Preserve Ramapo

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Spring Valley rehires Anthony Mallia after Rockland disqualified him on felony conviction

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Anthony Mallia Ramapo Director of Building and Planning

Anthony Mallia arrest photo

“Anthony Mallia is back at work after Spring Valley officials rehired the former Ramapo building inspector as a consultant despite Rockland County personnel officials disqualifying him due to his felony conviction.

While residents called the hiring nepotism by Mayor Alan Simon, Trustees Asher Grossman and Zach Clerina voted with Simon on Wednesday night to rehire Mallia as an independent government adviser. Trustees Sherry McGill and Eudson Francois voted against the move, contending the village should not circumvent the county ruling. [Read more…]

Anthony Mallia booted as top Spring Valley mayoral aide

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Anthony Mallia led away in handcuffs

Anthony Mallia led away in handcuffs, arrested at his home September 15, 2016
Photo: John Meore/The Journal News

“Anthony Mallia has been booted as the mayor’s top aide after the Rockland Personnel Department rejected his job application based on his felony conviction and the lack of proper job documentation.

Despite the county’s ruling, Mayor Alan Simon is looking to re-hire Mallia as an independent contract employee. The proposed hiring — with no stated salary — is listed on the Board of Trustees’ tentative agenda for Wednesday night’s meeting.

Mallia worked for the village during 2018 at $125,000 annually but the county Personnel Department never approved his application and was never officially told the mayor hired Mallia as his confidential assistant. [Read more…]

Petitions for the Fall Election

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We need your help.

Due to new legislation from the State, the petitioning period for the June 25th primary and the November general election are upon us. We are running a full slate of candidates for the Town of Ramapo offices including Supervisor, Town Council and Highway Superintendent.  The ticket is a bit fluid as a couple of candidates may step aside if other candidates willing to run come forward.

Click here for a copy of the Petition.

Our goal is to get them on to the ballot for the Democratic primary to be held on June 25th. The required number of signatures is much lower this year due to the disruption caused by the accelerated election calendar that was put into law this year. We need to take advantage of this opportunity and get our candidates on the ballot

[Read more…]

Ramapo hiring 3 people with ties to the government at salaries ranging from $80K to $145K

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Michael Specht Ramapo Supervisor

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

“Three people with ties to town officials have been approved to fill open government jobs ranging from $80,000 to $145,000 in annual salary.

A local Republican immediately said the moves reeked of patronage and nepotism.

“It is obvious that they did not perform a true candidate search to fill these positions, but instead hired friends, and family members as a continuation of the nepotism policy that has been prevalent in Ramapo for many years.” said William Weber, a past candidate for supervisor. [Read more…]

Legislator Aron Wieder, educators speak out against yeshiva oversight

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Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder speaks about issues of public and private school equivalency at Yeshiva Degel Hatorah in Spring Valley Feb. 26, 2019. At left is the school’s principal, Rabbi Moshe Schwab. (Photo: Peter Carr/The Journal News)

“Educators at a boys yeshiva said Tuesday that the state’s guidelines for a substantially equivalent education would be prohibitive to their students’ studies.

“It infringes on our religious rights,” said Rabbi Moshe Schwab, the principal of Yeshiva Degel HaTorah. “We’re begging the commissioner to reconsider because … it’s going to infringe on the good educational system that we have. We know we have to have equivalency and we think we not only have equivalent, we’re superior.”

His pleas were targeted at a previously ignored 70-year-old law stating private school education needs to be “substantially equivalent” to public school, which gained traction a few years ago when state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia updated guidelines to enforce it. [Read more…]

Chestnut Ridge adopts hotly debated zoning law for houses of worship

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Chestnut Ridge Board Photo: Carucha Meuse/The Journal News

“During a contentious and emotional meeting, the Board of Trustees adopted a three-tier zoning law that allows houses of worships in residential neighborhoods.

The law adopted Thursday night before dozens of people will be challenged in court by CUPON-Chestnut Ridge, an attorney for the grassroots group said Friday.

Steve Mogel said the board ignored basic environmental impacts on residents by essentially allowing unlimited houses of worship and crafting the law to cater to the Orthodox Jewish Coalition, which suggested the zone and has since filed a civil rights lawsuit accusing the village of violating religious rights.

“I think the way they crafted the resolution defined their bias,” Mogel said. “What they did … throughout the whole process is they made it clear that they would pick and choose among the statements made to support their pre-conceived determination to pass the resolution regardless of how bad it might be for the overall community.” [Read more…]

CUPON, born amid Ramapo over-development, goes countywide

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Micheal Miller (Photo: Peter Carr/ LoHud

“Micheal Miller faced down snarling dogs and armed police as a teenager during civil rights marches and sit-ins while growing up in North Carolina in the 1960s.

Miller said police arrested him 26 times for his civil disobedience.

So, the founder of Rockland’s grassroots movement against illegal development and over-development is not easily intimidated.

“When you have faced police and dogs and taking on bigots, you become immune to nasty name-calling and the wishes and powers of the establishment,” the 73-year-old civic activist said.

Miller has his sense of right and wrong, and he’s tried instilling those beliefs earned on the civil rights battlefields to members of Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhoods — known as CUPON. [Read more…]

Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon disbarred for bad behavior as a judge

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“Mayor Alan Simon has been disbarred as an attorney after 50 years for the ranting, threatening behavior that got him stripped of his robes as a judge.

A state Supreme Court Appellate Division released its decision on Wednesday disbarring Simon immediately. Simon had been admitted as an attorney on Dec. 18, 1968, according to the decision.

DECISION: Alan Simon disbarred

The court’s decision stated: “Ordered that the respondent, Alan Michael Simon, is disbarred, effective immediately, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law.” [Read more…]

Airmont: Judge tosses Hasidic congregation’s legal action against village

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Congregation’s legal action against Airmont is dismissed by state judge

“An acting state judge rejected an Orthodox Jewish congregation’s legal action claiming Airmont violated its own zoning laws involving a synagogue hit with violations during a village wide building moratorium.

Mayor Philip Gigante applauded the village’s vindication in state Supreme Court, as he also has denied allegations made in two separate federal lawsuits claiming the village discriminates against Orthodox and Hasidic Jews.

The congregation’s legal action – called an Article 78 – has nothing to do with the two civil rights lawsuits. [Read more…]