The Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush has scheduled a Special Meeting to be held on Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. at the East Greenbush Town, 225 Columbia Turnpike, to consider a site specific resolution for a casino in the Town of East Greenbush.
By orders of the Town Board
Linda Kennedy, Town Clerk
Stay tuned. There's always the possibility Langley will use his "inclement weather" excuse to reschedule the meeting to Friday at 8:45 AM.
ReplyDeleteGood news is that we get to speak thanks to Sue and Phil.
ReplyDeleteBad news is that Dep Dawg also gets to speak unless Langley muzzles him.
Paul Vanderburgh on Talk Radio 1300 just called Supervisor Keith Langley "an embarrassment!"
ReplyDeleteHow very true. Every day Keith Langley serves as Supervisor is an embarrassment to the hard working people of our great Town. Let's not make this mistake again in November, 2015.
Doppy Gilbert is a virtual non-entity. Who really cares what he says. He's a none voting mouthpiece. He means nothing to any of us.
ReplyDeleteI wish Langley would clarify Gilbert's role. Is he speaking for the Board Majority when he speaks or is he speaking as individual. It makes a difference as in: is the whole majority nasty and rude? Is it just Ed, an individual who can't get elected and always finishes last?
DeleteOr maybe Mr. Langley could let us know why the Ethics Board Chair is voicing personal and controversial opinions. Most Ethics Board members behave like judges and keep personal lives to themselves to avoid conflict or appearance of impropriety.
Ed Gilbert does EXACTLY what Chris Defruscio tells him to do !
DeleteThat alone speaks volumes !
Gilbert has no role. They gave him this spot to shut him up. Didn't work though, it went right to his head.
DeleteImagine if the little twerp won a spot on the Town Board ?! Good Grief !
Thanks again to Councilperson Mangold for writing the Resolution to allow people to speak up at Special Town Board meetings. Councilpersons Mangold, Malone, DiMartino and Matters voted in favor of allowing public comments. Supervisor Langley was the only member of the Town Board to vote against allowing public comments.
ReplyDeleteSue has never been afraid of comments - never. Can't say that about Langley nor Gilbert !
ReplyDeleteCheryl Vallee in 2015 - for a Better East Greenbush !
I second that motion.
DeleteLUV it that people are complaining daily about Keith " No guts" Langley and Chris " the Bus Driver " Defruscio.
ReplyDeleteThis SWF bullsh*t will just about put an end to both of their political aspirations - and not a day too soon !
The two of them are theives and incompetent idiots .
The 4:30 meeting time was set by Langley,Gilbert and Defruscio to avoid as much public input as possible. Langley turns purple when confronted on the casino issue. His inability to speak with any taxpayer is evident and shows how unqualified he is for the post he occupies.
ReplyDeleteWe as resident taxpayers - regardless of your view on the casino , deserve better than Langley,Matters and Dimartino.
We were fooled by a high-school drop out named Defruscio.
That should be on the forefront of everyone's mind in November of 2015 !
Will Sneaky Keithy Langley answer any questions at this afternoon's TB meeting?
ReplyDeleteDuhfruscio will be there this afternoon , smiling away. he got away with another one !
ReplyDeleteThe man is a complete fraud and EVERY THING HE IS INVOLVED IN IS A COMPLETE SCAM !!
The people get screwed again !
ReplyDeleteYa know , if your in favor of the casino, your viewed as the anti-christ by the likes of Don,Dwight,Jack and other gadflies.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
Just because some-(more) of us don't agree with you, we're automatically wrong? You insist an ramming your point of view down peoples throat.
Your making enemies unnecessarily and once again, you will have polarized a large group of people against your cause because of your shortsightedness.
We live here as well and have just as many options and rights as do you.
If expressing my opinion makes me your enemy that's on you. All I've done is take a stand and spent a part of every day for the last six weeks working for the things I believe in. The fact that the Save East Greenbush movement has outworked your side and the town board speaks to how much we're opposed to a casino. As for polarizing a large group of people, that's what happens when you take a stand. I've never been worried about what people think because I respect their right to think differently. We didn't have to ram our opinions down peoples' throats because this town is now firmly opposed to a casino and we have the numbers to prove it.
DeleteBy the way, the rich and bizarre symbolism in the Book of Revelation that defines the anti-Christ is truly beyond my comprehension so I've never attempted to view anyone through that lens.
MAM: What is wrong with you; your constantly going off track when you speak and putting EG's faults on the previous Council people and the SUPE.
ReplyDeleteDon't you realize we can see right through you; you think your husband was dealt a raw deal and you hate the previous TB members. Put your big girl pants and start realizing this is Politics; and if you don't get it; take a good look at Langley, Denfruscio and Dilbert? THree of the most corrupt,mean spirited dimwits your ever going to meet. It all boils down to sour grapes! Be a Big Person and Confront the people that you think did dirt to your hubby. Ya can't - your just a cowardice like the rest of them.
Well spoken ! Two thirds of that prepared statement was a litany we have all have heard from her before. She should have stuck to the topic at hand.
ReplyDeleteMAM whined because people were leaving when she wanted to speak. All she does is sit there with that miserable look, rolling her eyes, while the public speaks, at every meeting. Too bad Maryann...you reap what you sow.
ReplyDeleteI just love the way you continue to put the blame on Don Dwight and Jack for stirring up opposition to the casino. You open your eyes and Mary Ann, put your big girl pants on and see that there are a huge number of people out there that don't want the casino or the town board for that matter. This is way beyond what any of the gadflies could have come up with. Or haven't you been at any of the meetings that have been held recently. Nobody says you can't have an opinion. Nobody says you can't go to a casino. But these casino people are pulling the wool or should I say the feathers over your eyes. in the end there will be little for the taxpayers and we will be right where we started. Maybe you should start looking around at All of the opposition instead of a handful of people you have been dissing for years. Actually we'd be a lot better off if we band together to get rid of this sorry excuse for a majority and Mangold and Malone as well. Does either one of them still live in East Greenbush??
ReplyDeleteGotta luv MAM on 13!
ReplyDelete“Board member Mary Ann Matters, who is serving her first four year term, said a referendum would have been the ideal way to settle things but there simply wasn't enough time.” TIMING IS EVERYTHING MAM! WOULDA, COULDA, SHOULDA SPOKE UP BACK WHEN YA 1ST HEARD ABOUT IT!!
She says her decision to support the resolution was solidified after going door-to-door.
"As I campaigned last fall, it became woefully apparent that East Greenbush residents have been heavily burdened with taxes for too many years now," Matters explained to the standing room only crowd.” EXACTLY WHICH TOWN BOARD MEMBER’S SPOUSE WAS ON THE TOWN BOARD MANY OF THOSE YEARS?
She's a liar and incompetent. Its all irrelevant though, we're stuck with her foolish and juvenile temper tantrums until 2017.
ReplyDeleteI would like to thank the East Greenbush Town board for moving the Casino project forward. Our town will benefit greatly if this project is built here.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually great to see the Town Board starting to work together on the important issues. If MAM would learn to shut her venomous mouth we would all be much better off.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Just Saying that it's great to see the Town Board working together on important issues. But there are a whole lot of us who are just plain embarrassed to live in a town Supervised by Keith Langley.
DeleteThere's actually many people in favor of this casino. I have nothing personally against those who oppose it, but would hope they keep in mind that we pay taxes and live here as well. I am willing to take this proposal at face value. I gladyl welcome the financial aide and reduction in taxes and the added restaurants and stores that it will draw to the area.
ReplyDeleteDear Anony......If you were reading carefully, you would discover that the revenue is not guaranteed. In fact in some states taxpayer dollars are now being used to shore up failing casinos. With regard to new restaurants and stores in the area, the business model of a casino is to get people INSIDE and keep them there in order to get them to part with their money. You'll not see a revitalization of 9&20 with business drawn by a casino.
DeleteI am a 30 year resident of East Greenbush and have a daughter going to HVCC for Business Management. I'm all for this Casino Project and would hope my daughter could secure employment there if it were to come to East Greenbush. The not in my backyard group are just not making a very good argument. This project means jobs, and lots of them. Our Town Board showed the commitment and courage to act in the best interest of our town and I thank each and every one of them.
ReplyDeleteI voted yes to Prop 1 last November and I say yes to having a casino a in my back yard. My back yard being East Greenbush. This casino means Jobs,Jobs,Jobs. A 5-0 vote from our Town Board, GREAT JOB. Bring it on.
ReplyDeleteWith all props to Bonnie L over on the fly - our now infamous town-wide baker, Johnny the muffin man Tirino has anointed himself personal bodyguard to Rita Cox !
ReplyDeleteHey Tirino; you couldn't be a fly on her toilet paper - your a throw-away from Albany, cling-on thats looking for a crumb so you can act like your someone important!
Your a worthless thief !
Too many people know exactly what kind of petty thief you actually are. You screwed your own damn family ! No one with a minutes education would hire you for any position, you'd rip them off almost immediately.
Yes to a Casino , however if people such as DefrusciO, TirinO and DimartinO are having any say in the revenues, we are all in trouble.
ReplyDeleteGadfly (Wonder Why, Sue?)
ReplyDeleteNice bit of conjecture!
You couldn't possibly know for a fact that they did as you say unless you or someone else with them 24/7:
"didn't do any homework before voting"
"refused to engage the massive amounts of research sent to you"
"The only information you got was PowerPoints and glossy mailers"
"meetings with the developer's representatives centered around stifling opposition and withholding information"
"Nobody has yet to crunch any REAL numbers related to the promises."
Also, they haven't "violated the Open Meetings Law by scheduling your Thursday meeting at an unnecessarily inconvenient time" as it was announced in sufficient time.
The "suggestion of not holding a public meeting until after June 30th." was in the Supervisor's statement in his 'report'. Not the Board.
"The Town cops say 16 new FTE's." DUH! What did you expect?
Gadfly has been cited by a SUPREME COURT Magistrate for taking liberties in some of his exclamations.
DeleteSure wish we had someone smarter than Keith Langley to negotiate with the casino operators. Look how badly Langley has botched the Town's Employee-Management negotiations.
DeleteThe Towns Labor Unions have unanimously decided to forego negotiations with this pack of idiots-(SWF) .
DeleteNext election brings people into the mix that are professional and have some clue on how to conduct labor negotiations.
Langley/Defruscio/Gilbert/Danaher/Tirino/Mulvey/Dimartino and MAM will soon be names in the dust.
GOOD ! I heard the Towns demands were ridiculous and unrealistic. I hope SWF chokes on their stupid plans. They have no idea how to run a Town and it shows !
DeleteGadfly posted that the cops were stating that the Casino requires 16 more full time hires? Where did that come from ?
DeleteWould be interested to hear your source of information.
A cop.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, there is a Town Board meeting tomorrow at 7pm at Town Hall. It's very important to attend and let Keith Langley and Chris DeFruscio know we are paying attention.
ReplyDeleteDefruscio could care less what any of us think, say , or do.
DeleteHe pulled the wool over our eyes and he's got 15 months left to decimate the Town and line his pockets and those of his family and friends ~ and he fully intends to do exactly that !
To 8:05 PM, Agreed! That's why it's important to attend as many meetings as possible so that after Langley is defeated in November, 2015 he can be held accountable for his and Defruscio's actions.
ReplyDelete"Langley did not respond to a request for comment." That's from today's Times Union front page story (above the fold) written by Kenneth C. Crowe II. So our Supervisor Keith Langley is now a front page embarrassment for all the Capital Region to see. How much longer can this go on?
ReplyDeleteThe Langley majority Town Board is meeting tonight at 7 at Town Hall. Word on the street is Langley is looking for an even smaller room to have the meeting in.
Langley is completely incapable of commenting. He has no idea what the hell he's doing. Defruscio is so out of his league and ya got Johnny the muffin man Tirino following everyone looking for scraps.
ReplyDeleteSWF is a failure - entirely. The campaign promises were a ruse and they all now realize that they are hated by the entire Town of EGB.
Duhfruscio is duhn ~ again !
Here's the link to the "Casino FOIL" on the Times Union website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.scribd.com/doc/230268389/East-Greenbush-FOIL-Request-on-Casino-Meetings
Moved from "Happy Father's Day"
ReplyDeleteAnonymous June 18, 2014 3:21 PM
A little off topic, but a few interesting tid bits from the DPW and our illustrious commissioner.
9 improper practices and grievances filed against him, went to the judge for mediation last week. Union head shows up, guess who didn't.......Commissioner Corellis. He gets the town into the mess and sends Fiacco to explain. Lawyer for the town was also there, how much do you think that is costing us? And the town is gonna lose.
The new (20 yr old) dump trailer he bought without going through proper purchasing procedures? Didn't fit the in transfer station!! Had to be cut and retrofitted! So we still have a 20 yr old trailer at considerably more $$.
Notice all the potholes around town? Thats because there is very little pothole work being done and when it is, he has the truck driving all the way out to West Sand Lake instead of the port of Albany. Why? Because he thinks Albany Asphalt is a Dem. supporter.
The tree truck he bought without going through proper purchasing channels. It's not a tree truck. It's a utility truck that shouldn't be used for tree work. Plus. it hasn't been moved in months. Looks like renting a truck for 1 month was the most cost effective move.
How about the stone he had dumped at the Supervisors house and was seen working there? Who paid for that?
He's been seen twice in the last couple of weeks running his back hoe on town time, for his private business. I've heard there are pictures, but haven't seen them.
Numerous citizen complaints about his nastiness and arrogance.
Why was his truck at the VA in Albany on Town Time?
All this in addition to the absolutely horrendous management of the roads this past winter.
Nice job SWF!
FYI ANONYMOUS 3:21 - heard there was a death of someone VERY CLOSE to many of the Town guys at the VA
DeleteAnd, just like all the rest of us, you take personal time and your own vehicle up to see people in the hospital !
DeleteDid any of the other guys take a town truck, on town time to the hospital? Highly doubtful.
DeleteIts just more arrogance from the SWF idiots. They think they are immune to rules and laws. King of the morons even got himself placed in court to meddle in his families and friends tickets.
DeleteThese people of SWF are screwing the EG taxpayer each and every day. They don't even try to hide it.
Moved from "Happy Father's Day"
ReplyDeleteMOEJune 18, 2014 3:45 PM
DEFRUSCIO IS DRIVING THIS BUS !! WHAT DID ANYONE EXPECT ?
DPW and the PD all have pending greivances against the Town.
DeleteSWF is losing ground and costing taxpayers thousands in attorney fees to try to defend the Defruscio/Langley foolish decisions that led to these greivances. The Unions will win all these greivances, and we'll all be stuck holding the bill for attorney fees.
So the personal bodyguard/asst. to the head muffin maker , Johnny Tirino needed to shout out a few expletives at the Town Board meeting tonight !
ReplyDeleteJohn, better to be quiet and thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and take away all doubt !
Your an uneducated water boy for Duhmbfruscio and it shows !
Go back to Albany - oh wait , they threw you out of Albany !
and Langley sat like a deer caught in the headlights while his BFF called for limiting comments to voters or property owners and unleashed his profanity.
ReplyDeleteThank our stars JT doesn't formally call the shots or he might not let women speak at future meetings.
congrats to the young lady who spoke her mind causing JT's hissy fit.
congrats to the member of the audience who called for order.
I personally am in favor of the casino. I respect those who oppose. I simply don't agree with them. I would never interfere with a residents right to speak publicly and voice their opinion.
ReplyDeleteJohn Tirino would do well to stop attending Board meetings. He's clearly not there for any productive purpose and quite frankly he's a buffoon and obviously not able to speak maturely in a public forum.
When someone needs to resort to his style of tactics, they should be escorted from the room and sent packing !
A worthy and spot on post from the Fly;
ReplyDelete"Councilperson Mangold's vote on the Youth Director issue was correct. The way the additional monetary increase was presented by Supervisor Langley is for all intents and purposes a liaison stipend. Ms Mangold's suggestion that if the Board majority wanted to give the Youth Director a monetary increase it should be done as an amendment to the salary schedule with an attached job description was appropriate.
The last thing we need is for Supervisor Langley to begin awarding stipends to favored employees without written job descriptions. How long before Deputy Supervisor, Ed Gilbert and Court Attendant, Chris DeFruscio begin receiving Langley stipends?"
You all know Defruscio is pushing for stipends for his family and friends....guaranteed !
Ladies and Gentlemen - Welcome to SWF ! Dream t up and run by uneducated thieving thugs.
ReplyDeleteFor all of you who fell for the Defruscio plan of dictatorship , you were warned several times prior to November. You get exactly what you were told was coming. Go back thru the posts here and read exactly what you were all told was coming - word for word !
Defruscio , Tirino , Gilbert ~ ALL held true to predictions.
They are screwing the taxpayers daily !
So what if Torino told a woman to shut the F up. What do you want him to be brave enough to tell a man to shut the F up. If you know Torino that's not gonna happen.
ReplyDeleteLMAO !
DeleteI don't think it was right to all of a sudden stop the 5 minute comments in the middle of a meeting. He was very rude to Eileen Grant. If you think the comments go on to long cut them down in the begining not in the middle.
ReplyDelete@ 9:22 AM,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, that's how Supervisor Langley rolls. Rudeness is his daily habit.
Carefull talking about Torino.He's a tough guy, how many people would try to start two fights in one night. Okay one was a fourteen year old girl and the other was a woman or the senior sitting next to her. Tough guy doesn't begin to describe what a big man Torino is.
ReplyDeleteHe's tough alright...tough to get by when he's picking someones pocket or checkbook ! His past details his present - THIEF !
DeleteJohnny Muffins loves to take credit for things he had no part in to make himself look important. Ask around Albany, they'll fill you in.
And this is one of the guys Langley likes hanging around with?
ReplyDeleteIts amazing how people had issues with the previous Supervisor and the Board; when in all honesty they were like a "group of angels" compared to these morons. Yeah McCabe would get huffy now and then, nothing compared to this illustrious dumb ship called a "Supervisor." Luckily for him, Rifenburg will always give him a job; by then he'll be rolling down the halls of Town Hall! People wake up; get rid of these TB members and Mr. SUPE. Not that many more months to go! Howdy Doody would be a better candidate that Langley and Dilbert!
ReplyDeleteLangley made enemies January 2nd that he didn't need to make. He listened to a political f-up named Defruscio and look what it got him !?
DeleteI live for November 2015 to get rid of this idiot Langley. He is by far the worst we could have in EG for a supervisor.
Cheryl Vallee would have prevented ALOT of this BS !
ReplyDeleteYup ! Instead we are stuck with MAM and Dimartino , neither of whom are remotely qualified to sit on the Board . Just a couple of faces to fill in Def's SWF joke .
DeleteRensselaer may have a shot; ya never know! What an absolutely gorgeous spot for Racino; overlooking the water; sure beats Thompson Hill. Rensselaer needs a break. Go Rensselaer!
ReplyDeleteAnd Mayor Dwyer is much more credible than Supervisor Langley, that's got to count for something.
ReplyDeletemy pet hamster is much more credible than Stupervisor Langley and the rest of the SWF and crew combined,
DeleteMayor Dwyer and most of his staff are under criminal investigation by the State's Attorney Generals Office. Mayor Dwyer will be lucky not to get indicted.
DeleteThe easy access to the train station is a plus as well for the Rensselaer site. East Greenbush doesn't need or want any of those proposed high speed super ramps off I-90. We don't want a Jersey Turnpike in our neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny the republicrats beat McCabe and company to death with stipends and now they they want to do the same. The old saying is true there is nothing new under the sun in the last 5000 years. and if you honestly think your taxes will go down with the addition of a casino, I have a bridge to sell you. that "extra money will be gone with the crime the thing brings to the area and you housing values will plummet. On the bright side now would be a good time to start a private security service, I can see a lot of people signing up. Just consider our planing board turned down Global Foundries, but wants a Casino? People are building on Thompson hill during a moratorium on sewer hookups? Just WTF is going on here?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteNorth Greenbush turned down Global Foundries, not East Greenbush.
DeleteI believe I heard that development can proceed as sewer improvements are made, .
Interesting flip-flop from Feathers....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/06/ny_casino_deal_is_bad_for_taxp.html
He's saying this year the exact opposite that the said last year. So can you believe Feathers and Rita? I think not. And the Board fell for it.
Take a look at the first page of Section C in today's Times Union for the article written by Chris Churchill. The article clearly spells out that Mary Matters is only concerned about the political futures of herself and Keith Langley.
ReplyDeleteI'm not, the only honorable course of action is for Supervisor Langley and Councilperson Matters to resign immediately.
one word ~ KARMA
ReplyDeleteCouncilperson Mary Ann Matters sure has a whole lot of explaining to do!! The July 16th Town Board meeting should be very interesting!!!
ReplyDeleteKARMA - do you mean what goes around comes around? Or the Devil will getcha for sure! What you do unto others will definitely bit ya in the toosh!! Shit Happens!!
ReplyDeleteIt has a special meaning to more than a few of us.......and the KARMA "bus" has made a stop at the right place.....:-)
DeleteAin't that the truth!
DeleteI hate to keep harping...but I told ya so......here's an excellent post from over on the fly:
ReplyDelete"AnonymousJune 22, 2014 at 2:59 PM
When your elected officials are dumb that's a problem. When your elected officials are incompetent that's a problem. When your elected officials are corrupt that's a problem.
When your elected officials are dumb, incompetent, and corrupt they are the East Greenbush town board.
I know that's nasty. And I desperately wish it were not the case. But the objective evidence is overwhelming and powerful.
It started with the Organizational Meeting and continued, without interruption or relief, ever since.
People who supported Langley, Matters and DiMartino because they were anybody but the democrats offerings are now non supporters. It only took 6 months for the new board majority to show as flamingly incompetent; evil even.
I could see civil disobedience in Langley's future after his arrogant approach to public input at this month's town board meeting. The guy is horrible and Matters and DiMartino are too. And I supported them over and over and over.
Here's to hoping an independent slate of candidates emerges for the next election"
SWF has clearly been exposed for the JOKE it truly is !!!
One thing you can be sure of. When Keith Langley gets destroyed in 2015, Maryann Matters will be gone. She will head for the hills so fast your head will spin.Maryann has proven over and over she's nothing but a puppet who needs to be told what to do.She lacks courage and conviction bye bye Maryann.
ReplyDeleteMaryAnn Matters is an IDIOT ! She has nothing of any substance to contribute and her juvenile attitude and temper have no place in public office. She was a waste of anyones vote !
DeleteCheryl Vallee was clearly the best choice for Town Board- without a doubt !
Who ever made the comment about the bus making a stop at the right place.Was that comment heart felt?
ReplyDeleteLOL !!! Ask the self anointed bus driver !
DeleteBased on what the Times-Union is writing, Langley should immediately resign before he brings any more embarrassment to the Town.
ReplyDeleteLangley must go!!!!
The ENTIRE SWF JOKE MUST GO !
DeleteGilbert,MAM,Dimartino,Langley,....all need to be shown the door !
KARMA.....
DeleteThose agreements are required by law to be included in Saratoga Casino & Raceway's application which is due Monday. If experience in other cities is any guide, if the casino comes to EG or Rensselaer, the Palace Theater and Times Union Center are toast. But that's how casinos work. They don't create new wealth, they cannibalize existing wealth and take it home to their investors. It's a simple extraction process: we used to have money, soon they'll have it.
ReplyDeleteThe agreements with the Palace Theatre, Times Union Center and Park Playhouse ensure that the East Greenbush casino limits any entertainment venue it builds on site to 1,000 seats or less.
ReplyDeleteI doubt they'll draw McCartney, Santana, Rod Stewart, etc. to a 1000 seat venue.
Casinos only get the money people freely give them. Personal responsibility should come with adulthood.
It's amazing to me that instead of holding the casino developers up to what is required in the law related to a series of mitigation actions, the Town Board fell for the glitz and rolled over saying "thank you for choosing us." Nobody read the law. Don't we have a bunch of attorneys on retainer for that? Tom Grant made the most cogent recommendation at a Board meeting that the Town retain a negotiator for the process, but the "brain trust" thought they didn't need one.
ReplyDeleteThe Town Board's lack of due diligence, including just not knowing what the law says should be reason enough for them to resign. They fell for the glitz and became defensive when anybody suggested what they might want to read. Good grief....
Gadfly,
ReplyDeleteI believe any mitigation actions would come as part of the PDD negotiations in the event that East Greenbush is chosen by the State.
I also believe that Sue Mangold first mentioned hiring an attorney to negotiate with Saratoga Racing at a Pre-Board meeting.
Pete Stenson
Pete,
ReplyDeleteOnce again kudos to Sue Mangold for raising the importance of hiring a skilled negotiator to act on the Town's behalf. Let's hope the Board majority agrees with Sue's reasonable suggestion.
Best,
Tom
Regardless of the SWF bullshit, Sue Mangold has proven that she does in fact care about taxpayers rights.
ReplyDeleteMAM and Dimartino would do well to sit back, shut up and take a lesson in civility and class, rather than try to emulate the shitty demeanor of the Deputy Idiot and his leader.
Pete....as they say, that ship may have sailed. Gamblers know that the more/better cards you hold, the more leverage you have. Passing a site specific resolution without anything in return is not very bright. Right?
ReplyDeleteGadfly,
ReplyDeleteActually, wrong.
The site specific resolution clears the way for a deveopler to apply to the State Gaming Facility Location Board.
Suppose Capital View Casino is selected. Saratoga Casino and Raceway still has to go through the EG Planning and Town Boards to get the PDD.
This is where real negotiation occurs if the Town Board will follow Sue Mangold's recommendation to hire a professional casino negotiator and not try to go it alone.
Who has the real leverage? East Greenbush or the Casino?
It'd be quite difficult and embarrassing for Saratoga Casino and Raceway to pull an Emily Litella "Never mind" after being selected by the Gaming Facility Location Board.
Pete Stenson
You are both right. Don is right in thinking that we should have gotton something for the town before the reso passed (political support promises for LAngley are not something for the town and that appears to be what he asked for).
ReplyDeletePete is right in that we absolutly need a professional negotiator if the process moves forward.
Pete....EG appears to be the only venue in which approval was given before costs to the community were calculated and mitigations agreed upon. In Albany, the developer backed out because they couldn't "get the numbers to work" after the project was scoped to the required detail. Our people didn't know what to do. Period.
ReplyDeletePete and Don,
ReplyDeleteLooks like Keith Langley just negotiated for himself (future political contributions from the casino group) and not for the benefit of the Town!! Keith Langley has always just been concerned about himself and the Town be dam*ed.
As far as Langley is concerned, the negotiations are over.
Let's support Sue Mangold and Tom Grant in their attempts to get Langley to agree to getting a professional negotiator to do the right thing for the people of EG.
Sorry Pete but I can't agree with you on this one. Kathy Sheehan is meeting with the Saratoga Casino & Raceway today to demand mitigation measures and her city isn't even in the running. Our town board gave away all the leverage they had by not getting concessions in writing before passing that resolution. 'When you say, who has the real leverage', do you really think the Planning Board with attorney Phil Danaher who voted for a casino has any leverage against Featherstonhaugh and his multi-million dollar legal team? This town got taken, lock, stock and barrel and all five of our town board members are responsible. But we still have one bullet left in the gun and that's resident rage which is real and will be felt every step of the way. Our town board rendered our town government irrelevant to the process. The fight goes on without them.
ReplyDeleteFolks,
ReplyDelete"That ship may have sailed", as Gadfly put it, however, I don't think the ship has completely left the harbor.
The PDD process gives the Town a second bite at the apple.
IF the Town Board acts quickly and gets a negotiator lined up as Sue suggested (NOT the County's consultant), they'll be able to get their ducks in a row in the event EG is selected.
If they don't, they're downright fools to try to go it alone.
Pete Stenson
I think this is what happens when some local "insiders" try to triangulate a real estate killing along with a casino application.
ReplyDeletePete - Agreed. Although I must say a number of PDDs in recent years have looked like giveaways to political insiders. There are indeed a number of hurdles that must be jumped if we get selected, I just don't see our town government having the means to get much out of them.
ReplyDeleteClearly, the Town Board should have hired a professional negotiator to act on the Town's behalf prior to the final site selection vote.
ReplyDeleteThey should now act on Sue Mangold's suggestion and immediately begin the process to put on retainer an independent negotiator to look out for the Town's interests in the event the East Greenbush site is selected by the State Siting Commission. Any fees or expenses accrued by the negotiator would be covered by the Casino developer and/or operator under a written mitigation agreement.
Failure to take this action would be nothing less than governmental misfeasance.
Casino or No Casino...this Town is being openly screwed over by incompetent Board members who are intentionally hiding and deceiving its residents.
ReplyDeleteLangley simply isn't smart enough to do the correct thing. The hiding of the audit results is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mischief occuring at Town Hall.
We the people of this Town deserve much better !
Langley has surrounded himself with political incompetence. What do we all expect ? There is not one member of the SWF that actually has a clue what they're doing. That sounds mean, but if the shoe fits........
DeleteSome of Langleys "political incompetence" has tried to author a post over on the FLY.
DeleteIts actually laughable that he or she poses as a Democrat.
Typical Tirino b~s sprinkled with Mulvey,Gilbert and Lenartz for good measure.
Article 78 filed this afternoon:
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/215733/opponents-of-east-greenbush-casino-file-article-78-suit/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
Like the town needs legal fees for another frivolous lawsuit!
DeleteI find it refreshing that Towns folk have come to the same conclusion about SWF. Some of us -( albeit not enough of us ) knew prior to the election. But , better late than never so that we never make that mistake again !
ReplyDeleteBottom line: Defruscio is a fraud and so are his candidates and supporters.
They are out to rip the Town off and fill their pockets and they don't care who knows....they basically dare us to challenge them ! OK- GAME ON!
Trouble is there's 18 months left in Langley's term and 3 1/2 years left for the rest of the SWF!
DeleteSo long as we get rid of Langley and elect two other board members that don't give MAM and Dimartoni any say - the Town will heal from the damage of the Defruscio/Langley incompetence.
DeleteWho would have ever dreamed that Langley would be such a putz and Defruscio such a thieving moron with no intentions of doing the correct thing for the people of East Greenbush ?
Hiring your family and incompetent, unqualified friends is apparently the SWF/Defruscio way !
Who would have believed that Defruscio would be such a thieving moron??? Did you really ask that?? Anyone who knows him said it over and over. Langley is the only one who doesn't know it.
DeleteCHERYL VALLEE and MIKE BOTTILLO would not have us in this mess that MAM and Dimartino have mired this town in.
ReplyDeleteDeb nor Maryann are suited for public office. Neither are comfortable in their role as Town Board members.
DeleteSupposedly they spoke early on that they were deceived by Def. and company. Surprise~surprise~surprise !
You reap what you sow .....
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ReplyDeleteThank you for a fabulous day yesterday @ Burden Lake Country Club !
ReplyDeleteFollowing was submitted to Gadfly and repeated here in case Gadfly doesn't publish.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous June 28, 2014 at 10:22 AM Ms.Vallee and Ms.Smythe are private citizens entitled to their personal opinions, just like yourself. They were candidates. Repeat were candidates.
Gadfly June 29, 2014 at 12:44 AM The meetings were obviously conducted by Feathers and Co. They were laying out their strategy. Why seem so surprised?
Anonymous June 29, 2014 at 7:23 AM What makes you think the residents of East Greenbush will have to pay the salaries of 1700 people, the town and county the money, the state taxes, the three hundred million dollar loan, the energy cost to run the casino, the employee benefits, the food and liquor the casino comps to get people there?
SWF is USELESS!
Answer for the gadfly reader:
ReplyDelete4 corellis family on the Town Payroll...most in the history of the town.
3 defruscio family on the payroll
6 Defruscio
ReplyDeleteExcellent observation from a resident over on the fly:
ReplyDelete"The absurdity of all this is:
1.) Despite staggering amounts of taxpayer money spent by the town board there is still no audit for them and us to rely on for the true state of the town's finances.
2.) There is no plan, no goals, no actions, no vision no nothing in terms of a financial recovery plan.
3.) The organizational meeting showed beyond any doubt that the new majority is continuing the same nepotism and patronage hiring practices of the failed former majority.
4.) Secrecy remains the key way the new majority operates. Repression of public comments, Gilbert and DeFruscio's nasty and stupig blogs.
5.) What poll is Ms. Matters referring to?
Nice try MAM but all you provided was more partisan spin and excuses for a bad decision made badly."
MAM is an absolute disgrace and disappointment. Those that wasted a vote on her should feel betrayed. She is nothing but excuses and rhetoric directed by County Republicans and Duhfruscio.
DeleteDoes anyone really care what Ed Gilberts opinion is on anything ?
ReplyDeleteOK - I didn't think so either......
Todays Times Union blog shows the latest drivel from the Ethics Chair...and deputy dumba** . What a laugh and a half !
East Greenbush will go down as the laughing stock of the Capital District because of arrogant political losers like Gilbert.
No Ed - you don't get , you never did and you never will !