Joe Kelly and John Parete get Belleayre ORDA Spots

From today's Daily Freeman:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo this week appointed two local residents to the board of the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, which is assuming oversight of the state-owned Belleayre Mountain Ski Center in Highmount.

Ulster County Legislator John Parete, D-Boiceville, and Joe Kelly, the chairman of the Coalition to Save Belleayre, have joined the ORDA board. The appointments follow Cuomo’s decision earlier this year to have the authority take over management of Belleayre from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The authority also currently operates the state-owned Whiteface and Gore Mountain ski centers in the Adirondacks.

“I have had the pleasure of knowing Joe and John for many years, and I could not think of better people to be selected for the authority,” said state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, whose district includes Belleayre.

“Furthermore, I am pleased that two people with intimate knowledge of Belleayre Mountain and our region will be involved in future decision-making,” Cahill said. “Both Joe and John understand the importance of this world-class resort to the economy of not only the Route 28 corridor, but our region as a whole.”

More:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2012/06/22/news/doc4fe3d6e8ba941602257943.txt

wasn't this Joe Kelly guy the one screaming for Bell to get everything and pay for nothing?  Maybe if you put him on the board to shut him up?

is that really a good choice?  anyone know anymore about these folks that were selected.

I haven't met Joe, but from what I've read he seems passionate about Belleayre, but a thoughtful person.  Screaming isn't something I can picture him doing.

I think his questions were pretty much what you'd expect based on the situation.

If your livelihood depended on Whiteface, and the governor said that mountain was going to be taken over by the DEC, you'd probably want to know what say, if any, you had in your future, how you were going to be paid, what your insurance benefits would look like, etc. It's natural for people to care about their own future.

From what I understand Joe doesn't derive his living from Belleayre. I think he's vested in the community because he wants to see it thrive.  He's probably a good choice in the minds of those who care about the future of Bell.

Jamesdeluxe knows Joe personally. Would like to hear more about what he knows about him.  Also anyone who knows or knows of John Parete?

A friend who lives in that neck of the woods informed me that Parete is a successful local business owner and characterized him as "a powerful political figure."

Rich and politically connected is about par for the course for orda board members

ausable skier wrote

Rich and politically connected is about par for the course for orda board members

Phew... glad to know that AS in on board with the new members.  

Harvey44 wrote

Jamesdeluxe knows Joe personally. Would like to hear more about what he knows about him.

This interview explains how and why he became such a big supporter of Belleayre:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/2010/02/24/belleayre-ski-new-york-advocating-for-the-peoples-mountain/

I'm confused is Kelly for or against the Crossroads development?  I might have confused him with someone else