Ever’s Bailout of Conservative Contractor Goes to Vote

In just 19 days, all town property owners will have their chance to go to the polls and vote on Conservative Supervisor Mark Evers plan to bail out the overspent, mismanaged contract awarded to his Conservative Party benefactors in Water District 14.

To review, Casale Excavating managed to get the contract from the prior town board after the first set of bids were thrown out so that Casale could become the low bidder. The first bid had Casale the high bidder so his friends on the board tossed out the bids to give him another bite at the apple. Second time around, Casale lowered his price to from 6.8 to 6.4 million while the other guy had to raise his from 6.1 to 7.1 million. That made the town board GOP majority happy because even though it cost a bundle more that it could have cost had they awarded the contract to the first low bidder, the board wanted Casale for reasons we can only speculate.

Once he got the contract, the company managed to get $730,000 more than his agreed to bid price and all but $13,000 of that was paid without Change Orders, required by law. Supervisor Evers, asleep at the wheel, allowed the payments to continue and then blamed the Comptroller who was following orders. The town still has no professional contract administrator and the payments are authorized by a town employee who is also Conservative Party Committee person loyal to the party Chairman, Michael Casale of Casale Excavating. (No wonder they need all 4 party line to stay in charge!)

After it became clear the contract had been illegally exceeded, the town attorney informed the Board the town no longer had authority to make more payments. Not only had the contract been exceeded but the bond limit had been exceeded meaning there was no more money to pay Casale. The 6.4 million dollar contract had managed to get all of that and all of the remaining bonding authority approved in a narrow margin by voters. But wait, that’s not enough money! Casale wants more money to finish the job and it appears he has done little or no work this year because there is no way to pay him.

Evers to the Rescue! The Conservative Supervisor proposed a resolution that would transfer $830,000 from the overspent WD 14 contract to the town wide water district. Bear in mind that the payments had already been authorized and certified as belonging to WD 14. But by cooking the books, we could reduce on paper the amount of money spent of WD 14 and transfer the overspending to a town wide water district, IF we could make the rest of the town agree to pay for it. So Evers proposed that an $830,000 bond be authorized which would cover the money already illegally spent on WD 14 and what was estimated to be needed to finish it. Evers didn't wait for the bond proposal to help out his political buddies. He ordered a check for $83,000 to be cut for Casale one day after the December Town Board meeting which he personally gave to Casale Excavating. He knew it was illegal to pay it and he had been infomred directly by the town's legal staff, Not to make any further payments. And like a man, he blamed the town employee he ordered to cut the check.

Enter the Voter Outrage! The only flaw in the Evers plan to get Casale more money was the voters and the fact that to get the money borrowed, the measure was subject to Permissive Referendum. That means if voters signed a petition in sufficient numbers, they could object and demand a town wide vote. Robert Price helped organize a petition drive and turned in over 200 signatures, twice what was needed to place it on the ballot. After months of delay, the Town Board finally acted a few months ago to set the date for a vote. That date is Tuesday October 16th and the vote is town wide, not just WD 14 residents.

In effect, Evers is hoping to pay his Conservative political benefactor, Casale Excavating, by having the entire town pay for the over spent WD 14 contract. The Bill in 14 is being transferred to the entire town. That why we URGE voters to VOTE NO to Evers plan and referendum on October 16th. No one should be made to pay for the mismanage overspent contract, not the residents of Water District 14, not the entire town of North Greenbush. Instead, someone, hopefully the State Comptroller’s Audit of the contract, will tell us how to recover the money illegally spent and whether the extra spending was the result of collusion or incompetence on the part of the still unsupervised employees in the Building Department who signed the Applications for Payment.

Late Financial Disclosure

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 76 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report. Way to go Kyran!

GOP Infiltrators Strike Again!

Republicans disguised as Democrats have struck again. The same cabal so called Democratic Chairman Jeff Spain aligned himself with to deny voters a choice in North Greenbush have struck at the county level. Spain’s attorney, Josh Ehrlich, who is also an operative of Connolly’s Independence Party and the Casales who run the town Conservative Party, filed another lawsuit yesterday to prevent a competitive election in the county legislative district special election in Schodack, Nassau and Stephentown.

Amazing that these GOP operatives fear a competitive election in a solid Republican Legislative District. The district is so solidly Republican that only one Democrat, Flora Fasoldt, has ever won a seat. The same fear drove the cross endorsement deal in North Greenbush where knowledge that Mark Evers and Lou Desso were so tainted as candidates that the only way they could be put in charge of the town was if all the competition were eliminated from the ballot.

Ehrlich, an election lawyer, is on the State Senate payroll thanks to Senator Bruno. Republicans have successfully used this attorney to knock out nearly all competitors in the primary process in North Greenbush where he enjoys the advantage of partisan GOP judges like Henry Zwack, who was assigned this most recent case.

What Ehrlich does at the State Senate is anyone’s guess. He and fellow Senate employee Tom Connolly have spent oodles of time here in Rensselaer County Supreme Court. The challenge for North Greenbush voters is to see through the process which placed Evers and Desso on all four party lines in this November election. Why would party bosses from the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Independence Parties endorse the same candidates? The answer lies in money and power and town residents ought to be highly suspicious on the answers behind these endorsements.

The alternative remains on ROW F, the Greenbush Party. It is now the only alternative to a corrupt cross endorsement deal designed to steal an election and control of the town purse.

Tomorrow: Water District Referendum Looms on October 16th.

Late Financial Disclosure

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 75 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report. Way to go Kyran!

And the Budget Director is…?

Katie Connolly! The Town Clerk of course. Katie Connolly has been busy running around and putting together the Supervisor’s tentative budget. Why is she doing this? Because the Supervisor is inept and incapable of doing a budget. How she has the time while serving as a party commitee person and apparently writng what appears to be a severly spelling challenged web blog, is anyone's guess.

Last year it was Connolly who plugged in the numbers in one of the most bizarre budgets ever witnessed. The Supervisor issued a press release claiming a 3% tax hike. Yet the math showed a 33% increase. No said Evers 33 is 3 not 33. But numbers don’t lie, politicians do and when the budget was finally adopted the 33% was cut to about 13%. (We’re sure Evers called this a tax cut!)

Now a year later, it’s the Town Clerk trying to plug in all the numbers once again. Last year she was the only employee to attempt to grab a 6% pay hike instead of the 3% everyone else got. The Town Board cut the increase back and froze their own part time salaries.

The other interesting budget issue to watch will be how the 2007 budget hike was reduced from 33 to 13%. It was done by placing $235,000 in revenue in the budget from GEIS fees owed to the town by developers who are the financing powers behind the Evers slate. The number was given to Evers by the town engineer Tom Murley and is equivalent to the entire tax reduction from the original Evers budget.The thought was that the Supervisor would make the needed effort to ensure these fees were paid to the town which would realize the revenue to balance the budget.

However, it appears none of that revenue has been realized wich could spell an interesting time for the town meeting expenses at the end of the year.Equally apparent is that the Supervisor did nothing to collect the revenues. Instead, when the Town Board voted to require payment of these fees by the developer at the 4 & 43 intersection before a building permit could be issued, Evers voted NO! It passed but the developer is apparently suing the town in an effort not to pay and that suits Evers just fine. No pay, no balanced budget for 2007 and a structural deficit built in to the 2008 budget. (We bet Evers is glad he illegally hired those two secretaries he his running out of money to pay!)Evers has stated he intends no tax increase for 2008 so look for lots of phoney reveune in his, or shall we say, the Town Clerk's budget, when it is made public shortly.

Bets are in that the Town Clerk will again try for a 6% salary hike for herself and bets are also coming in that Evers, jobless after loosing his private sector job, will try to make his salary a full time hit at 60, to 80K! Imagine how much damage he could do if this were a full time job!

Stay tuned as we follow the budget and keep wondering Why 4 party bosses would endorse Mark Evers?

Late Financial Disclosure

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 74 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report. Way to go Kyran!

Political Poker

The Appointing Minority
Last week’s town board meeting included a showdown of sorts on Mark Evers habit of unilaterally appointing people to the town payroll without a required vote of the town board. For more than a year the town board majority did nothing to remove a senior clerk Evers placed on the payroll without a required board vote. Since the board did nothing but complain behind the scenes, Evers did it again, twice more, appointing two secretaries to the payroll.

Thursday night’s meeting included a resolution rescinding his most recent appointments. It was modified after an executive session so that the board failed to exert its lawful appointing authority. They spanked Evers and said all future appointments would require a board vote. Evers actually voted for the resolution.

But the board failed to remove the illegal appointments. Appeasement is the obvious sign of weakness in the face of an abuse of power. It is clear that this board majority lacks the intestinal fortitude to face down a ruthless adversary.

In a side note, Evers voted to approve a resolution forced by an appeal of a denial of access to records regarding the lack of authority by the Supervisor to make unilateral appointments to the payroll. When the town clerk refused to affirm that the town possessed no records demonstrating the Supervisor’s authority to make unilateral appointments, C.B. Smith filed an appeal with the town board. The board, with Evers voting in the majority, denied the appeal by affirming the town had no record that showed the Supervisor had authority to make unilateral appointments. This is what Smith was attempting to force the town to admit. They not only admitted it, but Evers vote agreed with the denial. In effect his vote was an admission he lacked the legal authority to make the three appointments he made over the past 18 months without a vote of the town board.

Game, set, match. Too bad the majority still lost the game, even though they had all the cards.

Late Financial Disclosure

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 73 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report. Way to go Kyran!

Club to Sponsor NG Debate

North Greenbush Democrats Club Chairman Bob Price is calling for debates in this year’s town elections.
We will ask Democrat Supervisor candidate Mark Evers if he will debate Republican Supervisor candidate Mark Evers so the voters can learn where they stand on the issues. In addition, we intend to invite Conservative candidate Mark Evers and Independence Party candidate Mark Evers as well.

Also being invited to attend is Democrat Council candidate Lou Desso and Republican Council candidate Lou Desso. They would be joined on stage by Conservative and Independence Party candidates Lou Desso and Lou Desso.

Price noted the special challenges presented by these debates. “We expect to iron out the difficulties presented identifying the candidates by asking each to wear color coded clothing”, stated Price. Blue for Democrat, Grey for Republican etc”. He noted that even though they are from opposite parties they look and sound exactly alike giving rise to key questions. Why did the party bosses from all four of these parties endorse the same candidates in an effort to eliminate a competitive election in North Greenbush? Are these bosses sitting back waiting to divide the development spoils that can be derived by total control of the town board?

Other questions are likely to include Conservative Evers being asked to explain his ordering an employee to disburse an $82,000 check to a water district contractor who is Chairman of his Conservative Party. Surely Republican Evers is likely to demand answers and Democrat Evers is expected to join the Republican in seeking an explanation for the $740,000 in overpayments to this contractor without change orders.

Price stated his hope that the non partisan League of Women Voters would moderate the debate. They are familiar with the candidates since the 2005 election when Conservative Evers debated an empty chair when his then Republican opponents Bob Ashe and Lou Desso refused to attend. Now that Desso is his own opponent, we expect no problem having him debate himself and ask himself how his blank check development views and attempted annexation of our land to Rensselaer, forcing our children to attend Rensselaer City Schools, has changed.

Price expressed relief that more than 500 town residents signed a petition to create competition in this election and spoil the party bosses plan for a coronation instead of a competitive election. The Greenbush Party has endorsed a slate of opponents for each of the candidates. They too will be invited to attend and will not be burdened by the need for distinguishing “color coded” clothing.

Submitted to the NG Pipeline by Robert Price


Kyran Devery
Today is Day 72 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.
Submitted to the North Greenbush Pipeline by Robert Price

Veteran’s Exemption Question

We don’t have the answer. Just a couple of interesting questions from one of our readers. Why did the town clerk, Kathryn Connolly and her brother, Rensselaer County Independence Party Chairman Tom Connolly have both a combat and non combat veteran’s exemption on their homes in North Greenbush.

Here’s the link to the Rensselaer County Tax Assessment Roll web site. Pages 333 and 335 in the pdf are the properties in question.

Did Tom Connolly qualify for a non combat veteran’s exemption on 19 Dobert Court? It was worth $4,600 in reduction of taxable assessed valuation. Did his sister qualify for a combat veteran’s exemption worth $7,200 off the assessed valuation of 1 Crestwood Lane?

The dates listed are July 2005 to March 2006. We are told they were removed in the yet to be posted 2007 tax rolls.

Since we don’t know the answer, we invite the Connollys to post their comments or emails so we can tell our readers. Remember, no accusations printed here, just questions.


Kyran Devery
Today is Day 69 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.

Greenbush Party Becomes Only Alternative to “Coronation”

When you do the math, less than 1000 party members from the Democratic and Republican enrollment of voters, the majority of which were loyal to the wishes of party bosses, gave away the independence of each party to replace the general election with a sort of coronation where only one candidate’s name appears on all four lines for Supervisor and town council. Less than 1000 people voting at either a caucus or in a primary deciding that the 8,000 or so enrolled voters in North Greenbush need not have a choice in their November election and will be compelled to accept their choices for town offices defies common sense and democratic principles.

This is certainly not the way a two party system in a democracy is supposed to function. It removes any competition of ideas. Ends a meaningful debate on the issues confronting the town and in effect renders voting in the general election a meaningless act of coronation.

This fear of the party bosses deciding together to endorse the same candidates and divide the spoils of North Greenbush between themselves, a contractor thirsty for more unlimited payments on his contract and developers led town residents to form an independent party called the Greenbush Party.

Those running on this line in November are now the only opposition to the political union of the four major parties which have ended electoral debate at a time when this town is most urgently in need of debate. It is no doubt a daunting task confronting candidates for town office on the Greenbush Party line. They are from all political faiths, Democrat, Republican, even a Blank or unaffiliated candidate who is enrolled in no party. It is now up to them to force a debate in North Greenbush on matters from adoption of a Comprehensive Plan, mismanaged multi million dollar contracts, illegal appointments by the supervisor, the lack of a supervising manager in the Building Department to guide the actions of unionized employees who are now managing themselves.

Nonetheless, the Greenbush Party, created by the signatures of more than 500 town residents from all political faiths, is now the last hope for a competitive election instead of a coronation by party bosses.



Kyran Devery
Today is Day 68 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.

Republicans Give nod to “Dems”

The marriage of the four political parties is now complete as the Republicans have endorsed the so called Democrats in last evenings primary. Evers and Desso scored wins over their enrolled Republican opponents Cleary and one of his two council running mates in an at large election. It is unclear whether Marshall or Piel won the second council spot.

Official results were unavailable this morning but when they are available we will post them later in the day. For North Greenbush, the party bosses have managed to put the same basic candidates on all four lines leaving voters no choice in November for the town board. Thankfully, the Greenbush Party has secured a line and will offer voters the only opposition to this corruption of the two party system in which the two major parties are supposed to keep an eye on one another.

Here are unofficial results from the RC BOE. They do not include absentee ballots.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:


Kyran Devery
Today is Day 67 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.

Another lawless act

Mark Evers continues to act like a train wreck as he disregards Town Law and the appointing authority which is solely vested in the town board. Last week he illegally placed on the payroll a woman from a civil service list which the town board neither approved of, nor interviewed. Despite stern warnings from town officials, Evers illegally placed the woman on the payroll.

Yesterday, he did it a second time. He “appointed” and placed on the payroll another woman without town board authority or approval. Did he care they might have left their jobs to take these illegal appointments? Apparently not. Evers is on a power trip that is jeopardizing the integrity of the appointment process and the authority of the elected town board.

The board is now squarely facing a defining moment that will see it either protect the authority vested in the body by the voters, or cede their authority to one board member, his ego and arrogance. Thursday’s board meeting will decide this showdown, for if the board permits these people to remain on the payroll, each of them may as well resign and let one board member literally run town government.

It should be noted that this is the third employee Evers has illegally “appointed” without a town board vote. Perhaps in some measure because the board majority appeased Evers by not forcing the first appointment off the payroll, he has been emboldened to do it again, and again. Sounds like the Nevelle Chamberlain model of diplomacy.

Primary Day

Polls are open today noon to 9PM at the regular polling places in North Greenbush. There are primaries for both Republican and Working Families Parties.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 66 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.

GOP Primary Eve

"Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles." That quote by the 19th century American satirist Ambrose Bierce certainly describes the contest for control of North Greenbush with hidden interests driving key factions of the political parties trying to take control of town government.

To that end, the last minute ad wars finished off with a clever “Bandito Card” leading up to tomorrow’s GOP primary in North Greenbush. Evers and Desso were featured on the face card wearing Zoro type bandit masks with the billboard “Republicans should not be fooled by imposters!” The flip side exposes the pair with the billboard “Mark Evers and Lou Desso are endorsed by Jim Germano and the Democrats” “Now they are trying to get them our Republican nomination as well.”

The flip side also features a picture of F. James Germano, standing watch over his two candidates in a deal worthy of Donald Trump himself. That deal involved County GOP leaders getting into political bed with Germano’s reformed Democrats, Casale Excavating’s Conservatives and Tom Connolly’s Independence crew and endorsing the same candidates for town board and highway superintendent in order to render the vote in November moot.

Unfortunately town Democrats went along with the collusion endorsing the pro Republican slate by a handful of votes at their caucus. Now it’s up to town Republicans who vote in their primary as to whether the November election is given away tomorrow to the party bosses or left for the voters to decide in November.

Whatever the outcome, we urge Republicans to vote tomorrow and urge candidates to avoid electioneering at the polls by refraining from hanging around polling places or passing out literature within the 100 foot markers posted at each polling place. Republicans would do well to remember the words of a Democrat before they vote. "The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all." Polls are open from noon to 9PM and are the same locations as the General election.JFK made the observation 6 months before his death at a speech at Vanderbilt University, May 18, 1963.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 65 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.

Monday Preview

The Banditos!
Beware of the imposters!

GOP Advertising Wars

The direct mail and advertising war for the hearts and minds of town Republicans has begun in earnest. This photo demonstrates some high power town muscle with an endorsement by Ralph Vartigan and Tom Cholakis, two icons of town GOP politics. It notes, “An attempt is being made by Democrats to prevent you, the voters, from having a choice to elect a qualified team in North Greenbush who will correct the problems that are plaguing our town." It would appear the town GOP understands the simplicity of the message needed to keep the party bosses from selling out their party endorsement to the Democrats who already own Evers and Desso, having endorsed them by a few votes at last week's caucus.

County Republicans fired back with a card from Frank Merola, the popular County Clerk and ally of County Chair Jack Casey. The card endorsed Evers and Desso and frankly surprised us a bit since Desso sat back and supported his former GOP runningmates, Bob Ashe and Joe Styczynski as they boycotted a town board meeting called for the sole purpose of appointing his son to the town police department.

Did we say vote? Yes we did, young Merola was appointed to his position with a vote of the town board, a unanimous 3-0 vote of former Supervisor Paul Tazbir and Democrats Richard Fennelly and James Mihalko. It appears even Paul Tazbir understood that he alone did not have the power of appointment and thanks to the strong support of two Democratic board members, Frank Merola's son was appointed to the town police department where he serves with distinction today.

We can't help seeing the irony of Frank endorsing Mark Evers who just flat out broke the law by illegally placing another employee on the town payroll this week without even consulting with the appointing authority, the town board, never mind holding a vote on the appointment. And Lou Desso, Bob Ashe's running mate, who went right along with Ashe's disgraceful conduct in refusing to appoint the son of the County Clerk because Ashe could not get over the elder Merola's endorsement of Jack Mahar, the GOP Sheriff when he was challenged by Ashe for the GOP nomination for Sheriff.

We suspect this endorsement is far more a result of Merola's friendship with the county chair than his respect for Evers and Desso. Frank Merola may play politics but he's a straight shooter and knows what Evers and Desso are really all about. Don't count on his vote in the privacy of that booth. We suspect he has too much integrity for the rule of law and appreciates the respect so many people have for him and his family to pull the lever for two people with the track record of Evers and Desso.

The last mailer was a tough expose on Lou Desso's arrest record and should make for an interesting weekend of door to door visits. It featured photos of newspaper clippings documenting his arrests and status as a convicted felon. "Republicans want candidates with records of accomplishment, not arrest records!" reads the face card. Inside it reads "Democrats endorsed convicted felon..and are trying to get him the Republican nomination as well." The piece features five newspaper articles detailing arrests for "dwi, driving while ability impaired due to drugs,...third degree assault, harassment". These charges are from one clipping entitled "Two arrested outside tavern" and occurred in Watervliet. Desso appeared before Judge Warren DeLollo and was "remanded to the Albany County Jail pending further action in Albany County Court." The other clippings detail additional arrests for assaults and a criminal mischief and one charge we really don't want to print because the clipping does not give any details of the charge.
The piece concludes with a note that the town board is no place for a convicted felon. The return address is Wynantskill 12198. None of these charges or past history was mentioned in Desso's announcment of candidacy published in last week's Advertiser. Just an oversight, right?

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 62 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.
Hint, we're told a lawsuit will be filed very shortly to force the filing of this report.

Will the real Republicans Please Stand Up!

The "reformed" Democrats led by Jim Germano and Jeff Spain are poised to make their attempt to take over the Republican Party. With the help of a few key party bosses, they hope to snooker GOP voters the way they snookered Democratic voters at their caucus. Come on Republicans, we need you to vote for the candidates endorsed by the Democratic Party and Jim Germano so we can take over together and make your vote in November irrelevant since the same candidates will be on all the major lines.

Will Republican voters fall for the ruse the way Democrats did or will this crop of GOP candidates do a better job of informing GOP voters who they are really voting for? Grant Lally, Chairman, New York State Republican Lawyers Association thinks he knows who the real Republicans are. “Jeff Cleary is a true, loyal and dedicated Republican. He is a wise and skillful leader. He will restore integrity and respect to the office of Town Supervisor. North Greenbush will benefit greatly from his innovative leadership.”

Correct answer, Mr. Cleary is an enrolled member of the Republican Party. His primary opponent is not. Worse, he is endorsed by the Democratic Party. More confusing is that he is enrolled in nether of these parties. His running mate Lou Desso is also a “Democrat” posing as a Republican. He too is endorsed by the confused Democratic Party and he too is enrolled in neither party. Mark and Lou are Casale Conservatives.

So voters, time is nearly up. Time to ask the question before voting, will the real Republicans please stand up!

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 61 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Hang on to your resumes!

It looks like it’s going to be one of those interesting months. Mark Evers has been busy interviewing people to fill two secretaries jobs, apparently planning to “appoint” them without even telling the town board or for that matter putting the appointments on the agenda for a required vote.

And what a mess he’ll create if he does it. Imagine if the two unsuspecting candidates take a job offered by the Supervisor without knowing he has no authority to appoint anyone without town board appointment resolutions? “Gee, I left my job of 5 years to take this job in North Greenbush and now I find out the Supervisor hired me illegally!” Translated, that spells the word LAWSUIT, in big bold letters.

Yet that is what the Conservative-Independence- Republicratic Supervisor has apparently been planning. He even told one young lady to start Monday of next week. And those folks at the County Civil Service Commission, they apparently will look the other way at Evers lack of legal authority to make the appointment, just as they have done for more than a year after he illegally placed a Senior Clerk on the payroll with no appointment resolution approved by the appointing authority, the town board.

The town board may decide to leave the positions vacant and simply not fill them if the provisionals currently holding them are removed by Evers from the payroll. He’s already facing legal action for his last firing of the town engineer whom he and his friends at Civil Service arranged to fire after declaring the licensed engineer unqualified. After all, who’s the State of New York to decide that man they licensed to be a professional engineer is qualified in North Greenbush!

So hang on to your resumes candidates! And if you are fortunate enough to read this blog before giving notice to your current employer, make a few calls to the town attorney or the other members of the Town Board, (exception being Ernie Kern who does not like calls at home!). Ask them if you should quit your job because Mark Evers says he is appointing you to a spot in North Greenbush.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 61 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Wes Marshall Announces Candidacy for Town Council

My name is Wes Marshall and I am running for North Greenbush Town Council in the Republican Primary on Tuesday September 18th. I have also received the endorsement of the newly formed Greenbush Party.
I am a lifelong resident of Rensselaer County and together with my wife Debbie have been a resident of North Greenbush over seventeen years. We have two sons Jason and Ryan. Graduating from both HVCC (1980) and the State University College at Buffalo (1982) my education and early employment concentrations were Public Safety and Emergency Services. I am a former volunteer Firefighter, EMT/Instructor and municipal Police Officer. Currently I am the General Manager for RegUSA Services, a national motor vehicle title and registration service center. I presently serve on the North Greenbush Comprehensive Planning Committee.

I am campaigning for a Town Council seat for three important reasons. First, I fully support the need to complete and maintain a Comprehensive Plan for our Town. I support smart development that will not negatively impact our tax base, public safety, public works or school systems. I fully support the implementation of the I-90 phase II development project, not the widening of Route 4. A Wolf Road design along Route 4 would negatively impact the area and repeat the poor planning of the Brunswick Route 7 corridor. The Rensselaer Technology Park is the epicenter of our growth and I support development that would compliment that growth.

The second issue is support for a comprehensive review and revision of our town ethics code. Taxpayers are watching, and disapprove of unethical business practices. We need to maintain responsible stewardship of the public’s trust by following sound fiscal practices and working well within established budgeting guidelines. This is an issue, which divides our community and impedes public trust in our local government.

My final issue is a pledge to each of you is to be receptive to the needs and views of all Town residents. I will work to improve our quality of life and the financial health of our town. Higher taxes are not the in the best interest of our citizens. Fiscal responsibility and smart growth will lead us down the path of a more prosperous future.

Democracy is about choice, Thank You for your consideration of my candidacy.

On September 18th Please Vote for Charles “Wes” Marshall, Registered Republican.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 60 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Metroland Strikes Again!

Maybe the reform Democrats just don’t get it. Endorsing a slate of Republicans and trying to put them on all four major party lines resulting from backroom political deals between party bosses makes a fish market seem like a breath of fresh air!

Now that the so called reformers or "Republicrats" have managed to get two more people to the party caucus than those who don’t drink the same water from their Conservative contractor ally with his 6.4 million dollar overspent contract for Water District 14, North Greenbush is getting its second day in the sun from Metroland Magazine. from which we borrowed these pricless dancing partners. The only thing missing are the developers waiting in line to "cut in".

This effort to take the right of voters to choose away and let party bosses decide who runs town government should make voters more than outraged. They are being told to stay home election day because “we” will leave you no choice by putting the same candidates on all the party lines. “We win, you loose!” should become the campaign slogan of the Conservative-Independence Republicrats of North Greenbush.The whole purpose of a two party system is to provide checks and balances on government. One party should be keeping an eye on the other and exposing wrong doing rather than getting into bed with their opposition.

So Metroland has discovered a new and bizarre source of political corruption and they may even have figured out why the prize of a small town government is so valuable to those behind the endorsements. They appear to have an astute reporter who thinks he figured out all the players and he is sure right about recognizing a prize winning act of corrupt wheeling and dealing.

So the North Greenbush Pipeline would like to invite the architects of this 4 way deal to explain how it all came about. When did the Conservative Supervisor, Mark Evers and Conservative Town Vice Chair Lou Desso, meet with the Republican County Chairman, Jack Casey, the County GOP’s Carl Rove (Richard Crist), Majority Leader Robert Mirch, Democratic Chair Jeff Spain, Power Broker and former Democratic Chairman Jim Germano, Independence Chair Tom Connolly and Casale Excavating Chair, oops we meant town Conservative Chair Michael Casale, to arrange this go along get along divide up the spoils deal in North Greenbush? What was it the Democrats just loved about the GOP slate that they gave away the keys and values of their party to their number one rivals, the Republicans?

Which reporters wants to ask those tough questions so he can break a story worthy of a Bob Woodward book cover? We think Metroland has the inside track, but if not, maybe the players would hold a news conference to explain why they are all endorsing the same corrupt candidates for control of the town board in North Greenbush?

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 59 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Monday Preview

The North Greenbush "Republicrats" have a line of dancing partners eager to "cut in".
Details in the Monday edition of the North Greenbush Pipeline.

Politics 101

Caucus Wrap Up

Apparently the Democrats from the dark side were quite surprised by the extraordinary turnout generated by their political opponents at Wednesday's caucus. They clearly lost control of the crucial votes for town supervisor and council to a crowd of the unaligned and unknown motivated by their effort to oust Mark Premo. Only two votes separated Evers from Sabo and only two votes separated a council seat for Ashworth verses Desso.

But the real surprise comes from the races for clerk and tax collector. Connolly, a so called popular incumbent won by only 50 votes against Jann Liberty, 159-109. Kyran Devery, another long time incumbent held on against an unknown, Dennis Bonesteel, 159-108. That’s too close for comfort in your own party and each better smell the coffee since they too should have held a margin similar to Mark Premo.

All Eyes on the GOP

With Evers and his blank check development slate sitting on three of the four party lines, all eyes focus on the fourth and final prize for November, the Republican Party Primary. Here, town Republicans will be able to vote all day at the polling places to decide whether to back the Democratic endorsed candidates, Evers and Desso or Republicans like Cleary, Marshall and Piel.

It’s easy to understand why the big bosses latched on the Evers and Desso. They will do as they are told and turn the town over to the development community that spends big bucks donating to State and County GOP coffers. But the Pipeline has learned that Supervisor candidate Jeff Cleary will demonstrate some amazing strength on soon to be filed financial disclosures estimated to show some $12,000 contributed for his primary campaign. The money is coming from some respected players in the GOP including Ed Cox, son in law to former President Richard Nixon and Tom Doherty, a Pataki top dog, and former Comptroller candidate Chris Callahan.

Cleary is no amateur to politics and has strong backing from prominent town Republicans who feel strongly about the integrity of their local Republican slate. They are also resentful of the interference of County Chair Jack Casey and operative Richard Crist who with Robert Mirch and Jim Germano, engineered the GOP endorsement of the Germano Democratic-Conservative slate.

Cleary may demand debates with Evers before the Primary which can only cause major headaches for Evers since he’d have trouble remembering which lies were told for each of his mis steps for the past 20 months.
How did his announced 3% tax increase for 2007 actually turn out to be a 30% increase?
Who authorized a purchase of an unbudgeted truck in the building department?
How did Evers arrange the payment of an $83,000 check behind the back of the town board to his political benefactors in Casale Excavating who run the Conservative Party and have endorsed Evers?
How does Evers explain the appointment of a Senior Clerk with no vote of appointment by the Town Board?
Why is he now trying to fire two secretaries using Civil Service rules while ignoring the illegal hiring and appointment of a political friend as a Senior Clerk?
Why did he sign a contract for an engineering firm without first having it reviewed by legal staff and sent to the town board for approval as required by law?
Why does he continue to refuse to permit the appointment of a Supervisor in the Building Department to supervise all those employees in the new union shop?
Why did he fire the highly qualified Town Engineer, Ranson Caola instead of standing up to the idiots in Civil Service who said the licensed engineer wasn’t qualified? (Answer: He conspired with Civil Service staff to get the man fired.)
Why did he stall signing a contract for an $80,000 grant from the County IDA to fund the master plan?
Why did he unilaterally appoint a bunch of political flunkies to the master plan committee without required town board approval of the appointments? (Answer: to screw things up on behalf of his friends in the development community.)

Bring on the Debate! What a show it would be.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 56 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Democrats Speak

It was a great turnout by Democrats from both of the political sides. Nearly 300 people packed the Elk’s Lodge and to Spain’s credit, he held a fair caucus and a fair vote. Mark Evers won a squeaker by 2 votes over Josh Sabo. We do not have the count on the other races but the results were Spain and Desso winning narrowly for Council and Devery and Connolly holding off challenges by larger margins of 50 or more.

The biggest vote getter in the Democratic Party remains Mark Premo who crushed his opponent more than a 2 to 1 margin. The total Premo vote was nearly 200.

Whether the two factions can come together remains in doubt. The vote was a close reflection of the narrow split in the Democratic Committee itself. On any given night the turnout could have gone the other way. Suffice to say that all eyes now focus on the GOP Primary, just 13 days away. If Republicans elect the now Democratic Slate, the Greenbush Party becomes the only voter choice in November.

Whatever the outcome, Democrats came out and exercised their right to vote. In the end, we get the government we deserve. Hold on to your hats folks. It’s going to be an interesting ride. Yes, Jim Germano was at the caucus for those who might have wondered.

Caucus Day

This little trophy came to the North Greenbush Pipeline yesterday, left on the door of a town Democrat asking him to vote for “Spain’s endorsed slate” of Republicans and Democratic sympathizers. It was signed by none other than Democrat turned Conservative turned Democrat, that political chameleon himself, F. James Germano.

With Hurricane Felix raising havoc on the high seas, this architect of political havoc in North Greenbush keeps marching on! Good luck to Felix James Germano and his GOP slate at the Democratic caucus!

Dedrick to Chair Caucus

There is a movement afoot to have former Supervisor Bill Dedrick to serve as Chair of the Democratic Caucus. He is viewed as a straight shooter by all sides and would remove any cloud over the fairness of the vote and conduct of the caucus. Tonight will tell the story.

Caucus Day

The long fought for and awaited Democratic Party Caucus takes place tonight at 7PM at the Troy Elk’s on RT 4. Every registered Democrat in North Greenbush is eligible to attend and cast their vote to nominate candidates to represent their party in the November elections.

Republicans are hoping to capture the Democratic line with the help of Jeff Spain, the Chairman of the Democratic Party who is supporting the GOP endorsed candidates for Supervisor, Town Board and Highway Superintendent.

The party committee he leads has refused to file a Financial Disclosure Statement with the Board of elections and are 54 days past due. We can only guess why, but nevertheless, the refusal to obey the law casts a pall on the party and those candidates who embrace this conduct.

How this caucus is conducted may well define the public perception of Democrats in North Greenbush and the Chairman of the Democratic Committee who must convene the caucus. If he attempts to engage in games which are designed to impede voting or stack the election to favor his slate, his reputation will be permanently tarnished by such actions.

If on the other hand he acts to ensure a fair and impartial election, he can take a step towards healing divisions over development, party purges, perceived disloyalty and other divisive acts which continue to divide Democrats in North Greenbush.

A Chair of the Caucus must be decided by a vote of the qualified Democratic voters present at the caucus. How that vote is conducted and the fairness with which it is handled will be watched closely by Democrats and by people everywhere watching through the eyes of the news media.

We wish Democrats well in this exercise in Democracy and encourage all to attend and VOTE!

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 54 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Mark Premo Seeks Re-Election as NG Highway Supt.

Mark Premo, North Greenbush Highway Superintendent for the past 4 years, has announced his candidacy to seek re-election to another 2 year term. Premo stated that much has been accomplished during the past two terms to improve services, build morale and streamline department operations.

The Highway Committee which consists of volunteers who donate their time to setting goals for this department have done much to provide citizen input and support for the changes needed to give the best service possible to town residents. I am especially pleased with the 5 year plan the Committee is putting together to help us identify and plan for the department’s needs in the face of increasing development and the demands this makes on personnel, equipment and services.

Premo noted that the greatest challenge he faces comes from ever increasing efforts to politicize the Highway Department. The new Democratic leader Jeff Spain, insisted that I denounce his political adversaries as a condition for his endorsement and the Conservative leader Mr. Casale, has allied himself with the Democrats and County Republicans to keep me off the ballot. They have endorsed a developer as their candidate and have even gone so far as to get a 19 year old, with no experience and no commercial drivers license, to oppose me in a Working Families Primary.

I believe their ultimate goal is to attempt to abolish the elective office of Highway Superintendent and to make the Department a tool of the town board by appointing a political patronage person to run the department. I will oppose this effort just as the voters of North Greenbush did in two separate referendums aimed at abolishing the elective office of Highway Superintendent. The people, and not the political bosses, should be able to hire and fire the highway superintendent based on performance.

I am proud to have received the endorsement of the Working Families Party and the new Greenbush Party which was formed by citizens who are fed up with the divisive and destructive political climate in town hall. This effort to get total control of town government saw the leaders of the 4 major parties make a deal in which the same candidates were being endorsed for Supervisor, a town board seat and Highway Superintendent. If successful, voters would have no choice in November and the bosses, thru this deal, would decide who ran the town, instead of the voters.

Next week, I will seek the nomination by the Democratic Party at their Caucus, Sept 5th at 7PM at the Elks Lodge. I will not accept the endorsement of Democratic Chairman Jeff Spain or those few Democrats who are backing his effort to surrender his party nomination to the County Republican Party and their nominees. Because I have such strong roots with the Democratic Party and because Mr. Casale, the Conservative Chairman is using his party control to benefit his business interests with the water district contracts, I have left the Conservative Party and enrolled once again as a Democrat.

I have received the endorsement of the Rensselaer County Democratic Chairman, Thomas Wade and felt the enormous support of the County Democratic Committee at a recent meeting I attended in Troy. At this meeting I witnessed a 133 to 20 vote of the committee which ensured a caucus in North Greenbush.
I know that Mr. Spain and his group of supporters do not reflect the feelings and wishes of the vast majority of Democrats either in North Greenbush or Rensselaer County. I will continue to do a great job as Highway Superintendent and serve all citizens regardless of party affiliations. In so doing, I will continue to be a positive reflection on town government and the party I call my own.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 53 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.

Jann Liberty Candidate for NG Town Clerk

The North Greenbush Pipeline wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!

Jan Liberty, who lives in the Wynantskill area of North Greenbush has announced her candidacy for the office of North Greenbush Town Clerk. “I am honored to accept the nomination from the newly formed Greenbush Party. It is my hope that through this party we can restore honesty and non-partisanship to our local government. We need and want a town government that makes town residents proud to live here and I hope to play a role in that process as Town Clerk”.

There is no room for the backdoor politics that have become all too familiar with our Town and the way it is run. I believe the Greenbush Party can restore a CHOICE to all who believe they have NO alternative.

I have spent most of my life in this Town. I chose to raise my family here. It is not only my heritage but my legacy to my children. I have dedicated myself to the enhancement of the Youth Programs by being a longtime member and past Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Board, DARE Committee and various other youth oriented groups. My husband Mike serves on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee and is helping guide our community to a bright future where smart growth will govern development decisions. I am committed to this work and oppose the political interference that has been injected into the process by the Supervisor’s office.

The time is now to stand up and say "I want to make our community proud of town government". We need to unite the town against the partisan politics and divisiveness that has gripped town hall. I am also proud to run with a bipartisan slate of candidates representing several political party affiliations, all of whom will work together for the good of our town. Their only desire is to restore faith and honesty in the town we ALL call home.

I am especially proud to run with and support Mark Premo, our outstanding Highway Superintendent. Mark has done a great job for our town and I am proud to be running with him.

As Town Clerk, I intend to keep politics out of this office and put service to our residents as the only priority of this office. I look forward to a vigorous campaign and extend my sincere thanks to the more than 500 town residents from all political parties who signed my petitions for Town Clerk to put people before politics.

Late Financial Disclosure Count:

Kyran Devery
Today is Day 52 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery.