Essex County farmer Sandy Lewis strikes a nerve
Essex farmer Sandy Lewis has been a gadfly and legal antagonist extraordinaire in the North Country for years -- and his primary target has been the Adirondack Park Agency.
He prevailed earlier this year in a protracted court fight over farm-worker housing on his property.
In the months since, Lewis continued his role as a frequent provocateur, emailing angry rants (against the APA, local journalists -- including myself -- local government officials, and pretty much any other topic) far and wide.
Most of the people who receive his communiques simply hit Delete but he seems to have finally struck a nerve.
This week, APA enforcement attorney Paul Van Cott (who handled Lewis's case) emailed the following message to Lewis using his Park Agency email account:
Mr. Lewis, you are a sociopath. Please shut up. Go out and get a shovel and work like a real person on your farm. Enjoy life and be a real farmer. You are very forunate. Realize that and get a life. Please take me off any of your further irrational tirades. Thanks and good-bye.
Ouch. After more prodding from Mr. Lewis, Mr. Van Cott followed up with this:
What the Agency does is to enforce the law based on the facts and law... You won your case. We respect the law. Go farm. I spent countless hours this past year cutting and splitting 30 face cords of wood. What have you done with your hands except to try and get the NYT to write articles to feed your ego?
As is his way, Mr. Lewis promptly emailed Mr. Van Cott's messages far and wide.
Anyone who's had dealings with Mr. Lewis knows that he can be, well, challenging. He himself acknowledges wrestling with significant mental illness.
His conversation is often laced with fairly extraordinary profanity. At the best of times, his arguments are a handful. Here's a sample from a recent email:
APA's 501(c)3 keiretsu is news. And it's transparent. They raise money from the same anonymous donors and advertise together. Want to guess re donors? We came to the Adirondacks for the protection of APA. We find APA to be malevolent and misguided. Clean sweep is needed. More may be needed. We have repetition here, more than 3x - many more .... and the 501(c)3 is engaged for the benefit of its principal. Is this criminal? Federal or state, or both? Are you asleep? We are not. Many have been damaged.
In the end, getting a rise out of public officials (and just about anyone else...) is Sandy Lewis's bread-and-butter. After months of trying, he seems to have accomplished that goal in spades.
posted by Brian Mann @ 11/11/2009 12:50:00 PM
31 Comments
31 Comments:
keiretsu? Shows that Sandy has some knowledge of Japanese language and customs.
A few years back, while I was involved with Adirondack Voices for Peace, in Saranac Lake, I learned about Sandy's efforts to take on the Feds and the State.
He does not want any government interference with privately owned lands within the "Blue Line." He tends to get self-righteously angry and let's forth with what's on his noggin'. The good, the bad and the ugly, for sure pardners.
Personally, I am very thankful that the APA and Fed play a pro-active role in regulating what goes on within this 6 million acre reserve.
By the way, I'm probably preaching to the "tree hugging" choir, but you will not find another park area of this size in any State east of the Mississippi River. It is unique and deserves protection, even on private lands.
Sandy Lewis prevailed in court and that may have served to inflame his self-righteous indignation.
The APA overreached and they should have paid his attorney's fees. How much would that have cost them?
that would have set a bad precedent for the apa in the future. Residents of the Park would be more apt to challenge apa rulings in court. That would be a good thing as the apa is a bit of a rogue agency.
Would someone please explain what he means by APA's 501(c)3?
thanks
Gromit. Flex those fingers and search: Adirondack Park Agency 501(3)c. It tells how the Adirondack Park Agency was established as a not-for-profit entity back in 1989. "501(3)c" refers to the section in tax code where rules on non-profits are found.
Anon. The APA rarely makes mistakes and their rules are generally fair and common sense. Fair, in that the rules apply to all within the Blue Line; and common sense in that they are desperately trying to protect this last, vast expanse of deciduous forest on the eastern seaboard.
In this case, the court was on the side of a private citizen. As for being on the side of common sense? Only time will tell.
Do you relieve believe that the APA is a "rogue" agency? What would be left of the woods in twenty years without the APA?
Frank Thies,
I believe you are mistaken. The APA is an agency within the executive branch of the Ny state government, and it was established in 1971. Perhaps you are thinking of the Adirondack Park Institute, which is a 501(3)c and was established in 1989 as an entity to help out with the VICs. In any case, I still hjave no idea what Sandy Lewis is talking about.
Frank said-"...Fair, in that the rules apply to all within the Blue Line;..."
Okay, that's my big issue with the APA. I grew up in the Park and was finally left after Cuomos "21st Century Bond Act" came up fro a vote. I could see the writing on the wall then.
Fair? The APA is fair? Does anyone really believe the APA would allow a private individual, much less a commercial concern build a 3 tier parking lot on the side of a steep mountain and then go on to erect numerous large buildings on only a few acres of the same slope? Of course not! That goes against everything the APA is about. Well, then why is the Blue Mtn Lake Museum built just like that?
I'm sure there are many more examples but the APA comes down to this- control the poor white trash. Control anything resembling a job for that same trash and feed the wishes of the elite who are "right thinking" and are their political masters.
To Bret4207,
The parking structure at the Adk Museum (which is indeed an eyesore) was built before the APA existed.
Only go after working-class people? Nonsense. This whole thread started because they went after Sandy Lewis. They lost the case, but they tried hard to get his little subdevelopment under control. This guy is anything but "white trash." There are rich people all over the Park whose plans have been thwarted by the APA.
Bret4207, the APA appears to go after both the rich and not so rich when it comes to enforcement issues. Historically the rich seem to be the ones who blatantly flaunt the regulations, ie. build first pay the fine later. they build what they want then just pay the fines. Lately the APA seems to be cracking down, former ORDA board memeber who built the house on Fawn Ridge, the guy on Lake Clear who built to close to the lake, the guy who built the house on Cargo Lake and tried to say it was a boathouse, The guy in Old Forge who had a permit to build a 2500 sq ft house and tried to put in a 19000 sq ft house.
bret is definitely off the mark -- the last several big anti-development stands taken up by the APA have all involved multi-millionaires... From the Leroy Douglas case in Silver Lake, to Sandy Lewis in Essex, to Dan Alexander in Elizabethtown and plenty more, we're talking about people with plenty of bank to fight back... definitely not "poor white trash" -- and, I recently covered an enforcement case involving a lower to middle class man in Keene who had violated trash dumping regs -- the enforcement staff recommended to drop the fines and give him more time to clean up because he had a health situation...
Read deeper into what I wrote boys- jobs = control. Look at the Tupper Lake debacle. That could have been a boom for Tupper ( a low paying job is better than no job) has stretched out in legal battles. As for the Blue Mtn Museum, are you absolutely sure that whole parking area was pre- APA? I drove through there twice a day for years and recall work being done well after 1971. Besides, they've forced other people to rebuild things, why not the Museum?
Yes, they've gone after the big money boys lately. They still go after the little guys too. Maybe the big guys make the news because they haven't gotten the message like the po'white trash has- mess with the APA and your world ends.
The parking structure at the museum was completely built, as is, before the APA.
The APA has never asked anyone to change a structure that was in place before the Private Land Plan was adopted.
Shania Twain is not poor, white trash. Country? yes. Trash? no.
Gromit, I stand corrected. Thanks. This is from the APA's website: "The Adirondack Park Institute, Inc., is a New York State not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1989 by a statewide constituency of private citizens."
Mr. Mann:
Mr. Van Cott is certainly high and mighty, isn't he?
What did Mr. Lewis say in his e-mails? (You posted only Van Cott's) Please post the names of all the people who received the emails from Mr. Lewis.
Thank You.
JimP.
Gromit- I'll have to look into the Museum issue, but the APA has certainly changed and ordered the destruction of structures. There aren't any more lean-to's on State land are there? And how many camps have they ordered torn down? That's going on even now.
I'm glad to see the elite getting hit a bit, my little brush with class envy. But if Shaina had played her cards right and rubbed the right elbows at the right cocktails parties she could have had anything she wanted.
Bret: "There aren't any more lean-to's on State land are there?" How did you come to this conclusion? There are plenty of lean-tos on State land and there are plans for more in some areas.
Btet4207,
Ok, in a very technical sense you're right: leantos and hunting camps have been removed from state land. But the context of this discussion was clearly about private land. On private land, the APA has never demanded any changes with structures that predated the PLUDP.
Folks, this story has legs.
See http://sblewis.com and reach for Sandy Lewis at sblewis@bellatlantic.net with questions.
Phone time for responsible parties with serious questions.
There is no substance to Brian Mann’s comment; Brian Ruder of Adirondack Council is the president of his charity and uses same to advocate against his neighbors on Silver Lake, whose property he has sought. This may violate federal law.
Paul Van Cott was relieved of his responsibilities at APA re the Douglas case today.
John S. Banta, APA general counsel, is a subject of interest to us.
The relationship between Adirondack Council and APA may involve criminal behavior of a repetitious nature.
We support APA and are working to clean house.
Without APA, this region will be trashed.
We came to farm, and our farm is an example for all to see and to visit.
We oppose anonymous donors supporting Adirondack Council advocacy at APA.
More to come.
Sandy Lewis
To learn why APA's John S. Banta and the board removed Paul Van Cott from the Douglas case, call.
For LeRoy M. Douglas Jr., and his account of Paul Van Cott's behavior on Monday at APA, 518-647-8061 will find Joan and LeRoy at home. They own 3,500 acres on Silver Lake.
For an older and more serious abuse of authority... and for an account of Paul Van Cott and Brian Ruder and Nature Conservancy - in combination - working to crush the innocent - the case was dropped as fast as it was brought - 518 293 8377 will find Dawn and John Bruce Maye. They own 1,000 acres on Silver Lake and have done nothing wrong.
Adirondack Council President Brian Ruder sought land from these couples. When he did not get it, the trouble started. Nature Conservancy was used, APA was used, DEC was used. And Adirondack Council led the parade with Brian Ruder calling the shots.
It was a mess.
As of this Monday, it's all over.
Wonder why? Ask.
Sandy Lewis - sblewis@bellatlantic.net
Gromit and 8:52- Hunting camps on private lands have been ordered torn down. That's fact as my mother owned a camp which had to be removed. As for the lean tos the last time I was at MArcy Dam was the weekend before they were to be removed. Same thing in the Siamese Ponds are and several other places. It was my understanding they were all to be removed. Building were destroyed in Newcomb also. Of course if the building or owner has enough political clout the site suddenly becomes a "historic landmark" or some such thing. Fire towers are another example of structures that have been or attempted to have been removed.
The APA may be following the letter more closely these days, but please don't try and convince someone who lived under their thumb that they've always been on the up and up.
Bottom line is that Brian Ruder of the Adirondack Council ordered Paul Van Cott of the APA to take an enforcement action against Leroy Douglas in order to try to force Leroy to sell a different parcel to the state. The APA pulled Paul off the case. The Adirondack Council was caught doing illegal deeds.
Bret: There are still lean-tos at Marcy Dam. There are rules about spacing and distance from water - but lean tos are here to stay. Sometimes they relocate lean-tos, but lean tos are allowed in all forest preserve classifications.
This was my favorite from Mr. Van Cotts seemingly drunken tirade." Go farm. Dig a hole, milk a cow. Enjoy the 1,000 acres of farmland on Lake Champlain that you have."
Why has this story been relegated to a Blog, and not treated as a news story? It shows yet another public official acting and speaking outside the range of acceptable professionalism and doing it on State time, using equipment paid for with my tax dollars. Like Sandy Lewis or not is not the point. Van Cott ought to get his rude, unprofessional, trust-fund-baby head handed to him by the APA board.
I was told all the lean to's were being destroyed by burning by one of the Rangers up there. If I recall this was big news back then. So now I have to wonder who got rubbed to change the decision?
This story is relegated to a blog because North Country Slanted Radio and the rest of the so-called media in the area treat the APA and people like Van Cott differently than other stories. News management is what it is called.
One other point. Sandy Lewis not only won his case but did it with a 5 - 0 on appeal. It is also mentioned quite often that he was convicted of insider trading or something like that. That conviction was pardoned, then appealed and overturned. He is quite guilty of speaking his mind and that seems to offend people but he was right before and is right this time also.
When government acts like Van Cott did heads should roll. What about that former commissioner, Campbell? What did he do that demanded his removal? Why was Fitts removed? It seems that what Van Cott was doing is a lot more serious.
Fitts going blind
Let us have an indepth investigation of the APA and the NYSDEC and the influence peddling of the Adirodack Council, Citizens for the Protection for the Adirondacks, ADK Mountain Club, Sieera Club, Catskill 3500 club and the rest of the green groups. How these groups get what ever they want from Albany. How these groups have total access in Albany to the highest levels of both agencies. Double standards and payouts to thse groups for maintanence of hiking trails in the Park. Bid rigging. Yes. an investigation of these two agecies and the green groups is long overdue.
Re-reading Brian Mann's effort...
First, NCPR is a 501(c)3 that shares with Adirondack Council in fund raising. Fact. See Council brochures, featuring WAMC, NCPR and Bill McKibben.
Second, in a live - selectively edited - NPR feed, Mr. Mann used my words, less than a minute, part of a 1 hour meeting, spoken less than a half mile from the source, when I stated fact: incest was the #1 health problem in the area of Smith House Health Care, Willsboro, some 15 years ago when we endowed the place. No question I said it. And the facts are in the record, which was shown to me. At the time, I asked what incest was, in the context.
Third, none of the 501(c)3 efforts that attempt professional journalism here, including WAMC and NCPR, do the job re APA. Disclosure: we were among the largest individual donors to WAMC for a while. Alan Chartock's Pat Bradley is mum on Lewis Farm vs. APA. Not a word. NOTE: WCEL is named for our first grandchild, Chloe Elizabeth Lewis - about 14 years ago, by Alan.
Fourth, Brian Mann on mental health is worthy of a face to face, on the air, live - read my lips, Ellen Rocco - Martha Foley... the man is off base - this is slander.
Last, re the pleading, it was not 10(b)5 - inside information. Please see http://sblewis.net - the record. All of it. It is unique and complex and should be in focus before long in the national daily of record. US District Judge, Hon. Wm. C. Conner vacated his 1990 Order, issued his Opinion on March 29th 2006, SEC vacated in its entirety its 1990 life time ban on June 28th, 2006 - these steps and the president's pardon are unique in the history of Wall Street. Unique.
No, I did not and do not support Bill Clinton or any member of his party. Nor do we support GOP.
When Adirondack Council, APA, NCPR, WAMC and the 501(c)3 periodicals are exposed for bias, it will be found that we, the Lewises, have supported more than one of them, anonymously. Our support has been substantial in at least two cases.
Fact: we support APA.
We do not support THIS APA.
Again, without APA, we are lost up here.
Sadly, with Brian Ruder and Brian Houseal manipulating those all too willing to be manipulated, we are going to get trashed, again and again.
It is criminal to use 501(c)3 assets donated for self gain. We wonder if Brian Ruder has done this by directing the Council's lobbying effort at APA against his neighbors.
Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Douglas and Mr. and Mrs. John Maye are feeling better. These four own 4500 acres around Silver Lake. Brian and Ginny Ruder own 1 acre. And they have vacated for the season - weeks before Thanksgiving, for the first time in 15 years.
Next step? Stay tuned.
Patience.
Sandy Lewis
23rd native said: This story is relegated to a blog because North Country Slanted Radio and the rest of the so-called media in the area treat the APA and people like Van Cott differently than other stories. News management is what it is called.
NCPR has reported extensively on this matter on-air. Saerch "Sandy Lewis" at NCPR.org and find six feature news stories over the last 18 months.
Sandy Lewis needs to get a life. Hooray for VanCott standing up to this nut job
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