- By Dan Veaner
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This November Scott Pinney is challenging incumbent Steve Farkas to become Lansing Town Supervisor. Pinney has lived in Lansing his entire life, 41 years. He and his wife Tracey have three children, 14, 8, and 7 years old. He owns Alex Cole Excavating and Paving company, named for his oldest children. He also owns other properties around town including half of Portland Point and the old Egan's Market building that is behind Rogue's Harbor Inn.| Supervisor Candidates Steve Farkas and Scott Pinney will participate in a Supervisors Forum 11/02 in the 7 o'clock hour on WHCU 870 AM | ||
It took a long time to get an interview with Pinney. I originally contacted all the candidates for interviews on September 10th. We finally arranged a time on the 29th, but I stupidly, though not intentionally, missed it. At that time he asked to reschedule on a rainy day because this is prime paving season. I got a call on a rainy Friday morning, and interviewed him in his home two weeks ago.
Lansing Star: Why are you the best candidate for Supervisor, and what are the unique benefits do you bring to the job?
Scott Pinney: I have a proven record of being a successful business owner with excellent management skills. I started my career with LRS Excavating, where I became Vice President. I was in charge of multi-million dollar jobs including the Lansing Schools ball fields. I'm the founder and owner of Alex Cole Excavating and Paving.
In those businesses I deal with hundreds of customers every year. More importantly I know how to teach my employees how to deal with customers in a professional manner, because in the end the way my employees treat the customers reflects directly on me.
Being in control of these businesses has taught me how to control large sums of money in an efficient and effective manner. My private sector skills in money management can certainly help me eliminate some of the wasted tax dollars in the Town.
LS: What interested you in running?
SP: I feel there're a lot of ways the Town has wasted tax dollars. I feel our government isn't really open, and that they don't pay attention to taxpayers' needs in the manner that they should. I feel that the residential development in the town is wherever (it ends up)and there is no control over it. I feel the business owners and startup businesses aren't treated in a professional manner. There's no encouragement for new businesses in town. There are multiple reasons why a lot of things need to be changed in the town.I feel there're a lot of ways the Town has wasted tax dollars. I feel our government isn't really open, and that they don't pay attention to taxpayers' needs in the manner that they should.
LS: What do you think the top two or three issues are that the Town will face in the next four years, and how will you address those issues if you are elected?
SP: There was a really big issue of open government at the last Town Board meeting I went to. A person came in to ask some questions and nobody responded or really answered the questions. I asked a couple of Town Board members why they wouldn't answer these questions, and they said that before the meeting the Town Supervisor asked them not to comment. I feel that the Town Board should (practice) open government, and when things need to be discussed taxpayers should understand what's going on, and questions should be answered they like the answers or not.
LS: Wasn't he referred to the Town Attorney for an answer?
SP: I'm not sure if he was or not, but I know at that meeting that Town Board members told me they they were asked not to comment or answer questions for anybody that talked about certain issues.
Another top issue is that I feel the town center, along with business, should be promoted. It is going to take many years to get the town center established, but I would like to see this happen across the ball fields on 34B.
LS: On the town land there?
SP: On the town land. Start with road frontage, promote, say, a grocery store, a bank, a pharmacy... some small business, maybe some mom and pop businesses with walkways. This is something that may take 20 or 30 years, but at least get it started. In the end the taxpayers in the town benefit from that, because you get the tax base from the businesses so, hopefully, the residential taxes could possibly go down from that.The town center, along with business, should be promoted.
LS: What would you do to make that happen?
SP: The first thing we'd have to do is get permission from the State to use it for businesses, because they restrict it to recreational use right now. But as soon as we get that taken care of I would look at it with some planning people and break it off so we could actually sell lots to businesses. We could still control it, because we'd sell those lots in anticipation of certain businesses going on each lot.
LS: In a time when it seems like residents here are more outspoken than usual, how would you keep the balance between complaints and managing the town?
SP: To start with I think we actually have to listen to the complaints that people have. For example, there was a petition against one town employee, and when the petition was given to the Town, the Town didn't actually go out and interview any of the people that signed the petition and listen to what their concerns were. They decided that the petition was unfounded, told the town employee that they felt it was all unfounded and was nothing to worry about. They actually had that person interview with the media to explain how it was unfounded.
That's not listening to the public. And that's why you get complaints, because if you deal with the problems that occur you can take care of them quicker.
LS: To some extent we don't know because personnel matters are handled in executive session. But I don't want to theorize about what happened so much as to ask you how you would handle that situation as a town supervisor?
SP: If I had a signed petition from 100 or so taxpayers I would immediately talk to -- not everybody who signed the petition -- but I would certainly talk to some of the people and get a consensus on what the real issues are. Then I would be able to handle that town employee in a professional manner.
LS: Which would be...?
SP: Well, depending on the circumstances, it could be anything from no punishment at all to a day off to termination.
LS: What would dealing with the employee in a fair manner be?
SP: I can't answer what a fair manner would be on that issue, because I didn't talk to any of the people. I know of another issue where a town employee actually signed an affidavit and intentionally lied on it. It was proven that he lied on it, and he admitted that he lied on it. Nothing was done to the employee. In that situation, where we know he committed a crime, he should have immediately been terminated. He's dealing with the taxpayers of the town and you can't allow that to happen to taxpayers, because we've all got to remember who is paying our bills. The taxpayers pay them. We can't (treat) the taxpayers in that fashion. In a situation like that he should be terminated immediately.
LS: We've already touched on this a little bit. How do you view the future of Lansing in terms of growth, planning, and where and what kind of growth there should be?
SP: I envision commercial development between the Rogue's Harbor Inn and Xtra Mart, and I envision that happening over many years. But I think we need to start commercial development in that area. I don't agree that we should put it in the Kingdom Farm area. I believe that area is really some of the best farm land in the County. To me that's off the beaten path and should be kept as farmland. From 34B and 34 North of that, to me, is more farmland and residential development should happen south of 34B. We should promote cluster housing to try to save the green space, and that way if we ever get sewer 20 or 30 years down the road we'll have the cluster housing established where it's a lot easier to tie in the sewer at that point.
LS: How should growth be controlled? You've outlined a rough plan. How would you make that happen?
SP: I don't think we should control growth, because people pay their taxes on their property and they should be able to do as much as possible without (government) controlling them. We should promote growth. Obviously with infrastructure, and making it easier to develop cluster housing in the areas where we want it with planning procedures and things like that. With some of the planning procedures right now it takes years to get approved. It costs a lot of money. If we could promote the kinds of cluster housing that we desire, and streamline that, and that would (encourage) people to do that instead of another scenario that we don't agree with.I don't think we should control growth, because people pay their taxes on their property and they should be able to do as much as possible without (government) controlling them. We should promote growth.
As far as business goes, the same kind of scenario, just making less paperwork and making it easier for people to understand how to start businesses. And working with them, instead of against them, would promote the businesses.
LS: Town taxes. I have to admit my impression of the town budget is that it's lean and mean, that they get a lot out of a little. The Highway Department... the Rec department is a great example of that. Do you think town taxes -- I'm not talking about school, Village, fire -- are reasonable, and is the level of service that the Town provides what it should be?
SP: No I think there are a lot of wasted tax dollars in our town. I do believe the Rec Department does an excellent job. I do believe that the Highway Department does a very good job. But there are still a lot of wasted tax dollars in the Town. One example is the sewer project. There was $300,000-plus spent on that project, and yet the Town Supervisor himself said it was an illogical and crazy idea. If you feel that way why would you spend that kind of money on that project?
At that point the Town Board tables this project. Even after they table it, which to me means you don't want to do the project, they still spent thousands of dollars in engineering fees to finish the drawings on the project. It that were your own personal money you just wouldn't spend it in a wasteful manner like that.
LS: Town officials have said that they want to have it finished, because if federal money should come along down the road it would be less expensive then to have the plan completed that to redo it from scratch.
SP: Well, I don't agree with that. If you say it's a crazy idea why would you continue to spend money on it? You're saying it shouldn't have been done in the first place, chances are you'll never do the project. So why keep spending money on it? And if we do the project in 10, 20 years with federal money there's a high possibility that we'll change the drawings and do another whole project. Once you come to the conclusion that you're not going to do the project the money should stop being spent on it.
LS: What can or should the Town do about services the County provides? Do you think those are adequate, and if not what should the Town do to address issues like that?
SP: I thin road patrol is very adequate. We have the Sheriff's Department to patrol our roads for us. We have the State Police to patrol our roads. I feel that they do an excellent job. There may be some issues that I'm unaware of that we need to address. I would certainly look into issues we may need to address with the County.
LS: This is one question I haven't asked the other candidate, because he is retired. You're a young guy and you have a business that obviously keeps you busy. Do you have time to be Town Supervisor?
SP: I feel with the issues (facing) the town I have to make time for it. I feel it is very important. I have a very established business and I have very good employees that are top notch. If I walked away they could certainly handle the business. I actuall employ some of the town employees that are very good. They do a lot of the paving for me. At this point I feel I could actually leave and they could take care of a lot of the business themselves.
LS: Looking into your crystal ball, how do you see the town in 10 oir 20 years, looking far beyond the next term?
SP: I would hope to see a town center well established, where we have a nice location for the community to come to meet and walk around. I could certainly like to see cluster housing developed. If we don't have sewer we should have a plan in mind. Hopefully in 20 years we'll have a sewer to tie in some of the development.
LS: You're talking about the planning office approving plans for cluster housing that includes a plan for eventual hookup?
SP: If you do cluster housing, you still have a private sewage system. It would be one large system for that cluster housing, and then when the sewer came through you'd just hook up.
I'd like to see very open government where, if the majority of the taxpayers feel one way, that the government would try to listen and hear their concerns.
LS: What two or three items would you like to see improved?
SP: I would certainly like to see the planning process improved, and how we work with people on planning. I would like to see the relationships between some of the town employees and taxpayers improve. Obviously I would like to see the town center built. I'm in favor of a smaller government with less taxes.I would certainly like to see the planning process improved, and how we work with people on planning.
LS: You're sounding like a Republican! (both laugh)
SP: I'm a Democrat with different views!
LS: My last question is, what would you like people to know about your candidacy that we haven't discussed?
SP: I am someone who would change things drastically. I have a lot of different views than the current person there. So if we're unhappy with certain things in the Town now, I feel my issues are a lot different than his. We're very different candidates. You vote for what you believe in on those issues.
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