Syracuse, N.Y. -- More than 150 people packed the Clay Town Hall today to fight back against Onondaga County’s efforts to evict a 91-year-old widow from her home to make way for Micron Technology.
The Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency is trying to use eminent domain to evict Azalia King from the house on Caughdenoy Road, where the agency promised in writing she could spend the rest of her life.
More than 30 people spoke today at a public hearing about the eviction, all but one of them in support of letting King stay in her home. Most of the speakers blasted the county’s move as cruel and unnecessary.
“It’s absolutely insidious that you want to toss a 91-year-old woman out of the only home she has known for 60 years,” said Janice Luce, who grew up in Clay. “I stand here to support Mrs. King.”
The final speaker, who gave his name only as Timothy, became so loud and emotional as he paced in front of the crowd that two sheriff’s deputies subdued him. A pepper spray canister went off during the altercation.
The two-hour hearing focused on OCIDA’s proposed use of eminent domain to get King out of the house to make way for Micron Technology’s massive chipmaking complex planned at Route 31 and Caughdenoy Road.
OCIDA bought the land from Glenn and Azalia King in 2005 but agreed in writing to allow the couple to live in their family home until the last of them died. Glenn died in 2015.
OCIDA filed an eviction notice against King Sept. 4, then earlier this month turned up the heat with the eminent domain proceeding.
Azalia King, through her daughter-in-law who has power of attorney, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against OCIDA over the eviction notice.
Glenn King was a member of the Clay Fire Department for 70 years. Azalia worked in the Clay post office.
At the hearing, family members and friends held handmade signs. One featured a photo of a smiling Azalia King with two of her great-grandsons. Above the photo were the words: “Let Azalia Stay.”
One of King’s grandchildren, Jason Brown, stood at the microphone holding his 4-year-old son Miles.
“We chose to live there long before this was ever talked about,” Brown said, his voice breaking at times. “And it’s terrifying that you guys can just rip through someone’s home.”
Many speakers criticized OCIDA leaders and County Executive Ryan McMahon for not being at the hearing. Instead, three lawyers from OCIDA’s law firm, Barclay Damon, ran the hearing. No members of the OCIDA board were there.
Executive Director Robert Petrovich, who at previous public hearings on Micron has been at the front of the room listening to testimony, stayed in the back. Petrovich declined to comment after the hearing.
McMahon was scheduled to speak this morning at a news conference promoting the Syracuse Winter Fair.
“This performance of our Onondaga County is shoddy, second-rate, despicable and unacceptable,” said Judy Boyke, a Clay resident and real estate agent. “This behavior is unacceptable because they are lying, bullying. It’s a betrayal and it’s cruelty to Mrs. King. Their word means nothing.”
The only person who spoke in favor of King’s relocation was Don Western, the former OCIDA executive director who signed the deal with the Kings 20 years ago. Western conceded that moving King now would be hard on her but would be necessary for the big economic development project.
“Disrupting the settled life of an elderly person is difficult, painful, unkind,” said Western, who headed the agency in 2005. “A project that could leave the existing residents undisturbed would be my preference. That is not possible.”
The hearing also included OCIDA’s attempt to seize rights of way on about 2,000 feet of property that abuts the eastern edge of the Oak Orchard Wastewater Treatment plant. OCIDA said that land is the last piece needed to build a 2-mile industrial wastewater treatment line from Micron to a planned industrial plant at Oak Orchard.
The owners of those properties submitted a letter from their attorney to OCIDA saying the eminent domain action should be abandoned because OCIDA hasn’t fully studied the impacts the wastewater lines could have on the properties.
J.P. Russo, whose father, John Russo, is co-owner of the properties, was the only speaker on the rights of way issue.
“Before any property can be taken by eminent domain, the law requires a full and fair review of the potential environmental impacts,” J.P. Russo said. “Yet the environmental analysis of that pipeline is incomplete, segmented and lacking detail.”
OCIDA will accept written comments on both eminent domain proceedings until Nov. 26. Then the agency can go to court and ask a judge to approve the taking of the rights of way and the eviction of Azalia King.
McMahon said this week the county has made the King family an offer and is waiting to hear back.
Latest Micron News
- Central New York college adds new engineering degree in anticipation of Micron jobs
- McMahon: County, 91-year-old widow reach agreement for her to leave home on Micron site
- Watch video: Hearing on Micron eviction ends with pepper spray, shouting, man’s removal
- McMahon says county has made offer to widow it’s trying to evict for massive Micron project
- County approves Micron project, giving the chipmaking complex its biggest boost yet
