Saratoga Springs Politics

Michele Madigan braved the cold of Seneca Falls to join the women’s march there.  Here are some pictures she sent me.

 

 

[JK: I received an email from the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation and Sustainable Saratoga with information about a presentation regarding standards for building heights in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Modern urban planning acknowledges that the proportions between building height and the width of related streets and sidewalks are key to creating an environment that attracts people on foot.  The canyon effect of having large buildings sandwiching narrow streets creates a sunless dead zone.

This  presentation comes at a time when the city’s land use boards are reviewing two  proposals for six story buildings  in the city’s  core. It should be an interesting event.]

 

A Closer Look at Building Heights

Retaining Saratoga Springs’ Character & Charm Tuesday January 30, 2018 7:00PM ​Empire State College | 2 Union Avenue | Room 126 Come attend a presentation about building heights in downtown Saratoga Springs. Planner George Jacquemart of BFJ Planning will offer perspectives on how people react to building heights. Following the presentation, there will be a panel discussion with local developer Sonny Bonacio of Bonacio Construction Inc.; local architect Matt Hurff of Frost Hurff Architects; Doug Kerr, Chair of SSPF Advocacy Committee; and Kate Maynard, Principal Planner for the City of Saratoga Springs. Free and open to the public.​

 

 

 

 

Joanne Yepsen has been hired by the firm “Mercury Public Affairs” as a “Senior Vice President.”  The firm, which has offices globally, has an office in Albany.  Their website offers the following description:

“Mercury is a high-stakes public strategy firm. We provide results for the world’s most successful companies, leading advocacy groups, governments, political parties, NGOs, and prominent public and political figures.”

In the January 17^th edition of the Saratogian Ms. Yepsen describes her anticipated role as follows:

“Mercury’s national platform will allow me to work on the issues that have mattered to me my entire career, while delivering winning results for clients,” said Yepsen. “I look forward to working with the team on a wide range of bipartisan issues.”

In talking to friends familiar with Mercury, they describe the company as a high pressure operation in which positions such as the one Ms. Yepsen has taken, are expected to generate a great deal of income for the firm.

Michael McKeon who is a partner in the firm was the communications director for Republican Governor George Pataki.  An article from Politico from 2010 described him organizing a group called Republicans For Cuomo.

Mercury’s website boasts how they helped engineer the elections of Chris Christi in New Jersey, George Pataki in New York, and Arnold Schwarzeneger in California, emphasizing the fact that they were Republicans running in predominantly Democratic states.

This is not a warm and fuzzy organization.

Mercury cites their success in defeating “sophisticated activist investors on behalf of medical tech company board of directors.”

They boast that they “Developed successful strategy for global automaker to keep union out of US.”

Most recently they have been drawn into the Robert Mueller web regarding work they did on behalf of Paul Manaforte who has pleaded guilty to lying to Federal investigators.   According to the article there are potential legal issues for Mercury because “The firms involved with the Ukraine project did not initially register as foreign agents at the time…”

Contacted by the Washington Post, Mr. McKeon would neither confirm nor deny that Mercury had received subpoenas from Mr. Mueller.  There is a delicious irony that Mercury’s website describes this same Michael McKeon as having “provided crisis communications counsel to some of the world’s top companies and individuals thrust into the media spotlight.”

The Post story also notes that “Mercury, which has prominent Republicans among its senior partners, had worked on the Ukraine lobbying project [Manaforte’s deep pocketed client] with the Podesta group, led by Anthony Podesta, brother of John Podesta, who led Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.”  The globe has become a very small place and these strategic firms are bi-partisan in the sense that they are happy to work with whomever is paying them.

 

 

For some reason there was a significant delay in SUCCESS’ campaign financial report being posted on the New York State Board of Elections website.  It is up now, and I reproduce it below.

Joe Dalton is the former President of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, a member of SUCCESS, and a prodigious fundraiser. His efforts are reflected in the SUCCESS report in the contributions from many in the old Chamber of Commerce’s network.

Members of It’s Time Saratoga, the pro charter change PAC, had claimed that they had been the underdog in the recent election and that SUCCESS had outspent them two to one. As you can see by the financial reports, this is simply untrue.

In the meantime, It’s Time Saratoga’s financials have not changed since their last filing.  One wonders about the status of the $11,000.00 unspent balance that was left in their account.

Contributions

ALLERDICE BUILDING SUPPLY INC 41 WALWORTH ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00
COMMITTEE TO ELECT DON BRAIM 29 WALTER DR. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	500.00
MAZZONE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP INC. 1 GLEN AVE. SCOTIA, NY 12302	1,000.00
PELICAN ASSOCIATES LLC 232 SOUTHBROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	500.00
SARATOGA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY 125 HIGH ROCK AVE.SUITE212 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	950.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	256.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
UNITEMIZED ,	99.00
WILLIAM J BURKE AND SON 626 NORTH BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	200.00
BAKERPO, JOHN PO BOX 1290 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	125.00
BARKER, JOANNE 286 SOUTH MAIN AVE ALBANY, NY 12208	100.00
BOOCHI, AMERIGO 4 ALFRED CT SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	50.00
CLARK, JACKLYN B 18 JUMEL PLACE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	250.00
DAKE, W P 90 BYRAN ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	3,000.00
DALTON, JOSEPH W 14 LOUGHBURY RD SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00
DALTON, JOSEPH 73 BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	500.00
DELSETTE, ELIO 15 ROCK ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	50.00
FOY, REMIGIA 95 OAK ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	650.00
GRANDE, JAMES J 34 STORAGE LANE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
HAY, JOHN C 329 CLINTON ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
HEALY, WILLIAM J 5 VICTORIA LANE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
HENDRICKSON, JOHN 40 GEYSER RD SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	2,000.00
HOFFMAN, MICHAEL 38 HIGH ROCK AVE UNIT6K SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00
INGMIRE, LANCE 44 TROMBLEY RD STILLWATER, NY 12170	250.00
JOYCE, CAROL A 122 CIRCULAR ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	25.00
KLEIN, PHILP W 29 WALTER DRIVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
KLOTZ, KENNETH 232 MAPLE AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	25.00
KLOTZ, KENNETH 232 MAPLE AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	25.00
KOSS, DAVID 160 KAYDEROSS RD SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
KUCZYNSKI, HANK 153 SPRING ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	30-MAY-17
KUCZYNSKI, HANK 153 SPRING ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	25-JAN-17
LAVIGNE, JAMES 87 RAILROAD PLACE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00	27-AUG-17
MARTIN, KATHY 24 UNDERWOOD DR SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	13-OCT-17
MARTIN, RANDY 24 UNDERWOOD DR. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	11-MAR-17
MCNEARY, FREDRICK J 264 DANIELS RD SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	13-SEP-17
MCNEARY, FREDRICK J 6 VICTORIA LANE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	200.00	14-OCT-17
NEALON, BRIAN 14 STRATFORD DRIVE CLIFTON PARK, NY 12065-1736	200.00	04-OCT-17
NEWKIRK, THOMAS J 553 CRESCENT AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00	12-SEP-17
PALMETTO, NICHOLAS 5 BEACON HILL DR SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	19-SEP-17
PARILLO, FRANK J 4 THERESA TERACE MALTA, NY 12020	1,000.00	17-AUG-17
POKOIK, LEE 15 RAILROAD PLACE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	300.00	24-SEP-17
PORTER, M T 236 CAROLINE ST. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00	14-OCT-17
ROOHAN, J T 511 BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00	09-AUG-17
ROOHAN, J T 511 BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00
SCARBOROUGH, MIRIAM G 26 MADISON AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	99.00
SELLERS, BONITA 73 5TH AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	500.00
SELLERS, RICHARD 73 5TH AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	1,000.00
SINNAMON, YVONNE 56CONDON RD STILLWATER, NY 12170	200.00
SMITH, NOEL J 529 BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	500.00
SUTTON, SHAUNA M 141 NELSON AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	150.00
SUTTON, SHAUNA 141 NELSON AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
SUTTON, SHAUNA 141 NELSON AVE SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
TAIT, ROSEMART BOX 136 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
VANWAGNER, CLIFF 18 ROLLINGBROOK DR SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
VEITCH, MICHAEL 201 CIRCULAR ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
WAIT, CHARLES V 658 NORTH BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	3,000.00
WEIHE, MARTHA JANE 44 WHITE ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
WINCHELL, JO ANN D 47 CLIFFSIDE DR SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
ZINTER, MARIA J 4313 ROUTE 50 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	100.00
Total Contributions:	28,486.00

Oracle found [ 76 ] records matching

Expenditures

Payee/Recipient	Amt
ADVANTAGE PRESS 74 WARREN ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	4,934.00
ADVANTAGE PRESS 74 WARREN ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	668.75
CAPITAL REGION WEEKLY NEWSPAPER P.O. BOX 1450 CLIFTON PARK, NY 12065	516.76
GEYSER MILTON PUBLISHING 157 CAROLINE ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	750.00
JOE DALTON 14 LOUGHBURY RD SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	691.98
RICHARD SELLERS 73 FIFTH AVE. SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	9,215.98
SARATOGA CITY CENTER 522 BROADWAY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	500.00
SARATOGA PUBLISHING 5 CASE ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	3,629.35
SARATOGA PUBLISHING 5 CASE ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	411.84
THE SARATOGIAN 7 WELLS ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	3,564.00
THE SARATOGIAN P.O. BOX4551 SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	2,264.00
THE SARATOGIAN 7 WELLS ST SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866	650.00
Total Expenses	27,796.66

 

 

The Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to approve Shelters of Saratoga’s plans to build a permanent Code Blue shelter at 14 Walworth Street.

The Planning Board must sill approve the ZBA decision. The neighbors who opposed the shelter must decide within 30 days whether or not to appeal.

Here is a link to the Saratogian article on this topic:

Saratogian Article

[Your blogger is currently in London binging on theater productions.  As proof I offer this picture of myself hanging out with Brian Cranston who is appearing at the National Theater in a production of Paddy Chayefsky’s Network]

Trouble in Watertown

The promoters of Charter Change in Saratoga Springs have prominently featured Watertown as a good example of the city manager model.  They have hosted the city manager of Watertown here in Saratoga Springs a number of times.  Apparently Watertown is now considering dropping the city manager form and replacing it with a strong mayor form.  The mayor has agreed to establish a charter commission to pursue this change.  Two newly elected council members ran and won on a platform of changing the form.

Here is a link to the story: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news03/henry-wilkinson-start-the-charter-commission-process-20180104

Filing of Papers Regarding Saratoga Springs Charter Vote Results Delayed

Both sides have requested a two week delay to resubmit paperwork. If granted by the judge the paperwork would now be due on January 22.

 

For people interested in paying their city property taxes early, the following is a link to the city website where information and directions are available.  The Finance Department has done an excellent job.

Link To Instructions

 

[Commissioner Michele Madigan has announced that her office will be accepting early payments of 2018 property taxes to assist the public in minimizing their tax liability next year given the recent changes in the federal tax law that caps the amount of state and local taxes homeowners can deduct.]

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MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

For Immediate Release: December 22, 2017 From the Office of Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan

City of Saratoga Springs Contact: Michele.Madigan@Saratoga-Springs.org or 518-526-9377  Saratoga Springs Finance Department to Offer Prepayment of 2018 Property Taxes in 2017

Saratoga Springs, NY – Over the past week, the City of Saratoga Springs Finance Department has received multiple inquires by City taxpayers regarding their ability to prepay their 2018 property tax bill in 2017. These inquires have been driven by the tax bill recently passed in Congress and signed into law by President Trump, which includes a provision that would cap the amount homeowners could deduct on their tax returns in 2018.

Based off of guidance initially received from the New York Conference of Mayors, the County, and the City’s historic timeline, the City Finance Department initially thought the City would be unable to accept early payment. That belief changed after multiple conversations internally and with the County Real Property Tax Service Agency. The City now believes it will be possible for taxpayers to prepay their 2018 property taxes in 2017, though the schedule will be very tight. The County has provided the City with final County tax rate details, and the City Tax & Revenue Supervisor is working to combine that data with all relevant City tax rate information. The City will then send the combined tax information back to the County, so that they can generate a complete tax roll. Once the tax roll is received by the City, and based off the timeline we have determined most likely, the Finance Department’s hope is to post an electronic version of the complete tax roll on the City’s website on Wednesday December 27th or Thursday, December 28th, and to allow payment on Friday, December 29th. To ensure all payments are deposited in a timely manner, property tax bills will be payable in person on December 29th from 9:00am to 4:00pm at City Hall. Given that some residents may be away for the holidays, the Finance Department’s intention is to also allow on-line payment starting from December 29th until December 31st, 2017, but the feasibility of that will depend on when the City is provided the County tax data file. For additional information, City taxpayers interested in prepaying their 2018 property tax in 2017 should visit the City’s website, which now includes the option to sign-up for tax payment information notifications as more details become available.

“As soon as I realized it might be possible to allow prepayment of taxes in 2017 for 2018 I began working on behalf of our taxpayers to make this a reality.  There continues to be a great deal of coordination with Saratoga County and the City’s Finance Department and I am extremely grateful for their assistance in this important matter” stated Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan.  The City of Saratoga Springs takes no position on the potential benefit(s) or risk(s) of prepaying 2018 property taxes in 2017. Please consult your financial consultant for advice and recommendations. Should you have any questions or comments, please contact the Finance Department at (518) 587-3550 x2565.

Michele Madigan

Commissioner of Finance

City of Saratoga Springs

474 Broadway

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

518-587-3550 ext. 2557

Cell: 518-526-9377

 

 

In the December 20 edition of the Saratogian Joseph Phelan reported on the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting held the previous night.  At that meeting the neighbors of a proposed Code Blue shelter and their attorney challenged the ZBA’s determination that the shelter fit into the existing zoning in their neighborhood because the proposed facility could be considered a “rooming house.” The facility would be an extension of Shelters of Saratoga at 14 Walworth Street and serve up to fifty homeless persons when the temperature dropped below freezing.

The ZBA had  previously refused to hear the neighbors’ arguments stating that their appeal had not been filed soon enough. The neighbors won a court challenge to this determination, however, and the ZBA now had to address the neighbors’ arguments.

According to the Saratogian, the neighbors’ attorney, Claudia Braymer, argued that the proposed facility does not adhere to the definition of a rooming house:

“Braymer referenced the city’s code, which requires a neighborhood rooming house to be a single-family or a two-family residential structure owned or occupied or under the supervision of a resident manger under which one to four rooms are made available to lodgers for compensation for a rental period of no less than 28 consecutive days. A common kitchen facility may be available to lodgers but shall have no kitchen facilities in the guest rooms.”

“Braymer said that in essence there were three main requirements which the proposed shelter does not meet: it must be offered in a single-family or two-family residential structure, must be made available to lodgers for compensation and the rental period must be a minimum of 28-consecutive days.”

Attorney Libby Coreno, representing Shelters of Saratoga, argued that the proposed shelter met the requirements in the definition because it is a residential building, has two units, can be accessed through a hall and from outside, and has a kitchen available to the residents.

As regards the requirement that the residents provide compensation, she offered that Steve Shaw, the city building inspector, had found that the grants supporting the facility could be considered compensation.

Coreno argued that the facility would meet the minimum 28 day stay requirement because the facility was available on days where the temperature dropped below 32 degrees from the late fall through the winter.  In addition she asserted that Shaw had determined “lodgers maintain their residency throughout based on the fact that they are allowed to keep personal items on site and may receive mail or other messages during the residency period.”

I sympathize with Shelters of Saratoga and had hoped they could build their shelter.  I am not a lawyer and am only familiar with the arguments through the Saratogian story.  Still, my experience with the ZBA has been that they are quite capable of stretching ordinances and facts in order to approve projects they like.  The same is true for Mr. Shaw.  I have seen them repeatedly approve variances that to myself and the neighbors affected appeared outrageous.  They can do this kind of thing commonly because in most cases the affected neighbors lack the money required to take the ZBA to court.  This time, the neighbors had the resources to challenge the ZBA.

It is anticipated that the ZBA will decide the issue at their January 8^th meeting.

 

The hearing on the article 78 brought by Gordon Boyd on behalf of the supporters of charter change which was to occur tomorrow (December 20) has been postponed.  In an article that will appear in tomorrow’s (December 20) Gazette Newspaper, Ann Friedman reported on an email she had received from Mr. Boyd.  Boyd wrote: “The court has asked both sides to submit memoranda of law by January 8, after which the court will ‘consider when scheduling  oral argument.’”

Boyd wrote, “it will be two months after the charter was voted on to have the next milestone with the court.”  According to the Gazette Boyd complained “…the cancellation of the hearing is further hindering the transition of city government officials.”

I am not sure what Mr. Boyd is referring to.  If passed in November, the proposed charter called for the mayor to appoint a transition team to work on a plan for the conversion of the city government from the “commission” form to the “city manager” form.   As there will be a new mayor in January it is not clear what all this means.

It is also unclear when the court will actually hear the arguments.  The two month delay Mr. Boyd referenced may be optimistic.  Only after the court has reviewed the memoranda of both sides will a hearing be scheduled.  The court had previously rejected Mr. Boyd’s requests for access to the records of the election so I assume his attorney will base his arguments on whatever information they have been able to glean elsewhere.

As the new form of government would not begin until January of 2020 there is still considerable time to address the issues of transition should Mr. Boyd prevail in his action and the recount allow his group to prevail.