Do you prefer back-room deals in the back-room or at the Town Board meeting?

[Add It Up]

Who was worse, BW or SM, in regard to their dealing votes to pass their agendas? I can't decide.

[amhresident]

Who was worse, BW or SM, in regard to their dealing votes to pass their agendas? I can't decide.

I think they are basically one and the same.

[absolivious]

The question was:

Do you prefer back-room deals in the back-room or at the Town Board meeting?

Back in the day... that's the way things got done and the best decisions were made without all the damned grandstanding we have today.
If you as a citizen wanted to voice your opinion effectively, you'd walk right up to the supervisor's table while he was talking with a council member or department head at the Eagle House, Protocol, or Center House.
They'd willingly -if not happily- engage you, even as they were discussing town affairs.

Yep most decisions were settled before the meeting; yet the supervisor remained in control of the public proceedings, even when he knew he was not going to be in agreement with the outcome. He -and all the councilmen worth their salt- had done their "homework." They communicated.

You oldsters know exactly who I'm talking about.

[scenario above predates necessity for any gender-neutral reference whatsoever]

[Smiley]

The question was:
Back in the day... that's the way things got done and the best decisions were made without all the damned grandstanding we have today.
If you as a citizen wanted to voice your opinion effectively, you'd walk right up to the supervisor's table while he was talking with a council member or department head at the Eagle House, Protocol, or Center House.
They'd willingly -if not happily- engage you, even as they were discussing town affairs.

Yep most decisions were settled before the meeting; yet the supervisor remained in control of the public proceedings, even when he knew he was not going to be in agreement with the outcome. He -and all the councilmen worth their salt- had done their "homework." They communicated.

You oldsters know exactly who I'm talking about.

[scenario above predates necessity for any gender-neutral reference whatsoever]

You're right...Those were the days. If you needed something, you had to work the system. Talk to the various members about your issue. This way you can clearly explain what you want to do. For sure you would know how many no votes that were against you, along with the yes votes. The meetings then moved along instead of the grandstanding that goes on now.

[sparkedmyinterest]

I had to chime in because I couldn't agree more about the grandstanding. It is a joke. Nobody at the town and village level can be civil to each other - it is sad.

[WNYresident]

WHy do you think the grandstanding occurs. Personality conflicts or do they actually think it serves a purpose? Seems like a waste of energy.

[left wing]

It used to be that if a councilmember wanted something passed, he/she would line up the votes in advance. Now, they just wait for the meetings and grandstand in public. Of course, little gets accomplished and it takes forever. This is the most disgraceful TB I have seen in more than 20 years of paying close attention.

I hope the residents really clean house in November and we get rid of 3 of these idiots.

[WNYresident]

WHo is the worse grandstander? Do you think having the meetings of TV contributes to that?

Was it as bad when Susan G what superivisor?

[sparkedmyinterest]

I think it starts with satish and then dan ward and susan schrantz. it is truly sad. Nobody get get along anymore.

[left wing]

WHo is the worse grandstander? Do you think having the meetings of TV contributes to that?

Was it as bad when Susan G what superivisor?

I don't think I could say who is the worst. The major candidates for the title would be Ward, Mohan, and Schratz.

IMO, it certainly was not this bad when Grelick was the supervisor. They were more civil and genberally got their ducks in a row so there was not all this blathering.

However, I am absolutely convinced having the meetings broadcast does add a great deal to the carrying-on. But they were broadcast in Grelick's day, too.

[sparkedmyinterest]

great minds think alike

[atotaltotalfan2001]

I don't think I could say who is the worst. The major candidates for the title would be Ward, Mohan, and Schratz.

IMO, it certainly was not this bad when Grelick was the supervisor. They were more civil and genberally got their ducks in a row so there was not all this blathering.

However, I am absolutely convinced having the meetings broadcast does add a great deal to the carrying-on. But they were broadcast in Grelick's day, too.

It's funny you should mention Grelick. I remember her complaining about the grandstanding when she was in office, and about the amount of time her colleagues spent trying to stab her in the back.

I think it's been a long time since the Amherst Town Board was particularly civil, and even when it was I always wondered if that wasn't done to hide things from the public.

Bickering, grandstanding -- all very frustrating. But sometimes things emerge from the shadows when not everyone is determined to be on the same page.

[Gandalf]

I think it's been a long time since the Amherst Town Board was particularly civil, and even when it was I always wondered if that wasn't done to hide things from the public.

Bickering, grandstanding -- all very frustrating. But sometimes things emerge from the shadows when not everyone is determined to be on the same page.

I think we should really pay attention to the possibility of things being hidden from the public. Mr. "T" may be on to something he ranted about at the last meeting. I sat a little forward in my seat at the last TB meeting & wondered if there was merit to the exchange between him & the carpetbagger Town Engineer. Hmmmmm........

[absolivious]

WHo is the worse grandstander? Do you think having the meetings of TV contributes to that?

Was it as bad when Susan G what superivisor?

Dan Ward and Bill Kindel, it seemed, used to try and out do one another in the grandstanding-as-an-artform department. What you had in those days was a double whammy, from each end of the dais. While televising the meetings was a catalyst to be sure, a greater factor was the absolute lack of leadership on the board.
Susan Grelick was neither a leader nor consensus builder as were, say Jack Sharpe, Tom Ahearn and even Al Dekdebrun.

[WNYresident]

ARe you guys confusing grandstanding versus like a monologue to promote their side of their agenda?