Floated Logistics Center Becomes County Exec. Campaign Issue
A large-scale logistics center proposed in Southeast has been a red-hot topic of discussion this summer and now it’s become a campaign issue in the race for Putnam County executive.
Democratic candidate for county executive, Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming, called on incumbent Republican MaryEllen Odell to take more interest in the problems the project could cause, arguing she “isn’t standing with those who will be most affected by the development.” The project, brought forward by Northeast Logistics, would result in a distribution center off Puglsey Road that has led to an outcry in town. If the project is signed off on, the county could receive a five-acre donation near Tilly Foster Farm for the Center for Discovery Autism Center, if the organization decides to partner with the county.
In a letter to the editor sent to news outlets, Fleming, while acknowledging the decision regarding Northeast Logistics rests solely with Southeast municipal boards, panned the project because it’s “very real noise, traffic, and air pollution impacts.”
“Critical elements of the proposal’s economics seem to be receiving too little attention from the County Executive and Legislators,” Fleming wrote. “A family’s home is often their single largest investment, and their most valuable asset.”
The logistics center has become the most magnified project in Putnam this year, with enough residents coming out to planning board meetings that there is standing room only. The vast majority of citizens at those meetings have spoken out against the project.
Fleming said she’s been contacted by residents about the project that are upset about the county’s role in the project and wanted her to take a stance on it. She argued because the county has a “stake” in the project with the five possible acres of land, Odell “owes it” to residents to explain her position and why the county would get a land gift.
Because of the possible land deal, Fleming questioned if Odell was offering a “tacit endorsement” of the project.
“I don’t think there’s been transparency in this,” Fleming said, adding, “At the very least, (Odell) has created the perception of questionable deal-making.
Odell rebutted Fleming’s criticism and then went on the offensive over a controversial business the Kent supervisor has dealt with in her town. Odell noted county government has no jurisdiction over the logistics project and the developer needs approvals from the Southeast boards, NYS Department of Transportation and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
“Once again in this race for county executive, my opponent is making accusations that are based on opinions— not fact,” Odell stated.
Odell, in an interview, noted Northeast Logistics reached out to county government seeking a negligible amount of county land for a possible roundabout more than a year ago. In return, the county would get five acres of land back that is more valuable and could lead to a private-public partnership.
Odell then slammed Fleming for not doing more to fight a concrete plant, Titan Concrete, which has been operating in Kent despite intense opposition from many residents near the Route 52 location. The business has received backlash because of air pollution, additional traffic and noise.
“My opponent’s actions do not correlate with her statement, ‘A family’s home is often their single largest investment, and their most valuable asset,’” Odell stated.
Fleming shot back that Kent’s Zoning Board of Appeals made the decision that gave Titan Concrete the ability to operate and the town board has no control over another board’s decisions. Fleming also had to recuse herself from a vote outlawing concrete plants in most of town because she is part of a homeowner’s association, Hill and Dale, which filed a lawsuit against the ZBA for its decision. (That lawsuit was tossed out.)
Legislator Paul Jonke, who represents the district affected by the logistics center, said for Fleming to “politicize the process is really unfair to both sides.”
“If she wants to weigh in, she should weigh in at a public hearing, not in the press,” Jonke said.
Jonke was a Southeast planning board member for two years before he became a county lawmaker. If he were on the planning board presently, he’d think Fleming doesn’t understand what the process is and would wonder how she would feel if elected officials outside of Kent offered opinions on projects in her town.
“I don’t think she’d be very receptive to people weighing in,” Jonke said. “This a home rule issue. We have good, intelligent people on the planning board and they have job to do and it’s a difficult job to do because the issues raised by the residents are valid and concerning issues.”
Generally speaking, Fleming said there needs to be a better flow of information between the towns and the county because right now that communication is “totally missing.” When asked if she’s setting a bad precedent if she were elected county executive by speaking out about this project, Fleming said there is difference between pushing for a projects like the county has previously done and simply stating that residents should be listened to.
In the past, county officials have inserted themselves into projects like the Butterfield redevelopment in Cold Spring, the Crossroads 312 project in Southeast and the Patterson Crossing project in Patterson.
“I’m going be an involved county executive, but I’m not going to be the one that dictates projects necessarily and I’m certainly not going to push for projects,” Fleming said. “So no, I wouldn’t directly insert myself.”
