The A Team and the Common Sense Party

The new faces:

Todd DiGrigoli

Helen Schneider

Both are interested in Youth Development and are already active in Town Recreation Programs. Helen is a member of the Town Recreation Commission and is teaching drama and stage craft to young people. Todd is a Soccer coach.

Our Message is Simple:

Continue the the work already begun: finishing sidewalks and trails, obtaining solar power, creating a Youth Center, starting a "dog run"and Community Garden; within Common Sense budgetary constraints.

With the new energy and enthuisasm of Todd and Helen, combined with their interest in young people, a Youth Center can be accomplished. By harnessing the spirit of volunteerism, like that brought to the renovation of the South Building by the Tri Village Seniors, the youth center can be established in a restored North Building. Like the Seniors, volunteers can paint, clean and furnish a suitable area to be used by our youth - with parent volunteers to furnish an adult presence.

The Experience is furnished by incumbents:Doug McGivney, Supervisor andHighway Superintendent John Ruchel.

This year the much needed Highway Building complex was added to the many facilities created built or obtained by this administration.

This building is a needed addition to all the buildings, parks, ball diamonds, hoops and play areas already brought into existence by this administration. Photos of those prior accomplishments are shown on different postings.

Justice Natalie Kolb has served her first term as Town Justice and is known for having an organized and orderly court. She introduced computers into the local court processes and obtained a large grant from the Office of Court Administration.

Other goals are already works-in-progress. The Town has obtained a very large grant for an off road trail, one of many phases that is part of a plan adopted a few years ago. The side walk link between the Villages of Valatie and Kinderhook is already funded and is in the Engineering/Access stage. The side walk link continues the sidewalk previously built between the Round About and Valatie Main Steet.

The Common Sense Banner:

By filing an Independent Nominating Petition the Line A, Democratic candidates, gained another banner, according to Doug McGivney, candidate for Kinderhook Supervisor”. That petition was signed by over 400 people, many of whom are not enrolled in any party. In making this announcement, Francis McKearin said, “this gives the voters a chance to truly ’vote for the person’ not the party”. In addition, said McKearin, “fact-based decision making is the goal of “Common Sense” and needs to be applied to all government determinations”.

Another response to Mayor Strevells Press Releas

The following is a letter to the Register Star editor:
Following that on this blog is my full explanation of my and/or Town of Kinerhook role.



Francis Vecellio
9 Rothermel Avenue
Kinderhook, NY 12106

October 13, 2009

Register Star
364 Warren St.
Hudson, NY 12534

To the Editor:

I read with amusement Mayor Gary Strevell’s attempt to shift blame for the Valatie Senior Center fiasco to Kinderhook Supervisor Doug McGivney. Let’s see what would have had to occur for McGivney to have been responsible:

First, Doug would have had to force the Village Board to threaten to use an imminent domain proceeding to acquire the old post office from private developers. Then, he would have had to force village officials to sign a grant application swearing that the grant money would be used for an exclusive senior center and to not use the funds for municipal purposes – when an established senior center already exists on State Farm Road. When the rehabilitation of the post office was complete, Doug would have to have ordered the firing of the volunteer senior center coordinator and carted off the furniture donated for the center for storage in order to make room for village court equipment and furnishings. In order to flaunt the misappropriation of public funds, Doug would have had to have ordered the erection of street signs around the village directing drivers to village court at the senior center.

Does the Mayor really believe anyone would buy his nonsense?

Either the Mayor and Village Board were poorly advised by the village attorney, who now seeks a promotion to control town affairs, or they chose to ignore his advice and risk being caught defrauding the state and senior citizens in some other community who could have benefited from a full-time senior center.

I know for a fact that Supervisor McGivney interceded in behalf of the taxpayers of the village and encouraged state officials to find a solution which would not require the repayment of the $400,000 grant. If the Mayor were a more responsible person, he would be thanking Supervisor McGivney and apologizing to village taxpayers for putting them at risk. Then again, if he were such a person, the entire episode would never have occurred.

Sincerely,



Francis Vecellio
Kinderhoook

758-1683 or 929-0005

Response to Mayor Strevell's Comments onValatie Senior Center

This is response to the press release by Village of Valatie Mayor Gary Strevell, and published in the Register Star.

The following are the facts, as compared to Gary’s rant:

1. I did not oppose the grant. Neither was I asked to support.
2. I did not try to get the state to revoke the grant.
3. I did not demand that Valatie remove may name.

4. I did offer to help.

That offer was to be conveyed to Mayor Strevell by Mr. Rabito. Mayor Strevell never contacted me. Mr. Grattan did contact me to explore ideas, but there was no follow up. I did not want the Valatie Tax payers to return the $ 400,000.00 and stated such to all that asked including Mr. Rabito.

5. I did meet once with Mr. Rabito.

That occurred – last March or April, in the company of Tri Village Seniors representatives and the RS (Paul Crossman).

6. I did contact the State ..

when the sign indicated that I, as Supervisor for the Town of Kinderhook, supported and sponsored the grant. I did not call Mr. Rabito, as I did not know him at the time. I did state that I was never asked to support nor was the Town Board of Kinderhook neither asked for support nor asked to sponsor the facility. If I had been asked at the time of the grant application, I am sure I would have echoed the sentiments of Dottie Ostrowski, President of the Tri Village Seniors club. She was contacted by a Valatie official and she said no, as Tri Village Seniors had a center. Her response was not mentioned in the grant application although the grant application indicates that the Tri Village Seniors supported it. Shortly after relaying the truth of the matter to NYS my name was removed.

As is apparent from Mayor Strevell’s statement to the Register Star and on the Valatie Web Site, and even statements attributed to other Village officials there is no real intent to operate a Senior Center, as envisioned by the grant application. Village officials hope NYS will stop policing its use by signing the Memorandum of Understanding. Mayor Strevell and Attorney Patrick Grattan are apparently ignorant of the law which provides that for five (5) years they are subject to the pay back and other remedies if they stray from providing the services they have promised. The annual debt service on the $ 120,000.00 Valatie borrowed for the center and the cost of operation of all the activities promised by the grant application and law governing same will be a tremendous burden on the Valatie taxpayers.

The lack of a population base of a size to support the center is a recipe for failure. Remember this is not just a place for seniors to gather – like Kinderhook’s Dottie Ostrowski Center, it is a full time and full service operation for poor seniors. The Village officials in order to qualify for the grant had to offer a full time and full service facility that provided congregate meals and other services for needy seniors. In order to get the grant, Valatie’s grant includes Barnwell and Valatie Woods Residents in its service population. Valatie Wood’s residence have a meeting place and receive “Meals on Wheels” that serves many of its residents and they like the program of meals delivered to their door. Barnwell residents receive “congregate meals” as part of the cost of residence. There are only 62 seniors in the Village of Valatie that receive Enhanced Star exemptions. How many of them want regular “congregate meals”? There has been no survey to determine this, but it is doubted that many want regular congregate meals. Those who want meals get them from the Town and County “Meals on Wheels” program. Mr. Grattan’s claim of 333 rental units seems very high, unless Valatie Woods and Barnwell are counted. Even if there were 333 rental units, not counting Barnwell and Valatie Woods all would have to house seniors desiring all the services offered in this full service facility. The grant, after all was $ 400,000. That kind of money is not given for just a part time gathering place.

The reference to other non-compliant grant recipients by Mayor Strevell is disingenuous; as he fails to disclose is that Valatie’s grant writer Mr. Kirk also obtained those grants. Mr. Kirk had special access to former Governor Pataki’s Office of Small City Grants Program. The Grant Program was even operated out of the Governor’s Second floor offices.

It is ironic for Mayor Strevell to accuse me of “politics” when this grant was announced by former Congressman Sweeney just before an election; was granted by the politically motivated second floor of the Governor Pataki offices, and the grant lacked basic detail like proof of community support from seniors or other Town of County officials. The public hearings heard only from seniors that opposed the application. That opposition was not addressed in the grant application. The numbers of seniors to be served does not exist – but on the grant application. Village residents have to ask themselves, how did we get here? How much will it cost to continue? $120,000.00 has already been borrowed and the village tax rate just went up $0.60 per thousand – way more than Kinderhook Village which was lower to begin with.

What ever happens, I am willing to work on a solution. I previously offered to help through the one meeting I had with Mr. Rabito. Unfortunately, the Valatie leadership continues to think it can use the facility for a village hall and court room as soon as the State turns its back. Already it is paying salaries for the limited services it does offer.

Proposal by Electrical firms for Licensing Law

This is in response to the letter written for the Register Star by Jack Scheriff, an electrician, on behalf of a local group of electrical contractors. Licensing of electricians is an old issue that has been urged by the same group several times over the years. It has been refused by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors each time. It has been raised twice during my terms. It provides for a County administrated “licensing” program. In my view, it is designed to protect large electrical contractors from competition and duplicates existing laws requiring underwriting approval of all electrical work.

I have heard two presentations and each begins with the “unfairness” of competition from electricians from other counties or states that require licenses. I am surprised that attorney Patrick Grattan supports this proposal. As described by a very good electrician and friend of mine- the urged legislation is an attempt by a “good old boys” network of large electrical firms to limit competition. The proposal conveniently allows “grandfather status” for the group’s members without testing or required education. If passed, a new bureaucracy would be created; positions would be needed to keep track of the licensing and all the other organizational red tape that goes with licensing legislation. It is ironic that this group is saying: “Help, please regulate us”! Usually these same people urge that there is too much government regulation.

This licensing law would, in my opinion, be too much regulation. It duplicates the current statutory scheme found in all Towns. A permit is required for building, remodeling and other construction work. The permit leads to inspections and, in the case of electrical work, written and certified approval by an independent under-writing organization. Those inspectors are certified and have training beyond having been in business a long time. This licensing law would make it hard for a young person to become an electrician. It would also prohibit homeowners from doing their own work – even if the person was a graduate electrical engineer.

Although I have again been singled out by this mostly Republican group, only Supervisor Thomas Diaz from Ancram recently urged adoption of this scheme. At the May meeting of the Legal Committee, attended by 5 Republican Supervisors and 2 Democratic Supervisors, the vote was 6 to 1 to table. At the July meeting, the motion to "abolish the process of creating an electrical licensing law" was passed by the full Legal Committee which consists of 7 Republicans and 3 Democrats. All but Supervisor Dias voted for the motion. In addition, many people and small contractors have expressed opposition to this legislation. Presumably other Supervisors have received the same message, I am only one vote. In the past this legislation was also rejected by the local association of building inspectors.

Does Mr. Grattan really support this added bureaucracy and increased taxes it represents? This partisan attack by Mr. Scheriff contains false information. I have never seen a 300 signature petition nor photos of shoddy work. I am sure this group would have little trouble producing such photos!

Mr. Scheriff refers to a quote of Presiden Martin Van Buren, who he correctly refers to as another Kinderhook Democrat. I do not understand his quote in this context. Mr. Scheriff's scolds me and by inference those Republican and Democratic Supervisor that do not agree with him. A more apt quote from our famous Democratic President is: Most men are not scolded out of their opinion".