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Benson inserts foot back in mouth

New Lebanon Supervisor Michael Benson appears to be having a bit of trouble adjusting to the world of public governance—perhaps being more used to running his own private show as a construction magnate. 

Last week, Benson was exposed for trying to close down the County’s newly-formed airport committee before it gets a headwind behind it. In a widely-circulated email, Benson not only sought to end the committee’s fact-finding mission, but do do so in a secret executive session. (According to New Lebanon sources, Benson routinely takes his Town Board into Executive Session, regardless of whether the topic qualifies for such secrecy under State Law.) Committee chair has sent concerned residents email assurances that its work will continue.

Following that counterproductive episode, Benson tried a new tactic to distract from the substantive work of the committee. Showing little interest in anything pertaining to actual airport operations, Benson trained his sites on a much more important meta-question: the airport committee’s email list. Who was on the cc: list, he demanded to know over the weekend—and why?

Benson chose to lead off his tirade about this vital matter with an example that blew up in his face.

“I see Cindy Hall’s name, but I don’t see Greg Fingar’s name,” Benson thundered, referring respectively to the County Democratic and Republican chairs—in an apparent effort to imply that Bassin had some partisan agenda in forming the email list.

“This just doesn’t look good,” Benson concluded, wringing his hands: “In fact, I am deeply concerned.”

Unfortunately, Bassin had a ready answer for Benson.  “The names on the list at this point,” Bassin patiently explained, “are all people who have voluntarily expressed an interest in being on the list.”

Then came the kicker: “I actually asked Greg Finger if he wanted to be on the list last week, and he said no.”

In other words: Benson was whining about Fingar being left out—but Bassin had gone out of his way to try to include Fingar, but he refused to be included in the discussion.

Oops. Sometimes what is allowed in private business just doesn’t translate to public debate.

 

Bassin previews airport resolution

Below is the draft resolution which Ancram Superviosr Art Basin intends to present to the County Board tomorrow (Wednessday) night at 401 State Street, following an informational meeting hurriedly arranged by Chairman Pat Grattan. An article in today’s Register-Star announcing the meeting neglected to give the time that it starts; the clerk of the Board tells me it is scheduled for 5 pm, but is not sure if it will be on the 3rd Floor or in the ground floor chambers.

Resolution to Temporarily Table Actions to Expand the Airport Safety Zone Until Certain Additional Information Is made Available to the Public and to Members of the Board of Supervisors 

1. Whereas, the Columbia County Board of Supervisors has, by resolution,  previously endorsed the 2003 Airport Master Plan, The 2011 Airport Business Plan, and approved purchasing from Carmen Nero and his partners, certain land to expand the Columbia County airport safety zone, and
2. Whereas, Mr. Nero has declined the County’s offer to purchase such land, and
3. Whereas, the County has authorized seeking proposals for attorney’s to represent the County in a possible eminent domain process, and
4. Whereas, it is not clear that the County is required by the FAA to either expand the airport safety zone or shorten the runway if we decide not to expand the airport safety zone, and
5. Whereas it is not clear that, if the County is required to shorten the runway, the resulting consequences on the County or Richmor would be material, and 
6. Whereas, it is not clear that the $8 million to $13 million of Airport investments proposed in the 2011 County Airport Business Plan are necessary, desirable  prudent or economically justifiable, and
7. Whereas, the future economic development benefits of expanding the airport safety zone or making between $8 million and $13 million in investments at the Airport have not been defined, and  
8. Whereas, the County has received a series of FOIL requests and questions from residents and Supervisors regarding the Airport Business Plan in general and the need to expand the Airport safety zone in particular, which have not yet been responded to, 

THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED THAT: 

1. All resolutions previously approved by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors authorizing the negotiated purchase of land from Carmen Nero and partners, or the use of eminent domain to take land from Mr. Nero to expand the Airport safety zone are hereby rescinded, and all previous authorizations to purchase or take of land from Mr. Nero are withdrawn, and
2. All efforts to initiate an eminent domain process, including the hiring of attorney’s to advise on or participate in an eminent domain process shall immediately cease, and
3. The County Attorney and the Commissioner of Economic Development, working with and seeking information from other County Managers, Richmor, the authors of the 2003 Airport Master Plan and the 2011 Airport Business Plan,  and the FAA, will respond to all outstanding FOIL requests and questions from Supervisors and others in writing, and
4. The County Board of Supervisors will be presented with formal, written responses to the questions recently raised about expanding the Airport safety zone, and
5. The County FOIL officer will notify the Board of Supervisors when all FOIL requests have been responded to, and will make available to members of the Board of Supervisors all FOIL requests related to the Airport and the County’s responses to them, and

 IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE 

1. The County BOS will review and decide on the matter of expanding the airport safety zone either by negotiated purchase or eminent domain based on more complete information based on the responses to the Airport FOIL requests that are outstanding, and based on answers to the questions raised by Supervisors and others.

Primary turnout in Columbia County

As first reported here, voter turnout for Tuesday’s Democratic Congressional primary contest between Julian Schreibman and Joel Tyner was dismal. Fewer than 1 in 10 registered Democrats bothered to participate in the new 11-county 19th District.

That sub-10% figure also applied to Democrats here in Columbia County. Below is a town-by-town chart of how each municipality in the County did, turnout-wise, correlating  Board of Elections tallies and voter registration data obtained last March:

Remarkably, County Democratic Chair Cyndy Hall characterized these numbers as a “tremendous victory” for her party committee... If 9 out of 10 voters staying home is a tremendous victory, one wonders what a tremendous failure would look like.

UPDATE: Primaries 0f course tend to attract fewer voters than general elections. However, as a point of reference showing how poor Tuesday’s turnout was: More than 550 Democrats voted in the 2011 primary between Nick Haddad and Linda Mussmann; but this week, fewer than 150 voters cast ballots in Hudson.

Go Forth

I’m reliably told that the Silvernail House in Ancram and the Forth House in Livingston (pictured above) are being considered by the New York State Historic Preservation Office for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.