City Council President Charlie Mallow, who was rumored a few weeks ago to be a candidate for County Legislature, issued a statement moments ago saying that he's withdrawing from elective politics.
He won't seek re-election nor a seat on the County Legislature. Mallow expresses no intention to run for any other office in the future.
He will finish his current term.
Here's his statement:
I appreciate the faith that people placed in me by electing me to a term on City Council and it has been a real honor to serve the last four years. It should not come to a shock to anyone I have ever spoken to but, I will not seek another term. It was never my intention to run for more than one term and I have no desire to be a politician. My time on City Council has been a life changing experience and I wanted to thank each and every one of you that gave me the opportunity to represent you. After spending my time on Council, I have a new perspective on small town politics. Batavia is a great place to live and I hope other people will decide to step up and serve our city. I don't believe the public is served well by career politicians and I support term limits. I did consider running for Legislature but, I have withdrawn my name from consideration. I will serve out my current term on Council as promised.
I feel that we have lost "one
I feel that we have lost "one of the good ones" on our city council. I hope that our persistant whining and compaining about things on this site had nothing to do with this. I feel we will be losing valuable information and insite to what really goes on with our city and what is new or in store for Batavia. I hope this will not stop Mr. Mallow from posting on this website even if its on a personal point of view perspective. I really do believe that the city council members have a thankless job and must walk around with targets on their backs ! I hope the best for Mr. Mallow and for what it is worth I totally appreciate the work and dedication he has given the city of Batavia. It helps that he has a hell of a sense of humour too !
I deleted all the comments
I deleted all the comments dealing with a particular person/family.
We have a rule against personal attacks and some of the comments crossed that line, and all of them were at least border line.
I'm just not comfortable with bashing people in this way. I've been a bit lax on the personal attack rule at times, especially when they involve people of some prominence in the community, since this is probably stuff people talk about anyway.
But it's just not fair.
I'd rather see us sticking to issues and not people.
Howard
Howard
it wont let me delete
it wont let me delete
Gotta say I have to agree
Gotta say I have to agree with Dan Cherry on this one. I see my post was removed too yet I didn't call Mike O any names. Why the need to get to the bottom of the Victorian Manor or Batavia Pontillo's stories but no interest in follow-ups on Ognibene Ford/Crazy Cheap Cars? I would think as a Community News Reporter you would find it curious that the number of BBB Complaints for his auto dealerships are more than triple of any other dealership in the Rochester or Buffalo Markets? Sounds like an investigative news story to me.
(I'll bet a dollar when I wake up in the AM this post will have gone off into the ether.)
ANDREW THANKS I AM DELETING
ANDREW THANKS I AM DELETING THEM ALL NOW BEFORE HE DOES
I do think Howard does over
I do think Howard does over react and take sides...He spose to be the moderator not the censor...Free Speech,as long as it factual and honest,which i believe Dan Cherry posted ... ....I have to admit since Philp left the site has gotten very stale..At lease with Philp he did some good reporting..Same goes for Brian,great sports writer....
MARK I THANK YOU.aLL THE WORK
MARK I THANK YOU.aLL THE WORK I DID FOR NOTHING IN MY BLOG IS GONE.EXCEPT THE PIC OF HOWARD AND PHILIP AT THE WINGDING/ SUMMER IN THE CITY AND WHAT OGNIBENE DID TO MY BOYS AND I.AND THE RAINBOW OVER REHAB MY NURSE AT THE FOOT CLINIC LIKED.I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO CLEAR MY NAME FROM ALL THE DUMB THINGS I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE.AND BEING "GOOD"IS BORING.YET IT STILL FOLLOWS ME FOREVER HERE.I WOULD NOT LIKE MY NAME ASSOCIATED WITH AN ONLINE NEWS THAT SELLS MIKE OGNIBENE HOMES.UNDER KAY CHECK WITH THE CITY 119 STATE MJO PROPERTIES.MY BLOG TELLS WHAT HAPPENED ERASE THAT TOO FINGERFOOD GUY.MY BOYS SAVED MY LIFE.I PUT MY SOUL INTO WHAT YOU ERASED HOWARD.ABOUT IMAGES.THIS LEFT A BAD IMAGE IN MY MIND...
deleted
deleted
Dan the stuff in your blog is
Dan the stuff in your blog is still there, or at least as I can see.
You can take all the shots at
You can take all the shots at me you want to becoz I am used to it. My life goes on and its very enjoyable !
Dan, everything you did prior
Dan, everything you did prior to this thread is still on the site. I'm not sure what you're talking about.
Also, I'm not sure what you're talking about "false advertising." The person in question has no ads on this site. He doesn't even have a member profile.
I reacted to this thread because we started dragging the whole family into it, getting into personal stuff that had nothing to do with Dan's original issue, which has been well documented before. And none of it was at all related to Charlie Mallow retiring from politics.
Mark, I'll admit I'm not as good of a writer as Philip, and I certainly don't have time to do all the features he did. And we all miss Brian. But otherwise, I take exception to your remark. I've done quite a bit of original reporting in the past couple of months. I've broken more than a few stories (and there are still some days when we have more local news than the Daily) -- just yesterday, the story on Mallow's retirement ... you read it here first, hours before the Daily had it. I could go back and pull more examples, if you like. And while I do what may be different from how Philip did things, I get feedback all the time from people saying how much they appreciate what is on The Batavian now. Yes, things are different, but that doesn't mean stale unless that's what you want it to mean.
Losing two people from the staff is naturally going to change the nature of the site, but The Batavian remains popular and I work my ass off every day, doing posts, selling ads, building ads, all the other stuff that goes into running a business ... 14, 15 hours a day. Like, I said before, I'll be so glad when we get moved out to Batavia. Each week, I'm in the car at least 8 hours, 8 hours that could be better spent doing something productive to help the site.
I'm trying to build a business, a place for community that will be a long term benefit and positive addition to Genesee County, as well as be a good business to support me and my wife. If I over-reacted in this case, maybe it's just the stress, but I will take exception to your sweeping generalization, Mark, that I do it constantly or take sides.
Boys, we should all take
Boys, we should all take lessons from Phillip. Freedom of speech is what makes this country great. He also said because everyone has a right to their opinion, and he would NOT remove certain posts. Howard I know this site can turn nasty in a second, and for you being the owner, you have to run it as you see fit. You do have your favorites though, admit it. I know Mike too, and have joked with him about "Ill see you right here", and have waited on him and Bonnie at Alexs for 12 years, but why would you erase my post about him?? I said nothing wrong. I guess sometimes the truth STINGS A LITTLE.....We all have to own up to our DIRTY DEALINGS , and so should Michael. We want to, and have a right to know. Especially the ones he did wrong!
Just my opinion
Karen, I thought I was the
Karen, I thought I was the one who spoke with you on the phone about your posts related to Alex?
Also, Philip worked for me, so there's been no change in policy.
As for deleting your post ... I just took down the whole thread because some of the comments made no sense out of context with each other.
I believe it was Phillip but
I believe it was Phillip but I could be wrong. Just be objective about everyones opinion. I do understand about nastyness. I was one of the ones that has at times taken things to far, but I apoligized, to those I offended. Beth and I get along now and respect each others opinions. I never got answers though to my questions about the general fund missuse.
Things are very shady to me on Batavia {Capital} Hill. Oh and Howard I have been a physic for years and am quite good at it. We choose our battles in life, and friends we defend, and I guess you are friends with Charlie, and Michael. Thats all fine and good, but the public wants to know whats going on. Maybe its about time Mike gives us the lowdown, even though everyone should know {This is public knowlege}.
I'm friends with Michael?
I'm friends with Michael? Mike who? Ognibene? I've never even met the man. I've never spoken with him. I wouldn't know him if I saw him.
I thought thats why you
I thought thats why you deleted the posts about him, right? I had no idea you owned the site when Phillip was with us. Yes this blogg was originally about Charlie throwing the white flag. As for charlie, I think he's just sick of being Jasons YES BOY, and realizes thing were done wrong, and is getting out, while the gettins good.
Just my opinion
I know its easy to get side
I know its easy to get side tracked off the main topic when people post replies. I (until recently) had many posts deleted but i was always emailed a valid reason why it was deleted. In most cases I agreed with it and re-wrote my post accordingly. I think the forum is a good place to post your own topics on just about anything and usually if its a good one then it might get on the main page.
Karen, my concern isn't over
Karen, my concern isn't over one any individual. I'm looking at a much bigger picture than that.
GateHouse Media owned the site when Philip was on staff. I was an executive with GateHouse until Feb. 20 of this year. I founded The Batavian for GateHouse. It was completely my project. I was publisher of The Batavian under GateHouse. I hired, trained and supervised Philip and Brian. I am now sole proprietor of The Batavian and it is likely going to be our sole means of financial support for some time (I have two other projects in the works that could generate some additional income and I'll announce at least one of those soon, though it's only tangentially related to The Batavian.)
And I assure you, I'm the one you spoke to during the whole South Beach thing.
I will try from now on to not
I will try from now on to not be a pain in your *SS. I apreciate the chance to voice my opinions, and suspicions. I think when I first found this site PHIL was just leaving. This site is got to be very trying at times for you. Dont let it consume your every minute though. Enjoy your family, and life away from here FIRST. Hang in there Howard, I wish you much success in your endevors.
Gabor, thanks for the
Gabor, thanks for the comment. And I appreciate how you've been willing to listen to my requests -- you even changed your profile to show your real name! I very much appreciate your long-time support of the site. I hope you can make it to T.F. Brown's on Friday for our party. I would love to finally meet you in person.
As your comment alludes to, all I'm trying to do is have this be a site where people are comfortable to hold discussions about the community. When it gets into personal stuff, it discourages people from posting. Either people get afraid they'll be a target, or they don't want to be associated with that kind of negativity.
Honest debate and casting a critical eye at issues and the actions of people is one thing, but to make it personal gets to be a bit much.
So that's my goal -- whether I always handle things right may be questionable, but I'm not doing anything to per se do any one person or group of people any favors. I'm merely trying to do what I think, at the time, is best for the site, for the benefit of the whole community. I make no claim to doing that perfectly, and I'm sorry Dan got so upset by my actions, but it was nothing aimed at him or to protect any particular individual.
Karen, I hope you'll be at
Karen, I hope you'll be at T.F. Brown's on Friday, too. It would be great to meet you in person finally, too.
Aww Thanks Howard! I will
Aww Thanks Howard! I will try, but it is Angelina's 10th B-day and she is having 5 friends over after school. They are sleeping in the camper in the backyard.
God Bless You, and
remember, Family First
Howard what i was talking
Howard what i was talking about was very clear.What if someone did that to you.The house on your site under housing is not owned by Kay.Its owned by mike.Go look at it 119 state garage.Good for storage. what's really bad is Hud pays people to treat us like that.And still deals with him.So in essence everyone is paying him.If you did a poll on that subject you would see.When the she O was showing the house i was there.She told them what good tenants we were.And she couldn't get in the basement.Or the garage.My apartment had direct access.Mabe some other news source can find out what ever happened in court.Cause it seemed like a gag treatment to me.It does have to do with the city.If we ever had a Mayor mabe we'd have someone to call.Hud is supposed to be Quality housing at a fair price.It is not.And if poor people complain look what happens to them.Politics has to do with it all.If people weren't as persistent as i am they'd be shut off hud in a minute.The people fear complaining to HUD.They're children would be destitute without it.They better first find a place then move and not say a thing.Right Gabor?I wish it would be like HUD was intended.It is not.You all pay for that.And i have risked losing my place to write this...dan
C'mon Karen. I'll buy you a
C'mon Karen. I'll buy you a drink.
I'm definitely there...but it
I'm definitely there...but it will have to be diet cokes for me! (under 21)
Howard......Peace..no hard
Howard......Peace..no hard feelings...
howard i used to moderate
howard
i used to moderate several forums and when things got out of hand rather then delete the whole thread i would just lock it up so no further post can be made. obviously people here are passionate about what they post and i think there voice should be heard, so if its locked people can see was was said and the direction that the conv was going, but no more damage can be done
jason
Ditto for me in regards to
Ditto for me in regards to Dan's comment. I might have that Time Capsule up and running without any problems tomorrow. If I do, I plan on bringing it.
The hard drive is busted, but it still works as a wireless router. However, there seems to be a loose connection (or a crack on the PCB) that keeps resetting it at random.
Two big probs wit dan's
Two big probs wit dan's suggestion. Locking up the thread still allows people to read it, and once someone posts a taunt towards someone else Howard would have to play favorites. I say its "house rules" if this site sucked i wouldnt waste my time honestly !