TSEC
The Solar Energy Consortium
The other day at Ulster Politics, we were talking about what our next post was going to be. Someone brought up “why was Mike Hein, as an appointed Ulster County worker, posing for pictures with our elected officials at the TSEC press conference?”. The Solar Energy Consortium
Of course we all know the answer - he was campaigning on county time.
But, more important than that we started to think about the details of TSEC, and a lot of other questions came up. By our count more promised taxpayer money has gone to TSEC and affiliated organizations in a shorter period of time than to any other group in County history.
As the Freeman pointed out on, TSEC and Hinchey made a very similar announcement (yippee - another company and lots of jobs) months ago. Months later - no signed agreement, no new jobs. We are very curious about the questions below given the immense amount of taxpayer money involved here about these things.
1. How many different grants has TSEC been awarded from our politicians in Washington and Albany.
2. Which of those grants have been funded to date?
3. Which of the grants were funded by competitive bid solicitation - and which were simply member item pork?
4. How many privately funded jobs have been created at each of these companies our elected leaders have promised are coming?
5. Do the companies coming to or expanding in Ulster County have common shareholders. If so, who are the companies? Who are the shareholders? Are they contributors to the politicians promising all this money?
6. If the promised jobs don't materialize, as happens too often, are the company officers who are getting these taxpayer dollars on the hook personally for paying back these grants or a pro-rata share thereof?
7. Finally, area media reported last year that several promised Congressional grants ultimately weren't funded. Congressman Hinchey blamed Bush but Bush didn't announce them, Hinchey did. How is that GUARANTEED not to happen here?
We don't dislike TSEC - in fact we hardly know them. It just seems like by our count some $15 million in taxpayer funds has been aimed at these folks and nobody is asking the tough questions like the above.
We would welcome TSEC's putting up a website and answering these questions with supporting documentation. We would also welcome politicians like Mike Hein staying in his office working instead of acting like he's been elected.
BTW, FEEL FREE TO KEEP POSTING YOUR "BLABER WONT' POST-IT" COMMENTS ON THIS THREAD!
Posts
36 comments:
The $64 question? How were the grants that were received to date spent?
Which consultants were paid?
I've got a question. Does anyone know anyone who has gotten a job (other than the "officers")with TSEC?
I don't really understand this TSEC thing, other than it seems like the we are getting hosed by our politicians, and a few people are making some money. And maybe more than "some" money.
If this is taxpayer money, shouldn't we be entitled to know how much these "officers" are being paid.
What, Did blaber do? I'm seeing double videos on his blog.
This Solar thing is starting to look a lot like the UCDC (in the Charles Straub days)....
Lots of money goes out to administration and salaries, no jobs or real business comes back into the county....
Blaber is running out of original material. This is old news.
I'd like to start a bullshirt consortium. I'll get some taxpayer dollars and hire all of my friends, then we'll promise to create all kinds of jobs, selling bullshit. The press will love us. Mike Hein will come to our press conferences and look very important. He'll even speak on our behalf using those phony hand gestures of his. Then, everyone will forgot about our bullshit and we'll take the taxpayers money and all the jobs that we promised and we'll go play golf.
The "staff" at Ulster Politics. Who?
Ulster County Humor
http://uchumor.blogspot.com/
When the jobs are here then I will be happy. How is Armor Dynamics doing? That is the perfect example of our tax money being used to start a business that still hasn't produced, rumor has it that they don't even have money for office equipment. (and I thought that was going to be a heck of an employer)
You naysayers are all alike. How about some constructive ideas? You all can complain enough, where are the suggestions on what to do differently? What are good ideas? What is worthy of investment? Who would you support to bring the jobs here that you all bitch about so much? The people who do this are dealing with what they have, and right now it is the Solar people. This has more upside than anything that has been brought to this county since IBM.
8:50, if you made it a GBC "Green Bullshit Consortium" you could probably get some funding for it. Maybe NYSERDA would get involved. I'm sure Mike Hein would definitely do his phony hand gestures for a worthy green cause like that, especially if there is bullshit involved, because that is his specialty.
I doubt this will get posted at Blaber. It was about a post where a bunch of Democrats helped fix up a church..
If Bernardo showed up to help a church out, everyone would be crying Conservative Christian!!! When Democrats help out a chuch... they're all just do-gooders. How do you explain that?
What happened to those posts? There were some pretty interesting things said there.
I heard they moved in, just have no business (waiting on gov't contract) and no furniture
Since Jeremy Blaber keeps rigging his polls, I thought I'd allow for fair internet polls. Please keep in mind that these are not scientific polls.
Go to www.cahillonpolitics.com
Interesting that this meeting was held at Wiltwyck.... I wonder if the TSEC was there.
I hope Mr. Dicker realizes that he is on thin ice and that accusing Assemblymen of taking bribes is a serious accusation and WILL NOT GO UNNOTICED
ALBANY $QUEEZE PLAY
By FREDRIC U. DICKER
August 18, 2008 --
SENATE Minority Leader Malcolm Smith told a conclave of lobbyists in Kingston last week that their clients would be shut out of a Democrat-controlled Senate in January if they didn't pony up large contributions now, a "shocked" longtime lobbyist has told The Post.
The Queens-based Smith, whose party is given a good chance by political experts of winning control of the Senate in the November elections, also made what the lobbyist called "an inappropriate and offensive" sexual joke about marital infidelity.
"It was a shocking set of remarks and people were looking around the room in disbelief," said the well-known lobbyist, who has strong Republican and Democratic ties.
"It was far more blatant a threat than anything we're used to hearing from many of the leaders," the lobbyist continued.
"The whole thing was incredible. Malcolm got up there and thanked everyone for coming and told them we should think of his fund-raising event as being like an IPO, an initial public offering.
"He said we should get in early because then it doesn't cost as much. The longer you wait to get in, he said, the more it will cost you and if you don't get in at all, then it will be painful after November, after the Democrats win the majority," the lobbyist continued.
"Then he referred to [Bronx state Sen.] Jeff Klein about four times as his 'enforcer,' who is going to be brutal, aggressive, about collecting the contributions, and that he was the one managing the IPO."
Linking campaign contributions to future government actions is illegal under New York law, legal experts told The Post.
The lobbyist, meanwhile, also said Smith, the married father of two who fathered an out-of-wedlock child with a woman other than his wife three years ago, made "an inappropriate and unprofessional" sexual innuendo at the event, a Senate Democratic golf outing at the private Wiltwyck Golf Club, attended by about 75 lobbyists who paid up to $75,000 each.
"The golf was called off because of rain, so the program was being shortened and the dinner was held early," the lobbyist recalled.
"Smith was up there joking about what was going on, about the dinner ending early, and then said something like, 'If anybody needs a permission slip for their spouse so that they can say you were here for a few hours more, I'll say you were here until 8. You're covered until about 8.'
"There was only one way to interpret that - cheating on your spouse - even if it was a joke," the lobbyist recalled.
Repeated attempts to reach Smith for comment were unsuccessful, and he didn't return messages left on his cellphone.
Curtis Taylor, his press secretary, also refused to discuss the specifics of the event, even though he was among those present.
fredric.dicker@nypost.com
I sent this to Blaber's blog after the absurd reversal overnight in his "fair and balanced" poll for comptroller; the chances of it getting posted are as slim as Auerbach ever losing this poll, no matter how many REAL persons actually voted:
Blaber, you and your poll are total frauds.
Any poll where 60-80 votes magically appear for ONE candidate between midnight and dawn, as it did last week, and then, when the poll ran out the clock with Quigley up by nearly 10%, with almost no new votes at all for anyone for the last day, and is taken off the site, BUT THEN COMES BACK the next morning with Auerbach suddenly up enough votes, nearly 100 more graveyard shift votes, as before, to REVERSE the percentages, ALL OF WHICH VOTES WERE ADDED AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED, is beyond laughable, but is as ethically bad as the theft of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
I predicted that Blaber would pull just such a stunt, and then crow about it, doing Goebbels proud.
You're a joke Blaber, and it's appropriate that these rigged figures are to prop up the candidacy of a similarly bogus and ethically-challenged joke candidate.
And, of course, you won't let this post appear, Blaber, because you're as bogus as the poll.
POSTED ON BLABER NEWS IN RESPONSE TO AUERBACH "WINNING" IN BLABER'S PSEUDO-POLL:
Mr. Blaber -
Don't you realize that you are making a laughing stock of yourself? I don't know whether you have any knowledge of how all those votes appear out of thin air at the last moment or if you are just turning a blind eye, but somewhere deep inside you must know that the votes which put Mr. Hein and Mr. Auerbach over the top in your last two polls are hacked and illegitimate.
People on both sides of the political fence are laughing at you, Mr. Blaber. Republicans and Conservatives because your blog has become a parody of what it was at one point. Democrats because they are using and exploiting you.
You will never be taken seriously until you decide to place loyalty to principle ahead of loyalty to a group of people.
I have a feeling that you are basically a good and conscientious person whose enthusiasm for a cause has been used by people who want to influence public opinion.
Don't let them dupe you anymore, Mr. Blaber. You can't buy their respect by being a pawn, but you can earn everyone's respect by standing up for principle.
Sorry.... we can't post the greetings to Steve Krulick.... just some you know Steve, someone would like to say ____ you!
Blaber might reject this:
"Bernardo blends into the crowd". It's the ABSENSE of presumpuousness which is why Bernardo is my choice, and should be the choice for Ulster County. Hein is, for some reason, remeniscent of Eliot Spitze, former democratic governor of NY. I bet if Spitzer hadn't gone down in a ball of fire, Jeremy would be making that comparison right now, in a positive light.
Bubel, it would have been good for you if he did. You screwed up the two polysyllabic words that you used. You even the disyllabic word you used to try and make your self seem smart.
Leave that to the big people!
Nice try there Ulster Politics.
Wilson is in the Senate and at no time did Dicker accuse him of taking bribes, he accused him of aggressively soliciting contributions, with negative impact if they didn't pony up now. Undoubtedly unethical and immoral behavior. Hopefully it will be addressed by the State Ethics Board or even the Albany D.A.
There were no Assembly members mentioned.
10:11, not sure how I screwed it up, but obviously you aren't one of the 'big' people you ascribe to. I cannot even start to decipher your last sentence in your first paragraph.
So I left of a 'T' and incorrectly used an 'E'. Again, if nitpicking spelling is all you have, you libs are in trouble.
presumptuousness (noun): Full of oneself. unwarrantedly forward.
reminiscent (adj.): Awakening Memories.
And here, these are for you:
Ascribe (V.): to infer ownership.
Nitpicking (V.): To be concerned with INSIGNIFICANT details.
In response to your blog questions:
1. To my knowledge all federal, state and local Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) grants have been publicly reported. Ulster County Development Corporation (UCDC) and TSEC report regularly to the County legislature on progress. I recommend to critics a new approach: Get the facts.
2. To my knowledge, besides the widely publised federal grants and the $5 million in State solar incentives allocated, $200,000 in County funds has been approved as a subcontract from UCDC. Again this has been widely reported.
3. UCDC has a sole source contract for economic development services with Ulster County. This contract has been thoroughly vetted by the County Attorney's office and is justified by the unique nature (in the County) of UCDC's capabilities. If multiple qualified countywide economic development entities existed, competitive bids would be required. Similarly, TSEC is a unique entity. Show me another qualified entity like it in this community. As for "member item pork", TSEC and UCDC have received nothing that remotely fits that description. I guess it's easier to fling a phrase than fetch a phone.
4. I know of several dozen "solar" jobs that have been hired in 2008 through the efforts of TSEC and UCDC. This includes expansion jobs at Precision Flow in Saugerties and staff hired by Prism at its facilities the Town of Ulster. I respectfully look forward to continuing to disappoint those who get joy out of insisting there will be no meaningful solar jobs. This initiative is for real.
5. Prism Solar is a privately held firm whose principals are well known. Solar Thin Film is a publicly trade company vetted by UCDC and the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, which have rigorous conflict of interest policies, as does Ulster County.
6. Depending on the program, there can indeed be personal guarantees, liens, and claw-back provisions to enforce the incentive agreements. But no one pretends there are no risks in business or economic development. One option is to do nothing. I'd rather compete and fight for good jobs using every legitimate tool available.
7. Federal funds for TSEC are falling into place as hoped. Timing is subject to fiscal politics. This is not shocking.
Finally, I'd like to stress that, as UCDC's president I strive to be nonpartisan, but it is only factual to say that I have direct knowledge that each and every person speaking at the August 13 press conference was directly involved in advancing TSEC or the Solar Thin Films project or both. They were all legitimate speakers and we should be proud of the funds and firms they -- and others from all political parties -- have been leveraging for Ulster County. I agree people should hold our feet to the fire and insist we deliver on the promised hundreds of jobs. But we should also avoid kneejerk negativism. That won't get Ulster County ahead. Hard work and constructive ideas will.
Lance Matteson, UCDC
In response to your blog questions:
1. To my knowledge all federal, state and local Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) grants have been publicly reported. Ulster County Development Corporation (UCDC) and TSEC report regularly to the County legislature on progress. I recommend to critics a new approach: Get the facts.
2. To my knowledge, besides the widely publised federal grants and the $5 million in State solar incentives allocated, $200,000 in County funds has been approved as a subcontract from UCDC. Again this has been widely reported.
3. UCDC has a sole source contract for economic development services with Ulster County. This contract has been thoroughly vetted by the County Attorney's office and is justified by the unique nature (in the County) of UCDC's capabilities. If multiple qualified countywide economic development entities existed, competitive bids would be required. Similarly, TSEC is a unique entity. Show me another qualified entity like it in this community. As for "member item pork", TSEC and UCDC have received nothing that remotely fits that description. I guess it's easier to fling a phrase than fetch a phone.
4. I know of several dozen "solar" jobs that have been hired in 2008 through the efforts of TSEC and UCDC. This includes expansion jobs at Precision Flow in Saugerties and staff hired by Prism at its facilities the Town of Ulster. I respectfully look forward to continuing to disappoint those who get joy out of insisting there will be no meaningful solar jobs. This initiative is for real.
5. Prism Solar is a privately held firm whose principals are well known. Solar Thin Film is a publicly trade company vetted by UCDC and the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, which have rigorous conflict of interest policies, as does Ulster County.
6. Depending on the program, there can indeed be personal guarantees, liens, and claw-back provisions to enforce the incentive agreements. But no one pretends there are no risks in business or economic development. One option is to do nothing. I'd rather compete and fight for good jobs using every legitimate tool available.
7. Federal funds for TSEC are falling into place as hoped. Timing is subject to fiscal politics. This is not shocking.
Finally, I'd like to stress that, as UCDC's president I strive to be nonpartisan, but it is only factual to say that I have direct knowledge that each and every person speaking at the August 13 press conference was directly involved in advancing TSEC or the Solar Thin Films project or both. They were all legitimate speakers and we should be proud of the funds and firms they -- and others from all political parties -- have been leveraging for Ulster County. I agree people should hold our feet to the fire and insist we deliver on the promised hundreds of jobs. But we should also avoid kneejerk negativism. That won't get Ulster County ahead. Hard work and constructive ideas will.
Lance Matteson, UCDC
In response to your blog questions:
1. To my knowledge all federal, state and local Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) grants have been publicly reported. Ulster County Development Corporation (UCDC) and TSEC report regularly to the County legislature on progress. I recommend to critics a new approach: Get the facts.
LANCE - OK, THEN TELL US WHAT THEY ARE. YOU INDICATE THEY HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY REPORTED, BUT FOR THOSE OF US BUSY PAYING TAXES AND NOT KEEPING UP WITH ALL THE GREAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS COMING OUT OF YOUR OFFICE, MAYBE YOU CAN REMIND US.
2. To my knowledge, besides the widely publised federal grants and the $5 million in State solar incentives allocated, $200,000 in County funds has been approved as a subcontract from UCDC. Again this has been widely reported.
LANCE - YOU DON'T SAY HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN "FUNDED". HOW MUCH MONEY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN RECEIVED BY THE SOLAR PEOPLE, FROM WHICH GRANTS? WE KNOW THESE ARE DETAILED QUESTIONS BUT ARE DETAILS TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR FROM YOU?
3. UCDC has a sole source contract for economic development services with Ulster County. This contract has been thoroughly vetted by the County Attorney's office and is justified by the unique nature (in the County) of UCDC's capabilities. If multiple qualified countywide economic development entities existed, competitive bids would be required. Similarly, TSEC is a unique entity. Show me another qualified entity like it in this community. As for "member item pork", TSEC and UCDC have received nothing that remotely fits that description. I guess it's easier to fling a phrase than fetch a phone.
YOU INDICATE UCDC HAS "UNIQUE CAPABILITIES". HOW MANY NEW PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS HAS UCDC CREATED. TELL US THE NAMES OF THE COMPANIES AND THE JOBS.
ALSO, YOU CLAIM THERE IS NO MEMBER ITEMS OR PORK. YOU ARE WRONG. KEVIN CAHILL'S OWN WEBSITE CLAIMS THAT HE GOT THEM $5 MILLION IN A NO BID GRANT AND HE AND SENATOR LARKIN GOT THEM ANOTHER $1.5 MILLION IN NO BID GRANTS.
4. I know of several dozen "solar" jobs that have been hired in 2008 through the efforts of TSEC and UCDC. This includes expansion jobs at Precision Flow in Saugerties and staff hired by Prism at its facilities the Town of Ulster. I respectfully look forward to continuing to disappoint those who get joy out of insisting there will be no meaningful solar jobs. This initiative is for real.
SEVERAL DOZEN JOBS? TELL US THE TITLES. SHOW THE EMPLOYEES OFF AT PRESS CONFERENCES. TELL US WHEN THE EMPLOYEES WERE HIRED. YOU ARE OFFERING JUST MORE RHETORIC LANCE WITHOUT ANY DATA TO BACK UP YOUR ASSERTIONS.
5. Prism Solar is a privately held firm whose principals are well known. Solar Thin Film is a publicly trade company vetted by UCDC and the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, which have rigorous conflict of interest policies, as does Ulster County.
LANCE - YOU SAY THE PRINCIPALS ARE "WELL KNOWN". WHO ARE THEY THEN? DOES ULSTER COUNTY HAVE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICIES WHICH PROHIBITS DONATIONS FROM CORPORATE SHAREHOLDERS TO POLICY MAKERS. KEEP IN MIND LANCE THAT DAVID LENEFSKY IS THE LOBBYIST FOR THE WESTERN MOHEGAN NATION AND IS GIVING MONEY TO ELLIOTT AUERBACH'S CAMPAIGN - THE SAME AUERBACH WHO IS SEEKING TO FAST FORWARD A CASINO ON THE SITE OWNED BY THE WESTERN MOHEGAN NATION - THE TAMARACK LODGE.
6. Depending on the program, there can indeed be personal guarantees, liens, and claw-back provisions to enforce the incentive agreements. But no one pretends there are no risks in business or economic development. One option is to do nothing. I'd rather compete and fight for good jobs using every legitimate tool available.
ARE THERE PERSONAL GUARANTEES HERE THOUGH LANCE? YOU DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. OVER $15 MILLION IN GRANTS HAS BEEN PROMISED, EVEN IF "SEVERAL DOZEN" JOBS (I.E. - 100 JOBS) HAVE BEEN CREATED - AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE, THAT'S $150,000 A JOB. CAN YOU SUBSIDIZE MY JOB BY $150,000 LANCE??? YOU COULD HIRE THREE OR FOUR OF ME FOR THAT PRICE !
7. Federal funds for TSEC are falling into place as hoped. Timing is subject to fiscal politics. This is not shocking.
WHAT TIMING IS THAT LANCE? NOW YOU ADMIT THAT THIS IS SUBJECT TO POLITICS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ALL DONE ON MERIT.
Finally, I'd like to stress that, as UCDC's president I strive to be nonpartisan, but it is only factual to say that I have direct knowledge that each and every person speaking at the August 13 press conference was directly involved in advancing TSEC or the Solar Thin Films project or both. They were all legitimate speakers and we should be proud of the funds and firms they -- and others from all political parties -- have been leveraging for Ulster County. I agree people should hold our feet to the fire and insist we deliver on the promised hundreds of jobs. But we should also avoid kneejerk negativism. That won't get Ulster County ahead. Hard work and constructive ideas will.
KNEE JERK NEGATIVISM. AS OPPOSED TO ALL THE OPTIMISM WE SHOULD FEEL FOR UCDC. ON YOUR WATCH COLONY LIQUOR IS LEAVING. ON YOUR WATCH HYRDO ALUMINIUM LEFT. ON YOUR WATCH PLASMACO LEFT. ON YOUR WATCH IMPERIAL SCHRADE LEFT. OH YES LANCE, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC.
Lance Matteson, UCDC
1:16.... MEOW!!!
10:11 - leave Joe Buble alone you jerk
Lance - nice try, but I agree with 1:16.. blah blah blah blah blah...
but I do give you credit for at least attempting to respond
10:20 - do you really expect everyone to believe that the Assembly members are a bunch of angels.... ha!
8:50 - you got it right
I guess if I were in charge of economic development for Ulster County all I'd be doing is defending the status quo also.
Greene County has developed corporate parks, Ulster County is the most politicized, arrogant, economically unsophisticated county in terms of job creation in the entire Hudson Valley.
Time to depoliticize our government. It is nice that Lance has time to sit around and attempt to answer questions, albeit without actually answering them. Maybe he can be county administrator.
Thanks for posting my previous comment. I'll be happy to do my best to address questions emailed to me at lmatteson@ulsterny.com by askers who are willing to identify themselves. Lance Matteson, UCDC
It's nice Lance will only answer to those of us willing to confront him privately but let's tell all the taxpayers what the UCDC record is.
I urge Glenn Noonan to ask these questions publicly and demand the supporting documentation to back up Lance's claims.
We need local politicians with the spine to ask the tough questions.
Mr. Matteson -
It may be a legitimate argument that you wish to only answer those who will identify themselves - although a tenuous one, at best. However, the decision as to the venue in which those questions must be asked is certainly not one you have the right to make.
The people of this County are suffering financially and the reasons are twofold: severe and unjustifiable overtaxation and a chronic and catastrophic lack of quality jobs. If our neighbors decide that they wish to ask question on these subjects collectively, in a public forum - whether real world or virtual - you and all who work for this County, whether elected or appointed, have an undeniable responsibility to respond promptly, candidly and completely.
Whether this may cause harm to your career or image or to the re-election prospects of those politicians on whom you rely is irrelevant. The voters and taxpayers of Ulster County are your employers and you have an absolute, incontrovertible obligation to answer the questions posed to you by them. Setting conditions for which venues the people may use to pose their questions to you is inexcusable.
In point of fact, the UCDC is an utter waste of taxpayer funds. It is a bottomless pit of the people's money being spent with no significant return to those who work hard to generate that money.
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