Plenty to cheer about in development proposals

Dear Editor:

Who can restrain cheering on the new Enterprise West rising from the ashes of Tech City and IBM? We desperately need an Ulster spring. The Freeman’s March 1 article “Ulster County gets more than 20 proposals for Enterprise West site that used to be part of TechCity” revealed abundant interest.

TownOfUlsterCitizens.org, a nonpartisan citizen organization encouraging involvement in local affairs, met twice in January with county officials about this issue. The second Zoom session was attended by 52 citizens, as well as Evelyn Wright, deputy county executive, and Tim Weidemann, the county director of development. They fielded varied remarks such as: no more toxins, no more single-use purpose, encourage solar, promote the arts, take care of our veterans, recruit education, do workforce development, build greenhouses, host a regional farmers market, plan a town center concept, provide recreational opportunities, foster vertical farming, develop housing and offices.

Someone said, “If the county disposes of property it obtains from a default on taxes, doesn’t it have to take the highest bidder? that offer can be very low and also negate everything we’re talking about.” The county officials explained the merits of using a local development corporation. We understand the LDC is an independent, not-for-profit agent, acting for public purposes; that the county can engage to sell the parcels at a market rate while retaining control over the kind of development the community wants.

We encourage the county Legislature to support the sensible recommendation of the county administration to use a local development corporation to advance the purposes of the new Enterprise West.

Victoria Lucarini

Town of Ulster