RESTRUCTURE ALBANY
COMMON COUNCIL? HOW
ABOUT  BETTER INFORMED
VOTERS, ELECTING BETTER
REPRESENTATIVES?


Public hearings will be held on two
proposals to restructure the Albany
Common Council.

For summaries of the two proposals
Local Law E (2010) and Local Law F
(2010) and some of the arguments for
and against these proposals, read:

http://www.albanyny.gov/_files/Council%20Ops%20Hrng%20Notice%20033011-042711.pdf

Copies of the proposed local laws
are not posted on the websites of the
City or Common Council.

http://www.albanyny.org/home.aspx

Restructuring of the Common 
Council would be by amendment to
the Albany City Charter subject to
city voter approval in a public
referendum.

http://www.albanyny.org/Government/CityHistory/CityCharter.aspx

The summary of the proposed local
laws, does not adequately  address the
question of who fills the office of mayor
when a vacancy occurs in that office.

The City of Ithaca has adopted a
procedure whereby the mayor
selects an acting mayor. Scroll
down to Local Law__ 2010.

http://www.ci.ithaca.ny.us/vertical/Sites/%7B5DCEB23D-5BF8-4AFF-806D-68E7C14DEB0D%7D/uploads/%7BB431855C-22EF-4047-BDB9-D3D2DC1640CB%7D.PDF


Under the current Albany City
Charter and  state law, the Common
Council President, is elected by
voters citywide, and fills the unexpired
term of the Mayor when a vacancy
occurs in the latter office.

Both proposed local laws would
require changes in the City Charter
and state law.

A somewhat dated, but useful
review of city charter changes
and related issues is found here:

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lg/publications/Revising_City_Charters.pdf

There are legitimate questions and
arguments pro and con regarding
these proposed local laws.

Will  city wards be reduced and
redrawn?

Retaining election of the Common
Council President citywide, is a
better option than the revision
appearing in both proposed local
laws.

However, the issue of filling a
vacancy in the office of Mayor
should be addressed by amending
the city charter and state law to
provide for a special election to
be called when a vacancy occurs.

Questions of how much money
would be saved and whether the
proposed local laws would result
in better representation are not
adequately and convincingly
addressed. Fewer, more highly
compensated council members
may not produce savings or
better representation.

To the contrary, larger districts
will mean more expensive campaigns
subject to more influence by special
interests who can bankroll campaigns.

In sum,  leave the wards as they are
and retain the current 15 member
Common Council.  Ward voters
simply have to make more informed
choices in electing their representatives
and those representatives have to do
a better job of representing their
wards and constituents.

However, the question of filling a
vacancy in the office of Mayor needs
to be addressed by an amendment
to the city charter and state law to
provide for a special election when
such a vacancy occurs.

In any case,  redestricting  ward
lines cannot not occur without
the Common Council conforming
to the NYS Constitution which
provides that aliens must be
excluded from the population
count upon which reapportionment
is based.

Read relevant redistricting posts
on: http://lonerangeralbany.blogspot.com/

The Albany Common Council
is on record of Albany being a
sanctuary city for illegal aliens.

                                      Joe Sullivan

This statement is for entry into
the hearing record and is being
forwarded to:

parkerc@ci.albany.ny.us

and  mayor@ci.albany.ny.us

RAMBLES OF SPRING

Went rambling with Paddy and Mick.

The Hartman Rd dog park is a muddy
waterlogged pest hole. Parasites and
ticks abound.
                   .............
                            
                             Ticks

With the advent of warming weather
ticks are appearing. This time of
year they are in the form of nymphs
about the size of a pin head.

One female lays about a 1,000
eggs, so ticks are now everywhere.

Under leaves, in woods, in weeds
and brush.

Ticks do not like short grass in
hot weather.

Some dog owners douse their pets
in chemicals, which can be as harmful
as ticks.

Better to know the habits of the
enemy and avoid those times and
places where ticks are lying in wait
to prey on humans and our canine
pals.

Ticks are like Jihadists?
                                  ....................

                    Albany Muni

The Muni golf course has been abused
by careless dog owners who leave dog
droppings to lie everywhere, and to
let their dogs mingle with children
who go sleigh riding on the hills. Noisey
screaming children and some dogs do
not mix.

Before long, responsible dog owners
will find that they and their well
behaved pals, who enjoy the open
spaces of the course, will be barred
by the City because of  those who
abuse, and do not respect, the privilege.

                        .................

                      Road Salt

City streets, in particular, New Scotland
Avenue, Greenway, the Muni golf course
parking lot and the State office campus
are blighted by huge residues of the
excessive amounts of road salt dumped
by the City and State, this past winter.

What a waste of money by governmental
units who cry that they are financially
broke. Worse yet, what an careless assault
on the urban environment and all who
dwell here!

The Spring rains can't come soon enough
to wash away all this grime. It will take a
lot of rain.

Hopefully, the City and State will
coordinate street sweeping and
clean up efforts to coincide with
the rains, rather than letting the
salt residues dry out and become
airborne contributing to the
"White Death" air pollution
syndrome that hangs over Albany
every Spring.

Airborne road salt, stirred up by
speeding traffic on New Scotland
Ave  sandblasts the exteriors of
our residential houses creating
a need for more frequent painting
and repairs.

Worse still, this "White Death"
contributes to respiratory problems
like asthma (and breathing). Also,
people suffering from hypertension
are advised  to limit their salt intakes.

Airborne road salt inhaled finds its
way to the lungs and then bloodstream.

People with kidney problems are also
at increased risk.

You can't escape it. Observe the dust
that accumulates on furniture in homes
along the avenues.

Take a walk in the hood. Don't you
notice the sting in your nasal passages
from the airborne road salt?

Take a drive to Thacher Park overlook
and observe the pall of White Death
which hangs over the city and nearby
suburbs that lie in the former glacial
lake bed.

Those allergies that plague many each
Spring are aggravated, if not caused
by this  annual, excessive road salt
dumping mania.

With all the hospitals, physicians and
nurses in the hood, one would think
that someone would take note and
call for an abatement, if not ban of
this annual road salt asssault on the
citizens and environment.

Take a good look at the dying trees that
line city streets. Also, the streets, roads
bridges and parking lots that make up
local transportation infrastructure. Lots
of costly repairs result from the huge
amounts of road salt.

Tough economy? Road salt destroys
your expensive vehicles and tires. How
many new vehicles can you afford?

Maybe, people and governments will
wise up?  Don't hold your breath!

                                 ............

          Buckingham Pond Park

Buckingham Pond Park is a shambles.

Litter, dog droppings and vandalism
are clearly in evidence. Observe the
Milner Ave foot bridge nylon ropes
and the snapped off top of the young
Hemlock, Raft's Way, the road pylon
tossed in the pond, East End.

Observe the large number of dead
or dying trees in the park, particularly
the South shore and West end wooded
areas.  Many of these trees overhang
foot paths presenting a hazard to all
who traverse those paths.

The park desperately needs a tree
shrub, wildflower management plan
both short and long term, to deal
with vegetation succession, as well
as to control shoreline erosion and
eventual infilling of the pond. This
plan is needed to beautify the park
and provide habitat  for birds and
animals.

The woodlots need to be thinned
out, brush and vines cut, and
replacement trees/shrubs planted.

These thinnings can be made
available to local residents as firewood
and/or composted in the West End
of the park for use in the park and
by neighborhood residents.

Some of the logs can be used to
reconstruct the bulkheading, South
shore of the pond, between Euclid
and Lenox.

Perhaps, the recently formed
Buckingham Pond Conservancy
will take the lead in these efforts
to improve Buckingham Pond Park?

http://www.buckinghampondconservancy.org/

Assistance can be obtained from the
Albany County Soil and Water
Conservation District, the City
Forester and a forestry department
of a state college/university.

Grants from private sources are
also available.

Emergency phones should be installed
at key locations in the park, such
as the Berkshire parking semi circle,
the Milner Ave foot path at Raft's Way
the foot of Lenox, South side of pond.

                                    ............

            Neighborhood Security

Warm weather , a bad economy and
drug habits mean more crime including
dealing in the park, as well as muggings
vehicle and home thefts/burglaries and
more.

All residents were drafted into our
neighborhood watch several years ago.

The APD is stretched thin and kept
busy in down and midtown. We are
on our own uptown. Criminals know
this. So, it is up to all who live here
to be watchful and alert. Call the APD
as required. But, remember, they will
likely appear...after the occurence.

Jihadists are out and about. They have
checked out likely targets in our hood
including hospitals, schools, churches
synagogues, bridges and utility lines.

Those telephone numbers, again:

APD Center Sq Station 458 5660

Anti-Terror Hotline:

1 866 SAFE NYS (723 3697)

Like it , or not, you are the first
line of defense when it comes to
security in our hood and city.

                                        
We have to be the eyes and ears of
the APD and be proactive rather than
reactive.

                                   Joe Sullivan

ALBANY
ST PATRICK'S
PARADE

Went to the parade today. Wore
my grandfather Michael J Sullivan's
Bonanza Local 235 WFM ribbon.

He wore that ribbon 113 years ago
in the Nevada mining camp of
Rhyolite, now a ghost town in the
desert on the edge of Death Valley.

A long way from his native
Inchinteskin Townland in Eyeries
Parish of the Beara Peninsula of
County Cork.

Mike lies in St Patrick's Cemetery
Butte, Montana, along with Great
Grandfather Sean Harrington A Buaile
and so many other relations from
Beara who went West to the miner's
frontier. RIP.

                                  Joe Sullivan

ASK NOT FOR WHOM THE
BELL TOLLS. IT TOLLS FOR
THEE       Donne/Hemingway

Read:

 http://lonerangeralbany.blogspot.com/

                       Joe Sullivan

EMERGENCY/DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS

Are you ready?  We are on our own
government can't save us; we have
to save ourselves, and the government.

http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=19246050&searchType=ALL&txtKeywords=&label=EMERGENCY%2FDISASTER+PREPAREDNESS

                                         Joe Sullivan

BUCKINGHAM POND PARK

49 posts over the past years, this
blog.

http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=19246050&searchType=ALL&txtKeywords=&label=Buckingham+Pond+Park

                                                        Joe Sullivan

GOOD OLD DOG

One of the finest books I have read
on caring for your best pal(s):

BUCKINGHAM POND PARK

To view 49 posts, this blog just click
on the label at the bottom of the prior
post. All 49 will appear in sequence.

                                 Joe Sullivan

BUCKINGHAM POND PARK
TREE/SHRUB/WILDFLOWER
PLANTING PLAN 2011

Buckingham Pond Park is sorely in
need of a carefully crafted tree, shrub
and wildflower plan, to beautify the
park, to control shoreline erosion, to
provide habitat for birds and animals
and to provide for long term management,

Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectday
County Soil and Water Conservation
Districts (SWCD) each offer annual
tree/shrub sales where young planting
stock can be obtained at reasonable
costs. Also bagged compost/ wood chips.

Consult the following links for what is
available, costs, quantities, order and
pick dates/locations:

http://www.albanycounty.com/uploadedFiles/2011-swcd-SpringTreeAndShrubSale.pdf

http://rensselaer-county.com/pdfs/2011ArborGreen.pdf

http://www.schenectadycounty.com/T_and_S_2008_Order_Form_f1lVr.pdf.file

Compare offerings and select those that

are most suitable for Buckingham Pond

Park.

Neighbors who participate in this park

planting management plan can use some

of the stock in their own yards, as well

as share it with neighbors who want to

improve their properties.

Do not be dismayed by the small size

of the plants. They are easier to handle

plant and establish. They grow quickly.

The park planting plan can serve to

improve the park and entire neighborhood.

Albany County SWCD orders must be

made by March 18. Schenectady County

SWCD, April 15 and Rennselaer County

SWCD, April 28.

Among the trees that should be considered

are:  White Flowering Dogwood, Red Pine

Sawtooth Oak, Dawn Redwood, Black Hills

Spruce, Canaan Fir,  and Austrian Pine
(salt, air pollution tolerant)

Shrubs include: Juneberry (Serviceberry)
Witch Hazel, Spicebush, Rose of Sharon
Lilac, Forsythia, American Cranberry.

Stream Co Willow and Red Osier Dogwood
are excellent to control shoreline erosion.

I have some Forsythia, Red Osier Dogwood
Lilac and American Cranberry plants/roots
which I would be happy to donate.

The Buckingham Pond Conservancy group
which has adopted Buckingham Pond Park
is meeting this coming Sunday, March 6.

http://www.buckinghampondconservancy.org/annual-meeting-be-held-sun-36-100-pm

Hopefully, they will prepare a park
planting plan and utilise some of the
plants available from the aforementioned
swcd sources.

                                              Joe Sullivan