Here is the Register Star piece on my conflict with the town.
Here is more about the coming dog tax in Stuyvesant.
You know how in China after they execute you they send a bill to your family for the bullet? That's what the Register Star is doing in today's article.
The town spent $100K to harass me and now they are blaming me for the expense. Outrageous.
My fault the town spent the money? Only if you are retarded.
Wow, it's the worst article they could have written. This is so stupid its hard to know where to begin.
The legal fees TO DATE are for process in TOWN HALL that the government had complete control over.
The money was paid to Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna, not to Burke, Scolamiero, Mortati & Hurd.
Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna has not responded to ANY LAWSUIT.
Burke, Scolamiero, Mortati & Hurd has responded to a lawsuit but they ARE PAID BY THE INSURANCE POLICY.
Is the Register Star awake?
To what law firm and in what venue? How can you screw something that fundamental up accidentally?
The fees below are only for municipal actions, within Stuyvesant jurisdiction. These numbers do not include fees for representation in courts outside of the Town of Stuyvesant (State and Federal).
Tal Rappleyea for work on Glencadia matter:
August 2010 = 1562.50
September 2010 = 437.50
October 2010 = 937.50
November 2010 = 1406.25
December 2010 = 875
January 2011 = 593.75
February 2011 = 375
March 2011 = 1125
April 2011 = 250
May 2011 = 312.50
June 2011 = 250
Total for Tal for 2010 and 2011: $8115
Whiteman Osterman and Hanna:
March 2011: $11,811.53
April 2011: $7,141.56
May 2011: $6,694.17
Total legal expenses as of May 1: $57,761
Missing: WOH for June, July, August, September and October. At $8,000 per month, an average of the three available months, WOH would have been paid another $40,000 making the grand total to date approximately: $97,761
WOH and Stuyvesant signed a contract on March 10, 2011.
Burke, Scolamiero, Mortati & Hurd, the town's lawyer in Federal court, is paid by insurance.
Expenses to town: $0
Here are the comments from the Register Star article:
ReplyDeleteZacksdad wrote on Nov 1, 2011 3:30 AM:
" $80,000 for a vendetta! What a waste of money to shut down a local business,all because of a personal dislike. Its tough to not be part of the in crowd in Stuyvesant "
andrew degiacomo wrote on Nov 1, 2011 5:56 AM:
" I love the way that this shortfall and (believe me, it's A LOT more than $80,000) budget self-created problem is described as something that just happenned to them! The multiple law suits against the town happenned as a result of sloppy work by the Planning Board and vendictive management of the situation by town elected officials who have no idea how to resolve conflict. All the town board knows how to do is bully and poke. What we need is a new Planning Board and a new Town Board. We can start next Tuesday by NOT electing Ron Knott, Kelly Williams and the other "who is that?" person they want to shove in there to approve everything they want without asking questions. Ron Knott and Kelly Williams have been sitting Town Board members during this fiasco, approving every BAD decision along the way - driving the town further and further into unecessary debt (because they have no idea how to resolve conflict). Every move Ron & Kelly have made and approved has only made it worse and cost the town more money. This is a neighbor vs neighbor issue that could have been resolved by having an effective Planning Board in place who asks the right questions to applicants Which We Don't Have! And a Town Board the knows how to resolve conflicts, Which We Don't Have. Time For Change. Time for qualified people to replace Ron and Kelly and the new "yes" man. Time to control the out of control spending - because they don't know how to run a town. Time to put some Qualified people in town governement. Lee Jamison, Fred Heron and Ed Kiernan will be getting my vote. Then it's time to start reeling this situation in. "
glencadia wrote on Nov 1, 2011 7:06 AM:
" Okay, this is wrong. The budget short fall is due to money spent to date. So far, the town has not spent a PENNY defending the lawsuits I filed. The budget shortfall is in no way related to any lawsuit I filed. I was talking about future expenses do to future lawsuits. In the future, yes, the town will pay to defend lawsuits. In the past, the town spent money to pursue me in town venues. This story is entirely misleading and I will be posting on my blog. Wow, you entirely got the story backwards. "
SayWhat wrote on Nov 1, 2011 7:26 AM:
" Make them pay. Whose idea was it to be heavy handed with a local business? "
stuyvesantview wrote on Nov 1, 2011 8:12 AM:
" Stuyvesant hired a special prosecutor in February from a pricey Albany firm at rates much higher than what was budgeted for town lawyer rates. They waited to do the math in October?
At prior budget workshops no mention was made of legal fees. Income shortfalls, paying for the Garage Bond and huge increases in pension funds were the concerns. Suddenly the Dog Camp is the villain? Don't believe it! "
nomeansno wrote on Nov 1, 2011 9:34 AM:
" Shouldn't this headline really read "Town Board digs $80,000 hole in budget?
It was their aggressive and invasive tactics that created this absolute waste of taxpayer monies.
This case is a total misuse & abuse of a town boards authority and town funds. "
Here is a stupid comment:
ReplyDeletesleepy hollow wrote on Nov 1, 2011 7:50 AM:
" Mr. Pflaum, take a step back and listen to yourself. Stuyvesant is a peaceful community and your arrogance is not compatible with the established character and charm. Having the Town reduce services to your GOOD NEIGHBORS makes you a TERRIBLE PERSON. Stop your threats and harassment. In an ag community, corn cannons make for good neighbors and be thankful your GOOD NEIGHBORS in Stuyvesant did not result to these tactics. Not only do they chase the birds away from the crop fields but the decibel level is detrimental to canines. It's not too late to listen to several legitimate concerns. Become a good neighbor and find a compromise. "