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Organizational Meeting
Rebuttals to Dudzinski article
Term Limits
Nepotism by Deborah V. Gardner, February 15, 2010
The Town of Cicero has had a problem with nepotism for many years and the same questions remain: Should our town allow relatives to work together? Should our town even hire relatives?
We can argue that when a spouse works for his wife or a daughter works for her mother, the employee will want to do the best job possible to help make the relative look good. Also, some will argue that they have worked in organizations where relatives worked side-by-side and there were never any problems. There may have been problems, just none of which they were aware.
Now look at the other side of the argument. How does the spouse who is the supervisor handle any problems that might arise? How does the spouse/supervisor discipline the spouse/employee who is chronically late or who is rude to a customer? Will other employees think that the spouse-as-employee is getting away with unprofessional behavior or is receiving preferential treatment? How is the morale of other employees affected? Were other, equally or more qualified people not considered for the position so that the relative could be hired?
And consider summer hires, young people who work for the town during the summer. Should town employees’ children routinely be hired to fill these temporary jobs? Or should a lottery consisting of the names of eligible applicants be used?
At least in the case of summer hires, the relative/employee usually does not directly work for his/her relative. So, the lottery idea might be reasonable. In this case, we might deem it acceptable for relatives to work for the Town.
Just the appearance of impropriety can be problematic, especially when viewed through the lens of politics. Therefore, the Town Board should consider instituting a policy that disallows department heads from hiring immediate family. It is important that a discussion of this topic be conducted in an open forum.
The Cicero Democratic Committee is taking a poll on this topic. Visit www.CiceroDemocrats.org/#poll to participate.
January 4, 2010 Organizational Meeting by Joan Kesel, Star Review, January 13, 2010 and The Post-Standard/Neighbors Northeast, January 28, 2010
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The Town of Cicero Organizational meeting was held Monday January 4th and the town hall was filled to capacity. Supervisor Judy Boyke attempted to chair the meeting with professionalism and dignity entertaining motions for the board’s approval to enable the town to conduct business.
Councilor Jim Corl raised objection to the appointment of town engineer and town attorney expressing his concern that a Request for Proposal, (RFP) was not prepared and made available to firms desiring to offer professional services to the town. My question to Mr. Corl and Mr. Conway (both republicans) is this, “Do you even know when the last RFP was utilized in awarding contracts of professional services?”
In 1996, as town supervisor, I asked engineering firms to present RFP’s to the town board. The republican controlled board again re-appointed Obrien & Gere Engineers. I have asked and have been told that the RFP process was never utilized again for professional services. It is very difficult to understand how republican councilors Vern Conway and Jim Corl have the audacity to criticize the new administration for following the same process established by republican administrations for decades? I ask Mr. Corl and Mr. Conway to answer this question at the Wednesday January 13, 2010 board meeting.
I would also like to question a response made by Zoning Board Chairman Gary Natali regarding the need of a separate attorney for the ZBA. Mr. Natali stated that during his 14 year tenure on the ZBA that an attorney was needed to answer questions “only a few times”. This statement cannot possibly be accurate would make one wonder if he should be the chair of this very important board. The ZBA is a hot spot for lawsuits for the town and as a former ZBA board member and town supervisor I must stress the importance of council at all their meetings. I spoke to Gary following the meeting and he found it quite amusing that he publically made the statement. In 1999 Mr. Natali asked and was granted a separate attorney for the ZBA and it has continued since 2000. My concern regarding Mr. Natali is this: “If he can stand in a public meeting and blatantly make an inaccurate statement, how can we trust him to serve as chairman of a critical board for the town?”
Well folks, it looks like politics as usual at the Cicero Town Hall. How very very sad!
Serving as town supervisor from 1996 until 2000, I know how it feels to be praised and to be criticized. Anyone who has served or is currently serving deserves our thanks and gratitude and I want to publically thank the former administration for their attempts to do what they believed was best for the town. Your time has ended. Let’s let the new administration begin the important work of governing Cicero. The voters made their selection and the real tasks must begin.
Joan Kesel
8406 Brewerton Rd
Cicero NY
Rebuttals to former Supervisor See the original article in the Post-Standard
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“Cicero deputy chief: Dudzinski is mistaken,” by Jon Barrett, Deputy Chief, Cicero Fire Department, Post-Standard, January 14, 2010
Download Deputy Chief Barrett’s article here.
The following letter to the editor was submitted by Sheri Mitchell to Star Review and published January 13, 2010. It was subsequently published by the Post-Standard, Neighbors/Northeast, February 4, 2010
I have waited to see how the transition was going to take place after the last election in Cicero. After listening to former Supervisor Dudzinski talk about how much he loves Cicero I hoped he would help assimilate the new administration for the good of the Town. That has not been the case. He ignored repeated attempts by the new Supervisor Judy Boyke to meet to discuss a transition. Yet he let a friend, shadow him for a day to understand what the Supervisor’s job entailed. There was no public participation at Town Board Meetings after his defeat and no public or private acknowledgement of Judy’s win from Dudzinski or simple congratulations to the person whom the people chose to run the town he loves.
The major concern that we have heard repeatedly from the former Supervisor is that Judy Boyke has no experience. Judy Boyke is a successful Real Estate Agent and Businesswoman. In a Town that is undergoing a full assessment; Judy has an extensive knowledge of property values, can properly do an assessment, and understands the impact of drainage, traffic and development in Cicero because of her considerable business dealings in the community. She retired from GE where she was responsible for supervising hundreds of people, large projects, and considerable budgets. It sounds like she has experience to me.
Every election the Republicans says this was the dirtiest campaign. This year we informed the voters about the overspending on legal fees to the Wladis Law Firm, the bungled assessments, questioned the progress and cost of the Brewerton Revitalization project, and the lack of transparency in our Town government. Every piece of literature was reviewed and found to be accurate by our Legal Team. One of their complaints is that we were off on legal fees by 250k. Cicero still spent considerably more in legal fees than other Towns our size. We didn’t make traffic an issue in the Campaign because at the last DOT meeting it was explained that the County and State have a plan, it is a 20 year plan, contingent on how Cicero develops. And as for their job claims, most of the jobs that came here would have come because of tax incentives created by state legislators and not special letters personally written by the former Supervisor.
The Republicans lost because, their administration spent too much on legal fees, the Assessor fiasco, taking the highest bid for GAR Associates to assess the Town, and not being responsive to the residents in the Town. It wasn’t because of fire departments, rumors or misleading information. People in the Town were tired of the blustering and overspending.
Cicero has a competent and qualified Supervisor in Judy Boyke who will bring Cicero back to all of the people. Good luck Madam Supervisor we are looking forward to the changes that are about to come.
Sheri Mitchell
Cicero Democratic Committee Chair
Term Limits by Jessica Zambrano, Star Review, December 30, 2009
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Should the Town of Cicero move to implement term limits for its elected officials, particularly for those who make ultimate decisions about how to spend tax payer money?
The President of the United States is limited to two terms, but the Governor of New York has no term limits and neither do the state legislators. The Mayor of Syracuse has term limits, but the Onondaga County Executive does not. Why did restrictions come about for specific elected positions and not others? Are term limits really a good idea?
In this past Town of Cicero election, there was much discussion about voting for change, and I believe that is what voters did. In a larger context, there is also ongoing discussion about voting out all incumbents of the state legislature when they come up for re-election in 2010 because of failure to cut spending when we are facing huge budget deficits, not to mention other problems such as secrecy in government, abuses of power, etc. Bruno’s case is a good example.
The state Senate and Assembly terms are for two years. If all the incumbents are voted out, would this result in a lack of continuity and cause more harm to our state? Should the Senate and Assembly terms be longer, say four years, and should the elections then be staggered to ensure some continuity?
Should term limits be imposed only when there is displeasure with the activities of specific elected officials? Or, are term limits a good idea, as a matter of policy? Should a good governor or state legislator be allowed to continue, as long as he or she pleases the public?
My personal opinion is that term limits should be the rule for every elected official, and at every level of government in this country. I think that when one person is elected to the same position for terms on end, there is a tendency to ‘own’ the position and accountability to the electorate goes out the window. There is a legitimate point to the maxim about how power causing corruption.
But, what is the will of the people? Should our new town administration work on passing term limits? And, if term limits are to be contemplated for the Town of Cicero, should they be passed by town ordinance or should the question be put out as a referendum?
We should all welcome discussion and debate on this issue, and I would appreciate feedback.
Jessica Zambrano, Councilor-elect
Town of Cicero
Cicero NY 13039
