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Thread: Parks department Christmas decorations

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    Parks department Christmas decorations

    I've just recently joined and have been lurking on this sight for some time. Now I've got a couple observations and was wondering if maybe someone could share their knowledge on these 2 subjects. The Christmas decorations are going up in stiglmeier park and I notice that we are now putting up the religious decorations front and center at the park entrance. Where's the other religious decorations such as a menorah? Second observation has to do with the cost of some of these decorations. Who are we trying to impress by purchasing and lighting these elaborate displays?? I'm all for it but I think it has gotten a little out of hand.

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    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mack View Post
    I've just recently joined and have been lurking on this sight for some time. Now I've got a couple observations and was wondering if maybe someone could share their knowledge on these 2 subjects. The Christmas decorations are going up in stiglmeier park and I notice that we are now putting up the religious decorations front and center at the park entrance. Where's the other religious decorations such as a menorah? Second observation has to do with the cost of some of these decorations. Who are we trying to impress by purchasing and lighting these elaborate displays?? I'm all for it but I think it has gotten a little out of hand.
    The town can probably get away with the religious symbols as long as they don't spend any money on purchasing them (they were probably purchased by the town long ago) and as long as they are willing to erect anyone and everyone else's religious symbols or non-religious symbols of the season. Perhaps someone will ask the town to erect satanic symbols and then they'll have to do so or face a lawsuit.

    Satanic group says Oklahoma must give the devil his due

    It is ironic that the town feels the need to promote a festival about a a mythical figure during a much older festival based on a scientific event.

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    Its a somewhat slow time in the parks department but should we really be paying half a dozen guys and their supervisors to put up these beautiful elaborate displays that were bought with our money?

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    Member 300miles's Avatar
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    Mack - what bothers you most? You said you're "all for it" but complain about the lack of religious representation, and the money spent on decorations, and the money spent on installation. So then are you against it? If they spent more time and money installing a Menorah would you support that? If the town had zero decorations would that be better?

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    After a little more thinking on the subject I guess I'm really not ok with it. Maybe instead of everyone paying for something that is just enjoyed by a few there should be some corporate or small businesses that step up and sponsor the holiday light display in the park. They do it in hamburg. It just seems like a big expense considering the displays and manpower for just the few that benefit

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    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mack View Post
    After a little more thinking on the subject I guess I'm really not ok with it. Maybe instead of everyone paying for something that is just enjoyed by a few there should be some corporate or small businesses that step up and sponsor the holiday light display in the park. They do it in hamburg. It just seems like a big expense considering the displays and manpower for just the few that benefit
    Same would be true of providing police services for the fourth celebrations, concerts in the parks, a hockey rink, a soccer field, a hiking path, a bike path, etc. Only a "few" benefit from those services and assets. Are you suggesting that unless everyone in the town avails themselves of a government provided assets, then the government should stop providing that asset?

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    Im a Christian and love the lights but! As a taxpayer when is enough a enough? Not to mention what about those that are not Christian? It's funny several were talking about this same subject a few days ago and the 1 attorney was saying he is thinking of a lawsuit to force the town to stop this. And what if a business bought the lights, you still have to pay for the electricity. Business shouldn't pay for them either as they pay for their share already.

    So with this all said take the decorations down! And if it's that slow in that parks department give them snow blowers and shovels and have them start to shovel sidewLks in the town

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    Quote Originally Posted by CheektowagaFan View Post
    Im a Christian and love the lights but! As a taxpayer when is enough a enough? Not to mention what about those that are not Christian? It's funny several were talking about this same subject a few days ago and the 1 attorney was saying he is thinking of a lawsuit to force the town to stop this. And what if a business bought the lights, you still have to pay for the electricity. Business shouldn't pay for them either as they pay for their share already.

    So with this all said take the decorations down! And if it's that slow in that parks department give them snow blowers and shovels and have them start to shovel sidewLks in the town

    But parks workers cannot touch sidewalks in town, that's highway dept domain. See what happens when pols give the unions whatever language they want in contracts.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Roman View Post
    But parks workers cannot touch sidewalks in town, that's highway dept domain. See what happens when pols give the unions whatever language they want in contracts.
    Who would agree to such a stupid rule? You are an employee of the town. Within reason any laborer should be able to "labor" what is required. Sidewalks, park work, etc...

    What does the park department employees do in the winter when the parks have far less traffic compared to the summer? Yes I'm assuming less people go to use the parks for picnics etc in the winter. Am I assuming wrong?

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    Member Riven37's Avatar
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    Someone sounds like they're anti Christmas .. go back lurking.
    Riven37
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    All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. Thomas Jefferson

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    They moved the penguin jerking off, I mean fishing, to the back of the park a few years ago. I'm not sure if there was any religious affiliation with that.

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    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Riven37 View Post
    Someone sounds like they're anti Christmas .. go back lurking.
    People who think their religious beliefs should be promoted by government are anti-American. Thankfully our founders knew the dangers of mixing government and religion, and provided for the separation in our governing Constitution.

    Real Christians would never want to breach the wall that separates the garden of Jesus from the jungle of government.

    "A hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world" Roger Williams, The Bloody Tenent of Persecution (1664)

    Roger Williams' concept of separation of church and state was an extension of the doctrine of "two kingdoms" of Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon, which stated that that the church should not exercise worldly government, and princes should not rule the church or have anything to do with the salvation of souls.

    Those who would violate the rule of separation of church and state are enemies of both the church and the state. They certainly are not follows of Jesus.

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    Question

    The one point obviously being glossed over is the cross tasking of employees - why is it the Unions get all worked up if a parks guy is asked to shovel a side walk(or whatever) -

    Yet, when it comes to doing the "Political Goodwill" stuff - nothing is said ?

    They can use Town or Village workers to collect and for some - store campaign signs and that excused.

    That's part of the reason to consolidate Parks/recreation Departments with Highway or public works(What ever label they use) - this way they could better utilize workers.

    Some highway departments have but a handful of people who can operate certain machines or vehicles. In the Parks Department we have some guys who do land scapeing at the entrances to subdivisions. Then some guys who empty garabage cans at the park while driving around on a six wheel vehicle.

    You have "Crew Cheifs/Bosses" who make $50-60,000.00 a year to supposedly "Supervise" a small hand full of people with lawn mowers -

    Look at Lancaster - the four Dem Councilmembers just hired Mr.Irish for $39,000.00(tax dollars) a year plus benefits and eventually a pension to help clean the Police and courts building ! That's outrageous - why cant he actually do day labor for the Parks or highway - why because its a Patronage cookie - not a job. Thanks BS.

    I don't believe most employees feel this is correct or fair - they have much more talent and skills that are wasted. They are for the most part - pigeon holed and stagnated by the system.

    I have talked to many employees who say things like - "They said we cant do it that way - it would kill the job" - "I could run that truck - but that would piss off the guy who would have been called in for over time." -

    As far as Christmas lights at the park or on our streets - get volunteers to do that stuff - what ever happened to community pride ?
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Roman View Post
    They moved the penguin jerking off, I mean fishing, to the back of the park a few years ago. I'm not sure if there was any religious affiliation with that.
    What that items sponsored by our sewer department?

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Quote Originally Posted by nogods View Post
    People who think their religious beliefs should be promoted by government are anti-American. Thankfully our founders knew the dangers of mixing government and religion, and provided for the separation in our governing Constitution.

    Real Christians would never want to breach the wall that separates the garden of Jesus from the jungle of government.

    "A hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world" Roger Williams, The Bloody Tenent of Persecution (1664)

    Roger Williams' concept of separation of church and state was an extension of the doctrine of "two kingdoms" of Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon, which stated that that the church should not exercise worldly government, and princes should not rule the church or have anything to do with the salvation of souls.

    Those who would violate the rule of separation of church and state are enemies of both the church and the state. They certainly are not follows of Jesus.
    In the 60's/70's/80's I sort of remember more christmas type items in schools and kids seemed more behaved and brighter than they are today. I remember having christmas plays and such. Do they do anything like that in schools today?

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