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Thread: Lancaster’s Organizational Meeting; or, whose on first and why

  1. #106
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post

    Mark,

    You are absolutely correct. I apologize.

    Matt Walter
    Lancaster Town Council
    Councilman Walter, just a word.

    I am not out to do the gotcha thing with you.

    Regarding the ZBA issue, I believe that Mrs. Lemaster was treated entirely unfairly, and I felt compelled to shine a bright light upon that issue. With that end served, I am now content to leave the issue rest.

    You were only one of five that participated in the ORIGINAL ZBA deliberations, and to single you out is unfair, and was certainly not my intention. However, of those original power holders, one lost his seat, and the remaining three appear to be detached, and apparently, they choose to ignore their constituents, on and off of social media. (Councilman Dickman is new, and to link him with the historic nature of the ZBA issue does not seem appropriate.)


    That leaves you as the singular ventilation channel.

    You deserve great commendation for answering these questions, and putting up with the hard, and sometime unfair questions, such as my own, when I sarcastically suggested that you avoided answering questions if you could not provide a truthful answer. In that connection, I apologize to you.

    In fact, until the strong exception ZBA issue, I have been pretty much supportive of you. But I am been troubled by what I perceive to be your absorption, perhaps unwittingly, into a political power's orbit that threatens what you have so often referred to as your "independence."

    I do however, fully expect good things from you, and anticipate a solid reaffirmation of your independence.


    In the next two years, I hope to see you reassert that independence, and to confirm yourself as the decent, open, and honest person that I, and so many others, think that you are.

    In that regard, you will have my full support.

    AMB,

    Mark
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; January 17th, 2018 at 11:42 AM.

  2. #107
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    Councilman Walter, just a word.

    I am not out to do the gotcha thing with you.

    Regarding the ZBA issue, I believe that Mrs. Lemaster was treated entirely unfairly, and I felt compelled to shine a bright light upon that issue. With that end served, I am now content to leave the issue rest.

    You were only one of five that participated in the ORIGINAL ZBA deliberations, and to single you out is unfair, and was certainly not my intention. However, of those original power holders, one lost his seat, and the remaining three appear to be detached, and apparently, they choose to ignore their constituents, on and off of social media. (Councilman Dickman is new, and to link him with the historic nature of the ZBA issue does not seem appropriate.)


    That leaves you as the singular ventilation channel.

    You deserve great commendation for answering these questions, and putting up with the hard, and sometime unfair questions, such as my own when I sarcastically suggested that you avoided answering questions if you could not provide a truthful answer. In that connection, I apologize to you.

    In fact, until the strong exception ZBA issue, I have been pretty much supportive of you. But I am been troubled by what I perceive to your absorption into a political orbit that threatens what you have so often referred to as your "independence."

    I do however, fully expect good things from you, and anticipate a solid reaffirmation of your independence.


    In the next two years, I hope to see you reassert that independence, and to confirm yourself as the decent, open, and honest person that think that you are. In that regard, you will have my full support.

    AMB,

    Mark
    Well stated Mark, I happen to agree.

  3. #108
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    Quote Originally Posted by shortstuff View Post
    Well stated Mark, I happen to agree.
    Aw come on guys, if you keep this up, I may start to think you actually like me! :-)

    I enjoy the healthy debate around here and I appreciate that there are so many Lancasterians with such an educated interest in local politics. I try to comment whenever called upon and when my schedule allows. I will make it a point to stay more connected.

    As for my Independence, I will continue to be cognizant of it. I have stood up to everyone at the board in the past two years on issues that I couldn't feel I could defend to residents and will continue to do so.

    Again, thank you.

    Matt Walter
    Lancaster Town Council
    716.901.5340

  4. #109
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MaddMatt View Post
    Aw come on guys, if you keep this up, I may start to think you actually like me! :-)

    I enjoy the healthy debate around here and I appreciate that there are so many Lancasterians with such an educated interest in local politics. I try to comment whenever called upon and when my schedule allows. I will make it a point to stay more connected.

    As for my Independence, I will continue to be cognizant of it. I have stood up to everyone at the board in the past two years on issues that I couldn't feel I could defend to residents and will continue to do so.

    Again, thank you.

    Matt Walter
    Lancaster Town Council
    716.901.5340
    Thank you Councilman. As far as liking you, you are okay, but my wife is very fond of your family, and my softer side here keeps me much safer at home.

  5. #110
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    Well, isn’t this special. Everyone has kissed and made up and all is well. Matt is exonerated with his explanation. Sorry, this was a cluster**** from the beginning and continued right through the process; culminating with the announced appointments.

    Lemaster was encouraged to submit a letter of intent for the ZBA position with the blessing and promised support of a few town officials. Within a few months of job posting on the town website, and where no other letters of intent to fill the position were received, residents were asking why the position was not being filled – especially when the town made filling the position a priority in June.

    Councilman Ron Ruffino reported at a board meeting that he had in his hand a resolution he had written to consider appointing Lemaster to fill the ZBA position, but did not submit because he canvassed the other board members to ensure he would get a second to his motion. He found no one willing to second the motion; nor did any of the other four board members speak up to say otherwise. Supervisor Coleman then offered that Lemaster lacked environmental experience; for a zoning board of appeals position, imagine that.

    Had there been a resolution to consider Lemaster’s appointment, had there been an up-or-down vote and reasons given why for the outcome, most likely all the drama would have ended. There should have been a resolution and then Mr. Walter could have stated with openness and integrity that he wanted to see more applicants. We would have actually seen the piece of paper waved by Mr. Ruffino as a resolution to consider ZBA appointment.

    It was politics as usual in that the board did not want to approve or deny Lemaster’s appointment until after November’s election for self-serving political reasons. No other applications received (except Lemaster’s) until after the election and then surprisingly five appear. And in choosing the individuals to fill the two positions, Lemaster loses Ruffino’s support with the explanation that the two chosen candidates had more zoning experience – which is horse**** IMHO.

    Party politics played no role in the process? LMAO!

  6. #111
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    Well, isn’t this special. Everyone has kissed and made up and all is well. Matt is exonerated with his explanation. Sorry, this was a cluster**** from the beginning and continued right through the process; culminating with the announced appointments.

    Lemaster was encouraged to submit a letter of intent for the ZBA position with the blessing and promised support of a few town officials. Within a few months of job posting on the town website, and where no other letters of intent to fill the position were received, residents were asking why the position was not being filled – especially when the town made filling the position a priority in June.

    Councilman Ron Ruffino reported at a board meeting that he had in his hand a resolution he had written to consider appointing Lemaster to fill the ZBA position, but did not submit because he canvassed the other board members to ensure he would get a second to his motion. He found no one willing to second the motion; nor did any of the other four board members speak up to say otherwise. Supervisor Coleman then offered that Lemaster lacked environmental experience; for a zoning board of appeals position, imagine that.

    Had there been a resolution to consider Lemaster’s appointment, had there been an up-or-down vote and reasons given why for the outcome, most likely all the drama would have ended. There should have been a resolution and then Mr. Walter could have stated with openness and integrity that he wanted to see more applicants. We would have actually seen the piece of paper waved by Mr. Ruffino as a resolution to consider ZBA appointment.

    It was politics as usual in that the board did not want to approve or deny Lemaster’s appointment until after November’s election for self-serving political reasons. No other applications received (except Lemaster’s) until after the election and then surprisingly five appear. And in choosing the individuals to fill the two positions, Lemaster loses Ruffino’s support with the explanation that the two chosen candidates had more zoning experience – which is horse**** IMHO.

    Party politics played no role in the process? LMAO!
    Hold on there Lee, regardless, I give Councilmen Walter's credit for coming on Speakup to speak his mind and to address his position. I in no way approve the fashion in which this appointment process took place. I completely am disappointed in Ron Ruffino & Dawn G.'s change of heart. To be more specific, Councilmen Ruffino decided to go in a different direction were his exact words. That is bu**s**t.

  7. #112
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Lee,

    The Council is the sum of its whole, not the difference of it parts. Councilman Walter has taken all the flak for others on the Council, one whom I can never support, one whom I was suspicious of all along, and the "Power Player" of the decade. My instincts: enough.

    No one could empathize or commiserate more with Mrs. Lemaster than do I, but, I believe my point was satisfactorily made, and my instincts tell me to gain from lessons learned, and move on.

    Just my opinion.

  8. #113
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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    Lee,

    The Council is the sum of its whole, not the difference of it parts. Councilman Walter has taken all the flak for others on the Council, one whom I can never support, one whom I was suspicious of all along, and the "Power Player" of the decade. My instincts: enough.

    No one could empathize or commiserate more with Mrs. Lemaster than do I, but, I believe my point was satisfactorily made, and my instincts tell me to gain from lessons learned, and move on.

    Just my opinion.
    The Council is indeed the sum of its whole, not the difference of it parts. Walter has only taken flak for his choosing a realtor as one best qualified for the job – a career believed by some to be in conflict with a ZBA position.

    Let’s cut to the chase. You want to play the blame game for Lemaster’s failure to get appointed when in fact she was the only individual to submit a letter of intent for the position for five months.

    Lemaster is a registered Conservative Party committee member. No way would she get support from Supervisor Coleman, a Democratic Party stalwart who would never vote for a Conservative after the Conservative Party refused to endorse incumbent Democrats Abraham and Ruffino for re-election.

    Supposed Conservative Party board member Gaczewski openly acknowledged she would not have seconded a proposed resolution by Ruffino to consider appointing Lemaster. She later acknowledges Lemaster was qualified.

    Abraham stayed silent because a ‘no’ vote on a resolution could have impacted his chances to get re-elected.

    Ruffino declares he has a written resolution to appoint Lemaster to the ZBA and at a town board waves a piece of paper indicating that it was the resolution. Yet at appointment time he by-passes Lemaster for appointment.

    Walter remains silent as well. His sin in this process is one of omission. He seen the political games being played here and if indeed he is truthful that he felt Lemaster was unqualified for the position and wanted to see more applications, he should have stepped up and told Ruffino that he would second the motion and take it to vote where he could have made his plea and where Lemaster would have been removed from consideration.

    But that scenario did not take place and the plan became let’s wait until after the election to appoint someone; while in the interim no applicants came forward. And then there were five more after the election – all Democrats from what I have been informed. Surprise, surprise!

  9. #114
    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    The Council is indeed the sum of its whole, not the difference of it parts. Walter has only taken flak for his choosing a realtor as one best qualified for the job – a career believed by some to be in conflict with a ZBA position.

    Let’s cut to the chase. You want to play the blame game for Lemaster’s failure to get appointed when in fact she was the only individual to submit a letter of intent for the position for five months.

    Lemaster is a registered Conservative Party committee member. No way would she get support from Supervisor Coleman, a Democratic Party stalwart who would never vote for a Conservative after the Conservative Party refused to endorse incumbent Democrats Abraham and Ruffino for re-election.

    Supposed Conservative Party board member Gaczewski openly acknowledged she would not have seconded a proposed resolution by Ruffino to consider appointing Lemaster. She later acknowledges Lemaster was qualified.

    Abraham stayed silent because a ‘no’ vote on a resolution could have impacted his chances to get re-elected.

    Ruffino declares he has a written resolution to appoint Lemaster to the ZBA and at a town board waves a piece of paper indicating that it was the resolution. Yet at appointment time he by-passes Lemaster for appointment.

    Walter remains silent as well. His sin in this process is one of omission. He seen the political games being played here and if indeed he is truthful that he felt Lemaster was unqualified for the position and wanted to see more applications, he should have stepped up and told Ruffino that he would second the motion and take it to vote where he could have made his plea and where Lemaster would have been removed from consideration.

    But that scenario did not take place and the plan became let’s wait until after the election to appoint someone; while in the interim no applicants came forward. And then there were five more after the election – all Democrats from what I have been informed. Surprise, surprise!
    I totally understand and agree, and that is why I posted so many comments.

    In light of the entire ZBA issue, I have given Councilman Walter my direct assessment of his tenure to date, my perceptions of where his political inclinations are trending, and my hopeful expectations for the future.

    As for myself, unless I have missed something, I really don't have anything to add, other than to say that Mrs. Lemaster remains my choice, the process was highly unfair to her, and the behavior by the collective Council was, and remains, IMHO, despicable.
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; January 18th, 2018 at 04:44 AM.

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