When Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed two bills, eliminating 28 local public authorities and 95 urban renewal and industrial development agencies, late last week, the Village of Webster Urban Renewal Agency was on the list.
Cuomo said in a statement that the eliminated entities are inactive or no longer needed.
Peter Elder, Mayor of the Village of Webster, said the village received notification of the plan “some time ago.”
“I had asked then that we do a little research on the ‘Village of Webster Urban Renewal Agency’,” Elder said, “(And) it appears that it was most active in the early 1970s and was formed largely to facilitate the initial construction of Phillips Village.”
It would appear that there have been no meetings of the (Webster) agency in at least 30 years, Elder added.
"Given that these authorities and agencies no longer serve the public interest, it only makes sense to do away with them for good,” Cuomo said.
Two state bills (A. 10288-A / S.5198-D and A. 8823-A / S. 5227-B) repeal the statutory authorization for another 94 urban renewal and industrial agencies and 28 local public authorities. Like in Webster, the affected agencies and authorities have no outstanding debt or other obligations.
The law transfers the eliminated entities' remaining books, records, and rights to the municipality where each is located.
“Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the ‘rest of the story’ on this is that the powers of the agency, upon its dissolution, revert back to the governing board — (in this case) the Webster Village Board,” Elder said.
Both laws that eliminate the entities take effect in 60 days.
In the greater Rochester region, other entities being eliminated include the urban renewal agencies in the villages of East Rochester, Hilton and Geneseo. Also being eliminated are the Village of Penn Yan Renewal Agency, Palmyra and Newark urban renewal agencies, and the Monroe Regional Parking Authority.
When Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed two bills, eliminating 28 local public authorities and 95 urban renewal and industrial development agencies, late last week, the Village of Webster Urban Renewal Agency was on the list.
Cuomo said in a statement that the eliminated entities are inactive or no longer needed.
Peter Elder, Mayor of the Village of Webster, said the village received notification of the plan “some time ago.”
“I had asked then that we do a little research on the ‘Village of Webster Urban Renewal Agency’,” Elder said, “(And) it appears that it was most active in the early 1970s and was formed largely to facilitate the initial construction of Phillips Village.”
It would appear that there have been no meetings of the (Webster) agency in at least 30 years, Elder added.
"Given that these authorities and agencies no longer serve the public interest, it only makes sense to do away with them for good,” Cuomo said.
Two state bills (A. 10288-A / S.5198-D and A. 8823-A / S. 5227-B) repeal the statutory authorization for another 94 urban renewal and industrial agencies and 28 local public authorities. Like in Webster, the affected agencies and authorities have no outstanding debt or other obligations.
The law transfers the eliminated entities' remaining books, records, and rights to the municipality where each is located.
“Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the ‘rest of the story’ on this is that the powers of the agency, upon its dissolution, revert back to the governing board — (in this case) the Webster Village Board,” Elder said.
Both laws that eliminate the entities take effect in 60 days.
In the greater Rochester region, other entities being eliminated include the urban renewal agencies in the villages of East Rochester, Hilton and Geneseo. Also being eliminated are the Village of Penn Yan Renewal Agency, Palmyra and Newark urban renewal agencies, and the Monroe Regional Parking Authority.
