google.com, pub-2480664471547226, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

The Best Gifts from Schoharie County

Showing posts with label eminent domain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eminent domain. Show all posts

Supers, Residents Divided on Proposed Cobleskill Bridge

Written By Cicero on 4/6/15 | 4/6/15


Cobleskill residents remain divided on whether a new bridge is needed to connect Shady Tree Lane and Barnerville Road, with some urging the project forward to cut down on emergency response time while others disagreed with the county's intended use of eminent domain.

Informing residents that a final decision by the Board of Supervisors would have to be delayed until the April county board meeting, County Attorney Mike West explained that the continuance is because the necessary appraisals of disputed properties have not yet been completed.

That did not prevent homeowners or legislators from chiming in at Tuesday's public hearing, however. 

Broome Supervisor Bill Smith was having none of it. Stating that he is "not in favor of this project," Mr. Smith questioned the emergency response figures of some residents and further commented that the bridge is "a waste of the taxpayers money."

Questioning why "do we have to take so much from this person's land," Middleburgh Supervisor Jim Buzon expressed additional concerns on the safety of motorists exiting Shady Tree Lane by way of the busy Roue 7 intersection.

Barnerville Road resident Kari McKelvy disagreed wholeheartedly with Mr. Smith's assessment, recounting an emergency situation where her mother needed an ambulance and "time is of the essence."

Matt Mann, a resident of Shady Tree Lane opposed to the project, commented that it is a "Bad place to replace that bridge," but that maybe it could be moved to another location, "where you don't have to take someone's land."

Divided on either side of the creek, residents of Barnerville Road are in favor of the project to reduce emergency response time, while landowners on Shady Tree Lane are opposed to the use of eminent domain on their properties to construct the structure.

"They [residents of Barnerville Road] had been promised this bridge," said Cobleskill Supervisor Leo McAllister. The supervisor would argue that it is time to put the structure in place because, "This is the only alternative."

Wrestling with a bridge of convenience versus emergency services, Conesville Supervisor Bill Federice questioned whether only a one-lane bridge for emergency response could be constructed to cut down on cost and land infringement.

The answer was no. Stressing that the structure has to meet current federal standards, Department of Public Works Commissioner Dan Crandall said the project would not be eligible to receive grant monies otherwise.

A point of contention in the community since the existing structure was shuttered seven years ago, the proposed bridge is funded as part of a capital improvement project. If the county does not vote to move forward, it will have to pay back $400,000 in grant monies.

Awaiting the final appraisals, supervisors kept the hearing open to the public through the next regularly scheduled county board meeting set for Friday, April 17th at 9:00 a.m. 

Residents Split on New Bridge in Cobleskill

Written By Cicero on 3/25/15 | 3/25/15


On Friday morning the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors considered the potential use of eminent domain to build a new bridge in the Town of Cobleskill, with both proponents and opponents of the measure addressing the county board. 

Slated to be built on Shady Tree Lane, which is located in the Cobleskill hamlet of Barnerville, the bridge is being proposed to replace an older structure that has been closed for seven years and has been a point of contention in the community. 

Explaining that any use of eminent domain must meet a two-fold requirement of being both in the public good and having no alternate location, County Attorney Michael West warned that because it is a capital improvement project, "If we do not move forward it will cost us $400,000."

Ironically enough, the Board of Supervisors had voted to oppose the use of eminent domain by natural gas companies against the will of county residents just four weeks before Friday's hearing.

At the crux of the dispute is the proposed bridge's path through two parcels of land, which affected property owners had decided against signing on to the project because it would cut into their front yards. One resident commented that he did not want to see "the bridge on my street."

Cobleskill resident Michelle Stacy stated her opposition by quipping that she was, "really against eminent domain in any way, shape, or form. Drawing a comparison to authoritarianism, Stacy would later comment, "We don't live in [the] Chinese mainland." 

Not everyone was opposed to the proposal, however. 

Arguing that "There is a public need for the replacement of this bridge," resident John Sagendorf hoped a compromise could be negotiated between the county and homeowners, but that if not, "eminent domain would have to be used," because of the project's critical nature. 

Neal Stanton, a lifelong resident of Barnerville, concurred with Sagendorf on the need for a bridge by pointing to several instances of emergency services taking upwards to twenty minutes to respond to calls because the old bridge is no longer is service. 

Awaiting the arrival of final assessments to come in, the county board kept the public hearing on the eminent domain proposal open through a special board meeting set for Tuesday, March 31st at 5:00 p.m. 

The Best of the Summer

Donate to Support Local Journalism

CONTACT US:


By phone: 518-763-6854 or 607-652-5252
Email: mountaineaglenews@gmail.com
Fax: 607-652-5253
Mail: The Mountain Eagle / PO Box 162 / Schoharie NY 12157

https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=M6592A5TZYUCQ

Subscribe!

Subscription Options

Site Archive

Submit your information below:

Name

Email *

Message *