Author: John Kaufmann

At the September 19, 2023, Saratoga Springs City Council meeting, Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran introduced a resolution that canceled a public hearing that Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino had scheduled. As documented below, this petty move against Montagnino was unprecedented. City Attorney Tony Izzo was called on to comment on the procedure, and he observed that in the thirty-five years he has worked for the city, no Commissioner had ever been denied the opportunity to seek public input regarding a proposal through a public hearing.

While Moran was the point person in this latest incident, he was supported in this move by Mayor Kim and Commissioners Sanghvi and Golub. They have become the city’s “wrecking crew.”

Moran’s move on Montagnino was accompanied by toxic remarks, which have sadly become the norm at the Council table. The Mayor, who chairs the meetings, not only failed to admonish Moran for his lack of civility in addressing a fellow Council member, but he is a frequent perpetrator of the same ugly behavior himself.

The Issue

Moran’s resolution was to cancel a public hearing that Montagnino had scheduled to discuss his proposal to change the rules for the public comment period. Montagnino’s resolution would have required that persons living or employed or owning real property in Saratoga Springs be allowed to speak before other individuals.

Montagnino’s resolution was in response to increasing frustration from many that Black Lives Matter activists, most of whom live outside of the city, had come to regularly monopolize the public comment period, often leaving little if any time for residents to speak about other issues.

This situation has become even more acute since Kim limited the public comment period to thirty minutes and increased the amount of time allotted to each speaker to 4 minutes from two minutes, thus reducing the possible number of people who could speak from 15 to 7 if everyone sticks to their allotted time. In addition, Kim announced he would not hold people to the four-minute limit and routinely arbitrarily enforces the time limit. He seems to have adopted two standards. Those he agrees with, he simply notes that the four-minute limit is up and then gently reminds them of the limit as the speaker continues. For those expressing opinions he does not like, he is far more forceful. In that case, he loudly and aggressively interrupts them, telling them to “wrap up.”

Kim also added an option to speak to the Council via Zoom at the end of the Council meetings, which routinely go on till past 11PM. Those wishing to comment must sign up for Zoom between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

The result of the Mayor’s arbitrary and random management of public comment is that people who take the time to attend a Council meeting in order to address pending resolutions are often frustrated when they discover the allocated time has run out and they will not be allowed to speak.

Procedural Problems

New items are only to be added to the agenda during a Council meeting if there is some sort of urgency. The person requesting the agenda addition is supposed to offer an explanation as to why it cannot wait for the next meeting. It then requires a majority vote for it to be added.

There is good reason for this. In the interest of transparency, the public is supposed to be informed regarding all action items through an agenda that is required by the city charter to be available for public review no later than noon the day before the Council meets. This is meant to ensure that interested citizens can respond prior to Council action.

This policy is routinely violated by Council members who often add items at the last minute at the Council table without explaining why they couldn’t wait for the next meeting (or why they couldn’t have managed to put it on that meeting’s agenda….). Mayor Kim, who, as the chair, is supposed to enforce the rule, of course never does.

In an especially egregious violation of this important rule, Dillon Moran waited until the very end of the September 19, 2023, meeting, when the room was pretty much empty, to add to his agenda his resolution to cancel the public hearing that Montagnino had just set. This was particularly unusual as his agenda had been completed much earlier in the evening. The Public Safety agenda comes last. Following the Public Safety agenda and just before the vote to adjourn, Moran proposed his resolution.

Dillon Presents His Resolution

Moran seems to not understand Montagnno’s resolution as he characterizes it as a violation of the Constitutional guarantee of free speech. While I think there are a number of problems with Montagnino’s proposal, it only establishes the order of speakers, it does not preclude anyone from speaking.

[Note that Kim did not ask Moran to explain why this matter was not listed on his agenda and why immediate action was necessary as required by the city charter (Section2.2)]

City Attorney Tony Izzo Addresses Moran’s Resolution.

Commissioner Montagnino asked Tony Izzo, City Attorney, to offer his opinion on the Moran resolution. It was clear that Izzo was a bit non-plussed. “Unusual procedural question, um…” he began.

I have transcribed Izzo’s remarks. If you read them carefully, you will see that Izzo observes that there is a precedent for rescheduling a hearing. Conspicuously absent is anything from Izzo supporting the canceling of a hearing. His remarks observe that “…there is some precedent as well for the Council to remove something from a particular Council agenda for rescheduling (my emphasis) for some future time. So, if that’s the motion for this evening, there is some precedent for it…” In other words, there is a precedent for rescheduling hearings but not for canceling them.

Kim then completely ignores what Izzo has said, asserting that he is sure Izzo agrees that the Council can cancel the public hearing. No one from the Council corrects the Mayor and, with the exception of Montagnino, the four Council members approve the Moran resolution.

Transcription Of Izzo’s Remarks

Unusual procedural question, um, it has been the procedure of this council as long as I’ve been here to not put to a vote whether or not a commissioner will schedule an item for a public hearing. The council has discussed that topic several times, it’s always resulted in there being no vote to add something to the agenda… rather schedule a public hearing or not. Any commissioner that wants to put something on for a public hearing its put on and then if the council wants to not second it at the hearing date it’s simply not seconded, um, there is also the council’s ability to decide what items go on a particular item agenda can to on a particular agenda, so it is possible, I think, and there is some precedent as well for the council to remove something from a particular council agenda for rescheduling for some future time. So, if that’s the motion for this evening there is some precedent for it, um, I suppose Commissioner Moran’s motion does have some precedent if the council want to remove it from the next upcoming agenda for rescheduling there is some precedent for that.

Tony

Dillon Moran Gratuitously Raises The Temperature

In this video clip, Moran launches into a self-righteous rant, calling Montagnino’s resolution “garbage.”

In classic Kim playing lawyer, the Mayor ignores what Tony has told him and instead offers that “it is pretty straightforward” that the Council can vote to cancel the public hearing. Commissioners Jason Golub and Minita Sanghvi also ignored what the City Attorney had to say and voted with Kim and Moran.

Summary

As observing readers will note, I have not discussed the substance of the Montagnino resolution. There are a variety of problems with it, but the issue is really not the content of the resolution but its improper cancelation.

For Democrats who claim to support transparency and accessibility to deny the public’s ability to comment on a fellow Council member’s proposal, however flawed, is unprecedented, as City Attorney Izzo observed. The Council would have the final word on whether Montagino’s proposal ever went into effect. I suspect if there had been a public hearing, many speakers would have voiced concern over this proposal. So, what was the harm of giving this a public airing? This united front to block public comment is also curious, given how many public hearings these Council members have scheduled without giving the public access to any concrete document to react to. How disturbing that neither Kim, Moran, Golub, nor Sanghvi stood up for the public’s right to weigh in on a public policy proposal, however flawed. Yet another example of cancel culture.

[JK: Section 4.43 of the Saratoga Springs city charter states that the Commissioner of Finance “shall prepare a proposed Comprehensive Budget and shall submit it to the Council at the first regularly scheduled meeting at the Council in October each year.” Instead of presenting the Council and the public with the actual budget, Finance Commissioner Sanghvi did a PowerPoint presentation heavily laced with political comments. The actual budget was not circulated to the Council until the next day, Wednesday, at 4:13PM. Why she ignored the charter requirement and why she did not have the budget ready to submit is unknown.

Here is former Public Safety Commissioner Lew Benton’s take on her budget.]

City budgets are pretty easy to review. After reading John’s post I called up the proposed 2024 budget.

It is quite interesting.

First, many revenue lines seem inflated and unless the budget presentation included an explanation and justification I hope some hard questions will be asked.

For example, Planning Board revenues are budgeted to increase from projected 2023 fees of $165,000 to $250,000; Mortgage Tax revenues, at $1.5 million, suggest more wishful thinking; Insurance Recoveries go from -0- in 2023 to $125,000 in next year’s proposed budget. Again, perhaps there are valid reasons to so significantly increase these revenues. If so we need to understand them.

These are but a few suspect over budgeted revenues.

On the expenditure side it is noted that the City Attorney’s office has OVERSPENT its outside legal counsel line by a projected $73,300 this year. New positions (a Grant administrator and a Communications Director) have added nearly $115,000 plus fringe benefits. Whether the city really needs a ‘grant administrator’ in addition to the those staff whose job descriptions already include grant writing and administration is a least worth asking. The reality is that there is a huge investment in planning staff and and an office of parks and open space administer whose duty statements clearly requires grant administration.

These two agencies have always worked in harmony, and quite successfully, to identify, compete for and administer grants-in-aide. Does the city now need a third agency, the mayor’s department, to have a full time grant ‘coordinator’ when there are several titles charged with that responsibility. And is a ‘communications director’ really justified in this form of government?

All of this against the backdrop of highest sales tax revenue in the city’s history and 10% MORE this year than was budgeted. And finally, blaming a ‘previous ‘administration on the current problem is unacceptable. The 2023 budget was crafted by the incumbent finance commissioner, not her predecessor and she must own it. The proposed 2024 budget appears at first glance to includes unrealistic revenues and major expenditures that may be understated. Back to the drawing boards, please.
Lew Benton

---

According to the city charter, the Saratoga Springs Finance Commissioner is required to submit the city’s budget for the following year at the first meeting of the Council in October.

On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, Commissioner Sanghvi did a PowerPoint presentation of the 2024 budget. Unfortunately, neither the powerpoint presentation nor the proposed budget were available on any links to the agenda so the public was not able to be familiar ahead of time with what she was presenting. The endemic poor quality of the meeting broadcast for those watching at home (regular screen freezes and sound blips for all participants, including Council members) also made the public’s ability to follow Commissioner Sanghvi’s presentation challenging. The proposed budget and her presentation are now available on the city’s website–if you can find them.

Here are some highlights:

-there will be a tax increase for the second year in a row

-the budget includes an unprecedented and stunning drawdown of $3,000,000.00 from the city’s fund balance.

-In spite of approving numerous staff increases for her office as well as the Mayor and the Accounts Commissioner in the past year, Sanghvi has now proclaimed there will be no new hires in 2024 (including a position to address the unprecedented backup in FOIL requests)

Sanghvi blamed the tax increase primarily on inflation and the failures of the previous administration.

[JK: I received this email from Ed Lindner regarding Bikeatoga festivities this month. Sounds like fun!]

Bikeatoga is thrilled to be partnering with the Saratoga Regional YMCA on the first annual Saratoga FoliageRide this October 7^th and 8^th! Check out the video!!

Want to help? You can share our FB post! Want to volunteer? You can sign up here.

Want to ride!  Please sign up!.  And invite those out of town friends you like to cycle with (if you don’t want them staying in your house, check out our partner hotels!).  

It’s going to be a great cycling weekend!  This is a ride, not a race and foliage should be at or near peak. 

Start your morning with a hearty and healthy buffet breakfast catered by 9 Miles East.  Here’s the menu!  Ride at your own pace on one of three routes each day – 30, 50, and 75 miles – with full SAG support. 

Saturday’s rides will celebrate the 246^thanniversary of the Battle of Saratoga.  Ride the back roads through the fields where American forces first defeated the British army.  And don’t be surprised if you hear muskets and cannon fire.  Re-enactors portraying Continental soldiers and British Redcoats will be in the Saratoga National Historical Park that day!  

Sunday’s rides will follow beautiful routes through fields, farmlands and gorgeous Fall foliage. 

After the ride, relax, shop and dine in downtownSaratoga Springs. All participants will get a commemorative t-shirt and a day pass to the Saratoga YMCA facility – unwind with a swim, sauna, HydroMassage (addt’l fee) or afternoon yoga class after the ride!

Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim routinely acts impulsively, often not checking the facts before speaking. This post gives examples of two recent incidents of Ron Kim’s continuing intemperate behavior.

Mayor Kim’s Abusive Telephone Call

Following Mayor Kim’s notorious, well-publicized, epithet-laden rant at Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino in May in city hall, the Mayor followed up with a phone call to Montagnino and continued his abusive language. Montagnino recorded the conversation. Mike Brandi, city Republican chair, successfully FOILed for it. Here is the recording of the conversation.

Warning to readers: this audio contains foul language.

Kim told the media that Montagnino violated city regulations by recording their conversation.

Neither Kim nor the media cited what regulation may have been violated. I searched the city’s website and could find no such regulation.

Kim Denies Reality

In an earlier post, I wrote about the cronyism demonstrated by Mayor Kim in filling Tina Carton’s vacancy when she left city hall.

Recently, a citizen named Sam Brewer wrote to Mayor Kim asserting that it had been illegal for the city to have released the applications from people seeking the job that were posted on this blog.

Kim responded to Brewer by falsely declaring that the city never released this information in response to a FOIL request and that he had initiated an investigation as to “how and why these were released to a party outside of city hall.”

The problem is that it is a simple, easily verifiable fact that he is wrong when he claims the city did not release the documents to me through a FOIL request.

The following is the cover letter releasing the documents to me per FOIL.

One would think that the appropriate thing to have done in response to Mr. Brewer’s letter would have been for Kim to first determine if the city had indeed provided the documents under FOIL. The office that handles FOIL requests reports to Kim. He could easily have called the office to check before he replied to Brewer. He also could have checked my post because the post contained a link to the entire FOIL correspondence.

Regrettably, his assertion is part of an established pattern. Mayor Kim routinely acts impulsively rather than taking the time to check the public record. This reckless behavior is deeply worrisome. One has to wonder what ill advised actions with serious consequences he has carried out without the benefit of the facts.

---

Mayor Ron Kim’s Email To Sam Brewer

From: “Ron Kim” <ron.kim@saratoga-springs.org>
To: “S3 Operations” <S3ops@outlook.com>
Cc: “Minita Sanghvi” <minita.sanghvi@saratoga-springs.org>, “James Montagnino” <james.montagnino@saratoga-springs.org>, “Dillon Moran” <dillon.moran@saratoga-springs.org>, “Jason Golub” <jason.golub@saratoga-springs.org>, “Tara N Gaston” <TNGaston@saratogacountyny.gov>, “mveitch” <mveitch@saratogacountyny.gov>, “Tony Izzo” <tony.izzo@saratoga-springs.org>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2023 11:28:08 AM
Subject: Re: FOIL and Privacy Act – Legal Issue

The City did not release these resumes pursuant to a FOIL request and is currently reviewing how and why they were released to a party outside City Hall.

Ron Kim, Mayor

City Hall, 474 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

EML: Ron.Kim@saratoga-springs.org

---

Email From Sam Brewer To Mayor Kim

On Sep 10, 2023, at 9:47 AM, Sam Brewer <*****@outlook.com> wrote:

CAUTION: This email originated outside of the City network. Please contact IT Support if you need assistance determining if it’s a threat before opening attachments or clicking any links.

---

Council,

I hope you have enjoyed the summer.  I monitor the local news and I noticed a post on the blog of John Kaufman whereby he specifically criticized an applicant and posted the resumes of applicants to a civil service position within the City.

I was shocked to see that the city released individual resumes with its response to a FOIL request.  

Specifically, personnel files are normally excluded from FOIL requests as the public does not have the right to know certain information.  A resume becomes part of an HR file once someone is hired; I think this would be covered under any FOIL exclusions.  It is certainly covered by the Privacy Act of 1974, which should be applied via an interpretation of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution even if not explicit in NYS Municipal or other law.

In any case, no one has the right to interfere with a hiring process for a specific position or person in this way and I hope the city takes action to revise its policy associated with data release in relation to FOIL.  While he may publicly criticize the Mayor, having the public evaluate resumes is a gross intrusion on personal privacy and the actual hiring process.

In addition, publishing information about Ms. Munger and her past career experiences may put her at risk.  She may not be required or allowed to list details of certain career experiences, and people like Mr. Kaufman may actually target individuals like her because she is on a list maintained by a group that likes to keep people like her out of government and out of work.

Thank you for reading.

Sam Brewer

---

[JK: Full disclosure: my wife, Jane Weihe, is Tim Coll’s campaign manager]

The Fiasco

In a grim reminder of the general degradation of politics and of civility, a group from Albany, Project Salam, held an event on September 20 at Caffe Lena as part of Peace Week in which they ignored the principles of basic fairness to try to trash Tim Coll’s campaign for Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner.  Their focus was on his involvement in the prosecution of two men in Albany some twenty years ago in relation to a terrorism case. At a press conference the previous week announcing the endorsement by Ron Kim and three current City Council members for her campaign for Public Safety Commissioner, Kristen Dart promoted this same narrative.

Peace Week

Saratoga Springs Peace Week is a laudable project meant to encourage a world free of violence and mayhem.  The group has been steadfastly organizing its events for a number of years now.  They sponsor different events in a variety of venues around the city.

This year, a group of activists cynically hijacked the project.

Their event was advertised as a showing of an hour and a half long film titled “Witness,” along with a panel.

“Witness” is a documentary that alleges that two innocent men were entrapped by the FBI and sentenced to fifteen years each related to a plot to buy a stinger missile to be used in an attack in New York City.  The panel was comprised of five people, all of whom supported the narrative of the film.

The law enforcement team that carried out the investigation was led by Tim Coll.  Mr. Coll is now retired from the FBI and is currently running for Commissioner of Public Safety.  The film presents Mr. Coll and his fellow agents, the US Attorney’s office, and federal District and Appellate judges as villains who cruelly targeted two ordinary citizens simply living their lives in Albany twenty years ago. According to the film, the FBI manipulated Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, using an informant, into committing criminal acts.

In the September 19, 2023, edition of the Times Union, one of the attorneys who participated in the men’s legal defense, told the paper,

“For people in Saratoga, we thought it would be good for them to know more about (Coll),” Aref attorney Kathy Manley said. “He was the main player for the FBI in this case. He was the handler of Shahed Hussain. He testified three times at trial. He was the main witness for the prosecution. … Tim Coll was very instrumental in this case.”

In spite of Mr. Coll being the focus of this program, he was never notified about the proposed event.

Coll Asks For Fairness

Mr. Coll called Ms. Manley and asked that he be allowed to present his side of the story.  Ms. Manley at first refused and then subsequently told Coll that he would be allowed “three to five minutes.”  

The terms of Mr. Coll’s appearance changed repeatedly.  The right to “three to five minutes” became no longer a right as he was told that he would have to line up in the public comment period after the film and the five people on the panel had spoken. He could speak only if there were time. 

A Regrettable Display of Abuse

The program took place at Caffé Lena.  

Sarah Craig has been the manager of Caffé Lena for many years.  Sarah has done a wonderful job carrying on Lena’s legacy, and the city is much indebted to Ms. Craig for her dedicated service to this important venue.

In a clear attempt to address the problems of fairness in the event, Craig made some introductory remarks.  She told the audience that anyone who would like to respond to the film would be provided with time to do so.

I assume that Ms. Craig established this principle with the Salam Project sometime prior to the event.  Such promises were clearly disregarded by the panel.

It did not portend well when, during his introductory remarks about the film, Masood Haque, the filmmaker, told the audience that the purpose of the evening’s event was not “for someone to come here and repair his reputation,” a not too subtle reference to Tim Coll.  

It was all the more disheartening when someone from the panel then announced that there would be no comments allowed from the audience, only questions.  

It Got Uglier

Following the film and a half hour of comments from the panel, the floor was opened up to the audience. Coll was the first member of the audience to be at the public microphone.  He was almost immediately interrupted by Mr. Haque, the filmmaker, who instructed him to dispense with his remarks and “ask the question.”  Coll tried to continue, but Mr. Haque in particular, and others on both the panel and in the audience aggressively interrupted him.  Someone on the panel scolded him, telling Coll that other people wanted to speak.  At some point a voice (I think it may have been Ms. Manley) told him he would be allowed two more minutes.  Through the noise and chaos, Coll noted that the judge had instructed the jury that the FBI had a valid reason to target Yassin Aref.  He asked Ms. Manley, “Didn’t the defense agree to the judge’s statement?” She responded that “we had no choice.”  Coll attempted to answer back but was shouted down.  He told me that he was going to point out to her that the defense did not have to agree to this, but if they did not, then the court would have brought in witnesses from Iraq with documents showing the interaction between Aref and terrorists in Iraq.  Coll noted to me that the defense agreed to the stipulation because it would have been worse if the jurors had heard the soldiers testify about the damaging documents. 

Coll was never able to say all this because, at that point, members of the panel and audience began shouting at him.  They yelled that he was hijacking the event, etc.  Coll was unable to continue and sat down. In a shameless demonstration regarding the bias and animus of the panel, subsequent speakers (all of whom were supportive of the perspective of the film and the panelists)were allowed to address the panel and make comments or ask questions without interruption or time limits.

According to Kathy Manley, Coll spoke for a total of three minutes and 8 seconds while being frequently interrupted.

Here’ s a recording of his attempt to speak.

Craig Offers an Apology

To her credit, following the meeting, Sarah Craig, the manager of Caffé Lena, sought out Tim and apologized for what happened.

In Defense of the Sponsors

Both Caffé Lena and the leadership of Saratoga Peace Week are really victims of this disgraceful business.  Their good hearts and naiveté assumed that people interested in pursuing peace would behave with civility and fairness.  Unfortunately, they were wrong.

For Better or Worse

Readers may not know that I see myself as a person of the left.  The left, like the right and like other social movements, is not homogenous.  I am not the arbiter of who can claim to be of the left.  I can only express my own personal views.

I believe that our methods shape our outcomes.  A better future requires us to act with fairness, compassion, and integrity.  If our arguments are strong, we should have no fear in debating those who disagree with us.  In fact, none of us are infallible, and healthy engagement keeps us from adopting self-serving blinders.

I fully support the goals of Peace Week, but I hope this debacle will result in a reassessment to avoid another incident like this in the future.  There should be standards of fairness established and required by all.   People interested in organizing events should be required to submit applications describing what the event will address and affirming a commitment to fairness and civility.

At a press conference at which four members of the current City Council endorsed Kristen Dart in the race for Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner, Ms. Dart attacked one of her opponents, Tim Coll. In her most unfortunate accusation, she quoted a judge regarding the prosecution of four men convicted of terrorism. The judge slammed the investigators and prosecutors for entrapping the men.

Regrettably, Ms. Dart failed to mention that Mr. Coll had no role in that case. He did head a different investigation of two men in Albany who were convicted of terrorism, and that conviction was unanimously reaffirmed in an appeal to the Federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Tim Coll Responds To Her Allegations

I received the following press release from Mary Beth Delarm. I previously covered her appearance before the Saratoga Springs City Council when she thoughtfully expressed her disappointment with the way Council meetings were being conducted.

Link to Ms. Delarm’s commentary to the Council.

Ms. Delarm was a Red Cross volunteer on 9/11 at the Twin Towers following the collapse of the buildings.

As she explains below, she served on the committee organizing this year’s 9/11 memorial event in the city assisting in planning the program which is set for tomorrow (this is being written on September 10, 2023). Apparently, Mayor Kim did not forget her remarks to the Council, however. The Mayor participated in a live meeting via zoom of the 9/11 committee and stripped her of her role on the committee and from participating in the program where she was scheduled to speak.

“Cruel politics overshadows 9/11responders

After misleading Red Cross volunteer Mary Beth Delarm who donated countless weeks tending to other responders following the World Trade Center 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero, Saratoga Mayor Kim kicks her from the 911 commemorative ceremony, dissing her 911 response role as mediocre.

Kim’s latest power move came after requesting Delarm donate two weeks to helping Saratoga plan the remembrance program, gather speakers and to speak about her own 911 experience. Delarm said “ The mayor blindsided me at a final 9/1 recorded 911 committee zoom meeting saying “no one wants to hear another responder’s story as Red Cross volunteers weren’t really official /important responders”.  Delarm said “He didn’t just stun me. His words shocked everyone, particularly the core of every volunteer responder on earth.” “You couldn’t hear a pin drop, except for my sobbing hearing such hurtful remarks.” She tried to reply, but Kim firmly said “his decision is final!”

Evidently Kim was retaliating, Delarm said. The mayor pointed to an August 15 City Council meeting public comment where she requested  “ during the city’s  9/11ceremony, the city should focus on responders and respect for those who are lost, not politicians”. Mary Beth also requested “the city get back to business and focus on respect for fellow citizens concerns, rather than free-for-all disruptions that have been occupying government efficiency for almost a year.“ (reflecting similar concerns June 20).

Delarm and other community responders reeling from the mayor’s comments, encouraged her to respond to Kim at the last City Council meeting September 7.  But during open public comment, as Delarm walked to the mic, Kim prevented her from speaking, yet allowed another uncontrollable outburst from BLM activists.

Delarm’s response she planned on submitting to Mayor Kim follows:

“Mayor Kim, please tell the Public and myself,

1) What has my past public comments on decorum in City events and meetings to do with me as a World Trade Center responder sharing my personal Ground Zero experience on a day to honor responders and remember those who have died?

2) “Why did you invite me to help organize and speak at a 911 event you don’t believe respects and honors ALL in our all inclusive city?

“That I’m  ‘just another responder’s story and some responders are not as important as others’ is heartless and immoral. Your disrespectful behavior is precisely what our City Hall leaders should not be displaying.”

“You’re implying ‘Red Cross as UN-important responders with the same old story’ is just wrong. Red Cross continues disaster response in unsafe areas across half the nation right now as the main organized charitable volunteer group without pay. All responders reach into our hearts because we want to help others. Our common bond is kindness qualified with heartfelt support to others from around the world. No matter belief, gender or faith, we insure respect for all!”

“No responder is mediocre. We all bring a willingness to serve. Red Cross and thousands of other responders sacrificed time away from family on 911. No matter our title or capacity: WE all shared different emotional experiences which got us through to the next dawn. We all breathed the same toxic air, suffered massive health repercussions and we all have the 911 cough if even blessed to still be alive. Whether they wore a helmet or not, one could not sustain work without Red Cross volunteers day and night caring for everyone as they left cindered piles covered in debris.”

“On 911, the most important thing is to commemorate each and every responder who proudly served in NYC, and keep your petty politics out of it. And especially not forget the courageous who rushed to help in an unsafe environment where people jumped from skyscrapers, because that was their best out.”

“It is attitudes like yours that fail to recognize and appreciate all responders and veterans, forgotten except one day a year, that causes many to commit suicide. 9/11 Responders and those who helped unofficially as volunteers are still dying every day as a result of their fearlessness. Forgetting us and those aging out of the 911 era cheats people and their families who may not be here next year to memorialize the experience. It turns an emotional event many are proud to have served to betrayal and disrespect. The exact things which caused 911.”

“You may try to rob or censor my freedom of speech (as you indicated in your follow-up email), but you will not steal my memories. DESPITE your dishonor and hurt to all who risked their lives, my mission to represent the many people and their families who struggled alongside me in the ashes of 911 will never wane.

“I encourage you & your Commissioners to put aside your negative politics and biases and demonstrate a new generation of kindness, respect & humility to everyone, as all responders did during 911.”

Mary Beth Delarm 

Sept 7, 2023 (City Council Planned speech)

Since 911 Mary Beth continues to represent the Red Cross in volunteer response to disasters locally and nationally with mass relief efforts feeding, sheltering, mobil ERV emergency needs, disaster assessment, pet sheltering and services to Armed Forces. She is currently on call down for hurricane Lee as it barrels up the coast if the response need arises.

Mary Beth also volunteers in many other capacities donating her time and resources to charities such as veterans organizations, pet shelters, Saratoga friends bookshop and as a health patient advocate for seniors and vulnerable. While wearing any hat serving another, Mary Beth says the most important thing is respect.

On August 13, 2023, people gathered in front of the Saratoga Springs downtown Post Office with, as reported by the Times Union, “messages of tolerance and vociferous support for people of color, the LGBTQ community as well as Muslims, Jews, and other targets of the extreme right.” The rally was prompted by a brief appearance downtown on August 5 by a group who identified themselves as the Proud Boys.

One might ask, who would condemn a peaceful and earnest crowd calling for tolerance?

Oddly, the answer is the local group that identifies itself as Saratoga Black Lives Matter. In a lengthy and densely worded manifesto posted on their facebook page the group states:

“…we feel compelled to speak out against the….counter protest organized by individuals on Sunday.”

[The entire BLM statement appears at the end of this post.]

BLM Objects to Organizer’s Call for Civility

Apparently one of the major objections BLM had to the rally organized by Linda LeTendre, a white woman, was the list of ground rules she announced for the event.

According to the Times Union

“The group Sunday was peaceful and the proceedings began with a list of ground rules read aloud by the organizer, Linda LeTendre. Attendees were not to vandalize, use profanity, make threats of or engage in any physical violence.”

Times Union August 13, 2023

In response, BLM’s Statement called these ground rules “counterproductive and unjust“. They wrote on their facebook page:

“Setting rules for participants to be ‘respectful’ and ‘friendly’ to law enforcement during a protest…is deeply problematic.”

According to BLM Ms. LeTendre’s ground rules constituted “tone policing”. By tone policing they apparently mean, requiring participants to speak civilly to each other and the community and eschewing intemperate foul language and making threats. They wrote:

“Saratoga BLM understands that there is a clear divide between the strategies and goals of Black Liberation organizations versus many white social justice groups, however the language used when organizing this counter-rally was both counterproductive and unjust. Tone policing Black activists dismisses the deeply rooted emotions and righteous anger that arise from generations of systemic racism and oppression. Suppressing the raw and unfiltered expression of these feelings undermines the authenticity of our demands and detracts from the urgency of addressing the very issues we are protesting against.

-BLM Statement, August 17,2023

BLM Objects to Leadership Role of White People in Organizing the Rally

In their statement BLM also objects to the “…centering of white voices and their desires during the counter-protest.” According to the manifesto, attempts by white people to organize against intolerance somehow suppresses those discriminated against in our society.

The BLM post asserts that “…elevating white voices to the front inadvertently creates an environment where privileged perspectives dominate, suppressing the agency and leadership of those who are most effected by the issues at hand.“

And

“It is vital to understand that centering white individuals in social justice movements does not merely reflect an innocent desire for inclusivity, it can result in profound consequences that hinder progress. Instead, the path forward involves actively listening to marginalized voices, amplifying their stories, and supporting their leadership.”

BLM Statement August 17, 2023

While at one point their statement acknowledges that “The struggle we are facing is a great one, which…requires collective action…” they seem to be saying here that actions should only take place under their leadership, that white leadership of any movement or organization for social justice can “hinder progress”. Would this then in their view eliminate a white trans person, a white disabled person, a white Muslim, etc. from leadership positions or does this only apply to white women?

BLM Blames Past Council Members and One Current City Official for Presence of Proud Boys

Without being specific BLM blames former Mayor Meg Kelly, former Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton, and current Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino for the Proud Boys “feeling…..welcome” in Saratoga Springs.

They wrote:

The actions taken by individuals such as Robin Dalton, Meg Kelly, and Jim Montagnino throughout their time in office are in direct connection to neo-nazi organizations feeling as though they are welcome to come into our communities to spread (sic) biggoted messaging.

BLM Statement August 17, 2023

BLM does not describe what specifically these three city officials have done to make the Proud Boys feel welcome nor do they explore why the Proud Boys also “felt welcome” in Waterford and Ballston Spa where they also marched on the same day. According to the press this particular group of Proud Boy belong to a Troy chapter which would seem to make Troy even more welcoming than Saratoga Springs. No sign of BLM calling out any of those city officials, though.

The Complete BLM Statement

cc Full Document

Jane Weihe, my wife and editor, and I want to thank the many readers of this blog for their interest and input.

We started this blog in the summer of 2015. The decline and indeed disappearance of local newspapers lead us to want to create a forum for information about and the discussion of issues in our city, Saratoga Springs. We also were hoping to provide a forum where people of good will could disagree without being subjected to the vitriol that was becoming so common on social media sites.

Traffic was rather slow that first year, and we worried about the relevance and interest in what we were publishing.

Over the years, though, the blog has built up an extensive readership. Our reach was extended when Saratoga Today began hosting our posts on their website as well.

Today, I can report that over the eight years since we first published started to our posts we have enjoyed over 1,000,000 views on our site which does not include all the views on the Saratoga Today site. In fact, most individual posts now generate over 1,500 views between our blog site and Saratoga Today.

Jane and I love Saratoga Springs and have the greatest respect for the men and women who work for our city. We hope to continue to explore and write about our city and engage our readers in thoughtful discussions about local issues.

Thank you all!

Screen Shot From My Blog Site

Pleases note that the views for the “latest” post (931) and the views for the “Most popular post in the past year” (1,900) do not include the views on Saratoga Today. In the case of the “latest” add 606 views from Saratoga Today for a total of 1,537.