Blog, Friday Links

The blog has hit 5,100 visits. Averaging about 10/day or about 300/month with the average visit about one-minute in length. Not too bad for an unmarketed, local government blog.

Some links:

NPR reports on the growing trend of online course offerings
I am slated to teach an online course in Intergovernmental Management this January. In the next 5-10 years, asynchronous learning will be expanding its reach in higher education and may eventually outpace traditional, face-to-face instruction.

ICMA TV is live

Spitzer-appointed Group unveils Strategic Plan for SUNY system
...Which includes the hiring of 1,000 professors over three (3) years.

Budget

This week marks the official kick-off of the 2008-09 budget development process. I will be drafting a letter, often referred to as a "call-out letter," to my department heads assessing the financial picture of the Village and asking each one for departmental cost estimates/projections for the upcoming budget year. These will include staff changes, capital project requests and any other applicable department adjustments that affect the Village's bottom line. I will get these reports back in about a month, at which time I will compile, adjust as necessary and present to the Board in a complete balanced budget document.

Parks Meeting

News! Village Parks Committee Revisits Barry Street Park Project

The Parks Committee will be holding a public meeting on Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at the Village Hall to update local residents and invite comments regarding the physical improvements to the Barry Street Park and the surrounding neighborhood.

"This is a good opportunity to discuss earlier plans for the park, the project’s status, and what remains to be done,” said Andrea Perry, Chair of the Village of Brockport Parks Committee.

As part of the 2006 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached between the Village of Brockport and General Electric and Black & Decker the companies are making a $62,000 contribution for environmental and/or community recreational projects in the Village. At least $37,000 is to be dedicated to the Barry Street Park located between Barry and Lyman Streets and for the benefit of the area's residents.

Thanksgiving

My previous two Thanksgiving posts (1, 2) still hold true, relative to the subject of my thanks and affection. I couldn't be more blessed in terms of my family and I thank God for what he's given me- even more so on Thanksgiving.

Headed to Columbus for a weekend with wife's family. Remember, Christmas events start soon so be sure to check out the event's schedule on our website. Check for updates often as there is a rumor of a planned Christmas Concert by a prominent local band...More information later.

NYCOM Legislative Priorities

Priorities as voted on by the general membership in attendance were:

Finance

Increased Revenue Sharing- Overall Priority
1. Pension Cost Reform
2. Wicks Law Repeal
3. Growth in Transportation Funding
4. Service Charge for Tax Exempt Properties
5. Prohibition of Local Taxation for Service Not Provided Sub-units of Local Gov’t



Employee Relations & Public Safety

1. Opposition to Retiree Health Insurance Mandates
2. Expansion of Criminal Records Check for Volunteer Firefighters & Applicants
3. Opposition to Making Discipline a Mandatory Subject of Negotiations
4. Fees for Police/EMS Services



Government Operations & Community Development

1. Procurement Reform
2. Statewide Economic Development Policy
3. Tort Reform/Collateral Source
4. Reimbursement for Code Enforcement



Environment & Energy

1. Comprehensive Energy Program
2. Drinking Water
3. Emergency Management
4. Clean Water

Bruce

unbelievable.

No Surrender, Darkness, Sandy followed by E Street Shuffle! Are you kidding me?

Thunder Road in the encore set was great. Long Walk Home was one of the best of the night. Gov. Spitzer one of the many Capital-area dignitaries in the sold-out Times Union Center in Downtown Albany.

BRUCE

Going to see Springsteen tonight in Albany at the Pepsi Center. Here's his set-list from last night:

Radio Nowhere
The Ties That Bind
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
Night
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Code of Silence
Backstreets
Working on the Highway
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Youngstown
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Kitty's Back
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land

Premiered Youngstown to a delighted crowd and did Code of Silence with Joe Grushecky. Personally, I am hoping to hear some classics like Racing in the Streets, Living Proof and This Hard Land and always, my wedding song, Thunder Road. Off the new album Magic, I'd like to hear Long Walk Home, I'll Work For Your Love and the rocker Radio Nowhere. Overall, most cuts on the new album are above average. As long as I don't hear Waiting on a Sunny Day. How about Loose Ends? Growin' Up? For You? Incident? Rosalita? I digress.

Bruce could play for 4 hrs and I would still want more tunes.

Report tomorrow.

Meeting Change

Trustee Meeting Rescheduled


The Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting at 7:00pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2007, in the Conference Room of the Village Hall, 49 State Street, Brockport, New York. This replaces the meeting previously scheduled for Monday, November 19th.

Blog

Back from a mini, external audit-induced hiatus with a posting. Audit should be available online and linked from this blog within a month or so. Do other local communities post their external audits online? I am not sure. Post comments if you know. I believe this would be a first for the Village of Brockport.

I would assert that the Village of Brockport already is leading the way in Monroe County in terms of government transparency. Minutes are available for the last few years for all Boards. Meetings are videotaped and broadcast on Channel 12. Our budget, in its entirety, is posted to the web along with the my budget message & presentation and the previous year's annual state financial report. Oh, and our code is on the web too, in searchable PDF format. We have public comments before and after meetings and a streamlined FOIL process. Now, if I could only figure out how to make mpegs of the Board meetings, we'd be cutting edge!

Salt and Snow and Sales Tax

I know its still early to talk snow...but...

Every Fall, our Superintendent of Public Works informs purchasing officials at Monroe County of our estimated rock salt needs for the 2007-08 winter snow & ice control efforts. The needs for each community involved in the purchasing are then tabulated and provided to prospective bidders for a county-wide bid, thus saving costs versus individually arranged purchasing agreements by municipality. On average, we purchase ~750 tons of salt per year.

Cargill Salt had the lowest quote and thus obtained the county bid. Unfortunately for all of us, due to the inflationary effects of rising gas and commodity prices, the cost of salt went up $5.00 per ton versus last year, which translates into an increase of $3,750 in annual costs for the snow control expense center.


That being said, our quarterly sales tax check came from Monroe County and we saw an 11% jump in proceeds versus that same quarter last year. This translates into an increase of almost $40K.

Election Day

Remember, people die for this right..

While there are no Village elections, two Village residents (Tom Ferris & Jeff Davignon) are vying with another, Pat Connors, for a seat on the Sweden Town Board. There are also county-level races and a county proposition on the ballot. Get out and vote.

*Limited posts this week due to annual audit*

Halloween Redux

Some of "The Turtle" pre- and post-costume...