January 24,1990
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4509 11/.04/90 SM 400 BETH PUBLIC LIBRARY 451 DEL~\WAHE ?lVE DELMAR NY 12054 ~ary 24, 1990 . ·•. )1. XXXIV, No.5 • • The weekly newspaper serving the towns of· IG T Bethlehem and New Scotland BETHLEHEM State rules snagDem chairman By Mark Stuart In anticipation of a new state eth ics law prohibiting state policy mak ers from serving as political party heads, Arthur Brown will resign his post as Bethle hem Democratic Convnittee chair man in February. Vice chairman Matthew Clyne of Arthur M. Brown Beacon Road, Glenmont will fill the vacancy of Brown's unexpired term which ends in Septem ber. The committee will need to elect a new vice chairman when Clyne becomes chairman. Under the proposed state regulation, a state policy maker who is also a town· political party chairman would have to quit either the party post or the state job, whether the political position is national, state or local. Brown said he expects the commis sion to approve the regulation shortly after Feb. 17, the final day of .a 45-day public comment period. "I expect the rules to be effective sometime next month," Brown said, "My Phones are silent in wake of cuts positionascommitteechairman has never conflicted with the Department of Social By Patricia Dumas and are holding back on employee raises council has suffered from diminishing Services, but I do agree with the policy. • One local hotline is cold. and hiring. Still others, notably Coopera state and federal aid, the loss of Albany But Clyne said he isn't grabbing the tive Extension (see Page 9), are working County's budgeted $5,000 contribution gavel from Brown all too quickly. "I really If you call Helpline at 436-6000, you11 with county legislators in an effort to could be viewed as just another blow in a hear, "The numberyou have reached has don't think it11 go through," he said, "I have some funding restored. pattern of funding cutbacks, handled by personally feel the regulation is ludicrous. been dis~onnected." trimming operating expenses. I don't think a regulatory agency has the That's the m:ssage callers to Helpline In some instances, according to one agency executive, there has been "a But Sauer said, when Albany County ability to preclude people from political get when they dial the number that used eliminated its contribution, it also lost its positions. It assumes that politics are to bring immediate response from the 24- symbolic effect" which in the long run could backfire on Albany CountY, requir role as a model for the other beneficiary corrupt. .. I was very surprised to hear of hour service that could put them in touch the regulation." with supportive counseling and referrals. ing more spending of taxpayer dollars counties, and stands to lose its historic and bringing less return in human serv priority status in the council's aSsessment The number is no longer in use be Clyne, the son offormer Albany County ices. ofneeds. · Court]udgeJohn Clyne, has served as a cause the service can't operate without The council was planning to point to funding, and Helpline was one of the Bethlehem Democratic committeeman areas hit by Albany County's 1990 budget Albany County as a model to spur the for 17 years. He is a graduate of Bethle cutback The county legislature pared Agencies that lost other counties into boosting their contri hem Central High School, Siena College butions, Sauer said. County Executive James]. Coyne's pro their county funding and Albany Law School and is employed posed $302 million budget to $270.5 in "We have always been particularly as an associate attorney for the law finn of order to balance it without access to an are coping in seositive to Albany County's needs," he Daniel A. Whalen in Albany. ticipated revenues from a lease of the noted, "but if funding and support are not Brown said he will step down in antici county airport. The proposed lease failed various ways. there -even in terms of verbal support pation of the regulation to allow for a to materialize. · ~ we may in the future have to be less smooth transitional period, and that the Agencies that lost funding are coping attentive because human service needs regulation is his only reason for resign in various ways. Helpline, with three That is the case with the Albany-based are expanding and we will have to look at ing. He has served as chairman since fourths of its operating budget slated to Council of Community Services which the growth and see where the needs are September 1988 when he defeated in-· come from the county, went out of busi provides assistance in Albany, $aratoga, and where the support is. Most of the cum bent William Burkhard in a commit ness. Other agencies are trying to 'Spread and Rensselaer counties. Executive Drec iropact of the funding cut will be on needs tee vote. In !987~Bro~ served as cam- out their services with limited staffing tor, Douglas Sauer, said that because the (Turn to Page 9) (Turn to Page 2) D Brown to resign Winter ret"i~; ;.. --.;';\t.ti. (From Page 1) the town attor ,} c prugnmanagertoCouncilmanBob ney, which Burns, who became the first-ever presents a Democrat elected to Bethlehem problem for town government. Kaplowitz. "The code of Brown is employed as a regional ethics first liaison for the state Department of goes to the Social Services and provides town attorney management consulting services for review. to 17 counties in the Northeast That gives a- Kaplowitz New York corridor. crystal clear message that there is •r have 20 years in social serv a potential problem," he said. "I ices," Brown said, "It's very impor would hope that the town would tantto me that I continuemywork." adopt its own code of ethics - since it currently does not have The regular meeting of the one at all-and would look to the I Bethlehem Democratic Party state law as a guide that would scheduled for Thursday night has (prevent) the intrusion of politics, been postponed until further no in the governing of the town," 1 tice as the Executive Committee Brown said. , meets with Brown to discuss "tran- sition details," according to Brown. I -I:.etterswere sentto Democratic But Kaplowitz said there were committee members last week severalreasonswhyheshouldnot Ice creeps back toward the center of the Normanskill near the tiny settlement of explaining Brown's decision. nisign his post as town attorney or Normansville. - Joe Futia GOP committee chairman. "First I "I'm very disappointed that I of all, there's no such law on the i have to do this, but I understand books to prohibit it, second, it's; where they're coming from," common practice in this state, and I Doctor to speak on emergency care Association to hold Brown said Monday, "It's remote third, the town attorney is not a Dr. Michael Looney, a Debnar a.m. bird count workshop that my position as committee policy-making position," he said. , chairman and in social services "I have to defend the board but' pediatrician, will speak on Basic New members are always we~ The Bird Feeding Association Emergency Medical Care for In come and nursery care is provided. will hold its one-day bird count on would involve a conflict, but there don't make policy as town attor-1 fants and Toddlers, on Mondays, For more information, call 439- Saturday, Jan. 27. To participate in reallY shouldn't be any hint that ney. The town board decides pol-l Jan. 9 and Feb. 5, at the Mothers 7397. the BFA winter survey send $10 there is a conflict. There's a lot of icy, theyonlylookto me for a legal! 'Titne Out Group from 10 to 11:30 to: New York Audubon, Hollyhock concern between Independents, perspective." ' Democrats and Republicans alike. 1 Hollow Sanctuary, Rt. 2, Box 131, Journalist to address Academy alumni Selkirk 12158. Policy makers shouldn't serve two The regulation would apply to I masters." state policy makers only. Henry I Brian Kauffman, Albany Acad Kauffman will discuss "The Brown said he would like to see Miller, spokesman for the Tempo- I emy Class of 1967, will deliver the Effects of Broadcast Journalism BFA members will receive sea the Bethlehem Republicans stib- rary State Commission on Local keynote address at the Annual on Washington Politics." sonal newsletters, the semi-annual iec;t themsel~es to the same re~- Government Ethics, could not bel ·Alumni Association Mid-Winter survey form, two population re lations, specifically town Repubh- reached Tuesday morning at -his I Dinner at the Desmond Americana ports and a guide to bird feeding. can Chairman Bernard Kaplowitz White Plains law office to respond For more information, call 767- in Albany, on Friday, Jan. 26, at 8 For more information, call465- who also serves as town attorney. to 9?estions about. ~plowitz' p.m. 1461. 9051. Brown said that once ari ethics pos!lion or whether stmilar regu codeisadoptedbythetownboard, lations for town officials are ex itwould be subiect to the review of pected. Also included in the proposed Ethics Commission regulation, TRI-CITY salaried policy-makers will have to .------~~ file a written request with the ~~BEEPERS Ethics Commission for approval of their outside activities if they LET US KEEP YOU IN TOUCH" p I an to recetve· • nominal compen- Tri-City Beepers offers sation" for holding public office, I the most advanced tech- engaging in private employment, nology and equipment profession or business, or serv- to provide the latest in ingasdirectororofficerofaprofit- beeper services.