Rochester Smoke Out

Ulster County Legislature Chairwoman Terry Bernardo lost the election. Her husband Len, Chairman of the Ulster County Independence Party had this to say:

“Terry is obviously going to be hurt, but she ran a tough race and we were working against a lot of stuff. We had the Democrats and the Republicans working against us. But you have to respect both sides, us and them, and they ran a great race.”

Let me get this right… On one side we have the Democrats and the Republicans, on the other side Len and Terry Bernardo… and we must respect both sides?

Respect Bernardos? Yeah, right! They gave us plenty of reasons…

Len Bernardo, Chairman of Ulster County Independence Party
and Terry Bernardo, soon to be former Legislator / Ulster County Legislature Chairwoman, are famous for specializing in:

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Posted on 11/12/13 @ 3:08 PM

Today’s counting of the absentee ballots settled the Bernardo-Archer race in District 21 (Rochester and eastern Wawarsing). Archer wins by 51 votes.

Congratulations Ulster County Legislator-Elect Lynn Archer!

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Updated 11/14/13

Photos by Manuela Michailescu

The Veterans Day ceremony at the Rochester Veterans Park
becomes more and more of a tradition…

Veterans, elected officials and fellow residents were proud to honor Rochester’s oldest veteran, Herbert Jenkins (red beret, above and below). On November 7, 2013, Herbert ‘Ben’ Jenkins turned 100. As reported in Blue Stone Press (Nov. 1, 2013 issue), he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S. Gulfstream in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Happy 100th birthday and thank you for your service, Ben!

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Since the Democrats secured the majority in the Legislature, the nightmare of Terry Bernardo’s chairmanship is – thank God! – forever out of question. So much for the newsletter “Ulster County Legislature Chairwoman Bernardo” sent to voters before the election.

The 4-pager displays her obsession with power. “Ulster County Legislature Chairwoman Terry Bernardo” appears over 25 times, attached to issues she does not have anything to do with: more than 1,000 jobs projected at Nevele resort, Williams Lake redevelopment, Belleayre Mountain ski center, the Rainbow Diner fire debris, tourism growing in Ulster County, STAR property tax exemption, NEW YORK SAFE Act…

To give you an idea about the emptiness of Terry Bernardo list of achievements, here is a typical paragraph:

“At the September meeting of the Ulster County Legislature, Chairman Terry Bernardo granted Privilege of the Floor to John Wolham, the Regional Director of the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance Office of Real Property Tax Service.”

Pompous stupidity at its best, but not surprising. Check it out:

Please read the arrogant statements she made in Blue Stone Press (October 18, 2013):

“As chairman of the county legislature, I am in a position to regularly work with our state’s top policymakers – from Governor Cuomo down, to advocate for the Nevele casino project.”

And then, taking un-deserved credit for flood buyouts (which were mostly in a different district than the one she represents), she continues:

“Those are key, meaningful issues that as chairman of the legislature I play a role in helping to advance on behalf of our area.”

It all culminates with:

“My opponent is a nice person but she would be a “back-bench” Legislator without opportunity to work with the region’s and state’s top policy makers for the jobs related changes our community needs.”

As Bernardo’s dream of keeping the chairmanship position was shattered on November 5, we wonder if she wants to play again with the mike on the back bench:

Not that Bernardo stands a chance of being a legislator again. Considering that she is ahead by only 10 anemic votes, Tuesday’s tallying of the absentee ballots favors Lynn Archer.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Terry Bernardo, we barely knew you…

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

The first comment to my post Tiny Tim vs. Red Man contains an idiotic statement – highlighted below – obviously posted by someone who does not have Town of Rochester’s interest at heart. Keep in mind, this statement was dishonestly made for political gain.

Anonymous says:
November 4, 2013 at 5:59 PM

Tim is a good guy, that is being manipulated by “friends” . Unfortunately, those pushing him on, do not have Tim’s best interest in mind. The Bernardo’s are trying to use Tim to dirty Carl, thereby discrediting Carl’s endorsement of Lynn. Tim is just what our town needs, young family candidates willing to serve. He is not ready for Supervisor but would be a good candidate for town board.

I quickly expressed my aversion to the idea of Tim Bunch being “just what our town needs,” and I am proud of those who also left comments on behalf of the community.

Jon Dogar-Marinesco says:
November 4, 2013 at 6:20 PM

Cut the crap! Tim Bunch is the last thing our town needs. Somebody without a mind of his own is never a good candidate. He might be willing to serve, but he is not equipped to serve. He is equipped to take orders from people like you and Bernardos. One more time, cut the crap! You want to influence the Town Board, run for a seat. Did I mention “cut the crap?”


Anonymous says:
November 4, 2013 at 8:06 PM

6:20, you’re absolutely right! A “good guy” does not allow to be manipulated, especially after is made aware of the manipulation. A “young family candidate” who keeps on lying to get votes is not a good example for his own kids. Somebody who never listens to arguments is not a good candidate for town board. Somebody who unfairly calls an entire town board “dirty” – and hates the current Town and State leaders – has no place on any leadership team. Tim Bunch does not want to unite Rochester. Tim Bunch is a divider.


Anonymous says:
November 4, 2013 at 8:08 PM

No one would want to serve on a board with someone so mis-informed. He would be a huge embarrassment for Rochester.



Carl Chipman says:
November 7, 2013 at 12:16 PM

5:59, You certainly sound like David O’Haloran. Tim Bunch’s profile certainly looks good as did Len and Terry Bernardo’s when they first ran for office with your support. You, me, and a lot of other people had the wool pulled over our eyes and look at the mess we are in. The Republican Party at the local level up to the county is in shambles. We study history so that we can learn from our past mistakes. So let us not support someone based on his profile of being a young family man and instead look deeper into the quality of his character.

You are correct that Mr. Bunch was manipulated to be an attack puppy against me to damage me in order to discredit the quality of my endorsement of Lynn Archer. Bunch was easy to manipulate as the Bernardos played to his ultra conservative intolerant leanings and fed his ego at the same time. I spoke with many people who know him well by working and doing business with him and they seem to think that he thinks he has the answers to everything. A common complaint I heard was that he does not seem to listen to the differing viewpoints of others and that his is the only way of looking at things. Doesn’t that sound a lot like his buddy “Let me tell you something” Len Bernardo?

Many people tried to sway Mr. Bunch to run for a council seat but Mr. Bunch would not have anything to do with that. He thought he knew everything and had all of the answers so he should go right for supervisor. The fact that I perform wedding ceremonies for same sex couples and the fact that I did not support Terry Bernardo’s dog and pony show at the UPAC to do a memorializing resolution against the Safe Act were also contributing factors.

The combination of Bernardo pumping him full of lies and his own inability to grasp the issues of importance to the Town led him to run a negative campaign filled with falsehoods and personal attacks. Tim Bunch shelved his self purported “Christian values” in order to run an ugly campaign against me. Somehow he believed that the end justified the unchristian-like means. If this is how he runs a campaign, then how would he run a town? Leopards don’t change their spots.

The problem with an attack puppy like Tim is that he will grow up to be a dog. A “Bernardo Attack Dog” (BAD) elected to any position in the Town of Rochester would be BAD for our community. If it wasn’t Bernardo pulling his strings, would it be you or someone else. I agree that the interests of young families must be represented at the table but let us elect young independent (Not INDEPENDENCE!) thinkers to serve unfettered with the strings of special interests.

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

As you all know, the race for
COUNTY LEGISLATOR – DISTRICT 21
is too close to call:
Terry Bernardo – 1,112
Lynn Archer – 1,102

141 absentee ballots have been already returned to Ulster County Board of Elections.
Unopened, they break out as follows:

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

Two years ago, Terry Bernardo got 213 votes on her husband’s Independence line. This past Tuesday – on the same family-owned ballot line – the booty decreased to only 124 votes.

Perhaps this 42% loss in the number of votes has something to do with Independence Party must die! – the mailer sent to all registered members of Len Bernardo’s fake party.

I’m open to other interpretations, so please, comment away!

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco

COUNTY LEGISLATOR – DISTRICT 21
Terry Bernardo – 1,112
Lynn Archer – 1,102
TOO CLOSE TO CALL
185 absentee ballots were requested from District 21.
139 have been already returned to Ulster County Board of Elections.
November 12 is the deadline for receiving absentee ballots.

SUPERVISOR – TOWN OF ROCHESTER
Carl Chipman – 1,434
Timothy Bunch – 510

TOWN JUSTICE – TOWN OF ROCHESTER
Paul Shaheen – 1,095
Vincent Nigro – 881

TOWN BOARD – TOWN OF ROCHESTER
Antonino Spano – 1,016
Sherry Chachkin – 946
Harold Lipton – 919
Philip Davis – 890

Town Clerk / Tax Collector Kathleen Dennin-Sergio (1,831) and
Superintendent of Highways Wayne Kelder (1,514) ran unopposed.

COUNTY COMPTROLLER
Elliott Auerbach – 22,471
Linda McDonough – 18,735

ULSTER COUNTY LEGISLATURE

DISTRICT 1 (Saugerties)
Mary Wawro (R, C, I) – 1,291
Beth Murphy (D, WF) – 901

DISTRICT 2 (Saugerties)
Chris Allen (D, WF) – 1,226
Bob Aiello (R, C, I) – 951

DISTRICT 3 (Saugerties-Ulster)
Dean Fabiano (R, C, I) – 1,310
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 4 (Ulster, town of Kingston)
James Maloney (R, C, I) – 1,590
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 5 (city of Kingston)
Peter Loughran (D) – 889
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 6 (city of Kingston)
Dave Donaldson (D, WF) – 1,004
John Quigley (R, C, I) – 690

DISTRICT 7 (city of Kingston)
Jeanette Provenzano (D, WF, I) – 1,187
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 8 (Esopus)
Carl Belfiglio (R, C, I) – 1,162
Peter Nelson (D, WF) – 961

DISTRICT 9 (Lloyd-Plattekill)
Herb Litts (R, C, I) – 1,065
Billiam Van Roestenberg (D) – 531

DISTRICT 10 (Lloyd-Marlborough)
Mary Beth Maio (R, C, I) – 835
Gerald Lyons (D, WF) – 761

DISTRICT 11 (Marlborough)
Richard Gerentine (R, C, I) – 1,483
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 12 (Plattekill)
Kevin Roberts (R, C, I) – 1,016
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 13 (Shawangunk)
Ken Ronk (R, C, I) – 647
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 14 (Shawangunk-Wawarsing)
Craig Lopez (R, C, I) – 863
Tim Distel (D, WF) – 817

DISTRICT 15 (Wawarsing)
Thomas J. Briggs (D, I) – 1,257
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 16 (Gardiner-Shawangunk)
Tracey Bartels (D, WF) – 1,184
Lenny Zapka (R, C, I) – 985

DISTRICT 17 (Esopus-New Paltz)
Ken Wishnick (D, WF) – 1,268
Leon “Butch” Dener (C, I) – 660

DISTRICT 18 (Hurley-Marbletown)
Richard Parete (D, I) – 1,839
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 19 (Marbletown-Rosendale)
Manna Jo Greene (D, WF) – 1,362
Kevin Hines (R, C, I) – 1,095

DISTRICT 20 (New Paltz)
Hector Rodriguez (D, WF) – 815
(ran unopposed)

DISTRICT 21 (Rochester-Wawarsing)
Terry Bernardo (R, C, I) – 1,112
Lynn Archer (D, WF) – 1,102
TOO CLOSE TO CALL

DISTRICT 22 (Denning-Olive-Hardenburgh-Shandaken)
John Parete (D) – 1,849
Kevin Scanlan (R, C) – 850

DISTRICT 23 (Hurley-Woodstock)
Donald Gregorius (D, WF) – 1,964
James Monserrate (R, C) – 556

Family Court Judge Marianne Mizel (30,556) and
County Clerk Nina Postupack (39,318) ran unopposed.

STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
Richard McNally (D, I) – 21,069
Carol Donnelly Stevens (R, C) – 17,397
Dennis Duggan (WF) – 2,405