Political and Planning Crossroads

WINDHAM - Two turning points involving Windham are unfolding over the next week or so, starting with the Democratic Party candidate for town supervisor and moving onto the local ski slope.

Greene County Democrats were slated to gather on September 24 where the writings of Connor Exum will either be on the agenda or not.

Exum is running as a Democrat against Windham town supervisor Thomas Hoyt in a repeat of the 2025 election, won by Hoyt, a Republican.

Exum, on August 3, wrote a social media piece that theorizes about three mountaintop foundations and government officials in the towns of Hunter and Windham, titling it “Pulling the Strings.”

County legislator Daryl Legg (District 7, Hunter, Halcott, Lexington), at an August 27 session of county Democrats, delivered a message, saying Exum’s writing, “crosses town lines to slur, by name, respected people and charitable public benefitting foundations in the Town of Hunter.   

“It is most important that I stand up and defend my wrongly accused constituents…the public must know that I publicly reject and denounce what has been published”… Legg said.

“On behalf of my constituents, and members of the public who support and benefit from the many good works of the foundations, I call upon you now, before this meeting adjourns, to publicly reject what has been published by that writer,” Legg said. No action was taken on the unverified writing.

Party co-chairperson Lori Torgersen, in a written statement after the August 27 meeting, said, “the matter was not on the meeting agenda, no vote was taken, and the Committee did not take any formal action in response.

“The Greene County Democratic Committee is focused on supporting our Democratic candidates and the work ahead of us between now and Election Day,” Torgersen wrote.

Exum, answering Legg’s demand, said in a written statement, “It has come to my attention that a member of the Greene County Legislature and fellow Democrat has called for the public denunciation of my candidacy over an August 3rd article I published on my own Substack account…

“The legislator apparently feels that I have besmirched the constituents of Hunter, Halcott, and Lexington…” Exum stated.

“My proposed solutions challenged the norms of traditional public-private partnerships, especially those in which the interests of far too few are concentrated…” Exum stated. 

“I am at a loss as to whether the Greene County Democratic Party is now supporting policies that would denounce candidates who advocate for stronger local governments, greater diversity in local economic growth, and transparent government that works for the middle- and working-class members of our communities,” Exum stated.

“I invite the general public, the Greene County Democratic Party Committee, the Greene County Republican Party Committee and the members of the Greene County Legislature the opportunity to meet with me in person and discuss how we can build a stronger, more equitable future for Windham and the entire Mountain Top,” Exum stated.

Legg was expected to make a formal request to be on the September 24 agenda which is set by Torgersen and co-chair Marc Czermerys. 

If granted the time, Legg was expected to renew his call to reject Exum’s writings, a call being widely viewed as a line-in-the-sand getting drawn between the Democratic Party’s Old and New Guards.

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Meanwhile, there are stirrings about a possible meeting also on September 24 linked to a local planning board public hearting slated for October 1 on the proposed creation of a 26-room hotel at the Windham Mountain Club.

Concerns about the project have been expressed by multiple hotel owners since it was presented to town planners, in May, as an amendment to a previously approved WMC development Master Plan.

That approval, two years ago, was for 60-plus townhouses on ski slope property that the WMC Club is now wanting to change to include the upscale hotel, replacing a similar number of townhomes.

The meeting, if it happens, would invite business owners, hospitality partners and Windham stakeholders to sit and schmooze about controversy arising over the ongoing planning board process.

Worries have been voiced about the WMC claim that there is a shortage of hotel rooms in town, the reason behind their proposed hotel, a claim strongly disputed by other hoteliers.

And questions are being asked about public comments made by planners related to their ongoing review of the proposal, and advertising by WMC indicating that hotel approval is a done deal, readying to open in 2028.

Wylder Windham hotel owner John Flannigan, earlier this week, sent an email to the special counsel brought in to assist planners in the review.

“I have requested that the Town Board and Town Supervisor intervene with respect to the Planning Board process because the Planning Board has effectively reached a predetermined position”…and further…”is not approaching the application with an open mind…” Flannigan wrote.

Three planning board members with any connection to WMC, albeit as a member or through work, have recused themselves from the process, leaving three members to decide the fate of the WMC amendment.

There is language in the new zoning law that is intended to give the town board prior access to any amendments offered to planners by the WMC impacting the original Master Plan.

While the town apparently could study the changes and offer input, in tandem with the planning board, passage of the zoning law became effective on August 1, after the amendment was filed by the WMC.

The timing would, apparently, preclude the town from being part of the planning review, sticking with standard operating procedure.

“The scale and character of the proposed project warrant careful consideration of its potential effects on Windham’s community character, natural setting, lodging industry, and future development precedent,” Flannigan wrote in his email to the special counsel.

Flannigan also referenced a separate Development Agreement made between the town and the WMC as part of the original Master Plan approval, related to outside skier access to the privatizing club.

That agreement, “is relevant to these concerns and to the Town’s prior involvement in matters affecting community character,” Flannigan wrote.

“It leaves no doubt that the Town Supervisor has and can intervene when the Community Character is at risk, and that moment is here and now,” Flannigan wrote.

Town supervisor Thomas Hoyt has previously stated that the WMC review process is “outside the purview of the town board.”