Lewis trails voted down

Lewis County legislators on Tuesday derailed a plan to convert 31.4 miles of unused rail lines to recreational trails, at least for the time being.

[Jolly Jim]

Is our County Attorney overruling prior Judge Lunch at the Board of Legislators meeting in deciding if Legislator Lucas should recuse himself from voting on the trail system?

He also interrupted a New York State opinion on if Legislator Bush should recuse himself from voting on the trail system. There appears to be a conflict when the seller of the railroad is the IDA and Legislator Bush is the Chair and the buyer is the County of Lewis and Mr. Bush is the Board of Legislators Chair.

Are their two set of Laws. Someone tell me. This appears to be jolly.

[Do they ever quit]

Yea funny thought that Bush recused himself from the Pilot vote for the IDA at the same meeting.

Also Virkler will continue to pursue. He will not care even if the county manager has told him to discontinue pursuit. He has no regard for authority or the people he works for.

[Undercover Sister]

Mr. Virkler is not to Jolly on the defeat of the trail.

He is Jolly on taking over the IDA. It will be put under Mr. Virkler with the same IDA directors. Two Legislators have confirm this and Mr. Cole will be asked to leave.

[Jolly Jim]

Don't associate Jolly with Eric Virkler.

It should be V_________ Virkler

[Confused]

I am confused again. Has Mr. Virkler succeeded at any thing during his employment with the county? It seems the only project he has worked on is the trail and that failed. I would like to know the hours he has spent on the trail. Taxpayers Money! Where was the county manager during this period? Inadequate supervision!

[Ezro]

It appears that E.Virkler is an embarassment to the county economic development department and the legislators who so strongly supported him.

[Investigator]

Make no mistake about it, this is a dishonest age in government. The daily lies are allegedly advanced in the cause of the common good, nevertheless do not make them any less lies.

Eric Virkler, Economic developer, at the public meeting stated the county had a firm contract to purchase the railroad. One of the legislators called the railroad and guess what - no contract. Now is the time for the county manager to step in and demand Eric to produce the firm contract. If he doesn't produce the firm contract I know the legislator, that contracted the railroad, will break this wide open. This maybe a possible RAILGATE.

If the county manager doesn't and no corrected action take by management,there will be great embarrassment for many.

We pay our officials both elected and non-elected to perform their jobs with integrity.

[ODB]

I'm willing to review the minutes. I was there, and I don't recall Eric saying that he had a firm "contract" to purchase the railroad. Please stop spreading hate and lies.

[JohnnyCash]

Idon't think anyone is lying here. It appears to be semantics. I wasn't at the meeting on Tuesday, but I've seen written material out of the Economic Development Department referring to a contract or agreement with the railroad so I don't find it unbelievable that Eric said something synonymous.
Just because ODB doesn't "recall" it, doesn't mean it didn' happen. Old ODB defends the establishment at every chance.
All anyone has to do is look at the printed material and they'll find info to corrborate what "Investigator" said.

[Eddie Rabbit]

When will we here of something positive that has happened out of the planning office? The current planner with no prior experience has spent alot of time on one project. First he wasted village tax payer dollars, and then county tax payer dollars. If you are a village resident you lost both times.

Then we have the pubic defender riding around in his car visiting the no vote legislators trying to gain the votes needed.

Maybe the pubic defenders office should be made part time.

It is time that Mr. Pendergast get something productive out of the planning office. To date, I have not seen anything that has been authored by our planner.

Whats the next idea, a digester in Lowville? Has not the Cornell Co-operative Extension already determined that this would not be feasible? Will this be the next Virkler blunder?

[KMC]

Lewis County is sliding backwards in economic development due to incompetent of county government. Too much time has been spent on a failed walking trail. How did the legislators allow this to happen. Sleeping legislators must wake up from a deep sleep. If the buck is to stop somewhere, then it does stop with the legislators. If it wasn't for the IDA there would be no progress at all. God bless us all and let us live to see our county being what we want it to be.

[Windy]

Yes the IDA has been the only success story, but I just heard today that Ned Cole retired? Now what's going to happen?

[newbe]

We can thank paul stanford for this. He was all over it and the other no votes just followed his lead. Thanks Paul keep up the good work!

[around town]

we need these trails open! i dont know what is going through their thick skulls! atv's and snowmobiling are 2 of the major things that bring revenue into the county and for some reason they dont want to open them up. they close most of the trails down up in eatonville for a few people to ride horses up there. if anyones ever been up there on a weekend, there's about a handful of people that ride horses up there compared to the hundreds, maybe thousands of people that ride up there each week. look at the snirt run up on the hill! look how many people came to that to ride that brought alot of money into the county in 1 day! but they dont care they'd rather piss off 3/4s of lewis county than do what they should and open the trails again!!!!!

[townaround]

how many snowmobile trails do you need . they are all over the county. atvs can ride on county land. don't be greedy.

[CrAzY]

do you people actually think they were going to use the trail as a walking trail, snowmobile trail, AND ATV trail.... NO. so in the end someone is still going to be pissed off.

Secondly, the State is already lost in debt, so why the heck would we keep spending and spending and spending..... lewis county will survive w/o a trail.....

[Jolly Jim]

Why are the taxpayers paying Eric Virkler? During the last meeting of the legislators Mr. Virkler said the people didn't matter. He was referring to over 500 signatures on a petition. Mr. Virkler the people are the taxpayers paying your wages. We are your boss and being paid to carry out our desires. This is insubordination. Mr. Virkler the people have spoken. How much money have been wasted this past year on this project. Mr. Lucas to allow this to continue doesn't speak much of you. I understand Mr. Virkler is now working in manure an it's processing. You plan to locate it on village property. Have you smelled the Kraft project? Have you asked your bosses, the taxpayers? How shitty is this project. Just plain jolly??????????

[KMC]

I don't understand about this manure event.

[Concern]

Eric Virkler has a green light or license to perform this duties without regard to the citizens desires. Look what we have after a year of Eric's employment. NOTHING! I just can not believe Eric would have the gull to say, "the people don't matter." But matters, will be far worse, if Mr. Lucas and Mr. Pendergast and the legislators would say, no he will be allowed to run wild. How on earth can the Economic Developer go against the public and expect to remain employed?

[Lloyds]

Windy wrote:

Yes the IDA has been the only success story, but I just heard today that Ned Cole retired? Now what's going to happen?

Ned would never leave no matter what. Stop spreading rumors.