Town Board Meets Tonight

It will be the first regular meeting of the town board and one i which Mark Evers may have to endure the right to comment after he gag the audience in his first meeting of the year.

One item grabbed the attention of readers which related to the fees owed the town by the developers of Van Rensselaer Square Mall. The town board passed resolutions related to the project last year which first ordered the town attorney to calculate the GEIS fee reimbursement the developer owed the town and then a separate resolution requiring that those fees be paid prior to the issuance of a building permit.

It could be a significant amount of money for the the town, perhaps $50-$90 thousand dollars reimbursed to taxpayers for the cost of the GEIS study. A resolution on the agenda rescinds a resolution requiring the town attorney to calculate and approve the fees owed. The calculations were never provided to the town attorney by town employees involved in the project such as the engineer and comptroller.

It really matters not who calculates and approves the amount owed as long as it is done and accurate. But will Evers and his "anything for the developers" majority then try to rescind the resolution requiring the payment be made prior to the issuance of the building permit?

Taxpayers are owed this money and we would hate to think Mr. Evers would give away money owed to the town the way he issued a check to a contract last year without town board approval. We will find out tonight.