Lewiston Town Board shares results of ethics review

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Monday’s Lewiston Town Board session focused on bringing greater transparency to myriad issues.

One by one, various community concerns were discussed and better explained by town officials at the session – most notably by attorney Al Bax and Supervisor Steve Broderick. These included questions over the alleged conflicts of interest concerning the proposed 5/4 President’s Park, and an Ethics Board review/response.

Bax discussed recent actions by the Board of Ethics concerning the proposed development. The review stemmed from comments alleging Planning Board Chair Bill Burg has a conflict of interest with regard to the matter. Burg has denied that claim.

Bax submitted a report for the Town Board’s review.

“The report is rather concise,” he said. “It goes through what they learned; it provides the Town Board with some recommendations for the future. At the end of the day, they ultimately unanimously found that there was not an ethics violation, but certain things that the Town Board could take into consideration to avoid this in the future.”

Broderick went on to present the report, which was prepared by Suzanne Pardee, chair of the Board of Ethics. He said the Ethics Board met twice to discuss the matter.

“On Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, all five members met and reviewed written information provided to us regarding the alleged ethics violations,” Broderick explained. “Following this review of the information available at the time, the committee voted unanimously … an actual conflict of interest did not occur.

“To receive further information, the committee met again on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. Four members of the Ethics Committee were able to attend, along with the town attorney and one of the parties involved in the complaint. After hearing more specifics regarding the complaint and important details regarding discussions among the parties, the committee members, excluding Mr. Bax, voted unanimously that, while an appearance of conflict can be argued, that no actual conflict of interest has occurred in this matter.”

However, Broderick said the Ethics Board recommended the Town Board develop and distribute “guidelines to all of its citizen advisory committees,” including that, “committee members should disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest in which they are involved; committee members should refrain from any public comments on issues under their review outside of their official proceedings; committee members should refrain from comments on political issues or individuals.”

“This communication has been unanimously approved by the Ethics Committee,” Broderick said.

Next, Bax provided a town response to complaints regarding an operation alleged to be operating without permits on a Townline Road property.

Resident Andrew Davis visited with the board to express his concerns over what he described as a Halloween attraction in the neighborhood.

He claimed, “(There’s) loud music, loud chainsaws, loud announcements from a bullhorn, customers yelling and screaming, babies running up and down the property line – it’s endless,” Davis said. “The requirements of a site plan approval and the issuance of a special use permit have not been enforced. Any resident can do whatever.”

Davis went on to question why the Town Board appears selective to residents’ complaints; enacting local laws targeting air B&B rentals and solar installations, while his complaint lingers. He called the town’s response, “business as usual.”

Bax offered the following, “I and the Town Board am intimately aware of the conflicts. A lawsuit was filed (by the town) whereby a formal restraining order had been achieved against the operators of that particular event on Townline.

“Since it was filed, there have been multiple negotiations going back and forth. … With respect to the town and its acquiescence or approval with what’s happening there, I just want to say for the record … that there’s been no approvals of what’s taking place on the property. All there has been an acknowledgement that’s there’s a condition that needs to be regulated.”

“As the speaker has rightly said, we need to apply by the law,” Bax said.

He explained that, up until recently, the town had no communication or application of town code on the property. He said the town’s lawsuit is on hold, and that fire safety and building department officials would conduct a walk-through of the property this week, while discussions continue with the owner.

“Our lawsuit has been withdrawn without prejudice, meaning that it can go on in any time in the future,” Bax said. "We do have a number of tools than we can put pressure on (them) from this point forward. …

“We are still on the side of the residents; the Town Board is deeply committed to doing everything they can to address this.”

In more news from the session:

•The Town Board approved engineer Rob Lannon of GHD Consulting to conduct a sewer infrastructure study to address flooding problems in the Morgan Farms subdivision. The study, which will cost the town $103,700, will examine rain/wet weather data on sewer performance in the neighborhood, as well inflow/infiltration impacts from the Village of Lewiston into the town system. Funding for the study will come the town’s H-97 NYPA account.

•Town Budget/Finance Director Jacqueline Agnello presented the 2026 tentative budget for board review. The $22,397,541 amount reflects $15,042,831 in appropriations and $7,354,710 in special districts spending, with $3,904,825 to be raised by taxes. More details on the budget can be found at www.townoflewiston.us under the “Budget” heading.

•Broderick announced the selection of Lewiston farmer Dennis Hannon of Hannon Farms to the town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee. The newly formed group will be working with Wendell Engineering over coming months to update the Lewiston comprehensive plan. Broderick said the committee’s meetings would be closed to the public as its work gets underway, “but there will be one, possibly two, meetings and public forums where people can speak.” The matter was approved by the board.

•Broderick announced construction of a second pavilion at the town’s new Lower River Road Riverfront Park is now underway. He said further construction at the park would involve a new kayak launch and fishing pier by the river’s edge.