Cheers!

Joe

Toastmasters is an educational program that provides training to enhance speaking and leadership skills. Our club provides a laboratory experience (i.e. members get to practice) to develop these skills in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. It is the most cost-effective program there is that I know of to develop your speaking skills.

Come visit us sometime. We love having guests, many of whom become members, at our meetings.

Ruth H. Kelly

You know, I was filled with such mixed emotions after last night. On the one hand I was thrilled that I dragged myself up there and looked Council in the eyes and delivered my sh*t. But on the other hand it feels like trying to move an immovable object.

The bottom line for me at this point in my life is this… my children are going to be the ones who have to deal with what we do (or don’t do). Time is passing us by quickly and Rochester is at least a generation behind other cities when it comes to planning and revitalization. I can’t watch this from the sidelines and feel good about myself.

Anyway, enough ranting. I’d just ask anyone who reads this to consider setting aside some time to write an email or a letter and then follow it up with a phone call or a visit to City Hall. It doesn’t have to be this topic specifically. Anything. Hop to it.

I was there last night and considered speaking. I had been thinking all day on what I would say that pretty much wasn’t covered at the planning commission meeting. I couldn’t think of a lot. It wasn’t until I got home last night that I realised, I was probably only one of a very few if not the only one that actually took the bus to the meeting.

I could have discussed points of how the current bus system doesn’t not allow for easy travel for many riders due to the routes that end up on Main Street. Going to my sister’s (a 10-15 min car ride) takes 1hr 12 mins by bus. I could have spoke for the people who, especially during this economy, rely on the bus for travel because unemployment limits my income and the ability to repair my car. Rent and food come first.

My God do I fee like an idiot. I am sorry for not thinking of this earlier! it may have made a bigger impact.

According to the news last night, it’s still not finalised. Legislation is still pending an environmental study as well as a couple other things.

I am going to send an email to all city council members, as well as the mayor with a more detailed explanation of what I have said.

Good work for sticking up for Rochester, I just wished I would have!

9-2=RGRTA Rules=We Lose=Duffy tells me the RGRTA is too powerful for him & city council.

http://www.harrydavis2010.com/node/295

The problem with this stupid city is it is stupid. “Well, were’re not perfect.” some will say. I say, “You don’t even have a clue how to TRY to be perfect!”

D&C, that means YOU! Idiots. Tell Tony DiMarzo and his Warner tenants to skip out on the multi-million Warner building, residentail development in downtown to make way for a bus barn? This city, well, I left in the 80′s cause of this foolishness & I should have stayed away.
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“Rochester City Council Should Vote Yes to keep Transit moving”
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100615/OPINION04/6150301/1…
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Rochester City Council voted 7-2 to abandon Mortimer Street for the bus barn. I spoke with Beth Osborn today, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy for Livability projects in DC. Ms. Osborn had attempted to arrange a conference call today with all ROC city council members to show them how they can support President Obama and build an inter-modal transit station in Rochester. This conversation did not occur because Senator Chuck Schumer, who holds the purse strings to the $52million for Mortimer, made sure Ms. Osborn would not have her free speech and talk to Rochester’s “leaders.”

My 7 years of hanging around Rochester politicians and knowing the current crop very well leads me to surmise that City Council President Lovely Warren called her mentor, NYS Assembly Member David Gantt, Mr. Transportation in Albany, and told him of the attempted conversation. Gantt said “NO!” and Gantt called Senator Schumer who told DOT & Ms. Osborn this conversation would stop.

Again, Ms. Osborn told me three times today she was afraid of being fired from her DOT job because of her attempt to tell Rochester of it’s transportation alternatives. After the meetinmg tonight, Bonnie & I had a conversation with Mayor Duffy who essentially told us that the RGRTA is too powerful. It is an Authority and the Mayor of Rochester and City Council do not have the power to stop them from doing what they want. Again, three times Deputy Secretary Osborn told me she was afraid of being fire from her position.

Oh, and Duffy told me “Tony DiMarzo & I are friends and we will continue to be friends!” WTF does that have anything to do with anything??

I say, “Is that how friends treat friends?”

http://www.harrydavis2010.com/node/291