Hey ...Where Did Summer Go???

  A break in the storm.  St. Lawrence River shore panorama.

Some Political Advice For Marty Mason Running For Cape Vincent Town Board

Before I go on I want to say, I have never official met Marty Mason, can’t recall having a private conversation with him other than possibly briefly in the official part of a meeting, and can’t say I really know him other than what I have observed over the 8 years or so of the Cape Vincent industrial wind issue.  In fact prior to the wind issue I had heard a number of positive things about Marty Mason.

And what I am about to say is NOT an endorsement of Mr. Mason or his run for office.  Just observations, even though I am not happy with many of the moves of our current CV govt.  I certainly don’t want to see an old Rienbeck style govt back in place and the disaster it brought this community.

That being said…

I see a few campaign signs for former Cape Vincent councilman Marty Mason popping up around town.  Apparently Marty is going to take a stab at running for town board (again) against Michelle Oswald who was appointed to the board after councilman Clif Schneider resigned and moved away from CV. 

I also notice that Marty’s signs say “re-elect.  Obviously the signs are from an old campaign saying  “re-elect”  and is the very operative word telling the story that Marty was voted out of office in a previous election over what the voters perceived were serious ethics issues related to his former industrial wind leases. 

However, I have some political advice for Mr. Mason. 

If Mr. Mason intends to run for office in the mode the other pro wind, diapers on the line, it’s my property I can do what I want with it, seasonals are outsiders, seasonals are involved in voter fraud and voting illegally etc. etc. etc. etc. all of which failed as political tactics… then Mr. Mason should collect his signs, put them back in the barn, and not waste his and everybody else’s time.

Oh… and this would be the same Marty Mason who voted for an illegal local voter suppression law trying desperately to prevent seasonal residents from legally voting in CV elections.  Apparently he had a rather distorted view of the US Constitution and its voter rights protections.  That would be the same Constitution he was sworn to defend when he took his oath of office!

If Mr. Mason intends to have even a chance at re-election he needs to get a quick clue that despite whether he or his local buddies might despise it, there is a very new political reality in local politics.  A reality that was actually forced into place by the very behavior he and his pro wind cronies exhibited over the last 8 years. 

That reality is seasonals, brought on by the wind issue, got sick of being marginalized, ignored, and taken advantage of after years of paying the bulk of local taxes and supporting the CV community and its businesses, and many…or at least enough to make a big difference, now legally vote here. 

THAT is why Marty Mason and many of his pro wind friends are no longer in office.

Anyone who ignores this new political reality and charges forward with the same old same old is a fool. 

Marty Mason was among the people who caused this new political reality to be forced on the community, and now he better learn how to deal with it.

If Marty has not learned, and intends to have to same old BS locals vs. seasonals political grudge conversation then as I said he is completely wasting his time. 

He needs to adjust and have a very new political conversation.  One that will actually be at odds with many of his local cronies, and one that addresses the new significant seasonal political influence in his community, and what he intends to do for ALL the residents of the community, whether they stop their mail delivery and turn off their water in the fall or not.

 I’m not sure he is capable of that.

The CV community has many struggles to face and the wind issue, which Mr. Mason help bring to this community and supported, did significant damage, and running on the left over trash, and revenge of those days is a colossal political mistake.

Mr. Mason steps up as a candidate for election carrying a lot of left over negative political baggage and probably left over grudges and it will likely bury him once again politically.

So I just laugh and shake my head because Marty Mason’s signs are popping up on the lawns of the usual suspects.

Marty…PAY ATTENTION…take a hard look and review…virtually ALL the political strategies and tactics of the former pro wind side FAILED miserably and in fact just prompted more people, even local people, to vote for a new govt. and against the old local cronyism.  Your former govt is gone…the Acciona/ BP wind issue is gone.

If you are smart, you won’t take Harold Wiley’s political advice, and will talk to ALL people in the community…even the ones Harold doesn’t know!!!

 

 

Editorial On A Critcal Issue By Cape Vincent Citizen Dave LaMora

Dave's  well written editorial below on a very critical subject to Cape Vincent appeared recently in the WDT.

Dave's letter:


A recent decision by the highest court of New York has upheld the right of municipalities to ban fracking and other mining practices related to oil and gas exploration.

The premise of this decision is that although the state has pre-emptive powers to regulate and manage such practices if they are allowed by local zoning ordinances, it does not have pre-emptive powers over a municipality’s home rule rights to prohibit such practices if they are deemed to be incompatible with a community’s long-range land use policies established through Comprehensive Planning.

There are seemingly obvious parallels to be made to the Article X provision of the New York Power Act regarding industrial scale wind development. The state has implemented a system that gives a bureaucratic review panel the authority to trump local wind laws that purport to regulate development at the municipal level.

Town governments and citizens alike across the state should take heart at this Appellate Court ruling that gives clarity to the basis and scope of “home rule.” Instead of butting heads with the state in a challenging and possibly futile effort to protect their communities, by creating ordinances that attempt to regulate the siting of industrial turbines, a process that the Legislature has clearly intended to relegate to the PSC, it seems on the basis of this ruling that the more effective and productive action would be to prohibit turbines outright.

 Many opponents of industrial wind have been reluctant to endorse an outright ban for fear of appearing radical, nonenvironmental or that somehow it would work in the developers’ favor in an eventual showdown in court.

Well, it appears that the state Appellate Court is telling local governments that they do indeed have the right to preserve the innate physical, visual nature of their communities and protect the quality of life of their residents, under the Municipal Home Rule Law, by banning incompatible development.

I would encourage every town government to revisit their policies concerning wind development. If your goal is to avoid the harmful, negative impacts associated with industrial scale turbines, the Appellate Court has given a clear signal that prohibiting an unwanted development has a good chance of withstanding a legal constitutional challenge, much more likely to succeed than even the best wind law designed to regulate or restrict that development, pitted against the state’s Article X review process.

Home rule is a powerful tool for self-governance. This court ruling reaffirms the rights of municipalities to determine their own fate.

David LaMora
Cape Vincent


Now my comments on this matter.

In light of the recent court decision Dave discusses, it is my opinion that local NNY communities who have passed ordinances with the zoning regulation approach under the direct threat of industrial wind development should research this court decision and seriously re-think that regulation approach in favor of prohibiting this type of industrial scale development.

Although there has been a lull in wind energy development based in large part on expired subsidies, that may not last forever, and this invasive land use may arise again in our communites. 

Now is the time for communities to take a deep breath and take a second look at their wind zoning approach.

I noted in a recent personal email that the Cape Vincent Wind Power Ethics Group is having a meeting to consider their future now that BP has left Cape Vincent.  Maybe they should also research this court decision and make it their new mission to have a discussion with the Cape Vincent town govt on the matter of industrial wind zoning, home rule, and prohibiting industrial wind outright instead of trying to regulate and allow it as our current law does.

There has been a lot of "talk" about home rule among the current Cape Vincent town govt and its supporters as well as  other local govts. who were faced with the industrial wind threat...including the county.

With this new court ruling from NY's highest court it will be interesting to see if this was mostly just talk...or they were actually serious about protecting our communities with home rule.

The Federal Hudson - Anchored Sun. Morning Just Down River From Carleton Island

The Cape Vincent Scenic Waterfront - Well Sort Of!

 

Part of the scenic Cape Vincent Village waterfront.

 

 

 

 

 

                Part of the ...not so scenic... Cape Vincent waterfront. 

   The village can't be serious by allowing  this new structure on the
    right side of the photo.  It makes  me wonder once again if
    anyone in the Village  (or Town)  zoning  administration is
    awake!!! 

No copyright on this photo...copy it all you want and send it to the Village govt. and zoning dept.!!

   Now keep in mind this is one of the main entrances to the Village and Town where many visitors coming in on the Horne's Ferry from Canada and around the world get there first impression of Cape Vincent.  Oh...and one of the other entrances to town along Rte. 12E  has a state prison!

       Of course then you go to Clayton and see the beautiful new
        hotel and adjacent waterfront pavilion.  Any more questions as
         to why Clayton has a booming tourist economy?

        Here is a quote from the new 2012 Village / Town Joint
        Comprehensive Land Use  Plan...

"Discourage: Development on the river front that restricts access and views of the river. Large, expansive building that would block and limit visual access to the river "

Ummmmh...I think the Village just violated it's very own comprehensive plan!!!

Knock knock...HELLLOOOOO!!!!

Wilson Beach, Cape Vincent

Recently Mr. Wiley at the Cape Vincent JLL blog showcased Cape Vincent's Wilson's Beach as a good free place to go. 

It is also a great place for dramatic photography in the right conditions.


                             A fall storm at Wilson's Beach.

A Little Bit of Tropical Paradise Right Here In Cape Vincent