David versus "Goliath"

Mongielo, Lockport Town Board resume conflict of interest feud

Updated: March 11, 2012, 7:19 AM

LOCKPORT— David J. Mongielo and the Town Board resumed their feud this week.
Mongielo, the unsuccessful 2009 candidate for supervisor who faces a potential 15-day jail sentence for violating the town’s sign ordinance, took to the microphone during the public comment period at Wednesday’s Town Board meeting.
Mongielo, a Republican committeeman, made an argument he’s offered before: that the practice of having town officeholders also serve as GOP committee members creates a conflict of interest.
Mongielo called the practice, seen not only in Lockport but in almost every other municipality, “corrupt,” because it means officeholders can take part in securing endorsements for themselves.
As the five-minute time limit expired, Supervisor Marc R. Smith warned Mongielo that his time was up. Mongielo kept talking, so after a second warning, Smith directed the technician producing the cable TV broadcast of the meeting to turn off the microphone.
“Communism in Lockport,” Mongielo said as he went back to his seat.
However, that wasn’t the end of it. Councilman Mark C. Crocker said he wanted to talk to Mongielo about a YouTube video Mongielo had produced, entitled “David Mongielo is Going to Jail For Helping Residents.”
This referred back to the issue Mongielo has with the town’s sign law.
Mongielo is awaiting a verdict March 20 from Town Justice Raymond E. Schilling, who conducted a nonjury trial Dec. 28 on Mongielo’s second alleged violation of the town’s law barring electronic signs that change more than once every 10 seconds.
Since the alleged violation occurred during the time of Mongielo’s conditional discharge for his first sign-law violation, Schilling could sentence him to 15 days behind bars.
A 9-minute videotape shot Aug. 25 by Donald J. Jablonski, town GOP chairman and Zoning Board member, showed the sign in front of Mongielo’s Robinson Road auto repair shop changing every two seconds.
Although the sign is usually used to advertise Mongielo’s business, it has been used on occasion to promote community fundraisers.
On Aug. 25, the video sign was promoting a fundraiser for Allen Gerhardt, a Niagara County sheriff’s deputy who lost both legs in a July 18 crash.
Wednesday, Crocker asked Mongielo, “How did you help Kayla Allen?”
“We help people dying of cancer,” Mongielo said. “I don’t know who Kayla is. She’s a girl who probably died, right?”
Crocker said his research indicated that Kayla Allen was murdered in North Carolina in 2003. In his video, Mongielo used a picture of that girl and her gravesite that he found on the Internet.
Crocker said that incident had nothing to do with Lockport and occurred years before Mongielo moved his business from Pendleton to Lockport.
“Don’t be dishonest,” Crocker told Mongielo. “Don’t use murdered children to further your political gains.”
“It just shows the dysfunction of local government,” said Mongielo, who provided The Buffalo News with a copy of an anonymous political mailing sent out against him in January.
At least one official reacted to Mongielo’s charges with sarcasm.
Councilman Paul H. Pettit told the audience, “I learned tonight I was corrupt and a Communist. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
tprohaska@buffnews.com

While I may not always agree with Dave Mongielo's tactics, I do admire his persistence and passion! Hey, let's face it folks, any time you question the status-quo, the press and the people in power are going to paint you as some kind of lunatic or a sore loser. I, like Dave, am less concerned with the actual political views and ideals of a person, and am more concerned with the processes. Keep up the heat Mr. Mongielo, people are watching, listening, and learning!

The Biggest Loser?

The Lockport Athletic & Fitness Club is the host for its third annual Downtown Meltdown. From left to right: Amer Abdallah, club owner; Dave Hoffmann, Niagara County Assistant District Attorney; Gina Nowak, club manager; Mayor Mike Tucker; Pete Robinson, Courts Officer; Tony Nemi, Niagara County Legislator; Gary Chapman, Papa Leo’s manager and Juan Deleon, Team Abdallah coach.

Do I really have to say more?

Prime City Owned Property Tapped For 'Friends And Family Plan'

City officials revive ice rink discussions
By Thomas J. Prohaska

Updated: February 12, 2012, 7:21 AM

LOCKPORT — It’s been dormant for several years, but city officials were voicing optimism last week that the Lockport Ice Arena and Sports Center may become a reality as soon as this year.
“Recent developments have given us reason to believe that this project will become a reality very soon, and I am committed to making it happen,” Mayor Michael W. Tucker said in last week’s State of the City address.
Corporation Counsel John J. Ottaviano said Ciminelli Real Estate Corp., hired in early December to mastermind the construction and financing of the arena, has submitted a construction estimate of $10 million to $14 million.
More importantly, Ottaviano said, Ciminelli has a plan to sell federal income tax credits to investors whose payments would comprise 38 percent of the construction cost.
Foundation grants also may be announced soon to assist with the funding of the twin-rink complex, to be built in the former Jubilee supermarket on Chestnut Street. Bank loans also are part of the financing plan.
“We’re within $3 million to $4 million of closing this entire deal,” Ottaviano said. “Now that’s a very significant number, but it’s a lot closer than we were before.”
The rather large range in the construction budget reflects some decisions not yet made that could add or subtract costs.
Among them, Ottaviano said, are the exact size and exterior appearance of the building and whether parking should be expanding onto the former Dussault Foundry site at the foot of Washburn Street.
Before Ciminelli’s work, the cost estimate was $18 million, but company officials said when they were hired that they thought they could bring that down.
Jim Cain of Firland Management, a Lewiston, Maine, arena operator, will update the operating budget, Ottaviano said. Also, local schools and minor hockey organizations who previously had expressed interest in playing in a Lockport rink will be asked if that’s still true.
Despite the involvement of city officials such as Ottaviano and R. Charles Bell, director of planning and development, the project is being headed by a not-for-profit organization with no call on the city’s treasury.
“I don’t see us getting involved financially,” Tucker said.

Perhaps I am just missing it, why will the proposed ice rink be so successful? I am not against the idea, I just don't understand why this rink will do better than the Kenan faired. Why not make the necessary repairs to the Kenan Center and update that structure? Seems like it should be more economically feasible and they do have plenty of property for parking. I will make this prediction with a fair amount of certainty, the Dussault property will given or sold to this politically connected group for well under its value, it is a prime piece of real estate that will now be used as a parking lot for a pipe dream.

No Surprise Here!

Fuel error damages engine in new fire truck
By Thomas J. Prohaska

Updated: February 11, 2012, 6:29 AM

LOCKPORT — The city’s new $490,000 fire truck needed major engine repairs because of an incident during the Jan. 27-28 tire fire.
Fire Chief Thomas J. Passuite said it cost $6,700 to repair the diesel engine after unleaded gasoline was poured into the fuel tank of the truck, which is less than a year old.
Mayor Michael W. Tucker said a Streets Department worker was at fault, but he was not disciplined. “It was just human error in the heat of the moment. We did a full investigation,” Tucker said.
The incident occurred when the worker was sent to Thrifty Oil, the city’s fuel vendor, to get more fuel during the overnight hours, as fire trucks were running low at the scene of the massive blaze at Liberty Tire Recycling on Ohio Street.
The worker was driving a city pickup truck with a 50-gallon fuel tank in the bed. Tucker said the tank is divided in two, with half labeled “unleaded” and the other half “diesel.”
The worker pumped some unleaded gas into the diesel tank, apparently realized his mistake and filled the tank the rest of the way with diesel.
Passuite said the new truck took all 50 gallons of the resulting mixture.
“It shut down. It overheated. It just died,” Passuite said.
Every Fire Department vehicle runs on diesel. “We had all the rest of our vehicles examined,” Passuite said. No other problems were found.
Norman D. Allen, city director of engineering and public works, said the city cleaned out the fuel tank on the pickup truck and installed brighter lettering for the diesel and unleaded halves.

Once again, it comes as no surprise that this Mayor has no intention ot interest in protecting the City. While I agree that this is an unfortunate mistake and likely done without malice, the fact is that there should be some type of discplinary action taken. We had a vehicle put out of commission risking lives and property in the City, we have a repair bill for $6,700.00 on a new truck, all the result of human error and the subsequent attempt to cover it up. Yes, we all screw up some times, but to not take responsibilty from the very start deserves disciplinary action (unless you're liked by the Mayor of course). 

Tucker Blows Smoke up Residents' Butts

Mayor sees union health costs as issue
By Thomas J. Prohaska

LOCKPORT — Mayor Michael W. Tucker said during his State of the City message Tuesday that the city’s financial situation demands union concessions on the cost of health insurance.
“This year all five union contracts are up, and the health care issue will be on the table, will be the focus,” Tucker told a luncheon meeting of the Lockport Rotary Club in the Lockport Town and Country Club.
“We must find a common ground that is acceptable to both the unions and the taxpayers, and I am confident that we will,” he said. “I am asking the leadership of the city’s unions to reflect on the world today, and ask them to work with me to be reasonable and open to new ideas so we are not forced to look at the alternative.”
Tucker didn’t mention layoffs, but in a departure from his prepared text, he said, “We will do what we have to do.”
In a brief interview after the speech, Tucker, a former United Auto Workers official when he worked at Delphi, indicated that the city won’t start the bargaining from a position of hostility toward the unions.
“I have a good relationship with them. They have a good relationship with me,” the mayor said.
“We’re months away from sitting down at the table,” said Kevin Pratt, president of the Lockport Professional Fire Fighters Association. The union contracts don’t run out until Dec. 31, and Pratt vowed not to negotiate in the media.
“Negotiations are best served at the table. Mike Tucker and I have agreed on that for years,” Pratt said.
He added that the fire union and Tucker have a track record.
“It was the unions 10 years ago that brought significant savings on health care to the City of Lockport,” Pratt said. “[Former Mayor] Tom Sullivan rejected it for four years, and Mike Tucker did it within eight months of taking office. That saved the city $3 million in the first four years.”
Tucker said the city’s financial condition is good now, marked by the highest bond rating in Lockport history. But he said, “We must consider to monitor our surpluses, as they are approaching levels that we need to watch closely, and we must continue to keep a very watchful eye on spending.”
The mayor said, “Our operating budget continues to go up each and every year, and the overwhelming majority of this increase is directly attributable to health care, pension and legacy costs for employees.”
Noting that the city has 23 fewer employees than it had 18 months ago because of a retirement incentive, Tucker said any budget problem is “not a staffing issue, it’s a health care issue, and it must be addressed.”
On the positive side, Tucker touted the success of the privatized garbage and recycling program, which he said reduced refuse costs by $113,000 in its first three months, compared with the same period a year ago.
“This program is a savings machine,” he said, adding that total savings for 2012 “will likely exceed the projected savings of $428,000.”
City residents are recycling 22 percent of their trash, he said, and total waste generation, the sum of garbage and recycling, is down 12 percent from a year ago.

Tucker: 'Best days lie ahead'

Mayor gives State of the City speech

By Joe Olenick Lockport Union-Sun & Journal The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Wed Feb 08, 2012, 02:06 AM EST

LOCKPORT — The City of Lockport government is smaller than it was 18 months ago but is in a stronger financial place, Mayor Michael W. Tucker said in his annual State of the City address.
Speaking to the Lockport Rotary Club on Tuesday, Tucker said the city has been able to overcome challenges despite the economic situation the state finds itself in.
“It is not common to be as financially sound as we are and these things don’t happen just by luck,” Tucker said. “In our case, they’ve happened because of responsible planning by the Common Council and our department heads.”
The city will continue to keep a watchful eye on spending in 2012. That will be important, Tucker said, as national and state leadership will continue to shift a considerable amount of financial burden onto the backs of local governments. And tax increases must be avoided, the mayor said.
“We understand times are tough,” Tucker said. “And we are proud of the fact that the tax rate has decreased the last two years.”
He added Lockport is operating with 23 fewer employees than 18 months ago, the lowest staffing numbers in decades.
The operating budget’s increase is largely because of health care, pension and legacy costs for city employees. Tucker said city contracts with all five unions are up this year, negotiations will go on throughout the year.
Healthcare costs for the city will approach $6 million, Tucker said. And that will be the focus in contract talks.
“We must find a common ground that is acceptable to both the unions and taxpayers,” Tucker said. “And I am confident we will.”
The mayor did bring up some of the city’s accomplishments over the past year. First on the list was the curbside recycling and privatized garbage program.
“While it made for an interesting election, we stuck to our belief that this is what was best for the city,” Tucker said.
Overall garbage costs have been reduced by $113,000, compared to a year ago. Tucker said he expects the city to see more than the projected savings of $428,000 for 2012.
About 600 tons of recyclables have been collected, with city residents recycling about 22 percent of their average household waste. Citywide, total waste is down 12 percent, meaning 34 percent of the city’s garbage is not being sent to a landfill.
Tucker said a goal of his was to draw tourists to the city. He said 250,000 people came to Lockport in 2011 because of city attractions, and an economic report said a restored Flight of Five could draw as many as 230,000 people, so it will continue to be a priority.
Improving Lockport’s standing in tourism will continue to be a goal in 2012, the mayor said.
“Last month, I took information gathered from a meeting in the council chambers from all the tourism related business in our city and formed a tourism task force,” Tucker said.
The task force will take those ideas and form a tourism plan for the city.
Representatives for the National Trust for Historic Preservation visited Lockport in October.
“And they loved it,” Bob Hagen informed the rotary club members.
Going into 2012, Tucker said another goal is the Lockport Ice Rink Project. The long proposed arena would go into the old Jubilee building on Chestnut Street.
“Recent developments have given us reason to believe that this project will become reality and I am committed to making that happen,” Tucker said.
The city will continue on improving housing throughout the city and addressing housing code violations, the mayor said. Initiatives such as Lockport Canal Homes, the Historic Preservation Board’s historic district and the Main Street Program will help home and property owners as well as businesses succeed.
Tucker said the city must remain financially prudent while balancing the budget with delivery of services.
“I am confident that our best days lie ahead,” Tucker said.

Really Mike? We're in sound fiscal shape? If sound fiscal shape means spending all your savings and using your credit cards to pay the bills, then yes, I guess we are!
Oh, and by the way Mike, I don't care about the 'tax rate', I care about my tax bill and user fees. You can lower the rate all you want, but if at the end of the day I'm spending more for my services, then guess what, you've increased my taxes!
Here's a little tip for you Mike- 'If you planning on negotiating with the City's 5 unions and you really want to get some concessions, you probably shouldn't say that the City is in great financial shape'. Oh, that's right, he still has to pay the Police and Fire unions back for their endorsements, he doesn't really want concessions, he doesn't care about you!

 

 

Political Favor Cost City Taxpayers

Council offers extra pay to settle police grievance

LOCKPORT—The Common Council agreed Wednesday to settle a grievance filed by the police union by paying officers extra if they are assigned to dispatching duties.
The Hickory Club Police Benevolent Association, which is to vote on the settlement next week, filed the grievance in 2010, after the city moved Fire Department dispatching chores to the police desk.
Mayor Michael W. Tucker said there is no retroactive pay for past dispatching work, but the shift differentials for the dispatchers, which won’t be disclosed until the union votes, will cost the city less than $50,000 a year going forward.
“It’s pretty safe to say we would have paid more than that in arbitration,” Tucker said, adding that a state arbitrator urged the sides to come to a deal after hearing their arguments.

As you can see in the above Buffalo News article, now that the Mayor has his "roll over and play dead Common Council", we can expect the Mayor to make more union concessions like the one in this article. When it comes time to negotiate union contracts this year, we as taxpayers are going to lose. The unions will win and the area Political leaders will win. Remember, just before the election this past November, the unions endorsed Tucker over Pillot. Tucker knew the race was going to be close, he needed every vote he could get, now he has to pay the unions back for that endorsemnet. Oh, but wait, he's not really gonna pay is he?, we will!

Just in case you forgot, back in August of 2010, the Police Chief told that sitting Council that dispatch could be done at no additional cost.(http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/niagara-county/article31325.ece)
Also, just in case you may have forgotten, previously the Hickory Club was only seeking about $30,000.00 in additional compensation for performing their job duties, but that was pre-endorsement!

Tire Fire Reveals Substandard City Services

Firefighters finish job in Lockport tire blaze

By Thomas J. Prohaska

News Niagara Reporter

LOCKPORT — Firefighters disconnected the last yellow hose that snaked from a hydrant and into a Lockport recycling plant at about 11 a. m. Saturday, where a tire fire had burned since Friday afternoon.
The blaze at Liberty Tire Recycling, 490 Ohio St., started at about 2:15 p. m. Friday. It sent a mass of black smoke drifting east across the city that could be seen at least 10 miles away. After nightfall Friday, smoke could still be seen in the headlights of traffic on South Transit Street, Route 78, near the center of the city, and the smell was pervasive downwind of the fire in the city’s west end.
Liberty Tire is in an industrial zone that is also near homes, including a residential neighborhood on Stevens Street. There were no evacuations, but residents were advised to stay inside and not open their windows.
Ohio Street and other nearby roads remained closed Saturday, but authorities were not vigilant, and residents and workers easily navigated around the orange blockades.
Mayor Michael W. Tucker said the fire was the result of a broken electrical line that fell on a pile of tires.
“I think the fire or heat raced through that wire and overheated it. That caused the transmission line to break and fall on the tires. It was bad luck, but at the same time, those tires shouldn’t have been there,” Tucker said.
The mayor said he thought the city may have a building code violation case to pursue against the company.
“It’s another example of why we need the [U. S.] Environmental Protection Agency and [New York State] Department of Environmental Conservation doing inspections on a regular basis at even some of the smaller facilities,” said Erin Heaney, executive director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York. “I think this also shows the continued need for the DEC to be able to do air monitoring when there are accidents at facilities that could threaten public health.”
Derek Martin, who said he was the property owner but not the plant’s operator, declined to speak to The Buffalo News or allow access to fire officials at the scene.
Martin invited residents or workers from the neighborhood to contact him directly about health or safety concerns from the fire or any violations that may have occurred on his property.
A spokesman for the corporate office of Liberty Tire Recycling, in Pittsburgh, also declined to comment.
News Staff Reporters Tim Graham and Mark Sommer contributed to this report.


Sooty silver lining after tire fire

By Jim Krencik
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

Firefighters were able to extinguish a large pile of burning rubber tires on Lockport’s west end after an all-night battle Saturday morning, but the cleanup has just begun at the site and at local homes sullied by soot.
The fire, contained to an open area at Liberty Tire Recycling, 490 Ohio St., spewed heat and thick black smoke over the city for hours before firefighters, with the help of Liberty’s heavy equipment, picked apart and extinguished the burning material piece-by-piece. Fire department personnel were still on the scene Saturday evening to prevent a re-ignition at the facility.
“Rubber requires copious amounts of water ... it just won’t go out,” Lockport Fire Department Capt. Patrick Brady said. “It’s been a long, laborious process.”
According to LFD Assistant Chief Joe Morello, the tire fire began between 2 and 2:30 p.m. Friday when a live industrial power line fell on the pile of rubber after partially melting following a short circuit.
An initial fire in a building at the facility was put out swiftly using carbon dioxide extinguishers. Tackling the tire fire was much harder. Morello said LFD and responders from the South Lockport Fire Co. and Rapids Fire Co. were slowed by a water supply problem that required running as much as 2,000 feet of hose from nearby hydrants to the fire.
“We wouldn’t have been able to make the connections without the volunteer fire companies’ hoses,” Morello said.
Members of the platoon that was on duty Friday afternoon and around 25 more firefighters called in to the fire cycled between the site and the fire station throughout the evening and morning. The fire was officially declared over around noon.
Morello said no department equipment was heavily damaged in the fire response, aside from being coated with greasy soot. Engine No. 7, the department’s newest truck, did have to be towed away from the site Saturday, but that was due to an engine issue.
The fire did not spread from the pile of tires, but the plume of smoke over the city left soot across the area. In the northeast end of the city, retired street supervisor Dennis Brockman found that a cement deck in the backyard of his home was covered in oily soot after his white dogs came back into the house blackened after they were let out Saturday morning.
Mayor Mike Tucker said Saturday that with air quality tests taken during the fire revealing no dangers to residents, his concern has turned to the cleanup.
“The concern now is that people are waking up to find their houses and cars are covered in soot,” said Tucker, who has been recommending that residents hose down the sooty structures. “I think the company is liable.”
Tucker said the city intends to meet with representatives from Liberty this week to discuss their business, the fire and the need for the company to be in better compliance with city regulations. He added the company has always promptly responded to city concerns in the past.
“We’re going to investigate,” Tucker said. “We’re concerned by the fact that it’s the second fire since September ... it’s what the residents expect of us and it’s what we’ll do.”
The Sept. 7 fire gutted a building at the site, causing an estimated $2 million to $3 million in damage. The Lockport Police Department has not yet issued a report on this weekend’s fire, but heavy damaged was visible at the site.

— additional reporting by Stephen M. Wallace.

A couple things stood out in the reports published in the above articles. First off, in the Buffalo News article, the Mayor explains how the fire began- apparently he is now a qualified fire investigator. Also, in the same article, the Mayor indicates that the tires that caught fire were in the wrong location and that the City may be pursuing some building code violations. Hey, maybe it's just me but if there was a fire in September of  2011 shouldn't the City pay a little more attention to see that there is no recurrence of  a similar incident, but they didn't and so now according to the US&J “We’re going to investigate,” Tucker said. “We’re concerned by the fact that it’s the second fire since September ... it’s what the residents expect of us and it’s what we’ll do.” No, actually Mike, we expect you to be proactive and not reactive, duh!
What you don't read about in the newspaper accounts and what really needs to be talked about, is the fact that there was over an hour delay before area volunteers were called to assist. I wonder why? According to reports from several sources around the City, apparently the delay occurred because the City's Firefighter Union require that all union members be called to a scene before asking for mutual aid. Just remember that when there is a large scale emergency where several lives are at risk and one of them may be your own!
Don't get me started on the classless thanks given to the Vols for their fire hoses.

As a side note, can anyone explain the headline in the US&J? Where exactly is the "silver lining" in all this?