As we near Election Day and the removal of those darn signs, we were discussing the choices this year. It’s not that one Party is better than the other although each Party will say they are, but it’s all about the candidates. This year it happens that the Democrats have the better candidates running for office.
You can’t top Joanne Yepsen, she was our rep on the County Board
Shauna Sutton on the other hand has a record that is mostly bad. Why? Well for starters she is not well liked by those who work with her in City Hall (there has to be a few exceptions), she is not liked by many people she meets and even quite a few Republicans won’t be flying with her. One of the things she said in the paper and at the debate is that she saved the City $32 million dollars with settlement of contracts this year, heck our whole budget is $38 million dollars. She was part of the biggest cover up in Saratoga ’s recent history. Hiding public information when the City built the Woodlawn Parking Garage and then you had to FOIL any public information that you, a citizen, had the right to have. Playing games with 2 or 3 building inspectors when they wouldn’t name her tune, that’s right games. Hiring a City Planner that was dismissed from Wilton (could she be a friend)? Spewing along with the Mayor that the money for the Garage was a combination of public and private money when the lot was owned by the City, the City financed the garage along with the downtown merchants. The downtown merchant’s money came from the business district taxes which in fact is public money. Where is the private money?
Sutton is also anti small business, ask the small businesses on the West side that Sutton is trying to close. It seems if your name is not Bonacio, Roohan or Julie Bonacio you can forget about getting a building permit in the City or cooperation or a CO, which by the way the Rec operated for quite a while without a CO and that was just dandy with Johnson and the wannabe Mayor. It seems that some builders can get fast tracked and also the Planning Board rules have changed to facilitate these large contractors, just look at who is contributing to Sutton’s campaign. It is the right of the Mayor along with his Deputy (Sutton) to mould very important Committees but during their tenure every Democrat was replaced by a Republican, so much for equal representation,
Nobody knows John Arpie, so not too much can be said about him except he doesn’t know squat about paint (inside joke John).
We know the job that John Franck does and he does it well. He does not play political games in his capacity as Commissioner and has even started programs during his tenure to
help citizens understand how to go about lowering their assessments if the
committee sees a reason to do so.
Skip Scirocco just doesn’t get it. The City looks a mess. Broadway is always dirty, Congress Park
is a disgrace and the final straw was the back room deal he made to sell water
to Wilton when we do not have enough water for Saratoga . What happens when the Weibel Ave. project is done and Sonny
buys more property out there and they start sucking water? When you go by our reservoir on 50 take a
look at how many inches the water level is down. Skip keeps telling us that we have all the
wells we need but where’s the water? We
need a change.
Dick Wirth had his chance and didn’t get anything done. If he did he never spoke about it at a
Council meeting. Tony Izzo spoke more in
a month than Wirth did in 2 years. Mathiesen ran on a platform and won; he also
has carried out his promises and has gone above and beyond expectations.
The Supervisor race should be an easy one to pick. Veitch has the experience and the know how to
get things done. The race will be
between Martin and Ivins. Martin is far
and away the better candidate. He has
worked with the Supervisors in his capacity as County
Clerk and can solve and articulate the
problems not only as a representative of Saratoga
Springs but as a County rep as well. We also feel that having two smart and well
spoken Supervisors one a Democrat and a Republican on the Board will represent
all of Saratoga Springs
This Just in from City Hall:
ReplyDeleteThe suits are looking at Sutton for forging documents in the building department, among other things. She claimed client attorney privilege but Johnson is just letting her swing.
I would add just one word - 'alleged', until she is charged.
DeleteSutton/Dowd came on the political scene less than ten years ago. She gained notoriety by writing critical letters to the editor. Also, being an outspoken person, she probably seemed like a good political pick to be deputy mayor.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, what does her resume look like?
There is nothing on Sutton. She has avoided it all. It is all fabricated by political opponents. You included.
ReplyDeletesorry to disappoint you. Sutton Dowd does have baggage from the Rec Center, the Parking Garage, the building inspectors and the fact that she wouldn't give out public information. The Rec Center was supposed to make money after year one but has continued to lose more money every year, This is no fabrication, if you are Shauna or her boyfriend then I can understand your post.
DeleteShauna's claim to fame was organizing against Keehn's plan to make Broadway more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. She managed to raise public sentiment to kill the plan. Shauna also has a talent: she likes to threaten people. I wrote a letter to the editor calling her out for taking credit for work done by my boss, the day it was published I came home from church to a threatening message. When I told people in the media about it and was told that she does it all the time. Ask around City Hall and see if anyone likes working with her. Then ask if they liked working with me. Good government is about getting along with people so they trust you and work with you to find common ground and reasonable solutions. Joanne is capable of that, Shauna is not.
ReplyDeleteSkippy's having a ribbon cutting at Water Station today at 11:30 for putting in a new filter!!! Can't make this up!!! Only thing is, it project ISN'T COMPLETE. There's probably 6-7 days before it's complete! He's grasping at straws for votes.
ReplyDeleteWhat's even sadder was when Skip, the mayor & Shauna cut the ribbin in the Spring to reopen the bathrooms on Spring Street.
DeleteSuzanne, Joanne never takes credit for stuff she doesn't do? You need to rethink that one.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't long ago that someone posted here that "Sutton is an important name here in Saratoga Springs, better get used to it."
ReplyDeleteHow arrogant is that?
After Tuesday, I hope Shauna packs her bags, and empties her files.
I mis-spoke, completion won't be for another 6-7 Months! You're right about the bathrooms. Only problem there, they were hardly ever open when needed.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know the educational background of either mayoral candidate ? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteI've not read a letter to the editor from Joanne claiming credit for work she didn't do, and the media was not surprised when told of Shauna's threatening phone call, so make of it what you will, Anonymous. I believe Shauna holds a Bachelor's Degree from St. Rose.
ReplyDeleteLet's talk about Skippy's "NEW" budget request as reported in the Saratogian today. While you're consuming this new "let's make a deal" by Scirocco you also need to understand that under Skippy's "watch" 15 DPW trucks have been taken off the road and ONLY 3 replaced, 2 of them dump trucks. What does that mean? It means DPW does NOT have enough small trucks to plow the city this winter. This means the dept. will need to pay TONS of OT to plow the city & make this city safe. That being said, here we go with another "Pea Brain Idea" by the "Dogcatcher".
ReplyDeleteSkippy has requested "approximately" $48,000 for a "new hire". A position he has given priority over STORM WATER & VEHICLE NEEDS & he has "SOUND" REASON" for the request. That sound reasoning? He "expects" one of his employees to take a medical leave in Dec. (Just like he EXPECTED an employee to take a medical leave & hired his son for a part-time, now a full-time employee while the EXPECTED person was back on the job within a few weeks.) Scirocco has taken this new job funding out of his General Operating Budget. When denied by Madigan he switched the funding sources from the operating budget, WATER budget & SEWER budget! (No source for alternative water, $25,000 fine). Skippy pulled monies from Carousel repair & maintenance, DPW OT fund, Engineering's OT fund, Utilities Fund, & Transfer Station's fund. (Must mean he doesn't NEED a Working Supervisor for Transfer Station). Scirocco is quoted as saying, "It's what I need to get things done, He also acknowledged he has a SPECIFIC person in mind for this position, that he says PLANS to OPT out of city insurance, therefore saving the city THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS! (This job isn't an appointment, it's a competitive position! You can't ALREADY have someone for the position. REALLY SKIPPY? Could you explain that to me? It's so apparent that what Skippy's saying to the taxpayer,he doesn't NEED the monies in the lines he's willing to give up so easily to hire a second Accounts Clerk! Is there any wonder why the local Saratogian endorsed Bill McTygue? The DPW doesn't have enough trucks to plow the city because dump trucks were purchased instead of small work trucks that plows can be attached to, and Skippy wants a New Accounts Clerk? WTF Skippy? How stupid do you take us taxpayers & voters for? NOT THIS TIME!!
You had me until Mathiesen. Are you kidding me ?? He's a joke.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time in 2 yrs. Skippy has the DPW crew working OT picking up leaves all this week. Wonder if it has anything to do with elections? DUH!! The taxpayers also need 2 know how r tree crew is being told 2 cut down perfectly healthy trees 4 certain residents with the promise of votes 4 Skippy if the job gets done. Must b he's forgotten about Stainable Saratoga! Goes 2 show you how unethical Skippy is.
ReplyDeleteIn 2007 the budget in DPW was 9.8 million today it is 9.1 million. Doing more with less. In 2007 there were 158 employees in DPW today there are 124. Doing more with less. In 2007 there were 4 groups of 4(16 employees) out at night, today there are 1 group of 4. So the Pit bull Madgan will have to give Billy a lot more money so he can get the job done and hire more people.
ReplyDeleteWell, glad you feel that way. Skippy has had new hires and has mismanaged some of his departments. Broadway looks like hell, an embarrassment to those who visit or those of us who live here. This never happened before, garbage receptacles over flowing, crews cleaning flying litter and debris on Broadway at 1:00PM because they didn’t clean in the morning. Visit Congress Park, over the last 6 years it has gone from being a jewel to an eyesore, he moved a working supervisor who mowed, cleaned and booked events at the Casino (highest rentals ever) and transferred her to hand out rakes and shovels at her supervisor pay grade. This was brilliant move.
DeleteThe Commissioner has had his budget restored along with employees 2 years ago, he just mismanages the money. The Saratogian hit it right in its recommending Bill McTygue as the people’s choice.
At least Skippy built Public Bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteI truly feel sorry for Skippy. He has no management skills, no leadership ability and is not real quick with his thinking skills. His performance at the council talk has been poor at best. The bottom line is he has done a lot less with less.
ReplyDeleteLook around, it dosen't take much to see the DPW's lack of effort, by many, not all but enough. Follow a truck around and watch what they do and more importantly what they don't do.
McTygue is going to kick his A&&!!
The public restrooms were ALREADY plan before Skippy got in office. As always he's taking credit for Tom's plans. If "Poor Skippy" is so concerned about "doing more with less" as he always crys. Why the Hell Is his biggest concern is hiring another accts clerk for $48,000 instead of laborers? And since when has the yearly salary for accts clerk start @ $48,000? Who is this extremely qualified person he already has for the position. Scirocco is nothing but a Poor Manager with an even poorer intelligent level.
ReplyDeleteHey Captain, I don't where you gey your information, but 124 from 158 is how much. Yes Skip did get back 10 labors, what about the people that retired. He is still down 34 people. I can prove that can you. In the front Skip has Kelly, Joette, and Kathy. Kathy the part timer just took the full time job upstairs. Tommy had, Jo Ann. joette, Lisa. Joy and Lois. DPW just took 7 trucks off the road and getting one new one. Guess who street will be the last to be plowed. The Dem are hurting thre tax payers not not Skip.
ReplyDeleteBy your own mouth it took Skippy to get the job done.
ReplyDeleteWhat job?? The City still looks like crap, we still have a water problem and he is buying front wheel drive trucks to plow city streets. I'm glad you think he got the job done.
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