Reply With QuoteThe use of the word 'was' was due to the timing of my posting of usinghis name for a write-in. Att he present time, there is no election to write-in his name.Originally Posted by mark blazejewski
You and he are still reputable
Since I am sure he remains a "very reputable citizen", your use of the word "was" suggests that he may have changed his residence. Is that just a typo Gorja?
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
The use of the word 'was' was due to the timing of my posting of usinghis name for a write-in. Att he present time, there is no election to write-in his name.
You and he are still reputable
Georgia L Schlager
I know you didn't reference Rinow in your letter. You just made it sound like to me that you thought the minutes were provided because of the recent board meeting commenter, newspaper publication and your posing questions to the clerk.
That was just my interpretation of your post regarding the CDC minutes being on the site at the present time
Georgia L Schlager
Differences aside, as are you.The use of the word 'was' was due to the timing of my posting of usinghis name for a write-in. Att he present time, there is no election to write-in his name.
You and he are still reputable
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
Gorja,
My words on post #25 suggest, generalized and non-specific, clearly suggest a more broader commentary, not one(s) strictly confined to the boundaries Speak Up, or to the regulated limits of public meetings.
As I have written, there is a sluggish, but some active, newspaper which has done some reporting.
Furthermore, as you well know, I live in the village and have talked with my neighbors, friends and business people operating businesses in the village. Based on my acquired knowledge, many of those very same people are troubled, concerned, and at the very least, curious, about a great deal that is occurring in the VOL in general, and in its downtown business district in particular. I am sure their opinions circulate to many, and the power-that-be are most probably aware of their views and concerns.
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 18th, 2023 at 03:51 PM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
I was looking at the Linked In Page for Jim Allein who just resigned from the Lancaster CDC board along with Tom Sweeney, the developer involved in Mayor Ruda’s West Main St Project. It lists Mr Allein as the Executive Director of the CDC since 2015 until just recently. But it also lists him as President of the Lancaster Opera House board 2010- presently still there. Also member/chair of the Lancaster Village Planning Committee 2009- presently sitting. Also Liaison/Ad Hoc member Lancaster Village Historic Preservation Is this the same Jim Allein who invested 50,000$ in Tom Sweeney’s business venture in the Village of Lancaster while Mayor Ruda was a Senior Director of the CDC?
The best way to foster public confidence in the integrity of the entire West Main development process, is full public disclosure, especially in the area of the competition process.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
Two weeks and no reply has yet been received.
So much for transparency and responsiveness, eh?
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
Under the caption "Letter of November 13, 2023," this was sent to the Village of Lancaster Clerk-Treasurer this morning:
BTW,I understand that my letter to the Village of Lancaster Board was labeled "received and filed" during its November 27, 2023 public meeting.
My questions contained in that letter were not intended to be rhetorical. As such, when may I expect a written response from the Board?
At last night's Board session, I understand that a public commenter asked the Board to consider live streaming the twice-monthly meetings.
AMEN!!!
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 28th, 2023 at 08:43 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
Mark, why is the VOL board meeting room not equipped with live video capabilities? Almost all towns and villages in Erie County have already moved into the 21st century!
Gosh, think of what's being missed by most of the village citizens. All residents should be concerned. Almost everyone has a cell, a computer or even a TV to view a live stream of a local board meeting
Mayor Ruda has been in office for almost seven years. She has served four years as Trustee and two and a half years as Mayor.
In that connection, why is it that it appears to many that her rather blatant public advocacy for a private developer has exceeded her publicly-expressed passions for the rights of the taxpayers and residents of the village that she leads?
I ask the reader to especially consider that the village is home to many who face the challenges of aging and physical limitations.
In that regard, it is my opinion that a decision to move forward with live streaming would serve to accommodate their desires to become more fully engaged in the workings of their government.
Would not such a modification tend to make the VOL a more whole and inclusive community?
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 28th, 2023 at 11:12 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
I have just received this response from the VOL Clerk-Treasurer:
Mike Stegmeier
10:35 AM (44 minutes ago)
to me
Dear Mr. Blazejewski –
I have forwarded your inquiry to the Village Board. I will let you know when I hear back regarding the timeline for a response to your questions.
Regards,
Michael E. Stegmeier, CMC
Clerk & Treasurer
Village of Lancaster
5423 Broadway
Lancaster, NY 14086
(716) 683-2105 ext. 203
(716) 684-4830 (fax)
It appears that the choice for full responsive transparency rests entirely with the Village of Lancaster Board, eh?
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 28th, 2023 at 12:37 PM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
The Town of Lancaster and the Village of Depew have been successfully livestreaming their meetings for near two years. The Town of Lancaster livestreaming its Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Lancaster Industrial Development Agency (LIDA) meetings
The intent / purpose of setting up livestreaming was to avail access to the public unable to personally attend the meetings, allow for openness and transparency, provide a visual record and archive that record. What you see is what you get, not someone’s written version of the minutes.
The Village of Lancaster (VOL) has been remiss in entering the digitized 21st century. It was nice to hear that a VOL Trustee stated last night that the Village is working on making it happen.
After hearing about the last several contentious meetings and content, it is understandable why the VOL would not want their meetings aired and archived.
As I Understand The November 27, 2023 VOL Board Meeting:
I was not in attendance at last night's meeting, but I have heard that Mayor Ruda was perhaps a bit heavy-handed in observing what might be termed "acceptable protocols" from public commenters.
My Opinion:
As I recall, LIDA Member Ruda herself held a more casual, perhaps even more aggressive, attitude regarding such protocols during a meeting this past spring. I guess her conduct can flexibly conform to a perceived role in such settings, eh?
From my March 21, 2023 letter to LIDA:
Regarding the conduct of a member present at the March 14, 2023 meeting, I was, and remain, very troubled by what appeared to have been an untoward attempt to smear a fellow member of the LIDA with comments suggesting its engagement in forms of discriminatory bias...
Simply stated, it is my opinion that the LIDA simply is not the proper venue to convey hostile moral judgements which may arise from the toxic political world of trending social issues.
Last edited by mark blazejewski; November 28th, 2023 at 05:32 PM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
The mail has arrived on this last business day of 2023, and still no promised "timeline" for response, or actual response.
What happened to Mayor Ruda's and the Deputy Mayor's promise of "Open Government"?
I wonder if any of the current VOL Board actors intend on running on a platform of "transparency" or "responsiveness" in the future?
Click attachment to enlarge:
Last edited by mark blazejewski; December 29th, 2023 at 01:31 PM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
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