Friday, July 3, 2009

Stuck with Them

As Cobleskill developer Mark Nadeau apparently announced his mayoral candidacy last week via t-shirt, I began seriously wondering if it wasn’t time for Cobleskill to return to two-year terms of office. It’s not that Cobleskill has had an especially bad run of non-credible candidates over the past few years, it’s that Cobleskill actually votes for them. Then, once they reveal themselves to be, oh I don’t know, pathological liars bent on personal vendettas, the voters are stuck with them for four long years.

With Trustee Bob LaPietra, Cobleskill has essentially been saddled with an absentee slumlord, an admitted liar and a brazen lawbreaker whose word clearly can not be trusted. Did voters adequately consider these potential character flaws when they elected him trustee? Maybe not, or maybe they just gave the guy the benefit of the doubt. Either way, the voters now have no recourse but to put up with him until 2012 when he will again face the voters.

Part of me wants to simply sit back and enjoy these candidates for their entertainment value. However, there’s actually a lot of damage they can do. Just consider the fact that if three of five of the current trustees had their way, there wouldn’t even be a village left to speak of. As it is now, the village is dangerously close to being dissolved despite not having sufficiently studied the move, and despite the fact that the studies that have been done actually show that Cobleskill might be better off becoming a city. This November there will be a referendum on the village ballot on the question of dissolution, not incorporation as a city. Will voters fully appreciate the consequences of voting for this, or will they be told that they are merely voting for ‘consolidation and shared services’, everybody’s favorite new buzz words? If LaPietra’s demonstrated ability to lie to voters during a campaign is any indication, this will be an interesting election.

In his short time in office, LaPietra has attempted to gut the village Department of Planning, Environment and Codes and charges residents a $25 filing fee for codes complaints. This man seems to be out to single-handedly dismantle the village of Cobleskill, and if possible, to do so from his winter home in Punta Gorda, Florida. Because of their poor choices, Cobleskill’s voters may not have a chance in four years to correct themselves.

Assuming the village isn’t dissolved any time soon, voters ought to have an escape clause when they get stuck with maniacs like this. Each village official should serve only two year terms. I’m all for bringing additional voices to the table and choosing from a variety of bold and innovative ideas and characters. But for cryin’ out loud, can we please vet these candidates with a little more scrutiny, or barring that, at least have the option of voting them out after two years once they’ve shown us their true colors?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

lapietra galasso and sellers have stated they will vote to create 2 year terms.Only ego centric nut balls like mcguire gilmore and brinkman wanted 4 year terms. They snuck it by everyone several years ago. Again the voting public remains in la la land. Speaking of a classic case for 2 year terms lets look at Sellers. I imagine he probably wanted out 2 years ago but stuck it out because the balance of power would have resembled what we have at the federal level. Totally left wing louie's.maybe we should find out how nadeau feels about 2 year terms.

wake up white people said...

They snuck it by everyone several years ago.

what "everyone"?
all those people who don't attend publicized open meetings, don't read the news, live in caves?

you think gallasso's left wing?
or less egocentric

nutz.

Anonymous said...

NODO Says go with the two yr terms he get what he whats by them

Vidal said...

Will someone please clue Ms Holmes in that she is in front of an audience and that a quick comb over before air time would keep me from turning my video stream off. That look is acceptable for toddlers not adults.

wake up white people said...

Will someone please clue Mr Lapietra in that he is in front of an audience and that his constant spitting while he speaks is unappealing.

Will someone please clue Mr Galasso that he is in front of an audience and that most people know just whose property would gain commercial value by the water district under consideration.
See:recuse

Anonymous said...

will someone remind Sellers this is planet earth

wake up wiggers said...

But for cryin’ out loud, can we please vet these candidates with a little more scrutiny

might be good to apply a little scrutiny to somebody who campaigns with a slogan like Come Help A Nigger Get Elected.

Stokely Carmike said...

Hey Wiggers you better hope the justice brothers(sharpton and jackson----not Michael)don't read this blog. Do you realize what you are saying!!!!!That kind of talk has no business being circulated on any blogs. They have fired state Attorney generals for less. Unless you can prove it shut the fuck up.

Anonymous said...

To the closet bigot wiggers:

This is not San Francisco or NYC. Playing the race card isn't how we politik in these parts. Shame on you.

wake up wiggers said...

It's Nodo's campaign slogan, not mine. Just ask him what "CHANGE" stands for. He was telling the world on Cobleskill Day.

question mark and the mysterians said...

who the hell is nodo????????????

ACRONYM CHECKER said...

c-h-a-n-g-e

C-ome H-elp A N-adeau G-et E-lected

Cobleskiller said...

I too heard the original version in the park. Must be his handlers have cleaned him up some.

Rev. Al Dullton said...

That is two who have said they heard that. If Sandy runs for Mayor he should "call" him on it. No place for that kind of talk from anyone running for elected office. If he talks like that in Public what the hell is going on in his head. Like one poster said --next thing Al Sharpton will be here. We don't need that kind of notoriety.If these rumors are true,this guy needs to go.

Sean said...

Hey, if you people actually did hear him say this, give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

Consider context!

Maybe what Nadeau actually said went something like this: "Excuse me for a moment folks while I regain my composure. I am just so utterly shocked and appalled! I actually overheard some very uncouth individuals saying that CHANGE stands for 'Come Help a Nigger Get Elected'...I find this to be distasteful and disgustingly inappropriate and would never indulge in that kind of bigoted, low-brow, gutter humor myself".

Anonymous said...

hey guess this talk on nadeau change really has some inside info that was released on tape.Tink about it folks.village voters cant vote past there noses.Go with the wo yr terms and lets elect or superduper hiway supers every year no matter what state law says.