SNOWPLOWING LEAVES??

Here in Saratoga Springs nothing is as it seems.  The celebrated Broadway once a celebrated top ten downtowns in America is now #99 out of the top 100.  The dirt, garbage and lack of clean parking garages in the downtown core, lack of summer debris, total lack of the leaf pickup in the fall and not in late November which leads to snow plowing of tons of leafs along with the snow is a sign the City is not what it used to be in keeping up with being one of the top 50 best small cities in the lower 48.

There is a reason for this decline and most of it is because of the incompetence of DPW Commissioner Skippy Scirocco.  He was unqualified for the job when elected and it shows.  The City hires more outside engineers when we have 2 that make good money and benefits, his motion to cease collecting water hookup fees on new buildings cost the City $1 million dollars in income by ceasing to collect on 1 project and since then he has lost about ½ million dollars per year, this money could have been retargeted to improving our ancient infrastructure. He takes care of neighbors and friends when their street needs paving or need new sidewalks.  

Scirocco being the only Republican on the Council never comes up with a clear thought unless coached by none other that ‘Magic Michelle Madigan”.

Scirocco’s son Mark who works for his father in the Water Dept. was arrested in Feb. 2018 for has been charged with a DWI in Milton, being assigned a driver to take him throughout the city so he can perform his job of reading and repairing water meters. The younger Scirocco is not allowed to drive a city-owned vehicle with a pending DWI, which would also be in violation of the city's fleet safety policy. From a TU article “When city meter-reader Mark Scirocco was arrested for an alleged aggravated DWI in February, he didn't lose his job. Instead, he got a driver.” 

  

“Scirocco added this kind of situation occurred in the past and "was been handled in the same exact way."

 Sharon McCormick, one of DPW's four meter readers, disputed the elder Scirocco's assertion. She said that the younger Scirocco is getting special treatment.”

"They are constantly hanging the fleet safety policy over our heads," said McCormick, who has feuded with the Sciroccos in the past. "If you can't drive, you'll be terminated."

“McCormick, who has worked for the city for 14 years, said that in the past when a worker got a DWI, the person was either given a desk job or fired.”

McCormick said it was proposed that Mark Scirocco be dropped off in neighborhoods and picked up later in the day so that Colucci wouldn't have to fit in all of his city duties as well as the younger Scirocco's. The idea was nixed, she said, so we pay for a chauffeur a salary & benefits for carting Mark around. 

 "Skip (Scirocco) said no way were they doing that," McCormick said.

Mark my words Scirocco will not be fired by his father but will instead be given an inside job.  The elder should be brought up on ethics charges by not turning the case over to the HR department to handle but even doing this might cause the Director of HR a vote on her salary increase. 

Court records show that Mark Scirocco, 45, was stopped on Route 29 in Milton on Feb. 17 at 3:10 a.m. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated DWI because of a blood alcohol content that was 0.18 or higher. He was also ticketed by the arresting Saratoga County Sheriff's deputy for unsafe lane movement.  His case has still not been decided in court.  It has been in court since Feb. 14^th and word is he won’t be back in court until the new year (2019).  Maybe he’ll throw a party.

After the fire at City Hall where most of the damage was from water our City Hall was gutted.  They found asbestos and had to remove it but gut the whole building?  There has been no update from the Mayor or Scirocco on a cost estimate. 

I heard they will be changing the inside of the building and making new arranged Departments.  I would think that this would need the approval of several Boards but none have been mentioned.  

 I hope Madigan’s $7,500 toilet wasn’t destroyed because the charge for fitting the seat to her derriere (buttocks) is a costly measurement.

We’ll have more in the upcoming weeks.

CHANGE OF THE CURRENT CHARTER? I DON’T THINK SO!

There is something rotten that will be on the ballot in November, the 6^th by the way.  The item is twofold.

1.    Charter Change

2.    Adding 2 more baby Commissioners with limited authority.

First of all the newly elected Mayor (Meg Kelly) who was elected by the Changing the Form of Government people did something underhanded.  Instead of fighting with the group It’s Time Saratoga in demanding a TIF recount which the County Attorney and both Democrat and Republican Election Commissioners would not allow even when the great Judge Nolan’s ruling was overturned by the Appellate Court  ( Nolan  must have the most cases he rules on overturned among all judges in the State).

However you can figure out why when the County Republican Committee gives SUCCESS $1,000.00 to aid them in the anti - Charter fight and Republican candidate Don Braim donated $500.00 out of his campaign funds to SUCCESS for the same reason.  Now I may be wrong but is it allowable to donate campaign funds for a City ballot proposal?

No Change in the form of government did not win by 10 votes when you look into why some people voted against Change – many people tell me that quite a few people didn’t like the City Manager form but wanted a strong Mayor form but they did want a change.  Imagine if they voted for Change instead and if things didn’t work out switch to a strong Mayor?  Not that I believe the City Manager would have been nothing but an excellent choice.

Back to Kelly gave a slap in the face to over half of the citizens who wanted a Change in the FORM of government not a retooled version of the dysfunctional one that exists now and after looking over the ‘proposed changes’ is still dysfunctional.

She appointed a new Commission to retool and the Commission was made up of the 5 Commissioners, their Deputies (who depend on their Commissioner for their job) and the City Attorney who had just gotten his salary doubled as Commission Chairman.  Now the first thing that stands out is do you think that a Deputy Commissioner will object to their boss?  Also, this Commission appointed by the Great Kelly has not 1 citizen on it.  This Commission is like the old adage “hatching rooster eggs - wasting time and/or resources”.  All they are doing is  stripping the Mayor of their duties and spreading them to different departments thereby making the position a ribbon cutter one like that one before the last Charter retooling under former Mayor Klotz which strengthened the position.

Much was made of the costs when changing over to a new form of government and cost estimates were given and made public in the financial analysis.

This new ‘proposal’s’ financial estimates lines are all $0 even when they know there will be added costs.  A member of the so called Commission said if they couldn’t figure out the cost they put a $0 in the space. Transparency is a wonderful thing

The retooling’s 2^nd part is adding 2 more baby at large Commissioners who can vote along with the Council members but cannot get involved in any Departments business.

SO ALONG WITH MANY CITIZENS VOICING THEIR OPINIONS YOU SHOULD VOTE A BIG NO ON BOTH ISSUES AND PRAY THAT THE OPPORTUNITY COMES AROUND AGAIN FOR A CHANGE IN THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND GET RID OF THIS RETOOLED DYSFUNCTIONAL COMMISSION FORM.

We can also thank our lucky stars that Madigan & Scirocco have both publicly stated they are not running for office in 2019.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN DPW AND DOES THE REST OF THE COUNCIL EVEN CARE?

DPW is in a mess and Skip is to blame for not keeping his head in the game as a Department Head should.  He was under-qualified for the job when he was first elected and if he wasn’t a guitar player and native son he wouldn’t have lasted for 1 term as the department and City are both going downhill.  The fact that he is Charlie Brown to Madigan’s Edgar McCarthy is comical and she does have her hand up where a dummy has to have it placed.

First it was Skip’s son Mark who was arrested for DWI blowing a .18 and 3 other charges.  He had his girlfriend pick him up after booking and not only was she charged with DWI but also driving under the influence with their child in the car.  She has had a past DWI so her charges constitute her arrest as a felony.

Remember all this happened in February of this year over 5 months ago.  Who else would have 4 major charges against them and still as of July 23^rd still not have the case put before a judge.

Now, another story development. Frank Brimhall a DPW employee was involved in a traffic accident while driving a City truck.  SSPD issued him a ticket and arrested him for driving with a suspended license.  This could be a potential and most likely a lawsuit against the City.

This is yet another hair brained lapse for Comm. Scirocco and the Human Resource Dept. because insiders tell me that there are many DPW workers driving around without licenses also some not having the proper class of license for driving the larger trucks and equipment.  Scirocco should be doing a license abstract periodically to make sure that his employees #1 have drivers licenses and #2 don’t have any marks that would affect the status of driving for the City.

In the Brimhall case not reporting his license suspension and continued driving should be cause for immediate termination, union or not and this Council should not give him a monetary going away package as they always seem to do.

This is another case of why this form of Government should be changed not played around with like it is being done with now.  Everyone has to vote NO on the updated Charter as it will cost us big money because of all the raises everyone gets and the funny part is that this was the reason Franck, Madigan and Scirocco gave as the biggest reason to vote against Charter change last year, funny how things change when you are on the side of making more money.   Franck, Madigan and Scirocco must go next year and we hope the opposing Party’s put up qualified candidates against them, well in Scirocco’s case a monkey could probably do a better job.

DOES OUR COUNCIL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON?

Do our elected officials drive around Saratoga Springs? Should I provide a ‘honey do’ list?

Get the intersections in order please! We need left turn arrows at many intersections.

For example: Union Avenue at Nelson, Nelson at Union Avenue.

Many motorists still do not understand the rules of the road. The Circular, Park Place and Whitney Place is technically a four-way stop but have you ever tried taking a left from Park Place onto Circular Street? It has become a death defying experience and is nearly impossible to navigate during Racing Season.

There needs to be a left turn arrow at the Union Avenue exit 14 intersection. It’s almost impossible to take a left turn onto Henning Road and it will be IMPOSSIBLE to turn there this Racing Season because the CRESCENT AVENUE bridge is closed. These things should have been remedied several months ago at the very least.

The local roads could have been paved months ago but if things were done logically than the tradition of doing things just minutes before the Saratoga Racecourse opens would be over.  And THAT can just not happen!

SARATOGA WHAT?

Has anyone seen the latest edition of Saratoga Living Magazine? It’s trying very hard to be something that it is not. There are some quality images in the zine and a nice local feature about Garland Nelson but other than that it isn’t that good. Until recently Saratoga Living was the best magazine around here and now it clearly is not. It used to be $5 and now it’s free. WTF? The new owner, local lawyer Tony Iianello has taken a high-quality product and has single handedly destroyed it in a little over a year. He has systemically fired most of the local writers and replaced it with writers who are not local folks at all. The new editor is taking the magazine in an entirely different direction and seems to be obsessed with celebrity. Ugh. I guess it’s safe to say that Simply Saratoga and the new Upstate Magazine will be vying for the best local stories and images.  It is just mind boggling that a once highly successful magazine is falling from grace right before our very eyes.

 

Saratoga Springs certainly has more pluses than most small cities but it still has an underbelly. There was the shocking murder of a local person two days ago. The kind of stuff that plagues other larger communities are slowly creeping into the fabric of Saratoga. The crime and pandemic of drugs, the air of desperation in the homeless and soon to be homeless population. The over development of our land and the meteoric rise of the cost of living here are making its indelible mark on our dear city. The downfall of Saratoga Living Magazine is symbolic of the uptick of superficiality of the entire nation in general. We used to rise above it and now it is an increasing weight on our shoulders. A burden of sorts, a malaise that you can see in those thrill seekers on Caroline Street just past the hour of midnight. They so much want to feel like they are having a good time but they know deep down they are not. Waves of sadness flourish until the wee hours of the morning; the witching hours as I call them. It pains me just to watch so I look away. Is the end near for Saratoga?  A fading star? What will finally break our winning streak? Only time will tell.

A FAMILY AFFAIR?

From the Daily Gazette

SARATOGA SPRINGS —“ A city employee, who is also the son of a city commissioner, was arrested in February on four charges, including aggravated driving while intoxicated.

Mark Scirocco, 45, a city water meter service worker and son of Anthony "Skip" Scirocco, commissioner of the Department of Public Works, was arrested Feb. 17 by Saratoga County Sheriff's deputies on Route 29 in Milton.

The charges include operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, aggravated driving while intoxicated, unsafe lane change and improper lane use.

Skip Scirocco said that, while his son hasn't been convicted, he is not allowing Mark Scirocco to drive a city vehicle while on the job. He added that if his son has his license revoked as a result of a conviction, he could face termination.

Once a city employee is arrested, Skip Scirocco said, the city's Risk and Safety director sends a note to the employee's supervisor notifying him or her of the arrest.

Skip Scirocco described his son as a "great employee."

"We've had people call the department to compliment him on his work ethic, and that's the kind of employee we want," he said. "He finished in the top three on the Civil Service test, so he didn't just get hired because he's my son."

Skip Scirocco added, "People make mistakes, and thankfully this didn't happen on the job or in a city vehicle."

Scirocco's position as water meter service worker was advertised on the city's website in October 2015 with a salary of $35,118.

The water meter service worker position required a Civil Service exam, which was given in December 2015.

The position advertisement stated, "This position exists in the City Water Department and involves responsibility for reading water meters, recording amounts of water consumption, meter installation, repair and maintenance duties. The work is performed under the direct supervision of the Water Meter Service Worker Supervisor and general supervision of the Water Meter Service Accounts Manager, following prescribed procedures."

Mayor Meg Kelly did not return a call for comment, nor did City Attorney”

Well, Well.  This incident happened on 2/17 and it was just in the Schenectady Gazette the other day (in May).  If this happened to you do you think you could keep it out of the papers this long?  The simple fact that it wasn’t even our local paper Saratogian shows how much the police may even tried to hide this tid bit.  Now if this part of the story is true little Scirocco’s girlfriend picked him up at the police with a child in the car and she was also under the influence but I guess since that isn’t in the paper it couldn’t possibly be true, right (lol). 

The part that makes us laugh is where Comm. Skip says “Skip Scirocco described his son as a "great employee."  My question is why is he even involved now?  Marilyn Rivers who insiders say was not notified by Skippy until a few months after the incident should recuse himself and let Rivers (the HR person for the City who should have been notified immediately) handle the case from here.  

The fact that Mark is still working and has to be driven around is something taxpayers should be concerned about.  If I am correct you need a driver’s license to have that job and more news from City Hall is that Comm. Skippy is trying to get HR or Civil Service to change the job description so he can still work.  This smells of corruption but don’t fear the Council will side with Comm. Skippy.

Also, news out of City Hall is that Madigan’s $750,000.00 bathroom is in a quandary because no one can find a toilet seat big enough for her to sit on.  She has dispatched Skippy to scour the countryside for one large enough.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN SARATOGA?

Are you asking yourselves, what is going on in Saratoga Springs? 

New sewer lines are going in on Congress St. and the work is being done by the County, are we paying the County and if so why can’t our own DPW do the work like they used to do and make money?

What is the latest regarding the alleged DPW arrest of Mark Scirocco and his wife who was driving DWI with a child in the car to pick up her husband from the hoosegow?  I think the venue has been changed and there has been nothing in the papers about this.  However, every day I read so many names of people arrested for DUI or DWI this has to be a political hot potato.

Under who’s authority on the Council was it when they build the new Woodlawn parking garage?  Don’t tell me I would guess Skippy’s.  The entrance to the lot is the size of a home driveway opening.  Does he dare buck the Mayor and Madigan and come to a simple solution?  Take out 1 parking space to the right as you enter the lot, remove the tree (plant in in the Park) and open up that exit/entrance so someone can get in if a car is in the outbound.

Paint stripes on Broadway so cars will take up 1 spot and while you are doing that put Mark Scirocco on a bike to drive around the streets in the downtown area to see if any more can be restriped.  Mark isn’t working,(can’t do his job without a license but he can ride a bike).

Safety situations cannot be ignored anymore because we are a very busy City these days.  The intersection of Woodlawn and Church and Railroad and Church are most dangerous if you want to take a left.  Whoever is in charge fix it, that’s why you are in your seat and getting paid no matter the amount.  YOU WANTED THE JOB.

Another street that is disconcerting is Franklin St. from Washington to Division St., with parking on both sides you can get 2 lanes of traffic in between the two sided parking only if 2 mini coopers are traveling that stretch.  Again, you asked for it so fix it.

CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER SAID

The famous American Charles Dudley Warner  journalist said:

'Politics makes strange bedfellows'

 Definition. Political interests can bring together people who otherwise have little in common. This saying is adapted from a line in the play The Tempest, by William Shakespeare : “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.”

THE BACK STABBER

CHARTER CHANGE VOTERS

Even in Saratoga Springs!  

Meg and Madigan

Madigan tried to have The City Democratic Party to remove Meg’s endorsement prior to 2017 election.

Meg betrayed the charter movement, cramming paid parking, and elimination of the gun show at the City Center all point to a rush to push legislation before citizens get a grasp of what is happening.  Strange bedfellows politics makes indeed. 

                                   THE BEDFELLOWS                                                              

HAS JUDGE NOLAN HAD THE WOOL PULLED OVER HIS EYES? IT'S FOR YOU TO SEE

JUDGE THOMAS NOLAN

JUDGE NOLAN'S CHARTER RULING WILL BE APPEALED!!

Taken from Bob Turners Readers View:

 On Feb. 6, State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Nolan ruled against Gordon Boyd in his request for access to ballot records from the Nov. 7, 2017 city charter referendum. The margin between no and yes was 10 votes.

A recount of the charter referendum would have allowed the voters and citizens of Saratoga Springs to validate the results. I believed the judge erred in important ways that raise larger questions about the integrity of our elections.

In many states, there are automatic recount provisions when there is a close election, usually .5 percent of all ballots cast (the charter proposition lost by less than .1 percent). To get a recount, technically called a recanvassing in New York, voters must ask a judge to order the Board of Elections to do a recount based on evidence of voting machine malfunction or irregularity. However, in order to show a malfunction or irregularity, you need copies of the ballots, which can only be provided by the Board of Elections.

It’s a Catch-22. In order to get a recount, we need to show the Board of Elections has made a mistake, and the only way to do that is to have the Board of Elections provide the TIF files of those ballots, which they have declined to do. When Judge Nolan’s decision stated that the “petitioner presents no facts to support or justify his request,” it is because the Board of Elections Commissioners would not show us copies of the ballots.

New York uses the Dominion Voting Systems ImageCast Precinct voting machines. In their marketing materials, Dominion says their machines provide a “fully auditable single cast vote record for every ballot cast” in order to “increase the transparency of the voting process and augment stakeholder confidence.” In other words, our machines take a picture of very vote and the Board of Elections can easily provide a photo, technically known as a TIF file, of every paper ballot. In the New York counties comprising a majority of the state’s voters, TIF files are public property and are available to the public. This allows voters to easily see whether the ballots match the vote totals and ensure voter confidence in the process. However, the Saratoga County Board of Elections has decided not to provide these to the public, nor have they provided any explanation as to why.

The County Board of Elections says that they conducted their traditional post election audit of 6 election districts in Saratoga County and “found no discrepancies between the totals reported on the machines and the paper ballots cast in those districts.” However, Judge Nolan notes in footnote #3, that “None of the six was in the City of Saratoga Springs.” We have a 10 vote margin and the County Board of Elections did not recheck the vote totals for a single machine in Saratoga Springs.

New York State made the wise decision in 2010 to keep their paper ballots instead of going to electronic voting. It ensures public confidence in election outcomes by allowing us to count the ballots. To quote Ronald Reagan, trust but verify. This is why I have filed a FOIL request with Therese Connolly, Deputy Clerk of the Board for copies of the TIF files. The TIF files of our ballots are public property. They should be a matter of public record. The charter referendum may win or lose, but transparency should always win.

LOOK FOR MORE TO COME

PREDICTIONS

Here are the first of some early predictions for 2018

11.    Finance Commissioner loses another Deputy and will name her 4^th, most in the history of Saratoga politics.

22.    NYS Supreme Court rules in Gordon Boyd’s favor vs. Saratoga County Board of Elections and the BOE will have to do a hand recount of ballots cast for the Charter referendum.

33.    After the recount, the Charter proposal passes by 50 votes and will be on track to start in 2020.

44.    Republican Chairman & Democratic Chairwoman both get booted from their positions and Republican Chairman Hogan tries to practice law again, NOT.

55.    After Charter wins, John Franck & Michele Madigan can’t take the pressure and elope.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, I THINK

Well it’s a New Year and let’s hope things won’t  be getting worse before they get better.  However, we still have Scirocco & Madigan in office and that could bring big problems.  Now that we have a new Mayor, my wish is that she can gavel Madigan (which will most likely be every meeting) down and put her in place as the Finance Commissioner not the out of control ego maniac  she is. If Mayor Kelly can accomplish one thing, that is to keep the Council meetings in check and moving along instead of letting Madigan bloviate, the city might get something done.

Skip Scirocco and The DPW/Water Department had a big problem with lead in the City’s drinking water in 2017. Additionally, at the end of 2017we found out even more  troubling news, Scirocco tried to hide facts from those who drink City water.   A locational average of four quarterly samples is used to determine compliance with the New York State public drinking water standard. Samples are collected at 4 locations within our system – Louden Rd., Van Rensselaer St., South Broadway and Skidmore College.  The report that he does not want you to know!

In samples collected during August of 2017, the average level of THMs was 82 micrograms per liter (ug/l) at the Skidmore College testing site.

The DPW report is understating the issue. Each testing location has to stand on its own per the USEPA Clean Water act as of 2013. Locational averages are no longer allowed. Further each position must carry that value for a full year as each measured position carries its each own average value over the course of a year.

In essence, prior to 2013, you could have a problem (hot spot) but white wash it away by averaging it across your whole system. That is no longer allowed. Each sample position carries a rolling 12-month average so 1 bad reading will have an impact for a year.

I’ve seen how poorly DPW/Water Department is negligent in their control of chlorine usage is. This is 100% a result of that lack of control and the fact that we have a shallow, organic ladened, surface water source. And poor leadership in DPW

There is a reason that back in 1977, we decided THMs and HAAs were important enough to regulate, start to monitor and establish increasing restrictions. 

Google the Saratoga County water system and the issues they had around 2013-2014 when multiple towns (Halfmoon for sure, I think CP too) shut off supply due to this issue).

It’s bullshit to suggest this is DPW report not a big deal.

THM’s According to a University of Florida report, exposure to THMs may pose an increased risk of cancer. According to Rebekah Grossman, two THMs, chloroform and dibromochloromethane, are carcinogens; and another THM, bromodichloromethane, has been identified as a mutagen, which alters DNA.  Now how many areas in the City had this problem since DPW only checks 4 spots?  Is there anything that can be done as a preventative measure, yes but DPW does not have these in place.

 The use of chlorine to disinfect water produces various disinfection byproducts, which have been classified mainly as halogenated and non-halogenated byproducts. These primary byproducts are trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids. THMs are the byproducts of chlorination of water that contains natural organic matter.

Saratoga once had very good tasting drinking water but those days are long gone, heavy chlorination has taken that away and that’s where the problem lies especially during track season.  As I said there are inexpensive measures to keep the  disinfection byproducts in check.  They should be used.

Doesn’t anyone keep the residents of the City updated about important matters especially when we are thinking about placing our relatives in places like Wesley Health Care Center or Saratoga Hospital?

In the Fall of 2016 2 lawsuits were brought against 1) Saratoga Hospital and 2) Wesley Health Care Center in connection with an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in these 2 institutions last fall. Saratoga Springs resident Susan Gonino has sued Saratoga Hospital, claiming she contracted Legionnaire's while admitted to the hospital for surgery in October and The son of Alice Johnson, an 86-year-old woman who died in October after contracting Legionnaire's disease at the Wesley Health Care Center, has sued the nursing home.  Come on Skip, what the hell are you doing to us?

The city’s main water source - Loughberry Lake has not been inspected for 29 Years.

Yes 29 Years!!!!

The issue was brought to the council table by Mayor Yepsen, and  DPW/Water Commisssioner Scirocco said it was not needed!!!! More BS by SS.

 A City Hall insider told me that Scirocco hired an outside firm for $60,000.00 to come up with a study on how to flush the hydrant system, (you have to do it in sequence so you keep the crap moving down the line) but I was told that the Swami (Scirocco) has never followed the the plan.  The previous Director didn’t need to spend the $60,000.00 and I can’t remember anyone dying from bad water.

Finance Office

I can already hear the excuses spewing from Commissioner Madigan’s mouth. She is up to her eyes in debt and she is hemorrhaging money!  Get ready for the blame game to start. 2016 was a 1 Million dollar deficit year, 2017 will be too. She already is borrowing money for 2018.

Let us see how long before she cries poverty.  

I will bet you we get a big property tax increase in the next budget.  There is a reason she has announced that this is her last 2 years on the Council.

ELECTION NOT QUITE OVER

Well, the election season is almost over.  There are 3 races left to be determined, the Commissioner of Public Safety post which if Peter Martin holds onto his lead will be the biggest upset in Saratoga Springs voting in years.  The second position will be that of the 2^nd Supervisor post, Tara Gaston currently holds the lead and the third is probably the most important vote in Saratoga Springs in the last 100 years, yes Charter Change.  In a surprising vote at the end of election night The Yes vote had a slim 48 vote lead over the No voters.   With over 500 absentee votes to be counted on Tuesday it will be nail biting time for all those involved with the outcomes.  If I am not mistaken most of the absentee ballots are from senior housing and nursing homes so this will be an indication of how or aged population is up to date with the goings on in the City.

Again, it is very sad that our Democratic & Republican Chairmen cannot handle their jobs.  One of their functions is to make sure every position has someone from their respective Party running for office.  In a City as great as Saratoga Springs that can’t be too hard of a job, there must be many people that want to take part in keeping this City great, right?

One of the most notable and pathetic things that came out of this election was to show how bad of a job our unopposed Commissioners are doing especially one that was highlighted throughout the campaign season and that is Commissioner Skippy Scirocco, not only can’t he do his job but it seems there is no direction coming from the Deputy position.

It was highlighted during the season that the water in Saratoga Springs tastes terrible, some areas had lead in the water and low pressure was a problem in many areas of the City.  Pictures showing the disgusting shape of our water lines were shown by groups with the hope someone in DPW would get it.  Well some revelation must have happened election night.

I want to start off by saying that the picking up of leaves and lawn debris has come down to once every 4 weeks, Skippy has sheared off staff to help Madigan keep her budget deficit under 2 million dollars this year, so he hasn’t got the staff to work the streets and has to pull them off that job and put them on other jobs.

That being said, Skippy is feeling the heat for the condition of water pressure, and of the water lines which I had showed you in pictures in previous posts.  I’ll put one up here.  

Now, at this time of the year, with freezing temperatures, Skip, Donna or his Deputy has decided to FLUSH the hydrants.  The problem with this is, it’s the wrong time of the year, not only is it freezing out but the water will pick up and carry the leaves that haven’t been picked up by DPW workers (as they now have to flush the hydrants) will be floating and will cover the water  drains.  What type of leadership do we have here and how can this Commissioner sit at the Council table saying how much worse off we will be under a new form of government?  This man in incapable of doing his job and has been for the last 10 years.  This is what we get for having Party leaders giving someone a free pass at election time.

Flushing of the hydrants will begin Nov. 13^th and will continue through, THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, November 24^th. 

Anyway, we wait to see what shakes out Tuesday.

Just one other tidbit, on election day, candidate and loser Mark Baker stopped in to most voting places handing out apples, something I don’t think was kosher for a candidate to do.

WELL IT’S TIME FOR THE ENDORSEMENTS

Next Tuesday is Election and I hope everyone will seriously think about the 3 unopposed Commissioners running and use your right to write in a name.  Below are my picks.

Mayor – Meg Kelly – she has experience running the office, is smart and reacts great with people

Commissioner of Public Safety –  Peter Martin -  He worked out well as Supervisor and his legal background is a benefit.  Mr. Braim is a retired police officer and on a City pension, not a good mix as I think a non -police person should do the job as Commissioner with the Police & Fire Chief running their own show with the Commissioner working with them when they need anything.

City Court Judge – Francine Vero – she has the experience being on the bench and also no one knows who the heck her opponent is.

Now to write in these names :

Commissioner of Accounts – Gordon Boyd (you don’t need to be a CPA, just good)

Commissioner of Finance – Jeffery Altimeri – CPA, Former Senior Vice-President of Finance of a company doing 19 Billion dollars of business a year, yes,  $19 BILLION.  I think I would trust his financial recommendations over who we have now and he most likely wouldn’t have put the City in a 1 million dollar Budget deficit this year.   Also as John Franck said at a Council meeting  about Comm. Madigan – paraphrasing ‘she is a librarian not a finance director’.

Commissioner of Public Works – Patrick Kane – why?  He found out Skippy’s nickname - Chicken S.

County Supervisors:  Vote for 2 out of the 4 running

Matt Veitch, John Safford, Tara Gaston, Pat Freisen

This is a tough one to pick as all 4 are very good candidates and I wish we could vote for all 4.  Alas, it cannot be, so here it is.

1.    Matt Veitch – he has the experience, gets things done and works with Republicans & Democrats equally

2.    Tara Gaston – Young, great ideas and a background to get things done.

As I said they all are good candidates and good people so good luck to all 4.

CHARTER CHANGE – VOTE YES – turn your ballot over and vote YES to proposal 4.

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.