Month: March 2020

This is a follow-up to my earlier post about the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors granting a fifty percent increase to their essential employees that, not surprisingly and according to the Times Union, includes all the top management at the County. There was a recent article by Wendy Liberatore for the Times Union that sheds a little more light on this.

Three of the the recipients of the county government’s largess are:

County Administrator, Spencer Hellwig $166,653 X 1.5 = $249,980

Sheriff Michael Zurlo $134,325 X 1.5 = $241,488

Emergency Services Director, Carl Zeilman, $79,746 X 1.5 = $119,649 [JK: Mr. Zeilman is also the Chairman of the Saratoga County Republican Party]

I know that our own Mayor and Commissioners are putting in long hours for their regular annual salaries of $14,500.00. I know that their deputies are similarly working very hard and not from home which puts them at risk but their salaries are remaining the same. Our police and firefighters and Public Works employees are working at the same salaries. Most importantly I think of the nurses and doctors who are and will be working long hours under threat of the virus for their normal pay, and I think about these county “managers” receiving these out sized bonuses of taxpayer money and I am truly outraged.

What I have been unable to find out is how this was done and who was responsible for the decision. The article in the Times Union did not provide any explanation. Normally, one would expect that this action would require a resolution by the Board of Supervisors. I am reprinting a comment submitted by Lew Benton who at one time worked for the County and also held the office in the city of Public Safety Commissioner (see below).

I spoke to Saratoga Springs Supervisor Tara Gaston and she told me that so far she has been unable to get an answer as to how all this occurred. I also wrote to the city’s other Supervisor, Matthew Veitch, asking him whether he supported the decision and also how the decision was made and by whom.

The history of our county government is rife with cronyism and incompetence but the fact that they would take advantage of this national crisis to enrich themselves is truly a disgrace.

Lew Benton’s Assessment

John,

I have read the TU article referenced in the John K. post above. The story seems to lack content.

Can you find out if the 50% increase in compensation for certain County official was formally authorized by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The story notes that some members of the Board, including one of the city’s, seem to have not been fully aware. Certainly that suggests that the award was made without required legal authority.

As you know, Saratoga in a non-charter county and is governed by NYS General County Law. So certainly only the Board of Supervisors would have the authority by formal action to grant such increases. Also, the County does not have a county executive. The siting chairman of the Board serves in the executive capacity but he can only act, as in this matter, if specifically authorized by vote of the full Board. He cannot unilaterally act.

There is a County administrator, but he is not an executive authority and serves at the pleasure of the Board. That title was established by local law of the Board and has limited authority, certainly nothing that would permit an action that amounts to amending the County budget and compensation schedule.

So it is inscrutable, as the story suggests, that there was no formal action.

Can you use your contacts to clarify. Certainly officials such as the county sheriff and county administrator would not be entitled to additional compensation for performing duties in a public emergency that are inherently part of their roles. Perhaps the story is not accurate so clarification would be helpful.

Thanks.

Lew Benton

Joseph Stieglitz, an economist who has won the Nobel Prize, was interviewed last week regarding the economic crisis precipitated by the Coronavirus.

In discussing the problematic responses of Congress and the President, he observed that one of the most glaring issues being ignored is the crisis that states and local governments are going to face.

According to estimates from the New York State Association of Counties, lost sales tax revenues could be devastating for local governments in New York. I got these numbers from a Gazette Newspaper article written by Stephen Williams :

• Albany County could lose between $11.2 and $34 million.
• Fulton County could lose between $1 and $3.2 million
• Montgomery County could lose between $1 and $3.2 million
• Saratoga County could lose between $5.9 and $24 million
• Schenectedy County could lose between $3.6 and $11 million
• Schoharie County could lose between $583,000.00 and $1.8 million

[JK: We are so fortunate to have Stephen Williams still covering our county. Given the retirements and turnover in newspapers, to have Mr. Williams institutional memory serving us is extremely fortunate. He has an exemplary record for fairness and accuracy. Thank you, Stephen]

Here in Saratoga Springs, where much of our city income is dependent on the hospitality industry, real estate, and retail sales, the impact is potentially devastating.

This financial threat comes on top of the potential loss of 2.3 million dollars of VLT money from the state. While this money has been restored in the NYS Assembly budget it is not in the Senate version. It remains to be seen whether it will be included in the final state budget.

The city does such an excellent job that many people are not aware of all the services the city provides. From the maintenance of our roads and water supply to fire and police protection, city employees do the work that is often taken for granted but is what makes Saratoga a safe and congenial place to live.

I spoke to Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan. She offered the following:

“Fortunately our city is going into this turbulent time financially strong.  We have a top bond rating.  We have excellent cash flow.  We have very strong internal controls and with the new addition of Lynn Bachner as our budget officer, we have a detailed grasp of the budgetary needs of our departments.”

“Still as a country we need the Federal government to think strategically about insuring that the local services provided by our towns, villages, and cities are delivered during these difficult times.”

We have yet to see President Trump meeting with mayors or other local officials, but we regularly see him meeting with corporate executives. While we need to protect their employees, we have a history of our large corporations exploiting Washington. The airline industry was showered with tax breaks in the last tax package. Instead of establishing reserves for potential crises such as we are now experiencing, they spent literally billions buying back their own stock to inflate the value of their executive’s options. Now the taxpayer is expected to bail them out. We cannot let these airlines fail, but hopefully (and I do mean hopefully)the Federal government will insist on bailout terms to protect employees and the public interest.

I am pessimistic about what the financial “rescue” package will look like, however, once the lobbyists get done.

Reorganization In The Finance Office

In response to the looming financial challenges to the city brought on by the pandemic, Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan received City Council approval to hire a Budget Director for the City of Saratoga Springs.

. “Our efforts to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our citizens and visitors are dependent on our ability to manage the economic impacts of the current, and rapidly changing situation,” Madigan explained. “There is no better time than now to ensure a strong finance team is available to work through the looming financial situation that will affect city revenues and expenses in the very near-term.”

Lynn Bachner has been hired to fill this new position [JK: Full disclosure, Lynn is a friend].

Lynn Bachner is an exceptional appointment. She has a Juris Doctor from University of Wisconsin Law School and Masters Degree from Johns Hopkins.
She was the Deputy Commissioner of Finance for eight years for two different Finance Commissioners during the administrations of five different Mayors. She is currently the Executive Assistant to Mayor Meg Kelly.

Ms. Bachner enjoyed the reputation of knowing every detail of the expenditures of every city department which explained her ability to craft budgets that were accepted by the other city departments. Given the potential for conflict in crafting the city budget, the respect and popularity she enjoyed at city hall reflected both her knowledge of details and sense of fairness.

Regrettably, in light of the looming challenges for city revenue, in order to hire Ms. Bachner, Commissioner Madigan had to indefinitely furlough Deirdre O’Dwyer -Ladd, her Deputy. Ms. Madigan praised Ms. O’Dwyer-Ladd in her announcement regarding the reorganization.

Ms. O’Dwyer-Ladd truly is an exceptional person. Those cynical about public employees would get a healthy education on the quality of those who work for the city if they had the good fortune of knowing her. I feel badly, not only for her but for the city, that we had to make this sacrifice.

https://twitter.com/protectheflames/status/1241696164782669824

This is by far the best comprehensive review regarding the pandemic that I have seen. 

Dr. Ashish Jha is, among other things, Professor of Global Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute.

The presentation is about an hour long but well worth the time (especially as most of us are hunkered down)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJiE1_eIpdc&feature=youtu.be

So while hospital aids are risking their lives for their regular pay, and thousands are losing their jobs, Saratoga County has agreed to pay its “essential workers” time and a half. Given the current economic meltdown and the major financial problems ahead for local governments it’s hard to imagine the rationale for the county to add $320,000 a week to its budget to pay for this.

It is unclear how this decision was made. I contacted Supervisor Tara Gaston by email, and she responded that she was not involved in the decision. I did not bother to email Matt Veitch because he does not reply to my inquiries. I was told by a source that there was some sort of memo of understanding between the county and its unions. If Supervisor Gaston was not involved then I assume this was never voted on by the entire Board. The whole thing is rather murky. It is hard to understand how such a major decision like this could be made without a vote by the Board of Supervisors, but the history of the County adhering to proper procedures is not a happy one so anything is possible.

At the March 3 City Council meeting, City Attorney Vincent DeLeonardis, reviewed concerns raised by the public regarding the first draft of the Unified Development Ordinances (UDO). He also shared some of the changes being recommended by his team for the next draft.

These are the recommended changes he cited in his presentation:

1. The proposal to reduce the minimum lot size for the UR3 district of the city should be dropped.
2. The proposed reduction in the required side setbacks between houses should be dropped.
3. The proposal to allow “cottage court/Pocket Neighborhoods” should be removed. [JK: The closest thing to this concept would be the notorious Downton Walk on Jumel Place.]
4. The proposed list for allowed uses in the greenbelt should be culled. As an example of a use that should be removed he cited RV (Recreation Vehicle) parks.

Mr. DeLeonardis was careful in an email to me to qualify these changes as being “recommended.” I am assuming that the recommendations would be made to the consultants, Camiros, and that no final decision has been made. Still, it is reasonable to assume that as Camiros is under contract to the city, that recommendations made by the city would be accepted.

Let’s Hear It For Saratoga Springs!

Many of the people I have spoken to regarding the UDO cynically dismissed the value of submitting comments. Routinely I heard from them that public comment was a formality and that attempting to affect the outcome of the UDO was pointless.

I find this attitude understandable but very frustrating and fortunately many Saratogians did submit comments. Mayor Kelly, her deputy Lisa Shields, and City Attorney Vincent DeLeonardis spent many hours not only at the four public sessions they ran but at individual meetings with neighbors. I can only report to the readers of this blog that they were sincerely interested in the concerns of the people of our city.

My conversations with the other members of the City Council were similarly marked by an openness to the concerns they were hearing from the public.

I can understand why people feel cynical. The history of the land use boards and the city Planning Staff has not been good. The travesty of Downton Walks is a poster child for the indifference and at times condescension that concerned neighbors had to endure when trying to raise their concerns with these institutions.

Still, times change. The administration of Mayor Kelly is very different from the world we endured when Scott Johnson was Mayor.

This city can rightfully be proud of how we as a community have evolved.

For Release: Immediate Date: March 16, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

Saratoga Springs Update on New York State-Wide Restrictions

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly provides an update on new statewide restrictions announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo:

In conjunction with New Jersey Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Governor Phil Murphy, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a series of state-wide restrictions in a press conference that will go into effect at 8 PM on Monday, March 16, 2020.

These restrictions will apply to all Saratoga Springs businesses until further notice. They include:

 A limit on crowd capacity for recreational and social gatherings to 50 people. o This follows updated guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued yesterday recommending the cancellation or postponement of in-person events consisting of 50 people or more.  Restaurants and bars will close on-premise services and move to take-out and delivery only. o These establishments will be provided a waiver for carry-out alcohol.  Movie theaters, gyms and, casinos will temporarily close.

These new restrictions have been deemed necessary by Governor Cuomo amid a lack of national uniform standards. He said, “New York is partnering with our neighboring states to implement a uniform standard that not only keeps our people safe but also prevents ‘state shopping’ where residents of one state travel to another and vice versa. I have called on the federal government to implement nationwide protocols but in their absence we are taking this on ourselves.”

Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly and Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton agree with the Governor, adding “Saratoga Springs is known for being a destination city, including our renowned restaurants and tourist attractions, but nothing is more important than the health and safety of our City’s most cherished resources: its residents and workers. Only by working with the state and federal governments can we ensure that we will remain a safe, healthy, and vibrant city.”

Hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and other essential businesses will remain open until changed by a further order.

[JK: I received this press release today (Sunday March 15, 2020)]

CITY HALL 474 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Telephone 518-587-3550

Meg Kelly Mayor

Robin Dalton Commissioner of Public Safety

For Release: Immediate Date: March 15, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

Saratoga Springs Officials Release Update on City Operations All essential services will continue including Fire, Police, and outside DPW operations.

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Mayor Meg Kelly and Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton provide an update to City services, as well as the community resources available for the public:

The City Council announced on Friday, March 13 that the City of Saratoga Springs has declared a State of Emergency. City Hall offices will be closed to the public beginning Monday, March 16 until rescinded by a further order.

The City Police Department, Fire/EMS Department, and vital Public Works staff will continue to operate as normal. If you have a lifethreatening emergency, please call 911. Call your health care provider FIRST if you have any concerns over your health and possible exposure to COVID-19.

The City Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting on March 17, but the public will not be allowed to attend in person. The public is encouraged to email Mayor Kelly’s office at Meg.Kelly@Saratoga-Springs.org with any questions or comments they would like to have entered into the record. City Council meetings will be live streamed through our website and our Facebook page.

The City Land Use Boards are cancelled for at least the next two weeks, including the March 27 meeting.

City Department Contacts:

 Accounts Department: o 518-210-3243 (Marilyn Rivers, Director of Risk and Safety)  Mayor’s Department: o 518-414-2118 (Lisa Shields, Deputy Mayor)  Public Safety Department: o 911 (Emergency) o 518-584-1800 (Police Department Non-Emergency) o 518-587-3599 (Fire Department Non-Emergency) o 518-265-6485 (Eileen Finneran, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety)  Public Works Department: o 518-584-3356 (Department Dispatch)  Finance Department: o Finance will be communicating regarding City payments (taxes, utility bills, etc.). Please check the City website for updates

Residents are encouraged to visit the City’s website at http://www.Saratoga-Springs.org to receive updates on City operations. Parking tickets, utilities and taxes are payable online via the “Make a Payment” link on the City Website’s homepage.
Information Links:

Health Care — https://www.saratogacountyny.gov/departments/publichealth/

Courts — http://www.nycourts.gov

Schools — http://www.SaratogaSchools.org The Saratoga Springs School District is closed effective immediately through Sunday April 19.

Please visit the City’s website at http://www.Saratoga-Springs.org to receive updates on City operations.

Mayor Meg Kelly and Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton have announced that as of 5:30 tonight (March 13) the city is in a state of emergency due to the threat of COVID-19.

City Offices will be closed to the public until at least March 20.

City Council meetings will continue and be live streamed but will be closed to the public.

All land-use board meetings are canceled for the next two weeks.

---

FOR RELEASE: Immediately

FROM THE OFFICE OF MAYOR MEG KELLY

Contact:

Meg Kelly, Mayor 518.226.9250 (cell) meg.kelly@saratoga-springs.org

Robin Dalton, Commissioner of Public Safety 518.290.1333 (cell) robin.dalton@saratoga-springs.org

Mayor Meg Kelly, City of Saratoga Springs, announces that the City of Saratoga Springs has declared a State of Emergency effective 5:30 PM on March 13, 2020 and will remain in effect until rescinded by a subsequent order.

The State of Emergency has been declared due to the threat that COVID-19 poses to the health and welfare of the City of Saratoga Springs residents, visitors, and employees.

The City is operating in accordance with its City Emergency Management Plan, created in collaboration with the Risk and Safety Department, Police and Fire Departments, all other City departments, insurance and other experts in the field, and voted on by City Council. At this time, the Mayor and the Commissioner of Public Safety are the Points of Information to the public.

This declaration means that City Hall offices will be closed to the general public for at least the next five business days, Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, March 20, 2020.

City Council Meetings will be held as usual; they will be live streamed and taped, but are closed to the public. The public is free to submit comments by email relative to any agenda item. All Land Use Board meetings and workshops are canceled for the two weeks, including March 16, 2020 through March 27, 2020.

The Public Works, Police and Fire Departments will continue operating, uninterrupted.

For more information and continued updates, please check the City website at http://www.saratoga-springs.org, as well as City social media

For Immediate Release
Contact: Commissioner of Public Safety, Robin Dalton Telephone: 518-587-3550, ext. 2627; (518) 290-1333 Email: Robin.Dalton@Saratoga-Springs.org
SARATOGA SPRINGS CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

The City of Saratoga Springs is closely monitoring the spread of coronavirus and today has confirmed two cases of COVID-19 in Saratoga County. The infected individuals are selfquarantined and are receiving support as needed from the city and county.

We encourage all residents to be diligent about staying home if you are not feeling well or are experiencing flu-like symptoms. Continue to take simple actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

 Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.  Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available.  Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.  Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The city has been extensively preparing for potentially infected individuals, including identification, methods of quarantine and methods of monitoring patients. Our first responders in the Saratoga Springs Fire and Police Departments have been educated on the proper approach to manage a suspected case that best protects the staff and patient.

For more information on the virus, symptoms and preventing the spread of germs, please refer to Saratoga County Public Health and the CDC recommendations.