Archive: Opinions

I read the article of November 3rd announcing the purported agreement between the Town of Dryden and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation that would provide a trail corridor through the Reynolds Game Farm. When the stakeholders met with DEC officials and trail advocates on September 26th at the Reynolds Farm, the stakeholders came as honest brokers. At the close of that meeting the ONLY agreement that had been reached insofar as the stakeholders were concerned was that a DRAFT of a proposed agreement would be circulated to all parties to the meeting. Such draft would be used as a basis for follow-on meetings.

We had not yet reached agreement on such fundamental issues as trail placement and the type of agreement that would allow the eventual development of a trail, if and when an agreement could be reached. There were also still myriad other issues yet to be addressed. In fact, a draft agreement has yet to be circulated.

Given those facts it is obvious that the announcement was premature. It was difficult to understand why an announcement had even been made. Freeville resident Paula Parker's letter of endorsement for Bruno Schickel for the Town Supervisor post brought it all into focus. The stakeholders came to the Reynolds Game Farm willing to attempt to iron out an agreement for a community trail. It seems that the town officials and trail advocates came to that meeting fully intending to force the trail down the throats of the stakeholders. They certainly did not come as honest brokers. Worse than that, they chose to turn the entire effort into a sound bite for a political campaign.

Bill Conners
Chairman – NYS Fish and Wildlife Management Board
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