To the Editor:

In a letter published by The Altamont Enterprise dated Oct. 17, 2025, written by Councilman Adam Greenberg titled “Stop lying to voters, stop trying to break what we have built,” Greenberg accuses me of spreading lies and disinformation. His aggressive and personal response is disappointing, but it successfully highlights the very issue at the heart of this debate, a concerning lack of transparency and an apparent disregard for public trust.

Let me be unequivocal, the New Scotland GOP’s position is not against battery energy storage systems (BESS). We support energy independence, grid reliability, and landowner rights. Our concern is about process and siting. We believe industrial-scale projects are better suited for industrially zoned land with existing infrastructure, not residential neighborhoods where they may compromise neighboring property rights and safety.

Mr. Greenberg attempts to nationalize this local issue to distract residents from the facts. This is not about a national “playbook”; it is about New Scotland’s integrity. When a sitting councilman directs developers to his own property for a project regulated by a law he helped develop, it creates a clear appearance of a conflict of interest. N.Y. Gen. Mun. Law § 803 exists precisely to prevent even the appearance of such conflicts.

The sequence of events, participating in creating a law, being approached by developers, and then becoming the beneficiary of that same law raises legitimate questions. This is not “spreading innuendo, conspiracy theories, and disinformation”; it is a matter of public record.

Mr. Greenberg suggests taking ethical concerns to the town’s ethics board. The last ethics board meeting for which public notice was provided occurred on March 18, 2020. Since then, they’ve held no meetings, set no agendas, conducted no reviews, and the roster still lists Councilman Greenberg’s late father as a member. A board that is inactive and out of date cannot provide credible oversight, which is precisely why we need a higher standard of transparency from our elected officials.

Rather than address these process concerns, Councilman Greenberg’s letter resorts to personal attacks and boasts of the town’s accomplishments. Good governance is not just about staying under the tax cap; it is about conducting the public’s business with complete transparency.

My original request was simple. In accordance with Public Officers Law PBO § 84 et seq., make all environmental assessments, safety analyses, and communications regarding BESS projects available to the public before any approvals are granted. This is a reasonable request to ensure trust and accountability.

We deserve a government that is not only effective but also ethically transparent. I will continue to advocate for that transparency, and I encourage my fellow residents to demand nothing less.

Jess Sardella, PMP

Voorheesville

Editor’s note: Jess Sardella chairs the New Scotland Republican Committee. The town’s ethics committee meets when a complaint has been filed, triggering an investigation and response.