BYC Commander Celebrates New Committee

Summer always seems like a quiet time for town politics. Often however, it’s like the man said, "It’s quiet-- too quiet!" Here are a few things that went on while we were at the beach.
First, during an illegal "Executive Session" Supervisor Warner introduced a new government agency, the "Sandy Harbor Management Committee." Has anyone ever heard of Sandy Harbor? Probably not since it was invented by the town for the purposes of this committee. The committee is framed around phony "goals and objectives," but there is only one purpose- to find taxpayer money to give to the Brockport Yacht Club! The central figure in the committee is Deputy Planning Board Chairman Jim Nesbitt. Jim is a long-time member of the BYC and for more than a decade has pressured the town to give the BYC money to offset the expense of dredging the outlet to the lake. The BYC has a big chip on its shoulder because other people, notably motorboats owners, benefit from the dredging but can’t be forced to pay for it! So the solution was to create more government with the express purpose of trying to find state or federal tax dollars to help out the poor Yacht Club. The worst part of the story is this: the Committee claims that one of its responsibilities is homeland security! Get this: they claim that "Sandy Harbor" might be a refuge for the Fast Ferry and thereby, somehow, provide an unspecified security function. Imagine, a yacht club seeking homeland Security money, which is already very limited, just so they can be reimbursed for dredging for their deep-keeled boats. Get you get much lower than that?
Speaking of the Planning Board, it has a new Chairman. He is non other then Jim Breslawski. You remember Jim, he’s the guy who doesn’t live in Hamlin, he lives in Clarkson. Truth is, Jim hasn’t lived in Hamlin since 1993! So what qualifies Jim to be Chairman? Well, Jim is a principle in a corporation which owns thousands of acres of farmland in Hamlin. Jim was also the biggest contributor to Austin Warner’s election campaign! Because of that support, Warner doesn’t see a problem with putting a man in charge of town planning who is not a resident but simply an "investor." The good-ole-boy network lives!
Finally, Supervisor Warner has apparently anointed himself and the Building Inspector with some significant new powers. It seems that these two now comprise the "You Have No Rights" Committee. Recently, a businessman in central Hamlin sought to build a fence on his property. He wanted the fence because customers from the adjacent business constantly drove onto his property, interfering with his customers. Installing the fence is legal and permitted under Hamlin zoning law. However, since the adjacent business owner happens to be a longtime friend and supporter of Supervisor Warner, he was able to pressure Warner into denying the building permit! Acting completely outside the law, Warner directed Dick Bauman, the Building Inspector, to deny the application. In denying the permit Bauman wrote , "The Town of Hamlin believes that a fence between your two properties is really not appropriate and would be a detriment to the four corners of the town." He goes on to announce that there will be a meeting with himself, the Supervisor and the neighbor and requests that the businessman attend. He closes with, "A fence permit will not be issued until this meeting is attended by all parties concerned." This is all completely illegal. The Supervisor is not empowered to make aesthetic decisions about people’s properties and he certainly can’t block or delay a legally permitted activity! Oh, but this is Hamlin where they make it up as they go along.
Happy Fall!