A contentious exchange took place between Council member Robert Leary and Supervisor Ronald Ruffino at Monday evening’s town board work session regarding the Lancaster Industrial Development Agency’s (LIDA) operation regarding appointment process, compensation to LIDA employees holding town positions, canceled meeting, lack of communication, etc.

While Ruffino declared the LIDA is a separate entity and has no direct ties to the town board, Leary disagreed.

What is unfortunate is that the discussion centered around the recent (January 23, 2020) LIDA Organizational Meeting. The minutes of that meeting have yet to be posted on the LIDA website; in fact the website has yet to be updated at all.

I do have a copy of the minutes of that meeting, but I am unable to post it on Speakup because of length. I will forward it to others hoping they are able to post it. It explains a lot. Hopefully, the newly appointed LIDA secretary will update the website and include the minutes from the January 23rd Organizational Meeting.

At the LIDA Organizational Meeting, Supervisor Ronald Ruffino was appointed LIDA Chair, Cynthia Maciejewski was appointed Administrative Secretary and Records Management Officer($5,000 compensation, less than the $7,500 budgeted in 2020), and Pamela Cuviello, Director of Administration & Finance for the Town of Lancaster has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Lancaster Industrial Development Agency at an annual salary of $5,000.