Yes Virginia, that headline is a real eyeball grabber, I know. Normally, I try to claim neutrality at all times here at the NiagaraHub, but after Friday afternoon’s abysmal special City Council meeting where the crowd in attendance was subjected (once again!) to more incoherent babbling and unanswered questions regarding the “roll out” of the new citywide garbage law by our trusted City Administrator, I couldn’t keep my fingertips from clacking away on the keyboard in order to express my disdain.
The debut of this new citywide process, being enacted to help clean up our streets and neighborhoods (while at the same time streamlining the entire waste collection process), could have been introduced to Joe & Jane Public in an elementary fashion – with plenty of hand holding and positive reinforcement so that even the youngest or oldest dogs could understand and learn the new tricks. Enacting a process that is a change to the community, a change having an effect on both residents and business owners, a change that is a complete overhaul of the decades old system, should have been guided and fostered with great care. Instead, this great concept was birthed unto our city like a dank old fart. In fact, I’ll go one better – this concept was left on our front porch like a flaming bag of shit.
The City Council on Friday had an important decision to make, each council member had a vote and their decisions together would either dismiss or enact this new process into law. When certain council members had questions, our City Administrator couldn’t coherently answer to their satisfaction and once again she leaned on the verbal communication skills of others to help cover for her. Mayor Dyster swooped in again (as he does regularly) to help clarify information, Craig Johnson aided with some facts, and lastly, Brook D’Angelo supplied the City Council with a few more of the answers they were seeking. Council Chairman Walker shook his head in disapproval, no one was happy with the lack of confidence being displayed by our City Administrator. The entire City Council was in harmony for once (gasp!) because they all shared puzzled looks on their faces. Many residents in attendance hung their heads in shame, embarrassed because somehow “we” managed to screw things up… again. A program that should have been rolled out with great confidence and welcoming fanfare has obviously become quite the clusterf*ck. Now, this clusterf*ck is law.
This is the part of my post where I will insert my disclaimer, inserted because it is always customary (it seems) to put someone on blast, then attempt to soften that blast with a disclaimer, right? This isn’t a personal attack, nor does it bring anything personal in any way into the mix. My thoughts and expressions are purely my own and based solely on my observations and gathered information about the professional abilities, or lack thereof, displayed by our City Administrator. A position in our City Government that deserves to be filled by an individual with confidence, direction, determination (insert more of your own nouns here). We have enough exasperated position fillers throwing their hands up with confused looks on their faces, we don’t need another. I’d simply love to attend a City Council meeting and not wince whenever our City Administrator talks into the microphone. I want to be proud of our leaders and proud to be able to let them lead. I walked out of City Hall after this meeting and felt embarrassed, hence, me writing this rant. Can ya blame me? I know this program will eventually work out to be a fine system we all can be proud of, but was it necessary for us to choke on it first? All the water going over Niagara couldn’t help wash down that tough to swallow aspirin.
The garbage/recycling tote roll out program was a time for our City Administrator to shine, maybe a chance to dispel all of the naysayer’s repeated noise, but instead we walk away with shit on our boots from stomping out the flaming bag left on our porch. Please Santa, not only do I want a clean pair of boots for Christmas, I also would love a new City Administrator… check the video footage, I’ve been a good boy!
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Epilogue: If your feelings mirror mine, let’s do something about it. Our voice can be strong if we all sing together. There is no reason for us to endure this any longer. There has been so much progress lately here in Niagara Falls, New York, we can’t let it veer off course now. Is it a matter of the entire population asking nicely for the City Administrator to resign? Let’s get our sprinkles and gum drops ready to help sweeten the request. Please enter your thoughts below in the comment section.
“Does wrapping paper go in the blue tote or the green tote?”
That idiot didn’t even KNOW we had an Energy from Waste facility in OUR CITY BOUNDARIES!?! …trash specialist my ARSE ! – Brings NOTHING, TO THE TABLE. Was talked in to the plan by MODERN…Mayor Mike Tucker did the same thing in Lockport, AND, it’s alleged Modern set him up with a condo in FLA.? – He “quietly” retired – Details to follow? … Anyways, I agree with this article – she NEEDS TO GO – SOONER THAN LATER ! …
Relax Raymond…modern suggested many solutions before they even became problems but our city administrator insisted this was her program. And the days of companies providing luxuries like condos to political figures. are over. Support like yours hurts the valid points presented. Don’t state something that is alleged and make it part of your argument or you just look silly, silly!
Boom!
I drive by NiagaraHub at least twice a day, since I live on the 700-block of 4th Street. I had been looking forward to a comprehensive trash collection system that incorporates the new bins in our possession. I wrongfully assumed that the details of such an important program to help clean up the horrible trash problem throughout the city, in particular, the alley between 600-block of 4th Street and Park Place, behind NiagaraHub, would have been thought out and communicated to all residents, not just property owners, throughout the city. What about yard waste? What about large items? What about cardboard too large to fit in the bin? What about electronics? WHAT ABOUT ELECTRONICS!!!??? For years it seems we have been forced to live with abandoned television sets left like rotted tree limbs for all in the world to avoid. DEAR MISTER MAYOR: these electronics and piles of tree trimmings and old furniture are not going to walk to the dump on their own. We are being told to do the work of what we are paying taxes for. SPEAKING OF TAXES, did you hear the latest one about City of Niagara Falls taxes going up 2% AGAIN for 2015. It seems lately that all the deep-pocketed out-of-town investors will continue to pay no taxes while the rest of us make up for it…….where are the tenants for these awesome new apartments going to come from? They won’t be the Isiah 61 project townhomes. Of course, the small investor gets screwed once again while all the big dogs like Carl Paladino get the best buildings and the biggest breaks in the form of tax abatement.
Chris, well done! As a voter who supported the concept of controlling expenses of the budget this plan was a no brainer. Where this program was hijacked only the god of trash collections know. The City Administrator should be someone with an articulate vision of what Niagara Falls can be, someone who can converse with investors and manage City employees I don’t see any of that. I believe it’s time to move her.
Well Chris, you certainly stepped in it this time! Nicely said. It is unfortunate that it has to be said, we would like not to have to say it, but folks, it’s time. If Chris’s observations are wrong, then let’s correct him. If they are right, my concerns remain that the inability to manage what was once her professional strong suit – the garbage issues of big cities – speaks volumes on how welcoming her professionalism would be to prospective investors in our city. We need people in place in City Hall who can do their job and do it well. Look at the state of this City, see who has been responsible for what, and ask them to document their worth. I asked Mr. DeSantis and his crew to show us who they called to set up shop in Niagara Falls. He said they were so busy handling and making phone calls they could not bear to cut the department. So how ’bout tell me five people you called in 2014? That’s less than 1 every other month. Lets ask these questions of the folks in charge, and we’ll see the cream rise to the top. There are some very dedicated, hard working people working for this City. Let’s seek them out and give them an atta boy! The others? Let’s give ‘em an outta here!
HERE HERE, Well said Stenz and Craig – let’s show HER THE DOOR – because at the end of the day – WE DESERVE MORE … WHAT an embarrassment, I don’t even KNOW what language she speaks – maybe she could switch to pig-latin? – never mind – too complicated – Donna NoWins – #citylosesagain
I think that even with my lack of english vocabulary I can do better… Well said man, it is about time that we sing together… LUCAS
Outstanding and well said. With the dismal financial situation in Niagara Falls and tax increases–that position is useless (and this was the garbage expert?) 100,000 grand would be better in a budget to reduce the tax increase. There are a few other “worthless” individuals that could also go.
Good Piece. Don’t tell me it doesn’t go in the Green tote??????