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Check back we'll be adding more info and videos here and throughout the site until the elections. Know your candidates! After 2 decades of serving himself and his friends... |
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Red Hook needs leaders not takers
For nearly 20 years Jim Ross has sat on the town Board. In the course of that time he and his friends have become wealthy. He's got a few deals and passed a few on to his developer friends.
He has fought or dragged his feet on any law or program that would infringe on his opportunities. His idea of economy is selling off every piece of land in Red Hook with him and his friends pocketing checks or favors along the way. Those in his way are either threatened, or simply removed from any Board or Committee which they are on, where they could stand in the Ross' way. Two prominent examples are: Ruth Ojay from her role as head of the CAC, Bill O'Neill as Deputy Supervisor.
Jim and his friends refused to do the simple math that proved every house built was costing taxpayers, rather than adding to the tax base, and more and more in school taxes added to the taxpayer debt along with the additional infra-structure costs of providing roads, water and emergency services.
In 2007 the planning board became so alarmed by the number of new flag lot developments coming up for approval at their meetings ----carrying with them the requisite nightmarish "shared driveways" --- that they formally approached the Town Board to amend the zoning to eliminate new flag lots, as many towns have done recently. Jim Ross, who coincidently has 4 flag lot properties, along with the GOP majority, voted against any change to the zoning law.
He participated and voted to 'table' this proposal a week before his brother was to appear before the Planning Board with a request for two more flag lots, and another shared driveway as part of it. He refused to stand aside from the vote, --he was asked to refrain -- even though this vote guaranteed his brother the legal standing for flag lots for the following week's meeting. The shared driveway leading to the flag lots is there for all to see, off Williams Road. |
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There was a complaint to the Ethics Board about Jim's conflict of interest in voting on this matter which clearly and financially benefitted his brother, and this matter 'disappeared' after a 'closed' meeting, which never officially happened---look in the minutes...---fellow GOP Board members in the majority at the time, were allowed to do that, by law. They can make anything disappear---even the letter of complaint. Ethics Board members are not at fault--. The Ethics Law is toothless. The Town Board simply made sure when they passed the it, that the ethics law could not embarrass them--as long as they are in power. That is what has to change. There was a complaint to the Ethics Board about Jim's conflict of interest in voting on this matter which clearly and financially benefitted his brother, and this matter 'disappeared' after a 'closed' meeting, which never officially happened---look in the minutes...---fellow GOP Board members in the majority at the time, were allowed to do that, by law. They can make anything disappear---even the letter of complaint. Ethics Board members are not at fault--. The Ethics Law is toothless. The Town Board simply made sure when they passed the it, that the ethics law could not embarrass them--as long as they are in power. That is what has to change. |
Here is a video taped segment of the conflict of interest complaint made at the Red Hook Ethics Board. Listen to the Town attorney's explanations and answers. The Town Attorney as ultimately disclosed at the end is appointed by... the Town Board. |
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Jim Ross has openly nominated his brother Tim Ross, for multiple positions, participated in the votes for his brother, aggressively advocated for, and voted to appoint this same brother, Tim Ross, as the chair of the Zoning Board for the 17? years he has been on the board.This has been an ongoing two decade conflict of interest.
| Last year at a town meeting a citizen confronted them about playing poker at one of Jim’s now infamous good ole boy poker parties with a developer only one week before a ZBA hearing on his development. (Meadowbrook Estates) They cautiously admitted it. After his brother was excused by the same Red Hook Ethics Board, of course appointed by Jim and the GOP majority, essentially endorsing open poker playing with applicants, Ross arrogantly put up a sign mocking anyone who would dare challenge that conflict of interest on his building. “Beware; Gambling and Loose Women" |
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Long before the housing crash Jim Ross gave his buddy, owner of the modular home company Creative Homes a 'hardship exemption' from the building moratorium for farmland. No hardship there. This, when only months before the parent company Chelsea Homes with then sales manager, Dick Wambach, former head of the Red Hook GOP, touted big sales in the Poughkeepsie Journal. No surprise, you’ll see a row of Republican signs in front of their offices every election.
Ross then advocated a reduction in the Town Recreation Park fees for pal Keith Lore and his 40 house proposal called "Anderson Commons"--fees we all pay when we build a house, which pay for all of us for the modest recreation facilities the town has----and who gets the reduction? The developers actually CAUSING the overcrowding at these facilities!!!.
How did Anderson Commons come about?
Keith Lore was one of the only developers able to take advantage of the few oportunities in the early stages of the working group plan. Lore was put ON the Working Group, while others opposed to his projects were told, because of their opposition to Lore, they were 'too controversial' and were left out of the group.
Lore's reward for his "Hard Work" with the group? Town approval for moving along the Anderson Commons project, again, 40+ houses to be located right on top of the Town's MAIN AQUIFER!!! In Addition---Ross then advocated a reduction in the Town Recreation Park fees for Lore's Anderson Commons and its 40 houses.
Speaking of Dick Wambach, Ross split the cost of the developing the town website into two parts so he didnt have to put the job out to bid, and gave him the job. This despite many requests for change and updating of the website.
Dick didn't stray too far as he now works on Assemblyman Marc Molinaro's staff. The same Marc Molinaro who was instrumental, as Mayor of Tivoli, in 'recommending' people for the Working Group in 2004---loading on Lore and a Creative Homes staffer, adding some quiet company, and excluding anyone known to be openly opposed to them.
In 2005 Jim Ross retaliated against Ruth Oja, who, for 25 years chaired the Conservation Advisory Committee, because she dared challenge Ross and his cohorts in a letter about the direction his actions were taking Red Hook. After a narrow re-election victory by Ross, Ojay’s 25 years of dedication to the town resulted in Ruth Oja immediately getting the axe despite a town-wide drive to keep her on the board
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See the petition and take a look at the comments .Here are the Town Board minutes for that meeting.
With all his conflicts of interest and controversial dealings he still had the gall to take former Supervisor Blum-Bump to the New York State Comptroller over her decision to use a town contracted lawyer concerning a map issue on a land deal that Jim’s good friend the Town Attorney Al Trezza was involved in. Ross publiicly attacked her for not using Trezza, who admitted he had a conflict of interest. Of course nothing came of his charges although he aggressively pursued the issue for months.
Of course, these are but a few highlights of his political career.Since we have been filming all board meetings for nearly 7 years, we have many more, but have only had time and space to detail a very few. We guarantee you---there are so many more, it would make your head spin. This guy really does not get it, time to get him OUT.
What we have here folks is a public servant who has long forgotten who he has been elected to serve, and has made life over the last 18 years pretty darned good for himself and all his friends. But now, with the downturn in the economy, the town of Red Hook faces some real challenges and there is no room for waste and favors dispensed by ANY town board member. What Jim calls experience in reality, has been a nice taxpayer- funded ride.
This has to change.
We feel that candidates like Bill O’Neill and Robert McKeon who have worked extremely hard for the community, in most cases without pay, are our obvious picks to bring our community through these difficult times. Bill and Robert have been working on a plan for Red Hook for the last 5 years and have not strayed from their mission. It’s the only real forward -thinking land use AND economic plan that has been presented in the last 20 years and we need a good direction.
It’s time to close the doors on the political career of Jim Ross. He’s got enough to get along just fine, we just don’t feel that the hard working taxpayers of this community can afford to provide him with anymore comfort.
Vote for our future and elect hardworking candidates Bill O’Neill and Robert McKeon for Town Board.