The Adirondack Council

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, TUESDAY, January 15, 2002

ALBANY -- The Adirondack Council today praised Gov. George Pataki for filling a long-standing vacancy on the Adirondack Park Agency Board of Commissioners, and for reappointing three sitting members whose terms had expired. The Council urged the Senate to approve the nominations.

"We are extremely pleased that the Adirondack Park Agency will now have a full slate of commissioners for the first time in four years," said Adirondack Council Acting Executive Director Bernard C. Melewski. "We urge the Senate to approve all four nominations. The agency has an agenda packed with important policy decisions in 2002. It needs all the help it can get."

Newly appointed to the APA board is Deanne Rehm, former Bolton Town Supervisor. Melewski said Rehm would be the first commissioner to represent the southeastern sector of the Park since Jack Ryder of Lake George stepped down in 1997. The current vacancy for a Park resident was created when former Chairman Gregory Campbell, of Keeseville, resigned in 1998.

Also slated for approval by the Senate are current commissioners William Kissel, of Lake Placid, James Townsend, of Rochester, and Frank Mezzano, of Lake Pleasant.

The nominations must first pass the Senate Environmental Conservation and Finance committees and then a vote of the full Senate.

The Adirondack Council was critical of the Governor in its State of the Park 2001 report for allowing a vacancy to exist for so long.

The Adirondack Council is an 18,000-member, privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the natural character and human communities of the Adirondack Park through research, education, advocacy and legal action.