I hear coyotes howling behind my house on many evenings.  Children laughing, neighbors talking (be careful, the wind carries voices for miles out here) ...  It is difficult to contend with.  

Rene, I regret that I wasn't able to make the show last night.  I really do enjoy it each year.
You mentioned that Angelo Santabarbara and his family were there.  Did you see any other of
our elected representatives, particularly our District 4 County Legislators Dagastino, Jasenski or Suhrada?

No, I did not see any of them.

The Duanesburg Business Association President told me that George Amedore called him earlier to see if it was still on in the event of rain so he may have been there but I did not see him.  

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I hear coyotes howling behind my house on many evenings.  Children laughing, neighbors talking (be careful, the wind carries voices for miles out here) ...  It is difficult to contend with.  

Just be careful out there, Brad, it sounds as if BoB_GoD could be close enough to be in the woods listening in to what you're saying, just in case you slip up.  Might be looking for some incriminating instances.

Glad things are going well in the 'Burg, sorry I haven't been able to catch up with any of you much lately.  I'm sure that the county would hate for the HR to leave town, with the taxes those guys and girls must pay on gas and munchies and drinks at local shops.

Someone asked me to let them know when the next lawnmower races were....they are July 25th at the Hillview Tavern Route #30.  Just behind the Stewarts on the corner of Route 30 and 20 on the western end of town.

Thanks Rene.....hope to be there----

http://www.dailygazette.com

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What will it take to fix this road in Delanson?

    We live on Turnbull Road in Delanson, which is maintained by the town of Duanesburg.
    For years now we have called with numerous complaints, along with other residents of Turnbull Road, about the condition of the road to the Town Supervisor Rene Merrihew and Highway Superintendent Francis Spor.
    We continue to get numerous excuses as to why the town fails to repair the road. One year, an attempt was started to repair the road but that stopped after the Route 20 end was done, and just after the former highway superintendent’s driveway.
    We had new hopes when the new highway superintendent was elected, and again we have been given numerous reasons why nothing is being done or promises to do something in a few weeks but nothing happens. We have called town officials at town hall, and the same thing happens there as well. We have residents on this road who have had their tie rod break, an axle break and steering go on their cars, due to this road. The road is full of so many potholes that you can’t get around them. Some of them are deep.
    Our town seems to be concerned about the job the ambulance is performing, or not performing, but yet doesn’t seem to be concerned about the job they’re not doing. I think they need to worry more about the town officials doing their job — like fixing the town roads and putting our tax dollars to good use.
    We even offered to fix the road ourselves if they give us the materials. Maybe we should send our car repair bills or photos of the potholes to Channel 6 news. And no, I’m not connected with the ambulance in any way, other than when we did needed them a few times, they were there in a timely manner, unlike our town highway department or town officials.
    CINDY MARTIN
    Delanson

Cindy Martin is 110% correct.  The road is horendous.  The job is not being done.  A glance at Highway Law will show that I, as Supervisor, nor the Town Board has ANY authority over the operations at the highway dept.  The only oversight we have is budgetary.  The highway superintendent has complete and total power over the department.  I and we have begged and fought with him to repair roads to no avail.  All we have asked is that he make the surface smooth, doesn't need to be paved, just smooth.  He feels it is more important to clean ditches on more obscure hardly used roads in the town.  I am sorry to those living on and those who use town roads.  The Highway Supt. is not doing his job and although I have no control over this situation he will unfortunately take me down with him.

you are being naughty over there in Delanson so you better stop and be good. and dont feel too bad since there are roads in the city that are so miserab that you couldnt drive a Caterpiller down or a sherman tank!

Hey, Rene.  This is not to be a criticism, but a point to ponder.  I know that the town of Rotterdam has recently gone through and decided to pave many roads through a multiple year plan.  As you stated, the town has the control over the budget at the highway department.  Rotterdam keep passing resolutions to pave specific roads.  Can't the town of Duanesburg do the same sort of thing for the people living on Turnbull Road, even lowering the specification from the full road to the part of the road that hasn't been done yet?  Just throwing a thought out there.

Kevin, the Rotterdam Town Board is at the mercy of the highway dept too as the highway superintendent is an elected position and seems to answer to no-one unless it wants to. Rotterdam did a lot of road resurfacing with a grant of some kind. If there's a good relationship between the town/village and the highway superintendent all goes smoothly if not then politics enter into the mix.

Thanks Kevin and yes we could pass a resolution authorizing the highway dept to pave Turnbull or any other road, but it doesn't mean he has to do it.  Apparently Rotterdam Town Board and Highway Dept have a good working relationship. They work as a team.  Shadow's post explains the elected official thing perfectly.  "At the mercy" is a good way of putting it. Most people don't know that and assume the Town Board runs them and the Supervisor runs the Town Board.  As elected officials that is not the case.  We don't have authority over each other.  In this case it is us (Town Board) that takes it on the chin.  

I will admit that while I have been a lifelong resident of Rotterdam, except for a small amount of time that I lived in Duanesburg, I haven't really paid attention to politics, local or otherwise, before the time that Mr. Tommasone became Supervisor, so I plead ignorance for anything outside of that, but I'm trying to learn.  I realize that they HAVE had a good working relationship, but I think that relationship goes back farther than Mr. Tommasone's time as Supervisor.  Also, I haven't paid attention to Rotterdam while the board was a Democrat majority before.

I don't see any real reason to spend a great deal of time learning about adults that can't get along because they are from different parties or should we call them adults of a different race?  In my book it is the same thing as fighting and belittling someone because they are a different color or religion.  It is the most stupid thing I have ever witnessed.  To think I was accused of defending the town of Duanesburg against sex offenders for political purposes is the greatest insult I have ever received in my life.  Fortunately I never run into this silly little, baby, mentality unless it is at a County Leg meeting.  The rank and file county workers are fantastic, even the legislators on a one to one basis are fine, I guess its just that pack mentality.  Anyway, Keven, keep the thoughts and ideas coming, I'm not an expert either so you could help me out.  There is so much to all this stuff...who would have thought the Supervisor and Town Board of the Town really doesn't have as much authority as you would think.

Now I get it......that's why the street cleaner always goes to the 'nice areas' first and the 'other' areas later.....all depends on who ya know and who lives there......how stupid of me.......

What??????????????