United Water Created Shortages that Now Justify Desal Plant

February 7, 2010 "The New York State Department of Conservation decision authorizing the construction of
Lake DeForest states, "This Commission has the full power to see that this project is operated solely for the
benefit of the citizens of Rockland County. The only benefit to the Hackensack Water Company (United Water
New Jersey) and the people of New Jersey is the incidental benefit of a regulated flow in the river." Even during
periods of drought between 1991 through 2007, the United States Geological Survey's Hackensack River West
Nyack monitoring station recorded an average flow of approximately 15 million gallons per day. As a result, the
average flow to New Jersey exceeded the amount permitted by the DEC by more than 7 million gallons per day." (More)

February 3, 2010 Back on December 3, school board member Aron Wieder chased after Albert D’Agostino
after the attorney got in the face of a parent, threatened him, and then stormed out of the meeting.
Wieder was overheard reassuring the Lawrence, N.Y., attorney that "It was in the bag." D’Agostino never
returned to the meeting, but at tonight’s board meeting, in a vote that divided the board 5-4, the $400
an hour attorney, who was recently investigated by the State’s Comptroller for possible pension fraud,
was chosen the attorney of record for the East Ramapo School District until July 2010. (More)

Will St. Lawrence's $40,000,000 Scam Destroy Ramapo?

February 1, 201 Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has invested about $40 million in land that
he claims is for "open space." And it now costs Ramapo’s taxpayers more than $10 million a year, to pay
off the bonds that have been issued for these purchases. But what are his real plans for this land? (More)

Glauber Settlement a Bad Precedent

January 31, 2010 A resident calls the payout to the police officer a bad idea and advises, "Anyone involved
in the hiring process, and settlement process, should be gone, today." Two letters to the Journal here.

January 27, 2010 With the official launch of the Lebovits-St. Lawrence LLC at Monday’s Town Board Meeting, residents
have turned to the documents to begin the next stage of the project. They will be collecting the legal points for what might
be a single, unified Article 78 lawsuit or several actions. There are many issues to choose from, beginning with the most obvious,
that it’s a very bad idea to drop high-density development right on top of a critical aquifer, and then including all the finer points
like the inaccurate data used by the developer in his reports, and the standards in the State’s Handbook on the Alienation and
Conversion of Municipal Parkland that require approval of both houses of the State Legislature for this project to go forward.
The story and the documents here.

Full text here.
 

Ramapo Town Board Sells Out Patrick Farm in Unanimous Vote:
Frances Hunter--Yes;  Yitzy Ullman--Yes; David Stein--Yes;
Christopher St. Lawrence--Yes   

January 26, 2010
Three hundred Ramapo residents showed up at the special meeting of the Town Board last night, and 2,000 more
had emailed board member Fran Hunter asking her to vote against the high-density building on Patrick Farm. Owner
Yekiel Lebovits and his developer from Brooklyn, Abraham Moskovits, have applied to put 500 homes on the environmentally
sensitive property on Route 202 near the corner of Route 306. (More)

   Journal News coverage of the Board Meeting here

St. Lawrence talks about Patrick Farm
becoming a new village--Would not stand
in the way of religious developers

January 24, 2010 Friday morning, Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence
explained to the audience of a weekly radio show that he would not stand
in the way of Yekiel Lebovits or Scenic Development of Monsey if their
intentions include the creation of a new high-density religious community on the Patrick Farm property. Click
here for recent aerial views of the density in two other Orthodox communities in Ramapo. This promise contrasts
starkly with his active opposition to the petitions from the residents of Ladentown when they applied for the
same thing. Or the several petitions for single-district elections which he fought in court.

1,900 Sign Petition Opposing the Approval of High-density
Growth on the Patrick Farm Property--click here to add your name
 

January 22, 2010 Baile Glauber had been Ramapo’s first Orthodox Jewish Policewoman
until yesterday. Actually, she was a probationary officer, and despite the strong personal
support of Christopher St. Lawrence, when Glauber’s probationary period was to end in
February, Police Chief Peter Brower planned to recommend that she not be hired on
as a regular on the force. (More)

Why Preserve Ramapo Opposes the
Proposed Development of Patrick Farm

January 18, 2010 Preserve Ramapo Chairman Robert Rhodes
outlines five reasons why the organization strenuously opposes a Brooklyn
developer's plan to build 500 homes on this historic site. Read
the article here. This matter is coming to a critical vote (to accept the
Environmental Impact Study and approve the zoning change) Monday
January 25 at Ramapo Town Hall at 7:30. This is a turning point in Ramapo history, and all should reserve the
time and date to be there to show their opposition to the project. For background on the strange partnership of
Christopher St. Lawrence and the Lebovits family (developers), including the bizarre creation of Adult Student
Housing zones to leverage the extortionist influence of the RLUIPA legislation visit this page.

The period to submit objections to the Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) has been ex-
tended to this Friday, Jan. 22. You can read the full text of other objections and responses here.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

County Legislature Passes Resolution from Meyers and Michel to
Support the Nation of Haiti

January 21, 2010  Read the full text of the resolution here.

Aid to Haiti: Steve White, a close friend of Preserve Ramapo, has organized an
effort to raise $1,000 for Partners in Health--Visit his page here and please be generous.

Jacques Michel keeps Rockland County Legislature Seat

January 17, 2010 "County Legislator Jacques Michel will hold onto his seat following a judge's ruling that the
Spring Valley man lives at the address listed on his voter registration and that a police investigation wasn't done
properly. Michel's appreciation of the ruling was tempered by events in his native Haiti, where his wife's two aunts
were killed in the earthquake and many other family members remain missing." Complete Journal story here.

Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts: How You Can Help

This link will take you to a listing of local, national, and international relief agencies where you can send
donations or volunteer to help. If you scroll to the bottom, there are instructions that will show you how
to quickly text micropayments of $5 or $10 to several of the causes. The charges are made by your carrier, and
all of the money goes to the organization.

Joint Resolution by Legislators Joseph Meyers and Jacques Michel
Concerning the Haitian Crisis and Relief Efforts

January 15, 2010 Read the full text of the resolution here. 

Report on the Clarkstown Public Hearing on Desalination

January 13, 2010 A most informative informational meeting was held before the Clarkstown Town Board
last night. The most interesting information was provided by a well-informed and persistent audience
that would not accept the evasive answers provided by executives and engineers representing United Water. (More)

Proposed Rockland County Desalination Plant a Boon for United
Water New York, a Bust for Area Water Customers

January 8, 2010 But the question remains, will this produce a legitimate search or like the first time
around, a sham? In November, the votes of Aron Wieder. Eliyahu Solomon, Richard Stone, and Moshe
Hopstein created a hiring process that was anything but fair, open, or intelligent. "It’s in the bag,"
Wieder was overheard reassuring their candidate, Albert D’Agostino, when he stormed out of a
public meeting. And it was in the bag, until Steve White filed an objection with the State,
and taxpayers and parents, who would be paying the attorney’s fees, rose up against the decision. (More)

Meyers Looking for Answers for Who Gave the
Slaughterhouse an 8-Year Pass on Inspections

January 7, 2009 From a press release from County Legislator Joseph Meyers: "Since there was
obviously a breakdown in the inspection process at the New York State and federal level dating back
to 2002, I believe the County Legislature should be briefed by our Commissioner of Health, Dr. Facelle,
and other appropriate personnel to gain a complete understanding of what, if any, inspection responsibility
the County of Rockland has with respect to this facility and whether the County properly fulfilled its role
in safeguarding the health and safety of the public with respect to the chickens processed at this facility
during the period in question.” Read the full text of the press release here.

St. Lawrence to run for Lieutenant Governor

January 6, 2010 For the Journal News coverage, including comments from some rather
shocked readers, click here.

St. Lawrence looks to grab Lieutenant
Governor campaign slot

January 5, 2010 (8pm) The Daily News Political Blog posted a story tonight that opened with:
"Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence sent a letter this week to all Democratic
committee members, state legislators and local elected officials across New York to express his
interest in seeking statewide office this fall. St. Lawrence, a four-term supervisor and two-term
county legislator, is "seriously considering" a run for lieutenant governor, according to a source
familiar with his plans. In the letter, which will also be widely distributed throughout the LOB
and Capitol tomorrow when the political establishment descends on Albany for the governor's
State of the State address, St. Lawrence hits the high notes of property tax relief, change and
an end to the dysfunction that has plagued state government." Full blog and text of St. Lawrence's
letter here.

East Ramapo: Bad schools unravel communities
January 2, 2010  "Preserve Ramapo, an organization that fights against overdevelopment,
recently received an e-mail about our reporting on activities of the East Ramapo school
district. What, the writer wanted to know, do schools have to do with the preservation
of Ramapo? It is a good question and perhaps the answer is not as obvious to others
as it is to us." Read Robert Rhodes' complete Community View here.

Ramapo Town Board Report Dec. 21, 2009

Public Works & Highway Projects—Maple Avenue: two water main breaks at Phillis Terrace.
New road needs to be repaved. Cedar Lane and Blauvelt Rd.—pole needs to be relocated by
O&R for sidewalk construction. Ellish Parkway—Town needs to purchase 13 catch basins to do
drainage work. The Village of Chestnut Ridge wants the town to plow Gilman Terrace an
undedicated street for the remainder of the winter. St. Lawrence said the town will do it
and charge the village for the additional work. (More)

Journal News looks back at 2009 in Ramapo
And We Select Top 3 Quotes for the Year

January 1, 2010  The Journal offers an insight into where we are, and we chose from among the
more outrageous statements by our public figures. More

December 23, 2009 The level of discourse at the East Ramapo School
Board meetings has degenerated to a level that would be inappropriate
for News 12, Chalk Talk, or any of the school newspapers. And it’s not
the vociferous, capacity audiences that have been showing up that are
to blame. It’s several of the school board members themselves along
with their hand-picked replacement attorney from Long Island. (More)

County Legislature OKs Vanderhoef's $17G raise

December 17, 2009 "Vanderhoef did not include the raise when he submitted his election-
year budget Oct. 23, but said he was doing so now in the interest of fairness." Last night
the County Legislature voted 12-5 to pay the County Executive $152,000 per year, beginning
in January to $155G in July. Voting against the raise were: Jos. Meyers, D-Airmont, Jacques
Michel, D-Spring Valley, Frank Sparaco, R-Valley Cottage, Alden Wolf, D-Suffern, and Michael
Grant, D-Garnerville. "Legislator Ilan Schoenberger, D-Wesley Hills, who moved the pay
resolution forward, said the increase was deserved. 'I don't find a salary of $155,087 for a
16-year incumbent county executive who has just been re-elected for a four-year term
by the people of Rockland County to be shocking to my conscience,' Schoenberger said." Journal story here.

Jonathan Kaufman wins as Fire Commissioner in Monsey

December 17, 2009 After questions about absentee ballots were resolved, Jonathan Kaufman was declared
winner of the election by a scant three votes. Kaufman defeated Lenny Lesin. A 22-year member of the
fire department, Kaufman will serve on a five-member Board of Fire Commissioners for a five-year term.

Ramapo Town Board Report Dec. 9, 2009

Town accepts resignation of Town Court Justice Samuel Coleman...Ramapo Housing Authority will conduct
up to 500 Section 8 inspections. . .New purchase agreement for fire suppression system at the Stables. . .
Town will purchase additional 425 acres in the Torne Valley for $5.25 million (will split cost with State). . .
Town joins Hudson River Watershed Alliance. . .Finance to transfer $3.3 million from the Police Fund
to the General Fund. . .(More)

December 14, 2009 The first political attack made against Jacques Michel
(Democrat, District #13) was petty and short-lived. There were those who claimed to
be upset that the Legislator had sent a holiday greeting that included a County Legislature
image. That was a year ago. The Journal News ran the story and then it disappeared.
The second political attack was more serious. (More--Michel's letter and link to the defense fund.)

 

 

No Résumé Needed in Spring Valley

December 11, 2009 Two recent appointments in Spring Valley
seem to prove that if you want to hide your qualifications,
or lack of qualifications, or you’d just rather avoid any
conversation at all about your life experience and professional
track record, the new Jasmin administration could have
a place for you. (Story here)

 

Antrim Cell-Tower Crane Test Sunday

The crane test is scheduled for this Sunday December 13^th-  10am till Noon. The rain or wind date is
December 20^th. Check http://www.wesleyhills.org/News/Celltower.htm for an update.

New York Times: Board's Hiring Sets Off a School War

December 7, 2009 "Ground zero for now is the schools, where roughly 70 percent of the students are
black and Hispanic, and where Hasidic and other Orthodox Jews, who almost always send their children
to private yeshivas, control six of the nine seats on the school board." Read Times' article here.

East Ramapo lawyer issue is not over

December 7, 2009 "People may be wondering why this board was so desperate to hire Albert D'Agostino at
four times the cost of the current laywers. At the board meeting, Wieder, who chaired the meeting, and
other board members who voted to hire D'Agostino didn't want to answer that question. Allow me to
connect the dots for you." Read the full text of Peggy Hatton's letter to The Journal News here.

East Ramapo meets Tuesday to discuss controversial
lawyer hiring

November 29, 2009 A special meeting has been called for Tuesday by the East Ramapo School
Board to discuss a possible compromise surrounding the incendiary action taken at the last school
board meeting, at which the Orthodox majority on the board booted the two current attorneys while
hiring an attorney from Lawrence, N.Y., with legal baggage and a price tag that quadruples the legal costs
for taxpayers. We have been told there will be no public input at this Tuesday meeting. Expect it to be highly scripted
with results still controlled by the private-school faction. Journal story here. Note--update on the number who have
viewed the videos of the original meeting: At 9pm this evening, 9,667 views of Mr. Luciano's YouTube posting, and
3,886 of Mr. White's video. The regular meeting of the Board of Education will be Wednesday evening at 7:30, and
there will be a public comment session at this meeting to allow input about the compromise as well as the original
board action.

Preserve Ramapo to Post Town Board Reports

November 29, 2009  With the departure of long-time Journal News Ramapo reporter James Walsh,
the reports on the Ramapo Town Board meetings have not been posted in the newspaper. With this
initial coverage of the most recent Ramapo Board Meeting, Preserve Ramapo will try to fill the gap
with regular reports on the Ramapo Town Board meetings. Without these reports, the general public,
short of deciding to attend every Town Board meeting, will remain in the dark about what the Board
and Supervisor are doing with your money, town law, and the direction in which the Town is heading.
The November 23 Meeting report here.

November 24, 2009 It was well past midnight (12:42) when the
school board came out of executive session to open the public
portion of last Wednesday’s East Ramapo School Board meeting.
There was a single item to be discussed. The Orthodox majority
on the panel wanted to fire the two attorneys currently serving
the district and to bring in another attorney, Albert D’Agostino,
at quadruple the salary. School Superintendent Oustatcher called
it a disservice to the children of this community, adding "that the
decision would rip asunder both the board and a community."
Deputy Superintendent Joe Farmer characterized the decision as a "declaration of war." The President of the School Board,
Nathan Rothschild, had requested that the vote not be taken, but be put off until next week for a full session devoted
to the issue. But Moshe Hopstein, Aron Wieder, Morrris Kohn, Eliyahu Solomon, and Richard Stone were deaf to the
objections. They had no answers for the Board’s nor the Superintendent’s questions, and they voted 5 to 3 to bring in
the attorney who assisted in the Orthodox takeover of the Lawrence School District on Long Island. (More)

November 18, 2009 A representative from United Water, Steven Goudsmith, met with residents at the
Hillcrest Firehouse last night to explain his company’s efforts to improve service in the Hillcrest area
and elsewhere in the County. Many of the questions from the audience remained unanswered at the end
of the evening. (More)

Ramapo and Stony Point pass resolutions opposing Hudson
desalination plant

November 13, 2009 Because of the environmental and economic impact to the County, the Town Board of
the Town of Ramapo has declared itself opposed to construction of the "Haverstraw Water Supply Project",
and any Hudson River desalinization facility at this time. And Stony Point has also resolved that "until it has been
conclusively demonstrated to the satisfaction of all Federal and State authorities as well as the Town of Stony Point
that its residents by consuming any such Facility water taken from the Hudson River will not be subject to any
immediate or long term adverse health issues, the Town of Stony Point requests that no further consideration or
approval of the Facility should take place." Read the full text of both resolutions here.

Aerial photos of work at the
proposed slaughterhouse

Work seems to be ongoing at the site where a proposed slaughterhouse
has not been subjected to an environmental review. Two recent
photos from November 9 here.

United Water gets DEC permit for pilot desal plant

November 10, 2009 "The state Department of Environmental Conservation has issued a key permit to
United Water New York as the company pursues construction of a Hudson River water-treatment plant.
The DEC issued the permit Friday, giving the company the go-ahead to install 735 feet of six-inch pipe
in the river and along a road bed, ending at what the agency calls "the pilot plant treatment works." The
permit represents the company's last major hurdle in moving forward with its temporary pilot plant,
which is being constructed to allow United Water to test methods to determine which might be best
for treating river water before delivering it to its Rockland customers." Journal story here.

St. Lawrence's Re-election on Nov. 3

November 8, 2009 "St. Lawrence’s victory on Tuesday was not nearly as impressive as it first appears.
In fact, a close look at the preliminary numbers from the Rockland Board of Elections suggests a clear
trend that is very encouraging to Preserve Ramapo." Read Robert Rhodes' complete analysis here.

Between the lines in Ramapo

November 6, 2009 "St. Lawrence held the religious bloc vote, which can supply a solid 3,000-plus ballots in
New Square and Kaser alone. Add to that St. Lawrence's popularity from his open space programs and reputation
for fighting utility rate hikes. Even though he trailed by more than 5,000 votes, Levine's challenge had traction.
St. Lawrence needed to address the issues Levine raised during the campaign, and still does. People are mad.
They want real protections in zoning, not giving open space with one hand and downzoning to allow unsustainable
density with another. They want building and zoning codes enforced, not chased after-the-fact and only under
pressure from residents.” The Journal News editorial warning and a comment here.

Winners in their Races: St. Lawrence, Stein, Ullman, and Schoenberger
Vanderhoef defeats Kleiner

June 18, 2009 After the denial for the Bobover Yeshiva, the Zoning Board continued the public hearing portion
for the Mesifta Beth Shraga's plan for a yeshiva and dormitory on Camp Hill Road on the property previously
owned by actor Burgess Meredith. After a contentious discussion, the public hearing portion was closed and the
vote was taken. Board member Tzirel Friedman voted to approve the project, Maurice McDougal voted against,
Charlotte Weaver voted against, Schmuel Tress voted to approve, and Chairman Morton Summer thought he was
deciding the issue with his yes vote. The results were announced as "yes to the zoning changes" 3 to 2. An uproar in
the audience followed as Ralph Bracco, former Airmont mayor, made his way to the front loudly protesting that
a supermajority vote was required because of County disapproval. Town attorney Michael Specht conferred with
Alan Simon, and it appeared Bracco was right. Simon made an "administrative announcement" that the approval vote
had failed to get the required supermajority vote and therefore the variances would not be approved.

Christopher St. Lawrence,
Carpetbagger

June 11, 2009 What do you do when you are
faced with the first difficult primary challenge
of your career, and your bloc might not be able
to pull your bacon out of the fire? Well, for
Christopher St. Lawrence, the answer was obvious--
high-tail it over to the opposition. Send enough of
your Monsey base over to the opposition party's
convention, and if you can't get your own party
line, steal theirs. And what about loyalty to your
own party? Forget it--no place for that when it's your
own fat you smell in the pan. Republican candidate
Christopher St. Lawrence will soon be seeking your
endorsement on the Republican Party Line. Sounds
odd doesn't it, especially when you think here's a
guy who never misses an opportunity to remind you
that, as a kid, he spent hours licking envelopes
working on his father's campaigns. (Read the complete story here.)

NYS Board of Elections: Gift cards given out at New Square
Polling place, a felony--DA investigating similar abuse in Monsey
(Update)

June 10, 2009 After receiving the legal determination from a state Board of Elections Enforcement
Counsel, a Preserve Ramapo representative met with a detective from the Rockland County District
Attorney's Office and requested that the department complete a full investigation of two events in
recent elections. In the 2005 Supervisor's race, poll workers at a New Square location handed out cards
that promised a gift to those who had come to vote. In the September Primary Election in 2006, ice-cream
making machines were promised to voters in Monsey. Both acts constitute felony violations of the State
Election Law Section 17-142. The Journal News learned yesterday that the District Attorney is now
actively investigating the apparent felony in the Monsey election. Complete story here.

Ramapo residents critique developer's plan for Patrick Farm

June 7, 2009 "There were about 30 speakers at the first of two public hearings on several issues:
the potential environmental impact of nearly 500 housing units, a proposed amendment to the town's
comprehensive plan to permit the construction and a zoning amendment for multifamily housing. Pomona
village Trustees Brett Yagel and Rita Louie opposed the project's density, which was also an issue for
Robert and Sandra Solomon, who live adjacent to Patrick Farm. 'This developer is asking to almost
quadruple the population,' Robert Solomon said. Patrick Farm neighbor Linda Gellis said the town rejected
an addition to her home, 'and now they want to build multifamily housing in my backyard?'" Story here.

Criminal Fraud

June 5, 2009

The flyer sent out to all residents in Ramapo
proclaiming Ramapo as the safest place in the
country is a fraud. In fact, it is one of the more
outrageous examples of marketing fiction to belch
out of the St. Lawrence smoke machine. This piece,
though, goes beyond the usual attempts to dupe the
public. It, in fact, places the academic reputation
of a publisher at risk, and, worse, it portrays the
FBI as an organization that doesn’t have a clue when
it comes to crime statistics. (More)

Yeshiva to pay $5G in cow's slaughter

June 3, 2009 "A yeshiva where a cow was slaughtered in the yard last month agreed
yesterday to pay a fine to settle charges that the act violated town regulations. The
town agreed to accept the $5,000 fine to settle the charges against the Bobover Yeshiva
in Ramapo Court yesterday. The Bobover Yeshiva is asking the town for a zoning variance
to allow it to build a new school for 250 students. A hearing before the Ramapo Zoning
Board of Appeals is tentatively scheduled for 8 p.m. June 18 at Town Hall." Full text of
Journal coverage here.

Ramapo Dems challenge
Town Board's incumbents

June 1, 2009 "Nearly an hour of speeches,
met by applause from an audience of about 200 people,
focused on a need for change, a need to bring government
back to the people and wrench it away from Supervisor
Christopher St. Lawrence, also a Democrat. The message
from Levine, and Town Board candidates Veronica Boesch
and Rodrigue Lustin, seemed to be one the audience was
ready to hear as the campaign rolls toward the Sept. 15
Democratic primary." Read the complete Journal story here.

More complete coverage, including the full text of Bruce Levine's speech and a photo layout of
the day's events are at www.levineforchange.com. Scroll down the home page, or go directly
to the news page on the site.

Federal Judge hears arguments in Pomona
Rabbinical College RLUIPA suit

May 21, 2009  "Marci A. Hamilton, attorney for Pomona and an expert on the federal Religious
Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, known as RLUIPA, presented the village's case first, arguing
that Pomona has never received an application from the developer on the project, so the village
officials and residents didn't know what Tartikov really wanted to build on the site. Congregation
Rabbinical College of Tartikov sued the village in July 2007, arguing that Pomona's land-use regulation
and conduct prohibited it from building and operating the college and housing for students on a 130-acre
site off routes 202 and 306." The judge's decision is expected in 6 to 12 months. Read story here. See
draft of the Tartikov original plans here.
 

East Ramapo school budget passes, busing change fails
Two stealth candidates elected to the board

May 20, 2009  "The spending plan included closing Colton Elementary School, cutting staff, eliminating
freshman sport teams and closing down the district's Gift of Time program for struggling elementary
school children. It allows for the school board to rent out Colton and to move full-day kindergarten to
the Ramapo Freshman Center." The busing change that would have converted older students who live
a half-mile or less from their school to walkers did not pass. The two candidates who refused to
provide any information about themselves to the voters won easily as the bloc vote turned out
to support contenders who did not want their views on education in East Ramapo known. That
brings to a total of four East Ramapo Board members who have demonstrated a contempt for a system
that depends on an informed electorate to maintain free and democratic elections. Journal News
early coverage is here. We will link to the complete story when it's posted later. 

Another slate of stealth candidates refuse to provide information to voters
in East Ramapo School Board Elections

The Journal News Lists the
following for these candidates:

Morris Kohn (left)
Residence: Spring Valley
Age: unavailable
Civic Experience: unavailable
Occupation: unavailable

Eliyhu Solomon (center)
Residence: Spring Valley
Age: unavailable
Civic Experience: unavailable
Occupation: unavailable                  Full story here

"Nobody says we have to sit here and listen
to the same stuff over and over. You don't
like it, tough!"
      Chairman Morton Summer at ZBA meeting
      for yeshiva on Burgess Meredith estate

May 15, 2009 The hall was filled with an overflow crowd and at
several points Morton Summer slammed his gavel and shouted
down the emotional residents from the Camp Hill neighborhood.
The Zoning Board of Appeals was asked by the developer,
Mesifta Beth Shraga, to allow a quadrupling of the size of the
school size, from the original 72 students to 288 students.
Photo coverage of the meeting here.

Kitchen at Bobover Yeshiva shut down by Board of Health

May 15, 2009  "The Rockland Department of Health has ordered the kitchen at a yeshiva where a cow was
slaughtered and strung from a tree shut down effective midnight tonight. County officials took action against
the school because it has been using water from an unapproved well since it began operating without a permit
more than two years ago, according to records obtained by The Journal News under the Freedom of
Information law." Journal story here.

County Legislators move toward law that would ban Orange
County sewer hookups to new plant

May 13, 2009 Last evening, the Planning and Public Works Committee of the County Legislature
decided to proceed with Joseph Meyers’ draft of a law that would prohibit "sewer connections to the
Rockland County Sewer District #1 from structures outside the physical boundaries of the County of Rockland."
Some see the focus of the legislation as aimed at the massive construction on Tuxedo Reserve in Orange
County and Supervisor St. Lawrence’s recent contradictory statements supporting connecting those 1,000+ homes
to the new Western Ramapo Processing Plant. (More)

State will let East Ramapo close Colton

May 12, 2009 "The state education commissioner has denied one part of a legal challenge
to the East Ramapo school district over closing Colton Elementary School next year. District
parent and school board candidate Peggy Hatton filed an appeal with the state in early May
asking that Commissioner Richard Mills look into the closing and keep the school open - grant
a stay - pending his review. Yesterday, the commissioner rejected the request to keep the
school open, although the appeal remains active." Journal coverage here.

Legal complaint filed against East Ramapo over
voter regulation lapses

May 10, 2009  "Three candidates for the East Ramapo Board of Education have filed a petition
against the school board and the Rockland Board of Elections saying the district's election process
could allow for illegal votes being cast and needs to be overseen by an independent observer."
Read The Journal News coverage here, and read the text of the complaint here.

Bobover Backlash

May 10, 2009 Members of the Monsey community expressed their criticism of the illegal
slaughtering of a calf at the Bobover school on Route 306. Rabbi David Eidensohn
said, "This was not a religious act, it was an act of a fool." "Rabbi Moses David Tendler of
Community Synagogue of Monsey, a professor of medical ethics and biology at Yeshiva University
as well as an expert on Talmudic law, said the group's slaughter of a cow showed a disregard for
laws as well as the group's failure to understand American society. "They are ignorant of social mores,"
he said. "They don't know what is right and proper in an American community."
In an editorial in Saturday's paper titled "No More Breaks for Yeshiva Bobover," The Journal News
editors wrote: "On May 14, the Ramapo Zoning Board of Appeals should not give an inch on Yeshiva
Bobover's continuing dispute with the town over variances to allow the construction of a building on the
property to serve 250 students. In recent years, Ramapo has allowed organizations, often private schools,
to continue to operate even if they are out of compliance with codes. Sometimes, this has resulted in
good compliance with local codes and general cooperation. Other times, the violations pile up as town
regulations are repeatedly ignored. Guess which pattern fits here?"
Dramatically absent from this general discussion are the town leaders--Supervisor St. Lawrence, Inspectors, and the
Boards responsible for preventing illegal schools like Bobover, not looking the other way for years.
Read: Jewish leaders, others condemn cow slaughter in Ramapo here,
No More Breaks for Yeshiva Bobover here.
The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting is Thursday, May 14, 8pm, at Ramapo Town Hall--it's open to the public.

Watch Rockland Water Panel Discussion video: Panel Discussion of the
April 30 Water Forum about the Proposed Desalination Plant for the Hudson River,
sponsored by the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water 
Video by David Gutierrez of Rockland.TV (April 30, 2009)
http://www.rocklandny.tv/group/gid=189

Levine offers experienced
rival for Ramapo's St. Lawrence

May 6, 2009  "Bruce Levine, Spring Valley's village
attorney and a former chairman of Rockland's Legislature,
says he will challenge Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St.
Lawrence in the Democratic primary. It would be the first
primary for the Supervisor's Office in 26 years, and one pitting
St. Lawrence for the first time against a candidate with broad
local government experience. Levine, 52, of Montebello said
his campaign focused on reducing taxes, bringing integrity to
government and cutting patronage jobs. (More)

Cow slaughtered on
yeshiva grounds--ABC Video report

May 5, 2009  On the grounds of a
controversial yeshiva on Route 306, a
calf was slaughtered Thursday in the back
yard of the residence. The ABC video 
erroneously reports  that the killing
wasn't illegal--a town attorney told
Preserve Ramapo that it is illegal to operate a slaughterhouse in Ramapo, so the yeshiva
once again finds itself in the middle of a legal controversy. ABC video here. 

Journal News Update: Cow head, entrails, found in boxes inside
Ramapo yeshiva classroom

May 7, 2009  "The cow's head and innards as well as butcher knives and rope were in
separate cardboard boxes inside the classroom, near where yellow toy trucks and other
playthings were stored, photographs taken by Ramapo police show. Tables in the classroom
were covered with clear plastic.Police were called to the Bobover Yeshiva at 6:42 p.m. Monday
by horrified neighbors who witnessed the slaughter and saw the dead cow hanging from a rope.
The yeshiva, in a Colonial-style house that town officials maintain is being illegally used as a school,
is in a residential area." Complete story here.

Residents criticize proposed yeshiva in Ramapo

May 7, 2009  "A hearing on a proposed yeshiva and dormitory on Remsen Avenue drew
opposition from residents upset over its size and potential to detract from their neighborhood.
After two and a half hours of discussion and comments from a parade of residents, nearly all
opposed to the project, the Planning Board on Tuesday decided to resume the public hearing on
June 7. Earlier in the evening, Robert Rhodes, whose group has long opposed development, particularly
without expanded infrastructure, said: "What we really have here is a clash of cultures; people who
live in a suburban neighborhood and people who want to educate their kids and put up an urban edifice
in a suburban area." Story here.

Parent Fights to halt school closing

May 4, 2009 "An East Ramapo school district parent has filed a legal appeal asking the
state's education commissioner to stop the closing of Merrill L. Colton Elementary School.
In the petition served on the district last week and sent to Richard Mills, the state's education
commissioner, Margaret Hatton of Chestnut Ridge asked that the closing be stopped pending a
detailed demographic study specific to the district and the formation of a new, inclusive
building reorganization committee, among other measures. Hatton, a candidate for the East
Ramapo school board, has two children in district schools. Story here.
Full text of the legal appeal here on the Power of Ten website. (While you are there please
make a contribution to the organization and check the profiles of the candidates for the
upcoming East Ramapo School Board Election--May 19.)

Merrill L.Colton Elementary
on the Block

May 3, 2009  Exactly one month after
the East Ramapo School Board voted to
close Colton Elementary, bids were
opened for a lease with an option to buy
arrangement. On Friday, May 1, the East
Ramapo District Clerk opened the bids. Those competing for the school were
Congregation Nachlas Chaim, Congregation and Yeshiva Beth Hillel, Yeshiva of Spring
Valley, Congregation Bais Malka/HASP. View the YouTube video of the event here. Click
on the "And the Winner Is" clip.

Ramapo denies tax exemption for Jehovah's Witnesses
May 3, 2009  "A property-tax exemption has been denied for 248 acres owned by the
Jehovah's Witnesses. That does not mean an exemption will never be granted.
The Watchtower Tract and Bible Society can appeal the decision, and can also seek
a zoning change to permit the religious uses it plans for the property." Journal story
here.

Hudson River treatment plant forum draws 200 to Clarkstown
May 1, 2009 "A forum on the state of the world's water and a proposal by United Water New York
to build a Hudson River treatment plant drew about 200 people to Clarkstown Town Hall last
night. The event, which included a film, "Flow: For the Love of Water," and a panel discussion,
was sponsored by the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water." Story here.

Rancor where private-school parents
make public-school decisions

April 26, 2009  A New York Times reporter looks at the situation
in the East Ramapo School District. He compares Ramapo and
Lawrence, Long Island. "In both cases, the boards voted to close one of the local schools.
In both cases, one reason given is declining enrollments because so many local families now
send their children to yeshivas. In both cases, the decision was made by boards dominated
by Orthodox Jews who are running the public schools but don’t send their own children to them."
The Times' suburban reporter also discusses the recent attempt to stack the board. "It gained a
measure of acrimony a year ago when two Orthodox school board members dropped out of
the race a week before the election, in effect giving their seats to two other Orthodox
candidates, one of whom never campaigned, never supplied information for a candidate
questionnaire and never showed up at candidate's forums." More

                  Burgess Meredith historic homestead
Town opens hearing for yeshiva plan on historic site

April 26, 2009  " 'We don't object to a school,' said Rip Hayman, who lives near the site,
'but it's overdevelopment in a residential area. It should be built on a more appropriate site,
and the house that's there should be preserved for historic reasons.' The house is the former
estate of the late actor Burgess Meredith, an 18th-century property prized for its period architecture
and grounds where the Continental Army once camped. Proposed development of the more than
7-acre property has been under town review for almost two years, spawning a growing opposition
from residents." Full text of the Journal story here.

Now, It's Tuxedo Reserve will not connect up
to the new Western Ramapo Sewer Plant

April 25, 2009  Reversing remarks he made in his Thursday night cable show (Jan. 29) when Supervisor
St. Lawrence twice mentioned the possibility of connecting the massive development to the
new sewer processing plant almost completed in Hillburn, St. Lawrence told activists at a
Ramapo River Watershed meeting, "We are not opening this up to the Tuxedo Reserve." Whichever
statement you might believe, we have seen this kind of purposeful ambiguity before from the Town.
This will require watching. The taxpayers of Ramapo are footing the bill for the $125 million plant,
and 1,200 homes (all in Orange County) should not have us build their public utilities for a development
so large it will damage both the Ramapo River and the watershed. Journal story here. For the "fact-finding"
done by Supervisor St. Lawrence concerning hooking up Orange County go here.
 

Voters approve Finkelstein budget 2 to 1

April 23, 2009  "We are very appreciative of the public support," said Richard Rothbard,
president of the library's board of trustees. "The need for libraries is even greater now with
the state of the economy." The money will help bring back services that were cut last year,
such as more weekend hours in the summer, Devino said. It also will allow guests to check out
a greater number of items at a time and help purchase new books, he added." Journal story here.

Ramapo wins court decision over Tartikov taxes

April 17, 2009 "The town's denial of a property tax exemption for 130 acres owned in
Pomona by Congregation Rabbinical College of Tartikov won the support of a state Supreme
Court judge. In his decision Wednesday, Justice John La Cava ruled in part that Tartikov's
profit from a summer camp negated its tax-exempt status. That was particularly true, La Cava
decided, because the property was otherwise undeveloped, so the camp couldn't be connected
to other activities." Read the Journal story here. This action is separate from the RLUIPA suit
initiated by Tartikov against Pomona. That case is still pending.

Congers woman takes house dispute to state court

April 16, 2009 "A Congers woman who says she was duped out of her home has dropped a federal
lawsuit in favor of a state one seeking $1.5 million in compensation and damages. Elizabeth DiGiacomo's
attorney, Wayne Gavioli of Nanuet, fired a buckshot blast at everyone within legal sight - a New Jersey
real estate developer who lives in New Hempstead, a Monsey attorney and a notary and title company
involved in the deal.The filing of the lawsuit in state Supreme Court on Tuesday ended DiGiacomo's bid
in federal court, where she had used an anti-racketeering statute to file a civil lawsuit naming Gershon
Alexander, the real estate developer, and Ryan Karben, the Monsey attorney who's also a former assemblyman.
Gavioli said that although High Mountain Sanitation Haverstraw continued to be named in the new lawsuit,
he believed it was "nothing but a shell corporation without assets," so it was financially better for his client
to pursue a state lawsuit against the individuals instead." Complete Journal story here.

Ramapo resumes prosecution
of Hillcrest landlord

April 14, 2009 "A landlord or building owner
has the responsibility of understanding and
complying with the regulations set forth by
our federal, state and local municipalities. And
claiming ignorance to this fact is not and will
not be tolerated by our local officials. This is not a third world country Mr. Klein, one cannot
make up or disregard set regulations as we see fit in order to 'make or save a buck'! By not
providing early fire detection or a suppression system and having limited the emergency egress
to these apartments, you not only have placed your tenants in an unsafe living environment,
but you have also directly placed my Volunteer Firefighters in a potentially deadly situation."
Letter from Assistant Hillcrest Fire Chief to Joseph Klein, landlord charged by the Town. Read
the full text of the letter here and the Journal story here.

Lamont-Doherty Rockland water website is
out of beta--visit Water Resources in Rockland County

“It is a disgrace that a criminal investigation has
not been initiated in this matter…"

April 11,2009 The outrage over the disputed transfer of a 76-year-old woman's home for $40,000
made its way from the LoHud blogs to Saturday's editorial page. Many are calling for a criminal
investigation over the proceedings. With the RICO statute as the basis for the lawsuit against Gershon
Alexander ("purchaser") and Ryan Karben ("attorney who was chosen to look after the woman's
best interests at the closing") there will, no doubt, be an investigation. Many would prefer that the
DA's office take a look also. Our cursory look at the numbers put the Ramapo Supervisor St. Lawrence
in bed with another of Gershon Alexander's companies, Puddingstone in North Haledon, N.J. Read
the most recent update "Congers Woman's belongings trucked from disputed house" here. At the
bottom of the article are the comments and questions from the public. Read about St. Lawrence's
involvement with Gershon Alexander here.   

Ramapo denied appeal in Adult-Student Housing case

April 9, 2009  "The town has been denied a chance to appeal a court ruling that gave four villages
the right to sue it over the town's zoning for adult-student housing. The Court of Appeals, the
state's highest court, preferred instead to allow the villages' case to proceed. Chestnut Ridge,
Montebello, Pomona and Wesley Hills launched the lawsuit in 2004, charging that Ramapo hadn't
fully considered the environmental impacts of its zoning that permits dormitories and apartments
connected to schools." Full story here.

Letter in The Journal News  April 8, 2009 "The East Ramapo school board claims that it must
close a school and greatly increase the size of its elementary school classes in order to save
money. Yet it seems curiously uninterested in collecting all of the taxes that are due to the district.
In fact when Steve White, a public school parent, raised this issue at the last meeting of the board
he was told it's none of our business." Full text here.

The Tax Shell Game in Ramapo

April 8, 2009 What do you do if you’re soon running for Town office
and your budget is swelling? You have to pass the increases to the
taxpayers, unless. . . Unless you can shove the costs off to the villages.
Charge the increases to them, and then credit the costs you’ve transferred
to them as accounts receivables on your books. Let the taxpayers pay the costs to the villages while
you’re "reducing" taxes at your level. It’s the kind of fraud the Town of Ramapo has been pulling for
years with highway department costs, and will once again claim as part of their “responsible stewardship”
in Ramapo. In addition, this year, Supervisor St. Lawrence has taken $200,000 out of the Chestnut Ridge
budget by prohibiting Interstate Waste Systems from operating in Chestnut Ridge. The company had to
suspend operations, and the village lost almost a quarter million in revenues. Read “Taxes could rise 8.9%
in Chestnut Ridge” here. Then read “Airmont looks to replace Town of Ramapo for road maintenance” here.

Questions on United Water Hudson plant plan

Journal News Editorial: Too many questions
surround the decision to close Colton Elementary

April 5, 2009 "Last year, Superintendent Ira Oustatcher first recommended closing one school,
Lime Kiln Elementary. In January, the ante was raised to two schools, with Hempstead Elementary
joining the prospective hit list. Apparently, something changed thereafter; it wasn't until two weeks
ago that Colton was even mentioned in closing talk. That was when a school trustee asked whether
Colton had been considered for closing. Since the beginning of the process, the school community has
gotten little information about how decisions were being made. A 25-member community panel studied
various plans, but members were told to keep the panel's findings secret. School board meetings in which
the school closing issue was on the agenda were often canceled or rescheduled. How much did the board
discuss, or even understand, the unique needs of Colton's school population? It provides for many of the
district's special education students." Read the full editorial here.

In fact, the behavior of the board reflects the antidemocratic procedures in the most recent school board
elections. Read "Back Door to the Board Room."

Update: How They Voted and Journal Story--
Staff, students stunned by Colton closing:
parents target school board elections (here)

Oustatcher and Board close Colton Elementary School

April 2, 2009  Steve White, the leader of The Power of Ten group reported on
the vote taken late last night at the East Ramapo Board meeting: "Tonight, the
East Ramapo School Board voted to close Colton Elementary School. By the time
the vote was taken, most of the crowd of about 300 people had already left the
building in disgust. They had spent 3 hours watching a farce of a meeting without
any progress." (More)

Second attempt at public
discussion stymied

March 31, 2009 There have been two public hearings
set up at the County Legislature to discuss the Consent
Order levied against Rockland Sewer District #1 by the
NY Department of Conservation. The issue is a weighty
one with two $10,000 fines for sewage spills and $50 million
in ordered repairs for the failing system staring the taxpayers
in the face. At a County meeting last year called by Legislator
V.J. Pradham, the meeting ended without any public comment
or questions allowed. Last week, a second public “update”
meeting was scheduled to take place today. It was cancelled at the end of the week. (More)

1,500 turn out in support of Ramapo officer

March 30, 2009 "The ground floor of the Holiday Inn was jammed yesterday with friends,
family and fellow police officers who came out in the hundreds to support Christopher Hudak
and his family. Hudak's wife, Michelle, died from complications while giving birth to their fifth
child in January. The subsequent outpouring of support from police departments, firefighters and
the community has been staggering, and it culminated with 1,500 arriving for yesterday's fundraiser
to help Hudak, a Ramapo police officer, and his four sons and infant daughter." Story here.
Donations to help the Hudak family can be sent to:
Ramapo PBA 10-13 Town of Ramapo PBA P.O. Box 481 Tallman, NY 10982
Hudak Children Scholarship Fund c/o William Collins Jr. 12 Fredric St. Nanuet, NY 10954

Former Ramapo is disappearing

March 27, 2009 Letter to The Journal News "My name is not Alice and I have not
fallen down a rabbit hole. Yet, I feel I have arrived in a strange "wonderland" of
religious institutions cropping up along the route 306-202 corridor. There is a religious
campus planned and approved by Ramapo Town Planning Board ("Ramapo house
spared in yeshiva plan," Jan. 20) on property once owned by actor Burgess Meredith,
on Camp Hill Road, near Route 202." Complete text here.

Lorterdan site sold to Jehovah's Witnesses--
Religious compound proposed

March 26, 2009 "The Jehovah's Witnesses are planning an administration and residential
complex off Silver Mine Road where about 850 people would live and work. The 248-acre
site was intended to become an active-senior development, but the builder, Lorterdan
Properties at Ramapo, sold the site in February to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
of New York. Ramapo Assessor Scott Shedler said Watchtower had applied for a religious-use
exemption, but no decision had been made." Journal story here.

 More Than Half of Local Politicians Accept or Consider Pay Freeze—
Darden and St. Lawrence: "No thanks, we’ll pass."

March 23, 2009  In a Journal News feature article, Len Maniace
writes, "Faced with a crumbling national economy, a number of
top municipal administrators around the Lower Hudson Valley are
foregoing pay raises this year. More than half the municipalities
and school districts responding to an informal survey by The Journal
News said their top officials were considering or already had agreed
to do without raises." Two high-profile officials (Mayor of Spring Valley
and Supervisor of Ramapo), with two of the heftiest compensation
packages, have decided to forego the idealism. (More)

Adult Student Housing case has hearing today

March 20, 2009  "Arguments for and against the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a yeshiva builder (Rabbi Aryeh Zaks)
against five villages will be heard today in federal court in White Plains." The story about today's hearing can be read
here. For a review of what the ASH special zones created by Christopher St. Lawrence and his board are, read
Adult Student Housing: An Extortion Paid. More information on the history of this particular site (the old Nike Base
on Grandview Avenue) there are stories on the RLUIPA and ASH page here.

Monsey gas station owner faces fine of nearly $10,000

March 19, 2009 "The owner of a Monsey gas station was fined nearly $10,000 yesterday for allowing waste oil to seep
into the ground near catch basins, where it could contaminate the public water supply, and failing to correct the problem
for more than three months. Rockland County Department of Health officials told the board that there are five catch basins
near the site, which is also near two United Water wells, posing a danger that the oil would get into the area's drinking water.
Neither Lesser Gross, the operator, nor his lawyer, Ryan Karben, were at the meeting.The board imposed a fine of $9,550 and
said it would take action to close the station if the spills were not cleaned and repairs weren't made." Complete story here.

High-density project on Elm Street in Spring Valley

March 17, 2009 "Residents will have an opportunity tonight at the town board meeting to give their
opinions of a proposed 138-unit condominium project on the Monsey-Spring Valley border."
The project is in an R15C zone, a zoning change created by Supervisor St. Lawrence
and his board that permits adding six times the number of homes on a single site in
the Monsey/Spring Valley area. The Journal points out, "That zoning, which was enacted
by the town to accommodate the burgeoning demand for housing in the Monsey area, has been criticized for its density
by the county Department of Planning." Further, the reporter points out, "The density of the proposed developments is at
the core of Spring Valley's concerns. 'The village is for affordable housing,' Village Attorney Bruce Levine said yesterday, 'but
the numbers should reflect the constraints on the site.' Mayor George Darden has said that the village, which is in the midst
of a $2 million drainage project in the area with the county, would not tolerate any storm-water runoff from the property."
The photo above shows the illegal clear-cutting already done without permits by the Town of Ramapo. Story here.

Karben returning to court, again--Lawsuit charges a
violation of the RICO statute

March 13, 2009 Ryan Karben and a corporation that seems to have a fictitious address were named
in a lawsuit that accused the Monsey attorney "and a New Jersey-based company of misrepresenting
a real estate transaction in which a 76-year-old Congers woman says she lost the deed to her home."
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in White Plains under "civil provisions of the federal Racketeer
Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO." Read the Journal story, "Lawsuit: Woman
duped of deed to home" here, and for an interesting couple of degrees of separation from Supervisor
St. Lawrence read this interesting comment posted by a reader online at the LoHud site, and then
review the Preserve Ramapo story he refers to.
 

Too many cars and pedestrians share too little space

March 12, 2009 "For many years, overdevelopment has taken place in this part
of Ramapo with scant attention paid to the infrastructure necessary to support higher
population densities, such as roads, sewers, water supply, parks and public transportation.
The Town of Ramapo and the Village of Kaser, abutting the accident site, have taken
part in unrestrained downzoning and zoning variances that have resulted in quite a large
number of multifamily housing projects along Route 306 and on the roads that feed into it.
Besides the obvious problems of traffic and pollution, the resulting inadequate infrastructure
creates a dangerous situation, with too many cars and pedestrians sharing too little space."
Read the full text of the Community View here.

Nyack spill sends 550,000 gallons of raw
sewage into the Hudson River

March 7, 2009  "Half a million gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Hudson River
Friday after a sewer main broke. Ron Delo, director of Orangetown's Environmental
Management and Engineering Department said 'The pipe broke just outside the pump
house, and the sewage was transported into the river via an overflow pipe that empties
into the Hudson, he said.'" Journal story here.

Ramapo Taxpayers
to subsidize large-
scale development
in Orange County

March 1, 2009 The Journal News reported Sunday that "Rockland’s sewer district
may provide service to a planned residential community in Orange County." The
development is huge--1,195 homes in a sprawling site called Tuxedo Reserve in the
highlands north of Sloatsburg in Orange County. The cost to Rockland taxpayers will
include the capital expense of $125+ million for the almost completed Western Ramapo
Waster Treatment Plant in Hillburn. The prime beneficiary is Related Companies, one
of the richest developers in the country with real-estate assets worth $16 billion. (More)

Legislators Meyers and Michel pass resolution against
closing schools in Ramapo

Feb. 23, 2009 "Rockland County Legislators Jacques O. D’I Michel and Joseph L. Meyers’ resolution
strongly encouraging the East Ramapo School District Superintendent and Board of Education to consider
other methods to close that District’s budget gap rather than resort to the closure of two elementary schools
was overwhelmingly approved at the February 17, 2009 meeting of the Legislature. Dozens of parents,
school children and interested parties attended the meeting to request the support of the Legislature to
pass the resolution." Read the Press Release here and the text of the Resolution here.

Wi-Fi Sprinklers--You're kidding, right?

Feb. 22, 2009  Living in Ramapo, you get used to some pretty bizarre situations. From
the Supervisor calling down at you twice an hour from one of those $30,000 clocks (eight in all
scattered around the town), to a judge (Scott Ugell) telling Ramapo Building Inspector Brian Brophy
not to worry about the dope and envelope of cash he was caught with--just consider it never
happened. Here's another one of those Ramapo moments that makes life so surreal here.

Who pays for the pilot desalination plant?

Feb. 23, 2009 "United Water's proposal to pipe water from the Hudson into our homes
has raised many questions about toxic hazards, big ratepayer increases and environmental
damages." Should we have to pay for a test plant that may not work out? Read the
full letter here.

Pipe leaking radioactive water at Indian Point

Feb. 20, 2009 "Indian Point 2 has sprung a new leak of radioactive water that
may force company officials to shut down the nuclear reactor to repair a cracked
pipe about 8 feet below ground. The 8-inch pipe is leaking about 18 gallons of tritium
and water a minute, and workers at the plant have been digging since early Monday
morning, when water showed up near a manhole cover, regulators and plant officials
confirmed to The Journal News." Story here.

Building a death trap

Feb. 20, 2009  "For decades, volunteer firefighting officials in Rockland have
warned that one day their colleagues would die, trapped in an illegally converted
apartment or condo, running into rooms without windows or walls blocking what they
expected would be an escape route. So many single-family homes have been altered into
two, four and even six apartments that the officials were certain tragedy would someday
strike. It was just a matter of when and where." Read the Journal News editorial here, and
then read "Hillcrest Volunteers Want Out of New Square" here.

Rebutting propaganda on East Ramapo

Feb. 19, 2009 "It is a sad day in journalism when a newspaper fails to send a reporter
to an important community event (the Feb. 4 East Ramapo school board meeting)
and then publishes an inflammatory and hateful piece of propaganda as a
"Community View." Read Steve White's full letter responding to the "fear-mongering"
Community View that appeared in the Journal News.

DEC will lead environmental review of United Water's
proposal to draw water from the Hudson River

Feb. 14, 2009 "Environmentalists are using the word 'victory' to describe a state decision
to oversee the environmental review of United Water New York's proposed permanent Hudson
River water treatment plant. Rebecca Troutman, a staff attorney with the Tarrytown-based
Riverkeeper, said her environmental watchdog organization was pleased the Department of
Environment Conservation has stepped in.'DEC has the broadest range of expertise, authority
and resources of any of the involved agencies,' Troutman said. 'Given the critical public policy and
environmental issues, they should lead the review.' Journal story here.

Spring Valley should begin thinking of itself as a city

Feb. 9, 2009 "Maybe now is the time for the people of Spring Valley to also think of forming the City
of Spring Valley. Almost everything is in place; they have their own courts, police, highway and public
works departments, etc." They also are underfunded and overtaxed with the worst rates in Ramapo.
Read Mayor Frankl's complete letter here.

School closings hurt kids and the community

Feb. 9, 2009  "A Feb. 2 article, 'Ethics Board to review legislator's use of Rockland County seal,' stated
that Ira Oustatcher is chairman of Rockland's Ethics Board. Oustatcher is also the East Ramapo schools
superintendent. I started to wonder what kind of ethics the superintendent and some of our school board
members employed in their decision-making about the possible closing of two East Ramapo schools."
Full text of the letter here.

Letter in Journal News discusses Schoenberger's vindictiveness  

Feb. 5, 2009  "Rockland County Legislator Ilan Schoenberger rules the Democratic caucus with an iron fist.
Any sign of independence is met with certain retribution. Sometimes it is just one of his vicious verbal
attacks made during a county legislative meeting, but it is usually hidden from public view. Employees
sponsored by independent legislators may even lose their jobs. But whether the retribution is substantial
or just silly, it will come." Read the full letter here (a shorter version of the letter appeared in The
Journal News today).

Legislator Meyers requests progress report on repairs
mandated by DEC consent order to Rockland Sewer District 1

Feb. 5, 2009  After years of illegal raw sewage spills, the DEC ordered that Rockland County Sewer District #1
identify and repair the causes for these discharges into streets and waterways. A Stearns and Wheler
analysis itemized $50 million in repairs. In a press release dated today, "Legislator Joseph Meyers has
requested that Executive Director of Sewer District No. 1 Dianne Phillips, participate in a review discussion
together with her senior engineers and representatives of Stearns and Wheler who are involved in the Project.
Legislator Meyers is concerned that the pace of development in Ramapo has created capacity issues on the
sewer system that may have resulted in the increased frequency of sewer overflows during the past few years. 
Meyers is also concerned that future significant development in Ramapo may overburden the entire system
without large-scale additional infrastructure, which will be expensive to ratepayers and difficult to accomplish
logistically in a fully developed Town." For these reasons, Meyers has called for a public discussion of the issues.
Read the full text of the press release here.

Dueling rogue developers in Ramapo

Feb. 5, 2009 At one end of town, no one's taking credit for illegally demolishing a home that
the lien holder wanted to auction off today, and cross town, the party scoffing at environmental
laws is none other than the Town of Ramapo itself. Two updates on these recent stories are in
today's Journal. In "House demolition a mystery to resident" we learn that the guy paying the taxes
on what is now a pile of rubble claims, "A gentleman bought this property two years ago and he couldn't
pay his taxes. He asked if I'd borrow him the money to pay the taxes. That's my whole connection to this
whole thing." Meanwhile over on Elm Street, just outside Spring Valley, the Town of Ramapo has clear-cut
trees within 100 feet of a flood plain. Spring Valley's not happy (they're already spending millions to try and
remedy the flooding just up the street), and neither is the county or the state. Read "DEC cracks down
on Ramapo project" for today's update.

House illegally demolished in St. Lawrence's
6-for-1 zone in Monsey

Feb. 3, 2009  A house at 1 Carlton Road was torn down at dusk on Sunday without a permit
from the Town of Ramapo. The house was scheduled to be auctioned off tomorrow to satisfy
liens held by U.S. Bank National Association, a trustee for Credit Suisse First Boston. The
bank and any others who were to be partially repaid by the auction are now out of luck. The
presumed owner, Abraham Miller is due in Town Court at the end of Feb. where he faces
a fine of up to $5,000. The property is within Supervisor St. Lawrence's special R15-C zone
where builders can replace single-family homes with 6 homes on the same lot. The
complete Journal story here.

Wesley Hills updates legislation to maintain its property
size requirements for schools

Feb. 3, 2009 "The village has updated legislation to maintain its long-standing property-size
requirements for schools, without automatically requiring more land based on enrollment.
Meeting the 10-acre requirement now also gives the builders the opportunity to enroll up
to 200 students. Previously, the 10 acres was needed just for the school. If a larger enrollment
is planned, there must be 0.01 acre for each additional student." Complete Journal story here.

Legal case over Tartikov unaccredited "college" for
1,000 back in court Feb. 10

Feb. 1, 2009 "U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Karas will hear arguments in regards
to the village's (Pomona) request to dismiss a lawsuit by Congregation Rabbinical College
of Tartikov. The village of about 3,000 people was upset two years ago by news that its
population could be dwarfed by 1,000 or more students and their families living in six-story
apartment buildings. Paul Savad, a Nanuet attorney representing the congregation, said the
intent was to build only enough for 250 students on what amounts to 130 acres off routes
202 and 306." (You can review the original plans for the project here and judge for yourself.)
Complete Journal article on the court date here.

Controversies dog Spring Valley mayor

Feb. 1, 2009 "In a village election year, there's reason to wonder whether voters will be
able to see over the pile of issues building up around [Darden]. Some are as simple as opposition
to one of the problems vexing most officials - rising village taxes. But as is often the case, when
taxes went up 9.65 percent in the budget adopted last April, Darden spiced up the controversy by
defending a raise that put his salary at more than $102,000. When he promised to take a substantial
pay cut in the next village budget, residents asked why he wouldn't take the cut in 2008. "Because I
make up my own decision," he said. "You make up yours, I make up mine." And it's not just a clueless
arrogance that has marked George Darden's tenure as problematic. Read Bob Baird's complete column here.

Firefighters seek housing precedent in trial

Feb. 1, 2009 "The criminal trial, entering its fourth week at state Supreme Court in the
Bronx, is being watched closely by Rockland firefighters. Aside from the tight local bonds,
landlords putting up temporary walls to create extra rooms and collect more cash is a growing
problem in Rockland County, one that puts the lives of firefighters and tenants at risk." The
local problem has been called a time bomb by Gordon Wren Jr., Rockland's director of fire and
emergency services. "We've got a very serious problem, and it's growing every year," Wren said.
"And with the economic situation, it's going to get worse." Journal coverage here.

Civil rights honors due Irving Feiner

Jan. 30, 2009 A Nyack Trustee writes, "Several years ago, I nominated Feiner for the
Rockland County Civil Rights Hall of Fame without telling him. The folks in New City
who decide such things enshrined other worthy honorees that year, but I'm confident
that they'll correct this oversight the next time around. Although it'll be a shame that
Feiner won't be around in person when he's finally inducted." Read entire letter here.

Ramapo clear-cuts trees on
property near flood plain

Jan. 28, 2009 "DEC spokeswoman Wendy
Rosenbach said the agency was serving the
town with a notice that it had violated
stormwater regulations by clearing an acre
or more without a state permit." Ramapo
paid $7 million for the 8.1 acres at the end
of Twin Avenue in Spring Valley and it's planning
to build 130-150 units with four to five bedrooms on the site. The site, on Elm Street, is in
unincorporated Ramapo and Spring Valley officials are worried about the impact on the
flood plain and the density of the overall plan. Journal story here.

_____________________________________________________________

County Loses Activist
with an Historic Record

Jan. 27, 2009   Last Friday, Irving Feiner
of Nyack passed away at the age of 84
after a short illness. From early adulthood to
the present, Irv dedicated himself to the
defense of the civil rights guaranteed to all
while fighting inequalities from the trial of the
Trenton Six in 1949 to the current unfair tax
burden on the residents of Spring Valley.
Story here.

Two tributes to Irv Feiner in The Journal News:

Editorial page--An appreciation: Irving Feiner
"Irving Feiner believed in speaking his truth to power--often with cutting and colorful
language. Feiner died Friday at 84. We remember his legacy of standing up for civil
rights and social justice, and expressing his thoughts loud and clear." Full text here.

Bob Baird's column--Guardian of our liberties
"Irv Feiner was a pain in the neck, and points south. He was irritating, aggravating,
and sometimes downright annoying. And he was usually right." Full column here.
_____________________________________________________________

Attendance an issue at Ramapo Board meetings

Jan. 26, 2009 "Town records showed there was only one occasion last year, the March 11
meeting, when all board members were present and on time. The board generally has meetings
once a month. Eight of 15 zoning board meetings were fully attended last year. Members logged
between one and four absences. St. Lawrence said poor attendance was "unacceptable," and
reminded members that "you committed to being on time for all meetings and making a concerted
effort to attend all meetings." He warned in the memo that if the problem persisted, "the Town Board
will take appropriate action to remove you from your position." Journal story here.

Closing a school requires thoughtfulness and transparency

Jan. 23, 2009  An East Ramapo parent goes over a number of issues not covered in the
recent Journal editorial about consolidating schools in the East Ramapo School District.
Why are the two schools to be closed both in the same area--an area targeted for high-
density growth? What are the facts about tax-exempt properties and school taxes in
the district? And what about the recent renovations done at Hempstead and Lime Kiln
schools? What will happen to class sizes in the remaining schools? And finally, are there
alternatives? Hard to tell about the alternatives discussed by the committee--it was a closed,
secretive process that produced the recommendation to lease or sell the schools. Complete text
of the Community Forum here.

Hundreds protest closing of East Ramapo schools

Jan. 20, 2009 "Chanting 'Save Our School,' nearly 200 people stood in front of Hempstead Elementary
School at noon yesterday to protest a district plan to close the building at the end of the school year. Parents,
teachers and current and former students of the school, many with hand-lettered signs, had gathered to let
the East Ramapo school district know how unhappy they were with plans to shut down two schools and move
the children to other buildings in the district." "It's not a matter of saving the school," one teacher explained.
"The whole district is in jeopardy in that ...(by) putting children in classes that are too big, education suffers."
Journal coverage here. Images from the protest here.

General Lafayette Headquarters spared in yeshiva plan

Jan. 20, 2009 "A proposed yeshiva with dormitories for 100 students on the site
of a historic house near the Pomona border has received a favorable review from
the Planning Board. Congregation Mesifta Beth Shraga's project was deemed to have
no significant environmental impact. The Planning Board also looked favorably upon
zoning variances for the project." Journal coverage here.

Hillside Avenue Preservation Association Press Release

The Association explains the current lawsuit. From the Press Release: "HAPA member John
Keeley stated: "The past Mayor and Village Board majority brokered a backroom deal under
duress of the threat of an RLUIPA lawsuit. In doing such the village never followed the
proper procedure set by municipal and New York State Laws. There was never given an
opportunity for a public hearing on the settlement. The Rockland County Planning Board had
issued a negative recommendation which would then have required a super majority vote
by the Airmont Village Board. That was not achieved. The Village of Airmont Zoning Board was
not a party to the settlement as required to permit a zone change. These are but a few of the
flagrant Village errors, which have clearly violated due process in this matter." Full text of the
press release here.

Monsey publication posts letter calling for closure
of three Ramapo schools

Jan. 15, 2009 The current issue of Community Connections includes a full-page letter to the
editor by tax activist Kalman Weber. It should be noted that in it, there are not three words
about the quality of education or any comment on the general welfare of the student population
in East Ramapo. If the board is willing to take Mr. Weber's  suggestions under advisement, they
should all consider his one-dimensional view of the situation. A school's value is not measured
on a balance sheet. Weber's letter here.

Suffern OKs smaller area for housing project

Jan. 15, 2009  "The village Board of Trustees last night unanimously designated a portion
of Orange Avenue for its urban renewal project, and likewise voted that it would have no
significant environmental impact. Condominium construction now would be restricted to 100 units
on nearly 1.7 acres of a partial block between 120 Orange Ave. and Chestnut Street. Previous plans
stretched the construction two blocks to East Maple Avenue. The change eliminated about
200 condominiums and townhouses." Journal story here.

Two letters about the East Ramapo closings

Jan. 15, 2009  One letter writer asks about costs to the district for private school services and
another explains teacher raises from the perspective of a teacher. Read full text of both letters here.

Few welfare-fraud offenders seek amnesty

Jan. 13, 2009 "Rockland's crackdown on welfare fraud continues, though an amnesty
program allowing people to repay stolen money fell short of expectations, prosecutors
and county officials said yesterday. Only four people voluntarily repaid an estimated $18,000
in social services money without being targeted for prosecution. Amnesty is over, DA Zugibe said,
and people who rolled the dice and kept stolen money will be prosecuted if apprehended.
Authorities said 80 percent of the thefts came from the Medicaid program. Other programs plundered
were food stamps, day-care assistance and public assistance. Most of the people charged were accused
of hiding income to qualify for the public assistance programs, authorities said." Complete story here.

Montebello to get historic preservation grant

Jan. 9, 2009 "The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation notified
the village that it was approved for a $6,500 grant, a sum it will match to catalog items
of interest with a potential range from farmhouses to bridges to archeological artifacts."
Story here.

Journal News editorial: If Delhomme and Rosenthal
can't show up for meetings, they should quit

Jan. 9, 2009 "This is a village with serious challenges, from an ongoing federal criminal
investigation of the village's Section 8 office to a downtown urban renewal program that's
stalled in tear-down mode. If Delhomme and Rosenthal can't figure out how to make it to
Village Hall a 8 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, they should step aside.
Let voters elect representatives. That is, people who at the very least show up." Read
entire text of the editorial here.

The No-show trustees in Spring Valley

Jan. 7, 2009  You would think that those who went to the trouble of getting themselves
elected might show up for the village board meetings. Well, not in Spring Valley. Story. 

Airmont residents' suit against proposed
yeshiva to resume

Jan. 4, 2009 "A lawsuit by a neighborhood association opposing a settlement
between the village and developers of a yeshiva will be back on track next month.
Until late November, the lawsuit by the Hillside Avenue Preservation Association sat
on a judicial back burner as a federal appeals court weighed arguments brought by the
village against the same settlement and yeshiva plan." Journal story here.

Bob Baird's Top Stories of 2008

Jan. 1, 2009 The Journal columnist lists the following as the top local
stories in 2008:
A Surprise Verdict (Martinez found not guilty in fragging trial.)
Shocker in Sloatsburg (Ex Asst. DA, Beth Modica, guilty of sex with teens.)
Another hit for Karben (Ex Assemblyman Karben guilty of DWI.)
Bridging the decades (TZ Bridge becomes major headache in its 53rd year.)
Mirant (Power company pulls tax plug on North Rockland.)
Just Call 1-866-FRAUD (Gregg Brie of Pomona rips off two dozen people for more than $2 million.)
Death at Summit Park (90-year-old nun dies after being struck by falling closet.)
Another Brinks ruling (Supreme Court refuses to hear an appeal for a new trial from Judith Clark.)
Read the column here.

Let the fine fit the crime

December 23, 2008 Preserve Ramapo Chairman Robert Rhodes compares the fines
levied against the sponsors of the annual Kapparot ceremony and Rockland County
Sewer District 1. Seems the Sewer District gets its tickets punched at
a different counter. Letter to The Journal here.

Getting no charge out of utility bills

December 22, 2008 A Monsey resident writes, "It's difficult to determine these
days in a confusing economy whether we who are compelled to be customers
of the local utility companies are in fact consumers or victims." The bad news
made apparent in Rabbi Muschel's letter will only be compounded by the increase
in water bills that will approach a factor of 10X when the company starts delivering
Hudson River water to our homes from its proposed filtration plant in Haverstraw.
Read the letter here.

Karben agrees to plea--sentenced to a sleepover

December 11, 2008 The court case had reached jury selection when Ryan Karben
pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of driving while impaired by alcohol. He was
given a two-day jail sentence and a fine. Taken to the Rockland County Jail last
night at about 10pm, he was reported released by 8 am this morning. "His attorney,
Kenneth Gribetz, said that under the law, people who serve a portion of a day receive
credit for the entire day. 'There was no special treatment given to him,' Gribetz said.
'He's fully served. He's completed his sentence.' Prosecutor Kevin Gilleece said this morning
that he was not aware Karben had gotten out." Journal story here.

Spring Valley responds to HUD's critical review of
its Section 8 office

December 11, 2008 "HUD investigators found severe deficiencies, including inadequate,
undertrained staffing, failure to maintain documents correctly and securely, failure to
issue housing vouchers to needy individuals as well as unauthorized spending to the tune
of about $560,000." Journal story here.

Many disagree with Lime Kiln closing

December 9, 2008 "I am very disappointed with Sunday's article, "Ramapo school braces
for end," about the closing of Lime Kiln Elementary. It was 974 words long, but only a single
community voice against the plan was mentioned. More than 600 people who came to the
two public forums that were held in November opposed it almost unanimously. Not mentioned!"
Read full text of Steve White's letter here.

Democrats for Change Emerge as Largest
Voting Bloc at County Reorganization Meeting

December 5, 2008  The reorganization meeting for the Rockland
County Democratic Party was finally held last night at the Clarkstown
Town Hall. Over the three-hours plus, the reform faction within
the Ramapo Democratic Party presented their case for change and
then defeated the St. Lawrence/Schoenberger Machine faction in
a head-to-head contest over the viability of Chairman Monte's future.
Story and background on the legal fight here.

Oustatcher recommends closing
Lime Kiln School

December 4, 2008 "East Ramapo will do without Lime
Kiln School next year but gain a full-day kindergarten
program under a plan proposed by Schools Superintendent
Ira Oustatcher. The plan, the result of months of discussions and three public forums,
was presented to the Board of Education at a meeting last night that drew nearly 250
people. The board took no action, but will debate the recommendation over the
next month." Story here. Click on photo above for larger image of school and property.

Rockland Democrats organize tomorrow--
Will Ramapo's racket politics prevail?

December 3, 2008  Led by those who lost their committee seats in the fall
election, and following the directions of the party bosses Christopher St.
Lawrence and Ilan Schoenberger, it's expected that the Ramapo Machine Democrats
will seek Vince Monte's imprimatur for their illegal machinations. (More)

Legislator Joe Meyers on the County Budget Meeting Tuesday

Read the letter in which Legislator Meyers explains the planned hike in taxes and his
alternate proposals.

Journal News Editorial--Building codes are there
for a reason

Nov. 29, 2008  "This week, a fire at a Kaser synagogue once again turned up a slew of violations,
from bars on second-story windows to a lack of smoke detectors and sprinklers. Building and health
codes are hardly rules made up just to cite for fines - these are well-thought-out measures that save lives.
"Every one of these statutes has dead bodies" traced to them, Rockland Emergency Services director
Gordon Wren Jr. told the Editorial Board. A rash of building and health code violations turning up during a fire is
hardly an isolated occurrence. . . In 2007, Hillcrest Fire Department threatened to stop covering the Village of
New Square because of the imminent danger their volunteers faced fighting fires amid building and safety violations.
Real danger lurks for a firefighter faced with a home carved up, rebuilt, changed without following building codes:
Turning a corner to find a wall where a hallway was anticipated, having to beat back flames fed by materials
stored in an illegal home business. To those who believe such problems are limited to pockets of heavily populated
Ramapo, think again." Read entire editorial here.

Three assail county's budget review

Nov. 30, 2008 "Three freshman county legislators want deeper and more strategic
spending cuts as the vote to adopt the 2009 county budget nears. Rockland Legislators
Joseph Meyers, D-Airmont; Jacques Michel, D-Spring Valley; and Frank Sparaco, R-Valley
Cottage, also expressed concern about the budget's accuracy and criticized the overall
budget review process. Story here.

Discrimination lawsuit against Spring Valley
to head to mediation

Nov. 28, 2008 "A $6.5 million federal civil rights case alleging the village board improperly
denied a commuter bus company a special permit due to bias against the Orthodox
Jewish owners is likely to head to mediation soon. The plaintiffs, operators of the Monsey
Trails bus company, filed a lawsuit in March in U.S. District Court in White Plains in
which they asked a federal judge to order the village to grant the permit and to pay millions
in compensatory and punitive damages." Journal story here.

Ramapo officials should be responsive

Nov.24, 2008  A letter to The Journal News complains about the 5% pay raise
that the Ramapo town board and supervisor voted for themselves. Letter here.

Suffern wants quarry details

Nov. 24, 2008  "Village Attorney Terry Rice said last week that Suffern was concerned
over what Tilcon was planning to do to the property, which it donated to the town of
Ramapo in 2006 for parkland and flood-control purposes.The town has since sold the
64 acres to a condominium developer, Quarry Ridge LLC, which is making plans for
about 500 residential units on 25 acres of the property. 'It's unfortunate that no one
has discussed the issues with the village where the property is located,' Rice said."
Complete Journal story here.

Tilcon: Ramapo's plan to sell
quarry to developer violates
terms of original agreement

Nov. 19, 2008  "When the agreement was
signed, Tilcon assumed that the town intended
to use the property only for parkland and flood
control, the latter by diverting water from the
Mahwah River to the quarry pit. Then in June,
the Ramapo Town Board agreed to sell the property
to Quarry Ridge, which has proposed building nearly 500 condominiums on 25 acres of the 64-acre
site between Lafayette Avenue and the Thruway." Read the Journal story along with comments
from James Hyer and Robert Rhodes, who are suing the Town over its attempt to sell the property,
the letter from Tilcon's attorney, and photos--all here.

Airmont denied dismissal of religious discrimination case

Nov. 18, 2008 "In its 2005 lawsuit, the government charged that Airmont's prohibition
against dormitories specifically discriminated against Congregation Mischknois Lavier Yakov
and its plans for a boys' school on 19 acres off Hillside Avenue. 'Members of the congregation
believe that it is essential for these boys to live, study and pray in the same place,' the
Department of Justice stated, 'in order to minimize outside influences and to intensify the
religious learning experience.'" The proposed buildings would have living space for
more than 1,000 residents in what is now a rural setting of single-family residences on a
narrow road. Journal story here.

Water tower targets Hillcrest, New Square

Nov. 17, 2008 Ordered by the Public Service Commission to upgrade service, United
Water has installed a new water tank off Summit Park Road in New Hempstead.
The area had experienced dangerously low water pressure from its hydrants and
brown water in the supply lines to homes during summer months. Story here.

Ramapo's version of "Trickle down" economics

Nov. 12, 2008  In a September 30 Press Release, the Town of Ramapo claimed
a significant reduction to Highway "A" Fund and Highway "B" Fund (total $1.1
million in savings). In a news story today, the villages have been told that they
will be absorbing a 9% increase for Town-provided highway services. The Town
will be paying less and the villages more for the same snow removal and repairs.
Anyone else think this would be a good time for a complete, independent audit
of the services billed to the 8 villages? Airmont Mayor Dennis Kay asked for an
itemized bill and he's still waiting for Ramapo to get back to him with one. 
Maybe the villages could make that a complete, independent, forensic audit? Read
Jim Walsh's "Ramapo villages bristle as highway costs rise 9%."

Toxins still in ground on West Street

Nov. 10, 2008 "The Department of Environmental Conservation is preparing to sample
soil gas in two businesses and six homes near the former COSCO manufacturing facility at
15 West St. in Spring Valley. The action comes after the agency revisited the COSCO
site and found that the soil gas contained several contaminants, including trichloroethene,
or TCE, and tetrachloroethene, or PCE. The TCE was used by COSCO, which shut in the
late 1990s, as a vapor degreaser and discharged in rinse water into a stream, the DEC
said." Complete Journal coverage here.

Democracy missing at the Democratic Committee Meeting

Nov. 5, 2008  "I wish that our politicians in Ramapo could play fair and straight with the
voters. Unfortunately, wishing doesn't make it so. I am thankful for the opportunity to
participate first-hand in the political process in Rockland County and more specifically in
Ramapo politics. I am learning so much about who and what separates us in this community."
Read the full text of the letter to the Journal here.

October 30, 2008 Back on Sept. 9, the voters in Ramapo
handed over the majority in the Ramapo Democratic
Committee to a reform group calling themselves Ramapo
Democrats for Change. In a third reorganizational meeting
held last night, there was only one way Supervisor St. Lawrence
and his supporters could have any hope to at least claim (until the
courts decide) that control of the committee should belong to the minority—by breaking state election laws,
trampling on their own committee rules, and stepping over the expressed will of the electorate. They did all three.
At the opening of the meeting, when County Legislator Joseph Meyers and the reformer group’s attorney
stood to raise their legal objections to the meeting, St. Lawrence and a number of town employees
began yelling from the side, "Throw them out!" There was no question who was in charge of the assault
on the rights of the Ramapo voters last night. (Complete coverage)

St. Lawrence and board appoint Yitzchok Ullman to
fill vacancy--Time for an ethics check?

October 28, 2008 Last night at the Ramapo Town Board Meeting, Supervisor St.
Lawrence and his board appointed the administrator of Monsey Park Home for
Adults to replace Itamar Yeger on the board. Yeger announced his retirement a
few days after the deadline that would have given the public the right to vote
on a replacement (see "Voter Suppression in Ramapo"). A second candidate who
had gathered considerable support, James Hyer, received no votes from the
Board. (More)

Ramapo record on
'Open Space'
stirs questions

October 27, 2008 For years, Ramapo Supervisor
Christopher St. Lawrence and town attorney Michael
Klein have assured us that the open space he has been
buying will never be developed. Preserve Ramapo has suggested that St. Lawrence is not to
be trusted and asked why he has refused to dedicate this property as parkland, a simple process
requiring only a formal resolution by the Ramapo Town Board. (More)

October 22, 2008 Last week, The Journal News
reported that Christopher St. Lawrence and his board
were interviewing three candidates for the position
on the Ramapo Town Board left vacant by Itamar Yeger’s
resignation. Almost sounds like an open and reasonable process,
until you look into the details. (More)

JN: Ramapo Town Board seat draws candidates--
Preserve Ramapo endorses James Hyer for position

Oct. 21, 2008 "A newly formed Ramapo Democratic Committee will be interviewing
prospective candidates to fill a vacant Town Board seat.The Sunday night meeting at
Suffern's Village Hall will provide time for candidates to speak to the committee and answer
questions from the audience. Committee Chairman Joseph Meyers said yesterday that he
expects a decision to be made that night, and the committee's recommendation forwarded
to the Town Board in time for its meeting on Monday." Journal story here.
Read Preserve Ramapo Press Release Endorsing James Hyer for Board Position here.

Questions about the "Old Dems" loyalty
to the party

Oct. 19, 2008 In the middle of the most momentous and dramatic presidential
election in modern memory, the Ramapo Democratic Machine has been strangely
silent. Is it possible that they are afraid of upsetting their own political base
by supporting the Obama-Biden team? Read Bob Frankl's letter to The Journal here.

The Meyers/Preserve Ramapo lawsuit over sale
of open space property gets new judge

Oct. 18, 2008  "A lawsuit over the town's sale of the former Tilcon New York quarry
to a developer went before a new judge. A Town Board resolution earlier that year
stated the property could be used for purposes including flood control, open space
preservation and parkland. On March 18, Ramapo advertised in the Rockland County
Times for proposals from prospective buyers of the quarry." Journal coverage here.

Hundreds attend forum to discuss
sale of East Ramapo school
buildings

Oct. 17, 2008 A crowd estimated at 300 filed into the Chestnut
Ridge Middle School auditorium last night to listen to a presentation
about the possible future sales of one or two schools in the system. The school board’s
Long Range Planning Committee said they were there to listen to the parents, students,
teachers and residents. Seven or eight of the 36-member committee were present. (More)

Spring Valley must repay $560,000 to the federal
government for misuse of Section 8 funds

October 8, 2008 "The Village will have to repay $560,000 to the federal government
because it misused Section 8 funding. A comprehensive review also found tenants'
files contained errors and that the village had failed to use the majority of its low-
income housing vouchers. The village also failed to adequately maintain accounting
records. The village must repay that figure with non-federal funds, HUD said." Journal
coverage here. There is also a separate criminal investigation that is ongoing by
the Inspector General's Office of HUD.

Journal News follow-up editorial "Hurting for Housing" can be read here. In the
piece, the editor once again calls on Mayor Darden to get his act together.

"I'd like to see all of them dead,
starting with Jacques Michel"

October 6, 2008  A criminal complaint has been
filed against Spring Valley trustee Demeza Delhomme
for alleged threats and threatening actions taken against
newly elected Democratic Committee members
from the Ramapo Democrats for Change who have
recently won a majority on the Committee in Ramapo.
The threats were said to be directed at individuals and family
members, and Delhomme represented himself as a member of the Democratic
machine warning one Committee Member, "I know where you live and so
do the St. Lawrence people." Story and all documents here.

Robert Rhodes' comments on the story that appeared on LoHud.

Ramapo Dems acting undemocratic

October 6, 2008 "The defeated Ramapo Democratic machine has already refused
to participate in two reorganization meetings that would have tested its ability
to outvote the Ramapo Democrats for Change. ("Ramapo Democrats for Change
meet again," Sept. 26.) The first was at the Nyack Seaport after the county meeting
to which all committeemen in the county had been given notice. The second was the
meeting at the Spring Valley Cultural Arts Center. The machine had scheduled the meeting
and then had successfully asked the Appellate Court to order the meeting. Then it cancelled
the meeting at the last minute." (More)

Ramapo Democrats for Change resume court battle

Sept. 30, 2008  "The Appellate Division made its decision (to lift the restraining order)
without hearing oral arguments from us," James Hyer, the attorney for the insurgent
group led by Joseph Meyers." Read today's legal update here, and comments from
the online commentators and a letter writer to the paper on the term "insurgents."  

Rockland sixth worst in the entire  nation for property tax bills

Sept. 27, 2008 In a recent national survey, Rockland County was exposed as one of the top ten worst
localities in the country based on the oppressive property tax burden. The median tax bill for all others
in the nation is $1,838 while Rocklanders pay a painful $7,535. With several hundred million needed to
repair the sewers in Rockland County Sewer District #1 (includes the new processing plant gift for
developers in Western Ramapo and DEC's mandated repairs), and building continuing at an accelerating
rate in Ramapo, don't expect the situation to improve any time soon. (More) 
 

Chaos in Ramapo

Sept. 21, 2008 In an editorial, The Journal News writes, "A bitter battle for control
of the Ramapo Town Democratic Committee in the Sept. 9 primary election continues
to grow more contentious, and even upended the Rockland County Democratic Committee
organizational meeting Wednesday night. The stakes are high for the Ramapo Democrats.
The Sept. 9 election tipped the town committee to the Democrats for Change side, with
the margin 165-125, according to [Legislator Joseph] Meyers’ latest numbers. But there are
up to 32 vacant seats in play." The vacancies are filled, by tradition, by the majority
winners in the election. Full text here.

Ramapo Democrats
for Change elect new
slate of party officials

Sept. 18, 2008 Asked the same question,
"Have you ever seen anything like this?," a
reporter with long experience, a political
activist whose career ranges over decades,
and two ex-mayors all had the same answer,
"No." The breadth of the reform movement that won a strong majority in the election
for the Democrats for Change was enthusiastically represented by 300+ attending
the County Committee meeting last night. The meeting began with a refusal by
Democratic Chair, Vincent Monte, to follow party rules and ended with a new
profile for the Ramapo Democratic Party. Read the Journal story here.
               Election Results are here.
 

The Way to Steal an Election

September 16, 2008 "The Ramapo Democrats for Change won a majority of Ramapo
town committee seats in the Sept. 9 primary, taking control 167 to 127. As the majority,
they say they are entitled to fill 26 remaining vacant seats and to name the new leadership
of the Ramapo committee." The reformers hope to elect an entirely new slate of officers
at a Ramapo caucus to be held at the beginning of the County Democratic Committee meeting
Wednesday (9/17). Larry Toole, brother-in-law of one of the Machine's two czars (Christopher
St. Lawrence), is the outgoing Ramapo Chairman, having lost his committee seat in the election.
Toole has announced an illegal Ramapo Committee meeting for Sept. 25 that would take place
in a much less public setting, away from the other town supervisors and their constituents. The
meeting is illegal because the rules require that this reorganization meeting take place before
the county meeting which is tomorrow. Read today's Journal coverage here and if you would
like a close-up look of Democracy either in action, or failing, here in Rockland, the meeting is
at the Nyack Seaport, 21  Burd Street, Nyack, tomorrow night at 7:30. It is a public meeting.

Latest mismanagement of Ramapo Police by
Supervisor St. Lawrence

September 16, 2008  First there was the situation where "a young Ramapo officer
was publicly excoriated by Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence for ordering
a Hasidic Jewish woman, being booked on a fraud charge, to take off her wig." What
followed was a St. Lawrence public apology to the officer. Now, "Ramapo Officer
Ernst Tenemille, who has sought a work schedule that would permit him to observe
his Sabbath as a Seventh-Day Adventist, has found his request stalled on technicalities.
Now he faces more paperwork and a Police Commission hearing to explain his needs.
None of that happened when Ramapo's first Orthodox police officer earlier this year
was granted Friday night through Saturday off, to accommodate her religious obligations."
A Journal editorial asks, "Why the different treatment?" Full text here.

Newly elected Ramapo Democratic Committee to meet
Wednesday to elect officers and fill vacancies

Sept. 12, 2008  The Ramapo Democratic Committee will likely display a new
approach to local politics when it meets this Wednesday at the Nyack Seaport.
The committee now contains a majority of reform candidates who will caucus
at the County Committee meeting. The Ramapo group will elect officers, fill the
28 vacancies, and vote on the adoption of rules. This town-level reorganization
meeting was supposed to be announced 10 days prior to the county meeting, but
the incumbents did not schedule it. Here is the letter that was sent to all the
Ramapo Committee members. 

Machine Democrats in Ramapo still in denial

Sept. 11, 2008 "The town Democratic committee has shifted toward a reform
movement that toppled a long-entrenched establishment in Tuesday's election.
Losers for seats on the county committee included Laurence O. Toole, the acting
party chairman and a brother-in-law of Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence. The
insurgents, who called themselves Ramapo Democrats for Change, claimed 167
seats on the committee, while their opposition took about 127, according to figures
of the county Board of Elections." Complete Journal story here. Details of the
election results here.

Ramapo Democrats for Change
Kicks over the Political Machine

Sept 9, 2008 There were 294 committee positions up for grabs
in the Primary Election, and the reform group took a total of
166 seats to 131 for the entrenched machine. There are still
28 more open positions, but because these are given to the
winners to fill, the final majority that the Ramapo Democrats for Change have won
this election day is a solid 194-131. The 60% to 40% victory assures a new direction
for the Democratic Party in Ramapo. Rockland Legislator Joe Meyers told those
celebrating in a gathering in Airmont that, "This is the rebirth of the Democratic Party
in Ramapo. Now the people will have a voice in a Democratic Party that respects the
environment and expects sane planning. A party that represents all diverse groups
within the town." Preserve Ramapo sees this as a watershed moment in Ramapo Politics
that has run so far off the tracks. Also visit www.ramapodemocratsforchange.com. 

Complete Election Results--Candidates and Final Numbers--here
 

Click on image for St. Lawrence's
midnight victory speech

The ZBA, the cops, and the Supervisor

Two homes replaced with 42, political fraud, and the machine
boss makes promises to his base--connecting the dots.

Sept. 2, 2008 The notice for the public hearing first appeared
on West Central Avenue on a cold, rainy Thursday in February.
In fact, it was February 14, Valentine’s Day. The laminated
12 by 18-inch signs were bound to trees with blue tape. What
was unusual about these notices was the middle section below the
heading: VARIANCE REQUESTED OR OTHER REASONS FOR
HEARING. A large block of text, 27 lines, followed, itemizing
not just a single variance, but a list of 50 variances. The list
was too long for anyone to stand in the cold rain and read all
the way through, in fact, it was almost too long to fit on the large
poster. Fifty variances—there was no way any board would allow
that many violations of the zoning rules, no way. (More)
 

Preserve Ramapo sues Supervisor and board
over broken pledge to protect open space

August 28, 2008 Preserve Ramapo warned the residents
last year that St. Lawrence and his board had formally dedicated only
one of the open space properties, the one that surrounds St. Lawrence's
home, and that all the rest were vulnerable and could be sold to
developers. At the time, St. Lawrence and his attorney Michael Klein
were "shocked and dismayed" at the accusation. St. Lawrence said
of our warning, "This is utter nonsense." Less than one year later, the
two have overcome their indignation and entered into a contract with
developer Jeffrey Goldstein to sell item number 16 on their list of "Open Space, Parkland and Historic
Preservation"--the Tilcon Quarry. Goldstein wants to build 440 condos on the property that had been gifted to the
people of Ramapo by Tilcon. Wednesday morning, Robert Rhodes, Chairman of Preserve Ramapo, was joined
by Legislator Joseph Meyers and attorney James Hyer as they filed a Supreme Court lawsuit to prevent the sale of
the open space property. More.

SOS site offers info on coalition's efforts
to oppose Suffern overdevelopment

August 28, 2008 On its new website, the Stop Overbuilding Suffern coalition explains,
"The SOS Coalition is not against development in Suffern. We are dedicated to a reasonable and
sustainable approach to development which does not rely on the use of Eminent Domain for private
development. We urge everyone to read the plan for themselves and understand the issues at hand
and underlying negative impacts a plan of this scale will have on our Town, our Village and our lives." You
can read the documents at the SOS website.

August 22, 2008 What do you do when you’re running
behind and time is running short. Well, Isaac Lebovits was
in a position where he could not squeeze another drop out
of the stone—the objections were exhausted and the machine
Democrats were more than a dozen down a few weeks before
their Sept. 9 Primary contest with the Ramapo Democrats for Change. As the saying goes, desperate
times require desperate measures, so Mr. Lebovits took a trip to political "deadland" to look for an
opportunity among the mummified remains of election districts done in by recent redistricting. More.

Tapping Hudson no substitute
for planning

August 22, 2008  "Responsible planning must
be based on real information, not propaganda
provided by interested parties. Unfortunately,
United Water, working closely with the Rockland
Business Association, is doing its best to mislead
the citizens of Rockland." Read the full text of
Robert Rhodes' letter to The Journal News
here.
You can also read Rhodes' July Testimony at
the Public Hearing on the Proposed United Water
Experimental Treatment Plant.

Journal News: United Water needs to be
watched more closely

August 19, 2008  "The cause of last year's over-release, United Water has said,
was a broken valve. Because of it, there was no way to gauge what was being
sent out, was the company line. Yet, that valve had been malfunctioning for 18
months. The extra release was only discovered when county hydrologist Dan Miller
observed that the West Nyack reservoir was low and investigated. It wasn't from
United Water's self-regulation." Read the entire editorial here.

United Water fined $10G for sending
too much water to New Jersey

August 14, 2008  "The DEC ruled in February that United Water had exceeded the
release limits set by a state-issued permit. The company is required to release 9.75
million gallons of water per day in the stream above the intake valves of the Nyack
village Water Department. The DEC determined that United Water exceeded its permit
limits by 231 million gallons between June 1, 2007, and Sept. 22, 2007." Story here.

Ramapo growth drains nature

August 13, 2008 "The pattern of overdevelopment in Ramapo is ecologically unsound,
leading to abuse and disregard for our natural resources. If continued, what will be
left for future generations?" Read the entire letter here.

Who gets to define 'true Democrat'?

August 12, 2008 "It is outrageous that Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St.
Lawrence would publicly state that challengers to his position are not "true Democrats"
and are attempting "to hijack the Democratic party," as stated in Thursday's article, "Upstarts
plotting political takeover." I do not believe, as Mr. St. Lawrence appears to, that only
those who agree with the supervisor's actions can participate. Mr. St. Lawrence, this is
America, not a dictatorship and it is counter to Democratic beliefs for one person to control
politics and squash dissent." Full text of the letter here.

Ramapo petition drive not a plot

August 10, 2008 "As a candidate for the Democratic Committee in the Town of
Ramapo - as reported in the Thursday article, "Upstarts plotting political takeover"--I
strongly object to the term "plotting." Read Steve White's letter to the Journal here.

Supervisor St. Lawrence and his Board
are sued by worker

August 8, 2008  The Journal News reports today that the
supervisor and Town Board are being sued in federal
court by a former employee charging that he was
disciplined for refusing to post a four-foot by eight-foot
St. Lawrence campaign sign on his lawn. Tim Cronin's
lawyer explained, "We're suing over the violation of his
First Amendment right to take whatever position he wanted in a political
race." We reported on this in an extensive story titled "The Awful Price of
Independence in Ramapo." You can read that story here, and check today's update
in the Journal here.

Rockland Sewer District #1 Processing Plant
Fails DEC evaluation

August 2, 2008  "The state Department of Environmental Conservation will issue an
"unsatisfactory" rating to a Rockland sewer plant that has been the source of foul odors,
the agency said. Meanwhile, Rockland County Sewer District No. 1 hopes to convince the
county Legislature to amend a contract Tuesday so 1.35 million gallons of sludge can be removed
from the district's plant in Orangeburg." This is the plant that Vice Chairman of the Sewer
Commission, Christopher St. Lawrence, has said has absolutely no problems with capacity. But
then, he has also denied the 3.4 million gallons of raw sewage spills last year, has claimed the
Upper Saddle River clean waters act lawsuit is history, and has lined up taxpayers to pay the
$50 million repair bill demanded in the DEC consent order and the $175 million processing
plant in Western Ramapo, so welcomed by developers (who will not be paying a dime for the favor).
Journal story on plant's "failure to effectively treat the sewage coming into the facility" here.

August 1, 2008 It’s not just a dump, it’s a Superfund
Cleanup Site. That puts it in the major leagues of
dangerous landfills. The N.Y. State Department of
Environmental Conservation will continue to monitor
the site for 20 more years to make sure poisonous
leachate doesn’t run into the groundwater. It’s 86
capped acres of fermenting garbage that has to be
vented so methane buildup doesn’t one day blow it all over the Torne Valley. And now it’s
being seriously considered as a future site for 650 living units. Once again, a really bad smell
leads back to Town Hall in the form of a damp money trail. (More)

Suffern residents assail urban renewal plan

July 31, 2008  "The village's Orange Avenue urban renewal plan was assailed last night
by some residents who raised concerns about population density, potential traffic jams
and the unfairness of eminent domain. The Planning Board also was told to consider the
overall impact of multiple housing development projects totaling more than 1,400 units
already proposed in and around the village. 'People didn't move here from Queens or Brooklyn
to live in another Queens or Brooklyn,' said David Stedge, who foresaw an eventual need for
more schools." Journal story here.

Terrible sewage odor in Orangetown neighborhoods

July 30, 2008 Tax money keeps flowing in large quantities through Rockland Sewer
District #1's pipes. In Western Ramapo, $175 million will be invested in a "toilet to tap"
processing plant that has developers climbing over each other in the Sloatsburg/Suffern
area; the DEC has ordered repairs that Sterns Wheeler say will begin at $50 million; and
now at the Orangetown end of the system there's a year-long problem that has resisted
repair and fouled neighborhoods around the processing plant. "It's almost every day since
spring," [resident] Sandra Ostrom said. "The bad thing is it gets in the house and you can't
get it out of the house. There are days when I'd like to have the windows and doors open,
but you just can't. There are days it makes me sick." Journal coverage here.

United Water to Ratepayers,
Haverstraw, and the DEC:
You're all Irrelevant

July 27, 2008  The mailing arrived Saturday and
it featured the decision (corporate, obviously rather
than environmental) by United Water concerning the future of water in Rockland.
"After a careful study of the local environment, the community and water treatment
processes, we have determined that a water treatment plant on the Hudson
River would be the best choice." More.

Study warns: Raw sewage makes swimming in
the Hudson hazardous

July 25, 2008  United Water plans to have us all drinking from the River by
about 2015. Because the corporation is not worried about PCBs, radioactive
leaks, and legacy pollutants, the new report by Riverkeeper and Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory pointing out that "discharges of raw sewage can make
swimming in the Hudson River potentially hazardous" will likely not phase them.
If carcinogenic chemicals don't deter you, what's someone peeing in the water fountain?
Raw sewage, however, often contains chemicals along with the waste, as well as
contagious elements from every household and hospital with residents who are ill.
"The sampling [from the recent study] showed that even days after a storm, some places
along the Hudson still showed high levels of pathogens--biological agents that cause
illness and disease." Journal article here. Lamont-Doherty article "Is the Hudson
Swimmable?" here.

RCC mold study to be completed next month--
Legislator Meyers says process needs more light

July 24, 2008  The consulting firm Colden Corp. examined Brucker Hall and Academic II
for conditions that could be a threat to the health of employees and students. Their report
might be ready next month. "County Legislator Joseph Meyers, D-Airmont, and two women
who formerly worked at Brucker said they disliked how the investigation was going. 'I just
feel that they're not opening up the process,' Meyers said. He said the local union and county
Health Department hadn't been included in the process, and the study's scope wasn't provided
to him, even after several requests." Journal coverage here.

Drinking Water: Public utility or private enterprise?

July 24, 2008  "United Water wants Haverstraw to approve a pilot desalination
[and purification] plant without scrutiny under the State Environmental Quality Review
Act - in anticipation of later building a full-scale multi-million-dollar facility that would
draw from the Hudson River. Water is a necessity of life. Should private enterprise
control our wallets and our water faucets?" Read the full text of the Community View here.

Ramapo zoning board approves condos for
almost 1,000 residents near Auntie El's in Sloatsburg

July 24, 2008 Sloatsburg Trustee Brian Nugent was stifled in his attempt to get information
from Ramapo through a Freedom of Information Act request, and the Ramapo Hills development
now passes to the Planning Board. This is project number 9 in a list of 14 aimed at the
Sloatsburg area, all of which will add 14,000+ new residences in the area. See chart
of the proposed growth here, and the Journal article about the ZBA decision here.

One full month after announcing sale of Tilcon Quarry
St. Lawrence decides to sit down with Suffern

July 22, 2008  "Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence said he would attend a
village Board of Trustees meeting next month to explain the town's sale of the former
Tilcon quarry. His appearance at the Aug. 4 Suffern meeting was urged by Trustee John
Meehan, who, during a July 7 village board meeting, called St. Lawrence's behavior
'absolutely unacceptable.' " What's more unacceptable is the fact that the Quarry is
an Open Space parcel that was supposed to be protected. It was sold to a developer
who is a serious political backer, having cut the third largest check to St. Lawrence's campaign--
just behind the number two donor, Michael Tauber, the developer who brought the RLUIPA
lawsuit against Pomona. Developer Goldstein, of Arco Management, wants to build 440 units
on the quarry site. St. Lawrence has offered a bonus for even higher-density development.
The current proposed number of units will increase Suffern's overall population by 10%-15%.
Journal coverage here. Details on the announced sale here.

O&R granted 9% rate increase over three years:
St. Lawrence approves--Vanderhoef balks at hike

 July 18, 2008 "The PSC approved an increase of about 3 percent for each of the
next three years after holding public hearings and conducting negotiations with
interested parties, including Rockland County and the town of Ramapo. Ramapo
Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence signed off on the final version of the plan,
while County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef did not, citing poor timing in the
face of a challenging economy. St. Lawrence has praised the plan." The rate hike
kicks in in two weeks (Aug 1) in the month with the highest usage of the year.
Complete Journal News coverage here.

Jaffee Co-Sponsors "Circuit-Breaker" Bill

July 18, 2008 "The circuit-breaker bill (A01575B/S1053B) is a first step toward
urgently needed property tax reduction. While the circuit-breaker bill will
provide significant relief to Rockland taxpayers, property tax reform requires
a multifaceted approach." Read the full text of the Assemblywoman's letter here.

Why is United Water
Ducking an Environ-
mental Impact Study
for its Pilot Water-
Treatment Plant?

Coverage of the Haverstraw
Town Board meeting here.

Do You Really Want to Drink
Hudson River Water?

July 12, 2008 "United Water New York's
proposal to build a reverse osmosis desalinization
and filtration plant to supply Rockland County with
drinking water from the Hudson River leaves many
with a bad taste in their mouths and concerns about
the quality of our drinking water, how the plant
will affect the ecosystem of the river, the
increased development it will bring on land - and at
what costs?" Read George Potanovic's Community
View here and please attend the public hearing Monday.


          Photo  George Potanovic, Jr.

DEC demands United Water test site plans

July 12, 2008 "The state environmental agency has ordered United Water New
York to submit detailed plans for its Hudson River water treatment plant so the
agency can determine whether an environmental review is required. In a letter
dated Monday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation informed
United Water that a third party had provided the agency with a copy of the company's
application for a special permit from the town of Haverstraw." Journal story here.

Politicians: It's property taxes, stupid

July 10, 2008  "Gov. David Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver and former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno agree
that property taxes are seriously threatening to drive homeowners
out of their houses. But they couldn't agree to do anything about it."
Read Irv Feiner's Community View here.
 

Embattled Pomona to celebrate 40th

July 9, 2008 "The village will celebrate its 40th anniversary Sunday,
coinciding with its second annual music festival and craft fair. The
village was formed Feb. 3, 1967, to 'fulfill the vision of a close-knit
community vested in their rural roots.'" Currently, the village has about 3,000 residents
in one of the more bucolic corners of Ramapo--a corner that is threatened by an
urban explosion of upwards of 10,000 residents on the Tartikof and Patrick Farm
projects. Journal story here.  

Rockland hires firm to test
for toxic mold at RCC

July 8, 2008  "Colden Corp., a national consulting
firm, was hired to examine some campus facilities
where health and safety concerns have been raised.
The review will include Brucker Hall, the 171-year-old
administrative building where many of the worker
complaints have originated." Journal story here.

Ramapo Hills developer takes second crack at
zoning variances

July 7, 2008  "A developer seeking to build 263 condominiums will ask approval for a second
time from the town's Zoning Board of Appeals. The Ramapo Hills development by Baker
Residential Limited Partnership of Pleasantville is proposed off Route 17, just south of Sloatsburg."
The builder needs a super-majority vote to overcome objections to the project by the County.
The Journal story is here.

"A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear"

July 7, 2008 On the day before Independence Day,
Bob Rhodes took these photos of a young bear
that was wandering the neighborhood. He describes
what he saw and offers some old advice to those who
would want to protect these animals and the neighbors as well. (More) 

Robert Rhodes Announces
Preserve Ramapo Plans to
Sue Ramapo over Sale of
Quarry to Builder

July 3, 2008 "We believe this sale is illegal.
A municipality is not allowed to give gifts to
private parties. The fact that the developer is a generous contributor to St. Lawrence’s
election campaigns does not give him the right to accept gifts from the town of Ramapo."
The Chairman of Preserve Ramapo explained that they are in the process of researching
the sale and gathering documents for the action. (More)

Lower Hudson Sierra Club
looks at United Water's solution
for Rockland's Water Crisis

July 3, 2008 "At a recent public meeting with
William Janeway, director of NYSDEC (Dept. of
Environmental Conservation), Region 3, United
Water's proposal [to use the Hudson as a source
of drinking water] raised many more questions
than it provided answers. A long list of questions
asked by the public and environmental activists
painted a skeptical view about potential health
impacts, sustainability, and the indirect costs to
ratepayers and all residents of the lower Hudson
Valley." You can read the entire article by George Potanovic, Jr.--it is on the front
page of the recent issue of Terra Firma available as a PDF here.

Double-dipping in Ramapo

Item from the Ramapo Town Board report: "Retain the law firm of Stolzer and Greene of Washington,
D.C., to assist the town's special counsel, Holland and Knight of Manhattan, to defend the town against
a lawsuit by Chestnut Ridge, Montebello, Pomona and Wesley Hills in opposition to zoning for adult student
housing. Stolzer and Greene will be paid up to $25,000." The notice serves as a galling reminder for those
living in the villages rightfully suing the Town over its unfair gift of ASH zones to certain developers
that they are also paying out of the other pocket for Ramapo's defense of the indefensible.

Art event Thursday

Artists from Haiti are in Rockland this week for an
expo and sale of their works at the parking lot of the
International Food Mart on Route 59 in Spring Valley on
Thursday July 3 from 10 AM to 6PM.

East Ramapo parent floats petition to keep district from
renting out school space

June 27, 2008 Upset that an entire floor of classrooms at the Elmwood School would be rented out during the
upcoming school year and suspicious that the deal would be quietly settled after school was out for the
summer, Peggy Hatton showed up at Margett's school with this petition in hand. She had checked with
the Ramapo police the night before and knew what the procedure was to legally perform her appeal
to the parents who would be showing up for one of the last days of school. The Principal apparently
did not have the same understanding of parent's free-speech rights, and she called the cops to have
Peggy removed. The Police showed up, but not to stop the parent gathering signatures on the sidewalk--
rather, they went inside to talk to the principal. Later, a strange comment was given to the Journal News reporter by
"Superintendent Ira Oustatcher [who] said the district was in negotiations to rent out the bottom floor,
and that any information about the deal--including who would be renting it--could jeopardize it." Not much of
a civics lesson for the kids, either from the principal or the superintendent. Journal story here. 
 

RLUIPA Law Was Passed Anonymously

June 25, 2008  Harvey Sigal of Suffern points out an amazing fact about the RLUIPA legislation
that is currently being used by developers in Ramapo to eliminate all zoning restrictions--the
bill was passed anonymously, creating a "no-names no-blame" cover for our legislators. Read
the Community View here.

Victims of toxic mold at RCC
denied chance to speak at County
Legislature committee meeting

June 26, 2008 "Imagine going to work, feeling like
you have the worst flu of your life for a YEAR PLUS,
having your hands and face/mouth go numb the minute
you walk into the office, having your mouth taste like
sheetrock/dust, picking up your phone and realizing you
don't know your home # anymore - or the name of the
woman you say good morning to every day for nearly
2 years - you know it is in your brain - but you can't find
it. That was my existence every day. Today, I can't walk up a hill or stairs without gasping for air. I have
a handicap permit for my car. I carry an inhaler to breathe. It won't get better - in fact, it will likely
just get worse over time." This is part of Melissa Gluckmann's story that was not heard because Legislator
Philip Soskin shut down public comment after speaking to the County's attorney. (More)

Ramapo Water Tariff Reaches First Stage

June 25, 2008 It was reported in today's Journal that United Water New York "is preparing to
test various water-treatment methods as it seeks to tap the Hudson River to supply Rockland
County's homes and businesses." United Water's dishonesty and Ramapo's shortsightedness is
now going to cost all of us. (More)

Pomona sends comments and corrections to Ramapo
related to environmental review for Patrick Farm

June 25, 2008  In a letter sent yesterday, Mayor Sanderson addressed a number of
problems in the Ramapo Scoping document that outlines the environmental issues to
be studied before the Patrick Farm development can begin. Items include: "The document
proposes one environmental review for three distinctly separate actions, which is incorrect; the
physical setting is Rural (non-farm), not Suburban-Residential; the number of parking spaces
listed should be at least tripled; and the population number is grossly understated." Understating
the impact on the Scoping Document and environmental review makes approval that much
easier for the developer. Both the full letter and Scoping document here.

DA's welfare fraud sweep nets 43

June 24, 2008 "This administration is dedicated to pursuing fraud," District Attorney
Thomas Zugibe said yesterday. 'This investigation was very complex, intensive and
expensive. We want the money back, stolen from taxpayers.' Zugibe said his office
would demand that everyone who is convicted repay the money stolen. He said that
any requests for prison or jail sentences would be determined on a case-by-case basis
when prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Maria DeSimone. The investigation
produced the first major welfare fraud arrests in a decade across Rockland, authorities said."
Complete Journal News story with list of arrests here.

Schoenberger ends his obstruction to voting
machines for the disabled

June 23, 2008  "Legislator Ilan Schoenberger, D-Wesley Hills, was the one who initially
pulled the item off the Legislature's agenda earlier this month, much to the consternation
of election officials." The request was for four new positions "to facilitate the use of more
than 100 handicapped-accessible voting machines." The machines are needed for state and
federal compliance, and Joan Silvestri, Board of Elections Commissioner, said, without them
the county risked "losing about $3 million in federal funding." Journal story here.

Meyers and Suffern unhappy with St. Lawrence
brokering high-density housing

June 20, 2008 Responding to St. Lawrence's plan to sell the quarry, County
Legislator Joseph Meyers, D-Airmont, said, "The town of Ramapo should not be
acting as a real estate broker, a land purveyor, acquiring property for free and then
selling it to developers to encourage large-scale multifamily development." Suffern
Deputy Mayor Dagan LaCorte said, "He took this property two years ago without notice to
the Suffern Village Board with the promise of flood mitigation and possibly recreational
use. Now he's saying if you want flood mitigation, you're going to have to take 440
condominiums." Read James Walsh's coverage in The Journal here.

Patrick Farm To
Have nearly 500
Residential Units--
61 of the 207 acres to
Be Downzoned to MR-8

June 19, 2008 Developers Yechiel and
Isaac Lebovits have submitted a
Draft Scoping Document that will be
reviewed by the Ramapo Town
Board in a public meeting scheduled for
Monday, June 23 at 6:30 at Ramapo Town
Hall on Route 59. The builders propose the
construction of 497 dwellings on the 207-acre historic site. The proposal includes
a map change of 61.3 acres now zoned for R-40 (one residence with 40,000 feet) to
MR-8 (multi-family housing with 8 units per acre). The village-size development is
expected to increase local population with numbers that could match the entire
population of the Village of Pomona as it exists today. The site is located over a
primary aquifer. Read The Journal News story here. A PDF of the 17-page scoping
document is available here. 

You Be the Judge

June 15, 2008  In a week with numerous articles about the
properties that have been taken off the tax rolls and
a lively colloquy on the Journal blogs, Supervisor St.
Lawrence has offered his own take on tax exempt
properties in Ramapo. We offer his comments and then
something of a litmus test of his sincerity over those remarks. Read what
he said here, and see what you think.

Ramapo: Private schools,
religious uses account
for much of tax breaks

June 13, 2008 "The town is home to
1,352 wholly exempt parcels, which have
an assessed value of more than $267 million,
or 13.18 percent of Ramapo's total assessed
value. The list of wholly exempt parcels in Ramapo shows that schools, both public and
private, and religious uses, namely synagogues and churches, account for the highest
proportion of exemptions." Journal News coverage here.
Charts of the growth of the exempts here.

Tax exemption reform debate gets rolling

June 13, 2008  "A bill sponsored by Little and Galef would require local governments
to prepare tax-exemption impact reports, which would have to be posted with annual budgets."
Assemblywoman Galef said "the public was unaware of the number of exemptions already in
place and that many new ones were proposed each year. State Senator Little said that while
many tax-exempt organizations provided public services, others didn't seem to, and that made
their status unfair to other taxpayers." Journal News story here.

Where the tax-exempt
properties are in Rockland

June 12, 2008 Today, The Journal News ran the
first of a two-part series on tax-exempt
properties in Rockland. It came as no
surprise that they found the largest number of
tax-exempt properties in Ramapo. We charted
the paper's numbers and dropped down one
level to look at the numbers sorted by village, listing which villages in Ramapo have the
highest number of exemptions. Click here for our charts and a site where you can view
the addresses and names of tax-exempt properties in Ramapo. The Journal News
story is online here. 

State property tax study shows only six counties
in the entire country worse than Rockland

June 10, 2008 The chairman of the State Commission on Property Tax Relief revealed
how bad the property tax situation is in Rockland. There are 3,143 counties in the United
States (including 64 parishes in Louisiana), and Thomas Suozzi explained that we rank near
the very top of that list (7th highest overall) "paying property taxes on owner-operated residences--with
a median tax amount being $7,041 per household." Ironically, Suozzi made the announcement on
Supervisor St. Lawrence's weekly cable show in Ramapo--Ramapo, the home of 7 talking clocks that
cost the taxpayers roughly a quarter million dollars. Journal story here.
 

Times Editorial Favors Circuit Breaker over
Cap on Property Taxes

June 4, 2008  In an editorial titled "Property Taxes '08," The New York Times characterizes
the property tax cap proposed by Nassau County Executive, Thomas Suozzi, as "little more
than a campaign rallying cry for suburban and upstate lawmakers. As communities in California
and Massachusetts have learned the hard way," the editor explains, "a tax cap is a
dangerously blunt instrument." A better way "is a 'circuit breaker' program that would freeze
individual property taxes when they become too large a percentage of a homeowner's income."
Full text of the editorial here.

June 4, 2008 It’s called misdirection. It’s what magicians do
to distract the audience from seeing what’s actually going on.
According to Wikipedia, "One of the most important things
to remember when thinking about misdirection is that a
larger movement conceals a smaller movement." Consider
two stories that appeared in The Journal News today.
On the front page is a story about Ramapo buying land for
open space preservation, and on the inside pages there’s a story about a plan to build
263 condominiums on Route 17 in Sloatsburg. (More)

Fix East Ramapo's state aid

May 30, 2008  An editorial in The Journal News explains a key problem with state aid
to the East Ramapo School District. Almost 17,000 of the 25,000 school-age kids are not
counted in the formula that allocates the district's share of state aid (they attend private
schools), yet the State mandates that these children receive services, busing, books, and
equipment paid for by the school district. The formula has to be adjusted, counting all
the kids in the district, and our elected officials have to get the changes made in Albany.
Read the editorial here.

The Back Door to the Board Room

May 29, 2008  On May 20, the day of the school board
elections, a dangerous precedent played out in full view
of the public, but it went by mainly unnoticed. A
candidate was granted a seat on the Board of Education
in East Ramapo. He was not elected, he was appointed
after hiding out throughout the campaign. More.

St. Lawrence and board approve zone change
for high-density senior development

May 29, 2008 "The Town Board last night approved a controversial zone change for a multifamily
senior development in a single-family neighborhood." Original zoning would allow 14 houses, but
the approved zone change will permit 88 units on the same site. The 11 acres are adjacent to one
of Christopher St. Lawrence's Adult Student Housing zones, which further complicates the situation.
Journal coverage here.

Sales fall through for 2 large Ramapo tracts

May 21, 2008  Sales of the Edwin Gould Academy (Lakeside) property in Chestnut
Ridge and the New York Country Club in New Hempstead have expired, and the
properties revert back to the original owners. A collapsing real estate market was
blamed. The two properties total more than 300 acres, and the development of
both would have a significant impact on the villages in which they are situated.
Journal story here.

School Election Results:

East Ramapo--Budget voted down 3-to-1, incumbent Nathan
Rothschild returns with two new board members: Moshe Hopstein and
Aron Wieder. Journal coverage here. 

Ramapo Central--Voters approved the budget, a proposition for
capital improvements, and both incumbents will return.
Journal coverage here.

Sewer system fixes will be costly

May 20, 2008  In a letter to The Journal News, Robert Rhodes describes the
corner Rockland County Sewer District #1 has backed itself (and the taxpayers)
into. "We are talking about improvements that will take many years, require that
roads be torn up in dense and poorly drained areas, and could cost hundreds of
millions of dollars." Full text of the letter here.

Learn about 'circuit breaker' bill to zap
property tax burdern

May 20, 2008  Irv Feiner explains how the Little-Galef proposed "circuit breaker"
legislation "will reduce our county, town, village, and shool tax bills by 20% to
60% for more than 85% of Rockland taxpayers." Irv's Community View, with a
link to a handy calculator here.

The New Non-Free Enterprise Zones in Rockland

May 19, 2008  Ramapo Supervisor St. Lawrence, who is also the Chairman of
the Solid Waste Authority, has proposed a government-controlled "flow control"
that would prohibit private transfer stations for waste to continue operating in the County.
If they wanted to stay, these private companies could only accept waste from outside
the county--everything else would be have to be sent to his Waste Authority sites.
"[Legislator Joseph] Meyers said all this amounts to a monopoly on waste management and
'that's really unheard of in America.' The only entity still allowed to use a private transfer
station would be Chestnut Ridge, which has a contract with the IWS transfer station through
2014. After the contract ends, Chestnut Ridge would be required to dispose of waste in an authority
facility like everyone else, St. Lawrence said." What he didn't explain was that this would cause
a substantial raise in the Village taxes. Both Meyers and Legislator Ed Day want the proposal
tabled for further discussion and investigation. Journal story here. Meeting to discuss this proposal
is Tuesday night, 8 pm, at the County Legislative meeting.

May 16, 2008 Some things you take for granted--like democratic
elections. After the election, they count the votes, and before that,
the candidates campaign--showing up at grocery stores, on the inside
pages of the newspaper--taking hold of your sleeve wherever the
opportunity presents itself. But not this time in the School
Board Elections in East Ramapo. Two candidates have been out talking
and giving interviews, but two others just suddenly quit without any explanation, with only
one week to go before election day. And then there are the final two, who are
more like shadows with nothing more known about one of them than just his name,
and little more about the other. Should stealth candidates be tolerated in a system so
dependent on an informed electorate?  More.
 

Journal News endorses Steven White for
East Ramapo school board slot

May 14, 2008 Steven White is an activist in Spring Valley whose good
efforts on the part of the community have not escaped the notice of
Preserve Ramapo. It doesn't surprise us, then, that the Journal News favors
his candidacy for the East Ramapo School Board. It's important that voters come out
this Tuesday (May 20) to support White in his bid for a seat on the board. More.

Xylene detected in some local wells

May 14, 2008  The County Health Department has notified 140 homeowners that m- and
p-Xylene has been detected in groundwater near their private wells in the Campbell and
Myrtle Avenues area. The Department has asked that the residents test their well water.
Journal story here.

Montebello curbs tree clearing

May 13, 2008  The Village of Montebello will consider changes to its environmental
regulations regarding cutting trees. "Changes include requiring commercial tree
cutters to be licensed by the village. New rules also base the number of trees that
can be cut on the size of lots, rather than a specific number for all properties."
Read the Journal story here.

Aquifer also threatened by NJ developments

May 10, 2008 Two environmental activists in New Jersey wrote to The Record concerning
a development in Mahwah. They explained, "[The] Mahwah Planning Board voted 5-3 to turn
an expanse of woodlands at the foot of Stag Hill Road, just 300 feet from the river and in
close proximity to three wells, into a 760-space parking lot. More than 200 trees will be
cut down, with negative impact on wildlife and water. The huge impervious parking lot
will cause surface water runoff with increased amounts of oil, sludge, car drippings and
other contaminants to further degrade water resources." Read the entire letter here.

Preserve Ramapo editorial policy and anti-Semitism

May 9, 2008  Over the last week, we received a couple e-mails and one supporter
expressed his concern in person--all worried that our coverage of the arrest of Avrum
David Friesel in London could be perceived as anti-Semitic, especially by those who
already oppose what the organization represents. Operating from the principle that for
every reader who writes in, there are ten more who feel the same but don't take the
initiative to write, we have decided to explain our position on this issue. Read our open
letter here.
 

Hillburn and county knock heads over sewer fees

May 6, 2008  At a legislative committee meeting, legislator Joseph Meyers noticed
an unusual favor extended to Hillburn residents: a 50% reduction on sewer taxes over
the next 30 years. When other members of the committee looked over the terms, they
also had objections. The agreement, made five years ago, is part of the $130 million
project that will extend the sewers to Hillburn and Sloatsburg. With exploding costs
for sewer district repairs and extensions, the county is now going to take a second
look at the agreement. Journal story here.

Paying the lawyers is worth it in Pomona

May 4, 2008  A Pomona resident wrote in the Journal News,"There are a number
of credibility issues that the rabbinical college has never resolved. It is not an
accredited educational institution, as required by the village code. Simply calling
yourself a college doesn't make it so. Requiring accreditation by municipalities for
zoning purposes is not unusual. The claim by the head of the religious organization,
Rabbi Chaim Babad, that there is a huge demand for rabbinical judges that other religious
institutions could not fulfill was also never supported with any evidence." Read the
complete letter here.

A Developer still wins at Patrick Farm

May 2, 2008  An original member of Keep Ramapo Green who served on the Citizen's
Advisory Council for Ramapo's new master plan seven years ago has written to the
Journal News warning that nothing has changed at Patrick Farm. Other than St.
Lawrence's attempt to crawl out from under his onerous Adult Student Housing plan,
it looks like the developer is still set on his original plan of "attached housing in the center,
and single-family homes around the perimeter"--a high-density core with a one-acre-lot
shell on the outside. Read Marlaine Paone's letter here.

A Scandal's Trail

May 2, 2008 A Journal News editorial begins, "Avrum David Friesel faces 11-year-old
charges of scheming to steal millions of dollars in federal funds. His capture this week
in London revives the sting of public scrutiny of the New Square Hasidic community and
reopens wounds that hobbled Rockland Community College for years. There are distant
memories of the Clinton's as well; Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate run and Bill Clinton's
last-day-in-office commutation of four New Square men's prison terms raised questions of
trading presidential favors for votes." Read the complete editorial here.

New Square fugitive, Avrum David Friesel,
arrested in London

April 30, 2008  "One of two remaining fugitives accused in an $11.6 million
swindle from federal subsidy programs was arrested yesterday in London.
Avrum David Friesel, the son of New Square's mayor, was wanted from a
1997 indictment that accused him and six others of fraudulently obtaining
federal funds for a variety of bogus educational and housing purposes."
Read the Journal News complete coverage here. See also two articles below.

Background related to the Friesel arrest:
Charges and outcome of original trial in November 1999

New York Times article on the pardon: Four Who Got
Leniency Defrauded U.S. for Religion

Update: London stakeout pays off in arrest of
New Square fugitive 

May 1, 2008  "Information came our way about some possible English ties,"US Marshals spokesman
Dundon said. "We liked a few addresses where we thought he might be living. We contacted the
London Metro police and they set up surveillance." The Journal article also presents reactions from
some members of the Skverer Hasidic community in New Square. Story here.

Investigators seize more Section 8 records
from Spring Valley

April 30, 2008 "Federal and Rockland investigators yesterday seized computer records
from the village's Section 8 office as part of a continuing grand jury investigation into
the use of federal housing money. With a grand jury subpoena, investigators spent a
couple of hours at Village Hall downloading the records outlining payments to landlords
for tenants' rents and other information." The search follows seizure of similar records
one week ago at the same office. Journal News complete coverage here.

Third-party political endorsements @ $900 per?

April 27, 2008 On Sunday, The Journal News reported "Rockland's Independence Party
has not filed financial disclosure reports in more than a year despite collecting thousands
of dollars from candidates as well as a $10,000 donation from the county's Republican
Committee, records show. Candidates who sought the party's endorsement were asked
at the beginning of the interview process if they'd be able to pay a $900 fee to cover
advertising costs. As a result, far more candidates gave to that party than to any other
in the county. The party, which has 4,792 registered members, hauled in more than $12,500
from candidates who sought County Legislature, town supervisor, district attorney and sheriff
seats." Full story can be read here.

HUD agents, DA seek records at Spring Valley HUD office

April 24, 2008 "Agents from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development office
in New York City and members of the Rockland District Attorney's Office were at the Spring
Valley HUD office yesterday collecting information on Section 8 housing. Rene Febles, in HUD's
Inspector General's Office, said he 'can't confirm or deny' that the Spring Valley HUD office
was the target of an investigation. Spring Valley Attorney Bruce Levine said he was in his office
at Village Hall when the enforcement officers arrived and that he examined a subpoena and
search warrant they handed him. 'They wanted to obtain certain records relating to clients of
Section 8,' Levine said. 'We can't say what it is. We don't really know what it is (they were seeking).
We are cooperating with them fully.'" Complete Journal News story here.

Developer who demolished 100-year-old historic
cottage in Montebello to pay reparations

April 23, 2008  Amona's Joon Management One Corp. has agreed to contribute
$10,000 for historic preservation in Montebello and to build a house on the site
of the Fant Farm caretaker's cottage that will partially replicate the original
building that it destroyed without a permit. The cottage was visible from
Spook Rock Road, just south of the golf course. The developer has also been
issued a stop work order by the county Department of Highways for work on
an access road that was constructed, also without a permit. Attorney Michael Klein
of Suffern represents the developer. Journal Story here.

In struggle for its survival, Village of Pomona
may raise taxes 70 percent

April 21, 2008 To fight the RLUIPA lawsuit brought by the Congregation Rabbinical College of
Tartikov, Pomona will propose a $376,000 rise in its budget from this year. The increase includes
$250,000 for legal contractual fees to prevent the real-estate developer from Brooklyn from establishing
a residential complex that could house up to 10,000, according to the original plans (see those
here). Mayor Sanderson has reduced his $16,000 salary and expense account to $1. Cynically, Tartikov's
attorney, Paul Savad, "said the village should settle the case to stop bleeding taxpayers." This is
the same lawyer who promised to use RLUIPA as a bludgeon against these same villagers when he
threatened them with his client's very deep pockets. ("We couldn’t do it without it," Mr. Savad
said of the [RLUIPA] law. As for the battle to come in Pomona, he said, "We’re very well financed." 
The New York Times--January 21, 2007.) Journal story about the current budget here.

Preserve Ramapo Asks: What Will Rockland Look Like
in Twenty Years?

April 20, 2008  Download your copy of the editorial as it appeared in the Journal News
special Earth Week pullout Go Green. The piece, as it appeared in the the supplement,
is available as a PDF here.

Supreme Court rejects
Michigan religious land
use (RLUIPA) case

April 16, 2008 "The US Supreme Court
has decided not to hear an appeal from
the Michigan supreme court filed by a
church in Jackson over the city’s refusal
to grant an exemption from zoning laws.
The Greater Bible Way Temple sought to
build an assisted living apartment complex
on land it owned but the land was not zoned
for that purpose. The church applied for an
exemption and, when they did not get it,
filed a lawsuit based on the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)."
Patricia Salkin, Dean of the Albany Law School had commented on the original state decision
against the RLUIPA suit: "This case continues a string of recent opinions that reiterate that
RLUIPA does not exempt religious organizations from zoning.  In addition, it appears as though
the courts are starting to take a hard look at exactly what types of ancillary uses run by
religious organizations actually constitute the exercise of religion." The article, Salkin's
commentary and background, and the full text of the Michigan decision here.

Lawsuit over pay-to-play politics

April 18, 2008  Mike Dietrich, in a letter to The Journal News, explains his response to the
handing out of contracts and political donations: "I pointed out that the Waste Authority's outside
counsel (from New York City) was paid $104,000 to prepare a "friend of the court" brief on behalf
of an upstate authority, containing a mere 13 pages of argument. I doubt the authority pre-approved
such extravagant waste of taxpayer dollars, amounting to $8,000 per page. I also found that the law
firm's PAC and a partner contributed more than $10,000 to officials who might have influence in the
firm's hire. Big bucks to a law firm. Big political contributions. It smells. So I sued." Besides being
head of Solid Waste, St. Lawrence is also a sewer commissioner who receives generous political
donations from Stearns and Wheler, a favored engineering contractor for the sewer authority. Full
text of the letter here.

Study of ground water this summer

April 15, 2008 "A groundwater study to help understand how arsenic and other heavy metals
may enter some drinking water wells in Rockland could start during the summer. County personnel,
with assistance from Lamont-Doherty, will collect the samples. The county has a contract with a
private lab and will send some samples there, while Lamont-Doherty scientists will run specialized
analysis on other samples, [County hydrologist] Dan Miller said. The study will focus on how arsenic
and other heavy metals may make their way into some wells, and Miller pointed out that the study
was not being done to hunt down arsenic. 'The primary focus of this study is to try to gain a better
understanding as to why we find arsenic in some wells, and the mechanism for how it gets to those
wells,' Miller said." Read the Journal story here.

Airmont begins work on new master plan

April 11, 2008  "Though no timetable has been set for adopting the plan, Airmont is likely to
begin an environmental review late next month of subjects addressed in the draft plan. The
potential for development has caused concern among planners and residents about the capacity
and condition of sewer lines. Intersections, particularly the infamously jammed Airmont Road and
Route 59 corner, are another concern as traffic increases. Even water supply, so easily taken for
granted when turning a faucet, is an issue, as Rockland's chief supplier considers a desalination
plant on the Hudson riverfront." Complete Journal story here.

Spring Valley taxes--now that's a crime

April 15, 2008  Irv Feiner comments on the 10% jump in Spring Valley taxes. Read his letter here.

Spring Valley property taxes continue to soar--
Up 60% since Darden took over in 2002

April 10, 2008  "Residents assailed the plan. Ten speakers during the Tuesday night public
hearing at Village Hall said they thought village funds were being mismanaged, the board was not
being frugal enough, the police department should possibly be abolished and Mayor George Darden
should not raise his salary." With this year's proposed raise, Darden's mayoral salary will
be $102,650. When asked why he didn't cut his salary, he essentially said, Because I'm the decider.
One resident explained his taxes are now higher than his mortgage. Journal story here.

Overdevelopment is the issue, not religion

April 7, 2008  "Residents in the Town of Ramapo, as well as Rockland and the Lower Hudson Valley
are at a crossroads: We cannot continue this unbridled growth and expect our resources to sustain it."
Read the full text of the reader's letter here.

Sewers no bargain if you can't use the system

April 6, 2008 In a letter to the Journal, a resident offers a response to Julius Graifman's
letter describing what a bargain the sewer system is. The resident writes, "I have been living
in my house in unincorporated Ramapo on Route 202 for 23 years, paying taxes to the sewer
district every year. No doubt that when the expansion for western Ramapo is completed, I'll be
paying more, and when they finally get around to fixing the myriad problems of inadequacy,
constant overflows and spillage, I'll be paying even more." Complete letter here.

Chestnut Ridge tax rise a barely noticeable 0.018%

April 6, 2008  "Stable property taxes have been hallmark of this Ramapo village since
its incorporation two decades ago. So it may be unsurprising that Mayor Jerome Kobre's
proposed budget for 2008-09 has a minuscule tax increase of 0.018 percent." Story here.

Legislature to hold public discussion of Rockland
Sewer District #1--Spills and Repairs on Agenda

April 3, 2008 County Legislator Joseph Meyers has requested a public meeting to
discuss the large number of spills that have plagued the Sewer District over the
last 3 or 4 years. The meeting will take place Tuesday April 8 at 7pm in the
Chambers of the Rockland County Legislature. Chairman of the Legislature's
Planning and Public Works Committee, V.J. Pradhan, has invited the Sewer
District's Executive Director, Dianne Phillips, other senior personnel and
engineers as well as the Supervisors of Clarkstown, Ramapo, and Orangetown.
Residents who have a particular interest in this matter are encouraged to
attend and speak on the topic. More information here.

Pomona is on right side of RLUIPA debate

In a Community View submitted to the Journal News, a resident takes exception to
attorney Paul Savad's claim that the Tartifkof application in Pomona can be compared
to the Civil Rights Movement. "Do not insult millions of Americans by comparing this to the
civil rights laws of the 1960s. Those laws were meant to be inclusive for all. It gave equal
rights to people, not special rights above the law. The civil rights laws did not try to create
private, separate communities for minorities; it pushed us forward to unite groups and share
in a common community. It rightly protected people to have "equal" access. They broke
down "black" and "white" college barriers to make America a more inclusive place. It did
not create new minority colleges at the expense of diversity. In many ways it is the opposite
of what Mr. Savad proposes." Read the full text of the letter here.

Wesley Hills to raise tax rate 2%

April 3, 2008  With the proposed village budget, "the owner of a home with the
median assessment of $67,000 would pay about $637 in village taxes, up from
about $625." Mayor Goldsmith has even proposed a personal pay cut to keep taxes
in line. Journal story here.

The Bloc--Not really a Monolith

April 3, 2008  A curious letter in today's Journal News complains about the
lack of coverage in the press after a visit by ex-president Bill Clinton to Monsey
to attend a fundraiser. This non-story, along with a protest by religious leaders in the
same community earlier this year sparked by another fundraiser, contrast starkly with
the monolithic support given to Senator Clinton in the state race in 2000. More

Letter writers answer RLUIPA attorney Savad

"What Savad chooses not to mention is that an unintended byproduct of the law allows
developers to wield the RLUIPA sword as a weapon for economic gain." Read the full text
of this and two other letters responding to Savad's defense of the RLUIPA legislation here.

St. Lawrence can't slam United Water

March 28, 2008  "Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, says he is unhappy
because United Water raised our water rate by 51 percent in 2006. What hypocrisy! He
must know that Ramapo's comprehensive plan, which he pushed through in 2003, and
amendments made to that plan more recently are responsible." Read the full text here.

   The new residential look for St. Lawrence's Ramapo  photo©rosspilot.com

March 25, 2008 In a Community View in today’s Journal News, Phil Tisi continues the water war between
United Water and Supervisor St. Lawrence’s office. This has been going on for a month or so now, and as
the two sides point and throw brickbats at each other, there is silence over the fact that they both have
actively conspired to destroy the water supply that has served this region for eons. (More)

No Wal-Mart; What Next?  JN editorial on development in Monsey

March 24, 2008 "St. Lawrence told Journal News staff writer James Walsh last week that he preferred to
await a developer's request for a zone change (to develop the Drive-In site in Monsey). In Ramapo
especially, where density crops up quickly and then spreads, the zoning needs to dictate the development,
not the other way around. While we understand St. Lawrence's concerns, especially about incurring lawsuits
from developers and neighboring villages alike that past zone changes have spurred, we still believe that
the town must articulate the vision, and set the framework, not the developer." Read the full text of
The Journal News editorial here.

Founding mayor of Wesley Hills retired, not resigned

March 21, 2008 Mayor Bob Frankl writes, "Eliot Spitzer resigned; Richard Nixon resigned; Ryan Karben
resigned. I retired on the 25th anniversary of the village's incorporation. There is usually a negative connotation
relating to a resignation. I can assure anyone that reads this letter that I stand proud of everything that I
accomplished over the past 25 years in Wesley Hills and five years prior to that fighting for the rights of all
of the people in Ramapo who had been denied their "rights" to incorporate their neighborhoods into municipal
corporations called villages." Read Mayor Frankl's complete letter here.

Land use from all sides--JN editorial on RLUIPA resolution

March 21, 2008 "Whether Congress listens or not, Meyers said, Rocklanders at least will know that their
Legislature acknowledges the complexities of the issue. "There is always the potential for discrimination
in land use," he said. Exactly. And that is why Congress should initiate the review, with input from all
parties." Full text of the editorial can be read here.

Trash along Route 306 is truly shameful

March 20, 2008 A resident speaks out against a local eyesore. In a letter to The Journal News, she writes,
"I have lived in Ramapo for more than 40 years and I am appalled with what has happened to it recently."
Read the full letter here.

Meyers' RLUIPA resolution passes County Legislature

March 19, 2008 Joseph Meyers first proposed the resolution before the County Legislature when he
was an Airmont trustee--that was Jan. 16, 2007. With the kind of resolve that won Meyers the
seat he now holds on the Legislature, his resolution to have Congress hold hearings on the RLUIPA law
to reassess its impact on local zoning laws was approved last night. Three attorneys who
are part of the Tartikov college RLUIPA suit against Pomona spoke against the measure, and Ilan
Schoenberger (Wesley Hills legislator) did what he could to block and then rewrite the resolution,
but in the end, with a few minor tweaks, the Meyers version prevailed. Meyers began this effort in
a number of villages and in Ramapo and Haverstraw. You can see where he has succeeded on our
RLUIPA scorecard. Journal story here. More information on the religious land use law (RLUIPA) and
Ramapo's own Adult Student Housing zones is available here.     

Emergency shad
fishing restrictions
put in place

March 15, 2008 Although the
Hudson River is home to more
than 200 species of fish, "Shad are
the last and only fish pulled from the
Hudson and sold to the public for
consumption. Because they spend most
of their lives at sea, swimming up the
river only for spring mating and heading
back out while eating nothing, they have
no chance to absorb toxic pollutants, such as PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls." Now due to a drop
in the shad population, new restrictions are placed on the last safe fish to be taken from the River.
In 2014, United Water plans to begin drawing on the Hudson as a source of drinking water for Rockland
residents. A desalination and purification plant will be readied in two stages. (DEC photo above is of
Hudson River shad swimming north to spawn in the spring.) Journal Story on the new restrictions here.

Pointing joins Ramapo water wars

March 14, 2008 United Water general manager, Michael Pointing, has accused Christopher St.
Lawrence of playing politics and "injecting xenophobic undertones into the discussion" over
where the water is going to come from. St. Lawrence angered village officials in Suffern when
he stepped in between the residents and their administration, offering to solve their problem
by preventing them from making a terrible mistake. And no one among the squabbling factions
is discussing the root cause--we're tapped out because of uncontrolled development especially
in the Town of Ramapo. St. Lawrence's standing offer, still stands: "Need downzoning? Would
you like that with or without accessory apartments?" And United Water still sends over environmental
impact studies to the planning boards claiming there isn't a high-density application in the County for
which we can't supply sufficient water--although it would be nice if Suffern sold us some of their
resources. Pointing Community View here.

Karben and Bongiorno on Spitzer

On the Journal News' Inside Rockland Blog, Ryan Karben and Michael Bongiorno offered their
take on the Governor's ethics scandal. "Karben told the [Albany] newspaper Spitzer should
fight for his job, even after it was revealed the governor supposedly was the man caught
on a federal wiretap making arrangements for a high-priced prostitute to meet him in Washington’s
famous or infamous Mayflower Hotel." For his part, "Bongiorno, a Republican, still blames Spitzer for
costing him the election. Spitzer convinced New Square leaders to recommend they give the community’s
bloc vote to Zugibe, during the final days of the campaign. Even when New Square leaders offered to
split the community’s vote, Bongiorno said, Spitzer demanded it all for Zugibe." Comments and
readers' reactions can be seen on the Inside Rockland Blog.

Highview Hills looking for Town Board approval for 102 units

March 11, 2008  When the presentation was made recently before the Planning
Board, the developer presented a "petition" signed by about 50 residents that
he said supported the development. "It was misrepresented to the Planning Board,"
Mayor Oppenheim said of the developer's petition. "My opinion is very simple:
The town shouldn't reward a developer who takes advantage of the elderly and
who lies to the Planning Board." Read Journal News complete story here.

Sewage spill on Grandview
Ave. empties into stream
feeding the Mahwah

March 9, 2008  Flow from an erupting
manhole on Grandview Avenue ran
continuously from Sunday morning into
the afternoon. Story and photos
here.

Journal News verifies spill as seven-hour event

March 11, 2008 Jim Walsh's report in the Journal News creates a timeline for the
Grandview sewage spill beginning at 9:15 am with police notifying Rockland Sewer
District #1 and ending at around 4 pm of the same day. Journal Story here.
 

Wal-Mart calls it quits

March 8, 2008 "The plans for a Wal-Mart
Supercenter at a closed drive-in theater
in Monsey have been withdrawn by the
prospective developer." Complete
Journal News coverage here.

Meyers calls for public hearings about sewer spills

March 7, 2008 Legislator Joe Meyers, a member of the County Legislature’s Planning
and Public Works Committee, has asked the committee to schedule a public discussion
session with officials of the Sewer District No. 1 in response to the recent sewer spill
at the Saddle River Pump Station and because of the increasing frequency of sewer spills
over the last 18 months. Details
Update: Legislator Meyers' Press Release March 18, 2008

Another sewage spill into
the Saddle River

March 5, 2008 A failure of the main pumps
at the Saddle River Pumping Station was
compounded by the failure of the back-ups,
and a significant spill of raw sewage flowed
into the East Saddle River this morning
(at the site of the Saddle River Swim and
Tennis facility). This complicates Rockland
Sewer District #1's vulnerability as to the Federal Clean Waters Act lawsuit brought by
Upper Saddle River, as well as the DEC Consent Order compelling the Sewer District
to prevent this kind of event. More 

Water meeting gets testy in Ramapo

It had the look of a political ambush with Supervisor St. Lawrence putting himself
between Suffern residents and their mayor and council. He was there, he claimed,
to help, but it wasn't his jurisdiction, it wasn't his water, and it wasn't his decision,
yet he put himself in the middle of it. Legislator Joseph Meyers had the presence of
mind, though, to point out that it was the uncontrolled growth in Ramapo that has pressed
the situation of depleted water supplies to a crisis. The Journal points out that "While he
said he was looking after their welfare, not everyone appreciated the way the advice
was delivered." Complete story here.

Suffern won't sell its water

Feb. 29, 2008  "The village has pulled out of negotiations for selling water to United Water New York
and will look at other ways to eliminate a budget deficit." Journal News story here.

Suffern taxpayers picking up Karben's tab

Well, he's done it again. Landed on the front page of the Journal News, above the fold, in a set of
circumstances that make everyone involved look bad. This chapter in the continuing political saga
involves a no-show job and a check signed by the taxpayers of Suffern. Ryan Karben was to be
paid for political consulting on a project that evaporated when the developer quit the plan. The
original (legal) resolution of the mayor and village counsel authorized his being paid by the builder.
It looks like there was no follow-up resolution to continue to pay Karben with taxpayer's money so
there is a question about the legality of whose hand reached into that pot to fund the lawyer's recent
inactivity (since October). Read James Walsh's story and the public comment here.

Resident chimes in on the St. Lawrence talking clocks

Writing to The Journal News, a Montebello resident reminds us that self-promotion is offensive, especially
when it comes at the expense of the audience to whom it is directed. Read the letter here.

In one of the more audacious displays of political hypocrisy,
Christopher St. Lawrence has attacked Suffern’s mayor for
thinking about selling village water to United Water. The
article in today’s Journal News also mentions those very expensive
talking clocks that St. Lawrence has installed around town.
The ones that chime every half hour, and then in St. Lawrence’s
own voice ask, Have you thought about your supervisor today? More

Ramapo planning board OKs mansion
complex in the Highlands: Vote is 6-0

Deaf to the Journal's call ("The Ramapo Planning Board must
demand a supplemental EIS [environmental impact study],
with a new review process"), and not willing to listen to
either the Ramapo Highlands Coalition or the Torne Valley
Preservation Association, the Ramapo Planning Board voted
to begin the construction in the Ramapo Highlands over a
critical watershed area. Vote was taken at tonight's
meeting (Feb. 19) at Ramapo Town Hall. 

Pierson Lakes: A test for Rockland environmentalists

In his Community View, Ray Kane addresses the multiple environmental issues surrounding
the Planning Board's decision, including the fact that the land "is part of the Ramapo
River watershed and a source of water for millions of people in New York and New a
Jersey." Read his complete letter here.

Pierson Lakes environmental showdown Tuesday

The question is whether the Ramapo Planning Board will accept an incomplete, nineteen-year-old
environmental impact study, or will they require a new study that will look at areas
not included in the original study. Or will they accept the builder's and consultant
John Lange's assurance that there are no issues with archeological sites and en-
dangered species. The editorial board of the Journal News (see next article), members
of the Torne Valley Preservation Association, and Preserve Ramapo have agreed that
a second, inclusive Environmental Impact Study should be conducted before the project is
allowed to go forward. Journal article can be read here. The meeting is Tuesday Feb. 19
at 8:15 pm at Ramapo Town Hall, Route 59, Tallman.
 

Rattlesnakes shake up plans

February 15, 2008  The Ramapo Town Planning Board
will consider the Pierson Lakes Development this
Tuesday at 8:15pm (postponed from last week).
In an editorial, The Journal News notes, "Concerns
about timber rattlesnake dens on the land led
the developer, Byron Hill Home Builders, to
reconfigure the lots. Maybe town planners should
pay attention to these force-of-nature delays and
take a step back." More specifically, the editors
suggest, "The Ramapo Planning Board must demand
a supplemental EIS (environmental impact study), with a new review process, for more
reasons than just the snake problem." Read the entire editorial here.

Pomona urges judge to dismiss rabbinical college lawsuit

Feb. 9, 2008 "The village's recent filing of their reply was the last step before both
parties argue in front of U.S. District Court Southern District Judge Kenneth Karas, said Village
Attorney Doris Ulman. The 12-page reply reiterated the village's position, which characterized
the congregation's claims as 'not ripe' because the religious group has not filed any application
for the plan with the village. "Having failed to apply for a single land use permit, as required of
all other land owners seeking to develop or change the use of their property, and there being no
decision against them, plaintiffs have not suffered any actual injury," the document stated. "There is
no injury because there has been no action and no decision by the defendants." Read the complete
Journal story here.

Planning Board Produces "Irrelevant" No-vote

Feb. 6, 2008 They had three choices. They could recommend that the Town Board not approve
the building application. They could recommend that the Town Board approve the application. Or
they could vote to return the proposal with no specific recommendation either way. Oddly, after
three hours of contentious input from the full house present at the meeting, the Ramapo Planning Board
chose none of the above. More

Planning board reviews Highview Hills downzoning tonight

Feb. 5, 2008 Although it doesn't appear on the Ramapo calendar online, the Ramapo Planning Board
will review a high-density project off Highview and Carlton Roads at tonight's meeting at Town Hall
(8:15). The Highview Hills LLC developer wants the 11-acre property downzoned to allow a 102-unit
development. The current zoning would only permit about 14 houses on the site. Both the County
Planning Department and Mayor Oppenheim of Montebello oppose the project as it stands. 
Read the Montebello Civic Association's view here and the Journal News story here.

Karben's license lifted by judge

Feb. 5, 2008 An administrative judge suspended Ryan Karben's drivers license as
a result of Karben's refusal to submit to a blood-alcohol level test. Karben refused to take the test
after his vehicle snapped a utility pole in half on Brick Church Road. Officers at the scene told the
judge that the ex-Assemblyman failed a breathalyzer test and all three parts of a field sobriety test
that night. Journal story here.  

DWI charge leaves Karben's political future cloudy

"Even if found not guilty of driving while intoxicated, former Assemblyman Ryan Karben could find
it difficult to return to office, voters and experts said yesterday." Read Laura Incalcaterra's full story
in the online Journal News here. Note--the Journal online articles often have interesting comments
sent in by readers. These appear at the bottom of the article, and they're worth checking out.

Karben update: Ex-lawmaker to plead not guilty to DWI

February 1, 2008  The story of Ryan Karben's run-in with a telephone pole and the Ramapo
Police on Wednesday night took an odd turn today with the convergence of two flawed political
careers. Former DA Kenneth Gribetz (who resigned under a cloud) showed up as counsel to represent
the ex-Assemblyman (who likewise resigned under a cloud). Read the updated Journal story here.

Rabbinical college asks judge to keep suit against Pomona alive

"Paul Savad, a Nanuet attorney who represents Tartikov, said the litigation shouldn't have been
necessary in the first place.'All we are asking for is a permit to build for 250 students on 100 acres.
We bought 30 acres of homes around the property to protect it,' said Savad, adding that the village's
ordinance does not allow nonaccredited colleges and educational facilities to build dormitories, so
Tartikov, being nonaccredited, needs an exemption to submit its plans. The village did not grant the
exemption, saying that had it granted an exemption to one group, it would have to do the same to
every group in a similar situation." As to the claim that the installation is for 250 students, check the
original plans here. Full Journal story here. Note--there is a mistake in the reporting. In the opening,
the reporter says, "The congregation was denied a zoning exemption to build a rabbinical college on
a 130-acre site." The developer never applied for permission to build, they headed immediately for 
the courts. Bob Prol pointed this out in the comments at the bottom of the story, and the reporter
acknowledged the correction.

Housing plan on Route 202 concerns Pomona residents

Jan 25, 2008 "A proposal to build a 225-unit housing development with three commercial buildings
on Route 202 has some residents concerned about adding traffic to the congested road. Haverstraw
town Building Inspector Eugene Barnum said this week that the town had received a plan for the
53.3-acre lot that straddles the Haverstraw and Ramapo town border. The site is just outside of
Pomona, near Exit 13 of the Palisades Interstate Parkway, right across from the Pacesetter Park
strip mall." Read the complete Journal News article here.

Representation a necessary element for unifying the town

A letter-writer recalls the Town disallowing a vote for a ward system that would have required Town Board
members to be elected from specific areas of town, rather than at large (from the whole community).
This would have allowed fair and equal representation on the Town Board throughout the town while avoiding
monopolization of the Town Board by special interest groups. If St. Lawrence truly wants all to be heard
fairly in the town, the writer asks, why not allow for a vote for the ward system? Letter here--coverage of
the first "unity meeting" here.

Unity or Just Public Relations?

Jan 21, 2008 The general consensus was that open lines
of communication are needed to unify a divided Ramapo.
The problem was, only one side showed up at this first
unity meeting, which early on became just an echo chamber.
Complete story here.

Will Meyers' RLUIPA resolution ever get
out of committee?

"Although Ilan Schoenberger says he has read through the testimony from the hearings held by
Congress when RLUIPA was being considered, how is it that he hasn't found the few moments
necessary to read a two- or three-page resolution prepared by one of his new colleagues? I
fear that we are facing the usual bob-and—weave nonsense that we have come to expect from
our entrenched county politicians." There are politicians at the County Legislature who would prefer
not to vote on the public record for or against the resolution. Read the full text of the letter to
the Journal News here.

Meyer's first official act--RLUIPA Resolution

New City, NY (January 15, 2008) - From a Press Release from the Office of the Rockland County
Legislature: "Newly elected Legislator Joseph Meyers is introducing a resolution to the Rockland
County Legislature calling upon the United States Congress to review the local impact on
municipalities of the land-use provisions of the Religious Land-use and Institutionalized Persons
Act (“RLUIPA”)." Read the full texts of both the press release and the actual resolution here.

Pledges for affordable housing ring hollow

"In 2003 when St. Lawrence passed his comprehensive zoning plan, he told us that we had plenty
of sewer capacity and plenty of water for a growing population. They were lies. He also told us
that our town would be able handle the increased traffic just by improving our intersections. That
too was a lie. And, finally, he has never stopped telling our Hassidic community that he would
provide affordable housing." Read Bob Rhodes complete unedited letter to The Journal here.

Stalled Nike Base developers
sue six mayors and five villages
for $100 million

January 15, 2008  Frustrated with a NY State Appeals
Court decision that has frozen the status of the currently
empty Adult Student Housing (ASH) complex on Grandview
Avenue, Rabbis Mayer and Aryeh Zaks, Moshe Ambers, and
Rabbi James Bernstein have a filed a lawsuit against five
villages and officers of those villages both past and present. The legal strategy, viewed by many
as frivolous, could backfire. Full story here.

Robert Rhodes answers charges in the $100 million lawsuit

The Chairman of Preserve Ramapo addresses the central contention of Nike Base developers'
lawsuit against the villages "that the opposition to Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim is based on prejudice
against the Hassidic community in general, and Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in particular." Rhodes was
a Village of Wesley Hills Trustee until 2005. Response here.

Ramapo's interest in property surprises owners

The property being looked at for possible development by the Town of Ramapo would
involve the new downzoning, allowing 6-families on what used to be single-family lots. There
is even a veiled threat from Town Attorney Klein. "All of those things come back, and the (Town)
Board decides to purchase or condemn," Klein said. James Wash's story here. 

Impending tax crisis in Spring Valley

"In the six years Mayor George Darden has led the village, the property-tax bill for the
average-assessed home has more than doubled." "We're in crisis in Spring Valley, and we
really need to have someone who is an expert to say something. At this point in time, I
think even the federal government should come down, because it's such a big problem, and I
just fear what will happen next," said Jodi Georges, a community activist who runs a child care
facility in Spring Valley." Read Suzan Clarke's complete Journal story here.

Joe Meyers Sworn in as County Legislator

January 3, 2007 Joe Meyers' comeback was completed tonight as
the will of the voting public and the choice of the Democratic
committee members were both honored as Joe was sworn in
as Rockland County Legislator for District 12. Click here to listen
to Joe's speech to the Legislature and the public attending, and check Joe's new website at
www.legislatorjoemeyers.com and bookmark it as a favorite. The Journal News reported,
"Meyers also had many supporters in the chambers as he reiterated his plan to focus on land-use
issues. Meyers is the first member of the grass-roots Preserve Ramapo organization to be elected
to the Legislature and the only member of the group's 2007 slate to win election. Preserve Ramapo
opposes overdevelopment and has been critical of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence
and his administration." Read the full article here.

Bob Baird's Year-end Political Review:
St. Lawrence's Baggage Increases

The Journal's columnist notes the increasing distance between the politicians' aspirations and the
baggage weighing him down: "Then there's Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence. He has
to be salivating for a shot at Vanderhoef, but he keeps undermining his own efforts. It's bad enough
that he's espoused some unpopular actions and policies - updating the town comprehensive plan,
creating controversial Adult Student Housing zones, seemingly doing the bidding of builders to court
the town's bloc vote. Despite all that, he's beaten all comers. It has perplexed his most vocal critics,
including Preserve Ramapo. In one piece of campaign literature they wrote about "The Myth of the
Bloc Vote," only to bemoan not being able to overcome it after a trouncing at the polls. But St. Lawrence
has also ignored those concerned that his claim of a Harvard degree appears to be false and then
blemishes himself further by being in arrears on his property taxes for a rental home. He'll have to
overcome that and break the perception that he is driven by special interest groups' needs." Read
Baird's column "Busy year for politics in Rockland" here.

Ramapo survey's land for development

"The town may buy property near the Monsey-Spring Valley border to construct an 'affordable'
housing project." That's the lead to James Walsh's story in the Journal, but the record this
administration has with "affordable housing projects" is abysmal, including massive installations
at Butterman on Route 306, the Bates Horton enclave near Route 59, and the halted Nike Base
Adult Student Housing giveaway--all advertising units that hover around $500,000. That's not
affordable housing but it does represent a killing for the favored developers. Even the drastic
downzoning in Monsey has led to the development of half-million dollar condos stacked three-
high on side street lots originally zoned for single-family homes (see ad for condos beginning
at $524,999 at the bottom of the text of St. Lawrence's election night speech in which he
promises affordable housing).

Air and water issues among Rockland's top
environmental stories of 2007

"In April, Mirant shut down the first of two coal-burning units at the plant, which routinely lands
on the lists of the worst-polluting power producers in New York and the nation; In June, the DEC
reversed a 35-year policy when Grannis announced that the agency would set up a permanent air
monitor in Rockland; In November, members of the Spring Valley Concerned Citizens Coalition
celebrated a grass-roots victory when NJ Transit announced it would all but eliminate its practice
of idling trains - curbing air pollution, noise and diesel fuel consumption." The three major stories
concerning United Water include: arsenic-tainted wells, releases of water from Lake Deforest to
New Jersey that exceed allowable limits, and the grim prospect that in 2015 Rockland will be
drinking the Hudson with United Water's promise that all PCB's, the radioactive isotopes tritium
and strontium 90, along with a harvest of legacy pollution still in the River will be removed. You
can express your gratitude for this last initiative at the next Ramapo Town Board Meeting--Ramapo
has the most explosive growth in the County, thanks to the downzoning in St. Lawrence's Master Plan,
growth that has outstripped the water supply in the Town and County. As 2008 begins, we do not
have an adequate water supply for the number of people living here. Read Laura Incalcaterra's look
back on this year's stories here.  

Journal Editorial Page Year-end Roundup
Leads with Preserve Ramapo

On Christmas day, The Journal News editorial page posted 13
brief snapshots of significant events during the year. The opening
paragraph described Preserve Ramapo's most recent campaign and
Joe Meyer's landslide. "Ramapo had another tense year with another
nasty election. Residents' grumbling over downzoning, sewer problems and
other environmental worries helped magnify the voice of Preserve Ramapo,
an organization that calls for less development, better planning, and, most vocally,
the head of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence. Plans to put a huge
rabbinical college in bucolic Pomona, and the sword/shield that is the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized
Persons Act (RLUIPA) further fueled support for Preserve Ramapo. November's Preserve Ramapo townwide slate
didn't win, but it stirred up a lot of dirty politicking and some campaign-sign shenenigans. The election didn't change
town leadership but certainly shook them up and possibly weakened the power structure." Read the entire round-up
here. (The first five items are from the Westchester edition of the paper.)

Ramapo sewage still emptying
into the Saddle River

On Sunday, December 23, another sewage spill ran down
the path on the Saddle River Swim and Tennis Club property
emptying directly into the Saddle River. This is the protected
waterway that is at the center of the lawsuit launched by Upper
Saddle River against the Rockland County Sewer District #1.
More. 
 

St. Lawrence owes $27,066
in back taxes--Pattern of being
delinquent goes back 5 years

In early November we reported on the Supervisor's tax
issues with the Village of Montebello. He didn't pay those either
until they were handed over for collection by the County.
As Ramapo Town Supervisor it is extremely unseemly that he
would force the same collection agency to get involved in
his Ramapo Town property taxes, school taxes, police, and
library taxes. Actually, the last time he paid his town taxes on time was in 2002. Perhaps, like
the infamous Leona Helmsley, he thinks that "taxes are for the the little people." Our coverage
includes current tax bills and table of past delinquencies. Story here.    

Incoming legislators have big plans for upcoming term

"In District 12, Airmont Trustee Joseph Meyers, a Democrat, was the only person backed by
Preserve Ramapo, a grassroots political organization, to win office this year. During his campaign,
Meyers promised changes in the way the county handled land-use issues, a hallmark of the Preserve
Ramapo platform. Meyers said yesterday that his first priority would be to submit a resolution
requesting that Congress review the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act,
known as RLUIPA." Read the complete Journal News article here.
 

United Water removes arsenic from Montebello wells

"Dan Miller said United Water will be required to check for arsenic in both treated and
untreated water from the wells on a daily basis for seven consecutive samplings. Weekly
testing will then be required for four weeks, followed by indefinite monthly testing. Any
detection of arsenic must be reported to the county within 24 hours, Miller said." Read
Laura Incalcaterra's complete article here.

Selling out

"The elections are over and the politicians of this small county are already at it.
We have Spring Valley Mayor George Darden already competing with Ramapo Town
Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence for who can sell out the fastest." Read the
entire text of Glen Benjamin's letter here.

Job fits politician too well

The Journal editorial page calls it the "David Fried job." They explain, "Even before
the post officially existed, the county legislator's name was mentioned in close proximity
to the job title. That should shock no one - the first public mention of the idea for the
job came from none other than Fried himself, when announcing he wouldn't seek re-election
to his District 13 seat. He said in May that he was interested in a job that had been discussed
but not yet created. So a politician would get a soft landing and more time accrued in the state
pension system; will wonders ever cease?" Read the entire editorial here.

Journal suggests Darden get rid of the lights
and get some glasses

The editors write: "State law allows emergency lights for first responders.
Interpretation varies as to whether that includes a town or village leader who
isn't also a volunteer firefighter or ambulance corps member. Darden, though,
has proved he's not up to the responsibility that comes with emergency lights.
For some, the temptation to play cop can be too much. For others, the definition
of "emergency" is too malleable. "I believe he got stuck in traffic, and he wanted
to just get around the traffic," Clarkstown Police Sgt. Harry Baumann told Journal
News staff writer Suzan Clarke, citing the reason that the officer said Darden gave
for using the lights." Read the rest of the editorial here.

Journal News clarifies status of Clean Water Lawsuit
against Rockland Sewer District #1

This follow-up story corrects the wrong impression created in the original story
that appeared earlier this week. Despite Christopher St. Lawrence's announcement
on his cable show, the suit has not been dismissed. Updated story here.

 "I know what this community needs"

Mayor George Darden steered his village board toward spot
downzoning of four properties on Ridge Avenue (from R-2 to
R-3) in a contentious hearing during which he was linked to
the developer who wanted the downzoning--the link was two large donations
to the Friends of George Darden political organization. Story here. 

Federal lawsuit against Rockland Sewer District
not over the dam

The Journal News headline, "Federal lawsuit against Rockland sewer district is
dismissed", is missing the second half of the story. That would be: "It will be
reinstated by Upper Saddle River shortly, and the amended lawsuit will include a
larger list of complainants with individuals who have suffered harm or damage
due to the spills." More

Mayor Darden stopped by police for using emergency
flashers in mall traffic

"Only police officers and other emergency personnel may use lights and sirens on their
vehicles. Elected officials do not normally qualify to have those lights, South Nyack attorney
Dennis Lynch said."The law is clear that emergency lights are only to be utilized for emergency
purposes," Lynch said yesterday. "Unless shopping at the mall is considered an emergency for Mayor
Darden, they were, in my opinion, improperly used." Read the full Journal News story here.

Update: Orchard Ridge $1million lawsuit
v St. Lawrence

The most recent papers filed by the Town, for the Supervisor, claim
that the time limits had been exceeded and that the local residents
were not deprived of any Constitutional rights. The local civic group has
sued charging the Supervisor with willful failure to hold public meetings
on a Village Petition--a violation of state law and an expression of contempt for the public he serves
as well as for the court that ordered him to hold the meetings. The original article can be read
here, and the latest filing by Janice Gittelman for the Town Attorney can be found here. (Note: the
scan of the filing was inverted, so to read on screen use the View menu and rotate the text--printing
will not present a problem.)

Closely watched trains in Spring Valley

Monsey letter writer thanks the activists responsible for shutting down train idling and
avoiding a Monsey Trails bus depot. Proving that "Grass-roots political involvement works
if you don't give up the struggle and cave in to apathy." Read Coni Williams letter here.

Wesley Hills' Mayor to step down

In the 25 years that it has existed as a village, Wesley Hills has had only one mayor, Bob
Frankl. "Wesley Hills was the first of the so-called "zoning villages" to break away from the
town of Ramapo. The intent of all - the others were Airmont, Chestnut Ridge, Montebello
and New Hempstead - was to uphold zoning and building codes that their organizers felt
were being ignored or weakened by the town." During his tenure, Mayor Frankl has served
his constituents both as an apt manager and a friend. He has reminded us all that there is a
decent side to public service despite what we see in many other politicians. Journal story here.

Town of Ramapo budget raises questions

An Airmont resident has the following questions about the Ramapo Town Budget. If it costs
the same to maintain and plow roads wherever you are in Ramapo, then why are Airmont
residents charged more for those services than what is charged to Kaser residents? Is there
favoritism at play here, with St. Lawrence paying back constituents? Read the letter here.

Land Use 101

December 5, 2007 Journal reporter, Laura Incalcaterra, covered an educational experiment
yesterday at the Haverstraw Community Center. Called the Rockland Planning Land Use with
Students, the project involved almost 200 high-school students, and the intention was to expose
the students to the complicated yet critical process of intelligent land-use planning. It would be
interesting to schedule a follow-up field trip to an actual Ramapo Planning Board meeting for an
equally educational reality check. More.

Ramapo sewer spills noted in Washington legislative process

The Hackensack Riverkeeper, Bill Sheehan traveled to Washington to support the RAW SEWAGE OVERFLOW
COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT OF 2007 (H.R. 2452 and S.2080) which, if passed, will ensure that
downstream communities are notified whenever and wherever spills or intentional overflows put raw sewage
into their local rivers and streams. "This legislation is of particular importance to a town like Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey," explained Captain Sheehan. "That community has suffered for over a year because of
sewage spills into the Saddle River from upstream Airmont, NY that released over 2.5 million gallons." Read
the full press release here.

Experts to discuss protecting
Ramapo River Watershed

Ella Filippone, founder of the Passaic River Coalition,
and Bill Sheehan, the Hackensack Riverkeeper, will
be at Suffern Library Wednesday night (Nov 28, 7 pm)
to offer their views on the condition of the Ramapo
River Watershed. The watershed faces a variety of
threats, "including from development, storm-water run-off,
wastewater and road salt that pose a concern for water
quality and quantity for humans , wildlife, and vegetation."
Patsy Wooters of the Ramapo Highlands Coalition has said "several housing developments and a new
sewer treatment plant planned for the western Ramapo area could negatively affect the watershed."
Journal News story here.  The meeting is open to the public and will run from 7 to 8:45.
 

Suffern searches for water supply along Mahwah River

With one of its four wells contaminated with chlorides, Suffern is looking for another
water supply in case the contamination spreads in its existing well field. The Journal
News reports "While the village points to the state Thruway as a likely source of the
contamination because of its de-icing operations, the Department of Health has said
that the growth of local roads could also be a factor." Read the Journal coverage here.

Sewage backups continue to
invade homes

Two brief items verify a continuing health threat to the
Ramapo community with sewer backups into homes. A
recent Ramapo Town Board Report itemizes $4,597 paid
to residents in a Monsey home for a backup spill in their house, and a backup last Sunday
occurred in the same location as a recent spill in August that found its way into homes in
Wesley Hills. Story here.

Hasidic community's bloc vote a far cry from democracy

Irving Feiner, a political activist for more than half a century, offers an analysis of the
calculating and undemocratic nature of Ramapo's Hasidic bloc vote. Using voting
statistics and trends, he considers the same question voiced in a Journal editorial,
"Are all the voters registered in the area living in the area?" Irv discusses five qualities
that set the vote apart from any other special interest. Read the full text of the
Community View piece here.

Playing to his base

Past midnight, on election
night, November 6, Christopher
St. Lawrence went to Crown
Millwork on Melnick Drive
to address those who he said
were responsible for his victory.
A video was made of the speech,
and part of it was posted online
at yiddishnayes.com. Today that
video was pulled from the
website. We have the text
of St. Lawrence's comments that night, along with comments about his promises to
his base. View video clip here. Transcript for the video clip here.  

The hidden St. Lawrence surtax on Village and
County tax bills

A reader writes to The Journal News to remind everyone that there will be an
additional surcharge of about $1 million because of Supervisor St. Lawrence's
Adult Student Housing giveaway to his base. The lawsuit by the four villages
will be paid twice by village residents and town residents (to fight the lawsuit).
But that's only a fraction of the hidden CSL tax surcharge. Add in at least $50
million to be paid by all county residents for repairs to the sewer system that has
been both destroyed by the Supervisor's Master Plan and neglected by Sewer
Commissioner St. Lawrence who is still in total denial about the condition of the
system, despite the DEC order to fix it. There's also a Federal Clean Waters Act lawsuit
that we will have to pay to defend against. What St. Lawrence is adding to
every homeowner's tax bill gets more outrageous every day. And to add a final
insult, he has allowed all of us to pick up his personal homeowner's village tax bill.
Reader's letter here.

At Home in Ramapo

  The Truth About Open Space      Follow the Money       A $50million Tax Bill    
The Law that Protects Open Space     St. Lawrence's Record on RLUIPA

St. Lawrence Once Again
on the Tax Deadbeat Rolls

The name of Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence
appears on this year's warrant sent to the County for
collection. But it's worse than that. The tax bill he has
refused to pay, again, is being picked up by the rest of us.
To read the documents, both current and those related to
past similar performance by the town executive click here.

The Adult Student Housing Fraud

It's a law that was designed so that it could not be regulated. St. Lawrence and his Board said they
would monitor who was living on the sites to ensure that they were students. Since there's no way
to do this without violating privacy concerns or by depending entirely on reports handed in by owners,
they knew the monitoring part of the law was a fraud. But then again, they had no problem with Brian
Brophy (the departed building inspector) counting lawns as space dedicated to educational facilities,
so compliance would not have challenged their thinking. Read Ruth Lehmann's letter about counting
students in ASH locations here.

Village application ignored because it was. . .stale

Sometimes the way the law is interpreted at Ramapo Town Hall is questionable, and sometimes
it's just annoyingly comical. If you have a legal application, better make sure it's fresh-baked
or Supervisor St. Lawrence might turn it down, as the Orchard Ridge applicants were, because
theirs was stale. More  

Court Papers Filed against St. Lawrence
for Dereliction of Duty

A local civic group has sued the Supervisor for $1million. They
charge his willful failure to hold public meetings on a Village
Petition is a violation of state law and an expression of contempt
for the public he serves as well as for the court that ordered him to
hold the meetings.  More

Record of sewer spills hurts Ramapo

An eyewitness of the most recent sewer spill that went into the Saddle River asks a simple
question about St. Lawrence's evaluation of the system: Who are we to believe, our eyes or his
words? Letter appears here.

Ramapo's third try at proving that the Open Space properties
are protected forever

In the beginning, Supervisor St. Lawrence just said that they were all dedicated parklands and
open space. When showed the documents that only one property was formally dedicated, the
one wrapped around his house, he turned to town attorney Michael Klein for some support. Klein
said there were convenants in the deeds that protected them, and then almost immediately
recanted when he searched a half dozen deeds and couldn't find any covenants. Now, with this
recent Community View by Klein, again, we have another vague citation to law "dating back at
least to 1871" (no specific citation quoted) and two curious other claims that contradict the
town's own documents. Three explanations in about three weeks. Why not do what the people
asked for at the demonstration--dedicate the properties just as you did the one in your back
yard? It will take 15 minutes at a town board meeting. Is there something we are not being told?
Read more here.

500 gallons! Who's kidding who?

The Sewer District's estimate of 500 gallons for last week's spill once again calls into
question the legitimacy of the spill reports they must submit to the DEC and Health Department
after an event like this. A New Jersey neighbor has serious questions about the latest of
these reports. Read Karen Miller's letter here.

A Day late and a dollar short

Christopher St. Lawrence, who very often is not available to the Journal News 
reporters for comment, has expressed concern over the traffic that a new Wal-Mart
Supercenter might cause in  Monsey. It was not a problem when he downzoned single-
family lots in Monsey to accommodate six-family homes earlier this year, or when failing
Dept. Of Transportation grades for Route 59 in Monsey were blown off in his Master Plan.
Read "Ramapo Wal-Mart still needs traffic, sewer solutions" here. To solve the overwhelmed
sewer lines in Monsey, one outrageous suggestion is to build above-ground sewage holding
tanks. 

Readers sound off on the "potable" Hudson

"Robert Rhodes, chairman of Preserve Ramapo, says the column "left out one crucial
dimension -- population growth," a major issue for his group, which opposes development across
Ramapo." Ramapo planners assume a 2% annual growth rate when the reality is more like 6%.
Read Bob Baird's column here.

The Awful Price of Independence in Ramapo

It's one thing to ask employees for political donations and quite another
to enlist their attendance at political events and to assume their complete
allegiance in a campaign. Town, state or federal employees do not give up
their independence when they fill out the application for their jobs. In fact,
without their independence, the entire system would suffer because
monolithic governments tend to collapse of their own stagnating weight. Tim
Cronin's story is a cautionary look at a broken system. Story is here. 

Another Sewer spill at Saddle River Swim
and Tennis Club flows into the Saddle River

Friday morning, the manholes near the pump station
erupted and spilled sewage into the Saddle River
on the south side of Hillside Avenue. A neighbor called
in the spill, and crews stopped the flow shortly after
one. A number of agencies from both states were
notified. The estimate of the amount of the spill made by
Rockand Sewer District #1 is suspect. Story here.  [Slideshow of photos of the spill here. If you
have any trouble with this version, there's a copy on YouTube.]

Many join call to 'Preserve Ramapo'

Another member of the Orthodox community offers her reasons for joining Preserve
Ramapo's efforts to gain control over the out-of-control development and down-
zoning created by St. Lawrence, Friedman, Hunter and Stein. The writer also addresses
the charge of anti-Semitism that usually accompanies any defense of this drive to
urbanize Ramapo. Full text of letter here.

United Water says it released more than it was allowed
from Lake DeForest

"A defective valve that United Water was aware of for about 18 months played a significant
role in the company's inability to determine exactly how much water it was releasing." Sounds
like the arsenic-contaminated well on Grandview that was not publicly discussed for months.
The fix cannot be expected before next year. Journal coverage here.

Montebello turns to solar and "green" planning

In a Community View, Mayor Oppenheim describes plans to install solar units at Village Hall and
other measures to ensure environmentally responsible planning and development. Full text here.

The Demonstration went off as planned--the Dialogue didn't

September 10, Ramapo Town Hall The large crowd began to arrive shortly before seven. By 7:45,
there was a thicket of raised signs on the sidewalk spilling over into the parking lot. Most of the signs
called for dedicating the Open Space purchases, but there were also Repeal ASH and fight RLUIPA
placards. The familiar greens and yellow of Save Our Town were also held above the crowd. The
show of support for Anthony Melé, Mike Parietti, Linwood Carter, Jim Hyer, and Joe Meyers, all of
whom were present, was loud and enthusiastic. For the formal statements about dedicating Open
Space prepared by Meyers and Hyer, click here.  

St. Lawrence's disregard for the law

When it's politically expedient, Supervisor St. Lawrence and his board of Friedman, Hunter, and Stein,
operate as if they had no idea what the law requires in the given situation. In a Community View in
today's Journal News, Tina Frawley describes several of these situations. She also outlines the St.
Lawrence strategy of encouraging lawsuits that end up double-billing taxpayers who fund, for instance,
the four villages' lawsuit against ASH while they also pay for the Town's legal expenses defending the
indefensible (Adult Student Housing giveaways). Read the full text here.

Journal columnist not happy about drinking the river

Journal News columnist Bob Baird has two complaints about United Water's long-range
plan to draw water from the Hudson River. First, he's not happy about drinking from
a river when we're told not to eat the fish too often from those same waters, and,
second, he's not sure about trusting the company that has had credibility problems.
Read "Essentials of Life" here.

Christopher St. Lawrence and the ASH developers--
hand in glove

If there ever was any doubt about the relationship between St. Lawrence and the
high-density developers, you only need to read what's happened to Patrick Farm and
Ladentown. St. Lawrence and his board downzoned Patrick Farm from 1 home on
two acres to 16 units per acre. And then when neighboring Ladentown petitioned to
incorporate as a village, the Patrick Farm developer (Lebovits) objected to the petitions
and St. Lawrence accepted the objection and rejected the Ladentown petition even though
the Haverstraw mayor saw no problem with it. Read "Ladentown vote goes to appeals court"
here, and then "The Patrick Farm sellout" here.

Journal News joins Preserve Ramapo calling on St.
Lawrence to dedicate open space properties

"It's no surprise that the grass-roots organization, with a mission to curb
overdevelopment in the town, is wary of the way "open space" purchases
have been made. With no official "open space" resolutions from town government
dedicating the properties as parkland, disposition of the lands could become
cloudy in the future, Preserve Ramapo supporters say." There's a simple solution
according to the editorial page of the Journal--"dedicate the land a parkland."
More here.

United in hot Water again

As a result of a very dry September, United Water has increased the
flow from Lake DeForest reservoir to New Jersey, and the County
Executive wants the DEC to determine whether there was a violation
of existing agreements. That story here. And yesterday, the Journal
News reported on the discovery of arsenic in a United Water test well.
The arsenic story is here.

The Supervisor, Open Space, and Credibility

The last time Supervisor St. Lawrence asked the public to take his word
about the absolute security of a situation it cost us plenty. For three years,
Preserve Ramapo warned about overdevelopment and the collapsing sewer
system, and St. Lawrence, again and again, denied the massive spills, he
announced at a Sewer Commission meeting "There's nothing wrong with
the sanitary sewer system," and in a recent Community View he vigorously
defended the system as a "marvel of modern engineering." Then the en-
gineering report ordered by the DEC informed us that $50 million is needed
to fix the failing system. $50 million taxpayer dollars, and the repairs have
been mandated by the State. Now in another Community View St. Lawrence
is reassuring us again--this time vowing that the open space purchases are
"protected forever." This could cost us even more in money and quality of
life issues. Story and commentary here.

United Water gives Hudson River treatment plans
to state

The plan to have us drinking the Hudson by 2015 is off the ground. No discussion
yet, though, about how the $79 million plant and expensive, energy-intensive
operation of that plant will jack up water rates for everyone. You might look for
two hypocritical effects: 1. Supervisor St. Lawrence posturing about fighting
rate hikes when his downzoning and out-of-control development has caused the
crisis with inadequate resources, and 2. General Electric possibly providing
the hardware for the plant after massive pollution by that same company, which
almost single-handedly killed the ancient river with PCBs. Journal story here.
 

Ramapo Open
Space Purchases
not Protected
except. . .

Twenty-three of 24
Open Space purchases,
which cost taxpayers
$24 million, have not
been protected despite
the propaganda from the
Supervisor and his Board.
The solitary property that has been protected in perpetuity is the Mitch Miller
property which just happens to completely surround Supervisor St. Lawrence's
home. Full text of Community view here.

Demand an End to "Slow Death" Taxes

Nyack-based political activist Irv Feiner offers a solution to school taxes.
"The property tax, used to raise school revenue, is egregiously unfair because it
is not based on the ability to pay."  Read the full text of Irv's Community View
in The Journal News here.

Birthday greeting by supervisor
is odd

In a letter to the Journal News, an Airmont resident
wonders about a number of issues surrounding a birthday greeting sent
by Supervisor St. Lawrence to the resident's wife. Is it simply
pandering during an election season? More important, what database
was used to obtain the exact birth date--did that database have other
personal information? Read the letter here.

Chloride in Suffern water well under review

Health and highway officials are still trying to determine the source of
elevated levels of chloride in one of Suffern's village wells. The focus
still seems to be on salt runoff from the Thruway. Story here. 

Supervisor and Town Board
Refuse to Protect Open
Space Properties

Having trumpeted his open space purchases for four years, the Supervisor
refuses to dedicate the properties as protected parkland, the only way to
guarantee that they will not end up sold or developed. Asked at Monday's
Town Board meeting, St. Lawrence had a single word response to the
question, Will you dedicate the 23 purchases that remain unprotected?
Story here.
 

Ramapo barred from processing Adult Student
Housing projects

A second legal victory has been handed to the four villages suing Ramapo over
Christopher St. Lawrence's Adult Student Housing projects. A temporary in-
junction will prevent new building permits or certificates of occupancy being
issued until Sept. 26. Then the court will decide whether to keep the
restrictions in place as the lawsuit against the ASH sites continues. Pictured
above is the Grandview Ave ASH project during construction. Story here. 

Upper Saddle River lawsuit v Rockland Sewer
District #1 to proceed

Upper Saddle River sued Rockland Sewer District #1 and the Village of
Airmont under the Federal Clean Waters Act for numerous sewage spills
into the Saddle River (details here). Last week (Sept 6), US magistrate
judge, Mark Fox, wrote a report and recommendation that the lawsuit
proceed against the Sewer District and not against the Village of Airmont.
The full text of the decision can be read here.

The Battle for Pomona

The Tartikov college application in Pomona was
not helped by their attorney Paul Savad when he
said, "If you don't like it sell your house and move.
Under U.S. law there is freedom of religion and that
protects us here." Dennis Lynch, a lawyer in Nyack
who represents dozens of Hasidic groups (and has
himself been attacked by anti-development activists),
takes issue with Savad's approach. "If you come into a community and say I'm
going to come in with 1,000 units and I don't care what your zoning laws say,
you invite angry responses. You don't go into a situation with a fait accompli."
Read Rockland Magazine's article "Culture Clash" here.

Open space or the Ramapo
real estate company?

Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information
Act request raise some disturbing questions about
claims made by the Supervisor concerning open space
purchases. With no clear answers coming from the
Town Clerk's office or attorney, Preserve Ramapo
looks elsewhere for explanations.
Read the story here.

FAA Update

"Just hours after the FAA said it had completed the environmental review that
allows it to start changing how airspace is used, Rockland County Executive C.
Scott Vanderhoef said the county would sue to stop the FAA from making these
changes, while Westchester County took a more measured approach." Journal
coverage here.

Rockland officially objects to
proposed flight path

 "Rockland County yesterday filed several
 objections to a federal plan that would bring
 hundreds of new flights over the county on
 the grounds that the noise impacts were
 underestimated and weren't reliably
 measured. Holland & Knight, the law firm hired by the county last month to look
 into whether the Federal Aviation Administration violated noise mitigation laws
 while crafting its five-state airspace redesign plan, submitted 50 pages of
 arguments and comments, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said."
 Journal News story here.

United Water outlines plan to pump the Hudson
into your kitchen sink

On Tuesday, Aug 29, United Water's PR officer Paul Goudsmith told The Journal
News that his company on Sept. 30 will present a preliminary design for a
desalination system. The system will significantly increase the cost of water,
and Phil Tisi said that Supervisor St. Lawrence is concerned about the jump
in rates sure to come. Not concerned enough, though, to address the root
problem, cascading development in Ramapo which has sextupled building in
Monsey and granted Adult Student Housing sites that will accommodate
thousands in residential areas. Last fall the County Board of Health told the
state we don't have enough water for our population today, yet in April of this
year, St.Lawrence and his board continued their assault on every square foot of
undeveloped space. Water story here.   

Ramapo Adult Student Housing zones a flop

On most occasions, Supervisor St. Lawrence will chase a microphone or a camera
anywhere in Ramapo whether it's near an anaesthetized bear or at FAA hearings
over which he has no control or influence. But if it's a reporter on the line looking
for a comment on one of his political disasters, you can be guaranteed that you'll
read "the supervisor was unavailable for comment." St. Lawrence and his board
created the Adult Student Housing zones as a gift to special interests. The political
cowardice they now display by refusing to defend their giveaway does not
change the fact that the voters will hold them accountable in November. Read
Bob Rhodes' letter on the recent court decision here.

The Rockland Conference of Mayors want the county to buy the New York
Golf Club in New Hempstead, which has been marked for development. The
village mayors include Airmont, Chestnut Ridge, Haverstraw, Montebello,
New Hempstead, Pomona, and Wesley Hills."There are a limited number
of magnificent areas in Rockland, and the New York Country Club is one,"
said Montebello Mayor Jeffrey Oppenheim, who proposed the resolution.
Story here.  

Pomona puts together legal team to
fight Tartikov suit

Pomona has hired the law firm Robinson & Cole to join Constitutional
expert Marci Hamilton and village attorney Doris Ulman in their legal battle against
the Tartikov RLUIPA lawsuit. Unfortunately, village residents have been put in a
double billing squeeze as they must pay for their representation and also (through
their federal taxes) pay for the Tartikov attorney's--that's part of RLUIPA.
Elsewhere, Airmont continues in its case against the Hillside RLUIPA lawsuit. At the
county level, the Legislature refuses to draft a resolution asking for a national
review of the statute (see RLUIPA scorecard button above), and for the total
capitulation to RLUIPA at the Ramapo Town level click here.

The rest of Ramapo must vote and be heard

"Why are four areas in Ramapo designated for Adult Student Housing? Why are
accessory apartments approved by Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St.
Lawrence and the Town Board? I asked this question to one of the councilmen.
His reply was that if they don't get what they want, they will do it illegally. Do
we need a change of public officials to represent us?" Read the complete
Community View by a Suffern resident here.

What is the true intent of the rabbinical college?

"Why, if Tartikov is only interested in training rabbinical judges, don't they pull
their student body from these established communities? Because the students
and their families are already living in the area, there would be no further
negative impact on the water, sewage and road system. It seems that Tartikov's
intent to train rabbinical judges is secondary to their building high-density
housing." Letter here.

Rabbinical college--questions about accreditation
and lifetime "students"

A letter writer to the Journal News asks questions about the educational
status of the Pomona project and the tax liability of lifetime "students."
Letter here.

Preserve Ramapo chairman files legal grievance
against rabbinical college's lawyer

Robert Rhodes accused Paul Savad of libeling him in the lawsuit Savad filed 
claiming the village of Pomona's zoning laws discriminate against the Hasidic community. You can read the full text of Rhodes' letter to the bar association
and the Tartikov lawsuit here.

What St. Lawrence's
Dishonesty is Going to
Cost Us:
The Report Is In

If you have bought Supervisor St.
Lawrence's evasions and lies over
the last two years, the truth is now
available in an engineering report
that itemizes $50 million dollars in
taxpayer-funded repairs for the
system about which Supervisor (and Sewer Commissioner) St. Lawrence has sworn
repeatedly that "there is absolutely nothing wrong with." The report was ordered
by the DEC, and we have a copy of the bill and commentary here. (A more tech-
nical analysis of the full report will be presented here on the site, soon. 

Instead of more water, less building

A letter to The Journal News once again points out what should be obvious to all.
If United Water cannot keep up with the growing demand for drinking water, and
the resources are finite and continually being drawn down, how can St. Lawrence
and his Board keep downzoning lots meant to hold a single-family dwelling to lots
that now can build six-family complexes, and keep creating massive Adult Student
Housing apartment projects? Full text of the letter here. And for a solution, check
out the Preserve Ramapo platform for the election this fall here.

Resources in Western Watershed threatened

Robert Drennan, co-chair of the Ramapo Highlands Coalition explains in a
Community View piece in the Journal: "If we continue down our current
development path, we will be running out of drinkable water very frequently."
And his answer to the question, "Where has all our water gone?" It's "gone to
developers every one." Text of "Water is a finite resource in Rockland" here.

Gentrification is not revitalization

A Spring Valley resident comments on the use of land that was taken by eminent
domain and now is being developed in ways that don't seem to serve the
common good. Letter here.

Tartikov lawyers bypass application stage and
go straight to a lawsuit against Village
of Pomona--We look at why

In a press release dated 7/10, the attorneys for Tartikov college announced
a lawsuit against Pomona, claiming bias and violation of the RLUIPA statute con-
cerning the developer's plan to build a residential/school complex on 130 acres in
Pomona. The lawsuit attacks the residents, officials, and Preserve Ramapo as
agents of discrimination. It could be the red herring that deflects attention away
from the fact that environmental considerations make this project a disaster in
the making. Read "An Accusatory Text that Assumes Much and Slanders Many" here.

The Ethically Challenged County
Legislature and Ramapo Town
Supervisor

Richard Kavesh, a Nyack Village Trustee, points to
some recent problems with raises, redrawing district
lines to keep incumbents in place, and the silencing
of the public at Legislative meetings. In a similar
vein, Preserve Ramapo looks at a buried ethical
problem for Supervisor St. Lawrence. Read the
Kavesh Community view ("Hold incumbents to a
higher standard") here, and the story of St. Lawrence's ethical problem here.

Credit where Credit's Due

What we need in Ramapo is a little more
truth in advertising. A resident writes to
The Journal News to point out another
example of a politician looking for credit
where none is due. Read the letter here.

Aerial views updating Bates Horton and
Grandview Adult Student Housing project

Click here for photographs taken from the air on July 3 of both
high-density housing projects.

Rabbinical college should prepare for fight
in Pomona--three letters to the Journal

One writer points out that a secular college would look for an appropriate site,
a second addresses the "deep pockets" threat from Tartikov's attorney,
and a third reminds us of the contradiction of good neighbors and insular
communities. Finally, there's a reminder that St. Lawrence and his board have
enabled, encouraged, rewarded and cheered on RLUIPA lawsuits. Letters here.
 

Michigan Supreme Court rules RLUIPA doesn't
have carte blanche in building dispute

"The church sued Jackson in 2001 after city officials denied a request to
rezone church-owned land to build an assisted-living apartment complex
in an area zoned for single-family housing." The justices responded: "Something
does not become a `religious exercise' just because it is carried out by a
religious institution." Story and links to case here.

Builder to turn garbage heap into residences

Bates and Horton stands out as one of
the most outrageous examples of
downzoning forced on Ramapo by
Christopher St. Lawrence and his
Board. With a total disregard for
the environmental impact and
putting aside a State Supreme Court
decision that would permit evictions, St. Lawrence also has dishonored the
memory of the Vietnam veterans for whom the streets’ names were dedicated.
On July 19, 2004, the Rockland County Veterans Affairs requested on behalf of the
families that the names Bates and Horton be removed from the street signs of
this environmental disaster. Story here.
 

Good Surveillance Makes Good Neighbors

Maybe it’s just a 21^st Century rewrite of Robert Frost’s "good fences make good
neighbors," but so far it doesn’t seem to be working. It was probably the decision
of the lawyers representing the Tartikov college project in Pomona to send
someone to videotape Pomona Village Board meetings. Not exactly the right
gesture to encourage friendship and trust. Now the developer has announced
a website—probably the decision of the PR firm that was hired. Story here.

Sloatsburg in the
Crosshairs

A table itemizes 14 major developments
within a 3.5 mile radius of Sloatsburg.
These projects will bring 14,000+ new
residents and an increase in traffic by
about 7,000 new cars on the road. The
newcomers will draw down local water resources by an additional 1 to 1.5
million gallons per day. Check the table for locations and sizes of the new
building here.  

Suffern, don't gamble with the
village's water supply

"Just four years ago United Water assured Ramapo that the huge population
growth that would be facilitated by Ramapo’s new master plan would not
create any problems for United Water. Now, thanks to the efforts of New
York’s Public Service Commission, it has been forced to admit that our water
supply can no longer provide us with all of the water we need in case of a
drought." Read the Community View from the Journal here.

Is it too much to expect the truth
from our politicians?

A resident from Airmont writes in response to Supervisor St. Lawrence's
delusional praise of the sewer system as an engineering marvel of the
20th Century. "Chris St. Lawrence has a way of making a sewage spill smell
like roses. But when you have witnessed so many, I would argue that I really
don't care what he says or how he tries to explain it away." Read the complete
letter here.

Too Many People,
Too Little Water

According to two scientists from
Columbia University's Lamont-
Doherty Earth Observatory, "If
past patterns [for droughts] hold
up, we’re living on borrowed
time." They blame the combination
of limited resources, drought
patterns, and overdevelopment.
Dr. Daniel Miller of the Rockland
Department of Health concurs in his testimony before the State Public Service
Commission. Yet the building in Ramapo continues at an accelerating pace.
Complete story here.