COMMISSIONERS SCIROCCO AND MADIGAN AT IT AGAIN

Well you can tell it is an election year in Saratoga Springs.  We’ll start with Scirocco, has your lawn debris been picked up weekly since summer?  Have you seen articles in the paper about all the projects large and small that Scirocco takes credit for? If you answer yes to these 2 questions then you have to know election time is this November.

Scirocco can’t really take credit for much as he contracts out quite a lot of what DPW does.  He hires more outside contractors and engineers as much as the City hires outside attorneys.

The rest of the 1 1/2 years the City looks like crap, ripped up roads all over the City and City property looking terrible, overgrown grass is common place, Congress Park is a mess and Broadway doesn’t look any better until 6 months before an election and it has been this way since he has been in office, he bit off more than he could chew when he took office.

The lawsuits that he has had against himself and the City have been numerous.  Among the ones out there involves the City Engineer he suspended earlier this year because he supports Dillon Moran and the water hookup fee which I don’t think is wrapped up yet.

Remember that his son who works for him in DPW was arrested on 4 counts of DWI and allowed to stay on the job.  Skip had another fellow who worked for the water Dept. drive him to the job sites.  He also cries he doesn’t have enough help but I am told by someone in the Finance Dept. that he turns money back every year to his darling Michelle to make her look good.

Skip was also involved in voting to give Hot Dog Eddy Miller and his girlfriend a contract to do business with the City through their business.  Yes, Skip hired the Hot Dog to work for him in Public Works (he gets the Independence endorsements that way and a nice campaign donation).

This November you must vote for Saratoga native Dillon Moran.

ONTO COMM.MADIGAN

Well you can tell it is an election year in Saratoga Springs.  Commissioner Madigan who has lost the Democrat line on the ballot due to losing the Democrat primary has broken off on being a Democrat.  She is running on the Independence line and that Party is run by none other than DPW employee Hot Dog Eddy Miller and his girlfriend.  This Party has never ran a candidate but once that I can remember but just endorses friends of theirs.  Commissioner Madigan is as thick as a heavy burgundy with Hot Dog’s girlfriend and also voted to give Hot Dog Eddy Miller and his girlfriend Joanne Foresta a contract to do business with the City through their business, both Scirocco and Madigan received the endorsement and a nice campaign donation from the Independence Party run by an employee of Scirocco and Commissioner Madigan’s best friend.  This information was taken to the Ethics Board but since that board is run by biased men and a woman they decided that nothing wrong happened, WOW.

Commissioner Madigan has had a few of her own problems I am sure you know about.  The 30 year deal with the fiber optics company that will cost Saratoga Springs a fortune and believe it or not this Company is the only entity that can run cables through our sewer lines.

This week she announced a 0.05% tax cut for City taxpayers even though expenses have risen. Madigan’s plan, an increase of $1.1 million over the adopted 2019 budget. Contractual wage increases, additional funding for information technology, increased commodity costs, and health insurance accounts for much of the year-over-year change. Personnel and benefits are up 1.9% and 2.5% in 2020, respectively.”  By the way there is a story going around the City of a very unknown and non transparent present the Commissioner will receive if elected this Fall and that will be an all expense paid (by taxpayers) top of the line health care policy all complete for life, yes life.  Should elected officials get lifetime benefits for life?  What happened to serve the people? Now, back to the tax decrease.  The Commissioner plans on paying the rising expenses with the budget surplus which she has been draining every year since she has been in office to pay for these increases which has given her the magic of not raising taxes over the last 8 years.  This is not a sound practice to run a City.  Well there will be more as election time draws near.

We must vote Morrison for Commissioner of Finance to not only save the large expense of for life health insurance benefits but also not leaving the City with much of a surplus.

This November you must vote for Patty Morrison.

THE PREDICTIONS:

Mayor – Tim Holmes

Commissioner of Finance – Patty Morrison

Commissioner of DPW – Dillon Moran

Commissioner of PS – Robin Dalton

Supervisors : 2

Matt Vietch

Steve Mittler

WHAT IS THE MOTIVE BEHIND MADIGAN & FRANCK’S BEHAVIOR

Many City residents, both for and against Charter Reform are dismayed at the behavior of Michele Madigan & John Franck both at the Council table and in the newspapers.  Both are elected City officials voted into office by those for and against the change.  Both represent all Saratogians not just those against the Charter change.  They should be the voice of reason at the Council table, they can state their vote of no confidence of the new form of government but the way they have been acting this year makes me wonder if they have just lost their minds and have been overcome by so much hate that they can’t control themselves and both have looked that way in the media and especially the eyes of the citizens of Saratoga.  

Why didn’t Commissioner Franck disclose when a Commissioner his CPA firm was hired to do a study in Mechanicville and he himself was paid thousands of dollars to do this study and told the City (who happens to have a Commission form of Government) that the study and he were recommending that Mechanicville switch to a City Manager form of government. This is a quote from his recommendation “It is the team’s view that a City Manager per se, may be unaffordable in Mechanicville’s present financial situation.  Alternatively, a city administrative officer, accountable to a Mayor and City Council, could be established, rationalize administrative functions, be affordable and be accountable to the elected officials of the city.  In either case, a significant revision of the City Charter is warranted.”

This revelation should have been disclosed by Franck, his professional credibility was put on the line as it is now.  He should have at least disclosed this information to the citizens of Saratoga instead of making himself one of the embarrassments of our government. 

He now raises questions about the Commission of trying to buy the election.  He should know but because of his actions this year that the City through an approved budget to the Commission HAS to pay for informative mailings, the Commission does not have to get Council approval to send out these mailings as another brilliant Council member (Scirocco) indicated and tried 3 times to make a motion without success and have the Asst. City Atty phrase it in the form of a resolution that the Council had to see everything and approve any literature before being mailed out, WRONG.  The Council cannot interfere with a Commission.

The bottom line is this, 3 unopposed Commissioners thanks to the inept Democratic and Republican Party’s, are insanely opposed to change while 2 outgoing Commissioners want the change.  The whole thing smacks of keeping power and   don’t believe Madigan’s promise not to run in 2019.  She has been one not to be believed and I wouldn’t take anything she says ‘to the bank’.

Flip your ballot over and vote YES for Charter Change, it is one of the only things that makes sense along with keeping Mark Baker out of City Hall.

Talking about Skip and our great water supply.  Do you think the taste of our water has gone down the last few years?  I have been told by many that they can’t stand the taste of the drinking water.

Both images below were provided by Property owners in Gyser Crest.

WHEN DOES POWER CORRUPT GOOD PEOPLE

THE CHARTER CHANGE REFERENDUM IS NON PARTISAN. THE ISSUE IS FOR THE CITIZENS OF SARATOGA SPRINGS NOT ANY ONE POLITICAL PARTY

Power starts corrupting good people once they get elected to public office (not all but most).  You can see the difference when men & women run for office  versus the conduct when in office and then how they go back to normal when they leave office.

I met a married couple downtown one day over the summer and got talking about local politics and of course charter change came up.  The couple are relatively new to Saratoga having lived here for about 12 years (carpet baggers to quite a few ‘native’ Saratogians) and they had helped out on Commissioner Madigan’s campaign, how much they didn’t say, but they said that as a person she is like night and day from when she was a candidate.  They said she seems bitter about most things today and when they watch a Council meeting they cannot believe how she treats citizens and fellow Commissioner’s from the Council table.

This couple have an insight most Saratogians don’t, many Saratogian’s didn’t know Madigan before she got elected and like so many elections you get elected either because (a) your opponent did something citizens didn’t like, (b) no one is running against you or (c) your Party is swept in as a group.  B has become the norm in Saratoga politics in recent years and not because everyone is doing a great job.

Take this Council for instance and a single issue CHARTER CHANGE.

Many former Mayors, Commissioners and longtime City Hall employees are heavily behind the movement to change our form of government to a more representative, cost effective and a well managed government where you need not worry about getting kicked out of one Commissioner’s dept. for trying to suggest in getting something done in another Commissioners dept.  What a concept.

The prevailing voting block was most always Madigan, Mathiesen & Scirocco against Franck & Yepsen.  This shifted once Commissioner Matheisen spoke out that it would be in the best interest of all Saratogians and the City itself to approve a change in the form of government. You can visit the Charter Commissions website to view letters to the editor written by past Commissioners and Deputy’s.

 He (Matheisen) has said “The commission form of government has no separate legislative body and no structure for central management. Instead, five different members of the city council are responsible for executive oversight of their respective departments while at the same time serving as at-large legislators, a recipe for serious conflicts of interest. Due to political and personality differences, the five city departments work well together on occasion while at other times not so well. There is much redundancy in operations as the five departments are separate but equal. It is difficult to find candidates for city government due to the increasingly complex nature of each of the five council seats.

The Saratoga Springs Charter Review Commission has given our voters the opportunity think long and hard on what form of local government will best meet the needs of our City today and in the future.”

Well, now the new voting block are Commissioners Franck, Madigan & Scirocco versus Mayor Yepsen & Commissioner Matheisen.  See what happens when you are afraid that the power you have and will continue to get might seep from you and into the citizens hands?

Here is another example:  The Commission early on wanted a separate election for the Charter which was May 30^th.  The wailing from the new voting block was heard all the way to the east coast.

Commissioner Franck is quoted in a Feb. 21, 2017 Times Union article from a City Council meeting  "If there is a special election, even if it's to tweak the charter, I'm against it," said Franck. "If it's November, I won't take a side on the charter vote."

Now, here is a quote by Commissioner Franck from a 9/19/17 Council meeting putting his spin on the Proposed Charter.

“Am I missing something? Does anybody outside the planet Mars really believe that one person is going to be able to do all this work?”

Franck took issue with the elimination of the deputy commissioners and asked: if the deputies are eliminated, who is going to do the work to run city government? He threatened to block the funding to send information about the charter change to the public.

“If they cannot do this in a rational and fair manner, and not have material misrepresentations in it, then I’m not going to OK it,” said Franck.

Does this sound like his quote from February?  This trio can see that the power may have a chance to slip away from them and well out with their past promises.  Skip doesn’t sense anytime so when he tries to explain something heads almost always fall asleep as soon as his lips part.  What is coming from Franck and Madigan however is mind boggling.

This trio cannot understand the concept or are just plain acting dumb.  I have heard that other than the Mayor no Commissioner spends 30 hours a week in City Hall running their departments.

Franck , Madigan & Skippy can’t understand that by getting rid of the Deputy’s no one person can do all that work.  Well as many citizens, as I do, understand we already pay a Police Chief to run the Police Dept., we already pay a Fire Chief to run the Fire Dept. and they can report or go over their budget with their boss (City Manager), Why do we need a Deputy of Public Safety?  We already pay a City Assessor to do his departments work and he will answer to the (City Manager) his boss, we already have a paid City Clerk who will guess what?  Answer to his or her boss.  We have a paid Finance Department, we already have 2 paid City Engineers and already pay too much for outside engineers so why not have 1 engineer run DPW and fund the Direct of Public Works whose line is in the budget?  Mr. Vietch’s position was created by Skippy (he says it wasn’t a political move) but you could defund that position and add an office staff person for ½ the salary he is paid. 

So you see we already have the paid employees in place and we will eliminate a layer of middle paid bosses we won’t need.  It will not be 1 person (City Manager) that will have to make up all the work the Deputies do, he will be the City’s CEO overseeing the operation of the City by the already knowledge and capable workers employed by the City already.  Rocket Science, no just common sense that three members of the Council seem to lack.  Does POWER CORRUPT?

Another question to ask yourself as a anon did in the previous post, will you take the word about the costs of savings from a Finance Commissioner whose leadership resulted in a 1.125 million budget shortfall for the fiscal year ending 6/30/17 and who has said she will have to have cutbacks in this year’s budget or a former Senior Vice President of Finance for a Company that does 19 BILLION in sales a year and happens to also be a CPA?  Again, not rocket science.

A times Union article written by Wendy Liberatore on September 28, 2017 quotes some former City officials:

 “A.C. Riley, Saratoga Springs supervisor from 1980 to 1987, and Mayor from 1990 to 1995, agreed.”

“Managing the city isn’t a job for amateurs,” Riley said.  “Everything in our world is getting more complex, including local government. In the old days, most people could fix their own cars, or the kitchen sink. How many people can do that today? We call a professional, someone with training and expertise, so we get good results. Under the new charter, that professional will be our city manager, who will be the leader of all city departments. Our elected city council will make all the important decisions, and direct the manager to carry them out. The charter will require the manager to be educated and experienced in how to read and carry out laws and regulations, how to develop and manage a budget, and how to negotiate with unions. The council will rely on the manager to direct several projects at once and get things done on time.”

Former Mayor Raymond Watkin previously opposed charter change, but now sees things differently.

“I look forward to supporting the campaign to adopt a new city charter,”  Watkin said. “Our city government is unable to keep up with the demand for services from our growing community. In-fighting and a ‘me-first’ attitude among the commissioners has prevented progress on meeting infrastructure, public safety and community needs.”

Another Times Union piece also said this:

“The commission's mailing to city residents won't determine the outcome of the vote, but it's an important part of educating the public.”

“Ms. Madigan and Mr. Franck have all that at their disposal, too, as well as the bully pulpits of their positions. They're free to use them, but not to abuse those positions to unilaterally block the commission from doing its job to inform city residents — an abuse that they might find could be its own case for reform.”

POWER CORRUPTS

For some light entertainment go to http://saratogaspringsny.swagit.com/play/09192017-1334  and listen to the following times

Public Safety  14:55 until you stop laughing at Skippy

Public Safety especially 27:25

Public Safety especially 31:20 – to the end.

Unfortunately not anymore, Michele Madigan offends everyone all the time and it is not funny!

REPORT CARD TIME

         It's time for an annual report card for the candidates.  We'll start with Ms. Madigan

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!

ELECTION DAY DRAWS NEAR

Well it is almost here, Election Day Tuesday November 3^rd.  How can you tell?  The land is covered with signs, so many in fact you can’t tell who the candidates are. 

The local newspaper has a subscription rate of at least 700 homes so we know that Saratogians can’t get their information from there. The candidates have to get their information out themselves, that’s why every one of them need to go door to door themselves and talk to voters themselves.

The Mayor’s race is one that gives me a chuckle.  We have a Mayor that has a good track record and a newcomer who has not gotten involved in or on any commissions but declares himself ready because of him being in the military and advising some homeowners associations.  The old lip service that he must get rid of a career politician (10 years) and bring stability back to the Council is just that lip service.  Mayor Yepsen has had to control the Council but Madigan, Matheisen and Scirocco clearly do not want harmony so 2 times a month create a circus atmosphere and even the new candidate won’t be able to handle unless he rolls over and is subject to them.  He also talks about career politicians yet I don’t hear him trying to get rid of Skip for going for his 4^th (8 year’s) and his (8 years as Supervisor) for a total of 16 years times in office, wouldn’t he be classified as a ‘career’ politician?  Stafford isn’t upset about this?  Isn’t this kind of being two faced and not being honest about his feelings and statements?

On to the DPW race.  Skip has done too many questionable things to be re-elected.  There are too many lawsuits against the City (against Skip), including but not limited to the Betty French suit, The giving away of over $1 million dollars to 1 developer concerning water hookups without getting Council approval (required), changing the Charter and eliminating the hookup fees then charging certain developers water hookup fee but not the one he gave $1 million dollars to, also during this past very cold winter a plumbing firm I will not name the outfit but I’ll give you the first letter of their name ‘B’ was repairing a water line break and had to dig up the road over to the house, however when they didn’t finish that day left the hole open causing sever water main breaks. 

The major repairs are now being done on Washington regarding this and hopefully the plumbing outfit will be paying the City for the work and not us taxpayers, also the pressure he put on his Party to not have any Republican to run against Democrat Madigan for Commissioner of Finance even when the Party had 2 qualified candidates that wanted to run for the position and well just for being Skippy who is like past President Coolidge “Silent Cal”,  we call him “Silent Skip”, although Skip does try to get into a discussion but  forgets what he is discussing 1 minute into talking and when he does discuss an item and he gets around the ooh’s and uhm’s and finally sounds like he might make a stand he reverts to voting along with Madigan & Matheisen.

Skip’s opponent is former DPW Director of Public Works and he did a good job while doing his job.  The one mark most people think Bill has is his last name, McTygue.  Bill’s brother Tom was a good Commissioner for years and the Skipper ran a successful election victory beating Tom McTygue.  However, Bill is his own man and he was involved with many popular and important projects.  The one thing noticed by City residents and tourists alike is the appearance of Downtown and how dirty and unkempt it is.  This is not good. Infrastructure was certainly updated during these years and won’t be a problem. Let’s do as John Stafford says and vote out a career politician and give a chance to someone who will probably be a better fit for the job and the City.

As for Madigan & Matheisen, their absolute disregard to the majority of citizens who have spoken on issues in the past 2 years and one who it appears wants to close businesses down and the M & M’s are the same two Commissioners who have gotten condescending and downright mean to citizens when they (citizens) are speaking, just about gives the nod for their seats to go to qualified opponents.

Of course everyone should thank all citizens who want to take their personal time to serve the City, there aren’t many and we do appreciate it.

So, here are our picks.

Mayor - Joanne Yepsen – she should continue to add to all the good projects she has done.

Commissioner of Finance – Ken Ivins, a former Commissioner who should be back in because of his knowledge and positive contact with citizens. It’s time to vote out one of two Commissioners who have gotten condescending and downright mean to citizens

Commissioner of Public Safety – Richard Wirth (it should have been Sarah Burger), it’s time to vote out one of two Commissioners who have gotten condescending and downright mean to citizens

Commissioner of Public Works – Bill McTygue – We need to get someone in that position who know what the heck is going on and one who will talk to, reply to and answer citizen’s questions directly.

Commissioner of Accounts – John Franck (running unopposed) ‘he can’t be beat even with an opponent.

Remember to vote, it is a right no one can take away from us, if you are going to be away get an absentee ballot.  

Election Day Tuesday November 3^rd, 6:00am – 9:00pm

Don’t complain about issues if you don’t vote.

IT’S STILL THE SAME

When I go away on an extended business trip like the one I just returned from I never read the local papers while I am not here so I can be surprised what things changed.  The problem is it’s always the same cast of characters doing crazy things.

Let’s take NYRA for example.  Tom Noonan who is one of the best bloggers around keeps his hand on the pulse of NYRA and informs the public with information we would never really know. 

Chris Kay the CEO of NYRA who is really totally blank about the Corporation and industry he is supposed to be the leader of has started another domino effect to change Saratoga Race Course from the most historic, beautiful, fan friendly track in the nation to just another race track.  The list to start according to Mr. Noonan and the NYRA webpage is:

• ·         A permanent structure built on the other side of the horse path that runs next to the end of the current club house.  It would replace the tent and the temporary modular boxes that have been used in recent years.
• 
  
• ·         A new picnic table area along Union Avenue, replacing the parking area now used by owners and trainers.
• 
  
• ·         A "Top of the Stretch Club" to be built at the end of the grandstand, intended "to attract a younger crowd to the Race Course."
• 
  
• ·         Moving the jockey quarters from the administration building to the Paddock.
• 
  
• ·         Eliminating the Open House held on the Sunday before opening day (which was always a fan favorite and a fan experience).

• ·         The continuation started last year of charging admission on Labor Day which was always ‘Fan Appreciation Day’
• 
  
• ·         Turning the lower Carousal into a Sports arena which would eliminate the free seating and replace it with a high end sports bar with a $40.00 admission fee.

Kay is also said to be looking into charging fans for taking water from the water fountains around the track and installing paid toilets.  If Cuomo who started this mess 2 years ago and extended the current board with Kay at its head for another year doesn’t make the change to privatize the track, Saratoga will be changed forever and its appeal will slowly dwindle.

This picture of Chris Kay was sent in by a racing fan, I cannot verify its authenticity as I have never met Mr. Kay.

I also see that the ‘Spirit of Life’ restoration is completed and the company that did all the work did a fine job.  However, this being an election I also see that Commissioner Scirocco is taking all the praise for his Department doing a great job, what about all the money paid to the firm that did the job?

The words ‘City in the Country’ keeps being thrown around and our feeling is that it is just a nostalgic notion that citizens want to keep in their minds.  I am sorry but that term does not apply to Saratoga Springs anymore.  We are just a concrete & brick City with big City problems.  A big problem we have that some areas I was in do not have is the washboards we call streets.  This would be just one problem I would be embarrassed about if I were Scirocco or Buckley.  This City’s streets are deplorable.  Come on Skip, do something about this.

A funny story in the news was the Commissioners getting into racing (harness) gear and sharing a sulky with a professional driver and running a race, everything was going fine I heard until Madigan put on the brakes and Skip, who was behind her stopped so suddenly he flew out of his seat and up Madigan’s 'wazoo' where it usually is during Council meetings.  The story, as related to me was that the 'wazoo' intake propelled Madigan into first place and the track’s vet separated the two with little problem.

As we all know or we all should know is that confessed child porn star John Tighe will be shipping out to prison in the Boston area at the end of July to a hospital that fits his health needs. 

The story floating around is that John won the lead part when he visited the slammer as Curly in the show ‘Men in Tights’.

I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July, we should all take time out of our celebrations to remember those who fought and those who died to make this great Republic and if you see Skip Scirocco, thank him for screwing our all American 4th of July celebration by selling our Congress Park out for the day (the first such screwing ever on this Holiday). 

THEY ARE RUINING OUR CITY!

This past Tuesday nights (June 2^nd) Council meeting shows what is wrong with the Councils majority namely the S&M’s.  S&M”s stands for Scirocco, Madigan & Matheisen.  So, what happened you ask?  If no one saw the meeting Madigan had a complete meltdown and embarrassed not only the City but herself big time.  I hope this is not the way she teaches her kids to behave when they don’t get their own way or someone calls her decision for what it is, pure bunk.  Now she is writing Letters to the Editor for Skip & Matheisen, signing their names to her letters.  Can't the boys write their own letters?

Here is the link and just click on Finance Department, sit back and watch in astonishment as Madigan melts down. 

http://saratogaspringsny.swagit.com/city-council/

Now whether you like or dislike Madigan you have to agree she acted in a bizarre and childlike way.  I don’t care who is running against her, she should lose and go away quietly (never quiet).  After her part of the meeting was over it was told to me she allegedly leaned over to Franck and whispered ‘you’re a dick’, maybe she forgot in her brain explosion his name is John.

The solar power law she wants changed is nothing more than an illusion to get the City Center parking lot built the way Baker would like it built, a Saratoga Monster.  She is going against the majority of citizen’s wishes and has behind her 2 favorite children, Skip Scirocco, Commissioner of DPW and Chris Matheisen, Commissioner of DPS.  We will now call Commissioner Madigan the Pied Piperess as she leads these two around very well and boy do they follow her.  In other words we would like her out of office.

During John Franck’s discussion he came up with a good idea.  The aforementioned property is worth at least $30 million dollars.  The City will make $20.00 (twenty dollars) over 20 years if Baker gets his votes from the S&M’s.  Franck argued why not start with a 2 story garage then have businesses on the Lake Ave. side that can generate income for the City in sales taxes etc., not to mention that it will create jobs.  But no, this wasn’t appealing to the 3 amigos.  They want big, big buildings in our inner core and want to give that piece of property away.  This will be a paid parking garage and Matheisen said that this would be the start of downtown paid parking.

Now we come to Commissioner Scirocco – He leads a protest within his own Party not to endorse any Republican to run against Democrat Madigan’s position.  This is so screwy that only a dog catcher could understand this.

Scirocco is the person that gave over 1 million dollars back to developers, yes he said they made 1 million dollars of upgrades but the upgrades were required to get the projects into development.  Then he holds a public hearing at a Council meeting on changing the law to drop water hookup fees costing the City about $250,000.00 - $400,000.00 per year, he holds a vote the same night which is very unusual and the law change is passed 3-2.  The best part of this is that because of this loss of income Skip had to raise the water fee for the citizens of Saratoga.  So, he thinks more of the builders than he does the citizens.

The next brain fart he has is the 4^th of July .  The group of citizens especially Kate Jarosh who has been heading the 4^th of July celebrations and has brought the celebration up as a showcase around the nation has been squashed by this Commissioner (Scirocco) as has our celebrated First Night.  

The 4^th of July celebration will still go on but using Congress Park was the best of the best.  Saratoga’s First Night has also gained a very great reputation but this year celebrations will not be able to use the Casino.  Scirocco, in his infinite decision making has booked 2 weddings for both the 4^th of July and New Year’s Eve.  I wonder if he was looking at a Chinese calendar when he booked these events.  These celebrations belong to the citizens of Saratoga and the multitude that come into town for each of these and blocked off every calendar the City uses.  He justifies his Karnack the Great thinking by saying ‘the City is making $3,000.00 each night’.  Well folks, he just told the citizens to f*@k off.

Flowers – N. Fox Jewelers wanted to plant their own flowers in front of their store on Broadway and received permission to do so by Comm. Scirocco but BARBERRY BUSHES?  BARBERRY BUSHES are an invasive species.  The bushes also have thorns, what will happen if a little tot falls into a bush?  The City should check this out and have the bushes removed. 

The State Attorney’s office and the Comptroller’s office are still in City Hall gathering information on these water deals. In other words we would like him out of office for a much better City and hope he follows the Pied Piperess out the door.

The Commissioner of Public Safety, Chris Matheisen is another one of the three that the clock has struck its final blow and he should also go.  He has already lost 1 lawsuit by not turning reports in regarding inspections of public buildings (17 in fact).  He also wants to close businesses down in Saratoga and may be responsible for one business owner to lose a buyer because for his penchant of limiting bar hours. 

Now owners of these establishments pay a hefty price for a license and a high price for insurance.  They also complied with his wishes to install computers and use trained security guards (bouncers).  Still he wants to cut back hours of operation and makes no bones about it, even making the looniest decision of creating a “Night Club District”. 

I now heard that in his campaign literature he is for the bar industry.  He also voted against the Police contract because of a 2 1/2 % raise instead of a 2% raise and he was joined in tossing the contract with none other than Madigan & Scirocco (who by the way has health benefits for life for being the City’s dog catcher).

What you have to understand is that most restaurants and bars or ‘Night Clubs’? close before 2 am but that is their choice.  I ask the Commissioner, why try and destroy someone’s livelihood?  Commissioner you have way too much police presence on Caroline Street, get some of them around the City, they are only a microphone call away.

All three need to go before we ask ourselves in the near future, what happened to Saratoga, it was such a nice place to live.

WHEN PIGS FLY!

As the Saratogian wrote, the weather finally cooperated for a while so the Mayor could deliver her State of the City address.  The address did not contain many surprises but did give a recap of her first year in office despite all the shenanigans that Scirocco, Madigan & Methiesen pulled to make her look the fool in 2014.  The only thing these 3 did was to show how incompetent and disrespectful they how bad they looked in a public setting.  Scirocco should have been out of office 4 years ago and Madigan and Metheisen after their first term.  In Madigan’s case if not for her Deputy and the permanent staff in her Department she would not be able to add 1+1, but shame on us for reelecting them.

The investigation that is going on now at City Hall regarding the improper absolving and handling of the water hookup fees is kicking into another gear, employees are still being called out of City Hall to be interviewed (some for the second & third time)  and it looks like more individuals are involved than before.  Also, the investigation into the possible incorrect legal notice on the Collamer lot bidding process is still ongoing.  One source in City Hall has said that the investigation could be moving into other areas that may have potential problems rearing their heads soon.  The State Comptroller’s and the State Attorney General’s offices are doing the investigations.

Where oh! where is Marilyn Rivers?   Marilyn, are you still working in City Hall?  Instead of promoting yourself to Scirocco for the soon to be filled Director of Public Works you should be doing your job as Risk and Safety Manager.  The trucks that are not city vehicles are still being parked on City property (you may need one of them when moving your office out of its current location), have you checked to make sure that these vans, small trucks and box trucks are not leaking any fluids that we the taxpayers will have to pay for clean up?  Marilyn & Skip, there are also quite a few old trucks that are awaiting auction parked at the ice rink, the same question here - have you checked to make sure that any of these vehicles are not leaking any fluids that we the taxpayers will have to pay for clean up?  Will you look into this?  WHEN PIGS FLY!

Marilyn, I also think that all City vehicles are supposed to be identified with a logo that they are Saratoga Springs.  The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner’s vehicles (no, not Donna Buckley’s) are not marked, come on get with it, please.  If this is how you operate Risk & Safety how will you do as Director of PW, or for that matter, if not you then current Commissioner mouth piece and acting Deputy Commissioner Donna Buckley?

 Marilyn, another problem you have ignored for years.  The pickup trucks that have trailers hooked up to them to pick up leaves, grass clippings etc. are over the legal weight limit for the driver not to have a CDL driver’s license and I was informed that they don’t have such silences.  Also, I was made aware that the employee who drives the large loader that removes snow etc. has no driver’s license.  What is the Risk to us and is that Safe?  Will you look into this?  WHEN PIGS FLY!
  

Commissioner Scirocco, I have noticed that there are tractor trailers that are going in empty into the compost facility and leaving fully loaded with branches, leaves etc. that we use to make our own compost, are you letting another outfit take our materials to process and make money or are you doing this so our citizens in Saratoga can get free compost this year?  Are you going to save our citizens money?  WHEN PIGS FLY!

Commissioner Scirocco, another question.  Why are there 2 City employee at the landfill Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s but only 1 employee on Saturday & Monday when they are the busiest days?  Nobody likes to work weekends but you should put 2 employees there on the busiest days.  Will the situation change this year?  WHEN PIGS FLY!

As I said,  as I was listening to the Mayor’s speech yesterday I felt it was sad that a person tries to do good for the City and is flanked at the Council table by those who would like to see her fail and thereby taking us down with them.  Will this year be different?  WHEN PIGS FLY!

We won’t get into Commissioner Mathiesen’s views which seem personal, regarding bar closing times, we’ll wait to see if he was wishing on a star or continues to want to deprive local businesses of making income.  Will he change his mind?  WHEN PIGS FLY!

If you missed a Council meeting or want to watch any part of it, you can catch the rerun of the meetings by departments by going to   http://saratogaspringsny.swagit.com/city-council/

Below is a picture from the Saratogian of the Commissioners listening intently to the Mayor’s speech.  Look at the captivating looks Madigan & Mathiesen have as the Mayor gives her remarks, they do look interested don’t they?  WHEN PIGS FLY!