Art. X Rules Are Fair and Impartial - I Wonder What COAXNY Would Say About That?

Do you remember the grassroots organization called Coalition On Article X  (COAX NY) ?

http://coaxny.org/

This is a grass roots organization formed to oppose and keep an eye on Cuomo's Article X legislation.

Here is their mission statement and purpose in their own words.  The underlining emphasis is mine , not COAX.

The Coalition on Article X mission statement


"As a diverse, grassroots, statewide coalition we will act as advocates for the Towns of New York State that have lost their home rule to Albany bureaucrats in critical community planning and zoning decisions."

PURPOSE

"Our purpose as Coalition on Article X (“COAX”), is to protect and reinstate “Home Rule” regarding siting of energy facilities and to involve the public, elected officials and appointed officials in this cause."   And remember this last underlined quote for my discussion below.  It is important! 

The following are not necessarily all together in one letter or comment, but from various places on the COAX Website

“What’s at stake is our long-held, Constitutional right to “home rule” — the right to decide for ourselves what we want our communities to look like 20, 40, and 60 years down the road."


"Article 10, as currently written, has put the decision-making regarding the siting of all energy facilities in New York State into the hands of five (5) distant, unelected Albany bureaucrats. Neither we, nor our duly-elected local officials, will have a vote on these very important matters."

"Make no mistake, Big Corporate has been lobbying the state hard to make changes to this law that best suits them and their bottom line, and completely removes our right to self-determination through Municipal Home Rule.”


Every New Yorker should revile this bill and its’ passage process. This bill was passed with zero transparency, deliberately kept under the radar by the legislature because the assembly and senate knew how outraged the towns and counties would be once they learned the contentious details. The Power NY Act was passed in only one day — with absolutely NO public input! While Governor Andrew Cuomo ran on promises of upholding only the highest of ethics standards and transparency in government, the passage of the Power NY Act and the theft of freedoms it includes have proven otherwise. "

Now as you read these things do you think COAX NY would agree with the statement from our town of Cape Vincent officials that the Art X rules are ..fair and impartial????
But here is another quote that I particularly like where COAX makes several recommendations to towns on how to unite and show opposition to Art. X taking their critical rights away.  And as I understand it the the directors of COAX are veteran NY wind fighters. So I would say their advice should be well taken and credible!

"4.) Work together with your respective Boards to develop and pass a resolution AGAINST Article X!"

Well isn't that an interesting recommendation? 

  Twice last fall I went before our CV town board to try to encourage them to pass just such a resolution in opposition to Art X, exactly as the Jefferson County Legislators had done earlier. They would have NO part of it and weren't really even willing to discuss it.  Even in a private meeting myself and Dave Lamora met with Supervisor Hirschey and Councilman John Byrne and  Mr. Gebo the town attorney to try to convince them to among other tactics pass an opposition resolution to Art X.  Again Mr. Hirschey and Councilman Byrne would have no part of it.

Now notice I mentioned that CV Councilman John Byrne was in this meeting.  That is important. He was also present when I proposed the resolution to the board in the privilege of the floor portion of tow  town board meetings.

So why is this  important to know?  Well..last I knew Councilman Byrne was an active member of COAX!!! Now to be fair maybe he is no longer with the COAX group or no longer supports their beliefs against  Art X.

The reason I say that is because if you review the letter the town sent to the NYPSC where they make the statement that the Art. X rules are FAIR AND IMPARTIAL,  our very own Councilman Byrne's signature is clearly shown on that document! 

It seems one would have to conclude as a result that he supports the town's belief that the Art. X process and rules are fair and impartial.   It would seem this is very contrary to the mission of the COAX group he either belongs to or did at one time.  I know I am baffled!  Well not really, we will save that for election time!

During the two times I presented the idea of a resolution to oppose Art. X Councilman Byrne sat quietly, he listened respectfully, but never supported the idea, never called for a discussion of the idea among his fellow board members, or for a committee to draft the language of a resolution ( which would have been easy since I  had one drafted that was exactly like the County's) and certainly did not get behind me or the idea, even though his group seems to consider it a very  important recommendation, and even though our County apparently took the COAX recommendation and passed an Art. X opposition resolution!

What we get instead is a public statement to the NYPSC from our town baord including Councilman Byrne  that the Art. X system and rules are  fair and impartial!!!

Now I know right away supporters of this CV govt will immediately try  to claim I am just attacking Councilman John Byrne.  Not the case.  Does any of this make sense to you?

I believe since  Mr. Byrne is an elected official (who I supported and voted for when he came to my residence and personally asked for my vote ) and as a result has to be accountable to the public for his actions and his beliefs.  In my opinion there is something here that seriously does not add up on a credibility level, and it  is important for a public official to account for what appears to be such a glaring inconsistency, and that is not an attack  but a reasonable question. I know that reasonable questions seem not to be allowed by our current govt. or their supporters but I am going to ask this one anyhow!

This glaring inconsistency makes me wonder how clear the judgment is of our town officials especially Mr. Byrne at this point.  Did he not consider the cross fire his associations and the town comments he supports would put him in?

More importantly based on Councilman Byrne's COAX association and his important position as a town officer directly at the heart of the NY wind and Art. X battle, why is he not more aggressive to oppose Art X, but instead goes along with it  AND signs a letter declaring Art X is fair and impartial?

I would have thought the administrators at COAX NY would have popped a blood vessel by now after seeing one of their members signing a document declaring the Art. X rules are fair and impartial. Seems like the Cape Vincent officials including Councilman Byrne, one of COAX's own members, just sucker punched them right in the head!!!
Unfortunately these are not the types of examinations you will see from the other CV blogs.