Letter to the Editor: Leishman Vote
On Tuesday, October 14th, all residents who have lived in Waddington for at least 30 days,
and are 18 years or older, have a vote as to whether or not Leishman Point, currently
owned by the people of Waddington, is sold and developed by the Town for residential
housing. (You do NOT need to be a registered voter to cast your ballot). The polls will be
open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Waddington Municipal Building.
Leishman Point is a magnificent waterfront property (22 acres of which were returned to
Waddington by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in January 2002). It is located on the
plateau just beyond the Waddington Town Beach and St. Lawrence University Boat House. You
can currently drive up to one end of the Point and take in the incredible view. I
encourage you to do this before you vote. Attending "Picnic on the Point" at 2
p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12th would be a good time to visit the Point and experience it
first-hand.
A yes vote would permit the Waddington Town Board to proceed with an exclusive residential
subdivision. The Town plans to use taxpayer money to pay for the infrastructure;
such as a sewer system, roads, excavation, utilities, etc., and for engineering and
surveying services. The final cost of the project (it could be hundreds of thousands of
dollars) and the impact on the environment, have not yet been determined. Also, the
majority of the land would no longer be available for fishing, walking, picnicking, or
sightseeing by the general public. It would be gone forever!
A NO vote will delay any development, allow the community more time to explore all of the
options in more detail, and help us to create a comprehensive land-use plan for not just
Leishman, but for all of our NYPA surplus waterfront property. A true community planning
process, for determining the best use(s) of this property, is all I, and other citizens of
the Waddington Redevelopment Association (WRA), have been asking for from the very
beginning. A good plan will encourage Waddington to grow responsibly, thereby maintaining
its beauty and charm. There is a limited amount of waterfront property left. We need to
all work together to come up with a plan that is the most beneficial for everyone.
We have determined, through countless hours of research, that the tax, as well as
economic, social, and recreational benefits of developing Leishman Point with all houses
is too small to justify selling Waddington's most valuable piece of property. Getting the
land back from NYPA was a victory, but using it in a manner that benefits the most people,
for the longest period of time, would be a greater victory. Voting NO on October 14th is
the first step toward that greater victory.
Mark Scott
Waddington
Originally published 10/12/2003
Ogdensburg Journal
Used with permission