As a State Representative you are very uninformed!! Mark Saroff and his total failure to redevelop his property and allow historic buildings to be lost forever is the “tragedy”...not his loss of clothes and a vehicle which can be replaced. Saroff had many opportunities to develop the property with many substantial developers but Saroff was impossible to come to terms with. Here are a few facts Mr. Campfield:
1. It is obvious that you have not read the Supreme Court decision in the Kelo Case or the response by the City of New London’s Community Development Agency.
2. You do not understand the public process involved in eminent domain and seized the opportunity to jump on the bandwagon of other ignorant politicians and their “knee jerk” reaction to an issue that is sensitive to any property owner.
3. You stated that Saroff has been working toward a sale. If you know Saroff at all then you know that is not true.
4. Saroff’s property was first condemned in 1993, 14 years ago. Do you not think public officials have been more than patient with this property owner?
5. You said Saroff paid his property taxes. Part of that is true. He paid some of his taxes. However, my understanding is that Saroff did not pay the last tax bill to keep the buildings from being sold in a tax sale. In fact, those taxes were paid by one of the mortgage holders.
6. Two of Saroff’s buildings have collapsed roofs and should be demolished, the one on the far west and the one across the street from those that burned. Why did you not mention the status of those buildings? Or do you choose to state inaccurate facts about the situation? Also, only very minor work was performed on the rear of one of the buildings and the contractor filed a lien for non-payment. Why did you not mention that fact? Was it because it was negative? Saroff doesn’t pay his taxes or his contractors.
7. You said many people are “now” interested in his loft space. Mr. Campfield...developers have been interested for the past 5+ years to no avail.
8. When you were attempting to explain facts….why did you not say that Saroff was living in the building illegally!!
9. What is the difference between a tax sale by the City and eminent domain
action? The eminent domain action means the owner receives the “fair cash
market value” of their property based on an independent appraisal. The tax
sale means the owner gets “NOTHING” or at a minimum …..the excess above the taxes owed, which generally is nowhere near the true value.

Mr. Legislator!!!!! Please get your facts straight!!!!

In Sunday's News Sentinel it was reported that Ezra Maize, the new leader of the local NAACP has told Mayor Haslam he would have backlash from the African American community if the Mayor hired a caucasian to replace former Community Development Director Renee Kesler, an African American. Mark Brown, City Councilman has organized a group of African Americans to go behind closed doors with the Mayor to discuss racial problems in our community. Let me see if I have this right. Renee Kesler, former Community Development Director, intimidates, threatens and harsses her employees according to 1,200 pages of documentation gathered by Civil Service. Renee also pushed through grants without complete applications to selected individuals. Renee also took steps to ensure the demise of Economic Ventures so control could be passed to someone she could manipulate. I know I'm not the brightest star in the sky, but I just can't figure out how that's a racial problem. It sounds more like an individual who lacked management skills and integrity. Oh yeah, Ezra Maie said Renee was qualified for this job. As head of the local NAACP Ezra Maize will have opportunities to bring issues that need to be addressed by our community to the fore front. This is not one of them.