Village of Camillus resident Mark Eckert said he first expressed an interest in purchasing the Feederbank Road “swamp land” across from his South Street property about four years ago.
When he learned the 4.81 acres would be up for public auction due to back taxes, he and two other South Street residents agreed to go in together to purchase the $1,909.74 tax certificate and qualify the land as Forever Wild, which would prohibit it from being developed and also provide a tax break to the purchasers.
Instead, the village of Camillus decided to purchase the plot, along with another parcel of about one acre next to McNamara’s of Camillus.
The decision has been a point of contention at recent meetings in the village, where residents argued against the municipality spending up to $11,000 to purchase the land and pay fees, though it has no particular plan for the property, when private citizens were interested in purchasing it with private money.
But at the Sept. 30 special meeting, the village voted 4-1 to purchase the tax certificate for the parcels, which were previously owned by Camillus Cutlery.
Trustee Jim Palumbo voted against the move, though he was in favor of pursuing the use of the parcel as a possible retention pond to relieve the flooding of Nine Mile Creek that South Street residents have been struggling with in recent years.
Eckert said if the property remains undeveloped, he’ll support the village, though he was displeased with the method of their aquisition.
“They’re now spending $2,000 on a swamp and they still haven’t done anything with the business district,” he said. “Put your money where it is needed most.”
