Monday, December 07, 2009

FALSE RUMORS BEING CIRCULATED RE: ARDSLEY FIRE DEPT

I have received a number of calls from residents of Sprain Road, Hidden Glen expressing concern that they will no longer be served by the Ardsley Volunteer fire department. A rumor is circulating that the Town Board will be contracting with a paid fire district to serve these streets.
There is absolutely no chance that the town will contract with a paid fire department to serve streets that are currently served by the ALL VOLUNTEER Ardsley volunteer fire department. It would make no sense to replace an all volunteer department with a paid department--especially since the volunteers do a fantastic job. A paid department will cost more to run than a volunteer dept.
The members of the Town Board & I are pleased with the service we receive from the Ardsley fire department. We are pleased with the response time. We're getting great value for our tax dollars. The volunteers are very dedicated and professional. Contracting with a paid district would make no sense.
There is absolutely no interest on the part of the town government ending our relationship with the terrific Ardsley volunteer fire dept.

8 comments:

klondike bar said...

the rumor that the feiner blog is dead have been confirmed.

feiner blog - rest in peace. it was fun.

hal, my deepest condolences.

anonymous, its time to get a life.

klondike bar said...

has been confirmed. next blog will have a spell and grammar checker.

hal samis said...

from the Greenburgh Library website

Fifty Wonders of Korea
Saturday, Dec. 12th
at 2:00 p.m.

The Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of Korean history and culture in the United States, presents a unique program that focuses on fifty of the most amazing Korean treasures. Following the presentation, there will be a special food tasting of a delicious array of Korean delicacies. Any questions please call 721-8225. Free and open to the Public.
Location: Multipurpose Room.

Yes the taxpayer supported Greenburgh Public Library is providing the room. Yes this is what you get for $20+ million: a place for lobbyists for a foreign government to ply their trade.

Oh yes free refreshments. Come one, come all.

What's next, the Taliban with a tray of Afghan delicacies?

In a community where residents cannot get answers to questions on the proposed 2010 Budget, does it strike anyone else as odd that Korea (hopefully at least South Korea) is looking for friends here?

When are people going to learn that non-profit is not the next closest thing to godliness?

And take note, on the surface, here's Culture being "fed" to you even without the participation of the so-called "Arts Council".

Another typical day in Dog Park (how's that for a two faced pun) USA?

Mr. Cinque said...

How true this Blog used to be alot better before the CHANGE. Now dullsville

hal samis said...

Dear Mr. Cinque,

You have hit the heil on the head. All those anonymous folks who cannot bear the thought that the Town Supervisor would be able to know whom they are: even those whose comments appear to be on his side.

Or perhaps they fear that pursuant to some legal action, the Supervisor would be required to turn their names over to a Court.

The blog need not be dull. The current state of disregard is just as likely to be from the rather limp array of topics that the Supervisor has put up for comment.
Note that even with the absence of those that speak without courage, the Supervisor is afraid to re-introduce the once popular one size fits all: "the week of..."

Perhaps once the 2010 Budget has been passed, the Supervisor may make a pretense at restoring open government even to baiting the blog as a listening post.

VMcD said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
hal samis said...

There is another rumor going around that no doubt will be proven to be false.

The false rumor is that the Town Board is encouraging public comment during the Public Hearing on the Town's 2010 Budget.

And to think that anyone would even begin to believe such an obvious statement. Ok, the Journal News reporter will be fooled.

Just because the Town rigidly enforces a policy of hiding behind closed doors; ignores FOIL requests; schedules work sessions in out of the way places not served by public transportation; makes claims that archived meetings can be successfully viewed online; doesn't answer the questions from the first Public Hearing; doesn't provide a list of changes, if any; etc.

It seems that the Town Board's game plan for tonight is to stand by their guns and clean up the mess quietly next year by dipping into what remains of fund balances.
And to facilitate this, the 7:30 start time will become 8:00 and presentation followed by ceremony followed by presentation...will run out the clock so that when the Public Hearing finally starts by Tim Lewis asking the Town Board how they want to conduct the Hearing and the public will feel relief when they are allowed to talk to themselves for a second five minute period during the Public Hearing.

What the Town Board has cleverly done is stoke a bonfire as a sideshow. While everyone is rushing to put out the land sale and refund fires masking as revenue, the Town Board is getting a free ride on the expense side.
So what else is new? Happy new year taxpayers.
But,
things will be changing; just not yet countenanced from the lofty height of today's dais. But there is a hard rain and it's gonna fall before Fall 2011.

klondike bar said...

rumor has it that in 2012 the town will be facing ruinous taxation.

enjoy your arts council.