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Tonight–Monday Jan 7–Public Hearing as Ramapo Discusses Selling Open Space Properties

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Ramapo Sign For Sale by OwnerTonight at 7pm, the Town of Ramapo Asset Review Commitee (TARC) will hold a meeting to gather public input on its intention to sell the following properties:

Tilcon Quarry, 15 Tilton Road, Suffern;
40 Pinebrook Road, Chestnut Ridge;
Hamlets of Ramapo, Lake Street, Hillburn;
Ramapo Cultural Arts Center, 66 Main St. Spring Valley; and
96 Camp Hill Road, Pomona.

No doubt, these properties are likely to end up in the hands of developers. If you would like to be heard, or further informed on what the Supervisor and Board have in mind, be there at 7 tonight.

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…]

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…]

SEC Settles Muni Bond Fraud Claims with Three Town Officials

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Law 360 LogoThis notice appeared on the Law 360 website June 5, 2018.

“Three officials of the town of Ramapo, New York, have agreed to civil fines and a permanent injunction barring them from municipal bond offerings to resolve U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allegations they perpetrated a bond fraud, according to consent judgments filed in New York federal court Monday. [Read more…]

Ramapo’s Christopher St. Lawrence: Done in by vanity: JN Editorial

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“For those who had followed former Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence’s rise and fall, and years of ironclad rule in between, there was scant satisfaction in the sentence handed down Wednesday for his 20 federal corruption-related convictions: Two and a half years in prison; three years supervised release; a $75,000 fine.

Even his uncharacteristic apologies after his federal sentencing Wednesday — that he was “deeply ashamed” — provided a rather hollow and unsatisfying denouement to this final chapter of his political life.

What did him in? Vanity, it seems. His 20 convictions on fraud and conspiracy stemmed from an elaborate scheme to cook the books and fudge revenue to put a shine on the town’s sinking finances. [Read more…]

St. Lawrence sentencing hearing continues Monday; Troodler’s sentencing off until January

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Indicted Supervisor St. Lawrence

Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence

“Former Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence’s sentencing hearing continues Monday in White Plains on how much money investors may have lost from a fraudulent bond scheme to build the baseball stadium and hide the town’s financial malaise.

One result of the continuing hearing is that the sentencing of former Ramapo assistant town attorney Aaron Troodler has been rescheduled for Jan. 2.

Troodler pleaded guilty to securities fraud and conspiracy in March and cooperated with prosecutors for a lesser sentence by testifying against St. Lawrence during his trial from April to mid-May. Troodler potentially faces two to four years in prison. [Read more…]

Christopher St. Lawrence faces prison term Monday for corruption

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Indicted Supervisor St. Lawrence

Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence

“When U.S. Judge Cathy Seibel is scheduled  to sentence Christopher St. Lawrence on Monday, the jurist will likely settle the disagreements  between prosecutors and St. Lawrence’s attorney on the former Ramapo supervisor’s motivations to commit fraud and how much prison time he deserves.

However, Monday’s sentencing could be adjourned until December.

St. Lawrence’s attorney asked Seibel in court papers filed Wednesday for additional time to analyze the prosecution’s updated estimation of the financial loss suffered by investors who bought Ramapo bonds based on false information from St. Lawrence. [Read more…]

Spring Valley trustee Vilair Fonvil found guilty

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Photo of Vilair Fonvil in court

SV Trustee Vilair Fonvil Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News

“Spring Valley Trustee Vilair Fonvil today was found guilty of corruption charges accusing him of stealing $11,000 from a summer camp program, ending his stormy career as a village official.

Co-defendant Jermika Depas, the camp program’s coordinator, was acquitted of all charges.

Rockland County Court Judge Kevin Russo found Fonvil guilty of stealing $11,000 in village funding for the 2016 summer camp program. [Read more…]

For Rockland, strong local zoning takes precedence

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Photo of Bob Rhodes Chairman of Preserve Ramapo

Robert Rhodes Chairman Preserve Ramapo

Letter appeared in the Sunday Journal News  November 19.

The success of the Democratic Party in the recent election did not include Orange and Rockland counties. Is the success of the Republican Party here just the result of anti-Semitism as Democratic leaders suggest?

What is the real issue? Is it the growth of our Hasidic community, its skillful manipulation and political mobilization, or something more fundamental? [Read more…]

Executive Director of RLDC disbarred

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Bronze statue of Justice

Aaron Troodler, the Ramapo Town attorney who served as Christopher St. Lawrence’s Executive Director of the Ramapo Local Development Corp (RLDC) has been disbarred by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York. On March 7, 2017, he plead guilty to federal offenses including securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and wire fraud. He still awaits sentencing on December 12 in U.S. District court.  [Read more…]