| Oneida County | Madison County | |
| Ralph J. Eannace, Jr. Oneida County Executive County Office Building 800 Park Avenue Utica, NY 13501 (315) 798-5800 (315) 798-2390 |
Lawrence R. Carpenter Chairman County Office Building N. Court Street Wampsville, NY 13163 Phone (315) 366-2201 Fax (315) 366-2502 |
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Land Claim Negotiations, Open Meeting Law Addressed |
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| September 29, 1999.... Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman Larry Carpenter and Oneida County Executive Ralph J. Eannace, Jr., today issued a statement regarding the Oneida County Land Claim and issues relating to open meeting laws. "We are very concerned about misleading statements made yesterday in a Syracuse Post Standard article, implying that land claim negotiations do not need to be a confidential process", said Carpenter. "There is no question we are operating under a strict order of confidentiality signed by Judge Neal McCurn" |
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| "Paragraph seven of Judge McCurn's Order specifically states that the settlement process is confidential and clarifies that this extends to both documents and statements related to negotiations, " Eannace concurred. "The confidentiality order has at times frustrated our efforts to share information with the public, but we have made significant process in gaining approval from Judge McCurn and Settlement Master Ronald Riccio to open up the process." | ||
| "The order of confidentiality has been reinforced by Settlement Master Riccio, " said Carpenter. "Riccio has continuously reminded the parties and their counsel that pursuant to the Order, specifics of the issues discussed during the settlement negotiations and subcommittee meetings are to be strictly confidential and not discussed outside of such meetings. He also has urged citizens to work through their elected officials in expressing concerns and ideas. | ||
| "At this point we are aggressively pursuing a parallel course of community outreach and information gathering, while conducting negotiations for a settlement, " Eannace stated. "Our commitment is to see that everyone affected by the land claim issue has a chance to be heard and that their concerns and suggestions are conveyed to the negotiation team." Both Carpenter and Eannace pledged to aggressively represent citizens and businesses in both counties to ensure their property rights are protected. | ||
| "Furthermore, any proposed settlement will be subject to full review and comment by the public, and must be approved by both county legislative bodies," stated Eannace. | ||
| "We cannot stress enough how important it is that the public receives accurate, detailed information regarding this case," Carpenter concluded. "Misleading or incomplete statements are unfair to the many individuals affected by the land claim, and also are damaging to the delicate process of negotiating a settlement" | ||
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