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The 3 Commissioner’s (Madigan, Scirocco & Matheisen) have to stop not only embarrassing themselves but also the citizens of Saratoga. ...
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We have several projects going on by Public Works that are questionable by City residents. The residents are not concerned about the proje...
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The famous American Charles Dudley Warner journalist said: 'Politics makes strange bedfellows' Definition. Political in...
The council needs to go. Stealing land from Geyser Crest homeowners is the last straw with me. They wouldn't dare do something like that on North Broadway. Just disgusted with all of them. Done.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Vote for Charter Change in the November election.
DeleteWell at least she has maintained a 2.0 or C average
ReplyDeleteI can't light no more of your darkness
ReplyDeleteAll my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life
by Elton John
Captain, you went from white to black, what gives?
toying with some different themes. Thanks for asking.
DeleteMadigan has not accomplished much and seems to be in the middle of all the storms around city hall.
ReplyDeleteLove the toilet!
Reading the Sunday Saratogian added to the uneasy feeling I have about Madigan not having any opponent in the upcoming election. Republicans know they have Madigan in their political pocket so why oppose her? She backs the Republican candidate for Mayor and seems to go a little too far in doing so. As pointed out in a Readers View by a retired Fortune 500 executive and CPA (who most likely knows more about finance in his little pinky finger than Madigan) explains perfectly why Madigan is both naive and erroneous in her facts regarding the savings if the change of form of government goes through with the passing of the new Charter. Most problematic with Madigan's job beliefs is stated in the piece, "The Finance Commissioner (Madigan) was asked if the internal audit function, residing in her department, did not create an obvious conflict of interest as she is the custodian of all the city’s funds and also decides who and what gets audited. SHE SEES NO CONFLICT. Training in basic financial controls and understanding the importance of independent oversight would hopefully have yielded a different answer." Understand this part (Madigan) "also decides who and what gets audited. I don't believe this is a sound financial practice and agree with the writer that we can't insist on competence in this Commissioner position. Also the fact that her touting our investment rating grade (which is good) does not mention that cities such as Batavia and Watertown yes that Watertown, also have Prime 1 ratings and they have a Council/Manager form of government and both don't enjoy our tax base. Ms. Madigan does not mention that because of the changes in the Charter passed during the Klotz administration that financial parameters were put in place by a former State budget director having Finance Commissioners to operate within certain guidelines. Every Finance Commissioner has done a good job since and we don't owe that to Ms. Madigan. I trust an executive financial executive and CPA's opinions over Madigan's any day of the week and so should you. As many current and former Mayor's and Commissioners urge, Vote YES on Charter Change in November. To do so turn your ballot over as the ballot question is on the back side.
ReplyDeleteChange....for the sake of change.....is never a good idea. C'mon Captain, you need to give me more credit.
ReplyDeleteI will have to say, I am sorry. Sorry for you if you think this is just about change.
DeleteOutgoing public safety (dentist) commissioner says charter change is good.
ReplyDeleteIncoming public safety (police/security) commissioner says charter change is questionable at best.
You say you are a captain. Captain of what, might we ask?
The "incoming" wants the power he craved as a Policeman. He should let the Police Chief run the Police Dept. and the Fire Chief run the Fire Dept. This is something the "outgoing" has decided is best, are you daffy? I am Captain of America!!
DeleteThe outgoing is going out, not only for the poor decisions he made during his tenure, but also for looking the other way while the SSFD and PD got out of control with OT.
DeleteHow many police officers have left our force since the dentist and his lady deputy took office? Check it out before you make stupid statements.
If you put two foxes in charge of the hen houses (PD and FD) then you are letting the taxpayers down.
You are out of control. The stupid statements are being made by you, sorry. The only thing Matheisen can be blamed for is voting with Madigan & Scirocco on the wrong side of many issues.
DeleteIs it true that Mark Baker was paid 135,000.00 per year to run the city center?
ReplyDeleteAnd now he is complaining about the mayors salary being at 40K?
You are correct. He was also given a car for business & personal use, along with other perks. The taxpayers paid for all of this.
DeleteI attended The Southwest Neighborhood Association last night.
ReplyDeleteWhat I saw and what I heard has made me change my viewpoint on Charter Change. I now agree we need to leave the Commission Form and go to Elected Council with professional manager.
On of my neighbors was there that works at City Hall and he said how poorly run City Hall is. He shared with me some very ugly stories. It sounds like Mrs Madigan is hateful. Her personal and profession conduct are distracting the workforce in City Hall. I did not realize she has nobody running against her in November.
Saratoga Springs deserves better.
We hear so much of the same statements coming from City Hall employees and people that have to deal with Madigan. All one has to do is watch a Council to see how she treats citizens that have 2 minutes to speak their mind. Most of those employees that live in Saratoga want Change to pass and those that live outside the City say they hope Change passes.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the Daily Gazette article about the aggregated power buying scheme that Madigan is championing? https://dailygazette.com/article/2017/09/11/saratoga-springs-studies-community-power-buying
ReplyDeleteThis is a DPW issue. You know utilities, electricity, water, and sewer. Madigan is not the commissioner of public works so why is she heading this up? We all know why because Skippy can’t, and Madigan wants power.
This sounds like the nationalization of the energy services in Saratoga Springs. The city now bids and controls the pricing of your energy for all residents?
ReplyDeleteI can just see it Commissioner of Finance and Energy saying “my bathroom does not have a steam room. I need a steam room to make deals for the people of the city, comrade. We are going to raise the electricity rate by $0.02 per hour for every resident to pay for my steam room it is only 1.8 million. This is for the good of all people in Saratoga Springs”
How many residents received the printed info flyer sent out by DPW regarding lead in our water? How many also noticed that Skippy's signature is no where to be found on this flyer? Not responsible, not his problem!!!
ReplyDeleteSo, Karen Klutz is upset that the LOWV has backed Charter Change. Mrs. Klutz & SUCCESS must be getting a bit nervous at seeing those who belonged to their group, former large donors, a current and past Commissioners and Mayors many of whom were long time opposition leaders changing to the pro-Charter Change side. GET USED TO IT.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!! Wow, what a genius you must be. I never would have thought to change her name from Klotz to Klutz. That shows how intelligent you are. You could go far in Trump's administration. One jerk deserves another jerk. You jerk.
DeleteFinance Commissioner Michele Madigan said the city has a non-binding handshake agreement with the Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance to pursue a community choice aggregation project.
ReplyDeleteWhen was this authorized by the council?
Madigan is off making private deals just like Skippy did with the water line.
Oh dear! SUCCESS is at it again or this time an organizer of the group who likes to spread fear and lies. In this Sunday’s Readers View she blasts all of the factual information from the Commission and past Commissioners and Mayors who favor Charter Change as being ‘cherry picked’. This, from a lady who ran for a Commission post and couldn’t win even when she was unopposed. She blasts Jeff Altamari, a Commission member and a retired Fortune 500 Company finance person and a CPA. If I am not mistaken, Ms. Weihe doesn’t have a CPA license, she is a retired history teacher. Weihe also blasts the Democratic candidate for Mayor Meg Kelly (from her own Party) because she is one of most of the former Mayor’s, Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners who favor Change and have been in these jobs first hand unlike Ms. Weihe. Deal in facts Weihe and not scare tactics and lies to push your agenda. You and your group are an embarrassment for dealing in lies and fear to push your agenda. The least you can do is cut the crap and speak in truth and facts.
ReplyDeleteThis is part of an article from Ballotpedia;
Disadvantages of the Commission Form
“Unfortunately, time has proven this form of government does not live up to its anticipated benefits. Rather than allowing a city to make quicker decisions, there is often deadlock and inaction with department heads acting in the narrow interests of their own department, rather than the city government as a whole;
The city commission often lacks effective leadership because leadership is shared at a departmental level;
Along the same lines, the city commission is sometimes bereft strong, effective political leadership; and
This form of government encourages departmental parochialism, making general administrative reorganization difficult to achieve.”
Just barely a year ago this article appeared in the Time Union. 2016 also brought the city budget a $ 1,200,000.00 DEFICIT.
ReplyDeleteThe TU Article reads as follows
The city has approved this year's 2017 capital budget. And among one of the most costly items on the $9 million to-do list is renovations to the Commissioner of Finance's City Hall office.
Michele Madigan's office improvements, including a private bathroom and kitchenette/storage area for her 12 office employees as well as restoration of ornate ceiling tiles and arched window, will cost an estimated $749,104. It is the third most costly project on the list of 25 following the Saratoga Greenbelt trail connector at $2.3 million and the renovation of the police department's updates to the emergency services dispatch, coming in at an estimated $1.1 million.
The finance office renovations, which will include the IT department and restores much of the 1871 building's original decorative details, do not include any other part of City Hall.
"City Hall must be taken care of," Madigan, a Democrat, said Friday. "These restorations must be done."
She said the drop ceilings are dirty and one portion of the floor is weak from flooding. She also said her office is the only one without a bathroom.
Also included is asbestos removal, improved air quality in the basement and a secure window where residents can pay their taxes. A separate private conference room also will be built so city employees can come in and talk to staff about health insurance, retirement and other concerns. The entire office will be stocked with new furniture, which Madigan said her employees have never had.
When asked about costs of the renovations, Deputy Commissioner Lynn Bachner said that was the estimate from architects Mesick, Cohen, Wilson and Baker in Albany.
"I think we are being very resourceful," Bachner said. "If it comes in for less, then we can use the money for another project in the budget."
Mayor Joanne Yepsen, a Democrat, said the capital budget, which will be folded into the 2017 operational budget, is determined by a committee of five. She chairs the committee with representatives from the four city departments: accounts, finance, public safety and public works. The representatives bring forward requests from each department, which the committee debates and prioritizes.
"This was the only request from finance," Yepsen said. "For me, as chair of the capital budget committee, I feel that safety and quality of life issues are the top priority."
Like the mayor, Joe DiGeso, a prominent Republican who lives in Saratoga Springs, also said the money should be spent for the public benefit.
"I am not familiar with the details, but no public official should be renovating their office when schools and a number of other places in the city need renovations. There are a number of other places that would benefit our citizens, neighbors and friends. We could use more benches in Congress Park, we have a homeless problem.
"All public officials must ask if renovating offices is the best use of public money."
wliberatore@timesunion.com • 518-454-5445 • @wendyliberatore
Hey Capt did you hear John Frank call skippy old. He disclosed that Skippy is getting Medicaid and then corrected it to Medicare. This guy is old enough to retire and get out of the way. Why doesn't he do that?
ReplyDeletePolitical Infighting on Solar Installation Cost Taxpayers
ReplyDeleteThe Saratoga Greenbelt Trail group had multiple meetings with Commissioner Madigan about having the construction of the solar field serve the dual purpose of helping bid the Saratoga Greenbelt Trail. The SGT advocates asked Commissioner Madigan to have the construction vehicles use a dirt road around the perimeter of the field, where the SGT was designed to go, while installing the solar panels. The back and forth of the vehicles would have created a natural trail and saved the city significant money from having to create a trail from new. However, Michele Madigan did not permit it because the trail was seen as the “Mayor’s project.”
This form of Government breeds this type of behavior and wasteful spending!
The Captain is an advocate for charter change, we all recognize that. Yet he/she still allows this false statement by the VP of the charter commission.
DeleteCaptain also has yet to admit that his previous blog post regarding lead in the city water was also false. I am starting to question the Captain's motives and credibility.
Yes, I am an advocate for charter change. How do you know the statement from the VP of the Commission is false? If the person the statement was referring to told you I wouldn't believe her one bit. Second the lead in the water situation was a bit more that Scirocco said it was and it was mentioned to me by 2 City employees. You have to remember that Scirocco's allies on the Council (first-Madigan & Matheisen & now Franck & Madigan) circle the wagons to protect Skippy so his complete ignorance doesn't come through. It has happened with a few things, the lead item, the status of our backup water supplies, the 1 million dollar loss of revenue by giving Bonacio a free pass and the exorbitant amounts of money spent on outside engineer's for City projects when we pay large salaries for 2 City engineers. It is too bad that both political Party's are in such turmoil and this form of government does not allow for competitive elections as evidenced by 3 out of 5 positions running unopposed when 2 of the 3 could probably have lost their seats in this year's election. We are a politically sad City. A beautiful City but politically sad.
DeleteIT IS ALL TRUE!!!!
DeleteI am a member of the Green Belt Trail group. And this article is 100% accurate. Several members are afraid of Michele Madigan. I am not. She is the worst example of a political leader I have seen in my 40 years in Saratoga Springs.
Her corruption and bullying tactics must come to an end.
As far as Franck insulting charter finances, Franck has a right to his opinion but not to accuse someone like Jeff Altamari, a a retired vice president of finance of Cameron International, also a CPA himself Mr. Franck who’s company had 9.8 billion in sales in 2013 of not coming up with correct figures he (Franck) is blowing gas. I wonder how many businesses Franck, Madigan & Scirocco handled finances for with earnings of 9.8 billion?
ReplyDeleteSorry for using this as a comparison, but I forget just how many billions it was that Mr Madoff was managing? How did that happen?
DeleteThat is no comparison at all. How about the Finance Commissioner (Rita A. Crundwell) in Dixon IL. who over 20 years 1983 to 2012 embezzled over $57 million dollars, and the admitted operator of what is believed to be the largest municipal fraud in American history. Guess what form of government they had? If you guessed the Commission form you're right. Even in 2014 after this fiasco, no Commissioner or Deputy's wanted to change the form of government. However, a task force, which was formed in the wake of the Rita Crundwell scandal, recommended that citizens be allowed to decide which form of government was best by asking this question: “Shall the city of Dixon adopt the managerial form of municipal government?” By voter referendum passed in November 2014, the city’s managerial form of government was established in City of Dixon.
DeleteCaptain,
ReplyDeleteThe Mein Kaufman bolg is refusing to allow comments that challenge his anti charter-change propaganda.
Will you post them:
Commissioner Madigan owes the public, as in members of the public that commented and were shouted down by her, an apology. Her crude attack reflected the lowest kind of politics. In the event that she chooses not to apologize, the question that arises is how will the Commission handle this? Is this really what the Commission considers to be an acceptable tactic?
You are hilarious, what a clever person .....Mein Kaufman, how creative you are.
DeleteYOU IDIOT !!
You are a tad touchy aren't you?
DeleteLetter in today's Saratogian
ReplyDeleteSome members of the Saratoga Springs City Council are showing their true colors behind a smokescreen of phony concern for the taxpayer.
The city’s Charter Review Commission has developed a thoughtful approach to reforming city government. Development, failing infrastructure, overdue public safety facilities, and spot zoning in residential areas. The petty disputes that are daily business on the City Council have prevented a coordinated response to a host of needs. Recently, two Councilmember/Commissioners spent more than 45 minutes disputing each other about dog licenses. Professional management is needed.
The Charter Commission’s fiscal estimate is a reasonable and reliable benchmark for voters to evaluate the cost of change. Moreover, the Commission is required by State law to provide this information to the voters, no matter what the incumbent councilmembers might say. If we voters approve the new Charter on November 7, the next administration will have clear sailing to save the taxpayer more than $400,000 a year.
How did it come about that Commissioners John Franck (D), Skip Scirocco (R) and Michele Madigan (D)--all of whom are unopposed for re-election-- are taking the same negative position on the charter? They are in a state of distress that their fiefdoms, and the rigged elections they have arranged for each other, will all come to an end with a new form of government.
Mr. Franck promised last winter that if the Charter referendum was moved from May to November, he would remain “neutral.” Now that he has broken his word on that, how can his views be trusted on the fiscal estimate?
The proposed City Council/Manager charter will break up the politics at City Hall, assure competitive elections, and open the door for greater participation by motivated citizens of all parties. The Madigan-Scirocco-Franck monopoly on political power will end.
I urge my fellow Saratogians to vote Yes on November 7 for a new charter and a more democratic way of doing the public’s business in City Hall.
Raymond Watkin
Saratoga Springs
The author was mayor of Saratoga Springs from 1974-80
I had a shocking moments last night at a friends birthday party.
ReplyDeleteThe story told last night at his event.
Last Summer my friends wife was sitting at the same table with Michele Madigan at an event. After listening to Michele tells horror stories about her fellow commissioners, when another person at the same table asked Michele how she could do this for the $14,000.00 she gets paid. Michele's comment back was " I will get City Paid benefits for FREE for the rest of my life!"
Is this really a possibility. Do they FREE benefits? For the rest of their life?
As far as I know Commissioners get free health insurance for life after a certain period of years in office. Skippy is not in the running for this perk because as the City animal catcher for over 30 years he automatically qualifies for the free HI under his contract. However, under the new form if passed no councilman or councilwoman will be entitled to any health insurance while in office or out of office.
DeleteNot sure how old she is, but it will cost the tax payers more than her private 750,000.00 Potty!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could be given some credibility if you wrote the truth. Example:(and you already know this but choose to digress from the facts) there is NO $ 750,000 toilet. Rather that is for an entire department to be rehabbed and if you ever stepped foot in there, you'd know that the staff is working in horrendous conditions - the floor sinks when you walk on it. They (not the commissioner but the staff) are the only department that does not have a private bathroom and are required to use the public bathroom that is often in disgusting condition - no matter when or how often cleaned. Really! And yo have the nerve to question others veracity. Shame on you! (let's see if this gets posted)
ReplyDelete