albanyweblog.com
Updated
August 5, 2006
UPDATE: Our friends at Democracy In Albany have posted a great article on this subject for July 8, which can be found here. DIA is writing longer and longer articles, perhaps he/she is being influenced by albanyweblog's lengthy ranting and raving.
Here's a sampling of some of the emails floating around about Re-Capitalize Albany:
From: Leonard I Morgenbesser
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 11:25 PMHow on earth do we get a meaningful Citywide Plan (the below one purports to address education, neighborhood revitalization, economic growth
-when the PTA people are left off of the train
-when only one of 45 Members is African-American
Do we know if this Group will have public hearings or will they just talk amongst themselves?
How can they get a true picture if they just talk amongst themselves?
Do we know if they are interested in
-every positive opportunity for our young people
-delinquency amongst some of our young people
-the continuing, outrageous easy availability of illegally possessed firearms including those which end up in hands of some of our young people
Wouldnt it have been fitting if they had put at least one young person on this Group
What is going on here?
Can we really have true growth if we have as I have said in various public testimonies
two Cities on a Hill
-one along Fuller Road/U Albany booming with Nanotech City/Village, adjacent to State Campus (Renovated) Village, with some fine new dining facilities downtown like 677 Prime
AND ANOTHER
-the one downtown where hopes are not vibrant among some of our adults and young people
-where people live in fear
-where people get the feeling other people including some in power DO NOT CARE
While I continue to call for am Emergency Summit on the Violence including the illegal guns,
we have a Growth Committee which is not representative of the total diversity and strength of the people of Albany
Go figure
Leonard I Morgenbesser Ph.D.
From: Luci McKnight
Subject: Re: Jennings' new "plan for growth"
Date: July 2, 2006 12:20:55 PM EDT
To: dwvr@mac.com
I feel that all of the people who were selected by Mayor Jennings are noble leaders in our region but the entire notion of capitalizing on every aspect of our city government as we plan for it's growth must have broad based representation of it's residents. It is apparent that the majority makeup of this 45 Member committee are not residents and therefore should submit their resignations.....LMM
From: John Schnebly
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 8:39 AM
Subject: Jennings' new "plan for growth"the
Dear Brian,
I read with interest your article this morning on Jerry's new 45 member panel to craft a new vision for Albany. I certainly agree with the thrust of your article as to the diversity of this new panel. Since I know most of the folks named, please allow me to give my observations as to their interests in serving on this panel:
Gerald D. Jennings, Mayor of Albany till 2009--seeks to gather campaign contributions to finance his successor for his greater glory, prestige, and legacy.
Thomas Geisel--Key Bank President--seeks to finance hyper-secure developments with "appropriate" public guarantees with no risks for his bank, at best possible interest rates.
Mark Adams--Times Union Publisher--seeks to expand circulation in a growing region.
Stephen Baboulis--WNYT-TV VP/GM--seeks increased ratings in competition with his rivals.
James Barba--Albany Med Center CEO--seeks more money for his med center.
Betty Barnette--Albany city treasurer--seeks continuity of power by supporting Jerry every step of the way forward.
M. Christian Bender--Brighter Choice Foundation ED--seeks real solutions to Albany's problems in the context of his own philanthropic capabilities.
Steve Boyle--St. Peter's Hospital CEO--seeks more money for his hospital.
David Buicko--Galesi Group COO--seeks more profitable development opportunities for his company.
Nancy Carey Cassidy--Picotte Companies EVP--seeks to complete her vision of Corporate Woods.
Michael Castellana--SEFCU president--seeks to make profitable loans, gain more depositors.
Timothy Conley--Conley Associates president--seeks more real estate activity for his firm.
Robert Curley--Citizens Bank president--seeks more profitable loans, growth in depositor base.
Thomas D'Ambra--Albany Molecular Research president and CEO--seeks optimum relationship with moneyed interests in region to secure stock base in his company.
Maurico Diaz--Empire Shoe Rebuilders owner--token Hispanic small business owner for diversity.
The Rev. Kenneth Doyle--Chancellor of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese--seeks meaningful role for his "flock" in any activity impacting "his flock".
John Egan--Renaissance Corporation of Albany president--seeks implementation of the vision of Marty Silverman, given source of his funding. Supports mass transit options in competition with highway options due to his resume in transportation and his realization of impact of rising fossil fuel costs.
Carl Florio--First Niagara Bank president--seeks profitable loans and growth of depositor base.
Alan Goldberg--First Albany Corporation president--seeks optimum relationships with investors in region to secure his stock values.
Kermit Hall--UAlbany president--seeks more money for UAlbany, more jobs for UAlbany graduates, more prestige for his position.
Nancy Hodes--Hodes Associates president--I don't know Nancy.
Roger Hull--Help Yourself Foundation president and former Union College president--seeks opportunity to serve after career with Union.
Eva Joseph--Albany City School District superintendent--seeks better schools, more money, etc.
Richard Kotlow--UHY Advisors NY CEO--seeks more financially qualified clients and larger accounting jobs.
Rene LaSpina--WTEN-TV president and GM--seeks better ratings, more advertising sales, better competitive position for her station.
Donald Led Duke--BBL Construction Services president--seeks more major construction contracts at better margins.
Richard Liebich--Charitable Venture Foundation chairman--seeks optimum opportunities to deploy his resources in the context of coordination with other financial and civic leaders of the type Jerry has selected for this panel.
Kelly Lovell--Center for Economic Growth--seeks enhanced opportunities for profit for her membership netting growth of her organization.
Jennifer MacPhee--Bank of America market president--seeks profitable loan opportunities and growing depositor base.
Alan Martin--Capital News 9 VP and GM--seeks enhanced ratings and greater growth of Time Warner in market.
Norman Massry--Tri-City Rentals president--seeks growth in his rental management portfolio for profits.
Angelo Massone--Angelo's 677 Prime restaurant owner--seeks to be the logical place for this panel to dine and spend their money.
Christine Miles--Albany Institute of History & Art director--seeks more contributions from individuals and government to expand her programs.
John Nigro--Nigro Companies president--seeks more strip mall development opportunities wherever the biggist return on risk can be located.
Kevin O'Connor--Tech Valley Communications CEO--seeks more sales through relationships with business and civic leadership.
John O'Donnell--Albany County Airport Authority CEO--seeks improvement of airport and growth in airport traffic.
Victor Politzi--Progressive Insurance state manager--seeks more return on his investment in Albany real estate through optimum relationships with Albany's leadership.
Joseph Rabito--Albany City Development and Planning Commissioner--seeks to do what Jerry asks him to do.
Jeffery Sperry--CB Richard Ellis (Albany) president--seeks more buildings to
lease, rent, sell, and purchase.I. David Swawite--Omni Development Company president and COO--seeks more development opportunites for highest paying tenants.
Ed Swyer--Swyer Companies president--seeks more opportunities for his successful formulas of Styvesant Plaza, etc.
Lyn Taylor--Albany Colonie Chamber of Commerce president--seeks growth of her organization through growth of her membership.
F. Michael Tucker--Harriman Campus Redevelopment Corp. president--seeks massive NYS support to implement his proposals for Harriman Campus.
Michele Vennard--Albany County Convention and Visitor Bureau president--seeks successful term of office doing what the political consensus directs her to do.
Obviously, these are all great choices to serve on this panel. However, you are quite right in reporting many are wondering where is the representation of the community, of labor, of the ethnic diversity, and of any political diversity. I have not done a cross check of this list for their appearances on Jerry's contributors lists--however, my guess is that each person named to this panel has contributed to Jerry's political campaigns. I see no one on this list who has given anything significant to Jerry's opposition in his initial run for office, nor any of the subsequent elections-- where he had challengers. In short, this is a list of Jerry's fans, and Jerry's support team. Therefore, this list represents about 47% of the voters when you take out the votes that went to Harold Joyce from labor and to Archie Goodbee from the minority community [33% and 20%]
I would think the time has come to organize another "blue-ribbon panel" of this 53% of potential Albany voters. Many who could be on this panel are in the cc list above. Jerry's group could develop their vision for Albany. This other group could develop its own "community benefit" vision for Albany. Jerry's group could concentrate on profits for their institutions. This other group could concentrate on opportunities for its membership, living wages for its organized workers, and fair contracts for its project labor agreements.
Then, as the summer of 2009 approaches, with all its celebrations of the 400th Anniversary of Albany's "discovery" in 1609, perhaps the executive committees of these two bodies could select representatives to negotiate terms for genuine diversity in Albany representing all interests--profits as well as fair wages, expanded opportunities, mixed housing, and commercial diversity. Since my friend, John Egan, is heading up the economic development subcommittee of Jerry's panel with Bob Curley of Citizens Bank heading the neighborhood revitalization committee, I would bet these two great guys would just love to negotiate with organized community/labor representatives to actually get something done that would be politically viable--now that Albany has its Convention Center PILOT and Bruno's district has its AMD chip fab together with Joe's offer to support energy companies like he supported AMD's development. Who knows "happy days" may be here again....
Obviously, living in Albany is not a requirement to be on Jerry's panel. Supporting Jerry is a requirement. Therefore, I would be on neither panel, since I live in North Greenbush, and didn't support Jerry for his current term. But if I were to describe my motivations like I did for Jerry's panel above, I would say: John Schnebly--US Energy Independence Consortium CEO--seeks job development and profits from Cybertran development with covered solar parking lots at Cybertran stations. [After all, we all have our interests and we might as well be honest about them...If Brian Nearing were to be described in this manner, it would be: Brian Nearing---Times Union Reporter for Albany civic activities--seeks to become the "go-to" article writer on Albany's issues reflecting the genuine majority opinion of the voters. [Gee, I hope that comment does not get you in trouble with Mark Adam, your publisher, who is on Jerry's panel...] Have a nice 4th of July weekend, Brian. Nice article...
Best Wishes,
sneb
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