Comments on: Lark Tavern :(

By: Art Auction for Tess’ Lark Tavern | barre.me

Art Auction for Tess’ Lark Tavern | barre.me — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:48:45 +0000

[...] you want to help, Matt Baumgartner’s fundraiser has collected about $22K and is still going on; so is the Albany All Stars Roller Derby’s [...]

By: the Original Colleen

the Original Colleen — Sun, 16 May 2010 03:02:46 +0000

Good job everyone, keep it up. And don’t forget about next Saturday’s events to benefit Tess’ Lark Tavern. Get a babysitter, reschedule your party, car pool or start walking now, but get your butt to Washington Park and then down to Broadway – near the U-haul building at the end of Madison Avenue….let’s pull together.

By: Richard Roy

Richard Roy — Fri, 14 May 2010 05:39:25 +0000

Tess is one of the kindest, most generous and loving people in Albany. It’s very hard to understand it when such bad things happen to such good people. Still harder to understand is why anyone would slam a fundraising effort on behalf of Tess and her terrific staff by Matt (another great, caring person).

My prayers are with Tess and her employees as they try to tread water in this economic climate. I’ve seen Lark Street come together before. Let’s keep that tradition going, showing that a business community and it’s patrons can have very big hearts. Bless you, Matty!

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:38:55 +0000

Any news on Tess’s negotiations w/ the landlord?

By: Vic

Vic — Wed, 12 May 2010 06:49:27 +0000

poshocergopropterho … Are you for real. If you don’t want to give …DON’T. Those of us that know Matt and Tess..know that the money will be used for the purposes intended. You obviously have no clue. Unemployment insurance will be pittance for bartenders and waitresses who rely on tips for there income. And, have you ever had to deal with an insurance company for anything. They are in the business of collecting money…not paying it out. They will do anything to cut the amount they have to pay out.

For the life of me I do not understand why the cynical have to stick there nose in where it doesn’t belong. You don’t want to help ..DON’T. You want to live in a world where you sit ideally buy while your neighbor’s house burns…god bless you. But many of us want to help. Especially help Tess who has so selflessly helped so many.

Your left handed attack on Matt is utterly ridicules. He has obviously listed, very publicly, how much has been raised. It would be insane for him to not donate that money for its intended purpose.

By the way…cute attempted use of Latin for your name. Next time sign it with your real name!

By: Gary Wolfe

Gary Wolfe — Tue, 11 May 2010 23:04:48 +0000

Teresa- Karen and I are very sad to hear about this tragedy. We do not get in there enough anymore, but did a lot in our college days. We will keep you and your emplyees in our prayers. I do not know how you could replace that old bar, they just do not make them like that anymore. Thank God no one was injured.
We know you will be back.

By: HereWeGo

HereWeGo — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:08:59 +0000

Insurance, monitary gifts, taxes, etc. Tess is a smart cookie, she’ll figure out exactly what she needs to do and execute on it.

By: mike graney

mike graney — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:00:47 +0000

Sad to say, but there is always a chance that the landlord takes the insurance check and puts it in his pocket. Then, in 6 months, he sells the property, and burned out building to someone.

I was in the same position during our fire, but thankfully our landlord worked with us and rebuilt the building. Here’s hoping DiNapoli DOES rebuild and gets Tess, and her staff, back in business sooner than later.

I wonder what DiNapoli would charge Tess to buy that building in its current condition? I’m sure it’s an option that Tess would relish.

By: Nippertown!

Nippertown! — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:44:35 +0000

[...] donations for Tess, too. And thanks to your incredible generosity, Matt Baumgartner’s Friday Puppy site has already received more than $20,000 in donations for Tess and her [...]

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:55:28 +0000

If the building isn’t owned by Tess, isn’t there at least the possibility that the building owner will not rebuild? This seems unlikely since an establishment that payes their rent every month (which I have to assume LT does/did) will generate more revenue that a burned out brick shell.

By: Patrick Ball

Patrick Ball — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:24:52 +0000

once again……we know them, we love them, we trust them and we do not care how they use the money to bring our family back together again.

By: Kacey

Kacey — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:11:23 +0000

@ George…..
Boooooooo!!!! You need a time out and a vitamin water. You will feel better. Peace be with you.

By: Ken

Ken — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:18:40 +0000

Come on guys, really? This doesn’t have to turn into a political forum on taxes and unemployment. We’re just raising money to help OUR FRIENDS. Haven’t you heard posh? You’ve never been to Baumgartner Banks? oh It has trusts set up all over Albany!

By: daleyplanit

daleyplanit — Sun, 09 May 2010 22:41:03 +0000

I trust that even if in some event the funds don’t go to the tavern for some reason, that they’ll be used responsibly – to a charity or a good cause. Matt and Tess are competent business owners and respected members of the community. Their charachter has been tried and tested. They aren’t stupid. People are giving to people, not to a couple of bars. I don’t need proof that the donations are going to Tess. It’s an old fashioned trust. Matt and Tess have their reputations on the line and they know that. It’s trust that has made Bombers and The Lark Tavern successful. Nearly $20k committed, in just a couple of days? People are not donating because of burritos and vodka tonics.

By: poshocergopropterhoc

poshocergopropterhoc — Sun, 09 May 2010 21:29:41 +0000

I have to echo the concerns of a couple of other people on here who have been shouted down because their views are unpopular.

Businesses have insurance for a reason. Employees have unemployment insurance for a reason.

The desire to do something to right a wrong or fix a tragedy is very strong, but where is the oversight?

Anyone who donates money to this “fund” has, for all intents and purposes, given a free cash gift to Matt Baumgartner, a restaurant owner in Albany who promises to donate it to the owner of Lark Tavern, another restaurant in the community.

Is Matt a recognized public charity in the eyes of the NYS AG’s office, and is he paying taxes on his donated receipts? Has Tess even asked for the money? What happens if Tess, for tax or other reasons, doesn’t want the money because it could reduce the insurance payments that she is entitled to? Are her employees aware that if they receive compensation in lieu of their wages, they may no longer be entitled to full unemployment benefits?

What happened to the days of sending donations to a trust held by a local bank, who had an ethical obligation to make sure the funds were used appropriately?

I want Tess and the Lark Tavern to bounce back and for her continue doing all of the good that she does for Albany, but is this really the right way to do it?