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Archives for March 2017

St. Lawrence back in federal court as trial nears

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St. Lawrence arrives at court Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News

“A federal judge ruled today that prosecutors can pin their fraud case against Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence on the Rockland Boulders baseball stadium.

St. Lawrence was in court in White Plains today for a pre-trial conference during which U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel ruled on a number of motions. Among them, she said prosecutors will be allowed to argue at St. Lawrence’s trial in April that he lied about public funds being used to build Provident Bank Park in Pomona, which prosecutors said was his motivation for doctoring town financial records to cover up the deception. [Read more…]

Contaminated soil remains despite $400k payout

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Piles of dirt at the Sloatsburg Community Field in Sloatsburg Photo: John Meore/The Journal News

“A local sewer district and the town of Ramapo are at the center of a growing controversy over hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars paid for work never completed to remove soil — some of it contaminated — stockpiled for years in public view.

Rockland County officials are scrambling to figure out why Ramapo has yet to remove 35,000 cubic yards of soil in four locations for the Rockland Sewer District 1 after the town was paid $400,000 in 2012 to do it. Those piles are now approximately 15,500 cubic yards in size. [Read more…]

St. Lawrence linked to missing $400k and toxic dump

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Channel 4 News

Channel 4 I-Team: Potential Scandal Brews in Rockland County Over Contaminated Soil in Public Park

In a special report by Sarah Wallace on Channel 4 News, Ramapo’s indicted Supervisor has been linked to a toxic pile next to a public park and almost a half-million in unaccounted for funds. Click on either image or here for the video coverage.

Sarah Wallace Channel 4 News

Edwin Gould property owner agrees to terms with county

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The classroom building at the Bais Yaakov Elementary School on the old Edwin Gould Property in Chestnut Ridge (Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News

“Owners of the property where a religious school began operating without village approvals in 2016 has come to an agreement with Rockland County over fines, inspections and the use of dormitories.

But the school still lacks approvals and permits as it continues to operate, and the village maintains it should be shuttered until they are granted.

Chestnut Ridge Ventures, the owner of the former Edwin Gould property where Bais Yaakov Elementary School of Rockland County operates, agreed to a $1,000 fine and a timetable to complete inspections, among other things, Rockland Executive Ed Day said in a statement released Monday. [Read more…]

Minisceongo developers plan reveals 700 townhouses

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Rendering of Minisceongo townhouses Photo: Tania Savayan/The Journal News

“The developers of the former Minisceongo Golf Club are revealing portions of their vision for creating a townhouse community with as many as 700 units on more than 140 acres off Pomona Road.

Joseph Kazarnovsky and Mark Mandelbaum are rolling out their plans in a way they hope will ameliorate concerns through what they say is a process that’s more transparent than their less popular predecessors elsewhere in town.

The developers acknowledge their Millers Pond concept has stirred suspicion in an area where residents complain that development proposals appear to be one thing but too often turn out to be another. The former golf club is just a mile from Palisades Credit Union Park and close to the borders of the villages of Pomona and New Hempstead. [Read more…]

DA seizes more records from Ramapo building department

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Detectives at the Ramapo building department

“DA gathering more information at Ramapo Building Department Photo/Steve Lieberman The Journal News

Rockland District Attorney’s Office corruption probers seized more records Friday from the building department, whose chief inspector, Anthony Mallia, already faces 188 charges accusing him of stealing $150,000 in taxpayer funds by undercharging certain builders for permits.

“This is a continuing investigation into the building department,” Exceutive Assistant District Attorney Richard Kennison Moran told The Journal News/lohud.com. [Read more…]

Election Results

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Election Results banner

Chestnut Ridge
Committee for Chestnut Ridge
Sam Presti Mayor   902  WON
Howard Cohen Trustee  939  WON
Richard Miller Trustee   952  WON
Joseph Suarez Justice    928  WON
Chestnut Ridge United
Nancy Guirand Mayor   159

Airmont
Preserve Airmont Party
Peter Blunnie Trustee   1071  WON
Kevin Warbrick Trustee   1086  WON
Anthony Benedict Justice  1098  WON
Airmont Future Party
Ralph Bracco Trustee   694
Dennis Cohen Trustee  675
Robert Reda  Justice     663

Pomona
Preservation Party
Ian Banks Trustee  351  WON
Robert Klein Trustee   254  WON
Pomona United
Michael Kaufmann Trustee  160
Rena Nussbaum  52
Write-ins   185

Village Elections–Vote Tuesday

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Preserve Ramapo asks that you support the following candidates in the Village Elections this Tuesday March 21. 

Chestnut Ridge
Committee for Chestnut Ridge
Sam Presti Mayor
Howard Cohen Trustee
Richard Miller Trustee
Joseph Suarez Justice

Airmont
Preserve Airmont Party
Peter Blunnie Trustee
Kevin Warbrick Trustee
Anthony Benedict Justice

Pomona
We have decided not to endorse individuals in Pomona for this election cycle. Please see the Commentary on Pomona (below) for more details. [Read more…]

New Hempstead trustee’s votes on school questioned

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New Hempstead Mayor Fred Brinn

A village trustee has voted for the construction of a girls religious school while working for a member of the school’s board of directors.

Trustee Abe Sicker confirmed he works for a company whose owner was president of the board of directors for Ateres Bais Yaakov Academy of Rockland, a not-for-profit religious organization seeking to build a school on Summit Park Road.

Mark Hertz, who has signed village documents as president of Ateres’ board of directors, is founder and president of Mark Hertz Company, a real estate consulting and violation removal services, according to the company’s website. [Read more…]