SUB FLUB

Another Tutunjian press release and therefore another episode of SLB.

Why re-invent the wheel? Police substation moving. Harry says city kicked out. Landlord says otherwise.

Last week when Mayor Harry Tutunjian announced the opening of the new substation in North Central, he said both at the podium and in his press release that the city had no choice but to move out of the Lansingburgh location because the building's owner, Northeast Shuttle Services Inc., was expanding. At the podium, the mayor said: "At the same time of the foreclosure, the city was faced with another difficult decision. Our substation in Lansingburgh, which has been there for several years, was recently purchased by Northeast Shuttle ... that business is growing and expanding and they have expansion plans in the future and they asked us to move out of that location if we could."

The press release said: "Tutunjian said that the city was forced to begin looking for new premises for a substation when Northeast Shuttle purchased the building the city had been occupying and moved its national offices to Troy." Northeast Shuttle President Jay Hamel sent us an email Thursday saying he had never asked the city to leave the Lansingburgh building.

In fact, Hamel provided us with a copy of a letter he sent to the mayor that stated:"The city has been a good tenant, and we enjoy having the police substation in our building. If the city has an opportunity to move the satellite station to a location that the city owns, or one that is more suited to the city's needs, we want to accommodate you, and we will gladly release you from the lease. In that regard, are you interested in being released from your obligations under the lease? If you are, we can determine what date fits the city's needs the best, and proceed accordingly."

The full story here.


Want to know if Harry lied in his press release? Ask for a copy of the lease. Either the city broke the contract or Jay Hamel did and does it really sound like Hamel did? Hamel handled the situation with grace, a commodity unknown, and thus unappreciated, at City Hall.

We're not saying Tutunjian is crooked. We're just saying he has to unscrew his socks at night.

BAUER OUT

Old news by now and not much to add. After demonstrating where service as a Troy City Councilman is on his list of priorities, Hank Bauer has dropped his quest for the DA's office. Chances are that Bauer will run again for City Council.

The real question is why? As Council President, Bauer has conducted meetings with professionalism. On occasion he has displayed an unfamiliarity with Robert's Rules and the Troy City Code which is easily forgivable. Not everyone is a gifted parliamentarian. Still, with a council majority, he has initiated no legislation, has failed to make any issue his own and has failed to protect the independence of the legislative branch of government.

Probably the biggest waste of talent Troy has seen in some time. No doubt the area papers will eagerly endorse him for re-election.

One Troy would-be GOP pol cannot be happy with Hank's back-flip into the council race. He had hoped to get Miner out of the race so he could secure the nomination. Bauer's return means he'll be on the sidelines for another election season.