Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

Will post-Christopher St. Lawrence changes last past election?

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Convicted Street SignNearly four months after Christopher St. Lawrence got booted as supervisor for his securities fraud convictions, Town Board members, once mostly publicly compliant to St. Lawrence’s wishes, are changing policies and hoping to remold the town’s negative image.

Skeptics remain, however, that the sincerity for change is short-term for the upcoming elections, even as board members offer zoning and planning reforms, such as  prohibiting zone changes until a master plan review is completed; a ban on using temporary trailers for classrooms; and moratoriums on construction in already heavily dense residential neighborhoods.  [Read more…]

Novartis property’s new owner: ‘No plan for housing’

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Novartis Photo/LoHud

“One of the questions concerning the future of the vacant Novartis property is whether a sprawling housing development could spring up on the 162-acre campus.

The village’s mayor and the former pharmaceutical manufacturing plant’s new owner insist that’s not going to happen.

Amy Mele, an attorney for Suffern Partners LLC, which bought the site last week for $30 million, said the company had “absolutely no plan for any housing whatsoever.”

She also emphasized that the entire parcel would remain on the tax rolls. [Read more…]

Ramapo offers SEC a settlement to end fraud accusations

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Seal of the US SEC“After months of negotiations and $1.7 million so far in legal fees, the Ramapo Town Board has offered to settle a civil case involving fraud accusations made by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The proposed settlement the Town Board approved 5-0 on Wednesday involves the town government and the Ramapo Local Development Corp., the town’s economic development arm that fronted the financing of the town baseball stadium and its Elm Street housing complex.

The SEC case continues — along with town legal costs — against former Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, former RLDC Executive Director Aaron Troodler, Town Attorney Michael Klein, and Receiver of Taxes Nat Oberman. The town is required by public officer’s law to pay their legal fees. [Read more…]

St. Lawrence sentencing for corruption conviction rescheduled for Nov. 27

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“Christopher St. Lawrence will learn how many years he will spend in federal prison when he’s scheduled for sentencing Nov. 27 in the White Plains federal courthouse.

U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel adjourned St. Lawrence’s sentencing, which had been set for Sept. 28, at his lawyer’s request.

A federal jury convicted St. Lawrence on May 29 on 20 corruption-related charges accusing him of manipulating the town’s books and fabricating revenues to get better rates on bonds to finance the town’s baseball stadium and other projects. The conviction ended the Democrat’s 16-year reign as supervisor. [Read more…]

Attorney demands reinstatement of Ramapo whistleblower

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Attorney Fred Lichtmacher

On Friday, September 8, Melissa Reimer’s attorney sent a letter to the Ramapo Town Board demanding that his client be immediately allowed to return to Town Hall and to resume her responsibilities as the Supervisor of Finances. It has been 4 ½ years since she was ordered on administrative leave by an Administrative Law Judge, Jonas Gelb, who had been persuaded by a parade of witness who have themselves subsequently been indicted, convicted, and or sanctioned and fined by other legal administrators in courts operating at levels far above the hearing room at Ramapo Town Hall where Gelb arrived at his flawed decision. [Read more…]

Primary Results

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Election Results bannerRockland Surrogate Court Judge–Democratic Party:
Keith Cornell 5,549
Alden Wolfe  4,314

Rockland County Executive–Reform Party:
Ed Day  1,320
Write-in   684
Rockland County Executive–Conservative Party:
Ed Day   574
Thomas Sullivan  520

Ramapo Supervisor–Reform Party
William Weber  554  Write-in 36
Ramapo Sup of Highways–Reform Party
Robert Romanowski  504  Write-in     44
Ramapo Town Council–Reform Party
Susannah Bechhofer  520  Grant Valentine 509  Write-in 47

Spring Valley Mayor–Democratic Party:
Alan Simon  679
Demeza Delhomme  543
Emilia White  305
Vilair Fonvil  104

Spring Valley Trustee–Democratic Party:
Asher Grossman  699
Eudson Francois  577
Aaron Morse       402
Chevon Dos Reis  247
Eustache Clerveaux  213
R. Schneider Laurent 209
Zach Clerina           162

 

 

Vote in Tuesday’s Primary

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Chevon DosReis Emilia White and Eustache Clerveaux

There are some important primary contests coming up on Tuesday, September 12th, we want you to be aware of. In the Democratic Primary in Spring Valley, first and foremost we are strongly endorsing Emilia White and her slate for Mayor of Spring Valley and Spring Valley Trustee. [Read more…]

Ramapo Candidates debate Thursday Night Sept 7

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The NAACP Candidate Debate and Forum will be held at the Louis Kurtz Civic Center in Spring Valley, Thursday, Sept 7, at 6 p.m. Candidates attending include those running for Ramapo Supervisor, Town Board, Superintendent of Highways, Spring Valley Mayor and others. Primaries are less than a week away–next Tuesday Sept. 12.

Ramapo seeking to score share of sales tax revenue generated by baseball stadium

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“Acting Supervisor Yitzchok Ullman made the request Friday in a press release, justifying his pitch that the stadium has become a top tourist draw in Rockland and generates an estimated $250,000 in sales tax annually through sales of tickets, concessions and other items.
Plus, Ramapo needs the money after financial problems and corruption convictions.
Ramapo acting supervisor Yitzchok Ullman seeks a share of estimated $250,000 in sales tax revenues generated by Palisades Credit Union Park. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says he’s not supportive. [Read more…]