Carey Sack (Doug’s Version), Patronage, French Liaisons and Secret Liaisons—Items on the Agenda for City Council Meeting Wednesday, January 26, 2010
(PICTURE: Rye City Hall by local artist Heather Patterson)
The city council's agenda for its meeting on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 is out. See you at 8:00pm in the Council Room at Rye City Hall or on Cablevision Channel 75 and Verizon Channel 39. We'll also see you on the Internet (live and archive). The Council will convene at 7:30pm in Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. Te last agenda item is also a closed executive session item to discuss litigation. Office hours of the Mayor will be held at 7:00pm in the Mayor's conference room just before the council meeting.
Let's check the batting order and highlights from the 27 agenda items.
- Open Mic. Residents may be heard who have matters to discuss that do not appear on the agenda. Always a crowd pleaser…
- Doug's Details. Mayor’s Management Report – Update on Snow Removal: Practice and Responsibilities; Legal Update
- Succession. Discussion on 2011 Home Rule Legislation.
- Carey Sack, Doug's Version. Resolution to adopt a Legal Case Management Committee.
- Patronage. Two appointments to the Board of Appeals for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Three appointments to the Board of Architectural Review, one for a one-year term, one for a two-year term and one for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Designation of the Chairman of the Board of Architectural Review by the Mayor; Two appointments to the Conservation Commission/Advisory Council for a three-year term,
by the Mayor with Council approval; Two appointments to the Finance Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Two appointments to the Landmarks Advisory Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Two appointments to the Planning Commission for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Designation of the Chairman of the Planning Commission, by the Mayor; Two appointments to the Recreation Commission for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Two appointments to the Rye Cable and Communications Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Four appointments to the Rye Playland Advisory Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Two appointments to the Rye Town Park Advisory Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval; Three appointments to the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee for a three-year term, by the Mayor with Council approval. - French Liaisons. Designation of the City Council Liaisons by the Mayor.
- Secret Liaisons. It is expected that the Council will adjourn to Executive Session to discuss
litigation matters.
The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on Wednesday, February 9, 2011.
I hope people are paying attention to the “Home Rule” items to be discussed because they include the idea of increasing the present utility tax from 1 to 2 or 3% as a way to increase tax revenue without increasing property taxes. This approach makes no sense for a place like Rye that is predominantly residential as it increases a tax that is not deductible on federal income taxes. Unlike other “home rule” items like the hotel tax, this one will hit residents directly and will have 0 relationship to services used (ala the Rye Rec tax .. urr field usage fee).
I wasn’t surprised when the results of this Home Rule committee’s investigations (yes folks, investigations DO happen here when there are no political special interests to be protected behind the shabby façade of litigation management) were time shifted to AFTER the rancorous 2011 open budget debate.
This time shift – bait and switch process is familiar to anyone who followed the unsealing of the so called “Draft” findings of the consultant study on the old CVS Building which was conveniently embargoed until after it was clear The Otis Slate was the loser in the 2009 mayoral race. Then when Mr. Culross was finally forced to do “the reveal” it showed just how awful the deal made by The Otis Slate was for every resident taxpayer/voter.
So are we now going to have a French led unannounced “hidden process” tax increase directly after we had an announced public process tax increase?