By: Jonpaul D'Agostino
LEROY, N.Y.--The LeRoy town board met Thursday night. Led by Town Supervisor James Farnholz, they discussed multiple topics, including a farmers grant and approving a grant for Water Municipal 12 in July worth $5 million.
The grant for Water Municipal 12 was the first topic of discussion for the town board. The Water Infrastructure Improvement grant helps towns with critical wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects, per the NYS website.
“It's a New York State Program about water infrastructure that supports communities in getting municipal water to outlying areas,” LeRoy Town Supervisor James Farnholz said. “We've received 5 million which is the maximum for water district 12 to bring municipal water to 385 residents.”
Farnholz set the grant, so it should take effect in July of this year. The town board discussed how other towns get easements on how they run their water, and how when LeRoy was established, they did not expect to expand water to where it is now.
The farmers grant was the second topic of discussion and the most contentious.
Director of Program Protection at Genesee Land Trust Amanda Grayson sought a letter of approval from the Town Board for a grant to local farm Udderly Better Acres owner Don Johnson. Johnson, however, is selling off that company to Boulder Farm LLC.
Grayson explained that while Johnson would get the grant money, it would be used on the land he is selling to Boulder LLC.
Grayson and Johnson remained cordial while bringing up the potential of litigation. Town Supervisor James Farnholz boldly accused them of extortion.
Grayson said that if the deal between the two farms fell through, the money would go back to the state for the next round of grants. If they didn’t get approval, it would take them another 2 years to come up and be eligible for the grant.
The original purpose of the grant was for New York City to get it, but due to the city not having farmland, the funds would get spread throughout farms across the state.
After deliberation and further explanation, it was decided that the town board would review the situation.
Farnholz said they should expect an answer around Apr. 24, 2025. If approved, they will also receive two separate tax parcels.
The next town board meeting will take place on Apr. 10, 2025.