Outside Rotterdam

Outside Rotterdam http://www.rotterdamny.net/ http://www.eblah.com en Beads AND Bandanas Allowed!! http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1283424995/ http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1283424995/#num1

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
District to allow beads, bandanas
Rule aimed at gang-related apparel led to lawsuit
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter

    Schenectady students can now wear beads and bandanas and other such apparel to school.
    The Board of Education on Wednesday approved a change to the district’s code of conduct, eliminating the sentence that bans any apparel deemed gangrelated.
    The district came under fi re for its suspension this past spring of 13-year-old Raymond Hosier, who insisted on wearing purple rosary beads to school. Hosier said he was honoring the memory of his deceased brother and uncle. The American Center for Law and Justice filed a lawsuit in federal court. The school later said Hosier could wear the beads.
    Interim Superintendent John Yagielski decided that the policy should be changed and the focus shifted to students’ behavior rather than what they are wearing.
    Hosier’s mother, Chantell Hosier, told the board the district was labeling all kids as bad with the old policy. “There are a great deal of good children here in Schenectady and they outweigh the gangbangers, the bad kids,” she said. She also said the policy did not make sense. “I have never ever seen a gang member wearing rosary beads to identify each other,” she said. Hosier also told the media the district is dropping that part of the policy as part of a settlement of the case. She is also seeking that her son’s disciplinary record be expunged. Monetary damages are being discussed, which she said should be resolved shortly. However, she said this case was never about the money: “They don’t have any money.”
    She also said school officials should have defended her son’s right to wear the rosary.
    “They know my kids aren’t gang members and they won’t speak out. They didn’t do anything in this whole process,” she said.
    She has since moved to the Schalmont Central School District.
    “I moved my children out of the Schenectady school district soon after this happened because I don’t believe they got a fair shake,” she said.
    The vote was 5-2 in favor of the change, with board members Lisa Russo and Diane Herrmann voting in opposition. ......................>>>>...................>>>>......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01302&AppName=1

]]> Thu, 2 Sep 2010 05:56:35 Admin Have City Officials Been Unlawfully Elected? http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1283342850/ http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1283342850/#num1

Quoted Text

The Schenectady Informer has been closely monitoring the progress of Patricia Zollinger's quest to place her name on the November 2nd election ballot.  I understand that her election committee has been compelled to jump through several hoops.  Since she is neither a Democrat nor Republican, she has had no advocacy within the Schenectady County Board of Elections.

The Board is comprised of two Elections Commissioners;  Art Brassard, a Republican and Brian Quail, a Democrat.  Neither has been supportive of her efforts.  As a rule, at least one of the Commissioners will attempt to advocate for a candidate.  In Pat's case, she does not have that support.  In fact, I am told that as of this writing, both Commissioners have failed to address legal documents served upon them, with respect to General Objections filed against her by Democrats.

While Pat's committee is pursuing legal remedies, what has come to light is "The Hatch Act".  While I am not an expert in Election Law, it is my interpretation of the "Act" that any employee of a municipality which is wholly or in part funded by the Federal Government, is barred from running for elective office and/or make a "contribution of value" to a candidate or political party.

It appears, at least superficially, that some individuals currently holding elective City office and possibly elective County office, have violated "The Hatch Act".  If such violation(s) did in fact take place, the individual unlawfully elected must vacate the office and the agency employing that individual is subject to fines and loss of further federal funding.

One of the Federal Agencies that enforces such violations is the Office of the U.S. Special Counsel.

The Schenectady Informer plans to vigorously pursue these apparent blatant violations to their fullest extent, as well as the "lassaiz faire" attitude embedded within the Schenectady County Board of Elections .

A.J.

http://www.schenectadyinformer.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?m-1283339227/]]> Wed, 1 Sep 2010 07:07:30 Admin Parking Permits For Schenectady? http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1283337235/ http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1283337235/#num1

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Parking permits a possibility for city
State would need to approve idea; Albany gets OK
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    With Albany finally getting state permission to regulate parking, the Schenectady City Council may consider a residential parking system, too.
    Residents around Ellis Hospital have complained for years that workers fill their streets with cars, forcing them to park blocks away from home.
    Those who live near Union College say visitors park everywhere — even on their lawns — during football games, hockey matches and other popular events.
    Residents in both areas have asked for residential parking stickers, which would allow them to park there freely while others would be limited to a few hours a day.
    But until now, City Council members have said the idea is impractical because it would require state approval. They said the state Legislature would never pass a residential parking system.
    On Monday, the governor signed one into law for the residential blocks near the Capitol. Suddenly, the political calculus changed.
    “We could look at these types of things,” Council President Gary McCarthy said Tuesday. “Though I believe it took Albany 20 years. We’d hope it wouldn’t take that long.”
    He wants the council to discuss parking solutions for the entire city, including the Stockade, where narrow streets and densely fi lled apartment buildings make parking diffi cult.
    “We hopefully can work something out city-wide,” McCarthy said.
    Ellis and Union offi cials said they would work with the council. They have more than enough official parking, they said. But for those who don’t want to walk or take a shuttle bus, residential street parking is more convenient.
    “We have plenty of open and available parking on campus, especially after business hours, when most of our events like football and hockey games take place,” Union College spokesman Phillip Wajda said. “However, people are going to park where they fi nd it most convenient, so naturally there are some who choose to park on public city streets in the surrounding neighborhood.”
    At Ellis, it’s the employees who park on residential streets. They, too, have other options — there’s an employee lot five minutes away from the hospital.
    “We have a shuttle that runs morning and night, every seven minutes,” said hospital spokeswoman Donna Evans. “We have adequate resources for parking. We encourage them to be good neighbors.” ..............>>>>.................>>>>...................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00900&AppName=1

]]> Wed, 1 Sep 2010 05:33:55 Admin Still "persistently dangerous" http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1282937797/ http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1282937797/#num1

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY -- The state Education Department has identified Schenectady High School as a "persistently dangerous" school for the third year in a row.

It is among 16 schools statewide receiving the classification under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

"If our efforts to increase student achievement are to have a true and sustainable impact, safe and supportive learning environments for each of our students are an absolutely essential first step," state Education Commissioner David M. Steiner said in a statement issued Friday.

Schenectady High is one of four schools located outside New York City on the list. The remaining 12 schools are all in New York City.

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Schenectady-High-remains-on-state-s-persistently-634360.php]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:36:37 MobileTerminal Consolidating The Assessment Office http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1282905616/ http://www.rotterdamny.net/m-1282905616/#num1

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
County looks at uniting positions with city
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    Consolidating police is still out, but the county will consider Mayor Brian U. Stratton’s idea for consolidating the assessment office.
    With Assessor Patrick Mastro taking early retirement, Stratton said he wants the county to take over assessments. He envisions a system that would eventually handle all property assessments in the county.
    County Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage said she’s open to the idea. It’s particularly relevant to the county because its Real Property Tax Service Agency director may retire under the same incentive that persuaded Mastro to go.
    The county Legislature approved the retirement incentive for Director Nicholas Barber on Thursday. He said he’s leaning toward taking it but hasn’t decided yet.
    When all of the county retirees announce their intentions, Savage plans to meet with Stratton to discuss everyone on their early-retirement lists.
    Workers are leaving through a state incentive program, which both the city and county agreed to offer to their employees in an effort to cut their work forces and reduce costs.
    Stratton intends to simply eliminate many of the positions once the workers retire. But Savage said others, who must be replaced, could perhaps be shared by both governments. That would allow the municipalities to fi nd qualifi ed department heads while still meeting the state’s retirement incentive rules, which say replacements can be paid no more than half of the original employee’s salary.
    “We’ll see if there’s any ways we can consolidate positions,” Savage said.
    Consolidating the entire assessment office could save the city much more money than just replacing Mastro.
    Schenectady is budgeted to spend $400,000 on the assessment office this year, including Mastro’s $82,000 salary.
    The city spent another $17,000 on the board of assessment review this year.
    Eliminating even part of that cost by transferring the jobs to the county and paying for a portion would save the city far more than what it may save by hiring a new assessor at half of Mastro’s salary. ........................>>>>.................................>>>>.........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00903&AppName=1

]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:40:16 Admin