Apr 10, 2012 4:39 PM
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- > Around East Hampton Town Hall: Town Clerk Rejects Ronjo Petition Apr 24, 2012 5:55 PM
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East Hampton Town officials and residents are questioning two recent appraisals of a town-owned alleyway in Montauk that was authorized to be sold to the owners of the Ronjo Motel last month.
The appraisals—one commissioned by the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee and the other by the owners of the property, Chris Jones and Larry Siedlick—vary vastly in valuing the 20-foot-wide alleyway. The appraisal commissioned by the Town Democratic Committee claims the land is worth $184,000, while the one ordered by the owners of the property states that the land is valued at $22,500.
The Ronjo Motel alleyway sale authorized by the Town Board’s Republican majority in late March has been a subject of controversy. Community members objected to the sale because an appraisal of the property wasn’t done before the land... more
The appraisals—one commissioned by the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee and the other by the owners of the property, Chris Jones and Larry Siedlick—vary vastly in valuing the 20-foot-wide alleyway. The appraisal commissioned by the Town Democratic Committee claims the land is worth $184,000, while the one ordered by the owners of the property states that the land is valued at $22,500.
The Ronjo Motel alleyway sale authorized by the Town Board’s Republican majority in late March has been a subject of controversy. Community members objected to the sale because an appraisal of the property wasn’t done before the land... more
I hope the same partisan rules don't apply when Wilkinson puts the Town beaches up for bid.
In fact, if Wilkinson had contacted all the interested parties and everyone agreed that selling the property to Ronjo was appropriate, there would be no problem. But he didn't. In typical Wilkinsonian fashion, he decreed a price and proceeded to sell the parcel as if it were ...more his own.
Now, having been caught out, instead of behaving rationally and rescinding the sale pursuant to a proper evaluation, he refuses in a fit of pique. Inevitably, the petition will succeed and there will be a "re-do".
Sadly, the incipient sturm und drang could all be avoided if Wilkinson would just admit that he was wrong.
$35k for the sale? One might have assumed that this was just a one-year "Right-of-Way" for Wilkie to stroll the alley!
Admit he is wrong?
Never. Walt Disney would not allow it!
Also, the fact that, in this economy, there are people willing to invest millions to
the downtown area of Montauk (which is sorely needed) to a property that was an absolute eyesore, and then employ many local people should be applauded. Oh but wait all these petitioneers are retired transplants living on annuities so it dosent effect ...more them...
I encountered the people pushing their petition and they COMPLETLY misrepresented themselves. It was to do nothing but try to make Mr. Wilkinson look foolish. Also the fact that 10% of the petition was from Montauk speaks volumes as well. I asked simple questions of the EH Democratic party leader Jeanne Frankle, for she was the petitioneer that I encountered, and she could not awnser any questions. How typical of this group from AMAGANSETT
Wilkinson decreed a value for town-owned property sua sponte (without independent evaluation) and proceeded to sell it at that price to a fellow party member with the collusion of his two party-colleague Board members.
Can ANY argument to be made in favor of this procedure?
Parenthetically, this has nothing to do with Ronjo or Chris Jones who appears blameless. It is simply another example of egregiously bad behavior by a Supervisor who would ...more be King.
It amazes me that anyone (other than Pollyanna) can argue that it is appropriate for the Town Board Republican majority to vote as a block to sell town property to a Republican party stalwart at a price that the Republican Supervisor "pulled out of the air" by his own admission.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
No one is trying to "derail" the development, verbose assertions to the contrary.
The question is simply whether the Republican Supervisor and his Republican board colleagues acted properly in selling a parcel of town property to a Republican party member without attempting to ascertain the true market value first. The identical question would arise were the party affiliations involved Democratic rather than Republican.
Wilkinson ...more alone has created the brouhaha by stamping his little foot and refusing to do the right thing, thereby requiring the citizenry to compel him via petition.
The Emperor is naked but you avert your gaze and point accusatory fingers at spectators who have merely noted the obvious.
If he admitted he was wrong this Monday, the appraisals (which might even be LESS than the one he "pulled out of the air") could be in by Wednesday, and NO delay or taxpayer costs would occur. It's a question of character.
Couldn't agree with you more about wasting time. Had Wilkinson simply gotten objective appraisals of the tract to begin with, there would be no story. It is his childish insistence that the town accept his sua sponte property evaluation that is entirely responsible for the wasted time and potential cost.
It is repeated autocratic behavior such as this for which Wilkinson merits criticism from any democratic republican.