Two Year-end Letters

Issues swirl around Patrick Farm plan

Dec. 30, 2011  | 

I find coverage of the continuing Patrick Farm debate interesting for the issues not being raised.

In a recent article, staff writer Greg Clary’s Earth Watch column raised valid concerns regarding the potential shortage of drinking water in our communities. In the Patrick Farm development plan, the developer claims that United Water has sufficient “excess capacity” to meet the need of this high-density project. This is the same United Water that is running ads saying that Rockland is facing an imminent water shortage. Why is this obvious inconsistency not being questioned?

This paper has run many features regarding allegations of housing discrimination in the Lower Hudson Valley region. Currently, Rockland has two communities, New Square and Kaser, that are per the Census among the most segregated communities in our nation. It is interesting that fair housing advocates appear to overlook this, but given the relationship of the builder of the proposed Patrick Farm development to the Hasidic community that dominate these two communities, what safeguards are being put in place to ensure that developed housing will be equally and fairly accessible?

David Forman

Chestnut Ridge

Ramapo needs to invest in future

Dec. 30, 2011  | 

Why doesn’t Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence follow New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s lead and use the town’s money to create a forward looking development project that could provide real year-round jobs? He could follow the example of the Village of Montebello, or a town in Texas where the mayors decided to become green and supply all their own energy, instead of creating a baseball stadium, or allowing an overbuilt, resource draining concrete development on Patrick Farm. He could bring in green companies to develop solar panels, electric cars, wind power etc. Maybe he would be more popular if he listened to and asked the people for ideas instead of doing things so unilaterally, or with the support of the leaders of the voting bloc.

Karen F. Rhodes

Suffern