Gillen

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ray Gillen <RGillen@schenectadymetroplex.org>
Date: Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Subject: project
To: Greg S

Hi Greg. With regard to Arthur’s market site, Metroplex is not able to help.  When Metroplex was created by statute via the State legislature (before my time) a specific exemption/prohibition was put in place with regard to doing projects in the Stockade.  I guess the concern was that Metroplex might try and do something that would not be helpful to the Stockade and for that reason a prohibition was put in place on us doing Metroplex projects.

Good luck with your efforts!

Ray Gillen

Chair

Schenectady County

Metroplex Development Authority

433 State Street- 4th Floor

Schenectady, NY    12305

Phone- (518) 377-1109 ext.101

Fax- (518) 382-2575

 
Apparently, knowledge of Metroplex Law, Metroplex powers and Metroplex history is 

not Ray Gillen's strength, it is a good thing he only paid himself $151,282 last 

year, because if he paid himself any more I might feel we were not getting our 

money’s worth. 
 

New York Public Authorities Law  TITLE 28-B
 
§2654 
 
3. The  Stockade  Historic  District  shall  be  included  within  the Schenectady 

Metroplex  Service District for the purposes of the design, development, 

planning,  financing,  creation, siting, construction, renovation, administration,

operation, management, and/or maintenance of facilities,  structures or parks as 

defined in paragraphs (e), (f), (g),(h), (i), (j), (k) and (l) of subdivision eight

of  section  twenty-six hundred fifty-five of this title.
4.  Any municipality located within the county shall have the power to increase the

boundaries of the Schenectady  metroplex  service  district within  the 

municipality.  To  increase  the  boundaries of the service district within a 

municipality, the municipality must conduct  a  public
  hearing  and  enact  by  a  two-thirds  vote  a  local  law defining the 

additional boundaries of such district.
 
§2655
8.  To  design,  develop,  plan,  finance,  create,  site,  construct, renovate, 

administer,  operate,  manage and/or maintain such buildings, parks,  structures, 

and  other  facilities  as  may  be  necessary   or convenient, specifically, but

not limited to:
    (a) trade exhibition facilities;
    (b) public show facilities;
    (c) public entertainment facilities and parks;
    (d) hotel and overnight accommodation facilities;
    (e) transportation and parking facilities;
    (f) historic preservation facilities and parks;
    (g) tourism facilities and parks;
    (h) sporting event facilities and parks;
    (i) special entertainment facilities and parks;
    (j) educational facilities and parks;
    (k) cultural and social facilities and parks;
    (l) infrastructure facilities;
    (m) industrial and manufacturing facilities and parks; and/or
    (n)  business,  commercial,  retail,  and/or  government office space,
  buildings and/or facilities;

If the Stockade Association or a private individual or business in the Stockade wanted to develop an enterprise related to (e) through (l), then Metroplex could provide assistance.  Furthermore, Metroplex did give grants/loans to the previous owner of the VanDyke.  

I do not know of any instance where Metroplex has developed parks, playgrounds or educational facilities.  I heard from a friend that the Hamilton Hill Arts Center approached them with a project and they rejected their proposal.  If you examine the two years of projects that are available on their website you will find only one instance -in my recollection- where they did not support a for-profit business.  The Board is unelected and they have a narrow vision of development.  A regressive tax distributed regressively is their game. 

LIPA the Long Island Power Authority had their law changed this past year to eliminate their unelected board and replace it with an elected board.  In NYS we have too many unelected and unaccountable Authorities.  Their origin is Robert Moses  NY's ultimate power broker.  He created Authorities to escape governmental and democratic oversight and execute his vision of transportation and recreation over widespread opposition from the communities he radically transformed.

Metroplex would be better, and more transparent, if the people it taxes had a direct choice of who represented them on the Metroplex board.  Taxation and expenditures should not occur by a government / authority that does not represent the people.