Valley Central takes action against Medline

By Kerry Butrick Dowling
Posted 10/5/21

School board officials in the Valley Central School District voted unanimously on Monday, September 27, to pass a resolution authorizing school district attorneys to take the legal action necessary …

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Valley Central takes action against Medline

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School board officials in the Valley Central School District voted unanimously on Monday, September 27, to pass a resolution authorizing school district attorneys to take the legal action necessary to intervene in proceedings filed by Medline Industries Inc. Medline Industries Inc., located on the former Aden Brook Farm property in Montgomery, is requesting to have the assessed value of their facility reduced which will impact school taxes in the Valley Central School District.

In a letter sent out to the school district community by Valley Central Board of Education President Joseph Bond, he shared that Medline recently filed with the Supreme Court to have the assessed value of their facility reduced by 81 percent. If approved, a reduction of that magnitude would negatively impact school taxes by one million dollars annually. Bond explains that the Town of Montgomery is charged with the legal responsibility for defending the assessment as it stands and the Valley Central School District will work in conjunction with the town to ensure taxpayers and the school district are represented in the matter.

“Additionally, our Valley Central community continues to be impacted by the growing number of proposed PILOTs.  While we are not opposed to progress, on more than one occasion the Valley Central Board of Education has expressed concerns over PILOTS and the economic impact on our school district and taxpayers.

Superintendent John Xanthis has also conveyed the need to work with businesses to encourage them to demonstrate their goodwill and willingness to partner with the school district with funding through a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA). The board and district will continue to express concern when needed and collaborate with the town to ensure that Community Benefit Agreements are proposed for every PILOT,” said Bond.

Bond assured constituents that the Valley Central Board of Education and school district will provide additional updates as they become available and will continue to represent students and taxpayers by supporting decisions that are fair and equitable for all involved.

Don Berger, co-founder of Residents Protecting Montgomery, expressed his approval of the Valley Central School Board’s recent action.

“I’ve been very critical of the VC Administration of their lack of attendance at Town of Montgomery IDA meetings over the last three years. I have attended school board meetings and submitted e-mails informing them of applications for PILOTS before the Montgomery IDA, but I never received a reply. There will be two new applications before TOM IDA on Tuesday, October 12 at 1 p.m. I urge VC to attend the two public hearings that day and denounce those applications,” Berger said. “I applaud the Valley Central School Board’s recent letter to residents to fight Medline’s attempt to reduce assessments to their property on Route 416.”