government

Le Roy's town Code Enforcement Department has reached a tipping point with the local Walgreens’ lack of lawn maintenance.  

At Thursday’s Town Board Meeting, members discussed the issue of maintenance and how cases -- including the chain drugstore -- have been on the rise.

“Code Enforcement has been busy,” Town Supervisor James Farnholz said. “We have received many complaints about the grass at Walgreens. That did get mowed— and they were cited.” 

He went on to detail the department's intervention process.

“We gave them a verbal warning; they did nothing,” said Farnholz. “We then wrote them up as a violation. They had 48 hours to mow it themselves, and when they didn’t do it, we sent an independent contractor to mow it.”

Town Clerk Patricia Canfield noted the increasing abundance of mowing cases. 

“We’ve had to start doing it in the town," she said. "But in all the years I’ve been here, we haven’t had to pay someone to mow.”

Considering future cases, particularly at the Walgreens property, the board agreed to prioritize maintenance. 

“We’ll do it again, if it gets to the point where it’s an issue,” Farnholz said.

The board also discussed seting up Internet and a video camera as an extra security and safety measure at the pool. The board is expected to discuss this further at future meetings.

The town board's next meeting is at 7 p.m. June 23 at the Le Roy Town Hall Building, 48 Main St.

Press Release:

Statement from Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

“For all of the talk during today’s executive budget address by our governor of a bright new future for New York, the proposals discussed seemed tired and unimaginative at best. New York’s economy isn’t going to suddenly catch fire because of a few meager tax cuts or narrow tax credit programs for businesses, because at the end of the day New York will still have little to offer entrepreneurs looking across the country to open businesses and create jobs. Within a global economy that grows more competitive by the day, it will only grow harder for us to attract the best and brightest to live and work here when it’s so lucrative for them to invest their resources elsewhere. With that said, I do applaud the announced investment into education, something of vital importance in a marketplace demanding skilled, technologically-savvy workers.”

Press Release:

Senator Rath has published a legislative survey, asking residents to share their opinions on issues that arose from the 2022 State of the State. The brief 12 question survey is available on the Senator’s website, rath.nysenate.gov. 

“Countless issues will be in front of the Legislature this year, hearing from residents is crucial.  As we enter the 2022 legislative session, there are a lot of timely issues facing our state and residents.  From COVID vaccine mandates to voting laws, hearing from my constituents has never been more important.  I hope you will take a moment to share your opinions,” said Senator Rath. 

The county has reached a new four-year contract agreement with its largest employee union, granting employees represented by the bargaining unit a 1.8 percent annual raise.

The immediate budget impact is an increase in spending this year on employee salaries and $114,291 more in payroll expenses.

The Civil Service Employees Association represents at least one employee in every department of the county, with the largest concentration being in the Department of Social Services, Health and Mental Health. Other unions represent Sheriff's deputies, nursing home staff, dispatchers and jailers and Highway Department workers.

County Jay Gsell said negotiations were much less contentious this year then in rounds past and it took only two or three meetings to arrive at an agreement. He credited the negotiating team from CSEA's Rochester office -- in the past, it's been a negotiator from Buffalo who met with county officials -- for working quickly to get an agreement in place.

The employees voted 158-13 in favor of the contract, Gsell said.

The contract also changes how expenses for health insurance are shared.

Cost sharing between the county and county employees started a few years ago and the employee share was capped at 10 percent of the employee's wage.

The new formula will calculate the share based on the bi-weekly cost of the premium. This year, the employee will pay 10 percent of the premium, then 11 percent in each of the following years and 12 percent in 2019.

The county's healthcare costs, which is a self-funded insurance program, have been going up 3 to 5 percent per year. This formula will distribute those rising costs to employees.

The highway workers are already under a contract with this new language, Gsell said, and the county will seek to get the other three unions to agree to the new terms.

"It's easier for us to be somewhat uniform and also clean up these contracts and the number of clauses," Gsell said. "(The contracts) with health care and compensation, changes get so convoluted at times. It's in our best interest to try and simplify them, but also understand there needs to be more cost sharing between employer and employee. It's the real world."

The pay raise, at 1.8 percent per year compounded would take an employee at $15 an hour to $16.11 in 2019. For an employee at $20 an hour, the rate in four years would be $21.48.

That's an extra $117.60 in pay bi-weekly for the $20-an-hour employee.

If the employee is currently covered by a healthcare plan worth $1,100 per month, and that premium went up 3 percent each year, in four years, the premium would be $1,238. The employee's share would increase from $55 bi-weekly to $74.28.

These are dollars not adjusted for inflation, which is currently less than 1 percent.

The Ways and Means Committee recommended Wednesday that the County Legislature approve the new contract.

We live in an interesting time and place. Our county (Genesee, NY) consists of about 60,000 residents scattered around 13 towns, six villages, and the City of Batavia across about 500 square miles of largely agricultural space. Those 20 municipalities each have their own government structures with their own elections (surprisingly not all managed by the Genesee County Board of Elections) and their own net costs to taxpayers.

The City of Batavia consists of about 15,500 people (which is essentially a quarter of the total Genesee County population) who are represented by three elected County Legislators at the county level as well as nine elected representatives (one for each of the City's six wards and three additional at-large officials) on City Council. Genesee County Government alone employs more than 700 people -- those are government employees!

According to statistics published by Zoom Prospector, the government sector in all of Genesee County employs more than 6,000 people (those are all public-sector jobs and include teachers, law enforcement, et.al.)!  That's a lot of government for the 15,500 people in the City and the 60,000 people in the County. That also translates to a lot of non-wealth-generating expense for Genesee County taxpayers.

Contrast that with the City of Weston, Fla. Weston consists of about 67,700 people with an elected government of five people and a whopping nine additional employees. That's right, a total of 14 government employees manage the entire government for 67,700 people!

Now I realize this is an apples-to-oranges comparison on some levels, but even if county-provided services (e.g., Weston contracts the Broward County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement services -- yes, a county-run police force can effectively cover a city, in fact, multiple cities of substantial size) are included, Weston does not come anywhere near the County's 700 (more like 800-plus if you count all the municipalities in Genesee County) and certainly not 6,000 government employees for its 67,700 people. Yet Weston has streets, parks, sidewalks, businesses, homes, services, and everything else (except the same weather and state income taxes) we have in Genesee County.

It's time we look closely at the way we have been running government in Genesee County. Justifying three paid county legislators because Batavia is a third (or more accurately a quarter) the Genesee County population is not logical.

Are the needs of the citizens in the three legislative districts for the City of Batavia any different at the County level? Couldn't a single county legislator effectively represent the City? However many paid county legislators makes sense -- how about they retain an attorney as necessary and hire a county manager who then hires a clerk, treasurer, and a handful of department heads. Then contract the rest of the work out to the public sector and augment with part-time employees when necessary.

I realize it's not that simple to implement in a snap, but why can't we envision the optimum solution and put a plan in place to make it a reality? Why do we allow ourselves to perpetuate inefficiency? Do we really need nine elected officials on Batavia City Council? We elect multiple highway superintendents, clerks, judges, attorneys, coroners, treasurers, et.al., across the County and our various municipalities. Then an army of government-hired employees is assembled to perform everything government decides to undertake.

Why? How are the citizens of Genesee County benefiting from it all? Do we really need 6,000-plus government employees in Genesee County? Can we prosper with that proportion of government employment? Can we even survive? Should government even be in the business of providing services that are already available in the private sector, especially when the government-provided services are not fiscally responsible to all taxpayers?

If you believe government as a whole in the country is bloated, consider that about 15 percent of our active national workforce is employed in the public sector. That IS substantial and unsustainable. Meanwhile, here in Genesee County, about 20 percent of our active workforce is employed by the government! And on average, those public employees are paid as well as or better than most of the remaining 80 percent of the workforce in the County!

Genesee County has become a microcosm of all the problems we see at the state and federal levels: attempting to do too much with too many fingers in the pie. Let's get back to basics. We don't need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to strive for efficiency. Nay, we need to excel at efficiency! We need to stop expecting government to fill every role in our community and instead give citizens back the power, resources, and freedom to invest in solutions that work best for them.

We're on the verge of electing a new County Legislature -- let's elect the candidates who are unafraid to relinquish control and advocate an efficient, streamlined government.

For reference, here's a blog (sorry, it's 18 months old) on how Weston does it:

http://www.governing.com/blogs/view/How-.htm

Using data from See Through New York, here's a list of the 25 highest paid public employees in Genesee County in 2009 (the most recent year with complete data available).

• Edward Orman: $236,708, Superintendent, Pavilion Central Schools
• Gary Mix: $211,413, Superintendent Pembroke Central Schools
• Steve Hyde: $199,259, President and CEO, GCEDC
• Gregory Geer: $149,605, Superintendent, Byron-Bergen Central School District
• Martin Basinait: $137,850, Director, Western Off-Track Betting
• Cindy Herzog: $132,708, Superintendent, Le Roy Central School District
• Margaret Puzio: $127,000, Superintendent, Batavia City Schools
• Christopher Todd: $123,600, Superintendent, Oakfield-Alabama Central Schools
• Michael Crowley: $121,242, CFO, BOCES
• Lawrence Friedman: $118,187, District Attorney, Genesee County
• Pamela Buresch: $117,862, Administrator of Student Assessment, Batavia City Schools
• Kathleen Maerten: $115,200, Superintendent, Alexander Central Schools
• Stephen Mahoney: $112,077, Human Resources, BOCES
• Kevin Hamilton: $110,430 Vice President for Finance and Operations, Genesee Community College
• Michael Glover: $109,301, Superintendent, BOCES
• Gregory MacAluso: $109,301 Asst. Superintendent, BOCES
• Sheila Eigenbrod: $109,275, Middle & High School Principal, Pavilion Central Schools
  
• Joan Cole: $108,250 Superintendent, Elba Central Schools
• William Lang: $107,201, Asst. Superintendent, Pembroke Central Schools
• Sandra Griffin: $105,935, Middle School Principal, Batavia City School
• Trisha Finnigan: $105,924, Director of Special Education, Batavia City School
• Brian Moran: $105,454, Athletic Director, Le Roy Central School District
• Keith Palmer: $105,065, Principal, Pembroke Central Schools
• Ted Hale: $104,700, Director of Instructional Programs, BOCES
• Craig Williams: $104,581, Fire Captain, City of Batavia 

UPDATE: In comments, Jeff Allen correctly points out that we left out judicial salaries.  The bottom three on the list above would have been pushed off by the following three judges:

• Robert Noonan, $139,479, Fourth Judicial Department, County Court Judge
• Eric Adams, $123,240, Fourth Judicial Department, Family Court Judge
• Robert Balbick, $115,540, Fourth Judicial Department, City Court Judge

I know there has been a lot of talk about the City of Batavia saving money. Here is an idea that seems to be going around Erie county, lets downsize Council. Batavia seems to have a large council considering the times, maybe eliminating the two "at large"  positions to cut more fat from the city budget might be a good idea. Not sure if it has been looked at, but if we are looking to save money in the city, why not start at the top? Maybe its just me, but wouldnt that be responsible government?

AG Cuomo was in Rochester today on his tour of NY, to promote and educate people about government consolidation in our great state. I added the link for the web site. I say this is timely, given talk of town and city of Batavia merging. http://www.reformnygov.com/

From http://www.nypolitics.com/2009/06/19/state-senators-agree-on-collecting-their-paychecks/

June 19, 2009

The state Senate may be at odds over who controls the chamber, but each side signed paperwork last week to ensure they and their staffs got paid.

Amid the chaos over control of the Senate, Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, and dissident Democratic Sen. Pedro Espada, D-Bronx, signed paperwork last week so senators and staff were paid.

Sen. Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, and Senate secretary Angelo Aponte also signed the necessary paperwork, but separate from the Republicans, according to the state Comptroller’s Office.

The Senate’s presiding officer typically signs off on the payroll, but because that’s in dispute, both sides submitted their own paperwork.

Gov. David Paterson said if they can find a way to work out the payroll, they should find a way to resolve their leadership struggle.

“So there is a power-sharing agreement * but it only includes getting paid,” said spokeswoman Marissa Shorenstein. “If the leadership of the Senate can agree on a way to keep getting paid, they can reach an agreement to get back to work for the people of New York.”

But Republicans said the governor’s claims are false: The sides didn’t agree to sign the paperwork together; they did so independently. Each senator gets a base salary of $79,500.

The payroll flap comes as the standoff between Democrats and Republicans went into its 11th day Thursday. Senators went home for the weekend after Republicans held an unsuccessful session where no Democrats other than Espada showed up.

They are expected to return Monday, which is scheduled to be the last day of the legislative session.

The Senate has been at a standstill since June 8, when Republicans and two Democrats led a coup to oust the Democratic majority. Democrats refuse to acknowledge the vote and one of the rogue Democrats, Sen. Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, rejoined the Democratic conference, putting the Senate in its 31-31 stalemate.

There are more than 100 bills pending in the Legislature that affect county governments and property taxpayers, said Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. In particular, 36 counties need to have their sales-tax rates reauthorized.

The New York Times reports this morning that there are plans to institute a $500,000 salary cap for executives whose companies will receive large amounts in the proposed bailout. From that article:

The new rules would be far tougher than any restrictions imposed during the Bush administration, and they could force executives to accept deep reductions in their current pay. They come amid rising public fury about huge pay packages for executives at financial companies being propped up by federal tax dollars.

Executives at companies that have already received money from the Treasury Department would not have to make any changes. But analysts and administration officials are bracing for a huge wave of new losses, largely because of the deepening recession, and many companies that have already received federal money may well be coming back.

What are your thoughts?

The idea of consolidation of local governments is on its face appealing. It holds out the promise of cost savings, if not lower taxes, as well as reduced regulations on businesses.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo thinks there are too many government agencies in New York.

“Simply put, our system of local government is broken. It has been outpaced by globalization, regionalization, and an ever changing marketplace,” he said. “The density of local government in New York is astounding. There are 10,521 overlapping government units, providing duplicative services creating needless, wasteful bureaucracies.”

The questionable assumption in Cuomo's statement is that globalization and regionalization (never heard that word before) is a good thing.

One could make the case that the smaller the government agency, the closer it is to the people it effects, and the more responsive it is to small group or individual needs.

Here are some other assertions worth further examination:

The law is filled with anachronisms. More disturbing is that the law contains provisions that are relics of the past that conjure up images of “poll taxes.” In some cases, an individual may vote to dissolve or consolidate governments, such as special districts, only if they own taxable real property in the area.

Comparing current laws in New York to racist policies of a Jim Crow era is a pretty loaded. What civil rights are being impinged by the current system?

Again, the idea of consolidation has its appeal. With 10K+ government bodies in New York, you can be assured that many are receiving totally inaccurate oversight.

As a young reporter in California, I loved covering special districts because they received such little attention from journalists. That lack of oversight encouraged a devil-may-care attitude among the officials charged with running the districts. Their expense reports were often a playground of excess if not outright maleficence. There's no doubt that there are redundant and uncessary districts in WNY.

However, I would be leery of any consolidation scheme that diminishes a small town's ability to engage in self rule. Residents shouldn't lose the ability to rub elbows with the elected officials who decided how to spend their tax money.

(Link via Buffalo Pundit)

Let me begin by saying that I'm far from being a genius. All this talk about this large bailout has me concerned and confused.

Big corporations and lending institutions have made a grave misjudgement in how they handle their finances. The apparent answer is for the American people to pay the government this money that they gave to these institutions to keep operating.

Why do we have to foot the bill for other peoples mistakes? If I mishandle my finances, I'm sure not going to ask my neighbors to pay for it.

I understand the country is in trouble, but I feel that the ones responsible for this situation should be the ones to correct it.

WBTA's Chad Zambito tells us about a new Web site for state residents that allows anyone with the inclination to search out how much their municipality is spending, in real dollars. The site is called Open Book New York, and it was launched and will be maintained by the state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Really, folks, it's this easy:

Zambito did us the favor searching the city of Batavia. Spending for the city was $24 million in 2006, while $5.5 million of that went to public safety. You can look at figures as far back as 1996, but no later than 2006, at least for the time being.