Dozens of exasperated voices waited for hours in freezing conditions outside of the Coeymans Town Hall on Monday evening, December 11, 2023. They huddled in groups, some returned to their cars, others gave up and went home. One woman, determined to be there, drove for a full hour, from the other side of the Hudson River. Shockingly, it would be nearly 9p before most were allowed inside to observe and/or participate in a public hearing convened by the Coeymans Planning and Zoning Board.
“Town meetings serve as the foundation of American democracy. How is what happened on Monday night legal?”
Frustrations and resentment swelled knowing a majority of available seats inside were consumed, early on, by employees and/or supporters of Carver Companies. They had arrived at least an hour beforehand; ahead of Town officials, sooner than even the town’s live-streaming tech, to stake claim to available seats.
With a maximum capacity of 80 persons, police officers stood vigilant at the front door enforcing the law. The tactic effectively deprived all others of joining the meeting.
Those left waiting tried in vain to attend the meeting virtually by way of the VIMEO feed. Unfortunately, this technology did not work. The live stream webpage failed to launch and even those with a strong cell phone signal and fast download speeds could not connect to the VIMEO page.
Reasonable accommodations for all ensure fair and transparent participation, but, in this case, Planning & Zoning Board Chair Robert Nolan failed to take measures to improve the situation. Those left waiting outside did not get to observe any of the critical presentations and testimonials given by Carver Co.
Moreover, Carver’s reputation for bullying was made worse when none of his supporters volunteered to trade places with those left shivering in the cold. Extending said olive branch, especially this time of year, would have had a big impact on perceptions of the company. Instead, it reaffirmed the moral character of a company whose ambitions have forsaken any sense of self-control and community civility.
The site plan in question will be the source of our next CAC post. Members are still reviewing the VIMEO feed.
Let’s go get ’em