Reply With QuoteLee, following the example of Il Douche they all want to be little totalitarians just like the big one in Albany. And he’d better check with his town attorney because the police can’t issue fines.
In today's Lancaster Bee:
Supervisor Ronald Ruffino said at Monday’s town board meeting that Lancaster is onboard with the PAUSE order, and the Lancaster Police will issue tickets and fines to those who do not comply.
The PAUSE order includes social distancing, closure of non-essential businesses, ban on non-essential public gatherings, limiting outdoor activities to non-contact activities, and limiting the use of public transportation to essential travel.
Ok, got that. I have been complying. In the last four weeks I have been out of the house only five times – grocery shopping once, drug store for prescriptions twice, take-out food order twice.
Supervisor Ruffino is then quoted in the Lancaster Bee saying:
“Going to get a loaf of bread at the grocery store to me is no longer essential,” Ruffino said.
Either he was misquoted or owns the residents an explanation as to what he considers as essential before any individual is ticketed / fined for what an individual deems as essential. I have to take my wife in tomorrow morning for bloodwork to determine what is the underlying cause of her dangerously high blood pressure. She cannot wait another three weeks, or whenever, for awaited virus peak and downslope.
When bread is not considered essential by Supervisor Ruffino, is the entire town going on lockdown? No more walking outdoors? What are the restrictions?
I believe Supervisor Ruffino misspoke or was misquoted. Clarification, please!
Lee, following the example of Il Douche they all want to be little totalitarians just like the big one in Albany. And he’d better check with his town attorney because the police can’t issue fines.
Well said Mr. C.Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
From The Bee, FYI...
Reference: https://www.lancasterbee.com/article...msJ7tqP98ccpfQTown gears up to enforce ‘New York state on PAUSE’
April 08, 2020
by MARIA PERICOZZI Editor
Supervisor Ronald Ruffino said at Monday’s town board meeting that Lancaster is onboard with the PAUSE order, and the Lancaster Police will issue tickets and fines to those who do not comply.
The PAUSE order includes social distancing, closure of non-essential businesses, ban on non-essential public gatherings, limiting outdoor activities to non-contact activities, and limiting the use of public transportation to essential travel.
“Here in Lancaster, we’re going to take it seriously,” Ruffino said. “We’re going to do our part. We’re going to do our job.”
Ruffino said the number of positive coronavirus cases just keep going up. As of Wednesday morning, there are 41 COVID-19 cases in the Town and Village of Lancaster, and a section of Depew east of Transit Road. There are currently 85 cases in the Cheektowaga/Sloan area and a section of Depew west of Transit Road. There are 910 active cases of COVID-19 in Erie County, with 223 recoveries and 30 deaths.
“You’re going to start finding it’s hitting closer and closer to home,” Ruffino said. “I can’t wait until this is over.”
Ruffino shared his concerns about public transportation still running. He said he understands essential workers need to get to work, but they should find a way to only let essential workers use public transportation. He said he expressed his concerns to the state and county officials.
COVID-19 signs were also put in front of all the local fields and playgrounds at local parks, and all of the nets have been taken down. Tennis and basketball courts have also been locked and are closed to the public.“Going to get a loaf of bread at the grocery store to me is no longer essential,” Ruffino said.
Ruffino also received a letter from Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw, warning the town that the coronavirus pandemic will most certainly have a negative impact to bed tax and sales tax revenue, which will influence the bottom line.
With the limitations placed on restaurants and bars for takeout or delivery only, and the closing of movie theatres, bowling alleys and more, it will negatively impact the bottom line. In addition, with people working from home and staying home because no outside entertainment is available, the sales tax revenue will take a major hit, Ruffino said.
The 2020 budget for sales tax revenue is $5.8 million.
“Obviously we will fall short of that number, but how far south of it is yet to be determined,” Ruffino wrote in an email to town staff. “Given the situation and in preparation for the inevitable, I am asking each person on this memo to be extremely diligent of their spending this year and only making purchases that are of the utmost importance.”
Ruffino asked if staff have a vehicle purchase budgeted for 2020, and it can wait until late 2020 or 2021, to let him know.
“Remember, we are all in this together,” Ruffino wrote.
The next town board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, via teleconference.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
Hey Grump,
JUST MY OPINIONS:
I disagree that Ruffino wants to be a dictator. I think that it is far more troubling and heartbreaking than the broad-brushed assessment which you present.
In addition to Supervisor Ruffino's rather bizarre comment about the necessity for bread, I am troubled by what I perceive to be his lack of understanding of the full range of responsibilities and powers which attend his office. Specifically, I perceive that you have raised an example of one seeming deficiency, as it appeared in The Bee:
Speaking for myself, I get the impression that the Supervisor is actually substantially overwhelmed by the Covid-19 crisis, and I, from a personal point of view, sincerely sympathize with him. I am not sure that I would fare any better; just sayin'.Supervisor Ronald Ruffino said at Monday’s town board meeting that Lancaster is onboard with the PAUSE order, and the Lancaster Police will issue tickets and fines to those who do not comply.
I was particularly empathetic to Mr. Ruffino, resultant from his conduct during the March 16, 2020 meeting. That meeting was the very last before the Town Council sessions were closed to in-person proceedings with public participation. During that session, Supervisor Ruffino, who once styled himself the "most qualified and experienced candidate for Lancaster Supervisor," admitted that he was "new to this," and that he was under "a lot of pressure."
I was further moved by, what appeared to me, to be his distressing wail, suggesting that the crisis was severely impacting him personally. I believe his quote was "It hurts a lot to be going through this."
Therefore, as a dependent resident, I was comforted by the strength and leadership of freshman Councilman Leary. It was left to Mr. Leary to take an affirmative leadership role when he queried of the Chief of Police "If the police are called if someone needs them, will they respond?"
The Police Chief responded "Yes sir."
Mr. Leary continued down of a list of various emergency services, and each query was answered in the affirmative.
My problem is that the well being of my family, and Lancaster as a whole, resides in what I perceive to be Mr. Ruffino's metaphorically trembling hands. Collectively, although we look to our Supervisor for steady, confident leadership, with clear answers and unambiguous guidelines, I must ask out of fear and concern, is that leader searching for the same?
Nevertheless, Lee is absolutely spot on when he asks his government for clarity.
Last edited by mark blazejewski; April 8th, 2020 at 11:36 PM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
I certainly can't clarify. But could the statement have been an inference regarding the people that are still going to the grocery store 5 or 6 times a week for one or two items?Originally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
I believe Supervisor Ruffino misspoke or was misquoted. Clarification, please!
Georgia L Schlager
An inference, really?
That would be quite a stretch as some individuals visiting grocery stores multiple times during the week don’t have the money to pay for large orders, are often shopping for vulnerable seniors who are staying sequestered to remain alive, or are returning attempting to purchase an item that is (or has been) out of stock – and considered essential to them or their family.
The Ruffino statement irked me to no end as he is using a staple of life as an analogy when individuals are frequenting businesses like Home Depot / Value to pass the time, entering restaurants to pick-up take-out food with other several customers waiting, and some individuals still planning Easter Sunday family gatherings (yes, I know of two families).
If the Lancaster Police are going to ticket violators who later may be fined, it is incumbent upon the town to inform its residents what the offense is – and it better be legal!
Clarification please, not inference!
I believe that the warnings and ticketing reference is to those who are violating the social distancing at parks etc.
Large groups are playing lacrosse and soccer at our local parks. Lancaster residents are complaining about this all the time.
Georgia L Schlager
I go to the self service line at Tops. The girl that stands at the register in case there is an issue told me she has older people who come in everyday for a cup of coffee and a newspaper.
So that's 7 days of exposure. I'm not saying it's right and I'm not saying it's wrong. People need to be careful.
Fining people who violate the 'pause' order is legal as far as I've heard
https://www.wivb.com/news/top-storie...ed-up-to-2000/
Georgia L Schlager
Under the current States of Emergency, in many ways, the law is whatever the President, Governor, County Executive, Supervisor, or Mayor says it is at any given time. That is why specific words with specific meanings need to be used. If grocery shopping is to be illegal within the scope of the so-called "PAUSE," the Supervisor should clearly and unambiguously say so.
I really don't give a rat's ass about Ruffino's personal priorities, and his metaphors, perhaps intended to be cutesy, have absolutely no place in his comments made to the press in his official capacity.
Great, Store 1 can employ informants for the Stasi; Store 2 can employ informants for the Gestapo.
Last edited by mark blazejewski; April 9th, 2020 at 05:36 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
They still can’t act arbitrarily. Is every cop carrying a yard stick to measure the distance between people? Exactly how many groceries do you need before a trip to the store is in order? Or will you have to call the supervisor and ask his consent to go shopping. It’s one thing to take reasonable steps to protect the public but these people have a gold plated opportunity to push people around and they’re warming to the task. When the governor of your state orders the military to go from hospital to hospital seizing medical equipment needed in one part of the state and deliver it all to another part of the state where he and his friends live it’s no wonder other petty dictators come out of the woodwork. And the supervisor’s whining about the burdens of the job...he can always quit. That just sounds to me like another typical example of people in positions like his and people in the media who never miss an opportunity to make the story about themselves.
Last edited by grump; April 9th, 2020 at 07:57 AM.
Actually Grump, you are not exaggerating this point at all.
I got a call last night from a friend of 60 years who now lives in Cleveland, right after The Bee electronic editions were sent.
His 95-year-old father needs a monthly medical procedure done today, and his Lancaster resident sister read the article and freaked. She does not know if the crucial procedure is to be considered by Ruffino as "elective" or not, and is going to call the police department to ask if she can do it.
As I wrote in my initial post early last evening on the "State , Country and most Towns have disaster coordinators and County support"
Words are important Grump, especially at a time such as this.
Last edited by mark blazejewski; April 9th, 2020 at 08:46 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
Mark, the point is there are no laws, merely edicts. When petty officials begin to abuse their emergency powers to push people around people will push back and ignore them. Then when they really need to exercise that authority it will be worthless.
Exactly.
Perhaps the supervisor will resign, right after his next vacation?
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
I hear ya Grump, but I am highly suspicious of what is becoming the drum-beat mantra of the media and those kindred to Cuomo: "Things are never going to be the same" after the Covid-19 crisis.
That comment is not submitted in support of fear-mongering; it is my reaction to an ongoing comment in need of expeditious and complete clarification.
That mantra could be a reference to the our economy; it could be a reference to our longstanding social interactions; or, it could be a reference to a restructure of our entire Constitutional system.
Permanent rule by decree to control our industries, the growth of an American Stasi, and the term "Power Comes From The Barrel of A Gun" were always distant thoughts to me. The operative verb in my comment is "were."
Will our Constitutional system, sans emergency declarations, fully reemerge so that people will actually be empowered to execute that push back, or have we turned a corner into a permanent dark alley?
Last edited by mark blazejewski; April 9th, 2020 at 09:57 AM.
LIDA Member Rinow to Member Ruda: You were a sitting Trustee on the Board. Did you help support Mr. Sweeney getting a seat on the CDC Board?"
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