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To the editor:
Ooh ooh that smell, can't you smell that smell.
Gonic residents cleared the smell of another secret City Hall deal. Supposedly, the City-owned Gonic Brickyard property was under purchase and sale to be developed with more than 100 apartments. Trouble is, current zoning didn't allow it.
Answer? sneak by a zoning change that would allow it. There is that 'can't pass the smell test' smell again. It almost worked. The planning board was ready to act on it and do it without a public hearing, as required by law? Depends who you ask,. In my opinion, this city pretty much picks and chooses what laws they will abide by.
Anyway, Gonic residents and abutters came to city hall in force, 40 or more, to bring out concerns on this planning board agenda action item using a five minute, time limit, public comment period. While this was going on, some planning board members started realizing they knew nothing about this either and had been treated like mushrooms, you know, kept in the dark and fed manure.
Apparently, only those in the know, knew the devil in the details - the city departments. I believe one planning board member even mentioned a 'trend' of this sort of thing happening, or something like that. REALLY?
Better to catch on later then not at all. Rochester City Government has the transparency of cement, They seem to prefer back room deals and refuse to answer questions about those deals. Is it because the best way to get by the smell is to sneak around it?
Come on elected representatives. Do your job, do our business transparently and in the sunshine. And while you are at it pass around the air freshener. Oh, by the way, the result of the meeting, the City withdrew its request for a zoning change at the Gonic Brickyard property and rightly so!
- Cliff Newton,
Rochester
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