Well, it has been done. Mayor Johnson, who has been saying for 4 years that he was going to appoint a Charter Commission to make the current Charter much better, announced he has done just that. What I can’t wait for now is to see the cast of characters he appoints. One thing for sure, it will be Johnson supporters, SUCCESS members (guess who?) and the good old boys network. This last grasp for power by the Mayor, Shauna and it appears the Republican Party shows how they operate and how they feel about the citizenry.
Now, do you think this was done by the Mayor to confuse voters with only less than 6 weeks before the election? Granted, he CANNOT change the fact that the Proposed Change has to be voted on in November. Do you think the Mayor is smart enough to propose this Commission after saying he was going to 4 years ago? Some say no, I feel this smells a little of Shauna Sutton yanking Johnson’s (better not said). Like Charlie McCarthy to Edgar Bergen, so to is Scott Johnson on Shauna Sutton's lap.
When the Mayor joined SUCCESS, he made it perfectly clear to citizens he was opposed to Charter Change. Instead of being a Mayor and staying neutral he has again joined with a small group led by Remiga Foy who, at her party last week with Johnson and Joe Dalton, (we call him the $225,000.00 man because of his salary amount at the Chamber before he retired), had admitted that professionalism is the best solution when dealing with groups like government, school districts etc. Her example was that citizen’s elect a School Board and the School Board then interviews and appoints a Superintendent to administer the District. This does sound like blueprint of a Mayor /Council/ City
One thing stands out as explained to me by a friend who visited both a SUCCESS meeting and a Saratoga Citizen meeting. She said at the SUCCESS meeting it was attended by the same old guard of Saratoga Springs
Mayor Johnson has said we have a great economy here, and he is right, we also have a beautiful City. However, look at what happened when we lost Racino money, it cost Saratoga Springs
Maybe he should start a commission to:
ReplyDelete1. help him find a new building inspector
2. Negotiate the 4 outstanding union contracts
3. Solve bedbugs at SS Housing Authority
4. Get Ed Spychowski a raise as the SSHA.(Mr. Ed's salary has double in the 5 years of the Johnson Administration.
5.On Hiding the fact that the "Cost neutral" Rec Center is actually going to cost $500,000.00 per year.
There is more, but I will let others add to the list
Good Night
Or start a commission to: 1.investigate actually how many assessments got screwed up in the accounts department. 2. What went on at club Shadow with Commissioner Frank and the Harris Beach employee 3. What happened to the missing photos that the police department had of the commish 4. investigate why he wasted a better part of a year of city time and money chasing after a government employee(not a city employee)and his pay 5. How all Franck's properties assessments were lowered along with all his friends and associates. 6. Why Franck never disclosed why Another commissioner(Ken Ivins) was employed by him for his private company.
ReplyDeletethere is much more but I'll let someone else add to the list.
Do you remember the TV series, 'The Lone Gunmen'? You remind me of one of the characters.
DeleteDoesn't ring a bell. The real problem with this city is they don't raise them like Tom McTygue anymore. He was the best thing that ever happened to this city. Too bad he won't run for office again.
DeleteHe would make a good Mayor or Councilman under the proposed form of government.
DeleteThere are so many others here commenting. You must be right. Retirement is boring. See you in the funny papers.
ReplyDeleteYeah McTygue is such a gem that he could run again and win against Scirocco. That whole McTygue family are so credible.
ReplyDeleteSince you mentioned the success of Dalton, .....what he succeeded in doing was to create a County Chamber instead of a Saratoga SPRINGS Chamber of Commerce....which is what was in place when he was hired.
ReplyDeleteIt was so successful, wasn't it? What it accomplished was a higher salary (and bloated pension) for himself and his cronies, and less representation for our city, where the chamber was located and originated.
All these facts have been lost, coincidentally, and his minimal accomplishments have been glorified and exaggerated through time.
You are right, there are however, 2 Chamber of Commerce in Saratoga County. Saratoga County Chamber and the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, which has more towns and villages in the County and the largest and fastest growing area of Clifton Park. Dalton created a machine that he manipulated so people thought we couldn't survive without him. Saratoga is just lucky that there was plenty of State and Fed money at the time of rebirth (and a racetrack) as a foundation, which many cities didn't have. Saratoga was very it could benefit from grant, State and Fed money to do the things we couldn't have done without.
Delete