Morning Read: Local Government Review Board has new leadership
This morning, I’m reporting on high-profile questions being raised by the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board about land deals in the Adirondacks.
Those questions have also sparked criticism about the LGRB’s role in the debate, whether it reflects local government sentiment, and whether the group is acting within its legislated mandate.
This morning, the Adirondack Journal is reporting that the LGRB has a new board president, Gerald Delaney from Clinton County.
“I worked on farms in the Adirondacks since my youth — I picked up a chain saw at the age of 18 and worked in the woods as a logger, felling and skidding trees,” he said, noting that forest-related resources were important traditionally and in the present day — for both local culture and the economy.
Delaney replaces Newcomb town supervisor George Canon. According to the Journal, he shares Canon’s opposition to new land deals.
“The Adirondacks became what they are because of the stewardship of large and small landowners,” he said. The state erodes that by buying up the working forests.”
Read the full article here, and hear my report here.
Tags: adirondacks, politics
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“The Adirondacks became what they are because of the stewardship of large and small landowners”
Ha! Mass deforestation by large timber industry was a major reason for the implementation of the Park Act. This is a complete rewrite of history.
Not to worry. At a time when there is talk of abandoning State retirees pensions, firing teachers and closing schools, doing away with a multitude of State jobs and services, the Young Prince has assured us that State land purchases will continue. This is nothing short of CRIMINAL!
http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/17093/20110203/green-groups-say-big-adirondack-land-deals-back-on-the-table
“Yesterday, we reported that the Cuomo administration appears to be moving forward with plans to buy new parcels of land in the Adirondack Park.” Brian, first of all I am not so sure this is accurate. The EPF has about 16.5 million dollars in it for land acquisition, so they can’t do much really, remember this is for land purchases statewide not just in the Adirondacks. It seems to me that parcels like undeveloped beach front in the Hampton’s, or land in the Catskill’s or other places nearer to development activity should be a much higher priority for protection that some chunk of inaccessible Adirondack back-county. It is doubtful but maybe the state is considering using this money wisely for a change and perhaps purchasing land that is truly under threat of development. Probably not, when you consider that the DEC has helped the TNC create the ultimate buyers market for Adirondack land. First they work side by side in Albany deciding what land needs “protection” and then they update the Open Space Plan (the ultimate wish list) to reflect what parcels both the buyer wants to buy and the seller wants to sell. Then the state makes a move to try and avoid paying property tax on Forest Preserve land. Is it really all that surprising that some of these tows are getting cold feet! Has the TNC transferred the parcels that were promised to the towns as part of this deal? I don’t think that has happened either.
I am disgusted that the unelected LGRB is wasting tax money butting its nose in on something that is outside its legal mandate. Their job is to provide ‘feedback’ on the APA, not the DEC. That’s their job according to legislation. That’s the job they are handed tax dollars for.
Still, I would money be used to shore up the DEC, which Cuomo and other Republicans want to emasculate, until the state’s fiscal situation improves. The state is already struggling to pay property taxes to counties, municipalities and school districts on the preserve land it already owns. That tremendously undermines public support for conservation efforts more broadly.
Brian,
How is an effort to try and convince the state to not spend tens of millions of dollars unnecessarily a waste of taxpayer money?
Like you I was under the impression that the APA plays little role in state land aquisition. That may have been becuase I was seeing people make the claim here and in othjer places. That is false.
If you look specifically at the Adirondack State Land Master Plan , approved by the APA you will see this on page number 6 under Acquisition Policy Recommendations:
“The Agency has an important interest in future state land acquisitions since they can vitally affect both private and public land within the Adirondack Park. As a result the Agency recommends that the following guidelines should govern future acquisitions of state lands within the Park”
If you read on you will see that it is the APA that sets some of the guidelines for state land acquisition. The DEC along with the Nature Conservancy Analysts they work with makes determination of specific parcels, but the APA plays an important role in the process.
The APA may make “recommendations” as to guidelines but it doesn’t follow from there at the DEC necessarily implements those recommendations. Everyone and their grandmother makes recommendations.
Specific local towns affected by the specific deal, not the LGRB with its broad anti-conservation agenda, should be involved in proposed land purchases. And as Brian M’s report this morning pointed out, all the elected town boards affected signed on to the Follensby and Finch deals. Why should the appointed LGRB be able to override that?
I don’t want you guys to be able to change the topic and duck my point so I’ll rephrase my comment to: “…. not the LGRB with its anti-land purchase position, should be involved…”
Just for the record, way back in 2008 when Mike Carr was going around to the towns for approval, Assemblywoman Sayward was saying, “This should be a model of how the state should purchase land in the Adirondacks. It was great the issues were brought to the local communities first.”
Indian Lake Supervisor Barry Hutchins was pleased that what Carr had presented to the Town Board when the board met on Feb. 11, 2008, was essentially what was announced by TNC and the DEC.
You see, folks, in the Adirondacks it isn’t enough for the state to buy land from a willing seller, it also needs the approval of local governments to complete the purchase. This was done.
So in effect, only in the Adirondacks is a property owner not allowed to sell their land to the state without first getting approval from the local government.
For those of you who think property rights are sacred, might this requirement be a violation of property rights?
An excellent report this morning on the 8 o’clock Hour. People should listen to it and listen to it again. Local government approves an action and then people like Fred Monroe and Betty Little tell us that they didn’t know what they were doing. Maybe the town boards aren’t as stupid as Fred and Betty are trying to make you believe.
Did Fred approve it before he didn’t approve it?
Thanks for the report Brian.
What Pete said.
TNC makes a concerted effort to include the concerns of the towns and even agrees to sell parcels of land to the towns for their particular needs. Plus TNC agrees to put the bulk of the Finch Pruyn land into conservation easements. All 27 towns sign off on their potential veto to the deal. TNC is praised by local politicians for the plan that was developed. Now that the easement deals are done some of the local politicians want to renege on their agreement because they still don’t want any of the property added to the Forest Preserve. Do these local officials understand the meaning of compromise and commitment to their word?
And yes, the local government veto power of a property transaction between a willing seller and buyer is outrageous. How is it even constitutional that a local government can tell a landowner who they can or can’t sell their property to? Bizarre.
“Why should the appointed LGRB be able to override that?
Brian, they don’t have any such power. They are simply telling the APA and the legislature that this is maybe not the best way to proceed given the circumstances.
I dont see why its any board’s business to comment on whether or not the state can or cannot afford something. Thats what the state legislature is supposed to do. Timber harvesting is not a good business right now either.
phan50, when you have a chance read the APA Act and the Adirondack State Land Master Plan and you will see that it is the APA’s job to do just what the Review Board is doing here. Remember this board is supposed to be an integral part of the APA. It bothers many environmental groups when they try and do their job but they will have to start getting used to it.