Like most developer honeymoons, this one has started with a bang. I predict that it will soon turn ugly.
As for the Wildberry Lodge Pilot, not nearly as outrageous as the one originally sought by the Park Point developers, one can conclude that there are bad Pilots, good Pilots and not-so-bad Pilots.
April fools
Okay, so I’m a few days late. But last week’s headline in the Kingston daily on county healthcare ratings in the region would have made anybody’s laugh list.
To quote: “Ulster, Dutchess, among healthiest.”
The state’s 62 counties were surveyed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Ulster moved up from 31st of 62 to 29th in the state. Dutchess dropped from ninth to 11th.
Being 29th out of 62 is nothing to brag about, considering Ulster County Executive Mike Hein’s goal of making Ulster “the healthiest county in the state.” As the tortoise once said, we’re making progress.
Here and there
As a jaded old City Hall reporter, there’s nothing much about city government that surprises me any more. Still, I have to wonder how a City of Kingston lease to BMX operators at a former ballpark at Kingston Point was allowed to expire a decade ago without anyone knowing it. “Fell through the cracks” seems the operative excuse. Unacceptable. This was a legal document, not a handshake over beers. Good thing we have a lawyer for a mayor. He’ll fix things.
Former legislature chairwoman Terry Bernardo led an Ulster contingent to a mass protest in Albany against the state SAFE act on April 1.
Pistol-packin’ Bernardo (she carries a licensed handgun) was the darling of gun owners during her brief (two-year term) as county chairman. Recall the rally she organized that filled UPAC in Kingston shortly after the SAFE Act was passed last year.
Alas, Bernardo got shot down in her attempt for a third term last November by Rochester town board member Lynn Archer.
I don’t mean to relegate New Paltz Supervisor Susan Zimet to a footnote — God knows she gets enough front-page coverage — but speculation about her running for Assembly against incumbent Kevin Cahill still seems premature. Nonetheless, any perceived clue is seen as indicative. A pair of out-of-town filmmakers followed the supervisor around with cameras last week. According to published reports, the auteurs find New Paltz and by extension, Susan, fascinating if not quirky and are considering a documentary. The working title I’d suggest is: “New Paltz, the Town that Makes Mountains out of Molehills.”
Zimet’s upsetting the well-established Cahill in a Democratic primary would seem another mountain. Consider. She won her last election against a political novice, a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic town, by a mere 127 votes out of over 3,400 cast. This less-than-wildly-popular incumbent would have been turned out of office had 64 voters switched sides last November.
What’s most unfortunate here is that Reynolds has a lot of fun with a whole lot of words but has no point of view vis a vis who’s going a good job and who isn’t. Earlier, he was quite happy with the dustup of Heins and Gallo vs Cahill and again, no information… what is basically a comic strip is now a “chapter book”…
People, you gotta drop the fun and games cheering peanut gallery and insist on good journalism that gives you a clue about what’s going on in your government.
Just wait until you read our story about Chris Rea’s disciplinary hearing.
This reader assumes this is going to be a team effort… too big for one person… but then, so much fun. (see Truthseeker, above.)
Meantime, note is taken that the members of the Common Council are making contributions AND being constructive… and they do seem to be tossing $ about in $15K bundles like they were quarters… $15K here, $15K there and pretty soon you’re talking about real money (apologies to the great Everett Dirksen who saw a bigger picture)