According to a longtime member of the Furgary Boat Club, Hudson Common Council President Don Moore has stonewalled that person’s efforts to discuss the fate of the 100-year-old local fishing encampment with him—going silent for over a week, after demanding to know where the member lived, and being told that member resides outside of Hudson.
If Moore, fashioning himself a man of principle, intends to adopt a consistent policy that he won’t discuss City of Hudson issues with non-residents, he may wind up with a long list of people with whom he’d have to stop talking. Don’s Don’t Talk List would also have to include, among others:
- Gary Schiro, head of the Hudson Opera House, who lives in Staatsburg;
- Peter Paden, head of the Columbia County Land Conservancy, who lives in Taghkanic;
- Elena Moseley, head of Operation Unite, Cyndy Hall, Columbia County Democratic Chair, Colin Stair, head of Stair Galleries, and Paul Mossman, head of DSS, who all live in Claverack;
- Todd Erling, Director of Hudson Valley AgriBusiness, who lives in Livingston;
- Ken Flood, head of development for the County, who lives in Castleton;
- Ann Cooper, head of Columbia County Tourism, who lives in Stockport;
- David Harrison, the Columbia County Sheriff, who lives in Austerlitz;
- Sheena Salvino, Director of HDC and HCDPA, and David Colby, President of the Chamber of Commerce, who both live in Athens;
- Cheryl Roberts, Hudson Corporation Counsel, who lives in Austerlitz;
- Giff Whitbeck, Assistant District Attorney, who lives in Greenport;
- Ken Faroni, lawyer for O&G Industries, who lives in Connecticut;
- Donald Stever, lawyer for Holcim, who lives in New York City;
- Chelsea Clinton, who is rumored to be buying a house in Old Chatham;
- Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator, who lives in Brunswick;
- Barack Obama, President of the United States, who lives in Washington, D.C.
Moore’s (alleged) new law of discourse would also preclude him from discussing concerns with most every lawyer, banker and accountant in town; several Hudson police officers; all of the non-Hudson County Supervisors who represent other towns; all the non-Hudson members of the County Democratic Committee; and about half of the shop, gallery and restaurant owners on Warren Street.
N O T E : About 10 years ago, when the right to speak at Common Council meetings was finally granted to the public, the Council President at the time briefly attempted to prevent non-residents from speaking at meetings. When the unwise, impractical and probably unconstitutional nature of this idea was decried, the then-President relented—recognizing that nonresidents often have business, family, property and other personal ties to the City which may require discussion. Perhaps Moore wants to turn back the clock, and try that gambit again.
