the town clerk I'm sure could mail them out.....why have voting stations at all.......just mail the correct number of ballots out and see what ya'll get back
but, as far as I'm concerned there should be NO VOTE NOW!!!!! FIND THE MONEY FIRST......SHOW ME THE MONEY TRAIL

SHOW ME THE MONEY TRAIL   SHOW ME THE MONEY TRAIL   SHOW ME THE MONEY TRAIL   SHOW ME THE MONEY TRAIL

Please keep our Amblulance.  What little they ask for is well worth it.
Do not let Mohawk in.

The issue of the creation of the tax district can be decided after the results of the investigation are made known.

Quoted from 960

Please keep our Amblulance.  What little they ask for is well worth it.
Do not let Mohawk in.

If you think that, then you can continue to fund them the same way it's been paid for the past several years, out of the regular budget that both this and the prior administration gave them money out of.  I say let the taxing district vote be the final say.  If the vote goes yes, then the taxing district should be put in place.  If the vote is no, then they should not get the money from the taxing district.  At that point, they should also be told there will be no money for them out of the general fund either, as the residents of town have spoken that they declined to pay taxes to fund REMS.

They may ask for little now, then it will be a little more, then when and how do you stop?

Quoted from 960

Please keep our Amblulance.  What little they ask for is well worth it.
Do not let Mohawk in.

Rotterdamians are not voting FOR rems or mohawk!!!!!!!

They would be voting for or against an increase in taxes and if it is realistically needed or no

This vote should be canceled until a full investigation is completed!

On the postponement of the tax vote....

I have discussed the complaints to the Attorney General's Office with a few of our Board Members over the last couple of days and they are
considering my arguments for a postponement of the tax vote. As of this time, their stated positions are as follows:

DiLeva supports a thorough investigation into the ALS billing and collection matter before proceeding with the vote.

Martin concedes to the validity of points made and said he would discuss it with other Board Members.

Parisi says comments are "duly noted".

Godlewski...who cares.

Del Gallo supports an investigation...he just has trouble keeping track of the correct order of events...investigation first...maybe tax vote
                       after...at first he had it backward.

Some now unsurprisingly know that I am one of the individuals who filed a complaint and I have made it clear that I will waste no time amending that
complaint to include the name(s) of any Board Member(s) who fail to support the postponing of this vote until we know all of the facts in this matter.

I see no reason to delay the referendum vote.    I see no reason in delaying having BOTH Mohawk and REMS
sign the ALS contracts -- as both have claimed they intend to stay around regardless of the outcome of the
referendum .. and we can't afford to keep losing reimbursement for ALS service.   Finally, I see no reason to
delay having a third party (State AG or County DA) fully investigate what happened to the ALS fees that were
billed and collected but not turned over to the town.

IF as the opponents of the Tax District claim .. no one wants the tax district than the referendum will fail and a contract for ambulance service can be put out to bid.


Personally,  I believe that a majority of the property owners will vote for the tax district.  

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I see no reason to delay the referendum vote.    I see no reason in delaying having BOTH Mohawk and REMS
sign the ALS contracts -- as both have claimed they intend to stay around regardless of the outcome of the
referendum .. and we can't afford to keep losing reimbursement for ALS service.   Finally, I see no reason to
delay having a third party (State AG or County DA) fully investigate what happened to the ALS fees that were
billed and collected but not turned over to the town.

IF as the opponents of the Tax District claim .. no one wants the tax district than the referendum will fail and a contract for ambulance service can be put out to bid.


Personally,  I believe that a majority of the property owners will vote for the tax district.  

There is every reason to delay the vote...not the least of which is to disclose to the voting public all of the facts about the operation
they will be asked to fund.

If both claim permanent roots regardless of outcome, there is no need for a vote.

We were losing reimbursement because REMS took it with no legitimate authority to do so...and we are not currently collecting
reimbursement because of the controversy over this unnecessary vote.

REMS is a not-for-profit policed by the AG...and the only hope for perceived credibility and legitimacy in a warranted investigation is
for that probe to be conducted by an outside source not connected to the local political insiders. The residents have a right to know
where the Town's money went when those funds were improperly and perhaps illegally retained for a tax funded service that REMS
did not provide...that's why the collections belong to the Town...TAXPAYERS, not REMS, owns the paramedic service for which REMS
is billing.  

Personally,  I don't agree with the decision to hold off signing the contract(s) until the vote is held.  
The ALS contract could have and should have .. been negotiated, signed, and ratified within the first 100 days of 2010.  
And an ALS contract should have been signed with BOTH REMS and Mohawk since we know that both
respond to calls in the town.  

Yes - we need to have an investigation of the ALS fund collected but not turned over ... but such an
investigation could take months   -- and we need a final resolution on the tax district before the end of the
year.

The only "benefit" to delaying the vote -- would be for those who intend to use it as a political issue in
the 2011 town elections.    Considering that Parisi and Salamone are considering running -- it doesn't
surprise me -- they have taken all different sides on this issue in the past 15 months .. all designed to
win votes.    
Parisi and Salamone would support throwing Santa Claus in jail for  peddling without a permit -- if they
thought it would win them a few votes.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I see no reason to delay the referendum vote.    I see no reason in delaying having BOTH Mohawk and REMS
sign the ALS contracts -- as both have claimed they intend to stay around regardless of the outcome of the
referendum .  

Why do we need to rush the vote if REMS plans on staying regardless of the outcome?  Actually, this silly vote should be cancelled.  REMS hasn't been collecting ALS fees for 11 months and is still operating.  So obviously they can operate without a taxing district.  That pretty much sums it up.

My sense is that the referendum will pass ...   I have met many people in the past week who are planning
to vote yes  ... and none who are planning to vote no.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

  
Yes - we need to have an investigation of the ALS fund collected but not turned over ... but such an
investigation could take months   -- and we need a final resolution on the tax district before the end of the
year.

The only "benefit" to delaying the vote -- would be for those who intend to use it as a political issue in
the 2011 town elections.    Considering that Parisi and Salamone are considering running -- it doesn't
surprise me -- they have taken all different sides on this issue in the past 15 months .. all designed to
win votes.    
Parisi and Salamone would support throwing Santa Claus in jail for  peddling without a permit -- if they
thought it would win them a few votes.

There is no urgent need for a resolution on a tax district we have never needed...REMS will just have to find a way to financially
survive on their own until an investigation can be completed.

There is no political value in a delayed vote for Parisi or Salamone...both have consistently supported the vote...Salamone supports
the tax itself, while Parisi has never stated his position on the tax and probably never will...all of which has long been known and has
remained unchanged.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

My sense is that the referendum will pass ...   I have met many people in the past week who are planning
to vote yes  ... and none who are planning to vote no.

That's because REMS supporters do not divulge the tax-free option and all of its advantages...which has always been one of the
key features of the pro-tax campaign...present REMS as the only option and lead people to believe that if they do not submit to
this unnecessary tax they will have no ambulance service and people will die.

Never mind their history...or the latest chapter in that history where we find out they are ripping off taxpayers...by your logic, this has
no place in the voter's decision.

Quoted Text

ROTTERDAM
Del Gallo seeks audit of REMS
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    Supervisor Frank Del Gallo wants to commission an independent audit of Rotterdam Emergency Medical Services Inc. less than a week before Dec. 14, when town residents are to vote on a tax district to support the ambulance company.
    In a letter dated Wednesday, Town Attorney Joseph Liccardi asks that REMS be prepared to submit financial statements to the auditor, provided the Town Board advances Del Gallo’s resolution during its meeting on Dec. 8. The letter cites recent reports of the company’s prior practice of billing its customers for the use of advance life support services provided by the Rotterdam paramedics as the driving reason for the audit proposal.
    “I am writing to you concerning the recently reported billing issues regarding Rotterdam Emergency Medical Services ALS billing practices from 2002 to the present date,” Liccardi states in the letter. “As the town of Rotterdam currently subsidizes REMS at a level of $10,000 a month, it is imperative that taxpayers receive a complete and accurate fi nancial picture of REMS’ operations.”
    Del Gallo declined to comment on the letter. He said the Dec. 14 vote on a proposed tax district for REMS will go forward as planned and will not be postponed again.
    “Not at all,” he said Thursday “We’re going to have the vote.”
    Joe VanDerwerker, the president of the REMS board of directors, said he hasn’t received the letter, but indicated town offi cials are free to review the ambulance company’s finances whenever they choose. He said the company is in even better fi nancial standing, compared with the last audit in 2008.
    “Our books are constantly open,” he said. “There’s nothing secret.”
    VanDerwerker took issue with Liccardi’s letter because it implies REMS was collecting fees for the paramedics since 2002. The company didn’t exist until June 2004, following the merger of the White Eagle and Rotterdam Volunteer Ambulance companies.
    VanDerwerker became aware of the billing when he became board president in 2008. Under the previous administration of Supervisor Steve Tommasone, he said the company was authorized to keep paramedic reimbursements for their operating expenses while they tried to iron out a contract with the town.
    The town did not subsidize REMS prior to 2009, and the ambulance company was on the brink of insolvency. The practice of billing for the paramedics ended shortly after the new administration took offi ce.
    “All the loose ends have been tied up and closed and they still want to have an audit,” VanDerwerker said. ...........................>>>>...........................>>>>.......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01604&AppName=1