Date: July 12, 2007                             

GREENE IDA EXTENDS COMMUNITY COMMENT PERIOD
AND SETS NEW PUBLIC HEARING

Consensus Building Process Main Priority and Public Education

            The Greene County Industrial Development Agency today announced jointly with New Baltimore Town Supervisor David Louis the scheduling of an additional public hearing on the proposed Destination Retail/Multi-Use Business Park on August 16 and a six week extension of the community comment period to August 27.

            The highest standard of community involvement and participation has been the cornerstone of Greene IDA developments alone the 9W corridor. There has been a clear expression of more time needed to encourage the process of building community consensus, educating local citizens regarding the facts of the proposal and building support for the overall vision of the project. Maintaining the public’s trust and confidence in the process is the IDA’s and Town of New Baltimore’s highest priority.  

            The Public Hearing on August 16^th will be conducted at the Coxsackie-Athens Middle School Cafeteria beginning with an open house at 6 pm and the hearing starting at 7 pm. Comments made at the public hearing will be made part of the official record of the GEIS. All additional public comment should be submitted to the Greene County IDA by mail, in person at the public hearing, or by email. The Draft GEIS and contact information for email comments is available on the agencies website at GreeneIDA.com.

            “The Greene County IDA takes great pride in the level of public participation and support we have achieved with our previous economic development projects. This significant proposal clearly needs more review by the public and extending the comment period is our good faith effort to maintain the highest level of community participation,” emphasized Greene IDA Chairman Dan Frank.

New Baltimore Town Supervisor David Louis expressed his support for the decision to extend the public comment period,  “It is gratifying and important that the Greene IDA has responded to my request on behalf of our residents to allow more time for public dialogue regarding the draft GEIS.  Throughout my tenure, public policy in New Baltimore has been shaped by public input.  Extending the public comment period and holding another public hearing in a venue that can accommodate everyone who wants to attend, and providing a continuing forum for public dialogue as this development plan evolves will result in a better project outcome that we can all be proud to have participated in.”

            Any additional information regarding the project is available at the offices of he Greene IDA located at 270 Mansion Street or by calling 731-5500.