Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

You are here: Home / Archives for Michael Castelluccio

State pulls monitor overseeing Ramapo building inspectors; says minimum requirement met

by

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski announce plans to immediately inspect private schools for building code and fire safety on May 26, 2016. (Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News)

“A state monitor assigned nearly two years ago to oversee the town fire and safety inspections and building department administration has been pulled from Town Hall.

After assigning the oversight in response to years of complaints about Ramapo’s deficient enforcement of fire safety and building codes, the state has determined the Ramapo Building Department has shown improvement and now meets the minimum standards.

“”As far as I am concerned, they signed the death warrant for residents and firefighters.” Justin Schwartz

FINAL REPORT: State removes building department monitor

LETTER: State releases Ramapo monitor

LETTER: Zebrowski, Jaffee and Carlucci write the state concerned about safety of residents

[Read more…]

New yeshiva education guidelines aren’t a declaration of war, they’re the law

by

Opinion from Gary Stern The Journal News

“It was clear that state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia was going to have a hard time producing private-school curriculum guidelines that would meet state law and satisfy the Orthodox community, especially those protective of Hasidic yeshivas.

But who could anticipate the wrath directed at Elia and her updated guidelines for enforcing that academic instruction at private schools is “substantially equivalent” to public schools? The timing of the release, just before Hanukkah, fed numerous comparisons of Elia and the state Education Department to the Syrian-Greeks, who tried (and failed) to Hellenize the Jews in the Hanukkah story. [Read more…]

Rockland: 9 yeshivas fined 70k over measles vaccination records

by

“Nine Ramapo yeshivas were fined a combined $70,200 for failing to provide student measles vaccination records, during an emotionally charged Board of Health meeting Wednesday.

All of the yeshivas are now in compliance with health officials regulations, under which they had to submit a weekly list of students who were not vaccinated against measles and a complete list of students with vaccination dates. [Read more…]

The War on Education

by

Wait … What?

Yes, you read right. You have heard of The War on Poverty, The War on Terror, The War on Drugs, but … The War on Education???

Former East Ramapo school board president Wieder was once accused (by Asst. Supt. Joe Farmer) of starting a war on public education

Now he has formally declared war on the NY State Education Department. This is in response to the updated guidelines on equivalency of education in non-public schools. [Read more…]

Some Light at the End of Ramapo’s Audit Tunnel?

by

Front Page of the Journal News Magic Numbers

At the last Town Board meeting, a possible schedule for finally getting the Ramapo annual audits for the last four years was divulged. Yes, the town does not have audited annual financial reports for the last four years. You have to go back to 2014 to peruse a certified accounting of the Town’s financial numbers. Why has this happened? Well, you have to start with the number 77363-054. That’s the audited prison ID for our past Supervisor, and master chef of Ramapo’s cooked books–currently serving 2 ½ years at US Federal Prison in Waymart, PA. [Read more…]

Ramapo delays closing yeshiva despite getting court order

by

“Even after a state judge signed the town’s request to close down an illegal Route 306 private school, officials are delaying a closure to allow administrators to legalize the school.

State Supreme Court Justice Paul Marx signed an order closing Congregation Bais Chinuch Ateres Bnos at 261 Route 306 pending a certificate of occupancy needed to legally operate classes for more than 300 girls. [Read more…]

9 Rockland yeshivas face fines for failing to release student measles vaccination records

by

“Nine private schools in Ramapo face hefty fines for failing to provide Rockland County health officials with a list of students who have not been fully vaccinated against measles. The schools are within a geographical area considered the nexus of Rockland’s measles outbreak that numbers 94 cases as of Thursday.

The schools each face fines of up to $2,000 a day since Nov. 16, according to Rockland County Attorney Thomas Humbach. Administrative hearings are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. [Read more…]

The Battle for Ramapo

by

Editorial from Robert Rhodes

Shortly after Christopher St. Lawrence became Ramapo Supervisor, he announced that he wanted to pass a new, comprehensive master plan for land use in Ramapo. His initial plan included several “Planned Residential Development” districts. It seemed obvious to me that these PRD districts could not possibly fulfill the basic NYS requirements of a master plan. [Read more…]

Ramapo: Top officials get personal employee agreements with raises, perks

by

Michael Specht Ramapo Supervisor

Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News

“Aside from increasing their own pay up to $20,000 a year, Town Board members have taken care of five top department heads, approving employee agreements for them with hefty time off and buybacks beyond their base salaries topping $157,000.

The multiple-year agreements include the potential for more than 70 paid days off a year, including 33 vacation days, 10 personal days, 18 sick days and 12 holidays, as well as 168 hours of paid compensatory time. [Read more…]

Ramapo judge signs order supporting move to close illegal school

by

“A state Supreme Court judge has ordered the closure of a Route 306 private school operating without town approvals, but town officials said the school’s appeal will stall emptying the modular classrooms of students.

Congregation Bais Chinuch Ateres Bnos — which has been subject to fire and safety code violations — has been teaching more than 300 students for more than a year at 261 Route 306 without town permits and site plan approval.

The school’s two-year temporary certificate of occupancy expired Sept. 30, 2017. [Read more…]