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Del Gallo gives pay to seniors
John Purcell 04/21/11

Money to help cover renovations to the center’s kitchen, future projects

In a change of pace from the strong words that typically make up a Rotterdam Town Board meetings, board members and the public praised Supervisor Frank Del Gallo Wednesday, April 13, for using his salary to help pay for upgrades to the senior center.

Del Gallo was following through on a promise he made to seniors when he ran for election: The center’s kitchen would be renovated.

“One of the promises I made to them is that I would move this kitchen upstairs. I would take my salary and move this kitchen up on the [ground level floor],” said Del Gallo. “We started this process to get that moved up, and I got all kinds of volunteers … and they all agreed to work on it.”

When the blueprints were first drawn up, Del Gallo said, the cost was estimated at $40,000, and he thought the town could do it cheaper. The project ended up costing $10,600, through the use of volunteers and some donated supplies.

On April 13, the board passed a resolution to move Del Gallo’s $13,000 Town Board salary from the town’s general fund to the senior center’s budget to cover the cost of renovations because the town failed to follow through on grant funding promised by Sen. Hugh Farley totaling $10,000. If that grant money does come through, Del Gallo’s salary will still go to the senior center and could be spent as they deem fit.

“This resolution is to transfer my money, my pay from last year, to give to the seniors to do what they wish to do with it; whatever project they need,” said Del Gallo. “This resolution says that the rightful money that belongs to me will go to the seniors.”

The town also received a $1,000 donation from the Rotterdam Elk Lodge to help with renovation costs.

Diane Marco, former project coordinator for the senior center, filed a Freedom of Information Law request to see how the project was funded, which led the town realize the grant promise from Farley had not been pursued.

“Thank God she did that, because as we researched where this money came from or was supposed to come from, the paperwork was never filed. We never did get the $10,000 from Hugh Farley,” said Del Gallo. “In reality, we used my money to build that kitchen.”

Marco said she filed a FOIL request because all of the seniors at the center said Del Gallo paid for the kitchen, but after she had reviewed the approved budget, she didn’t see the numbers adding up.

“I keep saying, ‘I know he didn’t pay for it all,’” said Marco.

When the grant opportunity initially came to the town, Marco said, she personally received it and gave it to former Town Attorney Michael Godlewski to write up the proposal. She said she believes that whenGodlewski went to work for the county, the grant got lost in the shuffle.

“It is great to know that we did follow through with it now, and that we could still possibly get the money,” said Marco. “We probably we will get the $10,000.”

Del Gallo has faced criticism in the past in his dealings with the senior center issues, including transferring a center employee to a different position in the town and firing Marco. On April 13, however, there wasn’t any criticism.

“We thank you immensely,” said President of the Rotterdam Senior Association Jack Shiely. “The kitchen is wonderful. We’ve had some wonderful parties there.”

The only renovation left to be completed, said Shiely, is to put up a wall with a door so supplies can be locked up when other people are using the kitchen.

Councilwoman Nicola DiLeva thanked Del Gallo for his contribution to the seniors.

“These are people that have done so much for us in Rotterdam and I think it is great that the seniors get [the kitchen],” said DiLeva. “You know what, Frank, I honor you tonight.”

Quoted from GrahamBonnet

So somehow the grant "fell through the cracks." But they are all heroes now, even Godlewski (no relation.)

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A. The purposes of this chapter are:

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D. This chapter shall be given its broadest possible interpretation under law, so as to implement its stated purpose

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“This resolution is to transfer my money, my pay from last year, to give to the seniors to do what they wish to do with it; whatever project they need,” said Del Gallo. “This resolution says that the rightful money that belongs to me will go to the seniors.”

Quoted from 612

I am somewhat curious about this.  There is a HUGE separation between the Rotterdam Senior Association and the town.  So if Jack Shiely is thanking him, I am curious how this really got done.  In 2003 when the idea of the new kitchen came up, the senior assoication was expected to pay for at least half of the renovations if not the WHOLE thing according to Paolino.  When the town came in to layout the kitchen it was done with Riitano but the point made clear the renovations were to be charged to the Senior Assoc.  Paolino insisted that the assoication had to foot most of the bill.  If the kitchen is the Association's than there is no need for separate trips either.  The budget line showed $3500 for transporation in those days.  At that time, the town was one entity and the association another.  The seniors should be paying for that renovation NOT the town.  In 2003 the senior assoication refused to allow the Annie Shaffer people into their assoc. but the town board approved of letting those seniors use the facilities.  That was the right move. This sounds shady to me.

Quoted from 612

At the time, 2003-5, Riitano was trying to get a line item through Farley at the request of Fusco.  Paolino was adamant about the senior Association paying for it.  He was right about that.  Riitano is the one who did the layout for the kitchen at that time.  She changed the layout because the town guy had the water on the wrong side and she told him where the water line was.  

At that time, Fusco, Battaglia, Rocky ? and several others did the cooking for Association events.  Riitano kept coming up with new ideas for socialization but the Assoc.  did the cooking.  She used to get food donated through her connections and they cooked in that antiquated kitchen.  Because it was in the basement, it was difficult for those folks to get up and down the stairs.  So she supported them in getting a new kitchen and went to Paolino for it.  That was six years ago.  At least one of those guys has passed on and the others are without enough strength to pull those events off.  Nobody coming up is interested in those types of events.  They were indicative of that generation.  The Center needs to respond to different needs of seniors now and those senior who are Boomers.  FDG can certainly donate his salary for that purpose (Bob Riley does it all the time) but the whole thing puzzles me.

Why aren't you folks on top of this?

Quoted from CICERO

I don't understand why FDG took the money from the general fund.  Why didn't he donate his salary with a personal check?  I too think it is a bit shady that the money came through the general fund instead of a personal donation by FDG.  FDG should have kept this out town business and made it a personal donation.