Pordum’s dream for the Town of Evans will be residents nightmare for generations to come. The water and roads improvements projects roll on with very little reporting by town officials. Are projects over budget? Only Pordum knows for sure since the Director of Finance quit back in August (2010). Pordum is spending millions in taxpayer [...]
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NYS Committee on Open Government – Letter Dated 8-2-2010 – Page #1 Click Here! NYS Committee on Open Government – Letter Dated 8-2-2010 – Page #2 Click Here! NYS Committee on Open Government – Letter Dated 8-2-2010 – Page #3 Click Here! NYS Committee on Open Government – Letter Dated 8-2-2010 – Page #4 Click [...]
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The calendar show Halloween is months away but Fran Pordum is wearing a hat that should scare the bejeebers out of Evans Residents. As a result of the resignation of Director of Finance Katra, Pordum has take over as the duties in the finance department. Pordum is a retired teacher / career politician. His forte [...]
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Fran Pordum is a perfect example of what is wrong with the state’s pension system. Pordum takes big advantage of a loophole in the state’s double dipping law that exempts former elected officials. Former Buffalo Police Chief H. McCarthy Gipson got into big trouble for not filing his 211 waiver. Pordum and his wife Rebecca [...]
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Reduced the number of town board meeinings by five (5). Now there is only one monthly town board meeting in seven (7) of twelve (12) months. Metal detector in use at town board meetings. Removed communications from the agenda. Removed Privlidge of the Floor from the agenda. Poor treatment of residents at town board meetings. ( Click Here To [...]
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Over the last year, Evans Taxpayers United (ETU) and other resident have requested documents from the Town of Evans under the Freedom of Information Law. (FOIL) Most requests have been denied. Appeals to Fran Pordum have gone unanswered. Under state law, copies of denied FOIL requests must be sent to the NYS Committee On Open [...]
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More assessment games to benefit friends? The property located at 7452 Southwestern Blvd. received an assessment reduction of $80,000, all on the building. This is the property that is flooding out Ed Gleason & Gary Lawrence. The property was assessed for $150,000 in 2009. The property sold on 6-18-2010 for $100,000. The 2010 assessment is [...]
When the Evans Town Board votes on resolutions at a work session that could easily be voted on at regular board meetings, the resolutions are worth a closer look. The 6-6-2010 work session is a good example. Click Here To Read The Entire Resolution The above resolution shows hours per standard work day to earn [...]
If the Town of Evans can work with Flexovit to refund $497,450 in overpaid taxes, assessor Ebersole should give other Evans property owners that received assessment reductions the courtesy of an explanation of who qualifies for a tax refund and how to apply for it. Documents obtained by the Evans Taxpayers United show that some [...]
As part of the 2009 NYS State Comptrollers audit of the Brant Police Department, on page 6 of 23 is: In addition, for department heads (such as a police chief), who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement or other employment contract, the terms and conditions of employment should be well documented and [...]
When Kevin Gaugan interviewed officials in towns with three memver town boards, he asked how they address the Open Meetings Law. One supervisor said the solution was simple. All discussion of the public’s business was done at town board meetings. If you ever attended an Evans Town Board meeting, you know there is rarely any [...]
Private sector employees are taught that the customer is always right. At Town Of Evans Town Board Meetings, the standard is Fran Produm is always right. No matter the topic, Pordum thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room. On the topic of windmills and renewable energy, he’s smarter than an Evans resident with considerable [...]
Amherst Supervisor Barry Weinstein is working to control the cost of Amherst government while Evans Supervisor Fran Pordum spends his time justifying “unopen meetings” and voting to hire new employees not included in his 2010 budget. Lets take a look at the performance of these two town supervisors. Weinstein spent 15 minutes giving a State [...]
At the 1-6-2010 Evans Board Meeting, Fran Pordum not only removed “Privilige of the Floor” from the agenda, he once again refused to allow residents to speak at the meeting. Below are 3 Letters To The Editor published in the 1-21-2010 Sun News. [...]
While the Buffalo News has held Buffalo Mayor Brown accountable for denying documents requested under the Freedom of Information Law, Evans Supervisor denies information which is commonly available in other towns via their web sites. Here in the Town of Evans, Pordum not only deny these requests, he hired a lawyer to “advise” him it [...]
While other towns post their Payroll W2 Information online, here in Evans, a request for this information made under the freedom of information law was denied, appealed to Supervisor Pordum and denied again. Why is Pordum not providing this information?
Click Here To Go Directly To The NYSDOS Video Links Page! This Committee on Open Government education video, which gives an explanation of FOIL, as well as the Open Meetings Law, is available on the Department of State’s website at www.dos.state.ny.us , YouTube, as well as DVD upon request to the Committee by calling [...]
Beginning at the March 18th meeting, Fran Pordum instituted a new policy that requires attendees at town board meetings to pass through a metal detector. Pordum, who already instituted a speaker sign up sheet then puts them on a 3 minute egg timer (he moved privilege of the floor to the end of the meeting requiring [...]
On 2-4-2009, via a Freedom of Information Law Request, tax data was requested from the Town Of Evans. After the request was denied, as provided for by New York State Law, a letter of appeal was sent to Supervisor Pordum. Again, the request for tax data was denied by Pordum. (See letter below) Pordum’s reply [...]
Fran Pordum’s assault on open government reached another milestone at the 3-4-2009 town board meeting. He set the record for the shortest town board meeting when he adjourned the meeting only 10 minutes after calling the meeting to order. Pordum broke former supervisor Catalino’s record of 21 minutes. Pordum passed on an opportunity to update [...]
If you were paying Fran’s Lawn Care $250 a week to mow your lawn and your next door neighbor told you he was paying the kid across the street $25 a week, how long would it take you to hire the kid across the street? Not long I suspect! The Town of Evans is a [...]
West Seneca uses its metal detectors on court nights. They hired retired police officers at $16.00 an hour. At the 4-21-2010 Evans town board meeting, there were 5 attendees that were not town employees or consultants. Fran Pordum had the Chief of Police and two officers manning the metal detector. Three of the attendees were [...]
Kathleen Karyczak was former Supervisor Catalino’s secretary. Rumor has it they installed the assessment department’s software on her computer so they could claim she was “qualified” for the position of assessment clerk. Assessment clerk is a civil service position. Karycszk finished fifth after taking the test. The town board must pick from the top three [...]
As a member of the town’s Economic Development Committee, Erickson meets the legal description of a town employee under NYS Law. She is an officer of the family business. Below is the state law and town code. Is this contract legal under state law and ethical under town code? For the waterfront Sturgeon Point Marina [...]
When the Town Of Evans $12,500 Budget Officer Fran Pordum prepared the 2010 budget, he knew that on 1-1-2010 the town would have a new Town Clerk. There was also a referendum to combine the clerk’s and receiver of taxes departments. Pordum knew there would be training expenses in 2010 yet he didn’t budget one [...]
When the town proposed the $12,500,000 water project, they promised that water rates would not raise for 20 years. Even before the water system was turned over to the Erie County Water Authority, “Frugal Fran” Pordum raised water rates 10%. His announcement of the increase was for the cost per 1,000 gallons. Guess it sounds [...]
Before NYS Thruway began work on the I-90 between the Evans and Hamburg exits, the Army Corp Engineers sent letters (see below) to adjoining property owners explaining the road improvement project. Under Fran Pordum’s stealth government, the residents that live on the 1.7 miles of Dawn Avenue “Don’t Need To Know” that the town plans to [...]
Just like the headquarters of Evans Bankcorp and New Era Cap, H&K Industries has moved out of Evans. When the failure to land Walmart is considered, the town board must ask themselves if its time to replace the Director of Community Development. In the private sector, firing the Diorector of Community Development would be an [...]
To Read The Report – Click Here! In 2009, beach closings and advisories hit their sixth-highest level in the 20 years the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has been tracking them. The continuing high number of closing and advisory days, combined with a relatively constant level of bacterial contamination at ocean, bay, and Great Lakes [...]
At the 7-21-2010 Evans Town Board Meeting, the board scheduled a Public Hearing to amend the town’s vehicle and traffic law. This action is required by state law to change speed limits on town roads. In this case the roads are Lake Street and Eden Evans Center Road. Why did Supervisor Fran Pordum and Town [...]
Hamburg Supervisor Steven Walters welcomes questions from residents at town board meetings. Evans Supervisor Fran Pordum has done everything possible to discourage Evans residents from participating in town board meetings including but not limited to: Verbal abuse of residents he disagrees with including Dick Hammer & Alice Mullen. Use of metal detectors before board meetings [...]
Fran Pordum is blocking handicaped improvements at the Derby Veterans’ Park. Call Fran Pordum and ask him why at 549-5787. More news on this issue as it becomes available. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]
Evans resident Dick Mauer wants to subject the military to polygraph tests. He wants to find all foreign enemies. But what about domestic enemies? While Pordum/Erickson have discouraged veterans from using the Derby Veteran’s Park, Catalino/Pordum/Erickson have allowed Mauer to virtually take over the west side of Lake Erie Beach Park and use public parkland [...]
On 11-21-2009 Evans Gold Star Mother Amy MacGregor-Morrisey was a guest on WBEN’s Kathy Weppner’s Straight Talk Show. The topic was the Derby Veteran’s PARK. Click Here to listen to the interview. Click Here for additional information on Gold Star Mothrers .
QUESTION: WHY IS THE DERBY VETERAN’S PARK NOT A PARK???? At a recent Evans Town Board meeting, Evans Vet Robert Palmer ask for handicap accessible parking using Community Development Block Grant Funds at the Derby Veteran’s Park. Town Attorney Grant Zajas explained “It’s not a park”. Click Here To Play Audio! In the 11-22-2009 Supervisor’s column, [...]
Evans resident Bill Henry, a former Chairman of the Southtowns Energy Fair, is a renewable energy expert. 100% of his home’s electric is generated by solar. He works with state and county lawmakers on renewable energy legislation. When Henry advised the Evans Town Board that the proposed wind ordinance (passed) would be the most restrictive [...]
At the 11-18-2009 Zoning Board of Appeales hearing, the ZBA denied David & Janet Stout’s variance for installing a pole mounted Solar Array at their residence. It would have saved over 2 Tons of Coal from being burned a year. Also it would have free up power for other uses such as keeping companies such [...]
Kathy Weppner, who has a talk show on WBEN Radio at Noon on Saturdays, has been granted permission to read Amy MacGregor-Morrisey’s Veteran’s Day speech at the end of her show this weekend. MacGregor-Morrisey said she’d be honored to have her speech read on-air. Below is the text of the speech. Veteran’s Park Speech By [...]
NOTE: Supervisor Fran Pordum denied an appeal for 2008 Town of Evans employee W2 information in violation of the Freedom of Information Law. Link to source data: Click Here From http://www.seethroughny.net/
Evans is worst in many categories. You can follow the link below and create your own comparisons. Source Data Link: Click Here
In the 9-20-2009 supervisor’s column in the Penny Saver, Supervisor Pordum stated: “With the help of the Board, I was able to close the budget shortfall by reducing municipal costs in the departments, restructuring and promoting a more creative approach to Town government” Reduced Spending Plan? If the amount to be raised by taxation in [...]
Towns like Evans and Orchard Park all borrow money to pay for capital projects. Unfortunately for Evans Taxpayers, the process is cloaked in secrecy. $12.5 million for a water improvement project. Both Brant and Eden sent questionnaires to residents asking what was needed and if they thought town could afford to do the projects. Evans [...]
Except for the police department, it’s time for Fran Pordum to disclose how many vehicles are owned by the Town of Evans, the make and model and license plate number. Which town employees are assigned take-home vehicles? Vehicle logs should be posted on the town’s web site so that taxpayers know town vehicles are not [...]
At the 6-16-2010 Evans Town Board meeting, there were 6 cops present to control a crowd of 5 residents! Fran Pordum has succeeded in encouraging residents to stay home. Pordum should explain how having so many cops at a town board meeting is a good use of taxpayer dollars.
The Town of Evans has liquor stores and a printer. Should Supervisor Fran Pordum patronize local businesses when possible? Other towns are getting a percentage of sales tax on these sales and not the Evans Taxpayers that pay his salary. When you see Fran Pordum, ask him why he does not shop local. Click Here [...]
On the Derby Veterans’ Park: From the Evans Democratic Committee Website: “In addition, the Town has obtained stepped up police patrols to ensure that no further destruction of Town property occurs.” While the police were staking out the Veterans’ Park, a few blocks away, the Evans Bank was being robbed. THE BANK ROBBER GOT AWAY! [...]
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By Contract, Assessor Ebersole spends one and a half days in North Collins. That’s 30% of her time. Evans Taxpayers receive only of a fraction her salary and benefits from North Collins while Ebersole receives a $6,000 direst payment. Since North Collins benefits fromn the entire assessment department and its staff, Evans Taxpayers should be compensated [...]
Congressman Higgins joined Governor David A. Paterson and fellow New York lawmakers today announce that $24 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding has been awarded to 206 energy conservation projects. These energy efficiency and renewable energy projects will help 137 municipalities throughout the State reduce energy and operating costs by $3.3 million [...]
Questioning Recent Decisions That Were Made In The Town of Evans
In the 3-14-2010 supervisor’s column, Fran Pordum takes credit for installing lights on the handicap accessible ramp at the town hall. The whole truth is that Alice Mullen ask Pordum to address handicapped access at the town hall. Pordum made a threatening phone call to Mullen at her home. Mullen was so upset that [...]
by Fred E. Foldvary, Senior Editor, 1 March 2010 There should be no tax favors for the employees of governments. Tax breaks for “public service” amounts to a tax-free increase in their wages, which does not show up in the government’s budget. It is not just sneaky and unfair; it implements a political bias for [...]
When you pay your electric bill this month, don’t think of it as paying New York State Electric &Gas or National Grid for keeping the lights on in your home. Think of it as paying part of your taxes. While you’re at it, you might as well consider your January and February electric bills as [...]