Confusion at the Free Press
Did you all read the article titled “Zoning of Auble Lot To Change” subtitled “Over 257 people will be added to village population”?
If you read the article it doesn’t sound like any decision has been reached at all. Who writes the titles? Does that person know more than the author, Stacey Silliman? Shouldn’t they, like, talk?
There’s another public hearing 8/15, according to Stacey. How does the Finding Ulysses readership feel about annexation?
I’m on record elsewhere with my opinions about annexation– but, let me get clear here on the specifics reported by the Free Misinformation Organ. Which, if it was free, I’d look at myself, but (since you have to buy it) I don’t support that kind of thing with my money.
Were they reporting on zoning change, or on annexation? They are two completely different legal procedures. Is the story that, if there were an annexation, the Village might change the zoning, or, is it a story about the Town government (currently responsible for land use decisions there) changing the current zoning, separate from the annexation request?
Krys,
I looked back at your post here on 7/12 where you said we need professional planing assistance, but you didn’t really say wether you favor annexation or not. I’m curious.
The Free Press story covered a lot of ground, not a bad story, but a terrible title. I wrote to Bill Chaison and told him I was posting (above) and invited him to respond here. He wrote back and said the inappropriate title was his fault, but that he didn’t want to post here because this site is full of misinformation and bias. That seemed a little odd right after admitting that his title could possibly misinform us.
We have limited sources of information about these local issues. I think we should realize that misinformation and bias are unavoidable. I’m going to continue to read this blog and the Free Press.
I feel a Barney the Purple Dinosaur song coming on.
The free press is a joke. Even more so under bill chaissons ‘leadership’. The same thing happened with this silliman reporter a few weeks back, fabricating the headline and quotes. They were taken to task for it and had to issue a correction. Possible one of the reasons steve ferrari was ushered out of here more quickly. Maybe the same will happen with chaisson…but he certainly fancies himself ‘smarter’ than his predecessor so it might take a few more blatant screw ups. We’ll see. Otherwise as Krys says if its not free im not even buying it.
Another wonderful example on how our local paper is utterly failing us.
Dear Krys and Allen,
Professional planning by definition is reserved for those who actually work in the planning field. A degree does not really count until you work in your field then reality sets in and you find there are definite restrictions in your field. Professional planners are those such as those who work for engineering firms such as B & L. Planners often have differing viewpoints. those with actual real life experience are always more valuable than strictly academic information which is often taught by people with no actual experience. It is a major flaw in our education system. not enough experience vs. academics.
whether engineers or planners or anything other than liberal arts. there are often engineers who cannot tie their shoes or who know which end of a screwdriver to use and their usefulness is very limited. Business schools have the same problem — no experience.
Thanks, Barry, for the critique of my profession– your opinion is unusual, as is usual for you.
Despite your dictums on who is and is not valued by the planning profession as a bona-fide professional, you don’t have to work for an engineering firm to qualify. Folks like me, who work, say, in the public sector (municipal government or, like me, the Cooperative Extension System) are at least as numerous as the private-sector planners, only some of whom work with engineers. When I was a speaker at our trade organization’s annual conference the year before last, I had the opportunity to see a real cross-section of the profession, and, I can assure you, there are a mix of employers, private, public, and consultants who work in both private and public sectors, nationwide. If you are interested, check it out at http://www.planning.org... and, while you are there, check out the Food System Policy Planning Guide that this year’s APA National Conference adopted as a guiding document for chapters throughout the country– I’m really proud of it, as I was one of about 15 people who helped to write and edit it. It is true that my paid planning work is only part-time at this point in my career, but, that is by choice, as it allows me to pursue voluntary work in the field, such as the Policy Guide, advocting at the NYS level for the establishment of the NYS Council on Food Policy (done, thanks Governor), and, also, an economic development study that I am working on in collaboration with Congressmen Hinchey’s and Arcuri’s offices. They (the Congressional offices) haven’t questioned my professional credentials even once, despite the lack of a connection to the engineers who spec details on the laying of water and sewer lines. No disrespect to the more project-based or hands-on builders of the built environment intended, though: I myself, as well as my husband and my brother and my father and my cousin and… well, you get the picture… started out in the building trades.
But, I suspect that your ramblings on the planning profession aren’t really your point, but, actually, you are trying to discredit me personally by suggesting that I am inexperienced, and community and economic development work for Cooperative Extension is not a “real” planning job. Check out the story I am about to post for the antidote to that bunk. In fact, that is the biggest trouble with the Barry-style personal-smear-to-those-you-disagree-with approach: you end up smearing innocent bystanders, too…. and sometimes they are potential allies. Like, my classmate Dannielle Hautanemei, another local who got a Cornell masters’ degree in planning, and then went to work as Planning Director of Schuyler County (which happens to be, BTW, a Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County job….)
Try debating ideas on their merits, instead, Barry.
Allen: I meant that my opinions about annexation are on record at the public hearings, not here. Short version: I am 100% enthusiastically in support of it in theory, but quite concerned that it be approached, studied and implemented in a professional manner, as such things are very difficult to accomplish under NYS municipal law, and there could be negative repercussions to a poorly-executed attempt.
I attended the village board meeting last night and the board presented the cost analysis of the annexation. The next meeting is Wednesday evening ( Aug 15th, 7:00pm at the village hall. There will not only be a discussion on the annexation overall but WD#5 and it’s relationship to annexation.
Should be informative and another opportunity for people to ask questions or make comments if you have them.
The free press is a joke. As Krys says, the ‘free misinformation organ’. I foresee it going the route of supermarket gossip rag rather than journalistic paper of record with bill chaisson at the helm. After all he has been the one behind the scenes spreading the misinformation as soon as he was employed. steve ferrari took the heat and look what happened to him-run out of town. JOURNALISTS please come and write for our local papers!
Krys,
Working for a connection of Cornell is not real work either because there is no responsibility to costs and effectiveness. Not intended to be a slur at a personal level only pointing out that those who do not work in private sector as with professors who only teach and do not practice only have part of the story. A general observation. Similar to engineers who cannot build anything themselves because of no real personal experience with obstacles or process in practice.
My son who works designing water systems often cannot hire Cornell engineers because they do not know how to do anything. As he puts it “they are smart but cannot tie their shoes”. My point is that only with experience is planning or any other profession very useful.
Good to hear you work actually. I was wondering.
WD5 will lead to your water along the lake much sooner than any other approach and is a no-brainer for this area. It is reasonably planned for the actual reality based circumstances. Not the idealistic, academic, perfect, unattainable, silliness that the local Cabal would like to see in importing their own little version of yuppyville ala Cazenovia/ Skaneateles
which seems to be the objective of the Cabal.
Although to be fair Shelburne Vermont was a farm town also until fairly recently and has become one of the wealthiest little yuppy towns in the East so perhaps it is possible. But I would venture without the influx of
NYC and Boston rich folks it is unlikely. Maybe it will happen if our local airport can accommodate more private jets, like Hyannis port or Burlington. It seems the local areas will not support that lifestyle until the actual residents are removed from the area by increased taxes if nothing else.
I understand the fear of the kind of development that these folks envision. The half million dollar houses on 0.3 and 0.4 acre lots for maximum density. seems excessive and this is what developers want most. Big return=n on minimal acreage.
That is the flaw in your idea that developers can build water systems and sewer systems. It is true but that pressure for profit will make it very crowded.
One Son lives in Erie PA in just such a development with about 20 feet between houses and they cost 500 thousand and up. This is not a preferred way to go and hence an even more important reason for the local governemnt to build this WD5.
Think about that. I remember you saying that developers can build water and sewer systems but I think that would be our larger fear indeed.
Barry said, “Working for a connection of Cornell is not real work either because there is no responsibility to costs and effectiveness.”
With all due respect, Mr. Hayes, that’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said, and that’s a pretty high bar.
Allen,
Im see you blogs have no comments
is that because only opinions that you agree with can be seen?
Seems a bit one sided.
But Yes,
pretty dumb,
poorly worded etc.
The point is that experience is the best teacher in all aspects of life Education is a beginning and introduction to one’s life long education with experience.
The degree is never enough. And practice in an academic institution is largely more of the same without real responsibility for results of actions. Simialr to Congressional lifers who never live with their own ridiculous laws and so on. They do not have much contact with the real world. Used to be called the Ivory Tower and this still applies.
pretty bad sentence and spelling.
so much for careless typing by one who never learned to type —- it shows.
The pilot from Cornell that was recently killed was killed by thinking he knew more than he did. We all have to watch that about ourselves. He made numerous bad decisions it seems before he even took off and then while flying. Experience teaches these things. My dad used to say the most dangerous pilots were those with 700 hours ( his number I guess) That is when they think they know everything and before they find out they do not.
Experience, the great instructor.
Mr. Ferrari was not run out of town by anyone least of all his employer, as a matter of fact most were impressed he stuck around as long as he did after all catering to all the interests in T-burg would drive anyone crazy. He left the paper to find a better paying more rewarding job. After all being the editor of a small upstate NY paper has to be like committing suicide. As everyone has made it clear that no one reads the paper.. only about 900 weekly suscribers very little if no advertising support… I am afraid the FLCN papers are dying having their head held above water on the back of the Ithaca Times.
Barry,
I’m shaking my head over the irony of you lecturing on the importance of not diving into things before you’re ready.
We have been trying to get better water in this area since the thirties. I think we are ready and though this plan is not perfect it is adequate to solve a few immediate problems and can lead to solution for many more. why not take advantage of relatively inexpensive solutions?
Is it because it is too cheap and will attract the “Wrong Kind of People”? So the objective is to make it more expensive in order to attract the right kind of people and drive out the Wrong ones? Is it the T-shirt crowd we should fear or the Suits? I think the suits are more dangerous. Remember when Skaneateles bulldozed that Guys house when he refused to submit to the local Zoning requirements? I have never heard of that before or since but it did actually happen there. That is the kind of Zoning to have something that means it. that is how to control development effectively. however Zoning need not be so restrictive it drives out the people who built such an attractive town.. I suppose Shelburne VT was a farm community once and now is such a lovely little yuppy community with a median Income of around 60 K. Tburg is only around 40K. But real people live here and not just pretentious yups from the big cities like Boston and New York. Go to Nantucket if you want that life. Or at least to Cazenovia or Skaneateles nice little yuppyvilles.
check them out. I like Trumansburg in its simplicity and reality of real life not some Visionary’s Utopia.