On March 13

On March 13, 2008, The Hartford, Ryan Companies and Oneida County Industrial Development Agency signed a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement (PILOT) for fifteen (15) years ending on the last day of February 2023. However, the agreement was written so as to be back-dated to March 1, 2008 in order to qualify for the exemption on the 2008 assessment roll.

Concerned Citizens FOILed a copy of the PILOT agreement and at first we were told that none exists. We filed a FOIL appeal and suddenly Town Attorney Green "found" a copy. We are making available the copy we were given by the town clerk who said she received it from the Town Attorney.

As is our right under the Freedom of Information Law, we have asked the town clerk to have Attorney Gerald Green certify that the agreement we have received and posted is the actual agreement that is currently in place. We will post his certification as soon as it is received.

UPDATE: We did receive a certification from Town Attorney Gerald Green regarding the PILOT agreement that he provided to us in answer to our FOIL request. However, Attorney Green's certification says:

This is to certify that the executed Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Tax Agreement provided the Town Clerk with my email dated September 10, 2008 is the only such signed agreement of which I have knowledge. I have no knowledge of its status.

That should give everyone a good feeling...the Town Attorney does not know the status of an agreement that he provided to us.

Copies of the documents are as follows:

The Payment-In-Lieu- of-Tax Agreement

The Leaseback Agreement

The Prime Lease Agreement

The Guaranty, Job Creation, Job Retention and Recapture Agreement Agreement