April 21,2004
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. LIBRA. I ttOE-tSOtt AN aYH~~a # ~AY ~aYRY~~a tSt AaYaSI~ ~I~Snd HlHl~HllS Stt dtL Rtt t0-80-0t EtOE tSOZt H~IA¥¥¥••••••••••••••••••••• the Towns of Bethlehem & New Scotland Volume XLVIII· No. 11 75 cents, 2004 Bethlehem Down time ~takes stand on , Patriot Act By KRISTEN OLBY. Bethlehem has joined the ranks of more than 200 communities nationwide - in vowing to protect the civil liberties of its citizens, through the adoption of a symbolic resolution opposing provisions. of the USA Patriot Act. · Without debate, the board passed a resolution drafted by town board members Dan Plummer, a Democrat, and Tom Marcelle, a Republican, at its April14 meeting. - The action brings to a close a yearlong effort by members of the Bethlehem Bill ofRightsJ=>efense Committee to have the town take a stance against the post-9/11 legislation. Opponents of t)Je act, which was designed to help law enforcement fight terrorism, believe it violates many civil rights guaranteed under the Constitution. "We are thrilled that Bethlehem has taken a stand asking Congress to re Gillian Austin gently pets a duckling held by llyssa Simsek last Sunday at Indian Ladder F.arms Baby Animal Daze. Jiin Franco examine the unconstitutional provisions of the USA Patriot Act," said Melanie Trimble, executive director of the Capital Region chapter of the New York Civil .. Liberties Union, which took part in the Bill to aid district in legislative limbo effort. Trimble expresse_d disappointment By KRISTEN OLBY show Wicks Law adds 15 to 30 percent to district to be utilized in the future. that the resolution passed by the board the cost of constr.uction projects, "Anything left at the end of that was far less aggressive than a resolution A bill that could potentially save according to the district. construction gets returned to the general presented by members of BBORDC in Bethlehem school taxpayers more If the bill is passed, the district could fund, which is our operating fund," said September. All board members rejected than $2 million over the course of the hire one prime 'Contractor to oversee the O'Shea. school district's multi-million project and additional subcontractors The state Legislature has granted New cJ ACT/page 21 construction project has stalled in the would be secured through a bidding York City, Niagara Falls and Buffalo state Assembly. process. The district estimates this would school districts exemptions from the law. The bill, proposed by Assemblyman save anjrwhere from $438,000 to $2.15 Efforts to reach Casale to elaborate on million. Pat Casale, R-Schaghticoke, in March, the bill were unsuccessful. is in dire need of a Senate sponsor in Bethlehem's construction project . Some trade unions contend that order to have any chance of becoming encompasses 11 of the district's school exemptions from Wicks Law can lead to law. excessive price shopping At the request of the Bethlehem by the single· prime Central School District, Casale contractor, resulting in introduced a bill that would exclude the Anything ten at the end of that construction untairpricingofportions district's nearly $93 million construction gets returtiiicrtlnhe gene-raHund;-WhichiS-- _of the project. project from the Wicks Law. OUr operat.ing fund. -"Subcontractors The law, passed in 1912, requires assure honest, school districts with construction Steven O'Shea competitive pricing for projects exceeding $50,000 to hire four each aspect of the prime contractors, instead of one construction project," general contractor. Multiple contractors · buildings and includes multiple said Anthony Potenza, business are secured for plumbing, mechanical renovations and a new elementary school. administrator for Plumbers and work, electric wiring and general Work is expect\'d to begin in 2005 and Steamfitters Local 7 in Albany. Issues construction. The law is designed to conclude in 2008. Voters gave approval to over payment can also arise when one provide a safeguard against limited the plan in December but the state prime contractor is responsible for doling competition and corruption. · Department of Education must still sign out payments to subcontractors. "It's simply outdated," said Steven off on it. Local taxpayers Will absorb $43.8 'The subcontractor is, a lot of times, O'Shea, assistant superintendent for million of the expense, resulting in a at the mercy of the general contractor in business at Bethlehem Central. school tax increase of about 1.86 percent ;:] DISTRICT/page 20 "Because of the way the law is per year for five years beginning in 2005, structured, it increases coordination according to the district. For the owner of costs and will often lead to delays and an assessed $100,000 home in Bethlehem, overruns in construction budgets." that amounts to a total of $226 over the The law also places school districts course of five years. in the position of resolving disputes The money saved as a result of the between prime contractors. Studies exemption would be given back to the THE SPOTLIGHT$.75 .,_~ t . •-' KEEP LEGISLATOR ' ' JOHN CUNNINGHAM IS OUR COMMUNITY'S CHOICE BECAUSE HE IS: • . ~SUPPORTED BY OUR COMMUNITY'S . - · · LEADERS. _ . ' M SUPPORTED BY OUR COMMUNITY'S · . · BUSINESS PEOPLE . ~ SUPPORTED BY OUR COMMUNITY. "> 6 ., . 0 :0 "' - ;;;~ VOTE CUNNINGHAM BECAUSE OF HIS LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY 8 . "to ~ VOTE CUNNINGHAM BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS m d m r mq VOTE CUNNINGHAM BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS OUR TOWN'S ISSUES. 8z z z 0 >"' - " JOHN CUNNINGHAM IS COMMITTED TO OUR TOWN & . SUPPORTED BY ALL PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. -----Democrat & Independence ----- . · · Want to know more? visit Jack at www.keepcurminghamcom or email Jack atjack@keepcunninghamcom · • April21, 2004 PAGE 3 r ' THE SPOTLIGHT 1: Legislative hopefuls square off Residents ask.town ByKRiSTENOLBY · Guardandasocialmemberofthe andrestaurants. to get rid of tra1•1ers _"_,_ North Bethlehem and Slmge:- His efforts earned him the · Candidates in two Albany land~firedepartments.McCoyJs New York State Public Health ----·"~~~~·- would not cost the town any County Legislative districts:are president a~d a fo~nder of the Associati.on 2003 Community By MARTIN J. BANNAN additional expense, Councilman launching a last minute push to Nor~a~skill Neighborhood. Leadership Award. ·----=""''"""~'"'""-=»»»»>- Scott Houghtaling said. AssocJal!on. Some New Scotland residents get their messages out before During his tenure in the Karen Moreau, who owns ' t p 11 'II b He and his wife, Alyssa, live in are seeking to clean up the nex t wee k s vo e. o s WI e Lenis]ature, Domalewicz initiated countryside, one trailer at a time. property on Youmans Road, open Apn ·r 27 Albany and are the parents of two a law"' requiring background and expressed concern that deeding children. He will appear on the At last week's town board fr om 6 a.m. t o fingerprint checks for workers . property to the town might incur 9 Democratic, Working Families, meeting, David and Judy Merritt p.m. Independ-ence and Conservative under contract with the county to additional costs to her and spoke about amending current adjacent property owners. A I b a n Y ballot lines. provide home care services to the zoning rules to limit storage of ·County's lOth elderly, and later expanded the "I understand having a policy Legislative His opponent, Herbert law to cover private home care recreational vehicles and trailers to one per household. that standardizes widening the district en- McLaughlin, 5?, recently retired providers on a voluntary basis. right of way, but unless you are compasses as superintendent of the Hudson In addition, they recom building a new road, land owners the southeast Correctional Facility a position he "Albany County was first in mended that the vehicles have should not be required to pay for segment of held for 12 years'. He has a New York state with that valid registratio.n in the name of improvements," Moreau said. the city of lengthy history working in · legislation," said Domalewicz. the owner or someone in the She also pointed out that there Albany and McCoy corrections, that indudes high- Hehasbeentheprimesponsor household. to make road portions of ranking supervisory positions at of legislation establishing health The Merritts' proposal are ways ·improvements northern Bethlehem and a number of maximum-security and sanitary standards for tattoo originated after ----------- that would Slingerlands. Democrat Daniel P r i s o n s and body piercing parlors. they. com retain the McCoyishopingtoretainhisseat throughout As the chair of the plained to the town's rural . the state. I was surprised to learn for a second term as Repu blJean Legislature's public safety zoning board character Herbert McLaughfm attempts to If elected, committee, Domalewicz support-, about four that the 40 feet instead of capture the post. McLaughlin .ed county efforts to assist the recreational limitation is the only turning . the McCoy hopes to tackle the supports a 'Delmar Fire Department with vehicles parked road into a escalating costs for health dramatic re- full-time EMS service. on the front zoning requirement for highway. One, msurance· an d penswns· f or duction of Domalewicz, 50, is a ]ifelo~g lawn of a home storing vehicles on. she said, would at the corner of CO!lntyworkersandretireesifre- county ex- Albany resident, where he lawns .. be laying loose elected. penses. He resides with his wife Sandy. He Route 85 and David Merritt stone instead Crow Ridge. ''The 1'ncreases I·n the county's believes the is a graduate of the Albany Road.. _______.....; __ of paving with premiums for health insurance coun t Y prop- Business College and owns and asphalt. are in the double digits, costing erty tax rates, which have nearly operates a food brokerage After hear- Clark asked to postpone action an extra $1.9 million in 2004," he doubled since 2001, must be business.