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Thread: What does Town Atty. Fenz do to earn $50,000 a year

  1. #16
    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4248 View Post
    Oh - now you haven't hurt my feelings - we just agree the Tax Funded Town Attorney works for the Elected Officials ! Thanks !

    I can only hope that clears up the misconception that he works for the people who funded his salary - that's all !
    You really need to see a lawyer to sue your school district for malpractice.

    The "town" is the people who reside in the town. The elected officials have been chosen by those people to manage the town.

    The fact that you don't agree with the choices of a majority of your fellow citizens does not change any of that.

    The town attorney is representing the resident of the town when he represents the people they have chosen to run the town.

    There's a big difference between you voicing your disagreement with the the majority of your fellow citizens versus you just taking it upon yourself to declare what the majority of your fellow citizens think.

    You are like a child in a large family who all but you want to go to the zoo but you whine because you want to go to an amusement park. Telling your parents "but we want to go to the amusement park" when in fact your brothers and sisters want to go tot he zoo is delusional. No they don't. If you can't convince them to change their mind then you are going to the zoo despite your whining and false claims about what they want.

  2. #17
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    Thumbs up You win - dont forget to pay your taxes - my fun filled retirement depends on you !

    OK - you guys win again !

    The voting taxpayers want a Government run by Party Cronies - staffed by friends and family - protected by a lawyer they appoint to defend their actions - OK I get it - you win !

    I guess the taxpaying voters also want the tax funded voters to always sway the elections so as to continue the patronage and Party Favors - OK you win - I accept that as factual.

    So again you justify your own mindset - create reasons why its correct - Great - sleep well ! I do !

    If tax payers don't care - then just keep running NY into the ground !

    Keep raising taxes so as to run seniors and retirees out of the state ! You win !

    Some day NY will be awash with tax funded players - feeding their tax funded leaders - going into court to use the laws to discontinue paying the tax funded retirements they promised all you lemmings.

    "Remember Detroit" - can be your slogan !

    The "Dems will bail us out" - can be your Party Standard !


    __________________________________________________ ___________________________________

    You win again - I, as one of the "Losers" will be in one of the less taxed sunshine states - fishing with my grand children !
    But hey - You Win Again !
    Thanks !

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Actually the biggest influence in my educational time was the wife of a prominent Democrat - they actually rode into the White House with President Clinton. Jack Kemp was also a great influence .
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

  3. #18
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    Jack Kemp was a good man. Very kind and understanding and influenced many.

  4. #19
    Member leftWNYbecauseofBS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SOMETHING SMELLS View Post
    This weeks West Seneca Bee had an article by Town Atty. Fenz explaining to residents that the public does not have a right to speak at Town Board Meetings. Fenz a political appointee by Hart assumes the roll of. protecting the board from the public. Fenz should start earning his $50,000 a year salary. Why does the Town pay another law firm to represent our interest in the Seneca Mall project ? Why are we paying Fenz $50,000 a year This man 4 years removed from school sits at Town Board Meetings with a timer that rings after 4 minutes earning a town salary $50,000 plus benefits for part time work! I am tired of paying out tax dollars to friends or family of politician.
    Have no opinion or knowledge of this guy but to the point of what does $50K a year get you....

    First off, if you're a lawyer making $50K a year...you're a pretty bad lawyer.

    I found a study from 2011 that said associated are billed at $180hr and partners at $279hr. If the town were to outsource legal at just the associate rate for 10hrs a week on average, that's $93,600. That's why the town does not pay another law firm. If the town were to enter into a retainer agreement, as you suggest, you would be looking at costs over $100k because the partners are always going to wet their beak on retainers.

    I think what is happening with you is you're comparing what you make...working full time...to what another person makes part time without considering the differences in skill, ability and credentials.


    Now if you're just talking about the credentials of the person and if the town should be getting someone different...that's another conversation.

  5. #20
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    According to the 2015 West Seneca Adopted Budget, they're spending $266,750 for contractual expenses in the Town attorney's office but it doesn't state how much of that is for Professional services.
    Personal Services 27,450
    Contractual Expenses 266,750
    Total Town Attorney 294,200

    Georgia L Schlager

  6. #21
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by leftWNYbecauseofBS View Post
    Have no opinion or knowledge of this guy but to the point of what does $50K a year get you....

    First off, if you're a lawyer making $50K a year...you're a pretty bad lawyer.

    I found a study from 2011 that said associated are billed at $180hr and partners at $279hr. If the town were to outsource legal at just the associate rate for 10hrs a week on average, that's $93,600. That's why the town does not pay another law firm. If the town were to enter into a retainer agreement, as you suggest, you would be looking at costs over $100k because the partners are always going to wet their beak on retainers.

    I think what is happening with you is you're comparing what you make...working full time...to what another person makes part time without considering the differences in skill, ability and credentials.


    Now if you're just talking about the credentials of the person and if the town should be getting someone different...that's another conversation.
    Remember you are referring only to base salary and leaving out health/pension benefits also paid to the employee. You can prob add another 20k to the figure.

  7. #22
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    Town Atty. Fenz was back to his old tricks at the last Town Board Meeting. Councilman Hart when asked a question was advised by Fenz he did not have to answer the question. The question posed was pertaining to Hart's Ethics violation. Fenz is now becoming part of the problem with how this Town Board regards what the public has a right to know.

  8. #23
    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SOMETHING SMELLS View Post
    Town Atty. Fenz was back to his old tricks at the last Town Board Meeting. Councilman Hart when asked a question was advised by Fenz he did not have to answer the question. The question posed was pertaining to Hart's Ethics violation. Fenz is now becoming part of the problem with how this Town Board regards what the public has a right to know.
    What "right" do you think was violated by the refusal to answer? Is there a provision in the FOIL that requires a town board member to answer every question posed at a town board meeting?

  9. #24
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    Did Hart know before he voted to hire Daniel Walsh to a town position that Walsh was his cousin. if he did he violated the the Town's Code of Ethics,against hiring relatives

  10. #25
    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SOMETHING SMELLS View Post
    Did Hart know before he voted to hire Daniel Walsh to a town position that Walsh was his cousin. if he did he violated the the Town's Code of Ethics,against hiring relatives
    but what right was violated by his refusal to answer?

  11. #26
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    Nothing in FOIL that requires a Town Board member to answer every question posed at Town Board Meetings. FOIL was not mentioned in the public right to know. Hart's own words at the 6/02/2014 Town Board Meeting quote " I am hoping for better transparency in town government, I am available by telephone or e-mail to answer every call and will always be as transparent as possible. What right was violated . Definition of Right. (Noun) that which is morally correct. Synonyms-Truth,Honest. (Ajective) justified or acceptable, Synonyms- Ethical

  12. #27
    Member dtwarren's Avatar
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    Hopefully Hart will opt not to seek re-election. He has many questions to answer in addition to the one you mention if he does.
    “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ― Thomas Jefferson

  13. #28
    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SOMETHING SMELLS View Post
    Nothing in FOIL that requires a Town Board member to answer every question posed at Town Board Meetings. FOIL was not mentioned in the public right to know. Hart's own words at the 6/02/2014 Town Board Meeting quote " I am hoping for better transparency in town government, I am available by telephone or e-mail to answer every call and will always be as transparent as possible. What right was violated . Definition of Right. (Noun) that which is morally correct. Synonyms-Truth,Honest. (Ajective) justified or acceptable, Synonyms- Ethical
    Uh...your definition of "right" is in the context of "right vs wrong" - You asserted that the public had a "right" with respect to a question being answered at a town meeting that was somehow violated by Fenz giving the board legal advice. I don't think there is any such right. You just made it up because you are frustrated.

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