Carnegie Library/Taxi/Parking Meters/Mayor Challenged

4-22-13 Board of Trustees Video: what most of the public missed

This blog contains a link/net address to the latest video taken by the Citizens Campaign for Open Village Government at its end. The 4-22-13 meeting of the Patchogue Village Board of Trustees was videotaped. As per our usual policy it also comes with some time reference points in this blog so that viewers can find sections of this rather long video so they don’t have to view all of it.

That come  will later. Before getting to that section I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the present status of this ongoing project. Several months ago a half dozen village residents banded together to video meetings of the Board. Our goal was pretty simple. We felt that the public was handicapped by the hours that the meeting was held at to attend the meeting. Plus because of the rules of the Board members of the public, unlike most other public bodies, have to wait until the very end of the meeting before being allowed to speak about issues of concern to them. End result: harder for people to show up and be a part of the small amount of democracy that the open public portion of the meeting allows.

It was our feeling then as now that more people were interested in village affairs than was evident from the attendance at meetings. The way to get to those other interested citizens we felt was to make use of modern technology and videotape the meetings, put them on the net, and let people see in a more citizen friendly way just what decisions their elected leaders were making. All of us felt that media accounts and summarized minutes did not adequately reflect the many issues that the Trustees did deal with. The best way to show that was by letting the facts speak for themselves and letting all see those facts as they occurred by providing a visual record and documentation of those events.

Brookhaven Town provides this service as a public service. We would have preferred that Patchogue Village do the same as it would have meant that right from the beginning the videos would be of high quality. Mayor Pontieri has consistently cited financial restraints while opposing taking on this service.

Consequently all of us, none of us professionals, took on this task instead. We have had to learn by doing and at times it has been a rough road. The tapes are not always the highest sound quality, and often have a cinema verite look. Back ground sounds sometimes intrude since our sound stage so to speak is a public venue over which we have no control. If someone is near the mike and is sitting in the audience the mike is sensitive enough to pick up stray sounds. We are still learning editing, and other aspects of videotaping. But overall we have accomplished our goal: not a Spielberg production by any means but nevertheless a visual history of the Board of Trustees has been unfolding month after month.

A visual log of the much good that is done, and also at times a picture of what could be better too. And that is also part of what we are about too. We do not cater to the belief that low attendance means resident satisfaction with the status quo. That belief relies on the notion that the public knows all the facts and chooses not to get involved because it is satisfied. Yet time and time again decisions are made with very little public information and even less public feedback. The recent adopted village budget is a prime example. Two weeks notice of the budget vote, no online copies of the budget for review, a budget vote held at an early time of the afternoon when large numbers of residents are just coming back from work, complex documents offered with little or no explanations to help anyone understand even if they wanted to. The video of that event previously posted by the Citizens Campaign did not offer a complete remedy for those issues but it did give everyone who wanted it a chance that the Board did not really give them: the chance to see what actually happens in their name. And because these videos do give the public a chance to see what is being decided in their name we will keep taping them.

One day we will have a Mayor who will find the will to fund these project but until then citizens have to do what our elected leaders lack the will to do when so clearly they should be doing otherwise.

And that is a lesson in democracy if I ever saw one.

Looking at the immediate video at hand here are time references for various sections of it. 2 min. 11 sec. Mayor Pontieri lauds ongoing Chamber head Gail Hoeg 6 min. 37 sec. Village Treasure reports on bills to be paid of note increasing costs to manage court related public safety issues 9 min 50 sec. First public hearing on the issue of licensing taxi cabs in the village. Extensive discussion about taxi services in the village, need for “greening” taxis, service to the physically challenged, several public comments relating to the above issues and others. Motion to adopt new rules reserved for another day due to the number of issues raised. 30 min 56 sec. Second public hearing of the night. Passed. Expanded powers for the Public Works Supt. He will now have independent powers to police commercial grease traps an emerging issue in the village due to the growth of food/bar/clubs.

36 min 40 sec. The village approves a foundation for the Carnegie Library discussion on implications for the preservation of this historical landmark. 49 minutes Trustee Krieger seeks approval to purchase more cars for the village and there is an approval for a contract to provide consulting services for the eventual parking meter project that is nearing implementation. 55 min 55 sec Trustee Keyes proposes idea of banning Styrofoam containers reserved for discussion, discussion of cross walk project at Riverview condo complex 1 hr 9 min 32 sec Trustee Crean raises issues about parking for workers once parking meters are installed, again request information about a business plan for the Theater.

1 hr 16 minutes 20 sec Trustee Ferb discusses license for Charlie’s Crab Co at shorefront park and discussion that follows about possible new public bathroom for that area with Trustee Hilton involved. Overview of the functions of the Housing department also provided 1 hr 37 minutes Trustee Devlin talks about fund raiser for the Community Garden and a capital fund raiser for the cinema at Art Space in dire need of a new digital projector.

1 hr 43 min 14 sec Public portion begins. Jo Miller comments on proposed taxi licensing rules, Greg Powers comments on need for parking meter plan with an extensive discussion about present parking needs and overall village policy to deal with issues, John Bogack offers rejected request to allow videos taken by the Campaign for Open Village government on Channel 18 whose content is controlled by the village, rather animated discussion relating to the issue of public apathy with Mayor Pontieri. Meeting adjourns.

These time lines offer high lights. The whole video should be seen to get a complete picture of the meetings decisions. And please remember all: these meetings are open to the public and the public does have the right to address the Mayor and the Trustees as the last item of official business. Think the Mayor is doing a great job. Then come on down and say so. Think things could be better then you are welcome to do the same. The more the merrier and now a days the world can see what you have to say. To see go to: http://youtu.be/J5eJTOQwCzM