Questions surround Greenwood Lake mayor's affiliation with Tuxedo casino project
TUXEDO — On a warm evening in late July, Greenwood Lake Mayor Jesse Dwyer stood with young men and women welcoming people to a public hearing on the environmental review process for Sterling Forest Resort, the casino proposed by Genting Americas.
The group handed out stickers supporting the project. The men and women, several of whom were from Greenwood Lake, later spoke up at the hearing.
As mayor, Dwyer’s show of support was a given; elected officials in Tuxedo and the neighboring areas support the project. But his presence raised some eyebrows, because Dwyer’s public relations firm, Red Pillar Consulting, has been hired by Genting.
“We know that Greenwood Lake Mayor Jesse Dwyer has been retained by Genting for public relations,” said Rodger Friedman, co-chair of Sterling Forest Partnership and a critic of the casino project, who was responding by email to an article in the Record about the public hearing. “Therefore we suspect that the GWL contingent may have been purchased, although the article represents them as concerned citizens.”
Dwyer disclosed his association with Genting soon after his firm was hired in the spring, and has recused himself from any vote relating to the casino. Greenwood Lake has strong ties with neighboring Tuxedo but is not an approving authority for the project.
Dwyer dismissed suggestions that support from his village had been purchased by Genting.
“There is a natural enthusiasm for this project in Greenwood Lake, with or without my help,” he said, noting that residents were excited about the prospect of jobs, economic development and the construction of Exit 15B on the Thruway.
Russ Haven, a legislative counsel at the New York Public Interest Research Group, described the criticism of Dwyer as “rumor or innuendo.”
Haven suggested that Dwyer reach out to an ethics commission in the area for suggestions on how he might avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest if some people were concerned.
The Ultra-Orthodox community is frequently disappointing in their positions!
Ultra-Orthodox leaders reject anti-casino stand
Rabbi Caller doesn't 'represent our communities'
THOMPSON — Ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders in Sullivan County have renounced a letter from another member of that community opposing a proposed casino. The move comes after Town of Thompson Supervisor Bill Rieber called on those leaders to repudiate Rabbi Nachman Caller's letter to the state and support casinos.
Last month, Caller blasted the proposed Empire Resorts/EPR Properties casino at the old Concord resort in a letter to the board that will choose up to two casinos in the Hudson Valley/Catskills. He told the Gaming Facility Location Board that he represents more than 400,000 summer visitors.
"Such a casino would be an affront to our communities' sensitivities, and devastate the environment for our communities, summer camps and children, most of which are located within the immediate vicinity of the Concord," Caller wrote.
That brought an immediate response from Rieber, who called on the rest of the county's Orthodox summer leaders to counter Caller's letter, or else.
"The gloves are off," he wrote. "Anything less than a strong and very public statement from the Orthodox community leaders denouncing this unorthodox letter will be construed by us as total support of the content and Rabbi himself. Twenty-years plus of relationship building will be for naught. Game over."
The leaders of the community didn't exactly come out and endorse casinos, as Rieber wanted.
"We are not religiously permitted to support (casinos)," seven leaders wrote. "(But) we are not fighting such activities."
They did repudiate Caller.
"Mr. Nachman Caller is not an attorney or spokesman for our community." they wrote. "He does not work for us, nor does he speak or write on our behalf. He does not represent our communities."
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