A member of New Scotland’s Commercial Zoning Advisory Committee has been asked to resign due to a prior relationship with a potential buyer of the Bender Melon Farm, a key piece of property in ongoing discussions regarding zoning laws in the town.
According to a written statement from New Scotlanders for Sound Economic Development, Liz Kormos was asked to step down because of a potential conflict of interest.
Kormos is a member of New Scotlanders for Sound Economic Development, also known as NS4SED, and a supporter of a 50,000-square-foot size cap on retail developments in the town of New Scotland.
According to the statement, released Tuesday, Sept. 30, Roz Robinson, chairwoman of the zoning committee, brought up the conflict of interest concerns during executive session at the committee’s Wednesday, Sept. 24, meeting.
Robinson had no comment as of press time about the NS4SED statement, but when asked Monday, Sept. 29, about Wednesday’s executive session, she said the Town Board has been apprised of the situation and may be taking the lead on the matter. She would not comment on specifics of the executive session citing personnel matters.
CZAC, which was commissioned by the town to draft new zoning laws to be more compatible with the town’s comprehensive plan, has not yet made a decision on a size cap recommendation.
A temporary moratorium on new buildings larger than 30,000 square feet has been in place since May to allow the town time to address its zoning laws. The moratorium was enacted in response to a commercial development proposed by Syracuse-based Sphere on the Bender Melon farm property that would include a 137,000-square-foot anchor store.
According to the statement released by NS4SED, Councilwoman Peg Neri’s CZAC’s appointee John Biscone and Councilman Rich Reilly’s CZAC appointee Cindy Elliot also support Kormos’ resignation.
New Scotlanders for Sound Economic Development wrote in its statement that Kormos will not `resign under pressure, charged prematurely with an incorrect and incomplete set of facts in a discussion that was closed to the public. Kormos has requested that the New Scotland Town Board review and decide the matter, and has asked for the opportunity to discuss the allegations before the Town Board. She has waived her rights to confidentiality so that there can be a full and open inquiry.`
Daniel Mackay, a founding member of NS4SED who prepared the group’s statement, said the conflict of interest allegations are based on an inaccurate set of facts.
`Just as the CZAC was nearing a critical but contentious point in discussions recommending a specific size cap for retail stores, a proponent for such a size cap is suddenly charged with a conflict of interest,` said Mackay.
Kormos was expected to release a statement later in the day, after Spotlight Newspapers went to press. Go to spotlightnews.com for updates on this developing story.
NS4SED members said Kormos should not be singled out for her past involvement with the Bender Melon property.
`It should be noted that other CZAC members have past and potential future business relationships to properties in the commercial zone, as could be expected since the members of the committee include a surveyor and lawyers involved with development and approvals of residential and commercial properties,` according to the statement.
The catalyst for NS4SED’s statement was the zoning committee’s Wednesday, Sept. 24, meeting, which went into executive session immediately after being called to order and adjourned after returning 40 minutes later.
The statement from NS4SED cites Kormos as the `sole focus` of that session.
Senior planner at Behan Planning Associates Mike Welti was not at the Sept. 24 meeting because, he said, Robinson told him in advance that an executive session might take up a good amount of time.
Behan is paid by the number of hours it works on the project, and, Welti said, that since the committee did not plan on conducting its regular agenda because of the executive session, it would be a waste of money if Behan attended.
`This wouldn’t be a very productive use of our time,` Welti said.
The next CZAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Voorheesville High School. “