The Town Board is continuing its Public Hearing on the Draft Comprehensive Plan tonight at 7PM at the town offices. This is an opportunity for the public to offer comments to the Town Board on the proposal as drafted to date.
For the past year, the Town Supervisor has been attempting to disrupt this project by first refusing to sign contracts approved by the town board, refusing to sign the grant worth $80,000, refusing to pay the bills submitted by the consultant and by stacking the Comprehensive Plan Committee with “appointees” who were not approved by a required town board vote. These “appointees” have not been recognized as legitimate members and under Town Law, only members approved by the Town Board can serve on this Board constituted committee. Had the Supervisor’s “appointments” been legal, he would have stacked the committee and controlled its votes.
Nevertheless, tonight’s meeting is likely to include a dog and pony show with opponents arriving to voice objections which suddenly surfaced as the town nears completion of its two year effort to fulfill a key pledge of the 2005 election. It is apparent that the developer from the Van Rensselaer Square Mall opposes the passage of the plan and we believe that opposition is rooted in the Plan’s endorsement of the I-90 Connector which would divert traffic off RT 4, (his mall) and send it to the connector. Apparently what is best for the future of the town and the will of the vast majority of residents is not good for the business climate of a mall surprisingly approved with one entrance in and out.
Town residents for all eight election districts were chosen and appointed by the Town Board to serve on this Comprehensive Plan Committee. No election district or group was given additional representation. Public input was solicited from every household in North Greenbush with surveys asking what the people wanted in terms of development, parks, recreation, transportation etc. Stakeholder meetings were held with input gained from School Districts, Business Community, Emergency Services, to name a few. It truly is a proposal created by the voices of all parts of our town which will serve as a blueprint for the decade to come.
That’s why the Supervisor’s efforts to stop it are so misguided and indicative of his representation of development interests as opposed to the residents of North Greenbush. The public is urged to attend tonight’s meeting and read the draft as presented on the town’s web site.
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