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General News: Sisters Protest Con Ed Memorial
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| Pat (l) and Mary (r) Donahue at Monday's meeting. |
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| A drawing of Con Edison's plan for Storm King Mountain. |
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| Mayor Michael Donahue's memorial stone at the riverfront. |
April 14, 2009
Con Edison may have dropped its bid to build a power plant on Storm King Mountain thirty years ago, but the divisions it caused among residents of Cornwall-on-Hudson surfaced again at the village work session on Monday night. Two local residents with strong ties to that conflict spoke out against a decision by Mayor Gross to build a monument honoring the struggle against Con Ed and the Mayor defended the need to do just that. (Read about the planned new memorial here.)
The story began in the early 1960s, when Con Edison came to the village with a plan to build a hydro-electic plant at the base of the mountain. In return for access, the power company pledged to build a state-of-the-art water filter plant and help the village water department tap into the New York City aqueduct.
Con Edison followed through on its pledge and began tearing down the homes and businesses that remained on Cornwall Landing, at the foot of Dock Hill Road. Meanwhile, a group of local residents, led by Stephen and Beatrice Duggan, sued to protect the natural beauty of Storm King and when they won, set a legal precedent that many believe was the beginning of the modern-day environmental movement.
Among the proponents of Con Edison’s plan was Cornwall-on-Hudson mayor Michael Donahue, who thought the hydro-electric plant would bring prosperity to the village. He is honored today by a memorial in the park bearing his name. Donahue Memorial Park occupies a large part of the land that Con Edison took control of in the 60s and where it razed the remnants of Cornwall Landing.
On Monday, mayor Donahue’s two daughters, Pat and Mary, spoke out against the plan to place a memorial next to their father’s that would honor the battle against Con Ed. Pat Donahue told the mayor she thought the memorial would be dedicated to something “that separated people, divided communities, divided families, caused a lot of turmoil.” But, she said, if the mayor was set on creating a memorial, it “has no business” being placed next to her father’s.
The mayor replied that he knows the battle against Con Edison was divisive because he used to argue about it with his father at the dinner table. Still, he called it the most significant event in Cornwall-on-Hudson in the past 100 years and said that it deserved to be part of the June 7th Hudson-Fulton celebration at the riverfront. He said that he has some words to inscribe on the memorial that have been written by Scenic Hudson, the environmental group that arose from the fight against Con Ed, and that he would seek input from the trustees and the public on the text.
Mary Donahue said she would not debate the value of the monument, but she was unhappy with how the decision was made. As a member of the Riverfront Revitalization Committee, which was created to oversee any improvements at the waterfront, she knew nothing of the plan and she noted that at nine public meetings no one had ever mentioned building a monument like this. She also said she would rather see the monument at the end of Bay View Avenue, nearer the base of Storm King Mountain.
Her sister, Pat, also said she was dead-set against the putting the new monument at the riverfront. “If it’s going to be there, then I have to tell you, I’m going to fight you tooth and nail,” she vowed.
Comments:
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The debate "to do or not to do" aside- who is paying for this memorial? I don't wee how we can justify spending any funds on a memorial when we can't get the docks installed safely prior to Memorial Day, if at all, year after year. I think we should take care of what we have before adding to what is at the river front. Am I wrong?
posted by Diane Parodi on 04/15/09 at 1:47 PM
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No, you are not wrong Diane. I think this might be the most unneeded thing I've heard of in a while. How about we spend a few dollars on some signs asking people to clean up after their dogs and start giving fines. It's a problem every day walking on the sidewalks thru the village and town. Elizabeth Vomero
posted by Elizabeth Vomero on 04/15/09 at 3:25 PM
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Time for a Boston Tea Party Patrick Henry
posted by Edward Flynn on 04/15/09 at 7:50 PM
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I'm not sure why the editor has chosen to omit the comments I made at Monday's meeting regarding this issue, but as a result the full context of the discussion has not been reported to the public. Although I sympathize and find credence with Mary Donahue's criticism of the inadequate communication prior to placing this monument adjacent to Mayor Donahue's memorial stone (through a lapse out of Mayor Gross' control), I strongly disagree that its symmetrical placement at the site is improper. As this article currently reads, it is an incitement against any meaningful discussion of our village's shared history. That is the opposite of the significance and intent of this historic marker.
As far as cost to the village is concerned, apart from a couple of DPW man-hours and some gas, the amount is $0. Donations for the inscription have been made, and we look forward to a dedication on Hudson River Day. New pilings for newly constructed dock segments, which were taken out by winter storms, will be in place way before Memorial Day, Diane.
Finally, as a dog owner who always cleans up after our dog, and as a homeowner on Hudson St., where 'presents' from other dogs litter our sidewalk and lawn, I share the frustration over people who are either inconsiderate, or just 'checked-out' . Residents need to call our police chief, Charlie Williams, and tell him how you feel. If enough people do, the tickets will follow.
Sincerely,
Rick Gioia
posted by Rick Gioia on 04/15/09 at 11:17 PM
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I want to start by stating that I fully respect the editors decision to remove anonymous postings to this site. Therefore this will be my last posting.
It appears that my question had not been fully answered but acknowledged by many others. There was, once again, no public process to determine a fitting memorial. I do believe that we should have a commemoration of some sort for the Hudson - Fulton Champlain 400th Celebration and tying it to the defeat of Con Edisons Plans for development is a good idea... but please ensure that the public has a way to be involved. PLease Work with the community not only for the community. Over and Out - Nortrud Spero
posted by j h on 04/16/09 at 11:16 AM
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Rick -
While I take you at your word that the lack of communication to the community over this project was due to a laspe out of the Mayor's control, surely the decision to move ahead and act on a plan without taking the time to properly vette the project with us WAS in his and the board's control. No? So it may have delayed it. Oh well - stuff happens. This should not (in my opinion) have taken place until it had been discussed with the community and time & consideration given to ALL perspectives regarding this monument.
It seems to me that this sort of thing (while small perhaps in and of itself) chips away at and erodes the public's trust in the board and the Mayor.
Whether you agree with or disagree with the outcome of the historical event, the fact that it was part of our collective history is worthy of consideration and remembering. What the "proper" way is to do that is something the WHOLE community should have the opportunity to weigh in on though.
Respectfully submitted for your consideration.
posted by Chuck Trella on 04/16/09 at 3:29 PM
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I came to Cornwall-On-Hudson 33 years ago with my husband, born and raised in Cornwall. I wasn't here for this event. However, I take offense to celebrating the "defeat" of ConEd. I would be less offended if it were to celebrate the advent of the environmental movement or something of a positive nature and less devisive.
A better location maybe the intersection of 218 and Dock Hill Road (the newly landscaped triangle) or the entrance to Dean's Point, now the bus turn around at the foot of Storm King.
Vicki
posted by Jerry Kiernan on 04/16/09 at 6:35 PM
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