"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson

Sunday, September 21, 2008

He's No Fan Of ATVs

(UPDATED) Darrel and Dave attended a ride yesterday in Lewis County and someone commented on this post about Dave not being able to start his ATV while Darrel started and took right off on his, then I received pictures of the two on the ride, Dave is driving his ATV, while Darrel is riding in a side by side. 


 
As long as Darrel Aubertine keeps dishing up the issues, there will be no shortage of servings.

"He is no fan of ATVs," is how Region 6 Director of the DEC, Judy Drabicki, characterizes Darrel Aubertine's view of ATVs in an internal memo that she thought would never see sunshine.

You can be quite certain that she would not incorrectly characterize his position because her husband, Lee Willbanks, works for Senator Aubertine, so they have a very cozy relationship between offices and the safe assumption can be made they work closely together on this policy as well as others.

The DEC under the Direction of upper west side Manhattan Democrat Commissioner Pete Grannis has become less than friendly to outdoor enthusiast.

This memo is arrogant, condescending and demeaning to people. In it she first writes that she just finished a conversation with Darrel Aubertine, then an assemblyman, and depicts him as no fan of ATVs. She continues; these are not yahoos I am hearing from, they are a National Grid Executive, Jefferson County Clerk JoAnn Wilder, as if to imply that every other rider is a yahoo and describes a scenario where "if nothing else, that could be the bone we throw" like she was referring to a bunch of dogs. Further, she describes them as "opponents" a clear signal she is working against them rather than working with them.

Senator Aubertine has done little in the way of pressuring the DEC to change their policies toward land use and the truck trails (now called administrative access roads) and this memo clearly displays his attitude. He is not serving as an effective advocate for Northern and Central New York, but just more pandering to them.

Read the memo below, Drabicki can claim it is taken out of context by people, but there is no mistaken the attitude and arrogance of this memo. Aubertine and Drabicki have a close relationship with Drabicki's husband working in Aubertine's office and that should produce more favorable results, but Aubertine is following DEC and Drabicki's lead instead of the other way around.

Aubertine and Drabicki owe the ATV community of riders a public apology for insulting them. Click on the memo below to enlarge and read.
 

Also, the Valley News has covered this topic also, click here.

31 comments:

HQ said...

Hi IV,
Now in the interest of fairness would you publish Darrel's letter indicating that Ms. Drabicki's characterization of his position isn't really his position. I lifted a section of Rebecca Madden's Saturday WDT story for you. Here goes.
In Sen. Aubertine's Sept. 17 letter to Mr. Grannis, he said Ms. Drabicki had "inaccurately portrayed my opinion regarding ATVs."

The letter continued: "As I stated in my April 30 letter to you, the decision to close trails to ATV traffic has negatively impacted the economy of the region and has adversely affected efforts to create a well-maintained trail system stretching from Oswego throughout the Winona State Forest and into Barnes Corners in Lewis County. I will continue to work with you and your staff to find some resolution to this issue. I urge you again to consider opening of the Winona State Forest trail and other Region 6 trails to ATV traffic."

I just know you love to pour gasoline on that ATV fire but as with most things there is another side.
Ted

Anonymous said...

At ATV rally saturday, Renzi did not know how to start the ATV he saddled -- had to ask people "How do you start one of these." It was hilarious. Darrel, meanwhile, fired his right up. Renzi is all talk. Darrel is the real deal.

Anonymous said...

This must be Drew posting, you were there yesterday. That is crap, Dave is a member of our hunting club where he rides and hunts. You have no clue what you are talking about but then again look at the stuff you put out for your boss.

Anonymous said...

This is just another example of Aubertine and his staff flip flopping on the issues and typical whinning that the Republican Party is out to get him.

Anonymous said...

What a great find, PVI. Bringing this memo to the attention of the public is a great political victory for you.
This will work for you because most of your followers are too stupid to realize that in this email she, "depicts him as no fan of ATVs" which is clearly her opinion expressed for her own motives and not not necessarily that of Mr. Aubertine. Hearsay is an excellent tool for proving a political scenario even though it is yet to be allowed in our courts of law.

Anonymous said...

Anon #1. You must be confused about the ride. Dave was fine starting and driving his ATV during the ride. Darrel on the other hand couldn't have started his right up because he didn't drive one. HE RODE IN A TWO SEAT RANGER WITH SOMEONE. So how did the "REAL DUDE" fire his right up. The only thing that is hilarious is you and Darrel.

Anonymous said...

Don't gorget Drew is a paper guy, his public spokes person ,if you will and works for Aubertine. Lee Willbanks is the husband of Drabici and I'm sure that Aubertine said "he's no fan" very cozy arrangment their on the 4th to 6 th floor. Haven't seen Aubertine's name on any bills concerning ATV's

Anonymous said...

This strikes me as kind of nonsense. How about focusing on the extremely poor work that aubertine is doing. he needs to resign. how could he possibly think that he is helping our community?

Anonymous said...

The 2nd commenter proves how some people just blindly follow Darrel. Quit following, he is not a leader, never will be one. The north country will be in trouble behind his inability.

Anonymous said...

Right on PVI ! Even Sarah Palin can start and drive an ATV. Darrel is an elitist ! He most likely uses a heated, closed cab John Deere. Good work exposing him for what he is. You should have run against him... Uh, never mind...

Anonymous said...

Forget for a minute that IV is right that Drabicki would never mis characterize the Senator. The Woman is a political Hack. Even if Darrel wins this election Drabicki should be fired!

Anonymous said...

Not bad Ted It took Darrel from November 19th, 2007 to September 17 2008 to respond to Drabicki's comments. What's that, 10 MONTHS. Even the casual observer will see that Darrel just realized he was vunerable and had to do something. What a joke.

Anonymous said...

Enough!!! Who cares who can start and ATV? The real issue is who will be better to solve the problems. If Democrats take control this should favor Darrel. Dave can say he'll fight and I am sure he is capable but if Democrats hold the strings to change, Dave will be just working out on the punching bag.

Anonymous said...

If Dems take control of the Senate, Darrel will once again be in the passenger seat.

Thsi is a guy who didn't drive the agenda in the Assembly, hasn't gotten ANYTHING done in the Senate (except embarass himself -- and us, repeatedly) and can't even drive an ATV at a friendly rally.

Anonymous said...

Why what did Darrel do for us when he was in the Assembly??
Oh yeah NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So he will be so much better in the Senate.

Anonymous said...

Here's a Question for Darrel. He owns 1000 acres in and around cape vincent. With ATV clubs having insurance good enough for towns and villages to sign on, will you (Darrel) allow ATV's on your property?

Anonymous said...

Darrel has well used snowmobile and ATV trails running through his property. I go through there often even though I am a Republican neighbor. Thanx, Darrel.

Anonymous said...

I live in Cape Vincent, not only does Darrel allow us to ride our ATVs on his property, he helps us put the trail markers in the ground every fall for the snowmobile trail that runs across his farm. He also lets us hunt deer, turkey and geese on his farm. In addition he hunts and rides snowmobile with us. Oh and to clear up any confusion Darrel has plenty of experience riding atvs.

Anonymous said...

I live in the Adams Center area. I visit Darrel's land, as well as his neighbors' since I am an avid bird watcher and the farms in that vicinity are great for watching owls. I can attest to the ATV and Snowmobile traffic that crosses Darrel's land and it is well traveled. I can also attest to the riders and their sensitivity to the many birders that are often there along the road with binoculars and scopes on tripods. They always slow down when approaching our viewing areas, are careful not to disturb our viewing and often stop to visit or join in. In fact, a few years back, birders from hundreds of miles away visited those farms and spent weeks undisturbed viewing a Grey Owl who loved to sit above the snowmobile trails and take advantage of the mice who had to cross the trails. Whoever came up with the idea that Darrel is anti any riding sport is off the track.

I have never had the opportunity to thank Mr. Aubertine and his neighbors in the Town of Cape Vincent. I hope one of them reads this.

Anonymous said...

Try bird watching at Douglaston Salmon Run !

Anonymous said...

TF: Darrel's Sept. 17 letter was written when he got wind of the press conference that exposed his record and Drabicki's incredibly pinheaded memo. Where was he when the trails were being closed, when he was voting to steal money from snowmobilers and when the DEC imposed new rules that keep boy scouts off state trails?

Was it too far to trek to the office of his legislative aide and fiund out what the hell her wife is thinking when she launches wholesale attacks on our way of life?

Or was he too busy counting the money he's going to make from the sweetheart windmill deal that DEC and other regulators are sure to OK for his 600-acre spread in Cape Vincent?

Anonymous said...

If the anonymous above thinks he will get us to vote for Renzi because Darrel lives in the middle of a wind project, he is just plain nuts. This Republican along with many others who live within in the proposed wind projects will join together with our Democratic neighbors in welcoming a clean source of energy which also brings financial hope to the decaying farms and abondoned lands along the windy shores of the Great Lakes. I dare anti-wind anon above to write Renzi and have him make Darrel's legal wind farm agreement become an issue. In fact, I am not sure how Renzi feels about wind and I am not willing to take a chance on him. If Darrel is what it takes to ensure this opportunity, then this Republican will give Darrel a vote.

Anonymous said...

Dave is also for wind power. The anos above is refering to Darrel's ETHICAL VOLATION by voting for wind power regulations while having a contract with a wind power company. Just like hiring his sister.

Anonymous said...

naturelover no farmer in cape vincent allows atv to ride on the snowmobile trail it ruts the fields .also if the industrial wind turbines come there will be no more trail through these farms due to liability issues .the huge blades throw ice oh and they also chop up birds

Anonymous said...

Darrel Aubertine's supporters cannot be believed especially after the one person said Darrel started his ATV right up and took off and he did even start one.

Liars - all of them.

Hey Nature Lover go hug a wind turbine, because that is where your birds will be swinging from when they get killed.

Anonymous said...

Darrel supporters can not be trusted, trust the Renzi supporters like IV. They are very honorable and can certainly be trusted. Nothing but facts from that crowd hahaha.
Oh by the way i am an untrustworthy Darrel supporter and he is a sportsman and an atv/snowmobile fan. Of course I cant be trusted.

Anonymous said...

Trust is something a politician has to earn. But when you can demonstrably show that a politician has put his interests before those of the public, and repeatedly lied, he forfeits that trust.

To wit:

Hiring your sister after trumpeting an anti-nepotism law;

Pledging NOT to vote on wind, then casting votes four times;

Saying you've turned down a high-paid job you were never offered;

Saying you support nuke power when you called for closing all nuke plants;

Claiming to save 200 hospital jobs when the other party in the deal says they never heard of you;

Calling your self a victim of partisan politics when you never followed through to get your bills passed;

Saying you're a tax cutter when you've voted to raise taxes -- including Jeff County property taxes -- by billions of dollars;

Promising to fight for jobs, then failing to introduce the bill;

Insisting you're against negative campaigning, then hiring a three-legged attack dog campaign spokesman -- Courtenay Ruddy of the Sandy Island Ruddys -- who shoots at your opponent's family, lies about your record and engages in class warfare;

Telling voters you work hard for them, but scoring the worst possible rating from good-government NYPIRG;

Branding yourself a reformer, then voting three times to elect Shelly Silver;

Saying you put people first, then secretly negotiating with wind companies to put towers on your land and money in your pocket;

Saying you are for openness in government, then refusing to participate in an on-line debate becuase you don't like the sponsoring website;

Lying on your ethics disclosure form about payments you are receiving from wind companies;

Failing to say ANYTHING on the Senate floor about high taxes, job losses or the state of our economy;

Voting for school aid cuts and claiming you support increases;

Saying you support outdoorsmen, then hiring the husband of one of the North Country's biggest tree-huggers, who enthusiastically supports closing access to woods and trails;

Claiming to have a plan on taxes and heating fuel when you didn't write -- and never even read -- the bills.

Did I miss anything?

Anonymous said...

Glad to see Lewis County got the ATV law which was hastily passed in Jefferson County overturned, Liability and destruction of natural will hopefully put an end to this hobby.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Any Moose, you did miss something. You missed the part about where Darrel kicked Scot's Butt in that election. That is probably the most significant reason for this Blog.

Anonymous said...

Darrel may have won elections but it only means he won popularity contest that is shallow as skin deep.

Anonymous said...

Popularity contest?
You would think if it was a popularity contest the party with the 35000 person voter enrollment advantage would win the election, wouldnt you?

Maybe the voters arent so "shallow."

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