Council member Dan Ward has 2 Resolutions on the agenda that should be of great interest to many of you. The first concerns the Mennonite Meeting House.
RE: MENNONITE MEETING HOUSE SALE – ILLEGAL
TOWN BOARD ACTION Resolution
WHEREAS pursuant to SEQRA, 6 NYCRR 617.4, the proposed sale of the former Mennonite Meeting House was a Type I action requiring a full EAF and coordinated review prior to making a decision, and
WHEREAS such sale is still pending, now then be it
RESOLVED, the Amherst Town Board as lead agency for such unlisted Type I action, which would affect a national, state and local historical landmark, hereby makes a positive declaration pursuant to SEQRA, and requires a full EAF and coordinated review attendant any alienation these premises, to include an investigative report from all Town of Amherst departments, the Town’s Museum and Historical Preservation Commission, the Erie County Historical Preservation Society, the Village of Williamsville Preservation Society, and the New York State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO), prior to such any proposed sale being completed.
The second resolution concerns a request for an investigation into a possible forgery:
RE: FORGERY INVESTIGATION Resolution
WHEREAS there has been an allegation of forgery (attached) with regard to a complaint against an employee, now then be it
RESOLVED, the Amherst Town Board hereby directs and authorizes the Town Attorney to turn the complaint, the letter or documentation over to the Erie County District Attorney for investigation and prosecution.
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So often resolutions seem to ‘disappear’ into . . . nothing. Let’s see if this new year and new Board will actually accomplish things.
AMHERSTTIMES EDITORIAL: CONGRESSMAN TOM REYNOLDS MUST READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL
Congressman Tom Reynolds is a flashing red light; a STOP sign for America. He is supposed to be a Congressional leader but all he’s done is lead American Congress into the serious economic mess we find ourselves in.
The economic mess which the Republicans have caused, means that hard working Americans have lost their jobs, homes and their children’s dreams of a solid education to get the jobs they will need in the future.
The last 8 years of Republican rule has been a roller coaster ride in only one direction - down. If the old Republican Guard stays in control of Congress the American people of the once strong American Middle Class will become as extinct as good jobs are for the children in our area.
Good jobs, which Congressman Tom Reynolds helped ‘lead’ across the oceans, to certain countries which make wonderful toys for our kids, using deadly lead paint just to save a buck, will stand out as a huge part of his historical legacy. Another sad legacy piece he has given us is the fact that along with American jobs going to countries across the seas, our unemployment rate has soared, and American families have suffered.
Quite a legacy, Mr. Reynolds.
Amhersttimes Editor: J. Tricoli
$450 Million in Additional Federal Home Heating Assistance Funding Released
Higgins Announces Release of $450 Million in Additional Federal Home Heating Assistance Funding
Over $82 million in New Funds for Residents in New York
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) announced that the federal government has released $450 million in additional funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP provides home heating aid for senior citizens and struggling families.
“Local residents living on fixed incomes don’t have the luxury of stretching their budget to cover the heating costs necessary to keep their homes warm and safe during Western New York’s winter,” said Congressman Higgins. “With weeks of cold weather remaining, the $82 million going to New York will go a long way toward meeting the increased demand for assistance.”
According to US Energy Information Administration’s Short Term Outlook report, in comparison to last winter, the cost to heat a home with home heating oil increased by $375 to $1,841, propane by $273 to $1,622 and natural gas by $87 to $900. A typical tank of heating oil holds 275 gallons. The cost for one fill is approaching $900 and often lasts less than half a winter heating season. Prior to this announcement, states were reporting that they expected to run out of funds by January 31st.
Higgins Applauds Passage of Legislation to Expand Small Business Opportunities for Veterans
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) and his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4253, Military Reservist and Veterans Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act, legislation to expand small business opportunities for veterans and help military reservists keep their businesses afloat during and after deployment.
“Our brave men and women in uniform, who put their lives on the line for our security, should not have to do so at the expense of their own economic security,” said Higgins, a member of the House Small Business Committee.
An estimated 40 percent of reservists lose income when called up to active duty, and the rate rises to 55 percent for reservists who are self-employed. Additionally, small business loans to veterans have dropped since 2001, despite the fact that 4 million veterans currently own small businesses. H.R. 4253 will strengthen federal efforts to expand opportunities for veteran-owned businesses, provide new small business loans and expand outreach to veteran-owned small businesses, and strengthen relief to small businesses employing National Guard or Reserve troops.
Specifically, the legislation:
· Increases to $4.4 million the authorization the Small Business Administration’s Office of Veteran Business Development, which works to maximize the availability and usability of small business programs for veterans, service-disabled veterans, reserve members, and their dependents or Survivors for the next two years.
· Facilitates the coordination of all federal agencies to focus attention on increasing the success rate of and opportunities for veteran-owned businesses by creating an Interagency Taskforce on Veteran Small Business.
· Creates a new loan initiative providing veterans with 7(a) small business loans at 50 percent of the fees of other small businesses.
· Requires a Government Accountability Office report on the needs of service-disabled veterans and how to improve relations between employers and reservist employees.
The House passed an earlier version of this bill by a vote of 407-2 on December 6. This measure makes minor changes to the version of the bill passed by the Senate on December 19. The Senate is expected to take up this version and send it to the President.
Are there going to be six more years of “ineffective and unfair?”
Oh this is classic Supervisor verbiage. It is consistent with what I wrote in the “What did he say? What did he say?” piece. We have to thank Sandra Tan of the Buffalo News for sharing her interview material with the public. Here is part of it:
Q: You originally said you would only serve for one term. Do you still feel that way?
A: I still very strongly feel that way.
Q: So in two years you won’t run again?
A: I’ll see. If I’ve been really ineffective, and I see I’ve been unfair to the people, I might run once more. But as you can see, this is not a job for me. I’m not looking for a job here. I still have a job at the university. I can still retire and enjoy my life.
All the time, my children are saying, “Dad, what are you doing? Quit. Because, Dad, you’re so old.” And I say, “Guys, you do not know the passion in me. I came from a country with zero money, and in four years I did my PhD., and within 10 years we built a house, two cars; I sent you guys to colleges. I couldn’t do it in India. So this is a great society. We must keep it as good as we can.”
[read whole story]
Short on Fund-Raising, Red Cross Will Cut Jobs
When Americans face a disaster more often than not the first assistance offered is from the American Red Cross. They plan to continue to do that but they are facing the reality that they need to change the face of who they are and how they operate.
“Facing a $200 million operating deficit, the American Red Cross is preparing to cut as much as one-third of its headquarters staff, up to 1,000 employees, and pare regional management.”
“The 126-year-old organization had not tapped its $800 million endowment to cover the deficit but relied instead on loans that it uses as part of its normal cash-management process. Its budget in 2007 was $3.45 billion, which includes its blood operations as well as its disaster services.”
[read whole story]
Blue-Collar Jobs Disappear, Taking Families’ Way of Life Along
It used to be kind of a joke. If someone was still living with their parents after they were in their 30’s or 40’s you snickered and wondered what was wrong. Sadly that has become a way of life for many in America as we face a major recession.
“Middle-aged men moving in with parents, wives taking two jobs, veteran workers taking overnight shifts at half their former pay, families moving West — these are signs of the turmoil and stresses emerging in the little towns and backwoods mobile homes of southeast Ohio, where dozens of factories and several coal mines have closed over the last decade, and small businesses are giving way to big-box retailers and fast-food outlets.”
[read whole story]
F.D.A. Says Food From Cloned Animals Is Safe
Our food supply is one of Americas most important products. We need to keep it safe for every ones consumption. The FDA is supposed to be watching over it for us but they have given the green light to food from cloned animals. Despite the F.D.A. endorsement, the Agriculture Department has asked farmers to continue withholding clones from the food supply. Go. Agriculture Department!
“The Agriculture Department, asked farmers to continue withholding clones themselves from the food supply, saying the department wanted time to allay concerns among retailers and overseas trading partners.”
[read whole story]
Subject: Town meetings/Public expression
Dear Supervisor Mohan and Amherst Town Councilmembers,
Any action to reduce residents’ opportunity to attend or speak at Public Hearings would be a huge mistake and easily construed as an attempt to close, or at the very least limit access to, Town of Amherst government to the taxpayers. Town government is THE level of government which has the most impact on citizens’ day-to-day lives and it ought to be easily accessible to them, and their opinions should be welcomed, sought, and seriously weighed and considered.
Moving Public Hearings to an afternoon session would exclude the vast majority of people who have to work during the day. Furthermore, afternoon Public Hearings would not be televised, which would only serve to further close the working of town government to Amherst residents who currently closely follow town government, who are not able to attend and would then be only able to get snippets of information from a news article. This would be a huge step backward for our town. Public Hearings should not be taken out of regular Town Board meetings. Public Hearings are needed to develop a “public record” on important issues, and this can only be accomplished if the “public” has adequate access to the process. Speed of accomplishing something is not nearly as important as getting it right, as many of the issues decided have long-reaching impacts on the town and its’ residents/taxpayers. Also, as proposed, allowing developers/petitioners unlimited or more time to address issues than the residents would have is unfair to those whose properties and lives may be impacted by a decision. Lastly, referring to residents who may speak at a Public Hearing as “the opposition” has a negative connotation. These residents are Town of Amherst taxpayers. Any “Rules of Order” you adopt need to be fair and regarded as fair by the residents you serve. From what I have been reading and observing, the majority of you seem to agree, and I certainly hope you won’t be swayed.
Respectfully
What did he say? He said what? No, he must have meant something else!
Of course no one has say it publicly, but I agree with DV Oakley – many times it can be hard or nearly impossible, to understand the Amherst Town Supervisor when he speaks.
It almost impossible not to bring my own life experiences to defend or clarify what a person is trying to say when they are badly misunderstood.
My parents came to America from the ‘old county’ and were not able to speak the language of their new homeland. They were from farmland areas and school wasn’t a choice. You worked the farm with your family for survival. My father was a laborer and my mom stayed at home and took care of the family. My parents never fully learned to speak English correctly. They tried their best but many times they didn’t understand what others were saying to them and others didn’t understand what they were saying.
My eight brothers and sisters and I understood our parents but we grew up pronouncing certain words incorrectly. That made it difficult for others to understand us and which sometimes caused problems for my parents as well as for us.
There are many people in Amherst whose parents also came from another country and their English was difficult to completely understand. At times misunderstandings were inevitable. This was frustrating to the person speaking and to those trying to understand what was being said. It’s a truth we have come to live with in our individual families.
On a larger scale when our Supervisor speaks many people cannort follow what he is saying. This problem has resulted in errors and confusion which is the main reason many of our Town Board meanings end up being confusing, disruptive, and at times comical.
Now there are several people on the Board who Mohan trusts therefore he should submit his ideas to them before the Town Board meetings begin so they may be read to the public so everyone is on the same page as the Supervisor. This may help our Town Board meetings run smoother and end at decent time of night.
At the last meeting Supervisor Mohan stated the pandering done by some of the Board members, mainly Shelly Schratz and he, must be limited. He sees this unnecessary pandering as a major reason things take so long to happen in Amherst.
It’s only part of the problem.
