(PICTURE: Rye City Hall by local artist Heather Patterson)
The city council's agenda for its meeting on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 is out.
There will be a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of
Rye on Wednesday, October 24, 2012, at 8:00pm in the Council Room of
City Hall.
Office Hours of the Mayor by appointment by emailing dfrench@ryeny.gov.
Meetings are also aired on Cablevision Channel 75 and Verizon Channel 39. We'll also see you on the Internet (live and archive).
Let's check the batting order and highlights from the 19 agenda items.
- Where There is Smoke… Approval of the election of one new member to the Rye Fire Department.
- Doug's Details. Update on the Boat Basin and Rye Golf Club debacles; Capital Projects Update: Bond Referendum, Central Avenue Bridge, Sluice Gate; Update on the Midland Avenue AKA Amico Stop Sign; Update on outstanding union contracts; Legal Update
- Roller Coaster Ride Over? Presentation by Sustainable Playland Inc. on the agreement signed with Westchester County for Reinventing Playland for the 21st Century.
- Quarterly. Financial Update by the City Comptroller providing 3rd quarter results.
- Excel Jockeys. Presentation by the Finance Committee on Rye Recreation.
- Start by Nuking the $300 Minimum. Resolution to establish a temporary Committee to develop an RFP for the operation of Whitby Castle.
- Patronage. One appointment to the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee for a three-year term expiring January 1, 2015, by the Mayor with Council approval; Designation of the Chair of the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee by the Mayor.
- Open Mic. A Crowd Favorite. Residents may be heard on matters for Council consideration that do not appear on the agenda.
The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at 8:00 pm including the presentation of the 2013 Budget. The City Council will hold Budget Workshops on Wednesday, November 14, 2012, Monday, November 26, 2012 and Wednesday, November 28, 2012 beginning at 8:00 pm.
BREAKING: NEW CHAPTER IN RYE GOLF CHARADE
“Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold, for Dickon thy master is bought and sold.”
In my business, typically only crooks work to game Freedom of Information Law Request (FOIL) laws for super extended periods of time – because they KNOW – that when the information they work so hard to suppress comes out – they will not have answers for the questions that will follow – or at least they will not have answers that will put them and their insider associates in a favorable light. Months have gone by now and our corrupt Rye City Hall is still playing the hide and seek game with OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION.
New from LD10580 –
THE RYE GOLF CLUB FOIL: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WORDS AND ACTIONS OF CITY MNGR SCOTT PICKUP AND THOSE UNDER HIS EMPLOY
“It has been four months since we lawfully requested invoicing from 2007 to the present from RM Staffing & Events, as well as payroll information from the City of Rye. Our requests have gone unanswered and ignored by City Manager Scott Pickup.
He has misinformed, mischaracterized and dis-informed the public regarding those requests. For months he has refused to share information with council members and RGC Commissioners. Even as the RGC scandal exploded in his face, and now investigations mount, he refuses to release the public records sought”
See the full story here –
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/10/the-rye-golf-club-foil-a-closer-look-at-the-words-and-actions-of-city-mngr-scott-pickup.html
Below is the statement Doug French did not want the public to hear during the City council meeting last night. He called a brief recess to avoid the embarrassment to himself and the City manager.
watch it here; http://ryeny.swagit.com/play/10242012-705/#8
ALL THE RUMORS FIT TO PRINT
I am disappointed that The Rye Record would last weekend print a rumor about me on its front page without making an effort to contact me. When I saw this article I wrote a post on the Rye Record website that the rumor was in fact false and that I had no involvement with the city owned property (a lawn mower) in question. It was never given or sold to me at any time. Later last weekend my post on the Record website was removed. Had the Rye Record contacted me prior to going to print, I would have supplied the following background information and quotes:
From the Rye Record; http://www.ryerecord.com/news/that-sinking-feeling.html
“I am not sure why the City manager suspended Mr. Fox, it has not been made public as of yet (although the Rye Record does seem to have some inside information and I direct this comment to the Deputy Mayor) I did review the latest minutes of the Boat Basin commission and after reviewing the minutes it appears that Mr. Fox did acknowledge his in-appropriate actions and apologize for using the City work boat to help out Hen Island residents and others from the marina including the boat basin member that was stuck in the mud. He also assured the commission that it would never happen again. (It was brought to my attention by Ford Winter that Peter was also helping to cover Ford Winter (also a long time boat basin member) as Ford was caring for his wife who was hospitalized for much of the summer.)
With that being said, I am sure almost every City employee oversteps their bounds in using City equipment for personal use. Example; It was common knowledge that Nicole Levitsky used City computers and City time to work on personal projects. Mr. Pickup is known to watch sports programs for hours on end in his office and has been seen on numerous occasions using his city vehicle for personal use. When Mr. Pickup was accused of lying to the City Council in the Dapolite case, he used City funds and City employees to help defend him. Will the city use those same funds to legally help Peter Fox? Why did they not use City funds to help Mr. Dapolite? I am sure almost every employee is guilty of using City owned computers and other equipment for personal use. Does that mean that they should be suspended of fired? It happens on a daily basis at my job. We bring the problem to the employee and instruct them to stop. If I fired the employee, I would be changing staff weekly.
Anyone who keeps a boat at the Rye marina is aware of what a great job Peter Fox has done for years at the marina and they are also aware that Peter was out last year for a very serious life threatening medical condition. I have heard that he will require a similar procedure in the near future. His medical coverage along with his career and his pension is now in the hands of our corrupt Mayor and City manager.
What screams out to me and many others here is that the Mayor and the City Manager are trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill in order to deflect attention from their vetting and involvement in the current Rye Golf Club financial scandal. They have also taken a retaliatory position against Peter Fox due to some perceived fictional personal relationship between Mr. Fox and me. This suspension and possible termination of Peter Fox is just one more example of how despicable our Mayor and City manager are.”
Ray, can you re-post here what you posted on the Rye Record website?
AC,
It was almost the same statement.
NEW INFO OUT TODAY ON RYE GOLF CLUB
– and members? You better sit down.
NEW RM STAFFING INVOICE FROM JAN 2008 SHOWS RGC BILLED FOR 313 OT HRS & THOUSANDS IN GRATUITIES
CITY MNGR MEETS PRIVATELY WITH OWNER OF RM STAFFING AT RGC WHILE STILL REFUSING TO RELEASE ALL YRS OF RM INVOICING TO THE PUBLIC
Read the full story here –
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/10/uncovered-invoice-from-january-2008-shows-rm-staffing-billed-rgc-313-hrs-of-ot-thousands-for-gratuit.html
Ray Tartaglione,
So I guess inappropriate actions by Rye City employees is OK when it helps out your friends on Hen Island but when it doesn’t then that becomes a different story? So I guess it would be OK if Scott Pickup illegally drove the the Boat Basin workboat ?????????
Sandys Room,
Of course Scott can drive the City owned boat for non-related City use….what does Mr. Pickup do illegally that he doesn’t get away with????
Seriously??? You are going to go to bat for Scott Pickup??? The man shouldn’t even still be employed here!!!!
Lets print a true story Ray like you are ther worlds biggest ass—e and are a midget. Although that is not really news, everyone knows it…
hmmmm