Town of Wawayanda Democratic Committee - WayDems.org

Public Hearing or Public Censorship 

            On Thursday April 10, 2008 a public hearing was held on the proposed car crushing business known as Brookfield Resource Management. At this public hearing the public was denied the right to speak and there was no presentation by Brookfield. Only two property owners were allowed to speak at what was billed a public hearing. The reason for this is even more bizarre. It seems when notices were sent to property owners, (in accordance with New York State law) two were omitted. This omission should have triggered a new mailing as well as a new public hearing with a complete presentation by Brookfield.

            ZBA Chairman Onorati disregarded all interested parties who had come to speak. Many questions about this behavior come to mind. Is such censorship of a public hearing legal? When a public hearing is reopened or continued for any reason does the public not have a right to speak? Why did Chairman Onorati feel the need to avoid public comment? When faced with a room full of people why did Brookfield not insist on allowing them to voice their opinions? Why such a fear of public comment?

            Censorship is the suppressing of anything one feels is objectionable or contrary to their position. Throughout history, it has been used to suppress ideas, comments or beliefs while disseminating only those you wish people to read, see or hear about. I would shudder to think that this was the reasoning behind the Chairman’s actions. Only with the free flow of conversation and the give and take of ideas can a true public hearing take place. Why do Wawayanda officials resist the basic right of the public, to speak out freely for or against any project?

            Residents of Wawayanda! You deserve better! Contact Supervisor Razzano, Council members Cole, Quinn, Penaluna and Krajewski and demand this hearing be reopened and all interested parties be allowed to speak. Also demand that by his actions ZBA Chairman Onorati has shown a total disregard for the rights of the public and must be removed from his position. Demand an independent panel be formed to deal with this project.

            (It should be noted once again that ZBA Chairman Onorati is also the Chairman of the Wawayanda Republican Committee, a practice that is not condoned by most other towns.)

Related Article (from 2007):

Let The Record Show That...