New Leadership Locally
The D&C had a decent article on the new town/village leaders coming into office locally, starting with Dave Dunning (D), new Chili Town Supervisor:
“I want people to know that I am not anti-development,” said Dunning, whose first political foray was as part of a grass-roots group that kept a 53-acre shopping center from being built across a residential neighborhood.
“I welcome developers coming here, but I want to maintain a good balance between development and the rural characteristics of Chili. I don’t want to turn Chili Avenue into Ridge Road in Greece.”
Three weeks ago was the first time since the election that he watched a football game from start to finish, choosing to attend Town, Planning and Zoning Board meetings instead for the past few months. Dunning jokes that he hopes his year as supervisor won’t mirror his favorite football team, the Miami Dolphins.
This part was nice, and funny:
“Nobody expects me to come out and run a meeting like I have been doing it for 20 years,” he said. “But people know I’m honest, upfront and I don’t hide anything.”
That’s when his son, Derek, gets up from his father’s right shoulder and interjects: “No, Daddy, you hide things from me all the time, like candy.”
Jason Koon (D), new East Rochester Mayor, was also profiled:
“It has been a little bit of a rough start for me,” said Koon, 30, son of Assemblyman David Koon. “If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t have minded coming in with the new year and having a little more time to work with staff and make decisions.”
After defeating eight-year Republican incumbent Mayor David Bonacchi, Koon figured he had earned enough political capital to make massive changes in East Rochester. He asked the administrator, the clerk, the public works superintendent and six other employees to submit letters of resignation.
However, three weeks into his term that political capital is shrinking quickly among residents, with some calling for his resignation. His strong-willed moves also caused the building inspector to hand in his resignation.
It’s irritating to me that this is the narrative. You’ve got an entrenched incumbancy with people coming out of the woodwork alleging years of corruption, and a dying community to show for it, and THIS is the narrative? Of course those currently in control want him to resign!
They finished up with a bit on Henrietta’s new Supervisor Mike Yudelson (R).
Koon is hardly losing “political capital”. In the happy little “we paint roses and daisies” news the D&C prints, the fail to see the forest through the trees, and as such have committed a great disservice to the people of East Rochester who have fought for change, and elected Koon by a 55% margin.
Where were they when the voters spoke? Did they go out and interview those who voted for Koon and the reasons why change is being screamed from the homes of East Rochesterians? Have they lived in this one mile wide community, so small it doesn’t even qualify for school buses under State law, and ask them how they can afford to continue to live there? How many seniors in this culturally rich community make the choice of whether to heat or eat, med or be fed?
Did they publicize any of the “facts” about East Rochester such as being the highest taxed community after equalization in all of Monroe County, Most of New York and the 4th highest in the nation? Did they look at the per capita earnings for the average homeowner in East Rochester available through the census? Did they look at crime, or any of the statistics to show that this community is rotting from the inside and that change is the only hope for this community to recover from nearly 30 years of control by the same small group of families? Did they ask those who spoke out against Koon for their direct “kin” associations to family members?
Have they covered the story about the OUSTED Mayor Bonacchi’s brother and the $10,000 settlement reached in days that stinks of a payoff? Have they looked into the terminations of certain so-called officials of the Village, such as the so-called “Nutritionist” who doesn’t even have a license to bear the title in accordance with the NYS Department of Education, who has all professions, including “nutritionist” online and available for searching by name - to which this individual has NONE.
Have they checked to see how much has been spent and where the money trail follows? And why the same names seem to have the pockets FULL of the proceeds? Why don’t they take a closer look at the COMIDA dollars in the amount of nearly 60K given to Parrone Engineering - the Village “Engineer” kept on staff with a retainer fee of $115K annually while he soaks up all of the county, state and federal contracts he possibly can - and then look at the contributions Edward Parrone and Parrone Engineering have made to the “Friends of Maggie Brooks” and the “Monroe County Republican Committee” have been made.
It’s what Jason Koon WILL discover in time as he begins to expose and review all the crooked deals that have transpired. East Rochester has been used as a funding resource for not only the family members in East Rochester who have benefitted from their actions, but also for the Monroe County Republican Committee. Knowing the who’s who of East Rochester makes it easy to connect the dots. With the help of those who worked for change, this will be done. And once exposed, those responsible will be having to answer more questions than “why can’t I keep my job”…more like “why do I have to go to jail” would be more appropriate.
This group will reap the crop they have sown. And it’s up to all of us who truly support change and progress - even in little communities like East Rochester - a speck on the radar - to do all we can to support and help. Volunteer to review voter records for fraud. Show up at the meeting on January 2nd and show your support to Koon, Serrano and CHANGE.
If newly elected (not “minted” as the D&C likes to refer to them as) leaders are not supported by all community members throughout this county, the fight for one man is a difficult. We have to work together to show and promote our unified belief that this type of government network, and the secrecy and private profiteering will no longer be tolerated. Send this message straight to the top and have the courage to be a part of the future of a community.
If you have a skill or an ability or time - volunteer your services to the new Mayor. Together we can move moutains. United we truly stand. Tomorrow - this could be your community, and to network for change creates a network that can move mountains across this county, and eventually across this state.
Oppression is no more. The days of fear and manipulation are over. These are taxpayer dollars, public positions and governments of democracy. The time has come, and in this small town of only a mile wide, this is a great place to start.
i’m looking for david dunning to do the right thing with the public access issue in Chili. Tracey Logel spread a lot of misinformation as far as the public access issue goes and Chili still hasn’t a paid Educable for 2007 operation but was quite happy to use access services.. Educable has helped get chili meetings on the air and give citizens a voice, the citizens seems to want educable to continue to be the access provider..So I want David to show some leadership and help keep access public in 2008,