Councilmember Robert Leary proposed a resolution at Monday evening’s town board meeting to appoint Andrew Streit to the position of Lancaster Industrial Development Agency (LIDA) member, to replace Shannon McNichol, appointment effective immediately.

At the premeeting work session when the resolutions were being reviewed Councilmember Dave Mazur requested resolution sponsor Leary explain the reason for the resolution. Leary answered the Ms. Mc Nichol has missed the last four LIDA meetings and that the LIDA attorney told the board they needed to fill that seat. Leary is also a LIDA member. “We went out and got some applications from people interested in serving on the board and Mr. Streit came forward with some good recommendations, so I am moving forward with this proposed recommendation.”

Supervisor Ronald Ruffino interjected that the town had a process where job openings go on the town’s website advertising the position openings. “That was never done,” said Ruffino.
(Comment – I don’t ever remember LIDA positions advertised on the Town website. They are two separate entities,)

Councilmember Mazur declared he wanted to hear what Ms. McNichol had to say.

Lynn Ruda, Village of Lancaster Mayor, and LIDA member addressed the board at the public comment session on Leary’s resolution proposal and requested the board consider keeping Shannon McNichol on the LIDA board as there was a member who also missed four meetings the previous year and was not replaced.

Ruda: “It is my understanding no one reached out to Shannon to see why she missed the meetings and led to this resolution. I believe she is an incredible advocate for our community. A strong female business owner with a successful business. As the Mayor of the Village of Lancaster I see 15-20 females who own their own businesses and I think that is an important voice to have at the table. She was appointed two years in a row, and I would ask you allow her to continue serving on LIDA.

Shannon McNichol: Personal circumstances kept me from attending the last few meetings. I am committed to the last nine meetings of the year.

Councilmember Leary to McNichol: Would you answer a question for me. Did you say that no one questioned you on where you were or why you missed the last four LIDA meetings (December through March).

McNichol: No, no one from the town board.

Leary: No, not the town board, from LIDA?

McNichol: No, Kevin Lemaster (LIDA Chair) left me one voice mail. February or March. I have to check.

Leary: And no one from the town board reached out to her? (Addressing the town board members)

Councilmember Adam Dickman: I spoke with Shannon last week when I knew this was coming up. That was the first and only time.

Kevin Lemaster (LIDA Chair): I have on my phone that on January 18, at 1:30, I sent her an email. Prior to that in January I called. I sent text messages to all the members on the board what time and dates we are supposed to meet, I left messages on her phone, and at no time did I get a response. You only call so many times before harassment kicks in.

Leary interjected and added that McNichol is not currently on the LIDA board as she never took the oath of office – and that has to be done in 30 days. That’s State Law.”

Resolution Vote

After Leary read his resolution proposal, a motion for second was called for, and none was given. Member Mazur requested the resolution be tabled until the next meeting declaring he believes it important to have another woman’s voice on LIDA. “I would like to hear from Ms. McNichol, maybe in writing, the reasons why she missed the last four meetings. Especially when we had someone on LIDA last year miss four meetings as well.” *

Supervisor Ruffino questioned whether the resolution should be tabled when the board is deciding whether to let her go. Leary interjected adding especially when she did not take the oath of office and is not currently on the LIDA board. Ruffino interjected that was only a technicality and that was not held fast in the past when many oaths of office pledges came in late - after 30 days. (Seriously? Just a ‘technicality’.)

Ruffino advocated for McNichol stating she came before the board and restated her commitment, is a small-time business owner and was the type of person he wanted to see on the LIDA. Leary interjected that he thought that ironic since he would not put the Mayors of the Villages Depew and Lancaster on LIDA when he had the opportunity. “We were warned by LIDA Attorney Zanner to move forward on filling a seat that was vacant for four consecutive meetings and that’s what we are doing. If no one seconds this we are going to have to come up with someone else.”

Leary again called for a second and received none. Councilmember Dickman declared he had heard so many different things since 5:30 pm he would like to see the resolution tabled for further review – until he did further research to determine what was true and not, and to be fair. Councilmember Burkard agreed declaring it was the only fair thing to do. Leary said he would table the resolution until the next scheduled board meeting.

Comment

*I believe the LIDA member who missed four meetings last year had a serious heart issue and wound-up having by-pass surgery. Apples to oranges. And Ms. Ruda is using that as precedent and analogous to McNichol’s missing three meetings for ‘personal issues’ and missing one while on vacation. Hope to hear from last year’s LIDA member on how he feels being used as an absent precedent, daring to miss meetings because of a serious illness.

This is becoming extremely important issue for LIDA’s future as the Agency could really be in a bind in having only six members when projects are up for vote and where there appears to be a difference of opinion on which direction this board chooses to take regarding project eligibility for IDA approval and distribution of taxpayer funded exemptions. LIDA Chair Lemaster is of the mind that IDA approvals should be based on merit, job creation, and what is in the best interest of the community.

Mayor Ruda who sits on the LIDA Governance Committee, along with Lemaster and Leary is attempting to dilute the long-standing LIDA mission of assisting industrial and commerce projects in bringing revenue and job growth into the municipality, in the best interest of the taxpayers. Ruda’s redefining ‘Industrial Development’ to ‘Economic Development’ is quite a stretch. Two-thirds of American families voice living paycheck-to-paycheck and should be held harmless from handing out corporate welfare in the guise that all economic development is open for eligibility and public subsidy.