Bill Johnson’s Port
Author: Rachel Barnhart
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City Wants to Pay $2.3M for Contaminated Lot
Author: Rachel Barnhart The City of Rochester wants to buy the former Piehler Pontiac site on Lake Ave. for $2.326 million to build a new Lake Section police station and neighborhood service center, according to legislation sent to City Council. The purchase price is staggering, considering the land is contaminated and it’s been vacant for 12 years. The city’s appraisal …
Continue readingHow Rochester Got Stuck With Three GOP State Senators
Author: Rachel Barnhart If you live on the north side of Crawford St. between Mt. Vernon and Meigs St., you live in the 56th State Senate District, represented by Joe Robach. Your neighbors across the street are in the 61st State Senate District represented by Mike Razenhofer. The people who live behind you on Linden St. are also in the …
Continue readingCity Issues New RFP for East End Garage
The City of Rochester issued a new Request for Proposals for the East End Garage, after City Council rejected the sale to a troubled ownership group. At last month’s City Council meeting, the sale was turned down 7 to 2, with council members concerned about the buyers and whether the garage should be sold. One member of the ownership group …
Continue readingJoe Bean Move Comes After Getting City Grant, Loan
The announcement last month that Joe Bean Coffee Roasters is closing its University Ave. location comes little more than a year after it received a grant and loan from the city. In March and April 2017, the city awarded Joe Bean a $15,000 grant and $30,000 loan to expand the University Ave. location. The total cost of the expansion was …
Continue readingCity: “Urgent Need” for Alexander to Double Dip
Author: Rachel Barnhart Deputy Mayor Cedric Alexander’s application to double dip said there’s an urgent need for his services because of the terminal illness of the former deputy mayor, who stepped down more than two years ago. A 211 waiver is necessary for retirees under the age of 65 to earn more than $30,000 while collecting their pensions. The city …
Continue readingCity Council Right to Reject East End Garage Sale
Rochester City Council rejected the sale of the East End Garage in a 7 to 2 vote, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester for All had raised questions about the appropriateness of a sale to an ownership group that included Thomas Masachi. His company, DHD Ventures, has properties in foreclosure and hasn’t paid a number of vendors. Masachi’s holdings …
Continue readingSoutheast Rochester: Progressive Record at Polls
Author: Rachel Barnhart Andrew Cuomo dominated the Democratic primary for governor, winning with 66 percent of the vote. However, there are pockets of resistance to the two-term incumbent. The entire Albany region went for Cynthia Nixon. So did several Rochester neighborhoods. Turnout in Monroe County nearly tripled from the 2014 gubernatorial primary to 46,765 voters. Cuomo won Monroe County with …
Continue readingDeputy Mayor Joins Ranks of Double Dippers
Author: Rachel Barnhart Deputy Mayor Cedric Alexander will be able to collect his pension and salary at the same time. New York State does not allow retirees under the age of 65 to return to work and earn more than $30,000 a year unless they receive what’s known as a 211 waiver. But in June, the Rochester Civil Service Commission …
Continue readingCity’s PAB Proposal Same Old, Same Old
Author: Annmarie Van Son There are major problems with the city’s proposal for a police accountability board. First let’s keep in mind the five pillars of police accountability sought by the Alliance for a Police Accountability Board. The Alliance proposal calls for a PAB with the authority to: Conduct independent investigations of complaints of police misconduct; Issue subpoenas to compel …
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