NOTES FROM THE 7/30/07 AMHERST AFTERNOON TOWN BOARD MEETING
The major discussion at the Monday afternoon meeting concerned the full reassessment of the 44,000 parcels in Amherst. Out of the forty-four thousand buildings, ten thousand are commercial, the rest are private homes.
The Assessor sent out letters to sixty-seven assessment companies asking if they would like to bid on doing the full reassessment in Amherst. The town received a single response. That company submitted a bid of $590,000 to do the assessment. The other companies felt there wasn’t enough time to do this job as the state wanted it done.
This responding company is made up mainly of part time workers who would do the work in the evenings after dark, on weekends and Sundays. They will drive by your home to assess it, mostly during night time. “Drive by” assessments means what it sounds like. The part timer workers will drive by your home and determine its assessed evaluation. Most assessments will be done in this manner, which will make it easier to fight to change your home’s assessment.
At the next Town Board meeting, August 6th, the Town Board will question the company representatives. The public will also be allowed to ask questions. This company has several issues which are unacceptable to the Town Board. Before the Board approves them the issues must be ironed out.
Council Member Shelly Schratz questioned the cause for the tough situation Amherst has found itself in. She realizes the problem was created by the Town Supervisor’s interference in the Assessment Department. Dr. Mohan originally said he had a different way to do the assessment. He didn’t know his “different way” was unacceptable since the State has mandates which must be followed.
Mohan’s stalling caused the Town Assessor to wait on his word to begin the correct method to do the assessments. The Supervisor’s interference is the reason the assessment problem occurred. Shelly’s vain effort to pass the blame off on others instead of placing it squarely on the shoulders of the Supervisor was nauseating to watch.
Afterward I asked Council member Schatz if she understood who caused this mess. Her reply was,”Yes, the Supervisor, but now we have to try to solve it.” Shelly was angry it’s going to cost more money then it should. She said, “The people of Amherst don’t need more wasted tax money, thrown away because of the lack of knowledge on the Supervisor’s part.”
Supervisor Mohan told the Town Board and the public months ago he was going to get a company to do our assessment for 5 dollars per parcel. This would only have cost the Town about $220,000. Mohan wouldn’t reveal the name of the company to anyone, though many asked. When it came time to put up or shut up, he shut up.
The only company who’s offering to do the assessment now wants $590,000. This is roughly 3 times as much as the company Dr. Mohan failed to find.
What will happen if the Town Board doesn’t approve this company? Your guess is as good as mine.
ENERGY BILL AIDS EXPANSION OF ATOMIC POWER
How do builders of new nuclear plants become eligible for tens of billions of dollars in government loan guarantees? Simple. Get your local offical to bury a SINGLE SENTENCE requesting that buried in the middle of a huge energy bill and convince others not to question it. It works!
A one-sentence provision buried in the Senate’s recently passed energy bill, inserted without debate at the urging of the nuclear power industry, could make builders of new nuclear plants eligible for tens of billions of dollars in government loan guarantees.
Lobbyists have told lawmakers and administration officials in recent weeks that the nuclear industry needs as much as $50 billion in loan guarantees over the next two years to finance a major expansion.
The biggest champion of the loan guarantees is Senator Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy Committee and one of the nuclear industry’s strongest supporters in Congress.
[read whole story]
DIABETES DRUG BACKED, BUT WITH WARNINGS
People suffering with diabetes and taking the prescription medication Avandia will find it still available from their pharmacy.
A federal drug advisory committee voted overwhelmingly on Monday to recommend that the diabetes drug Avandia remain on the market, even after finding that it raised the risks of heart attacks.
The votes — 20 to 3 on the heart attack risk and 22 to 1 on the marketing — were cast after an extraordinary meeting in which officials from the Food and Drug Administration, which brought the committee together, openly disagreed with one another on the course to take.
[read whole story]
AT LIZ CLAIBORNE, A BOLD FASHION STATEMENT
If someone you know, probably a pubescent teen, live in clothing by Juicy Couture, Kate Spade and Lucky Brand Jeans they should know they won’t be finding them in Macy’s anymore. Liz Claiborne and Macy’s are on the outs.
Liz Claiborne’s decision to develop a new product line for J. C. Penney had infuriated Macy’s chief executive, Terry J. Lundgren, company officials said. Executives expected small cuts in Macy’s orders for fall — punishment, in their eyes, for cheating on their biggest client — but what arrived “shocked us,” said the new chief executive of Liz Claiborne, William L. McComb.
Macy’s slashed orders for the Liz Claiborne brand by millions of dollars. “You have lost your most-favored-nation status” at Macy’s, Mr. Lundgren told executives at the clothing company, according to people who witnessed the conversations.
The impact was disastrous. Liz Claiborne’s first-quarter earnings plunged 65 percent and Wall Street pummeled the stock, knocking it down more than 17 percent, to $37 from $45.
[read whole story]
SUPERTENDENT ANDERSON’S REPORT ON TREE REMOVAL
A report was given by Highway Supertendent Bob Anderson on the tree situation in Amherst. He is finding many residents e-mailing him to fell more trees which had been damaged by the October storm.
Thus far he has received an additional 106 requests for trees to be felled. The Town Board will put more money in his budget to handle up to 200 new requests to fell more trees than had been planned for.
GUY MARLETTE’S PICNIC ON THE ISLAND
MARLETTE ~ The New Leadership We Need
• GUY’S PICNIC ON THE ISLAND •
Island Park - Large Pavilion
(Behind Amherst Town Hall) 5583 Main St.,
Williamsville, NY
Friday, August 10, 2007
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Hamburgers, Hot Dogs
Beer, Pop, Split Club
Cost: By donation
The New Leadership We Need
Please respond by chosing one of the following:
Print and forward ~
Yes, I look forward to joining Guy on Friday, August 10. Number attending picnic ____ Enclosed is my donation of $ ______ .
No, I am unable to attend the event. Enclosed is my donation of $ _____ to support Guy’s effort to improve our future in Amherst.
Please RSVP by Aug. 7 via mail or by phone (716) 838-6288
Committee to Elect Guy Marlette, 21 Brantwood Drive, Snyder, NY 14226
www.guymarlette.com
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Guy Marlette
Political Contributions Are Not Tax Deductible
ADVANCES CITED IN RESEARCH ON MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Multiple Sclerosis is a debilitating disease that affects thousands of Americans. It causes a myriad of symptoms ranging from muscle weakness to paralysis. Researchers trying to identify the relevant genes have endured repeated frustration.
“In three articles published online yesterday in The New England Journal of Medicine, three teams of researchers say they have identified, by separate routes, new genetic variants that contribute to the disease.”
[read whole story]
WITHOUT U.S. RULES, BIOTECH FOOD LACKS INVESTORS
How much and just what genetically engineered food are you willing to eat? Does it bother you that your food supply is being “designed” for you?
“This little piggy’s manure causes less pollution. This little piggy produces extra milk for her babies. And this little piggy makes fatty acids normally found in fish, so that eating its bacon might actually be good for you.The three pigs, all now living in experimental farmyards, are among the genetically engineered animals whose meat might one day turn up on American dinner plates. Bioengineers have also developed salmon that grow to market weight in about half the typical time, disease-resistant cows and catfish needing fewer antibiotics, and goats whose milk might help ward off infections in children who drink it.”
O”nly now, though, do federal officials seem to be getting serious about drafting rules that would determine whether and how such meat, milk and filets can safely enter the nation’s food supply.”
“Some scientists and biotechnology executives say that by having the Food and Drug Administration spell out the rules of the game, big investors would finally be willing to put up money to create a market in so-called transgenic livestock.”
[read whole story]
MONDAY ON WALL ST.: JITTERS RATHER THAN MERGERS
On Wall Street today is usually known as “Meger Monday”. Not today. Things are very different today because last week closed out as the worst week in the past 5 years!
“For several years, the size and volume of deals announced at the start of the week set the tone and pace for the global financial markets for the next five days, more often than not sparking rallies that sent shares to new highs. But given the rout in the markets last week, “Merger Monday,” as the day is known, may be on hold — indefinitely.”
[read whole story]
3 YOUNG MEN FROM AMHERST ARE HONORED FOR A MAJOR ACHIEVMENT
In the world of Scouting the highest rank a boy can achieve is that of Eagle Scout.
It is rare, but Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Williamsville had 3 of their parishioners recently reach the rank of Eagle Scout. All three of the young men were in Scout Troop 85. They are; Robert Freeman, William Freeman, and Philip Glamuzina. Congratulations.
