The Saugerties Town Board last month voted 3-2 to appoint Brandon Schiller to serve as an alternate to the town’s Planning Board despite concerns of objectivity from members of the public over statements of support for the Winston Farm development in which he publicly called opponents “radical environmentalists.”
Schiller, who retired from the Ulster County Sheriff’s Department in 2022, was confirmed for the one-year term during a meeting of the town board held on Wednesday, January 22, with council members Peg Nau, Mike Ivino and Zach Horton supporting the nomination. Supervisor Fred Costello and Councilwoman Leanne Thornton voted against.
“I truly believe that when he’s a member of the planning board as the alternate position, which is not a position that’s always used, he’ll be able to be impartial in reviewing those projects and approving or denying them off of our zoning laws,” said Ivino. “I have 100 percent faith in Brandon and his ability to serve the town on the planning board.”
Local resident Mike Martin, also supported Schiller’s appointment.
“I think it’s something that’s very beneficial,” Martin said, adding that he believed the appointment would help the Winston Farm proposal move forward. “I think this is a project that’s very beneficial to us and moving forward in the future, done correctly and done right…And I believe having Brandon on the board will also help bring that extra incentive to make sure that Saugerties continues to grow.”
Horton said he didn’t believe Schiller’s objectivity would be in question, despite the candidate’s very public support for Winston Farm, an 800-acre development plan which includes 155 single-family homes, 110 townhouses, 650 apartments and condos, a 100-cabin campground, retail space, a boutique hotel, a conference center, a performing arts venue and other professional spaces. The property was purchased for $4 million in 2020 by local developers Anthony Montano, John Mullen and Randy Richers.
As part of the interview process, we spent some time discussing, considering it is a small town, there’s going to be opportunity for board members, or committee members to be put in a position to where they may have to recuse himself or herself,” Horton said. “And Mr. Schiller in that interview noted that that would not be a problem.”
But other disagreed, not only citing concerns about Schiller’s objectivity, but also the perception of divisive comments. Some speakers [pointed to a town board meeting held on Wednesday, September 18, where Schiller criticized opponents of the Winston Farm projects, saying, “Our town is supposed to be run by elected officials, not by radical environmentalists.”
“It’s very upsetting that someone like that might be considered,” said local resident Joanne Pagano Weber. “We don’t all agree politically, but we respect each other. I wouldn’t elect someone who speaks like that. Mr. Schiller thinks that people who participate in this kind of review and criticize the fallacy they might find, which is a part of the ordinary process, are radical extremists. And I think people throw words around like radical or meant to be inflammatory and incite fear.”
Michelle Aizenstat agreed.
“I think we all have a right to expect that our board members are able to have an open mind to hear opinions that are not their own,” she said. “And I think that if you can’t do that, that’s disqualifying…And I’ve been very sort of offended and upset about the tone that Mr. Schiller took with some of his comments. We’re done with that. We don’t need to have that kind of thing here. It’s bad enough that we have it nationally.”
Timothy Scott, Jr., a member of the town’s zoning board of appeals, bristled at the idea that scrutiny of land use is “radical,” noting it was thorough review and oversight that helped uncover illegal activities by Joseph Karolys, who was cited by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for allegedly dumping contaminated debris.
“I don’t think there’s anything radical about the DEC taking action,” Scott said. “What was radical was their incompetence that we uncovered.”
In explaining his “no” vote, Costello said it was important for the planning board to be seen as an objective reviewer of projects within the context of the law, and he wasn’t sure that would happen given Schiller’s prior statements.
“The concerns that were expressed about comments that were shared on social media, I fear justified or not, undermine our board’s ability to be viewed as independent jurors as we move forward,” he said. “Especially with a project of the scale of Winston Farm.”
Schiller’s term as an alternate to the planning board expires on December 31, 2025.
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