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Vote for Rye Mayor on MyRye.com Now

Only 78 days until election day, so at MyRye.com, we thought we'd start to field a few polls to determine the sentiment of Rye voters.

Today readers can vote for Rye City Mayor by casting a vote for Republican challenger Doug French or Democratic incumbent Steve Otis. Readers can also vote "Undecided".

This poll will be open Monday, August 17th until Wednesday, August 19th at 11:59pm.

Tell us why you are supporting your particular candidate by leaving a comment below.

40 COMMENTS

  1. Once again Otis has put the City of Rye on the front page of the Journal News. Once again Rye is shown in a bad light because of Otis.

    If Otis had $1,000,000 to buy the Bird property and was willing to wait for possible grant money why can’t Otis fix the Central Avenue Bridge, install a sluice gate and make the other necessary flood remediation Rye needs and wait for the FEMA money and the grant money?

    Otis can put the Bird property on his resume right next to the Beaver Swamp which used to be known as Beaver Brook before Otis got his hands on it.

    http://www.lohud.com/article/20090817/NEWS02/908170374

  2. WryRecord,

    The Bird Homestead story ran over the weekend and not thankfully on the front page.

    The O Paul Shew sues Rye story front-paged today.

    Both are sad commentary on our how our city is being abused not by the press but by its own current administration. How many more lawsuits do we want? I say zero.

    A long hot summer indeed.

  3. Here is a 2007 article from the New York Times where the Otis administration tries to cover-up all the building, health and safety code violations on Hen Island. Look at the lies to a national newspaper. I believe Shew was taking his orders from Otis. Then when the pressure was on Otis, he fired Shew hoping to point the finger at him. This type of thing is important to remember when you are in the voting booth.

    http://healtheharbor.com/news/090907.html

    And below is a copy of the truth two years after Mayor Otis was exposed.

    http://healtheharbor.com/correspondence/ryeviolations_040809.pdf

  4. THESE PERCENTAGES ARE COMPLETELY FALSE & MISLEADING!!! THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL OTIS HAS THIS KIND OF POPULARITY AFTER ALL THE DAMAGE HE HAS INFLICTED UPON US!!! NOVEMBER WILL TELL THE TRUE TALE!!!
    changeforrye.com

  5. Wow–not even close! Lots if voters. So Ray, who do you humiliate now?

    Posted by: Chris Henn | August 20, 2009 at 02:58 PM

    Chris………..I think the answer is:………………Himself
    High and Dry in Rye

  6. High,
    Thanks for the response. I guess you don’t get it, so let me help you. I have lived in Purchase for twenty five years and owned and operated a business in White Plains for over thirty five. I am not a troublemaker as you would like people to believe. You are welcome to come into my communities where I work and live and check my reputation. You would be hard pressed to find a negative comment. I only responded to Rye after my legitimate complaints, not only were ignored but also covered up by Mayor Otis. I was instructed that the only recourse a citizen has when public officials ignore and fail to enforce the law is to expose them so they don’t get re-elected again. That is what Mr. Floatie and the Floatie mobile is all about public awareness. It is my goal to expose the Mayor and anyone that cooperates in his bag of tricks that he uses to fool the public. You and the other Hen Islanders may have caused the problems but he is the one that allows it to continue.

    If you remember for three years Mayor Otis told Schubert that his problem was between neighbors. Well we now found out according to the city naturalist, that was not true and the city knew all along what was going on and the city was involved in the cover-up. They even went as far as trying to have him committed to a psychiatric institution to continue the cover up. Do you think Shew made that phone call without checking with the Mayor first?

    Similarly on Hen Island the city stated they inspected Hen Island and no problems were found. Those statements were submitted to a New York State Supreme Court judge and my Supreme Court action was dismissed based on those lies. We now know, as admitted by Mayor Otis on Rye TV that the original statements referencing the Hen Island July 2007 inspections were not true. Even though he has admitted they made mistakes referencing the 2007 inspection he still refuses to acknowledge sewage and potable water issues present on Hen Island today. He now tries to say that is a problem between me and the County Health department. Here are the city codes below.

    http://healtheharbor.com/codes/ryesewers.html

    http://healtheharbor.com/codes/potablewater.html

    In my line of work when we have a pattern of lies involved in a complaint, we look at the liar and remove him from the operation before he can do more damage or repeat the complaint with another costumer. Hopefully Rye residents will draw similar conclusions. By now you must be getting the picture. If not, take a look at the below link and you may be able to figure it out.

    http://healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/steveotis.html

  7. A very passing thought on Raymond.
    How many words to describe thee:
    Disingenuous..operates with hidden agenda (Land development)

    Smear tactics…Takes good names and attaches his unclean motivations to honest people

    Lies and hypocrisy..extended septic system WITHOUT approval or LIED about extending septic system. (among many other falsehoods)

    Creditability because of lies.

    Carpetbagger in Rye politics for his own agenda.

    Pointless law suits to bleed Rye and Kuder Island colony into submission for his own agenda.

    exposing us to his obscene poop-mobile

    oh my..lets flush this harmful pest.

  8. Motivation Question for you Ray.
    Is it not true that by building a sewer system and getting water and utilities out to Hen Island one might build a house on Hen Island similar to the the houses in Greenhaven?
    If you win on the sewer system do you plan to expand your house?

    If the answer is yes then what of your neighbors desires? Will you force them out?

    If the answer is no? What the hell are you doing this for?

    In the mean time at least put in a composting toilet and look like you are not so disingenuous.

  9. Hen Island Linus,
    I think it is important for everyone to know when the blogger is from Hen Island so they can understand your motives. And now I will tell you my motives again.

    If the answer is no? What the hell are you doing this for?

    Try, for the health and safety of my family, my friends and the environment. I have no desire to expand my home or my use in any way, nor do I think, the city would allow it. That is the true answer and will always be the answer, contrary to what you, the other Hen Islanders and Mayor Otis would like everyone to believe.

    Below is an excerpt from the Rules and regulations of Hen Island.

    RULES AND REGULATIONS
    Approved April 7, 2009
    Kuder Island Colony, Inc.
    “Hen Island” in Milton Harbor on Long Island Sound
    Rules &

    12. Media
    a. We do not grant any interviews about Hen Island to any media in the future, keeping the Island low key. Media cannot be invited to the Island or interviews granted without permission of the Board.

    How many other homeowners associations or Co-op boards have such a rule? I wonder what the Hen Island board of directors might be hiding.
    Most Hen Islanders and the Mayor think People are stupid. They are not, what’s going on is as clear as a bell. Let me use a quote that Mayor Otis used at the last city council meeting as he was addressing me “The public will judge if they like what you do or they don’t like what you do” I think the same goes for the Mayor. I wonder if they will like that Mayor Otis does not enforce the environmental laws put in place to protect the environment and the people. I may be responsible for bringing Mr. Floatie to Rye but Mayor Otis is the one that causes him to stay.

  10. Ray…your quote: “Try, for the health and safety of my family, my friends and the environment.”…You must be kidding….Family and friends…Please provide the names of those you consider friends you are saving in your ecological tantrum on Hen Island…And, let us know what family members visit Hen Island with you….I don’t recall you having a family…..High and Dry in Rye

  11. I will not side with High and Dry re: the family comment..that has no place here.
    You are an amoral person slinging mud with illogical reasoning.

    However family matters are truly private and should be respected.
    HOWEVER A FLUSH is in order.

  12. High/Dry,
    What the hell does Ray, or anyone for that matter, having a family or not have anything to do with this. As usual, bloggers on here getting personal talking from both sides… with “NO IDENTITY”!!!
    Mr.Sears,
    As I recall, your words…”trying to keep this a family and friendly blog”….my reply to that was…”you should remove comments with negative remarks that attack ones family”……

  13. Funny Ray-a senior is the one who put me on My Rye. French is a pompous ass and I have convinced many that if you(and your pathetic parade) support him, he must be flawed and unfit for political office. Most agreed and they need not hear another issue.

    Fact is, your bull is putting votes into Otis’s pocket!
    Otis will slap the snot out of French–

  14. There is a single septic system on Hen Island that has been proven to be illegal. Ray Tartaglione illegally expanded his system by his own admission on this blog:

    “I had the system flow tested about ten years ago during the reconstruction of my cottage. I was curious as to how these systems worked for so long without ever being emptied like conventional systems. When I opened it I found out why. It was just a 55 gallon drum with holes punched in the sides, sewage seeping into the ground and probably the aquifer below. Believing that this problem was exclusive to my cottage, I had it repaired at my expense. I added a few septic fields and connected them to the tank. ”
    Posted by: Ray Tartaglione | January 03, 2009 at 09:27 AM

    The described work required both a City of Rye wetlands permit and a Westchester County Department of Health septic permit. Ray Tartaglione obtained neither and expanded the system illegally.

    That is all that you need to know about his credibility and hypocrisy.

  15. Jim,
    Not to worry. I think it is a good example of the mentality of the Hen Islanders that is displayed here for the public to witness. I feel I must clarify that it is not all Hen Islanders just the ones that are against fixing the issues in question. It gives everyone a little insight on the type of people that inhabit most of Hen Island. People that vandalize homes and cars, urinate in water tanks and spread personal lies about the person that exposes them as polluters. Trust me they are all cowards, and polluters. What I find interesting is that Mayor Otis is protecting them.

  16. Good grief you must grow up. Bringing your family into this was plain wrong and you have a right to complain about that.

    You attack on your neighbors with a pack of unfounded accusations is another thing.

    You have no more credibility now then before the family comment.

    You are a verified teller of lies and hypocrite.

    example: Did you extend your septic system without approval or did you lie about it?

    Did yo knowingly lie (with Pictures) about cottages on Hen Island in your ersatz web site?

    Urinating in your rain barrel..give me a break.

    Why do I bother…Flush

  17. Linus,Quincy,Henn,Hgh/Dry,nd the rest of you Ray Smashers,

    We get,We got it,We all get it….Is this the only issue you care to respond to??? How about all the damage Mayor Otis has done? There are so many as or more important subjects you could be commenting on….SO WHY DON’T YOU???
    Do you not care that if Otis is re-elected (highly unlikely) we are all in BIG TROUBLE??? Do you not care about all the pressing issues before you and all of us???
    We have a corrupt Government, our P.D. is run by incompetent leaders not even close to worthy of the job, we will soon be in financial ruins (almost there) thnx to Otis, our teachers are greedy and don’t care about our childeren, our streets are not safe for our children,….need I say more?
    ALL YOU SEEM TO CARE ABOUT IS ONE SUBJECT………… Hen Island!
    How about weiging in on all the other threads on here???

  18. If you really think that Doug French is the answer, you are mistaken. Electing French is a change just for the sake of change. I have seen nothing to indicate that he will do a better job than Otis. We will have to see if that changes between now and Election Day.

    Selection of the City Council members must be addressed on an individual basis, but again, a wholesale change nets nothing if it is just for the sake of change. Again, I really need to see who would be a better choice for the council. Hopefully, that will also become clear by November.

    Otis and the council have had to put up with a load of nonsense in the public forum that has obstructed the ability of the City Council to do the job that they were elected for. An incredible amount of time and money have been expended dealing with issues that do not belong in the City Council. Otis and the City Council were put in two no win situations and forced to face the embarrassment created by the stupidity and stubbornness of Paul Shew.

    The Schubert matter ended up in court, where it should have gone all along. The courts have already determined that Hen Island is a non issue. Tartaglione has already filed and lost that lawsuit, but it is being appealed. The Mayor and City Council were powerless regarding both issues, yet were forced to waste time and money entertaining them. Any action taken by them in either matter would result in a lawsuit. Everyone should keep that in mind when casting your vote.

  19. Quincy:

    I have to disagree with you on the Shew issue.

    Otis and the City Council were made aware of many instances of Shew’s misconduct, mismanagement, not coming to work and living in Massachusetts. They were also handed an overwhelming Vote of No Confidence in Shew and Connors by the Rye PBA in April of 2008 and chose to do nothing about it.

    Otis and the City Council chose to cover up Shew’s misdeeds and in fact backed him up many times despite knowing Shew was in the wrong.

    Otis hired Shew knowing full well of Shew’s checkered work history. Otis gave Shew a very lucrative, no show contract. It is Otis who is 100% responsible for Shew.

    There are no employee calendars for Shew.

    There are no performance evaluations for Shew.

    No payroll records are being released for Shew.

    Otis has allowed this all to happen.

    Otis let Shew file and unfile for retirement three times while Shew was suspended and while supposedly planning to hold a hearing for Shew. What a sham. Otis never wanted to have a hearing for Shew.

    Otis let Shew do whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted with absolutely no oversight. The more Otis let Shew do unchecked and unaddressed, the more he empowered him.

  20. Quincy,
    My case was dismissed because Shew and Otis covered –up what was really happening on Hen Island, And a handful of Rye employees were told to do the same. Had Otis told the truth in the beginning and instructed his staff to do the same the issues would have been fixed by now and the city could have saved a lot of time, money and embarrassment? Here are a few examples of what I mean.

    Look what Shew said in this one;
    http://healtheharbor.com/news/090407.html

    And this one;
    http://healtheharbor.com/news/090907.html

    And look at what Scott Pickup said in this one;
    http://healtheharbor.com/news.asp

    Do you think these officials make public statements without Otis’s approval?

    Oh! Let’s not forget this one from Mr. Plunkets office to Mr. Shew
    Nodarse, Dawn
    From: Kelley Wilson, Kristen [kkwilson@tpw.com]
    Sent: Thursday, August 30, 20071 :14 PM
    To: Nodarse, Dawn
    Subject: Hen Island response
    Paul,
    I just spoke with Kevin and we believe the City’s response should be something like:
    The Building Department is looking into the issues raised by Ray Tartaglione regarding property maintenance and
    sanitary sewer issues. However, a preliminary review of the City’s files indicate that the homes located on Hen
    Island were built prior to the City keeping copies of certificates of occupancy or other building department records
    and it is not possible to determine what was built at a particular time and what the law required at that time. In
    addition, the Building Department has visited Hen Island on several occasions to determine if there were any
    recent building code violations. It has always been the City’s policy to address any violations of which it is aware
    and which the City can confirm and the City will continue to do so on Hen Island.
    We may want to confirm the above statement with Vinny. Let me know if you have questions/concerns.
    Kristen Kelley Wilson
    Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP
    50 Main Street, 16th Floor
    White Plains, New York 10606
    Direct Dial: 914-421-4115
    Facsimile: 914-421-4150
    e-mail: kkwilson@tpw.com
    IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the I
    ***********
    NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachment contain confidential information that may be
    This notice is automatically appended to each e-mail. It is the recipient’s responsi
    ==============================================================================

  21. Ray, you lost in court, plain and simple regardless of what anyone in the city said or did.

    Good luck with your appeal, you will need it.

    By the way, when are you going to report your illegal septic expansion to Westchester County DOH?

    When ar eyou going to put in a composting toilet and stop polluting the Sound?

  22. Quincy,
    Who do you think brought us P.Shew??? DUH…Reality Check…IT WASN’T DOUG FRENCH!!!
    Who do you think brought us Connors??? DUH…Reality Check…IT WASN’T DOUG FRENCH!!!
    Who do you think brought us K.Plunkett??? DUH…Reality Check…IT WASN’T DOUG FRENCH!!!
    Who do you think brought us the Schubert debacle??? DUH…Reality Check…IT WASN’T DOUG FRENCH!!!
    Who do you think brought more pain to the Amico family??? DUH… Reality Check… IT WASN’T DOUG FRENCH!!!
    Who do you think brought us the Hen Island debacle??? DUH…Reality Check… IT WASN’T DOUG FRENCH!!!

    So, what is it exactly that you need to see or is this ENOUGH???
    I CAN GO ON & ON…..WHO DO YOU THINK?????

  23. I read your link Ray and I have cut a quote from it:

    “Tartaglione has a “totally enclosed system” that does not discharge any contaminants into the ground, his lawyer said.”

    This totally contradicts your statement:

    “Believing that this problem was exclusive to my cottage, I had it repaired at my expense. I added a few septic fields and connected them to the tank. ”
    Posted by: Ray Tartaglione

    A “totally enclosed system” needs to be pumped out like the holding tank on my sailboat. Please show us records of how and when you pumped out your “totally enclosed system” over the last ten years.

    Either your lawyer lied about the illegally constructed “self contained sytem” or you lied about the illegally expanded leeching system. Either way, your work should have been properly permitted by both DOH and wetlands. And we all know that no permits were obtained.

    There is also a third option, in which both Ray and his attorney lied about everything having to do with his septic and Ray has the same archaic cesspool that his neighbors have.

    Which is it Ray? Did your lawyer lie, did you lie or did you both lie?

  24. NTOUCH:

    Otis also brought us:

    Julia Novak.

    An Assistant City Manager making $150,000 (See also lost grant money).

    Susie Morrison for five years so she could get a pension, lifetime health insurance and a free retirement party.

    A total disregard of New York’s Open Meetings Laws and Freedom of Information Laws.

    The Beaver Swamp (formerly Beaver Brook).

    No real flood mitigation.

    No bridge on Central Avenue

    Lost grant money.

    Empty ball fields.

    A Loitering policy where Rye minors were detained by Rye Police for hanging out on Purchase Street.

    Secret meetings where most of Rye’s business is discussed and decided.

    Morale at all time lows amongst all of Rye’s employees.

  25. Wry,
    I was gettn writers cramp…I knew I could count on you to help finish my masterpiece that Quincy refuses to answer my question of WHO DO YOU THINK???
    You forgot to mention that not only are we paying $150.000.00 for a useless Asst. City Mngr. position, that the total paid is $400,000 when you add in City Mngr. and what Culross was getting to assist both positions while Shew was here!!
    Now I know why I’m not successful in biz, I need to hire an assistant to assist my assistant!!!
    I don’t know why anyone whos only concern is R.Tartaglione would even need bother to vote in November.
    These clowns are a waste of time if they are indeed Rye Residents to begin with.

  26. January 3, 2007 Mayor Otis states the following:

    “Our local government, with dedicated City employees in every department,
    widely respected managers in every specialty, and a professional management system
    that is based upon providing quality services is one of the best run municipal
    governments in the country. We are supported by a wise Corporation Counsel and an
    outstanding City Manager, both leaders in their fields.

  27. January 4, 2006 Mayor Otis states the following:

    “Our City government continues to be the lean and efficient provider of a
    full compliment of municipal services our residents expect. Our Department
    heads are leaders in their fields, and our City organization is highly respected as
    an outstanding example of professional municipal government administration.
    Our City Manager, Corporation Counsel, and City Comptroller each exemplify
    the best in their professions.

  28. So what are you going to do Ray when Otis smashes French toast? Say it was rigged like in Iran? Add another Floatie unit? Cry? Continue to embarass us with your over the top bullshit?

    And to not really NTOUCH–I feel the Otis team is perfect–so do apparently the overwhelming majority of citizens. Could you be wrong on your assessment?

    Otis will smack French! Leaving all of you with four more years of complaining.

  29. Hey Henn,
    IF AND I SAY IF VERY LIGHTLY….by some weird occurence beyond your comprehension Otis prevails we will do what we do best….keep fighting for what we believe in-“TRUTH”!!! So you are putting all your eggs in the myrye basket….how many votes are those meaningless percentages based upon???
    You Wrote…”Otis will smack French! Leaving all of you with four more years of complaining”. mmm???? you would be included in this sad conclusion, you along with the rest of us will be “UP SHITS CREEK W/OUT A PADDLE!!!

    Since you have all this figured out why not take a stab @ the “WHO DO YOU THINK” Questionare that your boy toy Q.D. keeps ignoring???

  30. NTOUCH,

    I do choose to engage in political debate here and simply stated that I was taking a “wait and see” approach to this election as is my right. You may have made up your mind, but I have not.

    As for your “boy toy” comment, I would like to see you call me that to my face. You are an internet coward. Now, go crawl back under the rock that you crawled out of.

  31. YO… Q,
    LMAO!!! Internet Coward…. you must have me confused w/Linus and the rest of you who never log in w/ an identity!!! As for your voting decision, I wasn’t asking you who you would be voting for I was simply pointing out some FACTS and asking you if you knew who is responsible for them!!!
    SO….WHO DO YOU THINK????
    As for your childish unwarranted threat…. PALEASE!!!

  32. NTOUCH, you wouldn’t have the sack to call me “boy toy” to my face, so you are an internet coward.

    I didn’t threaten you, but in your cowardly fashion you saw it as a threat.

    I could care less about who you think is responsible for what and already told you that i will not get involved in a political debate in this forum.

  33. quincy dolan,
    I’m curious, is that your true identity? Most bloggers do not use their real name. How would someone say something to someone in person without knowing how to reach that person? I looked up “internet coward” in the Webster but couldn’t find it…could you define that for me please.

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