E-mail to Big Tree Fire President Jeff Roth

BTVFC President Roth,

  

As editor and owner of www.Hamburgfirst.info , I invite you respond to the recent articles about your Fire Company purchasing new property and what you are going to use it for. I think the readers of my site are very interested in this issue. I am probably the most read political website in Hamburg and I get thousands of page reads each week. I will post your response in its entirety as long as you use professional language and stick to the issue and not personal attacks.

Big Tree VFD Ignores Town Ordinances

Over the last week or so I have gotten a few e-mails from some people letting me know that the Big tree Volunteer Fire Hall is hard at work clearing the trees and brush from their new property on the corner of Big Tree Rd. and Bristol St. in Hamburg. These people are mad for several reasons and the least of which was more green space being torn down. I believe most people in this fire district are dismayed at how a Fire Hall can simply raise your taxes 9.2%, pay three hundred thousand dollars + for new property and plan to build a four million dollar fire hall without involving the public in any way.

Time to look into Little League Finances

Spring is upon us and sure enough kids will emerge from homes with excitement and energy. They have been cooped up for months just waiting for the weather to change. Oh sure they were out in the snow and cold, whacking around hockey balls and building snow forts for snow ball fights, but they all look forward to the little league baseball, football and lacrosse seasons that are about to begin. I’m sure that Carnegie Scranton, Lake Shore and Hamburg Little leagues have already distributed their fliers in the schools and had sign up at the mall. That usually happens in February.

Ice Arena put on the fast track!

I have just received word that the Hamburg Town Council is putting the Jeff Walker proposal on the fast track. The Hamburg Recreation Department Citizens Advisory Board has been asked to attend an emergency meeting set for April 3, 2008 at 5:30pm, where we will be given the full information on the deal. I have been asking for the exact figures from Marty Deneke and Jim Connolly for several months but haven’t been given anything.

The Death of Another Democratic Idea!

Can you picture the setting? A small tavern, candles lit all around, a small casket with a little strip of paper laying inside. There is a large crowd full of Democrats all in tears, drinks in everyone’s hand and the liquor is flowing graciously. Yes, what I have just described is an Irish Wake being held for the Hamburg Bike Path proposed by the Hamburg Democratic Party.

Will the Hamburg Town Council bite at Jeff Walker’s proposal?

Talks are continuing and meetings are happening behind closed doors to privately lease/manage the Nike Base Hamburg Ice Arena. If the arena is left alone to continue to operate as it is, this facility will continue to lose between $300k and $500k every year. It’s inevitable that a single sheet of ice can’t make any money. This facility is way to small to do much with outside of ice hockey so it will always lose the town money.

Minutes of Feb 25th, 2008 Hamburg Town Council Meeting.

http://www.townofhamburgny.com/pdfs/022508AG.pdf 

02/25/2008 Town Board Meeting Hamburg, New York Page 1 of 14

Agenda

Catherine A. Rybczynski, Town Clerk

Town Board of the Town of Hamburg

February 25, 2008

7:00 p.m.

Sorry for not blogging lately!

My laptop was in the shop getting repaired and I hate typing on the desktop. I’m back in business now and I’ll try and update you on the recent politics. Starting the political finagling was Peter Reszka, who I spoke to after the town board meeting two weeks ago.

Pete informed me that he and his wife are in the process of filing lawsuits against the Hamburg Sun weekly newspaper and personally against Dan Meyers as Editor of the Sun Newspaper. I was informed by Peter that he would get copies of the paperwork to me as soon as it was filed. Pete told me who his lawyer was but unfortunately I didn’t write it down and now I can’t remember who it is.

Recreation Department Director responds to privatization of Hamburg Nike Base

Dear Supervisor Walters and members of the Hamburg Town Board:

On Thursday January 3^rd, 2008 I was invited to attend a meeting regarding Jeff Walker’s proposal to expand and privatize our ice facility. In attendance were Supervisor Walters, Councilman Best, myself, Jeff Walker, Steve Holmes (President of the Hamburg Municipal Hockey Association ) and Dave McDermott ( V.P.of the H.M.H.A.). During the meeting the Supervisor requested I prepare a report regarding my thoughts, concerns, etc. on this plan to share with the entire Town Board at the January 14^th work session. The following reflects my philosophy, opinions and recommendations on this matter. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to offer input into this matter.

2008 State of the Town of Hamburg

Presented by:          Supervisor Steven J. Walters

                              January 24, 2008

  I would like to thank the Chamber of Commerce for once again hosting this event, especially Chamber President Betty Newell and her staff.  Thank you for all the hard work you put into organizing this event.

It is hard to believe that this already is my third State of the Town Address.  A lot of things have happened between that first State of the Town Address and today:  new faces, new  ideas, new policies and new ways of doing business.  Some reforms have been accomplished; others continue to be in the works.  Last year I started this speech by saying there was reason to begin the year with optimism, optimism we would begin to see real and substantial reform with Town government.  I believe we have begun this path of reform and as a result, I can declare with confidence that the State of the Town is good.