To the Editor:

It’s time for a reality check for the Berne Town Board.

I would like to comment on the Altamont Enterprise article that appeared in the Sept. 18, 2014 edition, “Buddhist retreat center and hilltop views sold to Berne.”

The Tenzin Gyatso Institute, an international Tibetan Buddhist organization with noble ideals and goals, has locations throughout the world, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

In 2004, the Tenzin Gyatso Institute purchased 358 acres of property in the town of Berne on a very steep hill at the end of Game Farm Road calling it The Center for Wisdom and Compassion, with intentions of using the property to expand the organization’s presence on the east coast.

However, after 10 years’ time and after drilling a half-dozen or more dry wells, the Tenzin Gyatso Institute realized that, without an adequate water supply, the property could not sustain the type of expansion they had envisioned. It was decided to sell the property. Another Buddhist organization, apparently after doing its homework and possessing great wisdom, declined to purchase the property when offered.

When I first learned that the town of Berne was in the process of purchasing the property on Game Farm Road, I was surprised and puzzled. My immediate thought was: Why?

Per the Enterprise article, the reasons for the purchase as stated by Berne Supervisor Kevin Crosier, “that the land could be used for cross country skiing, employment of local residents and as a source of revenue for hosting weddings, conferences or camps.”

These reasons are weak at best. The town of Berne should not be competing with taxpaying businesses currently providing similar services. And Berne residents should not be burdened with purchasing additional lands or facilities to provide jobs or hold weddings or conferences or camps or land to cross-country ski on beyond those currently owned and maintained by the town.

Maple Inn on the Lake is owned and operated by a local family employing local residents, and that business is able to provide for weddings and conferences. If you stand in the center of Berne and throw a cow pie in any direction, it more likely than not will land within thousands of acres of state owned forest or many natural areas and preserves owned and maintained by the town of Berne.

To name a few, the Berne Town Park, the Fox Creek Park, the Kenrose Preserve, the Switzkill Natural Area, Cole Hill Forest, Partridge Run Wildlife Management area and just minutes away are John Boyd Thacher State Park, Thompson Lake State Park, and the nearby Nature Center. All of these public lands afford multiple uses for outdoor activities such as hunting, trapping, fishing, bird watching, trail hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobile riding, horseback riding and meditation.

The Sept. 18 article noted that half of the final sale price of $475,000 will come from the Open Space Institute, $125,000 from the Albany County Capital Resource Corporation with the town of Berne paying $112,500 plus closing costs.

What I find interesting is that this piece of property has found funding from two sources, entities, whose goals seem to be in conflict with one another.

On the one hand, the Open Space Institute, affiliated with the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, does not favor habitat disturbance via land development and is dedicated to preserving land for community benefit as well as for animals and birds and native flora and keeping forestland intact. It has placed restrictions and easements — terms and conditions — on this land, the details of which are unknown and have yet to be divulged or explained.

On the other hand is the Albany County CRC; its stated purpose is to stimulate job growth and create or invest in economic development (with taxpayers’ funds), which may include land development and habitat destruction. What is the CRC’s interest in this property and how will its employment goals and return on New York State taxpayers $125,000 investment be achieved?

Per the article, Supervisor Crosier said, “At one time years ago the town had the opportunity to purchase property on Warners Lake but did not pursue it.” His statement infers that somehow the town was harmed or suffered by not purchasing that property. A previous lost opportunity years ago shouldn't be the rationale or impetus to purchase unneeded duplicate high-maintenance property now.

The Enterprise article stated that board member Joe Golden “was not a fan of the process when the town does not follow every step.” He did not elaborate further or enunciate which steps were omitted, but the fact that the customary process wasn't followed is troubling.

It seems as if the town board members were rushed or urged into voting for the purchase without proper time to evaluate the matter. Sort of like how the NY SAFE [New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement] Act was smuggled through the legislature in the dead of night.

I spoke with Supervisor Crosier regarding the purchase of the property on Game Farm Road. It was his opinion that the purchase price that the town paid for the land was a good thing. Maybe, maybe not.

I told him not one person with whom I spoke about the purchase was in favor of it, as each thought that the town already owned enough lands and that the property should be returned to the tax rolls via private ownership. Kevin countered that everyone he spoke with about the purchase was in favor of it.

I respect his opinion; however, I don't share his view or enthusiasm for the Game Farm Road purchase. Despite the happy spin put on this purchase by supervisor Crosier, I cannot see the need or justification for the town to buy property and buildings not essential to town business. In my opinion, the Game Farm Road property is a white elephant.

At the very least, the town board should have asked Berne residents for input and weighed the pros and cons of ownership before committing funds for this purchase.

The monies spent on the Game Farm Road property would have been better spent on completing the town-park pavilion, making needed repairs and improvements to long neglected town-owned property, building a salt shed for the town garage and upgrading and enlarging that aging facility — built in a bygone era — when dump trucks and similar equipment were smaller; the building is not capable of safely working on larger modern dump trucks and other equipment attached.

Robert Motschmann

Berne

Corrected on Feb. 12, 2015: One of three sources of funding for the purchase was misidentified. The Albany County Capital Resource Corporation — a branch of the Albany County Industrial Development Agency, a public authority, that shares the same board members but is legally distinct — is funding the purchase, along with the town and the not-for-profit Open Space Institute.