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ROTTERDAM
Town Dems squabble over access to finance records
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter



    Councilman Robert Godlewski claims he’s resorted to using the state’s Freedom of Information Law to pry documents loose from Town Hall since his requests as a board member routinely go unheeded.
    The former deputy supervisor has filed a FOIL request with the town this month, including a request for an update of the town comptroller’s fi ve-year fi nancial plan and a full accounting of the town’s fund balance.
    Godlewski, one of four Democrats on the board, said this information and his requests for other town documents should be fi lled without him having to submit a formal FOIL. But he says he’s reached a point of frustration with his inability to get answers from town officials answering to Supervisor Harry Buffardi, a fellow Democrat. He claims many of the requests he’s made for information via email and during public meetings have either been brushed off or rebuffed.
    “Is it frustrating? Yes it is,” he said. “But if that’s the way it’s going to be, then I have to do my job.”
    Buffardi scoffed at Godlewski’s assertion, claiming he and other town officials have gone out of their way to provide the disgruntled board member with the information he’s requested. He portrayed Godlewski as a contentious personality who stirs “drama” in Town Hall, even though he’s been provided with as much access to information as anyone else on the board.
    “He has as much access as I do,” Buffardi said. Buffardi said the town comptroller’s office has agreed to give Godlewski the information he’s requested without a FOIL request. He said sometimes the information Godlewski gets simply isn’t what the board member was expecting.
    “He’s just unhappy with the information he’s getting,” he said.
    Godlewski’s relationship with fellow board members has been contentious since the start of Buffardi’s administration in January. Godlewski accused Buffardi of conducting a closed-door meeting to discuss town business with the rest of the board, including its one Conservative member.
    Buffardi rejected this assertion, claiming the meeting was nothing more than political caucus. Both he and Town Attorney Katherine McGuirl described the meeting as harmless and devoid of substantive issues.
    Since that time, Godlewski has regularly butted heads with Buffardi and Deputy Supervisor Wayne Calder. He’s accused them of locking him out of pertinent discussions and giving him little information on large issues facing the board, such as the payment-in-lieu-oftaxes agreement with the General Electric Co. in June.
    Godlewski said the information he’s requested from Buffardi is to help him make an informed decision when it comes to voting on the board. He said the lack of disclosure he’s faced over the year stems from the contentious relationship he had with county Democrats after he and former Supervisor Frank Del Gallo refused to engage them in closed-door caucus meetings in 2010.
    “From day one, they’ve been cutting me out of the process,” he said. “The county is notorious for doing that to people who don’t agree with them.”
    Buffardi disputed Godlewski’s claim of being ostracized. He said Godlewski’s contentious personality is the only thing placing him at odds with the rest of the board and accused him of purposely trying to disrupt the workings of government.
    “Bob Godlewski doesn’t do anything — he tries to undo things,” he said. “All he’s doing is trying to agitate the system.”

http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01702&AppName=1

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including its one Conservative member

Thought the board was all Dem, who's the one conservative?

Quoted from 1975

Thought the board was all Dem, who's the one conservative?

don't matter......they are both in bed together.....on in the same.

Gotta say that payback IS a bit@h.......fdg and rg did the same thing when they were 'in power'.

however............don't hear too many good things about buffartttti and crew....oh well................that's ROTTENdam!!!

Quoted from bumblethru

don't matter......they are both in bed together.....on in the same.

Yeah, I know that, just wondered which one was attaching conservative to their name.

Speaking of finances, were they able to get the new Little League fields seeded before the cold weather?

I think Viscusi is a registered Con

Quoted from CICERO

I think Viscusi is a registered Con

Thanks.

I do realize that in Schenectady county Conservative is a code word for Dem, and that Republican stands for soon to be Dem.

FOIL?

Why should ANY ELECTED town official have to FOIL to get such records.

For that matter, why should ANY PROPERTY TAXPAYER (as recorded in official property ownership records) have to FOIL to get fincial records.   It IS the PROPERTY TAXPAYERS' money, we DO have a BIRTHRIGHT ENTITLEMENT to such records WITHOUT filing a FOIL!

a rotterdam conservative is code name for 'consecration into the gumbas'

Quoted from 1975

Thought the board was all Dem, who's the one conservative?

Nobody a bunch of DEM tax and borrowers. Really hilarious to hear them squabble. Word on the street is that Harry has had enough. All he needs is some hair gel for the County "opening".
Remember never speak at a County meeting.

is that noise over here too?.....what is it?....the what?......the shredder? again?

The TC is in charge of the records.......funny how FOIL"S get lost........and never to be seen again....

and when requested and PAID FOR  info is blacked out.........and it becomes a CLOCKWORK ORANGE...........

the wrong person is in charge of these records.....in fact, all records.....and all are discussed privately and held as BULLETS......for all uncooperative people....in other wor...those who are honest


vote for someone...anyone but the TC of today.

there's that noise again.......

what noise....don;t like the truth.....sure it's loud and clear...