The Enchanted Birthplace of Margaret Thatcher

A Land of Miracles

Me thinks the Chairman of Hamlin’s Planning Board has been reading one too many Arthurian legends. He keeps harping about a mythical development in England which is his icon for the alleged success of low income housing projects.

He has outlined this story several times, notably twice during Thursday’s Public Hearing. The yarn goes something like this: After Margaret Thatcher “replaced the Labor government” she took over a low-income housing project somewhere and made it Rent-to-Own. Supposedly, the tenants were allowed to build equity and this miracle of financial creativity transformed the character of the tenants and the quality of the development.

Does anybody know what the hell he’s talking about? Is this story even real? Where did it come from- a back issue of Time Magazine, discovered in the dentist’s office?

It should make the residents of Hamlin very nervous that the Chairman of the Planning Board seems predisposed to approving the “Millstone Village” plan based on an aging fantasy about Margaret Thatcher! It should give everyone opposed to the local development a deep chill to think that Emens compares this old story from England to the realities of America in the 21nd century.

Equity? When did that become the cure for the myriad social problems that low income housing projects have? What about poverty, inequitable education, divorce, job loss, domestic violence, etc, etc. If equity was such a cure-all wouldn’t there be a huge federal program to underwrite mortgages for the poor? I think our Planning Board Chairman has fallen for some slick Brit PR.

If this tale is even true, what are the details? What does the place look like today? How was the crime rate through the years? Did it actually work past the time of dramatic public relations for Maggie?

We need a Planning Board rooted in reality, oriented on the needs and concerns of the ordinary Hamlin resident. The future of our town is in jeopardy if decisions are made based on indiscriminate myths from foreign lands.

Ty Chadwick, Attorney for Baldwin Management, purses lips at last night’s public hearing.

Silent Night

The Hamlin Planning Board kept intact it’s record for stupidity and contempt toward the public at last night’s Public Hearing on the DeMarco “Millstone Village” subdivision proposal. In an incredible display of naiveté and ignorance the Planning Board was duped by the developer into hosting a hearing in which the developer could learn all the objections to their plan, without the obligation to respond to even a single one!

What an amazing way to conduct a “public hearing.” Imagine going to Las Vegas and sitting down to play poker, head to head with another player. The game is Seven Card Stud, which unfolds step by step, card by card. If the Hamlin Planning Board was dealing you would get all your cards face up, while the other guy got all his down. That’s what the geniuses in local government did to the citizens last night. They made us put all our cards on the table, while the other guy played his close to the chest.

Bravo! Thank you Planning Board for looking out for our best interests!
Bravo! For making it appear that the project has already been bought and paid for!
Bravo! For giving DeMarco all the advantages while setting the opposition back!

Can there be any doubt that these East Side Developers see Hamlin as an easy mark? They must be laughing their ample behinds off today, snickering about how easily they manipulated the Planning Board and the hearing. They are aglow, with champagne toasts all around, about how they strolled into this burg and with a few whiny letters and phone calls cajoled the Supervisor and the Planning Board into getting every advantage for themselves!

If DeMarco/Baldwin had any doubts that Hamlin was Hillbilly Town, they vanished the instant the lawyers negotiated a public hearing at which the developers not only didn’t have to defend themselves, they didn’t even have to say a word!!! Ca-ching! Bonus time!

DeMarco hits da marko.




The Supervisor falls for the Second Time.

Holy Night

AND... a special Crown-of-Scorns must be placed on the head of Our Supervisor who’s utterly transparent and dull-witted scheming put this meeting in a church. His church! You can almost hear him, “Duhhh, if it’s in a church, people wont shout or get upset. I’ll get Fr. Ryan to talk to everybody to try to make them all feel churchy. Ain’t I smart?”

Hey Warner, ever hear of the separation of church and state? Is it really your job to try to intimidate or humiliate or suppress public expression at a legitimate governmental meeting? Who’s side are you on? Are you that afraid of the public? Are you really so scared of somebody besides you raising their voice?

Speak up!

Hearing the Public

Some of the ideas in Mike Marchetti’s letter in the 12/15/03 Hamlin-Clarkson Herald (Help Keep Meeting Productive) sound like they were composed by the Hamlin Planning Board!

Marchetti has been instrumental in organizing the resistance to this awful proposal, so it's a mystery why the letter is so conciliatory. He states that the public will have to: 1) Sign in, 2) Write down their questions (to “try and help the Planning Board secretary”) and 3) Not feel bad if, “you don’t get a chance to speak.”

There is a wonderful scene in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” A member of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, Harvey, who is a great big man, challenges Sundance to a knife fight for leadership of the gang. Harvey draws a huge Bowie knife and yells at Sundance to hurry up. Sundance replies, “Not ‘till we get the rules straight!” Harvey stands up and shouts, “Rules? In a knife fight?” Where upon Sundance kicks him in the family jewels and ends the matter.

“Rules? In a Public Hearing?” The rule is: if you are a member of the public you have a right to be heard. This meeting isn’t just about questions, it’s also about opinions. The Town or Planning Board is not permitted to invent or impose filters or limitations on our freedom to ask or say anything. This hearing is for the PUBLIC, not the Planning Board.

The public does NOT have to submit written questions and we do not have to wait for a secretary to call our names. It seems like the Town and the Planning Board would like to “tame” the public, first by holding the meeting inside a church, then by a stratagem of asking us to write our questions down in advance. Will the secretary throw out all the difficult or uncomfortable ones? Will the list be stacked so that only the "nice" or "friendly" questions get asked for the first hour? Will the unfriendly questioners be held off until the end?

Don’t be fooled. You may have to write your name and address, and they may limit our time frame for speaking (it must be uniform for everyone!) but they cannot impose filters or limit the number of people who wish to be heard. If everyone who attends wishes to speak, they must be allowed to do so. You may also speak more than once, because information which evolves in the course of the hearing may raise additional issues. You cannot be denied the right to be heard. If there is not enough time then the hearing must be left open until everyone has had an opportunity to be heard.

Contrary to the letter, the developer and the Planning Board should do their best to answer any and every question put to them. It's a cheap political tactic to tell the public, “Oh, please come back next month, when we'll start discussing that issue.” No! The public has a right to get answers now, at the public hearing stage, not when it is too late to register a complaint. Remember, this is the only public hearing the Planning Board is required to hold at this stage!

Mike notes that a lot of people were angry at the last public meeting and urges them not to bring that anger to this hearing. Why not? People are mad about the proposal, and mad about how they were treated. It’s OUR government, if we’re mad, LET them know it!

I don’t know why anybody would urge the public to act sheepish. That doesn’t work in this town! A small group of residents was extremely outspoken 18 months ago when they fought the Planning Board’s decision to grant Harry Bower (of the recent hostage event) a permit to breed attack dogs. Outspoken did not make a very strong impression then, I don’t think sheepish will now.

If you are angry let them know it. If you are still mad at being treated like goats two weeks ago, tell them. If you don’t think the Planning Board hears you, maybe you should speak louder.

Contestents for Miss Conception, 1957

One of the most arrogant and offensive elements to emerge from the aborted Public Hearing on the DeMarco subdivision was the attitude of some members of the Board that Hamlin residents were suffering from “misconceptions” and didn’t “understand the issues.”

These comments were made by both the Chairman, Dane Emens and the Vice Chairman, James Brezlawski- in print. It is an aspect of the governmental culture in Hamlin that public officers seem to think that the public is ignorant and incapable of understanding issues. The truth is, residents of Hamlin are very aware. There is a strong network of communications throughout the public, residents do read the paper and do talk to each other. The people who are out of the loop are the public officials!

For the chair and co-chair of the Planning Board to claim that we don’t understand the DeMarco issues is stupid. We have seen the map, we attended the Baldwin presentation. Further, there are residents who have built these types of housing, have lived near them and have witnessed their decay first hand. These people talk, they communicate, they share their experiences with one another. We don’t misunderstand. We know.

We didn’t misunderstand when Harry Bower came before the Planning Board in 2002 asking for an SUP to breed aggressive attack dogs. We begged and demanded that the Planning Board deny the permit. The Board thought we didn’t understand then, as they assume we don’t now.

The citizens of Hamlin are not a bunch of dumb children that don’t know what’s good for them. It was the Planning Board which didn’t get it about Harry Bower. They aren’t getting it now about DeMarco either!

There is a message here. A message to the Town Board. It’s this: If the Planning Board continues to believe that the public “misunderstands” important issues effecting them, then it is time that the members of the Planning Board be changed.

Want to learn about the person involved in the stand-off on Church Road? Click on the link and you will read the article from the Hamlin-Clarkson Herald from July of 2002. It details the public outcry about granting a Special Users Permit for the breeding of the large attack dogs which are raised at this residence. Nearby residents were very concerned that something bad might happen with these dogs. Questions were raised about the character of the applicant when it was learned that he had a felony conviction.
Neighbors were worried that the applicant had a "bad character" and demanded that the Planning Board deny the SUP. The Planning Board approved the SUP and now the dogs, their owner and his young children are holed up in the house, creating a very frightening and dangerous situation for law enforcement.

What kind of "bad characters" will be moving into the DeMarco subdivision? Will there be new SUP applications to raise Pit Bulls? These are good questions for the Planning Board.

Link to story: Harry-HC Herald.jpg

Another Open Letter to the Planning Board

December 11, 2003

Open Letter to:
Hamlin Planning Board

Dear Planning Board Members:

Although I plan to attend the public hearing on the DeMarco subsidized housing project on December 18, I feel that my written input may be more effective at this point than during what portends to be an emotional hearing, which will be attended by many residents.

As evidenced by the active efforts of a local, grass-root organization, a large number of Hamlin residents, including myself, oppose this project as currently presented. My opposition is based on the following concerns:
a. Timing: The Town is currently engaged in rewriting its Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP). As part of that effort a survey was just conducted to obtain the residents’ input. A major housing development at the proposed location may or may not be a part of the Comprehensive Master Plan. There may or may not be a need for more low-income rental property. In any case, it would be highly detrimental to scuttle the work in progress on the CMP – the blueprint of Hamlin’s future – by allowing this significant development now.
b. Environmental Impact: There has been much discussion as to the unknown and possibly adverse environmental impact of this project, specifically, drainage. In addition, there is reason to be concerned about other potential environmental and archaeological impacts, e.g., endangered species, historical digs. What is the impact of the increased traffic in an already congested and potentially hazardous area? No development should be allowed until all of these concerns have been properly researched, reviewed and adjudicated.
c. Property Tax: What will property tax be based on? Will it be sufficient to support the anticipated increase in services provided by the Town?
d. School Tax: Same concerns as with the property tax.
e. Property Maintenance Regulations: What regulations are currently in effect or will be implemented to regulate such things as: number of cars allowed along the curb, number of cars in driveway, storage of recreational vehicles outside residence, routine maintenance (mowing, snow removal) and how will they be enforced?

As members of the Planning Board, you are in the unenviable position of trying to support the desires of the residents you serve by denying a project, which is proposed to be constructed in a properly zoned land area and which will probably result in legal challenge, if denied. You are definitely facing a lose-lose proposition! However, you do have some extremely useful and powerful resources available to you and I urge you to take full advantage of them.

The first relates to my concern about timing. As you probably know, NYS Department of State provides many local government support services, including publications. Pertinent to this issue is the publication entitled “Land Use Moratoria.” I quote from its introduction, “A land-use moratorium is a local enactment which temporarily suspends a landowner’s right to obtain development approvals while the community considers and potentially adopts changes to its comprehensive plan and/or its land use regulations to address new circumstances not addressed by current laws. A moratorium on development therefore preserves the status quo while the municipality updates its comprehensive plan. . .The objective of municipal land use controls is to promote community planning values by properly regulating land development.”
This publication can be found at www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/pdfs/moratoria.pdf.

The second resource relates to my concern over environmental impacts. In his “open letter” to you, which appears publicly at http://hamlin-ny.blogspot.com, Mr.
Peter Tonery suggests your judicious use of the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process as a method to “defeat this project.” Whether your intent is to defeat the process or, perhaps just as important, to ensure that all adverse environmental impacts have been identified, reviewed and mitigated, the SEQR process is an essential and valuable tool at your disposal.

I urge you to seek qualified and competent counsel (someone other than the current Town legal advisors) to successfully guide you through this process. This investment will certainly pay dividends in the end. Speaking only for myself, I would not hesitate to pay my fair share to retain legal counsel for this purpose. Finally, I request that you insist upon a straight-forward and honest statement from the developer in defining the tax base attached to this project. I further request that this be confirmed with the Town’s Assessor. Hamlin property owners deserve an assurance that they will not be confronted with higher property taxes in the future because of this project.

It’s regretted that we continually must react to these issues (e.g., radio tower). Hopefully, the Comprehensive Master Plan will provide the proper community planning values and visionary qualities to preclude these attempts by outsiders to take advantage of this Town.

Thank you for your efforts on our behalf.

Sincerely,
Denny Roach
Martin Road

Color Guard for Public Hearing

Rules For The Public Hearing

• Upon entrance and exit all attendees should genuflect and make the Sign of the Cross, using the provided Holy Water.
• The Pastor will lead the congregation in an opening “meditation.”
• The Pastor will open the public hearing with special comments entitled, “Why the Pope Loves Lutherans.”
• The only shouting permitted will be limited to : Halleluiah!; Thank You, Jesus!; Amen, Brother!; and Praise the Lord! (SEAS ushers will remove anyone who sins against this rule!)
• Men should wear hats into and out of the Church. Women must keep their heads covered at all times.
• Rosaries are permitted. All other religious icons must be pre-approved by the Parish.
• Those wishing to receive Communion are reminded to fast for three hours prior.
• Robert’s Rules of Order will waived. The format will follow the “Rules for Congregations” as listed in the back of the Baltimore Catechism, 1999.
• There will be a 15 minute intermission at 8:15 PM. Austin Warner and Al Campbell win perform a demonstration entitled, “Proper Parade with Sword and Tri-Cornered Hat.” Applications for membership to the Knights of Columbus will be available after the demonstration.
• Meeting agendas can be found inside the provided, St. Joseph’s Missiles.
• The collection plate will be passed after the Homily. Please bring cash or good check.
• Deacon Ray Datz will moderate. He, and He alone, will select who shall speak, when they shall speak and for how long. The Deacon has been selected by Divine Intervention to determine who will be heard. (Supervisor Warner promises that Religious and political affiliation will not be a consideration. “This is Hamlin, ‘Where All People Matter!’ ”)
• Seating: Front rows- SEAS members, followed by other Catholics; then Lutherans, Other Christian Denominations, Seventh Day Adventists, Jews (North end), Muslims (South End.) Standing- Agnostics, Darwinists, Nihilists, Existentialists, Astrologers, Hindus, Buddhists, Spiritualists and Healers, Members of Spiritus. Vestibule- Atheists and Fallen Catholics.
• Exit Hymn will be, “Straight To Hell, All Ye Unfaithful.”
• Mass baptism for the converted will be held immediately following at Route 19 and Sandy Creek.
• For further information, please see the Church Bulletin from SEAS.

An Open letter...*

Dear Planning Board Members,

I hope local government understands that the DeMarco low-income housing project would be bad for our community. I trust that town officials now know how strong the opposition to the plan is, and that the public knows, and fully understands, the proposal. There is no "misunderstanding."

The purpose of my letter is suggest a way to defeat this project. The method is in your authority, is fairly simple and, if done properly, very strongly defensible in court.

There is no doupt that whatever your decision it will be challenged in an Article 78 action in Superior Court. Since you and I have some history in these matters I hope you will give some credibility to my suggestions.

The essential idea is that under SEQR the ONLY thing the court will review is the process, not the decision itself. Under SEQR, courts will not interfere or judge the decision, pro or con, but will only examine whether the Planning Board took a "hard look." The Court will only examine the question of thoroughness and whether the process was,"arbitrary and capricious."

Given that, you as a Board should set out to very carefully review the many, and serious, impacts that this project will create. I suggest that you hire and outside expert attorney to guide you and contract for an experienced SEQR review agent. Ken Licht is tainted in that he represented the town in 1981, against the public, regarding the Hamlin Terrace issue. Apparently, John DeMarco was the town attorney then, and retained Mayberry and Licht to help defend the Planning Board decision. Further, the Planning Board should have little confidence in the knowledge or experience of Charles Hungerford, who I am told, has been re-appointed as the town=s SEQR officer. Being as carefull, methodical and professional as possible is the best approach here.

I believe that if this Board examines this proposal in great depth and detail you will conclude that the combined environmental impacts will be so negative, and so overwhelming, that it will not be possible for you to approve any permits. Environment impact can be cumulative, and so severe in their totality, that they cannot be mitigated.

Questions such as traffic, drainage, endangered species (there are some sensitive species behind the VFW,) archeological (this was a heavily traveled Native American are,) and many other issues will effect this proposal. I think the developer should be asked to provide data, in detail, on these issue to such a degree that the town is satisfied it has all necessary information to make a decision.


I would remind the Board that under NYS 617, SEQR Law, there are specific time frames for decisions. The Planning Board does not have to hurry any step, no matter what the perceived urgency of the developer is. For example, the Board does not have to act to name itself Lead Agency immediately after closing the Public Hearing. In fact, it can decline to be Lead Agency and cast about to see if another involved agency would prefer to do that. It may take up to a month to determine who involved agencies might be and canvass them for their interest. These time frames are both generous and restrictive. The Board may use all of the time alloted, but will be in great jeopardy if it exceeds them. That is one reason experienced counsel will be so important. I suggest that one of the first steps the Planning Board take is to sit with counsel and block out the time frames to create a chart of deadlines.

I hope this letter proves to helpful to you and the community. Hamlin is already saturated with low income housing. The 2000 census points out that up to 20% of our housing is low income rental. We do not need any more. We do not need an "English Village" in our midst either.

Please consider my suggestions, and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Peter Tonery


* The Author submitted this letter to The Blog rather than mailing it individually.

A replica of the throne of King Louis XIII

Tales From The Constipation Board

Hamlin’s Town Board has once again shown its contempt for the public. They have insulted the Conservation Board, violated their own precedents and proven that childish, petty politics are more important than the well being of the community.

Last Monday night the town held interviews for candidates for a vacancy on the Conservation Board. There were three applicants, and one was Ed Evans the retiring Town Board member (and former challenger to the Supervisor in last September’s primary.) After the interviews, Ed was selected by the members of the Conservation Board, by a vote of 5-0, to be the new member.

Ordinarily, the process that follows is this: The support Board meets with the Town Board and presents their recommendation. The combined group discusses the candidate and, in all previous cases, the Town Board supports the recommendation and they vote to appoint the candidate.

This time no vote was permitted. The Supervisor would not allow it. This bureaucratic act effectively defeated Evans’ appointment, essentially slapping the Conservation Board in the face.

The reason Evans was denied is obvious. Austin Warner will not tolerate Ed Evans’ presence in the Town Hall. He is not mature enough to see beyond the past political challenge. Instead, he must bully his own Board while insulting the CB. Never mind the good of the community or the desires of the Conservation Board- Warner is intent on smacking down Evans for the effrontery of having challenged him. I’ll show him who’s boss!

“To hell with the community. To hell with the Conservation Board. I’m petty, and I’m angry- and I’m going to push Ed’s face in it!”

What this incident reveals most clearly is the new complexion of the Town Board. Retread Rose sat silently as did George "Wake Me Up When It's Over" Todd. Good, silent soldiers obediently following the orders of their Oberfeurer. However, Shirley Hollink, who has despised and tangled with Evans for years, was gleeful in her attack on Evans’ credentials. [Their animosity stems from Evans’ anger and frustration about the “do-nothing” character of the Board. In the past, he has pointed out the fractional degree to which Ms. Hollink contributed to the Town. Ultimately, it was the Primary battle to defeat Evans which brought her into the Warner camp. Before that, she held both Evans and Warner equally in contempt!]

Unbelievably, Holloink’s attack on Evans was because he “didn’t have enough experience and didn’t get enough training.” These are truly amazing statements! Hollink thinks she is entitled to claim this because SHE just started taking the Monroe County Planning and Zoning training. She has served in local government for years and years and only recently began attending this basic program. Apparently she gets to lord it over others on the basis that she finally got off the stick. [It should be noted that this basic training was to be a requirment for all Board Members under the Democratic Platform! Very original Shirley!]

Was Hollink right? What are Evans’ credentials for the Conservation Board?

*He was a founding member of it under Charlie Mayer. He served for four years before he was kicked off for being a Democrat!

* During this time, he also helped create and establish the LWRP (Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.) He is still head of that committee, and has recently completed a major overhaul of Hamlin’s LWRP Plan {A two year project!)

* He is a retired Science teacher with a Master’s degree. He taught Earth Science and Biology at Hilton HS. Evans was practicing the very knowledge necessary to for a potent contribution to a Conservation Board.

* He rejoined the CB in the early ‘90s and eventually became Vice-Chair. When he became a member of the Town Board he automatically became liaison to the Conservation Board. ***

*He has been the liaison to the Conservation Board ever since. That means he has attended every meeting and reported the issues and concerns of that group to the Town Board. He has, effectively, been a member of the CB for nearly a decade.

* Equally as important, Evans has also attended all meeting of the Zoning and Planning Boards as well! Evans is the only person in local government who attends the meetings of ALL THE BOARDS!. As he states,” I just don't see how you can do a good job at any one of the Boards without going to all of them. All of the issues cross over to the other boards at some point!” Evans is the only person who does this, he’s the only person with true perspective.

* Need more? Here is what Evans recently wrote about his environmental, educational and political service: “During this time, my school classes came into play too. I have used the lake erosion and town maps I had access to every year. When the spring storms started to overcome Yanty Marsh in 1996, (and the barrier was
reduced to a few feet in width which became a few inches in width by the spring of 1998!) I made tapes of the process of decline for my classes and sent copies of them to TV stations, various agencies in Albany, to the Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, newspapers, etc. During the summer of 1998, the media caught on and the government departments began to pay attention and work together. Soon a plan to save the marsh by constructing a new barrier wall was developed. Then when the money appeared, I helped quiet the last opposition (Fish and Game people and the Department of State.) After that, I made a video and photo record of the construction of the barrier wall during November and December of 1998. Now, both the DOT and the Army Corp use these materials to promote other mitigation projects throughout the sate!

During the Yanty Marsh project, I got close to the County EMC (Environmental Management Council) and the Army Corps. Several times I have put on programs for the EMC, and State Park sends me out to give tours of the wall to all kinds of groups!

But the connection to the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) has been the best bonus for our community. Several times their trust in me has saved Hamlin projects from being shut down. They refer to me as “their eyes in Hamlin."

ACE representative came to Hamlin the day before Thanksgiving and asked me to show them three projects in the works. The benefit to Hamlin is that it really cuts down on the time needed to study local projects. (The Army Corp wrote a letter of recommendation for Evans for the Conservation Board seat!)


So, as you can see, Evans has no “experience” that would be meaningful to Hamlin residents as a member of the CB. Who could possibly disagree with Ms. Hollink?

By the way, during this time Hollink has fought funding for the Town library while managing the lovely, but costly, “Hamlin- Where The Heart Is!” signs. She is also local curator of the “Monroe County in Bloom” project- which plants flowerbeds at intersections. Additionally, she is in charge of Hamlin's “Cultural Affairs.” As such, she has coordinated the Free Fishing Day and Children’s Luau in the Park, and our prestigious, non-political, Heritage Day.

Given this monumental body of accomplishment, how could Hollink not be furious with Evans for his accusing TB members of being “do-nothings?” Is it any wonder she would support Austin Warner in blocking Evans’ appointment?

Surely, keeping Ed Evans from contributing is best for the community. After all, betterment of the community is the only thing the Town Board ever thinks about.

*** Naturally, Ed became a Republican during this time- a requirement for public service in Hamlin! 24% of local voters are independent; 22% are Democrats. That leaves a LOT of people off the contributors list! ed.

Some Emails about the Public Hearing...

* I felt that I had to vent about tonight's hearing or lack of one. It was completely inexcusable that the planning board let us sit there for an hour and a half before telling us that there were too many people in the room. They said that it would be irresponsible of them to allow the hearing to go on with the room being over capacity but it didn't seem to bother them that it was just as full for the hour and a half before they entered it. It was no secret how many people were there. Several times I saw people stick their heads in and see the crowd. This only shows how inept these people are in handling the positions that the hold!
CM, Hamlin

* You're right - the meeting last night was a joke. I think the meeting in
the gym starting at 8:30 is more like it (not 8:15).

I'm surprised no one on the PB knew this meeting would generate a large
amount of interest. Surely at least one of them got Marchetti's mailing
last week. Surely one of them took note of the 100 people who showed up for
the informational meeting two weeks ago.

I liked the comment someone made to open up the boat storage and move the
meeting there!

Over in Parma a couple of months ago - they made advance arrangements for
one of the Hilton school auditoriums in the event of a large crowd for the
planned development in the southeast corner of town (you know the whole RIP
campaign in Parma for this year's election). When the meeting at the Parma
town hall started, the court room / board room was packed asses to elbows.
With the partition open - both rooms have a 130 person capacity combined. I
estimated there were about 150-200 people there. The town board said (at
the start of the meeting - not 1-1/2 hours into it) that they would move it
to the West Avenue school and told everyone to meet them there. Someone
from the RIP group stayed behind to redirect latecomers. A few people got
mouthy about it - but the meeting was able to continue without undue delay.
LW, Hamlin

Can there be any doupt that this is representative of the feelings of the entire crowd?

Hamlin, Hamlin, Hamlin! Some days you just snooze peacefully, and on others you overflow with news. Today is one of the latter.

There are stories to tell, mainly of ineptness- and incompetence too. Some, simply stupid. I’ll try to get them all in over the next few days.

Obviously, the most important story is the aborted Public Hearing on the federally subsidized housing project at last night’s Planning Board meeting. The event was a fiasco.

The public was so well informed, and angry, about the proposal that they showed up in force to speak. One fireman estimated the crowd at over 350 people. Ed Evans declared that in all his years of public service he had never seen so many people turn out for a public hearing. It was grassroots Democracy in action. Unfortunately for all the attendees, it was simply a waste of ninety minutes out of their lives. (90 min. X 350 people = 525 man hours = 13.1 work weeks! That is one quarter of the work year! Wasted!)

Most people arrived before seven PM and were crowed in the hallway. At seven, Dane Emens Chairman of the Planning Board, told those gathered near the door of the Town Board meeting room that they would hold the hearing for the housing plan in the gym. He also told them that the PB would be holding the other scheduled public hearings first, in the Board room. Many people, who had already moved into the gym, didn’t hear him.

The crowd was polite but charged. People spoke to one another sharing details of the proposal. It was a well informed group. Informed and impatient. By 7:15, most had moved down into the gym, filled all the seats and were crowded into every available space. The sign on the wall said that the maximum, occupancy was 149 people- there were more than twice that many present.

The public continued to chat but was growing restless. After waiting about thirty minutes, someone began to stomp their feet, and it quickly caught on. It was to no avail, nobody from the Planning Board appeared to address the delay.

Finally, at 8:15, an hour and fifteen minutes later, the Planning Board came into the gym and set up. They were greeted with mild jeers. One woman, very upset at the long delay, demanded to know why they were so late, expressing the sentiment of most of the crowd. The Board’s cold and thoughtless reply was that they were doing things that were “all on the agenda.” (There were perhaps twenty copies of the agenda printed. Most of the public had not heard Emens’ explanation at 7PM.)

Almost at once the PB attorney, Charles Welch, sought out the Town Attorney, Kenneth Licht, to conference on the liability of overcrowding the room. It was decided that the meeting would have to be adjourned and reconvened at another time and place, to be announced.

However, in a bazaar twist, some of the Public Hearing was permitted to happen! For some reason Chairman Emens allowed one of the representatives of the project to speak. This man was an attorney representing the management group, Baldwin Associates. He made some preliminary descriptive remarks, including several outrageous and false claims about the review process. He briefly addressed, and confused, the serious issue of taxation on the development. While he was allowed to speak, no one else was. 350 residents, taxpayers all, turned out to be heard and only a lawyer for the developer was permitted to say anything! The public was not amused.

The meeting was adjourned and the public will have to read the Hamlin-Clarkson Herald this weekend to find out when and where the meeting will be held. It will probably be in Brockport since Hamlin, a town of almost ten thousand residents, doesn’t have a meeting space large enough to accommodate more than 150 people.

On the way out, Chairman Emens was harangued by the public. Residents wanted to know why, if they were in violation of the fire code, had they been allowed to stand around for 75 minutes wasting time. The public wanted to know why they could be in violation for so long but only be in danger when the Board showed up. They wondered why the developer was allowed to speak if the meeting was to be canceled. They wanted to know why it took so long for a town official, any town official, to see that there was a problem and propose a solution. Likely, it wasn’t a pleasant exit for Mr Emens.

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Commentary

There is something wrong in the Town Hall that goes beyond poor management. It is the “culture.” This term came to be used extensively throughout the 1990's to describe how people behaved in various work environments.

The culture in our Town Hall can be summarized simply as dysfunctional. There is constant, belligerent internecine warfare among employees in various offices and departments. The Supervisor micro-manages issues and events that are irrelevant to his office, at the same time that he neglects what is important. There is no sense of service to the community rather, residents feel a blend of hostility, resentment and indifference. Ordinary people feel unwelcome.

This is not how it should be. Last night’s episode where hundreds of people were essentially ignored for an hour and fifteen minutes should not have happened. It was a disgrace that it did. I have great respect for the people who serve on our support boards. It is a rather thankless and invisible service they deliver, but everyone who serves the taxpayer should be trained to be courteous, attentive and helpful toward the public. When it became apparent that there was a large crowd of people waiting SOMEBODY should have done something. If there was a fire hazard, then the room should have been closed immediately. If the Planning Board thought there was a problem (and if they didn’t know, SOMEBODY should have told them) then they should have delayed the agenda, dealt with the issue and returned to their meeting.

It was thoughtless, it was clumsy and it was disrespectful to the community to waste the time of so many people. It’s the culture. It needs to change.