Correspondence:

A resident of Brookville who supports our efforts shared a copy of the complaint that he filed with the NYS government:

 

July 19, 2024

New York State Commission on Ethics in Government
540 Broadway, Albany, New York 12207

Dear Members of the New York State Commission on Ethics in Government,

I am writing to formally file a complaint against State Senator Jack Martins for his involvement as private counsel for the developer of the Tam O’ Shanter property in the Village of Brookville. As a resident of Brookville, I believe that Senator Martins’ actions represent a significant conflict of interest and raise serious ethical concerns.

The Village of Brookville’s Town Hall Meeting on March 26 revealed that Senator Martins is representing Titan LLC/Sigme TAM LLC, the developers of the Tam O’Shanter property, in their efforts to subdivide the 148.82-acre golf course into 27 single-family homes. This development requires extensive soil remediation due to elevated arsenic levels, which will involve the removal and replacement of 135,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. This process will necessitate approximately 11,000 dump trucks entering and exiting our village, resulting in noise, pollution, and potential damage to village roads.

Senator Martins’ role as private counsel for the developer while serving as a State Senator for our district poses a clear conflict of interest. His dual responsibilities create a situation where his professional obligations to his private client conflict with his duty to represent the best interests of his constituents. This situation undermines public trust in our elected officials and raises questions about the integrity of the decision-making process regarding the Tam O’Shanter property.

During the Town Hall meeting, residents, including myself, expressed significant concerns about the health risks associated with the proposed soil remediation methods and the overall impact on our community. Despite these concerns, Senator Martins presented two remediation options on behalf of the developer, which many residents found inadequate and potentially harmful.

Furthermore, Senator Martins’ justification that being a state legislator is a part-time job does not alleviate the ethical concerns surrounding his dual roles. It is essential that our elected officials maintain a clear separation between their public duties and private interests to ensure that their decisions are made impartially and in the best interest of the public.

The developer, Efrem Gerszberg, also has a history of legal disputes with other villages over similar development projects. This history heightens our concerns about the potential negative outcomes of the Tam O’Shanter project and underscores the need for impartial and ethical oversight.

I respectfully request that the New York State Commission on Ethics in Government thoroughly investigate this matter to determine whether Senator Martins’ actions violate any ethical guidelines or conflict-of-interest regulations. It is crucial that our elected officials adhere to the highest standards of integrity and transparency to maintain public trust and ensure that their actions serve the best interests of their constituents.

Enclosed is a copy of a local newspaper story that reported the events that happened at the meeting.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

(name redacted for privacy)

Resident of Brookville