Saugerties board rejects casino - unanimously

By Hallie Arnold , Freeman staff Daily Freeman June 9, 2005

SAUGERTIES - A crowd at Wednesday night's meeting of the Saugerties Town Board erupted into wild applause and cheers after the board voted unanimously to oppose plans for a casino resort on the Winston Farm.
"It sends a very positive message (to the state and the tribe)," said town Supervisor Greg Helsmoortel. "Four-one is still a majority, but I'm really happy we got a five-zero. It's much stronger."
Helsmoortel, with village Mayor Robert Yerick, were the first publicly opposed the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma's casino proposal in a public access television interview two weeks ago.
The Saugerties Village Board voted unanimously against the casino proposal on Monday.
Prior to the Town Board's unanimous vote, about 20 local residents addressed Helsmoortel and board members, each urging them to reject the tribe's proposal.
"The economic, social, pathological, as well as the moral cons of the casino are, in my judgment, a lose-lose situation for this community," said Matt Ostoyich. "We would have no guaranteed tax base. But it would have a significant impact on our businesses ... as well as on traffic for most of us, on the educational system, which would be strained to the limit, and would force our taxes to rise substantially and most likely, our property values to fall."
That the board voted unanimously against the casino was clearly a relief to many in the audience, as several speakers said it would send a much stronger message to the county, the state, and the federal government if the board spoke with one voice rather than being divided.
Councilman Phil Tucker said he was still undecided before Wednesday's meeting, and had wanted more time to make a measured decision rather than a "knee-jerk reaction" to the proposal. However, he said, a legal expert in Indian casinos told the board before the meeting that it would take years for the proposal to come to fruition, which he said gives him time to do his own research.
Tucker also said he felt a vote in opposition would best represent his constituents.
"I will not hold the board up," Tucker told the crowd. "I will make this a unanimous vote."
Several speakers suggested alternate uses for the 840-acre Winston Farm, the site of the Woodstock '94 concert, at state Routes 212 and 32. They included a 55-and-older housing community, a concert bandshell, and an interactive museum for agriculture.
Hommelville Road resident Janet Felton presented the board with anti-casino petitions she said were signed by 1,000 local residents, and said there would be more to come.
Helsmoortel said town and village opposition may not be enough to stop the plans to build a casino in Saugerties.
"But we're going to fight very strongly, and make our wishes known," he said. "We've had assurances from Assemblyman (Dan) Hooker and Senator (John) Bonacic that they're going to protect our home rule as much as they can."
Some speakers at Wednesday's meeting who attended an anti-casino lobbying event in Albany this week said they found state lawmakers' support of home rule encouraging. State legislation now pending would require a county compact prior to the state Legislature approving any Indian casinos in the Catskills, but the legislation has not been formally introduced, so the issue of home rule has not yet been settled.
Helsmoortel said he's concerned more about developer Thomas Wilmot going forward with the proposal over local objection than the Seneca-Cayugas, because Wilmot has more money in the deal and may well be looking for other tribes with which to align.
Saugerties has joined the growing rank of Ulster County communities that have come out against casino gambling: New Paltz, Woodstock, Shandaken, Marbletown, Gardiner, and the village of Saugerties.
Tonight, the county Legislature will consider two casino resolutions: one calling for home rule to dictate the county's negotiations with any Indian tribes looking to build a casino within county boundaries, and a second specifically opposing the Winston Farm proposal based on the Saugerties board votes.

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