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Spring Valley: Mallia maxes out $75k contract working for the mayor; board won’t extend it

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Anthony Mallia led away in handcuffs

Anthony Mallia led away in handcuffs arrested at his home in September 2016
Photo: John Meore/The Journal News

“The Board of Trustees has again refused to amend convicted felon Anthony Mallia’s contract after he reached the $75,000 pay threshold to work for Mayor Alan Simon, essentially removing Mallia from his paid top aide position.

Simon failed to garner the three board votes needed to amend Mallia’s contract during Tuesday’s board meeting in Village Hall.

Simon and Deputy Mayor Zack Clerina supported Mallia, while Trustees Sherry McGill and Eudson Francois rejected amending Mallia’s contract. Trustee Asher Grossman, seen as the deciding vote, again abstained.

When Francois asked why Simon persisted after two previous rejections, the mayor said, “We strongly need the services of this gentleman,” without providing specifics, and there’s a vote because “I make the agenda.” [Read more…]

Ramapo zoning board OKs high-density Bluefield Extension housing project; appeal possible

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A contested high-density housing development has won approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals, leading an opposition group to consider filing legal action to block the project.

The developer wants to build 15 to 20 units on approximately one acre off Union Road, just across the road from the massive Bluefield complex of multiple family townhouses, according to court papers once filed against the project.

Called the Bluefield Extension, the development would introduce multiple-family housing to a neighborhood of predominately single-family homes, potentially changing the area’s character, according to leaders of the Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhood, known as CUPON. [Read more…]

Substantial Equivalency and Rally at the Legislature

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From Preserve Ramapo Sept. 2:

We want to bring your attention to two initiatives that are
currently underway.

1.) Rally at the Legislature.

There will be a rally in front of the Rockland legislative office building
in New City at 6:15 PM, tomorrow evening, Tuesday Sept. 6th to protest Legislator Aron Weider for his habitual practice of crying anti-Semitism.

We will gather outside the Legislative building to hold our protest at 6:15 PM and then move into the legislative chambers to attend the meeting of the Legislature beginning at 7:00 PM. Our intent is to make use of the public comment period held at the end of the meeting to speak out about the corrosive and divisive practice of using the charge of anti-Semitism to stifle legitimate political debate. [Read more…]

Rockland Legislator Santulli calls out legislator Wieder for ‘anti-Semitic’ label

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Photo of Aron Wieder

Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder, who opposes the new “substantial equivalency” regulations talks with people who are for it after a press conference in New City Aug. 23, 2019. (Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News)

“Rockland Legislator Laurie Santulli has requested a resolution condemning recent actions by fellow Legislator Aron Wieder, D-Spring Valley, including comments Wieder made Friday outside the Rockland County Courthouse to a community activist and earlier statements against a state Assemblywoman. [Read more…]

Pascack Ridge builder seeking zone change donated $2,500 to Ramapo re-election campaign

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Alex Goldberger Monsey Developer (left), talks with his attorney before public hearing on zone change in Ramapo Town Hall on Aug. 15  (Photo: Steve Lieberman)

“The Pascack Ridge builder seeking a Town Board zone change for high-density housing donated $2,500 in March to the re-election campaign for three board members who will vote on his proposal, according to state Board of Elections records and a board critic.

Alex Goldberger’s Monsey Affordable Homes Inc. made the donation on March 15 to Team Ramapo, the re-election campaign for Supervisor Michael Specht, Deputy Supervisor Brendel Logan-Charles, and Councilman Michael Rossman. The campaign reported the donation in its July filing with the state. [Read more…]

Ramapo: Pascack Ridge zone change hearing draws hundreds in heated public hearing

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Residents packed Ramapo Town Hall to speak out on the proposed zone change for the Pascack Ridge housing project on Aug. 15, 2019 (Photo: Steve Lieberman)

“Hundreds of residents packed Town Hall as talks got heated on a zone change that would allow a Pascack Ridge developer to build at least 220 housing units on less than 30 acres along the Clarkstown and Spring Valley borders.

After listening to nearly two dozen speakers over several hours on Thursday night — most of whom trashed the project as over-development favoring ultra-Orthodox Jews and out of character for the area —  the Town Board’s five members closed the public hearing, but will accept written comments and emails to the Town Clerk’s Office until Sept. 3. [Read more…]

Critical Public Hearings: Pascack Ridge and Ramapo’s Northeast Strategic Plan on Wed Aug. 15 and Monday Aug. 19

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From CUPON

Below are 2 critical projects that will be enacted by the town of Ramapo’s elected Board if we do not express our concerns about them.

On August 15th a Public Hearing will be conducted on Pascack Ridge.  This proposal is to build approximately 290 housing units on the wooded property between Rose Ave in Spring valley, North Pascack Road, and Ewing Ave in Hillcrest. If you live or travel in this area, loss of the scenic forest, increased traffic, noise and congestion will become a way of life. [Read more…]

Ramapo and Mount Vernon demonstrate the dire need for stronger building code enforcement

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Senator James Skoufis
Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/ The Journal News

The Journal News  “Senate probe of New York’s building codes zeroes in on two municipalities with terrible reputations: Mount Vernon, where a lone inspector handles the entire city, and Ramapo, where lax enforcement has led volunteer firefighters and the County of Rockland to step in.

“The key takeaway from this investigation is that there has been a systematic failure to adequately prioritize code enforcement at all levels of government,” said state Sen. James Skoufis, who leads the Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations.

He said his panel’s seven-month deep dive looked at “what is working, what is not working and where we need to focus on prioritization of code enforcement in the State of New York.”

And Mount Vernon and Ramapo were repeatedly cited in the report for failures.  [Read more…]

Top offer of $5 million for quarry could ease Ramapo budget woes as town seeks more bids

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“The Suffern Quarry has drawn additional offers, including a top bid of $5 million, for potential industrial development on the 60 acre site that features a massive hole filled with millions of gallons of water.

Ramapo received two proposals this week from a New Jersey realty company and a developer from Maspeth in Queens, with both offers topping the previous high bid of $3.2 million received among the first three offers this month.

Supervisor Michael Specht said Friday that he’s pleased by the growing interest, but hopes for additional offers. He said there’s no time frame to choose a buyer and Suffern would decide the use of the property. [Read more…]