By Dan Murphy
Note: We received the following statement from the Town of Yorktown on October 29. “A recent article in the Yonkers Times regarding the Valley Fields par 3 golf course owned by the Town of Yorktown and licensed to a private operator, contains false statements regarding Yorktown officials made by Larry Nussbaum, whose company has been redeveloping the property. Deputy Town Supervisor Tom Diana never met with Nussbaum nor negotiated an amendment with Nussbaum to alter his company’s contract with the Town. In fact, he has never met Nussbaum. Matt Talbert, chair of the Yorktown Parks and Recreation Commission, advised Nussbaum’s employees that any amendment to the existing contract would need to be negotiated with and ultimately approved by the Yorktown Town Board. That never happened. The draft document amending the contract that Nussbaum states is in effect has never been presented to the Town Board and has no legal standing.”
The story that the Town referenced in its statement was titled, Par 3 Developers Warn Slater’s Breach of Contract Will Cost Taxpayers Millions, and was printed in Westchester Rising newspaper on October 28, and online at Yonkerstimes.com. https://yonkerstimes.com/par-3-developers-warn-slaters-breach-of-contract-will-cost-taxpayers-millions/.
The Town’s statement resulted in a response from Larry Nussbaum, President of RC Recreation Development, who in addition to the paid advertisement pictured above, clarified in a email letter to us titled, “JUST THE FACTS, Tom Diana”
“Please take note that the PR firm does not deny Diana’s involvement in negotiations with RC Recreation Development LLC. I agree I never met Tom Diana, however he personally was a participant in the Yorktown negotiation resulting in an agreed to 2nd Amendment to the original Concession Agreement with RC. Although I was not present at the negotiation, my partner, Frank DiPeri, was. Negotiations are between corporations, not individuals.”
Nussbaum also provided us with emails from James Martorano, Supervisor of the Yorktown Sports and Recreation Commission, congratulating me for the successfully concluded negotiation, to be on the lookout for the Yorktown crafted 2nd Amendment to sign, have notarized and return the executed 2nd Amendment with a copy to all participants including Tom Diana, representing the Town Board.
Another email from Nussbaum to Diana thanking him for his personal participation in resolving the 2nd amendment and requesting an appointment with him to discuss all aspects of the golf course opening.
“Tom Diana never responded to this email or previous emails requesting an opportunity to meet him, the future Supervisor with Slater’s predicted win on Election Day,” adds Nussbaum. “In summary, this response to Tom Diana represents the facts. The courts will confirm the validity of the 2nd Amendment, duly authorized and negotiated between Yorktown and RC Recreation Development LLC.”
We welcome Mr. Diana, to contact us for comment.
