In her July 13 letter, [“What will it take to fix this road in Delanson?”] Cindy Martin illustrated the horrible condition of Turnbull Road in Delanson. Cindy is correct and did not overstate the situation in the least. Her letter is one of the many complaints about the condition of town roads that the town board and I have received. The town highway committee, comprised of two town board members, has repeatedly requested since January that the new highway superintendent [Francis Spoor] provide a schedule of roadwork. Such a schedule is a good, objective way for residents to anticipate roadwork, to be informed as to when specific roads will be repaired, and to hold our highway superintendent accountable. To date, we have not received a schedule. Unfortunately, the town board doesn’t have the authority to dictate to the highway department which roads to repair or tasks to perform. The highway superintendent — not the town board — is charged with that legal authority. And, although the crews are working hard on the ditches and other tasks as directed by the highway superintendent, they have not been dispatched to repair many road surfaces in need of work. It’s clear to me that, based upon the information I have received, the highway superintendent is ignoring the requests of the public as well as the town board. Our answer to this problem is to consider the elimination of the position of elected highway superintendent and create a department of public works with an appointed director who will report to the town board. If we cannot change the priorities, we will change the position. RENE MERRIHEW Delanson The writer is Duanesburg supervisor.
Very good article Rene. I hope it helps resolves things in your area.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Thanks to both of you. It was not a letter I took any pleasure in writing.....but accountability is the key. The residents are "our customers" and they are not happy. Rightfully so. Our highway tax is twice as high as our entire town tax and they should get the service they are paying for.
Good letter Rene. I have a question though. If the highway department does not answer to the town board, but instead answers to the highway superintendent, than who does the highway superintendent answer to? I am also assuming that the highway superintendent's salary is paid for by the taxpayers which I am also assuming comes out of the town budget. Right?
Forgive my ignorance to all of this, but when a town is planning their budget for the next year, isn't it based on projected costs? So wouldn't the highway department have to submit their projected budget for the up coming year based on work planned for that year? And if that were true, was there money appropriated for these roads?
If I'm way off base here, just be kind and overlook my ignorance!!
No Joann you are not off base. Your questions are valid. The Highway Superintendent is an elected official and answers to the same people I do. The taxpayers. Elected officials are equal in the food chain so to speak, including me as Supervisor. I actually hold no special powers other than financial responsibility and I seem to bear the brunt of most of the grumbles. I am one vote at the table, nothing more, nothing less. The highway supt. has total autonomy over the department except for budgetary. I have heard of boards that cut the highway dept budget to nothing in an effort to get even or to force the Supt. to do things the way the board wants. It is my feeling that to not provide the funds to repair roads would only hurt the residents who live on and use the town roads. It would merely provide ammo to a Supt. for not providing the service. This was an election year and he is a new Supt. The previous left without a plan because the new one would of course change it. We projected the road repair budget based on costs incurred in previous years. That is why we have been after him for a road plan. There are ample funds to repair roads at this point. And yes, his salary comes out of the town budget paid by taxpayers. I'm glad you asked.
So, if I'm understanding ... you're giving him the money to do his job, on the presumption that he'll actually DO it, and continue with the infastructure plans/ideas / concepts of his/her predecessor?
Sounds logical - and I commend you for not doing something out of "spite".
You're too good, you'll never make it in Schenectady Co politics ... we need more like you. Speaking of, where's Brad been hiding?
DUANESBURG Ore. man faces drug charges from concert BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net.
State police said an Oregon man was arrested on felony drug charges after security ejected him from the Indian Lookout Country Club during the Camp Bisco concert Saturday evening. Jonathan R. Taylor, 30, of Portland, Ore., was charged with two counts of felony criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor count of criminal possession of a controlled substance and a violation charge of possessing marijuana. He was arraigned on the charges in Town Court and ordered held without bail at the Schenectady County jail. Taylor was attending the threeday Camp Bisco festival when the country club's security staff received a report he was selling drugs. Country Club owner Frank Potter said some of the festival's attendees alerted his staff of Taylor's actions and they escorted him off the Batter Street property, where state police were waiting for him. "We're not going to tolerate that," Potter said Monday. State police investigators initially found Taylor carrying a small quantity of LSD and a burnt marijuana cigarette. But upon further investigation, they discovered more than 14,000 hits of LSD and $17,537 stowed in a vehicle Taylor had rented. Potter described the LSD Taylor was allegedly selling as "artists acid," which initially appears as artwork. He said the artwork is treated with LSD and then trimmed into small segments for use.
you'll never make it in Schenectady Co politics ...
I have absolutely no intention of trying. It would be very embarassing to be escorted out of meetings for being "out of their little order". I will stay put in D'burg. I haven't heard a peep from Brad in ages.........
Rene, can the highway dept be placed under the authority of the town board? If "yes", how is that done? And if "no" we can obviously disreguard this entire post.
JoAnn, as I indicated in my letter we are investigating alternatives to the current system. I don't have anything concrete and this will take some time....no simple or instant answers on this one.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 1:49 PM EDT | Modified: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 - 4:43 PM DiNapoli revokes pension credits of Duanesburg attorney The Business Review (Albany)
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said Tuesday he has revoked four years of pension credits from a Duanesburg attorney as part of the ongoing investigation of attorneys who belong to the state's pension system.
DiNapoli said that attorney Paul Callahan was "incorrectly reported" as a part-time employee of the Duanesburg Central School District, in Schenectady County. Callahan was listed as part-time for 25 years, enabling him to accrue four years of pension credits before he resigned on March 1.
Since this spring, DiNapoli and state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo have been running separate investigations of attorneys in the state's $154.5 billion pension system.
A secretary at Callahan's practice said he is out of town until Friday and unavailable for comment.
Christine Crowley, the school district's superintendent, said that Callahan was "on call" for the district, earning roughly two days of pension credits a month.
She also said it was "coincidental" that Callahan resigned within a few weeks of when DiNapoli's and Cuomo's investigations ramped up.
Crowley came to the district in October 2007, and asked its school board to solicit bids for a new attorney who specialized in education law. Callahan did not submit a bid, and a new legal counsel was hired in January.
"It was just that I needed someone to specialize in education law, being a new superintendent," Crowley said.
School records show that Callahan earned $600 in 1982, his first year with the district. The most he ever earned in a school year was $3,300, which was his salary for the 2006-07 school year, Crowley said.
The statewide investigations initially focused on the state's BOCES educational co-ops. In many of those cases, a BOCES became eligible for greater state reimbursements by listing attorneys as employees.
DiNapoli and Cuomo contend that the attorneys should instead have been classified as independent contractors, which would not make them eligible for pension credits.
So far, the investigations have resulted in new standards defining conditions necessary for someone to be listed as an employee of a school district, local government or other public agency. DiNapoli alone has revoked pension credits or membership from at least 20 attorneys across the state.
On Tuesday, DiNapoli said that the Duanesburg school district failed to take several steps necessary for someone to be classified as an employee. He said the school district did not maintain time sheets for Callahan, provide permanent work space for him or supervise him on a daily basis.
Attorney James Roemer, a partner at Roemer Wallens & Mineaux LLP in Albany, is leading a ongoing class-action lawsuit that is attempting to stop DiNapoli's and Cuomo's investigations.
Hmmm. I know Mr. Callahan and I have to say, in this case anyway, I don't think there was an intentional abuse of the the pension system. 4 years of service in the system is not an amount that would make a difference in his life. As for the school I think it probably made someones job easier or they didn't realize what the ramifications were. I am glad it has stopped and glad it has been brought to their attention, but I don't think it was intentional. What I would like to know is why this guy Roemer would attempt to stop the investigations? Maybe I'm missing something, but I would think the uncovering of any pension abuse is a good thing. In the case of D'burg atleast it stopped the pension dollars from being paid out regardless of whether it was intentional or not.
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