Fran Raucci kept her promise to not let the Highland Town Board off the hook concerning the Highland Square project that was recently approved and is slated to be built directly across from her neighborhood of Lauretta Drive.   

Raucci, who spoke at last week’s Town Board meeting, said Supervisor Ray Costantino did not respond to the content of her presentation at a previous board meeting, other than to say it was in the minutes.
“He does not seem to have the decency or the respect to answer the people who elected him,” she said. “The local people want to know they have a say in local government and want to be acknowledged.”

Raucci said the way the Planned Unit Development [PUD] designation was granted to the Highland Square developer “shows that our supervisor apparently did not care what the public thought and that is why the plan was handled so covertly from the very start.”
Raucci pointed out that the quality of life of her neighbors will be impacted significantly by this project, adding that what is being perpetuated upon her neighborhood “should be considered unethical and immoral.”

Raucci asked Costantino if he will benefit financially from this project since it will bring water and sewer near the area of his own commercial properties on Upper North Road. Costantino, who recently disclosed to both the Town and Planning boards that he owns several properties in the Upper North Road area, also chairs the Water and Sewer Committee. He has stated on the record that he is active in the planning of an expansion of the district just south of Zumtobel Staff Lighting to where his properties are located.

“After that revelation Mr. Costantino said he would not recuse himself from the talks on water and sewer and that he had every intention of speaking at those meetings,” Raucci said.
Raucci made note that other members of the Town Board have recused themselves when faced with potential ethical conflicts.

“I would like to know why Mr. Costantino is allowed to participate?” she asked. “Is he above the law? Why wasn’t his statement of action considered a breach of ethics or at the very least, contrary to the town’s Code of Conduct?”

Raucci said many of her friends are dismayed by the direction development is taking in Highland.

“They call the Vineyard Commons a monstrosity,” she said. “The height and density of those buildings are totally incongruent with the neighborhood as is Highland Square, yet this [same] developer continues to receive carte blanche.”

Costantino responded by stating, “I have no benefit from the water and sewer from this project, whatsoever.”

He pointed out that the public, especially residents of Lauretta Drive, will be the real beneficiaries, since there will be better fire protection as a result of increased water availability in their area.

Costantino also made note that the developer will pay for the needed infrastructure to Highland Square as he did for the Vineyard Commons project. He said some of the fees collected from Vineyard Commons were used to fix old underground pipes that had either collapsed or had significant leaks, especially in the hamlet area and near the middle school.
Costantino’s statement that he has no interest in the Highland Square project, however, does not address all of Raucci’s comments.  Costantino has stated he will continue discussing and planning the expansion of the district but when it comes before the Town Board for approval, he will recuse himself at that time. His comments appear to run counter to the provisions of the town’s Ethics Code concerning conflicts of interest.

At several past Planning Board meetings, Chairman Scott Sasso, with vocal encouragement from their attorney, stated he was temporarily stepping off the board due to possible conflicts of interest with several applicants who were before his board. However, when Costantino made his disclosure to the Planning Board of a potential financial benefit he may accrue from an expansion of the sewer district and he would continue to plan it, the very same attorney made no mention of his conflict of interest, and instead did not say a word.

By MARK REYNOLDS
mreynolds@tcnewspapers.com