Zoning Board of Appeals job posting (Lancaster website)

[DebLemaster]

The Town ZBA job posting notice on the Town website states:

Job Postings 2017
Member – Zoning Board of Appeals

The Town of Lancaster is accepting letters of interest for the position of Member – Zoning Board of Appeals, part time to fill a vacancy from July 18, 2020 to December 31, 2020. For complete job description and duties, please contact the Supervisor’s Office at 716-683-1610 or the Town Clerk’s Office t 716-683-9028.

Mail or deliver your request for appointment to:
Town of Lancaster / Office of the Supervisor/ 21 Central Avenue, New York 14086


Ah, Mrs. Lemaster, as usual you are acting gracious and understanding when in reality the following has been taking place:

You submitted your letter of interest too late to be entered into the July 3rd communications. When it did not appear in the July 17th or August 7th communications, you questioned why.

You entered your first letter of interest for the position via email. You were told the town never received the email when in fact it did and some council members have copies of your submittal.

Then you were told the email was found but not considered acceptable because it was not personally signed at the bottom of the email. Considering the email you submitted had your identity attached I have to believe you are getting the run-around.

Considering no other letters of interest were published in the communications I have to ask whether you were informed whether other applicants have likewise submitted letters of interest via email that were considered ineligible, or have no other individuals applied for the position? Then I am really miffed as to why the position has not been filled as the Supervisor and Councilman Abraham made known the importance of the position and its need to be filled ASAP at the time when the individual scheduled to be appointed for the job (by resolution, and who has since withdrawn her application) was selected by by-passing the hiring protocol (job posting).

This is a SNAFU, Mrs. Lemaster where once again politics rears its ugly head. As someone who has attended board meetings religiously over the past several years, and years more in the past, you possess the knowledge of how the town works and have participated in many of its operations. Choosing someone else other than you is analogous to choosing political candidates who after primary or election defeat never enter the town hall again to participate in town issues that impact the best interest of the community. Then again, some of these candidates never attended or spoke at a town board meeting but herald themselves to be knowledgeable and able to bring positive change to the community.

Watch your back, Mrs. Lemaster, all politicos carry knives!

I have to believe that a few board members are not happy that they were unable to secure this seat for their political patronage replacement. Second, it does not help that I am a Conservative Advisory Board Member. People are very upset that neither board member received the Conservative Endorsements this year. Fact is, there is a new Conservative Chair and same as his predecessor, he has every right to choose his own candidates. As far as I am concerned, it is not the end of the world if I am not selected for ZBA Chair.
That being said, I have no plans to withdraw my letter of interest.

[gorja]

I have to believe that a few board members are not happy that they were unable to secure this seat for their political patronage replacement. Second, it does not help that I am a Conservative Advisory Board Member. People are very upset that neither board member received the Conservative Endorsements this year. Fact is, there is a new Conservative Chair and same as his predecessor, he has every right to choose his own candidates. As far as I am concerned, it is not the end of the world if I am not selected for ZBA Chair.
That being said, I have no plans to withdraw my letter of interest.

Deb, no matter what your political party, I know your decisions would be made on what is best for the community not on what is best for the conservatives

They would have made themselves look good by making an appointment that wasn't a political patronage move. It would give the appearance that not only have they been working better for the community in turning down some rezones, providing more transparency by recording meetings and placing them on the website but also appointing members to their boards, people who are members of other political parties. JMHO

[Lee Chowaniec]

I have to believe that a few board members are not happy that they were unable to secure this seat for their political patronage replacement. Second, it does not help that I am a Conservative Advisory Board Member. People are very upset that neither board member received the Conservative Endorsements this year. Fact is, there is a new Conservative Chair and same as his predecessor, he has every right to choose his own candidates. As far as I am concerned, it is not the end of the world if I am not selected for ZBA Chair.
That being said, I have no plans to withdraw my letter of interest.

An excellent post, Mrs. Lemaster; one that exemplifies your knowledge of town workings and one that exemplifies your honesty, openness, credibility and tenacity; and ordinarily would help support your position selection.

Ah, you appear to be in agreement that it is politics as usual. And it is, but here just a pimple on an elephant’s ass when you consider the early endorsement process where deals were made, deals were broken, and backdoor machination attempts made by some parties and candidates made to primary and defeat those initial party endorsements to affect winning outcomes.

Unfortunately, as a blank, I am unable to vote in a primary. But no big loss considering my cynicism of the political process and its impact to put the best and most qualified individuals in office to actually bring positive changes for the resident. In today's political world, even on the local level, it is near impossible to discern best candidate with all the lame/fake promising, false allegations charged against his or her opponent, and the ludicrous, unfounded claimss made against a candidate based on ridiculous 'guilt by association' nonsense.

Ah, politics; akin to going to a farm and watching the pigs wallow in mud.

[Saras2017]

Interested in knowing where you got the $400,000 number from. The following are the annual salaries paid a Council Member from 2002:

2002 - $14,728
2003 - $15,317
2004 - $15,930
2005 - $16,408
2006 - $ 16,900
2007 - $ 17,404
2008 - $17,929
2009 - $18,467
2010 - $18,467
2011 – $18,975
2012 - $18,975
2013 - $18,975
2014 - $18,975
2015 - $18,975
2016 - $18,975
2017 - $18,975
Total amount $284,378

And as you can see Ruffino has been on the board 16 years.

Now, if I remember correctly council members received health insurance prior to 2009 or received a stipend if they had outside insurance coverage. Ruffino did have such coverage. If I also remember correctly the stipend was never above $6,000. So, if Ruffino received a stipend for six years at $6,000 that amount is $36,000 and increases the total payout to $320,378. So, what am I missing?

I also found it interesting and commendable that the annual salary has stayed the same since the start of the Fudoli administration budget in 2012 and has continued as such.

Lee,

Thank you for you correction to my mathematics, and thank you Mark for correcting the one word I misspelled by one letter. $320,000 and some change is still close enough to $400K and for what? I also agree with gorja that he has stepped up his recent game but I feel that it's too little too late. Of course he is going to work harder during an election year but his past two decades should show his true demeanor. To answer the question about how the Republican candidates compliment each other, it's simple if you read my previous post. One is a financial guru with a background in federal law enforcement and the other has a lot of experience with the fire service, zoning board, and would work great with Amatura since he works for the Village Highway Dept.

[gorja]

Councilman Ruffino -

Accomplishments
• Have personally required competitive bids prior to supporting
contracts

•. Supported the tax cap to keep town taxes low

• Sponsored the Right to Farm Law resolution

• Sponsored resolutions for the Lancaster/Depew baseball training facility

• Sponsored resolutions to build a soccer/lacrosse park

• Supported increased tax exemption rates for senior citizens,
veterans, and persons with disabilities

• Supported Road Access Management plan between Lancaster
& Cheektowaga for Transit Road

• Supported the creation of the Heritage Hike & Bike Trail in Lancaster

• Sponsored the elimination of healthcare, dental and vision
benefits for part-time Lancaster Town Board Members

“I will continue to make the needs
of our residents my first priority”

Councilman Ruffino and Councilman Walter voted 'NO' to the tax levy override resolution last October.

Councilman Ruffino voted 'NO' to the wasteful spending for the cost of an appraisal for Dawson field

This board does have its own checks and balances and our now being civil in the public eye.

What do the two Republicans plan on changing on this well oiled machine?

Their backgrounds have been stated but no specifics of the 'change' in policy they will bring to the board.

Do these candidates attend all the town board meetings? If not, isn't their silence a testimony to the fact that the current board is operating in the best interest of the community?

[mark blazejewski]

[QUOTE=Saras2017;1739611]Le

thank you Mark for correcting the one word I misspelled by one letter

Yea, thanks for the sarcasm, but that one letter changes the intended meaning of your statement. Did you mean to say that your change candidates were going to "compliment" the incumbent members Council, whose conduct you find in such need of urgent change? I think not.One letter changes are crucial. Consider if you will:The "White KNIGHT," as opposed to "The NIGHT that the lights went out in Georgia."You know what I'm saying? Saras2017?

[mark blazejewski]

I feel would positively compliment our Town Board.

You did not say that they would complement each other. You referred to the entire "Town Board." (It is Town Council BTW.) In any event, your use of "complement" still seems to be rather oxymoronic.

I think that your candidates would voice similar observations, not only on the attention drawn to "compliment" vs. "complement," but for your repeated assertions that past Republican candidates were somehow unworthy. During his previous campaign for Town Council, I certainly found Mr. Leary to be an incredibly credentialed aspirant, and a very strong, compelling candidate.

For Heavens sake, when writing in support of a candidate, do not give your opposition something to shoot at, IMHO.

The Republicans appear to have two candidates, worthy of serious consideration. Why screw those candidates up, by embarking on a rather negative advocacy campaign, already marked with over the edge criticism of those taking an opposing view, by sloppy, confusing writing style, or unnecessarily trashy sarcasm?

In your style and PRESENTATION, remember the words of Santayana, Saras 2017?:

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Have a great day.

[mark blazejewski]

320,000 and some change is still close enough to $400K

This is exactly what I mean. What you casually label as "close enough," is ammunition for the opposition. Silly Saras2017?

BTW, $80,000 is not an insignificant percentage of $400,000. Such whimsical representations and financial attitudes, make you sound like the tax and spend leftees you criticize.

[gorja]

Originally posted by mark blazejewski:
"The NIGHT that the lights went out in Georgia."

Are you predicting my demise, Mark?

[Lee Chowaniec]

Lee,

Thank you for you correction to my mathematics, and thank you Mark for correcting the one word I misspelled by one letter. $320,000 and some change is still close enough to $400K and for what? I also agree with gorja that he has stepped up his recent game but I feel that it's too little too late. Of course he is going to work harder during an election year but his past two decades should show his true demeanor. To answer the question about how the Republican candidates compliment each other, it's simple if you read my previous post. One is a financial guru with a background in federal law enforcement and the other has a lot of experience with the fire service, zoning board, and would work great with Amatura since he works for the Village Highway Dept.

I am of the mind that until the primaries are over and we truly know who will be in the running for the council seats, and until the Supervisor presents her tentative budget, all parties and their supporters should focus only what the candidate agendas are to better serve the public. Keep posting the positive aspects of your candidates. Republicans and blanks were turned of by the negativity of the last election and stayed home.

And facts are facts and data and stats should not be manipulated where ‘close enough is good enough’. In the past decade we have had enough of reckless, unfounded allegations and ‘guilt by association charges’ that do nothing but stain an individual’s character and make qualified people choose not to run for office.

It is still bothersome to many that the budget is not approved until after the election which gives the incumbent candidates an opportunity to avoid taking a stand on spending; especially this year when the board just voted approval to extend the tax cap levy. The budget will weigh heavily in this year's election focus - IMO.

[mark blazejewski]

Are you predicting my demise, Mark?

Gorja, Rick Wiles said yesterday "...this thing is moving so quickly, you can't assume we will get to Sunday without a war."

Given the fact that the North Korean fat boy has nukes, now apparently capable of hitting the east coast of the United States, as well as EMP capability, I think that the lights may possibly go out in Georgia, New York, Illinois, Colorado..., so I guess I am predicting Mark's demise as well.

But Ms. Gorja, there is no nuke powerful enough, and no North Korean dictator fat enough, to take you down. The NOKOs will certainly know that they have been in a fight if they mess with you.

[gorja]

Lee,

I believe that they only had a public hearing on the tax cap levy override. No vote yet.

[mark blazejewski]

Keep posting the positive aspects of your candidates.

As a learned one has often observed: "Spot ON!"

facts are facts and data and stats should not be manipulated where ‘close enough is good enough’.

Truly sage advise. If such frivolous manipulation is called out, the backlash could be devastating.

In the past decade we have had enough of reckless, unfounded allegations and ‘guilt by association charges’ that do nothing but stain an individual’s character and make qualified people choose not to run for office.

Amen.

[Lee Chowaniec]

Lee,

I believe that they only had a public hearing on the tax cap levy override. No vote yet.

My bad, gorja. Thanks for the correction. I just can't help assuming that holding this hearing prior to budget presentation is not an indicator that serious thought is not being given by some on the board for an override. And yes I know that assuming can make an ass out of me - wouldn't be the first time.

Until the 11th hour two years go, I assumed that Fudoli would not lose the Supervisor election - and he got trounced.

[gorja]

It's August 15th, the job posting is still posted for the ZBA position for the term JULY 18, 2017 to December 31, 2020.

4 weeks past the starting date (July 18) of the posted position with a qualified applicant in hand and the posting is still up.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, IMHO.