Officials cut the ribbon today on a new refuse and recycling center, which is also part of a controversy surround I-Square in Irondequoit.
The new recycling and refuse collection center will facilitate the recycling and refuse collection program for the entire I-Square site, which has the potential to house over 25 businesses.
Mike Nolan, co-owner of the project along with his wife, Wendy, said the entire site is built with a green footprint, starting with a parking lot that's entirely pervious.
The controversy around the new center revolves around an alleged failed agreement between I-Square and COMIDA, Monroe County’s Industrial Development Agency. Monroe County GOP Chair Bill Reilich had called I-Square a "failure" and suggested that owners Mike and Wendy Nolan had defaulted on their tax agreement with COMIDA.
After a weekend inspection, COMIDA issued a statement saying a default had occurred related to I-Square.
Mike Nolan maintains the project is not in default, and wants a retraction.
"They need to undo that and figure out how they can correct our name in this,” Nolan said. “They've really dragged us through the mud for political cause that is not right. They need to fix that.”
Questions have been raised about whether Reilich had an inside track to information from COMIDA about whether the developers of the project had met the required benchmarks for a tax incentive deal.
Reilich had issued a statement that any projects involving COMIDA are public projects and there is a continual review of their status.
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley has said her office is gathering all the facts in regard to the controversy.
Here's Nolan talking about the new center: