Back to Home Page Back to Press
A Shott across the Bow
NEW SAUGERTIES TIMES August 22, 2002 P. 1 by Jim Gordon
Why is a Kingston legislator so interested in a local mining controversy?
Politics, it is said, makes strange bedfellows, but why would a county legislator
from the city of Kingston become involved in the controversy about the proposed
Shott Mine in the town of Saugerties?
In recent weeks, county legislator John Naccarato, a Republican of Kingston, was visiting the site of the proposed mine in the Veteran section of town. The mine is stalled by town board action, taken in the last year, which enacted legislation prohibiting mining in residential areas.
Developer Gilbert Shott, who has three parcels totaling slightly more than 100 acres, has responded by suing the town. That case is now before Judge Vincent Bradley.
Legislator Naccarato got involved several weeks ago, according to Brian Donoghue, a member of CARES (Citizens Action for Residential Environments in Saugerties), who addressed the county legislature at its August 8 meeting and questioned why the Kingston legislator had come to Saugerties, without informing the legislators from the district.
"Our concern was that an out-of-area legislator was getting involved in something that was going on in our community, without the knowledge of his fellow legislators," said Donoghue. "That was baffling to us."
Donoghue said that after he addressed the legislature, Naccarato had told him he was a 'fixer," whose only interest was to try and arrange a mutually beneficial deal for both sides.
Naccarato did not return repeated calls for comment.
But town supervisor Greg Helmsmoortel said Naccarato repeatedly requested a meeting between the town supervisor and Shott.
"Mr. Naccarato called me a number of weeks ago and asked me to meet with Mr. Shott," said Helsmoortel. "He said 'I think something could be worked out.' I was not comfortable thinking anything could be worked out and certainly did not want to be there when a lawsuit is involved. But Naccarato kept calling me and said, 'I'm sure something can be worked out.'"
So on August 12, the supervisor met with Shott. He said the two had a brief conversation, but that "zero" was accomplished in terms of resolving the differences between the town and the developer.
Asked if Naccarato explained his interest in the matter, Helsmoortel said: "He's got a relative that works for Shott, I believe. There's some relationship. It could be an acquaintance." He said Naccarato was "very vague," about the connection.
But clearly Shott is not reining in his acrimony. After the meeting between Shott and Helsmoortel, two town board members visited the Shott property on a fact-finding mission.
Citing information about the visit gleaned from the CARES website [www.stopthemine.com], Shott's attorney wrote a letter to the town dated August 16, saying the town officials were trespassing, and saying any subsequent unauthorized visits will be "reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities."