January 17, 2016 "A well-know Rockland developer has sold the Minisceongo Golf Club,
prompting questions about the property's future. In a letter to members Wednesday,
Eric Bergstol said the 18-hole, 60-acre course at 110 Pomona Road would no longer
operate as a golf club. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and the
new owner has not been named. Minisceongo opened in 1994 and its greens and fairways
span a vast and still-pristine swath of land in unincorporated Ramapo, bordering Mount Ivy
County Park. Rumors of a sale had been circulating for months. News of the sale sent a
shiver of unease through neighboring villages. Pomona Mayor Brett Yagel expressed fear
that a high-density housing development could come in and change the area's semi-rural
character. "It's a shame to lose that open space," he said. "The roads around here were
once cow paths."If it's going to be housing it should be done responsibly," he added,
sounding resigned. "That's all we ask." The property's history dates to the 1700s, when
the Conklin family established a settlement there. They’re buried near the fourth hole.
The clubhouse is a former boarding school for inner-city children. The course was opened
in 1994 after some much-needed renovations." You can read the complete Journal News
coverage here. (Editor's note: This site is in unincorporated Ramapo, and any building plans
will be controlled by the Ramapo Boards--Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals--both of
which have grossly irresponsible records under the St. Lawrence administration.)

East Ramapo hires lobbyist despite controversy

January 14, 2016 "The East Ramapo school board voted late Tuesday to rehire a powerful Albany lobbying firm that helped
defeat an initial plan for a state monitor to oversee the troubled district. The vote came after an hour-long executive session
that didn't end until most people in the audience had left. The vote was made with no discussion. All board members voted in
favor except for Sabrina Charles-Pierre, who abstained. Many parents said that the perpetually cash-strapped district should
focus on spending money on education, not lobbyists."This $42,000 should be spent on books, and pencils and rulers," Luis Nivelo
told the board. "We need this money to go to the right place." Advocates for public school children traveled Wednesday to Albany
to gather support for a monitor with veto power over the troubled district.The group met local lawmakers who pledged their
support, including Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, D-New City, Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern and state Senator David Carlucci,
D-New City. Rockland County Executive Ed Day and newly elected Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, both Republicans,
were also in Albany and said they would work to support a monitor for the district. "This is about bringing educational policy into the
21st century," Carlucci said. "A monitor with veto power is really a foundation of starting to turn things around in East Ramapo, to
install trust, to bridge the growing divide we have in the community." Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

Patricia Simmons the longtime principal of Fleetwood Elementary dies

January 4, 2016 "The East Ramapo school community is mourning the death of Patricia Simmons, the longtime principal of Fleetwood
Elementary School in Chestnut Ridge. Simmons, 63, died Dec. 27 of cancer. She had been principal at Fleetwood Elementary since 2001,
earning a reputation as a forceful advocate of students and teachers during a period of widespread cuts and turmoil in the troubled district.
Speaking on Sunday, daughter Dara Simmons said her mother had a strong belief that the American public education system should be a
"stepping stone." At Fleetwood, that meant celebrating diversity and pushing academic achievement among its 500 or so students, many
from immigrant families." Complete Journal News story here.

Bruce Levine Community View: Reframe the East Ramapo debate

January 3, 2016 Dennis Walcott, who led an East Ramapo monitor team appointed by the state education commissioner, recently
issued a report that, like a previous report by fiscal monitor Hank Greenberg, called for passage of state legislation that would create
a strong state monitor for the troubled school district. Almost immediately, last year's divisive debate re-started. Leaders of the
Orthodox Jewish community claimed that their community was "stabbed in the back." Senate Republican Majority Leader John Flanagan
stated about the re-introduced legislation: "We're not doing that." Members of the school board believe that the solution lies entirely
in getting more state funding; public school advocates believe that issues of governance and issues of funding must be addressed together.
Both are likely to be disappointed. Read the full text of Bruce Levine's recommendations here.

Montebello Mayor Jeff Oppenheim to resign, leave village

January 2, 2016
"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.

Power of Ten Update: Why Senator Flanagan is wrong when he says “We don’t
need any new legislation” for East Ramapo

December 29, 2015 As Senate Majority leader, Flanagan is blocking legislation that passed the NY State Assembly, and that
Governor Cuomo has said he would sign. This legislation is a compromise bill, which instead of removing the board and
taking over the district would simply speed up the process of oversight by the State Education Department. Senator Flanagan
thinks the history of failure to hold the East Ramapo school board accountable is proof that they don’t need more oversight.
I think he is wrong, and I hope he will change his mind. (More) From Steve White's Power of Ten.

Judge Alfieri rejects request to stop Ramapo's land sale at
Manny Weldler Park

December 28, 2015 "A state Supreme Court judge has rejected neighbors' request to stop Ramapo from
selling what they believe is a portion of Manny Weldler town park to a developer. But the residents aren't
giving up the fight yet. Justice Victor Alfieri ruled in favor of Ramapo this week, apparently agreeing that
the 5.64 acres at 24 Grosser Lane has never been part of Weldler park, even though paved walkways on the property are
connected to the park." Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

Public safety codes are routinely ignored inside Rockland County's non-public
schools and little is being done to curb the problem, a News 12 investigation has found.
Rockland's fire coordinator Gordon Wren says local religious schools have failed to meet
fire codes, which he calls "ticking time bombs." "Most of these codes have dead bodies behind
them," Wren told News 12. He says the fire codes are ignored by dozens of private schools.
News 12 spent the past four months investigating the safety of Rockland's
private schools. Many fire safety records were outdated, incomplete or missing
and some school officials refuse to comply with the law. News 12 investigative
reporter Tara Rosenblum confronts the code violators and finds out who should be enforcing the rules.You can read the reports and access
the video coverage played over two days in December here.

Lawmaker suggests ward system for East Ramapo school board

December 24, 2015 “ Would a ward system where school-board members are elected from specific
neighborhoods benefit the East Ramapo district? Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City,
suggested Thursday that he may consider legislation that would switch the school board’s elections
from a town-wide vote to a district-by-district vote. Doing so would better ensure that the various
communities within the large district are represented on the board, he said. “Perhaps we should go
to a district or a ward-type system, where you give all the communities in that school district the
ability to elect a representative,” Zebrowski said on “The Capitol Pressroom,” a public radio show.
“That’s another way we could go.” Read the complete Journal News story here.

NY Senate Leader: ‘We’re Not Doing’ Ramapo Oversight

 By Yochonon Donn ח' טבת תשע"ו Hamodia.com

Sunday, December 20, 2015 at 3:11 pm  NEW YORK - "Efforts to impose a state
override on an Orthodox- majority school district has anti-Semitic overtones and
“we’re not doing it,” the leader of the New York State Senate told an Agudath Israel
of America gathering." (More)

Moody's affirms East Ramapo CSD, NY's Baa2 GO rating
(2 steps above junk bond status); outlook remains negative

Global Credit Research - 21 Dec 2015 "Moody's Investors Service has affirmed the Baa2 rating of East Ramapo Central School District,
NY's $10.9 million in outstanding general obligation debt secured by an unlimited tax pledge. The outlook remains negative. (More)

Was the Fix In?

December 22, 2015

Every once in a while the curtain goes up by mistake, and the dirty politics that are ordinarily hidden are revealed.  It looks
like Thursday’s news conference called by Rockland county legislator Aaron Wieder and New York State Assemblyman Dove
Hikind is one of those times. (More)

 You can read the full text of the Monitor's Report and  the19 recommendations here.

Monitor can protect East Ramapo school board, too

December 19, 2015 Robert I. Rhodes Community View 

PSC orders Suez to kill desalination plant

December 19, 2015 "The state Public Service Commission on Thursday directed Suez, formerly known as United Water New York, to
abandon the controversial Haverstraw desalination project.The commission also approved Suez's plan to avoid the need to draw water
from the Hudson River by improving conservation, controlling leaks and finding alternative water sources.In 2006, the commission ordered
United Water to come up with another long-term water source to address future needs. In response, the company unveiled the Hudson River
water treatment plant project. The project soon became a focus of controversy, as opponents questioned whether alternatives had truly been
explored. United Water provides drinking water to most homes and businesses in Rockland.The Rockland Water Coalition, a partnership of area
environmental and civic groups, petitioned the commission to block the plan, asserting that the county's water needs were nowhere near as dire
as United Water portrayed. In November 2014, the state agency put a freeze on the project, ruling that there was no need for another water
source.Thursday's ruling officially ended the project." Read the complete story here.

Neighbors take Ramapo to court over sale of 6-acre lot

December 15, 2015 "Neighbors of the Manny Weldler town park have taken Ramapo to court for planning to sell what they believe
is a portion of the park to a developer. Town Attorney Michael Klein, however, says the 5.64 acres of land at 24 Grosser Lane has 
never been part of the park, even though paved walkways on the property are connected to the park. "We've had the piece of land
that's been unused for decades," Klein said. "The town decided to surplus the property and sell it." The Article 78 filing is pending before 
state Supreme Court Justice Victor Alfieri. A hearing before Alfieri is set for 10:30 a.m. Thursday. David Goldberg, 39, who lives near
the park, is not part of the lawsuit but agrees with his neighbors' concerns that the area is being overdeveloped. "We've been here for
25 to 30 years. This has always been part of the park," Goldberg said of the Grosser Lane lot. "We need more green in this area." The
neighbors' petition maintains that the property was donated to the town in 1971 by Ruby Joseph, the developer of the Monsey Jewish
Center, "for the purpose of providing open space" and to add it on to the adjacent Weldler park." Read the full story here.

Journal News Editorial: East Ramapo needs a monitor with veto power

December 14, 2015 "No compromise this time: East Ramapo needs a monitor, with veto power.That was the clear message from
the special monitor team that's spent the last five months planted in the East Ramapo school district, sifting through financial
information, visiting public-school classrooms, interviewing teachers and studying curriculum.Certainly, we've seen recent change.
In July, the board finally replaced a high-priced law firm, controversial for its outlandish pay and its verbal abuse of public-school
parents and even students. In October, Superintendent Joel Klein, who insulted many with remarks about older immigrant students'
lack of desire to get a diploma, was replaced with an educator known for turning around troubled districts. The board also appointed
a new school board member -- after a newly elected member quit -- who hails from the public-school fold.But that is too little, way late.
"Even though we have been there for 17 weeks, this problem has been there for 10 years," Walcott said. Walcott saw all aspects of
urban education as New York City schools chancellor from 2011 to 2013, but still talked about East Ramapo as being especially fragile
and vulnerable and reeling from "psychological trauma." The monitor team will remain, for now, in the district. But the state must act
quickly to install full oversight and provide needed aid. That means the Legislature must pass the needed bills asap.This time, there can
be no last-minute finagling by Senate Republicans — abated by local Sen. David Carlucci, a member of the Independent Democratic
Conference that's at times snuggled up to Senate GOP leadership. Carlucci pledged clear support, but also warned that it won't be easy:
"This will be an uphill fight in the Senate that we cannot afford to lose, and will take the full support of the Monitors, the State Education
Department, the Board of Regents and the Governor." Read the full text of the editorial here.

'Opportunity Deferred': 19 reforms for E. Ramapo

December 14, 2015 "A three-person board that has spent five months studying the troubles in the East Ramapo school district
on Monday offered 19 reforms in a report titled, “Opportunity Deferred: A Report on the East Ramapo.” The panel, headed by
former New York City chancellor Dennis Walcott, presented ts findings Monday to the Board of Regents, detailing how the district
has been beset with turmoil and poor management. The Board of Regents unanimously approved the recommendations. Among its
recommendations is to urge the state Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to install a state monitor with power to veto the school
board’s decisions.Other recommendations include a direct source of state aid, an independent election monitor for school board
elections, ensuring that the parent of a public-school student serves on the school board and reforming the district’s busing policies.
The panel offered an hourlong presentation on the troubles at the district, saying that the situation is unique in New York. It said
about $12 million to $15 million in additional state aid would help the district, as well as the busing reforms: Only New York City
buses more kids each day to school, the group said. Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said she would expect the three-person
board to continue its work as the recommendations are enacted." Read the complete Journal News coverage here.
For a copy of the 19 recommended reforms click here.

Federal Prosecutor Preet Bharara now 8 for 8 in the Corridor of Corruption
and Three Men in a Room

December13, 2015 The convictions of two of the “Three Men in a Room” by Federal Prosecutor
Preet Bharara took less than two weeks. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was found guilty last
week on all eight counts on which he was charged, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver preceded
him on November 30 when he was found guilty of the seven federal corruption charges and expelled
from the Assembly. (More)

Court testimony fuels Spring Valley mayor allegations

December 10, 2015 "A Spring Valley building official has testified in court that the mayor directed him to
issue a certificate of occupancy for a school at 50 Commerce St., despite the official's concerns that safety inspections
weren’t completed. Assistant Building Inspector Jackenton Lavalasse testified that he documented what happened by
writing a memo in August describing how the mayor gave the order under pressure from political donor Alex Goldberger,
who was a contractor for the school. It's "very apparent" Mayor Demeza Delhomme interfered with the CO at Yeshiva Oholei
Shem D'nitra, said Rockland County Executive Ed Day. Before the CO was revoked and the property ordered vacated in September,
students were seen entering and exiting the building." Complete Journal News story here.

Absolutely Ridiculous: Ramapo Police Chief Brower’s
Salary was $369,088 while James Comey, Director of the FBI,
Makes $178,700

December 9, 2015 "Ramapo Police Chief Peter Brower retired in September
as the highest-paid local government employee, a report Wednesday said. Brower, 
after 45 years of service, earned $369,088 in the fiscal year that ended March 31, 
according to the Empire Center, a fiscally conservative think tank in Albany. Brower
topped the top 50 list of highest paid local workers. The list included 40 police officers,
and 24 of them worked for Nassau County. Ramapo Capt. Thomas Cokeley ranked seventh
on the list at $274,143 last fiscal year." Read the Journal News story here.

Rockland: Underground oil pipelines proposed for
Ramapo, Hillburn

December 4, 2015 "A fuel transfer company is proposing to construct a
pair of underground oil pipelines that would carry crude oil through a
wooded area of Ramapo and Hillburn. Rockland County Executive Ed Day
and at least one Ramapo official say they are concerned about the proposal.
"This proposed Pilgrim dual pipeline route really looks horrible coming down
the Ramapo Valley so close to the Ramapo River and going through wetlands,"
Ramapo's environmental consultant, Geoff Welch said. "The potential spill risk
is unacceptable." Read the complete story here.
 

Seeking Peace with Neighbors, KJ Group Finds Confrontation at Home

Kiryas Joel committee criticizes village leadership and its annexation of Monroe

By Yvonne Marcotte, Epoch Times | December 2, 2015

Rabbi Joel Loeb, named after the founder of Satmar Hasidic Judaism, leads an informal group of Kiryas Joel residents
who do not agree with how the present leadership has governed Kiryas Joel and has alienated the village’s neighbors.
The committee members say they are pained by the antagonism of their non-Jewish neighbors. He estimates at least 200
extended families actively support the goals of the group, which may be as much as 10 percent of a village population
estimated to be around 22,000. “We know many, many people, righteous people who understand what we say,” Loeb said. (More)

Ramapo Budget Update: The town has finally released the 2016 budget. Click here for a copy.
Ramapo in talks over illegal shortcut

December 2, 2015 "The town is negotiating a potential settlement in a dispute over an illegal shortcut built on town-owned
property in a rapidly growing subdivision in an unincorporated area of Ramapo. But what's in the agreement remains to be seen.
Neighbors of the illuminated walkway — which connects driveways of 1 Neva Court and 9 Quince Lane over a piece of land-locked,
town-owned woods — say they became aware of the 300-foot paved shortcut about one and a half years ago after strangers started
appearing in their quiet residential streets, looking for the path. They urged town officials to take action against the illegal tree cutting
and the walkway's construction." Complete Journal News story here.

Ramapo's Subterranean Budget Approval Process

The 2016 Ramapo budget was approved 5-0 and the Tax Cap will be exceeded

December 1, 2015 Obvious efforts were made to keep the process as far from public view as possible. The Town Clerk's
Office failed to honor Freedom of Information Act requests for copies of the proposed budget in time for the meeting to
which the public had been invited to participate in a public discussion of that budget. The meeting time had been changed,
and it was inconveniently scheduled for the day after the election, November 4. But it didn't really matter because without
the numbers--projected taxes, debt payments, salary increases--what was there the public could add to the discussion? The
few who were present did ask questions, but those were summarily dismissed by Supervisor St. Lawrence, manager-in-charge
of Ramapo's mole-tunnel democracy: "We're here to listen," he said, "not to answer questions." (More)

Mayor pledged to vote against Jewish developer projects

November 23, 2015 "Mayor Demeza Delhomme pledged to vote against all building permit applications by Jewish
developers to retaliate against Jews for supporting political opponents, according to a secretly recorded conversation
obtained exclusively by The Journal News. Asked whether he would vote against, "anything a Jew brings," Delhomme
replied, "Yes," during a conversation recorded last March at Village Hall.Delhomme later said, "I swear to God. On the
application. Any Jew that comes in." The mayor, who is Haitian, said if a Haitian brought the same application as a Jew,
he would support it. "I'm voting for them," he said on the recording. "Because they voted for me. They supported me."
Delhomme refused to answer a reporter's questions about the roughly 40-minute recording, but denies discriminating
against anyone." Complete Journal News story here including link to the recordings.

E. Ramapo yeshiva lawsuit seeks epic changes

November 22, 2015 "Filed by a public interest law firm on behalf of seven unnamed plaintiffs who fear retaliation
from their communities if they go public, the complaint takes aim at the state, the East Ramapo school district and
four Hasidic yeshivas for failing to provide male students with basic secular studies such as English and mathematics.
The suit — a rare legal action for Hasidim, who have their own religious courts — delves into the inner workings of the
private religious schools and calls for a number of changes that would fundamentally alter their traditional approach to 
education. Among the demands named in the lawsuit are the introduction of secular coursework for up to one-third of
the school day, the hiring of "competent" instructors who teach in English; a monitoring and enforcement mechanism; 
accurate enrollment figures to help determine accountability for taxpayer funds; and an implementation date as soon as
September 2016."Ultra-Orthodox/Hasidic parents should not have to choose between a religious education and one that
will teach their children how to read and write,' said Laura Barbieri of the public interest law firm Advocates for Justice,
which filed the suit. "They are entitled to both and the State is obligated to ensure that they receive it." The full text of
the Journal News story here.

Assemblyman says Spring Valley's Delhomme interfered in yeshiva

November 21, 2015 "A state assemblyman says Mayor Demeza Delhomme twice interfered with an assistant village
building inspector by pressuring him to allow a yeshiva to be occupied without safety inspections, then ordering him
to change a memo documenting that he'd interfered. Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, D-New City, said the mayor's chief
concern should be residents' safety and his alleged actions put students at risk. "The facts, as presented, suggest to me
the mayor's office was involved in changing the memo," said Zebrowski, who has raised the issue with the New York
secretary of state. "If somebody used their influence to change an official document then, in my opinion, it borders
on criminal," he added." Complete Journal story here.

Noramie Jasmin's prison date postponed by surgery

November 20, 2015 "Former Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin won’t start serving her four-year federal prison sentence
until Feburary after undergoing surgery.Jasmin, who was sentenced and fined $20,000 in August for her role in a scheme
involving a proposed community center in the Rockland village, was supposed to surrender Nov. 2." Journal coverage here.

Sepsis in Albany: As ex-leaders on trial, no ethics reforms planned at Capitol

November 18, 2015 "Don’t expect the state Legislature to start passing new ethics laws next year. Even as the two former
leaders of the state Legislature are in the middle of corruption trials, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said there’s plenty of
new ethics laws on the books. Opening statements began Tuesday in the corruption trial of former Senate Leader Dean Skelos,
R-Nassau County, and his son, Adam — as the separate trial of ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, continued into
its third week." Complete Journal News story here.

United Water in Rockland, Westchester now named Suez

November 17, 2015 "The change is the latest in a progression that has seen Rockland's major water supplier go from
Spring Valley Water to Hackensack Water and then United Water. Suez, which dates from 1858, purchased the company
15 years ago, Madden said. The company has been trying to repair its reputation in Rockland after the state Public Service
Commission nixed its plans to build a desalination plant and ordered it to improve its relationship with the community. Those
efforts hit a snag when United Water quit a county conservation task force and issued an angry response to a report that was
sharply critical of its infrastructure and record keeping.George Potanovic of Stony Point, a frequent United Water critic, 
said he was unsure how the change would affect local customers." Read the complete coverage here.

East Ramapo monitor's remarks draw NAACP criticism

Civil Contempt

November 4, 2015 Ramapo Town Hall: 7:06 PM  It was the first official act of Supervisor St. Lawrence following his
re-election the day before. The meeting time had been changed, but it didn't matter, it was not an optimal day for
a big public turnout, the day after an election. Most certainly, the bad timing was intentional, and it worked--only a
few members of the public were there along with a small group of students from Suffern High School, there to fulfill
a requirement for their Government class. (More)

N.Y. gets a D- for ethics

November 11, 2015 "New York received a D- in a national report released Monday for its transparency and accountability,
ranking it 30th in the nation as part of a so-called State Integrity Investigation. New York, which is mired in the corruption
cases of its two former legislative leaders, was tied for the 30th lowest ranking with Florida. “Beset by corruption, backroom
deals and voter scorn, New York received a score of 61, a D-, placing it in a tie for 30th place nationwide,” the group’s report
said. The report, based on an assessment the group does nationwide, found that New York ranked last in the U.S. for its state
budgeting – which has long been criticized for being controlled by the governor and the two legislative leaders behind closed
doors, known as the “three men in a room.” Complete Journal story here.

Spring Valley: Mayor says inspection records now in order
The state has given the village 30 days to address a number of issues.

November 5, 2015 "Facing the threat of a state takeover of its building and fire code inspections, Spring Valley
Mayor Demeza Delhomme said Wednesday that the village was getting its building department in order. The New
York Division of Building Standards and Codes warned the village on Oct. 6 that it had 30 days to address longstanding
concerns over fire safety in the village, including problems with inspection records, building permits and applications.
They outlined four steps the village needed to take in that time span: Provide an up-to-date list of properties for
inspection; review its enforcement program; provide records for three private religious schools using classroom trailers;
and digitize Building Department records.Documentation that the village has taken these steps is due to the state this week.
Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

Feds: East Ramapo discrimination claims founded
U.S. Ed Department said district discriminated in out-of-district placements, will monitor plan to address it.

November 3, 2015 "The U.S. Department of Education has determined that some claims of racial discrimination in the
East Ramapo School District are founded, and will closely monitor an agreement with the Rockland district to address
the issue. In a letter this week to the Spring Valley branch of the NAACP, the department's Office for Civil Rights, or OCR,
determined that a disproportionate number of out-of-district placements for special education students went to white children.
The office had reviewed NAACP complaints of racial discrimination based on race and national origin, including claims that
Yiddish-language classes were offered more frequently than Spanish- and Creole-language classes." Complete Journal story here.

Heartfelt Thanks to all who worked on the campaign
and Those who supported us at the polls
Election Results from the Rockland Board of Elections

Candidate Running for Town Board on
St. Lawrence's Ticket is a Felon, lives in NJ

October 28, 2015 "Samuel Tress, a Democratic candidate for the Ramapo
Town Board, has a federal mail-fraud conviction and, when questioned about
whether he lives in New Jersey, admitted he did. Tress, currently a member of
the Ramapo Zoning Board of Appeals, initially said he lived at a Monsey apartment
he rents. He later clarified, "I'm not denying that I live in New Jersey, but I am
most of the week in Monsey." He acknowledged being federally prosecuted in 2004
and said the community doesn't know about it. "I don't remember if I actually pleaded
guilty," he said, but court records show that Tress pleaded guilty in December 2004
to the felony, admitting he falsely assumed an identity to obtain a home mortgage loan from a bank in connection with the purchase of a
home in Spring Valley. He was sentenced in March 2005 to three years of supervised release.Tress, the CEO of East Morgan Holdings, a
Lakewood, New Jersey-based remediation company, owns a home in Lakewood, tax records show." Tress has served on St. Lawrence's
Zoning Board of Appeals for years. Read the complete Journal News story  here.

Why are Kiryas Joel Building and Real Estate Concerns
Funding St. Lawrence’s Campaign?

October 26, 2015  Politicians fund their election campaigns by soliciting donations
from supporters and other partners. The money is collected by PACs (Political Action Committees)
and New York State requires that these PACs submit regular financial reports that appear on the
New York State Board of Elections website (http://www.elections.ny.gov/CFViewReports.html). Ramapo
Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has two such PACs, one that the general public can easily find
on the state site—it’s called Friends of Christopher P. St. Lawrence—and another that doesn’t have his name and
won’t show up in searches for his name as owner or recipient of those funds. Both PACs are managed by Nathan Oberman,
Ramapo’s Deputy Director of Finance and Receiver of Taxes. So why does St. Lawrence have this second secretive bankroll
where donors can direct money almost anonymously? The answer lies in who is writing those checks in the dark. (More)

Ramapo candidates spar at forum

October 26, 2015 "The 30-minute debate didn't sidestep the biggest controversies in Rockland's fastest growing town:
zoning disputes; the power of the bloc-vote; financing for the Provident Bank Park; and an FBI raid at Ramapo Town Hall in May 2013.
St. Lawrence shrugged off a question about the FBI probe into the town's finances. "You'd have to ask them," he said. "They took records.
They wanted to review information. We're awaiting any results." Read the complete coverage here. NOTE: The reporter incorrectly
identified the Preserve Ramapo candidates Parietti, Scott, Weber, and Romanowski as appearing on the Preserve Ramapo line. They are
on Row H, the Reform Party Line--That's H for Honesty. 

Spring Valley house fire reveals more illegal apartments

October 20, 2014 "A fire in a Spring Valley home with illegal apartments revealed “deplorable” conditions Tuesday morning,
according to authorities. After the fire was extinguished, authorities found illegal apartments in the basement and throughout
the home. In addition, there were no fire alarms in the house. “It’s like playing Russian roulette,” Wren said. “These people
shouldn’t be living in these conditions.” “If this had happened in the middle of the night and there were no smoke detectors
working, who knows what we would have come to,” Sohlman said. The fire in Spring Valley comes on the heels of a state
agency ordering the village to increase enforcement of its housing codes or face a potential state takeover. The Division of
Building Standards and Codes issued an order on Oct. 6 giving the village 30 days to begin inspecting buildings and schools
that are riddled with fire and safety violations." Complete Journal News coverage here.

State warns Spring Valley to enforce building and fire codes - or else
October 14, 2014 "New York state officials have ordered the village to immediately begin inspecting buildings and
schools that are rife with fire and safety violations — or face a potential takeover. The Division of Building Standards
and Codes Oct. 6 order follows an agency investigation of the village's Building Department and months of consultations
with village officials about uninspected buildings that potentially endanger students, tenants, and first-responders. The state gave
the village 30 days from Oct 6 to make the changes or face state action. The overall inadequacy of the housing inspections — as well
as problems with slum housing and absentee landlords — led County Executive Ed Day to order the Rockland County Department of Health 
to use the county's sanitary code to inspect housing across the county. The county also is collecting housing complaints and publicizing
landlords with violations through the Rockland Codes Initiative. Task force chairman John Kryger said Wednesday that the state
has not acted fast enough on Spring Valley." Kryger said he and the task force's vice chairs believe the state is just postponing an
inevitable takeover of fire, building and code enforcement duties in Spring Valley and, potentially, Ramapo. Read the complete
Journal News story here.

Fire captain: Ramapo's religious schools have unsafe conditions

October 14, 2015 "Dozens of private religious schools in Ramapo don't comply with the requirements of
the fire safety code, putting the safety of students and firefighters at deadly risk. That warning was delivered
at Tuesday night's East Ramapo school board meeting by Justin Schwartz, a Spring Valley fire captain and
Tarrytown rabbi who is a member of the Rockland Illegal Housing Task Force. During the public-comment period,
Schwartz stood in full dress uniform and said he fears the danger grows with every passing day. "Not only has this
board and administration failed in educational opportunities to the nonpublic schools," he told an audience of more
than 200 seated and standing in the gym, "but it allows outrageous conditions detrimental to the health and safety
of the students of these schools. Schwartz said religious school students are "commonly crammed" into illegally
converted trailers and single-family homes that have gone years without ever being inspected for potentially
deadly hazards. "Sanitary code violations are rife," he added." Complete Journal News story here.

'Tyranny of the majority' in East Ramapo

October 10, 2015 Community View in The Journal News
Spring Valley NAACP president says East Ramapo board's lack of understanding, and interest in,
public education does irreparable harm to students. Read Willie Trotman's complete editorial here.

East Ramapo fails to ensure quality education

October 8, 2015  Letter in The Journal News

New York State laws and regulations requiring that all children receive an education have not been “forgotten” since
1928. In East Ramapo in particular, administration was acutely aware of its responsibility. As I explained on the public
radio show "This American Life," East Ramapo administrators had made a deal with the administrators of the yeshivas
that they would not bring up the issue of failure to educate yeshiva students as long as the ultra-Orthodox bloc vote
would not be used to vote down school budgets." (More)

E. Ramapo chief Joel Klein resigns, effective Oct. 31

October 8, 2015 "The announcement drew strong applause and cheers Wednesday night from several dozen people
attending a special Board of Education meeting.Klein antagonized parents with derogatory comments about Hispanics,
waiting weeks to apologize. He had been the target of protests at each board meeting, as well as at his home." Read
the complete Journal News coverage here.

Comptroller Checks Ramapo Books and the Worst gets even Worse

October 1, 2015  In 2012, the New York State Comptroller declared that the Town of Ramapo was the most
fiscally stressed township in the State. At that time, Ramapo had racked up a worst-in-the-state rating of 70.8%
for fiscal stress. The Supervisor’s response to the economic crisis was both simple and unnerving: The Comptroller’s
numbers must be wrong. And then St. Lawrence turned the lights off in fiscal year 2013 by failing to file the Town’s
financial report in time to be included in the State’s evaluation of all the townships. Unfortunately, that had very
little restorative impact on the numbers, which continued to worsen as the economic stress increased. Now in the
most recent numbers from the State, Ramapo has increased another 7% for a new all-time high. (More)

S.V. Mayor Ordered Yeshiva Approved Without Inspections

September 25, 2015 "The mayor ordered a building official to permit a yeshiva to open, even though
inspections weren't completed to ensure the school was structurally sound and safe to occupy, according
to a memo obtained by The Journal News. Another building official subsequently saw students walk inside
the school at 50 Commerce Street. Mayor Demeza Delhomme's order that Assistant Building Inspector
Jackenton Lavalasse issue a certificate of occupancy for Yeshiva Oholei Shem D'nitra came under pressure
from Alex Goldberger, vice president of Monsey Lumber, which is a political donor to the mayor." Read complete
Journal story here.

New Hempstead: Matterhorn's
Future Uncertain

September 25, 2015 "Residents are keeping a wary eye on
the former Matterhorn Nursey property, with rumors flying
claiming a high-density development is being planned for the
area. Earlier this week, an anonymous flyer went out to residents
along Summit Park Road that purports to show an architectural rendering of a four-story, 396-unit apartment block
planned for the land at 227 Summit Park Road. Copies also have been circulating online in Facebook community
forums like the controversial "Block The Block Vote" page. "What do you think of 1000 more people living right
around the corner from you?" the flyer reads. "500 more cars on your roads? Congestion? Traffic? Noise? Crowded?
Garbage? Crime? Buses?" The village, however, says it hasn't received any development application from the
property's new owner, Summit Hempstead LLC, which bought the 34-acre site for $5.1 million in August 2014."
Read the complete Journal News story here.
 

New Questions about the Old Treasurer

September 22, 2015

Eight years ago, the Assistant Superintendent of Finance did all the bookkeeping
for the district. The school board president at that time was Nathan Rothschild.
Elected by the ultra-Orthodox bloc vote, he did not need to provide the public
with his educational experience. Only after he was convicted and sentenced to
federal prison did we learn he did not have a high school diploma. While it is
not required for a school board trustee to have graduated from school, it is
something the public will usually want to know about a candidate before giving
him or her their vote. (More)

The Voice of a Veteran

September 22, 2015  Nonagenarian David Lipman, a veteran both of
East Ramapo and World War Two, slowly made his way to the podium
to address the East Ramapo School Board. Here are his prepared remarks.

Separate and Unequal:
Many East Ramapo Yeshivas Fail to Prepare
Students in Secular Studies

September 20, 2015 The Journal News turned over the Sunday edition to investigative
reporting on the failure of East Ramapo school district leaders to meet legal obligations to
monitor the quality of education in private yeshivas. A number of personal stories of those
victimized by this failure are included in the coverage. A key question not addressed, though,
is if this board is comfortable with this almost complete neglect of subject areas such as science,
math, and social studies in their community's schools, how equipped, or inclined are they to
plan curriculum in an academic environment that's alien to them. The kids in both school systems
will continue to lose with this board in place. (More)

Rockland Primary Election Results--Sept 10, 11:27pm Summary Report
County Legislator--District 8
Toney Earl  333
Betty Carmand  186

County Legislator--District 13
Aron Wieder  415
Jacques Michel  308

Ramapo Town Council
Brendel Logan-Charles  3,044
Shmuel Tress  2,938
Daniel Friedman 1,010
Elye Kramer  518

Go to www.rocklandgov.com/departments/board-of-elections for complete results.

Was There Election Fraud in Ramapo?—A Personal Opinion
Letter to the Editor of The Rockland Voice
August 29, 2015 “A few days ago, the Ramapo Town Clerk announced the results of the Ramapo Ward System
vote which occurred on September 30, 2014. The results were as follows:

1. The machine vote tallied 13,891 “YES” vs. 13,526 “NO” votes.
2. The absentee ballot vote tallied 377 “YES” vs. 201 “NO” votes.
3. The affidavit ballot vote tallied 419 “YES” vs. 1,854 “NO” votes.

So it is obvious that the outlier in this election was the affidavit vote tally. While the Ward “YES” vote outperformed
the “NO” vote in both the machine and absentee ballots, there was a gross, reverse trend on the affidavit ballots. (More)

The Strange Results of the Ward Vote Count

August 28, 2015 The count of the Ward Referendum vote took place yesterday at the Rockland
Health Center. Officials from the Town of Ramapo and the Rockland Board of Elections were present,
and three counts were merged in the final totals presented later in the day. It came as no surprise to
those supporting the Ward System that registered voters voted one way, and those who voted with affidavit
ballots overwhelmingly voted against it. (More)

Spring Valley residents fed up with 'king'-sized turmoil

August 26, 2015 "When a video clip of Spring Valley Mayor Demeza Delhomme calling himself "king" surfaced online this
week, it joined a lengthy list of high-profile personality conflicts and blow-ups at Village Hall. Residents in this diverse,
working-class community say enough is enough. "The politics is corrupt," complained Romeo Stale, 40, as he ate lunch at the 
Island Spice restaurant on North Main Street. "That's always the headline. That's all it is." The profanity-peppered clip was made
at a June 8 meeting, but only began making the rounds on social media last week. In it, Delhomme asks the Board of Trustees for
$23,000 to buy a piece of equipment for the Department of Public Works. He starts to argue with Trustee Vilair Fonvil, a frequent
political foe, and quickly loses his cool. "You heard it from the king!" he shouts at one point. "The king get it from the soldiers!"
Read the complete Journal News story here.

Yeshiva owns building used for anti-E. Ramapo message

August 25, 2015 "A yeshiva owns the rundown house off Route 45 used without its permission as a billboard to describe the
East Ramapo school district as "racist," town police said Tuesday. The Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland has had
plans to tear down the dilapidated one-story structure near Exit 12 from the Palisades Interstate Parkway, police said. "The building
is supposedly being razed," Detective Lt. Mark Emma said. "The school's rabbi told us no one was given permission to write on the building."
Police are looking to charge the graffiti-writer with criminal mischief for the red spray-painted message in all-capital letters: "E Ramapo
School Board is racist and persecutes students History repeats." Complete Journal coverage here.

Ramapo ward vote headed to home stretch?

August 24, 2015 "After 19 days (and counting), town officials say they're done validating more than 3,000 affidavit and
absentee ballots cast in last year's controversial ward vote.Town Clerk Christopher Sampson said it could be only a few days
before the ballots are handed over to the Rockland County Board of Elections to tally the final vote, including voting machine
results. A date for the count hasn't been set. The lengthy paper processing started July 29 at Town Hall. Deborah Seidman, a pro-ward
advocate, suspects the process is being deliberately and needlessly drawn out. "They've done everything in their power to delay, delay, delay,"
she said. Pro-ward activists have said they're ready to hold another referendum in November if they lose. As Seidman noted, the deadline
to bring the issue onto the ballot is Sept. 3, according to the elections board." Read the complete Journal News story here.

“East Ramapo Gets a Monitor” The Brian Lehrer Show

August 20, 2015 The recently appointed East Ramapo monitor Dennis Walcott, Former Chancellor of New York City Schools, and
MaryEllen Elia, Commissioner of the NYS Board of Education, joined Brian Lehrer on his public radio show to discuss the problems
in the district and their roles in addressing those problems. Listen to the show here.
 

Spring Valley: Officials clash over seized computer

August 19, 2015 "Mayor Demeza Delhomme and Building Inspector Walter Booker are at odds again — with the mayor this time
pointing fingers about the district attorney's seizure of Booker's computer many months ago. Booker recently returned to work after
having been suspended with pay from his $63,000-a-year position since Dec. 29. Delhomme recounted, for the first time, how
investigators from the Rockland County District Attorney's Office apparently arrived at Village Hall sometime before Booker's
suspension and seized Booker's computer. The exact date of that raid was unclear. "It got seized a long time ago," Delhomme said.
"That's the untold story." Booker blamed the mayor for the computer's seizure. Both Delhomme and Booker maintain they were never
told the reason for the raid or why the computer was taken. Spring Valley has been faulted by state and county officials for failing to
comply with minimum standards regarding using its code-enforcement powers." Complete Journal News coverage here.

Bernard and Brendel Charles still Attracting Lightning

August 18, 2015  Last week, there was the rally in Spring Valley’s Memorial Park with parents calling for the removal of Bernard
Charles from the East Ramapo School Board. Then a video showing wife Brendel hurling profanities at some of the good citizens of
the Town, another video of Bernard threatening some of the locals, and a clip of his aggressive response when he was served with
the lawsuit papers naming him with the other school board members for the profligate legal fees. And now, with a press release today
from Town Councilman Daniel Friedman, there’s a call for Bernard’s removal as Ramapo’s Recreation Activities Coordinator. Friedman’s
reasons are a virtual grab-bag of what’s wrong with Ramapo politics—they include nepotism, incompetence, lousy test scores, improper
behavior, malfeasance, and not showing up for work. Daniel wants an up-or-down vote at this Thursday’s Town Board meeting. (More)

New East Ramapo monitors met with hope, skepticism

August 14, 2015 "East Ramapo's future is a top priority for the state, Education Department Commissioner MaryEllen Elia told 
hundreds of frustrated parents at a meeting where a team of outside monitors was introduced to oversee the struggling district.
“We hear you,” Elia told a packed audience Thursday at Rockland Community College. “We recognize the seriousness of the situation.”
Community members expressed hope that Dennis Walcott, the former chancellor of New York City schools, will help turn the district around. 
He's tasked with overseeing a team that will monitor operations and provide recommendations to ensure students have access to appropriate
programs and services, and that the district is on a path to fiscal and programmatic stability. They also expressed concern that Walcott
and his team — which includes Monica George-Fields and John W. Sipple — will be stymied by an uncooperative local Board of Education
since they lack veto power. “I will be present on a regular basis and meet with community members,” Walcott told the crowd, which
alternately cheered and booed the plan. Walcott and his team will provide a report of their actions and findings to Elia and the Board of
Regents in December. He said he'll make unannounced visits to schools and offices in East Ramapo to get a better idea of what's going on.
He also plans to reach out to parents of children who attend private schools. "We know when something stinks, when something's not right,"
Walcott pledged, to cheers. Read the full text of the coverage here.

Clarkstown seeks 6-month ban on residential development

August 11, 2014 "Citing rampant over-development in neighboring municipalities, Clarkstown town officials are moving to
impose a six-month moratorium on residential development. Supervisor Alex Gromack and council members Shirley Lasker and
Stephanie Hausner, fellow Democrats, endorsed the building ban at a press conference on Tuesday. They were expected to pass
it at the Town Board meeting that night, setting up a 30-day 'public comment' period. A final vote is set for Sept. 29. Officials
said the moratorium will give the town's Building and Planning Departments time to review and overhaul zoning, possibly imposing
a strict set of land use regulations to preserve the area's residential character. The building ban comes amid an intense countywide
debate over illegal housing and over-development, particularly in Ramapo. The town of 133,000 grew by 1,616 people last year — the
third most of any in the state. "We've always been hyper-vigilant," Lasker said. "We are the polar opposite of Ramapo, which shows
a total disregard of its own zoning laws." Read the complete Journal story here.

Chancellor Merryl Tisch and Commissioner MaryEllen Elia to make
East Ramapo announcement Thursday

August 10, 2015 "State education officials plan to make an announcement Thursday about the troubled East Ramapo School
District and have invited the public to attend. Chancellor Merryl Tisch and Commissioner MaryEllen Elia are slated to attend
the 1:30 p.m. announcement at the Cultural Arts Center at Rockland Community College." Read the Journal News story here.

Ex-Spring Valley mayor gets 4-year sentence

August 7, 2015 "Former Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin was sentenced to four years in federal prison and fined $20,000
Friday for her role in a scheme involving a proposed community center in the Rockland village. "Imprisonment is absolutely
necessary given your enthusiastic participation in this corrupt activity," U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon told Jasmin."
Complete Journal story here.

FBI expects Ramapo probe to wrap up by October

August 7, 2015 "Federal prosecutors investigating allegations of corruption in Ramapo
anticipate wrapping up the probe by October, according to a court document they filed
in a civil lawsuit by an alleged whistle-blower. Suspended Ramapo finance official Melissa Reimer's lawsuit
includes conversations she taped with town officials concerning potential corruption and financial decisions
of interest to the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, according to documents filed with the U.S. District
Court. The recordings have been blocked from release since Feb. 4, when federal Judge Cathy Seibel
granted the U.S. Attorney's Office'srequest to intervene to prevent the recordings from being turned over
to Ramapo's lawyers, according to court documents. In a heavily redacted court document dated June 30,
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara asked Seibel for another three-month hold on one of Reimer's recordings.
The approved request extends the stay until October. "The government now moves that the court stay discovery
of the ... recording for an additional 90 days, during which time the government anticipates it will complete its investigation and make
charging decisions in this matter," Bharara wrote in the document."  See complete Journal News coverage here.

E. Ramapo board president responds to new lawsuit: update.

August 5, 2015 "East Ramapo school Board President Yehuda Weissmandl said that a new civil lawsuit targeting board
members is counterproductive and will unnecessarily drain district funds. The new civil complaint, filed Tuesday in state
Supreme Court, calls on board members to reimburse the district $2 million in legal fees spent fighting a federal class-action
civil rights lawsuit brought by parents in 2012. Plaintiffs state that board members violated their financial management responsibilities
by hiring "excessively expensive" attorneys to represent them. Pro bono law firm Advocates for Justice represented parents in both cases.
The new lawsuit names current and past board members as well as their law firms — Philadelphia-based Morgan Lewis and Bockius and
New York City-based Proskauer Rose — as defendants. It calls on the court to compel the defendants to reimburse the district all legal fees
in excess of $187,500 associated with their defense in the federal class action lawsuit between 2012 and 2014." Read the complete Journal
News story here.

Ramapo: Ballot checks continue in ward vote count

August 4, 2015 "Officials say they won't know until the end of this week how many absentee and affidavit ballots from
September's contested ward system vote are valid. Since they started on July 29, employees at Town Hall have gone
through 653 absentee ballots and about 300 of 2,500 affidavit ballots to determine whether they can be counted."
Click here to read the Journal News coverage.

 

Why Juan Pablo Ramirez Warrants a Little More Public Scrutiny

August 2, 2015 When the news broke that the newly elected East Ramapo School Board member
Juan Ramirez quit after just one meeting, the move caused quite a few raised eyebrows. The most
interesting, and thoughtful response was posted by Steve White on his Power of Ten blog. Here’s what
Steve had to say about this very odd maneuver. New School Board Member Resigns after Just One Meeting

"East Ramapo’s newest school board member [Juan Pablo Ramirez] resigned today. He told the Journal News 
he had misjudged the amount of time it takes to be a school board member. Perhaps he should have attended
at least one complete meeting before he ran for the board? Perhaps the 6000 people who voted for him should
have asked if he had ever sat through even one meeting? (More)

Ramapo counting ward votes under watchful eyes

July 29, 2015 "The balloting ended nearly a year ago, but the counting has only just begun. Town officials on Wednesday 
began the laborious task of validating more than 3,000 absentee and affidavit ballots from September's contested ward system vote 
under the watchful scrutiny of critics who have alleged election fraud.Officials said the paper processing could take days.

The vote, which took two years to get to referendum in the face of official opposition, was marked by heavy turnout and
confusion over "affidavit" ballots, which are used by residents who are not registered but still eligible to vote. The affidavit
ballots will be either validated or rejected, with photocopies made of each in case of future legal challenges." Read the
full text of the Journal News article here.

E. Ramapo school board overpaid lawyers $2M: Judge

July 28, 2015 "The East Ramapo school district overpaid two corporate law firms by $2 million for defense of a single
case over a two-year period, according to a state judge. The district sued its insurance company, New York Schools
Insurance Reciprocal, to recoup $2.2 million in legal fees associated with school board members' defense in a class-action
civil rights lawsuit between 2012 and 2014. Last month, state Supreme Court Justice Stephen Bucaria determined the
insurance company was liable for "reasonable" legal costs associated with the case during that time. A reasonable fee
would have been $187,500 for 500 hours." Read complete Journal News story here.

Nancy Cutler: Keep eyes on Ramapo ward vote count

July 26, 2015 "On July 29, the ballots will be tallied by town officials — who have most at stake in preserving the status quo.
The count will be done publicly, in a room in Town Hall. But many remain concerned that impartial and pro-ward participants
won't have enough access to ensure all — and only — relevant ballots are tallied. . . Ramapo Town Clerk Christian Sampson
described a prescribed process for validating the approximately 550 absentee and 2,500 affidavit ballots. Town of Ramapo
employees will perform those tasks. "Of course the media will be invited," he said, along with the petitioners, "and there may
be room for others to come in and observe the process ... but they can't interject in the process." Why not have a neutral party do this?
"Because we can do it ourselves," Sampson told me. The town has capable staff, he said. "It's very straightforward." [After numerous court
battles two years ago],When the vote finally took place, it was a mess. Amid heavy turnout, there much confusion over who could vote,
with some poll workers unaware that a town resident didn't need to be a registered voter to cast a ballot. The town's controversial
decision not to allow poll watchers added a gloss of conspiracy to the polling chaos." Read the complete text of Cutler's editorial here.

Most Rockland sewer officials ignore order to repay $90K in salaries

July 20, 2015 "Maybe they’ve been away on vacation or just got back and haven’t sorted through the mail that piled
up while they were gone. Whatever the reason, only three of 13 current or former elected officials have replied to
letters from Rockland County Executive Ed Day’s office ordering them to fork over the money he says they shouldn’t
have been paid while serving as sewer commissioners. And only one — stand up and raise your hand, Alex Gromack! — has
paid back the money. The June 9 letters that went out to officials from Ramapo, Clarkstown and Orangetown demanded that
they pay the money back by June 30 or risk being dragged into court and having interest and penalties tacked on." Full story
on Journal News online here.

Read a commentary on the salaries controversy by Robert Rhodes here.

Hoping for a Jury Trial: Lawsuit against East Ramapo School District continues

July 19, 2015 (From the Rockland County Times) A multitude of allegations against the East Ramapo Central School District
are detailed in a lawsuit — Montesa v. Schwartz, 12-cv-06057, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan) — filed
on behalf of parents, students and taxpayers by public interest law firm Advocates for Justice on August 8, 2012. Grievances alleged
against the district’s school board include selling school property at below market prices for private school use, special education
funding and buying religious textbooks, all of which plaintiff’s contend demonstrate a religious bias by the board’s majority Hasidic
and Orthodox Jewish members. “This is a First Amendment lawsuit; it alleges violations of First Amendment establishment clause;
it is not a class action lawsuit,” Laura Barbieri, counsel for the plaintiffs, explained. “It alleges the school board violated the constitutional
rights of students in the district in favor of the religious interests of the Hassidic and Orthodox community and is depriving public school
children of a sound-basis education and an opportunity for achievement and a quality education.” The lawsuit seeks at least $10 million
jointly and individually from all defendants. If the case goes before a jury, and the defendants are found liable, they may be required
to reimburse the district. (More)

Ramapo set to count ward system vote Wednesday July 29

July 19, 2015 "The Town Board has set a date of July 29 to count thousands of ballots that will decide whether voters approved 
electing Town Board members by district and adding two more people to the five-member governing body. The election machines
votes, paper affidavit and write-in ballots have been locked away pending state court decisions on whether to count the ballots
or hold another election. A state Appellate Division panel ruled June 24 that the votes must be counted, overriding Supreme Court
Justice Margaret Garvey, who invalidated the Sept. 30 election. Ramapo Town Board members authorized Town Clerk Christian
Sampson to publicly begin counting and validating the election starting at 9:30 a.m. July 29 at Town Hall. The Rockland County Board
of Elections has been custodian of the ballots since they were ordered to be seized by Garvey. After the September vote, Garvey
ordered a new election based upon allegations of town improprieties in setting up the vote and in accepting affidavit and absentee ballots.
Full text of the Journal News story here.

Klein to follow D’Agostino

Sources: East Ramapo superintendent to lose post

July 19, 2015 "The East Ramapo school district will soon remove beleaguered Superintendent Joel Klein from his post, almost a
year before his contract is set to expire, several sources told The Journal News. In recent weeks, the school board has faced
intensifying pressure to distance itself from him – from community protests in front of Klein’s home demanding his resignation
to state Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch calling for the same. The district, while not confirming that any action was imminent,
did confirm “that Klein was in the last year of his contract and that the school board would soon develop a process for replacement.”
Complete Journal News Coverage here.

Zebrowski pressures state on fire safety enforcement

July 16, 2015 "Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, also pressed the New York State Department of Education
in a separate letter to enforce regulations mandating private schools in Rockland submit annual fire inspection reports showing
the facilities are safe and meet regulations. He said 60 schools are in violation. Zebrowski and a countywide housing task force
have raised concerns for several years that the lives of firefighters, students, and predominately poor tenants are being
endangered by overcrowded houses carved up into multiple apartments and schools being operated in single-family homes
without proper fire suppression equipment. County Executive Ed Day now has the Rockland Health Department inspecting
buildings for violations of the county sanitary code and is publicly naming problem landlords.Officials have focused on Ramapo
and Spring Valley, where the state Division of Building Standards and Codes issued critical reports on enforcement earlier this year.
The state agency investigated and visited both communities before issuing the reports. Zebrowski said he also wants the state
to review the enforcement in the villages of New Hempstead and Kaser. In his letter, he told new state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia
to enforce the mandate that private schools file annual fire safety reports. The department's review of aid applications from private schools
is supposed to include the number of students, those safety reports and compliance with local zoning. Zebrowski proposed legislation in 2014
that would require the Education Department to withhold funding from schools that have not filed fire safety reports." Complete Journal News
coverage here.

Apparently, Not all neighbors are equal in  Ramapo
Illegal shortcut on Ramapo-owned land remains in use one year later

July 16, 2015 "People are still walking along an illegal shortcut built on town-owned property between two homes
in Ramapo, even though it has been more than a year since the town became aware of the problem.Neighbors became
concerned last summer after seeing strangers walking around their quiet residential streets to get to the 300-foot paved
walkway, which connects 1 Neva Court to 9 Quince Lane. Though no one but the owners of the two properties has legal
access to the shortcut, the two homeowners claim in court they didn't build it. Bushes were cleared and trees were taken
down to make room for the path, and the only other way to access it is to cut through dense growth behind other private
homes in the area. The Journal News first reported on the path in January. "I'm disappointed because it's been taking so
long in the process," said Bob Cohen, who, along with his neighbors, alerted town officials about the shortcut.Ramapo sued
the two homeowners after the town's request to restore the woods went nowhere. The case is pending in state Supreme
Court in New City. The next court date is set for Sept. 9. Tom Eichenberger, another neighbor, echoed Cohen's sentiment,
saying that allowing this illegal act for more than a year diminishes the town's authority." Read the complete Journal News story here.

Journal News to ERCSD: Fire Joel Klein and Stop Illegal Special Ed Placements

July 12, 2015 "Calls to remove Superintendent Joel Klein – by protesters at each meeting, and by New York State
Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch – must be heeded. Klein last year blamed older immigrant students coming to the
district for damaging the district's graduation rates. "They want to learn the language. They want free lunch, breakfast,
and whatever else they can get. They know they cannot get a diploma," Klein said during an August 2014 meeting. Protests
have been held ever since, at just about every school board meeting, including Tuesday's. Klein has said his words were
distorted and taken out of context. In a district where most students are children of color, where many are immigrants,
where dozens of languages are spoken, such misunderstanding and stereotyping cannot stand. Klein must go." Read the
full text of the editrorial here.

Politicians and the East Ramapo School District: Profiles in Cowardice

July 11, 2015 In 1957 John F. Kennedy won a Pulitzer Prize for writing Profiles in Courage, a volume of short
biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United State Senators who did the right thing despite
criticism and damage to their political careers.  In New York we have the complete opposite:  “Profiles in Cowardice”,
where self-serving politicians do the wrong thing and sacrifice the future of thousands of schoolchildren in order to retain
the support of the ultra-religious and electorally powerful bloc vote. (More)

East Ramapo schools hire new law firm

July 8, 2015 "The East Ramapo school board is parting ways after six years with Minerva and D'Agostino, the pricey
Long Island-based law firm that many say added to an already volatile atmosphere in the district. The board hired
New York City-based Harris Beach as its new legal representative Tuesday at a 7 p.m. reorganization meeting that
drew more than 100 people, including Judith Johnson, the Lower Hudson Valley's representative on the state Board
of Regents, and Family Court Judge Sherri Eisenpress. Many residents at the meeting held signs criticizing Superintendent
Joel Klein and Yehuda Weissmandl, who was appointed for another term as board president.The board hired Harris Beach
by a vote of 6-0, with two abstentions and one member absent. East Ramapo had been spending nearly $1,000 a day on the
high-powered firm. The Journal News reported last year that D'Agostino's firm had billed the district $322,000 for services and travel
just between July 2013 and May 2014. When the firm was hired in 2009, it was at twice the rate the district's previous law
firm had been paid."Mr. D'Agostino has stood as a symbol of the unresponsive, disrespectful manner in which the East Ramapo
leadership has treated the district's families," said Andrew Mandel, co-founder of the activist group Strong East Ramapo.
"Replacing his firm, something the school board promised to do two years ago after a particularly despicable episode toward
parents, is a long overdue beginning to a total overhaul of the district." Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

Monsey energy company paying $1.25M to cover fraud: officials

July 7, 2015 "A Monsey-based energy company accused of ripping off people by falsely promising lower rates
is being forced to repay $1.25 million to 25,000 customers, the state attorney general said Monday. After an the
introductory rate, customers of HIKO Energy LLC saw their electricity bills soar, the AG said in a news release. The
settlement amount, which includes fines, resulted from an investigation by the office's Consumer Protection Bureau.
The office found HIKO lured consumers with false promises of lower rates of 10 to 15 percent and then fleeced them
with much higher bills." The company had a contract with the Town of Ramapo and donated to the campaign funds of
St. Lawrence, Daniel Friedman, and Ilan Schoenberger. Complete Journal News story here.

Patrick Farm builders owe Rockland $607K in taxes

July 6, 2015 "The builders of the proposed 496-unit Patrick Farm housing development owe Rockland more than
$607,000 in taxes on the 208-acre property outside Pomona, officials said. The tax delinquency dates to 2013,
county officials said, and if the debt is not paid by year's end, the county could foreclose and sell the land at public
auction. The Monsey-based builders appear to be trying to pay off some of the debt. They entered into a two-year
installment plan this month at 1 percent interest with the county to pay $382,154 owed on two of the six delinquent
parcels, officials said. Those parcels house the stables and land that have been used by the Rockland Sheriff's Office
horse unit for nearly four decades. The rent paid by the county to the owners will be held in escrow until the taxes
are paid, officials said. Patrick Farm owners' current tax debt includes Rockland, town, school and village taxes. The
Patrick Farm builders operate under the companies Scenic Development LLC and Scenic Development SM LLC,
whose partners include veteran builders Yechiel Lebovits, his sons, and Abraham Moscovits." Complete Journal News
coverage here.

 

East Ramapo board must do the right thing

July 5, 2015 All of our state legislators were united in their demand that
a robust and powerful monitor be appointed to oversee the East Ramapo
School District with powers to act in the interests of the public schoolchildren
in real time. They agreed that the district should get more money for the
restoration of public school services once the monitor bill was passed.
Money was set aside during the budget process for this very result.
It was the opponents of the bill that "left money on the table." (More)

Expert: United Water system, and its books, leak badly

July 1, 2015 "United Water's Rockland County system has been leaking high amounts of water for decades and its
poor record-keeping makes it hard to figure out how much water the company is using or losing, according to a
nationally respected consultant.Conservation and efficiency expert Amy Vickers also said water demand in the county
has been flat since 2000 despite a growing population — a trend that may continue for the foreseeable future. United
Water is in the midst of trying to recoup from customers nearly $50 million it says was spent in pursuit of a controversial
desalination plant the company said was needed to address long-term demand.Preliminary estimates showed about 4.4 million
to 7 million gallons of water a day could be saved through recoverable leaks and conservation, Vickers says. The presentation
also took aim at the "snail's pace" of replacing water mains that puts the company on "an astounding 704-year schedule in 2014,
on top of being more than a decade behind the state's recommended timetable for surveying leaks in system mains." Read
the complete Journal News story here. Click here to watch a video of Amy Vickers' presentation or read the document.

School Politics                                                     

June 29, 2015  The East Ramapo schools are a victim of the increasing influence that the religious leadership in Brooklyn
exercises in Albany.  As the separation of church and state has been eroded, the same organizational forces are running
interference for East Ramapo’s renegade school board. (More)

Carlucci’s Bill Short-circuited the Monitor

June 29, 2015 The day after the New York bill to appoint a monitor for the East Ramapo School Board
had died in the Senate, those opposing the oversight were congratulating themselves online with the
kind of bravado that seemed to include great relief that the fire had been put out. At the same time,
there was a groundswell of recriminations directed at the Senate Republicans who had refused to bring
the proposed bill up for a vote. Also Friday morning, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Chancellor
of the Board of Regents, Merryl Tisch, was calling for the resignation of the East Ramapo Superintendent
of Schools Joel Klein. Two days later, on Sunday morning, a large group of parents accompanied by Channel 12
News gathered in front of Klein’s home in New City calling for the Superintendent’s resignation. Standing on the side through all this,
attracting very little notice, was the agent who had helped engineer the killing of the bill. (More)

No state monitor for East Ramapo schools

June 25, 2015 "The state Legislature did not approve a measure that would put in place a state monitor in the troubled East
Ramapo school district. The sides have been at odds over the monitor in recent weeks after the Assembly passed a measure
to give the monitor sweeping powers, but the Republican-led Senate balked. The Legislature won't return to the Capitol until
January. Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, also acknowledged that a deal won't be reached before the session ends.
He put the blame on the Senate for not supporting the bill that passed the Democratic-controlled Assembly on June 11. "I think the
state Senate leadership turned its back on East Ramapo's children," Zebrowksi said. "We felt we had a sound and reasonable approach
to the issue. However, recognizing the Senate's opposition, we attempted to negotiate. But at the end of the day, the Senate refused
to authorize a monitor that had authority over anything other than state or federal law.Zebrowski and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern,
opposed the Senate bill because it would limit the monitor's power to decisions made by the school district that could infringe on state
and federal law. Zebrowski and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern, opposed the Senate bill because it would limit the monitor's power
to decisions made by the school district that could infringe on state and federal law." Read the complete Journal News story here.

Appeals court: Count the Ramapo ward system votes

June 24, 2015 "A state appeals panel says Ramapo must count the ballots from its ward system vote last fall. The Appellate
Division panel overruled Supreme Court Judge Margaret Garvey's invalidation of the Sept. 30 election, which asked whether
voters should elect Town Board members from districts and add two more members to the town's governing body. After the
September vote, Garvey ordered a new election based upon allegations of improprieties in setting up the vote, and in accepting
affidavit and absentee ballots. Before the September referendum, Romanowski and Parietti had battled for nearly two years in
court to force Ramapo to hold the ward system vote. In their court papers after the balloting, Parietti and Romanowski challenged
the town's decision to let unregistered voters participate in the referendum, causing confusion at the polls.They also objected to
the town's decision not to count absentee ballots that arrived after Sept. 30 even though applications listed the deadline as the
seventh day after the election." Complete Journal News coverage here. Read the Appellate Division ruling:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2110320-doc062415-06242015143544.html

Desmaret sentenced to three years in federal prison

June 18, 2015 "Former Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret was sentenced Thursday to three years in
federal prison for his part in a corruption scheme involving a proposal to build a village-owned catering hall on Route 45.
Desmaret showed little reaction as he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas in U.S. District Court in White
Plains."Everyone who takes the oath of office should understand that when they say 'yes' to a a bribe, there are
consequences," Karas said as he announced the sentence. Karas noted that Desmaret's boss, former Spring Valley Mayor
Noramie Jasmin, and New York City politicians were also involved in the complex plot. Jasmin was found guilty of corruption
in April. She will be sentenced Aug. 7. Karas will not be sentencing her but noted that her role in the scheme was worse
than Desmaret's."The scope of her greed is more profound," he said. Complete Journal News coverage here.

Ex-Spring Valley trustee Desmaret wanted to aid feds

June 17, 2015 "Former Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret offered to cooperate with federal corruption
investigators in a bid to lessen his prison sentence for taking a $10,600 bribe from a FBI operative peddling a
fictitious development, a court document states. But prosecutors and the FBI determined Desmaret had nothing to
offer, according to the memorandum submitted by his lawyers in advance of his scheduled sentencing Thursday.
"Despite his best efforts, which were numerous and sincere, Mr. Desmaret was not able to aid the government in
any meaningful way," New City attorney Deborah Wolikow-Loewenberg wrote.Document:Read the memorandum
Desmaret, 57, a computer technician and accountant, faces a maximum of seven to nine years in prison. He pleaded
guilty in January 2014 to mail fraud and Hobbs Act extortion." Complete Journal coverage here.

East Ramapo bill passes state Assembly

June 12, 2015 "After a three-hour heated debate, the state Assembly on Thursday approved a bill that would
install a state monitor at the troubled East Ramapo school district. But the vote didn't come easily, and it faces
an even tougher fight in the Republican-controlled Senate with just days left in the legislative session.The measure
passed the Democratic-led Assembly, 80-56. Assembly members Ellen Jaffee and Kenneth Zebrowski, who represent
the Rockland County district and are the Democratic sponsors of the bill, beat back extensive questioning and criticism
from their colleagues, particularly Orthodox Jewish lawmakers. Jaffee and Zebrowski said the bill is critical because
the district has been mismanaged and has unique circumstances."This was a much more modified approach to responding
to what is a very serious situation -- not a takeover, not the removal of the board – but an opportunity for guidance
and interaction and collaboration," Jaffee said.The bill would require the state education commissioner to appoint a
monitor to oversee the school board and develop a five-year improvement plan for the district.The monitor was
recommended in a critical state report about the district in November because the majority of students in the district
attend private schools, mostly in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community that runs the school board." Read the complete
Journal News coverage here.

East Ramapo school board loses special-education court case as legal costs soar

June 10, 2015 "The East Ramapo school district has lost another round in its fight against the state over placement
decisions for special education students. In a ruling late last week, a state appellate court in Albany upheld the Education
Department's determination that the district violated special education law by settling too readily with parents who
wanted their children placed in private religious schools." Complete Journal News coverage here.

Jewish leaders support E. Ramapo oversight bill

June 7, 2015 "Leaders from several prominent Jewish organizations expressed support Thursday for a bill that would
install a state monitor in the troubled East Ramapo school district. Representatives from the American Jewish Committee,
Rockland Clergy for Social Justice, Uri L'Tzedek and Reform Jewish Voice of New York held a news conference Thursday at
the West Side Jewish Center in Manhattan."Oversight for East Ramapo is supported by thousands and thousands of Jews,"
said Rabbi Ari Hart of Uri L'Tzedek, an Orthodox social justice organization." Complete Journal coverage here.

East Ramapo School Board Loses another Lawsuit—ADL Supports the State Monitor Bill

June 7, 2015 "New York's highest court has ruled against the East Ramapo board in their lawsuit against the NY State
Education Department. The school board was cited by the education department for unlawfully placing students in private
schools at public expense on August 27, 2010." Read Steve White's Power of Ten update posted yesterday here.

When a School Board Victimizes Kids

June 3, 2015 "NEW YORK STATE has a proud tradition of local decision making in public education. However, students
in the public schools in East Ramapo, about 30 miles north of Manhattan, in Rockland County, are being denied their state
constitutional right to a sound basic education by a board that has grossly mismanaged the district’s finances and educational
programs." Read the full text of the editorial published in the Times by Merryl Tisch chancellor of the New York State Board
of Regents here.

An Immoral Use of Jewish Power in Upstate New York

June 2, 2015  An editorial by Ari Hart appearing in the Forward today. "As an Orthodox Jew, when I first learned about
what was happening in East Ramapo and about the attitudes of the board, I was shocked and disgusted. The Talmud teaches,
“The world endures only for the sake of the breath of school children.” The public actions of this school board over the years
have been in flagrant violation of that and so many other Jewish values and teachings. The Torah we share demands over and
over again we never trample the stranger, the immigrant and the poor — apt descriptions of many in the public school district.
They have also caused a massive Chillul Hashem — desecration of God’s name. The leadership of the school board to date has
grossly violated both American and Jewish values. This is not the way to use Jewish power in America." Read the full text of
the editorial here.

BLOCKED! Illegal housing crackdown initiative stalls in legislative committee

Frustrated first-responders walk out after Soskin and Schoenberger delay vote

May 29, 2015  "Spring Valley Fire Department Captain Justin Schwartz acknowledged that many legislators made an effort
to avoid getting bogged down in technicalities, but he condemned others for what he saw as a dangerous apathy and even
reluctance to offer support. 'They don't give a damn about the peoples' lives. They're pontificating on legalese. These
legislators are fiddling while the county is burning." (More--including Ed Day's comments on the meeting.)    

East Ramapo oversight bill gains traction

Bill wins support with endorsements but could face uphill battle in Albany

May 22, 2015 "A state bill that would authorize a monitor to oversee the troubled East Ramapo school district is
gaining new support from Rockland County elected officials and local school board leaders, as well as groups outside
the area. The Nyack school board, Nyack Schools Superintendent James Montesano and Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White
are among 17 officials who are urging passage of the bill in a letter to state lawmakers this week. After years of financial
turmoil and dysfunction in East Ramapo, the impacts are being felt in surrounding communities, officials say. They fear
property values will suffer, the appeal for businesses to invest in the area may weaken and recent instances of violence
motivated by religious and racial tensions could increase.Separately, the Rockland County School Boards Association met
Wednesday night to discuss sending its own letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers urging passage of the bill.
Executive Director Pam Frederick said that, so far, four of the eight districts in the association who had representatives
at the meeting have expressed support: Pearl River, Nyack, Ramapo Central and South Orangetown. The American Jewish
Committee, an international Jewish advocacy organization, called it "an important step in healing the rifts that divide
the community." It was also endorsed by the New York City Bar Association and a statewide education lobbying group,
The Alliance for Quality Education. But in Albany, the legislation has failed to win the backing of key lawmakers like Flanagan,
the former Senate education chair and newly appointed Senate majority leader." Read the complete Journal News story here.

School Board Election Results

East Ramapo and Ramapo Central School Budgets both were approved.
Board Members Elected
East Ramapo Central SD: Yonah Rothman, Jacob Lefkowitz, Juan Pablo Ramirez
Ramapo Central SD: Clarke Osborn, Theresa DiFalco, Teresa Monahan  

New York City Bar Association Supports Appointing
Monitor for East Ramapo Schools

May 19, 2015 The NYC Bar Association has offered its unqualified support for the appointment of a State
monitor to oversee the East Ramapo School Board. The Association’s reasons are simple and stark:
“The East Ramapo School Board has violated the State Constitution.” “The School Board has failed in its
fiduciary responsibility to the District.” “The Bill is narrowly tailored so as to avoid overreach.” These are
the words of an organization that represents 24,000 attorneys—an organization that exists to promote ethics
and the fair and effective administration of justice. Read the 5-page Education and Law Committee’s report
on the proposed oversight bill here.

S&P upgrades Rockland's bond rating

May 18, 2015 "For the first time in over a decade, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services raised its bond rating for
Rockland County to 'BBB' from 'BBB-' and gave the county a positive outlook. In its Friday report, S&P cited
"improved financial performance ... and mitigation of a significant portion of its general fund deficit, with further
improvement likely." Journal News coverage here.

Ramapo's debt rating gets 'negative outlook'

Town has $128 million in outstanding debt

May 14, 2015 "Citing an ongoing FBI investigation into Ramapo's finances, Moody's Investor's Services said Tuesday
the outlook on its 1A credit rating for the town is still negative, warning it could lower the rating if the town doesn't
reduce debt. "The negative outlook reflects the uncertainty around a federal investigation that could add additional
strain to the town's already challenged operations," the credit-rating firm wrote. The town has $128 million in outstanding
general obligation debt. The FBI raided Ramapo in May 2013. The materials confiscated from Town Hall are still being
reviewed by authorities and no charges have been filed." Journal story here.

Zoning, Planning and Housing Crises

April 9, 2015 Land use zoning laws have been an accepted part of our environmental traditions at least since the passage
of “The Standard State Zoning Enabling Act” in 1924. This remarkable act was accepted almost without change by most
states. In New York City zoning began even earlier in 1916.There is no question that zoning has been used by suburban
communities to restrict the development of housing desperately needed by poor people. It has also had a terrible impact
on struggling middle class families. (More)

Right and Wrong

An open letter to State Senator John Flanagan from former DA Michael Bongiorno

May 6, 2015 "I find it disturbing that you, as chairman of the state senate Education Committee, and other “members”
of the state senate are “circumspect” about passing legislation allowing the state education commissioner to appoint a
monitor to oversee the East Ramapo School Board and develop a five-year plan for that school district.  According to
news reports, you raised concerns that the legislation could set a dangerous “precedent.” (More)

Second Shoe Drops in Albany—Skelos also Charged by the Feds as
Cuomo’s Left Home Alone

May 5, 2015 The second of the “three men in a room,” New York State Majority Leader Dean Skelos, was arrested
on federal public corruption charges alleging bribes and extortion. With Silver and Skelos indicted, that leaves the
Governor perched atop an unstable, one-legged stool. Questions now being asked include: Does a third shoe ever drop?
Are people still looking at how the Governor shut down and shoved the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption out
the door? And when are the prosecutors going to schedule a second round of local perp walks? And can they make that a
perp parade as they move from village (Spring Valley) to the town (Ramapo)? Read Senate’s Dean Skelos surrenders on corruption charges. 

Community View: Albany must help East Ramapo

The Rev. Weldon McWilliams IV and Rabbi Adam Baldachin 9:43 p.m. EDT May 2, 2015

The Legislature must support a bill that would place a fiscal monitor in East Ramapo. Public schoolchildren in the
working-class district deserve a quality education. (More)

Rockland cracks down on illegal housing

Officials create a Worst Landlord Watch List that publicly catalogs
the most egregious property owners.

April 30, 2015 "The Rockland Health Department and other county agencies are launching a new crackdown on the spread
of substandard and illegal housing to improve safety for residents and firefighters responding to emergencies. The Rockland Codes Initiative
includes hiring more housing inspectors, levying larger penalties against landlords and an online reporting system where residents can file
anonymous complaints when they know of illegal dwellings. Officials have also started an online Worst Landlord Watch List in an effort to
bring anonymous LLCs to the light of public scrutiny. The list's top five worst offenders are posted now."We all know firefighting is
dangerous enough," County Executive Ed Day said Thursday, standing on the sidewalk in front of a dilapidated three-story home at 76
Fairview Ave., the first property on the Worst Landlord Watch List. "It should not be made more dangerous when property owners
motivated by greed illegally carve up apartments. We cannot allow a child or one of Rockland County's bravest to die in a converted
attic or hidden stairwell." Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

ast Ramapo oversight supporters rally in Albany

April 29, 2015 "Hundreds of parents, students and community members from the East Ramapo school district are in Albany
Tuesday, pushing lawmakers to support a bill that would provide rare state oversight of the East Ramapo Board of Education.
About 350 advocates, along with the three state legislators from Rockland who authored the bill, were holding a rally on the steps
of the state Capitol at 11 a.m. Andrew Mandel, a spokesman for an alumni group that helped organize the event called East Ramapo Strong,
told the Journal News that Rockland elected officials and Judith Johnson, who represents the region on the Board of Regents, would join
the rally. Mandel said the rally is a chance for lawmakers from around the state "to see the faces of the people affected by the crisis"
detailed in a report from a state fiscal monitor in November 2014." Latest: Full coverage of the rally

St. Lawrence, Logan-Charles, Ullman and Withers Vote to Bill Taxpayers
for SEC Legal Fees to Defend Targeted Officials—Friedman Votes No

April 26, 2015 “The Ramapo Town Board approved paying the legal fees of municipal officials targeted in
a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission probe into the town's finances. The SEC probe began last year. Meanwhile,
nearly two years ago, the FBI and the Rockland District Attorney's Office seized dozens of boxes of documents and computer
hard-drives from Ramapo Town Hall. Investigators are reviewing documents dating back 2009. SEC subpoenas were issued in
May 2014 to Ramapo, its Local Development Corporation, the town's auditor, financial adviser and St. Lawrence. The April 16
vote on whether to pay the legal expenses related to the SEC probe was 4-1, with board member Daniel Friedman, a Democrat,
opposed. "I don't believe the taxpayer should be on the hook for an open-ended resolution for spending on defense attorneys,"
he said. "I wanted a specific cap. In Ramapo, when you don't have a limit, it could go on forever and cost millions of dollars."
Complete Journal News story here.

Bare-knuckle Politics in East Ramapo

April 26, 2015 Bare-knuckle politics is now standard operating procedure in East Ramapo. For many years,
opponents of the Democratic machine in Rockland have been accused of anti-Semitism, but this rhetoric
reached a new low in the campaign for county executive in the Fall of 2013. David Fried’s supporters conducted
a highly organized campaign of libel in social media. Ed Day and his wife were accused of anti-Semitism and
fraudulent quotes were created to “prove” their bias. Despite appeals to David Fried, he never was willing to
condemn or even acknowledge his supporters’ underground campaign against Ed. (More)

Rockland Water Coalition to receive the EPA’s highest honor

Grassroots group that successfully opposed United Water’s plans to build a desalination plant on the
Hudson River will be honored at April 24 ceremony.

OSSINING, NY — The Rockland Water Coalition will receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental
Champion Award, the highest recognition presented to the public by the department. Members of the coalition will be
honored in a ceremony to be held on April 24 in New York City. (Read the complete Press Release here.)

 

Federal Prosecutors 6 for 6 in Corridor of Corruption

Mayor Noramie Jasmin’s “The-devil-made-me-do-it” defense Fails—Found Guilty of Bribery, Extortion
and Wire Fraud—Faces up to 40 Years in Prison

April 21, 2015 Noramie Jasmin’s defense was, at best, a two-legged stool. Her attorney complained that the Monsey developer
Moses (Mark) Stern had entrapped his client, and that there were no good reasons for federal charges to be brought against her.
Both tactics failed because the developer (the “Devil”) was wearing a wire for the FBI, and somehow Jasmin forgot about the
interstate nature of some of the events. (More)

FIOS Newsbreakers Discussion of Religious Tensions in Rockland

April 20, 2015 Chris Day was interviewed on the FIOS Newsbreakers Show. Topics covered in the discussion included
East Ramapo, overdevelopment, the inherent right to politically organize in opposition to the goals of the Hasidic leadership,
the chicken slaughterhouse, desegregation of Hasidic areas, poverty and non-English speaking levels in New Square, and
bloc voting. The broadcast consisted of two parts and you can watch them here—Part One (9 minutes) and Part Two (18 minutes).

Rockland's rising tensions and anti-Semitism

A Journal News editorial April 18, 2015 "A YouTube video produced by the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council compared
anti-Semitism in Rockland to conditions in Nazi Germany. The video focused on a Facebook page, "Block the Block Vote," which
aggressively supports political organizing to counter the voting power of Rockland's Orthodox community. The page, which has more
than 9,600 "likes," sometimes draws comments that should be offensive to all. But the video, "The Jew in Rockland," charged that
the Facebook page itself is anti-Semitic because it opposes the gathering of Jewish influence and power – as the Nazis did." Read the
complete editorial here.

Editorial: Tisch must step aside

A Journal News editorial April 19, 2015 "Our state leadership has failed to sell its brand of change, and the fallout has been
dramatic and potentially debilitating to the entire system. The arrogance of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former Education Commissioner
John King and, yes, Tisch, has alienated too many parents and educators. The people who are responsible for educating our children
each day – classroom teachers, principals, administrators, school board members – have railed for years against state policies that
drive up local costs but fail to improve instruction. Meanwhile, the lack of response from Albany has been deafening." Full text here.

Noramie Jasmin trial verdict Monday

April 17, 2015 "A federal judge said she would render her verdict Monday in the corruption trial of former Spring Valley
Mayor Noramie Jasmin after closing arguments were delivered Friday morning. Jasmin is accused of extortion and wire fraud
after allegedly partnering with Moses "Mark" Stern, an FBI informant, to use her office to pick Stern to run a development in
which she would own a 50 percent stake. She was arrested two years ago and her non-jury trial began Monday at the federal
courthouse in White Plains." Journal News story here.

Noramie Jasmin Trial--Day One: Victim vs. vice

April 13, 2015 “Former Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin was portrayed alternately as a bribe-taker and a victim of an
unscrupulous Monsey developer as her trial on federal corruption charges opened Monday. Jasmin was allegedly taken in by a
phony development scheme orchestrated by an FBI cooperative witness. Jasmin is charged with wire fraud and extortion; her
non-jury trial is being held before U.S. Judge Colleen McMahon. By midday, McMahon was beginning to listen to audio tapes
prosecutors say show Jasmin plotting with FBI undercover agents and operative Moses "Mark" Stern, who has pleaded guilty to
mortgage and loan fraud involving a $126 million ripoff of Citigroup Global Markets Realty in a deal to build 11 shopping malls
down South." Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

Ex-Spring Valley mayor goes to trial Monday

April 12, 2015

"Two years after federal prosecutors charged Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin with taking bribes from an FBI operative,
she gets a chance Monday to convince a judge she didn't. Jasmin's non-jury trial starts with opening statements before U.S. District
Judge Colleen McMahon in White Plains. A grand jury charged Jasmin with wire fraud and extortion in an indictment that led to the
longtime official losing re-election in 2013. The development scheme came from Monsey-based financier Moses "Mark" Stern, working
as an FBI operative to lessen a potential prison sentence since his 2010 arrest for stealing $126 million from Citigroup Global Markets
Reality as part of a scam to build 11 shopping malls down South." Complete Journal News coverage here.

Steven White and Irv Feiner among 7 Inducted into Rockland County
Human Rights Hall of Fame

April 8, 2015 “Seven people were inducted into the Rockland County Civil and Human Rights Hall of Fame during Wednesday's
celebration luncheon at Nyack Seaport. The honorees were Judith Johnson, Earl Miller, Dwaine Perry and Steven White.
In addition, those honored posthumously were Harry Edelstein, Irving Feiner and Bayard Rustin.” Complete Journal News story here.

Building One Rockland County

April 6, 2015 "I remain deeply troubled by a video released last week on behalf of a largely-unknown group of desperate
provocateurs who call themselves OJPAC. The video titled "The Jew in Rockland" compares a range of issues in Rockland
County to conditions faced by Jews the 1930's that led to the Holocaust. Within minutes of the offensive production landing
on YouTube, I released a statement condemning its creators, deeming their message "outrageous rhetoric that can only
divide Rockland County." (More) Comments from Rockland County Executive Ed Day

Group's Bias Bid Against Ramapo Is Rejected

March 31, 2015  "An Orthodox Jewish group has lost its suit alleging that four villages in the Town of Ramapo and their
officials used zoning concerns as a pretext for discrimination in blocking a large multi-family development." Read the
New York Law Journal's coverage of the Nike Base lawsuit here.

 

Community View: Zebrowski explains basics of East Ramapo bill

March 8, 2015 "Recently, Sen. David Carlucci, Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee and I formally introduced our
East Ramapo Oversight Bill (A5355/S3821). Since the bill's introduction, much of the Rockland community has rallied
behind our oversight system. However, others have visited Albany, misconstruing the bill and lobbying against
its passage." (More)

Feds: Ex-Spring Valley mayor Jasmin wanted to rig election

March 7, 2015 "Former Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin did more than sell her political influence for kickbacks — she also tried to
rig a village election, federal prosecutors said in court papers filed in her corruption case this week. Prosecutors allege in a 20-page
motion filed in U.S. District Court in White Plains that Jasmin met with developer Moses "Mark" Stern, who was cooperating with the
FBI, and asked him if he could help eliminate dozens of absentee ballots in that year's village elections to ensure "favorable" candidates
would win." Read the complete story on Lohud here.

Ramapo whistleblower accuses St. Lawrence of defamation

March 3, 2015 "Melissa Reimer, who is currently suspended from her job as supervisor of fiscal services, has filed a notice of claim against
the town and St. Lawrence. She is accusing town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence of damaging her reputation during a recent radio show.
According to the notice, written by Reimer's attorney, Fred Lichtmacher, St. Lawrence stated during his Feb. 6 appearance on local radio
station WRCR AM that Ramapo was listed as the state's most fiscally stressed town in 2012 by the state Comptroller's Office because "the
person who was previously responsible for sending the information to the comptroller had an incident with the Police Department and did
not send the proper information to the Comptroller's Office. She did not report all of the assets that should have been reported. The matter
is now in federal court." Lichtmacher said by falsely alleging that Reimer didn't report all the town's assets, she has been defamed in her
profession as a certified public accountant. In August, Reimer filed a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit against the town and its officials,
alleging they retaliated against her for speaking up about what she perceived as improper fiscal activities. The lawsuit is pending. The town
has filed a motion to dismiss it, but it will take at least until May for a judge to take any action as the FBI requested a stay of reviewing audio
and video recordings related to the case." Read the complete story on LohHud here.

Nat, Get the shovel—Mona, Where’s the ladder? I got a great idea!

 February 23, 2015  If nothing else, the current financial team at Ramapo Town Hall is consistent. You just know
what you’re going to get every time this group comes up with what’s next. And their long-term track record?
Multi-million-dollar new debt layered over the existing debt. They’ve cornered the most fiscally stressed town
in New York award, year after year. You would think the three would have learned by now that you don’t get out of a hole by continuing to dig. (More)

JN Editorial: Guidance for East Ramapo, then aid

February 20, 2015 "A bill has been introduced in the New York Legislature to provide fiscal guidance for the East Ramapo school
district. The proposal is dramatic – and it is needed. The legislation hews to a report issued by a special fiscal monitor, Hank Greenberg,
who was appointed last year by the state Education Department and supported by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The legislation calls for a state-appointed
monitor, who would join in all district and school board meetings, have access to all records and be able to reverse a school board decision
considered detrimental to students' education. The district could appeal to the state Department of Education. The stakes are high: The district
cannot serve children's needs as the school board continues to make bad decisions that not only waste precious resources but fuel a deep divide
among the public- and private-school community. Read the complete Journal editorial here.

Zebrowski, Jaffee, Carlucci Propose 5-Year Monitor for East Ramapo Board

February 18, 2015 In simultaneous press releases this afternoon, Assembly Members Ken Zebrowski and Ellen Jaffee announced
their bill to establish a state monitor to oversee the East Ramapo School Board. Read the full terms of the oversight in the
Zebrowski press release here.

County Exec: Taking Aim at Illegal Housing

February 16, 2015 "Over the next few months, you'll learn the details of a sweeping initiative to provide uniform and aggressive enforcement
of building, housing and zoning codes in Rockland County with an emphasis on eliminating illegal housing. My executive team has been working
closely with County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Ruppert and Fire and Emergency Services Coordinator Gordon Wren on a comprehensive
strategy to stop the madness. Because our plans involve certain New York State health and building codes, I've personally engaged directly with
the Governor's office on the effort. Elements of the plan include a countywide rental registry, complete with regular inspections. Another
component involves an on-line "request for investigation." We want to make it easy to file a confidential complaint about any property in
the county." (More)

State rips Ramapo, Spring Valley building enforcement
February 15, 2015 "A state agency has issued blistering letters citing inadequate building inspections and enforcement of zoning and fire-safety
regulations in Ramapo and Spring Valley. After state officials last year responded to complaints, the state Department of State's
Division of Building Standards and Codes preliminarily found the municipalities allow potentially dangerous conditions to fester in housing and
single-family-home conversions into schools and, in some cases, houses of worship. The agency found Ramapo gave temporary approvals to
buildings used for religious schools that remain in violation. The temporary certificates of occupancy benefit the schools as administrators can
seek services from the school district and seek thousands of dollars in state aid and access other programs. Critics claim many temporary COs
never cease as private schools continue to operate, or get municipal approvals for classroom trailers, and rarely face court or government
penalties. If the municipalities don't move to correct the deficiencies, the state could intervene and conduct a "full investigation of all aspects"
of enforcement. The agency can hold public hearings, according to the letters issued Jan. 28. Both municipalities must respond in writing."
Read the complete Journal story here.

Cuomo: East Ramapo oversight bill expected by June

February 14, 2015 "Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday that he expects the state Legislature to pass an oversight bill for the East Ramapo school
district sometime between April and June. Lawmakers are now working on a proposal that the governor expects to be presented to the Legislature
after the state budget deadline of April 1 and before the end of the session in June."We had an independent person come down and review the
situation and that report will now be the basis for legislation," he said during a visit to the Pascack Community Center." Read the complete Journal
News coverage here.

East Ramapo still a fiscal mess

February 9, 2015