The following letter appeared in this week's Cazenovia Republican. Village residents are concerned about a fence being erected at the border of their property by their neighbor - who happens to be the president of Cazenovia College. I'm sure this will spark some spirited debate.
To the Editor:Kudos to the College for realizing the value of having the first impression of potential students be the “welcoming and historic” (Mark Tierno, Cazenovia Republican, April 12) Constable Hall. Perhaps the next stop on the tour should be the fence which Mr. Tierno is presently building next to the President’s House on Sullivan Street, which will be neither.
Mr. Tierno’s motives in installing 254 feet of fencing in a historic neighborhood remain unclear. Unlike other recent college projects which have painstakingly sought to integrate themselves into the village, we have yet to ascertain how this one fits into the college’s strategic plan or how it benefits the institution, its students and alumni who are the rightful owners of the property, or the community.
The President’s House is a college structure, not a private dwelling. Of all the college buildings, it is the one most embedded in and entwined with the residential part of the village. Alterations to its exterior should therefore be treated with as much sensitivity as, if not more than, that given to other college construction projects.
Far more upsetting to us than the actual structure, though, is the manner in which we have been treated, which has been not only un-neighborly, but also unprofessional, and certainly not in a way befitting someone who professes to embrace a spirit of “town and gown.”
From the outset we have been met with deception and dishonesty, beginning in January when we were informed that the entire fence was built and waiting in a barn, that “proper village procedure” had been followed, and that there was no way to include any of our input. In fact, a survey had not even been conducted at that point (step one of “proper village procedure” and generally a precursor to any fence planning, and a village permit (step two of said procedure) was not obtained until April 17.
We are greatly disappointed with the whole situation. We have made every effort to be open-minded, explore a mutually acceptable situation (which could easily be reached with a few minor adjustments,) or at the very least understand how this project benefits anyone other than Mr. Tierno individually.
We are going to have a very hard time getting behind any future projects planned by the college which require concessions by the village, such as the proposed library expansion, knowing that this is Mr. Tierno’s style of working with the people whose cooperation he needs to accomplish the goals of the college.
Sincerely,
Kevin and Amy Mann