# 1 MONDAY'S \MEETINGS

Twice Monday night I guessed wrongly!

The first time I chose to go to the Congressman Holt’s Town Hall meeting. 

I had become convinced that the “Group of Four” would bypass the Special Meeting to be good Democrats and attend the Congressman’s affair.

For at least a half hour Councilwoman  Greaves was at the Library but I am told was in her Council seat when the vote on the PILOT took place.

In due respect Jerry Green did not duped Hall into having the meeting in conflict with the Special Council Meeting. Holt had scheduled it over a month ago although aware that there was a regular Council meeting or slightly later that night. When he learned of the Special Meeting it was impossible for his staff to find an alternate time.

Anyhow if I had just gone to the Courthouse I would a missed first at the mike John Prichard’s  bombastic dialog about the military and the need for a hospital  and his musical interlude.  

I left to go to the Council Meeting in time to mistakenly believe that the Council had regained its sanity and approved unanimously the PILOT.

In retrospect I may have been the angry residents of Liberty Village who overfilled the Courthouse that influenced the final vote. Would there have been violence if the PILOT was not approved? Thank goodness that was a possibility that the unanimous vote negated.

At the Agenda Fixing Session I realized that once again I was wrong  . The “Gang of Four” defeated a resolution to waive residency requirements for a Health Officer to fill a vacancy of at least 16 months. Those that gave a reason such as “we have one in place with our agreement with the county”. (Rivers)

An 8 hour a week commitment which can be kept off site out of 168 week hours certainly does not suggest adequate management of a depleted division responsible for the health of the city as well as licensing dogs (174) and cats (3). Only 30% of restaurants were inspected in 2013, and no report was given about retail stores or carts that handle food. The possibility of food born epidemics is always present even with 100% inspections, but the risk would be negligible, However,  if over 75% of food vendors are not inspected the possibility of an outbreak of contaminated food or rodent born disease is high.

Another comment “that we must enforce the residency requirements” (Taylor) is so much BS. This coming from a Council that for 8 years  did not question a Director of Public Affairs & Safety who lived near Sparta for  most of his time and then out of state on Staten Island for the rest. 

And we supplied him with a city vehicle to make the trips.

Also most of the Department Heads and City Administrators when the position was filled did not live in the city.

Anyhow the “Gang” once again as a block voted no. One cannot believe Council President Rivers’ statement that it was not political.

I have always been against clergy holding a public elected office since they can have undue influence up their flock. I  had reservations about Councilwoman Reverend Brown. But once again she showed that she will vote her conscience.