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Three newcomers will be vying for seats on the School Board in the Suffern Central School District, May 15. The importance of school board positions has become manifestly clear to the residents of the East Ramapo Central School District, and Suffern voters should pay attention to this election and get out and vote.
Here are the candidates—their experience and thoughts on the election: [Read more…]
A Community View by Bill Weber Published in The Journal News Wednesday, November 22, 2017
The fiscal stress monitoring system was set up by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli so that citizens, government officials, and other interested parties could access information related to the financial condition of municipalities and school districts.
According to the website, “The Fiscal Stress Monitoring System (the System) is OSC’s program to objectively identify issues with budgetary solvency — the ability to generate enough revenue to meet expenditures — for each county, city, town, village and school district.” [Read more…]
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…]
Peter Katz Photo: John Meore/ The Journal News
Peter Katz has become the first Ramapo resident to take the town to court for permitting the conversion of a single-family house into a school without approved site plans and other permits.
Katz argues in his legal action that Chief Building Inspector Anthony Mallia arbitrarily issued a temporary building permit for Congregation Yeshiva Zera Yakov to open a school at 101 Carlton Road and the Ramapo Zoning Board of Appeals incorrectly upheld Mallia’s decision as valid under town zoning law. [Read more…]
Mayor Ed Markunas Photo:Alex Taylor/ The Journal News
“Suffern Mayor Ed Markunas has said the village is exploring whether to separate from Ramapo over how the town has used millions in village taxpayer money for town-provided services over the years.
Suffern is already a “full-service village,” Markunas said, and decoupling from Ramapo would allow the village to “be in control of 100 percent of our tax base.” [Read more…]
“A wrecking crew will write the final chapter of the historic Hotel Lafayette this week and make way for the construction of a new, multistory building with high-end apartments. [Read more…]
Soldier’s Monument, Suffern Photo by Daniel Case
The Rockland County Times reported the following Friday:
Trustees say there is no avoiding St. Lawrence’s taint
Trustees in the Village of Suffern are in open revolt against Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, officially requesting his resignation from office in a statement sent to the media Friday evening. [Read more…]
“Steven Jaffee, husband of Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee and a longtime Suffern resident, died Tuesday at age 73.The Jaffees moved in 1978 from Brooklyn to Suffern, where they raised their children, Marc and Allison. They were married for 51 years and have three grandchildren. Steven Jaffee was a longtime Democratic Committee member, former chair of the Suffern Democratic Committee and coached youth baseball.” (More)