This morning I received a comment to my blog regarding Town Law 107:
"If all this is true, then why do you have the current 1st ward councilman's sign on your front lawn?
Ouch."
Dear Anonymous "Ouch" person...
Obviously, you know my name and where I live, but you apparently don't have the moxie to ask your question either by calling me, stopping by my house, or sending me an email at one of my several email addresses that can easily be found on the Internet.
Let's see I own this blog; townofnewhartford.com; snsdolls.com; picturesandpassions.com; snshooksandneedles.com and a couple of others! They all have my business/personal email addresses where anyone can write to me and I will answer. Check it out on Google under Cathy Lawrence.
That being said, let me set the record straight.
I have lived in New Hartford since 1968; I came from a small town which was quite different than today's New Hartford, but similar to New Hartford back in the 1970s. Our town has changed and not for the better in some instances.
I looked back through my blog and realized that I have been writing this blog since November 11, 2006.
Prior to that, when the town was in an uproar over the reassessments back in 2003, I stepped forward and volunteered to be the town's webmaster so that never again would the town residents be taken by surprise by something that caused so much commotion. I also served on the town's Board of Assessment Review, until I saw first-hand the b/s that went on behind the scenes...I resigned at the end of my term on that board.
I continued as webmaster until 2006, when the Earle Reed's administration took over and Bob Payne tried behind my back to take the website and all files over in retaliation for my backing of Don Backman.
Unfortunately, Mr. Payne found out that I was doing the website at my own expense and I never took a dime from the town. Therefore, even though they hired Attorney Green to see if they could to sue me, it couldn't be done because I was not a town employee and I owned the website.
While I no longer have anything to do with the town's "official" website which in it's current state is an embarrassment, I still do own townofnewhartford.com. If you think that Earle & company cared about town residents...visit the town's current website that Mr. Payne put together at newhartfordtown.com; it is sorely lacking in detail and is hard to navigate.
By the way, Tyksinski has thwarted efforts of Paul Miscione to create a better, more informative town website even though the money has been approved in previous town budgets. I am told that will change next year.
So in 2006, New Hartford, N.Y. was created...again without taxpayer dollars; it is a service that I choose to provide paying my own expenses because I care.
As a rule, I do not state my political preferences on this blog. I provide town law and FOILed documents to state a case; you can choose to agree or disagree...your choice. Apparently, Anonymous isn't quite sure if the documentation is true....that is his or her opinion. I guess some people have difficulty separating fact from fiction. So be it!
However, since Anonymous has opened the door and I don't know who they are so I can't respond in private, I feel compelled to defend my private political actions in public! Not that I have to because this is America; I'm entitled to my opinion just as you are entitled to yours, but I have never been known to let someone get the better of me. I can battle with the best of them!
I am supporting Jim Messa as town councilman from Ward 1, the ward that I live in, because I believe that he cares about town residents and given an opportunity, he will see that the law is followed.
I have had several conversations with Mr. Messa; some to let him know what Tyksinski is doing to lead the town down a path that is not in keeping with town law and some just because he is my councilman.
He has always been willing to listen to my concerns even though politically there have been times that we have been on different sides of the table. I believe that with some guidance, Jim Messa will make the right choices to move our town forward.
After attending town board meetings where the town attorney and town supervisor assure the board that what they are proposing is legal (
even though quite often it is not), I still do not blame Mr. Messa for decisions made at the town board meetings. Watch the videos and see Tyksinski bully the councilmen into submission. Anyone out there that thinks they could do better under the current town leadership is a fool.
For the record, I don't know enough about the other candidate to form an opinion, but he has not held an elected position; until recently has not attended town board meeting except for his own interests, and in my view it would be like starting from scratch with a considerable learning curve.
To be completely honest, it was disappointing to me when he failed to stand tall at a zoning board meeting to defend his application for a solar energy use variance. Instead, just before his turn on the agenda, he left the meeting and let the young gentlemen from the solar company answer questions from the zoning board members. His presence was missed and when zoning board members asked where he was...the town attorney stated he just left.
Sorry, but that was a game-changer for me. I am sure that he is a perfectly fine gentlemen, but I am looking for someone with town board experience. Jim Messa has seen the worst under Tyksinski; under new leadership, I believe he will best serve the residents in Ward 1.
Thank you Anonymous, whoever you are, whomever you serve. If you are trying to get a word in for the opposing candidate by trying to dis me, you just opened up the floodgate for me to state my position. Sorry if you disagree; the sign will stay. Obviously, you don't know enough about me to realize that I won't back down!
Ouch, right back at you! Have a nice day!
