Am I the only one with a problem with this?

[Bailey]

Newly appointed Town of Hamburg highway chief claims his office is not the ‘best’
By DANIEL MEYER

Wall-to-wall carpeting.
A large screen television.
An electric fireplace.
New window blinds.
Fresh houseplants.

These are all items located inside the office of Town of Hamburg Highway Superintendent Thomas Best Sr., a facility recently upgraded to improve upon what Best described as “deplorable working conditions.”

Best, who was appointed to the position earlier this year, recently returned from vacation to a whirlwind of rumors about what exactly is inside his office, how these items were paid for and what he has planned in the future as an administrator who oversees approximately 60 full-time employees.

Best agreed to sit down Tuesday (April 14) morning for a face-to-face interview with The Sun after three different anonymous sources contacted The Sun over the past two weeks to complain about the renovations and upgrades Best was having done to the interior of his office on Lakeview Road.

‘Changes must be made’

Best said he is not making excuses about the changes he has made since taking over the Highway Department, including the renovations to his office.

“Changes must be made,” said Best. “There have been no major renovations done to this office in 20 years. Other than maybe a paint job here or there, this place was in rough shape. There were deplorable working conditions here and I was determined to change that right from the start.”

Best took The Sun on a tour of his office and he proudly pointed out the new rugs on the floors, blinds shading the windows and decorative houseplants located throughout the room, items that compliment the large screen TV and electric fireplace that both face his desk.

Best said the accusations about his new acquisitions are disappointing “but not surprising,” saying he believes he knows where the anonymous phone calls are coming from and who is making them.

“The calls you are getting about me and my office are most likely coming from a few disgruntled town employees,” said Best. “I can’t control what they think or how they feel. I do wish they would just call me up instead of you and ask me questions. I’ll be glad to answer them.”

A registered Conservative who has close ties to the Town of Hamburg’s Republican Party, Best said he believes the complaints are politically motivated and represent some type of effort to discredit him.

“I believe the complaints about my office and what is in here is from two disgruntled employees of this department,” said Best. “What I say to them is this — if they think these are the only changes they think are coming, they are going to be sadly mistaken. More change is on the way. You can be sure about that.”

‘I paid for the fireplace’

Best said he wants to set the record straight for taxpayers and all of his employees about where the funding is coming from for his office’s new decor.

“I purchased the electric fireplace, which is actually more like a heater, out of my own personal funds,” said Best. “There, now it is out there for everyone to know. I paid for the fireplace.”

Best added that the television and his desk “are both reconditioned” items that were purchased using town funds and acquired “from local businesses that are located right here in our town.”

Best said the new carpeting and the plants were also paid for using town funds.

“The way I see it this is now an office that is a place to carry on and conduct town business,” said Best. “It wasn’t that before. I don’t know how the previous highway superintendents were able to work in these types of conditions. I’ve taken care of that now.”

When asked why be needs the television, Best said the ability to access information is the main reason he had it installed.

“I can use the TV for information coming from weather reports and their impact on road conditions,” said Best.

Speaking of televisions...

Supporters of Best and his effort to reform and change the way business is conducted in the Highway Department on a day-to-day basis will point on that the new wall-mounted television inside Best’s office isn’t the only TV set located on the premises.

Best admitted Tuesday that there are two other televisions available for viewing on the grounds of the Highway Department’s Lakeview Road complex, giving employees access to a TV in their designated break room area.

Best said he actually “discovered” a small area in a warehouse located towards the back of the property where a television and lounge chair were set up, items that he originally had removed.

After a grievance was filed over the situation, Best said he agreed to have the second TV set brought back so that employees can view it while on their designated breaks.

“I want the taxpayers of this community to have people working for them who put in a full days work,” Best said earlier this year when he was first appointed to the highway superintendent post. “I am going to be a supervisor who will be fair and demand an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”

Best said he also wants to make it clear to his employees and the rest of the town that nothing still deemed as useful is being “wasted, discarded or thrown out.”

“There was a rumor going around here that I threw that one TV out but that is not the case,” said Best.

“In addition, the older equipment from this office that can still be used, the desk from my office and other things that can still serve a purpose, will be utilized in other offices. Taxpayers don’t have to worry about anything being wasted as long as I’m around.”

‘With me comes change’

Best is making it perfectly clear to anyone who is willing to listen that there will be some changes in policies and procedures when it comes to the work conducted by the employees he supervises.

“With me comes change,” said Best. “I think what we will find is some people will like that and welcome it but others will not and may put up a fight or try some way to resist it. I’m not here necessarily to make friends. I’m here to do a job for the taxpayers of the Town of Hamburg.”

Regarding his office, Best said the changes he ordered before he left on vacation had to be made partially because of health and safety concerns.

“What you had was carpet that was mildew-stained and all torn up and then we had ceiling tiles that were nicotine stained,” said Best. “One day I came in here during the winter and the temperature inside of the building was only 57 degrees.”

With over 40 years under his belt as a police officer and nearly a decade spent supervising the security guard patrol at McKinley Mall in Hamburg, Best said he will use his years of experience to help “shape up” a department that he says is due for some change.

“I knew I was going to be pushed when I got in here and that has happened right from the start,” said Best. “Some people don’t like change but sometimes that is just the way it has to be to do what is in the best interests of our taxpayers. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Best said he also has plans to renovate other parts of his office building, including the work area for his front office personnel.

‘Here are the numbers’

Best was open and honest with every request made by The Sun to review expense figures for his new office decor.

“You want the numbers? Here are the numbers,” Best said Tuesday as he shared the line-by-line costs associated with the television, window blinds and plants.

Among the figures that Best shared with The Sun were:

• Window blinds — purchased for $452.20 from Home Depot

• Television — purchased used for $699.98 from TV City

• Furniture — total purchases adding up to $2,681,28

• Home Depot receipts — total purchasing coming to $1,069.41

• Miscellaneous costs — bills for $13.54 to Dibble’s True Value Hardware and $33.56 to Lake View Hardware

In total, Best said the total cost is “right around the neighborhood of $5,000,” adding any other purchases made “will be done with local companies and will be made by keeping an eye on the bottom line.”

‘Don’t forget my fish’

Best also wants it known that the recently installed aquarium was a retirement gift from his security guards at McKinley Mall and the fish that will soon be swimming inside of it won’t cost taxpayers a dime.

“Even the fish themselves were paid for by the McKinley Mall guards,” said Best. “Don’t forget my fish. I want any rumors about that to be put to rest. I was given the aquarium and given the fish as gifts.”

Best said he will never back down or deny any type of request from taxpayers who want to know how their money is being spent.

“I tell it like it is,” said Best. “That’s the way I have been and the way I always will be.”

[WNYresident]

A large screen television has to go. You have your computer hooked to the internet to gather all the info you want.

Everything else is no biggie even if the town paid for it. It's an office and if it wasn't touched for 20 years carpeting etc is no biggie.

Even if the TV was paid for by him it still goes. You don't need TV to work.

[Anotherview]

$5,000 in rennovations after 20 years is nothing. Let him have his TV. Some do not like watching TV from their computer. When I see purchases made at Home Depot, I get the impression that some of this work was done personally (and not professionally) in order to contain costs. Good work Tom.

[WNYresident]

Your paid to work not watch TV.

[Anotherview]

Res: I have known Tom Best for the best part of 30 years. Believe me, this man puts in much beyond his fair share of work.

He is one of the few honest, ethical and fair men in the political arena.

[WNYresident]

I understand but it sets a bad example. One tv in one office and before you know it others will want to do the same thing. Maybe he has excellent work ethics but a lot don't. See what I mean?

Put the TV in a break room if they have it so all the employees can "gather information" while on break

[Anotherview]

I understand but it sets a bad example. One tv in one office and before you know it others will want to do the same thing. Maybe he has excellent work ethics but a lot don't. See what I mean?

Put the TV in a break room if they have it so all the employees can "gather information" while on break

Res: I do see your point. As a rule, government employees are always complaining about something or someone. So if they are complaining about Best's TV, they are leaving someone else alone.

[Take Action]

Newly appointed Town of Hamburg highway chief claims his office is not the ‘best’
By DANIEL MEYER

Wall-to-wall carpeting.
A large screen television.
An electric fireplace.
New window blinds.
Fresh houseplants.

These are all items located inside the office of Town of Hamburg Highway Superintendent Thomas Best Sr., a facility recently upgraded to improve upon what Best described as “deplorable working conditions.”

Best, who was appointed to the position earlier this year, recently returned from vacation to a whirlwind of rumors about what exactly is inside his office, how these items were paid for and what he has planned in the future as an administrator who oversees approximately 60 full-time employees.

Best agreed to sit down Tuesday (April 14) morning for a face-to-face interview with The Sun after three different anonymous sources contacted The Sun over the past two weeks to complain about the renovations and upgrades Best was having done to the interior of his office on Lakeview Road.

‘Changes must be made’

Best said he is not making excuses about the changes he has made since taking over the Highway Department, including the renovations to his office.

“Changes must be made,” said Best. “There have been no major renovations done to this office in 20 years. Other than maybe a paint job here or there, this place was in rough shape. There were deplorable working conditions here and I was determined to change that right from the start.”

Best took The Sun on a tour of his office and he proudly pointed out the new rugs on the floors, blinds shading the windows and decorative houseplants located throughout the room, items that compliment the large screen TV and electric fireplace that both face his desk.

Best said the accusations about his new acquisitions are disappointing “but not surprising,” saying he believes he knows where the anonymous phone calls are coming from and who is making them.

“The calls you are getting about me and my office are most likely coming from a few disgruntled town employees,” said Best. “I can’t control what they think or how they feel. I do wish they would just call me up instead of you and ask me questions. I’ll be glad to answer them.”

A registered Conservative who has close ties to the Town of Hamburg’s Republican Party, Best said he believes the complaints are politically motivated and represent some type of effort to discredit him.

“I believe the complaints about my office and what is in here is from two disgruntled employees of this department,” said Best. “What I say to them is this — if they think these are the only changes they think are coming, they are going to be sadly mistaken. More change is on the way. You can be sure about that.”

‘I paid for the fireplace’

Best said he wants to set the record straight for taxpayers and all of his employees about where the funding is coming from for his office’s new decor.

“I purchased the electric fireplace, which is actually more like a heater, out of my own personal funds,” said Best. “There, now it is out there for everyone to know. I paid for the fireplace.”

Best added that the television and his desk “are both reconditioned” items that were purchased using town funds and acquired “from local businesses that are located right here in our town.”

Best said the new carpeting and the plants were also paid for using town funds.

“The way I see it this is now an office that is a place to carry on and conduct town business,” said Best. “It wasn’t that before. I don’t know how the previous highway superintendents were able to work in these types of conditions. I’ve taken care of that now.”

When asked why be needs the television, Best said the ability to access information is the main reason he had it installed.

“I can use the TV for information coming from weather reports and their impact on road conditions,” said Best.

Speaking of televisions...

Supporters of Best and his effort to reform and change the way business is conducted in the Highway Department on a day-to-day basis will point on that the new wall-mounted television inside Best’s office isn’t the only TV set located on the premises.

Best admitted Tuesday that there are two other televisions available for viewing on the grounds of the Highway Department’s Lakeview Road complex, giving employees access to a TV in their designated break room area.

Best said he actually “discovered” a small area in a warehouse located towards the back of the property where a television and lounge chair were set up, items that he originally had removed.

After a grievance was filed over the situation, Best said he agreed to have the second TV set brought back so that employees can view it while on their designated breaks.

“I want the taxpayers of this community to have people working for them who put in a full days work,” Best said earlier this year when he was first appointed to the highway superintendent post. “I am going to be a supervisor who will be fair and demand an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”

Best said he also wants to make it clear to his employees and the rest of the town that nothing still deemed as useful is being “wasted, discarded or thrown out.”

“There was a rumor going around here that I threw that one TV out but that is not the case,” said Best.

“In addition, the older equipment from this office that can still be used, the desk from my office and other things that can still serve a purpose, will be utilized in other offices. Taxpayers don’t have to worry about anything being wasted as long as I’m around.”

‘With me comes change’

Best is making it perfectly clear to anyone who is willing to listen that there will be some changes in policies and procedures when it comes to the work conducted by the employees he supervises.

“With me comes change,” said Best. “I think what we will find is some people will like that and welcome it but others will not and may put up a fight or try some way to resist it. I’m not here necessarily to make friends. I’m here to do a job for the taxpayers of the Town of Hamburg.”

Regarding his office, Best said the changes he ordered before he left on vacation had to be made partially because of health and safety concerns.

“What you had was carpet that was mildew-stained and all torn up and then we had ceiling tiles that were nicotine stained,” said Best. “One day I came in here during the winter and the temperature inside of the building was only 57 degrees.”

With over 40 years under his belt as a police officer and nearly a decade spent supervising the security guard patrol at McKinley Mall in Hamburg, Best said he will use his years of experience to help “shape up” a department that he says is due for some change.

“I knew I was going to be pushed when I got in here and that has happened right from the start,” said Best. “Some people don’t like change but sometimes that is just the way it has to be to do what is in the best interests of our taxpayers. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Best said he also has plans to renovate other parts of his office building, including the work area for his front office personnel.

‘Here are the numbers’

Best was open and honest with every request made by The Sun to review expense figures for his new office decor.

“You want the numbers? Here are the numbers,” Best said Tuesday as he shared the line-by-line costs associated with the television, window blinds and plants.

Among the figures that Best shared with The Sun were:

• Window blinds — purchased for $452.20 from Home Depot

• Television — purchased used for $699.98 from TV City

• Furniture — total purchases adding up to $2,681,28

• Home Depot receipts — total purchasing coming to $1,069.41

• Miscellaneous costs — bills for $13.54 to Dibble’s True Value Hardware and $33.56 to Lake View Hardware

In total, Best said the total cost is “right around the neighborhood of $5,000,” adding any other purchases made “will be done with local companies and will be made by keeping an eye on the bottom line.”

‘Don’t forget my fish’

Best also wants it known that the recently installed aquarium was a retirement gift from his security guards at McKinley Mall and the fish that will soon be swimming inside of it won’t cost taxpayers a dime.

“Even the fish themselves were paid for by the McKinley Mall guards,” said Best. “Don’t forget my fish. I want any rumors about that to be put to rest. I was given the aquarium and given the fish as gifts.”

Best said he will never back down or deny any type of request from taxpayers who want to know how their money is being spent.

“I tell it like it is,” said Best. “That’s the way I have been and the way I always will be.”

Is that all you have to be concerned about in this Town? Shame on you!!

[geo_wny]

Is that all you have to be concerned about in this Town? Shame on you!!

I disagree, we should be concerned with every penny spent. This is why our government spending is out of control.

Fireplace may have been a personal purchase but the tax payers still pay for its use....

[GRANDPOOBA]

Whats wrong with a 13 or 19 inch tv for weather and road reports.On top of all that you could of got it free on craigslist.