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Southern Ulster Times, Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Lloyd board debates, then appoints Litts to chair ZBA
By MARK REYNOLDS
[email protected]
Last week, Lloyd Councilman Mike
Guerriero made a motion to table
the appointment of John Litts as the
Chairman of the Lloyd Zoning Board of
Appeals.
During
discussion,
Councilman
Joe Mazzetti asked Litts to approach
the board so they could ask him a few
questions, hoping this could be done with
all chairmanship appointments going
forward.
Mazzetti asked Litts, a lifelong resident,
why he would be a good chairman.
“I feel it’s a privilege to be on the
board,” he began. “I take great pride in
representing my community and I think
I have the community’s best interest
at heart. I feel I am fairly well-versed
in zoning law and the construction
industry.”
Litts has been in the construction
field for 25 years and has served as a
superintendent for several large
companies on several million dollar
projects and is currently building two
bridges in the county, “so I feel my
background could be of help.”
Councilwoman Claire Winslow said she
was not opposed to Litts’ appointment,
“but I just feel it was kind of thrown
on there [agenda] and I feel you should
submit a letter and then we should go
through the process like we did with the
Planning Board [appointments]. So can
we just table it and have John send a
letter in and then we can approve it at the
next meeting in a couple of weeks?”
Supervisor Paul Hansut said after the
chairman of the Zoning Board’s recent
resignation, Litts expressed an interest
in the position. Hansut said he called
Guerriero, who is the liaison to the Zoning
Board.
“You were all for it yesterday and
that’s why it’s on the agenda,” Hansut
explained. “I am a little confused why it
was OK yesterday.”
Winslow said it is all about protocol and
urged Litts to submit a letter. Adding, “I
don’t see the big deal, I really don’t”
Hansut agreed, pointing out that, “We
have someone that is willing to step up to
the plate as chairman who has been there
a long time.”
Councilman Lenny Auchmoody said
when Peter Brooks was suggested for
the chairmanship of the Planning Board,
everyone agreed and he was moved up.
Auchmoody said on May 6, 1845, the Town
of Lloyd started at J. O. Litts’ bar “and his
family has been here forever and he and
his brother (Herb) have done so much
for this community. I think we’re being
extremely petty if we need to sit around
and wait for a letter. He’s the man to take
over and we can move the two alternates
up to full time positions if that’s what you
want to do.”
Winslow insisted that this is about
following the proper process.
“It’s not a negative towards anybody, I
just think follow the process,” she said.
Mazzetti commented, “I don’t like when
good community members’ names are on
an agenda and they don’t get supported. I
don’t think it’s right and I don’t think it’s
fair. I’ve known you (Litts) for a long time,
I know you’re a great guy and I know your
heart’s in the right place and that’s all I
have to say.”
Winslow echoed Mazzetti’s support
but said, “I was kind of blindsided (seeing
it on the agenda). I got no phone call, I got
nothing.”
Hansut said he found it puzzling that
this appointment was finding a bit of
resistance, especially after speaking with
Guerriero and believing it was fine to
move forward.
Guerriero said Litts is a good candidate,
but after speaking with him two weeks
ago, he thought Litts would be leaving the
Zoning Board in favor of a job opportunity.
He addressed Hansut, saying, “Now that
you told me that yesterday I was excited
because John has an excellent character,
is an excellent zoning board member. I
feel I was following the process and now
I’m being told what I should do….I am
the liaison, you’re not. I don’t think we
should have brought John into this. I
asked you to remove this from the agenda
and you refused to. I called John and he
had no problem with it (taking him off
the agenda).”
Guerriero’s initial motion to table Litts’
appointment, with Winslow’s support,
failed to pass with Mazzetti, Hansut and
Auchmoody in the majority voting not
to table it. The final vote to appoint Litts,
however, was approved by the entire
board, without opposition.
Stars for service
Dickie’s is done
Dickie’s Diner has been knocked down and is being replaced by a Dunkin Donuts/convenience/gas station on Rte. 9W in Marlboro.
On April 4, Lt. James Janso of the Town of
Lloyd Police presented Veteran’s at Hudson
Valley Rehab with a star from an American
Flag (stars were removed from American
Flag’s that were taken out of service) and a
red, white and blue ribbon in appreciation
for their service.