Hell Has No Fury Like An Edsall Scorned

Recently at a cape Vincent Town Board meeting a citizen compared the wind turbine development to another controversy in Cape Vincent the building of the prison in 1989.
But there is another story in Cape Vincent’s History that would be a better comparison than the building of the first prison and that is the proposal of building a second prison in Cape Vincent.
In this case it could even be said that History is repeating its self.
This story relates to the wind development of today because both unwanted developments have the same driving force pushing them.
None other than Richard J. Edsall.
This story begins around the time the first prison was developed, a Community advisory Board or (C.A.B.) was formed as a liaison between the prison and the community. In the beginning Richard Edsall was the vice chairman.
Nov 30, 1989 the C.A.B. unanimously passed a resolution that Cape Vincent be placed on a list of communities to be considered for a second correctional facility. The town and Village Boards follow suit and both pass resolutions in support of this request. A letter was then sent by the C.A.B. to the department of corrections requesting consideration for a second correctional facility. The commissioner of corrections Thomas A. Coughlin wrote back explaining that in order to be considered that they must have approved sites. Property owners must be willing to sell their land to the state. This is not an unattractive proposition considering that the 127.00 acres that the prison now stands on cost the State a hefty 300,000. The advisory board was asking land owners to show their support by offering property.

Reportedly ~ Richard J. Edsall said that “The coffee shop consensus from people is yes go for it,”
And Edsall did in a big way by offering land he had purchased on Stony Point Road in September of 1987, as well as other property he owns on Swamp Road, as did Edsalls in Laws who owned property on Burnt Rock road. Would that be a conflict?

When the community at large became aware of the plan for this second prison they galvanized and fought the Community Advisory Board’s plan and they fought hard.
The Community of Cape Vincent did not want a second prison and a citizens group was formed between summer residents and year round residents.
A letter and survey were sent out to the community addressing three concerns.

1.) Quality of life – The construction of an enlarged or additional facility may forever change the town’s character from that of a resort to one of “Potentially reduced revenue and increased pollution,”

2.) Property Value- current and future homes may experience “reduced value and/ or liquidity because of an eroded tourist image and an increased level of resident anxiety.”

3.) The Unknown- There has been a local “ground swell of uncertainty” within the past few months.

The letter also notes the lack of an environmental impact study and the Chamber of Commerce’s refusal to endorse the proposal as two important issues concerning the proposed prison development.
A lengthy public meeting was held on April 7th of 1990 most of the 400 resident’s attending spent four hours expressing their opposition to the plan to build a new prison and offering suggestions that would boost Cape Vincent’s economy ,they offered their time, talent and even financial support to spur economic growth.
Consequently the village of Cape Vincent rescinded the resolution it passed in support of a second prison. The newly formed Cape Citizens Association asked that the Town Board rescind its resolution the Town Board did not rescind its resolution supporting a second state prison . Instead, it promised no further action on the proposal until the new citizens' group can provide alternative ways to promote economic growth.
The board did pass a resolution promising that "no further action or correspondence" will take place with the state Department of Correctional Services without notifying the tax payers of the town in ample time for any input they may have.

~And they lived happily ever after~

~oops~

Almost a year had passed and the idea of a second prison in Cape Vincent was just a memory until February of 1991 when Richard J. Edsall now Chairman of the Cape Advisory Board decided to resurrect the idea once again.

Richard J. Edsall, board chairman, said nothing has been finalized and at this point it is only under consideration.

"Right now we are just discussing the possibility of recruiting a second prison," he said. "At the present time, we are just discussing it among ourselves."

~~~~~
The wording above is classic Edsall ~ phrases like there is no project are all too familiar ~ Only in this case the state did not peruse the project and Edsall was unable to jam it down the throats of the community.

Unfortunately this time around with Edsall at the helm of this Titanic wind fiasco the state is not in control it is up to the community.
Where are the citizens that rallied to support each other in 1990 when an unwanted development was being pushed on our community?

The developments may have changed but the names have stayed the same. The citizens of Cape Vincent fought hard to prevent a second prison from being developed but if Cape Vincent is developed into an industrial wind zone it will become a prison ,an industrial wasteland and an economic disaster for future generations .

What promise will Cape Vincent hold for economic development? Many of our senior citizens will be economically trapped, forced to endure an eternity of grinding noisy turbines and flashing red lights this truly will be a life sentence…