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A Legacy of Less
Thursday, 23 February 2012 15:53
By Robin Jovanovich
This year we celebrate our 20th year as Rye residents. We’re finally longtime residents of a community we love.
Over the 13 years that I’ve been reporting City news for The Rye Record, I’ve seen my fair share of dissention and frustration over the lack of progress on important issues.
The Milton Cemetery Bridge has been closed for several years.When the Republicans had a 6-1 majority on the Council and used every opportunity to demean Mayor Steve Otis, I was ashamed of them. When the Council hired an engineer, who was patently not an ‘outsider’, to look into the Schubert Pond debacle, it was more than bad form. If a Council promises to investigate, residents trust them to do so.
There will always be residents who stand too long at the podium, and Councilmembers who use the dais to opine ad nauseum. Nobody’s perfect.
The public has a right, however, to question how civic matters are handled and be treated respectfully. In turn, they need to be respectful at meetings. The Mayor must use the gavel when public comment gets ugly and the Council must deliberate with all good speed.
As I walk among the municipal and Metro-North parking lots, picking up trash and watching drivers on cell phones making illegal U-turns, I pay close attention on the roads and sidewalks that are in need of immediate repair lest a Navigator or Hummer owner who’s barreling down the street take me out.
I wonder why the Rye Police are writing fewer — close to 37% fewer — traffic tickets, when the number of violators is growing like Topsy. All that money could be put to good use fixing the roads.
Would the creation of a Public Safety Commissioner position, as the City Manager has recommended, improve traffic safety?
Passing by the Central Avenue, Rye Nature Center, and Milton Cemetery bridges, I wonder which one will be repaired first or ever.
When residents aren’t away and I and dozens of other business people, shoppers, and diners drive around for 20 minutes or more in search of a parking space, I wonder why I haven’t heard that the creation of additional downtown parking will be part of a sizable bond that the City will ask residents to vote on in November.
I think fondly back to when Allen Clark, Dolores Eyler, and I did a video on the urgent need for more parking over a decade ago. Many of the longtime residents we interviewed joked that the City was all set to add more parking back in the ’60s, and they’re still talking about it.
With so much City and Council staff time being devoted to what the Mayor, the City Manager, the Corporation Counsel, the Building Department, the RyeTV Coordinator did or didn’t do, very little else is happening. And things need to happen. Otherwise, no bridges will be built, 1037 Boston Post Road won’t be sold and back on the tax rolls, not enough tickets will be written, and the intersection of Theodore Fremd and Purdy will remain an accident waiting to happen.
Go forth, City Council.
Comments
I couldn’t agree more.
Our local Rye grassroots anti-corruption efforts have yielded a local Comstock Lode of malfeasance by senior public employees and officials. That some continue to deny anything at all is wrong is simply par for the course in these things.
FACTS cannot be wiped away, damning documents exist and public lies are recorded on video. FOIL’s keep turning up stark inconsistencies between public statements and the tangible evidence. It’s going to cost little to organize and administer an independent council led investigation. The only problem is the number of uncomfortable local political class member recusals that will be mandated. That’s what’s behind the timeless diversionary cry to now attend to the so called “public business.” It sounds just like Steve Otis and Kevin Plunkett. The time has finally come.
Meanwhile, unfortunately there’s a question about how The Record has covered the expanding scandals. That’s a shame. There should be no reason for a story like this one below to have to be published. After all, some of us have entrusted The Record with the good stuff for long term safekeeping.
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/02/no-one-leaked-anything-to-the-rye-record-publisher-of-the-rye-record-[censored]-javonovich-denied-in-an-article-today-that-a-co.html
In reading your article above, I would have to agree with you about progress in Rye, it is at a standstill and needs to move forward. But I have to disagree with you in that we should ignoring illegal actions preformed by Mayor French. Rye’s reputation is at stake here and that should not be taken lightly.
First, you cannot deny that the Mayor was granted an illegal STAR exemption, as he made the point that he repaid the entire back-due amount. As one of the Chief Enforcement Officers of the City of Rye, this alone is reason for him to resign.
Second, you cannot deny that this act, among the other violations of building without permits and allegations of renting illegal space in the form of the third floor, and failing to pay the proper amount of City taxes on 13 Richard Place was illegal.
Third, even if this is an appearance of impropriety, (which it is not) given the scope of things it encompasses -- as it is at least four separate substantial things and not just one minor issue, it is taking a great deal of time from the City's business, and is distracting the Council and other Rye City employees and officials from doing their jobs on behalf of the citizens of Rye. Instead of solving their problems and building a better Rye, this is using resources to deal with the Mayor’s actions and the surrounding allegations.
Fourth and perhaps foremost, in protecting Doug French, other Rye City employees violated the law. There is no question that one or more Rye City employees illegally withheld documents from Stewart Title Company. There is no question that one or more Rye City employees illegally withheld documents from proper FOIL requests. Those employees, rightly or wrongly, sought to protect the Mayor and his administration. If they continue on this course they will be caught up in the investigation surrounding his actions, placing their jobs in jeopardy. The Mayor owes it to them to put an end to this and protect them and their jobs.
If he wants to fight these allegations, resolve the financial issues, exonerate himself or even reach a resolution for his wrongdoing, he should do it on his own time and with his own resources and not at the expense of the taxpayers of the City of Rye; certainly not by jeopardizing the jobs of other employees of the City of Rye; and, perhaps most importantly, not stealing from us the one thing that you can never give back or pay back, and that is the time lost in dealing with this issue.
Time is something that once lost is lost forever. Each hour he lets this linger the business of the people of Rye goes unaddressed, delayed and unresolved. The Mayor’s issues continue to hold back Rye from moving forward and his resignation is the only thing which can put a stop to it.
If he cares about Rye as deeply as he states he does, if he cares at all about the people whose jobs are in peril because of his actions, he will do the only honorable and correct thing. Resign now and fight these issues on his own time.
What productive work are you referring to?
Plastic bags vs. Paper bags?
More lies told by Stickup to City Council members and the public about what is and isn't being recorded for RTV?
French paying back Stickup for assisting him during his indiscretions by upgrading Stickup's resume to include a small role at the Rye Fire Dept?
French paying back the building and engineering department for their help during his indiscretions by giving them $105,000 in taxpayer money that wasn't budgeted for?
French and Stickup wanting $10,000,000 in taxpayer money because they lied and deceived the public during the 2012 budget talks?
French and Stickup telling Mr. Amico more lies about why the stop signs haven't been installed on Midland Avenue?
French, Stickup and [censored] telling more lies to the public about the former CVS building?
Is this the productive work and excellent job you are referring to or did you want to talk about trees or something just as unimportant?
Loyalty - loy•al•ty [loi-uhl-tee]
1. the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
2. faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.
So be they
-his campaign donors
-his dedicated volunteers
-his local Republican Party
-his city employees
-or those who simply counted on him
The only thing Mr. French is now apparently “loyal” to – is himself…..
See the New Video – out just last Friday - and now tracking over 140 viewings -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgPPTrlEZbE
In between and despite all the gavel banging and sundry interruptions and expostulations emanating from the very center of the Rye City Council bench last night, a short speech was delivered that the public was prevented from clearly hearing. So I wrote to its author this morning and received it’s text from him. And here, for admirers of The First Amendment –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
is what he attempted to say:
Tonight I would like to speak about a strategic shift in code enforcement in Rye.
When I first undertook my quest to have the City of Rye enforce the health, safety and building codes out on the offshore cottage communities that make up Hen Island, I thought the problems were specific to Hen Island. I now find that the lack of code enforcement and illegal practices extends well beyond Hen Island to the heart of this City and its residential neighborhoods when Members of Rye’s elected and unelected “Political Class” are the homeowners involved.
So for example, if you are the City of Rye’s highest current elected official – in effect the City’s Chief Executive Officer - and you get caught renovating an entire house without any city permits whatsoever - you can blame someone else and get away with it.
Likewise if you’re that same Chief Executive Officer and you get caught cheating on your school taxes for a decade - you can blame it on a combination of City employee negligence - and get away with it.
And if you are that same Chief Executive Officer and get caught in these illegal activities by outside sources, your first instinct is to turn the subject of your own shortcomings against what you perceive to be your Competitors on the Board - and publically blame them for supporting the exposure of this now documented illegal activity. What disturbs me most, is that you used lies to accuse your own party members of doing exactly what you yourself did. Let me assure you - Councilman Sack and Councilwoman Brett have taken no part – zero -in our ongoing corruption probe involving you Mayor French – and I believe you owe them both apologies.
(cont)
I am sorry I did substantially renovate and improve my entire rental house without any City permits or City inspections.
I’m sorry I did disguise all this activity from the City Tax Assessment Department and thus have deprived the City of my lawful and fair share of property tax payments.
I’m sorry I am still renting the home to the public and it’s currently being unlawfully occupied and my tenants are at risk.
I’m sorry that I have been issued multiple building department violations to date.
I am sorry I partially blamed some of these issues on a widely admired, dedicated, long serving but now deceased Rye City Employee – I knew he couldn’t defend his reputation any longer so I regretfully took full advantage of that.
I did cheat on my taxes and I’m sorry for that.
I apologize sincerely to the residents of Rye - and to my family - for trying to cover up my short comings, encouraging some of my political party officials and political contributors to try and publically whitewash all this. I should have accepted responsibility from the beginning.
And as a result of my failures to my friends, supporters and most of all to the rest of the hard working, honest employees and taxpayers of Rye, it is with great regret that tonight I resign as Mayor of Rye.
Try saying at least that for starters Mr. Mayor.
Thank You.
Ray Tartaglione
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