City heading for a perfect commercial storm

TROY -- This riverside city is about to experience a "perfect storm." Anyone familiar with the 2000 motion picture of that name knows that is not a good thing.

First, the good news:

• The once down-at-the-heels Troy Plaza shopping complex, located on Hoosick Street (Route 7) just a quick hop from the Collar City Bridge. is bustling with shiny new businesses and signage under the name its new owners put on it, the Hudson River Commons.

• A Starbucks, the first such stand-alone venue in the city, is under construction at the Commons.

• A Sonic Drive-In will, if current contract negotiations come to fruition, be built on the Commons near the Starbucks project.

Now, the bad news:

• Hoosick Street itself.

Current traffic comes to a standstill from the bridge all the way out to the Brunswick town line and beyond despite a road-improvement project that took place on the eastern end of the road some years back. Getting in and out of many of the businesses that line the bustling thoroughfare -- a main route for suburban commuters, city dwellers and Vermont-bound motorists alike -- is a crapshoot, particularly during heavy commuter hours.

Starbucks undoubtedly will be a major draw once completed. It always is. Judging by the nearly orgasmic consumer and media response to the recent opening of the Sonic Drive-In in Latham, the first of many scheduled for the Capital Region, the crowds will appear when the Troy venue opens. 

Preliminary plans call for improvement of vehicle access to the Commons. That's a given and a necessity. Even the developers of the McDonald's just up the street had to come up with some convoluted traffic solutions to projected congestion before their project received City approval.

What is not a given is the condition of Hoosick Street itself. The City's propensity for ignoring the horrendous conditions of the road surface there despite the cracks, potholes, fissures and gaps that dominate it, particularly at the foot of the bridge, borders on the criminal. Small children could disappear into some of the crevices there; certainly major increases in traffic will not do it any good.

There is a plan in the works to do some repairs, but until we actually see something being done, it's nothing to be excited by. Also, any bets that within less than six months of any resurfacing we won't be seeing work crews digging up spots for some overlooked utility or other work, patching them in a slapdash manner and then watching those areas begin to erode, taking the new surface materials with them? Since that is such a common occurrence throughout the area, count on it being replicated in Troy where street conditions rank 10th on a list of three things to do.

Commercial expansion outside of the bustling downtown area usually can be a good thing. But it should be predicated on the area being able to handle it. A Starbucks AND a Sonic, with their known-consumer traffic drawing power, virtually next-door to each other alongside a pockmarked road that resembles a target range? It will be interesting to see how the City administration, elected and appointed, handles this one.  

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Charter panel seeking more public input

The Troy City Charter Review Commission, of which I'm a member, is diligently working on overhauling our city's long-outdated governing document. Our final recommendations will be up for your "yes" or "no" vote in November.

We have had numerous public hearings at which we have received a decent amount of testimony from City officials, City employees, Council members, administration, etc. Unfortunately, there has been very sparse turnout from the general public throughout the months-long process.

During the Commission's many other working sessions, we have been able to find ways to eliminate a lot of outdated, unnecessary and redundant material contained in the current Charter. And, we have been able to include in our draft documents suggested improvements in the makeup and scope of city agencies and procedures as well as recognition of modern technologies and forms of communication to reflect today's fiscal, legal and practical factors.

However, we're looking for more public input in several areas.

One of the items we'd appreciate people weighing in on is the matter of City Council size and term length.

We currently have three at-large seats plus six district seats and no specific direct election of president. Should we reduce the size of the Council from 9 to 7 members (six district seats and one Council president elected on an at-large basis) to reflect the smaller city population and save at least $30,000 in taxpayer money on Council salaries?

Another question is whether we should retain the term limit of four consecutive two-year Council terms (8 years) or change it to two consecutive four-year terms (8 years). Such a change would eliminate the expense and effort of having candidates run every 24 months. On the other hand, it would not give voters the opportunity to change Council members as often.

Your thoughts are welcome. After all, the Charter is meant to serve the citizens of Troy.

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When truth isn't sexy enough, crank up the rumor mill

After announcing my withdrawal early this week from seeking an at-large seat on the Troy City Council in November, citing unexpected health issues, I received a surprisingly large number of very nice, supportive notes from people across the spectrum.

I also received what I see as an amusing message from a connected local observer, saying, "Sorry to see you leave the race. I think you would have been good on the Council. Just so you know, the rumor that's ripping around is you are getting out because you bashed Reid either on Facebook or on your blog and because of that the GOP is refusing to give you the Independence and Conservative Party lines."

That's a reference to a commentary I wrote in mid-January concerning Martin Reid, chairman of the Rensselaer County Legislature, who, as I said, "has been sucking money out of taxpayer-funded coffers under false pretenses. Essentially, he lied about his work status so he could get unemployment benefits to which he is not entitled."

You can read the whole commentary, which also deals with the reluctant attitude of new District Attorney Joel Abelove, by clicking here. What you'll find is that I'm not a lock-step party member. I have a history of independent thought, something that frightens those who put more value in labels than in thoughtful public service.

My response to the local observer:

As to rumors, in this town they are as numerous as rectal orifices. And, come to think of it, so are the morons who start them. Apparently, accepting the simple fact that someone is telling the truth is too much for them to absorb.

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Withdrawing my City Council candidacy

NEWS RELEASE:

DOWD WITHDRAWS TROY CANDIDACY

For immediate release: May 12, 2015


William M. Dowd, the former newspaper editor and columnist who had announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on the Troy City Council, today withdrew from the race.

Dowd, citing health issues, said he made the decision with regret, but thought it best to do so before the stress of the necessary petition drive and subsequent rigors of campaigning began.

“I am honored that the Republican Party had sought me out as a candidate,” he said, “but I do not feel I would have been able to be the robust candidate necessary for this important role. Thus, I decided to step aside now to give the party ample opportunity to find another qualified candidate at this early stage in the process.”

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'Hidden Garden Tour' takes you behind the fences

Most visitors to Troy remark about the abundance of Victorian and brownstone architecture but don't get to see the beauty behind the scenes -- or behind the walls, fences and other visual impediments.

That can be remedied by taking part in the 16th annual "Hidden Garden Tour," this year scheduled for  4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21. 

The self-guided tour, featuring the handiwork of 20 backyard gardeners, is a benefit for Prospect Park. Participants will have the opportunity to visit a wide variety of gardens at homes in the Washington Park area, around Russell Sage College, and in several nearby neighborhoods.

“Most people only ever see the facades of our brownstones from the streets,” said Peter Grimm, president of the Friends of Prospect Park. “This is a special kind of event that invites visitors into the hidden, green spaces of our city. It really showcases the humanity and livability of Troy.”

Admission to the tour is $10. Tickets are available in advance online or on the day of the event at the check-in table at the Sage College parking lot at First and Division streets, where free parking will be available. Visitors are asked to refrain from bringing dogs into the gardens.

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Election platform: Expanding the spirit of revitalization

"Expanding the spirit of revitalization to every part of the City."

That is the message I plan to carry to all voters of Troy as a Republican Party candidate for an at-large City Council seat in November. My message stems from a dose of excitement tempered by the fact that City government itself needs to play a more emphatic role in fostering development.

The excitement comes as I see the interest in creating businesses  -- and, therefore, jobs and taxpaying entities -- that continues at a strong pace in Troy's resuscitated downtown. In just the past week, three separate projects have been announced, all by energetic young entrepreneurs who see value in being in Troy.

Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine, the husband-wife team who have been setting a great example of what you can do with good ideas, targeted building selection, and a lot of sweat equity, have announced yet another project. Not content to rest on their much-deserved laurels after rehabbing decrepit buildings to create the Lucas Confectionery Wine Bar, The Market grocery and the restaurant-tavern Peck's Arcade, all in the Monument Square neighborhood, they have submitted plans to the city to rehab a long-vacant three-story building at 22 Second Street to house a shop selling small-batch boutique wines such as they offer at their wine bar.

Spurred by their example, Cory Nelson, a comparatively new resident of Troy who moved here from Brooklyn, has announced plans to convert the former Union National Bank building at 50 4th Street into a "gourmet food court." It would include four separate food vendors, a wine and beer bar, and a coffee bar.

And, Emily Petersen, who works as a butcher in Saratoga County, has announced the start of an online fundraising effort to raise $35,000 so she can create a butcher shop in the old Sentinel Building at 255 River Street, an office building just off Monument Square. The Sentinel, a semi-weekly newspaper published from 1823 to 1832, is best known for being the first to publish the beloved poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas," commonly called "The Night Before Christmas," on December 23, 1823.

In addition, Sarah Fish, an entrepreneurial chef and social activist who once ran The Hungry Fish Cafe & Country Store on Pawling Avenue, recently opened Annie Patterson's Fancy Shop, a vintage/thrift/consignment/memorabilia store, with partner Josh Sheehan in a renovated building at 336 Congress Street.

What they all have in common is the fact they are young, entrepreneurial, willing to take on very hard tasks -- and they love Troy.

I would like to encourage that sort of attitude and innovation throughout the City, so we are not self-limiting ourselves and excluding some of the community's ugliest and least-appealing neighborhoods.

That begins with a City Council and a mayor who are in sync with the very basic needs -- excellent code enforcement, energetic department heads, the removal of petty political bickering and backbiting, and a willingness to communicate. All of that has been lacking for years.

It has taken a long, long time for Troy to mount a comeback of this magnitude. Even though its past fiscal problems will keep it under close state scrutiny until 2020 and, thus, result in operating on an austerity budget, ideas, hard work and a cooperative spirit often can do what money cannot.

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Downtown butcher shop fundraiser under way

Emily Petersen

Only $33,725 to go as of this afternoon.

That's the dollar count on Emily Petersen's $35,000 fundraising effort to create a butcher shop in downtown Troy -- yet another example of the entrepreneurial spirit younger businesspeople have been injecting into the Troy scene.

Peterson, currently the head butcher at Healthy Living Market in Wilton, Saratoga County, says in a video on the online fundraising site called gofundme :

"I want to put a butcher shop in Troy NY called 'The Sentinel Butchery' using local farms and slaughter houses. My goal is to source from ethical, sustainable, humane farms that pasture raise animals without the use of growth promotants and preventative antibiotics. ... Classes, meat shares, catering and restaurant consultation are all on deck to round out our list of services."

If it comes to fruition, the butcher shop will be located on River Street in a building that long ago housed The Sentinel newspaper. That 19th Century semiweekly newspaper was famous for first publishing the now-iconic poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas," also called "The Night Before Christmas."

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Charter Review Commission hearing Friday

Employees of the City of Troy have been invited to address the city's Charter Review Commission beginning at 10 o'clock Friday morning at City Hall.

I am one of nine members of the bipartisan Commission charged with offering an updated, modified version of the document to voters on the November ballot. Members of the Commission are not compensated for their work in any way.

The public is welcome to attend, as it is for all meetings of the Commission. This is the fourth of five planned hearings. The first three were (a) open for public comment, (b) open for comment from the mayor and city department heads, and (c) open for comment from members of the City Council.

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Christopher-LaVine umbrella to cover wine shop

The news that Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine are planning to open another downtown Troy venture is not surprising. Their track record of revitalizing decrepit buildings and turning them into vibrant places of business is well know.

Proposed shop site.

Their latest project is a "retail boutique wine shop," according to plans they submitted to the city on Tuesday. It would be located at 22 Second Street, not far from their Lucas Confectionery Wine Bar which is located at No. 12.

The plan is to offer only small-batch wines from small makers, the sorts of wines that have proven popular at their wine bar.

The plan for redevelopment of the long-vacant building is similar to the process the husband-wife team used to create their wine bar, The Grocery food market and their tavern-restaurant Peck's Arcade: Stabilize the building throughout, then concentrate on street-level renovations to create the business space.

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Downtown 'gourmet food court' in the works

TROY -- A Brooklyn transplant has big plans for an entrepreneurial food court in downtown.

Nelson at the 'food court' site.

Cory Nelson has unveiled the floor plan for what he is calling "Troy Kitchen: A Gourmet Food Court" at 50 4th Street. It would include four permanent food vendors, a wine and beer bar and a coffee bar, according to Nelson's Facebook announcement on Tuesday. He is hoping to have tenants in all the venues by early fall.

The former Union National Bank building includes original marble and brass elements, and a grand lobby with walls rising 32 feet to a glass ceiling.

The coming attraction is located a block from the Franklin Plaza Ballroom, itself housed in a former bank building, and just steps from the multi-level Uncle Sam Parking Garage. The lower level has a vault Nelson refers to on his plans as a "secret basement."

Nelson, 26, who moved from Brooklyn to study computer science and chemistry at Howard University in Washington, DC, now lives in Troy.  He is partnering with Kyle Engstrom, about whom he says, "I couldn't have asked for a better partner in this venture."

"[And} thank you," he says, "to the entire city and region for all the positive words and support thus fa. It means the world to us. We will continue to keep everyone updated of our progress. Also, feel free to reach out if you have a questions or just want to say hi. This project doesn't belong to me or Kyle, but to the entire city, so we want everyone to feel involved and excited about it just as we are."

Nelson has given major credit for inspiring his project to the example of local husband-wife entrepreneurs Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine. They have revitalized three once-crumbling buildings to create the Lucas Confectionery Wine Bar, The Market grocery, and the restaurant-tavern Peck's Arcade, all in the Monument Square neighborhood.

Although no details have been announced on potential tenants, if one is inclined to read the Facebook tea leaves, Brian Bowden may be involved in the new "food court." The well-regarded and well-traveled chef just left his position as founding chef at Mingle On the Avene in Saratoga Springs. And, he is a resident of Troy. Bowden has posted mention of the project on his Facebook page, and recently "friended" Nelson.

Bowden's resume includes stops at such popular restaurants as The Ginger Man in Albany, Creo' in Guilderland, and Javier's Nuevo Latino in Saratoga.

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Charter Review Commission needs to hear from you

The next meeting of the City of Troy's Charter Review Commission is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, May 8, in the City Council Chambers.

The purpose of the meeting is to allow city employees to comment on any changes they would like to see made to the revised Charter the Commission is preparing to be put on the November ballot.

While this session is for city employees, any member of the public is welcome to attend, as has been made clear of all Commission meetings and hearings.

So far, the Commission has held three hearings -- one for the general public, one for members of city government, one for City Council members. A second hearing for the general public will be scheduled for some time after May 8, making a total of five.

Feel free to exercise your civic responsibility and attend, comment and/or submit your suggestions in writing to Charter Review Commission, c/o Ian Silverman, City Hall, 433 River Street, Troy NY 12180, or by e-mail to the Commission as a whole.

In addition to Silverman, the other members of the Commission are Bill Dowd, Flora Carr, Kevin Glasheen, Patrick Madden, Patrick Morphy, Jill Nagy, Kevin Vandenburgh and Ken Zalewski.

If you are not familiar with the City Charter, you can access it online by clicking here.

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And then there were none

Chubby's Subs Eastside closed.

Chubby's Subs, a longtime player on the local casual food scene, is no more.

While the Lansingburgh location at Fifth Avenue and 114th Street closed several months ago, it was only in recent days that the remaining venue, at 769 Pawling Avenue near the Wynantskill line, went dark. A hand-scrawled, ripped piece of paper taped to the door reads: "CLOSED until further notice." Given the look of the interior -- furniture in a pile, no sign of beverages or foodstuffs, shades pulled down -- "further notice" won't be coming anytime soon.

Chubby's Subs was founded by the late Hank D'Arcy, who closed an East Greenbush location in the 1990s to open the Eastside spot that turned out to be the most successful of the trio. Eventually, his daughter Deanna D'Arcy took over the Eastside shop, and in 2011 brought ownership of the 'Burgh Chubby's back to the family. However, she closed it several months ago, while the Eastside shop had several different subsequent operators with brief tenures.

Chubby's had long been a local favorite, offering much more than its name implied. In fact, the extensive menu put many chain sandwich shops to shame. At one time, more than 40 basic sandwiches were available in two sizes each or as wraps, with a huge variety of toppings and breads. Doing the math, as they say, literally pushed the possibilities into the thousands. The shops also offered fish fry dinners, housemade soups and chili, four kinds of fries, chips made daily, and numerous specials, as well as catering.

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Former paint manufacturing building may get restaurant

The former Connors Paint building at 669 River Street.

The owners of The Local Pub and Teahouse in Saratoga Springs are working on a redevelopment project in Troy that may include a restaurant.

The Times Union reports today on its website that Mike Phinney and Jon Haynes "recently purchased a large, brick industrial building at 669 River Street in Troy" along with partner Brian McCandless from the city for $30,000. "Phinney, an architect who owns Phinney Design Group in Saratoga, [said] 'We’re strongly considering' a bar or restaurant for the ground level of the three-story, 40,000-square-foot building, with apartments upstairs. ... 'We think the location would be great for it. We’re very excited about what’s happening in North Central Troy'."

Back in 2006, plans were floated by a group calling itself 669 River Street Properties, with headquarters in Albany, to convert the derelict building to a commercial spot including office space, warehouse and trailer storage.

The new owners obviously have their work cut out for them since the condition of the structure has gotten only worse since 2006. The seller of the building, located between North Street and Middleburgh, cautioned in an online ad: "This building is without heat, electric, plumbing and in need of serious repair and rehabilitation. It is not a property for an inexperienced builder/developer/user."

The hulking brick building, formerly home to the William Connors Paint Manufacturing Co., makers of American Seal paint, is one of numerous large former manufacturing and/or warehousing facilities in the area of North Central that slowly is coming back to life. The first such major resuscitation was the Hedley Park Place office complex that now houses, among other tenants, City Hall.

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'Burgh in line for $1 million+ in rebuilding grants

Did you know the City of Troy is considering investing more than $1 million in down-at-the-heels Lansingburgh?

You would if you've read details of the "Proposed Project Funding 2015 Annual Action Plan." That document -- sometimes referred to as the "One Year Annual Action Plan" -- covers a wide range of potential grants all over the city. You can see it in its entirety by clicking here.

The 'Burgh portion of the proposal is broken into two components, one for $1 million and a the other for $100,000. It is an intriguing and promising idea that, if approved, could go a long way toward cleaning up a major neighborhood that has suffered through a rash of arsons, building abandonments, boarded-up structures, neglected vacant lots, lack of maintenance by both renters and absentee landlords, and general disregard for quality of life by far too many residents who either don't care about where they live or who have grown weary at the continual downslide.

Here, in the words of the document, are the two possibilities (I corrected its misspelling of Lansingburgh):

Lansingburgh Target Area Reinvestment (City of Troy Housing Department, $900,000): The Lansingburgh Target Area will consist of targeted infrastructure improvements, and neighborhood quality of life improvements including, new sidewalks and curbing, street milling and paving, streetscape improvements, lighting, street trees, public safety and neighborhood park improvements.

Program Delivery Expense (City of Troy Housing Department, $100,000): Direct program expenses related to the Lansingburgh infrastructure project including onsite project management oversight, design and engineering, Davis Bacon compliance and related work and coordination with contractors and homeowners.

(On the latter item, don't worry if you don't know who "Davis Bacon" is. Actually, it's not a he. The term should have been written "The Davis-Beacon Act." It refers to a 1931 federal law that requires the local prevailing wage be paid to laborers and mechanics on public works projects. It also applies to contractors and subcontractors who work on federally-funded or federally-assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for construction, alteration, repairing and/or decorating public buildings or public works.)

Anyway, if you'd like to make comments about this part of the proposal or any and all other parts, the process is simple. The proposal explains that a 30-day public comment period will end on Friday, May 8. Until then, "All residents. property owners, and other stakeholders of the City of Troy are encouraged to submit written comments or questions regarding the draft One Year Annual Action Plan to the Department of Housing & Community Development, 433 River Street, Troy, NY 12180, or e-mail to tim.mattice@troyny.gov."

There also is a public hearing scheduled for 5:30 p.m. this Thursday at City Hall, which this week remains located at 433 River Street on the fifth floor of the Hedley Building.

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Here's how deliberate lies can derail civic progress, Part 2

Is it any wonder volunteers trying to perform an honest, dispassionate and nonpartisan civic duty for the people of the City of Troy become discouraged?

In the latest instance of deliberate distortion and distribution of misinformation -- or, to be blunt, outright untruths -- in the service of the same partisan politics that have soiled this community's reputation for decades, we are seeing people fanning the flames of something that does not exist. Namely, the matter of the bipartisan, all-volunteer Charter Review Commission allegedly working to eliminate term limits.

The latest person to do so is, I am greatly disappointed to report, mayoral candidate Carmella Mantello. In a press release she just fired off, Mantello claims, " ... It has become readily apparent that the new Troy Charter Commission is discussing ways to eliminate term limits without any justification. ... This is something we should all stand up and fight against.”

And, the proof of this thing that has become "readily apparent" to her? There is none, for the simple reason that there is not even the tiniest shred of truth to her statement.

My response to her nonsensical charge is precisely the same as the one I posted on this blog after reading the same charge lodged in that cowardly and anonymous "Sound Off" column in The Record newspaper on Sunday. If you missed it, here it is again:

The Record's "Sound Off" column is a daily catch-all of phoned-in comments, frequently laden with complaints, uninformed declarations, purposeful misstatements and outright lies, all submitted under a cloak of anonymity and without any effort made by the newspaper to check their accuracy. 

In the latest batch, published today, one topic is the Troy Charter Review Commission. Normally, I would ignore such ramblings, but as a Commission member I think it wise to make an effort to keep the public honestly informed. 

The anonymous sniper claims Mayor Lou Rosamilia, a Democrat, and City Councilman Jim Gordon, a Republican, conspired to appoint a Commission to eliminate term limits, a topic that always is a hot-button issue in Troy. 

That claim is more than an error, it is an outright lie, as the anonymous caller well knows. 

First of all, the matter of term limits came up at the Commission's first public hearing only because representatives of the League of Women Voters brought it up. The Commission assured the LWV and the very few others in attendance -- including reporters for The Record and the Times Union -- that (a) no discussion of term limits, pro or con, had been held -- indeed, the topic had never been raised, and (b) that the subject would be evaluated just as every item in the current City Charter would be handled. A few comments were made around the table about the topic, but that is as far as it went. If any Commission members made public comments outside the Commission sessions, I have not heard them repeated to the group as a whole.

That is the sum and substance of it. The Commission has since held a hearing, open to the public, to listen to suggestions from the mayor and a number of department heads; will hold another hearing, open to the public, to hear suggestions from City employees, and will hold yet another hearing to receive suggestions from the public -- all before going heavily into the meat of the Charter. 

And, that is the accurate picture of the matter.

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Here's how deliberate lies can derail civic progress

The Record's "Sound Off" column is a daily catch-all of phoned-in comments, frequently laden with complaints, uninformed declarations, purposeful misstatements and outright lies, all submitted under a cloak of anonymity and without any effort made by the newspaper to check their accuracy.

In the latest batch, published today, one topic is the Troy Charter Review Commission.

Normally, I would ignore such ramblings, but as a Commission member I think it wise to make an effort to keep the public honestly informed.

The anonymous sniper claims Mayor Lou Rosamilia, a Democrat, and City Councilman Jim Gordon, a Republican, conspired to appoint a Commission to eliminate term limits, a topic that always is a hot-button issue in Troy.

That claim is more than an error, it is an outright lie, as the anonymous caller well knows.

First of all, the matter of term limits came up at the Commission's first public hearing only because representatives of the League of Women Voters brought it up. The Commission assured the LWV and the very few others in attendance -- including reporters for The Record and the Times Union -- that (a) no discussion of term limits, pro or con, had been held -- indeed, the topic had never been raised, and (b) that the subject would be evaluated just as every item in the current City Charter would be handled. A few comments were made around the table about the topic, but that is as far as it went. If any Commission members made public comments outside the Commission sessions, I have not heard them repeated to the group as a whole.

That is the sum and substance of it. The Commission has since held a hearing, open to the public, to listen to suggestions from the mayor and a number of department heads; will hold another hearing, open to the public, to hear suggestions from City employees, and will hold yet another hearing to receive suggestions from the public -- all before going heavily into the meat of the Charter.

And, that is the accurate picture of the matter.

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Water torture created by drips, worsened by fibs

During the Rosamilia administration, it has not been unusual to hear complaints about City Hall and various departments routinely failing to communicate well, or at all, with City residents.

The calls from beleaguered Lansingburgh residents about their much-publicized frozen water pipes that went unanswered by the mayor and his staff, the failure to respond to e-mails and calls about poor snow removal, the lack of follow-through on requests for replacement trash receptacles damaged by city pickup crews, the misinformation given out to callers by the Department of Public Works about garbage pickup on snowy days, the City failing to notice that County-provided tax information was wrong and passing it along to City taxpayers to cause confusion ... The list goes on and on.

The latest problem is clearly one more case of bureaucratic incompetence and disdain for the public.

It's a flap over a letter sent out to many City residents -- not just a handful in the Miami Beach neighborhood as the Times Union is erroneously reporting -- replete with scare tactics and an unnecessarily nasty tone.

The smarmy letter -- my first reaction to reading it was "Who the hell do they think they are?" -- informed recipients that new digital water meters needed to be installed in their homes, gave them 30 days to schedule the work or else -- and this was emphasized -- their water would be shut off.

Not a polite notice and a request to make an appointment. No, that would have been too intelligent. Public Works made the conscious and foolish decision to take a routine bit of work and turn it into an  imperious demand-and-threat situation, thereby alienating the people the department is supposed to serve, not dictate to.

I asked the city workers who installed my new meter if they had heard any negative feedback from other homes they had visited. "Just about every single one," was the reply. "People say they are really pissed at the tone and the threat."

Mayor Lou Rosamilia's spokesman Michael Morris told reporters the wrong notice was mailed out by the City. He said residents should have received a 30-day notice followed by, if that was not met, a 10-day shutoff notice. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.

He also was quoted as saying the miscue was in only one area of the City and that homeowners had been contacted to advise them of the mistake.

Note to Mr. Morris and the whole world: Neither of those statements is true.

I do not live in the Miami Beach neighborhood yet I received one of the offensive notices, and I am not alone in that as busy social media makes clear. No one ever contacted me to own up to a mistake. As a matter of fact, even when I called Public Works to schedule an appointment, the person who  answered the phone -- with barely-disguised annoyance at being bothered by a mere member of the public that pays her salary -- never mentioned anything about a mistake.

When I moved to Troy 20 years ago, I was looking forward to being part of a city on  the upswing. Today, I can say with conviction that, yes, downtown Troy is on the upswing but the rest of the City is, for the most part, just left swinging.

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Rosamilia out, let the games not begin

It appears Mayor Lou Rosamilia will not run for a second term.

In his case, one-and-done is a good thing. But, now it's up to the people-who-would-be-mayor to clearly make their views known on the many pressing topics affecting the future of the city.

And, they all could do the voters a favor by focusing on real issues, and not indulging in the usual childish bickering and petty politics that passes for thoughtful discourse in this city and has harmed its reputation for decades no matter which party is in power. Incessantly posting "gotchas" on social media is not a real credential for chief executive of a multi-million-dollar enterprise.

The Times Union, quoting "officials familiar with his plans," reported today that Rosamilia will call it quits after a single term and make that announcement tomorrow. Considering the endless problems and controversies he has faced in his 3+ years, that is understandable. However, those problems will not go away when he does. They will be inherited by his successor. That's where each mayoral candidate's platform is critical. What, for example would they do about this string of problems? Not just some of them, but all of them.

• Slumlike conditions persist in many neighborhoods, caused not only by the lifestyles of people living there but by lax maintenance by building owners and lax code enforcement by the City.

• A rash of arsons in Lansingburgh that began last summer remains unsolved. Fear has hung over the residents for too many months, and with winter slowly disappearing, firebugs will again be on the prowl.

• Major fiscal woes have the state once again looking over the collective shoulder of city government, and huge pension payments loom. Short of tax hikes, which should be ruled out without question for a population with a generally low average income, what to do?

• Rampant overspending on overtime by the police and fire departments has become institutionalized, but it shouldn't be. Better planning and administration are needed.

• Streets and major road surfaces throughout the city are in worse shape than they've been in years, with cavernous potholes causing motorists to swerve like drunk drivers to avoid rupturing a tire.

• The City shows a continued lack of willingness to obey the City Charter and require sidewalks to be kept clear in winter, forcing far too many pedestrians to walk on icy roads in traffic day and night.

• The continuing lack of a real, cost-effective City Hall is ridiculous. Going into an office building and taking an elevator to the fifth floor is not the way to impress people with how you do municipal business.

The list could go on to include such things as the federal government investigating some highly questionable building-demolition decisions, and the snail's pace "development" of Monument Square that in actuality has been nothing but talk and aborted plans for years while the site of the former City Hall just sits there like a broken tooth in an aging mouth.

On the upside, what the next mayor also will inherit is the encouraging number of small businesses flocking to the city to take advantage of its empty commercial building stock, its walkable downtown, and its riverside ambiance; the number of entrepreneurial young people willing to put in the sweat equity needed to revive some of our once-beautiful buildings; and, the number of young, taxpaying residents making either the decision to stay or to come here for all the attractions.

But, that high tide of interest could easily ebb if the major woes of the City are submerged in a swamp of backbiting, political BS and lack of innovative municipal management.

Demand better, folks. If you do not, then you deserve what you get.

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Troy Charter Review Commission notice

The Troy Charter Review Commission, of which I am a member, is scheduled to meet in City Hall's Council Chambers at 433 River Street, Suite 5001 on Thursday, April 2, at 9 a.m.

At that time the Commission will receive input, comments and suggestions from Mayor Lou Rosamilia and various department heads regarding potential changes to the City Charter. The public is invited to attend.

 Future hearings of the Commission will be posted on the City’s website and the Troy City Council Facebook page.

The current City Charter can be found online.

The Charter Review Commission welcomes and encourages citizen input and participation in this review process. Written comments may be directed by e-mail to charter-review@troycitycouncil.com or by postal mail in care of Ian H. Silverman, Corporation Counsel, Troy City Hall, 433 River Street, Suite 5001, Troy, NY 12180.

We had a small turnout at our first public hearing, held on March 12, but will hold another public hearing as the last of five hearings. The public is welcome at any of them, and we encourage you to attend. The final product of the Commission's work will be on the ballot in November for your consideration.

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Famous Lunch's famous Steve Vasil dead at 88

Steve Vasil (right) with son Scott.

Steve Vasil, who operated the Famous Lunch at 111 Congress Street in Troy for more than a half-century, has died at the age of 88.

Vasil, a Greek immigrant known for serving his miniature hot dogs with meat sauce, owned the business with his brother, Nicholas, and served customers from 1955 until he retired in 2006. He died on Friday at the Van Rensselaer Manor nursing home.

The Famous Lunch began in 1932 under the name Quick Lunch. The brothers changed the name to Famous Lunch after a brief brush with fame in 1958 when a local Marine posted at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow ordered a round of hot dogs to be sent there to mark the American ambassador's birthday.

Vasil delighted in posting online other brushes with fame -- comedian Jay Leno ordering 250 minidogs, a mention in the newspaper USA Today, and numerous mentions in various national publications among them.

Vasil is survived by his wife, Christina, daughter Paula, son Scott, and grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and godchildren. His funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. today at St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in Troy. Burial will follow at the Elmwood Hill Cemetery on Belle Avenue, Troy.

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