“He [Mr. Dempsey] stated one of the reasons discussed for purchasing the property was because in an Agricultural Zoning District in Danby Township the proposed uses for this property was for mini storage or a truck terminal. He stated we did not feel those were uses we wanted to see at the City’s front door. He stated we also felt there was no way we could control the zoning of the property because the zoning is up to Danby Township. He said, “If you want to control the outcome of the property the way to achieve it is to simply purchase it”.

First of all, the Township does not propose what to put on property, rather certain uses are allowed. And, contrary to what Mr. Dempsey would like the general public to believe, the statement that the “proposed uses for this property was for mini storage or a truck terminal” are absolutely FALSE. That property was zoned Agricultural. However, the only ALLOWED uses for it would have been: Anything related to farming operations (including crop farming, greenhouses, etc.), single family homes, State licensed residential care facilities, churches, roadside stands or a public park, playground, or recreational area.

Despite what Mr. Dempsey wants you to believe, any other use would have required a special use permit and would have had to come before the Planning Commission and a public hearing. This information was, and is, readily available in our Zoning Ordinances which are on the Danby Township website (www.danbytwp.org). I find it hard to believe that an educated lawyer would not have even attempted to obtain this information. After all, I am only a high school graduate and I found the information on my own. Obviously, he either didn’t attempt to obtain the correct information or he purposely misrepresented the facts. Either way, should a man like that be in a position of managing ANY city let alone Portland? I guess that is a question better put to the City residents and not me.

Ask yourself a couple questions. And be honest. Would the Mayor have answered Mr. Frazee like this, if there were other people or a reporter present? Did Mr. Frazee deserve an honest and open answer, the same as every resident of Portland deserves when they ask an elected official who represents him? Was Mr. Frazee’s question somehow out-of-line or insulting?

Why does the Mayor refuse to answer his questions?

Or, does the Mayor now understand just how poor a decision it was to gamble with $1.2 million dollars of taxpayer money? Maybe he just doesn’t want to admit to the public what the consequences might be if the detachment is successful.