Dyster Goes At Them & Meals/Conferences

For weeks now I have been calling out Mayor Dyster for not addressing the blatant attempt on the part of the Glenn Choolokian-led Gang of 3 to supersede the current form of government in Niagara Falls.  The Gang's lack of understanding of what their role is in city government is only matched by their ignorance in the importance of volunteers to a city that needs all the help it can get.  Especially when its cheap help.

Well, today in a Gazette Guest View, the Mayor laid the whole thing out in black and white for all to see.  The Gang of 3's feeble attempt to use the Police Department as its reasoning for eliminating funding to the block clubs, the Beautification Commission and the NACC was exposed big time.  This was all about political axes to grind on the part of Choolokian, Sam Fruscione and Bob Anderson.

It is apparent that Choolokian & Company wanted to use the new Police Chief Bryan DalPorto as the face of their ill-conceived plan to get back at the Mayor.  Well, finally the Mayor is taking them to task and he shouldn't stop with a guest view.  What the Mayor now should do is ask this question: where was the City Controller and Chief Lawyer when the Gang eliminated money that was already approved in the budget.  A budget that Choolokian, Fruscione and Anderson voted in favor of.  Both of those positions have a duty to speak out if either branch of government is doing something wrong.  In this case, that doesn't appear to have happened.
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There was an article in the Gazette which also brought to light the expenditures of the Mayor and the Council as it relates to meals and conferences.  Let me start out by saying that it is in the best interest of the city that city officials attend conferences to learn about new ideas and processes to make government more efficient and provide better services.  In addition, it also provides an opportunity for networking which can bring dividends as it relates to getting help from the state or federal government.  As long as the Mayor and the City Administrator are prudent with the costs and they actually attend the conferences, then calling it into question is penny wise and pound foolish.

With respect to the city picking up the tab for council members and city employees to eat before the City Council meeting, the only ones who benefit are the people who are eating.  For Glenn Choolokian to say that its not a big deal because they are underpaid is a slap in the face to every hard working person who lives in the City.  You knew what the salary was Glenn when you ran for office.  Choolokian previously said that what's the big deal if the City pays for him to eat a sandwich.  Well, it must be pretty expensive sandwiches when the bill comes to $179!!!

The icing on the cake is that Choolokian justifies this by saying that this has been going on for 50 to 60 years and he didn't make the rules.  Really Glenn??  What rule is there that says the City must pay to feed council members before their meeting??  You are so concerned about rules and not breaking them, then why did you violate a local law called the Budget which established funding levels for the block clubs, beautification commission and the NACC.  This practice needs to stop NOW!!!