We have pleasure in publishing the full-text of a New Baltimore Resident’ H. Vadney’s public comment at the September 20, 2020, public meeting of the New Baltimore Planning Board, at which Mr R. Lent’s application on behalf of Albright’s Grarage, and a propane installation, was being considered.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Board, Friends and Neighbors:
We’ve come out this evening out of concern for the welfare and integrity of our Town and its residents.
In the past, we have been faced with Coeymans sewerage floating downstream to land on New Baltimore shores; now it’s reached New Baltimore Town Hall. Coeymans, Biscone, Nolan, Flach do not dictate to New Baltimore what happens in New Baltimore. We reject importing the thuggery and corruption from our evil twin to the North, Coeymans. We even more strongly object to “fixtures” from that same group coming across county and town lines to insinuate themselves and interfere in New Baltimore’s internal affairs.
While New Baltimore is no stranger to corruption and special interests, neither is it a stranger to monopolies that adversely affect some of our most basic services including but not limited to telephone service, electrical power, Internet and cable television, and even government. Where we can cite monopolies in private sector, New Baltimore has distinguished itself in having monopoly in government where voters have no choice but to accept uncontested candidates for key offices.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a market economy and a representative democracy require competition, not monopolies.
If Mr. Lent were advocating a competitor for an existing New Baltimore established business, I would likely not be standing here today. But he is not. He is offering a needed New Baltimore competitor against vendors from outside this town and outside even this County. If only for that reason alone and in the interest of economic development in this Town, his application should receive the Board’s unanimous favorable consideration.
All other opposition and arguments should be moot, silenced, and set aside upon those considerations alone. To do anything less would be a betrayal of the residents and taxpayers in this Town, and that betrayal will certainly have consequences.
My sole concern in this matter is that the proposed project be subject to strict aesthetic requirements to avoid yet another commercial eyesore in New Baltimore, similar to the many we see on a day-to-day basis when driving through Ravena– Coeymans.
Thank you for your attention.
Mr Biscone, Mr Nolan, Mr Flach::
You’re outa here!