Oneida Indians 1.... County Cowboys 0

Got to hand it to the Indians on this one! Two Oneida Nation employees are suing State Comptroller DiNapoli and Madison County Attorney John Campanie. According to the complaint, over the past 13 yrs, Campanie has received an additional $800,000 for legal services in connection with the Oneida land claim and other county matters. He has done so by receiving the $800,000 out of the $15 million in legal fees that the State paid to a private law firm, Nixon Peabody, to represent Madison County in the Oneida land claim. The County says the arrangement had been approved and disclosed since 1998, but according to the lawsuit, state law forbids the County Attorney from obtaining any additional compensation for representing Madison County, even with the Board’s approval. Companie already receives an annual fee of $75,000 for representing the County, in addition to having a private law practice. Not clear if this includes County benefits as well! The County now wants to increase his salary to $140,000 ! No need to wonder why this war with the Indians is being dragged out! Madison Co. should remember what happened to Colonel Custer. Check out this article from the Madison County Courier http://madisoncountycourier.com/2011/04/20/county-attorney-under-fire/

School Budgets - 2% Property Tax Limit

2% Property Tax Proposal - It's Time Has Come!!!

The 2% property tax cap, proposed by Governor Cuomo, has passed the State Senate. It is currently sitting the Assembly.

The proposal means school districts cannot put forth a tax levy increase more than the rate of inflation or 2%, whichever is less. If a district wants to raise the tax levy more than that they would need a 60% super majority approval from tax payers. If that vote fails the district would have to submit a new plan. If the new plan is voted down a school district would have to revert back to the previous year's budget, and have no tax increase.

The Teachers' Union hates it...they should, looking at the salary increases and benefits they are used to receiving....Join the REAL WORLD.... School Districts must start living within their means like the rest of us...and STOP hiding behind "the children".... remember, they have parents who are trying to feed and clothe them. Am sure their parents are NOT getting the salary increases and benefits given out at the school.

BCS 2010 Salaries -

With the BCS Budget Vote just around the corner (May 14)...thought it might be of interest to see the 2010 salaries paid out. You can see the complete listing for 2008-2010 at seethroughny.com ....worth checking out.

Plows Jr, James H (18% increase over 2009)
96,531
Donovan, Kathleen H
84,933
Henke, John S
78,128
Green, Constance R
76,482
Howlett, Karen A
60,645
Bostick, Richard W
60,376
Owens, Cynthia K
60,081
Cossette, Sharon L
57,624
Owens, Paul T
57,467
Ciko, John R
55,831
Murdock, Brent J
55,789
Reade, Linda A
53,920
Kupris, Mark E
53,218
Van Duren, Judith E
49,653
Elliott, Lisa E
48,039
Carney, Shaun P
46,915
Pedersen, Melanie L
46,886
Peavey, Colleen J
46,369
Pavlus Jr, Ronald J
46,009
Rutherford, Colleen R
45,741
Dreier, Charity J
45,730
Manner, Judith A
45,482
Settle, Beverly J
44,564
Zaleski, Karen M
44,345
Bradley, Jodi M
44,303
Morris-Schiebel, Sharon G
43,045
Schiener, Colby L
42,841
Cucci, Leeann S
42,751
Brennan-Lee, Kim M
42,354
Phillips, Jennifer R
42,045
Roberts, Sandra L
41,993
Kupris, Paul E
41,284
Denton, Sabrina M
40,819
Dangler, Anthony G
40,706
Cosgrove, Christina L
40,598
Gates, Catherine R
39,891
Jones, Juliette K
28,332
Peplinski, Christine C
26,475
Plows, John K
26,287
Mayne, Wanda H
23,961
Keith, Ralph G
23,956
Le Fevre, James D
23,947
Cross, Alison J
23,594
Ellsworth, Laura L
21,707
Thall, Debra C
21,374
Whitacre, Jason D
20,965
Case, Christa E
18,556
Tilbe, Diane L
12,313
Brown, Marla J
12,001
Tompkins, Robert E
11,220
Beehm, Patsy L
10,868
Head, Dewitt C
5,719
Shipman, Cynthia L
7,037
Wright, Sarah M
5,700
Florenz, Sarah A
5,350
Bennett, Haylee J
3,880
Stewart, Kara A
2,877
Trevvett, Heidi
2,525

Brookfield - SNOW's POND Controversy

Check out the Town Website (YOUR VOICE)... update on the pond controversy... I wish the Warners got as much attention as those beavers!!! The Warners had to move out of Town.

BROOKFIELD "JUNK" DAY - Saturday 7am- 1pm

....JUNK DAY...don't forget - this SATURDAY, April 16 from 7AM - 1PM ...one day only... BROOKFIELD TOWN GARAGE ONLY.... Items NOT ACCEPTED: building materials, garbage, trash, old cars, toxic or hazardous waste burn barrels or bateries. Call Rod Jennison at the Town Garage 899-5878.

PLANNING BOARD - Minutes???

Inquiring minds would like to know WHY doesn't the Town Planning Board have minutes to their meetings?..... we hear that the so-called "minutes" are tape recordings?

BCS - $250,000 Savings??

Just love this little "tidbit" from this week's Waterville Times re: School Budget....just think about this statement: " Students who attend BOCES for learning disabilities will be brought back and taught in Brookfield next year, saving the district about $250,000. Jim Plows (Business Manager) said the district can teach these students without hiring additional staff." So ...... WHY didn't the School Board do this before????

TOWN BUDGET Controversy

If anyone has read today’s Waterville Times, you too would wonder why all the noise is being made over the Town budget, compared to the $5.5 MILLION School budget: The school budget has a $350,000 shortfall … approximately 35% of last year’s LOCAL tax payer portion ($1,019,000). If this gap is not filled, we are looking at a tax rate of approximately $18+ per $1,000 of assessed value! ( Last year’s rate $13.54 + 35% or $4.75 increase = $18.29 per thousand. Instead, a former Supervisor appears to be making the Town budget a personal vendetta.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Area volunteer fire departments are opening their doors to residents so they can learn about what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter in their community. On Saturday, April 9, from noon to 2 p.m. and Sunday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Leonardsville Fire Department, located at 11306 Mill St., Leonardsville, will join the initiative with other volunteer fire departments across the state as part of National Volunteer Week 2011. The event is part of a statewide program to promote public awareness of the job volunteer firefighters do. Rogers Environmental Education Center will resume programming in May, according to a media release from the not-for-profit volunteer group Friends of Rogers Inc. The Friends group has reached an agreement with the Department of Environmental Conservation to operate the Sherburne environmental center. Friends of Rogers will continue to offer educational activities and public programs at the center.and will manage some agricultural activities. See: http://thedailystar.com/breakingnews/x300775839/Rogers-Center-to-re-open

APRIL 7, 2011 - Thursday

COMMUNITY ACTIVITY: BCS & Optimists - Community Clean up! Saturday, April 9 - 11am-2pm (weather permitting). Those interested in volunteering to clean up the area & get ready for SPRING should meet at the Academy Street Park, Brookfield. REMODELING AT THE OLD "DEERPATH" - Rt. 8 - Check out the improvements being made to this local landmark. Front porch and new roof in process. Understand Roaches? now owns. Food and liquor license pending. GAS NEWS: Pennsylvania seeks more tests to determine if hydrofracking contaminates drinking water. Pennsylvania is expanding the scope of water tests to screen for radioactive pollutants and other contaminants from the state’s booming natural gas drilling industry. The tests would check for radium, uranium and the salty dissolved solids that could potentially make drilling wastewater environmentally damaging. Pennsylvania allows partially treated drilling wastewater to be discharged into rivers from which communities draw drinking water. Most treatment facilities are unable to remove many of the pollutants in the often-toxic drilling water. See the full article at: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011 FARMING & BUSINESS NEWS: In the New York’s Creative Core’s $250,000 Emerging Business Competition today. Fisher Electric, of Munnsville in Madison County, won a $15,000 Innovations in Agri-Business prize. Fisher has developed a working prototype for a small-scale mechanical hops harvester. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011 AUBERTINE - Agriculture Commissioner Confirmed - The state Senate confirmed Darrel J. Aubertine as Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Aubertine owned and operated the sixth-generation heritage Triple-A Farm in Cape Vincent. He has been a member of numerous farm cooperatives and organizations, Most recently he served as state Senator of the 48th Senate District in Central and Northern New York comprised of Oswego, Jefferson and part of St. Lawrence counties. He served as chair of both the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Rural Resources Commission.

TUESDAY - April 6, 2011

It has been a sad few weeks with news of Bill Beach and Azor Owens passing. On an equally sad, but uplifting side, is the on Chad Wilcox whose memory is being honored this week in Ocala, FL. On April 7, his parents and fiancée will travel to Ocala, Fla., where a brick has been placed in Wilcox’s honor in the Walk of Fame of the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. He joins seven others at the museum who lost their lives while drag-racing last year. We also note the passing of SPEAK IT FREE, Brookfield’s public forum in cyberspace. Thanks to Aaron Boise for his time, energy and financial commitment in bringing Brookfield into the 21st Century, braving the wrath of local “politicos” and giving us a forum for community exchange. Unfortunately, there are some out there who will be breathing a sign of relief (…but don’t get too comfortable!). Horse Owners Beware: This week, Two cases of Equine Herpesvirus 1 have been confirmed at the EQuine Hospital at Cornell University. Nearly all horses in their lifetime will be exposed to EHV-1 at some point, and therefore it is difficult to detect as it takes on a wide range of manifestations, from a complete lack of clinical symptoms, to pneumonia, to abortion in mares, to full-blown fatal neurological cases. PUBLIC HEARING – April 11 (MONDAY) - Don’t forget…it starts at 6:30 PM at the NORTH BROOKFIELD FIRE HOUSE – Purpose: Subdivision regulation changes. Followed by the REGULAR Town Board meeting. JUNK DROP OFF DAYS – SATURDAY – APRIL 16 is just around the corner. One day only and one location: Brookfield Highway Dept. Barn. Questions? Contact Rod Jennison at 899-5878 or check out the Madison Courier/Waterville Times LEGAL NOTICE section. BROOKFIELD PLANNING & APPEALS BOARD – looking for new Board members. Submit your resume to Sherri Kabana before SATURDAY… or call 899-3364 Sherry Kabana – Town Clerk. BROOKFIELD GAS COMMITTEE – The Board is looking for members to serve on an advisory only type of committee to keep the Board and community advised of developments in the gas industry and their impact on the community. Looking for FAIR & INFORMATIVE information from BOTH SIDES of the fence – so to speak. Contact Sherry Kabana or John Salka with your interest. SCHOOL BUDGET – UPDATES - Mark your calendars! May 3 (Tuesday) – Copy of Budget Available May 10 (Tuesday) – Public Hearing on the proposed BUDGET May 17 (Tuesday) - VOTE on Budget With the demise of SPEAK IT FREE, we will make a more concerted effort to bring articles of local interest to you on a daily basis. Chad Wilcox remembered - Post Standard: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/man_killed_in_cicero_snowmobil.html EHV-1 Horse Virus – Post Standard http://blog.syracuse.com/farms/2011/04/two_cases_of_possibly_deadly_v.html