League of Women Voters Holding Rye Mayoral Candidate Forum, Tonight, 7:30pm

The Rye, Rye Brook & Port Chester chapter of the League of Women Voters will be sponsoring a Candidates Forum featuring candidates for election as the Mayor of the City of Rye tonight, Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 7:30 PM in the Multipurpose Room of the Rye Middle School, 3 Parsons Street, Rye. 

Candidates for election as Mayor are Doug French (challenger) and Steve Otis (incumbent). 
 
The public is encouraged to participate in the Candidate’s Forum and listen to the candidates discuss and respond to questions raised by the League and the public. The Rye City Mayoral Candidates Forum will be re-broadcast on RCTV at various times through the date of election scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization whose mission is the informed participation of citizens in government.

Comments

[Mr. Floatie]

Ted C,
You have raised some very good questions for this evening. May I read your list of questions to Mayor Otis tonight?

[tedc]

Of course the ability – or inability of hard working people to still be able to afford living in Rye is the prime question tonight. But after all the platitudes and rhetoric get tossed about here, are some more granular (i.e. – let’s get real) questions Mr. Otis might, or might not want to answer –

Concerning O. Paul Shew – our “fantastic till fired” late City Manager – why is Mr. Shew now suing the City (plain English please) and when will he be available to answer questions concerning (1) the missing Gates Wetlands Permit, (2) his all-by-himself call to the crisis center to warn them about Bob Schubert’s mental health, (3) the joys of living in Massachusetts while drawing a big paycheck on Rye’s treasury, (4) and any and all other questions the heavily taxed taxpayers deserve candidly and truthfully answered?

What do you want to say about the 80% vote of no confidence recorded against your administration’s assigned Police Department management team by the Rye PBA Membership? Why are there zero police cars or officers scheduled to be at any of our schools during certain weekday high traffic periods? Why was the paperwork submitted to Albany to again retain a police commissioner with such low managerial skills drawing a robust separate “retirement” pension on top of his robust Rye pay package?

What is Kevin Plunkett’s actual employment arrangement with the City of Rye – please include length, salary, health benefits, and retirement benefits. What percentage, roughly, of the outside legal fees paid by the city this and the last 4 years was made to firms he was associated with and what are the dollars associated with each of those years? (Here’s a hint Mr. Mayor – it’s a figure with 7 digits)

Same question please concerning any and all City of Rye fees paid directly or indirectly to Mr. Vincent Toomey, Mr. Anthony Piscionere and Mr. Jonathan Kraut. If none, simply say so.

Have you found the missing Gates Wetland Permit and if you have would you please bring copies of this expansive, scientifically supported, very expensive for the homeowner to obtain document tonight? Most of the city and all of Milton Point would appreciate this very much.

What is your reaction to the pictures of unsafe sanitary and building conditions evident on the Heal the Harbor website? Before his departure for Albany, did you discuss any matters concerning the issues raised about Hen Island’s sanitary and building codes with Mr. Larry Schwartz at Mr. Andy Spano’s office? Same question concerning Mr. Andy Spano. Same question concerning Mr. Leonard Meyerson. Lastly, is Hen Island still a part of the City of Rye?

What will you tell residents of Indian Village and other low lying areas contiguous to Blind Brook if tonight’s rains turn a tad heavier, say a lot heavier, and the residents are swimming across their living rooms tomorrow morning? Please try not to be repetitious here.

Is the City owned church on Milton Road too worthless for a coat of paint? Is this how the Bird Property will be managed – trim the grass, photo op, memorial sign and then disgrace?

If we took up a collection tonight in this room and came up with $300, would you give it to Mr. Culross and direct him to purchase a set of stop signs and install them on a test basis at the corner of Midland Avenue and Palisade Road?