Ulster County Democratic Forum, December 7th

The Ulster County Democratic Forum that was held on Friday at the Rosendale Rec Center, was for the most part a very well attended and productive meeting. I'm glad that I was able to attend. Below are notes of the entire Thursday meeting. Please look through them and leave your own comments.

Open Forum -- December 7, 2007 -- Meeting Notes


Patrick McDonough, Rosendale Supervisor-elect and Rosendale Democratic Committee – Welcome. Solutions begin with talks about concerns. It’s a process.

Phil Schacter, Marlborough Town Chair – We will moderate and recognize individuals to talk.

Karen Markisenis, Vice Chair UCDCEC and Ulster Committee Member – A small group of people met two times to discuss reform, initiate Bylaws revision, and plan this meeting. We are bringing up issues that need to be discussed. In union there is strength. Division is our undoing.

Mike Harkavy, Saugerties Town Chair – Moment of silence to remember 12/7/41. Brian Shapiro wanted to be here tonight but couldn't make it.

1. Finance issue – there’s no accusation of malfeasance, but transparency is needed, and the ability of the UCDCEC to have control of monies raised by UCDC. For over a year, we’ve made repeated requests for a Treasurer’s Report with only one cursory bit of information provided. We must be kept up to date about revenue and expenditures. The UCDCEC has no involvement on decision making. John Parete said money raised from the May brunch would pay for HQ operations. There was confusion created when UCDCC was formed outside the auspices of UCDCEC and told that $7500 was allocated to Focus Media (a consultant to Bradley) and we want to know what we got for our money; $4500 for the Clarion (a waste of money because it was known a free insert would appear later.) There were legislators in control of money to be allocated to legislators.

2. The Operation budget is totally depleted and we need to keep HQ open. If we had taken the $7500 for Focus and the $4500 for the Clarion we would have enough to keep the doors open for another year. It’s a matter of priorities.

3. John Parete was quoted in the paper as saying we’re broke. It’s embarrassing. We’ll start to see transparency when control of the funds is under duly elected people.

Ralph Childers, State Democratic Committee – I served as a 127th delegate for almost a year before I knew I was a member of UCDCEC and was invited to meetings. I was shocked at the first one I attended because of John Parete’s poor leadership and pounding-the-table mannerisms. I was told by Patti Candelari that Stuart Fraser advised her not to send meeting notices to all UCDCEC members. [Chart] Major problems with the Chair’s leadership include:

1. His unprofessional manner and quotes in the paper disparaging the condition of the Party and its candidates
2. Erroneous comments about the Party’s DA candidate
3. The stacking of UCDCEC for the Wilson-Pikula vote
4. The formation of the second UCDW
5. Contents of the Clarion
6. Personally attacking me along with Stuart Fraser at a State Committee Meeting (Nancy Schaef was a witness) in an attempt to intimidate me. It’s not going to work.

Lanny Walter, Saugerties Committee Member – A Bylaws Committee has been formed that includes Marti Green of Marbletown and other UC Committee Members. We intend to distribute copies of the proposed revisions, ask for comments, and call a County Committee Meeting for discussion and approval. I will distribute copies tonight. The thrust of the changes include the responsibilities of the Chair; to give the Executive Committee more oversight; to have budget approval by the Executive Committee; give the Vice Chair authority to act in the absence of the Chair; create transparency of the Treasury; limit standing and special committees and their chairs’ voting rights; give Executive Committee control over designation of committee chairs; and require an audit. We will ask John Parete to call a special meeting of the County Committee to pass these revisions.

Phil Schacter, Marlborough Town Chair – Further changes to the Bylaws include calling for a County Convention more than once every two years and looking at the unofficial status of the Count Convention.

Karen Markisenis, Vice Chair UCDCEC – Read a letter from John Parete, sent because he could not attend this meeting.

Beth Murphy, Saugerties Committee Member – What does it mean to be a Committee Member? What are the roles and responsibilities?

Judith Hakam, Marbletown Democratic Committee – The primary purpose is to find candidates and money to get them elected.

Lanny Walter, Saugerties Committee Member – In Saugerties we find fault with Bradley for not being clear about his Party status.

Rokki Carr, Marbletown – What would it take to make an official Convention?

Patti Candelari, UCDC Secretary and Denning Town Chair – Committee Members are Party leaders. We are suppose to be knowledgeable of County-wide candidates. They interview with Town Committees, we ask pertinent questions, vote at a County Convention, and that name goes on the Democratic Party line of the ballot. Registered Democratic voters can either take that recommendation or not, but we serve a very important role.

Ben Shor, Marbletown Town Chair – I had respect and support for John Parete until he packed the UCDCEC for the outcome he wanted on the Wilson-Pakula vote. I asked his son Rich to ask John Parete not to do what he did and Rich said, ‘That’s the way we’re going to go. My father knows what’s best for the Party. Bradley has the best chance to beat the Republicans.” But even if he was proven right – what’s right is that the Town Committees decide what’s best. The Town Committees do the work of getting County-wide candidates and Legislators elected. The Chair is important in a leadership position but he wanted to ignore what the Town Committees do and he was wrong and he was wrong about Bradley. Our Town Committee voted to ask John Parete to resign. We’ve got an important election coming up and the majority of people have lost respect for him after everything that’s happened because of what he’s done. Unless he steps down, we’re going to have a mess in September.

Judith Hakam, Marbletown Democratic Committee – My credentials include Chair of the Coordinated Campaign Committee, Marbletown Democratic Committee Member, State Delegate, and Campaign Manager for Johnathan Sennett. I believe :

1. UCDCEC should operate under Roberts Rules of Order
2. Have no more secrecy
3. Financial Reporting
4. All decisions should be by EC
5. Bylaw revisions
6. Ongoing fundraising Committee for a war chest and rent
7. Incorporate the Coordinated Campaign into a Standing Committee
8. Junk the Clarion
9. Have only one UCDW

Charles Landi, City of Kingston Committee Member and 3rd Ward Alderman-elect – I’ve been an enrolled Democrat since 1974 and a resident since 1948. John Parete was the first Chair to get results with a majority in the Legislature, court candidates and the sheriff’s race. We had two forces that clashed. We all miss-stepped. The City of Kingston Democratic Committee supported Bradley out of respect for his dad. The hinterlands were for Jonathan Sennett. Bradley won the first vote. Maybe the Committee was incapable of solving this and it should have gone to a primary.

Billiam VanRoestenerg, Plattekill – Don’t completely agree with Charlie, the County demographics changed and the national politics had a lot to do with the Legislative candidates’ success. Lots of people have lost respect for the Chair. We should have a headquarters in every Township – it’s not all about Kingston anymore. We can’t let the ‘good old boys’ run the County anymore.

Charles Landi, City of Kingston Committee Member and 3rd Ward Alderman-elect – Billiam may be right, but let’s do it right, not scream for a resignation, wait for a County Convention. But I don’t feel you’ve got the numbers to change the Chair.

Tim Hunter, Gardiner – Let’s thank Sue Zimet, Hector Rodriguez, Don Gregorius, and Peter Liepman for calling for the impeachment of the President and Vice President. I ran for the Legislature and came within 100 votes of getting elected. I was promised a $2,000-match for printing and postage but never got that money. 100 votes more and we would have had another Democrat in the Legislature. The turnout this year was very low in District 8, down from the overall County. Two years ago there was a 70% turnout. The whole Bradley-Sennett debacle may have suppressed votes. There are hotheads on each side of the issue but there’s ineffective leadership. Clearly when we loose two seats it’s disappointing. UCDCEC meetings cannot be abruptly adjourned when there are issues to be solved:

1. We need transparency
2. We need to work to get Democrats elected
3. No name-calling
4. Be polite

Ken Walsh, Rosendale Committee Member – After Sennett won at the Convention it was no longer valid to support Bradley. Party loyalty rules. And having no transparency is a problem, just like the DA’s race.

Mike Harkavy, Saugerties Town Chair – If we give John Parete credit for what has been accomplished, then we must also take him to task for what failed to happen. We need honesty and Executive Committee input with decentralization of power.

Don Gregorius, Legislator – Amazing things happen in growth process. Change is good. Just looking at Ralph’s chart – certain people disregarded our Democratic candidate. They made a choice, a decision to do that. John Parete cannot take credit for winning every Legislator’s race. When I ran John Parete didn’t help me and I was going up against the Republican’s Majority Leader. I won and it wasn’t because of anything John Parete did to help. It’s my opinion that John Parete tries to run the Legislature through his sons. There is an environment of change and you can either live the current situation or have a more open situation – it’s up to the UCDC.

Lanny Walter, Saugerties Committee Member – John Parete’s stacking the Executive Committee to get his way for the DA race pushed me over the line. It was under-handed conduct. He has lost the respect of a lot of people in UCDC. The situation is not good and it would be better if he would resign. Calling a Convention for Bylaws change would be a good thing. Picking a Legislative Chair has profound implications and is part of why we’re here. Provenzano was a supporter of Bradley and we don’t want her after her outright support of a candidate not selected by the majority of Democrats. Those who didn’t support the majority’s decision didn’t get their way and consequently destroyed Sennett’s chances of winning the DA race. Provenzano is unfaithful to her Party and she cannot expect us to cheer for her ascension. If she continues to push herself into that position it will piss off a lot of people and she will have missed an opportunity to mend the riff we’re now experiencing.

Sue Zimet, Legislator – The Democratic Committee made a decision, made a choice at the Convention. The Democratic DA candidate was not given a fair shake by Party leadership. Charlie Landi said Bradley won by 10,000 at the Convention – but he lost by 14,000. If there wasn't a challenge between Sennett and Schreibman, it is my belief Sennett or Schreibman would have won it on the first ballot. The Party process is that we work for the candidate created by the Democratic majority. Not doing this undermines the Democratic process.

Jeremy Blaber, City of Kingston Committee Member – We cannot expect that other candidates will want to come forward for races when there are Committee Members who might work for the opposition and will try to undermine their chances of winning. We need to figure out who we are as a Party and create laws to live by. Committee Members have an obligation to support the Democratic candidate – not to work for a candidate on another Party line. We need a new Chair and a set of rules. If you can’t work for the candidate on the Party line, there should be a commitment to not work for anyone else running in that race. Your vote is a personal matter but publicly working for the opposition candidate is not being a responsible Democratic Committee Member.

Judith Simon, Saugerties Committee Member – John Parete is a divider, not a leader. Within three months of the Democratic majority in the Legislature, his sons were challenging Dave Donaldson and other Democratic Legislators causing a big division. It is inexcusable that Committee Members were openly working for and supporting Bradley. At any point in the whole mess John Parete could have been a uniting force but he’s a detriment to the Democratic Party, it’s being going downhill since we got the majority. Now we have a Republican DA who is an advocate for the death penalty with cases going to him involving children. It’s disgraceful.

Mike Harkavy, Saugerties Town Chair – In terms of his BOE work, Stuart Fraser has been terrific. We need to separate the BOE from politics. John has indeed split the Party but there are things he can do tomorrow that would help. John Parete’s letter is only words unless he puts these things into action:

1. He can work to mend the split in the Legislature and maintain the current Chair in the Legislature. John Parete can put out effort for the good of the Party to mend that split.

2. We have a split in the UCDCEC. John Parete can back the voting members of the UCDCEC as being duly elected Town Chairs and State Committee delegates only.

3. He could ask the usurping UCDW group to join the already constituted group.

4. The Young Democrats: he could step in to make sure the problems they are going through there are rectified.

Judith Hakam, Marbletown Democratic Committee – Five UCDCEC members should have a sit-down with John Parete and talk with him directly. Impeachment is a separate meeting.

Dan Gartenstein, City of Kingston Committee – There’s a perception that the Kingston Committee was against the rest of the Committee, but we were not unified behind Bradley.

Ed Gubofo (sp?), Rosendale Committee Treasurer – If you don’t support the person on the Party line, sit on your hands. We disenfranchised our own voters without buy-in from all the Committee Members for the candidate on the Party line. All the finances should be transparent. There are rules for reporting finances and the State will fine you personally $500. These reports should be made available.

Peter Liepman, Legislator – Republicans have an 11th Commandment – never speak ill of another Republican. John Parete has a chance to show that he can be a leader by trying to unify the Legislators and stop this contested Legislator Chair race. The Legislators are split along the lines of those supporting Bradley and those who supported the Democratic Party line. We have to get past this if we are going to get anything passed.

Mike Madsen, City of Kingston – This working against Democratic candidates has got to stop. Mayor Sottile walked door-to-door working against Charlie Landi. If we’d had a Primary, it’s likely that Bradley would have run on the Conservative Party line anyway.

Jonathan Sennett, New Paltz – I’m hesitant to speak because I don’t want it to look like sour grapes, but I’m in favor of reform and it’s important to talk about what’s wrong and to move forward with solutions so what happened to me doesn’t happen again.

1. The finance issue is a problem and there needs to be transparency.
2. Define Committee Member
3. These issues need to be brought out and new people need to work for change

Rokki Carr, Marbletown – Speak to your Legislator to please support Dave Donaldson and ask him to support the Ethics rules.

Susan Weeks, Saugerties – Democracy means openness, honesty – opposite of what the Republicans do. Our current Chair is not the leader we need. If our County Party cannot make the needed changes, you will lose me and lots of other people in the Democratic Party.
Lanny Walter, Saugerties Committee Member – It’s obvious we need new leadership and somebody needs to step forward and make that happen.

Sue Zimet, Legislator – The operations of the Committee is an issue that should be addressed. We must force these meetings to be effective.

Jonathan Sennett, New Paltz – Keep calling meetings until all the issues are address. Put John Parete’s feet to the fire.

Judith Hakam, Marbletown Democratic Committee – Send the Minutes of this meeting to John Parete with points made about effective meetings and the issues.

Phil Schacter, Chair Marlborough – The Bylaws changes need to include transparency and what we want the Chair to do. There is disagreement over the role of the County Convention and the loyalty issue. We got to define that and put it in the Bylaws.

Ian Brody, Saugerties – The election law is very clear – vote to take the Chair out of office for disloyalty.

Shannon Schreibman, Marlborough – It’s really important that we all pull together. The most productive comment was the call to action for change put to John Parete. But it’s not always just the letter of the law, hold his feet to the fire.

Billiam VanRoestenerg, Plattekill – We are hypocrites if we don’t get a change in the Chair because the Republicans had the same people in power. We lost an election in 2000 because of lack of help from John Parete.