Author Topic: What a load of slop, twaddle and lies. (Read 75 times)

Michael Caswell · « **on:** May 19, 2022, 08:01:27 am »

Once again Eerie Agte's pen runs away with itself.

Here's the latest, posted today of her Facebook STCC page

Elizabeth R. Agte - 6 hrs May 19, 2022
It’s been a long five year slog, made hard over and over again by the intentional lack of transparency by NYPA. We, a grassroots effort, with no budget, has worked to protect the quality of life for our canal communities, and the historic value of our irreplaceable Erie Canal, and has for the last five years hobbled the largest state power authority in the country from having its way. The longer we keep them from doing what they intend to do, which is to unequivocally clear cut every living thing from the embankments of the Erie Canal, the more they are resolved to do exactly that. With cause or without.

Today they posted on Facebook that they were keeping water levels lower than usual as they rewatered the canal for its May 20th opening of the navigation season, as a result of “over two hundred known seeps”.

This is an intensional attempt to create public concern. There are always seeps along the canal, because it is an earthen embankment…and water seeps.

A perfect example is the tunnel under the canal in Medina. I have walked through it several times, and it “rains” in that tunnel, not seeps, but that does not cause them to close down the tunnel.

Their intention is to make us feel worried, and uncertain. The town of Perinton has allowed apartment developers to purchase property on the canal embankments just north of Ayrault Road on Jefferson Avenue. (They have promised not to cut down the trees along the canal.) We have sadly watched the destruction of the old farmhouse and feel concerned about what comes next.

But this new construction brings a certain clarity to the level of “danger” of this embankment. I am sure insurance adjusters wouldn’t ignore an imminent danger.

We have been waiting for the CC to drop their Generic Environmental Impact Statement, which was to happen by the end of March. Are they understaffed? Maybe they need some of us to apply? Or are they gaming us again? Hmm.

These people have not 'hobbled' the NYPA. Fact is, all they have done is placed an entire community at risk of flood for five years. As I live on the canal with a very good view of the embankment and trail, I can vouch that the canal authority is vigilant and monitoring all these 'seeps' two or three times a week. If anyone is 'at fault' here it is the NYDEC for suggesting the NYPA did not need to carry out an SEQR review in the first place. That State Environmental Review has now been completed and the answer is simple. The trees growing on canal earthen embankment dams have to go!

The canal embankments were built when the understanding of the engineering and design knowledge was almost non existent. Since then, numerous authorities ASDSO USACE NYDEC FEMA have certain design criteria for earthen embankment dams, and ours simply do not measure up.

Agte mentions 'seeps' as being normal, however, in this situation we have a 'phreatic line' problem because of the steep badly designed slopes. If that seep starts to show certain characteristics it could easily develop to a collapse of the embankment.

Our dams are DANGEROUS and need to be brought up to code.

Much of the vegetation on the canal is invasive, even illegal (controlled as per NYDEC)

Cottonwoods are at end of life, falling down all over the place, dropping branches on the trail.

What is the Town Of Perinton doing allowing further construction on a Dam Hazard Zone? Are they nuts?

The actual embankment was never constructed correctly, soils weren't compacted, slope angles are too steep, toe drains not installed, the list of faults goes on.

The Thuway Authority (previous 'owners') were negligent in their duties and left the entire system fall into disrepair, including allowing vegetation to grow uncontrolled on an earthen embankment dam.

Nowhere in this group do you see any dam engineers, or anyone with ANY qualifications regarding how to run a canal system or do it's maintenance. The only thing they run off it seems is their mouth!
At the same time, their ears have a certain deafness - to all the experts telling them NO TREES ON A DAM!

Ignorance, stupidity - putting people's lives at risk! THAT is Ms Agte and her little gang.

Michael Caswell · « **Reply #1 on:** May 19, 2022, 09:10:58 am »

Ms Agte says "There are always seeps along the canal, because it is an earthen embankment…and water seeps.

A perfect example is the tunnel under the canal in Medina. I have walked through it several times, and it “rains” in that tunnel, not seeps, but that does not cause them to close down the tunnel."

Firstly, it is more than an 'earthen embankment', it is an 'earthen embankment DAM' = HUGE DIFFERENCE! but Liz can't bring herself to say DAM. Why not? Because she knows that dams have rules, and rule #1 is this -

NO TREES ON A DAM -EVER!

Secondly, she has no concept of how stupid her remarks about the tunnel are.

Why would the Canal Authority close a tunnel? Where is the danger? The water drips through the canal bed and falls into the roadway passing through it below. Does it erode the tunnel? Of course not. It's built with blocks of stone, to ancient specifications, with a keystone. Probably an English design, who used Roman arches in many structures like aquaducts. It's not going anywhere, no threat to the earthen embankment DAM.

It's hard to believe that Ms Agte is trying to say Culvert Road in Medina has earthen walls that are "supposed to seep", especially in light of all the information online that is contrary to that outright misinformation. She's just spinning, in a very feeble attempt to justify her warped views and opinions

Go see for yourself

https://exploringupstate.com/the-medina-culvert-medina-ny/

In fact the ECNA has covered this Medina NY Landmark in the past, and its not 'raining' inside the Culvert Rd Tunnel

https://ecna.createaforum.com/erie-canal-embankment-integrity-program-(eip)/the-erie-canal-is-one-of-the-most-unique-man-made-structures-in-the-world/msg422/#msg422

Probably more accurate to describe this as an Aqueduct.

Erie Trail Neighbor · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2022, 09:18:08 am »

Does this look familiar?

Seems to fit this Facebook opposition group (and it's leadership) very well

1. Selfish leadership style
Selfish leadership centers around the leader and not around the team. Their efforts, ideas, and goals are always leaning towards the betterment of their own personal life.

From their perspective, it's all about what they can do to make themselves look good. It's about feeding their ego. They disguise their concern for themselves as "looking out for the best interests of the group." But in truth, the team's opinion doesn't matter to them. They make all the decisions without input from others. For them, having the authority as the leader entitles them to become right all the time.

2. Resistant to change
When a group is under the direction of a bad leader, growth and change are always met with resistance. New ideas are shot down, and any suggestions for change are always met with negativity. This resistance stems from their unwillingness to leave their comfort zone. They believe that "if it ain't broke, there's no need to fix it."

3. Incapable of leading themselves
A bad leader always seems to have the best image, but the majority of the time, they're all talk and no action. They are empty shells of what a leader should be. They're always quick to give orders and make decisions, but when it comes to doing the work, they seem to only delegate to others.

4. Unable to take criticism
One way to easily spot a bad leader is to give them honest feedback. A bad leader is incapable of handling criticism. They see any form of criticism as a personal attack and a challenge to their authority. They can't take constructive criticism, because they believe that it makes them look weak and incompetent. As a result, they surround themselves with "yes men" — people who only give them the validation that they seek.

They fear honest feedback and build an echo chamber where their ideas are constantly being reinforced.

5. Not acting according to their core values
Core values are the foundation of any group or business set on social change. They are our guiding beliefs, and they dictate how we behave. Behavior is what drives our results. When a leader doesn't act according to their group's core values, it heavily affects the results that the group will experience.

6. Cannot inspire growth
A leader should be someone who inspires growth in others. They should be able to cultivate others to become changemakers in their own right. We shouldn't forget that the number one job of a leader is to create a path where the team can succeed. If a leader doesn't understand this, they will not be able to create a plan or an environment suitable for success.

They may keep the group in a "state of survival" but never establish the conditions needed for driving the team to its fullest potential.

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Author Topic: What a load of slop, twaddle and lies. (Read 75 times)

Michael Caswell

What a load of slop, twaddle and lies.

Michael Caswell

Re: What a load of slop, twaddle and lies.

Erie Trail Neighbor

Re: What a load of slop, twaddle and lies.