Letters to the Editor

A mid 19th century stone farmhouse at 60 Hedley Place in Buffalo is being restored with money taken from taxpayers.

ISAIAH 61 Successful- at Getting Public Money!

You reported about the $500K being awarded to Isaiah 61 on the fire hall rebuild whilst the same party demonstrates total ineptitude.

I beg to differ ... very smart .... $500K for doing nothing....very good business plan if you can get away with it.

These people are just simply following the exact same formula as is being done at 60 HedleyPlace.

This little property was entitled over $1.5 million!!!!!.....Net worth of neighboring properties?

When I asked, "Why so much?....."...because we got it....."

Just adding to the great fabric of your reporting.

Cheers!

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In regards to your story on the RFQ for the storage of voting machines in Niagara County, as this bid process has played out over the past two years, we always knew the county leadership wanted GOP?contributor David Ulrich's building to remain as its storage location for the voting machines.

But I never suspected that there was that much space being wasted there. The first thing that caught my eye was how much room there was to consolidate machines and other BOE equipment closer together.

We have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers as county legislators. When your talking about $3+ a sq foot in lease price, wasting what looks like as 8,000-10,000 sq. feet is wrong.

I'm sure there are a locations around the county that could bid at a lower price with less square footage for such a simple warehouse need. Its very disappointing how this has gone down. No way will I vote for this lease when we could save probably $20-30,000 in a smaller building, not restricted to 12 miles from Lockport.

The 12 mile radius requirment in the RFQ makes no sense. The overwhelming majority of the voting machines are used in Niagara Falls and the immediately adjacent suburbs.

If you look at the RFQ, it's pretty clear the GOP majority deliberately eliminated any competition.

This GOP leadership never ceases to amaze me. Even with the resignations, and corruption investigations going on, they still continue playing games with public bids. All we wanted to do was have a fair bidding process that will allow the county to get the best price on the large amount of leases we do, and we disqualify 3/4 of the county from bidding on this space?

It never ends around here..

It sure looks like something's going on here.

A lot of people have been talking about all the shooting robberies and murders, over the last few weeks. They all seem to blame it on different things. but the truth is which you talked about in the Niagara Falls Reporter: It is the order of consent and the Attorney General.

Most people don't know about this. That it prevents the police from doing their jobs and stops them from going after criminals.

The city never had a gun problem until this pconsent order was signed. In 2011, there were shootings every day, the city was never like this, maybe three or four shooting a year if that.

You can look back and from 2010 and before the city was never like this.

Niagara Falls made the most dangerous cities list for the last two years, as you can see this Order of Consent is only helping one thing and that's crime.

Maybe you can do a story on it and blame it on the mayor, which it is his fault. Let the people know why this happening, you can call it

"Is Mayor's policy to blame for Gun Violence?

Although I am no longer a resident of Niagara Falls, I still maintain friendships and interest in the area. I lived on 72nd Street for 28 years and if I were still a resident would be raising holy hell about the way the Water Board is ignoring those people. I would have a few questions to ask the Water Board.

First, are there codes for the minimum depth for water pipes?

Second, was there any inspection done by the city to verify that the work was to code?

Third, was the work performed by the city or a sub-contractor?

I can't believe that there isn't a code for the minimum depth for a water pipe. If a new home is being built, inspectors come out to verify that it is up to code before a occupancy permit is issued. You cannot connect to the city sewer or drains without a city inspector verifying the work was done correctly. If the work was performed by the city, those performing the work should be aware of the code. If it was done by a sub-contractor, someone from the city water department should have been overseeing the project, verifying work was being done to code. The contract for the sub-contractor should have spelled out the requirements. In either case, the Water Department and the City of Niagara Falls are responsible to the residents and taxpayers of the city.

It would seem reasonable, for the 72nd St. residents affected, to open an escrow account at a bank and deposit their water bill payments there until the issue is resolved. If a contractor is paid for ship-shod work, the city should have recourse to either not pay the contractor or have him fix it at his expense. If the city did the work, then they should correct it and the person responsible fired and not allowed to work for the city again in any capacity. The people of 72nd St. are not responsible for this fiasco, but are expected to pay for it.

I would run for mayor if I still lived there. But, I wouldn't move back to that town if you paid me. It was a much better place when Stefano Maggadino was alive.

The Niagara Falls Reporter is better at uncovering graft and incompetence. Certainly there are public records you have access to that can expose people responsible for this mess.

Recently, I read the announcement that Beth Ceretto was running for a position in the Town of Lewiston Board. I knew in my heart that I had to write this letter. I have had the pleasure of knowing Beth for many years as a friend since childhood, a supportive wife, a loving mother of four wonderful children, and a small business owner who has even watched my grandchildren. Beth is one of the most caring, passionate, and honorable persons I have met and I know she will bring these attributes to the town board.

In just a few weeks we will elect a person to fill a vacant seat on the town board. Our community deserve someone who will stand up for what is right, someone who will serve with pride and dignity, someone who will represent our best interests, and someone who will work diligently on our behalf and I hope that Beth Ceretoo be that person.

Join me as I proudly cast my vote on election day for my friend Beth Cerretto on the Lewiston Town Board.