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SCHENECTADY
Metroplex head, 4 others will stay Legislature renews appointments
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    The Schenectady County Legislature renewed the appointments of five people Tuesday to the Metroplex Development Authority board, including that of Chairman Ray Gillen.
    The board also appointed Thomas P. Constantine as director of emergency management. He replaces William VanHoesen, who retired six months ago. Constantine was one of three candidates interviewed for the position.
    Receiving five-year reappointments to Metroplex in addition to Gillen were Neil M. Golub, Janet Hutchison, Bradley G. Lewis and Robert J. Mantello. The appointments carry no stipends.
    Gillen will serve his second five-year term as chairman. He also is commissioner for economic development and planning for Schenectady County, for which he will be paid $155,228 this year. The vote to appoint Gillen was 13-1. Legislator Joseph Suhrada, R-Rotterdam, voted no, saying that he had lost trust in Gillen over persistent delays involving the Big House project.
    The project has been a thorn in Metroplex’s side for years. Building owner Stephen J. Waite was supposed to open a night club and restaurant in the building at 411 State St. years ago. Waite stopped providing opening dates after a series of planned openings failed to occur. At one point, he stopped speaking to the media after being subjected to critical stories on the project.
    Waite faces a recently fi led $70,000 mechanics lien against the project, which could further delay its opening.
    Waite started the project in 2005 using a $1 million loan and $250,000 facade grant from Metroplex. He also received $50,000 from Metroplex toward removal of asbestos from the building and a $100,000 loan toward a tax payment under the Empire Zone plan.
    Waite has invested more than $1 million of his own money in the project.
    Regarding Gillen’s tenure as chairman, Metroplex Executive Director Jayme Lahut said Gillen greatly improved coordination among the county’s economic development agencies during his first term.
    “During the past five years, the county has witnessed new construction and development activity not seen in Schenectady County in many years,” Lahut said. “This translates to strong growth in sales tax receipts, new jobs and new properties on the tax rolls, helping to expand the commercial tax base.”
    Golub has served on the Metroplex board since its creation in 1998. Metroplex itself took effect on Jan. 1, 1999. Golub laid the foundation for Metroplex’s creation through his involvement in Schenectady 2000, a civic booster organization. He is CEO of the Golub Corp., parent of Price Chopper supermarkets.
    Lahut said Golub’s philosophy is that business and community go hand in hand, “that a strong, supportive relationship makes for healthy businesses and a healthy, vibrant community.”
    Hutchison was appointed to the board in 2004. She is owner and operator of the Open Door Bookstore on Jay Street. She was one the first appointees to Metroplex to represent downtown Schenectady, the focus of the authority’s revitalization efforts. Lahut called her a strong advocate for local businesses and a long-standing board member of both the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation and the Jay Street Business Association.
    Lewis was first appointed to the Metroplex board in 2001. He currently serves as vice chairman. Lewis is a professor of economics at Union College and a part-time economic consultant. He also serves....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00701

There are 15 County Legislators.  The vote is reported as 13-1.  Which legislator abstained or was absent for the vote?

Now we learn from the Gazette reporter that there is (at least) one mechanics lien against the 411 State Street property.  We are also repeatedly told that the developer/owner has "invested more than $1 million of his own money in the project".  Do the County Legislators or the Metroplex Board of Directors have any evidence to support his claim?

Any report of whether or not payments on the $1M loan from the Metroplex are being made by Mr. Waite?  What is the plan of Gillen and his underlings for the Big House project?  How long must the public wait for an answer and a return on "investement"?

I wouldn't trust anything Gillen has to say, would you? Why didn't anyone else vote against Gillen? I guess the Izvestia will go after Joe S now with a flaming editorial.

"Renewed appointsments?" Great. Another 5 years of waste, lies and misinformation in the daily snooze.

    According to them and BS-6, the Big Hose was to open last summer after minor "finishing touches". Bad news is simply ignored-Say Schenectady County. Bravo the Joe Suhrada- the only lonely voice for accountability, private enterprise, and the oppressed County taxpayers.