Saturday, January 17, 2015

The Council's answer to the fiscal crisis: spend money (UPDATED)

SANZONE



The 2015 budget has two huge one-shots – one is the deferral of a $1.9 million pension payment to next year and one is the $650,000 sale of the old City Hall site – the state Comptroller said the city spent $5.9 million more than it took in from 2011 to 2013, sewer rates increased by 35 percent, all six unions are without a contract, the water and sewer funds have been raided and re-raided, there are hardly any reserves to speak of and Moody’s Investor Services just gave Troy a negative outlook.
So how does the city Council address any or all of the city’s fiscal problems? It convenes a special meeting for Jan. 22 at 7:15 p.m. with the purpose of hiring Adam Sanzone as its “confidential secretary.” Sanzone was an intern with the Council and has videotaped Council meetings free of charge so they could be broadcast on public access television.
The legal notice says the Council will set the salary at the meeting but there is no “confidential secretary” listed in the budget. There is $10,000 allocated for a “confidential assistant,” which I assume is the position the Council wants to give Sanzone, but there is no “confidential secretary.”
I don’t know the nuances of what is a proper legal notice and what isn’t but in the least the Council will have to amend either the budget or the resolution so they match up.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT  
RODNEY WILTSHIRE
This hire, should it pass, comes on the heels of the Council appointing an assistant city clerk for $27,835.
This also comes on the heels of Mayor Lou Rosamilia answering the Council’s request to make a list of cutting each department by 3 percent. It really came as no surprise when the list included laying off firefighters and police officers, and it came as less of a surprise to watch the Council punt on layoffs or doing anything else to address the financial crisis.
Actually the Council is going the other way – they are spending money. True, the two positions mentioned above are or were vacant, but you would think not filling positions would cause less pain than “unfilling” them through layoffs.

The assistant city clerk, maybe I can see but I'm not sure what a confidential assistant/secretary for the Council actually does. And if there is a job description, why does it include being confidential? Is the Council hiding something? I'm being facetious, but still. I know $10,000 isn't a lot of money, relatively speaking, but you have to start somewhere and if you add up enough $10,000 savings you close the deficit.

CORRECTION: The job of legislative liaison is currently being performed by Emily Rossier but will now be performed by Sanzone. If Sanzone's appointment isn't confirmed, Rossier will continue in the post. Also, the assistant city clerk position was open when the mayor hired Lou Schnieder to replace Kathleen Cassidy Ryan, who was working in a secretary-type position. So, as members of the Council pointed out, the mayor is just as guilty of filling vacant positions.
Also, notice the time of the special meeting … 7:15 p.m. According to the city code:  “All meetings of the City Council, regular or special, shall be held in the Council Chambers of the City hall at 7:00 in the evening unless some other place or time has been voted by a majority of the members of the Council or unless a written call for such meeting, signed by five members of the Council, is filed with the City Clerk 72 hours prior to the time of the meeting and due public notice has been given of such change or changes.”
I’d be willing to bet five members of the Council did not sign a “written call” to change the meeting time. I’d be willing to bet too that the Council will be hard pressed to get five votes to hire Sanzone – who is not really political but is tight with some Democrats.  
If you remember, Councilwoman Lynn Kopka, D-At Large, made a stink about the time of a special meeting once and the majority – an odd mix of four Democrats and two Republicans - were forced to reschedule.  Let’s see what she does this time.

CORRECTION: The Council did get the five required signatures: Rodney Wiltshire, Ken Zalewski, Dean Bodnar, Gary Galuski and Bob Doherty.  

69 comments:

  1. I cannot wait to step in the voting booth this coming November.

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    1. If the Mayors Office can "create" a position(see 2013 Budget and then look at 2014 budget for mayor's office) for a business owners kid why can't the Council. At least the council's choice has education in government and doesn't take pictures of contracts and bids on his phone and bring them home

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  2. How do you enlighten supposedly educated people that the way to bring your budget in line is to STOP SPENDING and then look for places where you can cut back? As a resident who does have to budget I am appalled at the lack of leadership in this city.

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    1. Mr. Franco, you are missing the key reason for this vacancy created by resignation of Emily Rossier who treated the position as a no show job
      ( a la Robert Martiniano). Apparently, a sufficient amount of pressure was applied to force her resignation for non-performance and blatant refusal to come to the office. There is a paper trail of her alleged hours to be contacted on city business.

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    2. AKA -Ghost of City Hall!!!!

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  3. How is it Ken Zalewski is a democrat city council member and he's paid $117,000 to work in the NY Senate by the GOP!

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    1. Completely different and separate that is how.

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    2. Don't be misled by Ken's comment. He is well paid to be a spy and behind the scenes operative for the Republicans. Ask him some time if he has ever worked on any Republican Senate campaigns.

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    3. It's the reason Ken's betrayed his party.

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    4. The party is betraying its own party, think the state should come in an audit some of Lous little sweethearts.

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    5. I agree 5:12. If the state comes in and audits, then many illegal activities going around would most likely be brought to justice. And they should.

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    6. You think? You know the state should come in. C'mon 5:12. Don't give this administration that much credit.

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  4. Not political? He is one of Zalewski's minions. Sansone is looking to build his resume up so he can run in Zalewskis place in District 5. Lord help us all if this guy gets voted in.

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    1. And what about the deputy mayor's secretary? Did she move to Troy from Brunswick or just using her parents address? She was just working for the Town of Brunswick. You cannot work or play in Brunswick unless you live there. Learned that a long time ago, just ask Walsh or Harrington

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    2. 548 whatever little birds gave you your info is WRONG she's been living in troy for 4 years not like it's any of your business anyway. Find a new source!

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    3. Well said. Not only find a new source but don't quit your day job.....if you even have one. Bottom line...get a life..a real one.

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    4. This one obviously needs to be either locked up or on some serious meds. Worry about yourself psycho.

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  5. They're going to hold a twerk-off for the position

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  6. WOW. Is there a day where Troy DOESN'T get a dose of crazy?!

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    1. Emily Rossier is another blunder by Wiltshire and Zalewski. She refused to come to work and ignored the council members who are not under Zalewski's thumb. She should be investigated along with Crist and Abelove.

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    2. And this is different from what City Hall employee?

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  7. The worst council in Troy's history.

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    1. Amen. Wipe the slate clean in November.

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  8. I Have Found Adam Sanzone to Honest Forth rite and always helpful to both party's
    It saddens me That the 1/2 Dozen or so die hard republican bloggers always attack and it was them who lit the fuse on this economic time bomb in the first place
    Also not one of these hacks have posted there name to these attacks
    Harry Tutunjian spent 2,000,000 more then he took in for 2011 That was the fuse on the time bomb he left on purpose to disgrace Lou
    Cowards all of yeas
    Signed Robert Charles Cox

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    1. Do you think that's gonna get ur bro the towing contract. Dream on. You will never operate in my burgh

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    2. An endorsement by Bobby Cox, sure to derail any aspiring politician's campaign. If Bobby endorses RUN AWAY!

      Sansone is the Council's bitch at the meetings. He can barely get the camera and audio to work on the live Camera and here we want to give him a cronie job.

      Let's see so far Rodney has approved through backdoor means Emily Rossier to a Secretary to the Council, Anastasia's friend as Deputy Clerk, his wife's best friend as a Secretary to the Clerk and Deputy Clerk. Now he wants to appoint Sansone.

      Can I get a job Rodney? Please, I'll look the other way and deflect attention from your shenanigans.

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    3. Is that what you were telling Lou when you had him trapped in a corner a couple of months ago Bob,Remember Dunne had to come and get you off of Lou.

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    4. Keep drinking the Red Rock Kool Aid Bobby. Stupid is as stupid does. Your writing skills, and flawless grammer stylings,should convince Rodney to consider you for the position of Public Information OIfficer. You'd be the Alternate Universe Morris. Signed Mr Pirro

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    5. It's Superhero Kool Aid

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    6. Bobby are passed around like a bag of potatoe chips with this group?

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    7. There are other unnecessary hires from last year, if Sanzone can't get hired then those hires have to go too. A created position is a created position, no matter what way you slice it.

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  9. It is time for a change one party rule is killing the city. You can not have a Council and a Mayor consistently siding with each other on fiscal measures. It leads to trouble. Unfortunately the 2 non Democrats are drinking the koolaide and watching the city finances. Time for a change but then even with the voter fraud scandal they elected the same fools back in

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  10. Stop the spending. No political hires. Troy cannot afford it.

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    1. Then get rid of anyone hired 2012 and after.

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    2. She didn't earn it. Her moms brother paid for a dinner

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  11. Seriously WTF is up with these people

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  12. Here is the deal. They ALL have to go. Rodney is a joke. He wants to run for mayor? He shouldn't even be re-elected at large. Jim Gordon? If he thinks he can run for mayor after his dismal showing in Burgh he's fucking nuts. Even Rodney could wipe the floor with his ass. And Carmella is just a broken record with empty cliches. Anastasia, Erin... they're completely clueless. Bob is half off his rocker, we all know it. Dean is a good guy but he doesn't get involved. Condescending Ken and Blockhead Gary are thank God termed out. Flush them ALL for the good of Troy!

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  13. When will they reign in the unions and all their trumped up over time. Its BS and everyone knows it. They pad their last years and no one does a thing. They play switch so their buddies get double time and triple time its criminal. Then they defend it say who will be their to save you or your kid. BS, its their job. Why do we need all this when Clifton Park and other much bigger Towns get by with volunteers and state and county police. I agree with the article, what are they thinking hiring more after this scathing report.m

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    1. Check the call volume of Clifton park compared to Troy. You'll be astonished by the difference. Troy fire and police are overwhelmed with calls for service. There are times where you as a tax payer sit around for 2-3 hours waiting for police to respond to your house that was burglarized over the weekend while you were away on vacation because they just don't have the man power. The sheriffs dept patrols all of Rensselaer County with 3 deputies. That's the size of all 5 Burroughs put together with 3 deputies.

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    2. Its the work rules and manning requirements that need to go. If the unions don't change, Troy will go broke and they will have nothing!

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    3. As we wait there is usually 4-5 cops working inside HQ doing jobs civilians could be doing......put those cops on the street.

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    4. Why are there so many calls in Troy? Have we lost the battle? If these hoodlums were reined in there would be less calls, right? Did you ever think that the population is much greater in Clifton Park and just maybe the State Police and Sheriff do a very good job? The issue is the padded payrolls, over 3 million dollars in over time, tats utter bull shit. If it were a business it would stop instantly. We need a real business person to take over and run Troy, maybe the sate will make that happen! Soon we hope!

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    5. 9:50 take off your rose colored glasses. The crime rate in Clifton park is not even comparable to Troy. Troy has housing projects, section 8, NYC transplants, street gangs and low property values. Clifton Park has none of those problems. What are troopers doing up there? Writing decent people tail light tickets and writing parking tickets to people who park in the fire lane at Fred the butcher. Yea, Serious crime problems in Clifton park. And if you do away with minimum staffing do you plan to patrol the streets of Troy with 4 cops?

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    6. WA WA WA, manning requirements!!!!! Union BS, Dworsky started all this with these contracts. Its an ot shuffle and killing Troy. The salaries are public info, who are you kidding. The end of this bs is near!!!

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    7. Hey 7 pm, maybe if you bust too many of the hoods they will move on! Get to work!

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    8. Let's be honest and hope someone someday will address the crux of Troy's ongoing financial problems: the contracts with Police and Fire unions are killing the city. Even worse, the fire chief gets overtime---unheard of eksewhere.

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    9. In a nutshell 9:44 is right on. Its time for someone to start over with new labor agreements in this city. How can you have like 50 cop cars and only have a handful of cops on the street. There are over a hundred thirty cops ? And they say there are only a handful on the streets. What's up with that? Its all these BS jobs, too many chiefs and not enough Indians. You hear about all these guys retiring at a young age and buying homes out of state in resort areas , what's up with that? Come on, declare chapter 11 and forsake the endorsements of the cops and firemen, we know how it works. You need someone to stop this insanity.

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    10. Dworsky did not assign civilians to do police work. Now civilians will be patrolling the schools and streets not real cops.

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    11. Really, We are going to have Civilians Patrolling Streets? Hopefully they don't assault anyone and get us sued!

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    12. Same thing in City Hall. The have exams only to give the higher paying positions to the Firemen And Policemen wives and friends. It's just one big social circle. And that circle has ruined the City.

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    13. 50 police cars? Obviously you're clueless to the resources available to our officers. You should not speak about things you have no clue about. You look like a fool.

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    14. Counted 14 parked at station the other day at 12:28 and just figured there must be 50 if 14 were idle! And why would 14 be idle, was there a buffett at HQ?

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  14. Clifton Park doesn't have housing projects in every damn neighborhood either.

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  15. So where is Rossier going and why? Interesting.

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    1. She did not like coming to work and it was obvious and becoming a problem. Plus she needs the time to ready her city council campaign.

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    2. Mrs Rossier would make a great City Council Person Vary Classy Modern Woman

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    3. The idiot speaks! Wasn't on the council sumb ass

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    4. They told her petruli oil doesnt constitute bath

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    5. An endorsement from Bob Cox the kiss of death for any campaign.

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  16. Francos newest story porn and match.com allowed in city hall .. I need a job there

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    1. Lou's answer is to get the guy a screen saver and a space heater. Freaking swinging door he guards, makes you feel like you're on a Mr Ed Virtual Reality Tour.

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    2. It makes perfect sense. The heater is to dry out the used socks

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  17. I like it that you post the corrections, Franco.

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  18. The Sheriffs Department under Mahar is lucking if they have a patrol out.

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  19. He wins in a landslide.

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  20. Worst city council ever led by that whackjob Wiltshire. The mayor is a boob as well. It's like a circus downtown. They all gotta go

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