For Immediate Release: January 10, 2013
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Relations | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK, NY - Adirondack Park Agency (APA) Chairwoman Leilani Ulrich announced today that former Board Member James T. Townsend will serve as the next APA General Counsel effective January 29, 2013.
Chairwoman Ulrich said, "The Adirondack Park Agency is delighted to welcome Mr. Townsend back. For more than a decade, Mr. Townsend worked tirelessly on complicated Park issues and has a proven track record of accomplishments on behalf of the Adirondacks. His unique skill set will be a tremendous asset for the Agency."
Mr. Townsend served on the Agency Board from June of 1999 until May of 2010. During his eleven year tenure he served as Chair of the following committees: Legal Affairs, Regulatory Programs and State Land. He was also a member of the Administrative, Enforcement, Local Government Services, Interpretive Programs and Park Ecology Committees.
His tenure as Chair of the State Land Committee resulted in resolution on key State Land Master Plan interpretations which jump started the Unit Management Planning process.
"The Adirondack Park Agency staff eagerly looks forward to Mr. Townsend assuming the helm as Agency Counsel, stated Executive Director Terry Martino." As we enter the 40th anniversary of the Adirondack Park Agency, we are poised to undertake a meaningful review of our regulatory programs to ensure we effectively address our statutory mandate. Mr. Townsend is the right person to guide us forward, concluded Ms. Martino.
As Chair of the APA's Technical Advisory Committee, Townsend engaged with the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board and various stakeholders on APA policy matters which lead to the passage of several regulatory reform packages. These efforts improved shoreline and wetland protections as well as clarifying the jurisdictional process.
Mr. Townsend is fully versed in state administrative procedures. He has extensive knowledge of the APA Act, the State Land Master Plan, SEQR, the Open Meetings Law, FOIL, and other relevant statutes.
"I am honored to serve as the Agency's General Counsel, said Mr. Townsend. I thank Governor Cuomo for this opportunity and will work diligently to promote and protect this magnificent treasure. Since my departure from the Agency Board my passion for the Adirondacks has only increased. It is with a profound anticipation that I look forward to joining staff to work with all stakeholders to address the future of one of the world's most remarkable places."
Mr. Townsend presently is a partner in Remington, Gifford, Williams & Colicchio, LLP, a General practice firm, which concentrates in corporate, business and real estate financing and related planning matters.
Other notable professional affiliations:
Current member of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics
Current member and former trustee, Monroe County Bar Association
Current member and former chair, Monroe County Bar Association, Business Law Section
Current Board member of the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake
Current Board member and President of the Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station, Inc.
Current chair of the Monroe County chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club
Member of the 46ers (climbed New York State's 46 High Peaks )
Nominee for Nathaniel Award for recognition for improvements to the legal system, 1998
Admitted to the following: Western and Northern Districts of New York, Massachusetts, U.S. Tax Court
Mr. Townsend received a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Trinity College.
The mission of the Adirondack Park Agency is to protect the public and private resources of the Adirondack Park through the exercise of the powers and duties of the Agency as provided by law. For more information, call the APA at (518) 891-4050 or visit www.apa.ny.gov.
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