Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello says leaders on the Knickerbacker Park board are “reckless.”
Mantello said Wednesday the Knickerbacker Park Board and its attorney are attempting to strong-arm city officials as the park’s board demands changes to the 30-year lease that the city has had since 2007. While Mantello wouldn’t share specifics of the so-called “demands,” she told WAMC the board threatened to change the locks on the ice rink. The city owns the rink, but the board owns the land.
“I'm willing to work with anyone, but when I feel it gets to the point where we're being held hostage, we're being told that locks are going to be changed and it potentially could jeopardize opening the ice rink. We're not going to allow that to happen,” Mantello said.
In a text message, Phil DiLorenzo, the board’s vice president and an incoming city councilor, said while his time on the park board ends this month, he “remains hopeful the mayor will work collaboratively with her fellow elected leaders next year.”
