Saturday, March 10, 2012
Of Interest
In today's Register-Star, both Common Council President Don Moore and Mayor William Hallenbeck respond to Wednesday's editorial criticizing the postponements and delays in the senior center project. Moore's letter to the editor has the title "Defending Roberts"; Hallenbeck's letter, which makes an effort to explain what went wrong, is called "Senior commitment."
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More than one person was incompetent in this.
ReplyDeleteTo his credit Moore takes the blame for others, though it's true he deserves it too. During the environmental review for the waterfront plan he was famously the man who stayed up all night drinking coffee and studying SEQRA.
Also, at what point should the city's highly-remunerated SEQRA expert have noticed the mistake? Or from a totally cynical point of view, just how long was long enough for her not to notice in service of whatever it is the lot of them are cooking up now (with our money)?
Hudson constituents have short memories. Despite any wrong-doer's mea culpas - or perhaps bought with them - the buck stops nowhere.
How does the architectural rep of the HPC get hired by City to design an extension on a
ReplyDeleteHistoric Building,that needs restoration, in A Historically Designated Area in the first place.And 2)How is it that she was oblivious of her own HPC CODE
Section 169-5 of the City Code begins:
A certificate of appropriateness is required to carry out any exterior alteration, additions, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction, or moving of a landmark or property within an historic district, or to make any material change in the appearance of such a property or its windows, or install or move a satellite dish.
Next: Mr.Moore time line is off.
ReplyDeleteCity seeks funds for Boys and Girls Club Renovation
By Bob MitchellPublished:
Friday, January 21, 2005
HUDSON -- The Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency board on Thursday
unanimously chose the Boys and Girls Club as applicant for the next round of Community
Development Block Grant funds.
The competitively sought $400,000 grant, if the city is successful at obtaining it, would be used to renovate the club.
The application deadline is in April, and the city will know by September if the application was successful.Last week, HCDPA conducted a public hearing to solicit ideas for the grant
application. There were several, but a suggestion to combine a senior center with the Boys and Girls Club appeared to be the most attractive.
Peter Markou, executive director of HCDPA, said Thursday that presenting the project as
beneficial to seniors as well as to youth might enhance the application's chances of success.The panel said the intergenerational concept for the club presented at the hearing last week might work.
"We need input from seniors," said Mayor Richard Scalera, HCDPA board member.
The money will not go far, said Scalera. Initial work includes restoration of windows, doors, heat and electric, he said.
This grant is called a single-purpose grant.
Municipalities also have the option of applying for a comprehensive grant for up to $600,000. Those grants are used to fund more than one project.
Scalera asked Markou if HCDPA could apply for a $600,000 comprehensive grant if a senior
center was to be part of the Boys and Girls Club.
"Now it is one site with two programs," Scalera said.
Markou said he would look into it.
The city plans to have its Youth Department operate the financially strapped club.
Opening of Boys and Girls Club pushed back one week
Suspicions raised over city takeover of Boys and Girls Club
ReplyDeleteBy Bob Mitchell
Published:
Thursday, January 20, 2005
HUDSON -- Controversy surrounding the city's plan to take over the Hudson Boys and Girls Club continues to simmer.
Hudson is in the process of getting state approval to take the club's building at 18 S. Third St.The city would then fund and operate the financially ailing club under the auspices of the city Youth Department.
There are some in the city who contend that the club has been allowed to fail so the city can gain a valuable piece of real estate.
City Democratic Chairwoman Linda Mussmann asked the Common Council at its meeting Tuesday why the city had not given the club the $40,000 it had budgeted for 2004.
"Why are you the only one who doesn't know?" asked Alderman Robert Donahue, D-5th Ward. "It is ridiculous to say anyone tried to bankrupt the club," Donahue said.
That the club was deliberately bankrupted has popular currency among some residents of the city.
Alderman Colum Riley, D-1st Ward, said the city had asked how the $40,000 would be spent, given the financial situation at the club. The club was "being run into the ground in my opinion," said Riley.
(This is my favorite part!)
"We tried to hold them accountable for the $40,000 and they backed up," said Majority Leader Quintin Cross, D-2nd Ward.
Riley told Tuesday's audience that more than 50 percent of the club's some $140,000 a year budget went to administration and overhead.
"The national average is 13 to 27 percent," he said. "You can't function properly at 50 percent."
"The city didn't bankrupt the club," Cross said. "It has been mismanaged over the years, and they did nothing to secure our kids' future," he said. "We have no choice now."
Minority Leader William Hughes, R-4th Ward, a former member of the Boys and Girls Club board, said the club had asked the city for assistance last year but then received about $40,000 in anonymous donations.
The board chose to spend that money before taking city money, said Hughes.
Hughes defended the club against Cross' assertion that it was a "do-nothing board."
He went on to say that membership was up, there were computer classes, and he mentioned other accomplishments.
"Some board members lacked fund-raising initiative," Hughes said. But there has been a lot of "sweat equity" at the club, he said.