Last Thursday’s town board meeting offered some significant insights into the mindset of this pro developer majority. The 4-1 vote to prevent adding to the agenda a resolution to approve the completed and delivered Comprehensive Plan served no ones interests other than developers who want no restrictions or community input that doesn’t open the town to whatever manner of making money suits them. The plan would tell developers what the community wants, give them a constructive guide that would avoid the bitter divisive battles they incurred when they rammed down a form of development on Rts 4 and 43 that ran contrary to the wishes of those most affected by the planning.
The vote also made clear that even the possibility of loosing a State Grant applied for to clean up Main Avenue pollution sites and revitalize the business district on the Wynantskill side of town is not sufficient to gain control over development on the DeFreestville side of town or implement sound planning throughout the town by approving the Comprehensive Plan. That grant, potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, was applied for by the Chair of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, Richard Fennelly, along with then CPC member and professional planner, Steve Kirk. It rests on assumption of the town’s firm commitment to pass the comprehensive plan which supports a revitalized Main Avenue business district which is only possible by a State funded cleanup of so called brownstone sites along Main Avenue. Without the approved plan, the town and Wynantskill residents are not likely to receive a dime of this much needed funding.
A test of courage always rests on the ability to tell the truth, even when doing so may cause personal embarrassment. Like it or not, the pro developer town board majority was forced to tell the truth Thursday night when Councilman Alan Michaels forced them to vote on whether to permit a resolution on the agenda that would allow the board to approve or disapprove of the completed Comprehensive Plan. Michaels, who missed the December meeting in which the same resolution was defeated in a 2-2 tie, expressed his support for the plan as delivered. The other four board members refused to allow an agenda addition that would have brought the plan to a vote. The ugly truth is exposed that 4 town board members, two of whom were initially nominated and elected because of their firm commitment to the creation and adoption of a comprehensive plan, now oppose it. If town voters who were overwhelmingly in favor of the Democratic Party Platform of 2005 agree, these four gentlemen, Evers, Kern, Spain and Desso, will likely face another truth should they seek re-election.
But Mark Evers was forced to take another test that night, one in which acknowledging the truth would cause him embarrassment. Rather than admit, as Eliot Spitzer did when confronted with evidence of his own conduct, Evers denied his truth at that meeting.
Mr. Evers nervously announced at the front of the meeting that he would not permit personal attacks at this meeting. At the public comment which occurs at the end of the meeting, Evers was given an opportunity by his critic and former supporter CB Smith, to retract a personal attack he published in the Troy Record which accused Smith of having a “no show” job. Smith thanked Evers for his affirmation that personal attacks would not be tolerated. Then confronted Evers with his own personal attack as published in a letter to the editor. He gave Evers a choice, apologize for what he knew to be untrue or sign a prepared sworn complaint to the District Attorney affirming his accusation.
Evers cringed and cringed again when Smith pointed out the presence of two Notary Publics at the meeting who would be happy to help him put his money where his mouth was. Evers declined to sign leaving Smith to thank him for his “honesty” demonstrated by his refusal to commit a perjurious act. Checkmate.
Earlier in the evening, some of Smith’s work product was acknowledged by Councilman Michaels. That State Grant application was in fact one of the projects Smith worked on serving as a direct assault on Evers politically motivated claims of a no show job. All in all, an unpleasant evening for the Supervisor who angrily crunched the prepared affadavit in his clinched fist.
Perhaps we can all find solace knowing that are two ways to leave public office. One is to stand on principles no matter how unpopular and the other to engage in acts of deceit in an effort to stay in public office. John Tyler, a United States Senator from Virginia until February 1836 when he resigned from the Senate rather than sacrifice his honor, is an example of the former.
The vote also made clear that even the possibility of loosing a State Grant applied for to clean up Main Avenue pollution sites and revitalize the business district on the Wynantskill side of town is not sufficient to gain control over development on the DeFreestville side of town or implement sound planning throughout the town by approving the Comprehensive Plan. That grant, potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, was applied for by the Chair of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, Richard Fennelly, along with then CPC member and professional planner, Steve Kirk. It rests on assumption of the town’s firm commitment to pass the comprehensive plan which supports a revitalized Main Avenue business district which is only possible by a State funded cleanup of so called brownstone sites along Main Avenue. Without the approved plan, the town and Wynantskill residents are not likely to receive a dime of this much needed funding.
A test of courage always rests on the ability to tell the truth, even when doing so may cause personal embarrassment. Like it or not, the pro developer town board majority was forced to tell the truth Thursday night when Councilman Alan Michaels forced them to vote on whether to permit a resolution on the agenda that would allow the board to approve or disapprove of the completed Comprehensive Plan. Michaels, who missed the December meeting in which the same resolution was defeated in a 2-2 tie, expressed his support for the plan as delivered. The other four board members refused to allow an agenda addition that would have brought the plan to a vote. The ugly truth is exposed that 4 town board members, two of whom were initially nominated and elected because of their firm commitment to the creation and adoption of a comprehensive plan, now oppose it. If town voters who were overwhelmingly in favor of the Democratic Party Platform of 2005 agree, these four gentlemen, Evers, Kern, Spain and Desso, will likely face another truth should they seek re-election.
But Mark Evers was forced to take another test that night, one in which acknowledging the truth would cause him embarrassment. Rather than admit, as Eliot Spitzer did when confronted with evidence of his own conduct, Evers denied his truth at that meeting.
Mr. Evers nervously announced at the front of the meeting that he would not permit personal attacks at this meeting. At the public comment which occurs at the end of the meeting, Evers was given an opportunity by his critic and former supporter CB Smith, to retract a personal attack he published in the Troy Record which accused Smith of having a “no show” job. Smith thanked Evers for his affirmation that personal attacks would not be tolerated. Then confronted Evers with his own personal attack as published in a letter to the editor. He gave Evers a choice, apologize for what he knew to be untrue or sign a prepared sworn complaint to the District Attorney affirming his accusation.
Evers cringed and cringed again when Smith pointed out the presence of two Notary Publics at the meeting who would be happy to help him put his money where his mouth was. Evers declined to sign leaving Smith to thank him for his “honesty” demonstrated by his refusal to commit a perjurious act. Checkmate.
Earlier in the evening, some of Smith’s work product was acknowledged by Councilman Michaels. That State Grant application was in fact one of the projects Smith worked on serving as a direct assault on Evers politically motivated claims of a no show job. All in all, an unpleasant evening for the Supervisor who angrily crunched the prepared affadavit in his clinched fist.
Perhaps we can all find solace knowing that are two ways to leave public office. One is to stand on principles no matter how unpopular and the other to engage in acts of deceit in an effort to stay in public office. John Tyler, a United States Senator from Virginia until February 1836 when he resigned from the Senate rather than sacrifice his honor, is an example of the former.
As a Senator, Tyler believed the Senate Journal was something that could not be expunged once written. An effort to expunge that journal to benefit Andrew Jackson and preserve his reputation was met with the firm resolve of then Senator Tyler who was led by his conscience. The details are no longer important, but the act of courage remains inspiring. In resigning his Senate seat, he stated “I shall carry with me into retirement the principles which I brought with me into public life….I shall set an example to my children which shall teach them to regard as nothing any position or office which must be attained or held at the sacrifice of honor.” Tyler later became the 10th President of the United States. As for Supervisor Evers, we predict he will get to carry his conscience into a forced retirement from public life as a GOP candidate for the County Legislature with Conservative sidekick and fellow disciple of F. James Germano, Leon Fiacco in 2009. There's a team for you with do anything, say anything, Victory Lane owner Richard Crist running the legislative campaign for the GOP . Let's hope Albany County District Attormey David Soares finishes his investigation sooner rather than later.
Comprehensive Plan Meeting
The first meeting of the new Comprehensive Plan Committee takes place tomorrow night at 7PM at the town office. The notice states that the public is encouraged to attend. We encourage your attendance and participation, if it is permitted, as in the past. We also urge you to recommend that the plan be adopted by the Town Board as completed and that the new committee continue to find ways of improving the document as part of an ongoing process.
1 comment:
Could you elaborate on the $36K grant that North Greenbush received?
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