Sturgeon Point Marina Restaurant Concessions Contract

Many years ago, a few town residents met with town officials to discuss the budget. When questioned about a $38 line item, the town accountant slipped and admitted it was a slush fund! Major Bob Doering  (Ret) and a town councilman almost came to blows over this $38. Doering served as the ethics officer at the US Treasury. The “discussion” was not about the amount of $38 but right and wrong. After almost two decades, town officials still spend taxpayer money improperly. While an audit of the nearly $100,000,000 water project would be interesting, today’s topic is the Sturgeon Point Marina Restaurant Contract. For two decades, our town’s elected officials, without exception, have voted to approve one-bid contracts for less rent than the cost of taxpayer-paid electricity, water, labor to clean the bathroom, paper & consumables products for the bathroom, labor to maintain the office, and labor to make repairs to the building as needed. (Read the post at https://evansny.news/marina-restaurant-2023-rent-5300-free-electric-6330)

Historically, when residents get upset, our elected officials like to play the “we did not know” card. To combat this argument, I always write a letter addressing my concerns and then take my letter to the town hall, where I ask the town clerk to date stamp it. ( I print three copies and keep two stamped copies.)

In 2023, Evans Taxpayers spent more on electricity than the town received in rent from the marina restaurant. If the restaurant were leased for $1 a year and required the vendor to pay the costs now paid by taxpayers, the town would have more money to spend on dredging or improving neighborhood parks. (Letter in PDF Format) In the letter below, I ask officials to look into whether this contract is a gift of taxpayer money, which is a violation of state law.

As things never change in Evans, I bet you a hot dog that taxpayers will continue to lose money on the new three-year contract!