Dave Gilroy comments at a Town Board meeting in 2020

April 6. By Dave Vieser. Former Commissioner Dave Gilroy appeared before the Town Board Monday evening to speak in opposition to a proposed increase in density among some of the rural portions of the town.

“Once you raise the density, you can never reverse it,” he said.

As a private citizen, he was allowed three minutes to speak. Gilroy, who is expected to run for the Town Board this fall, had submitted videos and spread sheets and asked that they be displayed on the screen when he spoke.

But there were technical problems getting the videos displayed, to the extent that Mayor Woody Washam gave him an extra minute to speak.

Gilroy was just getting up to speed when he reached the four-minute mark.

Time’s up

“You are out of time Dave,” said the mayor.

As it currently stands, private citizens get three minutes while developers and applicants can speak as long as they wish.

Gilroy left, unhappily pointing out that there weren’t any other speakers anyway.

He was an early opponent of the toll lanes on I-77 as well as a hawkish approach to town budgets, including capital expenditures and salaries.

When he was honored last year for his service a little over two years ago, he said:

“I submit we are more likely to find the right balances if we have passionate discussion on both sides. The balance comes from passionate debate, not ‘go along to get along.’ Find that balance on the big issues so we can fortify…what makes this town so distinctive.”

Gilroy honored for service

Some towns in the county are exploring the possibility of allocating more time for citizens to speak.

Duke comments

Commissioner Jim Duke said Gilroy made “a rather passionate appeal by former Commissioner Gilroy earlier but unfortunately as a regular citizen he didn’t have the time.”

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