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Thread: LIDA operation questioned at Town Board work session

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    LIDA operation questioned at Town Board work session

    A contentious exchange took place between Council member Robert Leary and Supervisor Ronald Ruffino at Monday evening’s town board work session regarding the Lancaster Industrial Development Agency’s (LIDA) operation regarding appointment process, compensation to LIDA employees holding town positions, canceled meeting, lack of communication, etc.

    While Ruffino declared the LIDA is a separate entity and has no direct ties to the town board, Leary disagreed.

    What is unfortunate is that the discussion centered around the recent (January 23, 2020) LIDA Organizational Meeting. The minutes of that meeting have yet to be posted on the LIDA website; in fact the website has yet to be updated at all.

    I do have a copy of the minutes of that meeting, but I am unable to post it on Speakup because of length. I will forward it to others hoping they are able to post it. It explains a lot. Hopefully, the newly appointed LIDA secretary will update the website and include the minutes from the January 23rd Organizational Meeting.

    At the LIDA Organizational Meeting, Supervisor Ronald Ruffino was appointed LIDA Chair, Cynthia Maciejewski was appointed Administrative Secretary and Records Management Officer($5,000 compensation, less than the $7,500 budgeted in 2020), and Pamela Cuviello, Director of Administration & Finance for the Town of Lancaster has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Lancaster Industrial Development Agency at an annual salary of $5,000.

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    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    A contentious exchange took place between Council member Robert Leary and Supervisor Ronald Ruffino at Monday evening’s town board work session regarding the Lancaster Industrial Development Agency’s (LIDA) operation regarding appointment process, compensation to LIDA employees holding town positions, canceled meeting, lack of communication, etc.

    While Ruffino declared the LIDA is a separate entity and has no direct ties to the town board, Leary disagreed.

    What is unfortunate is that the discussion centered around the recent (January 23, 2020) LIDA Organizational Meeting. The minutes of that meeting have yet to be posted on the LIDA website; in fact the website has yet to be updated at all.

    I do have a copy of the minutes of that meeting, but I am unable to post it on Speakup because of length. I will forward it to others hoping they are able to post it. It explains a lot. Hopefully, the newly appointed LIDA secretary will update the website and include the minutes from the January 23rd Organizational Meeting.

    At the LIDA Organizational Meeting, Supervisor Ronald Ruffino was appointed LIDA Chair, Cynthia Maciejewski was appointed Administrative Secretary and Records Management Officer($5,000 compensation, less than the $7,500 budgeted in 2020), and Pamela Cuviello, Director of Administration & Finance for the Town of Lancaster has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Lancaster Industrial Development Agency at an annual salary of $5,000.
    Meeting notice to LIDA board members, agenda and minutes








    Georgia L Schlager

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    Continued







    Georgia L Schlager

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    Originally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
    At the LIDA Organizational Meeting, Supervisor Ronald Ruffino was appointed LIDA Chair, Cynthia Maciejewski was appointed Administrative Secretary and Records Management Officer($5,000 compensation, less than the $7,500 budgeted in 2020), and Pamela Cuviello, Director of Administration & Finance for the Town of Lancaster has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Lancaster Industrial Development Agency at an annual salary of $5,000.
    The CFO's annual salary is also 33% less than budgeted for.

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Sorry, I missed a page of the agenda. Too late to edit

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Man.... i love the info, but you guys need to get some sleep

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    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post

    While Ruffino declared the LIDA is a separate entity and has no direct ties to the town board, Leary disagreed.
    From Article 18, NYS General Municipal Law...

    Except as otherwise provided by special act of the legislature, an agency shall consist of not less than three no more than seven members who shall be appointed by the governing body of each municipality and who shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    What is unfortunate is that the discussion centered around the recent (January 23, 2020) LIDA Organizational Meeting.

    At the LIDA Organizational Meeting, Supervisor Ronald Ruffino was appointed LIDA Chair...
    If I am understanding the posted LIDA documentation correctly, Supervisor Ruffino was appointed as Chairman of the LIDA on January 23, 2019, so why did he seemingly function as Chairman on January 17, 2020?


    Is my observation and perception of no consequence?
    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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    Quote Originally Posted by mark blazejewski View Post
    From Article 18, NYS General Municipal Law...






    If I am understanding the posted LIDA documentation correctly, Supervisor Ruffino was appointed as Chairman of the LIDA on January 23, 2019, so why did he seemingly function as Chairman on January 17, 2020?


    Is my observation and perception of no consequence?
    Your observation is spot on, but most likely of no outcome consequence.

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    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    Your observation is spot on, but most likely of no outcome consequence.
    MY COMMENTS AND OPINIONS RELATING TO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK SESSION OF FEBRUARY 3, 2020


    Lee, I entirely agree that there will be limited consequences, but in your phraseology, you do prompt me to raise some points of reflection.

    President Obama once admonished John McCain "Elections have consequences."

    Indeed, and the Ruffino performance at last night's work session gives Lancaster significance to that comment-turned-cliche.

    During his 2017 and 2019 campaigns, Mr. Ruffino, in my opinion, was successful in twisting and disguising a career-long public service of record of liberal spending, high taxation, patronage, rezone approval and developer support into a successful campaign profile suggesting the contrary.

    During his 2019 campaign for Supervisor, Ruffino pronounced himself " the most experienced and qualified Town of Lancaster Supervisor candidate..."

    "Experience" is a measurable quantity; "qualified" is a very subjective assessment, and the February 3, 2020 Work Session clearly suggested that distinction.

    In his conduct at that Work Session, Ron Ruffino, his eighteen years of service on the Town Council notwithstanding, revealed himself to be both temperamentally and functionally ill prepared to assume the duties of Supervisor. Based on conversations with several sources, I understand him to have been clueless as to prescribed executive procedures; indifferent to the responsibilities of his board colleagues; weak in leadership; reliant on supporting comments, and above all, enables the perception that his governing posture appears to be a near-dictatorial, ego driven, but a politically emasculated, attempt at imitating the "steamroller" template established under the Giza regime.

    Mr. Ruffino seemingly fails to recognize the political reality that the Democrat Party, in large measure, has lost the confidence of the Lancaster voter, and simply does not hold the unqualified majority on the Town Council.

    In that connection, Ruffino seems incapable of departing from the Giza majority-rule scheme, and apparently refuses to accept and honor the "divided government" will of the voters. That "divided government" mandate, in my opinion, requires not only an ongoing bi-partisan search for common ground, but an electoral demand for transparency, consultation, and a harmonization of efforts in all appropriate aspects of governance.

    To wit, I observe the following:

    (1) Mr. Ruffino appeared to be agitated and hostile in his exchange with Councilman Leary.

    Mr. Leary was elected with a pledge to be a fiscal watchdog and to hold himself and fellow Town Council members to the highest of ethical and legal standards. Consistent with his mandate, Councilman Leary questioned Mr Ruffino's conduct concerning the IDA.

    Mr. Leary referred to documents which clearly suggested that Mr. Ruffino was acting in the capacity of IDA Chair long before his actual appointment to that position. When Leary brought his concern to Ruffino's attention, Ruffino lashed-out at Leary, and in his defense, cited the discredited past practices of some of his predecessors.

    Only after his Mr. Leary appeared to lay the documentary evidence in support of his concern(s), did Mr. Ruffino concede: "I'm still learning," and "I'll get it right."

    I personally understand a transitional learning curve, but when one runs as a candidate for office with the bold, almost singular assertion that it is "the most experienced and qualified Town of Lancaster Supervisor candidate and have shown that every day since being elected to the Town Council," that candidate should be held to his own self-imposed standard.

    Mr. Ruffino's words were "Since being elected to the Town Council." That was 18 years ago. His conduct should have been flawless, just my opinion of course.

    Therefore, how does one harmonize Ron Ruffino's 2019 words...

    Speaking for myself, I have been the most fiscally conservative, experienced and qualified Town of Lancaster Supervisor candidate and have shown that every day since being elected to the Town Council."
    ...with Supervisor Ruffino's comments of February 3, 2020...


    "I'm still learning," and "I'll get it right..."
    ...unless one concludes that Mr. Ruffino's 2019 comments were the shallow words of self-aggrandizing campaign rhetoric?

    (2) More concerning, Mr. Ruffino, the self-heralded statesman of unequaled experience, held that LIDA is a separate entity and has no direct ties to the town board, even though the LIDA exists and functions in accordance with Article 18 of NYS General Municipal Law.

    Mr. Leary disagreed with Mr. Ruffino, who then once again, touted his 18-years of experience. He dismissed Councilman Leary's observations for reasons arising out of Mr. Leary's limited one-month of experience.

    If taken seriously, Mr. Ruffino seemed to suggest that his insights, based upon an irrelevant measure of time, transcend the enshrined words of the law.

    This is what Article 18 of NYS General Municiple Law states:

    Except as otherwise provided by special act of the legislature, an agency shall consist of not less than three no more than seven members who shall be appointed by the governing body of each municipality and who shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
    (3) The most disturbing aspect of the meeting was evident in Supervisor's lack of ability to conduct a graceful Work Session, respectful of his colleagues and the watching public.

    Mr. Ruffino was entirely argumentative with Councilman Leary concerning the issue of consultation, and, in my opinion, reduced his leadership status by what I perceive to have been a heavy-handed attempt to politically pressure, or perhaps publicly embarrass Councilman Mazur, into lending support to the Ruffino controlling script.

    Even more unsettling was what I perceive to have been Mr. Ruffino's failure to reprimand, or at least tactfully control, the Highway Superintendent for his intrusive, loud, harsh, and vulgar comments, seemingly directed at Councilman Leary.

    The Highway Superintendent, a former Town Council member, should know that his presence and comments at Town Council meetings are strictly limited to invited responses, most probably to address technical concerns and other issues directly related to the strict duties of the Highway Superintendent.

    If this is the tone and conduct that the resident of Lancaster can expect from the Ruffino administration, the voters this fall need to seriously consider whether giving Mr. Ruffino an unrestricted majority authority in the Town Council would serve the best interests of Lancaster.

    I think not.
    Last edited by mark blazejewski; February 4th, 2020 at 05:39 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?"

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    Mark:

    Over the 20 years that I have been an activist in Lancaster politics / community, I have always advocated for resident input, government transparency / openness and what’s in the best interest of the community.

    That said, I did not post minutes of Monday evening’s work session because it became very nasty, downright unprofessional and certainly not in the best interests of the community.

    I was very disappointed when hearing council member Robert Leary being accused of being ‘controversial’ and a political agitator when in he fact he was asking about the LIDA operation where he was promised one thing by the Supervisor, where he never heard back from the Supervisor on the matter, and where the opposite outcome took place. Also disappointing was hearing again, “This is the way we always did things” and “I’m learning as we go.”

    Questions needed to be asked because the belief that compensation was reduced for two town employees paid by the LIDA is offset by a second contract that provides $2,500 in compensation. And yet, Supervisor Ruffino declares he is against stipends and feels the added compensation should be included in the salary structure. I did learn that the budget line item ($30,000) paid by LIDA to the town for Administrative/Secretarial Support was building lease and supplies

    Regardless, for the sake of transparency, here is a link to the work session meeting where listeners can make their own determinations.

    https://youtu.be/0UaB3H0Lz5s

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    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Chowaniec View Post
    Mark:

    Over the 20 years that I have been an activist in Lancaster politics / community, I have always advocated for resident input, government transparency / openness and what’s in the best interest of the community.

    That said, I did not post minutes of Monday evening’s work session because it became very nasty, downright unprofessional and certainly not in the best interests of the community.

    I was very disappointed when hearing council member Robert Leary being accused of being ‘controversial’ and a political agitator when in he fact he was asking about the LIDA operation where he was promised one thing by the Supervisor, where he never heard back from the Supervisor on the matter, and where the opposite outcome took place. Also disappointing was hearing again, “This is the way we always did things” and “I’m learning as we go.”

    Questions needed to be asked because the belief that compensation was reduced for two town employees paid by the LIDA is offset by a second contract that provides $2,500 in compensation. And yet, Supervisor Ruffino declares he is against stipends and feels the added compensation should be included in the salary structure. I did learn that the budget line item ($30,000) paid by LIDA to the town for Administrative/Secretarial Support was building lease and supplies

    Regardless, for the sake of transparency, here is a link to the work session meeting where listeners can make their own determinations.

    https://youtu.be/0UaB3H0Lz5s
    Thank you for sharing the link Lee; very helpful.

    Just a reflection on your comment relating to your activism: I don't know how you do it, but it suggests to me that in civic dedication, your generation surpasses mine own, by far.

    Thank you for all that you do.
    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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    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    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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    I thought only the LIDA board members could speak at LIDA meetings but Leary said he intends to speak at the meeting.

    I question the village representation on the LIDA. The Village of Lancaster already has a trustee on that board.
    Leary wants to add Schroeder. Why should that municipality have a larger representation than the town does?

    My recollection of Fialkiewicz was that he was a member aligned with Fudoli's vision of a new direction for the board.

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Member mark blazejewski's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    I thought only the LIDA board members could speak at LIDA meetings but Leary said he intends to speak at the meeting.
    Speaking of public meeting procedures, practices and protocols, I thought that the Supervisor was the presiding officer of the Town Council?

    "The Sun" article made clear that the Highway Superintendent usurped that responsibility during the February 3 Work Session. But, the article failed to include this quote from the Highway Superintendent:

    "Ronnie, get to work and get the agenda going."

    Hmm, consider these comments from the "Silver-Tongued Orator" Ruffino...

    Ron Ruffino, October, 2017:

    "From day one I have promised that I am for the people and refused to be controlled by party bosses. I am very proud to say, I have not deviated from this promise. I stand firm in making a statement to party bosses that want to control elected officials..."
    ...and...

    ...Ron Ruffino, Letter To Conservation Voters, 2019...

    "Speaking for myself, I have been the most fiscally conservative, experienced and qualified Town of Lancaster Supervisor candidate..."
    It appears to me that the Highway Superintendent over-powered the new Supervisor; the exact same Supervisor who, as a candidate for office, had proudly touted that he was "not controlled by party bosses" and handlers, and in fact was the "most...experienced and qualified Town of Lancaster Supervisor candidate."

    Perhaps the operative word is "candidate," because in his capacity as the elected presiding officer of the Town Council, Mr. Ruffino seems to have been pathetically suppliant to the stern and vulgar admonishments of the Highway Superintendent.

    All and all, a very disturbing vignette, highly suggestive of an overbearing, but panicked parent, taking a harmful object away from a clueless child.

    For some reason, it is hard for me to imagine Stan Keysa, Bob Giza, Dino Fudoli, or Johanna Coleman putting up with such a vulgar, disrespectful, intrusive hijacking.

    But, no worries, Mr. Ruffino admitted "I'm still learning," and "I'll get it right."

    The "most qualified and experienced candidate for Town of Lancaster Supervisor," eh Mr. Supervisor? Eighteen years of experience and in my opinion, still functionally unprepared.

    That is one Hell of a learning curve.

    The above comment is just my opinion of course.
    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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    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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