Tribe to buy IGA, land

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March 16, 2008

<a href="mailto:draymo@pressrepublican.com">By DENISE RAYMO</a> The Press Republican Sun Mar 16, 2008, 04:44 PM EDT

AKWESASNE — Purchase of the First Americans IGA and 609 adjacent acres will allow the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe to build affordable housing for its people.

But ownership of some of the parcels is in dispute as part of a long-standing land-claims lawsuit between the Mohawks and state of New York.

SALE PENDING

The property, situated on the south side of Route 37 across from the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino, is expected to be sold by owner Susan Jesmer for $13.5 million, according to a news release.

Officials hope to close the sale by April 20.

The 50,000-square-foot IGA grocery store opened in 2005 and is situated on land taken by Franklin County in 2003 when taxes were not paid.

TAXES OWED

“I am legally prohibited from commenting to the St. Regis Mohawk tribe’s potential acquisition because of the ongoing land-claim litigation,” said County Treasurer Bryon Varin.

“However, I can say that the county took title to the parcel containing 106 acres in March of 2003, which contains the IGA.

“Ms. Jesmer is the owner of record on seven parcels in the land-claim area of Bombay,” he said, adding that four are in foreclosure proceedings for unpaid taxes since 2003.

She owes about $500,000 in back taxes to the county, Varin said, “but I can say that inquiries have been made on the outstanding taxes, and all indications lead me to believe the taxes are going to be paid in the near future.”

Tribal members were told two weeks ago of a possible agreement with Jesmer, after Tribal Council staff approached her about gaining a right-of-way for a future power line to feed the casino’s growing electricity needs.

During those negotiations, Jesmer “informed the tribe she was interested in selling the store and the entire 609-acre parcel,” the news release said.

And while the Tribal Council “believes the store offers an important service to the community,” its staff is studying whether it should continue as a tribe-run operation.

HOUSING NEEDS

“Perhaps of greater consequence,” said Chief Barbara Lazore, “is the opportunity to purchase the land on which the building sits that will be utilized to answer the extremely urgent need for housing.

“With an exploding population, we have what amounts to a shrinking land base because there is nowhere to go with new-home construction.

“We have a tremendous housing shortage and very, very limited opportunities for families to maintain roots in their own community, as it stands, because of it.

“This land purchase in particular will enable the tribe to build more housing for tribal members and keep our growing community strong and growing stronger,” Lazore said.

Later this spring, the Tribal Council expects to release a master plan, outlining its proposal to create “substantial housing subdivisions” on the property.

CREDIT UNION

Also being discussed is establishing a credit union on the property that Chief James Ransom said “may also serve as an anchor to locate other economic-development projects there.”

He said the property purchase “is consistent with the community’s intent that the land be returned to the tribe.

“The land-claim-settlement referendum held three years ago identified these lands specifically as being reacquired for the community’s benefit,” he said.

Varin said that even though some land is in county hands, “I wholeheartedly support and encourage property owners to enhance their properties for the betterment of themselves, their communities and their municipalities.”

E-mail Denise A. Raymo at:

draymo@pressrepublican.com