Public Notice: Rensselaer County IDA Public Hearing

Rensselaer County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is holding a public hearing on a new Regeneron Parking Lot on Discovery Drive this Thursday, September 1, 2016 at the East Greenbush Town Hall at 10:00 AM.

8/17/16 East Greenbush Town Board Meeting

Early shout-out to Jessica Lansing, Amy Walsh and their helpers – I’m sure the 8/20/16 EG Town Festival was great!

 

The East Greenbush Town Board unanimously adopted the following:

 

153-2016 Scheduling a Special Meeting for the Town Clerk to Present the 2017 Tentative Budget to the Town Board. Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.

 

154-2016 to Adopt a Post Bond Issuance Compliance Policy.

 

155-2016 Approving Local Law #2 of 2016 Providing That the Commissioner of Public Works May Reside in the Counties of Rensselaer, Albany, Washington or Columbia. The arrogance of power?

 

156-2016 Appointing Scott F. Gallerie to the Position of Commissioner of Public Works for a Two Year Term. – Congratulations and welcome, my prior Advertiser Letters weren’t about you.

 

157-2016 Appointing Susan F. McCarthy to the Position of Sole Appointed Assessor for a Term to Run Through December 17, 2019. Congratulations and welcome back!

 

158-2016 to Schedule a Second Public Hearing on an Amended Code of Ethics. September 21, 2016 at 6:15 p.m.

 

159-2016 Authorizing the Award for A New Dump Truck on Mini-Bid Request Number T16060025.

 

160-2016 Authorizing the Settlement of Tax Certiorari Proceeding Entitled Curtis Lumber Company v. the Town of East Greenbush for the Year 2015.

 

161-2016 Authorizing the Settlement of Tax Certiorari Proceeding Entitled MKF Land Development, LLC v. the Town of East Greenbush for the Year 2015.

 

162-2016 Authorizing the Purchase and Installation of Carpet for the Water & Sewer Office in Town Hall.

 

163-2016 Authorizing the Finance Office to Solicit Bids for Various General Construction, Electric, HVAC and Plumbing Projects.

 

164-2016 Authorizing the Finance Office to Solicit Bids for a Sidewalk Cleaner.

 

165-2016 Authorizing Susan F. McCarthy to Attend the New York State Assessors Association Conference on Assessment Administration in Lake George, NY.

 

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

East Greenbush Wants to Outsource DPW Commissioner Job – UPDATE

The following should appear in tomorrow's Advertiser.

Last evening (8/17/16), the East Greenbush Town Board was to consider (I am writing in advance, thus, the outcome is not known):

155-2016 the Commissioner of Public Works May Reside in the Counties of Rensselaer, Albany, Washington or Columbia which I opposed in last week’s Advertiser saying “at least three former DPW Commissioners and two former Deputy DPW Commissioners live here.” 

156-2016 Appointing Commissioner of Public Works “effective August 23, 2016 – August 22, 2018 at an annual salary of $85,000.”  Far more than previous EG DPW Commissioners were paid.

This appointment is problematic on two counts.

First, Section 8 of EG Local Law 3 of 1971, establishing a Department of Public Works states “The salary of the Commissioner of Public Works shall be fixed annually”.  The salary was set by this Town Board at $60,000 at the January 4, 2016 Organizational Meeting.

Second, NYS Town Law §53-c. Terms of office states “The head of a department and a deputy department head shall hold office until the first day of January next succeeding the first bi-annual town election held after his appointment, and thereafter, shall hold office for the term of two years and until his successor shall have qualified, provided, however, that the appointees to such offices shall be removable at the pleasure of the town board unless otherwise provided by local law.”  There is no provision for an “August 23, 2016 – August 22, 2018” term. 

I have absolutely nothing against the individual that the Board wishes to appoint and wouldn’t know him from Adam, but I do believe in and respect the law and process and doing things properly.  There’s a right way and a wrong way!

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

 

8/16/16 Music In the Park Cancelled

  

Due to weather conditions Music in the Park is cancelled for tonight, 8/16/16.

THE OLDIES SHOW WILL GO ON THIS THURSDAY 8/18 @6 PM.

BE SURE TO JOIN US! 

East Greenbush Wants to Outsource DPW Commissioner Job

The East Greenbush Town Board has scheduled a Public Hearing at 6:30 PM on August 17, 2016 on a Local Law to eliminate the residency requirement for the Commissioner of Public Works.

The Town Board has previously bypassed NYS Town Law §23 by resolution.  §23 requires that every officer “shall be an elector of the town” and lists numerous town- and position-specific exclusions, enacted into Law by the NYS Legislature.  There is; however, case law to support the Town Board’s proposal.  Ditto informal Attorney General opinions.

Evidently no one in East Greenbush is qualified to fill the position, despite the fact that at least three former DPW Commissioners and two former Deputy DPW Commissioners live here.  Whether they applied for the vacant position is not known by me at this time.  Some did their job better than others and could do so again. 

When you write ‘gold standard’ position qualifications, you may have to go beyond the Town’s border to find qualified applicants.  On the other hand, Town residents are vested and invested in their towns. 

The rumored non-resident appointee, who shall remain nameless, earned far more in 2015 than previous EG DPW Commissioners.  Will we taxpayers have to pony up more than the $60,000 approved by the Town Board at the 1/4/16 Organizational Meeting to achieve the ‘gold standard’?

I do not know the individual and this is not about him or her.  Do we want East Greenbush to outsource its jobs? 

I left the 8/3/16 Special Meeting with the impression that the Town Board may move to eventually eliminate the residency requirement for all non-elected Town positions. 
 
East Greenbush is the largest town in Rensselaer County.  Surely our residents are qualified to work for our town. Pete Stenson
East Greenbush

EG Town Festival

Public Notice: Special Meeting

The Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush will hold a Special Meeting on August 4, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall, 225 Columbia Turnpike, Rensselaer, NY 12144 for the purpose of scheduling a public hearing on a Local Law to waive the residency requirement for the Commissioner of Public Works.