Sack Ignored, Thwarted, Questions Unanswered @ Rye Golf Club - Letter

The following Letter to the Editor is from Rye Councilman Joe Sack. Note, readers can see the referenced Rye Golf Club FOIL'd documents.

LETTER:

As a councilman, I believe that it is my responsibility to ask tough questions, and to demand straight answers.  Unfortunately, my questions surrounding recent issues at Rye Golf Club have gone mostly unanswered.  The key to faith and trust in our government is disclosure and transparency.  The city needs to ensure that faith and trust by revealing immediately everything that there is to know about this matter.

Over two months ago, on July 21, I submitted an e-mail request to the city manager – the individual who is hired by the city council to run the city – asking him for information on RM Staffing.  I never received a response from the city manager.  Instead, I received an e-mail from the mayor telling me that he was handling this and that he’d get back to us.  When I pressed for information directly from the city manager, the mayor suggested that I was not entitled to ask for information unless a majority of the council supported my request.

On September 13, I learned that a Rye citizen had submitted a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the city on this same topic, and had been provided with a partial response, including various billing records.  Having still never heard back from the city manager or the mayor, I submitted my own FOIL request for a full accounting on this matter.  To this very day, I have yet to receive a response to my FOIL request.

On September 19, and as reported in the September 21 edition of the Sound Shore Review, I was disheartened to learn that the mayor called me “ugly and dirty” in connection with my repeated efforts to obtain information.  The deputy mayor followed up the mayor’s comments in an e-mail calling this matter “tiresome,” one of many “mini-controversies” that would “amount to less than a hill of beans,” a “faux cause célèbres,” the “latest mini-drama,” and “just another Rye City Council sideshow.”  He urged the council to focus on the “real challenges” that face the city.  These comments were similar to comments he made at previous council meetings in regard to my objection that recent ethics matters – including the Andrew Dapolite matter – had not been handled properly.

On my own, I have since been able to piece together parts of the Rye Golf Club story through conversations with members of the golf commission and the public, a review of documents FOIL’d by members of the public, a review of videotaped golf commission meetings, and a review of partial pieces of information subsequently parceled out by the city manager.  But we need the city to tell the entire story now.

When I, as a city councilman, am ignored or thwarted in my attempts to seek information, it is a big problem.  Because my requests are made on behalf of the people of Rye.  And when my requests are disrespected, the public is being disrespected.  That needs to stop now.

Joe Sack
Rye City Councilman

Comments

[Rye Golf Club]

This is outrageous. The new video of golf club committee is stupefying. The club is losing money hand over fist and they are actually KEEPING WORKERS TIPS, as revenue! No wonder they gave the the club manager a timeout, thats got to be illegal. How does the city manager still have a job? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zadwuWT1An8

[ryerebel]

http://soundshore.lohudblogs.com/2012/10/11/rye-golf-club-manager-put-on-leave-as-police-investigate-conduct/
Makes me wonder what kind of lifestyle the city of Rye has afforded Scott Yandrasevich over the past decade.

[tedc]

NOTICE

There will be a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rye on Wednesday,October 10, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Room of City Hall. The Council will convene at 7:30 p.m. and it is expected they will adjourn into Executive Session at 7:31 p.m. to discuss Rye Golf Club and Boat Basin personnel issues.

AGENDA

1. Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Roll Call.
3. General Announcements.
4. Draft unapproved minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council held September 12, 2012.
5. Mayor’s Management Report
● Update on outstanding union contracts
● Rye Golf Club Update
● Legal Update

(other items follow)

http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/rye/published_documents/City%20Council/Agenda/2012/Agenda%2010-10-12.pdf

[tedc]

BREAKING:

RGC COMM. REFUSES TO PASS BUDGET; MEMBERS LEARN GM KEEPS TIPS FROM EMPLOYEES TO PAY CASTLE EXPENSES–CITY MNGR BLAMES MEMBERS FOR "MOB MENTALITY"

Last night at Whitby Castle, Commissioner Frank Adimari–who chaired the RGCC meeting in Dick Verille's absence–told members that only comments specific to the 2013 budget would be allowed. In other words, do not bring up RM Staffing. There was to be no mention of the general manager–or his wife or his stepchildren–being employed by the company at the heart of an ever growing labor scandal.

When asked which among them, specifically, decided to limit the speech of their fellow members to the budget, the commission responded clumsily, then with silence–no one accepted responsibility for the embargo.

TIPS TO WORKERS KEPT BY GM TO "OFFSET" EXPENSES

When asked what the club does with the gratuities left on member's credit cards for servers at the Whitby Castle, there was silence again. Then an admission. General manager Scott Yandrasevich answered the question by saying the club treats the tips left by members for the workers at the castle as revenue to the club. He said that, instead of dispersing the tips to the staff, the club uses the gratuities to "offset" the club's operating expenses.

That revelation was met with shock from those in attendance, with one member summing up the feelings in the room by telling Mr. Yandrasevich, "that is shameful, you should be ashamed of yourself".

Councilman and RGC liaison, Joe Sack, was in attendance at the meeting, as was Rye TVs camera's. Mayor Doug French, who was expected to show, did not. LD10580's video of the meeting is in the cooker.
Read the full new story here –
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/10/rgc-commission-refuses-to-pass-budget-members-shocked-to-learn-their-gratuities-are-not-going-to-ser.html

[tedc]

Sorry AC. It’s a collage of actual LD10580 headlines from the past 9 months. I’ve emailed the MOMA to see if they’re interested it but they might just forward it to the FBI instead.

[Average Citizen]

Ted, a little less CAPS and a little more punctuations please.

[tedc]

MAYOR FRENCH TO APPEAR AT RGC BUDGET MEETING TONIGHT (OCT 9TH) AS SCANDAL GROWS; RECORDS SHOW GM'S STEPCHILDREN WORK FOR RM STAFFING; MEMBERS TO CITY MNGR: PASS BUDGET YOURSELF
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/10/rye-golf-club-commission-set-to-approve-budget-as-gm-scandal-deepens-yandrasevichs-step-child-found-working-for-rm-staffing.html
“In an interview Tuesday (Sept 18), Mayor French said Sack was simply trying to spin an important matter that the city is handling, calling the councilman’s actions “dirty and ugly.” “Rye expects better from its elected officials,” French said.”
http://www.hometwn.com/hometown-media-group/rye-sound-shore-review/golf-club-contract-spending-scrutinized/
Yes we do Mr. French, we most certainly do…http://www.lausdeo10580.com/

CITY SERVES MAYOR FRENCH WITH BUILDING VIOLATIONS–TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS CITY ASSESSOR ADMITS MAYOR FRENCH ONLY RYE RESIDENT CAUGHT CHEATING ON SCHOOL TAX EXEMPTION ETHICS BOARD MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED OVER $1700 TO MAYOR'S CAMPAIGN; DISMISS COMPLAINT GAME OF CAT & MOUSE CONTINUES AS CITY MANAGER, ETHICS BOARD GIVE COUNCIL & CITIZENS THE BIRD–BOLT FROM EXEC. SESSION MORTGAGE DOCS SHOW MAYOR OBTAINED OVER $400,000 IN LOANS FOR ILLEGAL HOME; FRENCH ASKED TO RELEASE TITLE REPORTS MAYOR FRENCH CHARGED $16,894 IN BACK TAXES; SAYS HE PAID–COUNTY SAYS NOT THE RYE TV/FRENCH CONNECTION: MAYOR USES HIS OFFICE, LEVITSKY TO OBTAIN 'ARREST' INFO ON PRIVATE CITIZEN EMBATTLED CITY MANAGER FAILS TO ENTER FALSE TITLE REPORT INTO TIME LINE FOR MAYOR'S ILLEGAL INVESTMENT PROPERTY CITY MANAGER, RYETV SECRETLY RECORD FIREMAN'S MEETING–LIE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS & PUBLIC; WITHHOLD VIDEO NEW YORK STATE: ETHICS BOARDS DO NOT HAVE POWER TO INVESTIGATE A 'STAIN' ON RYE AND THE RYE REPUBLICAN PARTY FRENCH IN SACK WITH MR. FLOATIE DURING 2009 MAYORAL CAMPAIGN NEW YORK STATE ISSUES TAX WARRANT TO MAYOR OF RYE; PLACED LIEN ON HIS PROPERTY CITY MNGR, LEVITSKY TO BLOW OFF ETHICS BOARD; EVADE QUESTIONING BUILDING INSPECTOR ISSUES MAYOR PERMITS TO LEGALIZE PROPERTY IN VIOLATION OF ZONING CODE ETHICS BOARD REPORT: "PUBLIC'S FAITH IN INTEGRITY OF RYE CITY GOVT MAY BE ERODED" MAYOR'S RENTAL PROPERTY ESCAPES ZONING CODE WITH ILLEGAL 4TH BEDROOM IN ATTIC INTACT CITY MANAGER FAILS TO COMPLETE 2011 ANNUAL REPORT; IN VIOLATION OF CITY CHARTER FOR 138 DAYS NOW NY STATE OFFICIAL CONFIRMS CORP. COUNSEL, KRISTEN KELLEY WILSON, ACTING IN VIOLATION OF NY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW–KNOWINGLY CONFLICT OF INTEREST DOGS RYE'S CORPORATION COUNSEL; WILSON KNOWINGLY PERFORMS DUTIES IN VIOLATION OF NEW YORK STATE LAW

[divman]

Yes Mr. Amico , you got it .

The recent multi-family buildings on upper Purchase were immediately filled by families with kids and a 2 SUV's per family parked out front . Some folks on the Planning Board seem to tell all these apartment buildings will be inhabited by folks walking to town and stores and school but as we all know , nobody can survive in Rye without a car and families with kids buy SUV's .

The flood of new apartment buildings going up all over Rye is the beginning of the end . They will all be occupied by families looking for cheap entry to Rye's school system and will result in yet large numbers more of kids jammed into the schools and the school not getting much more in way of tax revenues . Look for the well meaning moms in town to hyperventilate as they tell you we must further go into debt fast to save our schools or else our houses will be worthless in next bond vote coming much sooner than they would ever think .

Get ready for the grade schools to soon announce they need a bond floated to cover expansion . They can only add so many more trailers . The flood of additional SUVs might soon bring Rye's insane school drop offs and pickups to its gridlocked knees .Can you believe we live in a town where they freak out about leaf blowers and plastic bags but same hypocrites see no benefit to school buses ? Yup . Real logical folks those enviro nazis are

Funny thing is everybody seems to indicate they know this rash of apartment building is a disaster for the town and yet the Planning Board rushes forth to give them permits . Why is this ?

Where is the School Board to tell the Planning Board our schools are at breaking limit ? Am i the only one aware that town sports groups like Rye Youth Lacrosse have officially shut down offering access to their teams for all and that for newcomers to Rye , it will be lottery only as to whether your kids will be let in . Too many kids and too few fields to take them all now . Great job Rye Planning Board . Somehow , they seem to think the crowded crumbling streets of Queens is something we should strive for . Then again , they thought a pile of condos where Lesters is what a good idea too .

Rye real estate is going to hate our future . Overcrowded schools , multi-year waits for a parking spot at train station , crumbling roads that can't be fixed because budgets are shot , jammed roads in and out of downtown , stop lights at every intersection , and sky high tax increases every year miles beyond govt inflation rates .

I thank god i caught the good years of Rye as its all downhill from here with the current mooks making policy .

[tedc]

BREAKING – OCTOBER 8:

RYE GOLF CLUB COMMISSION SET TO VOTE ON BUDGET TOMORROW NIGHT WHILE SCANDAL DEEPENS

NAME OF CLUB GENERAL MANAGER'S STEPCHILD DISCOVERED ON RM STAFFING INVOICES

http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/10/rye-golf-club-commission-set-to-approve-budget-as-gm-scandal-deepens-yandrasevichs-step-child-found-working-for-rm-staffing.html

[ryerebel]

To Joe Sack:
Thank you for your efforts to uncover the truth on behalf of the people of Rye. I'm sorry you are being stonewalled by the same elected officials who are supposed to have our best interests in mind, but we can see that is far from the reality of this administration.
I read in one of the local papers that this RM Staffing, which seems to be a ghost of a business, was paid almost $2 million dollars from January to August of this year to provide part-time work to the club, without Scott Yandrasevich having consulted anyone on the RGC Commission. And what a coincidence that Mrs. Yandrasevich works at this business, while her husband does consulting work for them. Talk about a conflict of interest, if this doesn't reek of impropriety, nothing does. He needs to be held accountable for this gross mismanagement of funds.
Seems Scott Yandrasevich adheres to the Doug French method of managing, self-serving and without regard for the people who they are supposed to work for. Doug French calling you "ugly and dirty" while trying to do your job seems like a pathetic attempt to detract from the serious issue at hand. Frankly, I think these words he projected onto you are exactly what the majority of Rye residents think of him. I don't know about anyone else here in Rye, but I can't wait another year for Doug French and his cronies to vacate their undeserving positions.