“Mayor Jeffrey Oppenheim plans to resign in early January from the post he has held for nine years and move out of the village. Deputy Mayor Lance Millman will become acting mayor until the Board of Trustees holds its next meeting on Jan. 20. “I’m proud of the legacy I’m leaving the village,” Oppenheim said. Oppenheim is the second mayor of the tiny village, which was formed in 1987 as a way to preserve single-family zoning as other parts of Ramapo began allowing multifamily housing. “The village has evolved in a wonderful way,” he said. “We have an enormously efficient government that runs on a shoestring budget and provides really good services.” He cited many accomplishments during his 13 years in village government, including the creation of a village court to ensure enforcement of the building code and other regulations. He has worked hard to preserve open space in Montebello, including the creation of Gorman Ponds Park, a 20-acre park with trails, ponds and scenic vistas, and Berbit Park on Spook Rock Road.Other environmental initiatives Oppenheim helped enact include the installation of an electric car charging station at Village Hall and of solar panels at both Village Hall and the Route 202 community center. The village also adopted a law reducing permit costs for homeowners installing solar power at their homes. Montebello also has a community garden and has focused on historic preservation laws.” Read the complete Journal News Story here.