Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Vote set on reforming government
A bid to change the city’s 97-year-old commission form of government will go to voters in November, while last call for alcohol will remain at 4 a.m.
The City Council voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to place the Saratoga Citizen group’s charter change proposal on this year’s ballot. Voters will choose if they want to replace the present form of government that operates with a mayor and four commissioners with a professional manager and five-member City Council, who would hire the manager.
Two courts upheld Saratoga Citizen petitions, and after more than two years, it was time to put the issue to the public, said Accounts Commissioner John Franck, who brought the resolution. The vote ended with huge applause in City Hall.
“It’s been a long road,” said Patrick Kane, president of Saratoga Citizen. If approved, changes to the city government would be enacted in January 2014.
Mayor Scott Johnson opposed the measure.
“This proposal as a local law to adopt a citizens-based initiative is without any kind of legal precedent,” Johnson said. “That makes me very uncomfortable.”
The mayor could still form his own commission to propose charter change that would take precedent over Saratoga Citizen’s plan, but time is running out for that. The city spent more than $50,000 in legal fees fighting the group’s petitions.
The City Council made small changes to the Saratoga Citizen’s petitions before adopting them.
In another development, Public Safety Commissioner Chris Mathiesen tabled a vote on rolling back last call for alcohol in the city to 3 a.m. from 4 a.m. Three bar owners in the city and others spoke against the plan at Tuesday’s meeting.
dyusko@timesunion.com ■ 518-454-5353 ■ @DAYusko
Building inspector resigns
Developing:
The city’s building inspector abruptly resigned Friday.
Thomas McKnight of Ballston Spa cited personal reasons for his decision to step down from the $75,000-a-year job.
He denied leaving due to disagreements over job inspections, and declined to comment on reports saying he lacked the necessary education for the job. The Civil Service Commission requires the city building inspector graduate with a college degree.
“It was because of personal reasons I can’t discuss,” McKnight said.
Mayor Scott Johnson appointed McKnight on a provisional basis on Oct. 31 after the position had been vacant for more than two years. Johnson fired the previous building inspector, Lauritz
Rasmussen, after the two disagreed about building code standards for the city’s 33,000-square-foot indoor recreation center. Johnson could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. City officials do not publicly discuss personnel matters.
A Civil Service exam for the suddenly vacant building inspector position will be held on June 2. Only those who have applied to take the exam will be eligible for the job, said Patsy Berrigan, commission secretary. There are three applicants so far, she said.
Bank of America protest Wednesday in Saratoga Springs
MoveOn members and allies will gather to protest at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Bank of America Saratoga Springs branch on Ballston Avenue (Route 50).
The local demonstration is aimed at showing solidarity with activists who will be protesting and taking direct action at Bank of America’s annual shareholder meeting at its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., the same day.
Participants will demand that big banks like Bank of America start working for everyone instead of just the wealthiest one percent. They will call on Bank of America to do more to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, get their money out of politics, and invest their profits to help rebuild the economy. And they will call on Bank of America to stop financing dirty coal projects that cause asthma and other health problems and are destabilizing the climate.
Town of Malta community forum Monday night
A town of Malta community forum is planned for 6:15 p.m. Monday at the request of supervisor Paul Sausville, chairman Tom Wood and vice chairman Alan Grattidge.
This is one of several forums scheduled to provide residents of the county with the opportunity to talk directly with its leaders. At the budget public hearing conducted in early December it was very clear that many county residents had concerns and issues that they wanted to share with the supervisors. This forum is an effort to provide residents with that additional opportunity.
Updated financial information about recent developments at the county will be discussed in the opening minutes. The discussion will be followed by the regular town board meeting.
Anyone interested in attending is welcome. Additional forums will be scheduled at a variety of locations throughout the year. Call 885-2240.
Town of Malta community forum Monday night
A town of Malta community forum is planned for 6:15 p.m. Monday at the request of supervisor Paul Sausville, chairman Tom Wood and vice chairman Alan Grattidge.
This is one of several forums scheduled to provide residents of the county with the opportunity to talk directly with its leaders. At the budget public hearing conducted in early December it was very clear that many county residents had concerns and issues that they wanted to share with the supervisors. This forum is an effort to provide residents with that additional opportunity.
Updated financial information about recent developments at the county will be discussed in the opening minutes. The discussion will be followed by the regular town board meeting.
Anyone interested in attending is welcome. Additional forums will be scheduled at a variety of locations throughout the year. Call 885-2240.
Reaction to president’s visit
Credit: The Economist
“We’re thrilled President Obama is returning to the Capital Region and to Saratoga County specifically this time,” Todd Garofano, president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau, said. “His visit also coincides with Saratoga hosting two international semiconductor conferences this month. One, the World Semiconductor Council conference only comes to the United States once every six years and brings together the CEO’s of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturing companies. They chose Saratoga as a direct result of GlobalFoundries presence here. Thanks to GlobalFoundries, the spotlight is on Saratoga County and our entire region. The emergence of our high-tech industry has had a tremendous economic impact on our entire region, through many different layers including hotel stays and convention business and will continue to do so for years to come.”
City Council 5/1/12
It looks like another monster session tomorrow night in City Hall. The last couple of City Council meetings have gone four or five hours. This one looks meaty. It starts with two pubic hearings – on last call bar hours and the effort to change the City Charter and form of government. I understand that a technicality will prevent the council from voting Tuesday on sending the Saratoga Citizen initiative to the ballot in November. Mayor Scott Johnson is expected to discuss
Complete Streets; Accounts Commissioner John Franck will reveal the settlement terms of the John Breyo property assessment case; and Public Safety Commissioner Chris Mathiesen is scheduled to speak about a potential 3 a.m. last call.
Voter participation forum
The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County will present the program “Increasing Voter Participation in New York State” at 7 p.m. Monday in the Clifton Park-Halfmoon library on Moe Road in Clifton Park.
“New York State has one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the nation, and this program explores many of the reasons why it has such a low ranking. Reforms that have been enacted in other states to increase turnout will be reviewed, including whether these reforms would be effective if implemented in NYS. Three of the reforms under consideration are the modernization of the voter registration process, early voting, and a better ballot design. Statistics regarding voter participation in Saratoga County will also be presented as to how local participation measures up to the rest of the state. Elected and appointed officials have been invited to attend.”
Voter participation forum
The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County will present the program “Increasing Voter Participation in New York State” at 7 p.m. Monday in the Clifton Park-Halfmoon library on Moe Road in Clifton Park.
“New York State has one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the nation, and this program explores many of the reasons why it has such a low ranking. Reforms that have been enacted in other states to increase turnout will be reviewed, including whether these reforms would be effective if implemented in NYS. Three of the reforms under consideration are the modernization of the voter registration process, early voting, and a better ballot design. Statistics regarding voter participation in Saratoga County will also be presented as to how local participation measures up to the rest of the state. Elected and appointed officials have been invited to attend.”
Anti-Gun advocates storm Capitol
New Yorkers against gun violence lobbied lawmakers in Albany today. They are demanding an immediate withdrawal of a bill that would allow the use of deadly force to defend against an intruder or attacker. They say passage of this bill will open the door to vigilante justice - an issue that has gained attention since the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida. The group is also pushing for the...
