THE END OF A PARTY?

Last week the Republican Party met to interview the gentleman that intended to run against Michele Madigan.  I was told that he is well qualified for the position and gave a very good speech.  However, when he was finished, Donna Buckley jumped up and started screaming at the fellow and that was followed by some harsh words by Mrs. Scirocco.  Skip then rose and finally put more than 5 words together and pledged that if the Party endorsed this candidate he would not help in any way to get him elected saying that he has a great relationship working with Madigan, at this point the meeting was closed and everyone fled the room.  The gentleman now feels he doesn't want to challenge Madigan because of lack of support from his own Party.  It seems this is one example that  Madigan has turned to the Republican Party.  Only in Saratoga!

UNBELIEVABLE, YOU COULD WRITE A BOOK

Well, the saga continues.  Madigan, Mathiesen & Scirocco keep the circus going at Council meetings and embarrass the City even more.  Along with listening to meetings on TV, watching on the internet and watching it on TV’s Look station more and more people are seeing what a joke these 3 are.

This past Tuesday the PBA contract came up for a vote.  The new City Attorney who was chosen by the Council had explained that the PBA deal before them (whose last contract expired in 2012) was negotiated with both sides giving and taking, which is considered good negotiating.  At the last Council meeting in Executive session the Commissioners were told that the negotiations were done and the deal hammered out.  However, since the Mayor was involved in the negotiations as were representatives from the PBA, the three Amigos would not have voted for it even if the Police worked for free.  Scirocco was heard mumbling that he might support the deal if they would renegotiate which will not happen and this stalemate caused by the three would send the negotiations into binding arbitration.  This is not only a very large expense for the City $100,000.00 for an outside attorney to go before an arbiter but also cost the PBA the same amount and if the arbiter sides with the PBA it could cost even more for the binding contract.  So, everything you heard about how past City Attorney Sarah Berger would not work with the Council is bull coming from the mouths of the 3 amigos, they are not even taking the advice of the current City Attorney.  We need to replace these 3 or hope the Attorney General’s report along with the State Comptroller’s report take them out sooner.

Saratoga Springs is considering charging street performers $20.00 to play songs, sing songs or drum along Broadway.  This ‘concern’ after years of performers doing their thing is a lousy idea.  The impetus of this law comes from the Chamber of Commerce and the merchants on Broadway, although the owner of Lillian’s asked some performers to play in front of his establishment.  The Commission on the Arts does not have 1 performer on the board although many asked at the public hearing Tuesday night.  It is funny that every speaker and there were many that spoke on this issue was against the City passing the new law but not 1 business owner or an officer from the Chamber showed up to complain.  The people have spoken, don’t pass the law.  There should be a patrolman walking the Broadway beat anyway and he/she could weed out the druggies and drunk players that may be causing any problems.  Remember when a policeman walked a beat?  They all don’t need to be in cars, do they?

I was driving down Broadway the other day and noticed a building in Congress Park and said ‘what the hell’?  It was the Casino.  The City on Sirocco’s orders cut down some older non diseased beautiful trees only to hire an outside firm and pay them $240,000.00 to re-landscape that area.  Why not save the taxpayers money ?  Commissioner Scirocco and have the City do the work?  It seems that you cry that you don’t have enough work force to keep up with the work now but for years we only had 1 cleaner for the Casino and you added 2 more, why?  I don’t think the facility has had an increase of 3X what it was.

Before I get to the Republican candidate who announced his intention for the Mayor’s post just a few more comments on info from previous Council meetings.

At the last Council meeting we listened to the Public Works report given by mumbles Scirocco.  He mentioned the many water line breaks and I can understand that.  He mentioned one specifically that I picked up on and that was a break on Washington Street.  Now if he is going to make us believe that that was a normal break and the citizens have to pay for the labor and money incurred (we did pay City workers overtime to repair the break) he must think Saratogians are stupid.  A section of the road was dug up by B & B Plumbing work on a house off of the main.  B & B (Bonacio & Benton) did not cover the pipe back up overnight and in the below zero weather the pipe burst.  I hope B&B paid the City back all the expense but that would be foolish to think that after Skip gave Bonacio a $1,000,000.00 gift.

The transfer station on Weibel Ave has 2 busy days, Saturday & Monday.  After I don’t know how many years our brilliant DPW Commissioner decided to close the place on Monday’s.  Smart move Skip.

Also, from a City Hall source, on the County’s operation of recycled trash, the County receives 80% of the generated income, the hauler gets 20% and the City $0.00.  Why does this matter you ask?  Well even if you didn’t ask I am going to tell you.  Remember I said it was the County’s part, the County gets the income but the City has to provide a worker to run that part of the facility, fill out the required County & State forms all while we Saratoga taxpayers pay the employee’s salary & benefits.  This is another sign of gross mismanagement by Commissioner Scirocco

Let’s just touch a little on John Safford, the Republican nominee for Mayor in the Nov. election.  I think it’s great that people make a run for office but we have seen what a mess people that will not learn or work together like a Skip Scirocco who was a former dog catcher (**there is nothing wrong with dog catchers, so don’t think I am trying to denigrate him for that), or a Dentist, especially a good Dentist (see ** above) however when you are in office you cannot play the games that Madigan, Mathiesen and Scirocco play and think the City can move in a forward motion.

Safford by all accounts is a nice guy whose only interest in City government (in his own words) “began when he needed to discuss a concern he had regarding his work with chaplains as a trustee at Pine Grove Camp.”  He also said he realized that he would be able to work with these boards and that his current work with homeowners associations has given him the insight on how to run a City.  Good luck with that.