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Debate scheduled for next month
Busy week last week, so I never got to blog about a few things. I'll start with the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority Meeting.
The rumor before the meeting was that Ken Ivins was going to be putting these resolutions forward that were "sure to spark some debate" as one person told me.
The resolutions would force the chair to go to the City Council for salary approvals, roll back Director Ed Spychalski's salary to a modest $116k (down from $152k last year and $144k this year, in case anyone doesn't know — I'd link to a previous story but there is so much history to this that I think it would be more efficient just to put "Spychalski" into the search bar on The Saratogian's main site), and would change the SSHA's policy on contract approval to encompass anything more than $2,000.
Well, there was debate, but it was just about whether to discuss the resolutions at last week's meeting. Spoiler alert: they didn't.
When Ivins made his motion to put the issue on the agenda, a stir ran through the board.
Chair Eric Weller asked one of the SSHA's legal counsels, John Hicks, if adding the resolutions to the agenda "is germane?"
"It is not germane," Hicks responded.
Nonetheless, Ivins made his motion to add the resolutions followed by....
"Al, second the motion. Al. Al, second the motion. Second the motion Al."
Ivins, "whispered" urges to Al Callucci to second the motion (perhaps they had discussed it before), but Callucci was staring at the other side of the room. Finally, Ivins gave up (literally threw his hands up).
That's when Al seconded the motion, but there was a full ten seconds between the motion and its second. He later said "sorry I was asleep," with a laugh.
After all of that, too, they were the only two to vote to put the motions on the agenda. They'll be back, though, next month, when they will be "sure to spark some debate."
The rumor before the meeting was that Ken Ivins was going to be putting these resolutions forward that were "sure to spark some debate" as one person told me.
The resolutions would force the chair to go to the City Council for salary approvals, roll back Director Ed Spychalski's salary to a modest $116k (down from $152k last year and $144k this year, in case anyone doesn't know — I'd link to a previous story but there is so much history to this that I think it would be more efficient just to put "Spychalski" into the search bar on The Saratogian's main site), and would change the SSHA's policy on contract approval to encompass anything more than $2,000.
Well, there was debate, but it was just about whether to discuss the resolutions at last week's meeting. Spoiler alert: they didn't.
When Ivins made his motion to put the issue on the agenda, a stir ran through the board.
Chair Eric Weller asked one of the SSHA's legal counsels, John Hicks, if adding the resolutions to the agenda "is germane?"
"It is not germane," Hicks responded.
Nonetheless, Ivins made his motion to add the resolutions followed by....
"Al, second the motion. Al. Al, second the motion. Second the motion Al."
Ivins, "whispered" urges to Al Callucci to second the motion (perhaps they had discussed it before), but Callucci was staring at the other side of the room. Finally, Ivins gave up (literally threw his hands up).
That's when Al seconded the motion, but there was a full ten seconds between the motion and its second. He later said "sorry I was asleep," with a laugh.
After all of that, too, they were the only two to vote to put the motions on the agenda. They'll be back, though, next month, when they will be "sure to spark some debate."
Labels: Al Callucci, Kenneth Ivins, Saratoga Springs Housing Authority
posted by Unknown at
11:09 AM
12 Comments:
and these two are the Mayors choice to represent him on the troubled SSHA Board?
I did notice that the Mayors office has effectively silenced Al on the blogs. Maybe he is just asleep?
Question. Is there still one vacancy on the SSHA board to be filled or is the biard now functioning with a full compliment?
Was he really sleeping during the meeting. That's funny. I never noticed him at the council meetings dosing off. Nice choice by the mayor to put him on the board. He always was living in a fantasy world so now we know who he is. Sleeping Beauty I guess
The board is now functioning at-capacity, one of the resident-members was just absent Thursday because of health issues.
And he wasn't actually sleeping. He said it as a joke. He was just staring off. It looked like he was debating the second of the motion for a good ten seconds. When he finally seconded the motion, it was after Ivins had stopped urging him to. It was like he came to the decision on his own, it just took him a while.
The fact of the matter is I was entertaining acomment from the HUD attorney which was made during the middle of the motion about the issue not being germaine to the subject. I have not been asked by the mayor to refrain from any commentary. I have been very busy bot personally addressing a major tragedy concerning a good friend and his family and spending several hours trying to elevate the quality of life in the Terrace, eliminate the several problems there which I will not elaborate on. I looked to the right side of the room for anyone with courage to second the motion and with no takers I did second the motion. I will be asking for a change of seat to Ken's left side this week as I am having difficulty hearing in my left ear. It has been coming on slowly.As for living in a fantasy word I'll just take that as a statement from an ignorant uninformed individual. As I have stated before I will not deal with the ignorant and the arrogant as they have nothing to offer. The #1 prioriity of the SSHA should be the residents and ensuring their quality of life and safety etc. Until this past meeting I have never heard the subject brought up. Either the Board chose to ignore it, has no knowledge of it and as stated only deals with process. Process is fine but people are more important and should be the priority.If you would like to discuss in person I would be very happy to discuss the major issues from my perspective. If you are man or women enough to openly support your criticism I will take it under advisement. The stakes are too high for petty games.
Albert F. Callucci
Hi Al, thanks for the comment. I would actually like to talk to you when you get a chance about the iussue you brought up at the meeting but we weren't able to elaborate too much on-- security at the Terraces. I know you feel strongly about that, so I'd love to discuss it further.
And I see you've taken the same approach to some commenters as I have.
There was also a comment from someone asking Al whether about whether he had to check with the mayor for approval and asked if the mayor had any comment. But it was rude, so I deleted it.
Why is it that when someone asks a hard question you are afraid to deal with it. Maybe it deals directly with the credibility of Al's character.
The mayor needs to step in and remove some of the board and get new mwmbers.
Mayor Johnson was electd to lead
Move over or get on the job Mayor
To Anonymous 9:39:
It wasn't a hard question. I conveyed the message, as I do when I think someone has a point but can't seem to manage to get it across in a way that isn't insulting.
S/He asked if Al had to check with the mayor for approval before commenting. I deleted it because it was asked rudely.
If you have questions about my policy, see: http://saratogacitydesk.blogspot.com/2012/04/commenting.html
If you comment with civility you will get through. If you don't, I won't publish it. As far as this blog is concerned, I'm the judge of what is or isn't civil.
When I asked for comment from Little King I was not asking for comment from the Mayor but rather from the satirical blogger by that moniker that posts on the Saratogian comment boards.
You are correct that referring to the Mayor as little king would indeed be rude, but I was not. I was asking for comment from the blogger. If you wish you may edit the comment to reflect this.
My mistake, Anonymous 9:06 a.m.
I have seen the mayor referred to in those terms, so you will understand my hesitation to publish it. Now that you mention it, though, I am aware of that blogger.
Apologies for the mix-up.
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