Potential Planning Board Conflicts of Interest On An Important Vote

Wed. Night Aug. 8 the Cape Vincent Planning Board will be making a rather important decision on wind development.  The CV Town Board has passed a resolution recommending to the Planning Board to terminate the BP permit application for their Cape Vincent Wind Farm since there has been no action taken  by BP on the application for over a year before the CV wind moratorium. 

This will be the first critical wind business this new planning board will take action on  since they were appointed and it could raise  potential ethics issues, and could invoke the need to let  a PB  alternate replace a regular member because of wind conflicts of interest.

This will be very interessting to see what happens.

 Planning Board alternate Karen Bourcy has a declared conflcit of interest because of her close family relations to the Wood Farm LLC.  Her conflict has been declared in town records and on the Acciona
AG's ethics code disclosures.

As far as I can tell Mr. Rochne Burns, a regular PB member, had a wind lease with Acciona and it is not clear whether that lease was picked up by BP in the Acciona buy out by BP.  I have said many times this relationship between Burns and any wind developers should be cleared up yet I can see no clarification on the issue.  It is a matter of law...and also of responsible open govt either way.  If he has a lease with BP he would be required by State law and the CV ethics code to disclose it, and it should also be listed on the AG's ethics disclosure required of BP.

So the Wed. night Planning Board meeting will be " ethically "  interesting.  Mr. Burns should be asked to clear up his association with BP.  If he has an active lease he should have previously disclosed it as per law and it is unclear whether he has done that.  Concerning any vote on wind matters,  if he has a lease he must recuse from discussion and the vote by leaving the room during those matters.

Mr. Cardarelli as a PB alternate would have to take Mr.Burn's place. Mrs. Bourcy should not take Mr. Burn's place  because  of her conflict.  Either way she should also recuse and not be present during any discussion or vote.

The Hirschey Board and it's appointees have  promised us open, ethical, and transparent govt.
At Wed. night's PB meeting where a discussion on an important wind matter will likely take place, they will have the opportunity to show us if they will follow through on that promise.