The New Scotland Town Board passed a resolution to not take any further action against Commercial Zone Advisory Committee member Liz Kormos after meeting on Wednesday Nov. 12.
Kormos had been at the heart of a potential conflict of interest matter raised by committee chair Roz Robinson, but the board decided to drop the issue after much debate about Robinson’s potential conflict.
However, Robinson cited some questions about the true nature of the relationship Kormos and the potential buyer had.
Peter Lauricella issued a statement on behalf of Kormos regarding the dismissal of the matter.
It vindicates her position that she never had a conflict of interest. She looks forward to getting back to work with the CZAC process, he said.
Kormos said that since she has no control over the final outcome of the zoning law and no financial interest, two key factors in a conflict of interest, that she did not break town code.
A moratorium on commercial development in the town of New Scotland for commercial buildings larger than 30,000 feet has been in place for six months.
At Wednesday’s meeting the board opted to extend the moratorium for three additional months ending on March 1.
Kormos controversy dealt with the relationship she had with a potential buyer, Mark Schafer, of the Bender Melon Farm, located at the heart of the commercial zone.
That developer was later outbid by Sphere Development LLC, which is planning to develop the farm with a 137,000-square-foot anchor store, pending the approval of zoning laws recommended by the committee and approved by the Town Board.
Kormos also is a member of advocacy group New Scotlanders for Sound Economic Development, which supports a 50,000-square-foot size cap on commercial retail stores.
For updates to the story, see the Wednesday, Nov. 19 issue of the Spotlight Newspaper.“
