Comprehensive Plan Committee Meets Tonight

With input from last evening’s Public Hearing on the Draft Comprehensive Plan in hand, the working Comprehensive Plan Committee will meet this evening at 6PM to make final changes in the document based upon public input. The town board appointed committee will also review numerous comments received by the planners at Bergmann Associates via email to discuss issues raised and incorporate as needed. The meeting begins at 6PM at town hall and the public is encouraged to attend and listen as committee members work to resolve discrepancies and comments submitted by the public and various stakeholders.

Last evening’s meeting was well attended and more than civil by the standards that have become too common for most town board gatherings. The vast majority of the comments were well conceived and will likely be discussed by committee members and their consultant at this evening’s Comprehensive Plan meeting. Despite all the war drums from the opponents orchestrated by the Supervisor and Town Clerk, only one of his so called appointees came to the Public Hearing. His comments were well received.

One speaker whose credibility and stature did much to focus all present on the value of a Comprehensive Plan and the quality of the document created to date was Mike Wacholder of the RPI Technology Park. He noted the importance of the I-90 Connector to our community, the Tech Park and HVCC. The Connector is endorsed in the Draft CP and the passage of the CP, including the building of the connector, is a critical step to obtaining the funding needed to get the project built.

The attorney for the company which is building the mall at 4 and 43 was also present and is clearly laying the foundation for a lawsuit to undercut the Comprehensive Plan. He may have help, intentional or otherwise, from some in town government, specifically, the town clerk. Despite the fact that this continuation of the Public Hearing which began prior to the November 8th town board meeting, the town clerk did not notice the continuation in the newspaper. She attempted to lay the blame on the town attorney by stating she called him and asked and was told not to bother. What she did not state was that the call to the town attorney occurred AFTER printing the notice would prevent the 10 days notice normally required. That town board meeting took place November 8th, some 19 days prior to last evenings continuation of the hearing. Had the town clerk simply noticed the meeting in the papers during the lengthy window of days available to her after the meeting of last evening had been scheduled by the town board, there would be no legal issue available to challenge the meeting in court. Nice work once again Mrs. Connolly who held on the Democratic nomination by 50 votes in caucus. If the town is sued because of her error, you can bet there will be a furor for the clerk to contend with.