Chapter 6 - THE SIDE LETTER

The break came from a document the council never saw.
A side letter.
Signed by Conrad.
Signed by Stephen Cross.
Attached to the 2024 refinancing.
It promised Vale Municipal Opportunities priority notice before any town action that might reduce redevelopment-corridor value.
It also gave the fund informal consultation rights over parcel classification.
Informal.
Not legally binding in the normal sense.
But politically devastating.
Then one sentence:
Mayor Vale will use commercially reasonable efforts to accelerate conversion of underperforming agricultural parcels.
Clara read it twice.
Underperforming agricultural parcels.
That was her farm.
Dorsey’s feasibility report used the same phrase.
Now the chain connected.
Debt.
Consulting.
Condemnation.
Family fund.
May you like
Not one smoking gun.
A system.