I have a lot of little stories that I don’t want to slip through
the cracks. This one concerns the sudden turn around by Public Safety
Commissioner “toothy” Christian Mathiesen after putting
the kibosh on the cities fireworks on first night.
First there weren’t going to be fireworks than suddenly
there were. So what really happened?
Well first “toothy” misread public anger when they learned
of the cancellation. They were pissed.“Toothy” had blamed the cancellation on a shortage of cops. “Toothy” blames everything on a shortage of cops.I bet he blames today's short blackout on a shortage of cops,while i know it was caused by Michele Riggi's curling iron{I made that up}
But then Chief “flasher” Cole presented “toothy” with an option.
Let’s bring in a private security company to help with Congress Park security. Enter
young Cole’s father Eugene.
Assistant Police Chief Eugene Cole, was the department's
assistant chief from 1980 until his retirement in 1994.It was a forced
retirement after the then Assistant Chief Eugene Cole was found to be
collecting full Police pay from a service related disability while running a
private security company at the same time. He was removed from the police by Lew
Benton the commissioner of public safety at the time. He is still
running the private security company, Command Security.
So without so much as bidding the job out or notifying the
city council or even the PBA, "toothy" entered into a contract with his Chief’s
father, to provide security on public property at a public event.
The conflict of interest alone is mind-boggling. Anyway not
the biggest deal but worth noting
And we answer your questions
Anonymous said...
So, tell us John, how
does the new gun law effect you personally?
What inconveniences do you now face?
Will you have to give
up any of your guns?
I will never publicly name what weapons I process. I will
say I have a valid pistol permit. I will also state that I always have and
always will comply with all legal laws both Federal and State.
But I will say that the state has about as much right to
take one of my tattoos with a potato peeler as it does to take one of my
weapons.
Saratoga in Decline
We never Sleep
Because that potato peeling comment makes me nervous.
38 comments:
So what does Weep'in Willie and Cupcake Yepsen think of all this?
I hear Yepsen is doing an overnight with David Soares for MLK day
Entering a contract without council approval is a violation of the charter and is also another back room deal that has tainted this council. Talk about nepotism. Let's see if John Franck addresses this at next meeting.Just recieved a newsflash. The Mayor did it.
It seems the rules apply only to republicans but the Dems can get away with alleged purjury and backroom deals. It seems the Mayor was correct when he descibed council activity as petty political gaems.
Another cheap move by the Chief of Police, also moonlighting at Command Security! When will this shit stop? Fire the Chief, Fire Toothy!
Good job JT, what a load of crap! Cole pulled a fast one on the Commissioner!
Ummm, time for the BCI to grab the phone logs on this baby. I'll bet the 10 g's from "Sonny, the Waits, and Dakes" never made it to the City coffers. So, Madigan is off the hook, but something sure smells. Are the Chief and Toothy running their own government? The amount
bumps this caper up to a felony.
Was the "Drill Sergeant" even aware of the reverse nepotism?
Probably not.
(I got tired of "toothy" and the "good doctor".) I kind of like the drill sergeant moniker.
I'm not sure this is correct.
It is my understanding that the security was paid by Saratoga Arts Council.
How is Madigan off the hook. She should have been aware of the contract and the dollars should have been sent to Finance Dept. for payment of the vendor. Bringin gin a private security company was stated prior to the event. It is the duty of the appropriate departments to be aware of what is going on.It was widely announced. No ne involved in the porcess should get off the hook!!!
The Chief knows better, he continues to ride the edge, and must be removed from office! When is it enough! The greed! The very poor judgement! Now taking the City's money to his family business!
John Baker from Gaffney's also contributed along with the Riggi's. They should be given due credit as well. The question here is was the contract set up directly with the Arts Council or through the city. Either way the issue smells of another "MISTAKE IN JUDGEMENT". HOW MANY MISTAKES DOES THE TAXPAYER HAVE TO ACCEPT.
Security was paid for by the Saratoga Arts Council based on the recommendation of the Commissioner/Chief and with the donations of caring citizens of the community Security for the Gun Show Protesers and supporters was partially paid for by the promoter and the City Center. If the Police were available for a gun show why not First Night Fireworks. When you sign up for the job you realize the demands of the job. It cannot be applied inconsistently. Leadership obviously is lacking and until those issues are addressed the city will always be mired in mediocrity.
The police were not asked or scheduled to work on First Night. Many were prepared to work and wanted to work. The crux of the problem, poor leadership.
When it comes time for the Flag Day parade - the largest parade event of the year in Saratoga Springs - will the city ask the Elks membership to pay overtime for police presence again?
As someone said, how about applying the rules fairly, and consistently?
What would private security charge for the parade? Maybe that is the route for people to take, instead of relying on the city police?
What is the definition for MALFEASANCE?
As long as the city wasn't paying for the security company, I don't see the problem with it. From what I understand, the bill was sent to Sonny B and the supporters he pulled together, I don't think it should matter if it went out to bid. The only concern would be if the security company they hired wasn't fit for the job, but I'd say that Command Security's work with SPAC makes them just about the best local option for the fireworks detail.
I think that Chief Cole deserves everything that can be thrown at him over that sexting debacle. If his father was ripping of the city with a bogus disability claim, he's a dirtbag for that too, and I hope we took every last penny back from him, and should have prosecuted him to the fullest extent of the law. However, this doesn't play out as "cash grab" by the Cole's, as much as it looks like cash grab by the PBA gone bad.
It seems to me that Public Safety is at it again trying to get more jobs, more money, and a bigger budget. They started with the old "it's so scary out there" line, and no one bought it. It's Saratoga. It's not even close to scary. Then then started looking for things they "couldn't do" anymore - cancel the parades, stop the DARE program and that didn't get them more cops, it just got Community Service organizations stuck with huge expenses if they wanted to honor our flag, our nation, or the men and women who served it.
Now, the new plan was to take away the fireworks. They couldn't pull it off at Fourth of July, cause that make it akward at Veitch dinners between Matt, who works on the "All American Celebration" and Paul, who is the PBA prez. No Veitch irons in the fire with First Night though. Great way to work a new cash grab. Build public sympathy in the light of the Braim "3 Amigo's" Fiasco.
The problem is, Chief Cole seems to have stepped in with a SOLUTION. I mean, if some of his dads SPAC staff wanted to earn a couple extra clams, they could probably make this thing happen. Suddenly, the cash grab was off. Toothy had no ammo for the "HIRE MORE COPS" cannon. Worst of all for the PBA, this idea MADE SENSE.
I'd like to see what the bill from Command was, if Bonnacio et al were willing to share it, and see what it cost them, vs what it would cost the tax payers to have ALL the extra cops Toothy and Paul Veitch think we need so badly.
So Madigan is knee deep in this shit too. No surprise from us. She always was involved in fireworks with our crew. Hahahaha
So it doesn't matter who works for the City, as long as the bill is routed through someone else? Not so easy, the function is crowd control, security and safety of a City owned property! With the City holding the liability for what happens there!
Greetings.I'm going to leave this up for one more day.
Tomorrow god willing I will have a new and at least to me interesting post.
Enjoy MLK day.I'm sure it means as much to you as it does to me.
I am sure the police were as mad as anyone else that they didn't get paid for extra security on New Years. this was a Mathieson/Cole thing. I think it is easy for Cole to fool the commissioner. He did it so his Dad would get the contract.
@3:46 - The Arts Council should have their own insurance for the event. I believe that was the purpose of the fencing, to separate their private event. Of that wasn't the case the issue should be about the lack of paperwork, not the staffing. Pretty sure the SSPD's history of liability issues brought on the city blows away the numbers of any private company.
The Saratoga PBA attacks on Cole have been coming harder and heavier lately. Go back and look at the video Lucian at The Saratogian took of the PBA hired attorney (Coffey's buddy Sarafin) at the Braim arraignment. Sarafin comes right out and says the charges were supported by Cole and Cole alone. The PBA wanted to put him out there for not holding "the blue line" with a "legacy" cop.
I understand the Boys from Brotherhood Park even have pictures of her funfilled visits there. maybe they can produce some before the next election along with the photos of John Franck enjoying himself at his favorite drinking spots. I'm sure his wife will cut them off when she sees them!!! he can afford it. Another alimony or two won't hurt his financial status.
You are so awesome! I do not think I have read through a single thing like that before. So wonderful to discover someone with some original thoughts on this subject. Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is something that is required on the internet, someone with a bit of originality!
"So, tell us John, how does the new gun law effect you personally?
What inconveniences do you now face?
Will you have to give up any of your guns?"
I didn’t ask what weapons you own or how many you own.
I already knew you had a pistol permit because I believe you have written that and you have also written about some of the guns you own.
Yes, we all know you are the type of person that complies with laws and regulations.
You answered three questions I didn’t ask and answered none of the ones I did.
So your non answer to some simple questions leads me to believe this new draconian gun law will have little effect, if any, on you as a gun owner.
Which is good because I am also a gun owner.
There are aspects of the law I will be forced to comply with.That is all I'll say.I have one year to comply and I hope the law will be struck down by then
John,
This is interesting news worth sharing: While the new gun law makes owning any gun with a magazine that holds more than 7 rounds a violation, there seems to be a few firearms exempt (or overlooked) from the legistlation.
My son's Boy Scout rabbit gun, for example, is in violation. An example of rabbit gun for those unfamiliar with such things is a Ruger 10-22. It fires single shot but comes with a 10 round clip from the factory. Ruger said they will not be making 7 round clips for NY. While the govornor says nobody needs 7 bullets to kill a deer, he obviously never went rabbit hunting!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but after reading through the new Gun Safety Law, I came to realize that tube-fed repeater rifles are exempt. Imagine, if you will, the expression on my scout's face when I told him his Henry Golden Boy 22 was legal with it's 21 round capacity.
http://henryrepeating.com/rifle-goldenboy.cfm
It's interesting to note that Henry just released a 44 magnum lever action rifle with .357 magnum compatibility. It holds some 10 rounds of high velocity ordinance, enough to level any playing field; hip fired, of course.
http://henryrepeating.com/rifle-big-boy.cfm
So, after scratching me head in dismay, I summized that the authors of the bill figured nobdy would dress in western-leather attire, stroll into a school or movie theatre looking like John Wayne and hip fire like Chuck Connors, Jack Palens or Clint Eastwood out of an old spaghetti western. Maybe it's because all the new guys dress in black and carry black guns?
That's gotta be it! The Henry repeaters, Remingtons and those cool, old pre-64 Winchesters were used by GOOD GUYS! I guess we've got nothing to worry about. By the way-- Henry is made in NJ and Remington is made in Illion, NY. Cool.
Keep up the good work, John.
Yee-haah!
On the asstogian's comment section who the hell is the nit wit "center post",is he related to Babs or is it babs herself,you can't use descriptive adjectives or your gone that rag has got to be the most ridiculous publication in the market.
Who called for a cab here?
John, Are you still following the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority? Do they have any staff changes planned for 2013?
Yes I follow the SSHA.I have friends who live there and we meet a couple times a week.
I believe Ken Ivins is writing the response to the controllers report.One election is coming up for the board in April and one board appointment is coming up.So stay tuned
Thanks very much for staying on top of it. The citizens can do and deserve much better than we have now at the authority.
So will Cole get away with this?
Time to bring a set of balls back to the office of Public Safety!
@7:25- not sure that Cole is looking to "get away with" anything. JT is doing a great job bringing this out front, but there's more to be seen. If the right steps are taken to eliminate our liability as a city, and Command Security is cheaper, this might be the model to run with in the future.
11:19
Don't forget NoGuns another wet dream that has shit for brains.....
In all fairness, I don't see to much wrong with this issue. I am not well informed about the whole police overtime thing for the event. I cannot take a stand on that. What I do know is that using a security company does not exempt the city from any liability. A person can sue the city for using any security company by saying the city should have used police who are better trained instead, thus avoiding the mishap. When a lawsuit comes down every entity involved gets sued to include the ducks in the park.
I am having trouble understanding who paid for the security staff. If the city did not cut the check, I don't see any problem or conflict of interest. Also, the only local security company is Command. The employees are local also. It would not be reasonable to depend on a company and it's guards that are from Albany or Schenectady. I can understand the concerns of the posters on this blog and the fact that they are exploring the details. I do not like the current commissioner and I would be the first to jump on this if I felt the accusations had any solid marrit. It dosen't look good, but that does not always mean that mallice was involved.
Again, I don't know alot about the details as to weater or not the police were denied the oppertunity to work this event. If the Commissioner in some way did indeed refuse to allow them to work the event in an attempt to demonstrate his political agenda, it would not be a surprise to me.
Norm - If the proper paperwork is done, and event insurance secured, their should not have been anymore liability issues for the City of Saratoga Springs using Command Security then there would be for the State of New York when Command Security works Live Nation events at SPAC. It's the same premise, a private event (you need a pin to be considered a "part" of First Night) being held by a private group, on public land that they have contracted with the government to use.
The Command Security officers weren't writing tickets, or making arrests, they were simply there to direct people, control and report any incidents, and keep people back far enough from the area where they were igniting the fireworks.
You are right, that if a lawsuit comes down, the city would probably be named, but if the proper paperwork is filed, not only should it be hard to make those allegations stick, we should be covered by the event promoters insurance. Something else to think about, if you're worried about lawsuits, there probably isn't a group that bring more disgrace and expense to this city through litigation then the SSPD. I would guess that command employees are personally bonded (something the SSPD is not), so the first party to take an economic hit would be the person at the heart of the litigation.
I'm not a big fan of the Public Safety Comish either, but this might be one of the first, and only, things he's done that makes sense. If the door has been opened to use private security for more events, we should make sure they don't close it. It seems it will be cheaper, easier, and could greatly LIMIT the cities liability, given the ever increasing liability that Public Safety employees have become, both to our cities image and checkbook.
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