In Monroe County’s suburbs, Henrietta is sometimes invoked as a pejorative or a cautionary tale of dominance by shopping plazas and big box commercial development. “We don’t want to be Henrietta,” residents tell their elected officials.
Yet those same people shop in Henrietta’s stores and eat in its restaurants.
Henrietta is misunderstood. It’s not all strip malls and megastores; commercial property makes up 12.4 percent of the town’s land, according to 2012 figures compiled by Monroe County. Henrietta is about one-third residential and has significant agricultural and vacant land. It’s also home to quite a few industrial operations and RIT’s 1,300-acre campus.
In practical terms, Henrietta is a complex experiment in community balance. And the town’s next supervisor will lead the government responsible for maintaining that balance.
Sitting Supervisor Michael Yudelson is seeking re-election, but is being challenged in a September 10 primary election by fellow Republican Jack Moore, who’s been a Town Board member for six years. If Yudelson wins, he’ll be uncontested in the November general election. If Moore wins, however, he’ll face Yudelson again in November because Yudelson has the Conservative and Independence lines, too.
Yudelson has been supervisor since 2008 and before that served on the Town Board. In his campaign materials, Yudelson stresses the town’s flat tax rate during his time as supervisor. He also says that services have been maintained, and that the town has continued to attract businesses and development. He did not respond to several interview requests.
The town tax rate, which is $1.21 per $1,000 of assessed value, is a point of pride among town officials. Town Board member Bill Mulligan says that the commercial and industrial businesses in the town contribute approximately half of the town’s tax revenue, which has allowed the rate to remain steady.
But while the tax rate is low, Moore says, the town has also built up an $18 million reserve. Henrietta officials should give some of that money back to residents, he says, through a temporary tax decrease or some other action.
“We’re a little overboard,” Moore says. “Is it against the law? No. Is it great to have savings? Absolutely. But we’re keeping people’s money that we don’t need to keep.”
Moore owns and operates Gro-Moore Farms on East Henrietta Road and says he wants to bring his practical business experience to the supervisor’s job. He also says that Yudelson hasn’t been a strong leader.
During his first supervisor campaign, Yudelson said he wanted Henrietta to develop a town center concept for the area around the Wegmans on Calkins Road. Moore says that Yudelson hasn’t taken steps to advance the idea. Moore says that when he negotiated a deal for the town to buy the Dome Arena property for $2.2 million, which could have advanced the town center concept, Yudelson didn’t act on it.
Henrietta has tried to rein in off-campus properties rented to RIT students. The town passed an ordinance that restricts the number of unrelated people who can live in a residence, and it’s defending the law in court.
Moore says that he wants the town to establish a rental property registry, similar to registries implemented in Rochester, Brockport, and Chili. Landlords would have to pay a fee to register their properties, Moore says, and the properties would have to be inspected yearly. It’s an idea that he and fellow board member Mulligan have pushed for a few years.
The registry would help town officials ensure that rental properties are kept up, Moore says, and that they don’t have safety or code violations.
“We’re keeping people’s money that we don’t need to keep.” Jack Moore
This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2013.
This article is severely lacking in research! Yudelson’s commitment to Town for 30 years the has been unparalleled. Every board member that is not running against him (one ) fully supports Mr. Yudelson. The half truths in the challengers expensive campaign are self serving not the whole story. Mike Yudelson has had a tremendous impact on Seniors and Youth in Henriettta for many , many years— and continues to have positve impact on the town , with accessibility via personal availbility and use of social media and technology to continue to share and to tirelessly lead Henrietta for many years to come. There are good reasons and an undeniable track record that have earned the 3 other town board members FULL support……
Apparently you never had a problem with your house. Try calling or even emailing Mike Yudelson. He does not return phone calls nor will he meet with you… Or better yet call his engineering dept- have them come down and promise you the world and then nothing is done. I have been telling the Breese/ Yudelson administration about my wet property since 2004. NOTHING WAS DONE. They were going to investigate it. Now because the town allowed mark Iv to build next door high on berms with a BOGUS envirmomental impact study( try finding it through the freedom of information act- 11 pages are missing) that wet water has tripled and now sinking my house.( the town never did the study. They allowed mark iv to present their own and they submitted the previous builders impact study). And the town accepted it?
Also the town lawyer and Mr. Yudelson they should keep their story straight. Their version of why they cannot build a covert around my house conflicts with what their insurance states. I was promised since last June” don’t worry about it’ from Bill Mulligan( who is supporting Yudelson) something will be done- over and over again. NO ONE told me to file a claim. I had trust in the town. I sent letter to the other board members also, Basically I was stalled. The town insurance company told me that I filed too late! What? Filed too late? But I was told by the engineers, bill mulligan – don’t worry about it. So I waited until May to file a claim- not to repair my house but to build a covert. My home is an historical landmark. Does this matter to the town supervisor. No. Or to the other town members who are supporting him?
And I went before the town in 2004-2006-2008-2010 to ask them to help me with the wet land. I have red creek running along side that floods. So the town allowed Mark Iv to move in- Flood the wet lands and the red creek next to me and thereby flooding my house.. If the town acted 9 years ago I wouldn’t be in this situation now,.
So unless you have a problem with your property anyone can say anything about how good or bad a leader is- But not until you have a health and disaster issue should you be able to look at the town board and wonder if they are the right leaders for this fine community
Vote for Jack Moore. He returns phone calls and listens
ps. Look at the articles written about my house with Mr. Yudelson not getting back too them.. No comment until much later and this is done by the town’s attorney.. The town’s attorney is saying what needs to be said to the community- however- their insurance company in Buffalo says something entirely different
I dont understand the Henrietta Town Board has 5 members, if 4 vote against Jack Moore’s suggestions how can that be Supervisor Yuldenson’s fault? Does that mean that when Jack Moore takes over his opinion and vote are the only that counts? The present Henrietta Town board has done a super job taking care of the people of Henrietta, anybody can make an appointment to see the supervisor with concerns or problems and he always available for the citizens of Henrietta,
It has been my personal experience that there are severe problems with Mr. Yudelson and the departments that he supervises. It is well known of our struggles with Mr. Yudelson administration what is not known are the facts involved.
We asked the town to rectify a problem that they themselves caused, Being fully aware of the drainage challenges that existed they allowed Mark IV to develop the adjacent property without any consideration to potential adverse effects. As required by Henrietta code an environmental impact study was submitted by the developer not by an independent agent. Under the freedom of information act I requested a copy of the report to find only the superficial aspects of the report exist the main body of the report no longer exists.
In early 2013 in an effort to stop further development by Mark IV adjacent to our property we went to 300 + households and since then many more in addition to businesses within Henrietta. The conversations with home and business owners enlightened us to the fact that our problem with this administration is one of many issues residents have with this administration.
In my opinion based on my personal experiences and the collaboration of the numerous conversations we have had with residents Mr. Yudelson represents an ineffective management style of years past. In my opinion he maintains no sense of
being progressive and leading this community into the future .
Something isnt adding up for he bashing of the curent leaders—- not .. when all the board supports Yudelson. I undestand some people may have their own individual issues or view.. but c’mon as Eva stated… until JM created issues with implication and not much fact… or any board support… most would say overall henrietta has done very well with the present board and with MYudelson’s leadership.. it seems to me there are personal agendas here….. of course no supervisor is going to please everyone on each individual issue…. but in my 45+ years Henrietta I have NEVER seen a more dedicated leader and team! …….we do not need to become another Greece with all this negativity ….Page, Mulligan ,and ZInk are all good and dedicated folk supporting a leader who tirelessly devotes his skills and heart to the community……….trash talk will not change that reality.