Sunday, November 23, 2008

Week of November 23rd: Miscellaneous

The purpose of this Miscellaneous topic is to discuss any town related issues you feel are important that are not addressed in other topics. Please post any issues you wish to discuss in the comments section of this post. Thanks!

(If anybody has any suggestions for the blog, please contact me at mherman.st(at)gmail.com. Thanks in advance for your assistance!)

-Marc Herman

90 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paul how about when questions are ask you have the courtesy of responding.

Anonymous said...

This has to be the most arrogant Town Council on the face of the earth. Listen to them. They say we make money on tennis, we make money on Meals on Wheels. Not what the budget says.

Anonymous said...

Give me a break -- Gerry Byrnes -- no one belevies you -- we want to see the nubmers.

Anonymous said...

Greenburgh budget priorities misplaced
• NOVEMBER 25, 2008
Post a Comment Recommend Print this pageE-mail this articleShare

Text Size: Normal | Large | Larger
Greenburgh Budget Priorities Misplaced

In response to Stacey Anderson's Sunday article concerning police cuts in Greenburgh ("Recent burglaries leave Edgemont residents uneasy"), Supervisor Paul Feiner misses the point. Everyone understands that there will always be burglaries. The point is that police staff should be maintained at a level that doesn't invite crime, but deters it. Feiner's proposed cuts will result in increased response times as well as a likely increase in street crime. At the Nov. 12 Town Board meeting, Chief John Kapica told the board that cuts in the police budget would compromise public safety.

While cutting essential services for police, garbage, snow removal and leaf pickup, Feiner's budget leaves intact a host of non-essential services, such as: $286,000 for a nutrition program that has Greenburgh taxpayers subsidizing meals for seniors outside of Greenburgh; a $100,000 gift to the Fairview Fire District; $61,000 for "Council on the Arts;" $167,000 for a police SWAT team; and another approximately $167,000 in matching expense for a new after-school program that could be obtained tax-free from the local YMCA to name just a few.


Feiner's response to residents' concerns has been to tell them to deal with it. It's either Feiner's way or another double-digit tax increase. While no one wants another double-digit tax increase - it's already up to 30 percent for this year and next - residents should not accept cuts in essential services until Feiner has taken the pork out of this budget.

Michelle McNally

Scarsdale

Anonymous said...

why is mcnally pulling punches - the town has bought unnecessary parks like taxter ridge and runs a cesspool of cronyism and racism at the tdycc - why not call for the park to be sold and the tdycc offloaded to the ymca - and why all quiet on the library fiasco (something feiner opposed)

oh - and what about juettner and sheehan? as bernstein says - they are on board with feiner on this pork filled budget.

feiner may be bad but his enablers are equally at fault for the town's budget woes

michelle - is this the best you can do?

Anonymous said...

Dear Anon at 8:23: The Journal News has a 250 word limit on its letters. Michelle's letter is exactly 250 words. If you think there's more to say on the subject, you should write a letter of your own. The only catch is that you have to sign your name -- like Michelle did to hers.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Jerry Byrne is off base.

Kolesar how about checking his figures.

Boy I guess here's another department that need to be investigated.

You say we take in so much money from Greenburgh residents. How can this be possible when almost everyone that takes advantage of the lunches never pays a dime .THEY ARE POOR.

Jerry give us a break. Report the truth instead of giving us figures that any investigator can prove to be inflatted.
I thought that maybe you could be some what honest but I guess I was wrong.

Anonymous said...

Last night's Town Board meeting was a joke. Go ahead, LOL. As I have written before, the night was calibrated to ensure that the Public Hearing on the Budget would start after 10:00 and this late hour would deter the public from staying and therefore commenting. Even knowing this, I would have been there however, I also have a cough.

What do readers think the purpose was behind Feiner adding the off-Agenda pregame show called the Children's Chorus from Dobbs Ferry?
Who else knew about it in advance? Certainly getting that many kids to Town Hall at the last minute was unlikely. However, Feiner must have made these arrangements well in advance.
And they served their purpose which was to use up time. Like all the other essential presentations that had to occur last night. Feiner begging each girl scout to say something. How much does the Town spend on certificates of appreciation? The boring history of the Tappan Zee Bridge which concluded with what? The cable segment which renewed our knowledge that negotiations are still underway. THE GIS routine which may have seemed impressive to those who don't know that such systems exist already for those in the real estate industry and certainly for lay people, while google and microsoft provide aerial shots. But what is the point other than to prop up the damaged goods, the Assessor. Will this software stop the downward spiral of ratables? Will this software speed up the cert process so that applicants can get tax refunds sooner? What is the purpose, why is Greenburgh first, how are we saving money when the Assessor's budget and off-budget expenses (appraisals, legal fees)are all increasing?

9:00 rolls around and with it the 3 minute public comment which used to start around 8:00 (meetings start at 7:30) and there are too few speakers to make much of a dent into the time remaining before 11:00 so the Town Board divides the voting into two parts, with the bulk of these votes done following Public Comment. Never before so much comment by the Town Board on what is being voted upon. However, despite the stretch, there was not enough time for the Town Clerk to read the answers to submitted written questions left unanswered from the meeting before (she tried, but was rebuffed by Feiner).

Finally at 10:00, the Public Hearing on the Budget began and there are only two residents and Mrs. Malaprop left. Bob Bernstein, the "mystery" author of an article in The Scarsdale Inquirer, repeats his points -- all based upon the Budget as released by the Town. The Town tries to throw a monkey wrench into the works by calling on Gerry Byrne to defend the controversial nutrition program. Gerry Byrne, a nice guy, just doesn't get it. For example, when I unearthed that private tennis lessons were costing the Town $30,000 after fees, Mr. Byrne thought that the program was a wash because he wanted to throw in the revenues from the sale of tennis permits against the costs of providing lesson fees. I suspect that a similar accounting malfunction is at work here. In any case, the program is geared up (capital spending) to produce large volumes of meals -- something that should never had been done had Greenburgh been preparing meals only for Greenburgh residents.

However, the exchange of pleasantries served its purpose because Mr. Bernstein used his time up defending his points against the counter-attack and was unable to get to the second stage: his comments on B budget items.

Ella Preiser asked about whether any additional Public Hearings were being scheduled due to the end of year scheduling crush and the lack of a revised version of the Budget to indicate corrections and changes already known to just the Town Board. Feiner and the Town Board avoided the committment to schedule Public Hearings on the Budget and instead made some allowance by scheduling off the record Public Discussions.

Ella also threw in at the end, a comment about the Library's reduction in budget from 2008 levels. Ms. Preiser, no doubt, was reacting to what she saw in the Budget book and didn't understand how the numbers for books, etc, could decline for a much larger building, especially in hard times when she might have greater need of the Library. All of this seems logical but what Ella overlooked is that the Library no longer has any budgeted expenses for the cybermobile (which appeared in 2008), they show a 2009 $246,000 contingency fund (up from 2008's $73,000) and for all the talk of no money last year, the Library still had an unspent $200,000 of operating funds which they managed to divert to bailing out the Libary expansion project. Finally, since it is accepted that the Library Trustees have no obligation to follow the division of spoils as represented by the line items, the public, and Ella, have no idea of just how much spent on books and dvds is the correct figure or the amount needed to serve the community.

Written comments, submitted by a resident with the request that they be read at the meeting, were not read.

And that was the second Public Hearing on the proposed Budget. The Town Board continues their "scrutiny" of the individual Departments this afternoon in the work session. This is round #2 of the work in progress -- a work that will be completed with little time for the public to comment on the final product.



Finally, just a question thrown out for reaction. Could Kevin Morgan be angling to be the next Chief of Police? If so, that poses an interesting question. Is it possible to collect a full disability check from the Police Department and also be a full-time Police employee? Let's see if a potential $150,000 pay check can work wonders in curing disabilities. "Look ma, I can walk..." Such curative wonders have been discovered recently to perform equally well at the LIRR.

Anonymous said...

The nerve of our Town Council -- they want residents to stop righting letters to newspapers. Have they heard of free speach? Guess not. They say they want us to come to them first -- yet they limit time at public meetings and never respond. I would say they are the most overconfident, self-important, egotistical people on the face of the earth -- but since Feiner and his team keep getting elected -- we are the fools.

Anonymous said...

Sent to the Town Board yesterday.
So far, no reply.

"All animals are created equal; some are more equal.

It has come to my attention that the "Grand Opening" of the Greenburgh
Public Library is being presented on a restricted basis to some
Greenburgh residents, while not to others. The "Opening" is set for
Sunday December 14 whereas the public at large assumes that the new Library will be open on Monday December 15. To my knowledge, as of this writing, no public notice regarding Sunday's event has been made.

Furthermore, those invited to attend are requested to RSVP by December 1. Surely the new 46,000 building is large enough to accommodate those residents who would otherwise choose to be present. Is it because the
Trustees are ordering individual lobsters for those attending?

Are the Library Trustees deciding whose property taxes are more
beneficial and whose are not? The Library is supported by taxes upon
the general population of unincorporated Greenburgh.

Under separate cover is my email request to examine the mailing list of those invited to the show."

Wouldn't you think that Brodsky, Cousins, Bronz and Spano would enjoy a larger turnout?

Anonymous said...

This library has turned out to be a bigger disaster than was thought.

Will all the residents and outsiders have this monster available to them or will you have to have aspecial ID to allow one to enter.

Paul and the board made a terrible mistake in taking our tax dollars to make a new building which will not be used by the public.
This place will be another baby sitting facility.

Hey Hal,maybe I say maybe the affair at the library on the 14th is for Al Regular,thanking him how great he was in his ways to deceive the pulic.
Just think about it .

Anonymous said...

Just sent to the Town Board.
I am sure that someone will read their mail before the afternoon work session. Let's see how well the Town Board handles responsibility.


"I understand that the Library is dropping by to review their budget and perhaps offer a few protests.
The Town Board and the Public need to be aware of the sides of the argument that the Library does not present.

Given that the Library (and Town Board) believe that the budget request, insofar as they comply with breaking down expenses by State-wide initiated identification codes, is a sham in reality; there has to be some basis of comparison of items to allow some analysis.

Some of the items are Town directives, heat, maintenance, benefits. And whatever the process whereby the allocation to the Library is derived,, the Town Board need not waste time arguing in defense of these numbers. If the Library wants to move money around at will, so can the Town. Thus, if the Library wants to pay $1 for maintenance, $1 for insurance, $1 for heat -- let them. However at the same time instead of allowing them a total budget of $3,358,000 for 2009, just subtract $411,342 ($411,343 minus $1) for maintenance from their total and the Town can pay this resulting shortfall from the funds not advanced to the Library. Similarly, the same can be applied to all of the other items protested as too high.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If the costs are too high, remove them and the accompanying funding and everyone should be happy.

The Town Board needs to recognize that on a comparison basis, 2009 is looking at the 2008 total which included cybermobile expenses which did not materialize but appeared in the 2008 totals. Removing them from 2008, narrows the gap between 2008 and 2009.

The Library's budget does not show any salary increases for the contentious positions of years past. The Library Director, the Assistant Library Director and the Secretary to the Director (the inner circle) receive raises from permission of the Library Board of Trustees. By arranging these votes after the budget submission, the Town Board may not have their peace of mind, regarding these amounts, disturbed until after the fact -- and after the budget passes. In Executive Session, the Library Trustees have recently voted to make the Library Director a permanent position. At their last meeting, what transpired in their Executive Session is still unknown and there is another Trustees meeting scheduled in December. The Town Board could ask at today's work session if these raises are known as of this sitting and what are the Trustees' intentions.

No one knows how many books, dvds should be ordered in any one year. No one knows how much need be spent; what is the correct amount -- particularly when the Greenburgh Library is part of the WLS. Thus the sharp reductions appearing in the collection lines does not, by themselves, address whether the lower amounts are inadequate. Last years numbers were questioned at the time to no avail. Still, as the end of 2008 approached, it was determined that the Library would show a supplus of around $200,000 which had to come from somewhere. Most of this balance has now been transferred from the operating account (which is the subject of your budget talks) to a newly allowed (by Town Board vote) capital account where it is being used for items that should be part of the expansion project budget. Not wanting to belabor this at this time, I shall merely state the obvious that last year's funding (deemed too little by the Library) was inflated and should not be used as any kind of baseline in determining increases or reductions for 2009. If they fooled you once, don't let that amount be the basis for a broad based, say 5%, reduction in 2009. And know too that what the 2009 budget includes is a
$246,000 contingency fund vs. $73,000 in 2008. Immediately concerns can be alleviated were much of this added to the lines for buying books and dvds.

The Library and the Library Foundation are welcome at any time to spearhead fund-raising drives to supplement their operating budget or even to add to their on-budget construction project.

Finally, and this is the key issue to whatever sum the Town Board consents to allocate to the Library for 2009:
Given the understanding by the Town Board that it is powerless over the disbursement of these funds AFTER their allocation, it is beholden upon the Town Board to safeguard the interests of Greenburgh residents and taxpayers in the only manner in which it can exercise control over the Library post funding. The Town Board MUST obtain a written agreement from the Library that states the days and hours of the week in which it shall remain open for the purpose of providing the following (such services to be filled in) menu of services to be provided during these hours of operation. Just giving them a check with no surviving representations is a license for the Library to revisit the chapter relating to lessened service to patrons. Last year, with the Town funds already determined, the Library cancelled cybermobile service and Sunday hours after the budget passed. As mentioned above, the Library, in fact, ended the year with more than adequate funds to provide these operations.

Thus, the public needs to be protected in 2009 from a repeat or similar performance. The Town Board wants to insure that the Library's acceptance of their Budget (happy or not) is also an obligation to provide service complying with the schedule(s) submitted to the Town Board. This should be in sufficient detail so as, for example, not to allow the Library to be open on Saturday but to close the children's room that day for budgetary considerations.

The Town Board when it dispenses of substantial sums of taxpayer funds needs to enact safeguards to protect these sums from misapplication. Since the Library and the Town Board appear to agree on the lack of post-funding governance initiatives, the only control the Town Board can exert is BEFORE funding. And, the Library Trustees being merely appointed officials not elective officers, run the show while Town Board begs off oversight of them is to effect a system of no responsibility for $3.3 million of our money -- and a sizeable portion of any year's tax increase.

It is time for the Town Board to stop pussyfooting around."

Anonymous said...

Hal,

Your discusssion is interesting, but compare the library with TDYCC, where the Town Board does have control.

TDYCC has no-bid contracts, no-show jobs, sweetheart deals with Silver Streaks, etc. Town control of the library will only make things worse.

Anonymous said...

I have not requested Town Board control over the Library. What I have requested is the the Library execute a service contract with the Town. In exchange for funding, the Library will remain open for these cited hours.

How the Library runs itself; how they spend their money is up to them -- as long as they agree to keep open. However, they should not keep playing last year's game of striking at their patrons' primary needs as the hostage in their gambit to secure increased funding.

If the Library intends to maintain its historical schedule of hours open for business, what is the problem to their stipulating so in an agreement?

Wouldn't it be odd to have a new and larger Library open fewer hours than in the past? I just want to ensure that the Town Board and the Library Board are both on the same page.

Anonymous said...

The chances of the outgoing library board securing additional funding from the town board for 2009 is nil, regardless of whether service provisos, if legal, were agreed to. Why bother? Why not just wait until the new library board takes office January 1? If there's limited funds, they'll prioritize as they see fit. If that means they re-start the cybermobile, while leaving the new building short of staff, supplies, and items to lend, so be it! In the meantime, sure looks to me like there's much bigger fish to fry in this disaster of a town budget.

Anonymous said...

3:01, you are so right, Paul and the Paulettes have loaded the library board with their people, so there should be no more complaints re the library. Lets focus on other problems.

Anonymous said...

Dear 3:01 and 3:34,
There are other fish to fry but they swim in a huge, well-stocked lake.

The new Library Board of Trustees (I haven't even met the last appointee), the newest three I have met do not appear to be the "bottom line" kind of people I had hoped Feiner would appoint.
The two who have attended meetings sporadically since appointment have sat there in the same ignorance as the general public -- not being offered or even asking for in lieu of an offer the monthly reports that the Trustee work from and discuss at the meeting. Thus, the appointees hear what the public hears and try to make sense from the comments the Trustees make among themselves.

The way it stacks up if I were laying odds is that there are two carry over trustees, one spring appointee siding with them as he was picked by the effort of his neighbor, the departing Chair.

Of the four newest appointments, one of these actually serving already is blown away by being able to tell friends he is a Library Trustee, one is timid and doesn't want to upset the apple cart. the third waiting in the wings is seeking to build a name for himself and the fourth I haven't met. None of the last four have backgrounds reflecting any specific knowledge of Library science or running a business.

Conclusion: The Board of Trustees will be led by the two holdovers from the past plus one and the Library Director will cultivate the newer Trustees by sucking up to them.

The basic premise is wrong. Either the Library is entirely independent and goes to the public directly for its budget and trustee appointments or it should be responsible to the Town Board and treated like a Town department.
I would be satisfied with either result.

What irks me is the pretense that the Library would like to be independent and would want instead to be dependant upon the largesse of the public. Once they embark on that road, their games will cease.

And with the opening of the Library I no longer support the cybermobile as it is after all, just a costly toy. However, since the Library Trustees assured the public during the pre-referendum tour that they would minimize the disruption of service by increasing the use of the cybermobile, I just wanted to hold them to their word. A difficult proposition as it turned out.

As for the other fish to fry, like Casablanca, I'll always have the Library. However, the existing Town governance provides opportunities like a train station, if you miss one train there will be another along in a few minutes.

Plenty of mistakes to share.

Even more than you and I have burners to cook them on.

Anonymous said...

I am watching the 11/18 worksession on TV. Kolesar is saying that the part time camp workers at TDYCC get $15/hour. And the council is saying that is fine. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. NO OTHER CAMPS PAY THAT.

Anonymous said...

No one cares about the B budget, Kolesar coudnt care less. Hes a village person. thats all he caresbout.

Anonymous said...

Bernstein sounds like Samis. Samis sounds like Bernstein.

Anonymous said...

Let's outsource all the jobs in greenburgh.Paul that would save money.

Anonymous said...

Wait a sec - does TDYC operate its own summer camp separate from the town Rec camp operated out of the school buildings? If so, how is this possible?

Anonymous said...

Yes, TDYCC operates its own summer camps separate from the summer camps operated by the Town's Parks and Rec Department. The duplication costs the town hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The camps at TDYCC cost very little to attend and offer free lunch to all campers. The camps at Parks and Rec cost a little more to attend, and campers must bring their own lunch.

Anonymous said...

If you think it's wrong for the Town of Greenburgh to be operating separate camps, one for mostly African American kids at TDYCC, and one for mostly white kids through Parks & Rec, contact the United States Department of Justice and ask for an investigation. This kind of municipal segregation of recreational facilities is illegal in America.

Anonymous said...

Did anybody see News 12 tonight?
another lawsuit against the police dept and police officers. How many millions is this going to cost?
it seems they can't deal with woman prisoners.

Lets get the state police to take over!

Anonymous said...

10:49 you are about as dumb as they come. Let me ask you have you ever been to the camps at afv park, my guess is no. Maybe at the tdycc the ethnicity is a little less mixed. But I do agree if this could be a shared service it should be. Just like many other things the town handles.

Anonymous said...

I saw the news report on channel 7. the lawsuit looks like it is totally without merit. The video tapes contradicts all the claims! Not a news worthy story, in fact the town should sue for defamination!

Anonymous said...

North Castle trims library spending, faces 8.6% tax increase
By Elizabeth Ganga
The Journal News • November 26, 2008

Post a CommentRecommend Print this page E-mail this article Share Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
Reddit
Newsvine
Buzz up! Text Size: Normal | Large | Larger
NORTH CASTLE - After months of mounting concerns about falling revenue from mortgage taxes and other sources, the town government is trying to estimate revenue conservatively in next year's budget while cutting costs.

Though North Castle has cut several positions - some that never were filled this year - and scaled back on recycling pickups, the town is still looking at an 8.6 percent tax-rate increase for 2009.


The rate increase comes from a projected drop in mortgage taxes of almost $600,000 and cost increases for salaries, gas and electricity, among other sources. With the economy faltering this year, the town froze hiring and eliminated all but emergency overtime to try to stay within budget. The hiring freeze will continue.

"I really wish that we could make this budget lower," town Supervisor Reese Berman said. "I just don't know if I can responsibly do it."

The $24.4 million budget for the general, highway and library funds - of which about $17.2 million is to be raised through property taxes - would cost a homeowner with the average assessment of $23,800 about $3,440 next year.

Some residents also would see charges in their tax bills for sewer, water and other districts. Town taxes are less than 16 percent of the overall tax bill, with schools making up about two-thirds of the total. A budget hearing is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall, 15 Bedford Road, Armonk.

The budget for North Castle Public Library will fall slightly but a proposed cut in evening hours was avoided.

"We're not ready to do that kind of cutting of services," Berman said.

The one change that residents would feel directly is a switch from weekly pickup of all recyclables to a system where paper and mixed recycling - bottles, cans and plastic - are picked up on alternating weeks. Berman said she worried this would be an inconvenience to some people and a hardship on others who must store more recyclables and haul them to the curb.

But others involved in the town's recycling and environmental efforts said it would be only a slight adjustment and carried the advantage of reducing garbage trucks in town. Now one truck will pick up recyclables and garbage instead of two traveling the same route.

"The trucks use a lot of energy" and spew a lot of exhaust, said Joan Kantor, coordinator of the Sustainability Committee of the Byram Hills PTSA.

It's also a sensible way to cut the budget, said Kantor and Diane Roth, a Realtor and a member of the town's Recycling Committee.

"The big thing is it helps us with our budget," Roth said.

Berman had proposed stopping the leaf vacuuming program and instead picking up bagged leaves to save money but the majority of the Town Board voted against the change.

The cost savings include flat Town Board salaries and only 2 percent increases for department heads, less than for union employees. Because the cost of asphalt is up, the town is paving fewer roads and doing more patching. More money was put in the budget for getting information to the public.

Reach Elizabeth Ganga at 914-666-6482 or eganga@lohud.com.

Anonymous said...

There are THREE camps. Greenburgh Parks & Rec, TDYCC, and Edgemont Rec all duplicating efforts. Total nonsense. Costing us huge money. And yes, we subsidize Edgemont Rec to run it's own camp. Outrageous!

Anonymous said...

It would cost much more to move the Edgemont kids. THEIR COUNSELORS ARENT GETTING PAID $15/HOUR.

Anonymous said...

There are only TWO municipally-run camps in the Town of Greenburgh, the camps at TDYCC and the camps run by Parks and Rec. The Edgemont Rec camp is run by a private company and costs substantially more than either of the two town-run camps. The money that Greenburgh pays Edgemont Rec is a mere pittance compared to the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Edgemont taxpayers pay to support the TDYCC and Parks & Rec camps. But it's important to ask what the payment is for: is Edgemont Rec providing a service to the Town of Greenburgh in exchange for the payment? If it isn't, then the payment, small as it is, should be reviewed and eliminated. That will, of course, make the Edgemont camp even more expensive, and will almost certainly encourage Edgemont residents to favor incorporation because it's clear that, with cuts to essential services, like police, sanitation, snow removal and leaf pickup, Edgemont would be a lot better off contracting with other municipalities for its own essential services, and discontinuing its support for the Town's non-essential services (including the illegal and duplicative town camps) which serve Edgemont not at all.

Anonymous said...

8:36, you are right, but it is good to get this out in the open. The Edgemont camp does not provide lunch, and does not pay its counselors anywhere near what TDYCC people recieve.

Anonymous said...

Due to mistakes made in the rush to meet the state-mandated October 30 deadline, Feiner reported a 7.7% hike in combined town taxes, when in fact the actual number was more like 8.9%. This fact was disclosed last week by town board members at a meeting of the executive committee of the town's Democratic Party and has been confirmed in writing by the town's comptroller.

Feiner, however, refuses to admit the truth and, in this connection, ordered the town comptroller not to confirm the information when asked by the press. He also ordered the town comptroller not to disclose the corrections at Monday night's public hearing on the budget. Instead, Feiner pledged that no matter when, he'd stick with his 7.7% announced hike, even if it meant cutting more essential services or dipping even further into the town's fund balance.

Why do we have a town supervisor who refuses to acknowledge the truth? Why is he so lacking in candor when it comes to addressing the public about a matter as important as town finances and taxes?

The answer is clear. He doesn't know what to do except to try to control the information flow. He doesn't realize, of course, that the mistakes that were made have been disclosed -- and that every time he refuses to acknowledge the true facts that the 7.7% hike should have been 8.9%, he looks foolish in the eyes of the Journal News and the Scarsdale Inquirer.

He also looks pretty foolish every time he announces on his blog (anonymously of course) that "we did better" when referring to another town's tax hike that came in higher than 7.7%. Of course, none of those other municipalities had to draw down from their fund balance to get to the hike they reported. Unlike Feiner, they are being honest with their constituents.

Feiner should not only be candid about the hike that GReenburgh is facing in 2009, but also about the hike Greenburgh will be facing in 2010, when once again, even a 5% hike in spending will result in a 20% plus hike in taxes, and there may be no fund balance to draw upon.

Anonymous said...

My 4 year old attended the Town Rec camp this past summer. It cost about $750. I inquired about Edgemont which allows some non-Edgemont kids in, but it costs twice as much with fewer hours. I was very pleased with the Town Rec camp and my daughter enjoyed her summer and wants to go back. The kids were from very diverse backgrounds, so it's not true that Greenburgh runs racially segregated summer camps. The racial issue, I suspect, comes in the counselors. Like the Veterans' Pool, the teens working as counselors at the Rec Camp were also diverse, although the majority I saw were white. Is the hiring situation the same at TDYCC? or is the Town actively engaged in a racially discriminatory hiring system? Either way, it makes no sense that the town operates two systems. For the little kids, the Town Rec camp operates out of Jackson School which is probably less than one mile from TDYCC. I'm not sure which town pool they use. How come we taxpayers tolerate this insane duplication of resources.

Anonymous said...

My 4 year old went to the greenburgh camp at the lee jackson school. It was great he loved it , the counsolers were very good kids and the camp was super affordable!

Anonymous said...

Where does Supervisor Feiner's daughter go to camp?

Anonymous said...

Why hasn't anyone answered the question posed last week about whether the Town carries "Errors and Ommissions" insurance?
The question can be answered with a single word - YES or NO.
If the Town does carry the insurance, a claim should be filed regarding the Town Assessor's error in determining the proper application of STAR to the rolls of the various school districts. The taxpayers would then be shielded from an unexpected shock when they open their second half school tax bills next month.
If the Town does not carry such insurance the Supervisor owes the taxpayers a sound explanation - or his resignation.
This is the most current example of why Greenburgh needs professional management instead of being governed by political hacks.
No self-respecting (or even halfway competent manager) would have allowed her/himself to be caught in this kind of mistake. While Mr. Feiner has created unbalanced budget after unbalanced budget (no Virgina, using the "fund balance" does not mean the budget is balanced - it means the expenses exceed the revenues once again) a professional manager who did so would find his contract expiring without discussion of renewal. Feiner says his $130,000 (more or less) annual compensation saves us money. It doesn't. Imagine a professional manager cost $200,000 annually. Feiner's failure to carry adequate liability insurance for Central Avenue cost the Town roughly $7 million including litigation and borrowing costs. It would take 100 years for the salary difference between a professional manager and Feiner to cover the cost of that single incident. God help us all if Feiner remains as Supervisor for 100 years.
Now we are faced with another error which a professional would not make.
Whether or not the Town carries an errors and ommissions policy, the Supervisor should be loudly and publicly requesting the Assessor submit her resignation posthaste.

Anonymous said...

A professional manager would have told Mr. Feiner not to make statements re the proposed Fortress Bible application. Now we are facing a large lawsuit on that.

Anonymous said...

That's right! The Greenburgh Parks & Rec's camps are terrific! There is no need for Edgemont to spend the money they do to run its own camps and there is certainly no reason for Greenburgh to be subsidizing them either. TDYCC should NOT run it's own camp program! PERIOD.

Edgemont complains about where the money goes because it DOES NOT want the service for itself. Too low brow. Too bad. So, pay for your own camp! Don't take town money, pay for the use of the pool & stop bellyaching about what the town spends on Parks & rec just because you find the service unsuitable.
PS Dear Edgemont Recreation Corp,
Stop donating your money, some of which is Greenburgh Tax dollars, to your schools and the Scarsdale Teen Center.

Anonymous said...

Edgemont Rec is a private not for profit corporation, no different than Dad's Club. The reason for the success of Edgemont Rec's camp is that it's run on the athletic fields of the Edgemont School District (the high school), which makes it close to most Edgemont residents' homes and easier for parents to drop off and pick up their kids. It has nothing to do with snobbery. Edgemont's camp costs more because, among other things, Edgemont Rec has to supply its own transportation, at its own expense, to transport campers and staff to the town pool.

Greenburgh's Parks & Rec camps are run on the grounds of the Greenburgh Central schools, which are not close to Edgemont's residents, and are not convenient for drop off and pick up. Parks & Rec supplies its own transportation, at taxpayer expense, to transport campers and staff to the town pool.

Edgemont taxpayers are not looking for handouts from the Town of Greenburgh, but they have every right to expect the Town to eliminate duplication of services wherever possible, just like any other Greenburgh taxpayer would want to see.

Edgemont Rec's support of the Scarsdale Teen Center is another matter. The Town of Greenburgh provides NO SERVICES WHATSOEVER to Edgemont teens. (The same may be said for Hartsdale teens too). Edgemont teens, like Hartsdale teens, need a safe drug and alcohol free environment in which to socialize. The fact that the Town provides Edgemont teens no services, while charging Edgemont taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to support services for children at risk at TDYCC, is wrong.

The fact that Edgemont Rec has stepped up to the plate and donated money to the Scarsdale Teen Center so that Edgemont teens can use it is the right and responsible thing to do. The fact that the Town of Greenburgh continues to take Edgemont's money for services it does not provide is convincing more and more Edgemont residents that the time to incorporate as its own village is NOW.

There is absolutely no reason to think the political climate in the Town of Greenburgh is going to change any time soon, and that Edgemont will get its fair share of the town's tax dollar. Edgemont would therefore be much better off financially by providing for itself.

Anonymous said...

is this the same edgemont that voted for juettner,sheehan and barnes (now gone)?

did they not vote for timmy weinberg?

is this the same edgemont (or part of it) that keeps talking about incorporation when such a thing is political fantasy?

edgemont will do better when it forms alliances with existing voters in the town to get rid of the hacks edgemont helped put on the town board.

Anonymous said...

As a kid, I never liked camp.
(some previous posts were about the Town's three day camp opportunities)

But we've got an original camp classic (bad taste department) going on right here in Greenbugh.
I am pasting this from where I originally posted it, I think on the heading relating to the meeting on the budget...girlscouts, tz bridge...

I've been sitting on this material for months waiting for the Budget discussions and the results of the Town Board seeking out citizen's opinions and counsel. Here's one that they have overlooked.

Eliminate the buy-outs of health insurance coverage for employees. I introduced the topic using the three Town Board employees who get paid in lieu of signing up for the Town's paid insurance coverage.

Actually, what I did was bait the trap because if you read on, you will see from my response how I handled comments regarding the fairness of buyouts.

Posted a few minutes ago.

"Dear 11:08,

How does it penalize employees if they have already opted to take their spouse's health care or their own plan from another job.

However I have limited the discussion on purpose to just three persons, Juettner, Sheehan and Morgan, for a good reason.

Here we have PART-TIME employees being offered fully paid health care coverage.

Here we have PART-TIME employees who say they are working hard to cut out any fat in the budget for the purpose of reducing taxes.

And most egregious of all is PART-TIME employee Kevin Morgan who has free health care coverage already provided by the Town of Greenburgh. Because of this, he is able to collect a buy-out. Does this seem to be a little over the top? Does double dipping sound like a viable descriptive?

Again, just in case you have missed the red flag: the Town Board (agreed an earlier Town Board) voted to grant themselves full-time health care and retirement benefits for their PART-TIME efforts. Presumably that Town Board was not focused on ways to save taxpayers money.

If you want to compare what is the norm in the private sector, how many private sector companies provide fully paid health care coverage for their PART-TIMERS?

Do you get it, yet?

I think it stinks and would expect that the Supervisor would not only admit this but take immediate action to end this shame.

How about it, Paul?"

11/26/2008 1:03 PM

Or, our three Town Board members, Juettner, Sheehan and Morgan, could do the right thing and just say NO to the deal.

Anonymous said...

When push comes to shove economically, and that moment seems to be drawing closer, Edgemont, with its 8% of the vote, will have much much better things to do with its time and money than replacing one set of political hacks in Greenburgh with another. If anyone thinks Edgemont will waste time "forming alliances" with other parts of the town, or that other parts of the town will get their acts together to "form alliances" with Edgemont, there's a bridge across the Tappan Zee that's for sale you might wanna buy. Edgemont's incorporation is real; "forming alliances" with unspecified other parts of the town is political fantasyland and a waste of time.

Anonymous said...

Good Bye Edgemont!

Anonymous said...

11:29,

Thanks for the laugh!

Anonymous said...

I think the tax payers should sue the pants off of ERC and GBH for allowing money to be exchanged in this manner.
ERC is private. Why would we ever give them money? Worse, why would we give them money and sit by and watch them donate funds to the schools?

I sense some very bad, if not criminal, transactions here.

I astounded at how brazen 11:29 is! How bold! You admit it all and throw it in our faces! You create unsound, irrational excuses as to why this would be acceptable.

Is there a lawyer in the house?

Anonymous said...

Seriously! If I formed a Hartsdale Recreation Corporation, would Greenburgh subsidize us with money to run a camp program? Hell no!
Would Greenburgh allow us to schedule pool use at AVP and not charge us a nickle? Hahaha!

If they did subside us with tax payer money, would 11:29 have a heart attack? Surly!
If we donated money to Greenburgh Central? Call the Lawyers!

There are so many things wrong with this scenario one doesn't even have to debunk the delusions of 11:29.

11:29's defensive arguments are based on a situation with a camp program that should have never existed in the first place. A camp program that had anything at all, ever, anywhere, to do with tax money or use of Town facilities.

Anonymous said...

HRC pres,

The town already provides an incredible amount for Greenburgh Central -- the programs at TDYCC from sports (football and chearleading) to Xposure are all for GC. No matter what anyone says.

Anonymous said...

1:31 --

Are you certain Edgemont has 8% of the town vote? Doesnt it have something 22% of property tax ratables and like 1% of town benefits?

Anonymous said...

edgemont is incorporating and palin was qualified to be president if mccain was gone.

now, about that bridge you were talking about....
its for sale

ed krauss said...

Why do we have a supervisor who can't tell the truth? It's not in his DNA.

Why do we have a supervisor who has no shame? Ditto.

Why do we have a supervisor who knows nothing about Finance?
It's not in his limited mental arsenal.

Why no managerial, or administrative abilities? When you're # One, you give the orders and as dumb or ill informed they are, if you want to keep your job, you don't question.

That's how good people screw up.

But the ultimate answer to all the WHYs I can propose is:

BECAUSE WE ELECTED HIM, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.

And, Edgemont didn't elect him, the entire town did.

How can we stop this mendacious behavior founded on ignorance spiced with arrogant stupidity, is simple.

STOP VOTING FOR HIM & HIS SIDE KICKS- who are just as arrogant and just as incapable of governing.

To the jerk who once again will ask if I had a contract with the Town,or some equally non-sequitur, the answer is the same, NO! However if you have a document that will prove otherwise,(Feiner's word doesn't count...ibid top of page) PRODUCE IT, or go back to engaging in your mental masturbation.

Anonymous said...

7:02,
My kids don't attend GC or use TDYCC. My kids don't attend EDGMT schools or EDGMT Camps.

They should have thier piece of the pie too and you should pay for it!! Maybe I'll carve it out for them. *snort*

Anonymous said...

Well, there you have it. The ulitmate expression of tribalism and self-interest.
You have it, my kids don't and you should pay for it.
Pretty disgusting and very destructive.
And a Feiner idea, not a better one.

Anonymous said...

The state and county each have SWAT teams. Bernstein and McNally were objecting to Feiner's cutting essential services, including police, sanitation, snow removal, and leaf pickup. They identified services that they believed were less essential, including the subsidy that Greenburgh taxpayers give to the towns of Eastchester and Mt.Pleasant for their nutrition programs, the $100K gift that Greenburgh taxpayers are giving to the Fairview Fire District, the $61,000 "council for the arts," the new $335K after school program which the town shouldn't even be funding and which school districts can get tax free from the YMCA, Feiner's unnecessary $67,000 personal secretary, and the hundreds of thousands of dollars in duplicative costs for camps, recreational services and transportation, run by the departments of Community Resources and Parks and Rec, each with its own set of well-paid commissioners, to name just a few of the problems.

Feiner, however, chooses to focus on the SWAT team in an attempt to divert attention from all the pork he can't seem to find a way to cut instead. As Bernstein said the other night at the budget hearing, the Greenburgh SWAT team is something that's nice to have, but in an austerity budget, which we have, when the police chief says he doesn't have enough manpower next year to protect the safety and security of the town, many unincorporated residents think its more important to choose safety and security over luxuries like a SWAT team, particularly when the state and county each have their own SWAT teams and each is available to Greenburgh should the need arise.

It's too bad we have a town supervisor who doesn't know how to differentiate between essential services and non-essential services. It's too bad we have a supervisor who tells the police chief he has to cut his budget, even when the chief tells him that to do so would compromise public safety. It's too bad we have a town supervisor who is so clueless about how to run a police department that he insists that police officers be replaced by civilians who he feels can be hired for less money, even though. according to the police chief, that's sheer nonsense.

As Edgemont residents have said over and over again, when it comes to whose judgment to respect on police matters, that of Feiner, a career politician, and that of Kapica, a career law enforcement individual, they choose Kapica. And Feiner will pay a big price for compromising the public safety of the town's unincorporated area by refusing to allow the police to increase its staff to levels which the town believed were required several years ago.

No one in Edgemont would like to see the SWAT team not funded, but if it the choices comes down to more men on patrol and less crime, they'd choose more men on patrol and less crime.

It's too bad that Feiner feels he has to use his blog to personally attack private citizens who believe Feiner's priorities are screwed up

11/26/2008 11:21 PM

Anonymous said...

Um, 9:47,
Notice the *snort* at the end of my post? This is the tip off that I'm illustrating your point. If everyone had the same attitude as Mr or Ms. Edgemont @11:29, all is lost.

Enough with the self interests already!

Anonymous said...

does anyone disagree with the following:

the taxter ridge purchase was a costly and divisive mistake?

Anonymous said...

Gold

Anonymous said...

300.00 for back door service,are you crazy ? what part of the town will you spend my 300.00 in ? how will this service be done if you plan to eliminate five positions in the sanitation department,before I pay the town 300.00,I will make a deal with my sanitation men,I rather give them the money,at least I know where my dollars are going

Anonymous said...

So Hal when you can;t get your way who will be next in your sights OBAMA, GOD, how far do you go. I worked with Det. Morgan who was the most decorated police officer returned over 240 unused sick days when he retired and YES in NOT retired on disability. He Suffered a near death accident while on duty a broken neck and additional horrific injuries and a subsequent hip replacement and he went back to work and retired after 21 years of service. I and my fellow officers respect him and knew he did the right thing. Be in his shoes or ours as a SWAT member and then throw stones. When someone takes a hostage you call us. Go ahead wait an hour or two for the county or state to save your life. If there is a more disgruntal and miserable person than you please point him out. We the police backed Morgan because he will do whats right and not put up with your crap. It must suck when you do not get your way. LIBRARY, REGULE, NANA, Assessor, Byrne who is next on your sicko campaign. What do you do when it is dark and quiet ? Nice must not be in your vocabulary.

Anonymous said...

Hay Hal come to the new library opening you will be welcomed.

Anonymous said...

Hal you never liked camp because you were an abnoxious kid who no one would play with. Haw many times did you lose your lunch money

Anonymous said...

Hal hope your facts are correct . It would be a shame if Kolesar was releasing info without a foil slander will cost you. People need to start sueing you.

Anonymous said...

2:55 - God knows Hal doesn't need anyone to speak for him, but if you are a long-time reader of his comments you'll understand Hal's bitterness about Morgan. Just look back one year, and you'll see that Hal supported Morgan very strongly (and Feiner too for that matter). Hal argued back then that Morgan would be a strong voice for change and responsibility. Apparently, from Hal's comments, I would infer that he is disappointed in Morgan's performance on the Board as just another Feiner yes-man. I think it is this disappointment that fuels Hal's attacks on Morgan.

Anonymous said...

If Hal, or anyone else, is dissappointed with Morgan, he must be beside himself with Sonya, who is supporting no-show jobs and no-bid contracts.

Anonymous said...

all hal said was morgan looked good on paper
and bass and barnes? who could support them?

sheehan also looked good on paper and even had a record of independence

hal quickly realized he had been duped by both sheehanigans and morgan

hal was never fooled by juettner having listened to the warnings about her from his supermarket buddy klondike bar

hal was also clear eyed about timmy weinberg

Anonymous said...

If Hal realized he had been "duped" by Morgan, and you say nothing about Brown, the queen of lets support waste fraud and abuse, all it says is he sticks by Feiner.

Anonymous said...

Let's see how this blog tempest adds up.

Each question or statement can be answered with yes/I agree or no/I disagree. Each yes is worth 5 points; each no is worth -5 points.


1) Hal Samis supports Feiner

2) Kevin Morgan is angling to be the next Chief of Police

3) If Kevin Morgan didn't need over 240 days of sick leave in 21 years and still had all those medical/surgical/rehab problems, are the Police getting too many paid sick days

4) Do you need a FOIL request to ask the problem solver a question

5) Is the Supervisor trying to revive post 9/11 fears to divert attention away from his Budget problems

6) Has Sheehan revealed his true stripes since Feiner was re-elected

7) Good Police officers follow all leads, even if they lead to Town officials who wouldn't hurt a fly

8) Using fund balances for operating deficits is against the Town Fund Balance policy

9) Matters which are before the Courts for decision, matters which are under Police investigation do not require a SWAT invasion

10)Matters which are before the Courts for decision, matters which are under Police investigation are going to be decided shortly or made public by those with the ability to enforce the results. Guessing or taking sides at this late stage is a fool's errand

11)Those who can most afford to use their personal car to go to and from work are those allowed to use Town provided cars

12)The XPosure Program has received bad publicity because of many issues. Among them are: the existence of what appears to be a kick-back to the Lanza Foundation administrator; the head of Xposure, an after school learning program, is not himself a college graduate and has no ties to the education establishment; almost half of the enrolled are attending on "scholarship" and have no financial obligation or otherwise than to be counted as "enrolled"; the program provides bus service only from C7 schools while other unincorporated residents must arrange their own transportation; the program was rushed through before a permanent director of the TDYCC was selected.

13)The Fulton Park Civic Association, like their fellow travellers the ECC, are also supporters of the international terrorism conspiracy

14)The Hartsdale Parking Authority should increase the fees on parking meters located around DeSanti Plaza. The value of this parking experience is enhanced by the presence of sculpture on display.

15)The Library should invite all unincorporated residents to its opening day ceremonies

16)Tennis lessons should be a wholly privatized operation at Veteran Park.

17)The Assessor should take a ride to Midway Shopping Center. Do not pass go, do NOT collect $200 and do not land on Community Chest. Instead, do your job.

18)Al Regula has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

19)Simon & Garfunkle wrote The Sound of Silence with Diana Juettner in mind.

20)The Journal News covers Greenburgh with the insight of silence.

21)Obama and god have never visited Greenburgh for good reason.

Anonymous said...

WHITEHEAD'S OVERSPENDING CAUSES LAYOFFS

To 4:30 pm, instead of playing "guess the blogger", how about doing something intelligent like showing how Whitehead was justified in hiring all those extra staff during the summer? Why is SHE, NOT the CENTER, under Police Investigation? It's easy to attack bloggers. What’s the matter? Are the answers too painful for you? What a kick in the head to have good people get laid off because of the misconduct of one person, VALERIE WHITEHEAD. Her stamp on the Center: A $10,000 one day trip to Playland? Running away from the Police? Crying at an Advisory Board Meeting? Hiring problem staff including her felon nephew? No Education. No one else interviewed for the Job as Interim Head? Letting a private swim team get pool time with an outstanding $20,000 bill? DEMOTION IS NOT ENOUGH.

WHITEHEAD SHOULD BE FIRED and the MONEY USED TO REHIRE LAID OFF STAFF!

Anonymous said...

I agree -- even if Whitehead is not prosecuted criminally, her mismanagement is clear, and Sonya and Paul continuing to champion her is terrible. Actions like this will ulimately result in turining most of the Town against TDYCC. Clean it up -- now.

Anonymous said...

To 11:11P.M. employee of the TDYCC blogger, where is the 4:30P.M. blogger you are referring to? By the way, did you want this Interim Head job?

Anonymous said...

If there was some criminal activities happening at the center I'm sure that it would not take this long for the Police chief to make his findings known.

If the investigation is not completed then I must say that the chief is loosing his touch or his men don't give a dam.
On the other hand there is nothing to investigate.

Paul and Sonya know the answers but their lips are sealed.

Anonymous said...

2:41 -- You and I would both like to hear about this.

I do beleive Kapica is honest and competent. But lets all remember he servces at the pleasure of Feiner. The last time some one complained about irregularities at TDYCC, the squealer was fired. Fortunately the County DA, who can not be fired by Feiner, is also looking into this.

Anonymous said...

2:41 -- You and I would both like to hear about this.

I do beleive Kapica is honest and competent. But lets all remember he servces at the pleasure of Feiner. The last time some one complained about irregularities at TDYCC, the squealer was fired. Fortunately the County DA, who can not be fired by Feiner, is also looking into this.

Anonymous said...

TO 2:39 and 2:41…

DEMOTED WHITEHEAD UNDER POLICE INVESTIGATION

To answer your question, no, I wasn't interested in being the Temporary Commissioner. Though after all the damage Whitehead has done to the Dept, I'm very sorry I wasn't given that opportunity. Certainly myself as well as many other more qualified staff would have done a far better job. At minimum, we would have never hired any no show part time staff. This needless waste of taxpayer dollars used up the budget where it is now necessary to lay off hard working staff during the Holiday Season. Bad enough the TDY Center's reputation has to take a hit because of Whitehead's misconduct, but to tell staff they have to either be laid off or work a reduced schedule because of Whitehead's overspending is disgusting. Think about it. How would you like to work hard while those in the same building are not only working at a higher pay rate but supposedly putting in 50 hours a week when the Center was closed to evening programs? What message does this send to dedicated workers? It just isn't a decent way to treat people.

It is a common practice to do a credit check on Dept. Heads during the hiring process, The Town Council ignored the recommendation of doing a credit check on Whitehead. If they did their homework, they would have discovered an extremely low rating for Whitehead who has in fact had her paycheck garnished. If she couldn't manage her personal finances, how on Earth did anyone expect her to do a good job with the TDY budget?

It is like asking Ted Bundy to baby sit your kids. NOT SMART!

For crying out loud the woman can't even manage her car (red Ford Taurus station wagon). It's a mess!!!! (Some neighborhood people think she sleeps in it!)

While she was hiring all these staff, no one knew what they did nor the hours they worked. Despite her obviously limited budgeting skills, why didn't she give any consideration to those staff who work legitimate programs? Didn't she care about these people enough to make sure there was money left in the budget to pay them for the rest of the year? Hopeton and Barbara never made those kinds of mistakes. These people depended on Center paychecks to feed their families, what was Whitehead thinking?

On the subject of the Investigation, many of us remain hopeful that justice will prevail. After all, the police don't get signed statements from 15+ staff without a case. Plus take the video security tapes and sign-out sheets. Remember the guy from the County was under investigation for months before the Police nailed him.

WHITEHEAD MUST NOT GET AWAY WITHOUT A PENALTY!

Anonymous said...

It is clear that Feiner and Kolesar dont have control over this. Kolesar talks at a work session how "most" part time workers at TDYCC are paid 15/hour. That is way way over going rate for camp counsleors. The town makes no excuse of the "no-bid" Xposure contract. Thank goodness the County is looking into no-shwo jobs, because the Town govt doesnt care.

Anonymous said...

7:12 Security tapes are for security,not to watch employees. You should know that. I think you need more work in your job to keep you busy. You have too much time on your hands.

Anonymous said...

To 8:11 am..

Not all of us put our heads in the sand when it comes to injustice.

Anonymous said...

To 8:11am, the Town can't use the cameras to watch staff, but the police CAN when there is a "theift of services" investigation.

Anonymous said...

The police can't arrest anyone at TDYCC because, they are too busy training for tech-rescue or bringing patients to the hospital
Cut these programs now, so the police officers can do their jobs

Anonymous said...

Anon 11/30/2008 12:34 PM

Think before you speak. Sounds like you are a jealous unhappy person.

Anonymous said...

12:34 may be jealous, but that doesnt mean he isnt right.

Anonymous said...

why would 12:34 be jealous? He only stated the police are not around to do police work, because they are doing EMS work or work the firefighters are already trained for and do.
Paul and the Town board should look into this to save money and use our police officers in a better way. Paul,How many officers are on the road on a typical shift? do you know? Kevin knows! but doesn't say anything.

Anonymous said...

kevin who?

Anonymous said...

There is some truth and some fiction in the writings here but one truth is that Mr. Byrne does not lie.

Anonymous said...

There are plenty of people in our town government who cannot be trusted, but Gerry Byrne is not one of them. He is the most honest and capable person in our government.

Anonymous said...

really?
why cant he give a straight answer about the nutrition program - does greenburgh subsidize other towns?

why the fudging?

Anonymous said...

Maybe the answer that you want -- that the town aubsidizes other towns -- just isn't so. Maybe Byrne is telling the truth and you just won't accept it.

There are lots of people like you, who will only accept the truth that they want to hear. That skepticism is justified, but not in all cases. As far as I am concerned, until someone shows me proof that Gerry Byrne is lying, I will believe him and not the anonymous accusers.

Anonymous said...

no one said he is lying. he just may not be telling the truth or he doesnt know the truth - if thats the case, he should say so.

if the town is subsidizing other towns, it should stop doing so.

why the town is even in this business is something that should be answered.

Anonymous said...

I have to question if anyone has ever asked and demanded straight answers before from Gerry.

First, Hal asks him if we lose money on tennis lessions. Gerry says no, but it turns out that Gerry includeds income from tennis court permits to offset tennis pros salaries.

Second, Bob asks if we lose subsidize meals on wheels for non-residents. Gerry doesnt think so, but the budget says we do.

Third, at the work session, Gerry cant quantify how much we pay to subsidize non-town residents camp.

Its hard to blame this on Gerry if Paul has never asked these questions before, but Gerry should come back to us with specific answers. Its not rocket science.

Anonymous said...

just want to let all you town tax payers now how you have a fire dept. in your town that (1) has a fire chief that is (4) years over the state required retirement age and the board of fire commisioners and the state keep approving him for a (2) year extension he now 74 or 75 his wife is his secretary and sit's in on the commisioners board meetings which is her job and you don't think she goes home and tells him what goes on which is a major confict of intrest..
(2)fire fighters get unlimted sick time which means if i go out after work crash my car & can't work for 6 months i get full pay i do not go on disabilty and another fire fighter works for me at time and a half is that a great job or what...