tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post4087931819622753483..comments2023-06-11T09:52:31.370-04:00Comments on Saratogian Newsroom: Charter ChangeThe Saratogian City Deskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12483093324074629001noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-16367988198185845612012-11-06T13:49:56.425-05:002012-11-06T13:49:56.425-05:00@anon 7:35...that just tells me you have NO clue o...@anon 7:35...that just tells me you have NO clue on how our government operates.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-13606156248523968022012-11-05T07:57:59.905-05:002012-11-05T07:57:59.905-05:00As far as the economics of the rec center, these e...As far as the economics of the rec center, these enormous loses people cite seem to have much more to do with the accounting, then the actual dollars. If you look at many of the city programs now using the Rec Center (City Sports leagues, Camp Saradac) you will see that while the expenses at the Rec Center have started going up, the operating costs of these programs have gone down. That's because these programs are now operating out of the Rec Center. While it might not make sense for the city to bill these programs, so they can simply write a check to themselves, it might be good to start having these programs take ownership of the expenses they create. <br /><br />Another issue is that the Rec Center now houses all the city rec operations. If you work in that building, you, your desk, your computer and everything else, is now an expense of the Rec Center, even if you are working on the soccer program, the ice rink, or any of the other programs that DON'T take place under that roof. <br /><br />The Rec Center isn't the problem here, we simply need to explain the books a bit better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-59915722856772076032012-11-04T10:52:56.552-05:002012-11-04T10:52:56.552-05:0011:34PM,I think everybody agrees with you Pat on o...11:34PM,I think everybody agrees with you Pat on one thing...you've waged a grudge campaighn against Mayor Johnson for the last six years,hopefully this will end Tuesday..as I'm sure it will!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-44887107592274669442012-11-03T10:33:27.137-04:002012-11-03T10:33:27.137-04:00It will be interesting to see who the Saratogian E...It will be interesting to see who the Saratogian Editorial Board will endorse this weekend. Will it stand up to the educational materials presented over the last 4 years or the misinformation spread in the last 2 months by the opposition group? Does the paper bend to the businesses that advertse with them or do they make up their own minds? It will also be very interesting to see what trickery the Mayor will come up with in the 11th hour to sway voters. Yes it will be interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-53936229776748526792012-11-03T07:29:35.663-04:002012-11-03T07:29:35.663-04:00I'm not connected and I'll vote NO becaus...I'm not connected and I'll vote NO because I want to vote for the people who will run the day to day and by the way they are in charge and if they don't do the job 3:39PM they're voted out....your way would be to BUY them out,sorry your way maakes NO cents,,,,I'll be voting NO often,you might like Newburgh NY,they have someone in charge there..they also had a 70% tax increase but then again that's just one of the many JOYS of having a city manager.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-34782131941260544752012-11-02T23:34:36.963-04:002012-11-02T23:34:36.963-04:00First of all, the Letters to the Editor show the d... First of all, the Letters to the Editor show the divide regarding Charter Change. You must remember that The Commission Form of Government was created so that businessmen could bypass the normal path of getting things done by their local government to rebuild a devastated City. While this form was adopted by many cities in the US in a few short years (as business did control much of the cities and it's workers at the turn of the century) it was a quick rise and the boon fell like a lead balloon. It wasn't that long after the rise of the Commissioner form that it was only used by 25% of cities 29 years after it's enactment and in only a handful today, with only 5 cities with a population over 26,000. The Saratogian should be able to see a pattern from its letters that the business sector does not want this form to change. You might ask yourself why? Tom Roohan, Charles Wait, Elliott Masie, the Holiday Inn, some former elected officials, etc., because most of these businesses get something from this form of government. Check out what bank all City deposits go to, what City Realtor is benefiting from large growth in partnership with a local developer, some Chamber businesses that do not want a professional government where they may not be able to insert pressure in certain departments. I think that Geoff as a 22 year City Planner, an "inside" employee that dealt with this government form every day is a better gauge of what goes on better than Charlie Wait does, not to be rude but Mr. Wait please stick to banking.<br />Voters should remember the recent past to see the ineffective nature of the 5 Headed Dragon that the Saratogian Editorial Board itself called it in 1991. The Rec Center - built with the promise that it would pay for itself immediately, however the expenses grow larger every year. $110,000 in 2010, $168,00 in 2011 and $222, 836 so far in 2012. Revenue from rents $19,000 in 2010, $93,000 in 2011 and $123,000 so far in 2012 (figure’s by the transparency section of the website). The taxpayers are footing the deficit and the pattern will probably not change in the future. The thought process by our mayor when planning the facility is another example of mismanagement just because he doesn't know better. He wanted a facility that would welcome out of area teams for tournaments, but 2 things are lacking, even for our local people using the facility (1). No Parking and (2). No showers. Have you ever played a basketball game, not taken a shower then get on a bus for a trip back home?<br />We had to check with the building inspector at the time on why he wouldn't sign off on a safety issue and was then let go. The reason we got was that improper sheet rock was used that could pose a danger (it was later corrected, after investigation of a citizen group); the Mayor opened the Center and allowed its use for months without the proper CO (which the City got after investigation of a citizen group. Then the 2 year and counting treatment of the Mayor's Office that no employee can give out any public information, the employee tells a citizen asking for PUBLIC information that they have to file a FOIL request. The City did not obtain a building permit for work to begin on the Parking Garage this year and only gave itself one 4 months after the work was started, again after questioning why by a (you got it) a group of citizens and another building inspector is fired because he would not sign off on a request by the Deputy Mayor.<br />This is only a sample of what goes on in City Hall and I would believe and respect Geoff Bomemann's statements regarding the operations of City Hall over those of Tom Roohan, Charles Wait, Elliott Masie or the Holiday Inn.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-74577177285043697832012-11-02T22:15:33.757-04:002012-11-02T22:15:33.757-04:00Every day, Adirondack Trust Bank and Holiday Inn s...Every day, Adirondack Trust Bank and Holiday Inn see and interact with current and future business owners and customers in our city.<br /><br />The notes from Charles and Cindy are just a small sample of the view that this Radical Constitutional Change on the ballot is not necessary - and financially undefined (and uncertain).<br /><br />The advocates of the Charter have said that the success of our town is not in the form of government but from the leadership of business and neighborhood groups. Here are two of leaders advocating that voters flip the ballot on Tuesday and vote NO! <br /><br />Saratoga Works! Don't make this change!Elliott Masienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-34419002614749248032012-11-02T22:14:16.801-04:002012-11-02T22:14:16.801-04:00Every day, Adirondack Trust Bank and Holiday Inn s...Every day, Adirondack Trust Bank and Holiday Inn see and interact with current and future business owners and customers in our city.<br /><br />The notes from Charles and Cindy are just a small sample of the view that this Radical Constitutional Change on the ballot is not necessary - and financially undefined (and uncertain).<br /><br />The advocates of the Charter have said that the success of our town is not in the form of government but from the leadership of business and neighborhood groups. Here are two of leaders advocating that voters flip the ballot on Tuesday and vote NO! <br /><br />Saratoga Works! Don't make this change!Elliott Masiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16353909302069550541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-65920093108552981552012-11-02T19:35:30.605-04:002012-11-02T19:35:30.605-04:00@3:39 PM - have you actually read the current char...@3:39 PM - have you actually read the current charter? Page C-13, Title 3, Item A: "The Mayor shall be chief executive officer and official representative of the City, and shall have and exercise powers conferred on that office by this Charter or laws of New York State or the United States."<br />The mayor is in charge. The only time he is not in charge is when the council is voting, then they are all equals. Other than that, he is in charge.<br />You Saratoga Citizen people either don't know anything about the current charter, or you are a bunch of liars. Most of the stuff I see and hear from you guys is wrong - we do not have 5 payrolls, 5 garages, 5 equals running the city. It does not work that way and you should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to change something before you figured out how it actually works.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-88013607554709496812012-11-02T15:39:42.678-04:002012-11-02T15:39:42.678-04:00More connected people who don't support charte...More connected people who don't support charter change. I wonder what they would say if they had 4 other bosses equal to them, who ran different departments with no one really in charge. I bet both the ADT and Holiday Inn would go out of business. They don't run their business like that, but its ok to run a government.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-1730491946474133372012-11-01T22:04:01.490-04:002012-11-01T22:04:01.490-04:00I always respect President Wait and I pay close at...I always respect President Wait and I pay close attention to his opinion. But absolutely NOTHING can take the place of real-world experience in the place we call "City Hall." <br /><br />Geoff speaks with precision, with eloquence, and with no personal agenda. In all the places I've lived, I've never seen a form of government which is so embarrassing to witness, meeting after meeting.<br /><br />For all the pundits who praise our Commissioner-Council, I can count on a single hand the number of citizens who attend meetings from start to finish.<br /><br />We can do better.<br />Take it from Geoff, an insider.Kyle Yorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15227858368649647978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3916367746067142134.post-68369079078139142152012-11-01T18:05:08.100-04:002012-11-01T18:05:08.100-04:00Want one more reason too finally change this form ...Want one more reason too finally change this form of government?<br /><br />We need a government with a true system of checks and balances. A recent case in point that is still not known to the public.<br /><br />In September of last year the mayor received a Finding of Violation from the NYS Health Department. The notice determined that there existed "valid and sufficient" grounds that the City water supply was still inadequate and hat the City had failed to pursue development on an additional source.<br /><br />The notice carried a fine of $25,000.<br /><br />Almost a year later - and still kept hidden from public review and scrutiny - the DPW commissioner, on August 31, 2012, signed a Stipulation and Agreement with DOH and unilaterally and without required Council approval that committed the City to spend $100,000s.<br /><br />Under Charter Law only the mayor can enter such agreements and then only by resolution of the Council.<br /><br />In a government with a real system of checks and balances this type of abuse of authority, deception and secrecy - all at the expense of the community - could not take place.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com