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| SCOLOITE |
“RJ Valente Companies in submitting the RFP had no knowledge nor discussion of any industrial road being extended to the Scolite site and all submittals were based on the information available at the time to all parties,” wrote Joseph Zappone, an attorney for Valente. “RJ Valente Companies was made aware of the city’s thoughts for proposing their scope of improvements from the King Fuels property to connect north up to the Congress Street Bridge most recently on our about the beginning of 2014.”
The letter goes on to state the
Valente proposal has been approved by an 18-member panel as well as the Zoning
and Planning boards.
In August, 2013, the city awarded
the Scolite property to Valente and agreed to enter into “exclusive
negotiations” with the company on how to develop the site. In June, 2013,
Valente purchased the adjacent Bruno Machinery property for $750,000. In
October, 2013, the city changed the zoning from commercial to heavy industrial
at Valente’s request even though he did not yet formally own the property.
Attorneys for Adams Street
Properties, a conglomerate that includes the company of Warren W. Fane, wrote a letter asking the city to put the property back out to bid since a constructed
road wasn’t included in the Request for Proposal documentation. If it were, the
letter states, their parameters of their own bid may have been different.
Furthermore, the company is concerned, according to the letter, with the
industrial road crossing on property owned by Adams Street Properties and with
the potential of eminent domain being utilized to take their property for such
a construction.
The city does have some $4 million of federal
money it is planning to use on constructing the road and the money has to be
spent by sometime in September.
How the truck traffic will get
back and forth from the Scolite site to Route 787, the nearest highway, with
minimal disruption to the South Troy neighborhood is a bone of contention among
neighbors and a challenge to those looking to develop the site.
It appears that if the city
doesn’t put the chunk of land back out to bid the Fane group will sue. If they
do go back out to bid with the inclusion of the road Valente will sue. In their
respective letters, the two companies outline their stances on what they think should happen.
(The Fane letter can be seen from the post linked above and the Valente letter can be seen below)
(The Fane letter can be seen from the post linked above and the Valente letter can be seen below)
Final approval of the sale to
Valente was pulled from the city Council’s Feb. 6 regular meeting agenda by
Mayor Lou Rosamilia because members had some questions as to the bid process.
It was also not on the Council’s March Finance Committee agenda.
The other two bidders on the
Scolite properties were Collar City Aggregate and Land Development of New York.
What is the purpose of entering exclusive negotiations with a bid winner if all the losers can sue?
ReplyDeleteLet the games begin. Illegal spot zoning changes made to a single property that was part of a larger comprehensive plan. Changes made arbitrarily? Yeah right. Shifting money from one plan to another with 5 months left to spend it. Never will happen and the city will be forced to give the money back. Speaking of giving money back, well certain people in city hall will have to worry about that.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Jim, This is the bombshell story that with just a little more digging will uncover how some members of the administration sold out the residents of South Troy.
Hopefully there will be a thorough investigation into what happened here, it gets so old with all of the insider deals in Troy. Over the years a select few with Mickey Mouse jobs always seem to be at the fore front of things like this. With all the talk of bullying the panels votes etc... Don't these people realize there is public scrutiny and people talk. Why in the world would a guy like the mayor with a spotless reputation allow people to operate in the city who have a history of problems and not even allowed to be on the property of previous employers to hold a position of responsibility. Mr. Mayor for the sake of Troy, if we get sued for someone's actions that you had been warned of, you will be the reason and your reputation will be mud. Do the right thing and end this madness and make city hall a place of honor, not a corrupt mess with no respect of the citizens.
ReplyDelete"Mr. Mayor for the sake of Troy, if we get sued for someone's actions that you had been warned of, you will be the reason and your reputation will be mud." with all that has happened in the last 2 months this will make his name mud? Really? Time for some kind of change before the city becomes Troyliet and get flushed again and again
Deleteand the beat goes on! good thing pete doesn't read this blog.
ReplyDeleteValente knew about the road. I was at the planning meeting when they presented the plans. Several South Troy residents got up and spoke about the concerns and even Reeves talked about the need to complete that road.
ReplyDeleteJust a hypothetical legal question, is it illegal to offer a bribe or take a bribe or both?
ReplyDeleteOf course it is, are you accusing someone of something?
ReplyDeleteBill, that would be up to either the FBI or the State Police to decide after an investigation.
DeleteWhy not turn this confusion over to Counselman Zalooski for analysis. He should have an answer without a conclusion in about five or seven years.
ReplyDeleteKen is busy wrapiping upi the cable agreement with Time Warner
ReplyDeletePlease lets get the Feds in here
ReplyDeleteCover the existing soils with fabric bring in clean fill and make it a sanctuary for all the fisherman and wildlife,in troy.. There are enough run down buildings in troy. Move your multi-million dollar corrupt operations elsewhere
ReplyDelete