Saturday, February 18, 2017

Once Again, Council Will Ignore Their Own Rules

Alderwoman Mills is learning that rules mean nothing to the Council majority.

Mills pointed out that once legislation is defeated at a Council meeting, only someone who voted on the prevailing side may make a motion to reconsider.

I can tell you Noble has enforced this rule in the past.  However, since he wants the legislation to pass, he is now ruling the other way saying that as long as a majority of the Council wants to pass it, it is permitted.

Now, the Corporation Council has issued a ruling backing this nonsense.  He has no choice because if he does not, the Mayor can replace him.

So, now the Council will pass the kiosk legislation even though Council rules do not permit it.    No vote to change the rules.  The rules just get ignored.

This has happened before.  Rules state no debate on a motion to table.  Noble enforced that rule against me when I was on the Council.  However, when democrats recently wanted to do so, he allowed it.

I can list 5 or 6 other examples including one time where a majority wanted to pass something, but Noble did not like it, so he just took it off the calendar announcing he would not allow the Council to pass it.

I am not angry about all of this.  I actually laughed out loud when I read the article about it.  I have known for sometime that liberals do not give a whit about rules, elections, or even fair play.  They just want to advance their agenda no matter what.

This is how government works in Kingston and has for a long time.

11 comments:

kerfuffle said...

The resolutions are getting changed also, between committee and caucus, and again between caucus and the common council floor. The funny business was reported last October by Mid-Hudson News. But mayor Noble and his overpaid part-time mouthpiece Megan Weiss immediately started lodging (false) complaints of bias against the reporter, for his use of the word surprise. Furthermore, the two attorneys are basically running roughshod over the committee meetings. None of this nonsense would be taking place, if the Freeman did their job and reported irregularities. They are, unfortunately, clearly in cahoots.

Anonymous said...

Uncle Jimmy has been the Coucil President how long? Why didn't Uncle Jimmy know the rule at the Feb meeting?

The best part of this Noble circus is Bryant opinions "“It is the opinion of my office that while the intent of Rule 6 was to prevent the minority on any given vote the opportunity to continue attempts at revisiting the same issue, as a matter of common sense, I do not believe the rule was intended to apply to issues requiring a super-majority, such as a bond,” Bryant wrote. The current council voted on and approved the rule Byrant didn't so how can he opinion on it. If he knows the intent of the council on the rule why did he and Uncle Jimmy look like deer in the head lights when Mills brought it up at the February meeting and not have the answer then? But don't ask the Coucil what they voted on as other than Mills they don't have a clue as to the rules.

BTW Mr Bryant as the "rules say" and their "intent" the issue is dead as it could only be reconsidered at the January or February meeting according the the rules. How long you been there Uncle Jimmy?

Anonymous said...

so much for the empty promises new mayor promised for open,inclusive and fair government.that is unless you are for his progressive agenda...Must have to check in with the main shephard before opening his mouth.. Then calls on family and fellow sheepeoples to push that kiosk agenda forward ( as the example mentioned in your post))..Didn't the Nobles assure during campaigning that they could be objective and no conflict of interests? And yes Jim Noble is not responsive to inquiries...other individuals have said there is little to none communication from the president of the council. Crickets........ Alderman Mills was correct in her statement in the Freeman. She is not my alderman but wish she was..Not afraid to challenge the good ole boys.

Anonymous said...

They need to bend the rules, to pay the big budget gap with new parking fees. Which, in essence, is a new form of taxation. Mayor Noble calls it a user-based fee. But that would apply more to things like renting space in a building or park pavilion. Rowboats or kayaks. Stuff like that. Parking is a different kind of animal, you need parking to keep retail storefronts in business. Look closely at the kiosk proposal, what a mess. Redundant machines in small lots, expensive proprietary network fees ($7800 per year for 13 kiosks). Rolling this parking plan out to the entire city would cost almost a million bucks. Also the maintenance estimates for paving and rebuilding the public parking lots are inflated by 50%. Which makes you wonder, are ALL the DPW estimates similarly inflated? And who is getting the kickbacks, is Steve Noble sharing the 10% kickback money with his friends, or does Uncle Jim get to keep it all? BTW, speaking of kickbacks, what ever happened to that Pike Plan lawsuit? http://kingston-ny.gov/filestorage/8399/11017/16897/Parkeon_Proposal.pdf

Richard T. Cahill Jr. said...

I do not think Mayor Noble is a thief.

I do think he is spending recklessly and is seeking new revenue rather than curtail spending.

He is reckless with our money, but not a thief.

Anonymous said...

Mayor not a thief. clueless is more like it....treats bonding like a credit card...with taxpayers making the monthly payments... Most of us when we run low on money and credit dial it back and look where to cut expenses. Not this kid mayor...

Anonymous said...

Sick time payout?

Anonymous said...

"I do not think Mayor Noble is a thief."

Then check out the illegal payout of sick time (by law and union contract) that he was paid out right before he became "mayor."

Anonymous said...

I see where the democrats have attacked alderwomen Mills and Brown in the Daily Freeman as the Party of No. If Dems think it was a fair and good budget why are they freaking out over not getting kiosks in place to start the revenue stream. Perhaps they counted on that money, without any research or data, as to if this would be actual revenue. Hence the $200,000 they are squawking about? Got to plug a hole in the budget? guess it puts a stop on them hiring a city council clerk( how did common council manage all these years without their own clerk?) and corp counsel clerk, another new electric car, bike lanes on Broadway, Current administration using bonding as a credit card for everything. I see it, I want it, lets buy it!

Anonymous said...

The party of no is doing a great job. The dems are just a bunch of cry babies.
If the second ward alderman would have showed up to vote the kiosks would have been a done deal.
My take is the dems thought they had enough votes to bond so the second ward alderman hid out that night so he could of told his voters he had nothing to do with it. KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT LADIES.

Anonymous said...

Please please follow up on the "Tom where is my wallet Hoffay" letter and the support from the public for brown and mills.