Senior Lawmaker Weighs in on Security Issues 2 NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER OCT 15 - OCT 21, 2015 NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER OCT 15 - OCT 21, 2015 3
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THE FALLS’ ONLY LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER FREE OCT 15 - OCT 21, 2015 VOL. 16, NO. 39 FREE Senior lawmaker weighs in on security issues 2 NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER OCT 15 - OCT 21, 2015 NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER OCT 15 - OCT 21, 2015 3 Virtuoso Wants Bilson Excoriates Grozio for Trashy Tactics LaSalle Offi ceholder Cheap-Shots Republicans, But Silent on Covanta Expansion Better Security To Improve Security at the a timetable to do so. The planning board’s move was defended by Niagara Falls Mayor desks. Nobody said a word.” Mike Hudson Virtuoso pointed out that considerable Niagara County Board of Elections Paul Dyster’s economic development director, personal information, including the Social Thomas J. DeSantis. WHEREAS, the Niagara County Board of Elections has been charged to faith- “How does this legislation—that locks emocratic Niagara County Legisla- Security numbers of voters, is stored there. Additionally, he said, many races in this fully execute and uphold the NYS election law in Niagara County, and to ensure the public out of our Board of Elections and tor Dennis Virtuoso has introduced a that the electoral process is conducted fairly and efficiently in a bipartisan manner, resolution that would bring the level year’s primary were very close, with sev- smears the reputations of a couple guys who D eral minor party contests being decided by did nothing more than go down to the County of security at the county Board of Elections WHEREAS, the Niagara County Board of Elections is responsible for main- in line with that of other county offices. a single vote. Courthouse to make sure votes got counted taining sensitive public records, as well as certifying all election results within their “When I go into the Legislature office, “I’m not accusing anybody of any- fairly—how does that help anyone living jurisdiction, and I can’t just walk in,” said the longtime Ni- thing,” he said. “But there shouldn’t even be in LaSalle?” Bilson asked. “Mark Grozio is agara Falls representative. “I have a swipe the appearance of any impropriety.” so busy playing politics in Lockport that he In his resolution, Virtuoso has proposed WHEREAS, proper security is necessary to maintain the integrity of the elec- card I have to use to unlock the door. The seems to forget he’s there to help people who that non Board of Elections personnel enter- tion process in Niagara County and to prevent covert political operatives from in- department of Health and Human Services is live in LaSalle.” the same way.” ing the BOE offices must be accompanied terfering in our electoral process, and by a BOE employee, and also that visitors Grozio has sponsored several resolutions On September 18, the day of the primary Rob Bilson Mark Grozio and Dennis Virtuoso attacking the County Legislature’s Republican election recount, Virtuoso said he saw some- must sign in so that a record of comings and WHEREAS, on September 18, 2015, while preparing for an official count goings can be maintained. majority, including calling for the admonish- thing that just didn’t sit right while waiting of paper ballots as well as absentee ballots for the 2015 Niagara County Primary resolution to lock the public out of the co-sponsorship of the Virtuoso legislation “a ment of Environmental Conservation regula- “It’s not a big deal,” he said. “But the in- Elections, it was witnessed by elected officials and the general public that politi- ment of GOP Majority Leader Dick Upde- for official results outside of the BOE of- county Board of Elections was sub- deep disappointment.” tions; the revised Covanta incinerator would tegrity of elections in Niagara County is too cal operatives Henry Wojtaszek and Vincent Sandonato were entering through the grove of Lockport over his interpretation of fices. There he saw former county Republi- mitted by legislative Minority Leader “Grozio’s attacking Vince Sandonato, the add half a million tons, primarily originating can Chairman Henry Wojtaszek and Niagara important to allow the sort of laissez faire gated front entrance to the Niagara County Board of Elections office without proper A a state statute awarding the county a share of Dennis F. Virtuoso and was sponsored by mi- guy who used to represent LaSalle in county in New York City, to that total every single Falls City Republican Chairman Vincent practices we witnessed on September 18.” supervision or escort, as well as entering in and out of Board of Election offices casino revenues. Sandonato unlatch the door of the Board and Criticism of the Virtuoso resolution (see prior to ballots being counted, and nority Democrats on the County Legislature. government, he’s doing this while the Niagara year. Most of Grozio’s resolutions, given their walk inside. related story) has been unusually sharp and, The bill has left local Republicans fuming at Falls planning board is actively helping Co- Grozio never brought resolutions to fight highly partisan nature, have failed, although to given the overwhelming Republican major- “They went right in like they owned WHEREAS, this kind of unsupervised entrance into an office area that houses Virtuoso, and at least one Republican-backed vanta expand its incinerator to produce even Covanta’s expansion or seek an extension of his credit, he did succeed in getting unanimous ity in the Legislature, it is uncertain whether the place,” Virtuoso said. “I thought, ‘What sensitive election material, including official election ballots may call into question candidate in Niagara Falls is blasting the rest more toxic smoke by burning New York City’s a DEC comment period on the project—steps support from his fellow lawmakers to ask the the heck?’ The workers were seated at their enough votes will be found to pass the mea- of Virtuoso’s caucus as well. garbage,” Bilson griped. the county has repeatedly taken in its long- sure into law. the integrity of the election process in Niagara County, now, therefore be it state to give Niagara Falls a statue of famed Virtuoso’s legislation, which attacks Bilson has repeatedly criticized Grozio time fight against expansion of the CWM turn-of-the-century electrical wizard Nikola RESOLVED, that in order to maintain the integrity of the election process in former Niagara County GOP chief Henry for turning a blind eye to the Covanta expan- toxic waste dump in the Town of Porter. This, Tesla. Niagara County, the Niagara County Legislature hereby prohibits all non Niag- Wojtaszek and current Falls Republican leader sion. despite the fact that former County Legisla- “Mark Grozio just engaged in more parti- ara County Board of Elections personnel from entering into the office area, past the Vince Sandonato for passing through a gated Covanta is working to convert an inactive tor Cheree Copelin’s defeat two years ago by san mudslinging, but didn’t do a thing to fight gated entranceway without being escorted by an employee of the Niagara County area at the Board of Elections prior to ballots rail yard adjacent to their incinerator into a Grozio was prompted, in part, by her inaction Covanta bringing trainloads of New York Board of Elections, and, be it further being counted, is apparently co-sponsored by very busy rail yard, bringing in trainload after on Covanta—an issue Grozio then seized on City’s garbage here to burn in our backyards,” the entire Democratic caucus—Legislators trainload of solid waste from New York City to attack her. Bilson told the Reporter. “It’s almost like he RESOLVED, that all non Board of Elections personnel must sign in to enter Jason A. Zona, Owen Steed, and Mark Gro- to be burned by a massive, smoke-belching in- In January, 2015 Covanta was granted an hates Republicans more than he likes his own the office area, and that all doors leading into the office area have card reader access zio—all of whom hail from Niagara Falls. cinerator on the western end of LaSalle. Cur- additional 11 months to increase the size of constituents.” to ensure security and integrity Rob Bilson, who is challenging 3rd Dis- rently, Covanta is authorized to burn 821,000 the incinerator facility after it failed to meet trict Legislator Mark Grozio, called Grozio’s tons of garbage per year under state Depart- Legislators Virtuoso, Grozio, Zona, Steed Virtuoso Jumps the Shark Dennis Virtuoso (D- Niagara Falls) Lynn Fronczak, Republican Elec- is the senior legislator in the Ni- tion’s Commissioner does not see Calls for Restricting Public Access to Board of Elections agara County Legislature and is its the need. minority leader. or escort ... prior to ballots being counted” on Deborah Eddel Sept. 18. The resolution then veered into the ab- AVE OU OR A OVED NE EEN IAGNOSED WITH H Y L O B D ennis Virtuoso jumped the shark this surd, calling for adding security card readers week, submitting legislation to lock to the doors to the Board’s office to control NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER the public out of the county Board y MESOTHELIOMA.... R kport R Hyde d Loc d. access by the public—not just strengthening Lockport Rd. Bear t Rd. P Lockpor ark Blvd. Gill d. R Niagara Falls D Creek of Elections. Few politicians have ever had Packard Int'l Airport Bergholz Porter Rd. Po because you were exposed to asbestos- procedures for proceeding past the “gated en- r ter R e Rd. Creek d. NIAGARA FALLS ara Rd. Niag the absolute knack for grabbing headlines Walmor F a Rd. Ward Ave. lls trance” at the front counter. Blv Milit d. containing materials while 62 . “The Truth is Always Fair” ls St. 3rd Ave.