Dear Editor,
It’s time to correct comments made by Supervisor Ed Lachterman and Councilman Sergio Esposito about Underhill Farms at the Oct. 8 candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
When Jann Mirchandani made a comment that was critical of the overdevelopment at Underhill Farms, Supervisor Lachterman was quick to justify the project by calling the Underhill Farms property “defunct.” His clear inference was that the entire 13-acre historic site was a blight on our community and that we should appreciate the site’s revitalization. Mr. Esposito similarly said that if anyone is to blame for the current state of affairs, it's the property's former owners.
Nothing could be further from the truth. And reality.
The site was not defunct. Nor was it a blight. The property’s jewel – the Underhill House -- was in good condition and was in active use by the Soundview School until it ceased to operate.
Supervisor Lachterman's follow-up comment about “three condemned buildings” on the site was also a gross distortion of the facts. There’s a world of difference between a building simply in need of repair and a building that’s beyond salvation and needs to be demolished. To the best of my knowledge, neither the town nor the developer made any effort to determine whether any of the three other historic buildings could be repaired and saved as part of our town’s heritage.
Yorktown residents should expect more honesty from their elected officials.
-Michael Hickins, candidate for Town Board
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