HR Email: Barry 11-20-12 (#2)

From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
To: briankimbiz@gmail.com, amyblueberry@gmail.com, donpaltz@aol.com,r.lev@outlook.com, yalescribe@att.net
Sent: 11/20/2012 6:20:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Fw: fact-checking brian kimbiz' statement


This email is full of inaccuracies and the dialogue mentioned by Jason was part of our discussion of total headcount within Village departments in an effort to update an earlier draft of the report. Kevin

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: jasonwest.mail <jasonwest.mail@gmail.com>
To: Brian Kimbiz <briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com>; Sally Rhoads <sallymrhoads@gmail.com>; Stewart Glenn <stewartglennnewpaltztrustee@gmail.com>; Ariana Basco <basco54@gmail.com>; Joe Eriole <erioleesq@gmail.com>; Susan Zimet <supervisorzimet@townofnewpaltz.org>; Kevin Barry <kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com>; Jeff Logan <jtlogan6@aol.com>; Kitty Brown <PlanB@hvc.rr.com>; Jean Gallucci <jpgallucci@gmail.com>; Bleu Terwiliger <bleuterwilliger@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Heather Nielson <HeatherNielson@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Nancy Branco <NancyBranco@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Roseann James <RoseannJames@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Carol Koop <CarolKoop@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Katy Bunker <VillageClerk@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Deputy Clerk <DeputyClerk@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Curt LaValla <CurtLaValla@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Kathy Moniz <KathyMoniz@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Holly Esposito <hollyesposito@villageofnewpaltz.org>; Don Kerr <Donpaltz@aol.com>
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2012 5:43 PM
Subject: fact-checking brian kimbiz' statement


Colleagues --

After waiting patiently (with no success) just more than a week for the HR Consolidation Committee to respond to some basic questions about the facts and methodology of their report, I sent an email to all of you that included this:

"While I have yet to watch the video on the NPPA-23 website to double-check, from what I understand it was at the Sep. 19th meeting where Councilman Barry proposed eliminating eight from the Town Buildings and Grounds Department and Trustee Kimbiz said that the Village could eliminate our Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, Bookkeeper and Director of Planning".

At our meeting Wednesday night, Brian went on loudly, insulting and at great length about how I am a liar, how I slandered him by writing that sentence to you all, that he outright never said what I "accused" him of, and that the whole conversation and point of the list of positions to be eliminated, etc., etc. I tried to explain that "while I have yet to watch the video on the NPPA-23 website to double-check, from what I understand..." is called a 'caveat', and the purpose of a caveat is to make the truth of one's statement conditional on the truth of something else. I believe you understand Brian's point of view from the letter he sent to Katy to distribute to all of you.

So I looked up what he said exactly. And wrote it down for you.

Below you will find a verbatim transcription from the HR Consolidaton Committee meeting of September 25th. At hour:minute:second mark 1:12:35, you can watch the following exchange between Brian Kimbiz and Kevin Barry. As far as I can see, what I wrote out isn't taken out of context or edited to make it sound like people are saying things they are not. This is part people told me they saw, and they were right. The DVD's are on file in the Clerk's Office. I should also note that Brian several times made the point that if someone has any questions about anything in the report, the DVDs and Minutes have been available. This is only now true: no records of the HR meetings have ever been filed with the Village (unlike every other committee but facilities, which hasn't met). When Katy heard there WERE minutes, she took time out of her day to go find a complete set for our records, and has had to go out of her way to acquire copies of the DVDs/ Not really that big a deal, just another concern. In any case, we now have what we need. However, that doesn't mean that the public or staff should have to plow through dozens of pages and hours of video to find answers and reliable facts that should have been in the Report that got everyone nervous in the first place. At least when the results of mistakes could be peoples' livelihoods.

I thought about following Brian's yearlong example and surprising him at a VB meeting with a poorly thought-through attempt at public humiliation. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to do him any good, and makes the VB meetings toxic. However, I will, of course, be expecting a sincere, public apology live on camera at our next meetings. After all, what I told Brian I would do if he were right and I were wrong. I assume he will return the courtesy. though i do have to admit, I WAS wrong. Mr. Kimbiz did not, in fact, recommend eliminating four positions. He proposed eliminating five, with no mention of using attrition, and (because he mentions that they came from a list he wrote before the meeting), he cannot be simply brainstorming or tossing around ideas. This was a current tally.

The five positions are: Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, Bookkeeper, Parking Enforcement Officer full time, Parking Enforcement Officer part time.

Mistakes should not be treated like crimes, but when this committee -- and Brian in particular -- were forewarned about the possible impacts of their work on morale, working environment and ability to get the work done, we need a higher standard. Especially when one of those responsible moves this discussion BACK on camera, and wrongly makes it personal.

In the wake of the aftermath this report created, Supervisor Zimet has been having the exact same conversation with staff as I have been, including a formal meeting with the entire Highway, Buildings and Grounds Dept. And I've heard second hand that the HR Committee is going to be withdrawing their report. When I know more specific details, I'll send them on.

This is verbatim from the DVD. All emphasis is in the original.
KEVIN BARRY "Now, Brian [Kimbiz], you were making a point [which they seem to have sidetracked from just before this part] and that was; you could see which positions [in the Village] being cut?"
BRIAN KIMBIZ "Oh, uh [looks for the right paper]...three of the Treasurer's Department."
KEVIN BARRY "A triple bye? OK, let's look at that. I mean, I have your list here, which is that whole, see that whole Treasurer's Department there?"
BRIAN KIMBIZ "Right, well this is shy one employee already, because [gets cut off]..."
AMY COHEN [cutting in]"'cause you hired somebody..."
BRIAN KIMBIZ "No, because that person...OK, see if we , if we're counting parking enforcement, which was it's own Department and is now under the Treasurer's" [Parking Violations was folded into Treasurer between 2004-2007]
KEVIN BARRY "I had that down as four full-time people."
BRIAN KIMBIZ "It shows four full-time, but one of those is part-time now."
KEVIN BARRY "So three full, one part?"
BRIAN KIMBIZ "Three full, one part. And then the two parking enforcement officers."
KEVIN BARRY "I didn't even touch on that. An then the Town has five and our recommendation is three."
BRIAN KIMBIZ "So cutting the Department in half."


A lot of people are getting this email because a lot of people saw you on TV, and read your letter. I want everyone who might possibly care to know that I am done with this little spat now. And that come Hell or high water, no one's losing their job unless there is absolutely rock-solid proof that we simply don't have any reason to pay someone to do certain things. Not if I have anything to do about it, and since it turns out I have quite a bit to about it, I'll be letting the staff know whatever I do. Please listen to the meeting yourself if you think this is out of context.

In any case, despite Brian's claims, clearly the rumor I had heard was completely true. Mr. Kimbiz DID, in fact, say on TV that he recommended cutting the Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, and Bookeeper positions. While he is correct that he did not say he recommended eliminating the Director of Planning, he did also recommend cutting everyone involved with parking enforcement. Which I hadn't heard. The problem with all this Brian, is not that you made these recommendations (for all we know it's exactly the right move), but in making them without giving good reason; for not feeling it important enough to provide that reasoning when asked; in not understanding that while it often can take people time to reply, in this case, delaying that information harms other people who have limited ways to protect themselves from us when our actions affect their livelihood. And thinking it appropriate to wait until you had a camera and an audience to do what you did at the Board meeting. Argue with me all you want outside, call me to scream at me if you want (I.ll pick up.). But don't ever try to put on your little private show trial like that again. Those meetings are the hub around which this entire multimillion dollar organization rotates. The Board of Trustees meets only 3 times a year. We only have around nine hours a MONTH to make sure we're carrying our share of the burden. When that limited time is taken up with this kind of petty, personal grudges, it eats up time and emotional energy that we all need for other things.

Send me all the angry emails or letters you want. Stand outside my apartment every morning just so you can bitch me out first thing every day. I don't care.

But leave it at the door when you come into Village Hall.

Jason