TUCKER SAYS THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD
Lin Wood
THE COMEY-CLINTON SONG
JAMES COMEY WAS A COMMUNIST
Lin Wood
SPOILER ALERT...Rush Limbaugh, who is actually Jim Morrison of the DOORS, is alive!
Soon you will find out that Ms. Bondi is part of the Deep State; she has been replaced by an actor from Central Casting.
Trump puts his enemies out front to let them destroy themselves!
TED CRUZ TALKS ABOUT AIPAC
STR1KER🇺🇸🤘🐺🤘🇺🇸
Ted Cruz, another traitor, who was replaced by an actor from Central Casting a long time ago.
How many of our Senators and House representatives from New York did I report have been talking money from AIPAC....ALL OF THEM!!! And Tucker, another one???
Filmed by Mustang Medic on January 20, 2021
Vincent Kennedy
I watched this incident "LIVE" online and posted it on my blog soon after.
This was filmed the evening of the fake Biden's fake inauguration (which was not held at the White House) after a stolen election.
What were all those buses doing there?
Some think they were rescuing children from the tunnels under the White House!
How can you find the financial information for the Town of New Hartford?
Want to know whether the town has filed their Annual Update Document (now known as AFR)
Information is posted every September on the NYS Comptroller's website.
Want to know if the required filings under Federal Law are being made to the Security Exchange Commission by June 30 each year the town has indebtedness have been filed?
All filings are available on the Electronic Municipal Market Access website (E.M.M.A.). You can look up any government anywhere in the United States.
Here is a link to the specific Town Of New Hartford file.
You can look up the bond anticipation notes for 2025 at this link.
Oops, looks like the reporting by the Town of New Hartford is about $1,000,000 short of the actual Bond Anticipation Notes issued on 4-10-25.
Adirondack Bank was the holder of the original $6,033,045 Bank Note that was part of the initial bonding resolution on October 2, 2024. The bank note should have been reported as debt to the S.E.C. when the initial note from Adirondack Bank was signed and the new bonding should now reflect that Adirondack Bank re-issued a $1,000,000 bank note on 4-10-25.
Obligations are supposed to be recorded to the E.M.M.A. site even if the money is borrowed from a bank.
In fact, Lease Purchases are also supposed to be recorded, and the Supervisor obviously knows that because he did record one.
All disclosures can be found on this link. For instance...
Moody's rating withdrawal
S & P's rating withdrawal
There are nine (9) pages of links to financials that have been filed; ( only if they have been).
Fiscal Advisors is also a good site to look for bonding information, both upcoming and past sales.
Of coarse, anyone can FOIL any information they would like to review; the Freedom of Information Law requires that financial information be made available.
With this blog post, I am going back to my "regularly scheduled" programming as part of the Q information team.
If there is a financial crisis in New Hartford, it will soon be resolved on it's own because President Trump and our military have been working to give power back to the people.
Parts of the country are under partial Martial Law right now which is why President Trump, as Commander-In-Chief, has been able to send troops into cities to quell the viol. Normally, Federal troops can only be sent at the request of the governing bodies.
Soon, things will ramp up and be out in the public. Expect many changes to our country and our local governments.
On March 4, 2024, Phil Godlewski, a former Military Intelligence Officer, posted the following to his Telegram page:
At the moment, we are in a covert military operation that is sometimes referred to as "A Movie" or as a game of 5-D chess; moves and countermoves, to take out the Deep State.
Did you watch the 2016 Presidential Inauguration and notice who was standing behind President Trump?
Did you think it was a coincidence that top members of our military were there standing strong with President Trump?
Ever see that happen at any other presidential inaugurations?
Soon, things will ramp up and be out in the public.
Expect many changes to our country and our local governments. We are leaving the bankrupt U.S. Corporation that has made us slaves for many years, and we are returning to a Constitutional Republic with Common Law, not Maritime Law, the law of the land.
Expect many changes in how government operates, but all of us "Q-Anons" and "Q-tards", as some like to call us, will be there to help calm people and help everyone understand what is happening.
Whether or not you believe in the Q Movement; I guarantee that you will in the very near future. I am talking weeks and possibly days.
My advice is to make sure to have 2-3 weeks of food, water, needed medicines, gas in your car(s) and available cash. preferable in small denominations. because at that point, credit cards won't work; ATM machines won't work, banks will close, and communication devices may not be operational for a period of time.
By the way, don't forget to also read my blog, "We, the People".
The choice to prepare and educate yourself before the "Black Swan" event takes place, is yours!.
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021:
The American Rescue Plan (2021) is providing fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses, and industries.
The American Rescue Plan continues many of the programs started by the CARES Act (2020) and Consolidated Appropriations Act (2021) by adding new phases, new allocations, and new guidance to address issues related to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan also creates a variety of new programs to address continuing pandemic-related crises, and fund recovery efforts as the United States begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The American Rescue Plan was passed by Congress on March 10, 2021 and signed into law on March 11, 2021.
According to the April 21, 2021 town board minutes...
Supervisor Miscione
– American Rescue Plan – We're going to get 2.39 million
dollars – some has to be allocated towards the two villages that we surround.
We have the guidelines.
Personnel Technician Barbara Schwenzfeier
Got a letter in the mail from Unemployment – there is a program out there because of COVID – they have
given a relief - we have $39,000 credit with them;
Councilman Messa - the
Supervisor and I have talked about this, how you can allocate some of this for
water, constituent on Oxford Road – a certain portion – they don't have water –
guy is looking into doing a new well and doesn't know if he should invest that,
if we are going to run a waterline down – it is in a tough spot.
Supervisor Miscione -
Woods Road – there was a water issue – then housing development
came in they were going to pay for it but then they lost out because the housing
development didn't come in – that may be another area we can get waterlines
to.
Councilman Reynolds -
– end of Merritt Place is another area;
Supervisor Miscione – will have to reach out to the residents to see if they want it, do they
have the funding and will they tap into it.
Will keep everyone updated..
Councilman Messa introduced the following Resolution for adoption and
seconded by Councilman Reynolds
Anyone in town remember being asked for an opinion on the ARPA funds as Miscione said would need to happen?
At the July 14, 2021 town board minutes:
11. Authorize to participate in COVID Local Fiscal Recovery Fund – to get the COVID funds had to fill out an application and put all the information in –
get anywhere from $2.3 - $2.9 million – have to give the Village $140,000/$150,000 – leaves us with $2 million in the end (get half this year and half in 2022) –
printed application filled in the Town Clerk’s Office – Town Supervisor submitted online.
Councilman Messa introduced the following Resolution for adoption and seconded by Councilman Lenart:
(RESOLUTION NO. 266 OF 2021)
RESOLVED, the Town of New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve for the Town Supervisor to fill out the application for the Local ARPA Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to NEUs.
The Resolution was unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.
Miscione said he has to give some to the village.
Why would that be, sir, NYS reports show that the Village received their own funds.
Miscione also states he submitted a copy of the application online. Did he print a copy for the town board in case they wanted to look it over?
There was no further mention of the application in town board minutes..
According to the State of New York, the Town of New Hartford received in total (over 3 periods) $1,884,302.03 (see below):
Did the town board know that along with getting the money it would require reports to be filed annually??
Does the town board know if any reports have been filed to date??
Under NYS Town Law 64, the town board...
1. Control of town finances. Shall have the general management and control of the finances of the town and shall designate in the manner provided by section ten of the general municipal law the depositaries in which the supervisor, town clerk, tax collector, tax receiver, and trustees of the freeholders and commonalty of a town shall deposit and secure all moneys coming into their hands by virtue of their offices.
So, while the Supervisor is the person responsible for keeping the accounting, nothing can be spent without the approval of the town board, of course, it is dependent on the Supervisor keeping the town board up-to-date.
Reporting: The.S. Treasury requires annual project and expenditure reports from NEUs, which are typically due by April 30th. For towns that received over $10 million, quarterly reporting was required.
Was the town board given that information; information that the Supervisor should have known and brought to a town board meeting??
From a report by the Association of Towns dated June 24, 2021:
Did the Supervisor keep the town board members informed of their obligations connected to receiving almost $2,000,000 from NYS???
Are any of the required reports available for viewing by the public??
Will the reports be on the next Town Board Agenda??
What should have been done is exactly what the Town of Walrath did. They created a reserve fund to make sure the money was segregated from other funds.
The Walrath town board now has full control over how and when the money is spent.
Once the fund was set up, the Town of Walrath town board, allocated a $100,000 fund to aid small busiesses/non profit organizations impacted by the PLAN-demic and invited them to apply for assistance.
What did Miscione do with the ARPA money?? Did he allocate it to different funds so that no one could even know how it was being spent??
The answer is found on page 61 of the 2022 Financial Statement conducted by Drescher & Malecki, CPA:
The money was co-mingled in the General Wholetown Fund and in 2022 $400,000 was used in the Police Department Fund in what looks to be to cover a shortfall.
Page 25 of the 2022 Audited Financial Statement also mentions the ARPA monies:
The 2022 audit also calls the ARPA money federal funding and does not specifically call it ARPA funds.
That is exactly why it is advised to set up a Reserve account.
According to town board minutes, the budget talks at the November 7, 2024 town board meeting, would appear to indicate that $400,000 might have been used in the 2025 town budget.
If the town is co-mingling the ARPA money into the General Fund and using it to supplement the annual budget, that would be against the rules set forth for the ARPA funding.
All indications are that the town is in financial trouble. The State Comptroller has not made their "official" audit publicly available and I would doubt that Miscione has any clue as to the results of the final report this soon.
We will just all have to wait and see what happens.
Next, let's take a look at the supposed "shares services agreement" that closed down the Senior Center.
Let me state right up front, I believe what was done to the New Hartford Senior Center is deplorable and I sent an email to each councilmen and the town attorney with no response.
Recent political writings of Miscione indicate that the town is looking to maybe purchase a bus to provide residents transportation to and from the Parkway Center. What law will they violate to do that; it's going to be difficult to justify since we no longer have a Senior Center? Sounds like Miscione is looking for the senior vote, don't believe it.
In conversations I had with Miscione shortly after he was first elected in 2018, he made it clear that he was going to get rid of the Senior Center one way or another.
You might remember the first attempt when a developer bought the former Ramada Inn on New Hartford Street. That deal fell through.
So, a new deal was born...
From the Utica Observer Dispatch:
Partnership gets senior programs to New Hartford residents at Utica rec center
From the above article:
"A public-private partnership will provide services and programming for New Hartford seniors in Utica."
In yet another article in the Rome Sentinel, September 9, 2022, there was a similar story: Town, agency to partner on services for seniors New Hartford, 50 Forward in Utica work together to assist older adults
That article also tends to imply that the Town of New Hartford is partnering with 50 Forward Mohawk Valley, a local non-profit, not the City of Utica.
Why is Palmieri involved if the contract is between the town and the agency?
After reading the news articles, I emailed each town board member and the torwn attorey raising questions. As usual, not one of them responded.
The following was presented at the September 7, 2022 town board meeting:
IV. MATTERS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMEN
A. COUNCILMAN REYNOLDS
ii. Met with the Methodist Church – 95 Oxford Road – receptive to us moving
Senior Center there, willing to sit down and discuss proposal; realize there is a
proposal to go to the City and is an excellent step, great program; should
entertain at some point in the Town, review process, most important thing is to
get it back in New Hartford and out of the Town Hall Building (doesn’t work in
this building), met with their Board and receptive to discuss further and we
should revisit that at some point
Town Attorney Herbert Cully – there is a proposal to enter into an agreement with
Mohawk Valley (50 FORWARD):
WHEREAS the TOWN desires to make available health and wellness, social and
recreational services to all senior citizens (individuals 60 years of age and over
(who reside in the TOWN, and,
WHERAS 50 FORWARD operates a facility at 220 Memorial Parkway, Utica,
New York which provides such services to senior citizens;
IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The TOWN will pay $35 for membership/$30 for renewal memberships of
any senior citizen (individuals 60 years and over) who are residents of the
TOWN (proof of residency will be required)
2. 50 FORWARD will allow said residents to enroll in its program at the 50
FORWARD Parkway Center, 220 Memorial Parkway, Utica, NY and
provide transportation to and from said Center.
3. 50 FORWARD will bill the $35.00/$30.00 annual/renewal registration fee
for each said resident to the TOWN within 30 days of registration.
Councilman Lenart introduced the following Resolution for adoption and duly seconded by Councilman
Messa:
(RESOLUTION NO. 220 OF 2022)
RESOLVED, that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve the agreement with Mohawk
Valley 50 FORWARD.
The Town Board voted upon roll call, resulting as follows:
All councilmen and the town supervisor voted "aye".
The Resolutions were unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.
On October 29, 2022, I filed a FOIL for a SIGNED copy of the agreement.
On November 1, 2022, this is what I received from Cheryl via Barb Schwenwenzfeier:
Hi Cathy – As of today, 10:19am, this is what I have received so far. This satisfies your FOIL request.
Thank you!
Cheryl
From: Schwenzfeier, Barb
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 10:19 AM
To: Cheryl Jassak-Huther
Subject: Senior Membership
As requested.
Barbara Schwenzfeier
Assistant Director of Personnel
Town of New Hartford
8635 Clinton Street
New Hartford, NY 13413
(315) 733-7500 x2332
FAX (315) 801-4407
Web: www.townofnewhartfordny.gov
Email: barbs@townofnewhartfordny.gov
Click on the images below to enlarge.
I immediately wrote back with an appeal because I asked for a SIGNED copy and the copy I received was not signed.
The next day, on November 3, 2022, I received the following:
Hi Cathy – Please find attached the updated signed and dated contract.
Your FOIL request has been fulfilled.
Cheryl
I'm not an attorney, but how is this a valid contract? It was signed two months after the Shared Services contract was supposedly in effect, and the contract is not on town letterhead?
Guess they weren't expecting anyone to FOIL the document because the second copy I received from my FOIL appeal is not even the same print as the one first sent to me.
For this to even become considered a Shared Services agreement as Palmieri and Miscione claimed, the agreement would have to be between the City of Utica and the Town of New Hartford. Otherwise, it would be a Private/Public agreement as the newspaper articles seem to imply. Who is kidding who?
A Shared Services agreement requires an adopted board resolution for both parties...New Hartford has one, does the City of Utica??
A lot more goes into Shared Services and Public-Private partnerships than has been put into this deal! This was to help Miscione close down the Senior Center so he could use it probably to house New Hartford Central School offices who are now occupying that space. The board should e ashamed of itself!
Here's the next problem...
Notice what the Observer Dispatch article (link above) stated:
Quote from Miscione...
"The town will save $40,000-$95,000
on staffing alone under the agreement,
along with overhead costs like utilities
at the former facility. The equipment
from the senior center kitchen will be
sent to Sherillbrook Park and the New
Hartford Recreation Center for concessions."
Senior Services is a General Wholetown fund with taxes paid by all town residents including people in the two villages.
Sherrillbrook Park is a Part-town fund only paid by residents within the town.
Where is the town board resolution to move relatively recent purchases paid from an account where taxes are collected from the entire town to an account where taxes are only paid by the town proper??
Did the town board also move the bond payments and interest for the Senior Center equipment that was being paid by the General Wholetown to those costs in the Part-town so that the costs would be paid by applying sales tax to pay off the debt??
It is becoming quite clear that Miscione and this town board have absolutely no idea of town fund accounting; it has been made apparent many times and probably more times than can be garnered by reading town board minutes.
Fund accounting is nothing like doing a home budget. Our town is comprised of the town proper and 2 villages; New York Mills and the Village of New Hartford; town finances have to be recorded to reflect that.
While we are on the subject of Senior Services, here is the bond resolution:
BOND RESOLUTION DATED JANUARY 24, 2019.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF COMMUNITY CENTER KITCHEN EQUIPMENT IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $75,000, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $75,000 BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO PAY THE COST THEREOF.
Notice, the bond resolution was very specific; it was for KITCHEN EQUIPMENT...PERIOD!
If I recall, the town accepted a bid of about $35,000 for the purchase of the equipment...what happened to the extra $40,000 that was bonded? Anyone know??
Last thing for today...
I've heard a lot of misinformation about the lack of financials being filed by Miscione. Let me set the record straight.
By May 1 each year, General Municipal Law 30 requires that an Annual Update Document (now called AFR) has to be filed with the NYS Comptroller.
Misicone, as the town's CFO, has not filed one since 2021.
The town is required by contract to file Audited Financials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (S.E.C.), Federal law, by June 30th each year that the town has outstanding debt.
Miscione has not filed an audit since 2022 and has filed late in previous years.
The 2021 and 2022 Audited Financials include a document that the auditors, Drescher & Malecki required be signed by both Miscione and the bookkeeper. I like to call it a "cover your ass" document for the auditors.
Both S & P and Moody's did not put New Hartford under a Credit Watch; they withdrew their previous credit ratings due to lack of financial information provided by the town.
With that being said, I will be back tomorrow!
Next, let's talk about the "Downtown Chadwicks Revitalization Plan, (or as I like to call it..."Just a million and a dream"), a plan which is part of the Oneida County Main Street Program announced by County Executive, Anhony Picente, in July 2021.
At the September 8, 2019 town board meeting, a plan for bonding for $2,451,122.00 was approved on page 8 of the minutes.
I. MATTERS SUBMITTED TOWN SUPERVISOR
1. Banding from last meeting: stormwater projects, upgrading infrastructure on signs, buying additional equipment for Highway Dept., upgrading Town Hall facilities, property next to building (voting, senior center) – Resolution prepared by Tom Myers
Councilman Reynolds introduced the following Resolution for adoption and seconded by Councilman Messa:
(RESOLUTION NO. 323 OF 2021)
RESOLVED, the Town of New Hartford Town Board does hereby accept to approve the BAN for $2,451,122.00.
Here's the BAN town board Resolution from the previous meeting, August 24, 2021, referenced above:
RESOLUTION NO. 311 OF 2021)
RESOLVED, the Town of New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve BAN monies
for $1,716,122.00
The Town Board voted upon roll call, resulting as follows:
Supervisor Miscione was the only person to vote "Nay".
THIS RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED SUBJECT TO PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM.
Items to Ban (2021) – when BAN monies received
Oneida Street Bridge $300,000.00 Matching with County $600,000.00
James Bray – Emergency Road Work $86,000.00
2021 John Deer 650 Dozer $67,914.00
2021 Excavator $109,208.00
Foxcroft (Woodberry) Detention Pond $40,000.00
Oneida St./Elm St. Downtown Infrastructure Project $500,000.00 Matching with County $1,000,000
Loader $123,000.00
Stormwater Project Mudd Creek $490,000.00 Matching with County $1,000,000
It certainly appears that Miscione didn't want to waste any time because certainly two months from the day of Picente's announcement is not enough time to put together a game plan.
It's also odd that Miscione asked the board to approve borrowing half a million dollars when no bids were even posted for the job(s) in the Rome Sentinel legal notices.
Bonding for Chadwicks Revitalization plan was never mentioned at the September 8, 2021, town board meeting.
In fact, there were no BAN resolutions included in the either of the town board minutes detailing each item to be included.
By law, residents have 30 days from the adoption of the resolution to object to any item. The town clerk's meeting minutes included no actual bond resolutions. Did the town board even have copies at the meeting so they knew what they we approving or were they left as much in the dark as town residents??
However, it just so happens that I have a copy of the legal notice that was posted in the Observer Dispatch on September 15, 2021.
Here is the legal notice for the $500,000 Bond Anticipation Note for the Chadwicks project portion of the bonding:
9) BOND RESOLUTION
DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2021.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
ONEIDA STREET/ELM STREET DOWNTOWN AREA IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF NEW
HARTFORD, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEWYORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $1,000,00 AND AUTHORIZING,
SUBJECTTOPERMISSIVE REFERENDUM, THE ISSUANCE OF $500,000
BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO PAY PART OF THE COST THEREOF.
The period of probable usefulness of such specific object or
purpose is 10 years pursuant to subdivision 90 of paragraph a
of Section 11.00 of the Local Finance Law.
Each of such resolutions pledges the full faith and credit of
the Town to the payment of the obligations authorized to be
issued and delegates to the Supervisor, the Chief Fiscal Officer,
the power to authorize the issuance of and to sell such obligations.
Additionally,each of suchresolutions contains the estoppel clause
provided for by Section 80.00 of the Local Finance Law and authorizes
such resolution, after taking effect to be published in summary
form in the official newspaper, together with a notice of the Town
Clerk, in substantially the form provided in Section 81.00 of the
Local Finance Law.
Dated: New Hartford, New York
September 13, 2021
CherylJassak-Huther
Town Clerk
AD#000700887
OD:9/15/2021
Next time the Chadwicks proeject was mentioned was at the October 27, 2021 Town Board Meeting:
VI. MATTERS SUBMITTED BY TOWN SUPERVISOR
1. Highway Superintendent Richard Sherman and Supervisor Miscione working on
a grant for downtown revitalization – grant from the County and NYS (has map
of area if anyone would like to see) – Elm Street in Chadwicks to Oxford
Road/Oneida Street in Chadwicks – designated area for the grant - $500,000
from Oneida County and up to $4 million from NYS for the projects – will help
infrastructure on the streets, roads, lighting, sidewalks, old piping, new sewer,
paving, stormwater; there are programs for people on the street, that fall in to
the low income category that can apply for these monies to fix up the façade of
their house, or anyone that has code violations – could apply for these grants
and money that is out there. Bringing Oneida Street back to life for some of the
homes affected by the flood, the land can be park areas – the Oneida County
paperwork has been prepared as well as the maps – need approval to submit.
Councilman Messa introduced the following Resolution for adoption and seconded by
Councilman Lenart.
Then, the next time the Chadwicks project was mentioned was at the October 24, 2022 town board meeting; almost one year later.
I. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
A. John Jweid – Pavia Real Estate Services, LLC, Israel and Jim (Developers) – to discuss
3354 Oneida Street – former school and church available for re-development. Excellent
opportunity for potential apartment complex – will work with the Town when ready,
create a presentation if there is an opportunity to go forward; Town Attorney Herbert
Cully – the property is currently zoned C-2, which would allow residential units on the
second floor above the first floor, seeing if the Board, informally, has any interest in
considering any type of zone amendment cannot spot zone; Supervisor Miscione –
received calls from other developers as well interested in Oneida Street – Town is
working with the State, County and Local Municipalities to upgrade downtown
Chadwicks and call it Historic Chadwicks - $10 million plus put into that (grants,
lighting, small businesses, etc.) – looking to bring Oneida Street back, upgrade, give
grants to people on the street to upgrade their homes at no cost to beautify the District,
new lighting, bring back the historic buildings there – will be criteria for that – looking
for lofts, condos – people dedicated to the street – tables outside with restaurants for
people to enjoy – revamp everything there – bring housing market up and make it a
destination point – County is going to do an announcement in the next couple of weeks
(sign agreement) – at that stage have developers come in and say what they can offer and
we can all work together – premature to change zoning at this point – going to take a few
months to get all of this together (vision and plan)
II. SUPERVISOR MISCIONE
A. Main Street Program Grant Agreement Between Oneida County and The Town of New
Hartford
Councilman Messa introduced the following Resolution for adoption and duly seconded by Councilman
Lenart:
(RESOLUTION NO. 264 OF 2022)
RESOLVED, that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve for Supervisor Miscione to sign
the Main Street Program Grant Agreement between Oneida County and the Town of New Hartford.
The Town Board voted upon roll call, resulting as follows:
The Resolutions were unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.
So, the minutes reflect that prior to the October 23, 2022, town board meeting, the town hadn't even signed an agreement to take part in the Main Street Program with Oneida County, but on September 8, 2021, ONE YEAR PRIOR, Miscione felt he needed to ask the board to adopt a $500,000 10-year bond for the project!!! Keep in mind that at this point 4 of the ten years for repayment has already gone by!
On top of that, Miscione brought another $500,000 bond resolution for the Chadwicks project to the town board on October 2, 2024:
The following Resolution was then introduced for adoption by Councilman Messa and duly seconded by
Councilman Latini:
(RESOLUTION NO. 336 OF 2024)
RESOLVED, that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve a resolution authorizing
Downtown Chadwicks infrastructure improvements in and for the Town of New Hartford, Oneida
Coujnty, New York, at a maximum estimated cost of $500,000.00 and authorizing, subject to permissive
referendum, the issuance of $500,000.00 BONDS of said Town to pay the cost thereof.
The Resolutions were unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.
$1,000,000 (ONE MILLION) bonded in total..has anything even been started yet?
Anyone wondering what "The proposed Plan" is...
It can be found at this link brochure for the Town of New Hartford project on the Oneida County website appears to be what the proposed project will involve.
Note found on the opening page:
"Acknowledgment"
This plan and the capital project list were developed through the Oneida County Main Street Program, an economic development and infrastructure initiative created by Oneida County Executive, Anthony J. Picente, Jr. and approved by the Oneida County Board of Legislators.
The Oneida County Department of Planning administered and staffed the Main Street program. The Program was delivered through direct coordination
with the local municipalities and municipal leadership.
The Main Street program was provided planning and technical support from the consultant team of Planning4Places, Weston & Sampson, Sam
Schwartz Engineering, and CLA Site Design.
Prepared for Town of New Hartford
April 2023
What is even more troubling is that $500,000 was borrowed in September 2021 and the plan wasn't even published until April of 2023 more than 18 months after Miscione borrowed the first $500,000 with no bids and obviously with no plans!
Question is...do we have that $1,000,000 dollars sitting in a town bank account or has it been spent on other projects in the meantime?
Who the HELL is running this show?
We, the people, to New Hartford Town Supervisor...we want answers!
Next, let’s take a look at bonding that has been done for some of the stormwater projects.
Let’s start with $490,000 for Mud Creek drainage project which was part of town board resolution dated September 8, 2021 and also part of the $9,000,000 serial bond resolutions of 2022. Bond members unanimously adopted the resolution 2021 resolution.
Legal Notice in the Observer Dispatch reads:
RESOLUTION AUTHOR I Z I NG IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MUD CREEK DRAINAGE BASIN IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEWYORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $1,000,000 AND AUTHORIZING, SUBJECT TO PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM, THE ISSUANCE OF $490,000 BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO PAY PART OF THE COST THEREOF. The period of probable usefulness of such class of objects or purposes is 40 years pursuant to subdivision 4 of paragraph a of Section 11.00 of the Local Finance Law.
About a week after the town board adopted the bond resolution, an article appeared in the Observer Dispatch:
New Hartford is working on 5 stormwater projects following Sauquoit Creek flooding study
New Hartford combats stormwater problems that lead to flooding
In the September 17, 2021, article written by Edward Harris, the Mud Creek drainage project was expected to begin in the Spring of 2022.
The article further states:
"Miscione said this project includes $1.3 million from the county and $490,000 of in-kind services.
Miscione further stated the project would have likely cost close to $500,000 if the town was not handling it itself."
Crazy that...the in-kind services for this bond are for the exact amount that was adopted by the town board at the September 7, 2021 town board meeting and almost exactly what Miscione estimated the cost would be to the town without the in-kind services.
Here’s the problem…
A municipality cannot bond for in-kind services because all bonding requires that there be a Probable Period of Usefulness (PPU) which as required under the NYS Local Finance Law Section 11.
"A municipality, school district or district corporation may not contract indebtedness for any object or purpose for a period longer than the period of probable usefulness set forth below for such object or purpose"
NYS Local Finance Law does not include a PPU for in-kind services which are presumably work done by town employees.
Why should there be bonding to pay town employees; their salaries are included as an expense listed in the town’s annual budget and paid each year by NYS Sales Tax revenue??
According to law, when composing a bonding resolution, one has to estimate the total cost of the project and from that subtract the amount of any donations, gifts and/or grants, and any in-kind services. What is left is bondable as long as it falls under one of the PPU categories in Local Finance Law 11.
Apparently, according to this news article, Miscione didn't even need to bond for the project after all!!
The news article further states:
"Most of the projects include in-kind services, which fall under the discretion of New Hartford Highway Superintendent Richard Sherman."
I do recall that on a recent “Talk of the Town” radio show Miscione said that most of the work is done in-house to save taxpayers money.
Excuse me, but where are the taxpayers saving money when you are bonding for items that don’t need to be bonded???
Several other stormwater and drainage bonds have been adopted by the town board. So how many other bonded stormwater projects include in-kind services?
The $9,000,000 bond also included $40,000 for stormwater improvements on Foxcroft. I can attest to the fact that the work was done by town employees.
There have been several other bond resolutions for stormwater work. Is the work all being done in-house?
How come we never hear about any bidding for these projects prior to borrowing the money?
What other town projects have been bonded using "in-kind services" with town employees doing the work??
Are they in fact all being done by town employees???
So, if the town didn't need the money for the project, what is the money really being used for???
Let me share a paragraph from the town’s bond counsel…Orrick’s Bond Basics for Towns:
"Proceeds of a borrowing pursuant to a bond resolution may never be legally used for any other
purpose than that described in the bond resolution. Once borrowed, no reallocation to some
other purpose is permissible; the only permissible use of such borrowed proceeds, if not used
for the project as described, is to pay down debt service on the debt obligation under which the
money was borrowed."
One thought is that paying Highway workers from the bond frees up sales tax revenue.
NYS Sales Tax Law requires that all town expenses first be covered by collected sales tax revenue; thus why our town has no town highway tax.
Next, sales tax revenue has to be applied to part-town expenses and any leftover monies can be used to offset General Wholetown taxes.
Unfortunately, using BOND MONEY to offset town employee expenses, i.e., wages is illegal.
Or, is there another explanation of how the money is illegally being used??
I would argue that Miscione and the town board owe taxpayers an explanation.
Stay tuned...Part 3 tomorrow!
