The Plan to Destroy a Comprehensive Plan
What you can learn at a meeting when folks who place personal profits ahead of the public good, speak. That best describes the astounding statements at Tuesdays Public Information Meeting on the town’s efforts to create a community driven Comprehensive Master Plan for growth and development.
The Town Supervisor ran in 2005 on a pledge to support a Comprehensive Plan. He has spent his term trying to derail it to benefit developers he clearly represents and quite likely did so when he misled the 2005 Democratic Committee to secure an endorsement.
The first salvo against the committee came from Evers who tried to infer that there was not enough time to finish the project. He implied he would end the Public Hearings currently scheduled ahead of planned Board meetings at 7PM. If they were not complete, he would not allow them to continue into the Board meeting. So much for voting on Board conduct hey?
But the best insult came from the attorney representing the developers at the 4 and 43 mall, that 40 foot high monster that makes you wonder whether we are in North Greenbush or Denver Colorado. He attacked the planner from Bergmann Associates stating commercial property owners have not received enough notice of these meetings. He insisted, incorrectly this was a Public Hearing requiring 10 days legal notice. The fact is the meeting was NOT a Public Hearing and simply a regular public meeting whose notice provisions are guided by the Open Meetings Law of New York State.
The attorney who failed to state his clients names, railed at the Planner, Mr. Raus, stating he failed to provide sufficient notice to commercial property owners. His attack brought a response from both the planner and Chairman Fennelly who stated that numerous paid ads were run for this meeting in newspapers along with a dozen fliers at sites around town.
But here’s the joke on the attorney. Aside from the fact he failed to mention his client, BET Development, who are building the mall at 4 and 43, and the City of Rensselaer in their effort to annex town land, the attorney’s claim of a lack of notice to commercial property owners is laughable. He is probably unaware that the attorney for the property’s prior owner, Nigro Companies, attended every CPC meeting in 2006 right up to the time Nigro unloaded his mistake on BET, the attorney’s current client. Inadequate Notice for his client’s property? With Attorney Carpenter attending and noting every CPC meeting, one can hardly claim the property owner was not aware of the meetings and the CPC itself.
But the best revelation came at a small table in a “breakout” session. The attorney for BET, Mr. Goldman, stated his client does not want the Comprehensive Plan to be approved! Why? Because what is wanted by residents of North Greenbush may hurt his poor client’s business! He said they are concerned that the Comprehensive Plan would endorse the building of the I-90 connector which would take the heavy traffic off RT 4 and allow it to bypass the hamlet of DeFreestville. Imagine, less traffic on RT 4, the point of a by-pass and the other great benefit, that development would occur along the by-pass and not where these folks built their mall.
But maybe the will of residents should take a back seat to Mr. Ever’s favorite developer? Right? The wisdom of State, Federal Planners, and County Planners on the building of the connector, its access to the crown jewel of the town, the RPI Tech Park, all that planning should be shelved so Evers and his developers can make a buck. So that’s why 4 party bosses endorsed the same slate of blank check development candidates trying to render our votes meaningless.
Expect Evers and the Developer to find a way to delay adoption of a plan in December. Perhaps a frivolous lawsuit would buy time.
Late Financial Disclosure Reports
Kyran Devery
Today is Day 103 for the North Greenbush Democratic Committee violation of State Election Law requiring the on line filing of a Financial Disclosure Report due July 15, 2007. They are also 20 days late on a 32 Day Pre General filing due October 5th.Laws apparently don’t apply to the “reformed” democrats under Jeff Spain and his Treasurer, Tax Collector Kyran Devery. The Rensselaer County BOE has sent Mr. Devery a letter with his second notice of being tardy. A THIRD report is due tomorrow. If he does the town job the way he does his political job of party treasurer, time for a change!
8 comments:
The MASTER PLAN of a town is the blueprint and cornerstone of prosperous and orderly growth in a community.The financial benifets of one or two business ventures should and can not !! derail the benifits to the MAJORITY of taxpayers. The town has a responsibility to work with the business community to coexist in a mannor that is benificial to each. There is no room in negotiations for the conduct of this attorney and he has weakened any simpathy the community would have had for his clients.BEST ADVICE TO THE BUSINESS INTERESTS -FIRE THE ATTORNEY AND ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
The business community has their goal- make money- that's how they live - but not at the expense of the MAJORITY of taxpayers.
I guess we shouldn't be surprised that a lawyer for outsiders should try to strong arm a small community to get what his clients want. It's pathetic when our own elected officials sell us out. The interesting show to watch at the Comprehensive meeting was Katie Connolly and Mark Evers battling over who could be Mr. Goldman's very best friend. Katie kept whispering in his ear(ugh!)and Mark just kept nodding his head every time Mr. G. had something to say. He looked like one of those bobble head dolls you used to see in car windows.
What a bunch of sellouts (I could use stronger words but I know that you are careful about what you accept).
Members of both firehouses were there groveling for a few crumbs.
It's amazing what buying a few calendars will get you, right Mr. Casale?
All in all, it was the best show in town. It would be funny if it weren't so sad.
The fact that the developers attorney was at the meeting in the first place is the greatest news!!
EVERS AND CONNALLY show their true colors on A regular basis. They fill the town hall with RELATIVES,PAID "YES"PEOPLE,PROMISE CIVIL SERVICE CLERKS PAYOFFS,AND BUY DONUTS BY THE HUNDREDS.
FROM START TO FINISH in any project-THE "JIMMY" PEOPLE HAVE IT GUARANTEED THEIR WAY.We need to consider a new name for NORTH GREENBUSH- MABY CONJOB TOWN OR SOCIALISTIC LAND OR JUST RUSSA(no thats taken ).
I'm interested in the attorney's comments, everyone gets the opportunity to speak. It's the job of the Committee to listen to all comments and then do what they think is best. Just because you may disagree with someone's position, does not make it less worthy. Not everyone has the same opinion and they are not corrupt, on the take or being bought off. BTW, I think the firemen that were present are on the Committee, and the other was the Chief. Seems like they are doing their job, just as they are supposed to be doing.
The references to socialism and Russia are somewhat misplaced. A multitude of opinions may result in a document that everyone can live with, and the Town can then move on.
I doubt that the blog owner will allow this post, I give him/her credit if it does get posted, but the ignorant "shot" at the town's firefighters shows the lack of knowledge that some people have on the issues. There were four town firefighers present at the meeting. In terms of credentials that THEY brought to the meeting, one was the Chief of Wynantskill FD. One was the Chief of DeFreestville FD, is a member of the Zoning Board (and past chair) and ran the Town's Building Department for several previous administrations (including the Fennelly Administration). One is a Past Chief of DeFreestville, and is also the past Chairman of the Planning Board. The last FD member is the current Treasurer of DeFreestville FD, and past member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
What credentials did YOU bring to the meeting, besides "Neighborhood NIMBY"?
Do you really think that a change in the Master Plan doesn't affect the FD's abiliy to provide proper levels of protection? Certainly we would be delinquent had we NOT been represented!
As for "groveling for scraps", to the best of my knowledge NONE of these four said so much as "hello" to the attorney in question. I, for one, had to be told after-the-fact just who he represented!
So get real, and if you want to REALLY be able to say that you "do something for the community", then get off of your ass and join a civic service organization! It doesn't hahve to be an FD, it could be the Elks, the Legion, or the ambulance; but do SOMETHING with your pathetic life besides whining about people who do!
To be clear, this blog did not attack the fire service on this or any other post. We cannot account for accuracy of most of the comments and the one which disparages the fire officials may be inaccurate or untrue. We are happy to post your rebuke of the comment.
Oh please...the fire company showed their true colors and their interest in a new fire house a few years ago. (we'll take it at any cost) Some of us don't forget. Don't cry foul...live with the reputation you've earned yourselves.
Oh, and a new station would not benefit the entire community? Methinks you need to get the facts before you make false statements. I called back then and asked what the story was on the property. Got the straight answer without a problem. Maybe you should too. Lucky for us we have folks who want to protect us, despite people like you. BTW, not a firefighter.
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