on second explains it best.
Nope it doesn't add up does it but nothing in this town adds up.. Too many hands in the till.
What they won't do to spend our money to make a place for their friends and family..
Dwight, What budget line will the new Rick McCabe position be funded from?
ReplyDeleteDoes the new McCabe job need a vote of the town board or can Langley set it up by himself?
ReplyDeleteIf no money, he can probably do it alone the way he did Gilbert. It seems like the supe thinks the deputy position is a temp job anyway. If it is funded, the Town Board must approve. Stay alert, gadflies, stay alert. There is only one guy in Town that the voters have asked to stay out of their affairs - Rick McCabe!!
DeleteThat's not totally true 9:24 - Mike Cristo was resoundingly sent packing..!!! Ann Taylor too !!
DeleteCristo was not sent packing by voters and Taylor was never elected and then voted out of office. Hardly a parallel situation.
DeleteIs Langley thinking about appointing Cristo or Taylor to anything? Why is this confusing this question? McCabe's administration was in charge for some pretty serious problems here. You should look up what he said about the 2008 OSC audit.
DeleteIf Rick McCabe is to be the Deputy Supervisor then there will be no fiscal impact whatsoever. Deputy Supe is an unpaid position that is appointed by the Supervisor.
ReplyDeleteNot so fast, 8:01. It has been unpaid, pay attention to what it will be
DeleteWhat sort of hold does McCabe have over Langley?
DeleteMcCabe will have to be paid something.. Maybe stipends.. But he will have to be paid .. you all watch.. he will not do it for free.
Deletetheir will be some restatution for his service.
His three buddies will not let him work and not be paid. Mangold,O'Brien and Malone.
Remember Ginny hiring the flower girl without board approvel so would it make sense to have McCabe not get paid.. NO way.. we are giving away money in this town and making new postions.. they will find some.. maybe use the money that Langley should have been paid to pay McCabe but he will get paid.
What I can't figure out is why the guy would want to come back out of the woodwork again. Is is some sort of "vindication" wish? Seem that all it will recall is the interfund borrowing, the $2.5 million debt, the junk bonds, the stipends, etc. Langley hasn't been terribly bright in the decision department either. Two peas in a pod....
ReplyDeleteI heard Langley has promised McCabe the money the town is supposed to pay the bookkeeper with.
ReplyDeleteMcCabe has been around for awhile. After he was voted out of office, was he eligible to receive a pension from the town? What the heck is going on with all of Langley's appointments getting the boot from their jobs?
ReplyDeleteCitizens and Taxpayers:
ReplyDeleteWatch out!
The September Town Board meeting agenda includes budget transfers.
Around here that is rarely, if ever, a good thing and typically indicates more financial game playing by the board's majority of O'Brien, Mangold and Malone facilitated by the go along to get along leadership of Supervisor Lanlgey.
Should we now call the Supe Rick Langley or Keith McCabe? You choose. I'm going with the Rick Langley name. Kinda sounds like a character from boogie nights dontcha think.
ReplyDeleteI am still wondering why there wasn't anyone who could figure out what Langley was BEFORE he was put on the Rep ballot. If there was, He/She should be running this Town. If for no other reason than intelligence and good judgement.
ReplyDeleteHow about getting that person, if he exists, to run the Rep Party of EG?
Should be pretty clear now that whoever talked Langley into running had no idea about what governing was all about. Probably pictured the same good-ole-boy patronage operation that the Dems run. Just shows that the Republicans need a serious "re-tooling" job. Langley, and Matters for that matter, have turned into a "roll-over" machine for the Machine, and we are in deep do-do as a Town. Ethics on the rocks. Hiring binge. Junk bonds. Still have the $2,000,000 debt without a recovery plan. Shenanigans with the secret sewer solution. And Langley wants to bring back one of the architects of the disasters. Don't get any better than this!
ReplyDeleteThe town republican chairman Chris Defruscio is responsible for Langley running and he is now a big Rick McCade supporter
Deleteand Langley has just changed his party enrollment to Dem so he can run as a Dem next time. What will happen next?
and what sort of hold does McCabe have over Chris D.?
DeleteBoy, do I agree with Sept 17-9:55 AM (Give Us A New Leader).
ReplyDeleteI had no idea Chris Ddfruscio is the Rep Town Chairman. Isn't he the one that was responsible for the Advertiser fiasco the week before election day last year?
I think Chris is a buffoon. I am beginning to think that most of the Rep in power are a bunch of simpletons. No one in the party could see through Keith or Chris? There HAS to be at least ONE person with the insight to see through these two men! Don't give me his name, just tell me he does exist.
You want to compare apples to apples.. You may not want to go there!
DeleteYou want reform and accountability? You need to distance yourselves from Defruscio - his mentor-( Cristo) and Rich Crist.
ReplyDeleteDefruscio doesn't sneeze without Cristo's permission, and Cristo answers to Rich Crist- just like Mulvey does.
You think I'm kidding?? Keep putting the pieces of the puzzle together- You all may Hate Rick McCabe and Ginny OBrien and Sue and Phil, but there's no bigger deceitful, lying fools in East Greenbush than Mike cristo and Chris Defruscio !
I think the measure of success in EG politics is the level of one's trustworthyness. It works in inverse proportion to rank in the pecking order. High in either Party or favored - serious absence of trustworthyness. Down the line or out of office - more trustworthy. Remember those who promised accountability and transparency? Out of them we're getting an Ethics Code with no real standards. And remember, one of the reasons that the Dems are so apoplectic at the mention of Cristo is that when he found out what was going on that he was supposed to fall in line for, he told the truth. Machines don't like the "unmanageable." Keith Langley should feel right at home.
ReplyDeleteReally cause I can't think of one person that has run or is in office in this town that I could actually say I trust. Can you?
ReplyDeleteIf you can let us all know.
WE all look like a bunch of fools with this new information of McCabe coming back and Langely jumping ship.
Just look that what the new commers have done with the Ethics code..
A Code that does nothing for the people of this town but serves the town board really well, I would say.
I think Langley feels right at home. Why u think he hopped the fense. I would too I guess if I knew my bread was being buttered on the other side. This gives Keith new friends and new leads to some advancement.
ReplyDeletePretty much all personal benefit then, isn't it? Just what you need in public officials.....
DeleteThe way I heard it was that three of the "behind the scenes fat cats" who pretty much run the Machine took Langley to lunch and told him what just might be good for him. These are the folks who benefit greatly from having "representatives" in decision making positions. I think Langley's in for a big surprise down the road. Gawd, he's as dumb as Romney.
DeleteWait until the "behind the scenes fat cats" get a taste of Langley. I give it 2 weeks before they throw up their hands at his dimness.
DeleteTo Anon Sept 17-3:15 PM...I can attest that there WAS one person who tried to warn the rest of the Reps about Langley. That person was ignored, but we now know how right that person was.
ReplyDeleteAre you positive that Langley has jumped the fence?
ReplyDeleteLet's face it, Langley the candidate was, and even more so Langley the Chief Executive is, as impressive as Bob Dylan imitating Keith Richards reading a passage from Finnegan's Wake (shout out to Dennis Miller). The sole reason I voted for Langley was because his name is not "MCCABE"! There was no other reason to vote for this tool.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what is the mathematical formula for: 1 Incompetent Administrator + 1 Dishonest and Incompetent Administrator? Do they cancel one another out or is it double the trouble? Or does the Chaos Theory come into play?
Definately Chaos for this town is for sure.
ReplyDeleteWe have a person that we were told would lead. Now we have nothing but another follower for benifits for himeself.
Why is there no biography of Langley on the town website? O'brien, Matters and Mangold have one. Is Langley unable to write something about his background or credentials? hmmm
DeleteTo put this bluntly, East Greenbush is in the shitter right now.
ReplyDeleteI think they're voting tonight on a new propaganda ministry, Resolution 141-2012. They're going to set aside money to fund a vehicle for keeping the town residents informed of the good things going on in town. Seriously! They won't need much money for that. In the meantime we'll keep telling you the truth about all the bad things, okay? And it will be free. Sweet. Dwight
ReplyDeleteupdate:
ReplyDeleteAnother East Greenbush business closing.. Pizza Hut.
Heard the other day that this business will be closing soon! NO date given yet but soon.
If that is true about Pizza Hut that is just great another empty building. It will kind of match the landscape littered with empty buildings.....WTG people lets keep all of these so called people in office because we need more empty buildings.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim...how are you doing? As far as your Pizza Hut comment....Jim do you really feel it is appropriate to blame the people in office if Pizza Hut is closing?
DeleteI kind of think it's more likely that we have a number of good pizza places available and Pizza Hut wasn't most people choice. I like Slider's in Rensselaer for pizza and Manor House for delicious meals and I'm sure other people have their own favorite places.
Losing any business in town is unfortunate, but really, the success or failure of a business in town can't be blamed on the board...not past, present or future.
Hey Joe:
DeleteCount me in as a Manor House fan.
Be well,
Tom
I'm a fan also fo Manor house. Cant beat the meals and the pizza is great with a nice tall glass of beer.
DeleteBut as far as the Pizza Hut closeing. Why be surprised. Some Friendsly's have closed all around us.
Times are hard and people are not out spending .. it's just that simple.
I suppose you could say that the other empty buildings along Columbia trnpke have not helped the landscape much but, you have to admit there are several pizza joints around.. LaBella, Pizza My Love,
which that just sounds weird. Manor House, Jeffs, Poppa Johns, Dominos. I think that covers them all.
Frist Observer,
DeleteYes, Teagans building has been mentioned here a few times in the past It belongs to the Hart family which is a relative of Mrs Mangold. I heard it was left like that due to the lowering of assesment for tax reasons.
So that is why it is allowed to be like it is and be a great eye sore to the town.
It's not what you know it is who you know in this town that matters.
Your post is utter bullsh*t ! The permits for demolition have all been applied for. The current owner of the building has done everything possible to expedite the demolition process. He was allowing the local fire departments the luxury of practicing on real buildings for a few months - something that rarely happens anymore! You people really have no idea at all on how things work .
DeleteNo bullshit here!
DeleteLets face it, it is not a secret in this town how things work around here.
YOu have to be an idiot not to see it.
I have only been here most of my life .Lets face it both sides work the same way..
Family and friends appointed to job positions..
that is my example and I am sticking to it!
I do have a great recommendation for the Hart family for Demo on the building.. Mike Cristo.. I hear he does a banging job.
Well I would imagine that maybe the Mangolds or O'Briens will get their hands on the Pizza Hut Spot.
DeleteIt would be centrally located next to the Malones business and I am sure that they would allow Ginny to plant flowers anytime she would like.
Lets keep it all in the Dem family ...
LOL
Joe, while you are right there are a great deal of pizza places to choose from in the town, and yes that may have added to the fact that they are closing. The fact still remains that the blight that is becoming 9 and 20 is uncalled for. I'm not saying that the board is 100% to blame, but you cannot say that they are 100% not to blame. They need to accept some of the blame in this, and not just the current board either.
ReplyDeleteHonestly it is terrible to drive up and down 9 and 20 and see all of these places either vacant or falling down. Maybe instead of letting people build a new building the board could do something to make a business fill an old one first?
As far as what I eat for pizza, I like Labella, but that like so many other things is just my opinion. Joe have a good day see you in a day or two.
Is Teagan's run down building in East Greenbush going to collapse this winter, maybe. I hear it's owned by the Hart family, is that true? If not, someone with money and influence is allowing that building to stand. Where are the people in town hall who should be attending to this matter? Is the Zoning Dept. responsible to address this issue to the property owners? If not who is? This building was talked about in the past and has not been addresses. Joe C, Langley, McCabe, someone, where is the demolition crew on this one. p.s. sent the bill to the property owners, not the taxpayers. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI asked someone who should know about the Fire Department using the buildings. He said it wasn't happening. Also, apparently the buildings are full of asbestos and it is highly unlikely that in such a case these buildings would be used for practice because of the hazzard.
DeleteYour source is wrong...they were used extensively by both East Greenbush Fire Department and Clinton Heights almost all summer ! Your source is also wrong about the asbestos - !
DeleteWhomever your source is, is only fueling a fire that doesn't exist - ( pun intended )
Well....we're here to get at the truth. Anybody else??
DeleteHey, looks like we've got a lot of potential fire practice venues on 9 and 20.
Deletehe got washed away down the sewer..
DeleteThe Dems got to Langley..
that is what happend..
Jim, I wonder if the problem on 9&20 is some of the property is owned by friends and family members of the board. If so they need to take some ownership of the crappy looking buildings on the main thoroughfare. You are so right Jim, how the main drag in this town is totally uncalled for. Seems like just enough gets done around here and the rest is folly with out tax dollars. No pride in this town.
ReplyDeleteBtw, having McCabe on the town payroll is insulting. As a matter of fact a lot of the decision making in this town is insulting to the taxpayers. How in the name of Charles
Dickens can this man lose an election and come back as Deputy Supervisor. Things are going from bad to insane. The Dem. Party is running a muck. They are ruling by numbers not credible decision making.
Maybe a title wave from the polluted Hudson River needs to wash up the hill and flood Town Hall.
Has anyone heard from Langley why he feels the need to rely on McCabe? Maybe he has a good reason. Wonder why he doesn't speak up?
DeleteMcCabe has been appointed Deputy Supervisor now? What happened to Gilbert?
ReplyDeletedoes anyone know if they appointed McCabe? How much? Did the public info new position get approved? Ate they accepting resume's for that slot? The agenda for wednesday's meeting dosn't have any info on the reso's? Did anyone say why? There is an ethics reso. Did that get passed? Sorry, I missed the meeting.
ReplyDeleteAs far as what happened to Ed Gilbert, it is more like what is going to happen him. He just ran a campaign aimed at wounding Kathy M for senate. Well, it looks like Kathy has a good shot at winning andd Ed will be all washed up.
yup - free - not yet - no - nope - no -
DeleteAs it should be!
DeleteI sent an e-mail to the Clerk's office asking that the "real" agenda from the Board meeting be posted - to replace the pre-Board agenda. No such luck yet.
ReplyDeleteI hope the focus on this thread can get back to Dwight's material on the "Court Clerk ex nihilo." This is a prime example of "making it up as you go along" on the part of our government. But perhaps we'll have to wait for the final material from the Town (if there is anything more coming) and the FOIL response from the County.
Since the "Machine" has apparently acted to return the former Supervisor to Town Hall, I wouldn't doubt that the issues surrounding his original departure would also return. "Go figure" on why they would want to resurrect that - but they did. "He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind."
In this connection, I've heard that the stipends and other related matters ARE NOT included in the official scope of the OSC audit for which we are waiting. This means that these issues WERE NOT examined pursuant to the Standards applicable when material falls within the Scope. If this is the case, we'll have to interpret it in the context of the politicization of the Office of the State Comptroller. The most public example of this currently is the fact that Mr. DiNapoli's Office cut the check, at the request of Shelly Silver, for $100,000 of taxpayer dollars to pay the alleged victims of harassment by Vito Lopez.
Avoiding the official and complete review of these matters will not make them go away. Perhaps we should publish the relevant Audit Standards and let the taxpayer make the judgement as to whether a review is warranted.
Is the return of McCabe fact or fiction? I don't want to look like a fool after passing the news around and I am proven wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the word on the other blog about this?
I just can't believe it.
Believe it! This town is notoris for dumb and stupid decisons. The way they work is totally not logical or ethical in anyway.. Take a look back at the lenghty process of the Ethics code.. and what we got out of it.
DeleteA Ethics code to protect the majority board.
We were shit on not once but twice by these that we elected. This town is so much up this majority boards ass that it isn't funny.
To the First observer
ReplyDeleteI just can't beleive that the Fire Chiefs or the Board of Fire commissioners in Town would allow a Drill in a building that has asbestos in it and is ready to fall down. But on the other hand, someone with some kind of connections owns the building and Joe C and Crew are just looking the other way. Meanwhile, all the Asbestos has been probably blowing all over the nieghborhood since they opened it up last year. What they are waiting for is a sudden Fire so the FD has to handle it or for it to fall down and then the town would foot the bill to clean it up under a dangerous situation.
Well that is how this shady bunch work.. doesn't suprise me.. Does it suprise you? I bet not.. WE got McCabe comeing back after loosing an election..
DeleteHay why have an election anymore in this town.. just appoint them.. YOu have taken our word away from us at town hall. Why not take away the election also..
Obama approved
Langley and McCabe; kinda like Aristotle meets Einstein, well, except for the fact it's completely not like that.
ReplyDeleteThis political pairing has all the earmarks of a Chamberlain-Daladier partnership. East Greenbush's "Munich Pact" moment is upon us ... appeasement to the machine, eradication of a real ethics code and complete surrender of our tax $ to those connected.
For the kids at Talks, here's a link on the history:
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Agreement
Excuse me, am I hearing right that if Teagan's falls down the town would foot the bill to clean up the mess. Give me a break on this one. If there is asbestos in the rubble it would be very expensive to clean up. Wouldn't the proper thing to do is tell the owners to clean it up or the town will and slap them with a hefty bill, plus fine them for neglect.
ReplyDeleteThis would make a great news story, having the taxpayers pay for the clean up of property belonging to a Council Persons family. Even if firefighters burn the dam building, the owners of the property should foot the bill. It's not like they can't afford to do so.
I am getting bored with our current Town Board. Lots of talk, but no real substance. Yakety Yak, Don't Come Back!
I'm starting to get inundated with "who owns what dumpy property on Columbia Turnpike" comments and questions. I'm sure that it's a fertile topic, except that this thread should be about (loosely) Town hiring practices. How about an enterprising author delving in to the property subject and sending me a post to review? I just got a comment saying that a demolition permit had been applied for for the Tegan's site, but it hadn't been granted. How long has that site been vacant and un-fenced, I'd ask? And then somebody asked who owned the old Weathervane. I remember Matters proposing a local law about upkeep of vacant property. Great research subject, scholars.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the Machine is ecstatic about the fact that attention has been diverted from the sewer questions and the "return of McCabe." A couple of threads are in order on these, I think. And we've heard nothing of the Toski audit on Fiscal Year 2010 yet, have we? Without that, there is no way to determine the fiscal position of the Town. Back to the good old days, I guess.
this town is being run like the good old days when no one asked many questions. Everyone went along.
DeleteLook for the most part, what you got is a bunch of people that moved over here from Albany back in the 6os and 70's and now their children are here..
Everyone in this town should know who owns that property and why it is allowed to be left the way it is?
DeleteI understand that their is nothing on the books also for a neighbor to have to mow their lawn or keep their propery up also. Does anyone know if that is true?
In neigboring towns they have laws on the books for this? Why not here?
What exactly is our town Ordinance?
I think you should make an inquiry at Town Hall.
DeleteI don't get why everyone is so amazed. This town was long known as "Maneyville" as Fat Pat ran the town.
ReplyDeleteToday it is dominated by a few well connected families - the Harts, the Mangolds, the Malones, the O'Briens.
McCabe was the original "go along to get along" guy now replaced (partially) by Langley. What a great partnership they will make. Instead of only having one puppet on a string (McCabe)the Harts and Maney will have two (Langley + McCabe).
Maney and the Harts have Liccardi and Sue Mangold deep on the inside protecting their interests.
All made possible by the ignorance of the vast majority of this town's so called citizens.
Look this Town Board is not doing their job no matter how we look at it and their is never going to be an end to this back and forth being left out and not heard.
ReplyDeleteThis town board does whatever they want. They have been allowed now for over twenty years to continue running this town how they see fit not how the people see fit.
When you find some way to break that down. Let us all know.
Cause not much is working with this town.
Columbia turnpike is looking like a dump.. pretty much.
taxes are going up each year and that won't change. This town board is a self rightous bunch of idiots that have only their best interst at heart.
Not the people that live in it. Our financial situation is very bleek and that seems to be a bigger threat to anyone that is seeking to move to this area. Their is no place for the town people to swim or have family activities. Our parks are delapadated and out of date. Our schools are more equipt with the playground areas then the parks.
This town is being turned into a run down ghost town.
They could take the old teagans and turn that in to a park of an old western town. Provided they clean up the glass and the rubble. This town is patheadic. Look around at other towns close by and why would anyone want to come here other then being close to work. Cause you can't say the taxes are cheep or the admentities are great. Wake up people! This town is loosing ground for growth. To put it plan and simple.. look at the growth of a business. You have to put into the business to get out of business. This town is being stripped of all that was good.
Take a look around..
I agree with Dwight. There is an extra clerk assigned to the court but not working in the court. Maybe Supervisor Langley could prevail upon that clerk to get the resolutions being acted upon up on the web before they are acted upon. In an emergency situation maybe the staff can't follow the intent of the law and get them up but with an extra clerk wandering around the Supe should assign someone to get them up there the next morning.
ReplyDeleteOr, maybe the new Rick Matters $10,000 communications person could attend to making this important information available to the public in a timely fashion.
FYI, 3:59, I have a FOIL with the Town Clerk re: the required notification to the County Clerk whenever there is an opening (i.e. urgently needed court clerk), as well as a notification whenever the position has been filled (Town Law, Article 3, Section 30. I filed that request on 9/16/12. To date: nothing. I likewise FOILed the County Clerk's office for our communiques to them regarding the same. To date: nothing. Remember, my original request for documents on this was back in July, and the response was that there were no documents supporting the hiring. I was advised to call Mr. Malone instead. My response was that I would not be calling Mr. Malone as it was not his decision but the Board's decision, and in any event there should be FOILable documentation supporting the Resolution to hire. Nothing. This one could get interesting. Maybe it's a selling point for East Greenbush- "Come to a lawless place where your wildest dreams are just a campaign donation and a hush-hush away..." Dwight
ReplyDeleteI'd guess that section 30 refers to elected and appointed officers, no all emplolyees.
ReplyDeleteI thought if it was not Civil Service it did not have to go to the County. Few positions in the Town are Civil Service. Thought I would add this. Maybe this is why you have had no response to your FOIL
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is a Civil Service and that is why no foils.
Delete4:37 I agree, not all employees would fall under this. From Section 20:
ReplyDelete"The clerk of the court of a town shall be employed and discharged from employment only upon the advice and consent of the town justice or justices. Also, All other officers and employees in such a town shall be appointed by the town board, except as otherwise provided by law."
Given the special attention that court clerks receive under the law (employed and/or discharged only after the advise and consent of Town justices) I'm guessing they are not just regular employees. From Section 30:
"4. Whenever a vacancy shall occur or exist in any town office, the
town clerk shall immediately notify the county clerk of such vacancy, specifying the name of the officer, the office in which the vacancy occurred and the date when the same became vacant. Within five days after such vacancy is filled, the town clerk shall file with the county clerk and the department of audit and control and, if the vacancy was in the office of assessor, with the state board of real property services, a certificate specifying the name and address of the person filling the vacancy, together with the term for which elected or appointed. In the case of a person appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of town justice, the town clerk shall file a duplicate certificate with the chief administrator of the courts."
So maybe yes, maybe no, but we'll find out together. (I'm guessing I'm right and hoping I'm wrong.) Dwight
6:04 You might be right, but under the FOI Law there is a requirement that a FOIL request be acknowledged within a certain time-frame (5 business days) and if not, then the request may be construed as a constructive denial and appealed to the next level, Supervisor in this case. So to get no response says to me that I might be right because I have in the past been told that my requests were not valid. And within 4 days of this FOIL I had submitted another and received a proper acknowledgment. But silence? Silence just doesn't sound right. As for Civil Service positions at Town Hall, I assumed that if one was part of the NYS Retirement System then one was part of the Civil Service. Further, we fall under the Rensselaer County Civil Service Commission, which is responsible for Towns in Rensselaer County. From the NYS Civil Service site:
ReplyDelete"Positions in local government fall under the jurisdiction of a Municipal Civil Service Commission or a Personnel Officer, who are responsible for administering the merit system in local government. Each county is responsible for administering civil service for the county and all civil divisions within the county including: towns,..."
Again, we'll see. Dwight
The plot thickens. I met with a representative of the Rensselear County Civil Service Commission today, Human Resources Dept., and it was his belief that the Court Clerk position was in fact Civil Service and that the Town was obligated to inform his office of a vacancy (this did not happen, according to him) and that the Town was required to notify him of the position being filled (again, he said this did not happen). This matches perfectly with the FOIL response that I got from the Senior Court Clerk today ("As requested this information does not exist.") In other words, contrary to State Law, it appears that our Town Board and Town Clerk's office knowingly violated the Civil Service Law in allowing Resolution 95-2012 to pass. The gentleman I met with today pointed to a bulletin board in the hallway on which were pinned a number of vacancy announcements that WERE in accord with the law. That's not the way we do in East Greenbush. Updates to come, as his office looks into the matter. As we've tried to make clear ad nauseum, the Town Board simply cannot create positions, rename positions, or eliminate positions (many, not all) without cooperation with the County. Dwight Jenkins
ReplyDeleteA couple of corrections: the response I received from the Senior Court Clerk was in response to a different FOIL re: the numbers of cases heard from January to June. I was looking to see if the data supported an urgent need to hire a new court clerk. Nothing available, at least not for me. As an addendum, I had asked the Town Clerk's office for information regarding the Civil Service classification of the Court Clerk position: classified, non-classified, exempt, non-exempt, labor, etc. These classifications of a job title or position are what determine the course of action the Town needs to take when it does hiring or firing. It's not arbitrary, it's law. The Town Clerk's office was unable to tell me what classification the Court Clerk falls under. This is outrageous and altogether untrue. My apologies, I have great admiration for the employees in that office, but there's no way on earth that those position classifications cannot be found. In a way it's even scarier if it's true. Finally, it must be stated that Supervisor Langley and Board member Matters voted against Resolution 95-2012... but what the hell did they do about it???? Nothing! Why did I have to be the one in the County Office Building today? Why wasn't it one of them months ago? "Salt that has lost its savor is good for nothing but to be trampled under foot of men." Written by someone far better than me. Dwight
ReplyDeleteWas his belief. He should know. Civil Service jobs you need to take a test. City Court is civil service, you have to take a test given by the NYS Court system
ReplyDelete7:02 I didn't want to put words in his mouth before he had the opportunity to check it out, which he promised to do. Just being cautious. I like eating cookies, not words. Thanks, though. I think you're right. And to that individual who wrote that there weren't many in Town Hall that were civil service, I think you meant to say there weren't many that aren't. Take a look at the 2013 proposed budget. Look at all the expenditures for NYS Retirement. NYS Retirement = Civil Service Laws are in place, administered in our case by the Rensselaer County Civil Service Commission. It is what it is, and I think Res. 95-2012 is going to end up like the replacement NFL refs. One too many blown calls. Dwight
ReplyDeleteDwight thanks for all your work. I know it sucks you are doing all the work for people that should do their own work and quite honestly don't give a damn about doing.
ReplyDeleteSo like I said thank you.
Although it still remains to be seen what will happen as more of the truth surfaces.
Sorry, just one last thing 7:02- not all Civil Service classifications require a test. The gentleman and I went through all those categories yesterday. Some do, some don't. Some need announcements, some don't. Each category has its own requirements, but Court Clerk appears to be one that CANNOT just be given out on the spur of the moment in response to uncomfortable circumstances. I know some of you are probably sick of this but I think it is important in the extreme, hence the constant updates. If what I think happened really did happen, then it would mean that numerous individuals and all the checks/balances (Board, attorney, Town Clerk's office, Justice Court's office) were essentially involved in a conspiracy to avoid the law. That's a big "if" so I'm not saying it...yet. Dwight
ReplyDeleteNot to worry Dwight..... DiNapoli's troops are just over the hill ready to ride in waving flags and shouting that "they really didn't mean to, they really didn't mean to."
ReplyDeleteCourt Clerk Update: I received a response today from The Supervisor on my FOIL appeal for documents related to East Greenbush notifying the County of an opening in the Town's Justice Court. The initial response was: there are no documents. The appeal response was: there are no documents. It staggers me to think that one can be hired in this Town with absolutely no documentation, and on a Town Board resolution, no less! Unbelievable. The Supervisor did state that he was forwarding my rationale to the Town Attorney for his take on my argument that the Town is obligated to notify the County of such openings in the ranks. We'll see what comes of that. I have also filed a complaint with the Office of Courts Administration, as Town Law seems similarly clear: openings in the justice system require special notification to the Court system. Finally, I also filed a FOIL appeal with the Supervisor regarding the Town Clerk's inability to provide me with the civil service classification of the Town Court Clerk positions, of which we have three. The Clerk's position was not that such classification did not exist but that it could not be found. This is not even something that one should have to FOIL, it should be common knowledge at Town Hall and it should be public knowledge for you and I simply by asking for it. Just thought I'd keep you abreast of what's in the works. Dwight
ReplyDeleteDear Dwight 8:38 PM:
ReplyDeleteI hope all is well with you.
Would you please clarify regarding the FOIL response you received from the Town that stated that the civil service classification of the Court Clerk positions "... could not be found."
I must be missing something. How can this be possible?
Let's hope this (1) isn't a systemic issue with the other classified civil service positions in Town and (2) doesn't violate any negotiated contractual agreements with our union sisters and brothers.
Be well and thanks for bringing this to light,
Tom
Dwight Could you explain what Mr. Grant is talking about. I am totally lost here.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Dear Anonymous 1:33 PM:
DeleteSorry if I wasn't clear. What I was asking Dwight was if he felt it was possible that other town position classifications "could not be found."
My major concern is that if these classifications cannot be found then the previously negotiated benefits of our Town employees, such as working conditions and health insurance may be put at risk.
Be well,
Tom
DWIGHT, THANK GOD WE HAVE YOU AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE. I have to admit that I do not completely understand.
ReplyDeleteDoes the Town have to notify the County every time there is a Town Court opening? Does it mean that the Town Board ignores this and just appoints whomever they please?
Is it illegal for the Town Board to just blow off the County?
Is Rick Matters crazy or ignorant? I can't believe he is part of this.
Another thought. Why is the county ignorant of this situation?
Where is Cathy Gimino?
If this is illegal, what can be done?
Dwight I believe you mentioned that the court could not give you the number of cases heard from Jan to June? That seems a little absurd to me because I would think that those statistics would have to be reported to OCA. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteWell, I thought it a little odd myself but I'm willing to assume that the Senior Clerk is telling me the truth since I don't know. I ask in good faith and, unless I think I know better, I accept what comes down. Maybe some of you know better. If so, maybe you could also file a FOIL, perhaps wording it better, redirecting it, etc. I think we all know that the hiring had nothing to do with an urgent need because of a heavy caseload. Someone that had worked for the town a long time and was well liked by many was taken care of. End of story. Was it proper? My understanding of civil service law says no. But... I got a mailed letter today from Town Attorney Joseph Liccardi regarding the matter. In it Mr. Liccardi contends that the sections of civil service law I refer to apply only to Town officers, and that a Court Clerk is not a Town officer. He has discussed it with the Deputy Rensselaer County Clerk as well as the counsel for the Association of Towns. Both concur with him. I'm fine with that as long as the County Civil Service Commission likewise concurs. I hope to hear soon. Dwight
ReplyDeleteDoes not being a "town officer" remove the requirements of the Civil Service Law? Or am I missing something here? I would think that Civil Service law applies to civil service positions, whether or not such a position may from time to time be listed as a Town office. As I recall the position to which Mr. McCabe's daughter was appointed some time back was a civil service position.
ReplyDeleteI I share your apprehensions, 8:08. That's why I'm waiting to hear back from the Commission. Dwight
ReplyDeleteI should also add that I filed another FOIL today to find out exactly what positions in Town Hall (not names, as names change with time) are Civil Service positions. That should put an end to the wrangling about the Town's obligations to the Civil Service Commission. Dwight
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the City of Glen Cove, NY Civil Service web site: http://www.cityofglencoveny.org/RulesWeb.htm#IV
ReplyDeleteIt is very detailed and gives the civil service classifications for all the city positions, down in the appendixes. Now take a look at Rule IV, the non-competitive class. While not requiring a test they require notification to and approval by the Civil Service Commission prior to the appointment:
2. Nomination for Non-Competitive Appointment
A position in the non-competitive class may be filled by the appointment of a person who meets the minimum qualifications established for such position by the Commission. A nomination for such an appointment shall state the qualifications of the nominee and shall be filed, prior to any appointment, by the appointing authority with the Commission. Such appointment shall become effective only after approval by the Commission.
Now look at appendix B of the Rules. There you will see City Clerks as non-competitive positions. I find it hard to believe that the Town of EG and the County Civil Service Commission is run much differently. Dwight
Dear Dwight:
DeleteThanks again for following up. These are very important issues for our hard-working Town employees since their job classifications directly impact their workplace rights and conditions of employment. It might be worthwhile for the Union leadership to inquire about this as well.
Be well,
Tom
I had mailed an inquiry about this to the Office of Courts Administration a few days ago. Barbara Sheehan got back to me today and said they couldn't get involved, as they represent Towns and Villages throughout the state. I then left a message with Rensselaer County Supreme Court to ask if openings and hirings in a Town's court system need to be sent to the County Court Clerk. Mr. Liccardi, our Town Attorney, said he had checked with the County Clerk's office and they said we didn't need to notify them of such, but he didn't mention the courts, so I thought it prudent to check there as well. Trust but verify kind of a deal. I am actually very encouraged that Mr. Liccardi sent me a letter in the mail explaining his position. That's how a town should operate, I believe, especially a small one like ours. As I said, I don't mind being wrong, just tell me why you think I'm wrong. (Use logic though.) Dwight
ReplyDelete