As a reporter covering North Tonawanda, it was never my role to give my opinion about the local news I was covering. Even though I was a columnist, I was a reporter first. That is why, as a columnist, my focus was often local, but it was never formed by serious local news.
Now you may be wondering why I wrote that previous paragraph like I’m no longer a reporter at the Tonawanda News. Well, as of next week, I won’t be. I’m taking over as the editor of Night & Day, the weekly entertainment guide that comes to your doorstep every Thursday in this paper and others.
Yes, I’m leaving, and though I’m staying in the same building, this will be my last column. It’s been fun. And since I’m moving along, I figured, now is the time to offer my opinions on a few things I’ve been covering for the last 23 months in North Tonawanda. Humbly, a few general thoughts from one reporter.
n City government
Nobody should believe that a mayor and common council must always get along with each other. Arguments and colliding viewpoints are often healthy, especially when they’re for the good of the city and its residents.
However, quarrels and disagreements created solely for political reasons are silly, and much worse, work toward the detriment of city residents.
Both North Tonawanda Mayor Larry Soos (Democrat) and members of the North Tonawanda Common Council, most notably council President Brett Sommer (Republican), are too willing to argue for the sake of making the other side look bad. And when decisions are made for that reason, the losers are the taxpayers.
When you hear a North Tonawanda city official saying, “It’s political,” sadly, the statement usually seems to be true in the end. Why these people are so political is another question entirely. There’s an inferiority complex involved here, running a city sandwiched between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, but who needs the theories? People want results.
Soos and Sommer certainly have their good attributes, as do most of the council members, especially new council member Dennis Pasiak, who seems to be completely genuine in his motives to improve the quality of life for city residents.
That being said, all of these people should be trying their hardest to run the city as best they can without worrying about how “the other side” is going to look. Sometimes, they do their best. But sometimes isn’t enough.
n School district
It’s no secret that North Tonawanda Superintendent of Schools Vincent Vecchiarella and the Tonawanda News don’t have the best relationship. Ever since I wrote a story detailing Vecchiarella’s shaky past as a superintendent in other districts, communication has been poor from his end.
But I’m not writing this for personal revenge or any other personal reasons. I’m a professional. I’ve moved on from that story. Vecchiarella seems to be doing a decent job at working with the school board when it comes to controlling the district’s budget, and the capital improvement project looks like a good idea. Whatever ends up happening with the Gersh lawsuit will be another key to evaluating Vecchiarella’s effectiveness.
But it certainly would help if Vecchiarella wasn’t so elusive and secretive. Too many times, I tried to get in touch with him about school-related issues and never got a response. By extension, the entire school district often comes off as elusive and secretive, which is inexcusable.
And then there’s the school board, famous (or infamous) for talking in circles, for hours on end during meetings. Perhaps it would benefit the board to meet more often, so everyone can understand the issues completely before discussing the issues publicly.
n Wal-Mart
There’s so much passion on this issue, more so than anything else I encountered while covering the city. Everything has been said. Almost everyone seems to have an opinion.
Wal-Mart made its initial proposal to the North Tonawanda Planning Commission on the project in December 2006. One thing that everyone should agree on is this: It’s time for a decision.
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