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At the Town Board meeting on Sept, 26, 2011, Sue Serino abstained from voting on the communications sytems that will be installed in the new police facility. Her reason? Dog darn it, she didn't get the e-mail that was sent out to the Town Board well before before 5pm. Hmmm, sounds a bit suspicious...why?

1) She has a Blackberry and like American Express, she doesn't leave home without it.
She responded to the e-mail about her vote to appoint Jim Langan to the Police Advisory Committee from her Blackberry, like, within twenty minutes. She has been even observed texting during the Town Board Meetings.
So, either she's making falsehoods or perhaps her Blackberry wasn't working on Monday between 4 and 7 pm? Better call Verizon.

2) The agenda was posted on the Hyde Park website prior to Monday's meeting. Did Sue Serino bother to review it before hand and say 'Hey, there is a vote tonight on several resolutions that I need to know about. Let me call the Town Clerk and ask her to e-mail me the information or I'll just walk the 300 feet from my office to Town Hall to get it myself.'  

I recall that when this Board took office, each board member took an oath which is detailed in NYS Town Law Section 25:
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/excerpts/twn25.htm
 
Each supervisor, town clerk, collector, receiver of taxes and
assessments, town justice, constable, town superintendent of highways,
and such other officers and employees as the town board may require,
before entering upon the duties of his or her office, and within thirty
days after commencement of the term for which he or she is chosen, shall
execute and file in the office of the clerk of the town, an official
undertaking, conditioned for the faithful performance of his or her
duties,
in such form, in such sum and with such sureties as the town
board shall direct and approve and such approval shall be indicated upon
such undertaking.

An analogy for you. At one point in time most of us have either been employed or in school.

Scenario 1: You're a student. The instructor provides a syllabus and there's a paper due on a certain date. You don't do it because your dog ate your computer or Blackberry or whatever. Outcome: You get penalized in your grade. You won't be getting that 'A' afterall.

Scenario 2: You're a manager. There's a meeting at 3 pm which you've known about for a few weeks. There was an email sent out before hand with the agenda and there will be a more detailed agenda to follow.

a. You get the e-mail at 1pm but don't bother to look it since you're just too busy (chatting with co-worker or even doing work for your second job)

b. You're waiting for the detailed agenda that just doesn't come. So instead of calling your Director to ask for another e-mail to be sent, you go to the meeting unprepared.

Outcome: You get called into your Director's office for a 'chat' and get read the riot act with a letter of discipline to sign.

In the REAL WORLD you would get penalized and if you continued this behavior while employed, eventually you would most likely find yourself filing a claim with the NYS Department of Unemployment. If this occured while a student, you'd flunk out.

However, in the world of POLITICS you receive the reward of an endorsement for an office that requires even more responsibility and get your photo on the front page of the local paper highlighted by stars. 

Seems like the operant conditioning and behavior reinforcements are a bit messed up here. So, Sue is being bad and rather get a scolding, she gets a scooby snack. So, she continues to be bad because she reaps the rewards of being endorsed to run for a county seat and Jim Langan features her in his stories and she gets to go to fancy brunches and dinners and everyone just 'loves' her.

I guess it pays off not having to show up to Town Board meetings because you're off doing whatever and showing up but not being prepared. Seriously, what gives?