Dear Members of the Common Council:

The recent letter from FASNY to our elected representatives as well as the FASNY sponsored advertisement in the Journal News threatening litigation and suggesting enormous damages to the City are both highly inappropriate and not worthy of an educational institution.  Coming just days before the Common Council’s pending decisions on the FASNY application these actions are a disreputable effort to coerce a favorable vote to it and to intimidate the Common Council. 

No one denies the right of anyone to take legal action.  In fact, regardless of the decisions in this matter litigation is possible.  However, the brazen actions of FASNY to try to so blatantly intimidate Common Council members show an unusual disrespect for the approval process and our elected governmental officials in particular.  This is not the first time that FASNY employed such offensive tactics.  Remember how they insulted the School Board and Planning Board members when they spoke out against the FASNY plans. 

Obviously, the Common Council should never let the threat of litigation be a factor in their deliberations.  I am confident that our Common Council will not bend to such unsavory efforts.

FASNY has every right to pursue a new campus for its school.  It is clear however that the former Ridgeway Country Club is the wrong site.  For FASNY not to recognize this reality and instead undertake a “scorched earth strategy” is unseemly, discredits it and will result in lasting damage to its reputation.

Very truly yours, 

John E. Sheehan

President, The Gedney Association