No don't relax...just resign. You people need to step aside and let good things happen in the county. The public shouldn't suffer just because your union can't play nice. I think you forget the definition of public servant... you are hired to perform services for the benefit of the public. Right? Tell me if I'm wrong, Ed. I just don't think people give a rat's ass who takes care of the park as long as we get to use it. The Town and the County need to figure this out and move on!

Boy are we quick to jump to conclusions; You guys believe everything in the paper. I would like to try once again to make the position of the AFSCME Local 182 CLEAR , VERY CLEAR!!

The editorial in the news was incorrect (and it usually is) I quote the following from the newspapers opinion:

“But there’s more. There were communication breakdowns through the entire process. While leasing the space to the town, county officials never asked who was going to build the park. A ruling gave the construction and work to the county’s AFSCME union. Town leaders didn’t know until the unions had started the work. When the union said it would take the county and town to court, work was stopped.”

 The Union never started any work at the Day Road site, never. As soon as the Union found out that the County of Niagara planned to give the maintenance of the park, we filed an Improper Labor Practice Charge (IP) against Niagara County. We cannot sue the Town of Lockport because they did not break any laws; The Union contract is with Niagara County and they broke the terms and conditions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This clears one item up.

Secondly, the letter shown below (Tentative Agreement:), sent to me from then Republican appointed Human Resources Director, Bruce Fenwick, clearly shows the intent of the unions agreement with Niagara County. Please note the date October 22, 2001; Clyde Burmaster was Chairman of the Legislature… NOT Brad Erck. 

 

TO: Ed McDonald

FROM: Bruce Fenwick

DATE: October 22,2001

"Pursuant to our discussions, I have enclosed a draft of an outline which will be used as the basis for a formal agreement between the County and AFSCME to settle the pending IP. ect. I think this encompasses and includes the various points we have discussed.

In, Essence, Lockport decides what to do with the property and how to get it done. Once done, if maintenance of whatever there is is maintance worked that has been done by county employees, it will done by county employees. If it is of a type that County employees have not previously done (your example of a ferris wheel), we’ll cross that bridge at that time (negotiate such at the time, if and when).

The examples listed in the third paragraph are just that for the current purpose. They are not meant to be limited or exclusive.
Please get back to me on this as soon as you can. Should Joel (Union attorney) have any questions. have him call me as well."Bruce Fenwick, Niagara County Human Resource Director.

Finally, below is a letter that I wrote to all County Legislators, Senator Maziarz, and Assemblywoman Sandra Lee Wirth. Again, this clearly states the Unions position as it relates to the Day Road Park:

                                                                                 July 24. 2005

 I am writing to you in regards to the property at E. High Street and Day Roads in the Town of Lockport. There seems to be some miss information circulating about the Union intentions as it pertains to this piece of County owned property.

 

To make the record clear, the Union does not have any intention of stopping or interfering with the Town of Lockport from improving this piece of parkland. In fact, that is why the agreement was entered into between Niagara County and AFSCME Local 182 in the first place, contrary to what many of you have heard. The last thing the union wants to do is interfere with making a County owned park a better place for all Niagara County residents to enjoy in the future.

 

The purpose of the agreement is to allow the town (an outside entity) to improve this land without giving up AFSCME’s rights afforded to it under the Taylor Law. When each stage of the construction is completed, Niagara County AFSCME employees will do what we do everyday… maintain parkland.

 

The County and the Union have agreed to provisions in the agreement that could prevent the Town of Lockport from completing the improvements, lay-offs of AFSCME Local 182 employees being one of them. You can understand that we could not allow another entity to be doing our work if there members on lay off status.

 

The Union will vigorously contest any attempt to render the current between Niagara County and the Union invalid or change it in any way.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I personally don’t understand why there is any problem, the agreement is simple; let the Town of Lockport build it and County employees maintain it. The town spends $300,000 to improve county owned parkland and Niagara County gets to keep the improved land and all the county has to do is maintain it.

 

I hope I was able to clarify the union position on this matter. I also hope we can work together to settle any matters that may arise in the future regarding this issue or any other.

 

Please feel free to contact me, as I am always willing to discuss matters that effect Niagara County and the AFSCME work force.

 

Thank you,

Ed McDonald

President AFSCME Local 182

 

CC: Senator Maziarz

       Assemblywoman Wirth

 

I hope this issue will finally be put to rest now that you know all the facts(except with this group). It appears that the County and no one else are preventing this park from being built. The Union has made every effort to accommodate all parties regarding the Day Road Park.

 

Please feel free to contact me, as I am always available to help with further information.

 

Thank you,

Ed McDonald

President AFSCME Local 182

 

soccermom wrote:

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Wasn't the County going deed the land over to the Town of Lockport? I thought that is why all of this had to be approved by NYS?

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Yes they were, the County was and still is trying to get out of the agreement with the Union by transfering the land. They (the County) have an obligation to follow the laws and PERB rulings made even if they don't agree with them. The settlement agreement was a direct result of a PERB ruling because Niagara County broke the law the Taylor Law.

I do not see it ever passing the State Legislature because the State Legislature, to its credit, recognized the agreement with PERB and saw what Niagara County is trying to do....go around a judges ruling in the Unions favor.

jspeer wrote:

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No don't relax...just resign. You people need to step aside and let good things happen in the county. The public shouldn't suffer just because your union can't play nice. I think you forget the definition of public servant... you are hired to perform services for the benefit of the public. Right? Tell me if I'm wrong, Ed. I just don't think people give a rat's ass who takes care of the park as long as we get to use it. The Town and the County need to figure this out and move on!

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I won't relax, I won't resign, I won't step aside, and I am not anyone's servant.

This is a perfect example of why the union can't play nice, because we get it stuck to us. From the very beginning April 2001, I have told the County that the Union does not want to stop any progress on that property. The County makes an agreement with the Union, which was tentatively agreed to in October 2001, (please note post), then four years later tries to get out of the agreement and stick the employees that I represent. Would you like it if this happened to you? Maybe to make a stupid point you’ll say you don’t care or something along those lines. We have an agreement (consent of two or more parties) signed by both sides and the County trying anything they can do to break it. That’s why it is tough to play nice.

 

spindoctor wrote:

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I see the ASFSCME union has successfully killed the Day Road park. Congratulations, Ed McDonald, you're really looking out for the interests of the people! Now I read in the paper today the same union has killed the proposed use of a sliver of county land to be used by the Snow Chiefs for a snowmoblie trail. Wow, what a philanthropist you are! You personally kill a park that thousands of people could use every day in the summer, now you killed a snowmobile trail people could use all winter! You're a full service, all-season destroyer of life in Niagara County! Does anyone wonder why the general public despises unions anymore?

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You’re too funny! You obviously don’t have a clue, but I will try to explain, not that you’ll get it, but here goes anyway. The Union again in no way is trying to stop the snowmobile trail at Bond Lake Park. We are in fact trying to protect the jobs we have and the rights afforded to us under the Taylor Law. The County would like nothing more than to get rid of jobs without a second thought, but the Taylor Law states they can’t. You don’t have to agree with the law but as long as it exists everyone has to follow it even the all powerful Niagara County Legislature.

What the Legislature did was legislate the work of the trail at Bond Lake to the snowmobile club. The law says they can’t do that. However, the union was trying to negotiate with the county to allow the snowmobile club to groom the trail, but at the same time don’t give up our rights to the work.

Three things happened to stop the trail: first, a landowner changed their mind allowing the snowmobiles to use property adjacent to Bond Lake. Secondly, there were many insurance issues, cross-country skiers intersecting the proposed trail and cross-country skiers sharing the same trail with snowmobiles. Lastly, the County did not negotiate with the Union (Taylor Law).

I would be happy to show you the entire agreement I gave to the County, but until the landowner and insurance issues are settled, we are on hold.

Anyway, thanks for asking, and boy did you do your homework.

 

P.S. Don’t believe everything you read in the paper.

Ed, are you guys gonna take care of the improvements on the park as well as you did the ball diamonds? Let's hope not. Maybe that should be one of the conditions added to your contract...That if ever you don't take care of it the town has the right to take over and do it. My other complaint is that why should the county pay for a park in the town to be maintained? The city of Lockport is giving parks away because of the high cost of maintaining them...maybe the county can flip the bill, and have some of the county workers take care of them. I'm sure Mayor Tucker wouldn't complain.

Okay, Donut, I read in the paper today that you are planning to fight the transfer of the buffer zone strip of land the county negotiated in good faith and sold to the residents of Carlisle Gardens. You are simply amazing. You can continue to try to justify your actions to those who may question them, but the fact of the matter is you are a disgrace to the union membership you allegedly represent, and you continue to shed a negative light on our community. I have been critical of the Niagara County Legislature in the past for the inability to move things forward in an expeditious manner. Now I am coming to the realization that it is in fact not the fault of the legislature, but the fault of you and people like you, who have for years stopped progress in our community.

The tone that you take with those who question you makes me sick. GOD FORBID anyone question Ed McDonald! HOW DARE THEY!?!? You are paid with MY tax dollars, you arrogant punk, and it is not only my right to question your actions, it is my OBLIGATION. By the way, run your posts through spellchecker before you send them out, you illiterate, 8th grade educated clown.

The reason it is not in as good of shape as it used to be is because in the last five years the Parks Department staff has decreased from 19 to 11- posted by Ed McD

So if you could not maintain it when you owned it, how can you maintain it for the town? And is the decrease due to attrition, firings, layoffs...what? If the staff number is staying at the 11 number, how do you propose keeping up your end of the deal?

And "not in as good of shape as it used to be" is quite an understatement. It has been an overgrown field of weeds for quite some time.

jspeer wrote:

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Ed, are you guys gonna take care of the improvements on the park as well as you did the ball diamonds? Let's hope not. Maybe that should be one of the conditions added to your contract...That if ever you don't take care of it the town has the right to take over and do it. My other complaint is that why should the county pay for a park in the town to be maintained? The city of Lockport is giving parks away because of the high cost of maintaining them...maybe the county can flip the bill, and have some of the county workers take care of them. I'm sure Mayor Tucker wouldn't complain.

---

Unfortunately, most AFSCME employees have to do as their boss instructs them. In fact all of them.  If they're told there are more important things to do, that’s what is done. There are only 8 hours in a day, no money for overtime, and no money for extra help. Something has to give.

Back when I started in the county, the parks had 24 full time employees and 70-80 seasonal workers and a beach with lifeguards. Now, there are 11 full time employees and 18 seasonal, no beach. During that time the parks have grown bigger and are used much more by the public. I hate the way the ball diamonds look, but what can you do? That is why I fight so hard to keep jobs. Who ends up loosing in the end…it’s the people of Niagara County who use the facilities, and most of them are young adults. But every tax payer is screaming cut…cut…cut. It sure is a shame.

-- Edited by Ed McDonald at 00:01, 2006-01-06

-- Edited by Ed McDonald at 00:06, 2006-01-06

Selling the land has a direct impact on the workforce that maintains it.- Ed McD

BUT........the county has not maintained it! We used to have softball games there. Until toooooo many people took balls off the face (and not like in Brokeback Mountain!) Much, much worse!

One guy got hit in the throat and almost died due to a crazy softball bounce from the unrepaired ruts in the infield. Joe and another guy both had stitches put in their chin. And a good friend playing shortstop had his forearm busted! (Off from work for 6 weeks). That's a hell of alot of liability on the county's part. How well do you think the softball league's insurance waivers would have held up in court with those field conditions? The county is damn lucky nobody sued. That's why all games were moved to fields that were maintained properly.

These are not just some pickup church league guys. They all previously played AA hardball, and at the time were in a softball league every day of the week.

Hey, guess what.. I don't answer to you or any other taxpayer, I answer to the workers or Niagara County! I'm a taxpayer too! If you have a problem go to your legislator. Tell them to save money then complain things aren't getting done. You're so short sighted you fall right into the category of just what the Niagara County Legislature wants…brainless people who don’t know the facts, or understand the situation and just follow instead of lead, believe every thing you read in the paper. Ed wrote.

Looks like your wife's not the only one who got implants on the taxpayers dollar. Saying you don't have to answer to the public that you serve is pretty BALLSY!

-- Edited by jspeer at 17:54, 2006-01-07