By BERT COPIAE
I read with disbelief the Sept. 26 article mentioning a potential project on the property next to the Clarion Hotel. This is a prime lakefront location and should be marketed as such, not for another government entity. It should be a commercial or residential venture.
The last thing Dunkirk needs is another tax exempt property and more bureaucracy, especially one that combines four separate organizations: the city of Dunkirk, DEC, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and SUNY Fredonia.
Can you imagine the lack of communication and control and separate egos with these groups? Is it farfetched to think the DEC might cite one of the other three if it doesn't get its own way?
SUNY Fredonia is looking to go after a 20-20 Grant. A grant is paid for by our taxes. It's not free.
As for SUNY Fredonia being anyone's partner, we should only look three blocks away at the woefully underutilized Incubator and staff, who by their own words have created a mere 60 new jobs in the last three and a half years at the cost of millions of dollars to the taxpayers of this state.
I understand the development director bringing anything to the table to discuss. But, this is a piece of property which should be nationally marketed. That's no problem in this day and age.
By the way, who pays for a $4 million to $5 million dollar boat, and where do you park it? Off Pangolin Street?
The harborfront has undergone an amazing transformation in the last 10 years. We don't need a government entity in the midst of the economic success we are seeing there.
There is a Gawanese saying that goes, "Give comfort to the stupid, for they make even the dull seem bright."
Read what you will into that.
Bert Copiae is a Fredonia resident.
