POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 8th 2026 Edition
"POESTENKILL RAMPS UP ITS RETALIATORY HATE CAMPAIGN IN ITS EFFORT TO SUPPRESS DISSENT IN POESTENKILL - TURNS LIBERTY LANE INTO A WAR ZONE WITH ITS LOYAL POLITICAL SOLDIERS HAVING NOT ONE BUT TWO SETS OF LIGHT TRAP AMBUSHES IN ACTION!"
Yes, people, it is and has been very well known by those of us who have lived our lives in this town that what is known as "political Poestenkill," that being the small group of people who actually run this town, is not only very intolerant of dissent but is also prone to doing violence in one form or another to anyone who dares to actually stand up and do something about fighting corruption and maladministration in this town that goes back in time in an unbroken chain to the 1980's.
How many times, for example, have we witnessed Deputy Poestenkill Supervisor Burzesi use his office as a town officer to publicly attack Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing for having dared to open his mouth in this town to speak out against the same issues while no one else on the town board made any effort to rein their fellow Republican in and speak to him, about the impropriety of his actions?
At least three times, was it not, not counting the efforts of Frank Burzesi as the councilman liaison to the Zoning Board to deny Patrick Wing his constitutional right to petition the Zoning Board for redress of grievance, which is why Frank is now a defendant in a law suit that is costing us thousands of dollars as the town uses our tax dollars to provide protection for Frank by hiring him a team of slick and fancy Albany lawyers.
And when we look at the 2026 organizational chart, we notice that the same Frank Burzesi who is very intolerant of the concept of freedom of speech and freedom of thought in Poestenkill is now in charge of code enforcement in the town, and big surprise, we have the light trap ambushes in active operation!
As to the location of the light traps, reliable witnesses have located them on the north side of the west end of Liberty Lane just before Weatherwax Road, that being the stretch known as "Hate Alley" or "Ambush Alley," one on the yellow house and one on the brick house, which also is the source of Poestenkill's famous Nazi Concentration Camp spotlights.
How these light trap ambushes work is really quite simple - there is the spotlight, and there is a trigger of some sort, that is timed in such a manner that when a car passes the trigger, the spotlight comes on to hit the driver in the eyes to make them feel like they have just been ambushed to make them feel unsafe in Poestenkill, which of course is the purpose of the exercise - intimidation, plain and simple.
Which brings us to the serious question of the ramifications to the town taxpayers when as here, a Poestenkill councilman is alleged to have combined with the state police, the town CEO, and partisan political soldiers in the town to harass and intimidate a licensed engineer investigating corruption in the town by hitting him in the eyes with a spotlight as he passes on the road to and from his home.
As alleged, that coordinated effort by a town councilman, police, and others to harass, intimidate, and intentionally blind a licensed engineer with spotlights while driving is actionable under both New York State and federal law, as such behavior, especially when involving "color of law" (public officials acting in their official capacity to harass), constitutes serious misconduct, potential criminal harassment, and civil rights violations as harassing an engineer investigating corruption is viewed as a violation of First Amendment rights (retaliation for exercising free speech or petitioning the government) or a violation of Due Process.
Is Poestenkill simply too stupid to understand this message?
Most likely.
THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 10th 2026 Edition
"POESTENKILL PUTS FORTH ITS IGNORANT UGLY SIDE FOR ALL THE CANDID WORLD TO SEE AS IT RAMPS UP ITS RETALIATORY HATE CAMPAIGN IN ITS EFFORT TO SUPPRESS DISSENT IN POESTENKILL - LIBERTY LANE A WAR ZONE WITH ITS LOYAL POLITICAL SOLDIERS HAVING NOT ONE BUT TWO SETS OF LIGHT TRAP AMBUSHES IN ACTION - POESTENKILL ENLISTS ITS 'DOGGERS' AS WELL TO WAGE SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAMPAIGN - POESTENKILL DOSEN'T TALK, IT HITS!"
Yes, people, for a very long time now, going back to the 1980's, at least, Poestenkill has had a "political machine" in power, an ignorant but violent small-town oligarchy or junto who have been running this town for their benefit and that of their cronies as if it were for them a matter of right, and as history demonstrates, what is known as "political Poestenkill" is not only very intolerant of dissent but is also prone to doing violence in one form or another to anyone who dares to actually stand up and do something about fighting corruption and maladministration in this town that goes back in time in an unbroken chain to the 1980's.
As to the location of the light traps, of course, they are quite easy to see, and when triggered by a passing car on Liberty Lane, the lights on the yellow house and on the brick house, which also is the source of Poestenkill's famous Nazi Concentration Camp spotlights, on the north side of the west end of Liberty Lane just before Weatherwax Road, the stretch known as "Hate Alley" or "Ambush Alley," can be seen from Rt. 66
The psychological purpose of the light trap ambushes is really quite simple.
As has been stated, there is the spotlight, and there is a trigger of some sort, that is timed in such a manner that when a car passes the trigger, the spotlight comes on to hit the driver in the eyes to make them feel like they have just been ambushed to make them feel unsafe in Poestenkill, which of course is the purpose of the exercise - intimidation, plain and simple, which is very effective.
As to "dogging" and sleep deprivation, Poestenkill has also enlisted another of its loyal political soldiers, a "dogger," to conduct a sleep deprivation campaign by setting a large dog to barking at various times during the night to deprive the target of the intimidation effort sleep so as to affect their health.
Reliable sources place the source of the barking at the end of what is called "Beagle Run Way" in Poestenkill.
This escalation, of course, and not surprisingly, began right after our new supervisor came into office, and has been continuous since then.
Why does Poestenkill protect ignorance and violence?
Perhaps that is a question Ms. Garafolo can soon address.
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 10th 2026 Edition
"POESTENKILL PUTS FORTH ITS IGNORANT UGLY SIDE FOR ALL THE CANDID WORLD TO SEE AS IT RAMPS UP ITS RETALIATORY HATE CAMPAIGN IN ITS EFFORT TO SUPPRESS DISSENT IN POESTENKILL - LIBERTY LANE A WAR ZONE WITH ITS LOYAL POLITICAL SOLDIERS HAVING NOT ONE BUT TWO SETS OF LIGHT TRAP AMBUSHES IN ACTION - POESTENKILL ENLISTS ITS 'DOGGERS' AS WELL TO WAGE SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAMPAIGN - POESTENKILL DOSEN'T TALK, IT HITS!"
Yes, people, for a very long time now, going back to the 1980's, at least, Poestenkill has had a "political machine" in power, an ignorant but violent small-town oligarchy or junto who have been running this town for their benefit and that of their cronies as if it were for them a matter of right, and as history demonstrates, what is known as "political Poestenkill" is not only very intolerant of dissent but is also prone to doing violence in one form or another to anyone who dares to actually stand up and do something about fighting corruption and maladministration in this town that goes back in time in an unbroken chain to the 1980's.
As to the location of the light traps, of course, they are quite easy to see, and when triggered by a passing car on Liberty Lane, the lights on the yellow house and on the brick house, which also is the source of Poestenkill's famous Nazi Concentration Camp spotlights, on the north side of the west end of Liberty Lane just before Weatherwax Road, the stretch known as "Hate Alley" or "Ambush Alley," can be seen from Rt. 66
The psychological purpose of the light trap ambushes is really quite simple.
As has been stated, there is the spotlight, and there is a trigger of some sort, that is timed in such a manner that when a car passes the trigger, the spotlight comes on to hit the driver in the eyes to make them feel like they have just been ambushed to make them feel unsafe in Poestenkill, which of course is the purpose of the exercise - intimidation, plain and simple, which is very effective.
As to "dogging" and sleep deprivation, Poestenkill has also enlisted another of its loyal political soldiers, a "dogger," to conduct a sleep deprivation campaign by setting a large dog to barking at various times during the night to deprive the target of the intimidation effort sleep so as to affect their health.
Reliable sources place the source of the barking at the end of what is called "Beagle Run Way" in Poestenkill.
This escalation, of course, and not surprisingly, began right after our new supervisor came into office, and has been continuous since then.
Why does Poestenkill protect ignorance and violence?
Perhaps that is a question Ms. Garafolo can soon address.
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 12th 2026 Edition
"ON POESTENKILL'S IGNORANT UGLY SIDE - THE RIGHT TO PETITION FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCE - A FURTHER CIVICS LESSON - 'UNDER COLOR OF LAW' - POESTENKILL DOSEN'T TALK, IT HITS!"
As to the civics lesson, let us start with this pertinent question, to wit: where the governing body of a municipal corporation as defined by Town Law 2 is denying a resident of the municipal corporation the right to petition for redress of a corrupt act by municipal corporation officers, does that affect only the individual, or does it affect each resident?
And of course, it should be obvious that I am referring to the Poestenkill town board through Frank Burzesi and former town attorney Ian Silverman denying Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing his right to petition Poestenkill's ZBA for redress of grievance related to Poestenkill code enforcer officer Tracy Church wiping the violation slate for Joe Hitchcock clean to make it appear as if Joe never in his life even thought of violating the town code, let alone actually did it, as was made crystal clear by Poestenkill town attorney Jack Casey on November 19, 2020 at the Poestenkill Town Board meeting with Keith Hammond present as supervisor along with councilpersons June Butler, David Hass, Harold Van Slyke, and Eric Wohlleber, as Poestenkill Town Attorney Jack Casey discussed on the record the fact that Joseph Hitchcock, residing at 160 Lynn Road, Poestenkill, New York, was and had been in violation of the Town Laws for some time and that the Town could not just let that continue without taking action, which according to the official minutes of that meeting, he confirmed with Tracy Church, the Poestenkill Town Code Enforcement Officer.
As to the answer, in New York, when the governing body of a municipal corporation (as defined by Town Law) denies a resident the right to petition for redress of a corrupt act by municipal officers, the action affects all residents, not just the individual, because it fundamentally undermines the democratic oversight of public funds and the integrity of local government.
And of course, as we who have been in this town going back in time to the Christian P. Momrow/Patrick Tomaselli/Keith Hammond days and coming back forward from then to here know full well that this conduct is intended to fundamentally undermine the democratic oversight of public funds and the integrity of local government, because the ruling Junto of Poestenkill does like to be questioned, or called to account, or held responsible, and they want everybody in Poestenkill to know that, as they have been proving with their Liberty Lane war zone.
Going back to the right to petition for redress, under General Municipal Law § 51, taxpayers have the standing to maintain actions against public officers to prevent "waste or injury to, or to restore and make good, any property, funds or estate" of a municipality, such as the $225,000 Tracy Church agreed to pay Joe Hitchcock in order to induce (bribe?) Joe in to dropping civil rights charges against Tracy, and a denial of this right directly damages the collective interest of all taxpayers.
Bottom line, the right to petition for redress of grievances is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and applies to all residents, and acts of "corrupting the government" in New York (Penal Law § 496) are defined as schemes that defraud a political subdivision (town, village, etc.) of its resources.
Therefore, corruption by definition impacts the entire municipal entity.
To close, governing bodies have a fiduciary duty to the municipality, so that if, as here, a governing body covers up corruption, it acts against the interests of the entire community.
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 12th 2026 Edition
"ON POESTENKILL'S IGNORANT UGLY SIDE - THE RIGHT TO PETITION FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCE - A FURTHER CIVICS LESSON - 'UNDER COLOR OF LAW' - POESTENKILL DOSEN'T TALK, IT HITS!"
As to the civics lesson, let us start with this pertinent question, to wit: where the governing body of a municipal corporation as defined by Town Law 2 is denying a resident of the municipal corporation the right to petition for redress of a corrupt act by municipal corporation officers, does that affect only the individual, or does it affect each resident?
And of course, it should be obvious that I am referring to the Poestenkill town board through Frank Burzesi and former town attorney Ian Silverman denying Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing his right to petition Poestenkill's ZBA for redress of grievance related to Poestenkill code enforcer officer Tracy Church wiping the violation slate for Joe Hitchcock clean to make it appear as if Joe never in his life even thought of violating the town code, let alone actually did it, as was made crystal clear by Poestenkill town attorney Jack Casey on November 19, 2020 at the Poestenkill Town Board meeting with Keith Hammond present as supervisor along with councilpersons June Butler, David Hass, Harold Van Slyke, and Eric Wohlleber, as Poestenkill Town Attorney Jack Casey discussed on the record the fact that Joseph Hitchcock, residing at 160 Lynn Road, Poestenkill, New York, was and had been in violation of the Town Laws for some time and that the Town could not just let that continue without taking action, which according to the official minutes of that meeting, he confirmed with Tracy Church, the Poestenkill Town Code Enforcement Officer.
As to the answer, in New York, when the governing body of a municipal corporation (as defined by Town Law) denies a resident the right to petition for redress of a corrupt act by municipal officers, the action affects all residents, not just the individual, because it fundamentally undermines the democratic oversight of public funds and the integrity of local government.
And of course, as we who have been in this town going back in time to the Christian P. Momrow/Patrick Tomaselli/Keith Hammond days and coming back forward from then to here know full well that this conduct is intended to fundamentally undermine the democratic oversight of public funds and the integrity of local government, because the ruling Junto of Poestenkill does like to be questioned, or called to account, or held responsible, and they want everybody in Poestenkill to know that, as they have been proving with their Liberty Lane war zone.
Going back to the right to petition for redress, under General Municipal Law § 51, taxpayers have the standing to maintain actions against public officers to prevent "waste or injury to, or to restore and make good, any property, funds or estate" of a municipality, such as the $225,000 Tracy Church agreed to pay Joe Hitchcock in order to induce (bribe?) Joe in to dropping civil rights charges against Tracy, and a denial of this right directly damages the collective interest of all taxpayers.
Bottom line, the right to petition for redress of grievances is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and applies to all residents, and acts of "corrupting the government" in New York (Penal Law § 496) are defined as schemes that defraud a political subdivision (town, village, etc.) of its resources.
Therefore, corruption by definition impacts the entire municipal entity.
To close, governing bodies have a fiduciary duty to the municipality, so that if, as here, a governing body covers up corruption, it acts against the interests of the entire community.
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 15th 2026 Edition
"SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ARTICLE 78 PROCESS IN NY - MICHELLE GARAFOLO AND THE 'TAKE CARE' CLAUSE - FRANK BURZESI AND 'UNDER COLOR OF LAW' - FURTHER CIVICS LESSONS!"
And before we can talk intelligently about the Article 78 process in NY, and newly-elected Republican Poestenkill town supervisor Michelle Garafolo and the "take care" clause of the New York state Constitution as it applies to Michelle as chief executive officer of Poestenkill, and Frank Burzesi and the term "under color of law," we really need to confront this very basic question which is very pertinent to the times we are in right now here in Poestenkill, to wit:
Q: Is the inhabitant of a municipal corporation pursuant to NY Town Law 2 a citizen of the municipal corporation owing fealty to the municipal corporation, or a United States citizen owing a duty to the US Constitution?
And given that that question in essence forms the crux of the civil rights lawsuit presently pending against Deputy Poestenkill supervisor Frank Burzesi, NYSPE, former-but-not-no-more town attorney Ian Silverman, ZBA attorney Larry Howard, Poestenkill code enforcer officer Tracy Church, ZBA head Tim Hoffay, ZBA members Abigail Gelder, Donna Kamkar, Nicole Heckelman, Paul Jamison and Stephanie Volkmann, before we go further it is essential to confront it at this time to understand exactly where the actions of these defendants have landed the town of Poestenkill and its taxpayers who are on the hook for the legal costs to defend conduct that is actually quite indefensible.
As to the answer to that question, it is as follows, and this really is something everybody in this town should know, starting with all of the lawyers this town seems plagued with, to wit:
Pursuant to New York Town Law § 2, an inhabitant of a town (a municipal corporation) is a resident within its geographical boundaries, but the legal structure does not make them a "citizen of the municipal corporation" owing feudal fealty to it, which of course is contrary to what the rulers of the "Free and Independent Republic of Poestenkill" have been arguing for many years.
Instead, an inhabitant of a New York town is a United States citizen (and NY State resident) who, if they are an elector (voter), owe a duty to the United States and New York State Constitutions, and is subject to the local laws of that municipal corporation, where Town Law § 2 defines a town as a "municipal corporation comprising the inhabitants within its boundaries," formed to exercise powers and discharge duties of local government.
For the record, that New York state law does not designate inhabitants as "citizens" of the town in a sovereign sense, as towns are considered "involuntary subdivisions of the state" and not sovereign entities to which one owes feudal loyalty, which blows Poestenkill's position on the matter clean out of the water.
As was stated in Short v. Town of Orange, towns like Poestenkill are not free and independent republics, no matter how much towns like Poestenkill think they are; to the contrary, they are involuntary subdivisions of the State constituted for the purpose of the more convenient exercise of governmental functions by the State for the benefit of all its citizens.
As to the duties of the town of Poestenkill, the municipal corporation that is Poestenkill acts as an agent of the state for the benefit of all its citizens, not just the Republicans and card-carrying members of the Poestenkill Businessmen's Protective Association, and the "duties" described in the law refer to the responsibilities of the town government itself, not a feudal duty of the resident.
To conclude, while the term "inhabitant" implies a permanent domicile, that status as residents of Poestenkill does not replace our legal status as US/NY citizens.
We are not the property of Poestenkill to be disposed of as they wish when they wish.
We are residents of Poestenkill who are United States citizens governed by the US and NY Constitutions, living within and subject to the local laws of the town of Postenkill.
Were Poestenkill to have treated us as such, it is my thought that we would not now be facing tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees as we are now, thanks to Frank and Ian and Larry and Tracy and Tim and Abigail and Donna and Nicole and Paul and Stephanie.
Stay tuned, more on this important subject is yet to come!
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 15th 2026 Edition
"SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ARTICLE 78 PROCESS IN NY - MICHELLE GARAFOLO AND THE 'TAKE CARE' CLAUSE - FRANK BURZESI AND 'UNDER COLOR OF LAW' - FURTHER CIVICS LESSONS!"
And before we can talk intelligently about the Article 78 process in NY, and newly-elected Republican Poestenkill town supervisor Michelle Garafolo and the "take care" clause of the New York state Constitution as it applies to Michelle as chief executive officer of Poestenkill, and Frank Burzesi and the term "under color of law," we really need to confront this very basic question which is very pertinent to the times we are in right now here in Poestenkill, to wit:
Q: Is the inhabitant of a municipal corporation pursuant to NY Town Law 2 a citizen of the municipal corporation owing fealty to the municipal corporation, or a United States citizen owing a duty to the US Constitution?
And given that that question in essence forms the crux of the civil rights lawsuit presently pending against Deputy Poestenkill supervisor Frank Burzesi, NYSPE, former-but-not-no-more town attorney Ian Silverman, ZBA attorney Larry Howard, Poestenkill code enforcer officer Tracy Church, ZBA head Tim Hoffay, ZBA members Abigail Gelder, Donna Kamkar, Nicole Heckelman, Paul Jamison and Stephanie Volkmann, before we go further it is essential to confront it at this time to understand exactly where the actions of these defendants have landed the town of Poestenkill and its taxpayers who are on the hook for the legal costs to defend conduct that is actually quite indefensible.
As to the answer to that question, it is as follows, and this really is something everybody in this town should know, starting with all of the lawyers this town seems plagued with, to wit:
Pursuant to New York Town Law § 2, an inhabitant of a town (a municipal corporation) is a resident within its geographical boundaries, but the legal structure does not make them a "citizen of the municipal corporation" owing feudal fealty to it, which of course is contrary to what the rulers of the "Free and Independent Republic of Poestenkill" have been arguing for many years.
Instead, an inhabitant of a New York town is a United States citizen (and NY State resident) who, if they are an elector (voter), owe a duty to the United States and New York State Constitutions, and is subject to the local laws of that municipal corporation, where Town Law § 2 defines a town as a "municipal corporation comprising the inhabitants within its boundaries," formed to exercise powers and discharge duties of local government.
For the record, that New York state law does not designate inhabitants as "citizens" of the town in a sovereign sense, as towns are considered "involuntary subdivisions of the state" and not sovereign entities to which one owes feudal loyalty, which blows Poestenkill's position on the matter clean out of the water.
As was stated in Short v. Town of Orange, towns like Poestenkill are not free and independent republics, no matter how much towns like Poestenkill think they are; to the contrary, they are involuntary subdivisions of the State constituted for the purpose of the more convenient exercise of governmental functions by the State for the benefit of all its citizens.
As to the duties of the town of Poestenkill, the municipal corporation that is Poestenkill acts as an agent of the state for the benefit of all its citizens, not just the Republicans and card-carrying members of the Poestenkill Businessmen's Protective Association, and the "duties" described in the law refer to the responsibilities of the town government itself, not a feudal duty of the resident.
To conclude, while the term "inhabitant" implies a permanent domicile, that status as residents of Poestenkill does not replace our legal status as US/NY citizens.
We are not the property of Poestenkill to be disposed of as they wish when they wish.
We are residents of Poestenkill who are United States citizens governed by the US and NY Constitutions, living within and subject to the local laws of the town of Postenkill.
Were Poestenkill to have treated us as such, it is my thought that we would not now be facing tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees as we are now, thanks to Frank and Ian and Larry and Tracy and Tim and Abigail and Donna and Nicole and Paul and Stephanie.
Stay tuned, more on this important subject is yet to come!
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 16th 2026 Edition
"IN POESTENKILL, RETALIATION IS SWIFT AS GAZETTE ONCE AGAIN ENGAGES IN THE EXERCISE OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF POESTENKILL'S PROHIBITION ON THE EXERCISE OF FREE SPEECH ABSENT EXPRESS CONSENT TO DO FROM THE RULING BODY OF POESTENKILL - LIGHT TRAPS AND NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMP SPOTLIGHTS BLAZE IN LIBERTY LANE WAR ZONE AS GUARD DOG'S FEROCIOUS BARKING SHATTERS STILLNESS OF NIGHT - ON NON-CITIZENSHIP IN POESTENKILL!"
That the ruling Junto or Oligarchy of what they consider to be the Free and Independent Republic of Poestenkill in the mold of Boston Corners in Dutchess County to the south of us back in the 1800's, where Poestenkill remains mired to this day, has some very serious issues with respect to the exercise of free speech in this town is made patently clear by going back to the October 10, 2024 Town of Poestenkill Town Board Meeting (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MvxQjuiepY @ 42:26) where we witnessed and were confronted with Poestenkill councilman Frank Burzesi, NYSPE # #070866, now Michelle Garafolo's deputy, going off on Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing like a literal maniac (someone who is or acts mentally unsound, especially a person who behaves in a wildly foolish, reckless, or dangerous manner) because said Patrick Wing dared to exercise his First Amendment rights to speech in Poestenkill by publishing an informational pamphlet titled "The Poestenkill Spotlight," which conduct by Mr. Burzesi is a textbook example of a stupid person, which is to say someone having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense, and "stupidity" itself, which is to say behavior on the part of Mr. Burzesi as an officer of the Town of Poestenkill that shows a lack of good sense or judgment, which is why Frank was picked by Michelle to be her deputy.
So the wave of political retaliation following the publication of the 15 March 2026 Gazette on the subject of citizenship is hardly surprising, which brings us to this pertinent question, to wit:
Where, as was the case here in Poestenkill in June of 2025, the governing body of a municipal corporation pursuant to town law 2, in this case, the Poestenkill town board, has determined that an inhabitant of the municipal corporation, that being in this specific example Patrick Wing, although he is far from being the only one in this town, has no right to petition the municipal corporation, that being Poestenkill, for redress of grievance, has the governing body of said municipal corporation rendered the inhabitant a non-citizen?
And that this actually happened here in Poestenkill is not speculative by any means, as we who are interested clearly see in the sworn affidavits of Ian Silverman and Larry Howard which are presently before Rensselaer County Supreme Court arguing in favor of non-citizenship for Patrick Wing of Poestenkill, which takes us back to the Poestenkill Town Board Meeting for July 10, 2025 (cue, Youtube, Poestenkill Town Board Meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQGDuKCFl0 @.55) when Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing walked up and stood up at the podium, and then delivered the following address to not only the members of the Poestenkill town board who were present at the meeting (Supervisor Russell was said to have shown up lame at the starting game and so wasn't present), but to the residents of the town of Poestenkill, as well, to wit:
Members of the Town Board and fellow members of the community, thank you for attending tonight, and out of respect for everyone’s time, I will limit myself to one simple question to each of you: Supervisor Russell is not here, Councilpersons Burzesi, Butler, Wohlleber, and Hass.
Who among the Town Board members is responsible for requesting the Town Board Attorney, Ian Silverman, to review and judge the merits of my Request for Interpretation to the Zoning Board of Appeals and then dispatch him to Poestenkill ZBA meeting on the June 24th, 2025 to usurp authority of that board, and then direct them to single me out as a special case and thereby deny the due process that is afforded to me by the federal and state constitutions?
MR. WING: June, no?
Eric?
COUNCILMAN WOHLLEBER: The question being who gave him authority?
Is that the question?
Who?
MR. WING: Yes, well, who dispatched him?
Who asked him to review my application and dispatch him to that ZBA meeting?
COUNCILMAN WOHLLEBER: I don't know the answer to that question.
COUNCILMAN HASS: I'm innocent.
MR. WING: Innocent?
COUNCILMAN HASS: Yes.
MR. WING: Okay.
So, you guys have the authority to do that, and you did not give that to Ian?
That's correct?
COUNCILMAN HASS: I don't know if I know anything about that authority.
MR. WING: Alright!
I'm bringing up this question at this time because due to town board attorney Silverman's actions in the words of the ZBA meeting on June 24th, 2025, the town board, the town board collectively has a serious problem facing them.
Town board attorney Silverman has compromised the independence of the ZBA, guaranteeing that I have no right to a fair hearing in the matter of the interpretation I have brought before the ZBA.
I find this an unacceptable situation in this town and I am here tonight to make that a matter of record.
Thank you!
end quotes
At that meeting (cue, Youtube, Poestenkill Town Board Meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQGDuKCFl0 @1.51), we all clearly heard Frank Burzesi state that "I actually learned about it that day and everything was already decided that Tuesday," referring to the Poestenkill town board sending their lawyer Ian Silverman to the Poestenkill ZBA meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_GgTb6MiXw ) to direct that board to deny Patrick Wing his Constitutional right to a hearing before the ZBA regarding an agreement Poestenkill code enforcement officer Tracy Church entered into with Joe Hitchcock where Church agreed to pay Joe $225,000 in taxpayer funds and wipe his record of code violations clean.
Now, logically speaking here, if Frank Burzesi knew on 24 June 2025 that "everything was already decided that Tuesday," where the word "everything" is generally taken to mean all inclusive, then he obviously knew in considerable detail what went on behind closed doors and who was involved in the effort by the town board to deny Patrick Wing his right to petition the town for redress of grievance, a most basic Constitutional right in this country, which is a serious charge, indeed.
And my goodness, people, we are not imagining this happening, nor are we hallucinating, because it is there for all to see and hear on Youtube, which makes it impossible for these politicians like Frank Burzesi to say, "I never said that!"
And that is the gist of the civil rights lawsuit now confronting the taxpayers of Poestenkill where Mr. Wing is not asking the Court to believe a word he said.
To the contrary, he is asking the Court to believe every word Poestenkill has said on the record, and to then rule on the propriety and legality of Poestenkill's position in the matter that it is in fact the Poestenkill town board and Poestenkill town attorney who have exclusive control over who in Poestenkill has the right to petition for redress, which is actually nobody, since Poestenkill does not allow petitions for redress of grievance, which is why the Poestenkill taxpayers are now confronted with tens of thousands of dollars of legal bills, which takes us back to the fact that under New York and federal law, a municipal corporation such as Poestenkill has no authority to render an inhabitant like Patrick Wing a "non-citizen" or to revoke their citizenship status.
Here in America, citizenship is defined by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and federal law, not by the Poestenkill town board, and only the federal government can grant or revoke citizenship.
Where a town or municipal corporation like Poestenkill is a creature of the state, created only to carry out local government functions, it clearly has no power over national citizenship.
As to the right to petition the government for redress of grievances, it is a fundamental right protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the New York Constitution, and while local governments can place reasonable "time, place, and manner" restrictions on how petitions are submitted, they cannot constitutionally extinguish the right itself as they tried to do in June of 2025 in the case of Patrick Wing.
As to the serious ramifications of that brainless action by the Poestenkill town board for the taxpayers of this town, by their refusal to accept the Wing petition, the Poestenkill town board has placed itself in violation of the First Amendment, thus allowing the inhabitant, in this case, Mr. Wing, to pursue legal remedies in state or federal court under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which process he has now started.
Whether he will take this matter to federal court is of course an unknown at this point in time, but it is fair to say that it is hoped in Poestenkill that Mr. Wing does take the town to federal court, because until these politicians in this town find themselves facing serious federal charges coupled with a taxpayer revolt, absolutely nothing will change in this town and it will remain bidness as usual!
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 16th 2026 Edition
"IN POESTENKILL, RETALIATION IS SWIFT AS GAZETTE ONCE AGAIN ENGAGES IN THE EXERCISE OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF POESTENKILL'S PROHIBITION ON THE EXERCISE OF FREE SPEECH ABSENT EXPRESS CONSENT TO DO FROM THE RULING BODY OF POESTENKILL - LIGHT TRAPS AND NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMP SPOTLIGHTS BLAZE IN LIBERTY LANE WAR ZONE AS GUARD DOG'S FEROCIOUS BARKING SHATTERS STILLNESS OF NIGHT - ON NON-CITIZENSHIP IN POESTENKILL!"
That the ruling Junto or Oligarchy of what they consider to be the Free and Independent Republic of Poestenkill in the mold of Boston Corners in Dutchess County to the south of us back in the 1800's, where Poestenkill remains mired to this day, has some very serious issues with respect to the exercise of free speech in this town is made patently clear by going back to the October 10, 2024 Town of Poestenkill Town Board Meeting (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MvxQjuiepY @ 42:26) where we witnessed and were confronted with Poestenkill councilman Frank Burzesi, NYSPE # #070866, now Michelle Garafolo's deputy, going off on Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing like a literal maniac (someone who is or acts mentally unsound, especially a person who behaves in a wildly foolish, reckless, or dangerous manner) because said Patrick Wing dared to exercise his First Amendment rights to speech in Poestenkill by publishing an informational pamphlet titled "The Poestenkill Spotlight," which conduct by Mr. Burzesi is a textbook example of a stupid person, which is to say someone having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense, and "stupidity" itself, which is to say behavior on the part of Mr. Burzesi as an officer of the Town of Poestenkill that shows a lack of good sense or judgment, which is why Frank was picked by Michelle to be her deputy.
So the wave of political retaliation following the publication of the 15 March 2026 Gazette on the subject of citizenship is hardly surprising, which brings us to this pertinent question, to wit:
Where, as was the case here in Poestenkill in June of 2025, the governing body of a municipal corporation pursuant to town law 2, in this case, the Poestenkill town board, has determined that an inhabitant of the municipal corporation, that being in this specific example Patrick Wing, although he is far from being the only one in this town, has no right to petition the municipal corporation, that being Poestenkill, for redress of grievance, has the governing body of said municipal corporation rendered the inhabitant a non-citizen?
And that this actually happened here in Poestenkill is not speculative by any means, as we who are interested clearly see in the sworn affidavits of Ian Silverman and Larry Howard which are presently before Rensselaer County Supreme Court arguing in favor of non-citizenship for Patrick Wing of Poestenkill, which takes us back to the Poestenkill Town Board Meeting for July 10, 2025 (cue, Youtube, Poestenkill Town Board Meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQGDuKCFl0 @.55) when Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing walked up and stood up at the podium, and then delivered the following address to not only the members of the Poestenkill town board who were present at the meeting (Supervisor Russell was said to have shown up lame at the starting game and so wasn't present), but to the residents of the town of Poestenkill, as well, to wit:
Members of the Town Board and fellow members of the community, thank you for attending tonight, and out of respect for everyone’s time, I will limit myself to one simple question to each of you: Supervisor Russell is not here, Councilpersons Burzesi, Butler, Wohlleber, and Hass.
Who among the Town Board members is responsible for requesting the Town Board Attorney, Ian Silverman, to review and judge the merits of my Request for Interpretation to the Zoning Board of Appeals and then dispatch him to Poestenkill ZBA meeting on the June 24th, 2025 to usurp authority of that board, and then direct them to single me out as a special case and thereby deny the due process that is afforded to me by the federal and state constitutions?
MR. WING: June, no?
Eric?
COUNCILMAN WOHLLEBER: The question being who gave him authority?
Is that the question?
Who?
MR. WING: Yes, well, who dispatched him?
Who asked him to review my application and dispatch him to that ZBA meeting?
COUNCILMAN WOHLLEBER: I don't know the answer to that question.
COUNCILMAN HASS: I'm innocent.
MR. WING: Innocent?
COUNCILMAN HASS: Yes.
MR. WING: Okay.
So, you guys have the authority to do that, and you did not give that to Ian?
That's correct?
COUNCILMAN HASS: I don't know if I know anything about that authority.
MR. WING: Alright!
I'm bringing up this question at this time because due to town board attorney Silverman's actions in the words of the ZBA meeting on June 24th, 2025, the town board, the town board collectively has a serious problem facing them.
Town board attorney Silverman has compromised the independence of the ZBA, guaranteeing that I have no right to a fair hearing in the matter of the interpretation I have brought before the ZBA.
I find this an unacceptable situation in this town and I am here tonight to make that a matter of record.
Thank you!
end quotes
At that meeting (cue, Youtube, Poestenkill Town Board Meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQGDuKCFl0 @1.51), we all clearly heard Frank Burzesi state that "I actually learned about it that day and everything was already decided that Tuesday," referring to the Poestenkill town board sending their lawyer Ian Silverman to the Poestenkill ZBA meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_GgTb6MiXw ) to direct that board to deny Patrick Wing his Constitutional right to a hearing before the ZBA regarding an agreement Poestenkill code enforcement officer Tracy Church entered into with Joe Hitchcock where Church agreed to pay Joe $225,000 in taxpayer funds and wipe his record of code violations clean.
Now, logically speaking here, if Frank Burzesi knew on 24 June 2025 that "everything was already decided that Tuesday," where the word "everything" is generally taken to mean all inclusive, then he obviously knew in considerable detail what went on behind closed doors and who was involved in the effort by the town board to deny Patrick Wing his right to petition the town for redress of grievance, a most basic Constitutional right in this country, which is a serious charge, indeed.
And my goodness, people, we are not imagining this happening, nor are we hallucinating, because it is there for all to see and hear on Youtube, which makes it impossible for these politicians like Frank Burzesi to say, "I never said that!"
And that is the gist of the civil rights lawsuit now confronting the taxpayers of Poestenkill where Mr. Wing is not asking the Court to believe a word he said.
To the contrary, he is asking the Court to believe every word Poestenkill has said on the record, and to then rule on the propriety and legality of Poestenkill's position in the matter that it is in fact the Poestenkill town board and Poestenkill town attorney who have exclusive control over who in Poestenkill has the right to petition for redress, which is actually nobody, since Poestenkill does not allow petitions for redress of grievance, which is why the Poestenkill taxpayers are now confronted with tens of thousands of dollars of legal bills, which takes us back to the fact that under New York and federal law, a municipal corporation such as Poestenkill has no authority to render an inhabitant like Patrick Wing a "non-citizen" or to revoke their citizenship status.
Here in America, citizenship is defined by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and federal law, not by the Poestenkill town board, and only the federal government can grant or revoke citizenship.
Where a town or municipal corporation like Poestenkill is a creature of the state, created only to carry out local government functions, it clearly has no power over national citizenship.
As to the right to petition the government for redress of grievances, it is a fundamental right protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the New York Constitution, and while local governments can place reasonable "time, place, and manner" restrictions on how petitions are submitted, they cannot constitutionally extinguish the right itself as they tried to do in June of 2025 in the case of Patrick Wing.
As to the serious ramifications of that brainless action by the Poestenkill town board for the taxpayers of this town, by their refusal to accept the Wing petition, the Poestenkill town board has placed itself in violation of the First Amendment, thus allowing the inhabitant, in this case, Mr. Wing, to pursue legal remedies in state or federal court under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which process he has now started.
Whether he will take this matter to federal court is of course an unknown at this point in time, but it is fair to say that it is hoped in Poestenkill that Mr. Wing does take the town to federal court, because until these politicians in this town find themselves facing serious federal charges coupled with a taxpayer revolt, absolutely nothing will change in this town and it will remain bidness as usual!
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 17th 2026 Edition
"FRANK BURZESI AND 'UNDER COLOR OF LAW'!"
Poestenkill is a town that rules through a system of rewards for those who are its friends, and punishments for those it considers its enemies, and as such, it can't afford to be seen as stinting (supply an ungenerous or inadequate amount of) in the delivery of either, especially the punishments, which must be public to be of practical value, and nobody here in Poestenkill knows that better than our very own Frank Burzesi, NYSPE, formerly a mere Republican councilman, now a deputy supervisor and the strong right hand of Republican Michelle Garafolo, there to do her reading for her when she gets overtaxed by the effort as was the case during her inaugural performance on 8 January 2026 when faithful Frank was there to read her resolutions for her, as at that time, the task of reading those resolutions was beyond her skill level.
As to rewards and punishments, let's go back in time to Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM, at which time Stephanie Volkmann, the "clerk" of the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals, sent out the following e-mail to Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Jamison, Paul <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law- shm.com>, Tracy Church <tchurch@poestenkillny.com>, and Tom Russell <TRussell@poestenkillny.com >, wherein was stated in relevant part as follows:
Hi,
I have attached a letter that pertains to the applicant for the meeting tonight.
PLEASE take the time to read it over.
Due to the situation please allow Town Attorney, Ian Silverman to address the applicant.
A copy of the letter will be in your packet also.
Thank you for your cooperation to this unusual application.
end quotes
The "applicant" they are discussing, of course, is Poestenkill resident and "non-citizen" Patrick Wing.
As to what Poestenkill was calling an "unusual application" on 24 June 2025, we go back to Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM, and an e-mail from Stephanie Volkmann, subject: Meeting on the 24th, to Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Jamison, Paul <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law-shm.com> and Harvey Teal <rust@machineplans.com>, wherein was stated as follows:
Hi,
We have an application for a Interpretation.
So we will have a meeting on the 24th at 7.
I will get the agenda out within the next couple days.
I wiil not be able to send the paperwork on this.
It would be of your best interest to come to town and get it.
end quotes
As to an application to the Poestenkill ZBA for interpretation, § 150-84 of Article XIII of Chapter 150 of the Code of the Town of Poestenkill, titled "Powers and duties," states in clear and unambiguous regulatory language I would have been able to comprehend as a 5th grade student at Poestenkill elementary school that the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by law by this chapter, which are more particularly specified as follows:
A. Interpretation. To hear and decide by affirmation, reversal or modification, wholly or in part, questions where it is alleged that there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Code Enforcement Officer involving the interpretation of any provision of this chapter to decide the following question:
(1) Determination of the meaning of any portion of the text of this chapter or of any conditions or requirements specified or made under the provisions of this chapter.
end quote
Now, with regard to the question of how an interpretation request pursuant to § 150-84(A)(1) of Article XIII of Chapter 150 of the Code of the Town of Poestenkill on 17 June 2025 all of a sudden became an "unusual" request just seven days later on 24 June 2025, if we puruse (read or examine something thoroughly and carefully) the e-mail list for 17 June 2025, one of the names we do not see listed is that of Frank Burzesi, who at that time was the town board member assigned to ride herd on the Poestenkill ZBA.
Seven days later, on 24 June 2025, when it is clear that Poestenkill intended to deny Patrick Wing his constitutional right to petition for redress of grievance, lo and behold, the name of Frank Burzesi appears!
WHY?
Stay tuned, for when we next visit this subject, we will see that the legal phrase "under color of law" refers to the abuse of authority by government officials such as Poestenkill councilman Frank Burzesi who use their position — or the pretense of it — to violate a person's constitutional rights.
"Under color of law" means appearing to act legally, often by abusing official power or custom, while actually acting outside the law, so that the phrase signifies the appearance or pretense of legal authority, even when the action itself is illegal, such as denying Patrick Wing his constitutional right to petition for redress of grievance, and it applies not only to actions within an official’s lawful power but also to actions that exceed that authority, provided they are done while pretending to perform official duties, such as being town board liaison to the Poestenkill ZBA, when by law, the Poestenkill ZBA is independent of the Poestenkill town board and its liaison, who this time around, is Republican Rodney Rescott.
As to the path Frank Burzesi has set the feet of the Poestenkill taxpayers on with his involvement in the Patrick Wing affair, the phrase "under color of law" is central to 18 U.S.C. § 242 (criminal statute) and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (civil rights lawsuits), which cover government officials like Frank Burzesi and others performing public functions, and a key precedent established by the Supreme Court is that an official is "under color of law" even if they violate state or local law while acting in their official capacity.
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 17th 2026 Edition
"FRANK BURZESI AND 'UNDER COLOR OF LAW'!"
Poestenkill is a town that rules through a system of rewards for those who are its friends, and punishments for those it considers its enemies, and as such, it can't afford to be seen as stinting (supply an ungenerous or inadequate amount of) in the delivery of either, especially the punishments, which must be public to be of practical value, and nobody here in Poestenkill knows that better than our very own Frank Burzesi, NYSPE, formerly a mere Republican councilman, now a deputy supervisor and the strong right hand of Republican Michelle Garafolo, there to do her reading for her when she gets overtaxed by the effort as was the case during her inaugural performance on 8 January 2026 when faithful Frank was there to read her resolutions for her, as at that time, the task of reading those resolutions was beyond her skill level.
As to rewards and punishments, let's go back in time to Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM, at which time Stephanie Volkmann, the "clerk" of the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals, sent out the following e-mail to Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Jamison, Paul <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law- shm.com>, Tracy Church <tchurch@poestenkillny.com>, and Tom Russell <TRussell@poestenkillny.com >, wherein was stated in relevant part as follows:
Hi,
I have attached a letter that pertains to the applicant for the meeting tonight.
PLEASE take the time to read it over.
Due to the situation please allow Town Attorney, Ian Silverman to address the applicant.
A copy of the letter will be in your packet also.
Thank you for your cooperation to this unusual application.
end quotes
The "applicant" they are discussing, of course, is Poestenkill resident and "non-citizen" Patrick Wing.
As to what Poestenkill was calling an "unusual application" on 24 June 2025, we go back to Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM, and an e-mail from Stephanie Volkmann, subject: Meeting on the 24th, to Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Jamison, Paul <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law-shm.com> and Harvey Teal <rust@machineplans.com>, wherein was stated as follows:
Hi,
We have an application for a Interpretation.
So we will have a meeting on the 24th at 7.
I will get the agenda out within the next couple days.
I wiil not be able to send the paperwork on this.
It would be of your best interest to come to town and get it.
end quotes
As to an application to the Poestenkill ZBA for interpretation, § 150-84 of Article XIII of Chapter 150 of the Code of the Town of Poestenkill, titled "Powers and duties," states in clear and unambiguous regulatory language I would have been able to comprehend as a 5th grade student at Poestenkill elementary school that the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by law by this chapter, which are more particularly specified as follows:
A. Interpretation. To hear and decide by affirmation, reversal or modification, wholly or in part, questions where it is alleged that there is an error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Code Enforcement Officer involving the interpretation of any provision of this chapter to decide the following question:
(1) Determination of the meaning of any portion of the text of this chapter or of any conditions or requirements specified or made under the provisions of this chapter.
end quote
Now, with regard to the question of how an interpretation request pursuant to § 150-84(A)(1) of Article XIII of Chapter 150 of the Code of the Town of Poestenkill on 17 June 2025 all of a sudden became an "unusual" request just seven days later on 24 June 2025, if we puruse (read or examine something thoroughly and carefully) the e-mail list for 17 June 2025, one of the names we do not see listed is that of Frank Burzesi, who at that time was the town board member assigned to ride herd on the Poestenkill ZBA.
Seven days later, on 24 June 2025, when it is clear that Poestenkill intended to deny Patrick Wing his constitutional right to petition for redress of grievance, lo and behold, the name of Frank Burzesi appears!
WHY?
Stay tuned, for when we next visit this subject, we will see that the legal phrase "under color of law" refers to the abuse of authority by government officials such as Poestenkill councilman Frank Burzesi who use their position — or the pretense of it — to violate a person's constitutional rights.
"Under color of law" means appearing to act legally, often by abusing official power or custom, while actually acting outside the law, so that the phrase signifies the appearance or pretense of legal authority, even when the action itself is illegal, such as denying Patrick Wing his constitutional right to petition for redress of grievance, and it applies not only to actions within an official’s lawful power but also to actions that exceed that authority, provided they are done while pretending to perform official duties, such as being town board liaison to the Poestenkill ZBA, when by law, the Poestenkill ZBA is independent of the Poestenkill town board and its liaison, who this time around, is Republican Rodney Rescott.
As to the path Frank Burzesi has set the feet of the Poestenkill taxpayers on with his involvement in the Patrick Wing affair, the phrase "under color of law" is central to 18 U.S.C. § 242 (criminal statute) and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (civil rights lawsuits), which cover government officials like Frank Burzesi and others performing public functions, and a key precedent established by the Supreme Court is that an official is "under color of law" even if they violate state or local law while acting in their official capacity.
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 18th 2026 Edition
"'THE JUST IMAGINE' EDITION'!"
Yes, people, imagine if you will what life in Poestenkill could have been like if the effort "political Poestenkill," that being people like our own deputy supervisor Frank Burzesi, put into maintaining an abject state of ignorance in Poestenkill in the name of "equilibrium," was instead focused on exerting themselves to actually learn something about their duties and responsibilities to the people of Poestenkill.
As to this "equilibrium" Frank Burzesi was touting at the Town of Poestenkill Town Board Meeting for October 10, 2024 (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MvxQjuiepY at 42:26), where we had Frank going off on his favorite target for venting his spleen, that being Patrick Wing of Poestenkill, who while corporeally present in Poestenkill, has no political existence, which means he, like some others here in Poestenkill, is a non-person, as follows:
BURZESI: I just want to say I got this letter (Poestenkill Spotlight) in the mail that says it looks like it is from the Town of Poestenkill.
It's not from the Town of Poestenkill.
It's kind of partially factual partially an election hit piece without no mention of an election and it is factually wrong and I just want to let everyone know that the Town had nothing to do with this and I'm assuming no one on the Board had anything to do with this.
The Town's logo is on it and there's a bunch of stuff in here that are kind of - yes, these things did happen but the timing and responsibility is a lot more complicated than what is given out here and at this point in time since January, you know, the town itself has been working very hard to keep things on what was the word, equilibrium, trying not to get into stuff like this and I think we've been doing a great job and I think Tom's been doing a great job of keeping everything being civil and this is just jumping right back into it and we all know there is an issue with communication with the Town with regard to the Advertiser being out so that we are looking for a solution but just somebody going off and doing this is just not helping any and it's not factual but that it's one person's opinion and I just think we've got this is sort of like Facebook in the mail, you know, I just don't think it is helping, that's all, if you have an issue, I'm speaking to Pat (Wing, the author), if you have an issue or need help, why don't you come to the town and say this is what I would like to do, I mean this is like how much was it - three or four thousand dollars - to do this.
end quotes
What Frank means there by "equilibrium" is in fact a uniform state of ignorance all across the citizen body of Poestenkill, which is the essence of what is known as "Tall Poppy Syndrome," and as we older Poestenkill residents who resist being made or voluntarily becoming ignorant for the good of Poestenkill society at least in the world of Frank Burzesi, are well aware of, based on historical, sociological, and psychological analysis, there is a distinct, observable connection between the persistence of vincible ignorance (ignorance that can be overcome but is chosen), and the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
And we who have made a study of this subject with respect to Poestenkill politics know from our experience in this town going back to circa 1985 or earlier, vincible ignorance such as that treated as a prize possession by our Frank Burzesi, and "Tall Poppy Syndrome" coalesce when there is a societal preference for equality of outcome (or mediocrity) that overpowers the recognition of excellence, resulting in an environment that may penalize high achievement and intellectual distinction.
Or those like Patrick Wing who dare to question!
And that brings us to what is known as the "Triad of Anti-Intellectualism" that Frank Burzesi is not only a champion of here in Poestenkill, but an enforcer of, as well, another reason Michelle has Frank as her strong right arm, where the connection between vincible ignorance and "Tall Poppy Syndrome" can be mapped through the following dynamics starting with vincible ignorance as a chosen state here in Poestenkill if Frank Burzesi has his way with the persistent, chosen nature of ignorance (vincible) being nurtured in Poestenkill.
And as we saw last June (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_GgTb6MiXw @ 4:59) at the June 14, 2025 Poestenkill zoning board of appeals meeting, and last August at the August 19, 2025 Poestenkill ZBA meeting (cue, Youtube, 19 August 2025 Poestenkill ZBA meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcfvRyGKuZk ), when public discourse equates opinions on complex topics with expert knowledge, ignorance is not merely present; it is elevated and protected, allowing individuals to avoid the discomfort of learning.
And speaking of the elevation and protection of ignorance here in Poestenkill as a matter of public policy, let's go back to Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 03:54 PM, and an e-mail from Paul Jamison <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, subject: Re: letter for tonight, said e-mail directed to Stephanie Volkmann <pzclerk@poestenkillny.com>, Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law- shm.com>, Tracy Church <tchurch@poestenkillny.com>, Tom Russell <TRussell@poestenkillny.com>, wherein was stated as follows:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but why are we meeting to consider an invalid application?
Is there some action that we can or should take to address the application one way or the other?
If the applicant does not withdraw the application based on Ian's response, I will make a motion first thing to go into executive session for a discussion with our attorney.
Paul
end quotes
It was, of course, a very dumb question, and the application in question, which was hardly invalid, was the same Wing application for Interpretative Relief referred to by Stephanie Volkmann, the so-called "clerk" of the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals who outranks everybody on the board, as "unusual application" in a Tuesday, June 24, 2025 e-mail at 12:04 PM to Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Jamison, Paul <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law- shm.com>, Tracy Church <tchurch@poestenkillny.com>, and Tom Russell <TRussell@poestenkillny.com >, and the only thing that made that application "unusual" here in Poestenkill was the fact that there was actually somebody here in Poestenkill with the spine to stand up and protest this ignorant crap this town has been feeding us now for far too long.
And then we have what is known as the "leveling tendency of democracy," which creates the "lowest common denominator" culture Frank Burzesi is fostering here in Poestenkill, which "lowest common denominator" culture, as we clearly see in the 24 June 2025 Jamison e-mail above here, feels quite threatened by individuals such as Patrick Wing who "stand out" (the "tall poppies") only because they dared to stand up, and it the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" here in Poestenkill that serves as the social punishment for violating this leveling norm.
It is the act of attacking, resenting, or cutting down those with superior achievements, intellect, or success, and it directly punishes the "intellect" (the high-standing poppy) to soothe the insecurities of the average, thereby rewarding, or at least reinforcing, the comfort of mediocrity.
And as we all saw back on 10 October 2024 when Frank Burzesi went off on Patrick Wing, it is a toxic combination of envy and insecurity that led Frank to do so, as "Tall Poppy Syndrome" here in Poestenkill is heavily rooted in envy and a need to maintain conformity, because when others excel, it triggers feelings of inadequacy, leading to a defensive desire to pull high achievers down to a lower level rather than the political people like Frank Burzesi and Paul Jamison raising themselves up, so that we here in Poestenkill are confronted today with a social environment where mediocrity is safer than distinction, encouraging people to hide their gifts and avoid reaching their full potential to avoid being "cut down," and the obvious result of this intersection is a "cult of ignorance" that can stifle innovation and progress, so that over time since the 1980's, this has created here in Poestenkill a society that is resistant to change and innovation, where the "taller poppies" are eliminated or forced to leave, leaving the "sea of mediocrity" that has put Franki Burzesi into a position of power above us to protect and maintain that "sea of mediocrity" in the name of "equilibrium!"
Bottom line, not surprisingly, the persistence of vincible ignorance here in Poestenkill has acted as a foundation, creating a populace comfortable with not knowing, while the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" acts as the enforcement mechanism that keeps everyone at that same level, punishing those who dare to excel.
So what can we do about it?
Stay tuned!
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 18th 2026 Edition
"'THE JUST IMAGINE' EDITION'!"
Yes, people, imagine if you will what life in Poestenkill could have been like if the effort "political Poestenkill," that being people like our own deputy supervisor Frank Burzesi, put into maintaining an abject state of ignorance in Poestenkill in the name of "equilibrium," was instead focused on exerting themselves to actually learn something about their duties and responsibilities to the people of Poestenkill.
As to this "equilibrium" Frank Burzesi was touting at the Town of Poestenkill Town Board Meeting for October 10, 2024 (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MvxQjuiepY at 42:26), where we had Frank going off on his favorite target for venting his spleen, that being Patrick Wing of Poestenkill, who while corporeally present in Poestenkill, has no political existence, which means he, like some others here in Poestenkill, is a non-person, as follows:
BURZESI: I just want to say I got this letter (Poestenkill Spotlight) in the mail that says it looks like it is from the Town of Poestenkill.
It's not from the Town of Poestenkill.
It's kind of partially factual partially an election hit piece without no mention of an election and it is factually wrong and I just want to let everyone know that the Town had nothing to do with this and I'm assuming no one on the Board had anything to do with this.
The Town's logo is on it and there's a bunch of stuff in here that are kind of - yes, these things did happen but the timing and responsibility is a lot more complicated than what is given out here and at this point in time since January, you know, the town itself has been working very hard to keep things on what was the word, equilibrium, trying not to get into stuff like this and I think we've been doing a great job and I think Tom's been doing a great job of keeping everything being civil and this is just jumping right back into it and we all know there is an issue with communication with the Town with regard to the Advertiser being out so that we are looking for a solution but just somebody going off and doing this is just not helping any and it's not factual but that it's one person's opinion and I just think we've got this is sort of like Facebook in the mail, you know, I just don't think it is helping, that's all, if you have an issue, I'm speaking to Pat (Wing, the author), if you have an issue or need help, why don't you come to the town and say this is what I would like to do, I mean this is like how much was it - three or four thousand dollars - to do this.
end quotes
What Frank means there by "equilibrium" is in fact a uniform state of ignorance all across the citizen body of Poestenkill, which is the essence of what is known as "Tall Poppy Syndrome," and as we older Poestenkill residents who resist being made or voluntarily becoming ignorant for the good of Poestenkill society at least in the world of Frank Burzesi, are well aware of, based on historical, sociological, and psychological analysis, there is a distinct, observable connection between the persistence of vincible ignorance (ignorance that can be overcome but is chosen), and the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
And we who have made a study of this subject with respect to Poestenkill politics know from our experience in this town going back to circa 1985 or earlier, vincible ignorance such as that treated as a prize possession by our Frank Burzesi, and "Tall Poppy Syndrome" coalesce when there is a societal preference for equality of outcome (or mediocrity) that overpowers the recognition of excellence, resulting in an environment that may penalize high achievement and intellectual distinction.
Or those like Patrick Wing who dare to question!
And that brings us to what is known as the "Triad of Anti-Intellectualism" that Frank Burzesi is not only a champion of here in Poestenkill, but an enforcer of, as well, another reason Michelle has Frank as her strong right arm, where the connection between vincible ignorance and "Tall Poppy Syndrome" can be mapped through the following dynamics starting with vincible ignorance as a chosen state here in Poestenkill if Frank Burzesi has his way with the persistent, chosen nature of ignorance (vincible) being nurtured in Poestenkill.
And as we saw last June (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_GgTb6MiXw @ 4:59) at the June 14, 2025 Poestenkill zoning board of appeals meeting, and last August at the August 19, 2025 Poestenkill ZBA meeting (cue, Youtube, 19 August 2025 Poestenkill ZBA meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcfvRyGKuZk ), when public discourse equates opinions on complex topics with expert knowledge, ignorance is not merely present; it is elevated and protected, allowing individuals to avoid the discomfort of learning.
And speaking of the elevation and protection of ignorance here in Poestenkill as a matter of public policy, let's go back to Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 03:54 PM, and an e-mail from Paul Jamison <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, subject: Re: letter for tonight, said e-mail directed to Stephanie Volkmann <pzclerk@poestenkillny.com>, Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law- shm.com>, Tracy Church <tchurch@poestenkillny.com>, Tom Russell <TRussell@poestenkillny.com>, wherein was stated as follows:
Maybe this is a dumb question, but why are we meeting to consider an invalid application?
Is there some action that we can or should take to address the application one way or the other?
If the applicant does not withdraw the application based on Ian's response, I will make a motion first thing to go into executive session for a discussion with our attorney.
Paul
end quotes
It was, of course, a very dumb question, and the application in question, which was hardly invalid, was the same Wing application for Interpretative Relief referred to by Stephanie Volkmann, the so-called "clerk" of the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals who outranks everybody on the board, as "unusual application" in a Tuesday, June 24, 2025 e-mail at 12:04 PM to Heckelman, Nicole <Heckdon5@netzero.com>, Jamison, Paul <pjamison@nycap.rr.com>, Kamkar, Donna <pickam99@gmail.com>, Kronau, Abigail <17Kronaua@gmail.com>, McGrath, Kevin <mcgrathsurveyorsl@netzero.com>, framertim@aol.com, Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, lawrence Howard <lawrence@law- shm.com>, Tracy Church <tchurch@poestenkillny.com>, and Tom Russell <TRussell@poestenkillny.com >, and the only thing that made that application "unusual" here in Poestenkill was the fact that there was actually somebody here in Poestenkill with the spine to stand up and protest this ignorant crap this town has been feeding us now for far too long.
And then we have what is known as the "leveling tendency of democracy," which creates the "lowest common denominator" culture Frank Burzesi is fostering here in Poestenkill, which "lowest common denominator" culture, as we clearly see in the 24 June 2025 Jamison e-mail above here, feels quite threatened by individuals such as Patrick Wing who "stand out" (the "tall poppies") only because they dared to stand up, and it the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" here in Poestenkill that serves as the social punishment for violating this leveling norm.
It is the act of attacking, resenting, or cutting down those with superior achievements, intellect, or success, and it directly punishes the "intellect" (the high-standing poppy) to soothe the insecurities of the average, thereby rewarding, or at least reinforcing, the comfort of mediocrity.
And as we all saw back on 10 October 2024 when Frank Burzesi went off on Patrick Wing, it is a toxic combination of envy and insecurity that led Frank to do so, as "Tall Poppy Syndrome" here in Poestenkill is heavily rooted in envy and a need to maintain conformity, because when others excel, it triggers feelings of inadequacy, leading to a defensive desire to pull high achievers down to a lower level rather than the political people like Frank Burzesi and Paul Jamison raising themselves up, so that we here in Poestenkill are confronted today with a social environment where mediocrity is safer than distinction, encouraging people to hide their gifts and avoid reaching their full potential to avoid being "cut down," and the obvious result of this intersection is a "cult of ignorance" that can stifle innovation and progress, so that over time since the 1980's, this has created here in Poestenkill a society that is resistant to change and innovation, where the "taller poppies" are eliminated or forced to leave, leaving the "sea of mediocrity" that has put Franki Burzesi into a position of power above us to protect and maintain that "sea of mediocrity" in the name of "equilibrium!"
Bottom line, not surprisingly, the persistence of vincible ignorance here in Poestenkill has acted as a foundation, creating a populace comfortable with not knowing, while the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" acts as the enforcement mechanism that keeps everyone at that same level, punishing those who dare to excel.
So what can we do about it?
Stay tuned!
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 19th 2026 Edition
"THE 'WE WONDER WHY' EDITION' - AND FRANK BURZESI HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR HERE IN POESTENKILL!"
Yes, people, considering all that has gone by here in Poestenkill these last several years, the only rational explanation for what is going on here in Poestenkill is that there is no possible rational explanation and it is an exercise in self-delusion to pretend any of this would make sense in a logical and rational world, which Poestenkill clearly is not.
Take Frank Burzesi's rant against Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing at the Town of Poestenkill Town Board Meeting for October 10, 2024 (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MvxQjuiepY at 42:26), where we had Frank going off on his favorite target for venting his spleen, that being Patrick Wing of Poestenkill, who while corporeally present in Poestenkill, has no political existence, which means he, like some others here in Poestenkill, is a non-person, as follows:
BURZESI: If you have an issue, I'm speaking to Pat (Wing, the author), if you have an issue or need help, why don't you come to the town and say this is what I would like to do.
Which takes us back to 6 November 2023, almost a year earlier, when this very same Frank Burzesi, now Michelle Garafolo's deputy and strong right arm, at that time the Poestenkill Zoning Board Chairman, published a political letter in Poestenkill attacking Pat and Jennifer Wing, to which this editor responded as follows:
Dear Candidate Burzesi:
As a long-term resident of the Town of Poestenkill, let me take a moment of my valuable time to thank you for including me in your mass mailing of your recent political letter titled "Dear Poestenkill Neighbors" wherein you detail for us concerned Poestenkill residents what you consider to be a lot of misinformation showing up online and in print concerning this year's election in Poestenkill where your crony and running mate Keith Hammond, with all of his baggage, including allegations of the sexual exploitation of a developmentally-disabled young woman Keith had power over to satisfy your running mate's sexual cravings, a power he sorely abused to allegedly sate his lust on the young woman, is running for re-election as town supervisor, while you are running for a town council seat.
In your missive, which is really an inappropriate diatribe from yourself as an officer of the town of Poestenkill who has sworn an oath, an empty oath it would appear, to uphold the Constitution of the State of New York, wherein you call down anathema on Pat and Jen Wing, something I find quite unethical and unprofessional for an officer of the town to be doing, you then state as follows, to wit:
"This has made me wonder what has happened to professionalism and the truth!"
end quote
And in all truth, as I read your letter in a state of disbelief, quite actually, that you would be so brazen as to think people like myself reading the letter would be too stupid to see though your misinformation and outright poppycock, such as your specious and patently absurd assertion that Keith Hammond is "working very hard to solve the problems that residents are facing," which assertion is pure balderdash and just plain hoohah, given that my drinking water is contaminated with PFAS thanks to Keith Hammond's abject failure to enforce the provisions of the PDD agreement signed and sealed by the Town of Poestenkill, I had the same exact thought, although with respect to yourself, because we are not getting either from you, to wit: "What has happened to professionalism and the truth in Poestenkill where Poestenkill Zoning Board Chairman and town council candidate Frank Burzesi is concerned?"
Why, candidate Burzesi, do you as a town officer find it necessary to resort to lies, misinformation, and disinformation to attack Pat and Jen Wing for having dared to exercise their right pursuant to §8 of Article I, the Bill of Rights of the New York State Constitution, to freely speak, write and publish their sentiments on all subjects, which subjects would include Poestenkill politics and those running for or holding public office in Poestenkill, to include yourself and your crony, Keith Hammond, who you are so enamoured of, despite his record which you seem to have embraced.
In your diatribe calling down anathema on Pat and Jen Wing, you state, in apparent reference to Pat and Jen Wing, that "It's easy to complain and write letters; it's much harder to work to make things better," a sentiment that resonates with me who am the living proof of just how hard it is in this town under Keith Hammond to actually make things better, you seem to be accusing the Wings, without either foundation or evidence, of being worthless whiners and complainers, when that is as far from the truth that you can get, and the ignorance of the statement as applied to the Wings goes to show just how out of touch you are with reality and the people who live in this town.
In your diatribe, you make these following patently false and absurd statements, which statement serves to demonstrate just how ignorant you are as to how government should work in this town, to wit:
"The $225,000 settlement was paid to the firewood processor that Pat and Jen were complaining about."
"The Wings complaint and actions led to the violation of his rights and the settlement."
end quotes
The sheer absurdity and ridiculousness of that second sentence, which is so pitifully stupid that it is hard to believe there is someone out there such as yourself ignorant enough to publicly make the assertion and then expect us to be brain-dead enough to believe you, serves as proof positive that due to apparent mental incapacity, you are unfit to be a councilperson in this town, and thanks for taking the time to write your diatribe and publish it to prove that point for us in spades.
end quotes
Now, given that set of circumstances, why on earth would Patrick Wing or anybody else for that matter attacked by Frank Burzesi as Patrick Wing was, want to come back to Frank Burzesi or the Poestenkill town board for any aid or assistance?
And as chairman of the Poestenkill zoning board of appeals, Frank Burzesi was way off the reservation sending out what was in fact a partisan political attack letter, because the chairperson of a zoning board of appeals (ZBA) of a municipal corporation in New York, appointed pursuant to NYS Town Law § 267 is not considered a partisan political position.
Except here in irrational Poestenkill, where the concept of rationality and sanity on the part of our public officials on the town board is at best a mere phantasm.
Here in Poestenkill, the ZBA chairman is very much a partisan political position under the direct control of the Poestenkill town board and the Poestenkill town attorney, when in a logical and rational world governed by Rule of Law as opposed to whim and whimsy as is the case here in Poestenkill, that position is supposed to be a quasi-judicial, administrative position.
And while it is true that the town board (legislative body) appoints the members of the zoning board of appeals, the ZBA itself is intended by law to act as a "safety valve" and as a quasi-judicial body that interprets zoning regulations and grants variances, so that while the appointing authority (the town board) is often partisan, the ZBA position itself is not legally partisan.
Which brings us forward in time to Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM, at which time Stephanie Volkmann, the "clerk" of the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals, sent out the following e-mail to Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, wherein was stated in relevant part as follows:
Hi,
I have attached a letter that pertains to the applicant for the meeting tonight.
PLEASE take the time to read it over.
Due to the situation please allow Town Attorney, Ian Silverman to address the applicant.
A copy of the letter will be in your packet also.
Thank you for your cooperation to this unusual application.
end quotes
How does Frank explain that, people?
How can Frank possibly explain that?
Does he want us to believe that he was ignorant of the fact that he was aiding and abetting, or colluding, if you will, with the town attorney and ZBA members to deprive a resident of the town of Poestenkill of a basic constitutional right?
Will we be that accommodating?
Or more properly stated, will we really be that stupid?
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 19th 2026 Edition
"THE 'WE WONDER WHY' EDITION' - AND FRANK BURZESI HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR HERE IN POESTENKILL!"
Yes, people, considering all that has gone by here in Poestenkill these last several years, the only rational explanation for what is going on here in Poestenkill is that there is no possible rational explanation and it is an exercise in self-delusion to pretend any of this would make sense in a logical and rational world, which Poestenkill clearly is not.
Take Frank Burzesi's rant against Poestenkill resident Patrick Wing at the Town of Poestenkill Town Board Meeting for October 10, 2024 (cue, Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MvxQjuiepY at 42:26), where we had Frank going off on his favorite target for venting his spleen, that being Patrick Wing of Poestenkill, who while corporeally present in Poestenkill, has no political existence, which means he, like some others here in Poestenkill, is a non-person, as follows:
BURZESI: If you have an issue, I'm speaking to Pat (Wing, the author), if you have an issue or need help, why don't you come to the town and say this is what I would like to do.
Which takes us back to 6 November 2023, almost a year earlier, when this very same Frank Burzesi, now Michelle Garafolo's deputy and strong right arm, at that time the Poestenkill Zoning Board Chairman, published a political letter in Poestenkill attacking Pat and Jennifer Wing, to which this editor responded as follows:
Dear Candidate Burzesi:
As a long-term resident of the Town of Poestenkill, let me take a moment of my valuable time to thank you for including me in your mass mailing of your recent political letter titled "Dear Poestenkill Neighbors" wherein you detail for us concerned Poestenkill residents what you consider to be a lot of misinformation showing up online and in print concerning this year's election in Poestenkill where your crony and running mate Keith Hammond, with all of his baggage, including allegations of the sexual exploitation of a developmentally-disabled young woman Keith had power over to satisfy your running mate's sexual cravings, a power he sorely abused to allegedly sate his lust on the young woman, is running for re-election as town supervisor, while you are running for a town council seat.
In your missive, which is really an inappropriate diatribe from yourself as an officer of the town of Poestenkill who has sworn an oath, an empty oath it would appear, to uphold the Constitution of the State of New York, wherein you call down anathema on Pat and Jen Wing, something I find quite unethical and unprofessional for an officer of the town to be doing, you then state as follows, to wit:
"This has made me wonder what has happened to professionalism and the truth!"
end quote
And in all truth, as I read your letter in a state of disbelief, quite actually, that you would be so brazen as to think people like myself reading the letter would be too stupid to see though your misinformation and outright poppycock, such as your specious and patently absurd assertion that Keith Hammond is "working very hard to solve the problems that residents are facing," which assertion is pure balderdash and just plain hoohah, given that my drinking water is contaminated with PFAS thanks to Keith Hammond's abject failure to enforce the provisions of the PDD agreement signed and sealed by the Town of Poestenkill, I had the same exact thought, although with respect to yourself, because we are not getting either from you, to wit: "What has happened to professionalism and the truth in Poestenkill where Poestenkill Zoning Board Chairman and town council candidate Frank Burzesi is concerned?"
Why, candidate Burzesi, do you as a town officer find it necessary to resort to lies, misinformation, and disinformation to attack Pat and Jen Wing for having dared to exercise their right pursuant to §8 of Article I, the Bill of Rights of the New York State Constitution, to freely speak, write and publish their sentiments on all subjects, which subjects would include Poestenkill politics and those running for or holding public office in Poestenkill, to include yourself and your crony, Keith Hammond, who you are so enamoured of, despite his record which you seem to have embraced.
In your diatribe calling down anathema on Pat and Jen Wing, you state, in apparent reference to Pat and Jen Wing, that "It's easy to complain and write letters; it's much harder to work to make things better," a sentiment that resonates with me who am the living proof of just how hard it is in this town under Keith Hammond to actually make things better, you seem to be accusing the Wings, without either foundation or evidence, of being worthless whiners and complainers, when that is as far from the truth that you can get, and the ignorance of the statement as applied to the Wings goes to show just how out of touch you are with reality and the people who live in this town.
In your diatribe, you make these following patently false and absurd statements, which statement serves to demonstrate just how ignorant you are as to how government should work in this town, to wit:
"The $225,000 settlement was paid to the firewood processor that Pat and Jen were complaining about."
"The Wings complaint and actions led to the violation of his rights and the settlement."
end quotes
The sheer absurdity and ridiculousness of that second sentence, which is so pitifully stupid that it is hard to believe there is someone out there such as yourself ignorant enough to publicly make the assertion and then expect us to be brain-dead enough to believe you, serves as proof positive that due to apparent mental incapacity, you are unfit to be a councilperson in this town, and thanks for taking the time to write your diatribe and publish it to prove that point for us in spades.
end quotes
Now, given that set of circumstances, why on earth would Patrick Wing or anybody else for that matter attacked by Frank Burzesi as Patrick Wing was, want to come back to Frank Burzesi or the Poestenkill town board for any aid or assistance?
And as chairman of the Poestenkill zoning board of appeals, Frank Burzesi was way off the reservation sending out what was in fact a partisan political attack letter, because the chairperson of a zoning board of appeals (ZBA) of a municipal corporation in New York, appointed pursuant to NYS Town Law § 267 is not considered a partisan political position.
Except here in irrational Poestenkill, where the concept of rationality and sanity on the part of our public officials on the town board is at best a mere phantasm.
Here in Poestenkill, the ZBA chairman is very much a partisan political position under the direct control of the Poestenkill town board and the Poestenkill town attorney, when in a logical and rational world governed by Rule of Law as opposed to whim and whimsy as is the case here in Poestenkill, that position is supposed to be a quasi-judicial, administrative position.
And while it is true that the town board (legislative body) appoints the members of the zoning board of appeals, the ZBA itself is intended by law to act as a "safety valve" and as a quasi-judicial body that interprets zoning regulations and grants variances, so that while the appointing authority (the town board) is often partisan, the ZBA position itself is not legally partisan.
Which brings us forward in time to Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM, at which time Stephanie Volkmann, the "clerk" of the Poestenkill Zoning Board of Appeals, sent out the following e-mail to Frank Burzesi <frank@xcassociates.com>, wherein was stated in relevant part as follows:
Hi,
I have attached a letter that pertains to the applicant for the meeting tonight.
PLEASE take the time to read it over.
Due to the situation please allow Town Attorney, Ian Silverman to address the applicant.
A copy of the letter will be in your packet also.
Thank you for your cooperation to this unusual application.
end quotes
How does Frank explain that, people?
How can Frank possibly explain that?
Does he want us to believe that he was ignorant of the fact that he was aiding and abetting, or colluding, if you will, with the town attorney and ZBA members to deprive a resident of the town of Poestenkill of a basic constitutional right?
Will we be that accommodating?
Or more properly stated, will we really be that stupid?
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 19th 2026 Edition
"ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND THE 'FRANK BURZESI HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR HERE IN POESTENKILL' EDITION!"
Not surprisingly, given that at the state level, as opposed to here in Poestenkill where uniformity of ignorance in the name of equilibrium (obscene imbecility) is public policy enforced by our own Frank Burzesi, there is as a goal intelligent, responsible government, there is a book put out by the Office of the New York State Comptroller titled "Conflicts of Interest of Municipal Officers and Employees," wherein is stated as follows and would apply here in Poestenkill, as well, to wit:
As A municipal officer or employee, your job by its very nature places you in a position of public trust.
end quote
No think about that statement in relation to Michelle Garafolo, Eric Wohlleber, David Hass, Rodney Rescott and especially Frank Burzesi.
Are any of them worthy of the public trust?
And how about Frank, specifically?
Is Frank Burzesi worthy of the public trust here in Poestenkill?
Moving right along we next come to this, to wit:
You are responsible for ensuring that public resources are used in the best interests of the public.
end quotes
As to the term "public resources" in the context of the New York State Comptroller’s office, it refers to all assets, funds, and property owned, managed, or controlled by the local government, in this case, obviously, Poestenkill.
As to using these resources "wisely," or efficiently and with integrity, that signifies the responsible, authorized, and effective use of these assets to benefit taxpayers, rather than for personal or improper purposes, such as enriching Laberge Engineering at the expense of the people of the town of Poestenkill.
As to the components of "Public Resources," since we are on the subject and it is indeed relevant to the reason Frank Burzesi should be removed from public office here in Poestenkill, they include taxpayer money, fees, revenue from services, and funds from bond issuances, government-owned land, buildings, and facilities, and office supplies, computers, telephones, and vehicles, as well as time spent by public employees during compensated working hours, and our infrastructure and natural resources to include roads, bridges, and water.
As to the term "Using Wisely," its key aspects are ensuring all those resources are used to "perform their designated governmental functions," avoiding waste, fraud, and abuse in the procurement of goods and services, such a hiring Laberge Engineering without a contract to work on WD2, reporting on how contracts are registered and funds are spent, and managing assets to ensure the fiscal health of the municipality or state for the future.
So, in essence, the term "public resources" includes everything the government owns or controls, and the Comptroller monitors these to prevent them from being used for private benefit, ensuring they serve the "common good and general welfare".
Going back to the Comptroller's publication, it continues as follows, to wit:
You also have a duty to use the limited public resources available to you as effectively and efficiently as possible.
When serving in your public capacity, the interests of your municipality must come before your own.
In fact and appearance, your actions and interests must be above reproach.
end quotes
And there is why for the good of Poestenkill, Frank Burzesi must immediately resign his public office here in Poestenkill, precisely because his actions in connection with WD No. 2 are not above reproach which takes us to this hypothetical to consider:
Q: In a situation where a professional engineer licensed pursuant to NY Education Law 7200 with a duty to safeguard life, health and property has been elected a councilman in a municipal corporation pursuant to town law 2 and thereafter, while serving as a councilman, the professional engineer colludes with a professional engineer designing a water system for the municipal corporation to whitewash or cover over flaws in the engineer's design, has the professional engineer acted in violation of Part 29.4 of the Rules of the NY Board of Regents?
And the answer to that hypothetical question is yes, the professional engineer (PE) acting as a municipal councilman has likely violated Part 29.4 of the Rules of the New York Board of Regents, specifically in the areas of unprofessional conduct, ethical obligations to the public, and integrity in professional practice, because under NY law, a professional engineer's duty to "safeguard life, health and property" is paramount.
As to the violations, they would likely include "Association with Fraudulent/Dishonest Practice (8 NYCRR §29.3(a)(1) & §29.1)", as engaging in a collusion to "white wash or cover over flaws" in a water system design constitutes professional misconduct.
And association with a project known to be fraudulent or dishonest is specifically defined as unprofessional conduct.
As to failure to report fraud (8 NYCRR §29.3(a)(1)). the PE has an affirmative obligation to report knowledge of such fraudulence or dishonesty to the New York State Education Department because PEs in New York, regardless of holding partisan political office, are required to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and knowingly covering up flaws in a critical water system design violates this primary duty, which is a conflict of interest where the PE, while serving in a public capacity (councilman), uses their professional standing to influence or approve a design that they know is flawed, which is a violation of ethical canons.
Bottom line, even though the engineer is serving in a political role (councilman), they do not lose their legal responsibilities under NY Education Law 7200.
Said another way, a professional engineer licensed in New York State pursuant to Education Law Article 145 is not relieved of his duty to safeguard life, health, and property while serving as an elected town councilman, and that applies directly to Frank Burzesi, unless for the good of the people of not only Poestenkill, but New York state and the greater world, as well, Frank were to surrender his engineer's license.
With regard to Frank, and I too am a PE intolerant of other PE's like Frank Burzesi who believe because they are in politics, they are immune from the operation of law on them, an article of faith among at least among Republican politicians here in Rensselaer County like Frank going back to at least the 1970's, under New York State law and engineering ethics, the obligation to protect the public is paramount and is not suspended by holding public office.
For Frank's benefit, the practice of engineering is defined by its role in safeguarding life, health, and property and that duty is a cornerstone of the license, which remains valid and subject to revocation if the PE acts unethically in any capacity, a PE like Frank Burzesi is responsible for practicing within his scope of competence and adhering to ethical standards, even when making policy decisions as a councilman, such as were related to that error-riddled piece of crap called an engineering report for Water District No. 2 from Laberge back in 2024, which errors our Frank took great pains to cover up after on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 01:02:01 PM EDT, I sent him this e-mail that started as follows, to wit:
Frank, these are my questions for Laberge at the hearing on Thursday, and I expect to be afforded the opportunity to ask each and every one of them as written without a three-minute time limit being imposed on me, and without me being shouted down by Tom Russell or any other member of the town board:
end quotes
Thanks to Frank's duplicity as a councilman, those questions never were asked and today, thanks to Frank Burzesi, Poestenkill has a big financial mess on its hands with regard to Water District No. 2 thanks to Frank Burzesi.
As per those professional standards Frank Burzesi proved ready and willing to toss in the trash to protect Laberge instead of the people of Poestenkill, engineers like Frank Burzesi must hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and in the case of Water District No. 2 and the Laberge engineering report which had no engineering in it, if a councilman who is a PE like Frank Burzesi has technical knowledge that a town project is unsafe, they cannot use their political position to absolve themselves of that knowledge, as while serving as a councilman, the PE must navigate conflicts of interest (General Municipal Law Article 18), ensuring their engineering judgment is not compromised by political considerations, especially regarding decisions impacting public safety.
Now, it is true that while Frank Burzesi is serving as a councilman, he is acting as a public official, not as the town engineer.
However, Frank's professional, ethical, and legal duty to protect the public health and safety remains, and he must act with "reasonable care."
But he didn't.
Stay tuned!
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 19th 2026 Edition
"ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND THE 'FRANK BURZESI HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR HERE IN POESTENKILL' EDITION!"
Not surprisingly, given that at the state level, as opposed to here in Poestenkill where uniformity of ignorance in the name of equilibrium (obscene imbecility) is public policy enforced by our own Frank Burzesi, there is as a goal intelligent, responsible government, there is a book put out by the Office of the New York State Comptroller titled "Conflicts of Interest of Municipal Officers and Employees," wherein is stated as follows and would apply here in Poestenkill, as well, to wit:
As A municipal officer or employee, your job by its very nature places you in a position of public trust.
end quote
No think about that statement in relation to Michelle Garafolo, Eric Wohlleber, David Hass, Rodney Rescott and especially Frank Burzesi.
Are any of them worthy of the public trust?
And how about Frank, specifically?
Is Frank Burzesi worthy of the public trust here in Poestenkill?
Moving right along we next come to this, to wit:
You are responsible for ensuring that public resources are used in the best interests of the public.
end quotes
As to the term "public resources" in the context of the New York State Comptroller’s office, it refers to all assets, funds, and property owned, managed, or controlled by the local government, in this case, obviously, Poestenkill.
As to using these resources "wisely," or efficiently and with integrity, that signifies the responsible, authorized, and effective use of these assets to benefit taxpayers, rather than for personal or improper purposes, such as enriching Laberge Engineering at the expense of the people of the town of Poestenkill.
As to the components of "Public Resources," since we are on the subject and it is indeed relevant to the reason Frank Burzesi should be removed from public office here in Poestenkill, they include taxpayer money, fees, revenue from services, and funds from bond issuances, government-owned land, buildings, and facilities, and office supplies, computers, telephones, and vehicles, as well as time spent by public employees during compensated working hours, and our infrastructure and natural resources to include roads, bridges, and water.
As to the term "Using Wisely," its key aspects are ensuring all those resources are used to "perform their designated governmental functions," avoiding waste, fraud, and abuse in the procurement of goods and services, such a hiring Laberge Engineering without a contract to work on WD2, reporting on how contracts are registered and funds are spent, and managing assets to ensure the fiscal health of the municipality or state for the future.
So, in essence, the term "public resources" includes everything the government owns or controls, and the Comptroller monitors these to prevent them from being used for private benefit, ensuring they serve the "common good and general welfare".
Going back to the Comptroller's publication, it continues as follows, to wit:
You also have a duty to use the limited public resources available to you as effectively and efficiently as possible.
When serving in your public capacity, the interests of your municipality must come before your own.
In fact and appearance, your actions and interests must be above reproach.
end quotes
And there is why for the good of Poestenkill, Frank Burzesi must immediately resign his public office here in Poestenkill, precisely because his actions in connection with WD No. 2 are not above reproach which takes us to this hypothetical to consider:
Q: In a situation where a professional engineer licensed pursuant to NY Education Law 7200 with a duty to safeguard life, health and property has been elected a councilman in a municipal corporation pursuant to town law 2 and thereafter, while serving as a councilman, the professional engineer colludes with a professional engineer designing a water system for the municipal corporation to whitewash or cover over flaws in the engineer's design, has the professional engineer acted in violation of Part 29.4 of the Rules of the NY Board of Regents?
And the answer to that hypothetical question is yes, the professional engineer (PE) acting as a municipal councilman has likely violated Part 29.4 of the Rules of the New York Board of Regents, specifically in the areas of unprofessional conduct, ethical obligations to the public, and integrity in professional practice, because under NY law, a professional engineer's duty to "safeguard life, health and property" is paramount.
As to the violations, they would likely include "Association with Fraudulent/Dishonest Practice (8 NYCRR §29.3(a)(1) & §29.1)", as engaging in a collusion to "white wash or cover over flaws" in a water system design constitutes professional misconduct.
And association with a project known to be fraudulent or dishonest is specifically defined as unprofessional conduct.
As to failure to report fraud (8 NYCRR §29.3(a)(1)). the PE has an affirmative obligation to report knowledge of such fraudulence or dishonesty to the New York State Education Department because PEs in New York, regardless of holding partisan political office, are required to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and knowingly covering up flaws in a critical water system design violates this primary duty, which is a conflict of interest where the PE, while serving in a public capacity (councilman), uses their professional standing to influence or approve a design that they know is flawed, which is a violation of ethical canons.
Bottom line, even though the engineer is serving in a political role (councilman), they do not lose their legal responsibilities under NY Education Law 7200.
Said another way, a professional engineer licensed in New York State pursuant to Education Law Article 145 is not relieved of his duty to safeguard life, health, and property while serving as an elected town councilman, and that applies directly to Frank Burzesi, unless for the good of the people of not only Poestenkill, but New York state and the greater world, as well, Frank were to surrender his engineer's license.
With regard to Frank, and I too am a PE intolerant of other PE's like Frank Burzesi who believe because they are in politics, they are immune from the operation of law on them, an article of faith among at least among Republican politicians here in Rensselaer County like Frank going back to at least the 1970's, under New York State law and engineering ethics, the obligation to protect the public is paramount and is not suspended by holding public office.
For Frank's benefit, the practice of engineering is defined by its role in safeguarding life, health, and property and that duty is a cornerstone of the license, which remains valid and subject to revocation if the PE acts unethically in any capacity, a PE like Frank Burzesi is responsible for practicing within his scope of competence and adhering to ethical standards, even when making policy decisions as a councilman, such as were related to that error-riddled piece of crap called an engineering report for Water District No. 2 from Laberge back in 2024, which errors our Frank took great pains to cover up after on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 01:02:01 PM EDT, I sent him this e-mail that started as follows, to wit:
Frank, these are my questions for Laberge at the hearing on Thursday, and I expect to be afforded the opportunity to ask each and every one of them as written without a three-minute time limit being imposed on me, and without me being shouted down by Tom Russell or any other member of the town board:
end quotes
Thanks to Frank's duplicity as a councilman, those questions never were asked and today, thanks to Frank Burzesi, Poestenkill has a big financial mess on its hands with regard to Water District No. 2 thanks to Frank Burzesi.
As per those professional standards Frank Burzesi proved ready and willing to toss in the trash to protect Laberge instead of the people of Poestenkill, engineers like Frank Burzesi must hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and in the case of Water District No. 2 and the Laberge engineering report which had no engineering in it, if a councilman who is a PE like Frank Burzesi has technical knowledge that a town project is unsafe, they cannot use their political position to absolve themselves of that knowledge, as while serving as a councilman, the PE must navigate conflicts of interest (General Municipal Law Article 18), ensuring their engineering judgment is not compromised by political considerations, especially regarding decisions impacting public safety.
Now, it is true that while Frank Burzesi is serving as a councilman, he is acting as a public official, not as the town engineer.
However, Frank's professional, ethical, and legal duty to protect the public health and safety remains, and he must act with "reasonable care."
But he didn't.
Stay tuned!
Re: THE PAUL PLANTE STORY
POESTENKILL CLARION, CHRONICLE & GAZETTE
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 21st 2026 Edition
"JUST AS PREDICTED, THE WATER DISTRICT NO. 2 FLIM-FLAM IS BACK AND IT IS GOING TO COST US BIG!"
I must confess to lacking the intestinal fortitude to listen to the ignorant, uninformed droning of newly-elected Republican supervisor Michelle Garafolo in her decidedly unmellifluous speaking voice that grates severely on the ear for more than a few minutes at a time as she speaks to us as if we were children unable to comprehend what "see Dick run" means, so I am now admittedly somewhat behind the curve on where the continued machinations regarding funding for Water District No. 2 have gotten to since 8 January 2026 (cue, Youtube, Poestenkill own Board meeting, 1-8-2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d23g4jURUy4 @ 42:56) when Michelle at the high table told us over and over as follows:
MICHELLE: So, so, the project as it is bonded right now doesn't have enough money for us for completion because we are $280,000 short.
end quote
We're short money and we haven't even started yet?
Now, that is a typical Poestenkill accomplishment, to run out of money, but before the project even began?
They have outdone their incompetence this time around, big time!
And with respect to where the money has gone, here is what Michelle had to say about it on 1-8-2026, to wit:
MICHELLE: Then we have the ARPA funds which were the county funds and that was the $600,000 which we were already given which is predominantly went to Laberge Engineering already.
end quotes
And seriously, outside of Michelle, who is totally clueless as to what has been going on here in Poestenkill with regard to Water District No. 2 since 2024, who can be surprised?
In a town as fiscally incompetent and untrustworthy as Poestenkill, why would we be surprised?
And at 50:00 into the Youtube video of the 8 January 2026 Poestenkill town board meeting, we have as follows concerning the gross ignorance here in Poestenkill with respect to this ill-fated project, to wit:
MICHELLE: So, those are big numbers and I and the reason I wanted to kind of start from the ground up is I don't know who knows what here, and so, I'm assuming that nobody knows anything so I can just give you all the information
end quote
Now, her assumption that nobody at the high table knows anything about anything is pretty much dead on the money, but not so with us inhabitants of this municipal corporation who Michelle insultingly calls "you guys."
So, bringing this up to date, if we were short of money before, now that the lowest bid for construction of the project received the other night was $4,925,380 against $3,581,500 for construction in the original $5.5 million budgeted for this project, which leaves us with a $1.34388 million shortfall, not the $280,000 Michelle was going on about on 8 January 2026.
So, as was predicted, over and over, we are being taken for a ride here, and it is going to be a very costly one.
Stay tuned!
Dedicated to egalitarianism over pettifoggery and snobbery, and the protection and preservation of intellectual liberty in Poestenkill for Democracy in Poestenkill dies in Darkness, while in Darkness, Corruption in Poestenkill Flourishes
"It is when authority in Poestenkill is abused that authority in Poestenkill becomes contemptable!"
"The law is far too precious a thing to be left in the hands of lawyers!"
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
"The press is the scourge of tyrants and the grand palladium of liberty."
March 21st 2026 Edition
"JUST AS PREDICTED, THE WATER DISTRICT NO. 2 FLIM-FLAM IS BACK AND IT IS GOING TO COST US BIG!"
I must confess to lacking the intestinal fortitude to listen to the ignorant, uninformed droning of newly-elected Republican supervisor Michelle Garafolo in her decidedly unmellifluous speaking voice that grates severely on the ear for more than a few minutes at a time as she speaks to us as if we were children unable to comprehend what "see Dick run" means, so I am now admittedly somewhat behind the curve on where the continued machinations regarding funding for Water District No. 2 have gotten to since 8 January 2026 (cue, Youtube, Poestenkill own Board meeting, 1-8-2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d23g4jURUy4 @ 42:56) when Michelle at the high table told us over and over as follows:
MICHELLE: So, so, the project as it is bonded right now doesn't have enough money for us for completion because we are $280,000 short.
end quote
We're short money and we haven't even started yet?
Now, that is a typical Poestenkill accomplishment, to run out of money, but before the project even began?
They have outdone their incompetence this time around, big time!
And with respect to where the money has gone, here is what Michelle had to say about it on 1-8-2026, to wit:
MICHELLE: Then we have the ARPA funds which were the county funds and that was the $600,000 which we were already given which is predominantly went to Laberge Engineering already.
end quotes
And seriously, outside of Michelle, who is totally clueless as to what has been going on here in Poestenkill with regard to Water District No. 2 since 2024, who can be surprised?
In a town as fiscally incompetent and untrustworthy as Poestenkill, why would we be surprised?
And at 50:00 into the Youtube video of the 8 January 2026 Poestenkill town board meeting, we have as follows concerning the gross ignorance here in Poestenkill with respect to this ill-fated project, to wit:
MICHELLE: So, those are big numbers and I and the reason I wanted to kind of start from the ground up is I don't know who knows what here, and so, I'm assuming that nobody knows anything so I can just give you all the information
end quote
Now, her assumption that nobody at the high table knows anything about anything is pretty much dead on the money, but not so with us inhabitants of this municipal corporation who Michelle insultingly calls "you guys."
So, bringing this up to date, if we were short of money before, now that the lowest bid for construction of the project received the other night was $4,925,380 against $3,581,500 for construction in the original $5.5 million budgeted for this project, which leaves us with a $1.34388 million shortfall, not the $280,000 Michelle was going on about on 8 January 2026.
So, as was predicted, over and over, we are being taken for a ride here, and it is going to be a very costly one.
Stay tuned!