THERE’S A NEW TRIO IN TOWN

   THE THREE MUSKETEERS                 

                   

Know it all John Franck

Michelle 'Mad Man' Madigan 

Skippy
What do you two want me to do?

Before Charter Change started heating up and John Franck promised if the date for a vote was changed from May 30th to Election Day he would take no sides.  Well, the promise was broken about 3 months later when it started to look and sound like many people were getting excited about changing the form of government and many prior supporters of not changing, switched sides and now want change.

The point of this is that as election day draws near 3 Council members are starting to show signs of cracking up and are really helping those who want change instead of their sob stories and ‘presentations’ to gob the truths about changing to a Mayor/Council/Manager form of government.

Now though back to the caption.   Before February when Franck made his promise to stay clear of the process with a Commission promise of an Election Day vote on the Charter there were on the Council the ‘3 Musketeers’.  These 3 (Madigan, Scirocco and Matheisen) voted in block about 99 ½% of the time.  Frank and Madigan could not stand one another and Madigan was picked up on the microphone once in a while swearing at or calling Franck names.  He likewise although not as constant or disgusting as she  challenged her aptitude with dealing in the finances even referring to her at a Council meeting as just a librarian.

Once Commissioner Matheisen announced his decision to support Charter Change and his reasons why, the ‘3 Musketeers’ realigned themselves (with new Cavalier feathered hats of course) made up of Franck, Madigan & Scirocco.  Folks, everything from there went downhill, Council meetings became (if you can believe it) more contentious, the 3 Musketeers  being nastier with citizens and the other 2 Council members. 

The presentations they put on at meetings can only be referred to as comedy routines.

This is a prime example of when politician’s that can’t stand each other band together when a clear and present danger, that of losing their power seems imminent.  

The 2 things to look at with these 3 are ‘follow their money’ and the ‘political patronage’ they engage in not to mention the mass amounts of money we’ve lost in lawsuits because of their decisions.

SKIPPY IS DUMB AS A JACKASS

You have to read the story at http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20171019/spa-city-commissioner-unhappy-with-message-from-charter-commission-official  It's a hoot 

This definition fits Skippy to a tee - 

Chicken-Shit - Petty, insignificant, lacking courage, lacking manliness or effectiveness

KRAMER vs. KRAMER

Here is the scenario:  Madigan & Scirocco are against open government and are against bringing any change to Saratoga that will affect their little kingdom.  What is the relation?  Madigan who is worried that her name goes on all the checks might not have a job this fall and not because the form of government may change.  This election cycle operates the same way and a new form would not have elections until when we vote again in 2019 and take effect until 2020.  She is short changing citizens from voting on the issue in a special election that the State says is legal.  Secondly, the two of these shortsighted ‘leaders of our City’ are neck deep in two separate NYS Attorney General Investigation inside City Hall. Additionally, We will be losing most of our VLT funding because of the pending opening of the casino in Schenectady and neither one have proposed any solutions to the decline in revenues.

This is all happening at a time Madigan is signing checks to build a $750,000.00 bathroom for her finance people, for that price it will have golden toilets, sinks with golden handles and an extra size personal stall with an extra wide toilet for her royal highness the Princess Madigan.

Expenses for a referendum vote on May 30th

I have it on a reliable source that this topic has already been discussed in a small group meeting. In the meeting with Finance, the staff agreed that said money would be available from the existing Fund Balance. True, it has not been ‘budgeted’, but there are ample funds available in the fund balance carried over from 2016, according to Finance staff.”

I also did research on the last 15 years of our city budget. We have consistently received high marks and compliments based on our budget practices. Once again Madigan takes all credit (naughty girl).

 I will have a follow up post on the budgetary outlook for that past 15 years

The Charter Review Commission has had many large group and sub-committee meetings, all of them open to the public since June 2016 and I don’t know how many Commissioners if any attended the invited Mayors, City Managers and Mayor/City Managers from cities around New York State who gave insightful information.  I know Madigan isn’t one of them nor has she even looked at any meetings on the City’s website as her erroneous comment below from the Daily Gazette:

“If approved by the voters during a special election set for May 30, take effect in 2019 — halfway through the two-year terms to which council members will seek reelection in November.

Ms. Madigan, if you were truly a representative of the people you would know the facts before opening your mouth.  There is a city election this year (11/17) for a normal 2 year term of the existing Commission Form of Government.  The election for 2019 again a regular timed city election would be to elect the new Council which would be sworn in on January 1, 2020.  This would be a normal transfer.  GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD.  Pay attention instead of being afraid of losing the power you use demeaning the citizens. 

Here is some information from the Daily Gazette:

“Public Safety Commissioner Chris Mathiesen argued that a council-manager form would make city government more efficient, more democratic and more representative of the people.

He called the commission form outdated and “inherently contradictory.”  “You can’t be a legislator and an executive at the same time,” he said. “This is the United States of America — this is not a dictatorship — so you have separate bodies, and you have a balance of power.

Well that’s missing in Saratoga Springs, and the ability for people to participate directly in city government is very limited.”

He added, “These five people all have too much power — each of them, including me.”

Mathiesen, who is joined by Mayor Joanne Yepsen in supporting a special election, said the other councilors appear to be blocking the review group’s efforts to create a charter that would eliminate their positions.

“There’s a real problem here in terms of conflict of interest,” he said.

He also said putting the charter on the ballot in November would be a “very bad idea.”

“I think it would mix up the issues regarding the referendum with the politics of the candidates who are running at that time,” he said.

More from Madigan in The Gazette article

“Madigan also took issue with the commission’s decision to have the changes, if approved by the voters during a special election set for May 30, take effect in 2019 — halfway through the two-year terms to which council members will seek reelection in November.”  WRONG

“I don’t even know if I would run for commissioner of finance if the form of government is going to change,” she said. “Maybe I would run for mayor.”

 ‘Madigan said she doesn’t expect the group’s request for $37,000 in special election funding to be approved by the Council, refuting Turner's position that Municipal Home Rule Law 36 gives the commission authority to call for an election and have it be funded by the city.”

“I believe the Council has to take a stand on that,” Madigan said. “There’s not really a lot of case law in terms of municipal home rule law.”

And there is good reason that there have not many challenges. So, will the City sue itself?

Here is a copy of a recent legal opinion, look it up yourself.

The relevant provision regarding the scheduling of the election is Municipal Home Rule Law § 36(5)(b), which provides in relevant part:

(b) Such new charter or amendments shall be completed and filed in the office of the city clerk in time for submission to the electors not later than the second general election after the charter commission is created and organized. The local law or certificate establishing the commission or, in the absence of such provision therein, the charter commission shall provide for such publication or other publicity in respect to the provisions of the proposed charter or amendments as it may deem proper, and for submission thereof to the electors of the city at a general or special election held not earlier than sixty days after the filing thereof in the office of the city clerk and not later than the next general election which does not occur within the said sixty days, provided, however, that if such general election occurs within ninety days after the said filing, the proposed charter or amendments shall be submitted at such general election. [emphasis mine]

In an opinion from the Office of the Attorney General which concludes

We conclude that the local law or certificate establishing a charter commission may determine whether a proposed charter or amendments to an existing charter are to be submitted at a general or special election. In the absence of such a determination, the charter commission may determine the election at which the proposals are submitted to the voters for approval.   

The City of Saratoga Springs City Council did not place any restriction on the charter commission when it was formed in 2016, pursuant to MHRL § 36, it is the charter commission which determines whether to put the charter amendment to a vote at a general or special election.

Sounds like another law suit Kramer vs Kramer

“They are expending funds without the authority to do so right now, and that’s a problem for me,” she said. “My name goes on all the checks that go out from the city.”

So, she would be signing the checks for her new $750,000.00 ‘bathroom’’.

 Museum vs Toilet $750,000.00

Musee du Louvre vs Madigan du Loo

Now Skip & Michelle, huddle over a bottle of French wine and come up with some other blank ideas on how to stop a transparent and open government for the people from happening.

Now there is a movie Kramer vs. Kramer but I rather think the picture above is how Madigan & Scirocco look since they seem joined at the hip and Madigan has to write all of Sciroco's scripts (um).

SOME NOTES ON THE CITY FRONT

We have several projects going on by Public Works that are questionable by City residents.  The residents are not concerned about the projects but how they are being carried out.  The City is paying (1) City Engineer a salary of $109,039.00 + benefits (health ins., retirement, etc.) also (1) Assistant City Engineer a salary of $109,039.00 + benefits (health ins., retirement, etc.).

Keeping the above figures in mind the DPW Director; yes Skip Scirocco hired an outside engineering firm to plan a water & sewer job on Woodlawn Ave. for a figure of $60,000.00.  Remember we have 2 City Engineers who could have done this job and it wouldn’t cost the City a penny.  Well the code says that a water line must be at least 5 feet underground and 10 feet away from the sewer line. I can see our 2 engineers not knowing the rules but an outside firm?  they should have known this when they submitted the plans ($60,000.00) for the project.  However, the water line sits 3 feet underground and is only 5 feet away from the sewer line which is one of the old clay sewer lines.  This is incompetence at its best and another one of Skippy’s not understanding or the City Engineers understanding of the codes.

The next best thing about this project is that the job must be overseen by one of the City’s 2 engineers, so if this is fact are they as blank as most think or is a pocket being lined?

I would also like to know what plan DPW & DPS has for car, truck or equipment replacement yearly.  I remember when a 19 year old fire truck went to put out a fire and the fire truck caught on fire.  DPW has quite a bit of trucks, cars and dump trucks that need to be replaced and I hope Scirocco does not give the money back to Madigan to make her look good and put the good of the City in jeopardy by not having enough vehicles on the road or having to replace many at one time as I have heard he might have to do.

Having been following the Charter Commission( which had to be assembled by our Charter) via the City website, citizens can learn much about our form of government if they only open their ears and listen to the pros and cons of our form vs. other forms.

In a letter to the editor today written by none other than the mummy of Bonnie Sellers, Richard Sellers, this is a person that is blank and understands nothing about the Commission form or other forms.  Richard, the partner of Bonnie Sellers who make up the Abbot & Costello team in Saratoga Springs have no clue about many things and in the Commission vs other government types.  This duo, along with their uninformed friends use scare tactics not information when discussing these topics.  They offer nothing valuable to the discussion other than ‘look at other cities using another form of government and see how bad they are as compared to Saratoga’, well my friends the form of government did not make Saratoga what it is today, the business people, volunteers, to some extent City officials and having 2 race tracks and Skidmore College in our City along with the Northway led to what Saratoga is today.  If people open their eyes and look around the State there are many good Cities and since we are not #1 in great city’s in the country, there are thousands and thousands that are doing good.  I think one thing that Saratoga Springs does have are people like Dick & Bonita Sellers who spread fear and will not even listen or educate themselves to other ideas, now that doesn’t mean they can’t have their own opinion but stop the fear mongering.


I listened to a local radio show Saturday morning as Commissioner Matheisen was the guest and he spoke on various City topics that made sense and one of the topics he spoke on was form of government, he was the first City official to call for a different form of government (back in January).  You will have to speak with him about the benefits of a possible change and his ideas of why it may be better to do so. BUT NOTE, this current Commission is looking at ways to streamline our current form as well as having guest Mayors and City Managers speak so maybe we can incorporate some of their ways into our Charter to improve it.  The Sellers and their bunch have to get out of the 1920’s and realize we are in 2016 and things change and we need to do what is best for Saratoga and its citizens.  Change it or update and streamline it either one. 

What do you think of Change the form of gov't?  Stay or Change and put a good reason why you think one way or the other.

THIS TRIO of “LEADERS” are an EMBARASSMENT to the CITIZENS of SARATOGA

The 3 Commissioner’s (Madigan, Scirocco & Matheisen) have to stop not only embarrassing themselves but also the citizens of Saratoga.  Madigan yells and screams it seems at every Council meeting, showing as some people think,  that she is becoming unglued and is imbibing too much during the day.  It is becoming such a spectacle that everyone watching these meetings are becoming frustrated at how they react not only to the Mayor but citizens as well.

Madigan expresses the fact that the Mayor can’t control the meetings but it is herself (Madigan) that argues, won’t shut up and won’t listen to the Mayor when she is trying to restore order at the table.  This is a pitiful trio.

Scirocco had zip on his agenda so he made the resolution to censure the Mayor.  The motion should have taken 10 minutes to read but the great orator took 30 minutes to get through it, a mighty reading, that’s probably why so many dogs and cats got away when he was the dog catcher,he trying to call an animal over to snare it and it probably took  him 15 minutes to say ‘come here fido’.

The Ethics Committee issued a report about a conflict with the Mayor but they didn’t issue one for Skip’s alleged  illegal multiple water deals which Madigan may be a party to by not making sure the monies were collected and the voting block of those 3 should as one brought the matter before the Council.  Also let’s not forget the Collimer lot deal which would cost the City to lose big money if Commissioner had his way dealing with the people he knew.  The City Attorney’s wife serves on the Ethics Committee and we wonder if she abstained from the discussions and the vote?

It is alleged that the reason Matheisen changed Attorney firms is because the firm that was handling the water deal & the Collimer lot deal was a not capable to handle criminal charges and it is said that the State is now pursuing criminal cases against the 3 .  Again, a nice representation by three comatose Commissioners.  We need to remember this at election time next year.

The Public Works Department is and has been up to job capacity for a while.  The problem is that Sirocco’s last bunch of hires have been to supervisory jobs or newly created supervisor jobs which total over $300,000.00+.  The baloney that if employees are blacktopping they can’t pick up grass clippings too, how many times a day have you seen City vehicles parked in a Stewart's, Shirley’s, Triangle Dinner, Cumberland Farms or Wal Mart?  The same numbered vehicles are seen at most of these places by people daily.

Also, the new hired bookkeeper and Finance fellow (Veitch) that Skip had the job title changed from Director of PW has taken to riding around the City in the Skip Mobile instead of working inside and it is said that Deputy Donna Buckley is not too happy, resorting as some say to putting a whoopee cushion on the seat of Skip’s chair.

This is really unsettling and if the criminal charges stick the 3 should be removed and a special election held to replace them.

I also read in the paper that John Herringbone has called for the Mayor to resign.  Nice try John.  John is retiring as the Chairman of the County Republican Committee because he has a loss of faith in his position.  There were many towns, the City of Saratoga included that did not support him and the list was growing.  He should have left years ago when he could have saved face.

Let’s keep the focus on Madigan, Matheisen and Scirocco and remember Sirocco put new sewer & water lines down his street and gave his street new paving, What A Guy!

CAN THIS BE REAL OR AM I IN A NIGHTMARE?

I watch the City Council meetings and the show the 3 amigos put on is getting funnier each meeting.  Commissioner Matheisen sits back in his chair with his fingers tapping against each other, Skip staring out to who knows where only waking up to say crazy things like ‘I think some of the homeless are serial killers and Madigan, well what can you say about her, she is just too out of it.  Anyone who attends the meetings or watches them knows the great martini Madigan wants to be Mayor and she is treating her constituents like dirt, unlike the current Mayor.

Now we have bull dog David Bonner at the mic again at every Council meeting berating the Mayor instead of Madigan, Skip and Matheisen for acting like dummies at the table.  Bronner is like the big bad wolf  but his bluster is not good enough to be believed.

Now, about Skippy.  The story is that a few times a week Skip, Deputy Dog Buckley and Madigan are at Jacob & Anthony’s imbibing in a (few?) adult beverages.  Why Madigan can’t even hide her straw that is in her carafe of the vino she drinks.

Those of you know I write about my funny little guy Skip quite a bit, there is nothing wrong with the little fella except he is way out of his league holding the position he occupies on the Council.  Skip was a very capable animal control officer, corralling doggies and getting cats out of trees, chasing skunks and even a raccoon or two.  Advice warning…. Skip, you should have stayed at the job you were born to do.

Anyone that wants to know what the DPW workers do during the day only has  to look anywhere that sells coffee, ding dongs (named after he who can’t be mentioned) and lottery tickets.  Also, stand on Broadway and you can see trucks with the same identifing number going round and round. 

Madigan again sucked up to Skip at the 5/3 Council meeting, saying that she congratulates Skip for the job well done and for returning some money back into the budget.  Well, the DPW fleet is in such disrepair it is an embarrassment, why didn’t you put some money into that part of the business Skip and why didn’t Madigan address that point when she was shining your ding dong?

A question for Skip, you always say how much infrastructure you have done, what is the % of what the DPW has done and what the outside firms you hire at big $ have done?  Please list the number and jobs so we can laugh at your explanations like we do when you try to make a point  at a meeting.  Skip, no one can understand what you are talking about.

Another smiling matter, all this nonsense about the hospital deal.  Madigan, Skip and Matheisen are going against the will of the residents of that area. Skippy said ‘we should get the home owners together with the hospital and maybe something can be worked out’, SKIP get this through your head, at every meeting the home owners do not want to talk to the hospital, they do not want the mammoth building with all the black top parking spaces, they do not want their property values to plunge, what in the heck don’t you get? You are blank but can’t Madigan sit you on her lap and explain it to you?  Although she doesn’t get it .   Madigan says we have so much of a fund balance then why doesn’t she talk to her fellow Council members and purchase the houses now at the current market values then let Sonny build away?  Talk about conflict of interest, Bonacio was a member of the Comp Committee and he stands to gain the big bucks for building the facility.  This could be another reason why the Skipster forgave the 1 million dollars in fees Bonacio owed the City in water hookup fees and the 3 amigos voted in favor in changing that part of the Charter in eliminating said fees.  Do you see a pattern?  Follow the money friends, follow the money.  More on Skippy & the other 2 amigos later, for now sit back and relax, watch a rerun of a Council and laugh your head off.

SKIP, THE THEATER DISTRICT BALLERINA

After many years of the citizens of Saratoga trying to tell the Council that they wanted a multi-use Parking Garage that would bring in million's to the City every year the Council of Doom (Madigan, Matheisen & Scirocco) did not listen and went ahead with the Mark Baker Garage which pays the City $50,000.00 per year.  This new move of creating a Theater District in the unused area of the lot is designed only to see that the City Center pay’s its debt down as there was no way it can do so now (it has an annual deficit, and the bedroom tax it relies on is dwindling) and Baker's figures changed faster that Skip could say huh?

Now it is to be believed that Skippy the Wonder Boy after years of not making any sense at meetings or with contract workers or developers, save for one, comes up with a grandiose design (shown in Sunday's Saratogian) and we are led to believe that this 'District' was conceived by him.

I read the article which took most of the morning because I just couldn't stop laughing at his quotes.  The one that stood out to me was the reasoning for this Theater District.  Skip is a closet theater lover “I like theater, but I don’t go very often,” he said. “Mostly I’ve seen high school plays. I’ve never actually been to a Broadway show. So this plan is just something I think would be good for the city. It’s not because I have a personal theatrical agenda.” why this alone could make him a large lover of the theater.  I have to tell you, if this was the Skipper’s idea, he has been wasting his life; he should have been a planner for the City rather than chasing dogs.

I will dare say another thought crossed my mind, guess who will be building this Theater District?  I’ll bet that it will be Sonny Bonaccio, after all he had one of his top men on the Citizen’s Committee that brought back their ideas on the RFP’s why the multi-use garage wouldn’t work and he was appointed by non-other than Skip’s femme fatale Michele Madigan, so the saying Follow The Money still has merit.

Scirocco was quoted “We want this to be new, innovative and modern,” Scirocco said. “But we want to keep the historic connection, too. The city is so well-suited to this idea, being a community of the arts.”  Yep!  This is right next to a generic, concrete & brick ugly parking garage.  He also stated “Some benefits of a High Rock theater district would include extending Broadway show business from New York City north to Saratoga Springs; providing a year-’round economic powerhouse; offering high-quality space in which local and out-of-town troupes can perform”  I am almost sure that if ‘What’s New Pussycat’ is playing in this theater there will be busloads coming to Saratoga from NYC, ’What is Marcia from SPAC going to think about this competition?  Wasn’t one of the big reasons she objected to the Racino’s small facility was because it would give SPAC (a 4 month venue) competition?  If competition is good for business, has the Skipster changed his mind about the convention building at the Racino?  Will he now support this venue because it will bring in more small conventions and music groups, helping the City’s pocket book and again he said competition is good?

I think the next logical move would be for the Siamese majority of Madigin, Matheisen & Scirocco to build a facility on the Farmer’s Market land and construct a building that could house the National Dog Pageants typically shown on the USA network, heck we already have Miss Pekinese living on North Broadway, the Miss Capital District Pageants and all sorts of other things to use the parking garage and make some more historical moments for Saratoga. 

We better watch out, Skippy is thinking outside the box, if it really is him and not the Art District we are in big trouble. 

3 RATS RUNNING THE SHIP

Watching the Council meeting tonight makes one thing perfectly clear, Madigan, Scirocco & Matheisen are the looniest bunch of people in the City.  The fact that they are on our City Council makes those who voted for them even loonier.  The fact that they are supposed to be representing the citizens is embarrassing.  The fact that months ago it was reported by a Capital District newscaster that Madigan had her three votes to pass Baker's parking garage proved to be true even after she herself yelled that 'this is a lie' no one knows how anyone is voting.  Madigan, Scirocco & Matheisen can be seen laughing at the Mayor & Franck as the say they are representing we the citizens, it seems like they are the only two who are doing so.  Having a dentist, dog catcher and wine consumer make a decision like this is again an embarrassment.  The City Center will likely not be able to pay it's debt service or the City's share of $50,000.00 per month.  Remember that if the property was a multi use facility the amount the City would get using modest figures was $2 million per year and would employee local people, something that these three are against.

This is what happens when two henpecked men are led by a delirious woman who's greatest feat is sipping red water at Council meetings and by the way Madigan swore that the news of having the votes to approve Baker's garage were false, well she thanked them after the vote for standing behind her for 2 years.  Wait:  That's why you couldn't see the boys, they were standing behind her.  I saw Madigan the other day walking in front of Scirocco & Matheisen with a pinkie in each of their noses leading them into her office.  Imagine how many illegal meetings the 3 had to iron this one out.

Let's see if Franck's information is correct, the lease is set at .82 cents per sq. ft.  Where in Saratoga can you get a price like that?  Why only if the 3 Amigos are selling something.

  

YOU ASKED FOR IT, YOU GOT IT:

Let’s face it, elections are popularity contests and not how well the Commissioners do their jobs. 

This was evidenced by this past City election where only about 30% of registered voters cast ballots which is most embarrassing when there is so much at stake here.  OK maybe Madigan, despite her meanness and condescending attitude towards citizens at Council meetings had a record to win.  Scirocco and Matheisen should have lost by a landslide. 

Remember Matheisen was a winner by about 59 votes last election and his record and actions of not letting citizens know about crimes that affect all of us is most troubling.

Matheisen honestly doesn’t know how to oversee a Public Safety Department, despite winning the Collimer lot lawsuit that was dismissed by the judge, its fate is still in the hands of the State.  His stance on the Saratoga National project also defies public opinion of a majority of citizens, most I should say with a few opposing and the green belt people who pick and choose what stays green, he is also against the multi - use project of the City/City Center parking garage siding with Madigan & Scirocco to put up a dreary ugly building which will not enhance the area but will take away from tying in Broadway with Lake Ave. and High Rock businesses.  This shortsightedness is what has put Saratoga in a downward spiral over the last 4 years.

Scirocco’s win is also a mystery.  He gave away over one million dollars to 1 developer without letting or getting permission from the Council (it may be that the 3 amigos already knew about this and ok’d it) and after he couldn’t collect the million he had the law changed to eliminate this revenue stream with the cockamamie excuse that he was limited with the use of the money, he then holds a public hearing and then motions at the same meeting to eliminate the water hookup fee causing a large increase to every home owner’s water bill (guess who voted for his motion)? The question to ask is why not just change the usage of the fee to go into infrastructure?  Madigan said we have enough money to cover infrastructure costs and we didn’t need the hookup fees.  Ms. Madigan, why not decrease taxes if we have too much money?  

Scirocco will soon bring before the Council the need to reimburse several contractors to the tune of another million dollars for charging them hookup fees AFTER he changed the law. Grass, leaf, and snow removal have been so bad since he took over that many, many people are complaining, yet they voted him in office again. 

Why when he was the dog catcher for 30 some years it is said that he couldn’t tell the difference between a French Poodle and a German Shepard because he thought the Shepard was barking in French.

The construction projects are taking so long that they are way past the date they were supposed to be completed, he can’t use the excuse that weather was a problem and remember that the Washington St. mess was started because a plumbing outfit didn’t fill a hole overnight when they were working on a break from a house to the road during last winter’s coldest period.  This is the plumbing outfit’s fault and they should be paying the tab on this but it will never happen because too much money was already given to one of the partners.

Then there is the little item of Skip putting new water & sewer lines and a new paved road on his own street when no one complained about any problems.

Let’s not forget his work on Rt. 50 by Price Chopper, work done, new paved roads, ready to clean up and get it opened when he decides to rip it apart and install larger water lines.  This should have been thought out and done while the whole area was dug up, not after the job was completed.  How much money did we spend on this error?

However, don’t worry, all this means nothing to you, you voted him & Matheisen back into office.  City boys, born (Matheisen says he was 3 when he moved here) and raised here, that matters more than political brain power, now I am not saying that the 2 are stupid, Skip was a great dog catcher and Matheisen is a good Dentist but both make lousy legislators.

  

This is a beginning, there will be more but let’s face it, you don’t care, and our elections are like the Miss USA Pageant. A popularity contest, not one of putting knowledgeable people in office that understand how to do the job.

YOU ASKED FOR IT, YOU GOT IT

JUST SOME SHORT NEWS

I read Commissioner Madigan’s Readers View and her grandiose plans in Sunday’s paper.  First of all she wants to appoint a Revenue committee to look for current and potential revenue sources.  Ms. Madigan, it is because of your votes against revenue sources that may put the City in a perilous position.  The ‘new majority’ of yourself, Scirocco and Mathiesen keep putting the City in embarrassing positions where Council meetings have become a three ring circus.  I think the three of you will be facing strong opposition come this Fall and deservedly so.  You were a very vocal proponent of getting rid of a major revenue source which were the water hookup fees.  Did your comrade in arms ever tell the citizens at a Council meeting that a developer pays $3,000.00 for the first water hookup then $1,000.00 for every unit after that (not $3,000.00 each), did you or your other 2 partners ever tell the citizens at a Council meeting that most of the work Bonacio did to offset that $880,000.00 was part of the approval process to get his project off the ground?  You, most of all could have saved that revenue source and voted to table Siroccos’ plan to push the motion through and ask that the language be changed so the REVENUE could be used in an area that DPW is lacking in water upgrades.  I’m sure that there is an enormous amount of work that could be done using that money for water & sewer improvements along with the ‘new’ revenue source you and your buddy set up.  Remember this, Commissioner Scirocco is already raping homeowners with a special tax that went from $12.00 to $48.00 on their water & sewer bill and a large increase in water taxes during his 6 year reign.

Another of Ms. Madigan’s beauties is the Spa Solar Park that you envision, which undoubtedly will be given to none other than your Deputies husband who just happens to be in the solar business.  Also, it seems that the ‘other department’ was smarter than you as some of these allegations you refer to seem to be gaining steam with the State.  I do hope you ‘3 Jalapeños’ will still be around at election time.

What’s with the City trucks plowing private driveways?  I drove by Roohan’s apartments on East Ave. yesterday (Monday) and saw a City Truck coming down the driveway with its plow down and also clean up the scraper bank at the bottom.  I wish Commissioner Scirocco would tell us how we can put an order in to have our driveways done.

Does anyone think that at $300.00 per year for the daily paper that the Saratogian is a good deal?   Almost all the daily papers start out with State and National news, why not Saratoga news the State & National inside?

Just an FYI, John Tighe’s sentencing on computer hacking charges was postponed.  The report in November said he could face up to 1 year in jail for those charges when sentenced on Jan. 7^th.  He still faces a trial or a plea deal on child porn charges.  We’ll see what happens.

More to come in time.

SCIROCCO THROWING THE CITY UNDER THE BUS?

Is Skip Scirocco throwing Saratoga Springs and the taxpayers under the bus?  The granting of a million dollar waiver of water hookup fees is and will continue to burden taxpayers with higher water and sewer bills.  Since Scirocco has been in office one of the water charges has risen from $12 to $48 and will continue to escalate until these developers who gained Sirocco’s favor pays the City the money they owe.

The matter of how Scirocco runs the waiver of fees and his lame brain excuses for doing so is now in the hands of the NY State Attorney General’s hands.  The AG’s department was in City Hall weeks ago removing all relevant materials and Scirocco was warned by the AG and in a City Hall memo not to shred or remove any documents that are the property of the City’s.  It is alleged that after this warning Sirocco’s son was seen carrying out a box of materials from his father’s office,  again this was alleged to have been seen by a City Hall employee who has reported the action.

A few Friday’s ago Commissioners Madigan & Mathiesen drove down together to Albany to be interviewed by someone in the AG’s office.  Remember that Madigan last year had said that she audited the ‘supposed’ hookup fee waivers and found nothing wrong but recently has admitted that maybe she didn’t go deep enough in her audit.  This sounds like a great Commissioner of Finance.  Hopefully sometime soon we will find out what happened and why Scirocco gave these waivers when the developers didn’t even pass the 1^st requirement of having to install 12” water mains.

The trio of Madigan, Mathiesen and Scirocco are starting to sound like a bunch of out of control puppets at Council meetings.  Obviously these three have formed an alliance to make the Mayor look bad and they give her a hard time as often as they can.  Commissioner Madigan, thank God you have Christine Gilmet-Brown in your office or you would not be half the successful Commissioner you think you are.

The reason I mention the three Commissioners forming a ban is because since early last year they have decided that 1. They do not like the Mayor and 2. They want to shift any control of the Mayor’s office into their own. 

I was at this past Tuesday’s Council meeting and what a circus it was, well the second circus after the Sustainable Saratoga clan rallied against PUD’s and the desperate need to ban plastic bags in the City.  The group is slowly becoming the minority voice of the majority and we better turn out and speak up or they will get their way on every issue they dream up.  Politicians vote on issues depending on how many people show up and exert pressure at meetings.  Anyway, the second circus was during the Mayor’s portion of the meeting.  Through a technicality 3 Housing Authority Board members seats were deemed vacant by State law because the appointing Commissioner at the time (Mayor Johnson) did not inform the appointees that they had to sign an oath of office form which next to tying your shoes is the easiest thing to do.  So, Mayor Yepsen has the right as every other previous Mayor had, to fill these positions.  Yepsen being the most transparent Mayor in Saratoga’s history now advertises commission & committee seats up for appointment and chooses the appointments from the list, which by the way any citizen of Saratoga Springs can be a part of.  Well, that did not sit right with the 3 Musketeers and they argued why they were not informed of the replacements.  Scirocco went as far as saying he hoped ‘this isn’t a power grab’ and that the Charter should be changed so that all appointments have to be passed by the Council.  Again the asinine thinking of Scirocco even when Johnson made his 11^th hour mass appointments which usually goes to the incoming Mayor, his lips were sealed as they are 99% of the time unless he in stammering at Council meetings.  He was joined at the lip (yes lip) with Scott Johnson for 6 years and as Johnson systematically never reappointed a Democrat to a seat, he filled the seats with friends and Party members and did we ever and I mean ever hear 1 word out of Sirocco’s mouth admonishing Johnson, or Madigan & Mathiesen for that matter?  At the meeting Madigan and Mathiesen uttered the words that they want to be informed on who the Mayor is going to appoint, I say why?  It seems to me that the three horseman of death want to be the ones to grab power and by banding together they feel they will become 3 larger kings of their domains.  Tuesday night’s meeting was one of the most embarrassing meetings for Scirocco, Mathiesen and Madigan that I ever witnessed and by the way the Mayor did reappoint one of the SSHA board members that were removed and he just happened to be a Republican.

A very big circus atmosphere in the old chamber Tuesday night and 3 clowns highlighted the evening.

Next up, a look at the increasing number of working supervisors Scirocco has appointed at inflated salaries and how many DPW workers these new supervisors oversee. 

CITY HAS A NEW INDOOR SWIMMING POOL

As of today, Saratoga Springs has a new indoor swimming pool and it has been named the Scirocco Victorian Pool.  We are so glad that the Commissioner put in new water filters at the water treatment plant so the pool has crystal clear water.  The left side of the pool is 6’ deep and slopes to 8’ on the opposite side.  It seems that when the tanks were being filled no one bothered to shut off the valve and the inside flooded.  This may be a bright spot for Scirocco, he wanted to add a new position but the budget wouldn’t allow for it and even after debate, when it came time to vote on the budget, Skip voted for it saying ‘this is a good budget’.  So he is looking for ways to make some new revenue.  The Rec. Center will lose more money than it did last year (thanks Scott & Shauna).  However, the Commissioner ever the opportunist will fill the pool with kiddy blow up tubes and rent them out ala the Carousal.   Too bad he didn’t get that new position, he could use a life guard at the new pool. Good luck Skip.

News Flash:  After promising that the houses on the East side by Saratoga Lake that he would not use the lake as a drinking source by Skip and the Republican opposition, they will now be supplied with water from the County pipeline and will add to their area by glowing at night, hopefully they will shine in different colors so they can form a Christmas wreath led by none other than Wilma Koss.

Well, some news just in.   Chris Mathiesen has just won election to his current DPS post.  This means that the only post that Shauna can have is Deputy Commish of Public Works.  This should not be a stretch for her because by learning to dig graves she would be a natural to work with the men putting new sewer lines in, as long as Donna says it’s ok.  It is said that John Harringbone (I know) is pushing Skip to get her in the trenches.

The City has a potential problem.   Following an alleged violent dispute, city police say they tracked the suspect to his home and, upon their arrival, were greeted by a man waving a meat cleaver at them. He was subsequently hit with a Taser and arrested.
Police say they arrived at the Saratoga Casino and Raceway at around 11 p.m. Saturday in response to an incident involving a man who left the premises following the dispute. The alleged head banger is accused of twice slamming a woman into a wall, pinning her in a door way so she could not move and threatening to “smash her face in” the next time he saw her.
 Upon entering his house, the officers had contact with the slammer who they described in a press release as uncooperative. He allegedly retreated into the back of the home and returned “brandishing a large cleaver above his head, waving it in a threatening manner and screamed at officers to get out of the house.”

After a few moments, the Tasee tossed aside the cleaver, struggled briefly with the cops, was hit with a Taser and taken into custody.  The problem now is the accused wants an independent investigation, it seems as he was shaking all over from the electric jolt he was alleged to have mumbled that all he was doing with the meat cleaver was cutting up a side of beef.

ELECTION NIGHT REFLECTIONS

Right now it looks like the Council table will have 4 Democrats and 1 Republican.  Congratulations to everyone that ran.  It has been rumored for some time now that if a Republican won, Shauna Sutton would be their Deputy, all of City Hall is shuddering if this comes to pass however, her role will be severely diminished and she will most likely have to do the paving and leaf pick up, among other physical jobs.

Shauna needs 2 more terms in office to qualify for lifetime health insurance paid for by the citizens of Saratoga Springs.

Also, there has been a rumor floating around that the reason that Scott Johnson did not run was because he wants to challenge Paul Tonko for Tonko’s Congress seat.  Good luck with that Scott.  Tonko is as popular among both parties as is Jim Tedisco.  Scott will never make it to Congress, but don’t tell Shauna who had a slip of the tongue election night when she said “In a few years, Scott, you and I might be working together again.” *Saratogian*.   Let’s hope Johnson goes and parks himself in Florida to work on his lobster tan and Shauna either works for Skip (where she will be 5^th fiddle) on a Council of 4 Democrats.
The race where the absentee ballots might change the outcome is the race for DPS.  The spread right now is about 121 votes for the incumbent, and if the number of the ballots that have arrived already it looks like Mathiesen will take the seat.

In closing, we say adios to Scott Johnson, it was nice knowing you, but we’re glad you are going.  Shauna, we are just super glad you’re going and hope it’s not true about Skip hiring you.

CAN’T CATCH A BREAK

It seems the Republican Party is having a hard time getting candidates to run for office.  They have backed 2 losers in Ken Ivins and Dick Wirth.  When I say losers, I don’t mean it as a reference to their personal character (although that may be one reference, but not now); I mean to say that they were beaten on their records, so it appears that the R. Party will have to back these 2 announced candidates.

There is also a rumor floating around that Shauna ‘of the dead’ Sutton will have to take the endorsement of Mayor because of a lack of volunteers for the position and that she will do so while being backed by  Johnson money.  If this is going to happen, it will all but guarantee Yepsen a victory as Sutton’s husband and family would not vote for her, I am not one for political advice but Shauna, stay in the cemetery.

The Wirth run is interesting.  He was beaten, not so much from his lack of being at meetings (he was there but his mind was in the female officer’s shower room) and his failure to being anything but a pure puppet of John Herrick and Scott Johnson.  It was embarrassing when the Council had to wake him up so he could vote on a piece of legislation.  I think the only reason the Party endorsed him is (a) they had no one else and (b) he said he would run, with or with out Party support.

Wirth’s opponent, Chris Mathiesen, won the election because of the promise’s he would carry out.  He has carried out those promises and more, maybe a little too verbosely but performed as he promised.  His call to turn back the closing hours of bars failed to garner even a look by our County Board of Supervisors but  resulted in the Mayor of Glens Falls to pitch the same idea to the Warren County BOS, who last week voted to do just that, so now the proposition will go to the State with County approval.

Also, shouldn't it be a prerequisite that a candidate announce his or her Deputy before the election?  How do we know that the Deputy will be qualified for the position and not just a politicaly appointed position, heavens knows we have had enough of patronage attempts at the County level

I was wrong in predicting that Ivins would run against John Franck.  The order from Harper came down that he would not get the backing of the Party if he pursued that avenue.  If Ivins runs on his past record as he said in his announcement, he is in trouble from the get go and his statement that more Republicans are needed on a Board that is comprised of 19 Republicans to 3 Democrats and 1 Independence party members, (nothing against Republicans) are needed to get things done at the County level, must have been said after the cocktail hour.

Let us also not forget Johnson’s, Harper’s and Scirocco’s Watergate.  This will be huge at election time.

So, that leaves rumored Democrat Peter Martin to run for County Supervisor, a candidate who has not been named yet as Sciricco’s opponent, Andrew Jarosh a designated hitter for any position and opponents for Madigan and Franck.

The picture should become clearer by the middle of May.

IT’S OFFICIAL

Insider’s in City Hall confirmed today that the Mayor has appointed his cast of characters for the rest of his term.  He is copying the show Hawaii Five-O.

Chris Mathiesen – Steve McGarrett

John Franck – Danny “ Danno” Williams

Michele Madigan – Lydia Lei

Skip Scirocco – Chin Ho

Scott Johnson –   Wo-Fat (He will darken his hair shave his goatee and grow a fu-Manchu).  If the Mayor isn’t in the Wo-Fat role look for him as Gomer Pyle.

Shauna Sutton – Wo-Plump

A certain blogger that is very close to the Mayor, some say he is in bed with him, play’s the role of Kono “Kong”

The Mayor has issued an edict that all Commissioner’s and Her Plumpness get into their roles ASAP, he is also getting lei’s for all the staff in City Hall.

For those of you who have never watched the old Hawaii Five-O, you can watch the show on channel 556 or 13-3.  I started watching it and it is a lot better than the current one.

Aloha