Sneaky Idea

I had a sneaky idea yesterday.

In Irvington, there are two extensions of the Village governments that regulate building issues: the Zoning Board and the Planning Board.

The Zoning Board is the government body that approves alterations to residences that do not adhere to Irvington's building codes. But when you need to get approval on an alteration and it looks like the board is going to vote against you, what do you do? Here's what you do:

First, identify the board members that you think are going to vote against you. Then, rank these individuals in order of how likely they are to vote against you. This ranking is important, because it is also the order in which you will attempt to sway the vote of the individuals. However, the goal is not to actually gain their votes, it's to create enough suspicion that you did attempt to bribe them that they are forced to recuse themselves. It could be as simple as sending them nice gifts, inviting them to nice events, or befriending them before the vote takes place. That way, the only board members left to vote on your alteration are the good ole' folks who were going to approve it in the first place.

Here's some info:

Zoning Board of Appeals

Purpose
This five member board hears zoning and building permit cases on appeal from the Planning Board, Architectural Board of Review or the Building Inspector. They interpret codes and may grant variances where appropriate.

Members
Louis Lustenberger, Chairman
Bruce Clark
Christopher Mitchell
Robert Myers
Arthur Semetis
Joy Goudie, First Alternate