Amsterdam Spends Wisely

According to the Amsterdam City Charter, the Budget Review Board consists of the Mayor, five Alderman and City Controller who each have a deciding vote. The preliminary budget is supposed to be prepared by the Controller after the department heads have each submitted their proposed budget requests. March 1, 2013, is the date the working tentative budget should be presented and May 1, 2013, is the date the Budget Review Board is to adopt a final budget.

Since this writer has kept track (about five years), the budget review process has never gone smoothly. I never understood why the City of Amsterdam Controller, an elected position, had a vote on  city budget matters or the Mayor either for that matter. The legislative body of government (Alderman) was formed for that purpose while the executive (Mayor) approved or vetoed legislation.

This year’s budget negotiation is without a Controller. The City of Amsterdam’s last Controller, Ron Wierzbecki, died in December and the Common Council decided to continue without appointing an interim. Instead they chose to create a Deputy Controller, an appointed position to serve in that capacity. An experienced accountant, David Mitchell was hired to the $75,000, 6 year post. Things seem to be going smoothly since he took over the reins but I’m sure he still has some catching up to do.

The City of Amsterdam Budget Review Board met on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, to hear budget presentations from City Department heads. This year’s Budget Review Board consists of Mayor Ann Thane, 1st Ward Alderman Joe Isabel, 2nd Ward Alderman Valerie Beekman, 3rd Ward Alderman Gina DeRossi, 4th Ward Alderman Dave Dybas, 5th Ward Alderman Richard Leggiero, Corporation Counsel Gerard DeCusatis and Deputy Controller David Mitchell. Legally the Deputy Controller and Corporation Counsel have no vote on the city budget. Corporation Counsel DeCusatis certainly had his say in both preparing the budget and active negotiations. It seems he has stepped in the role of  Controller.  In fact, the preliminary budget was prepared by Thane and DeCusatis who took it upon themselves to add items and even new employees to the department head budgets without their consent. This revealed itself as the department heads each presented their budgets last night.

Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course Maintenance Supervisor Jim Derrick

Mayor Ann Thane, Corporation Counsel Gerard DeCusatis, Alderman Valerie Beekman, Alderman Gina Derossi, Alderman Joe Isabel

DeCuasatis, Beekman, DeRossi, Isabel

Jim Derrick, Golf Commission Chairman Mike Bucciferro

Amsterdam City Engineer Richard Miller

Rick Morrison reporting live from the budget hearing

Ann Thane, Gerard DeCusatis

Deputy Controller David Mitchell, Alderman Richard Leggiero, Alderman Dave Dybas

DPW General Foreman Ray Halgas

Transportation Director Cheryl Scott

Recreation Director Rob Spagnola

Recorder Reporter Rebecca Webster

Rebecca Webster

Mitchell, Leggiero, Dybas

Director of Community and Economic Development Robert von Hasseln

Rob von Hasseln

Placed in the Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course budget was a cart fee of $2.00 per cart applicable to everyone driving a cart on the course. The Review Board decided to remove that fee with Alderman Beekman stating it was unfair for those that own carts housed at the course who already pay cart storage and membership fees. There was a discussion about hiring a general manager for the course next year but that was not figured in their budget for this season.

City Engineer Richard Miller argued for increased hours for his secretary from 30 to 35 hours a week. That request was approved pending a Civil Service agreement.

DPW General Foreman Ray Halgas found a newly created supervisor position in his budget that Mayor Thane admitted she placed there. The Mayor wanted the position to keep an eye on crews and people who tend to take too long during breaks. She stated her office constantly receives calls that DPW crews are hanging out at Stewarts or other convenience stores for extended periods of time. This new employee position was voted down by the Budget Review Board.  Halgas seemed a bit uneasy about the Montgomery Otsego Schoharie Solid Waste Management agreement scheduled to end this time next year with no current negotiation pending for a replacement or new contract.  Alderman Dybas congratulated Halgas for finally getting both street sweepers working. Halgas stated a new sweeper will arrive this year, describing problems he has had maintaining the older sweepers.

Transportation Director Cheryl Scott presented her budget with an irregularity noticed in last year’s electric bill that the Deputy Controller stated he would help work out. As an aside, Alderman Isabel turned to the media table of reporters to state the Transportation Budget requires a taxpayer subsidy amounting to $326,000 per year to run. Low cost transportation is provided around the City of Amsterdam, to County Offices in Fonda, To Fulton-Montgomery Community College as well as daily trips to Albany, NY.

Recreation Director Rob Spagnola has taken on added responsibilities this year with the establishment the Beacon School Recreation Center and the Creative Connections Art Center. With help from a part-time Recreation Assistant, programming was created for both the young and old. The addition of Union College Baseball to Shuttleworth Park will bring astro turf paving. Spagnola asked for a salary increase for himself and full-time hours for his assistant stating he was the oldest tenured Director who loves his job and has never asked for a salary increase before. The Recreation budget also included a $10,000 revolving fund to help defray costs of programming, with the understanding that the money would be replenished from programming services rendered. His requests were unanimously approved by the Board.

Director of Community and Economic Development Rob von Hasseln completed his first year in the new position, giving a status report of developments. He reiterated that while still performing the City Historian job, he no longer receives the $5,000 stipend. Von Hasseln also stated that he saves the City money by not accepting the health insurance as he already has health insurance through his US Army retirement. Von Hasseln was also responsible for helping to create and sell the revolving fund for recreation services. Thanks Rob!

While this three-hour Budget Review Board meeting was only one of many, it does seem things are running better than earlier years. Only time (tax and utility bills) will tell.

About that Art Center…

Around this time last year, the City of Amsterdam, NY realized it owned a building recently vacated by St Mary’s Hospital Outreach Center. Several organizational meetings were held by Mayor Ann Thane to get public comments on just what to do with this building. There were several great suggestions including a Community Recreation Center. Through a series of missteps that did not include required approval from the Common Council, a handpicked committee was formed with the intended purpose of managing and running an Art Center. This committee then became a private entity that would have control of a city owned property again without any advice from the Common Council, the legislative body for the City of Amsterdam. Creative Connections became very non-communicative, refusing to hold public meetings and would not answer any of my email inquiries. Aside from a couple of art shows, there was little action from this committee or programming for the public.

Throughout this process, I recommended to both the Mayor and the Creative Connections Committee, that they get approval from the Common Council as required by law,before proceeding any further. My suggestion was ignored creating a great deal of animosity.

My earlier blog entries describing these occurrences can be found here and here.

At last nights meeting of the Amsterdam Common, a resolution was presented for approval that transferred funds to pay for furnace repair, carpeting and painting of the Creative Connections Arts Center. This brought about a long needed discussion by Council members about why they were never consulted regarding the use of this building.

I commend Alderman Valerie Beekman for standing up to the Council with a direct criticism of the way the Art Center has been handled, at the same time expressing the importance of continuing to move forward and do things the right way as an example to our kids. She pledged to donate the rest her salary to pay for expenses incurred.

Left out of today’s Recorder article describing last night’s Council meeting, was my formal request that one of our Aldermen propose a resolution dedicating the building at 303-305 East Main Street as a Community Recreation Center. The approval of this resolution would, by law, put the management under control of the City Recreation Committee and would allow them to directly receive funding and grants for programs and improvements. This would increase public confidence in the center by providing a documented, public flow of funding with no appearance of impropriety. It would also open the center for use by the entire community and allow the Recreation department to charge a usage fee, relieving some of the tax burden.

I believe my suggestion was taken seriously and that we will see some movement on this proposal.

Alderman Valerie Beekman authoritatively asserts that the Art Center be handled the right way as an example to our kids.

Amsterdam Recreation Director Rob Spagnola explains the Art Center repairs and upgrades to Amsterdam’s Common Council.

We also discovered at last nights meeting that the security camera systems donated by the Buddhist World Peace and Health Organization last July were finally being installed by Michael R. Parillo. An example of the mounting device designed by Parillo is displayed in the next photo between Corporation Counsel Gerard Decusatis and Alderman Joe Isabel.

Corporation Counsel Gerard DeCusatis, Alderman Joe Isabel, Alderman Valerie Beekman, Alderman Gina DeRossi

There is still time to buy tickets to the Mardi Gras Dance Party Fundraiser sponsored by the Amsterdam Waterfront Foundation on Saturday, February 9, 2013, starting at 5:30pm. All proceeds go to fund the FREE 2013 Amsterdam Riverlink Park Summer Concert Series. You may buy tickets directly from the website www.riverlinkconcerts.com.

 

UPDATE: A Show Of Support

Midday Common Council Meeting

A Special meeting of the Amsterdam Common Council was held today at 12:30pm to speed up the process of replacing about 250 feet of floating docks at Riverlink Park that were destroyed by last summer’s flooding. City Recreation Director Rob Spagnola pled his case to the Council stating the docks were covered by insurance, that the City was already reimbursed for $50,000 for flood damages. The lowest estimate received was $65,000 and if approved the docks could be replaced in May, in time for boating season. The resolution to authorize bids limited to the floating docks was unanimously passed by the Council (Alderman DeRossi was absent from meeting).

Spagnola went on to state that the docks were the only part of Riverlink Park that was covered under flood insurance. Damage to five decorative light posts is estimated at $15,000. There was also damage to the concession building that was under three feet of water. An adjacent supply shed was also destroyed by the flood.

The only other piece of legislation presented at the meeting was an introductory resolution to place stop signs on Florida Avenue at the intersection of Bridge Street in both directions. A public meeting to discuss this ordinance was scheduled for next Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at 7:20pm.

Also absent from the meeting were the Amsterdam Police and Fire Chiefs as well as City activist Diane Hatzenbuhler (there was no public comment segment in today’s meeting). Reporter Ed Munger covered the meeting for the Daily Gazette and Jarrett Carroll covered the meeting for the Recorder. I was the only City resident in attendance that was not a City employee.

Bringing Home the Bacon

The former Clara S. Bacon Elementary School at 40 Henrietta Blvd is again creating controversy in Amsterdam.  The building and grounds owned by the Amsterdam School District was to be sold to the World Peace and Health Organization for a whopping $460,000.  When that organization backed out of the sale, a proposal was put forth by City Recreation Director Rob Spagnola to have the City buy the property and turn it into a Recreation Center.

With no professional business plan or marketing survey done, the Common Council acted on the purely speculative proposal by placing a bid on the property for $150,000. Spagnola’s proposed start up cost have ranged wildly from $130,000 to $650,000. for building repairs and equipment. The City’s plan is to bond for the building cost, ultimately paying $420,000. over a 20 year period. There was no discussion of how this building will be staffed or maintained nor was there any mention of the cost of liability insurance.

To top it all off, City Government wants to rush the purchase so it will be on the same ballot as the Amsterdam School District Budget.  Woah, stop the presses! The school isn’t going anywhere. If this plan is worthwhile as stated, get a professional opinion about its feasibility as a business. Get a professional building survey and estimate for repair. The last thing this City needs is another drain on the taxpayers. We already have the golf course that fails to produce revenue.

The Amsterdam School District has made a counter offer to the City of $250,000. for the property. That is $210,000. less than the Chinese Buddhists were charged for the same property less than 6 months ago.

How can the City of Amsterdam afford to finance this pipe dream when we cannot even balance an annual budget or fix our failing infrastructure. We still have fire hydrants that fail, buildings in need of demolition or repair. We have too many projects waiting to be completed to take on another. Chalmers Building demolition, the Tonko Bridge, the Via Ponte Project, sewer and storm drain project etc.

If the City is serious about this project, at least hire a professional to determine actual cost of rehab and a market study to see if such a venture would be profitable before acquiring yet another unmanageable tax-free property.  Better yet, market the site as a profitable recreation center to a private investor so the City can profit from the taxes and utility fees as well.

Perhaps the Mayor could ask Uri Kaufman to invest in Bacon, or wouldn’t that be Kosher?