Critics call for probe of sewer district vote
MOREAU, N.Y. » Opponents of a recently-approved new sewer district are calling for a state investigation into an Aug. 27 vote, saying it was tainted by election fraud.
Property owners approved the estimated $16 million project by a margin of 32-29.
Critics including former Supervisor Preston Jenkins, a Democrat, say some people voted twice, as individuals and company representatives, which they say is illegal. But current Supervisor Todd Kusnierz, a Republican who backed the plan, denies any wrongdoing and says he’s confident the outcome will stand.
“The voters have spoken,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that there’s a group of people trying to disenfranchise a successful election. We had highly skilled election inspectors there and a special counsel who studied who was eligible to vote.”
Saratoga County Board of Election Commissioners William Fruci and Roger Schiera said the county has no jurisdiction over special local elections such as this. Towns may determine their own eligibility criteria for who may or may not vote, they said.
The sewer district will comprise parcels fronting both sides of Route 9 from Exit 17 north to Butler Road, about a mile north of the Routes 9 and 197 intersection. Kusnierz says this will be
an economic game-changer for Moreau, by encouraging significant development.
One firm is already considering plans for a 1 million-square foot distribution center, which would add $80 million worth of assessed valuation to the town’s tax base, he said.
But Jenkins says the company might have second thoughts when it sees how high its sewer tax bill is. A report prepared for the town by the Albanybased Laberge Group says it would be $211,183.
Fort Edward Express President Lance Hillman said his firm’s sewer tax will be $17,000 on top of the $32,000 in school taxes it already pays.
“I like the (sewer district) idea, but I think the way they went about it is wrong,” he said. “Why would you burden something like 70 property owners with a $16 million project? I think the outcome is going to hurt a lot of people. A neighboring home owner says she might have to move.”
Kusnierz believes taxes will come down quickly once development occurs. The first sewer tax bills won’t be issued for two or three years, until after the project is done. By then, considerable commercial construction should have occurred, or at least be in the planning phase, he says.
Sewer district opponents have written to the state attorney general’s and state comptroller’s office, voicing concerns about people who cast multiple ballots.
Also, if multiple people were listed on a given property’s deed, each person was eligible to cast a ballot.
Opponents also questioned if this was legal.
However, Jenkins said the deadline for filing a formal legal challenge to the election has already passed.
“We had 10 days,” he said. “The cost was substantial. The chance of forcing a new election wasn’t likely.”
So opponents are hoping state officials will intervene and review the election, which could perhaps change it’s outcome.
“That’s the only hope we have,” Jenkins said.
“I’m not concerned about it,” Kusnierz said. “Election inspectors were charged with running the election impartially. I think they did a great job.”