Interactive press release draft for meeting

[Guest Guest]

Why do you post about yourself in the third person?

 

 

To create the illusion that he is a very important figure with many, many supporters, when actually he is exactly no one

[Guest Local Resident]

To create the illusion that he is a very important figure with many, many supporters, when actually he is exactly no one

 

Actually Ed is very intelligent and knowledgable about many things. He is by intelligence beyond Mayor Ryan's capabilities.

 

Trust me on this.

 

[tom]

To create the illusion that he is a very important figure with many, many supporters, when actually he is exactly no one

 

Actually, he has many supporters, a fact you and your friends at city hall are worried about!!

[Guest Guest]

Actually Ed is very intelligent and knowledgable about many things. He is by intelligence beyond Mayor Ryan's capabilities.

 

Trust me on this.

 

 

Sure you are ed - sure you are. we believe you - we really do

 

that is why you screwed up your candidates race and ryan won = not naima.

[Guest Guest]

Actually, he has many supporters, a fact you and your friends at city hall are worried about!!

 

I have very few friends at City Hall, if any, and Ed has very few supporters, if any, apart from the imaginary ones he created here. Don't be fooled.

[Guest Guest]

For Immediate Release

Date: April 15, 2008

 

Subject: City Wide Meeting Time Thursday, April 17 at 6:00 pm

 

Citizens have had enough: open meeting called

 

BINGHAMTON – Everyday citizens of the City of Binghamton have had enough with the problems coming from City Hall. They are fed up and have called an open, grassroots, public meeting for all to attend Thursday, April 17 at 6:00 pm at the Eastside American Legion at 1645 Robinson Street, Binghamton. Residents, business owners, people of all political leanings and from all walks of life are urged to attend. Take back your city from the current, unrepresentative administration in City Hall.

 

Among the topics for discussion are the huge water rate increases residents are being forced to swallow, the sham Neighborhood Assemblies and the arbitrary, unfair and retaliatory use of Code Enforcement apparently targeted against certain individuals. Anything else residents and business owners deem necessary to discussed should be communicated to BCVOICE.com and the item(s) will be added to the meeting agenda.

 

Unlike the charade of Citizen Action’s Neighborhood Assemblies, this public meeting will not have any hidden agenda, not collect any data from participants and not offer any propaganda.

 

In attendance for the meeting will be the owner of BCVOICE, former and future mayoral candidates, former City councilmen and numerous local business owners. Those people interested in announcing their attendance can sign their name onto this media release below. It will be sent out on the morning of Tuesday, April 15, along with a tentative agenda.

 

Thank you. We hope to see you there.

 

For more information contact BCVOICE by posting in the “pinned” item on the board.

 

 

Attendees for Thursday’s Meeting:

Garo Kachadourian

Stephen Jensen

Pat Russo

Ed not allowed

 

 

 

 

AGENDA

 

Public Meeting, Thursday, April 17 at 6:00 pm at the Eastside American Legion at 1645 Robinson Street, Binghamton

 

1. Introduction – Garo Kachadourian.

 

2. Summary of Topics for discussion.

 

3. Items for discussion:

 

a. Water Rate Increase:

i. Why such a large increase?

ii. How much is the increase expected to raise?

iii. How much does it need to raise?

iv. Is it because of a $300,00 deficit?

v. It is because of the loss of FEMA grant?

vi. When and why did late payment become an issue if there were previously known?

vii. If Transue resigned on Friday, March 28 and the vote was on Monday, March 31, who voted? Was it legal?

viii. Why no tiered rate structure to encourage business and industry?

 

b. Code Enforcement:

i. Double standards.

ii. Seemingly targeted & biased enforcement.

iii. Flawed junk car law.

 

c. Southside Commons Project stalled:

i. What happened to the $125,000?

ii. Why the delays?

iii. When is action expected?

 

d. Neighborhood Assemblies:

i. Delphi technique.

ii. Data collection.

iii. No accountability.

iv. No regard given to concerns (e.g. Mental Health clinic objection ignored)

 

e. Miscellaneous:

i. Dessauer’s role.

ii. Police dissolution/contract delays/raises for appointees.

iii. Needless new positions created.

iv. Wifi waste of $70,000.

 

 

 

[Ed Arzouian]

Well written!

[Guest Guest]

this should be an interesting meeting, certainly lots to discuss

[Guest Guest]

AGENDA

 

Public Meeting, Thursday, April 17 at 6:00 pm at the Eastside American Legion at 1645 Robinson Street, Binghamton

 

1. Introduction – Garo Kachadourian.

 

2. Summary of Topics for discussion.

 

3. Items for discussion:

 

a. Water Rate Increase:

i. Why such a large increase?

ii. How much is the increase expected to raise?

iii. How much does it need to raise?

iv. Is it because of a $300,00 deficit?

v. It is because of the loss of FEMA grant?

vi. When and why did late payment become an issue if there were previously known?

vii. If Transue resigned on Friday, March 28 and the vote was on Monday, March 31, who voted? Was it legal?

viii. Why no tiered rate structure to encourage business and industry?

 

b. Code Enforcement:

i. Double standards.

ii. Seemingly targeted & biased enforcement.

iii. Flawed junk car law.

 

c. Southside Commons Project stalled:

i. What happened to the $125,000?

ii. Why the delays?

iii. When is action expected?

 

d. Neighborhood Assemblies:

i. Delphi technique.

ii. Data collection.

iii. No accountability.

iv. No regard given to concerns (e.g. Mental Health clinic objection ignored)

 

e. Miscellaneous:

i. Dessauer’s role.

ii. Police dissolution/contract delays/raises for appointees.

iii. Needless new positions created.

iv. Wifi waste of $70,000.

 

 

Add the $417,700 of taxpayer being spent on the O'Neil Building thanks to Jim Dessauer and Matthew T. Ryan to the agenda.

[Guest SPJ]

Quick question: Who, exactly, wrote the agenda?

 

Thanks.

-SPJ

[Guest Guest]

Quick question: Who, exactly, wrote the agenda?

 

Thanks.

-SPJ

 

Garo, Dan, Ed.

If you would like changes or additons you were invited to provide them Monday.

 

[Guest SPJ]

No, no changes. I read the "invite."

 

Just wanted to know who wrote it. That's all.

-SPJ

[Guest SPJ]

... but ... I couldn't help but laugh a little bit ...

 

I assume the Ed named there is not allowed? I mean, he worked on writing the press release, then chimed in with a post saying "Well written!"

 

Just ... made me laugh a little bit, there.

 

Sorry.

-SPJ

[Guest Guest]

... but ... I couldn't help but laugh a little bit ...

 

I assume the Ed named there is not allowed? I mean, he worked on writing the press release, then chimed in with a post saying "Well written!"

 

Just ... made me laugh a little bit, there.

 

Sorry.

-SPJ

 

That was not ed that chimed in with "well written" it was one of ed's other personalities that he often talks with on here.

[Guest SPJ]

Ah ... well ... more comedy. lol

 

It's just that ... it had his name attached, and a photo of a person I assume is Ed not allowed, complimenting ... himself.

 

I ... guess that's ... normal?

 

Who the hell am I to judge, right?

-SPJ

 

[Guest Guest]

I thought that would have been obvious to everyone.

 

I was a joke...

 

 

@

[Guest Guest]

some people here are a little slow, give them time

 

 

@

[Guest City Taxpayer]

I see nothing on the agenda relative to Tarik & Dara's blatant sweet heart "giveaway" contract with the Fire Department. This should be addressed within the context of the subsequent $300,000 water deficit and the administration's conservative frugality in dealing with other non-administrative employees and their playing hardball with the Police. What are we not seeing? Even as recent as Tuesday, Ryan and Zikuski go public to speak to the cost saving elimination of a Police Lieutenant position. Why was this same strategy not applied to the Fire Department? Instead, this is the absurdity that this administration agreed to for another 4 years:

 

40 Officers:

5 Chiefs

1 Fire Marshall

1 Training Officer

9 Captains

24 Lieutenants

for:

92 Firefighters

 

Overtime: A 2 day work week with 8 hours of guaranteed built-in overtime.....$528,908 overtime expended in '06, approximately $377,133 spent up to August of last year('07)..with another 4 months of the year remaining add another $188,566 and once again you were well over a half of a million dollars in overtime. For what? How come the Police work 3 shifts?

 

Holiday pay ($474,000),

Out of title pay ($18,444)

AL Leave time ($146,000)

Ambulance duty pay ($35,040)

Paramedic adjustment ($117,300)

NO annual physical fitness requirement

NO cut in personnel

 

We have a City of about 40,000 people. It's no longer 1964 and if more of the fire personnel lived in the City they might have a better understanding or a little compassion for those of us dwindling few who own our homes or businesses here and have once again been condemned to pay for their excessive salaries and benefits.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Unfortunately the firefighter deal is locked in for four years.

 

Nothing can be done about it.

 

This is not just a gripe session, we hope to deal with things we change or prevent, like the water rates, the proposed roundabout or the Riverwalk extension or get things started in Southside Commons Project.

 

Next election we can remind people about the firefighters' deal and how Ryan delegated it to Abdelazim and Silberstein to botch.

 

 

@

[Guest Guest]

Your comments have been duly noted and field in the appropriate place.

 

I think my attendance will bring more people out.

 

Anyway, the point is moot becuase I was asked to attend, said I would and I will.

 

 

20 cars, about 30 people...your involvement must have brought out at least 5 or 6 more. City wide, huge, a modern day Thomas Paine you are for sure.

[Guest ...]

That isn't exactly the reaction you'd hope for from a completely transparent government.

 

Didn't the mayor run on a platform of reaching all the people? The folks at this meeting are asking the questions I have too but just don't have time to do anything about.

 

I applaud their efforts and look forward to what comes next.

[Guest Guest]

20 cars, about 30 people...your involvement must have brought out at least 5 or 6 more. City wide, huge, a modern day Thomas Paine you are for sure.

 

It had more people than at any Neighborhood Assembly except those on the East Side.

 

Maybe if the Press & Sun-Bulletin (Expect a little, get even less, being their new slogan...) had bothered to publish even two lines about the meeting a few more would have attended.

 

Anyway we applaud WBNG and NewsChannel 34 for thier civic mindness in giving people a voice.

 

The next meeting will be at City Chamber and it will be much bigger.

 

[Guest Guest]

It had more people than at any Neighborhood Assembly except those on the East Side.

 

Maybe if the Press & Sun-Bulletin (Expect a little, get even less, being their new slogan...) had bothered to publish even two lines about the meeting a few more would have attended.

 

Anyway we applaud WBNG and NewsChannel 34 for thier civic mindness in giving people a voice.

 

The next meeting will be at City Chamber and it will be much bigger.

 

 

But wait...here's the direct quote from the self proclaimed modern day Thomas Paine -

 

"I think my attendance will bring more people out."

 

The mere presence of Ed Arzoonyian wasn't enough? How could that be? His massive internet following was scared away somehow? It must be Calvin Stoval or Mary Pat Hyland's fault.

[Guest Guest-Stephen P. Jensen-*]

I think last night's meeting was a good start. There were more questions than answers, of course, but the tenor was professional and cordial. There were no personal assaults on anyone, while the conversation was inquisitive and delving.

 

Most of the talk centered on the city's inflated water rates, but other issues arose, such as code enforcement, contract legality, etc.

 

WBNG and WIVT attended, and there were about 30 people in attendance.

 

What I found most interesting is that the meeting brought together people from a handful of political affiliations, all across the spectrum of mindsets. There were people attending from all sides of town, and it was encouraging to see the open format allowing for all voices to be involved, regardless of political party, race, age or economic status.

 

While Mayor Matt Ryan ran on a platform of transparent government and bringing people together, it's been my view that many of his movements and policies have led to more and more questions, while his administration has divided this community beyond anything I've seen in local government over the past decade and more.

 

Meanwhile, the irony of last night's meeting is that those in attendance ... appeared to agree on one thing: They've hit a wall on their tolerance for this mayor and his administration.

 

The goal that came from this meeting is to get answers to many of the questions raised, but another target is to hold an event at City Hall, to televise it, and to allow Mayor Ryan to field questions from concerned citizens and taxpayers, while everyone else watches and listens.

 

No more prepared statements. Enough with the spokesmen and spokeswomen. Let's ask the mayor what's happening at City Hall, and let's allow him to tell us. In his words.

 

Any transparent government leader would surely welcome such an opportunity ... no?

-SPJ

[Guest Guest]

About 30 people...the fear of God is in Ryan now.

 

 

@