By 7 News Staff, November 15, 2023
WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Legislators with districts along the St. Lawrence River are asking Jefferson County to support a new Customs and Border Protection facility at the former Bonnie Castle Stables instead of Blind Bay.
Tuesday night, legislators Phil Reed and Bobby Cantwell — who represent districts along the river — along with local environmentalists, asked the county Board of Legislators to make a resolution supporting the Bonnie Castle site instead.
The group advocating against the Blind Bay location says there are several reasons why the former stables a better location.
Makes sense, it’s off the tax rolls, it has access to water and sewer, and it has immediate action to 81, which is what they want,” Reed said. It’s right on Route 12, people are already used to the state police station being there, Price Chopper being there. Blind Bay is a national treasure. People come all over the world to fish.”
The town of Orleans and several other municipalities in the Thousand Islands are also advocating for the Bonnie Castle Stables site.
Meanwhile, legislators also adopted the county’s budget for 2024.
It cuts the property tax rate by more than 10%, down to $6.14 per $1,000 of assessed value. That is the lowest it has been since the 1980s.
