OSWEGO – Today Executive Director of the Port of Oswego Authority William Scriber today released the following statement in response to an announcement made by Mayor Billy Barlow yesterday in regards to a pause in construction at the Port’s East Terminal.
“In response to comments made by the mayor of Oswego as a result of yesterday’s stipulated order between the Port and the City, we believe it is important to clarify a number of false claims and misstatements regarding the plan for, and construction of, the new warehouse.
First, to allow an opportunity for further public dialogue, the Port voluntarily paused construction on the warehouse in early July. Construction of the warehouse did not pause, resume, and pause again with this stipulated order as the city has portrayed. The Port agreed to the instant stipulation for the simple fact that the work the stipulation agrees to pause had already been paused – at the Port’s election – since July. The City’s request for injunctive relief was unnecessary. There was nothing to enjoin. Other parts of the construction of the Port’s Central New York Agriculture Export Center have continued and will continue pursuant to the stipulation. Absolutely nothing has changed.
Second, although the City is not an involved agency in the process—nor is it required to be—the Port, as a courtesy, shared the plans for the entire project with the city and the public more than a year before any construction began. The Port held a special meeting with the mayor in the Port’s boardroom and shared our plans for the project.
Other than revising the structure design from a dome to a rectangle, the location of the warehouse has never changed from the original plan. It is positioned so that it is as far back from the pier as possible, while maintaining critical accessibility by ship. The plan was shared with the New York State Department of Transportation.
Although we are confident in our ultimate success on the merits, we are willing to continue to consider settlement as any responsible litigant would do. This stipulated order reflects our willingness to continue discussions, while at the same time reserving all our rights and defenses should the lawsuit proceed.”
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Thank you for your article Mr. Scriber, Again today I drove around Oswego to see what view was blocked by the construction and the final project. The only view blocked was that of the visitors to Mr. Broadwell’s Hotel. All views from the bridge and the over look at both the Fort and Marina are still great. So why is the City using taxpayer money to fight a battle for the Broadwell’s Why it could be because they were a major contributor to his campaign and will be again. This is not right.
Thank you Frank for driving around Oswego and giving us your update, however you don’t speak for anyone other than yourself. The mere fact that Mr. Scriber admits in his own statement “Other than revising the structure design from a dome to a rectangle” tells me all I need to know. Here’s what you should be asking 1) Did the revision show an almost doubling of the height of the building? 2) Were the original site plans submitted to the city or was it just a fancy slideshow? 3) If plans were submitted to the city were elevation views available for all structures to be constructed? 4) Was a change order to convert from a low dome to the structure thats now under construction available for the mayor or city engineer to comment on? Are you aware that many other businesses not owned by the Broadwells are also affected, Press Box etc. Keep fighting Mr. Mayor some of Oswego’s taxpayers appreciate what you’re doing regardless of political affiliation.
YourViewIsNotMyView: You make some interesting points but the fact remains that the argument is that the view of the Light House is obstructed, I have never gone to the Press Box to view the Light House and from there your view was blocked by the already existing storage domes. So tell your Mayor if two private businesses have a problem let them use their money not our taxpayers money, they had a chance to see the plans and could argue their own case. I’m only against the use of Taxpayer money to fight a battle that is between a private sector and a public sector. Taxpayer money is for services not being able to see something that is not a service is not something taxpayer money should be spent on.
Entering the city of Oswego Via Rt. 481 presented a unique backdrop of the Lighthouse flanked by the businesses along East First street. That is in the process of lost forever. The city should have bought the port decades ago.