Forestburgh TRUTH United

Economic Challenges:  

Challenging times have now fallen on Forestburgh.  The Town Board like so many residents needed to step back, analyze and assess the fallout from our economic state.  Home sales started drying up.  Resale values started plummeting and Forestburgh once again would be challenged as another page in history turned.  The concerns of our residents, the escalating taxes in which we are all now starting to feel had the Town Board, like so many other residents looking for additional sources of money in order to sustain the town that we have all come to love.  Some folks, had left to find greener pastures down South.  

Three projects had then come before the Town Board all at once, which would once again test what Forestburgh would be able to withstand.  Those projects included Double Diamonds Lost Lake, Shalom Lam's Black Creek and Shofu-Den, which they were trying to turn into a garden spa.  People packed the Town Hall to listen to all the hype and hoopla causing great concerns and distension among some.  After Black Creek and the Garden Spa at Shofu-Den ceased to come forth, we ended up with a project called Lost Lake, which is approximately 2,750 acres with the promise of additional tax dollars to our failing economy with the goal of relieving some of our tax burden.

Lost Lake purchased 2,750 acres on the northeastern part of town.  Some people screamed "Big Texan, big deal!" and stated it would do nothing to help this town.  Double Diamond's vision was far more advanced and intriguing and tied in our natural beauty, protection of our wildlife, open space, peaceful and tranquil settings; an all inclusive resort/homes, hotel, and golf course at no strain to our current town services and resident's tax burden.  The town would not be responsible for the water, sewer or road maintenance within the development.  This would all be taken care of privately by the residents within the development itself.  However, we would reap the benefits of all tax revenues from Lost Lake, along with the county and school district.  They even provided us with a future site for a firehouse or satellite station.  They also promised from the start that they would like to keep approximately 50% of the 2,750 acres as open space "FOREVER".  

The project consists of 7 phases and would be controlled by the Town Board, along with the town engineer and Building Department so that each phase is followed to letter of the approved subdivision now and in the future.  They are reimbursing the town for all inspections throughout this project.  Phase 1 has currently been approved and is under construction at the time of this writing.  Our town engineer, along with the engineers of the project are overseeing each and every aspect of the project.  Phases 2 through 7 will each need to be approved in the future, but no approval will be given unless the project is followed in its entirety as originally approved.  They also declined to take any tax breaks whatsoever.  They will pay 100% of ALL taxes which is definitely not normal throughout the rest of the county and state because as we all know, everyone in the rest of the County provide tax breaks to entice business.  

This project, which has currently come online since its inception and has afforded the town an abundance of tax revenue has now started to replenish our prior Supervisor, James Galligan's depletion of our fund balances.  Please visit http://www.lostlakeresortny.com the link to Lost Lake so you yourself can view the project.

​REEVALUATION:  

Many residents within the town, especially those with newer homes that have upgrades feel that they are grossly over-assessed, older homes are grossly under-assessed.  A reevaluation would remedy the differences between the two, update our records and create 100% equality.  Areas such as Hartwood Club, Merriewold Park, Lake Joseph and Wildwood Way have complained endlessly that we need equality.  The prior Supervisor, John Sipos tried endlessly to get this done 16 years ago to no avail and the very same people that now are pushing for this reevaluation were the very same ones who strongly opposed it and stated clearly that the town was in no position to take on such as massive undertaking.  However, the recent outcries from town residents from areas such as Hartwood, Merriewold Park, Lake Joseph and Wildwood Way who have stated they clearly would like to have some type of equalization because of the onslaught of increased taxes of astronomical proportions from the Port Jervis School District, as well as the Monticello School District helped bring the issue to the forefront once again.  

Please note a link to the town's website will afford you all the minutes from the different meetings on the reevaluation at https://forestburgh.net.

​ASTI:

A subject of "hot topic"  has been ASTI.  Let me first take a moment and clearly state this "I, Bill Sipos, NEVER said that I was for or against this project because I, like you, did not have all the facts and documentation and that they would need first to bring to the Planning Board.  Please note that at the first Town Board meeting, it was only a "presentation".  We had no documentation, no plans in front of us and they would need to fill out an application and go before our Planning Board, which they did for the FIRST TIME in May of 2015, which was the Planning Board's first meeting.   Please note that I, as Supervisor of this town could NOT comment as to whether I was for or against publicly because if I did, this could expose the town to future litigation by the applicant".  Please keep in mind that Black Creek, as well as the Gardens at Shofu-Den would have had to have gone through the same process, which they started and never completed.  I clearly stated to the organizers of the project of ASTI that they would never get this project off the ground with the shooting range and motocross track.  They were insistent upon moving forward.  This is what the Planning Board's job is to do.  However, this application is not only tabled, but has created a type of division among Merriewold Park, Hartwood, Wildwood Way and Lake Joseph's homeowners associations in which Richard Robbins then founded a group called "Forestburgh United".  As in the beginning is almost done now in the end ASTI's plans were flawed with improprieties and the Planning Board is weeding them out.  ASTI has reached out to me and clearly stated they will no longer be moving forward with this project.  I am waiting on a letter stating such and the Planning Board is waiting for a formal withdrawal of the application.  Our Planning Board Rules and Regulations clearly state on the application itself that if an application is inactive for more than 6 months, it will be deemed abandoned, any remaining escrow funds left will be returned to the applicant and thereafter, the applicant will have to file a new application".   For more information on this, please refer to the Town's website under Planning Board application and/or minutes at https://forestburgh.net.