EXCLUSIVE: Special Yonkers City Council Meeting By HEZI ARIS
YONKERS, NY -- March 20, 2013 -- Majority Leader Wilson Terrero, Minority Leader John Larkin, and Councilmembers Dennis Shepherd
and Michael Breen have called for a Special City Council Meeting to be held on
Thursday, March 21, 2013, in the Yonkers City Council Chambers, 4th
Floor, City Hall, Yonkers, NY 10701 at 7:00 p.m. for the following purpose of
discussing and thereafter take action on the following:
1. A resolution approving a planned urban redevelopment special use permit on properties known as block 2605, lots: 73 & 75 pursuant to chapter 43, Article VII of the Yonkers Zoning Ordinance.
2. All other business properly coming before the council
A Committee of the Whole meeting will be held prior to this Special City Council Meeting, that is, at 6:30 p.m.
EXCLUSIVE INFORMATION: This meeting, called by a majority of four Yonkers City Councilmembers has irked Yonkers City Councilmember Chuck Lesnick who has been holding the Collins Brothers building on the waterfront in his attempt to cajole Art Collins in the backroom by his extortionist conduct in the backroom. Mr Lesnick has chosen to hold off the waterfront development over the affordable housing component which is evidently not on the level demanded by Lesnick, but which has been expressed to Lesnick by Mr Collins that there is no more room left to make further changes if Collins financial backers are to stay in place with the necessary funding. WHile Lesnick plays chicken, the waterfront is fallow without any development.
Lesnick never learned to publicly express the issues that are pertinent to the citizenry; instead he has chosen to wave his magic wand in the backroom while the waterfront disintegrates. In the meanwhile payment by Collins to the City of Yonkers is delinquent. Over tha t Mr Lesnick is quiet.
Mr Lesnick has also threatened to unravel every attempt made by Mayor Mike Spano to redefine the demeanor of Yonkers for the better. Yonkersites should consider Mr Lesnick's threat to be real. Only by watching Mr Lesnick will the truth be told.
Lesnick is an ill-informed, mentally handicapped waste of a council person. How does this guy survive? What a fool Yonksites have as their representative. No new businesses want anything to do with losers like him...wait didn't a new dollar store just open.
Posted by: delaney134 | March 20, 2013 at 19:05
council president lesnick is just a clueless jerk only caring about the backrooms shennigans and not about the people and constituents of our city of which he was elected to represent. Shame on you, Council President Lesnick.
Posted by: yonkers citizen | March 20, 2013 at 23:59
same old bullsh#t
i don't trust Lesnick....first hand experience
and IMHO you shouldn't either.
Posted by: sameoldbs@gmail.com | March 21, 2013 at 01:05
More giveaways as usual in Yonkers.
Posted by: Wtf | March 21, 2013 at 07:53
Lesnick, Johnson and Sabatino have been very open in their objections to the Collins project based on his refusal to provide affordable housing and other issues. It is the other four that rushed a last minute meeting of the City Council without ever explaining why the urgency or even who was it that requested the last minute meeting.
Posted by: open and transparent | March 21, 2013 at 23:59
Notice how no one answered Johnson's questions:
1. Who requested the council meeting be called? how did it suddenly become urgent the day after the council met in Rules and no one knew had any issues.
2. Who requested three police officers to the meeting - no doubt on overtime to guard the council against 12 very civil people.
Posted by: why the cops? | March 22, 2013 at 00:02
No, you are completely wrong! Johnson and Sabatino are following Lesnick because they do not have a brain between the both of them!
Lesnick is trying to "strong arm" the developer into increasing the number of "affordable" units AFTER an agreement was made and AFTER all the finances were put in place!
Why don't you get the "REAL" story before you post nonsense?
It will be a happy day when Lesnick gets kicked to the curb!
You must be a plant, because you post is 100% bullshit!
Posted by: Lesnick the Loooooser | March 22, 2013 at 07:32
Please...enough with the affordable housing. That is the stupidest thing that i ever heard. Every developer in yonkers has to provide affordable housing??? Its all affordable...if you can afford it then move there. if not...then dont. There are more than enough affordable housing units in our city. lets keep the city moving forward mayor!!
Posted by: stop | March 22, 2013 at 10:44
Colins brothers, put up the towers with no glass towards the river ,with electric heat.
Towers big enough to block the waterfront from the rest of yonkers.
When they were done had about 5 or so million in brownfield money they did not use to clean up and got to keep it. But that wasnt enough, they petitioned political leaders to keep it tax free.
So, great, lets use em' again!
The couincil needs to temper their lets build attitude with some common sense.
But them again it is too late for the yonkers water front. Might as well put the nails in the coffin.
Congradulations collins brothers , whooped the citizens of yonkers again.
Posted by: threesidesto truth | March 23, 2013 at 10:44