(PHOTO: George Pratt, on the offensive) Talk about a real sneak attack... Councilman George Pratt, not known for being shy, went on the offensive towards Councilman Joe Sack for Sack's comments on MyRye.com regarding the possibility of locating the future police/courthouse facility at Disbrow Park (Sack strongly opposes the idea). You can see the entire video (just below) on MyRye.com.
Pratt dismissed MyRye.com as "this little blog thing or whatever" saying until the fracas, he had never heard of the web site. Pratt said Sack's comments were misleading: "You don't owe me an apology but you owe her [Councilperson Catherine Parker] an apology. OK. Because what you did was wrong. OK. It was wrong. We are all grown ups. We get the opportunity every two weeks. You got a bone to pick. You want to pick a fight with me do it on public TV. Don't do it on a blog site."
The comment from Pratt is ironic because much of the initial fracas ensued exactly because the meeting on the police/courthouse facility was not televised, or apparently noticed to the public in any way. Sack volleyed saying "I will not apologize for letting people know" [about Disbrow Park as a possible location for the police/courthouse facility].
(PHOTO: Joe Sack fires back) The engagement continued for a good 20-25 minutes with Pratt saying "...this is a sneak attack... [and MyRye.com is] an inappropriate forum" with Sack returning "what you maybe are is embarrassed"
In the end, Sack may have gotten his way with Mayor Steve Otis saying "I will guarantee there are more than enough votes that it [the police/courthouse facility] never happens at Disbrow."
As for Councilman Pratt's belittling comments about MyRye.com, we think the web site and community of readers is an excellent forum for debating the issues. We welcome his comments... And your comments... Leave one below.
The video of Pratt, Sack, Otis and others follows in three parts:
Ted:
Technically it wouldn't be a relocation. Stevie "Ray Charles" Otis is from Harrison. He would simply be going back home to be with his fellow Harrison Huskies.
Hang the Huskies!!!!!
Posted by: Police Chief Vs. Commissioner | October 22, 2009 at 06:48 PM
Welcome Charmian Neary!
It’s finally SLIME TIME! Now we’re getting at this embattled administration’s prime time campaign for truth twisting and personal attacks. This is really great!
And something I’ve been thinking now is becoming clear - you must be desperate.
You are very clearly now the wrong leader for a tried, over taxed Rye electorate and you have picked more useless wrongheaded fights to feed these massive legal fees to your “counselor” than we locals can take. Your answer yesterday to The Journal News on that question about that crazy building purchase you shoved thru was really deeply embarrassing.
I always love you positioning yourself as the DEFENDER OF RYE – when in fact you are the ultimate government passive aggressor with patronage running everywhere and broken promises askew. You’re simply not going to get away with it anymore because laws and facts are stubborn things – and claims of “fairness” always come from the mouths of tyrants.
You abuse our wetland treasures, our cops, our citizens of all income levels, people in frail health, our neighboring towns and villages, dredging companies, fired City employees and on and on and always, always you’re defending “fairness” and truth and puppies and mother’s love.
The jig is up pal. A quick and quiet relocation to Harrison or Albany is recommended.
Posted by: tedc | October 22, 2009 at 06:33 PM
Chairman Neary
Well said.
Diogenes
Posted by: linus | October 22, 2009 at 05:37 PM
Charmian:
Me Me Otis and friends (Culross, Shew, Connors and Novak do not listen to the residents while ignoring their very real concerns and appeals. Case in point is the dangerous traffic and pedestrian safety issues around the Rye High School and Middle School.
Now that a woman lost her life this afternoon in front of the Rye High School, maybe they will. Unfortunately for this woman, it is too late.
Fortunately, it is not too late to vote Mi Mi Otis out before someone else is seriously hurt or killed on his watch.
Posted by: Mimi Otis | October 22, 2009 at 05:06 PM
Don’t you love ‘The Wry Record’s’ ability to ferret out those true Rye City Hall gems?
This from a MyRye post in this very string just one short year ago…
Confidential Memorandum Regarding the October 27, 2008 Rye City Council meeting.
To: O. Paul Shew, City Manager
From: Christian K. Miller, AICP, City Planner
cc: Scott Pickup, Assistant City Manager
William R. Connors, Police Commissioner
Date: October 17, 2008
Subject: Police/Court Study Process – October Consultant Meetings
“Now that JCJ Architecture has been retained, we are eager to begin the process. Most immediately we would like the consultant to get City Council input before the annual budget process begins on November 5. To that end….”
“Some Council members suggested at last night’s meeting that the public be involved in the process. This can be tricky since the universe of participants is almost limitless and there is no real known appropriate community organization, other than maybe the City Council itself, which are the publics’ elected representatives. If a broader voice is desired I recommend setting up a website similar to the one I created for the CBD Plan . The website could explain the various alternatives, include other background information and provide an opportunity for public comment. All responses would be recorded and provided to the Council and consultant for their use and information.”
I bet Mr. Miller here meant well. And he had a ripe turkey for a boss at the time. But determining public interaction “appropriateness” is a very sensitive issue in local government. The “organizational culture” that gave wings to a memo like this is not one to be embraced. And I’m not talking about the honest Mr. Miller or the late “fabulous till fired” O. Paul Shew.
Posted by: tedc | October 22, 2009 at 02:55 PM
http://www.lohud.com/article/2009910220393
Here is an example of the difference between a Police Chief and a Police Commissioner.
Of course, Sleepy Hollow officials are not living in Oz land like Otis is.
In Sleepy Hollow when the Police Chief screws up he gets sent home on Administrative Leave and is held accountable for his actions.
In Rye when the Police Commissioner screws up, which has happened too many times to count, Otis, Shew, Novak and Culross reward him by allowing him to collect his full salary and his full pension at the same time. They do this by signing a waiver saying Connors is the only one qualified to do the job.
WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP.
Connors has destroyed the Rye Police Department, the morale is in the gutter and he has placed the lives of the fine Rye cops and the citizens in harms way many times with his stupidity.
Connors is clueless. He probably can't help that. However, Otis, Culross, Shew and Novak hiring this idiot and allowing him to stay makes them the real villains and they need to get the boot.
These are just my opinions and my observations.
Posted by: Police Chief Vs. Commissioner | October 22, 2009 at 01:30 PM
Another secret meeting by the Rye City Council and sure enough another violation of the New York State Open Meetings law.
The City Council has to detail what kind of personnel matter they intend to discuss in Executive Session. They also cannot cloak anything they want to keep secret as Attorney/Client privilege.
After violating the NYS Open Meetings Law by not allowing the public to comment on Agenda Items at Tuesdays "Special" Council Meeting, they have simply not listed any agenda items other than the Executive Session.
Otis is doing everything he can to keep everything about the Shew coverup away from the public. An investigation needs to be done before Otis buries all the evidence into Attorney Client secrecy.
CITY OF RYE
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
The City Council has called a Special Meeting for Monday, March 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room.
It is expected that the Council will adjourn into Executive Session at 8:01 p.m. to discuss personnel matters and attorney client matters.
AGENDA
1. The City Council will convene into Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter and attorney client matters.
Posted by: Investigate Otis, Shew & Plunkett | March 20, 2009 at 06:11 PM
Rye Government's idea of Open Government is called Transpiracy.
Posted by: Fire Shew, Connors & Plunkett; Don't reelect Otis | March 15, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Scooter,
Notice how Joe Sack has never explained why he needed to use myrye.com to provide transparency for Rye citizens. Why wasn't the regularly scheduled council meetings good enough? Sack still hasn't provided a good reason. Maybe Jay Sears could tell us why.
Posted by: Say it ain so Joe | March 11, 2009 at 08:35 PM
You need a stiff drink...
Posted by: scooter | March 11, 2009 at 01:00 PM