Plattsburgh Common Councilors bickered over an agenda item at last night’s meeting, leading the mayor to remind them to maintain decorum.
Two items that common councilors have reviewed and postponed action on through the summer were on Thursday’s agenda.
The first called for approval of the city’s draft comprehensive plan. Three councilors said they did not get updates on the plan in their email. Senior planner Elisha Bartlett told Mayor Chris Rosenquest there were minor revisions for readability.
“There was a small segment added to enhance the document to provide population projection estimates, but that’s not part of the actual plan," explained Bartlett. "There was no major changes to the actual content of the plan.”
“This is not a brand new document," added Mayor Rosenquest. "This is something that has probably been in front of council several times at this point. If there are no substantive changes at this point, reviewing what you’ve already reviewed to get to this point and postponing a vote is I don’t know what more benefit that would provide.”
The draft plan passed with four yes votes and two abstentions.
The next item on the agenda led to some pointed exchanges between councilors. A resolution to authorize the mayor to execute a development agreement for a proposed hotel development on an area of property known as Harborside has been debated several times by the council. As it came up Ward 3 Democrat Elizabeth Gibbs outlined her previous objections including potential costs and requests for updated soil testing and a new independent feasibility study.
“I can’t support this," asserted Gibbs. "Risk versus reward is for private industry. Risk versus reward is not what we do as a municipality because we are using taxpayer money and I don’t think that this is something we should take a risk on.”
Ward 6 Democrat Jeff Moore also objected to the proposed plan.
"There’s going to be a lot of peripheral costs that are going to be added to this project," Moore said. "We’re going to have to improve access to the area with a better road. When you get beyond the hotel site, the boat launch there will have to be access provided for that. I think we’re going to end up spending a lot more money than we think on this site. So I can’t in any way back this.
Caitlin Bopp, a Ward 5 Democrat, countered the objections.
"As far as the road and the surrounding waterfront areas that are there the cleanup for those is already part of our Harborside master plan that we’ve been working on for so long," noted Bopp. "I walk down there all the time. People are there every day, every night. So I don’t know why we think that it’ll be somehow less attractive to people when we make it more attractive to people, which is already an integral part of our city planning. I also feel very, very strongly that a hotel is desperately needed in this area. And again what are we doing but letting this site sit here languishing without any use. Other businesses have already proven they can be successful in that area
Ward 2 Democrat Mike Kelly agreed and criticized the opponents of the plan.
“That piece of property down there is probably the most valuable piece of property, undeveloped piece of property, in this city," said Kelly. "So to let it languish, it’s asinine. It’s irresponsible. And I know that Councilor Gibbs here always has her points to make and they’re usually against anything Mayor Rosenquest wants to do. I don’t know why."
Ward 1 Democrat Councilor Julie Baughn audibly sighs and Kelly says "Don’t, Don’t. You don’t have to do that because it’s true. Watch the videos.”
As the vote loomed Moore asked city attorney Dean Schneller a question regarding the city code.
"Is this in any way approving the sale of that property?"
"Yes," replied Schneller. "I mean that’s what this is."
"So if I’m correct," Moore said, "we need a three-quarter majority, five votes, to approve sales of city property."
Gibbs then read the relevant portion of the city code and she and Kelly locked horns.
"I just want to make sure that we’re following our own code here," Gibbs says. "I just want to make sure that legally..."
"Well we haven’t even had the vote yet Councilor Gibbs," interrupts Councilor Kelly. "How do you know how everybody’s going to vote?"
"I’m just asking Dean the question," responds Gibbs, "which I ‘m entitled to do."
"How do you know..." presses Kelly.
"Please don’t interrupt me," Gibbs counters. "I’ve had enough with you manterruptions and your aggression."
"Manterruptions?" queries Kelly.
"That’s correct," says Gibbs.
"Councilors." Mayor Rosenquest begins gaveling for order.
"That’s what I said," Gibbs continues her reply to Kelly.
"Councilors," Mayor Rosenquest interrupts. "Please. Please. Okay. Councilors. There’s a call to question. Keep it civil."
"I will not be attacked," Gibbs tells the mayor.
"Okay," the Mayor begins to respond.
"That’s what the problem is," Gibbs continues.
"Nobody wants to be attacked Councilor Gibbs," Mayor Rosenquest notes. "Nobody. Nobody does okay? There’s a call to question on the floor."
"Yes," Gibbs agrees.
"Please do the roll call," the mayor asks the clerk.
"We don’t have an answer to the question," sputters Gibbs.
"There’s a call to question," states Rosenquest. "Please roll call."
The mayor broke a tie vote to pass the measure.
Following the meeting Corporation Counsel Schneller emailed that he would conduct a further review of the Harborside vote, writing: “In light of the magnitude of this project and potential ambiguities in the code, I will be completing a further review of city code section 24-3 to determine the voting threshold for this motion. This review will be completed, and reported back to the council as soon as possible and certainly before the Mayor will sign any development agreement. In the future I ask that, when able, Councilors ask me these types of procedural questions in advance of the meetings.”
