DOBY NATURE TRAIL GETS A CLEAN UP!
I was so excited this morning when I turned on my computer, downloaded my email and had received a message that there was a crew from the Town of Buffalo, including the Town’s Manager, “Joe” out at Doby Springs picking up some of the debris that had been dumped there!
I was so excited! There was 3 inches of air space between my shoes and the floor. I was floating on glee!
I immediately hit ‘reply’ and began a response email advising this individual that I was so happy I was going to drive out to Doby Springs Nature Trails and take some photos so I could write a positive article about what was happening out there!
During my drive I was having a difficult time calming my exuberance!
I drove up the trail towards where the original dump pit was located. Written about in this ARTICLE.
As I rounded a turn on the rutted dirt trail I encountered this:
My enthusiasm had not waned even though the path to the dump site was blocked. This was a great thing to encounter! It meant that they were planning on filling up a trailer load of debris!
I hopped out of my vehicle and hurredly, in a jog, made my way up the trail. I had left the keys in the ignition and the vehicle was still running – I rarely do that! I was exhilarated!
As I approached the dump area I noticed Joe’s personal car and an orange colored cart filled with batteries. These were the same batteries I had taken photos of and placed in the ARTICLE about the environmental pollution at Doby Springs. These batteries had obviously just been removed from the ravine and stacked in the cart.
I approached our Town Manager, Joe McVicker and asked if he minded me taking photos of the group cleaning up the mess. I said: Hey this is great! – can I get a picture of the group cleaning up this mess so I can write a POSITIVE article about the clean up out here?”
{I know I didn’t need anyone’s permission! I could stand there all day and take as many photos I wanted - and there was nothing anyone could have done about it. I was merely attempting to be polite and civil.}
My employee, Joe McVicker {He’s my employee too! As he is every other citizen in this town - after all, I help pay his salary and he’s working there at the will of the people as are the elected Town Trustees! They’re there because of us taxpayers!} responded:
“I don’t fuc#*@ care what you do!” whereby he whirled about and meandered towards the junk.
A second or two later, as he was walking down the incline towards the abyss, he turned towards me again and said: “and I don’t care what you write”.
I didn’t respond because there are occasions when it’s best to austerely walk away and smile wryly. So that’s what I did. I smiled sardonically and pulled out my camera to take a few snapshots.
Hey Joe! Are you being sincere? If you don’t care what I write then why take such offense at me so as to use an expletive such as FU@# to get your point across?
I’m a well educated man but I’ve never taken a course in reading body language. Experience tells me though, that Mr. Joe was a trifle upset at me for some-odd reason. I liken the occasion to a parent catching their son or daughter with their hand in the cookie jar. Here I was, within inches of the same person ultimately responsible (it’s called: accountability) for the mess out there, (Click Here for Pictures of the Mess) and I know that he knows I posted the pictures and wrote an article about the abyss of flotsam and jetsam on this website. The facts are so very evident! He’s been caught – red handed, cleaning up the mess for which he’s responsible.
Given the fact that I’m not well-versed in reading body language, I can only postulate that the foul language, the quick retreat, hasty turnaround and the intellectual response: “and I don’t care what you write” were all some sort of cryptographic means of portraying his disdain for me.
This is a man who I defended for years as a Town employee who I felt was doing the best he could with what he had to work with.
After being in Buffalo for nearly 5 years I have changed my thought process slightly. Especially since October 2008, I have been outspokenly vociferous in making things known and upsetting the apple cart. I’m simply one person out of many who are attempting to make Buffalo a better place to live and do business. I think he understands that Inside Buffalo, I, and the other contributing writers are, straightforwardly, holding him and the Town accountable.
That’s all! Hate me, love me. It’s all good.
Here’s the POSITIVE!
PICTURES SPEAK A THOUSAND WORDS!
THANK YOU JOE
FOR CLEANING UP DOBY!
It’s a VERY POSITIVE thing!
Update 02-26-09
Hold On! - Wait just a minute!
The site was only cleaned of the batteries and old storage drums. The old golf carts and other debris still remain as of 2-26-09
Update 04-14-09
ALMOST CLEANED UP!
Check out the latest article about how Doby is ALMOST CLEANED UP: Click Here
