After years of lawfare against RAMA, city says it's over; why so long, why so costly?

From left, City Attorney Terence O'Rourke, City Manager Katie Ambrose and Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan (O'Rourke, Callaghan/Rochester Voice file photos; Ambrose/City of Rochester screenshot)

On Oct. 29 the City of Rochester announced it had reached a 'mutual agreement" with the Rochester Agricultural and Mechanical Association (RAMA) that allows them to hold special events to maintain the nonprofit's financial health.
RAMA is the owner of the Fairgrounds and puts on the annual Rochester Fair, now Granite State Fair, every September.
In the announcement City Manager Katie Ambrose expressed her gratitude to City of Rochester Attorney Terence O'Rourke who along with other city department heads "worked tirelessly" to resolve the issue, Ambrose said.
Well, "the issue" was Ambrose and O'Rourke were preventing RAMA from having those special events - which were all grandfathered - in an attempt to demonetize RAMA, so they could buy the 68-acre Fairgrounds for future city development at pennies on the dollar, according to a RAMA board member who asked not to be identified.
In the city's statement of Oct. 29 it also noted that Mayor Paul Callaghan said that he's "pleased to see that RAMA has come to an agreement with the City of Rochester to host more events in the future."
Yet we never saw or heard a peep from Callaghan expressing those sentiments during his time as the top elected official in the city.
In fact, it was during Callaghan's tenure that the city of Rochester waged its fiercest battle against RAMA, first trying to strip RAMA of their nonprofit status and later when the Rochester began denying permits for grandfathered special events like enduro/demo events, concerts, festival of lights and motorcycle races.
Before the 2020 pandemic, RAMA was taking in $50,000-$60,000 a year in special events. After the pandemic ended they took in just $1,000 in 2023 and nothing last year.
During this time O'Rourke also led the fight to strip RAMA's of its nonprofit status, but the Supreme Court in a January 2023 ruling found no merit in the city's case.
The timing of this "October-surprise" announcement is really quite rich.
It came four days after the Mayoral Candidates Forum held at City Hall - in which all four candidates slammed Rochester officials for wasting taxpayer money in lawsuits against RAMA - and five days prior to last Tuesday's municipal election.
Why did the city waste tens of thousands of dollars on destroying RAMA and then suddenly come to a resolution and stop hassling them?
Was it a "come to Jesus moment."
Was the handwriting on the wall after all mayoral candidates slammed the city for its lawfare against RAMA.
I think inquiring minds want to know, and Rochester residents need to know.
Ambrose has an obligation to tell us why she and the city wasted so much staff time and taxpayer money.

- HT