The Cansdale Cabal and the "Integrity" Party

[Frank Lee Blunt]

In 1989 Bill Cansdale was elected to the Village of Lancaster Board as a trustee. Then, in 1993, he ran for Mayor against Arthur Posluszny, and won. The major issue during that time was an early potential merger of the town and village police departments. Cansdale won his election on the premise that he would not do so. 10 years later however, Bill Cansdale changes his mind, and heads up the merger between the police departments. He is 100% involved in that negotiation and signing of the contract.

9 Years after that, Bill Cansdale steps down near the end of his 5th term, serving 19 years as mayor. He and the board (his cohorts) promote the unaccomplished, unqualified, and impressionable Paul Maute to finish his term. Immediately, Cansdale is then rewarded, by same people he helped get elected (ie Paul Maute and company) the recently vacated Superintendent of Public Works position. A posh job that pays, at that time, starting at $70,000 a year. The contract was written by Cansdale himself. This contract was so extravagant, that when Dawn Robinson the newly appointed trustee read it, she went back to the board to alert them of the contents of that contract. It was realized that not one board member was recorded reading the contract. It was rewritten, and the job was then officially awarded. It is now 2021, do the math. Bill Cansdale has been payed in village tax dollars, a minimum $630,000, by my estimation. This does not included his near five terms as mayor, and one as trustee.

During this entire time, Bill has gotten friends, family, and relatives jobs within the village. His son has a job at the Erie County Water Authority. His brother-in-law was eventually appointed chief of police. His political influence in the village stretches far and wide. At this point in time, Cansdale is currently running a political party out of the DPW. The CANSDALE CABAL must come to an end.


Stay tuned. More to follow. I will be exposing the entire Cansdale Family Tree, how it stretches into the Giza Mafia at the town level, and all of it's underhanded connections. Want to know Cansdale's nefarious future goals? Get ready, names will be named and I will not hold back.

I'm just being me, Frank Lee Blunt.

[mark blazejewski]

Stay tuned. More to follow. I will be exposing the entire Cansdale Family Tree, how it stretches into the Giza Mafia at the town level, and all of it's underhanded connections. Want to know Cansdale's nefarious future goals? Get ready, names will be named and I will not hold back.

Intriguing to say the least.

From your vantage point, how valid are my concerns that town political players, including actors of the non-village resident variety, are attempting to extend hegemonic control over both the Villages of Lancaster and Depew?

[Frank Lee Blunt]

Mark as I see it the Ruffino, Cansdale,Gisa and more to be named , are presently and have been for a very long time robbing the citizens of the Town and Village of Lancaster of real representation. This group is just the tip of the iceberg that continues to feed at the public trough and spread tax dollars to their families and friends. I will be exposing the the entire tree of connections the Cansdale Cabal has built between the town and village elected officials. This insidious Group has operated in plain site without any real check to slow it down. This Group, all to be named,are well known residence who has abused their positions to enrich their own family and cohorts at the expense of hard working taxpayers.

[WNYresident]

This group is just the tip of the iceberg that continues to feed at the public trough and spread tax dollars to their families and friends.

But isn't this what is well known as the "friends and family" plan? We hear about it in Cheektowaga, Lancaster along with the rest of the towns. Why would Lancaster be any different?

[Frank Lee Blunt]

indeed you are correct! Presently Lancaster may be the worst of the group! Left unchecked Ruffino and Cansdale will continue to abuse their positions and feather their own beds. A side note: Interesting to me is how both the Supervisor of the Village DPW and the Superintendent of Public Works for the Town of Lancaster have used their positions to try to influence paid employees to vote for their candidates. Reports are coming to me daily now about such pressure from both the Town and Village blue collar workers. More to follow

[Frank Lee Blunt]

Information is starting to come to me quickly now, as it seems there are many employees of the town and village who have had enough of the work environment pressure to support a certain party and its candidate! This is exactly why longevity in a public office many times corrupts. And it is even more so when one Party can run a municipality without the proper oversight. This is where both communities find themselves today. Stay tuned, your name and history may be showing up soon on my posts

[WNYresident]

indeed you are correct! Presently Lancaster may be the worst of the group! Left unchecked Ruffino and Cansdale will continue to abuse their positions and feather their own beds. A side note: Interesting to me is how both the Supervisor of the Village DPW and the Superintendent of Public Works for the Town of Lancaster have used their positions to try to influence paid employees to vote for their candidates. Reports are coming to me daily now about such pressure from both the Town and Village blue collar workers. More to follow

This is why I think it's totally wrong to have any party officer in any supervisory position in any town.

If you look at Cheektowaga you'll see our very own Town Supervisor Diane is a Party Vice Chair. In my book it's a conflict if interest when making decision to run our town.

ECDC Vice-Chair Diane Benczkowski

Are people hired on their party affiliation or by their qualifications? If you had someone who collected petitions apply for a job and someone who was otherwise far more qualified apply for the job but not democrat who might be hired? See what I mean?

[mark blazejewski]

Mark as I see it the Ruffino, Cansdale,Gisa and more to be named , are presently and have been for a very long time robbing the citizens of the Town and Village of Lancaster of real representation. This group is just the tip of the iceberg that continues to feed at the public trough and spread tax dollars to their families and friends. I will be exposing the the entire tree of connections the Cansdale Cabal has built between the town and village elected officials.

I have been deeply troubled about the motives and the possible unspoken agendas of the actors involved in the creation of the so-called "Integrity Party."

If the widely-circulated public narrative is correct, and to date, I have not read of any refutation of the same, its creation was perhaps the most audacious attempt ever by town politicos to seize control of, or at the very least, to hold excessive influence over, the village government.

In my opinion, historically, village politics can be likened to the proverbial "nest of snakes;" a intertwined venomous mass of power holders and political players who exercise control over lesser political actors, greedy self-interest personages, stalwarts in search of patronage, social and political climbers, political refugees in search of any old port, and those who simply enjoy the assertions of raw politics. The net result of that toxic mixture has been for the most part stagnated and rather inept governance.

IMHO, the Cansdale appointment as Public Works Superintendent is perhaps the most vivid example of what concerns me most about village politics.

Just my opinion, but the creation of this so-called "Integrity Party," which I understand is composed of some of the legacy village actors, town Democrats perhaps at the highest level, some "Rogue Republicans," or combinations thereof, and just some plain old self-serving social and power climbers, risks a village transition from an independent subdivision governed by a cliquish elite, to a suppliant satellite in the strict orbit of the town's political bosses.

In short, an amplified "Cluster Thingy" perhaps at the expense of good governance and taxpayer dollars.

[Frank Lee Blunt]

Mark you have an acute sense of the current political atmosphere in both the town and village of Lancaster. Both of these municipalities ..have been co-opted by people who have no restrains to stop their pillage of tax dollars for themselves and their families. Most residents are not aware of what really goes on right in front of their eyes with elected officials. But enough is enough. Shining a "Light of Truth" on those that have lost their way and stop serving the public is what all who are concerned must do

[mark blazejewski]

Most residents are not aware of what really goes on right in front of their eyes with elected officials.

JUST MY OPINION:


Many people do not question the machinations of their elected officials out of a sense of melancholy resignation. Others may fear some sort of pressure to remain silent. But all share a lack of full information resulting from a press which seemingly engages their duties with a lack of journalistic curiosity.

When speaking of their public acts, some of our public officials appear to present themselves with profound clumsiness. In cases were the clumsiness is resultant of a given newspaper interview or press release, should it not be the role of an unbiased press to follow-up the comment with further questions, or otherwise call attention to such behavior, especially when it involves a matter of self-enrichment?

Indeed, while striving to gracefully defend some of their more "curious" acts, in their public comments, many of our officials do appear awkward in theme and cloddish in presentation. These comments from former Mayor Cansdale made in connection with his appointment as Public Works Superintendent, in my opinion, serve as such an illustration:

"After 20 years, the rigors of balancing the job of mayor and his full-time work at NYSEG finally led Cansdale to seek the superintendency at the DPW. Cansdale told the board earlier this year that he would not seek re-election as mayor in 2013. Though he had a lot of latitude at his job with NYSEG, Cansdale felt he didn’t have enough time on his hands to fulfill his mayoral duties."

Reference: https://www.lancasterbee.com/article...village-mayor/

For Heaven's sake, why does it appear that the reporter did not follow-up on that comment?

Cansdale was honored by the votes of Village residents six times I believe. He served in the capacity of Mayor for nearly twenty years. Therefore, in my opinion, the former Mayor's explanation was not entirely convincing.

Am I to understand that it took Mayor Cansdale 20 years to realize that his job with NYSEG did not permit him to give his mayoral duties his "full" attention?

Or, am I to understand that the mayor suggested that he knowingly did not give his full attention to his mayoral duties throughout his tenure?

Therefore, where was the journalistic curiosity, because the reader may have been left with the impression that it either took Cansdale 20 years to recognize the burdens and duties of the office, or he was one who did not completely level with his constituents throughout his reign?

"Democracy Dies In The Darkness," indeed!

[Breezy]

Mark as I see it the Ruffino, Cansdale,Gisa and more to be named , are presently and have been for a very long time robbing the citizens of the Town and Village of Lancaster of real representation. This group is just the tip of the iceberg that continues to feed at the public trough and spread tax dollars to their families and friends. I will be exposing the the entire tree of connections the Cansdale Cabal has built between the town and village elected officials. This insidious Group has operated in plain site without any real check to slow it down. This Group, all to be named,are well known residence who has abused their positions to enrich their own family and cohorts at the expense of hard working taxpayers.

What about the Sojka Cabal?

[Frank Lee Blunt]

l'd like to shift a bit this morning to focus on the Town Highway Superintendent, presently receiving 5208$ a year stipend for overseeing a job of a retired worker,who shall not be named as this person is not the problem. Soon after being officially retired and qualified to collect full retirement benefits said individual was rehired by the Superintendent and placed back into his old job and continues to this day to be a full time employee again! And the Superintendent continues to collect an oversight stipend!

Citizens your tax dollars are going into the bank accounts of elected officials at an alarming rate. While the Superintendent continues his almost daily jaunts to his own successful business driving a Town owned vehicle he must be laughing with glee at the absolute freedom he has been given by Supervisor Ruffino and the Giza Mafia! But its been reported that open conversations about a merger of Town Highway Dept and Village DPW are an option to be considered. Once in place the Town Dems will move to eliminate the elected position of Highway Superintendent to be replaced by a hired position ala Bill Cansdale's untouchable position in the Village! That's right no more elections to have to fight through. If I were in the employment of either Departments I'd be a little concerned about my job and what will happen to seniority and the prospects of advancement through the ranks not to mention who would be the Union reps? There is so much more Stay tuned

[mark blazejewski]

I wonder if the readers remember this rather unorthodox 2019 endorsement by a Town of Lancaster department head?

Perhaps your comments suggest the price of that endorsement?...

l'd like to shift a bit this morning to focus on the Town Highway Superintendent, presently receiving 5208$ a year stipend for overseeing a job of a retired worker,who shall not be named as this person is not the problem. Soon after being officially retired and qualified to collect full retirement benefits said individual was rehired by the Superintendent and placed back into his old job and continues to this day to be a full time employee again! And the Superintendent continues to collect an oversight stipend!

Citizens your tax dollars are going into the bank accounts of elected officials at an alarming rate. While the Superintendent continues his almost daily jaunts to his own successful business driving a Town owned vehicle he must be laughing with glee at the absolute freedom he has been given by Supervisor Ruffino and the Giza Mafia!

To your other comment regarding reports...

But its been reported that open conversations about a merger of Town Highway Dept and Village DPW are an option to be considered. Once in place the Town Dems will move to eliminate the elected position of Highway Superintendent to be replaced by a hired position ala Bill Cansdale's untouchable position in the Village! That's right no more elections to have to fight through. If I were in the employment of either Departments I'd be a little concerned about my job and what will happen to seniority and the prospects of advancement through the ranks not to mention who would be the Union reps? There is so much more Stay tuned

...which if substantively true, would be far more troubling and very concerning, and would serve to reinforce my existing suspicions...

More concerning, from what I understand, Supervisor Ruffino may have been instrumental in its conception. The VOL Trustee candidacy of his office secretary only lends support to such suspicion(s).

If the foregoing is true, as a life-long resident of Lancaster, the direct intrusion of a non-village resident town Supervisor into the political affairs of the village, raises in my mind potential issues of propriety which may negatively impact the autonomy of the village.

Reference: https://www.speakupwny.com/forums/sh...ks-Second-Term

[Frank Lee Blunt]

Mark your suspicions may be coming true if the Dems continue to control Town Board with the help of the famous Ralph Mohr. Ruffino taking a quick lesson from cohort Bill Cansdale has figured out how to use the IDA the same way Cabalist Cansdale is able to use the CDC of the Village, as their own Private Bank! No controlling oversight panel to govern how they dole out funds to friends for their own benefit while leaving the tax paying citizen out of any voice in their decisions. Currently Ruffino is in the middle of running one of the oldest scams in the book, promise citizens they "Will" save 10% on their electric bills!!!!! They most certainly WILL not!! Carefully read the right way to be honest would be to say "You MIGHT save 10% on your electric bill" But I would to see one bill from ANYONE who has saved 10% on their electric bill from ANY company in the North East! So Mr Supervisor just present some solid evidence of a 10% saving. This collection of present Democratic office holders is full of self serving individuals bend on changing things to continue to have less and less public influence into their overlord approach to what is Good for the public not what the public might want. There is so many conflicts of interest it borders on Criminal behaviour. When you have lost your Ethical barometer you feel privileged and enlighten more so than those who elected you and you start to believe you really are smarter than them and your own opinion is far superior to everybody else.....that is Mr Ruffino! But he is not alone on the Ghost Ship, he has many on the crew of that Ship of Fools. There is so much much more to follow.

[mark blazejewski]

Currently Ruffino is in the middle of running one of the oldest scams in the book, promise citizens they "Will" save 10% on their electric bills!!!!! They most certainly WILL not!! Carefully read the right way to be honest would be to say "You MIGHT save 10% on your electric bill" But I would to see one bill from ANYONE who has saved 10% on their electric bill from ANY company in the North East!* So Mr Supervisor just present some solid evidence of a 10% saving.

Frank, I am glad you raised this issue because it affords me an opportunity to revisit the matter.

Reference: https://www.speakupwny.com/forums/sh...lar+simplified

The contents of a letter posted below, which seems to have been authoritatively endorsed by Ruffino, under a hybrid Town of Lancaster, Office of the Supervisor-Solar Simplified letterhead, I understand caused significant confusion, especially among the elderly.


I have anecdotal information which reflected concerns by some of the aged as to what the letter truly meant. That anecdotal information, as I understood it, left some of the older folks with the impression that the letter somehow reflected an endorsement by the Supervisor in his official capacity. Whether or not such was the case, I really still do not know, but the anecdotal information that I have suggests was that it left to the more skeptical younger residents to point out to the perplexed that the issue needed to be approached with caution; good advice IMHO.

I am again posting a copy of that letter which seemingly, at the very least, was signed by Supervisor Ruffino and the President of Solar Simplified. Once more, it is this letter which apparently was the basis for so much of the above-described confusion.

In reposting the letter, I do so in the hope that the reader consider what its reaction would have been had their elderly parents, grandparents or neighbors asked their advice regarding the letter and the message.