- In 2005, $2,000 was spent to purchase new office furniture for the Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer. There was nothing wrong with the existing furniture in the office, in fact it was relatively new. Most Village department heads and other staff have used the same office furniture for years and years, being mindful of controlling costs. Purchases such as this - for replacement of equipment that is still well-functioning, such as office furniture - used to be discouraged unless absolutely necessary.
- The Village sponsors annual Christmas parties for Board members and employees at the Seneca Falls Community Center. Free breakfast buffet, beverages, and
prizes are included, paid for by taxpayers. There's also a visit from Santa. The meal is provided by the food service company Sodexho through the New York Chiropractic College. This is arranged by Third Ward Trustee Petroccia, who works for NYCC. These parties are called "Christmas organizational day" or "organizational meeting/Christmas party" by the Village. Adding the words "organizational meeting" allows them to get past state laws that prohibit spending taxpayer funds on 
entertainment and gifts. These parties cost taxpayers a total of $806.35 during the holidays of 2005 and 2006. Interestingly, only $120.85 of that total amount was spent at a downtown restaurant. Christmas and other parties have been held each year, for an unknown total cost. While holiday celebrations are a nice part of a work environment, these should not be held at taxpayer expense.
- The south canal wall project was not originally embraced by the Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation. They had planned a nearly $1 million extension of the north wall up to the Community Center that
would have been finished in 2007 (see email at left - names removed to shield state employees from any fallout). After the state Senator intervened the project was re-directed to the south wall in 2004. Without public discussion at any public Board meeting Mayor Smith represented to state officials that the Village would spearhead the p
roject after the Thruway Authority refused to pay for work on the south wall. The Village does not own any property at the south canal wall between the Ovid and Bridge Street bridges. The NYS Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation owns the land on which the new ornamental lights and boater service pedestals are located, back to twenty feet. Beyond the twenty feet the land is owned by Seneca Knit Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency. Canal Street legally ends at the corner of Center Street. The Village deeded over the remainder of the old Canal Street to the Mill property years ago and it is now owned by SKDC. The Village stated in their application to NYSDOT for a member item grant that this was a "highway reconstruction" project to improve Canal Street. 
The Village does not have any kind of agreement with the Thruway Authority for use and maintenance of the property. There is no proper access to the walkway and pedestals; the service pedestals are not operational - no power or water for boaters when they tie up. But the ornamental lights operate and have been lit every night since September 2005. Village taxpayers pay the electric bills. But note - it is improper for a municipality to provide such service on property it does not
own. NYSEG bills from the meter for the lights show that it costs about $225 a month (in 2005) to run them. For 30 months at an average $225 per month Village taxpayers have paid about $6,750 to light "the wall to nowhere."
These are just a few examples that were relatively easy to find. Village Board members continuously proclaim their fiscal conservatism, bragging about budget cuts, protecting the taxpayers, and watching every dollar. Obviously, they all could do a better job.
