AUBURN - Mayor Timothy Lattimore confirmed the members of the Auburn Industrial Development Authority, minus one.
Councilor David Dempsey stepped down as chairman of the board Wednesday.
“It has become clear that the AIDA board, in its current structure, has become unworkable and highly politicized,” Dempsey stated in his letter of resignation. He repeatedly has stressed the need to keep politics away from the authority.
Lattimore said Dempsey's resignation had nothing to do with him reappointing the board members six months after their terms expired.
“I was going to make the appointments anyway,” he said.
Charles Mace will take over as head of the authority.
“We've had some things in the fire but nothing came from it,” Mace said. “I'm going to be more aggressive.”
He said he appreciated Dempsey's leadership but said he plans to be more persistent and include the whole board during talks with companies.
During Tuesday's AIDA meeting, Mace chided Dempsey for not keeping the board up to speed with negotiations with General Electric, which announced last week it would build a 60,000 square-foot facility in Skaneateles Falls.
“We have to get our message out there,” Mace said. “We can't wait by the telephone for GM (General Motors Corp.) to call and say they are coming to Auburn.”
Lattimore said the council will discuss the council representative of the board to see who is the best fit.
In other news:
- Michael Long signed the oath book and was officially sworn in as interim city manager. Today marks Long's first day.
“He's been here for years and he knows a hundred times more people than I do,” city manager John Salomone said.
- Councilors agreed to apply for a matching grant from the state Energy Research and Development Authority to fund a hydro power field near the state dam. The project manager, Richard Greeley, estimated the project's cost at $500,000.
The plant would include a series of experimental turbines, designed by Northeastern University professor Alexander Gorlov.
The energy converted from the flow of the Owasco Lake Outlet would be transmitted to the Water Filtration Plant.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be contacted at 253-5311 ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
“It has become clear that the AIDA board, in its current structure, has become unworkable and highly politicized,” Dempsey stated in his letter of resignation. He repeatedly has stressed the need to keep politics away from the authority.
Lattimore said Dempsey's resignation had nothing to do with him reappointing the board members six months after their terms expired.
“I was going to make the appointments anyway,” he said.
Charles Mace will take over as head of the authority.
“We've had some things in the fire but nothing came from it,” Mace said. “I'm going to be more aggressive.”
He said he appreciated Dempsey's leadership but said he plans to be more persistent and include the whole board during talks with companies.
During Tuesday's AIDA meeting, Mace chided Dempsey for not keeping the board up to speed with negotiations with General Electric, which announced last week it would build a 60,000 square-foot facility in Skaneateles Falls.
“We have to get our message out there,” Mace said. “We can't wait by the telephone for GM (General Motors Corp.) to call and say they are coming to Auburn.”
Lattimore said the council will discuss the council representative of the board to see who is the best fit.
In other news:
- Michael Long signed the oath book and was officially sworn in as interim city manager. Today marks Long's first day.
“He's been here for years and he knows a hundred times more people than I do,” city manager John Salomone said.
- Councilors agreed to apply for a matching grant from the state Energy Research and Development Authority to fund a hydro power field near the state dam. The project manager, Richard Greeley, estimated the project's cost at $500,000.
The plant would include a series of experimental turbines, designed by Northeastern University professor Alexander Gorlov.
The energy converted from the flow of the Owasco Lake Outlet would be transmitted to the Water Filtration Plant.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be contacted at 253-5311 ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
