May 14, 2011

Thin-skinned developers put my head in a box

A technicolor mailbox, at that, though it's only sort of "my head".

'Simon' inside the technicolor mailbox.
'Simon' inside the technicolor mailbox.

If it wasn't for the "SIMON" scrawled across the forehead, I wouldn't have guessed that was for me, as the resemblance isn't particularly close. However, Town Planner Dan Kwasnowski did tell me Wednesday night that he'd told the developers that the last thing he wanted to hear was more from me about an empty technicolor mailbox, so I'm reasonably certain who they meant.

I'd have thought that Nick Bellisario and Otis Phillips would have toughened up to criticism after years of making the heart of Varna look horrible, and the pretty much endless comments about "Mount Varna" in the hamlet. I guess not. Here's the full set of articles on this place so far - I can't say I'd have expected any of them to provoke this kind of response.

On the bright side, what's that paper back there?

Stormwater reports.
Stormwater reports.

Well, it's not the full Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (15.2MB PDF) I've have guessed would be in the box, but at least it's progress reports by the engineer working for the developers. That seems like a much better thing to put in a box.

Posted by simon at May 14, 2011 6:46 PM in
Note on photos


thats trespassing said:

From the looks of those posted signs you were trespassing...but I guess your need to keep people informed about things they don't care about is above the law...

Yeah, I'd wondered about the Posted sign too, and hadn't opened the box since it went up. Talking with the Town Planner though, it sure didn't sound like it would be trespassing to open a box that's required to be there for the express purpose of public access to the information.

Before you decide what people care about, you might want to talk with a few more Varna residents and even people who just drive on 366.
The only people I can think of who keep chanting that no one cares about this are the developers, which is pretty weird, really.

Given that they've spent the last few years on this lot acting like they don't care at all what people think, it's a pretty big surprise to get this response.

Hilary Lambert said:

While we're at it, I despise that strip mine site above the Antlers with those industrial lights shining out across the land below every night. Ugliest thing I have seen since leaving coal mining country to return to Dryden.

Daniel McArthur said:

I believe this could constitute a personal threat. To have an asset for public use and then to prevent access to it is nonsensical at best. This entire episode is disturbing.

Hilary Lambert said:

and of course it's anonymous.

corey long said:

Wow I guess posted signs don't mean much to people that have to stick there noses into others peoples business. If is wasn't for dumb-asses like you we would not need them. But the almighty Simon seems to think he is above the law and can do as he wishes. I hope they get the cops involved and get you.

David said:

It would be interesting to trace the IP address that the "corey long" comment came from. Sock puppet?

No, it was local - Spencer, NY. The first one came from a mobile phone. None of these are really surprising.

Hilary Lambert said:

Hi Simon:
I wonder, is "corey long" calling you or me a dumb-ass?

Dawn P said:

One thing about the Mount Varna fill that concerns me is that years ago when Ottenshot owned the property and wanted to fill it in, he was turned down because it was a natural wetlands. How did these guys get around that? Or did they not do any homework. And didn't the Town know it also?

nonya said:

OMGF you people need to grow the F*** up and get a life... they OWN THE PROPERTY!!!!! what is so hard to understand about that... if you were sooo sooo worried about varna and how it would look before that house got tore down why didn't you people buy the land??? This is why nothing is getting done with that property... if you stupid ass people would shut your fat a** mouths and let them do something with the property it wouldn't look like a pos land fill...but no lets bitch and and complain and cry like toddlers throwing a temper tantrum.... get over yourself!!!! grow the fuck up and live your own damn lives..... or are you all to dumb to realize that???