Skywater Development Replat Controversy Leads to a Surprising Reversal
Skywater Development Replat Controversy Leads to a Surprising Reversal
Former mayor's last-minute approval raises questions about administrative integrity
Last week, the Cloudcroft Reader investigated a replat of several lots in Skywater, a development linked to Village Trustee Jim Maynard. The property is immediately north of the Cloudcroft Brewery Company on Victoria Street and was originally platted in 2012 for single-family residences.
Crews recently completed a gravel road on the premises, pictured above.
In 2023, then-mayor William Denney signed three replat certificates for the property, with the last executed on December 22, 2023, just days before new mayor Craig Turner was sworn into office.
An earlier request to reclassify the property from R1 (single family residence) to R2 (multifamily, condominium) failed by a 3-0 vote in August 2022.
Procedural Irregularities Uncovered
The Cloudcroft Reader's investigation revealed a troubling lack of documentation of the recent replat.
There was no evidence that the Planning & Zoning Committee (P + Z) or the Village Council had reviewed or approved these replats, as mandated by local ordinances.
Village officials and former P + Z Commissioners interviewed could not recall these replats being presented for consideration, raising questions about why established procedures were not followed. A review of minutes of P + Z meetings could not find any mention of the replat of the propery.
Mayor Turner's Swift Response
When asked about the absence of any record that the replats had been executed through the required channels, Mayor Craig Turner said he would investigate.
Within 48 hours, the mayor revoked the Skywater replats, citing invalid procedures.
Mayor Turner informed Trustee Maynard, who is a “managing member” of All Family Partners LLC, of the decision and advised resubmitting the requests through proper channels.
Mayor Turner also said that he himself had recently signed a replat certificate for another property after being counseled by long-time Trustee Maynard that he had the authority to do so.
Upon learning that he did not in fact have such authority, the mayor revoked the replat in question and called the property owner. He guided the owner on the correct process for submission through the P + Z committee.
Winds of Change
Since taking office eight months ago, Mayor Turner has dealt with numerous problems he inherited from a poorly run Village administration, including missing reports and payments, such as payroll withholding taxes, that should have been made to state and federal authorities.
It has become clear that in prior years, the Village administration cut corners, ignored required procedures, and operated with little effective oversight.
A newly hired outside accounting firm's ongoing forensic audit will likely shed further light on what did and did not happen. The cost to the Village in penalities and possible lost grants has yet to be fully tabulated.
But even without the final report, it is apparent that the Village's management of its responsibilities has long needed revision. Checks and balances were absent. By being transparent and decisive in his actions, Mayor Turner appears to acting on his promise to bring professionalism and accountability to the Village's administration.
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