Croton's Joel Gingold responds to a
recent letter on the Hitachi microgrid project from Trustee Brian Pugh; also in
The Gazette. Printed here with permission of Mr. Gingold.
February 18, 2017 - To the Editor,
Alas, Trustee Brian Pugh’s memory is failing. How else to explain his letter decrying the failure of the village to pursue the Hitachi microgrid project; a project evaluated extensively by the village’s Sustainability Committee. I serve on that committee and Mr. Pugh is the board’s liaison to it.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember the committee’s conclusion, with which he concurred, that while the concept has merit, the specific Hitachi proposal was not in the best interest of the village. That conclusion was presented to the full board.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember that the proposed microgrid included not only the village, but also the school district, the library, Shoprite, and the service station across from Shoprite. Despite outreach from the committee, none of these other organizations expressed significant interest in the project. Since village facilities represented only about 11% of the project, there could be no microgrid without the participation of the others.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember that Hitachi delayed providing vital information to the committee to allow it to reach a final conclusion until long after the deadline for the $1 million grant had passed.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember that, when these data were finally received, the committee unanimously concluded that the project would not deliver the promised benefits to the village. There were even those on the committee who felt that the proposal was designed more to benefit Hitachi than the village. And, of course, Mr. Pugh, himself, participated in these discussions.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember the presentation Con Edison made to the board describing the hardening of the local electrical grid to forestall future power outages and the designation of Croton as one of the first communities to which power would be restored if it were to be lost.
And, in another area, Mr. Pugh still can’t seem to remember that he owes the taxpayers of Croton an explanation of why his estimates of the costs and revenues of the Gouveia property are so very, very far from what we have experienced.
Or could it be that Mr. Pugh really does remember all of these things, but he is presenting Alternative Facts and Fake News in order to advance his political agenda.
Sincerely, Joel E. Gingold
February 18, 2017 - To the Editor,
Alas, Trustee Brian Pugh’s memory is failing. How else to explain his letter decrying the failure of the village to pursue the Hitachi microgrid project; a project evaluated extensively by the village’s Sustainability Committee. I serve on that committee and Mr. Pugh is the board’s liaison to it.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember the committee’s conclusion, with which he concurred, that while the concept has merit, the specific Hitachi proposal was not in the best interest of the village. That conclusion was presented to the full board.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember that the proposed microgrid included not only the village, but also the school district, the library, Shoprite, and the service station across from Shoprite. Despite outreach from the committee, none of these other organizations expressed significant interest in the project. Since village facilities represented only about 11% of the project, there could be no microgrid without the participation of the others.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember that Hitachi delayed providing vital information to the committee to allow it to reach a final conclusion until long after the deadline for the $1 million grant had passed.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember that, when these data were finally received, the committee unanimously concluded that the project would not deliver the promised benefits to the village. There were even those on the committee who felt that the proposal was designed more to benefit Hitachi than the village. And, of course, Mr. Pugh, himself, participated in these discussions.
Mr. Pugh can’t seem to remember the presentation Con Edison made to the board describing the hardening of the local electrical grid to forestall future power outages and the designation of Croton as one of the first communities to which power would be restored if it were to be lost.
And, in another area, Mr. Pugh still can’t seem to remember that he owes the taxpayers of Croton an explanation of why his estimates of the costs and revenues of the Gouveia property are so very, very far from what we have experienced.
Or could it be that Mr. Pugh really does remember all of these things, but he is presenting Alternative Facts and Fake News in order to advance his political agenda.
Sincerely, Joel E. Gingold
Those of us who follow this were kind of surprised. I wasn't ever since he never corrected his claim that 18% of Croton residents live in poverty from his letter in the local paper https://www.facebook.com/crotonunited/photos/pb.315297801960591.-2207520000.1481530531./703818263108541/?type=3&theater
ReplyDeleteYes, fake news abounds. It's not just inthe Daily News and NY Times
ReplyDeleteThank you Joel.
ReplyDeleteLinda
SPEND SPEND SPEND
ReplyDeleteSame team that grossly underestimated Gouveia costs.
ReplyDeleteYep
ReplyDelete