2012-10-15 finance committee

24:33
The discussion about the Law item line A1420.4 starts back at 7min. The estimated cost for 2011 merged government is at this time at $75,000 and Dave argues that it should be higher, considering that the 2011 Town Actual was $115,484. Ross comments that there will be only one planning board and one zoning board so the need for lawyers will be less, and Sally picks up that reasoning and reiterates that with merger, you don't need two planning board attorneys and two zoning board attorneys. At 24m33sec, Dave responds "Yes, you can say you have just one zoning board and you have one planning board. But let's face it. The activity coming before those two boards will be equivalent to what the boards handle separately today. You're not going to have less developments, you're not going to have less requests for changes on variances and so forth -- even though those boards are combined into one board, that board in itself will have more work to do, so therefore rather than having a meeting once a month or twice a month, they're going to have more meetings than that.

HR Email: Kerr, Barry 11-19-12

From: "Donpaltz@aol.com" <Donpaltz@aol.com>
To: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2012 6:13 PM
Subject: keeping communication lines open

Kevin

Lot of activity since last meeting of HR subcommittee. I got a call from Carol C. last week that left me a bit unsettled, and notice that you have been uncharacteristically quiet.

Is there anything that you would like to discuss before the 11/27 meeting? Happy to do so. Let me know - I am free this evening or Tuesday.

All good on this end in that regard Thank you.

Regards,
Don

From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
To: Donpaltz@aol.com
Sent: 11/19/2012 8:49:11 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: keeping communication lines open

Don: Computer at work infected with a virus. Will call you tomorrow. Kevin

HR Email: Kerr, Barry, Cohen, Leverette, Pollack, Kimbiz 11-14, 11-15, 11-16,11-18, 11-19,11-20-12

From: donpaltz <donpaltz@aol.com>

To: yalescribe <yalescribe@att.net>; briankimbiz <briankimbiz@gmail.com>

Cc: r.lev <r.lev@outlook.com>; kevinbarrylaw <kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com>; amyblueberry <amyblueberry@gmail.com>

Sent: Wed, Nov 14, 2012 4:30 pm

Subject: meeting date? Monday 11/22, Sunday 11/28 , Tues 11/30

Colleagues,

Please weigh in on your availability. Thank you.

Regards,

Don

From: "donpaltz@aol.com" <donpaltz@aol.com>

To: yalescribe@att.net; r.lev@outlook.com; briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com;kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com; amyblueberry@gmail.com

Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 4:53 PM

Subject: Note to self - tear off desk blotter calendar "October" page - corrected> Mon 11/19, Sun 11/25, Tues 11/27 for meeting?

Pardon the incorrect dates in prior message

From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com

To: donpaltz@aol.com

Sent: 11/14/2012 7:09:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

Subj: Re: Note to self - tear off desk blotter calendar "October" page - corrected> Mon 11/19, Sun 11/25, Tues 11/27 for meeting?

Monday or Tuesday is good for me and I talked with Chris--he will attend our meeting. Kevin

On Nov 14, 2012, at 4:58 PM, Randall Leverette <r.lev@outlook.com> wrote:

monday or tuesday work for me!

Randall Leverette

From: Amy Cohen <amyblueberry@gmail.com>
To: Randall Leverette <r.lev@outlook.com>
Cc: Donpaltz <Donpaltz@aol.com>; yalescribe <yalescribe@att.net>; briankimbiztrustee <briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com>; kevinbarrylaw <kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wed, Nov 14, 2012 6:58 pm
Subject: Re: Note to self - tear off desk blotter calendar "October" page - corrected> Mon 11/19, Sun 11/25, Tues 11/27 for meeting?

I am currently out of town; i am available tues after thanksgiving assuming we are meeting after 7- thank you!!Amy

From: "donpaltz@aol.com" <donpaltz@aol.com>
To: amyblueberry@gmail.com;r.lev@outlook.com
Cc: yalescribe@att.net;briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com;kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
Sent: Thu, November 15, 2012 1:53:59 PM
Subject: Re: Note to self - tear off desk blotter calendar "October" page - corrected> Mon 11/19, Sun 11/25, Tues 11/27 for meeting?

All

Seems like Tuesday after Thanksgiving 11/27 works all around.

Kevin reports that Chris Marx can be present. Brian - do you want to check in w/ Village Clerk & Book Keeper?

Thanks all around. We need a room and we'll be set.

Regards,
Don

From: yalescribe <yalescribe@att.net>
To: donpaltz <donpaltz@aol.com>; amyblueberry <amyblueberry@gmail.com>; r.lev <r.lev@outlook.com>
Cc: briankimbiztrustee <briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com>; kevinbarrylaw <kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 15, 2012 2:10 pm
Subject: Re: Note to self - tear off desk blotter calendar "October" page - corrected> Mon 11/19, Sun 11/25, Tues 11/27 for meeting?

Was about to send note saying 11/27 works for me, as well. Do you want Bleu, too? -- Ross

On Nov 15, 2012, at 2:39 PM,Donpaltz@aol.com wrote:
Ross,

Sorry to jump the gun and glad that 11/30 works for you too.

Will be on the road today after hitting 'send'.

Any department heads that would like toprovide input should be permitted to do so, IMHO, but I am only one vote.

Regards,
Don

On Nov 15, 2012, at 2:43 PM, Randall Leverette <r.lev@outlook.com> wrote:

11/27 works for me. I think we should have all who need to be there so we can get all of our questions resolved.


From: Brian Kimbiz <briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com>
To: Randall Leverette <r.lev@outlook.com>

Cc: Donpaltz <Donpaltz@aol.com>; yalescribe <yalescribe@att.net>; amyblueberry <amyblueberry@gmail.com>; kevinbarrylaw <kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 15, 2012 6:07 pm
Subject: Re: Note to self - tear off desk blotter calendar "October" page - corrected> Mon 11/19, Sun 11/25, Tues 11/27 for meeting?

27th seems to make sense for me as well. Additionally I think the form idea is good because we can just include them as supplemental info to the report.

Brian Kimbiz
Trustee
Village of New Paltz


On Fri, Nov 16, 2012 at 5:32 PM, <donpaltz@aol.com> wrote:

Brian,

I am OK with a form, but if anyone wants to address the committee, seems good to allow them to do so.

Regards,
Don

In a message dated 11/17/2012 5:10:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,amyblueberry@gmail.com writes:
what kind of form?THANKS!!XxAmy


On Sun, Nov 18, 2012 at 1:42 PM, <Donpaltz@aol.com> wrote:

All

Heading out for the day shortly.

Tasks to prepare for the post Thanksgiving meeting.

a) meeting place - Kevin or Brian > can you book us a room
b) Invitation and department head form > 1st draft attached as a starting point. If someone wants to edit the draft in any way they are welcome to do so.
c) Invitation to Bleu and others should be made Mon or Tuesday. As soon as we have a location.

Regards,

Don
 [ATTACHMENT MISSING]

In a message dated 11/18/2012 2:57:29 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com writes:
Don,

The form looks great! I will try to think of additional questions but you really hit quite a few of my questions right on the head. One basic grammatical change I would make would be;

Change, "In the course of the community conversation about consolidation, many potential efficiencies have been discussed" to "In the course of the community conversation about consolidation, many areas of potential increased efficiencies have been discussed."

I would be happy to book Village Hall. What is the decided date the 26th or the 27th? One confirmed I will ask Katie to book the room and send out a memo to all potentially interested parties. Are we asking just department heads or all employees? In addition to the form for department heads maybe we can come up with a quick survey to be filled out anonymously by all employees. This could provide us with some interesting insight from the ground up. What do you guys think?


Most Sincerely,

bk

From: "Donpaltz@aol.com" <Donpaltz@aol.com>
To: briankimbiztrustee@gmail.com
Cc: amyblueberry@gmail.com; r.lev@outlook.com; yalescribe@att.net;kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2012 6:30 PM
Subject: Re: Draft form attached - if someone would edit, it would be appreciated.

All

Consensus was for Tuesday 11/27 - Brian please book the room.

Trying to balance the desire to avoid unilateral action vs. the calendar - many will be leaving town for Thanksgiving, municipalities will be closed and our meeting is the day after everyone returns.

Would like to make invitations via Clerks at Village and Town Halls on Tuesday morning - we can specifically invite Dept Heads but indicate that it is a public meeting and that staff is free to attend.

Regards,
Don
From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
To: Donpaltz@aol.com
Sent: 11/20/2012 2:14:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: Draft form attached - if someone would edit, it would be appreciated.


I suggest that we meet at 6:30pm to address some of the community issues being raised by our report and the attacks made against Brian. Anyone can pull a piece of data from the report and create hysteria, but these people are missing the point of the report. The report offers a cohesive plan for potential efficiencies in future governmental operations, which include hiring a comptroller who will be capable of enhancing our information technology platform, eliminating positions through attrition and retirement when appropriate, and use part-time workers and outsource work when possible to eliminate future benefits costs. Our report does not recommend firing anyone. Kevin

From: "donpaltz@aol.com" <donpaltz@aol.com>
To: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 4:04 PM

Subject: Re: Draft form attached - if someone would edit, it would be appreciated.

Agreed. Committee members should be on the same page before we are in front of staff.
Will you invite other members who are able to arrive at 6:30pm?

Regards,
Don

From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
To: donpaltz@aol.com
Sent: 11/20/2012 5:18:47 P.M. Eastern Standard Time

Subj: Re: Draft form attached - if someone would edit, it would be appreciated.

Done. Kevin

HR Email: Marx, Barry 11-8-12

From: Superintendent of Highways <highways@townofnewpaltz.org>
To: Donpaltz@aol.com
Cc: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com; r.lev@outlook.com
Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:53 AM
Subject: positions

Christopher Marx
Superintendent of Highways
Town of New Paltz
845.255.5050

Don,

I don’t know where the eight positions came from. In conversations I have said that possible cuts could be made if the town outsourced some of the time consuming jobs such as mowing of all the ball fields and cleaning of the buildings. As you know the town laid off two people in the B&G dept. already, leaving the staff at six.
The thing that puzzles me is that out of all the committees that are working on consolidation only one has asked for a department heads opinion, and that was the finance committee, and then only once. When I was present at your meetings it was on my own . I believe that consolidation is a good thing but not getting the facts from the people that do the work every day is a big RED FLAG to me and shows me that things are being rushed and all sides are not being looked at.

I am impressed with most of the people on this committee that you sit on and all of your backgrounds are impressive to me , but as far as knowing what it takes to keep the infrastructure running in this town, you all need a lot of work. It is my opinion that from what I’m getting out of these meetings is that we are going to sacrifice services to at the expense of safety and the decline of our already stressed infrastructure.

Please don’t take this as a personal attack, you don’t know how much I appreciate you contacting me. If you want to talk further on this I’m at your disposal.

My office telephone is 255-5050, cell xxx-xxxx, home xxx-xxxx.

Thanks again
Chris.


From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
To: r.lev@outlook.com
CC: donpaltz@aol.com, amyblueberry@gmail.com, yalescribe@att.net,briankimbiz@gmail.com
Sent: 11/8/2012 1:06:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: positions


Randall: I just spoke with Chris Marx who apparently was confronted this morning by an employee in his Buildings and Grounds department, who was holding a copy of the New Paltz Times which reported our subcommittee was recommending cutting 8 people from the Town's building and Grounds department. I reminded Chris of a conversation I had with him in the breakroom of Town hall several months ago about potential position reductions in a merged Buildings and Grounds and Village Department of Publc Works and his belief that up to 8 positions could be eliminated. He confirmed this conversation. I told Chris that our subcommitee was not recommending 8 immediate cuts from his current department alone as reported by the newspaper and that our subcommittee also felt positions eliminations in a merged government should occur through attrition and retirement. I told him to get a copy of our report from the Town Clerk and then contact me if he had any questions. In retrospect, I probably should have had Chris review the report before it was finalized. Kevin

HR Email: Barry 10-2-12

From: kevinbarrylaw@yahoo.com
To: amyblueberry@gmail.com, briankimbiz@gmail.com, donpaltz@aol.com,r.lev@outlook.com, yalescribe@att.net
Sent: 10/2/2012 11:56:03 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Subcommittee Report

Any feedback prior to our 10/4 meeting? Kevin