Tuesday, August 30, 2005

So many opinions

Well, much to the chagrin of my daughter, I haven’t posted here in a few days. This is something I’m supposed to do EVERY day, she tells me. Like a diary. Not sure if I can pull that off. Maybe if I adjust to writing something shorter than a 700-word essay each time. Blogging is different than writing a column, right?

But rest assured, my lack of writing is not for lack of opinions.

I’ve gotta admit I’m a little bummed by the lack of comments on my blog. I was hoping that some of the thoughts I posted here on Thursday would have elicited more responses. The blog’s getting some traffic, but only two comments as of this writing? Come on. Nobody’s got nuthin’ to say about any of the issues I brought up? Jill Lewis and Mike Cholowsky? Housing at EPCAL? School administrators’ raises that weren’t discussed prior to the budget vote? Surely I can’t be the only Riverhead resident with opinions about these things.

Somebody told me today that people are “afraid” to post on this blog. Not that they’re afraid of me. More like they’re afraid of retribution around town, by town government officials or maybe others...

Since my daughter also chastised me about requiring people to register in order to comment here, I changed the settings and now you can post ANONYMOUSLY. Happy?

So, go ahead. Click that little comment button and let it rip.

Why do you think the administration isn’t doing anything to stop the ethics code from being openly flouted by the former deputy supe? Is Phil afraid of somebody? Should he be? Is he doing Dick Amper a favor by letting Amper’s former right-hand woman skate? It just doesn’t make sense to me. And why isn’t anybody calling him on it?

Ed’s quiet because he’s so chummy with Jill — and Mike — that people were saying Jill was actually working on Ed’s campaign. And he’s a proponent of getting Cholowsky his rail spur at EPCAL. I’m sure Ed’s campaign financials — and the Riverhead GOP’s — will reflect the benefit of that stance, too. So the most likely critic of the behavior of Phil’s former deputy is silent. Convenient for Jill — and Mike.


Here's a photo sent to me by a reader that graphically illustrates why the ethics code would slam shut the revolving door. The former deputy supervisor and her new employer sitting with the town planning director at a work session where the rail spur grant was on the agenda. Nice and friendly and cozy are these former colleagues, wouldn't you say? This particular threesome was seen frequently at local watering holes BEFORE the deputy supe left town employ and when she and the town planning director were both still on the public payroll.

This isn't any different than former supervisor Bob Kozakiewicz representing Suffolk Theater Enterprises right after he left office in the matter of the contract of sale for the theater — a contract Koz negotiated. That rankled Phil and, he said, inspired him to push for a long-overdue ethics code. Why doesn't this thing with Jill & Cholowsky and the rail spur bug Phil, too, especially since we now have an ethics code that pretty clearly prohibits her from representing Cholowsky at Town Hall on the rail spur stuff? Phil, you disappoint me. What happened to putting Riverhead first?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Given its Riverhead, we are not surprised that Slick Philly Cardinale's right hand girl has gone from Deputy Supervisor to working for a garbage and sandmining rat who plead guilty to paying off government officials with money in brown paper bags.

Just what out Town needs: a TRASH TRAIN through the Pine Barrens.

Seems like SLICK PHIL is spending too much time with guys from STATEN ISLAND to rememeber right from wrong.

Anonymous said...

Denise,

I've always had a lot of respect for you and your column, but after seeing the way that you are slandering Jill Lewis & many others, I have to wonder where your heart is. What is this … the new Riverhead Gossip Column ? Where are your blogspots & articles in the News Review about all the good that Jill did for Riverhead over the years? Seems to me it is a lot easier to print the negative than to print the positive.

Life is short, Denise, as we all know. Think about what you are doing with this blog ... and what you seek to accomplish. You have created an open forum for anyone to say whatever they want to, be it fact or fiction. I can understand wanting to open up the dialog about our town, but is this really a credible way to do it? And is it worth hurting people ? Think about it from all points of view, Denise ...

~ Janis

Anonymous said...

Don't Let These People Try to Intimidate You, Denise
Hey, I'm not afraid to post under my own name. This site is much classier than that garbage 631politics.com site!

Congrats. This is a great idea for us political junkies who feel less satisfied with the traditional confines of a hometown weekly paper.

I agree with your views on ethics completely and that's why a bunch of us remade ourselves politically with this new Integrity Party, which got 10,000 signatures this summer on Long Island. We also developed a firm code of ethics that hopefully will keep us from suffering the same fate as every other independent party in the history of the state: patronage and corruption.

Just one observation: You notice the Dems and GOPers Blassanders and this Dunleavy fellow all found abandoned storefronts downtown for their campaign HQs?

It's very ironic considering the Dems and GOPers are the cause of the empty, boarded up downtown.

OK, enough with the negativity. I think we have a good shot at getting night football back, and youth leagues and activities are bustling. That's the pulse of this community. Thanks for the forum.

Anonymous said...

Janis : WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!!!

For many years Dick Amper and his sidekick Jill Lewis hurt the East End and Farmers, by stopping normal progress and putting people out of JOBS. At the same time they collected large salaries from that Pine Barrens Society, Dick Amper’s money machine. Jill Lewis dished it out for years, but as soon as she got into politics she could not handle the scrutiny so she left. I give Denise a lot of credit for bringing out the TRUTH!!! As a true Environmentalist I am sure it is hard for Denise to expose these fake Environmentalist! I like to hear Janis comments about the following fact that Denise brought out?
“There's the alliance of our former deputy supervisor and a sand-mine/solid waste guy with a very interesting past and her brazen appearances with him, as his business associate, at Town Hall concerning a matter — the EPCAL rail spur — she was involved in as deputy supervisor".

Jills true colors are showing. Denise’s job is not to make friends or HURT anyone, it is to bring out the TRUTH and keep an eye on the SELF SERVING PUBLIC FIGURES.
I suggest Janis that you review the United States Constitution! I think you forgot some of it?

Anonymous said...

Add Riverhead Building Inspector Leroy Barnes to Riverhead's rat Pack.

And I loved to see him on TV trying to weazel out of questions about different sets of building plans for one project.

Riverhead is starting to look like CROOKHAVEN

Anonymous said...

Seems that the so-called Environmentalists sing a different tune when they get on the payroll of the WASTE MANAGEMENT boys.

As if Cardinale's Administration hadn't been TRASHED enough already

Anonymous said...

The ethics issue that you brought up regarding the brazen behavior of certain parties, including a former employee, is nothing new. It has been going on for over a year. But the "circle" includes a "known" environmentalist and other other employees in Town Hall.

Where have you been Denise? This is old news, but never the less disturbing. What is going on now, according to what I have been told, it just a continuation of what went on in Town Hall.

And where is the current Town Board that voted on this ethics policy? Although Phil doesn't think his former employee's new employment or actions are an ethical problem, many residents think it is. What is most disturbing is that alot of people know that he has been aware, and made aware, of the situation since last summer.

He portrayed himself to be the champion of ethics, or was it just another campaign promise he had to fufill like EPCAL? Blassanders, Bartunek, Ed...all voted for it too. The silence is not golden. Are there ethics in Town Hall? Has Phil ever really taken a stance on an issue, other than Wilpon and his "sweetheart deal" since he has been in office?

EPCAL, school budget..a blog on their own for sure!

And can we expect Phil to be blogging to "spin" his positions on what is written here?

How many other Supervisors in town history have written regular respone letters to the editor of the NR or have had "Equal Time" to quantify, qualify or spin their opinion or view?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Anonymous said...

I disagree with Janis. This isn't gossip and it isn't slander. In the months prior to her resignation, Lewis was always seen around town in the company of this guy Cholowsky. That's her personal business. But as deputy supervisor should she be hanging around with a man who's got business and lawsuits pending with the town? Unfortunately though government officials often spend a lot of time socializing with developers!

Then Lewis quits her town job and immediately goes to work for this guy. AND she goes to work on projects he's got pending with the town!

Phil made a big deal about Koz doing that. Got up on his soapbox and said we need an ethics code. Now we have an ethics code so why isn't it being enforced?

Calling attention to this stuff isn't gossip or slander. It's watching out for good government.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but something's seems amiss when I see government officials(PRESENT OR FORMER)hanging out with a FELON in some hideaway in FLANDERS

Anonymous said...

What can the average resident do to insure that the ethics policy is enforced and that the violators are punished? By the time this board acts, Lewis will over her 6 month window.

Now it all makes sense that she was at the Town Board meeting with Cholowsky the night of the Wilpon public hearing. There was a brew haha about her resignation not being on the agenda and that it had to be voted on that night. After much scurying a town employee said someone had been sent to type it up to present it that evening.

I found it humorous, as did the employee, as they have been a common sight in town hall and around town for almost a year.

Anonymous said...

How wonderful that we can share our thoughts and be informed by our equals and not just the powers that be that may have subjective points of view. It is unfortunate that you have so quickly become disheartened by some of the comments that are on the level of name-calling by a few bloggers. Perhaps some of the bloggers are not as eloquent and experienced at defaming another person as a professional journalist would be.

I am just a bit confused at the rules of this blog. Unless I am not confused and the rules have a sort of “do as I say and not as I do” disclaimer. For instance, in the recent onset of this blog, we were informed of some issues that should be of concern to the Town of Riverhead. All was vague and then a seemingly scurrilous, more-in-depth commentary regarding Jill Lewis followed. Perhaps I read too fast, but I do not recall seeing other names or insinuated emotions of other people with whom we should be concerned.

Why is an extremely intelligent woman being singled out? Are there numerous executive-level jobs available to women of Jill’s caliber that are being advertised in a hidden section of our local newspapers? Seems to me a recent job posting for an ‘Office Manager/Secretary/Bookkeeper’ requiring attention-to-detail, and other above-average traits says it all. Although this 3-in-1 position seemed like it would be appropriate for a true multi-tasking scholar, anyone with a true respect for themselves would choose to accept a legitimate offer from an equally intelligent employer willing to appreciate a high caliber employee.

Anonymous said...

Add Riverhead Building Inspector Leroy Barnes to Riverhead's rat Pack.

And I loved to see him on TV trying to weazel out of questions about different sets of building plans for one project.

Riverhead is starting to look like CROOKHAVEN

By Anonymous, at 8/31/2005 08:22:52 AM

Posted by Leroy E. Barnes, Jr.

Whoever wrote this, please give me a call 727-3200 x 264. You are misinformed!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... last post was interesting. Tuesday night Wading Riverhead. Ed, Barnes, Hanley, Jill and Mike at dinner before the board meeting? Rumors are abound in town. Mr. Barnes were you there?

Anonymous said...

FROM A CONCERNED CITIZEN

Yes, please, please INFORM US...there must be a good reason for supposed Environmentalists and TOWN Officials hanging out with alleged criminals in the Garbage and Sand Mining line of work..

COME CLEAN with the T R U T H

Anonymous said...

Oh C'mon....they must just enjoy hearing Mikey's stories of payoffs and extortion and other Witty Repartee