Lewiston: Town Planning Board chair responds to comments

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Monday’s Lewiston Town Board session featured a host of informative items. Included were:

•A statement from Planning Board Chairman Bill Burg, who discussed his role as a 10-year member. Burg voluntarily appeared to discuss his position following comments made on social media and elsewhere regarding a potential conflict of interest. Of concern is his ownership of a building supply company that may be utilized in the proposed 5/4 President’s Park development plan under consideration by the town.

All this followed Town Board action at the May 29 session. The town, as lead agency, approved a negative declaration and concept plan for the 5/4 President’s Park planned unit development in the Madison Avenue/Jeffersons Way neighborhood off Creek Road. While the project has yet to be accepted, community comments have continued to pour in.

Burg defended his position, telling Supervisor Steve Broderick and board members he takes his role “very seriously.

“And if I like the project or if I dislike the project, it is of zero consequence,” he said. “The process is always the same: Review the application and visit every applicant site … to make sure we didn’t miss anything.

“I confirm with the building department. I discuss my concern; I discuss their concern. I meet with the town engineer; I discuss my concerns; he discusses his concerns. I meet with the Planning Board attorney; I discuss (any concerns) we have to move this applicant forward for recommendation/approval by the Town Board, or whatever recommendation we have to deny the applicant.”

“We take it very seriously,” Burg said. “And we have our Planning Board meeting. I chair the meeting; I don’t make a motion, make a second motion. I keep it all on track. I do all of this without any consideration of financial benefit. I do this, for my part, to make it better for this community.

“And I don’t to discuss my position with anybody. There’s a legal process (for) any decision we make on the Planning Board – it’s called an Article 78. And I believe that, from my knowledge of 10 years, this Town Board has not had to spend one dollar defending any decision we made. And I will happily discuss it with anyone.”

Town Attorney Al Bax advised the board he is awaiting further information from the Lewiston Ethics Board related to the alleged conflict of interest.

Bax said he has been in conversation with the Ethics Board, and that information is now being compiled. He noted, “The Ethics Board has a specific charge; that is to perform an investigation and report to the Town Board. So far, they have reviewed the documentation. I am advising them on the next steps to do the personal interview portions.”

Bax said the investigation remains active.

The Town Board also reviewed a presentation by representatives from the state Department of Transportation, who appeared to discuss two planned culvert replacements. One would replace an 84-year-old culvert on Military Road over Fish Creek near Fairway Drive, just north of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. The second would replace a 63-year-old culvert over Fish Creek on Route 104 (Lewiston Road) in the Fort Gray Drive neighborhood.

The DOT reps said design work is currently underway, and the state anticipates a spring 2027 construction start.

Details on the project are on the town’s website. Comments are now being accepted by DOT.

Also:

 •The Town Board approved funding for pavement striping projects of parking lots at the Lewiston Senior Center and at Town Hall. The Senior Center project funding totaled $9,700, while the Town Hall project was pegged at $7,046. Both are being funded by the town’s H-97 account.

•Council members accepted the resignation of Mitch Zahno, Lewistion highway superintendent, effective Sept. 2. The board named Michael Weiss as his replacement, also effective Sept. 2.

•The board heard comments from Townline Road resident Andrew Davis concerning an alleged amusement park business operating in the neighborhood.

“There’s many violations; codes are not being enforced,” the resident said.

Town Board members did not offer a response.