The Town of Lewiston Ethics Committee has found that no conflicts of interest have occurred between town Planning Board Chair William Burg and the in-development President’s Park complex.
In a letter from committee chair Suzanne Pardee read before the Lewiston Town Board this week, the ethics committee held two meetings, on Aug. 18 and once on Sept. 17, with town attorney Alfonso Bax and one of the involved parties, to go over the provided information. In both instances, all the committee members in attendance, five for the August meeting and four for September, unanimously voted that no conflicts of interest occurred.
“After hearing more specifics regarding the complaint and important details regarding discussions among the parties, the committee members (excluding Mr. Bax) voted unanimously that, while an appearance of a conflict can be argued, that no actual conflict of interest has occurred in this manner,” the letter reads about the committee’s September meeting.
Burg has been on the town planning board since 2016, with his current term lasting through Dec. 31, 2029. He also operates the building supply company Greater Niagara Building Center in Niagara Falls, which he started in 2012.
President’s Park, a proposed 210-unit apartment complex for Washington Drive, has faced plenty of local opposition throughout its development and approval process. Neighbors have complained about increased traffic and sewer flows and whether these purported market-rate units would eventually become affordable housing. The 3F Club has also complained about their hunting grounds running against the project’s property line, which would limit the amount of usable land.
Clay Miller, a Creek Road resident and founder of a group called STOPP (Stop President’s Park), submitted the original complaint over the summer. The stated reasoning behind the complaint was that, as the owner of a building company, Burg could potentially profit from the President’s Park development.
Miller also said back then that state law is about perceived conflict of interest, regardless of what Burg has done in the past.
Burg maintained he has not solicited business on any new developments that come before the planning board.
The committee had also recommended that the town develop and distribute guidelines to all of its citizen advisory committees to avoid any potential issues in the future. Those would include information about committee members immediately disclosing any actual or potential conflicts of interest on issues in which they might be involved, committee members refraining from any public comments on issues under their review outside of their official proceedings, and committee members refraining from comments on political issues or individuals.