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Archives for July 2018

Pressure mounts for Rockland Boulders to fill seats at stadium as Ramapo loses money

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Boulders Stadium Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News

“No one, it seemed, wanted the Rockland Boulders.

Certainly not the people of Ramapo who, by a ratio of three to one, voted down a 2010 resolution that would have guaranteed $16.5 million in long-term bonds to build the 5,300-seat stadium where the Boulders play today.

That didn’t deter former Ramapo town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence. Federal prosecutors say St. Lawrence, while in office, masterminded a scheme to funnel public money to the stadium project, despite his assurances that the stadium would be built with private funds. [Read more…]

A Law Tailored for Orthodox Jewish Schools Is Unconstitutional, Lawsuit Says

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Yaffed logoBy Zoe Greenberg in The New York Times July 23, 2018

“A lawsuit filed Monday argues that New York is illegally looking the other way when it comes to ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools, loosening restrictions that will ultimately leave students without a basic knowledge of English, math and science.

The lawsuit, filed slightly more than a month before the first day of school, is the latest action in a years-long debate over how to regulate yeshivas, the private religious schools that focus primarily on studying Jewish texts. [Read more…]

Chestnut Ridge Zoning Hearing Tuesday

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Special Chestnut Ridge Board Meeting, Tuesday July 24 at 7:30 PM Spring Valley High School, 361 NY-Rt 59 Spring Valley.

This meeting is the continuation of the June special hearing on proposed large scale zoning changes.

We want to thank everyone who attended last month, we had a tremendous turnout at the June meeting, almost 1000 people showed up to express our concerns about this poorly conceived zoning law. [Read more…]

Ramapo to Sell the Quarry and 8 Acres in Chestnut Ridge

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Ramapo Sign For Sale by OwnerLast week, The Journal News reported that the Town of Ramapo has begun the process to sell two large tracts of land: the quarry property in Suffern and eight acres on Pinebrook Road in Chestnut Ridge. These same properties were described as “protected” by the currently imprisoned Christopher St. Lawrence and recently fired chief attorney, Michael Klein. [Read more…]

Lawsuits: Ramapo bypassed county review, approved high-density housing without zone change

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Micheal Miller, Gordon Wren and Deborah Munitz of CUPON Hillcrest Photo: Peter Carr/The Journal News

Double-barreled legal actions seeking to void a high-density development accuse the town of bypassing a legally mandated county planning review and allowing the Union Road project to move toward final approval without an approved zone change.

The legal actions are asking a state judge to void or block plans for 10 townhouses with 15 to 20 units on 1.05 acres down a narrow driveway behind a four-story building and a single-family house. [Read more…]

Yehuda Weissmandl added to Ramapo Town Board; Pascack Ridge Public Hearings postponed to Aug 15

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Yehuda Weissmandl sworn in to Ramapo Town Board

At the Ramapo Town Board meeting Monday night, the President of the East Ramapo Central School Board, Yehuda Weissmandl, was unanimously voted to fill the vacancy on the Town Board left by Yitzchok Ullman who left to become the Town Receiver of Taxes. Weismandl and his school board, was severely criticized in a State report that found broken and ignored state laws, divisiveness, bias and fiscal irresponsibility.
The Board also decided to postpone the public hearing on the Pascack Ridge Draft Environmental Impact Statement and amendment to the zoning law from this Thursday, July 12, to August 15 at 7:00 pm.

 

Chestnut Ridge homeowners can say ‘no’ to real estate solicitations via state list

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“CHESTNUT RIDGE – As residents and officials debate zoning ground rules for houses of worship, they can say “No” to real estate sales people soliciting homes to sell.

Under a state law that took effect Sunday for Chestnut Ridge alone, residents can put their names and addresses to the state cease and desist list.

Those who sign up are telling real estate brokers that under penalty of fines and loss of license, they can’t send mail, call, knock on doors, email, text or in anyway communicate an interest to sell the person’s home. [Read more…]

Monsey real estate consultant pleads guilty to voter fraud scheme

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“A co-conspirator of a Monsey developer has admitted his role in a voter fraud scheme in a 2014 Sullivan County village election.

Volvy Smilowitz, also known as Zev Smilowitz, 29, of Monroe, pleaded guilty June 18 in White Plains federal court to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the Bloomingburg village electoral process by falsely registering numerous voters who don’t live in the community. [Read more…]

Ramapo ranked 2nd in NY State population growth

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“When it comes to recent population growth in New York State, Ramapo ranked second and Yonkers fifth among all municipalities, according to lohud.NYDatabases.com.

In total, New York State’s population has grown by more than 23,000 from 2010 to 2017. With a few municipalities, including Rochester and Binghamton showing a decrease, others posted significant gains, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimates.

Ramapo’s 2017 population estimate was 137,510, up by 11,238 residents, or a 9 percent increase compared to the 2010 estimate of 126,272. [Read more…]

East Ramapo proves the failure of using property taxes to fund schools: Ex-trustee

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Spring Valley HS graduates

Spring Valley Grads     Photo: John Meore/ The Journal News

Letter published in the Sunday Journal News
Re “Dire times for East Ramapo as budget fails,” June 21 Perspective:

The state and its monitors will continue their dedicated efforts to ensure quality programs in East Ramapo. But the article ends with the statement: “District taxpayers have to show the state that they share such a commitment.” [Read more…]