Funny thing happened this last week. We got an invitation to the Republican Fund
Raiser at Melvin Roads in June. This is
especially amazing in the context of the explicit instructions to “keep away
from the reformers” which went out from “Republican Headquarters” after the
last election. And even more amazing
after the “pow-wow” requesting that Mooney, Jenkins and I stop any potential
criticism and wait for the roll out of the new Supervisor’s “plan.”
Well we’ve been waiting.
We've seen a lot of missed opportunities. We’ve seen the missed opportunity to present a “no tax increase” budget
– requiring the majority to raise taxes if they wanted to fund their pork and
patronage. Nothing yet on the long
recommended financial recovery plan. Of
course, this would require some hard decisions about the workforce, and that
strikes at the heart of the majority’s re-election machine. No movement to recoup the illegal stipends,
longevity and sickleave payments as recommended by the OSC in its recent audit. (This recovery would cover one and a half
times the amount of the last general and highway funds tax increase.) We deserve a vote, and it would provide the opportunity to see if the majority would vote against the public interest. And of course, both the majority and the
minority are enjoying the recently introduced policy of prohibiting questions
of the Board at Board meetings.
I have a feeling that the reform efforts of citizens, which
did institute some changes in the way governing is done around here, is just as
distasteful to the minority (at least some) as it is to the majority. That’s the only thing that would explain the
reluctance to keep the pressure on the majority and fashion a policy agenda on
which to run in the next election. The
inability of the minority to function as a minority leads to the conclusion
that the minority is just a “mini-majority” waiting its turn at the trough.
Public policy is being made riding around in the truck. East Greenbush DEMands (which just might read
“REPmands”) is asserting that Google is planting viruses at my direction to
certain visitors to this Blog. And Mr.
Breig is being blamed for the state of the financial records before his
tenure. Welcome to Wonderland, Alice.
Dear Gadfly,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct.
It's not only the Town Board majority's fault.
The budget proposed by Supervisor Langley called for those tax increases. All the TB did was to sign off on "Tax-em More" Langley's Budget.
The only member of the TB to vote against those tax increases was Councilman Matters although truth be told Matters hasn't met a fee increase he doesn't vote for.
The Langley tax increases have hurt all of us!
Let's not forget that come election time.
In Keith we trust ... To raise our taxes!
And we are now expected to trust "Tax-em More" Langley with the management of a $14 million Sewer Bond and the upcoming salary negotiations with the unionized Town employees?
No wonder Supervisor Langley won't allow questions at TB meetings. He just doesn't have any answers other than "Tax-em More."
How right you are, Gadfly. Lets not let them (the folks who are afraid of taking positions on these issues) get away with it, be they DEM or REP. This will, in my opinion, include not giving any of them money and refusing to sign petitions for those who support the lack of responsible government currently in Town Hall. For example: Ginny and Matters are running for higher office but they are "on the ticket" with folks that will replace them in mismanagement. I'm suggesting that if we see "new" people smiling at us from the pages of the Advertiser and they have their arms around their smiling predecessors we can assume that they will dish up more of the nonsense we have right now. Lets not accept someone as new unless they tell us, in specific terms, what, exactly they will do.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I just love the image of you as a virus wizard standing behind a pack of geeks ready and waiting to fire malware at whomever you select. Can your guys also conjure up a virtual trip to Oz for me?
The first thing the upcoming candidates should do is ignore all you so called Reformers. What are there about 6 of ya? Bunch of rejects.
DeleteA lot more than 6, Anony. Whether you like it or not, the improvements in governance in this town are to the credit of those of us who advocated for it - and not to the credit of those who continue or anticipate sucking at the teet of taxpayer cash. As Jack says, the old ways are dead and the sooner you figure that out, the better for you.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning, folks. Re asking question: the most recent TB agenda iis headed with the old heading that would allow peoplle to speak with the only limit being 5 minutes. Maybe Supervisor Langley saw the light and is going back to letting folks speak. Wouldn't that be nice?
ReplyDeleteAlas, it is far more likely that it is just another clerical error because the restrictive language is still at the end.
7:31 AM and this is the same Supervisor Langley who is responsible for reading and understanding the fine print of the 14 million dollar sewer deal.
DeleteGadfly you have to be kidding. The 6 of you have done nothing in the way of any positive change with regard to our town or our town government. Buy yourself a set of golf clubs and go have some fun. The brains of your little group have walked away and you just sound foolish. There isn't a soul in that town hall or on that town board that listens to one word you have to say. You are an idiot. When Mike and Ann don't want anything to do with you, it should tell you something. You are obviously just to arrogant to see that.
ReplyDeleteWhen Reform first started out it stood for goodness. You have successfully turned it into a dirty word. Stop trying to take credit for anything positive in our town, you deserve none.
Gadfly;
ReplyDeleteI think you are right on the money with your assertion that the DEMands blog is the REPS. I have thought that from the beginning. Their main objective was to jump on the democrats, specifically Malone, in hopes that you would join them and unite against the DEMS. This has DeFruscio's name written all over it, with Cristo right there behind him in the shadows. Get ready for more anonymous letters to the advertiser and some other stupid stunts with those 2 involved. Keith, Randy and Debbie....do you realize that those 2 clowns are gonna lead you guys right off the cliff? Open your eyes, this is no time to seel your soul to the devil.
Dear 7:37 AM
DeleteThere are many Republicans in this town that do not agree with the antics of DeFruscio, Cristo and Sean Mulvey. I do not include Jude Mulvey in this group. She is a nice person and a true patriot. The fact that she was trounced at the polls last year was due in no small part to her association with Chris, Michael and Sean.
Keith, Randy and Debbie are headed for the same electoral fate. If they don't realize what's in store for them, they only have themselves to blame.
Cristo and Defruscio will ruin the Republican party in East Greenbush. Cherubino is too immature to realize what cousin Chris is getting him into. Dimartino just wants to get jobs for her family and friends. She has little or no interest in bettering East Greenbush at all.
DeleteAlso 12:09 - the trouncing that Jude Mulvey was served is a glaring example of the people in East Greenbush saying they've had enough of Defruscios stunts.
It's getting pretty hilarious, boys and girls. Criticism of Republicans in this post has resulted in apoplectic accusations that this Blog is infecting the universe with viruses - from none other than EG DEMands. It think the theory that it's some local Rep types behind the supposed DEM anti-Malone outlet is beginning to be proved true.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, we keep getting around 250 page views per day. Eat your heart out Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.....
To 7:33 AM Who were the brains in the group that walked away?
ReplyDeleteGadfly, I think you nailed what is going on around here. Talks is all but shut down and removing comments. And DEMands is attacking you for criticism of REPS. Chris, your slip is showing.
ReplyDeletePM is in on it
ReplyDeleteThat may very well be true, Anony. Richard J. Daley, the "legendary" Mayor of Chicago said that "good government is good politics." Kinda funny coming from him, but it's true. And that principle is foreign to both current political camps.
DeletePerhaps both a "fantasy" Republican machine and an ""embryonic" Dem machine could make common cause to put the lid on reform incentives in East Greenbush. Just think, there's a lot to divide in the $14 million in sewer bonding on the horizon. Enough to split among the faithful if nobody's minding the store. Sure explains the Supe's "milquetoast" performance when it comes to making a minority record.
Funny you should mention receiving an invite to the upcoming Republican Fund Raiser. Were you aware that the last active Financial Disclosure Form filed with the NYS Board of Elections by the East Greenbush Republican Committee was in January of 2012?
DeleteThat form showed the East Greenbush Republican Committee with a negative balance of -$830.15.
Might be worthwhile to ask Chris Defruscio at least two questions 1. Why no updated filings? and 2. Where did all the money given by prior contributors go?
You might not want to be so quick to write your generous check to Chairman Defruscio until you get some answers to these questions.
The Board of Elections website address is www.elections.ny.gov if you want to do your own research.
Just think about how much deeper in the hole they'd be if some of us who thought Langley would be something other than a "good old boy" had kept our checkbooks in the desk.
DeleteThe Hijacking of Reform:
ReplyDeleteReform started out to be positive, and stand for goodness spearheaded by the efforts of
Mike Cristo and Ann Taylor.
Since that beginning Mike and Ann have moved on with their lives away from a political involvement, along with many that supported them.
Unfortunately what remained was a very small group of people trying to create an illusion of a mass of residents. This very small group now lead by Don Johnson whom has unfortunately put a dark cloud over the entire Reform concept. It has transformed from good to bad.The remainder of this handful of political extremist should be recognized as just that.
These leftover Reformers do not represent the average vast majority of residents in our town regardless of political enrollment. Don you are no leader other than self proclaimed.
You hurt Mike and Ann costing them an election and now you are trying to hurt anyone who desires to participate in our town government. Do the town a favor and go away.
Dear 7:50 AM
DeleteMike Cristo a reformer... are you kidding??? Is this the same Mike Cristo who last year unsuccessfully tried to pressure a number of the democrat committee members in order to get his handpicked candidate elected for democrat town chairperson. Mike Cristo is as much of a reformer as his partner Chris Defruscio.
Ann Taylor is a real reformer, always has been always will be. IMHO she would be a very strong candidate for Town Supervisor against "Silent" Keith Langley in 2015. She has the financial background to effectively oversee the $14 million sewer project, unlike Langley. And, also unlike Langley, she is a very hard worker.
Also, Ann Taylor is well aware of Defruscio's stunts. She has been victimized by some of them. She, unlike Cristo, knows to stay far away from Chris Defruscio and his very small but greatly unprincipled group.
11:17 AM
DeleteCount me in. Ann Taylor would be a great Town Supervisor. She could run and win on the Conservative line in a three person race. She wouldn't need to have anything to do with the Defruscio crowd. A lot of real Republicans would support her instead of Defruscio. This could be interesting.
The unfortunate reality of our town is that both political parties are in a race to the bottom.
ReplyDeleteNeither political party cares a flip for the greater good of the town and the average taxpayer.
Both political parties want power for the singular purpose of putting family and friends in town jobs.
The reform movement has faced considerable obstacles. But overall involved citizens have been the only thing that has produced positive change in our town.
Dear Anony at 7:50AM......Nobody has hijacked reform. I have a feeling that you’re just uncomfortable with questions to government. I disagree with your opinion, but you will notice that I printed it. If your opinion gets to see the light of day, so do the opinions of others. Mine too. It would be helpful though, if you supported what you advance with verifiable facts. People who have worked on reforming our local government have worked with facts, and have made those facts available to the general public. Entities such as the OSC have provided verification for much of what has been discovered.
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson said that “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” I agree. You’d apparently like questioners to go away. I think taking it to that level requires that you identify yourself.
When we can't even get an Ethics Code passed here, whose provisions are generally accepted by municipalities across the state, I think you might want to consider putting a lid on attacks on people who are concerned with reforming government.
ReplyDelete
you'd be hard pressed to find ethics codes with the probing financial disclosure section of the draft ... dare ya to prove me wrong
DeleteYou can forget ethics, MOM has Mangold's back on this one.
DeleteConsider yourself proven wrong, 7:38PM. Thanks Jack.
DeleteLooks like somebody close to political leadership (Anonymous @ 7:50) on one side of the fence or the other, has their shorts in a knot. It wasn't Mr. Mooney or Mr. Johnson or anybody else associated with reforming government around here who issued the dictum that there would be no questions at Board Meetings. Reps and Dems don't want to be questioned. And it looks like Langley and Matters don't want to put Malone, Mangold and O'Brien on the spot about recovering the illegally paid stipends, longevity and sick-leave. One big happy -unquestioned- family.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:38 p.m.: You really can't be serious about the "probing financial disclosure section of the ethics code draft. Clearly you don't know what you're talking about. Many towns our size and smaller require financial disclosure and every one of them references State law which includes a truly onerous set of submissions. All we asked for was a list of businesses in which town officials (including members of the board of ethics) or their spouses had a 5% or greater interest. A list of the names of the businesses was all that was required. No tax return data, no fiscal data or list of officeholders of the businesses, no private investments, only a list that would allow the public and board of ethics to know when one of those concerns had business before the town and would be alerted to a potential conflict of interest. I researched more than fifty codes of ethics and our proposal was the LEAST invasive or onerous form ever proposed. Ever. Town board members did not have to list the businesses of their parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins or even their own children if those children didn't live under their roof. There was no excuse for the town board to reject a strong code of ethics based on such skeletal financial disclosure.
ReplyDeleteJack; THANK YOU for all your effort. Many of us are grateful regardless of the outcome.
DeleteJack, I too am thankful for all the work that you and everyone else did on the ethics draft. On a side note its not just EG that has no ethics, just look at the state as a whole. Cuomo talks a good game, but thats all it is, is talk.
DeleteJim_C - Thanks for the kind words. Clearly, NYS politics is a mess. Cuomo's hoping Hillary retires so he can run for president so everything he does is aimed at a wider audience and is insincere as far as I'm concerned. National polls show that most people hate Congress but like their own congressman. Everyone thinks the system is broken but no one wants to risk the kind of change that might fix it.
DeleteHere in EG is the culture of politics is old-fashioned and, as our bond review and recent audits have shown, now clearly obsolete. I got involved with the Board of Ethics because it seemed like an important way to change the culture but since the power remained with the town board they resisted any new standards they might have to live up to. Don't get me wrong, I think the power should reside with the people who are democratically elected but it was disappointing to see members of the town board put their own issues ahead of the public interest. Call me naive but that really surprised me.
The Ethics Board did an outstanding job.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien and Mangold caved to Mangold's desperate need to protect and to hide her staggering multiple conflicts of interest.
We need a reality check.
Mangold's sole responsibility on our town board is to protect the Hart family business interests.
Nobody objects to the Hart families businesses making money. It is when a town board member abandons her responsibilities to taxpayers to protect those businesses that the problem arises.
Mangold can't even keep her hands out of the hiring process. We now have her niece in a town hall job. I guess she had to get her share of the jobs before O'Brien and Malone snagged them all for their family members.
To Mar 29-11:17 AM Who was Mike's "hand picked candidate for dem town chairperson" last year?
ReplyDeleteI never know what to believe.
Ruth,
DeleteHint.
It wasn't Mr. Stenson or Mr. Malone.
May29 11:17am
ReplyDeleteYou are 100% right that Taylor was a reformer and she would kick DeFruscio's Sup candidate in the a$$! It's well known taylor doesn't agree with DeF's tactics and she keeps her distance. I heard she has no interest in politics any more. It's a shame because she was the only in this town that has the spunk and tenacity to face the EG Dem Machine AND Defruscio's band of idiots head on! I don't know whose worse, Def's clan or the EG DEm machine. Heaven help this town.
One more thing..."Talks" is a bunch of blowhards of lies, innuendo and stories of no substance or proof. they don't have documentation to back up their assertions. It's pathetic. Talks and EGDemands are cut from the same cloth. Maybe Defruscio is running Talks too or Def could be working with the EGDem's that run Talks.
ReplyDeleteBet Stenson is miffed he was picked over for the Comptroller position. He has been salivating at that job since before he retired from NYS. Nice job on that vote Malone! Well played!
Defruscio is a divider, he does not have the ability to bring people together and he has always been unreliable. It's too bad for East Greenbush that Langley fell in with him.
ReplyDeleteTime for a reminder for the gentleman who says reform has been hijacked:
ReplyDelete"Let the Oligarchy Rule!!!???
The latest attempt to get the questions and spotlight off the Town Board on any number of issues is the mantra that “we’ve elected them to make decisions so we should let them do that and quit asking questions. Questioning is meddling and disrupts the processes of good government.” The most vulgar expression of this position is the one from Mr. Malone when he said “we’re the majority, and what we pass, passes.” If nothing else, that’s an invitation for more oversight.
Well, leaving them alone to govern might work if there were a track record which could be pointed to which supported the conclusion that the bunch we’re talking about were all that trustable. My first case in point that they’re not is the fact that they couldn’t pass an Ethics Code which had financial disclosure and controls on nepotism.
The second cases in point I’d offer is the fact that if some of us hadn’t been asking questions, we’d still have stipends, sick leave incentive and longevity payments going to elected officials, no monitoring of scrap revenue, poop in the Hudson, ……and the list goes on.
If there is any doubt that oversight of our “decision-making body” is profoundly necessary, citizens should read the OSC audits from 2008 and 2012. They are litanies of what can happen when the appropriate questions are NOT asked of government officials."
Some folks just love to put the blinders on and hope that facts go away.
Pretty similar to the gadflies. Amen and good grief. Nice to see the DJs back
ReplyDeleteI think the "Sword" was quoting one of mine from early on in the life of this blog. And I agree. The message has not changed from the reform effort because the problems which the Town faces have not been addressed by those in power. I'd also say that those who'd like to be in power have not advanced much of an agenda to improve things either. Both sides just don't want to be watched or questioned or criticized. And that's a pretty sad attitude from actual and potential public officials.
ReplyDeletePetition season is open. When you are asked for your signature be sure to ask your questions. And if you happen to get a candidate at your door tell them what you expect of them. If everyone lights one little candle....
ReplyDeleteBTW if you see the petitions,be sure to post here who the candidtes are. There are sone questions still about reps for legislator and dems for both council and legislator.
To Gadfly 9:56AM speaking about potential public officials.
ReplyDeleteWord on the street is EG REP Chairman Chris Defruscio has written off the people living in EG by refusing to support any EG residents, including Rick Matters, as candidates for the Mike Cristo county leg position. Defruscio doesn't care that EG is the biggest section of the district. It is said Chris D. doesn't want to run anyone from EG who he isn't related to.
That's what Rick Matters gets for being his own person. There are many people who will support Rick Matters over Chris Defruscio any day of the week.
I think the "problem" with Mr. Matters is that he usually fights his political battles based on principle. That's distasteful to political manipulators. If our local Dem establishment acted on principle, we'd have that Ethics Code adopted. Not much different with the Reps at the present time. I'd guess that DeFruscio doesn't want a principled "loose cannon" out there. That's why both he and Malone would like anyone associated with "reform" to go away.
DeleteThere seem to be more and more FOR SALE signs sprouting up in front of residential properties around Town. Could this be part of Supervisor Keith "tax them more" Langley's financial recovery plan?
ReplyDeleteEven O'Brien's house is for sale. She doesn't want to pay the taxes that she is guilty of raising.
ReplyDelete1:04PM
DeleteFYI.
4 members of the Town Board voted for the Supervisor Langley proposed tax increases: Langley (of course), O'Brien, Malone and Mangold. Rick Matters was a no vote.
but matters always votes for fees
Deletehypocrite?
I think the issue we are focusing on here is that the newly elected Supervisor missed his legal and political opportunity to assert some leadership to change the "time honored"" tax and spend tradition of the Dems when he presented his budget. He could have offered a well reasoned financial recovery plan and tied it to a long and short term budget plan. No conceptual thinking at all appeared. We keep hearing that there is supposed to be a plan, but nobody has been able to articulate it.
DeleteWhat is absolutely mind-boggling to me is why the Supervisor didn't present his budget with a tax cut, and require the Dem majority to do the pork and patronage adding that would require a tax increase. Did/do they have him (and DeFruscio) so buffaloed? It just makes no sense to win on an "opposition" line and then fold like a $2 suitcase.
ReplyDeleteHow did Chris DeFruscio become chairman of the Rep party? Is he the best of the rest? If not, will someone else please stand up.
ReplyDeleteChris DeFruscio and Phil Malone are both cut from the same cloth and both are nothing more than political thugs.
ReplyDeleteEach engages in stupid tactics. Each prefers threats to vision and leadership. Both believe that when it comes to politics the end always justifies the means.
DeFruscio's "Martha" letter as part of the last election cycle was amazing for its sheer stupidity and embarrassment to anyone who was trying to support positive change around here.
I don't know Rick Matters' total voting record. But on fees versus taxes...fees are specific to the user of the service. They are also usually small. Taxes hit us all and they are always rather large. I wouldn't personally get my shorts in a knot over fees but I, for sure, see never ending tax increases a whole lot differently. Matters is, by and large, an awfully good person. And in that he is a unique exception in the world of East Greenbush politics.
Dear Cincinatus:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. At first blush DeFruscio and Malone seem cut from the same cloth. However, I would give Malone a slight edge for potential due to his recent support of Angelina Cadena and Joe Slater for important positions. With the Cadena appointment, Malone had to make a difficult decision which certain members of the Democratic party disagreed with. With the Slater appointment, Malone showed he was willing to include an individual within the Democratic leadership who did some very effective work on the Ethics Board. These quality appointments are both very positive developments. Perhaps Malone is beginning to grow up?
DeFruscio, on the other hand has demonstrated no inclination to act with any degree of maturity. He has exhibited no signs of effective leadership for the betterment of the Town's residents. He is not able to civilly disagree with anyone. The "Martha" letter is just one in a continuing series of immature stunts that have not reflected well on him or the political party he currently leads.
In short, recent actions by Malone MIGHT indicate he is finally growing up and maturing. In contrast, recent actions by DeFruscio, including the selection of his cousin Randolph Cherubino as a Town Board candidate and his lack of support for Rick Matters as a County Legislative candidate, demonstrate that Chris will never be able to act in a mature and responsible manner. Sadly, in Chris' case, the leopard truly doesn't change its spots.
How utterly true ! You've nailed Defruscio and his juvenile antics perfectly !
DeleteI am not sure what accounts for Malone's recent split with O'Brien and Mangold.
ReplyDeletePart of the split may be old school politics. Mike and Ginny O'Brien are clearly the past. As is Pete Stenson.
Malone is slick, ambitious and a hard worker - for himself only. In the past he has demonstrated immaturity and a foul temper. But, maybe, just maybe he is beginning to grow up.
At the rate things are headed voters choices come November are looking like a choice between really bad and only worse. Not a lot to hope for in terms of positive change.
Didn't I see an ad in the Advertiser recently inviting possible candidates to apply for a Party endorsement? Was it Schodack? Here it's done by the insiders and shot-callers. From the sound of things, it looks like Mr. Matters, who has been an outstanding Town Board member, can't get the support of the local Rep Boss for a run for County Legislature. What does that tell you about corruption? Guess he doesn't get to "git in the truck" and ride around.
ReplyDeleteGuess what their Don. Rumor has it their is a defector amongst you. A little birdie is saying that Malone is working with one of your people. Reform may be getting ready to take a major hit. This is going to get interesting.
DeleteDear Anony......It's performance, not label.....Never forget that. Malone and Mangold promised "accountability and transparency." Remember. We got neither. Maybe Malone is trying to redeem himself or enter the real world of political life. As Jack said in a comment above, the old ways are dead. I'd really welcome a Malone attempt at honest government. Perhaps "peeling" a reformer is a good start. We'll see. There are still issues of OT abuse and a financial recovery plan to be addressed. We'll see how Mr. Malone does on these too. (And there is also the residency thingy.....)
DeleteDear Anonymous 5:12pm (Chris D.?):
DeleteI am sad for you. Good reform and good government isn't about "defector(s)" or us vs. them or even "little birdie(s)." That's the old and tired way. Reform is about inclusion and listening to and working with people with perspectives, interests and experiences different from your own. Good government and good reform each embrace civil discourse and respectful dissent. Perhaps Mr. Malone is indeed maturing and beginning to realize there is a better way. At this point, I am cautiously willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Most people are capable of positive change and the past isn't always prologue. Try it, you might like it.
Didn't think I mattered......
DeleteMr Matters should try the Consv. party. I would hope they would appreciate him.
ReplyDeleteWho is the fool that won't allow Rick to run for County Leg?
5:12 PM:
ReplyDeleteI love you dude or dudette.
First we had McCabe and his ever soon to arrive lawsuit. He must have Joe Liccardi for an attorney.
Then we had Mooney being the creator of the DEMands blog.
Then viruses on this blog.
And now a "spy" within the reform movement.
For a lot of y'all all this is still the manipulations of Mike Cristo.
Ya gotta love it. Paranoia, by the way, is a treatable condition.
The only certifiable spy was Pete Stenson and his brief attendance at East Greenbush CARE meetings.
On a serious note. Please read Rick Matters' outstanding (as usual) piece in today's Advertiser. The article describes efforts to improve the Columbia Tpke and Troy Rd corridor. Rick Matters has advocated for this for a long time. With the support of our new planner the project seems to be moving forward. Nice work (yet again) Mr. Matters. It is nice to see at least one town board member with a vision and leadership.
I can't wait to see Rick retire from the State and then become
ReplyDeleteSuperv of EG.
Well it looks like Chairman Chris and Chairman Phil have each shut down their respective blogs - DEMands and Talks. They're learning a lesson for political bosses. You can't control everything.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, 8:33. It looks like they control everything including their blogs. They have left us with inexperienced, unprepared candidates on the Rep side. The Rep candidates are doomed to repeat the poor performance of Keith Langley, as witnessed in their lack campaign issues thus far, their connections to Keith and Chris, and their lack of qualifications. The Dems, as far we know, have no candidates.
DeleteThere is only one thing not controlled by the "parties". It's the Gadfly. Rock on, brother, rock on.
The voters and taxpayers of our town are getting exactly the government we deserve. 95% of people are a sad combination of ignorant and apathetic about what goes on around here. So, the politicians, and the respective part chairmen, operate as they do confident that short of a major league gaffe they can do as they please - spend our money foolishly, ignore state control agencies, lie, cheat, steal, appoint unqualified people to jobs, etc., etc., etc.
ReplyDeleteNeither political party needs a blog because they have no message, vision or need to communicate to citizens. Such is the ignorance and apathy of so many East Greenbush citizens.
I hate being so negative but that's how I see it.
You could call Ginnie and have her list your house along with hers and move. Know one is twisting your arm to stay here. Life is short,make yourself happy and move.
DeleteInstead of telling people to shut-up or move, perhaps you could fashion an argument contrary to some of the ideas advanced here. And no one is twisting your arm to click on this blog......
DeleteChris Defruscio has been ordered by the County Republicans to cease and desist his blogging activities out of concern that his stunts will negatively impact the Republican candidates for County Legislature.
ReplyDeleteIt will be very difficult for Chris to control his immature behavior for any length of time.
Stay tuned...
Nice piece in today's Advertiser.
ReplyDeleteLangley, and unfortunately Matters, lack the political will (= guts) to take on the return of stipend money issue.
No surprise really. Matters occasionally flirts with representing the general taxpayer; Langley has yet to and likely never will.
Jack Conway, in his excellent letter resigning from the non existent Ethics Board described the town government as representing the town employees rather than the citizens. Example after example proves how accurate Mr. Conway's analysis was, and still is.
Just saw the Advertiser. Very well done letter by Don Johnson. Hopefully this effort puts the question about recouping the funds on the lips of every resident who answers the door to candidates. Anyone who wants your vote should be asked to pledge that they will make every effort to recoup the misspent funds.
ReplyDeleteGadfly, what about a new post with that letter?
Nice article in The Advertiser. And it's on page three so everyone will see it.
ReplyDeleteSo what's with "Tax Them More" Langley? Why doesn't he at least try to get this money back? Does Keith Langley just get his kicks from raising peoples taxes?
You can count on Keith Langley ... to raise our taxes!
This issue isn't just about Langley (and perhaps Matters), it's about the entire Board and whether they can govern for the good of all the people beyond the identity of Party. Langley should act because he is the Supervisor, but the State Comptroller said "the Board should....." I focused on Mr. Langley because I have great doubt, based on observation of performance on other matters, that Malone, O'Brien and Mangold would take the initiative on this one. You know.....Party-mates and all.
ReplyDeleteDear Comment submitters......If you have something to say about my letter in the Advertiser, you'll have to sign your name from now on to have it published. I'm getting a lot of comments which contain personal attacks and assert this or that "motivation" for my letter.
ReplyDeleteLet me be clear (AGAIN)...the letter cited Mr. Langley because he is in the best position to act. The matter to be addressed belongs to the whole Board. I received one anonymous comment asserting that we need to move on and work together and not address the failings of the last administration. I'd say that approach is pure BS. What about the Financial Recovery Plan? What about the compliance with the Retirement Incentive requirements? (Half a million went out the door which was supposed to produce documented savings. We've seen no report documenting savings.) What about the Ambulance District operation being brought under the control of the Town Comptroller? What about Taxpayer Equity issues at the Transfer Station? What about an Ethics Code? ETC, ETC, ETC. All of those matters and a bunch more previously cited by OSC audits have yet to be addressed by the Board. It is a very instructive exercise to go back and read the previous reports. They are, and have been ignored by this and previous boards.
I'll make one more comment about the suggestion that we just forget the issues created by previous administrations. This Town Board just hired the Wojeski accounting firm to "accumulate and summarize information from the Town's books and records...." so that Toski can begin to complete their audit for 2010. (The Town has a contract for Toski to audit the 2010, 2011 and 2012 years.) Another example of paying now for what got screwed up "then."
DeleteGadfly:
ReplyDeleteMoving on always makes sense to politicians. It allows them to blow off the tragic ways taxpayers have been abused.
Accountability is an all together different thing. Accountability would suggest that those responsible for the "mistakes" of the past be held to account. That excuses like "it has always been done this way" be soundly rejected by intelligent and caring people.
But the really serious problem with moving on is that NOTHING, not one darn thing, has been done to change things around here.
The only thing that has resulted in any positive change around our town has been citizen activism. Left to their own devices the minority party would act not one bit differently than the current majority. And that is the ultimate tragedy for the East Greenbush taxpayers, citizens and voters.
the stipends, sick leave payouts, etc. took place while mccabe, danaher, cristo, matters, and kennedy ruled the roost
Deleteonly 1 still there is mr ethics err matters
(I'll make an exception to make the obvious point. The comment above is mild compared with some of the vile and "air-heady" stuff I've been getting - as you might imagine. The goons are loose.)
DeleteThe Audit report was addressed to the Board - this Board - and doesn't absolve previous Board's or this one of responsibility to perform governance with honesty and perseverance.
This Board and previous Boards have ignored the findings and recommendations contained in numerous oversight documents. Want to make "that's the way it has always been done," the excuse?
I respectfully submit that the Town's current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) by virtue of his elected position as Town Supervisor has a particular and singular opportunity to pursue the recoupment of the unlawful stipends, sick leave payouts etc. After all, the Town Supervisor (presently Keith Langley) is the only elected full time Town Board member on the Town's payroll.
DeleteA suggestion for Supervisor/CFO Langley-- Why not use the Advertiser as a forum to outline a proposed recoupment/repayment plan?
With all due respect, I believe the Town's taxpayers would appreciate such a forthright approach from their Supervisor/CFO.
Dear CT,
ReplyDeleteIt might even be a good idea for the respective political party chairmen, Mr. Malone and Mr. Defruscio, to submit articles about substantive issues to the Advertiser on a regular basis. These articles would help voters make informed decisions come election time.
2:22 PM
ReplyDeleteThe Chairpersons could also publicize the dates and times of their Party meetings to make it easier for interested citizens to become further engaged in the political process.
I want to emphasize a quote from Anonymous above "The only thing that has resulted in any positive change around our town has been citizen activism. Left to their own devices the minority party would act not one bit differently than the current majority. And that is the ultimate tragedy for the East Greenbush taxpayers, citizens and voters."
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that Mr. Langley would not be Supervisor had Mr. McCabe's administration not been seen for what it was through the efforts of ordinary citizens, interested in reform, doing some research. After the election, Mr. Langley's "handlers" insisted that he isolate himself from just those citizens. Real dumb move. The end result is that Mr. Langley is has identified himself with the same things that prompted citizens to research the previous administration. He even brought Mr. McCabe on as a consultant and spokesperson.
The Republican Committee could make a difference here. Are they being run from Troy or Werking Road? Much better if they could (as suggested by a commenter above) advertise their meetings so the common folks who want to make a difference can get involved. Or would they have to take orders from "the Chair" as it is with the Democrats......
Phil wouldn't allow you through the door. You people serve no purpose. We hold the majority for a reason, got it sword swallower.
DeleteI think you just made my point for me, Trixie. You hold the majority because the minority either can't, or doesn't want to depose you. I think it's doesn't "want." The State Comptroller left all sorts of material to be used. But Mr. Langley and his handlers don't seem to want to use it. And don't forget, OSC gave your guys a real break by not making a referral.
DeleteBTW, Phil would make a real story for his friends at the TU if he started throwing Dems out of a Dem meeting, wouldn't he? Phil's going to stumble real soon.
What don't you get sword swallower we are the majority, and we will decide how to handle the OSC audit not Langley and Matters. About the only thing Phil is going to stumble over is you if you get in his way. You will see Phil's strength come November, it will be a 4/1 board Democrat rule. Enough of you go play.
DeleteBTW back at ya. If you are referring to yourself as being a Democrat, about the only thing Phil may be tripping over would be you, on his way in, after we threw your butt right out in the street. You're definitely not welcome, just identify yourself at the door and we will give you your due welcome.
DeleteI thought I'd post the two Anony comments above from an obviously anxious (1:53am and 7:52am) commenter. Welcome to East Goonville. It's a perfect example of the reason Mr. Langley and Mr. DeFruscio should get serious about a platform and a policy agenda based on real issues which benefit the taxpayer. They could get out there with it in the Advertiser.
ReplyDeleteI think 1:53 just threw the challenge at Langley and Matters to advance that Resolution to recoup the illegal disbursements. Let the majority "decide" by defeating a resolution in compliance with an OSC recommendation which has the support of the law. That would play really well as an election issue. That's how you do it boys. Not by trying to be their buddies.
remember folks comments and challenges thrown by anon folks don't necessarily represent the thoughts or mindsets of anyone but themselves
DeleteWouldn't hurt for the members of both the Dem and Rep parties to read a little recent world history, particularly that of the Communist dictatorships of China and the Soviet Union (while it existed). The parallel I'd draw for examination is that of the Party Chairman being the de facto head of government. It's the same model that it looks like Malone would like to establish here in EG. And it is possible for local government to be totalitarian. And you'd better believe that DeFruscio wouldn't mind the same perks if he could get them.
ReplyDeleteThe people had better start to pay attention.
You may want to also look at the most recent addition to the Democrat Committee. It would be Phil Malone's newest political hack whom Phil is also adding to the DPW payroll this week. Another little Malone loyalists. East Greenbush taxpayers are flipping the bill for Malone and his people. You people are all still whining abouts McCabe's wrong doings. and Phil Malone is rolling full spead ahead in the same vien, right undr your noses. I might also suggested you try to muster up enough courage and go speak with Mr. DeFruscio. That is unless you are afraid that you may find yourself to be wrong in your belief.
DeleteDear 10:51 AM:
DeleteI'll see your "recent addition" and raise you one:
Take a look at the most recent additions to the Republican Committee.
1. Town Board Candidate Randolph Cherubino, Cousin of Chris DeFruscio and nephew of Town Building Inspector Joseph Cherubino.
2. Patsy Cherubino, another cousin of Chris DeFruscio.
Gadfly, I would certainly encourage you to speak with Mr. DeFruscio and report back to your readers what he has to say about his positions on important Town issues.
Dear Don:
DeleteE.G. Resident has a great idea.
Would you be willing to have conversations with both Chris and Phil, either together or separately, about the Republican and Democratic party positions on Town issues such as Ethics, a Financial Recovery Plan and Taxes?
I'm sure the information you receive would be of great interest to the readers of your blog.
Be well,
Tom
it'd be more productive to see what the candidates think
Deletewho cares about chris and phil
Dear 2:13 PM
DeleteGood point.
It would indeed be very productive to see what the candidates think about Ethics, a Financial Recovery Plan and Taxes.
Don, would you also be willing to make a space available to the candidates as well?
Absolutely, Tom. I think citizens will find that the coming campaign will have more "issue focus" in the media than has ever been the case in East Greenbush. Accountability for governing performance will be on the front burner. And how candidates for office intend to address the identified issues facing our Town will be the primary questions.
DeleteTom....I think that's a great idea. If they don't want to do a Q and A, I'd even consider making space available for a platform/policy statement from each Chairman.
ReplyDeleteDon't think so Gadfly we are the majority. We don't need you or Defruscon for anything. You guys are hilarious. Be safe. RMOTFL
DeleteWell we know that DeFruscio has been shut down....DEMands is completely quiet.....and Talks is as "Gomer" as ever so Malone is still shaking.
ReplyDeleteAnyone that would be willing to put themself out there to run for public office in this town should really think twice.Over the last thirty years I've seen families ruined. All in the name of politics. Between the parties slinging mud at each other, and now these blogs taking cheap shots at our public officials it has become a thankless job to serve, and that's a real shame. My husband expressed an interest to run for the town board this year and I told him absolutely not. Good luck to the candidates that surface for this year, you are going to need it.
ReplyDeleteDear 7:25 PM:
ReplyDeleteThis blog does expose and challenge politicians. This blog, and its predecessors, ended time honored practices of stealing taxpayers' money. This blog exposes how our political leaders pollute our water and ground. This blog exposes how our town board cannot follow generally accepted accounting standards. There's a ton more.
Blogging, in the absence of open and honest communication between the elected and voters provides information and an exchange of thoughts. Blogging enables voters to vent without using their names and fearing retaliation - exactly as you have done.
If you, and your husband, have a problem with being held accountable for decisions made in the public interest you made the right decision in not running for town board.
We could care less if the board goes after McCabe, but if you think we are going to stand by and let you discredit Toni Murphy you can forget it.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to make something very, very clear. OSC addressed several matters in the "Taxpayer Complaints" section of its report. While there was a whole list of things that were on the list submitted by citizens to OSC, the issues of the Longevity and Sick-leave were not. The Longevity and Sick-leave payments were found by OSC all by itself when they were researching the Stipend payments, and OSC said that the Board should move to recoup those payments.
ReplyDeleteIt's not about discrediting anybody. The Administration at the time made payments which were not appropriate or lawful. It is right, according to OSC (as I read it) that this money be returned to the taxpayer. We pay a Town Attorney to keep an eye on such things, don't we? These things shouldn't happen. And when they do, shouldn't they be made right?
The Town Attorney is going around pushing petitions for the two doomed candidates for the Dems. How impartial and concerned about us can he be? He is hostage to patronage and scandal too.
ReplyDeleteThe Town Attorney was submitted to NYS Pension System for further investigation for his own wrongdoings. Trust him?
ReplyDeleteAnd why not go after Toni Murphy? She took money she was not entitled to and she, according to the OSC, should return it.
Is it ethical for the town attorney to be involved in the political election process? Isn't he suppose to be acting in a non political professional manner?How can we expect him to act in the best interest of the town if he is working on the Democrat election campaign, and the democrat party created all these problems outlined in the OSC audit?
ReplyDeleteOK Chris....You're cut off.
ReplyDeleteThis is all a big waste of energy. Malone, O'Brien, and Mangold are not going to allow anyone to go after Toni Murphy to recoup the longevity and sick pay incentive she has received over the years. Rumor on the street is Mangold got the nod to run for county legislature over Malone. If Mangold were to go after Toni Murphy and Rick McCabe for the money they owe it would cost Mangold votes at election time. That's politics folks.
ReplyDeleteOr....If the Supervisor were to offer a Resolution to recoup the money and Mangold, Malone and O'Brien were to vote against it to protect their Party-mates, they would be voting against the interests of the citizens of East Greenbush and against the recommendation of the NY State Comptroller. How would that play with the voters?
DeleteThe Supervisor would be following the law, the recommendation of OSC and would be acting in the interests of ALL the people. It's win/win for him all around. But he hasn't seen it yet. And it shows up the Dems for what they are - the cartel/machine of East Greenbush.
Dear 8:32 AM:
DeleteSince when is Supervisor Langley interested in following the law? Remember, Langley pocketed his own unlawful sick leave incentive $$$ in 2012, which he very reluctantly paid back at the direction of Town Attorney Liccardi.
This issue isn't just about Mangold, Malone and O'Brien or even Toni Murphy or Rick McCabe. It's about the whole Town Hall culture of self dealing and self interest.
Many of us naively thought Langley would attempt to change this culture. We were clearly wrong.
Dear Gadfly,
DeleteWould you have any ideas as to why Supervisor Langley won't offer a Resolution to recoup the money paid by the taxpayers of the town and iveng unlawfully to elected officials?
Could it have anything to do with Mr. Langley pocketing an unlawful sick leave incentive of his own?
As mentioned above.....I believe he paid it back.
DeleteDear 10:02 AM:
DeleteKeith Langley is a wonderful leader. As soon as Mr. Liccardi asked him if he would be so kind as to repay his illegal sick leave money, Keith was glad to do so.
You raise an interesting point. Since all Town Attorney Liccardi had to do to recoup the illegally paid money from Keith was to courteously ask him to repay, why doesn't Mr. Liccardi courteously ask the others to repay their own illegal payments?
It never hurts to ask in a courteous manner.
Problem solved??
Donnie boy. Farewell
ReplyDeleteFolks.....I posted the comment above as an example of some of the "goon comments" we get once in a while from the rather unintelligent. In this case, the commenter fails to see that his/her issue is with the State Comptroller who is the one who discovered and pursued the matter of the sick-leave/longevity disbursements. It's the Comptroller's report. Take your anger up with the Comptroller.
ReplyDeleteI think the town board should pass a resolution requesting, not mandating, that the funds be paid back as recommended by OSC and then it should be up to each individual to make their own decision. The "culprits" in this case are not the people who accepted money but those who decided to give it to them. If your boss suddenly decided to give you a few thousand extra dollars would you take it? Of course you would because it's not your responsibility to research the legality of raises, bonuses or incentives. I also think it is difficult in NYS to recoup money from employees if it came from an error made by the employer.
ReplyDeleteIf this line of thinking is correct then the issue is to figure out who made the mistake of authorizing the payments. The answer to that would probably be the town board at the time of each decision since they have ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the town's finances. Even those members who claim they didn't know about the stipends, for example, should have known. I don't believe these people should have to repay the money either but there should be a full accounting of what went wrong and controls put in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Good grief Jack. You've made the recipients of unlawful disbursements into victims of bumbling administrators who did things the way they were always done. Nobody's accountable and nobody's responsible.
ReplyDeleteOSC didn't say invite people to give back what they received. OSC said to retain legal counsel and.......
We need to remember again that this issue is one which the OSC dug out themselves and it relates specifically to elected officials - not the general employees of the Town. I think your argument is confused on this point. The stipends are one thing, Longevity/sick-leave is another.
Jack, the flaw in your analysis is that the people charged with managing the decision making process were in on the practice. The then controller and finance director received stipends. The former supervisor gave himself and his daughter a rather substantial stipend.
ReplyDeleteThe former supervisor spun a story about personal mileage as his reason for giving himself a staggeringly large stipend when, in fact, the town had a mileage reimbursement policy.
The process was gravely flawed.
I also want to point out to you that at no time did any town board member express themselves on the issue back when it first blew up. I would respectfully suggest that nothing has changed since then.
I think it is fair to say that the only reason stipends are no longer given out is because a citizen or two exposed the issue. I back that point up by pointing out that if the stipends were the right thing to do why didn't the town board defend them and continue them? We both know the answer to that. The stipends were an insider's scam to rip off taxpayers to the benefit of a favored few political party insiders. You know that and every taxpayer with half a brain knows that.
Remember the reason for the Tax Collector's large stipend? It was "depositing checks". How absolutely absurd. Board Member Sue Mangold's brother-in-law received a stipend for no reason at all. Amazing.
So, I doubt there is a systemic fix. The only thing that has ever kept this town board from digging deeper and deeper into taxpayers' pockets is citizen activism.
Lastly, how can you realistically expect this town board to do anything on stipends, and other illegal and improper spending, when the majority of O'Brien, Mangold and Malone so soundingly rejected the Ethics Code?
Mr. Mooney: What don't you understand? We are in control because...... and that's that. You will never figured it out, because you can't. Go ahead and keep bothering people with your dribble, it is a sport to us.
DeleteMy Majority: What's to understand? Are you so afraid of the facts, the truth, the reality that you have to hide behind your majority status rather than engage in a meaningful blog conversation? Are you such a tough guy/girl that you can't use your real name?
DeleteRick McCabe never, ever dreamed he could lose an election.
"All fame is fleeting". Google that.
By the way Majority the oath of office each town board member takes, including your friends in the majority, is to the citizens of this town - all of us not just family, friends and cronies. Give that some thought will you please.
DeleteI think you guys are casting too wide a net in your efforts to punish people in this case. To argue that the supervisor's daughter has the same responsibility for this as the supervisor is ridiculous. Just because someone is an insider doesn't mean they are guilty of wrongdoing if they were given a stipend or incentive by the people making the decisions. Employees are not responsible for verifying the legality of money they are paid by their employers. OSC urging us to seek legal counsel is not the same as saying laws were broken. It is entirely possible that legal counsel would conclude that it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to recoup the money.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying these funds were appropriately disbursed. There clearly are major problems and a public accounting is owed to the residents of our town. But to put everyone involved in the same basket is sloppy reasoning and undermines your argument. The town board has to take responsibility for what happens with the town's finances and a resolution requesting repayment would be an acknowledgement that the funds were wrongly disbursed and an indication that the board will be more vigilant in its responsibilities in the future.
Mr. Conway wants a strong Ethics Code, but when his Democratic friends get caught with their hands in the Town cookie jar, he wants to water down the law. Talk about pandering.
ReplyDeleteThe Town Board was never made aware these payments were being disbursed. Rick McCabe signed off and approved the payments, Laura Ingoldsby, as the Finance Director put them through payroll and received a large stipend and Kate Bennett was the Comptroller and and received a large stipend. To state the previous Board is responsible--not true. Rick McCabe approved the payments and THAT is the reason the stipends were paid inappropriately (to say the least and illegally to say the worst). It is because the Board had not been made aware and it is because no resolution had been presented and approved that the OSC states the stipends are a problem. Toni Murphy, ROT and elected official, should have known better. Kate Bennett, Town Comptroller should have known better and Laura Ingoldsby, Finance Director, should have known better and Rick McCabe, Town Supervisor, should have known better. Every January members of this Town attend the "NYS Assoc of Towns" Conference in New York City, including some of our elected officials. We, the taxpayers, foot that bill. At that conference they learn about proper muni financing and stipends are covered. If you don't believe me, contact the office of the Association of Towns. I did and that's how I found out. NO way these people were unaware or are "innocent victims". They were educated accomplices and recipients.
ReplyDeleteI pose this question, if you go to Walmart and purchase a television and, somehow, the clerk doesn't scan it and you walk out with a "free" t.v., and you know you didn't pay for it because your receipt doesn't list it, and you refuse to go back and pay for it, are you not stealing that t.v.? How are the stipends any different? You know your paystub is showing a larger amount and you know you did not receive a raise. You accepted money that wasn't yours and you don't return it--that is stealing. The more we explain and give excuses for misconduct the more we seem to condone misconduct. Adults have to take responsibility for their actions. If you accept money that is not yours, and you know you are not entitled to that money--you are a thief. Not so much different than a street thug to the tax payers.
Let's not forget a Republican is included in this, Linda Kennedy, the Town Clerk. So this is NOT a party issue, it is a "stole from the taxpayers" issue.
Either Langley or Matters should put up the resolution to recoup the money, let the Board vote on it and if the Mangold, Malone and O'Brien vote NO than their opposition can use that as a legitimate issue and see what the next steps are to recouping the money. And if Mangold, Malone and O"Brien vote yes than the Town recoups the money--period.
Give Mangold, Malone and O'Brien a chance, one or two of them may vote to recoup the money. Jumping to the conclusion they will vote no--that is wrong. Malone voted against Mangold and O'Brien for the Town Comptroller position so who knows how they will vote on the stipends.
To 11:18 AM This is the most comprehensive and easy to read explanation of the stipend issue I have ever read. It would be nice to see this in the Advertiser on a full page. It is time for the Town residents to know who the crooks are.
ReplyDeleteThese people are no different from bank robbers.
The person who wrote this should be the Town Republican leader.
This is just what we need!
I would like to say "Thank you" to Anon June 20 11:18 AM.
2:04 PM
DeleteYour post begs the question: Why aren't Town Republican Leaders Chris Defruscio and Sean Mulvey speaking out on this issue if it is so darn important?
4:41 PM:
DeleteBecause neither are, or ever will be, leaders interested in the taxpayers of our town. It is no more complicated than that.
By the way...this same point applies, on a completely non partisan basis, to the Democratic Party leadership.
Jack Conway is correct when he speaks to the corruption within the East Greenbush two party system. Party Chairpersons DeFruscio and Malone are locked in a never ending race to the bottom of every barrel.
To 2:04 PM--my pleasure and thank you for the compliment. Your sentiments are greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Anon June 20 11:18 AM
Attention Anon 6/20 @ 11:18 AM
ReplyDeleteBINGO! Anon 2:04 has the right idea. There is no way Chris Def wrote that and YOU should be the Town Republican leader. This is the sort of thing Republicans should put in the Advertiser and NOT that stupid Martha letter! Def and his little MC shadow would never be smart enough to realize this belongs in the Advertiser!
This calls out the Dems that were at the controls of the Town's finances and it puts it in simple terms but it also makes the relevant point that it wasn't only Dems because a Republican got stipends too. Maybe that's why Matters won't make the resolution.
Anon 11:18 I thank you too.
This is an EG blog and I reside in NG but a few years ago Ann's blog and letters in the Advertiser caught my eye and she grabbed my attention. EG is bogged down with murky politics and NG has its own share of murky dealings. But I would like to make a point in regards to the County politics. The Town politicians graduate and move to the County Legislature. Which means the same ugly dealings move up to the County. This is why I was hoping Ann Taylor was going to be on the County petitions. My registration is Conservative which was another reason I followed Ann. Last Fall I met Ann and she was, in person, as genuine as she appeared to be in her writings. When asked to sign the County Conservative position I said, "Pass". The names on the list weren't appealing. I know what they've done and I'm not impressed.
ReplyDeleteGadfly, I understand you supported Ann and you deserve credit for your tenacity and perseverance. As a Marine that served, those are qualities I identify with and admire. Keep digging, keep reporting and if you can motivate Ann to run for something at the County, you would have some people grateful people in NG.
Ann if you read this------talk to you soon!
Dave, NG
Anyone have a problem with Sue Mangold voting on here families project at the old Teagans site at the Wed. night Town Board meeting on 6/19/13. She slapped ethics right in the face.
ReplyDeleteThey are the majority and what they want passes. Why do you think Sue Mangold stopped the ethics code because of financial disclosure? She probably owns a piece of that property, at the very least her family does. Is she building her wealth by voting on family projects.
DeleteI'm sure she consulted with our town attorney Joe Liccardi before hand. He has proven to be such a guiding light for the board majority. These people sure have the market cornered on suppressing the simple will of the people.
DeleteDear 7:13 PM,
DeleteWhich resolution was that? I didn't notice it on the June 19th Town Board Agenda. Would you please provide the citation? Thank you.
you didn't notice it on the june 19th agenda because IT WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA
DeleteSue Mangold sometimes votes on family projects and sometimes she abstains. There is no clear pattern. She last abstained when taxpayers hired her niece for a town job.
ReplyDeleteClearly her family responsibilities are vastly more important to Sue Mangold than her more general responsibilities to the lowly taxpayers of East Greenbush. Sue Mangold should NOT be in any elected office becuase of her vast, sprawling conflicts of interest.
Her most infamous contribution to our town will always be her speach about how we do not need an ethics code because we all know each other and trust each other. Bullcrap. Pure bullcrap.
Dear 8:14 AM:
DeletePlease read the comments of 11:24 PM and 11:02 AM. There was no Teagan's site resolution on the June 19th Town Board Agenda.
Facts are stubborn things...
There was a resolution for a Hart Engineering project on the agenda. Steve Hart is the owner and he is also Sue Mangold's brother.
DeleteThe proper thing for Ms Mangold to do is to abstain on any vote that has a direct financial benefit to a family member - as was the case on this resolution.
Resolution 87-2013 Town Board Request to act as Lead Agency for the Peddlers/Times Union Building 572 Third Avenue Extension Expansion Site Plan.
DeleteThis project is being Engineered by Hart Engineering. Mangold should have abstained from voting on this resolution. She is defiant and arrogant. Phil Malone has taught her well.
Guess who owns that property.
town acting as lead agency is a pro forma reso
Deletei doubt she'd not have had to abstain under the draft code of ethics
jack, your thoughts
btw, who owns that property?
Just a quick comment about the East Greenbush Gadfly blog "in-box"......Sure looks like Town Hall is really active. Supervisor Langley might consider having the IT guru put some limits on Internet access from Town computers and start eforcing a policy about personal use of Town computers.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to sound like I have all the answers but I think Sue Mangold should have recused herself from discussion of that project because it involved a relative. When the Board of Ethics first discussed financial disclosure with the Town Board we were told it would be a problem. Although I was later accused of being inflexible, the fact is that we made a number of concessions to soften the disclosure requirements. The one that is relevant to this conversation is the definition of the term 'relative.' In the 'Definitions' section of the draft Code the term 'relative' is defined to include spouses, parents, children, and siblings. That definition applies to all sections of the Code except for the instructions for financial disclosure. Officials only have to disclose the business interests that they, their spouse or anyone living under their roof hold. But for all other sections of the Code - including voting on projects before the board - the broader definition applies.
ReplyDeleteWhen Sue said she didn't abstain because she doesn't have an interest in Hart Engineering she was confusing the two uses of the term 'relative.' She doesn't have to disclose her brother's business interests but she does have to recuse herself from projects that he is working on. In fairness to her, it is a confusing issue and since the Code was never passed she has no obligation to adhere to its provisions.
One other note: the draft Code requires 'recusal' in cases like this not just abstention. Recusal means you are not allowed to discuss the project with any other members of the board and you are not even allowed to be in the room when it's being discussed. You then must abstain when the vote is taken. 'Abstention' simply refers to the vote you cast while 'recusal' is the mechanism that protects the public from backroom deals and insider political trading. If a Code is ever passed it will be accompanied by training for all officials and employees and confusion of the type we saw this week will be greatly reduced.
Sue is not confused. Anyone who knows her knows she is just plain arrogant. Jack with all due respect Sue is very calculated and fully realizes she is rubbing your nose in it. You can just hear her saying Conway doesn't run this town, the board majority does.
DeleteThis will very likely be the mindset of the Democrat town board candidates for this year as well. Maybe not between now and November, but given the opportunity it will be same ole, same ole.
Jack, as you, and every other town citizen knows, Mangold, O'Brien and Malone rejected the ethics code because all they truly care about are their selfish personal interests.
DeleteMangold's role on the town board is to protect her famiy's businesses.
O'Brien and Malone's role is to provide taxpayer money and benefits to their direct family members. In Ginny O'Brien's case her husband; in Phil Malone's case his mother.
These reasons are precisely why the ethics code was rejected by these self serving, selfish, people.
Meanwhile we have an ineffective town attorney in Joe Liccardi who can't think his way past the simplest question. And who sits idly by while Mangold fails to abstain on an obvious conflict of interest.
What Mangold, O'Brien and Malone did when they rejected the ethics code is to show everyone what they really care about. And none of the things they care about have anything to do with the regular taxpayers and citizens of this town.
Heck, when was the last time the Ethics Board was fully constituted? When was the last time the Ethics Board actually met? And there is a single Town Board member who gives a hoot?
Do Langley and Matters give a hoot? That's a good question. Don't they have there own appointed members of the Ethics Board? If so, why aren't the Langley and Matters appointees speaking out about this? Could it be that Langley and Matters have told them to "Git in the Truck"?
ReplyDeleteHere's the scoop about the members of the Ethics Board: A new woman appointed by Ms. O'Brien to replace Jack Conway; Justine Spada appointed by Ms. Mangold; a seat left vacant by Joe Slater to be appointed by Mr. Malone; Dave Youmans appointed by Mr. Matters; and a seat left open by the departure of Jim Breig to be appointed by Supervisor Langley. And a note from those interested in ethics: there is theory and evidence to support only independent, non-employee members be appointed. If Mr. Langley gives a hoot he should appoint a new non-staff member immediately. He should also direct the Ethics Board to meet and elect a new Chair immediately. Too bad we need a working Board right away, Rick Matters would make an excellent EB member when he leaves office.
DeleteSpeaking of Mr. Langley giving a hoot, he needs to appoint a member on the CFAC right away. Ed Gilbert was a poor and unproductive member. Come on, Mr. Langley, you are in for two more years. Please do at least the basics of your job.
Rick McCabe appointed Jim Breig to the Board of Ethics and Keith Langley saw no reason to change that but Jim is now gone so the supervisor currently has no appointee on the board. Rick Matters appointed Dave Youmans to the board and Dave distinguished himself in the deliberations on the draft Code. To be fair, both Langley and Matters supported the draft Code prepared by the Board of Ethics and neither has wavered in their support. The only reason the public knows what was in that draft is because Rick Matters moved and Keith Langley seconded a resolution to put that version up for public hearing and though the resolution was defeated it put the draft Code into the public record as part of the minutes of that meeting. I think members of the Board of Ethics became frustrated by the stalemate and see little value in public pronouncements at this point. I'm just more stubborn and probably a little naive because I still think that one of these days the Town Board will do the right thing and make us all proud.
ReplyDeleteJack, you make an excellent point. Now that Jim Breig is a citizen rather than an employee, maybe Keith Langley will appoint Jim. If the Supervisor makes "Git in the truck" (read defer to my every command) a condition of appointment, it is unlikely Jim or any other candidate of substance will take it.
DeleteDear 10:43 AM and 10:22 AM:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your terrific posts.
I believe the vacant Langley appointment is important. If Supervisor Langley were to appoint a thoughtful and qualified person like Jim Breig or Jack Conway, this would send a positive message to EG residents.
If however Supervisor Langley were to appoint a "git in the truck" person such as Rep leaders Chris DeFruscio or Sean Mulvey, this would send a different type of message to EG residents.
Mr. Conway: Your optimism about the ethics code process is admirable. Is there anything, in terms of reality, that supports your optimism?
ReplyDeleteFrom every factual indication the Ethics Board is every bit as dead and dysfunctional as the Citizens Fiscal Advisory Comittee.
The reason seems singular and quite obvious. The Town Board majority does not now, never did, and never will have the slightest interest in what is best for the citizens of our town. You spoke to this in your letter of resignation. And you were correct.
Ginny O'Brien, Sue Mangold and Phil Malone - and excluding Langley and Matters - care only about the perks of office. The most important perk of office being, of course, the ability to appoint your family members and friends to town jobs.
It is certainly no coincidence that O'Brien, Mangold and Malone voted against the ethics code. They will countenance no interuption of the corrupt, self serving and ineffective way they choose to run our town.
11:48 PM
DeleteWhy exclude Langley? While he did silently support Rick Matters on the Ethics Code, his use of Rick McCabe as a Town Financial Consultant (see the TU link at the top of this blog) and his failure to appoint members to the Ethics Board and the Citizens Fiscal Advisory Committee call his motives into question.
Any link to the current Supervisot by Rick McCabe was self proclaimed . Supervisor Langley never appointed Mr. McCabe to any position with the town nor did he retain Mr. McCabe as a consultant at any time. Mr. Langley voted yes in support of the Ethics code as originally drafted by the ethics board only to be denied by the board majority. You obviously were misinformed on both issues or for some reason you are trying to discredit Mr. Langley.
Delete6:12 PM
Delete1. I never stated Supervisor Langley actually appointed Mr. McCabe to any position with the Town, although he wanted to.
2. Mr. Langley asked Mr. McCabe to speak with the TU reporter. If you need any clarification of Mr. McCabe's role, I suggest you ask Mr. Langley, as we did the day the article was published. During our meeting, Mr. Langley told us he wanted to "bring Rick (Mr. McCabe) back to Town Hall, but Rick didn't want to come back because he didn't trust Chris DeFruscio, but Rick is still going to help me with the Budget stuff."
The subject of the TU Interview included a discussion of the Town's finances, ethics code and the NYS Comptroller's Audit findings.
3. I stated Mr. Langley silently supported Rick Matters on the Ethics Code. He did not speak on the Resolution, but merely nodded his assent and quietly said "Yes", unlike Mr. Matters, who spoke quite eloquently.
4. Mr. Langley has never appointed anyone to the Ethics Board, Mr. Breig was appointed by Mr. McCabe, kudos to Mr. McCabe for that appointment.
5. Mr. Langley has not made an appointment to the Citizens Fiscal Advisory Committee since the resignation of Mr. Gilbert.
Dear Gadfly:
ReplyDeleteI do not intend to hyjack your blog string but there is a terrific article in today's T-U about the savings achieved by our neighbors in the town of Bethlehem.
It seems that instead of endlessly adding staff and wasting taxpayer dollars as our town board as done the town of Bethlehem consolidated their highway and parks and recreation departments. In so doing the taxpayers were saved $450,000 annually AND the town qualified for a $776,000 award from the state.
Perhaps our Chief Financial Officer and Supervisor, along with our new Comptroller and our Citizens Fiscal Advisory Committee can investigate what Bethlehem did and how they did it and achieve the same kind of savings and award for the taxpayers of East Greenbush.
Thanks you for providing the only public forum in town to allow this to be shared with the good folks of our town.
By the way...our town board spent $500,000 of taxpayer dollars to allow 4 or 5 town employees to retire early. Taxpayers were supposed to see a savings from that staggeringly huge expenditure. Our town board, instead, has been adding family and friends to our payroll with no end in sight.
Taxpayers, citizens AND voters need to ask why Bethlehem can achieve real savings while all East Greenbush can do is spend, spend, spend and tax, tax, tax.
Mr. Conway:
ReplyDeleteThe only reason to be optimistic about the possible passage of the outstanding ethics code put forward by the now dead and buried Ethics Board is if, and only if, voters get smart and only vote for candidates who come out and publically support the ethics code prior to the elections this November.
There is that possibility. Ginny O'Brien it seems will not seek re-election. Rick Matters probably not either. Sue Mangold seems to want to abandone our town for the greater glory of the county legislature. That means there is a lot at stake in this November's election. And that also means there is the possibility of real positive change in our town.
Perhaps all the candidates from both poliitcal parties can address themselves to the ethics code and state, publically, if they support its adoption.
for anyone interested it looks like Bruen still hasn't learned, they are still using tax payer money for all kinds of free stuff
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/WF-Bruen-Rescue-Squad/127951110615639?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite
free dinners, free boat cruises, free stuff for answering trivia questions......must be nice to use the tax payers money so freely
In a recent audit Bruen was cited by the OSC for providing illegal state retirement fund credits to 19 of the 19 volunteers.
DeleteSue Mangold is the town board liason to Bruen. She routinely mentions how great an organization they are.
The town board majority of O'Brien, Mangold and Malone spends taxpayer money more extravagantly and in hugely higher amounts as they add family, friends and cronies to our payroll.
town liaison does not mean executive director i.e. she doesn't run the place
DeleteI believe that there is a serious misunderstanding abroad in the Town as to the relationship of Bruen to the Town. The Town Board is the Board of Commissioners of the Town Ambulance District. The Ambulance District contracts with the Bruen Rescue Squad to provide the Ambulance District services. Some years ago, OSC had some interesting things to say about the relationship. One particular recommendation was that the Town should bring the financial operations of the Ambulance District under the direct control of the Town Comptroller and that the service should be operated as a Town Department.
DeleteAs I understand it, there are three sources of revenue for Bruen and the Ambulance District - tax levy, insurance and fund raising. As a not-for profit corporation, Bruen is prohibited by law from providing benefits to corporation members from the assets of the corporation. OSC cited this as a problem in the past.
Perhaps there is a problem with the oversight of its contractor by the Ambulance District Board of Commissioners.
9:10 am
DeleteYour point brings into stark relief exactly and precisely why our town is as dysfunctional as it is...
Zero responsibility and zero accountability.
So, Bruen goes merrily along spending taxpayer money with zero accountability.
Former fire department chief DiMartino "misplaces" some staggeringly huge amount of taxpayer money - once again with zero accountability.
The former supervisor bypasses the law and the town board to give himself, his daughter and few select friends some $145,000 of taxpayer money - with zero accountability.
It goes tragically on and on and on.
Did I miss any salient points here?
Anonymous 3:01: You must have read my mind. In the Fall I'm going to launch a community education campaign to educate the voters about the issue of ethics and its relation to the campaign for Town Board. I have drafted a written pledge that I'm going to ask each of the candidates to sign and I will provide weekly reports on blogs and in the Advertiser as to who has signed it and who has refused. The pledge will ask candidates to endorse the Code drafted by the Board of Ethics. The board composition will change in January and we want to be well placed to make ethics one of the first items on their agenda.
ReplyDeleteJack you seem to want to run town hall policy from your living room chair. Why don't you talk to the Supervisor and get back on the ethics board. Candidates run on their own platforms not yours. You are acting like a school boy who didn't get his way at the play ground and took his ball and went home. There is probably plenty of support out there without the need for blackmailing candidates to support something you as an individual feels so passionately about.
Delete6:06 AM
DeletePlease enlighten us as to precisely how talking to the Supervisor would lead to any positive change on the ethics code issue.
Your petty cheap shots at Jack Conway read like something one might expect a Phil Malone supporter to write.
Mr. Conway is advancing an issue of great importance and impact to the citizens of our town. He is lobbying and advancing that agenda through the only means available to regular citizens.
To reduce the discussion of ethical conduct by our elected officials in the manner you have attempted, and do so without using your real name, shows you to be a small minded individual.
There seems to be a lot of talk her about the Ethics board and the CFAC committee. The ethics board gets no support from the Majority, hence a complete waste of time. Pete Stenson heads up the CFAC committee, a bigger waste of time. I would much prefer to see Mr. Langley direct his efforts on the Mannix Road round about to help ease traffic on route 4, as well as focus his time on the reconstruction of the waste water treatment plant that has been ignored for over a decade. These petty attacks on the Supervisor are not helping our town. Our town has a moratorium on sewer hook- ups. No new hook- ups means no new building, means new tax revenues.
ReplyDeleteIt is most cerfainly not a waste of time to serve as the loyal opposition on matters important to the Town. Reasonable people can and will incorporate the the best thoughts presented by minorities because that is the democratic fomr of government. The work is hard but not pointless. Much has been accomplished but we must go forward in a positive and hopeful way. I'm with Jack
DeleteDear 7:17 PM:
ReplyDeleteOur town has a perfectly sound tax base right now. Our problem is excessive, uncontrolled spending triggered, primarily, by completely out of control hiring of family, friends and cronies.
I would prefer to see Supervisor Langley openly challenge the majority to sign on to a responsible fiscal control policy for our town.
The Mannix Rd project will be taken care of, primarily, by the state's road engineers who have built hundreds of round a bouts across New York State.
We have consulting engineers to handle the wate treatment plant project.
Supervisor Langley is, by law, the town's (= we taxpayers by the way) chief financial officer. Unfortunately in that role he has been noticably ineffective. A tremendoud start would be his sharing with the public (= we taxpayers by the way) a rigorous financial control plan. Doing so would gain he, and the town board, a degree of respect and credibility completely absent for the time being.
Dear 8:20 PM:
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing on behalf of "we taxpayers."
"Tax Them More" Langley should heed your excellent advice!
Intermission.....
ReplyDeleteMight be getting to be time for a compendium of comments which wouldn't normally see the light of day from the crowd that Don Imus would call the "mouth breathing, knuckle dragging" set. These are the folks who have apparently driving public policy around here for a long time, and feeding off the public teet. They provide a real interesting glimpse into the "mind" (and I use the term loosely) of the insiders of both parties. They provide an insight into why the Town is in such trouble.
Please take a look at the Link--- "Public Service Announcement: Gas leak at DPW!" on the upper right of this Blog's main page. Some excellent FOIL work and reporting by Dwight Jenkins. We've been here before, boys and girls. When's the Electorate going to learn that we need some real change in basic municipal management?
ReplyDeleteDear Don and Dwight,
DeleteThanks for letting us know about the gas leak. I'm sure my friends living on Georgia Court and Start Avenue will be very interested.
I'm sure Keith Langley will bring us all up to date about this in his next "From the Desk of Keith Langley" column in the Advertiser.
Keith has always believed in keeping the residents of East Greenbush informed, that has been the linchpin of his term as Supervisor.
Keith is a wonderful leader!!
It's a shame the Democrat party has neglected our town and gutted it financially for so many years. We will all pay the price for many years to come. Good ole Malone mentality. Also a shame is the Commissioner of Public Works turned out to be such a total incompetent. He has been in charge of what turned out to be a severe environmental disaster within his department and he still receives total praise from "his" board majority. Dwight makes a good point about accountability. In this case Mr. VanWormer should be FIRED.
DeleteWord has it Parteck took all the records with him. Emptied his desk and wiped the hard drive on his computer clean. Anything to do with gas is gone. No pun intended get it, gas is gone.
DeleteAppears our Town Board Majority needs to step up and do the right thing. Give Davie Boy the boot.
ReplyDeleteHere's a history lesson...
ReplyDeleteThe former DPW Commish did, indeed, "lose" all the DPW fuel records and wiped the computer hard drive. When questioned about that the former supervisor told a concerned citizen that was a normal practice when there was a new DPW Commish coming in. There was no investigation.
The next DPW Commish was fired over an incident involving a harassment claim. The town board met in executive session - meaning hid behind closed doors, but the rumor has always been that the current DPW Commish, as a then employee, filed the complaint. Politics? Citizens, as with most things around this town, will never know the truth.
The current DPW Commish was fired from his former job as a cop in Rennselaer for sleeping on the job and using the town's computer for personal business. A bar he also owned was involved in serving underage minors.
Last year the town did not post any spending for fuel to its books. Clearly the town used fuel but where that fuel went is anybody's guess. Justifying the solar panel's Phil Malone's company installed is one possible reason. Hiding the losses of fuel to tank leaks and/or theft is another possible reason. Pure incompetence is probably a pretty good reason. But think about that happenening at a company you work at? Incredible isn't it?
Keep in mind as you read the latest DEC report, and the latest fine paid by taxpayers, that, in addition to a highly paid DPW Commish, the town also has a highly paid town engineer who, at one point, was being paid as both a consultant and a town employee.
The town board generally and most certainly the majority of O'Brien, Mangold and Malone, has done a terrible, absolutely and totally terrible job of running our town. Every single one of the problems mentioned above were either known by or caused by people appointed by O'Brien, Mangold and Malone.
And, one of these days here's hoping the Gadfly will do an article enlightening citizens and taxpayers on the history of hiring in this town - especially right after we paid $500,000 for a handful of people to retire early. That $500,000 was supposed to reduce the level of employment in town. Instead O'Brien, Mangold and Malone have been on a ridiculous hiring spree adding position after position for their family, friends and political cronies.
And YOU have paid for all this lack of accountability, incompetence, and patronage.
And YOU will keep paying until you get smarter, demand accountability and do something about it. The Gadflies cannot do it all by themselves.
Doesn't matter what the Gadfly or anyone else reports because these same people will keep getting elected in this town as long as they keep greasing the right palms!!! All they have to do is to keep buying the vote just like they do every year.
DeleteVanWormer has known about the tank problems right along. No one would dare say anything around here without fear of relentless harassment. Now that he's caught he wants to get rid of the pumps and the tanks all together. He wants to give everyone fuel credit cards. Our DPW yard is where every day begins, and everyday ends for us, along with coming in and out all day long. We should have fuel and gas available right at our site 24/7. VanWormer is just plain LAZY and doesn't want to be bothered. He didn't maintain what we had and doesn't want anything to do with it going forward.
ReplyDeleteWe need a Public Works Commissioner, not a yes boy political operative for Phil Malone. There has been a lot said about Parteck in the past, but he was 10 times better than this guy. It won't be long before VanWormer will be saying we don't need any buildings to work out of, except for his office of course. He has to have a place to put his feet up to read the paper, and wait for Malone to call with his next instruction.
This place is a complete joke with VanWormer and Malone to thank for it. Remember you voted for this circus show, and now we are all paying.
Why in the world do you think you should have fuel available at the work site??? We have all given up luxury because we cant afford it. The town must do that, too.
DeleteThe big problem here is that it is unlikely we will be able to affix responsibility when big savings are realized with the cards. We won't be able to figure out if itwas squandered, leaked, misused or stolen.
BTW 24/7 gas is available about 2 miles away. Take some pride in your work for the Town, gas up for Town business only and enjoy our appreciation when we realize a savings.
You simply do not have a clear understanding of the operational needs of the various town departments requiring the need for the fueling of town vehicles.
DeleteIt is my understanding that our Town Engineer Mr. Benko conducted a professional analysis as to how to correct the environmental issue at the DPW. It is also my understanding that the board Majority chose to ignore the outcome of this study and choose their own solution based on the advise of Dave VanWormer not withstandinding the advise of the professional consultant. Our town is in the situation that it is in precisely due to this type of off the cuff decision making. Why bother bringing in a professional to assist in an important decision and then ignore the reccomendation. This decision seems to lack sound judgment .
Dear 4:10 AM-
ReplyDeleteGreat post. The only question I have is why hasn't the current Supervisor and Chief Financial Officer, Keith Langley, been sounding the alarm about these matters? Is he also "sleeping on the job?" or is he simply a willing cog in the O'Brien, Mangold and Malone wheel?
It seems to me Mr. Langley likes things the way they are just fine and that really bothers me!!
It is puzzling that, even after almost two years in office, Mr. Langley offers an inchoate vision of leadership, coupled with a go along mentality regarding the substantive problems afflicting the Town.
Instead of leading, Mr. Langley has simply chosen to "get out of the way" and "git in the truck..."
Great attempt to spin the truth about the board majority and their incompetent political operative disguised as a Commissioner of Public works. Our town deserves better VanWormer is paid to much money for such gross incompetence, not to mention his political activism that clouds the important decisions he is expected to make. Just a Malone hack.
DeleteBudget Buster:
ReplyDeleteThe questions about Langley are not hard to suggest answers to.
He gives every impression of being lazy, unable and unwilling to confront wrongdoing, weak, lacking in ideas and vision and much more of a go along to get along politician. He is better at making excuses than in creating energy among voters for positive change.
He has been invited repeatedely to share a financial turnaround plan. He has been asked, on this blog, to answer the question of what he would do if voters gave him a majority. There is nothing stopping him from doing both but he has completely ignored both requests.
I think it is fair to state that voters threw out the former supervisor because people wanted positive change from Keith Langley. Thus far Langley has been a major disappointment to those voters.
You can spin this all you want. Bottom line is the Democrat majority has sent this town into a financial and ethical tail spin. Until this board majority is changed Supervisor Langley will not be able to accomplish any positive change for our town. Our current board configuration is not helping our town. This board majority is only helping themselves. Any one with the slightest knowledge of how their town government runs understands the board majority is sinking our ship. Just watch the rats try to jump in this coming election.
DeleteDear 10:46 and 10:57:
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with much of what you write...
But why won't Keith Langley even speak out on this stuff? He hasn't outlined a plan, after serving nearly two years as Supervisor and Chief Financial Officer, for how he would govern if the board majority is changed. It would be a comfort if Supervisor Langley would reveal what his plans (if he has any) for working with a new majority would be.
Unfortunately, Keith Langley seems unable to take a stand on anything that would involve accomplishing any positive change. He seems to go out of his way to avoid taking public stands on any issues that involve a close examination of the status-quo.
His timid leadership style does not serve the residents of the Town well.
He would spend less money you idiot. Did you pay attention how the Supervisor voted on the last three DPW hires. Are you a Hack or just plain stupid? Go in and sit down with the man instead of hacking at him with your phony blog name. You serve no meaningful purpose.
DeleteDear 3:59 PM
DeleteWhy do you think Keith Langley would spend less money?
I do support Mr. Langley's no vote on the last three DPW hires.
But the fact remains that Mr. Langley proposed a tax increase in the first Budget he had the opportunity to present to the Town Board. That is spending more taxpayer money, not less. BTW, Rick Matters had the political courage to vote against Mr. Langley's Tax increase. It's too bad he won't be on the TB next year. FYI, a number of us have sat down with Mr. Langley on multiple occasions, both in and outside of Town Hall. It is fair to say that Mr. Langley does not agree with the importance of holding the line on taxes. Mr. Langley much prefers the easy ways of tax increases without the implementation of a financial recovery plan.
You seem to want Langley to solve all the problems the Democrats created over night. They handed Langley a deficit of over $2,000,000.00 and they continue to spend regardless of Langley's no votes. You can either react to the obvious and work to change this current majority or continue to be a back seat driver and blame Langley for all the Democrats bad behavior. Go ahead and have the last word.
DeleteOK, here's the last word. It takes more than "no" votes to deal with that debt. It takes a financial recovery plan - first recommended by OSC when they first surfaced the debt. Wasn't that back in 2009? The same thing has been recommended by the bond rating agencies. The supervisor has (or at least had) access to some fairly knowledgeable people in this area, and he has yet to take advantage of that once available resource.
DeleteFor starters, there is supposed to be a saving related to the early retirement incentive that the taxpayers forked over $500,000 for. If there were a public PLAN out there, every violation of it could be well publicized.
Further, what would Mr. Langley DO with a majority, should he get one? Here again.....what's the PLAN? (Wasn't it Richard Nixon who touted his "secret plan" related to Viet Nam as an invitation for votes?) Mr. Langley has a Bully Pulpit which he is refusing to use. One can only ask what kind of advice he is getting.
Anonymous 12:20: My understanding is similar to yours and the key was the Supervisor's statement explaining his vote against the resolution approving the switch to gas cards at the last town board meeting. What I gleaned from that is that the town board approved a process for making this decision and the result of the process was that replacing the gas tanks was the better option but the majority still decided to go to the cards. Councilperson Mangold said that since the Supervisor was the only town board member on the committee that did the analysis the other board members had not been properly consulted and made an independent assessment resulting in choosing the gas card option.
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing this exchange I did some digging and it seems that the committee consisted of five people, the supervisor and four other people, each of whom could be considered loyal to the democratic party. This was not a renegade band of dissenters but in fact exactly the group of technical people we want to be at the controls for such an analysis. Personally I don't know what the right answer is but I would liked to have seen more discussion. In fairness to the democratic majority we are under an order of consent and delays will cost us money in fines and penalties. In fairness to the Supervisor I felt his statement at the town board meeting was a refreshing moment of transparency in town government and an act of leadership on his part. I just hope we made the right decision. Only time will tell.
Jack, I looked into the matter and found that those on the committee are also the folks who will be loosing their free gas unless they can explain what Town business they are conducting with their full tanks.
DeleteNow that's an allegation if I ever saw one. How about identifying yourself. I have a feeling that there is more than meets the eye in this little "soap opera."
DeleteMr.Conway:
DeleteWould you have any information as to why Supervisor Langley changed his vote on the gas cards from a YES at the May Town Board meeting to a NO at the June Town Board meeting?
It would be interesting to know why Mr. Langley was "for it before he was against it."
The process was flawed. The questions considered were skewed to reach a certain outcome and the professional was hired by Mr. Benko, who favors that outcome and has a longstanding relationship with the facilitator. The PD, a department that uses a significant amount of fuel, was not included in the process. The democratic leadership was not included in the process. No consensus was reached during the process, given the strong opposition of at least one member of the "team".
DeleteTo gain credibility the process would need to be bid out to qualified facilitators (there are tons of them) and have the issues fleshed out by the PUBLIC and Town leadership Democrat, Republican and even the Independence Party member, Keith Langley.
Simple math folks. If Phil Malone didn't squander our hard earned tax dollars on another one of his patronage jobs that he added to the DPW payroll at the last town board meeting, we would have had plenty of money within this years budget to properly address the disastrous environmental issue gone irresponsibly unnoticed by Dave VanWormer ( Commissioner of Public Works).
ReplyDeletePhil Malone and Dave VanWormer chose to hire a patronage job at DPW over protecting our operational needs at the DPW and other affected departments.
Phil Malone stated publicly that he didn't want the town in the gasoline business. Another simple fact folks, fulfilling the daily needs of our various departments to insure the safety and well being of the residents of our town does not mean the town is in the gasoline business.
Once again to Dwight Jenkins point on accountability. Malone and VanWormer can wrestle with this any way they want to spin it their way. They lack any credibility what so ever to make their argument. This decision to go with credit cards is wrong and VanWormer has shown his level of incompetence to have ever allowed this DEC consent order to happen in the first place.
5:23 PM:
DeleteWhy does Mr. VanWormer "lack any credibility what so ever...?"
Seems to me he was quite forthright and knowledgeable in his correspondence with Mr. Jenkins and with his explanation of the issue at the May Town Board meeting.
5:23 PM, would you please explain yourself using cogent arguments, rather than unverified statements?
Until then, I'm giving props to Mr. Van.
There's an update from Dwight Jenkins on the DPW business at the link on the upper right of this blog's main page.
ReplyDeleteBut here it is....
http://eastgreenbushdreams.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/dpw-alert-false-alarm/
Anonymous 9:55: I think that vote was to study the issue not to determine it. Phil Malone made some comments that night about getting the defective tanks out of the DPW garage and during the comment period I stood up and supported Phil's comments. Keith Langley grabbed me after the meeting and told me I was wrong so I can tell you for a fact he was not in favor of the gas card option at that meeting. I would have liked to see a public session with both options getting a full hearing because I still agree with some of what Phil said that night.
ReplyDeleteMr. Conway:
ReplyDeleteI don't believe Mr. Malone was in attendance at the May Town Board meeting. As you can read from the minutes of the meeting posted on the Town Website relative to Resolution 78-2013, Mr. Langley was (once again, no surprise) silent during the discussion about the formulation and procurement policy for the use of the fuel cards.
Councilpersons Mangold and Matters gave us the courtesy of speaking on the Resolution as did Commissioner VanWormer.
This is a continuing issue with Mr. Langley. While it was nice that he "grabbed (you) after the meeting" it would be even nicer if he would routinely speak on issues in a more open forum.
I do give him some credit for reading the statement prepared for him by his appointed evaluation team members, Mr. Benko and Mr.(Joseph)Cherubino, at the June meeting. I'm sure Mr. Benko and Mr. (Joseph) Cherubino were surprised that Mr. Langley did not speak to the issue at the May meeting and made sure he had a prepared statement in front of him to read at the June Town Board session.
I wonder why some of these guys are so bent on keeping fuel at the DPW? Maybe 9:10 is on to something. There has to be some underlying reason that these people would rather pay $100k to put in new tanks, than pay 15k and not hve the worries that go along with having the tanks. Fire, spills, liabilities........Theft????? Ercole might have to buy gas for his car lot?
ReplyDelete@ 5:23 PM above:
ReplyDeleteAgreed that additional patronage is wrong. I am sure by now you have read about Mr. VanWormer's comments that came to us through Mr. Jenkins. I agree with Mr. Jenkins that people make errors and responsible people admit to it. The irresponsibility you allege lies with the Town (that means all of us) because there is no inculcated Policy and Procedure, no training, and a whimsical hire/fire atmosphere.
You accuse those who favor credit cards of ignoring "daily needs". Please explain why accountability at the gas pump a very short drive away fails to meet any legitimate need. You allege that credit cards are wrong but have provided no facts to support your position.
I believe there is a larger issue here. We don't trust our leaders, with good reason. This trust can be earned by by instituting and abiding by Internal Controls. So, here we are back at the issues of Ethics and Accountability. Funny thing is, these things are free.
Anonymous 8:19; You're right about the dates. I think the exchange I described happened at the April meeting. My understanding of the May resolution was that it didn't bind the board to a decision but sanctioned the way the gas cards would work if that option was chosen. But you're absolutely right that the supervisor voted 'yes' on that which could be interpreted as support at some level for the gas cards so I stand corrected.
ReplyDeleteJack, you are correct. A more careful reading of 78-2013 makes it clear that the Board was voting to move forward with an option, not a decision. This is made clear by Sue Mangold's comment about the ongoing discussion concerning hybrid tanks or credit cards, and by Rick Matters' comments about looking into these options in the future. See? I screwed up! I read the Resolution twice and just plain missed the implications of the comments. I would still like to know why the minority doesn't like the fuel card option though. Makes it hard for the taxpayers to determine the appropriate level of anger in this situation. I will correct my post on East Greenbush Dreams. Dwight Jenkins
ReplyDeleteDear 4:44 PM
ReplyDeleteBe that as it may, the discussion during 78-2013 would have been an appropriate place for Mr. Langley to express his opinion, or any opinion.
The credit card system is hugely more accountable. There will be more accurate records and the Town will have greater tracking ability. I have previously worked in an industry where we used gas cards. It is a great system. Much better than sinking tax dollars into an antiquated system.
ReplyDelete