Updated 10/25/08Post comment on News, Events & Sports. Share information with other Residents pertaining to the local scene.
Jul 16, 2008
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Updated 10/25/08Post comment on News, Events & Sports. Share information with other Residents pertaining to the local scene.
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Chester parent arrested after incident at school
By Linda Smith Hancharick
Mother asks: ‘How can you have a misdemeanor for walking into your kid’s school?’
Chester — Mary Marino, the parent of a student at the Chester Academy, was arrested on June 18 on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass a day after she went to the school to discuss issues relating to her 14-year-old son.
Marino, a 20-year Chester resident, a registered nurse, and the mother of four, was arraigned that morning and released without bail. She appeared before town Justice Janet Haislip in the Town of Chester court Tuesday night, but the proceedings were adjourned until Aug. 26.
Marino said she went to speak with Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston on June 17 about matters concerning her son, an eighth-grade student in the middle school. Marino said she had spoken to the superintendent in May but wanted to discuss the issues further. She said she left the building between 10 and 15 minutes after she arrived.
Statements made to police by witnesses claimed Marino was loud and abusive to staff and caused panic and alarm in the school. The school resource officer, Janet Oppmann, was present in the school at the time but did not make the arrest. The next morning, a different Town of Chester police officer came to the Marino home to arrest her. She surrendered to police later that day and was processed and fingerprinted at the police station.
Town of Chester Police Chief Brian Jarvis said it is not uncommon to arrest someone after an incident rather than during the incident.
“You like to have your case together,” Jarvis said. “If you will have trouble locating someone or fear they will flee, you will arrest them on the spot.”
Jarvis said his department doesn’t arrest a lot of parents after school meetings but, he added, “If you violate the law, you are arrested. But it’s not common.”
In addition to the charges against her, the middle school Principal Ernest Jackson received an order of protection against Marino for himself and his family. That order was extended to the August 26 court date. Marino said she has spoken to Jackson on the telephone in the past but has never met him in person. She has also been banned from school property. Because of the incident, neither Marino nor her son attended the eighth grade graduation ceremony held two weeks ago.
“How can you have a misdemeanor for walking into your kid’s school?” Marino questioned.
The Chronicle was unable to get comment from the school district on the matter. Livingston was attending a conference on Wednesday when The Chronicle called for comment. Jackson was out of his office all week, according to the superintendent’s office. A call Wednesday to the district attorney handling the case, Steve Grasso, was not returned by press time.
Chester fears losing control over Camp
By Pamela Chergotis
County promises: ‘One blight will not be replaced by another’
Chester — The talk at town hall Tuesday night was about strategy, subtle as a chess game. One wrong move and — checkmate! — the Camp LaGuardia site will be sold to an irresponsible developer, and continue to be a blight on the landscape for generations to come.
Fears seemed to heighten as town officials ordered the mysterious ways of the county, which quickly reversed a decision to sell the site to notorious landlord Jacob Selechnik of Easy Equities. Why would the county entertain such a bidder in the first place? residents and officials asked. Do county officials care only about recovering their money, Chester be damned? Was it a ruse to pressure the town into being more cooperative?
Some expressed fear that someone with ready money, like Selechnik and his $10.5 million offer, could buy the site outright and start moving people into the old shelter buildings without the town having very much to say about it. Perhaps the people moving in will be members of a religious community, some speculated. Because of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person’s Act of 2000, the campus might be taken off the tax rolls — again, without Chester’s by-your-leave.
But spokesman Richard Mayfield, speaking on behalf of county Executive Edward Diana, gave assurances that the county will make no move that will hurt Chester.
The county purchased the 258-acre site last year to solve a long-standing problem for the three municipalities in which it is located. For many years it served as of one of New York City’s homeless shelters, and community residents complained bitterly about the habits of the homeless men who walked the streets of their neighborhoods.
“People in that area have endured long enough,” Mayfield told The Chronicle. That was why the county paid $8.5 million to buy the site in the first place, he said.
“We wouldn’t have gone through this process just to replace one blight with another,” he said.
And, despite the widespread criticism of the Easy Equities negotiations, Mayfield said “the system worked.” Although approved by the physical services committee, when it moved on to the full legislature, the proposal was rightly rejected, he said.
From the beginning, he said, the county made clear to prospective bidders that proposals must meet with local zoning requirements.
“That’s one of the beauties of living in a home-rule state,” he said.
No proposal meets local zoning
But one of thorniest problems in this complicated issue is that none of the bidders interested in the site pitched a plan that conforms with town zoning. All of them want to put hundreds of houses on the property as the best way to make a return on their investment. One of the two bidders left, Joel Mounty of Mountco Construction and Development Corp. of Scarsdale, said his proposal includes 807 residents. Michael Parlamis of Tenafly, the businessman behind the proposed Aristotelian University, said Wednesday that his proposal includes “about 800.” (For more about these two bidders, turn to page 15.)
It’s been five years since the town last revised its master plan and zoning. At that time, no one anticipated that the homeless shelter would close. After 90 years in Chester, the shelter looked like it was in Chester to stay, and most local efforts concentrated on getting New York City to manage it better.
The lion’s share of the site is in the Town of Chester and is zoned for agricultural and office park development, not for houses. But the agriculture/office park designation seems out of step with the times. As Chester Councilman Bob Moran noted, farming is simply not lucrative enough to justify an outlay of so many millions. And Joel Mounty said, “We just don’t see it as an office park.” It’s too much off the beaten trail, with no commercial hubs nearby, he said. And, he said, there is an excess of office space in the county already.
Chester debates a town purchase
On Tuesday night, town officials discussed the possibility of buying the site. But Supervisor Steve Neuhaus said that because Blooming Grove is completely against the idea, a town purchase is unlikely.
He did say it would be possible for one town to buy land in another. But he is more inclined to see the county entertain bidders willing to develop the site according to “Chester’s vision.”
Alex Jamieson has a different idea. He was the board member to express the greatest distrust of the county, and wants to see the property taken out of its control. “I sat in on those meetings,” he said. “I know how they do things.”
For that reason, he strongly advocates a town purchase. It’s the only way the town can control what happens to the site, he said.
“If we put the proposal up for a referendum, I’d bet my board seat that it would pass,” he said.
Jamieson said he was convinced Chester would be able to sell the property to a responsible developer for a profit pretty quickly. But others, like Councilman Moran and Chester resident Paul Ellis, disagree, citing tough economic times and the town’s lack of experience in real estate deals.
New Provident Bank branch in Chester celebrates opening
Chester — Provident Bank will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon on Thursday, July 10, as this paper goes to press.
The ceremony was to celebrate the opening of the bank’s new Chester branch, a new 3,400-square-foot branch at 3 Bryle Place housed in a 6,950-square-foot building accompanied by two retail stores.
The bank’s amenities include walk-up and drive-up ATMs and access to drive-through banking lanes, as well as greater visibility and accessibility. The branch also offers extended hours, including Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information call Lisa Kelly at 352-3650 or e-mail
Fireworks show offers sense of community
By Nancy Kriz
CHESTER — People tossed frisbees and beach balls around Chester’s Carpenter Park last Saturday evening while waiting for the fireworks extravaganza to begin.
Clearly a sense of community was in the air, and not just play toys.
The town’s annual fireworks spectacle resumed last year after a 10-year hiatus. And when the show began, viewers of the pyrotechnic display were not disappointed. They cheered happily whenever the sky lit up with rainbow colors.
This year, vendors were invited to sell food and wares, yet only a few tents were set up for business.
Smoke billowed from the back of the Walton Engine & Hose Company’s firehouse. But fire hoses weren’t required — the smoke was the fragrant result of hot dogs and hamburgers being grilled by volunteer members.
“So far, so good,” said Mark Thomas, fire department president, when asked how sales were going. “It’s still early but it’s good.”
All proceeds will benefit the fire department and its community work. But, Thomas said, the barbecue is also a way to raise awareness about the fire department. “People know who we are, but they don’t know we’re volunteers,” he said.
Business was much slower at the Town of Chester Police Benevolent tent at the other end of the field.
PBA vice-president David Slowik wasn’t sure if the location was the problem, or that it was simply too early in the evening.
But like the fire department, the PBA’s mission at the fireworks show was to let residents know how involved the police department for those who live in the area.
“We’re here to raise money for our causes,” said Slowik.
Among other causes, the town PBA hosts the annual Easter egg hunt at the Chester Commons Park and contributes to the all-night graduation parties for Chester, Warwick, and Monroe-Woodbury, “the school districts where our town kids attend,” Slowick said.
“We’re trying to find other ways to raise money and help the community,” he said. “The people we help love us. The people we arrest don’t. But we’re not just here for that. We’re here to help.”
New neighbors, old friends
People arrived with blankets, coolers, and lawn chairs as the sounds of the Beach Boys, Billy Joel and country western singers filled the air from a music system set up behind the fire department. Adults staked out their spots and kept busy with snacks and drinks while the younger children ran around.
“I love fireworks and I love the colors,” said Goshen resident Brooke Hendricks, age 9, who was there with her family. “I am excited to stay up late, but I’m more excited to see the fireworks.”
Some family groups were quite extensive. Sixteen members of Chester resident Diza Montero’s family from the Bronx came up to see the show, joining her husband and two children.
“We came last year and had a good time,” said Montero. “It’s like a block party atmosphere.”
Montero relocated to Chester from the Bronx last year. The move was good for her family, she said.
“Being here is good for my kids,” she said. “It’s a better life for my children. You get to know people and your neighbors. You don’t have that hustle-bustle anymore. I find that my extended family spends a lot of time up here.”
For Montero, community events like the fireworks display are good for her family and others because “we get exposed to other people in the community. It’s nice to see. It’s very family-oriented here.”
Slowik agreed. “It’s a sense of community,” he said. “It’s getting people from the community and other areas together. It also highlights Chester and how the town wants to have a family night and some good clean fun. It’s a nice night and it’s absolutely free.”
In the mix of busy lives, the fireworks was a welcome opportunity for people who don’t have the opportunity to get together as often as they’d like, as in the case of three Goshen High school graduates - Joe Dise, Kelley English, and Lauren Brogan — who met up with each other at the show. Dise just graduated from the New York Institute of Technology in Manhattan and English from Lasell College in Massachusetts. Dise is now working as an electrical engineer in New York, while English works for Dana Distributors in Goshen. Brogan is a student at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh
“I get to hang out with my friends, watch the fireworks and have a beer...which I don’t know if I’m allowed to do,” English said.
Dise relaxed with a cigar while lounging in a lawn chair. The evening “lets people get out and relax,” he said.
Brogan said she was away for the fourth of July and welcomed this chance to celebrate.
“This is like an extended holiday,” she said. “We don’t get together anymore. We’re old now. Everyone just got real jobs this year.”
Labrador development takes small step forward - Village okays scope for proposed annexation: But final approval is not assured
By Edie Johnson
Chester — A major development proposed for Chester took a small step forward this week when the village board approved the project’s revised scoping document.
Developer Frank Nussbaum of Labrador Properties, also known as BT Holdings, wants to build 438 housing units on Route 17M behind ShopRite. The scoping process allows the public to comment on the ways a proposed development might affect the environment while offering possible alternatives and solutions. The scoping document is the first in the environmental review process to receive public comment.
Nussbaum has been trying to get the village to annex a 60.6-acre portion of the site located in the Town of Chester in order to tie the development into the village’s water and sewer systems. Only a small portion of the site, 7.8 acres, is located in the village.
The new property would be rezoned as RM (Residential Multi-Family) and would require additional variances.
The village had been working with environmental planner Stu Turner of Turner Miller Group to further refine the scoping document after an appeal for a “generic scoping document” was met with disdain by both the public and officials, who wanted more details. The scoping document presented this week includes greater detail, and some alternatives requested at earlier public hearings.
But the village’s approval of the scope by no means assures that the project will progress any time soon. The town has so far been reluctant to make the land trade without getting anything in return.
Chester Town Supervisor Steve Neuhaus had previously expressed concern about losing tax revenue and parks and recreation fees if the village annexed the land. Park and recreation fees are assessed on each housing unit.
The newly approved scoping document calls for expanded traffic studies and visual impact studies showing how the new development will look from six points of reference: from Christine Drive, Castle Family Fun Center, houses on Carpenter Road, Talmadge farm, houses on the west side of Hambletonian Avenue, and residential units in the rear area of Whispering Hills. These will include detailed drawings of the proposed residences overlaid on pictures of the landscape. Traffic studies will now include evaluations of traffic during school hours and busy vacation times.
Several alternative plans and layouts are also included in the scoping document. One alternative would include 200 senior housing units, instead of the 100 included in the original plan. Another would consist of entirely senior housing units, and still another would be entirely small single-family homes.
As part of the scope, the applicant must present alternative plans in detail in case the primary proposal is found to be unworkable. Labrador’s primary proposal includes 100 handicapped-accessible senior housing units served by elevators. The apartment buildings will have three stories.
The remaining 338 units (or 228 if the 200 senior housing model is used) would be market-rate townhouses of various sizes intended to offer a maintenance-free and economical alternative to other homes in the area.
Plans include an extensive recreation system, including a pool, a clubhouse with fitness rooms, picnic areas, and walking trails.
The scale of the buffer area between the development and adjacent agricultural lands has yet to be decided. Towns vary tremendously in the buffers they require, but restrictions set by nearby towns are expected to set the tone.
The scope, while significant, is only a preliminary outline, with many more details to be worked out with the town. When the outline is filled in, Nussbaum will proceed to the required draft environmental impact study, which will be presented at future public hearings.
Village Mayor Phil Valastro strongly suggested that the public stay involved in the project as it progresses — to keep an eye on the newspaper and village’s Web page.
Graphic representations of the proposed layout can be seen on the developer’s Web site at www.labrador-chester.com. More details on all aspects of the proposal are listed on the village Web site at www.villageofchesterny.com in the News and Events section.
Electrical upgrade is completed at Whispering Hills
CHESTER — Orange and Rockland Utilities has recently completed a project to improve electric service reliability at Whispering Hills in Chester.
O&R upgraded the electric system that serves nearly 700 townhouses in the Whispering Hills community. It spent $500,000 to install 76 new transformers and eight switch gear installations in addition to installing new lightning protection equipment throughout the community’s electric distribution system. It took three months to complete.
State-of-the-art technology and new hardware are part of the new system specifications. The electric system that had served the community was 25 years old. Since then, demands on the community’s electric system have changed greatly. The load on that aging system had grown over 20 percent, and O&R had determined that the time had come to convert the electric system’s voltage to make it more reliable now and for the future.
Village honors its outstanding officers
By Susan Cornell
Officers Hagberg, Grzywaczewski, Courtenay, and Rafferty and Sgt. Thornton received commendations. (Photo by BCF)
Chester — Village Mayor Valastro and village Police Chief Peter Graziano presented awards in front of a crowded village hall to police officers who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding performance over the past year.
Officer David Hagberg was commended for his drug interdiction work. While attempting to stop a vehicle for traffic violations, he observed the occupants throw a bag out of a passenger window. Hagberg recovered 179 individual packets of heroin, 12 packets of crack cocaine, and a small quantity of marijuana.
Officer John Grzywaczewski received the lifesaving award for responding to the call of a 23-year-old man in cardiac arrest. With the help of an Orange County Deputy Sheriff, Grywaczewski gave medical assistance responsible for the victim’s survival.
Sgt. James Thornton received an honorable service award with bronze leaf cluster for his supervision and work on a two-year investigation leading to the arrest of an individual charged with home invasion and attempted rape of a resident. He also conducted a three-week investigation leading to the arrest of three individuals in a complex credit card/identity theft scam that yielded over 60 felony counts and 40 misdemeanor counts.
Officer John Courtenay received an honorable service award with bronze leaf cluster and Officer Raftery received an honorable service award for distinguishing themselves during this same three-week investigation leading to the arrest of individuals in a complicated credit card/identity theft scam.
In other business
• Mayor Valastro thanked everyone who worked on the fireworks show. They went off with no incident, which he attributed to the village and town working together as a team (please see story on page 1.)
• Building inspector John Orr said an Oct. 8 opening is planned for the Lowe’s home improvement center now under construction on Summerville Way.
• Representatives from the Chester Presbyterian Church suggested that the village board consider a local community calendar on its Web site on which to post upcoming events. A Web site coordinator be appointed to coordinate it, it was suggested.
This would not only be a way for the community to find out about local events, but help organizations avoid scheduling events that would conflict with one another.
Residents should check the Town of Chester’s Web site (www.thetownofchester.org) for upcoming hikes scheduled by the town and village’s joint recreation department.
• Disk golf was discussed as a possibility for tournaments. The parks and recreation commission will look further into it.
• Family Movie Night on July 25 will show “Jumanji,” and on Aug. 8 the feature is “Bee Movie.” Both movies are rated PG and will be shown at the park on Laroe Road. Visit the Town of Chester Web site for further information.
• Mayor Valastro suggested that joint recreation and the school look into the possibility of offering senior citizens courses on using computers and e-mail. He said it would be brought up at the next meeting.
• Chester’s annual Halloween parade will be held on Oct. 19. Like last year’s, it will include a block party.
The village board discussed a tax exemption for cold war veterans. The board tabled the matter until the September meeting so that members can look at it more closely.
Board adopts policy for use of electronic devices in school
By Linda Smith Hancharick
Chester — It’s a sign of the times: portable electronic devices like cell phones and iPods are streaming local schools in ever-increasing numbers.
The Chester Board of Education last week adopted a policy for the use of these devices in the classroom and on school property, saying they should not be seen or heard during the school day.
It is understood that most middle and high school students and many students in the elementary school bring their cell phones and music devices to school. But they are not allowed to use them during school hours, including during lunch.
And students bring them to school at their own risk. The school district cannot be considered responsible for any device that have been lost or stolen.
Students caught using cell phones, iPods, and PDAs (personal digital assistants) during the school day will be disciplined. Any device “seen or heard” during the school day will be confiscated. The school may hold on to any device until there’s a meeting with the student’s parent.
The board is also disallowing the use of devices that may cause disruption in the classroom or may be used as weapons. Those include devices such as laser pointers, light pointers, MP3 players, and iPods. Use of electronic devices with recording capabilities are also prohibited on school property except for photographing or videotaping athletic events, plays, concerts, and awards ceremonies.
For privacy reasons, no one is permitted to record, photograph, or videotape a person on school property without that person knowing about it. And no photography or recording can take place where privacy is expected, such as locker rooms, lavatories, and the nurse’s office. The policy applies to employees as well.
Board of education reorganizes, sets meeting dates - New for the year: Meetings will begin at 7 p.m.
Chester — Frank Sambets was sworn into office last Thursday evening to begin his first term as a member of the Chester Board of Education.
The district begins a new year with few changes. Sambets won a hotly contested election in May, defeating longtime school board member Mary Luciana for the only seat up for grabs. John Pasichnyk and Joan Donato will remain as the board’s president and vice-president, respectively. Judi Berger and Wendy Murray are also returning members.
Last week’s board of education meeting was the only one scheduled for the month of July. The schedule for the 2008-09 school year is as follows:
August 7 and 28; September 11 and 25; October 16 and 30; November 13; December 4 and 18; January 8 and 22; February 12 and 26; March 12 and 26; April 23; May 7 and 21; June 11 and 25. All meetings will be held in the Chester Academy auditorium at 7 p.m.
Looking forward to the 2009-10 budget season, May 7 will be the voter registration and budget hearing, with the board of education election and budget vote scheduled for May 19.
The board also made the following appointments:
District/Board Clerk — Debra Lys
Treasurer — Erin Brennan
Deputy Treasurer — Joan Donato
District Tax Collector — Eileen Hickey
Internal Claims Auditor — Eileen Hickey
Alternate District Clerk — Judi Berger
Treasurer of Allied Activities Account — Carol Fatta
Records Management Officer — M. Cathy Perrotta
Records Access Officer — M. Cathy Perrotta
Official Newspaper — Orange County Post
Official Radio and Television Stations — 1420 AM; WHUD/100.7; WSBK/K104.7; WBNR; WPDH; WGNY, WRNN-TV; FOX 5-TV; WABC-TV; WNBC-TV.
County presses towns for decision on Camp LaGuardia
By Edie Johnson
Chester — The strain is showing.
Some county legislators are getting frustrated with what they see as Chester and Blooming Grove’s recalcitrance in selecting a buyer for the former Camp LaGuardia campus.
Mountco, one of two bidders left in the running to buy the 258-acre property, gave a presentation before the legislature’s Physical Services Committee on Wednesday.
Afterward, Legislator Alan Seidman of Salisbury Mills said, “There is a third solution. The county housing authority could keep the property and lease out it to whomever it wishes, without the three towns involved having any say in the matter.”
Whether it was a joke or a serious threat, Chester town Supervisor Steve Neuhaus did not take it as a laughing matter.
“Alan Seidman is a good friend of mine,” Neuhaus said. “But I can tell you this. He wouldn’t have the nerve to say that if he were running for re-election next year.”
Seidman was also angry that the town of Chester put the site on the tax rolls.
“We will not be held under the gun of a certain tax assessor,” Seidman said, referring to Chester’s tax assessor, who felt it legally appropriate to put the property back on the rolls.
The property must be used in order to be off the tax rolls. The county believes that, by storing materials there, they are in compliance.
County Executive Ed Diana had previously said that he had a handshake agreement with the former town supervisor, William Tully, that the county would not be taxed on the property in the interim before sale. But Neuhaus plans to fight to stave off such an exemption. Now that he has received the county’s formal refusal to pay, he will take the matter up with his town board.
“As to the authority of the county to trump the towns, I don’t think that’s the way to do it,” he said. If it came to it, he said after the meeting, “We would have to sue.”
Some county officials feel that the village and town of Chester and the town of Blooming Grove do not appreciate what the county has done for them by shelling out $8.5 million to buy the unpopular homeless shelter campus from New York City last year. Legislators from other parts of the county say they need to recover that money in order to do right by their own constituents.
Contention between the municipalities and the county spiked when the legislature’s physical services committee agreed earlier this summer to sell the property to a notorious New York City slumlord. The full legislature rejected that proposal, and a representative of the county executive’s office promised that county will not sell to any buyer that the towns did not like.
But some in the audience Wednesday didn’t see things that way. Since the sale, they said, the value of the property has increased by several million dollars and will only make the county richer than it was before.
Chester prefers Mountco
Neuhaus said that, after much discussion with Village Mayor Phil Valastro and Blooming Grove Supervisor Charlie Bohan, they preferred Mountco as their first choice because it will bring fewer houses to the site than the other bidder’s proposal to build both a university and houses. Both bidders include hundreds of houses in their plans.
But a committee member warned: “You should understand, these people [Chester and Blooming Grove] do not want any building at all.”
The Mountco group seemed unmoved. They said they will stick with the site and work out a plan that everyone can agree upon.
During their presentation, the Mountco representatives described their intention to go with a New Urban design — with a walkable community, rental units above shops, a branch of Mount Saint Mary College, and an agricultural-tourism feature to interpret the historical significance of black dirt farming. They are already making changes in their housing, trending more toward senior housing less likely to cause increases in school taxes. The campus is located in the Monroe-Woodbury school district.
The Mountco reps made the point, over and over, that they are sensitive to the wishes of townspeople, sensitive to the need to preserve wetlands, and sensitive to the need for open space.
They said they expect approvals to take a year to 18 months, after which they hope to break ground.
Neuhaus said that while there was some interest in the prospect of the towns purchasing the property themselves, to resell or develop it as they saw fit, there is not enough time to pursue this possibility. A decision like that should be decided by referendum, and the county is not likely to be willing to wait until November, he said.
School board meeting changes
Chester — The next regular meeting of the Chester school board will be held on Thursday, Aug. 14 — not Aug. 7, as was reported in The Chronicle last week.
On Aug. 7, the board will hold a special meeting at West Point’s Thayer Hall (building 601, about three-quarters of a mile north on Thayer Road from the Hotel Thayer) to begin its discussion on the district’s goals.
The last meeting of the summer will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28.
For more information, call Debra Lys, district clerk, at 469-2178 ext. 2202, or visit http://chester.ny.schoolwebpages.com.
Provident Bank opens new branch in Chester - Offerings of new branch: Extended hours, easy accessibility
Chester — Provident Bank hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 10 to celebrate the opening of its new Chester branch, located at 3 Bryle Place. Elected officials and business leaders attended the ceremony.
Located in a 6,950-square-foot retail building that fronts Brookside Avenue, the 3,400-square-foot bank is easily accessible from Route 17 and provides customers with conveniences including two drive-through lanes to accommodate peak traffic, walk-up and drive-up ATMs, and extended hours, including Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The branch also offers plush seating, a coffee station, a kids’ center with TV, and a technical area for account assistance.
“Provident Bank prides itself on its commitment to the communities that it serves by offering local market expertise, local decision making, personalized service and convenience,” said George Strayton, president and chief executive officer of Provident Bank. “This new branch reflects all of those fundamentals. We are delighted to be a part of the growing Chester community.”
Strayton described Chester as “a good place to live and to work.”
“As the local community bank, we are proud to reinforce our investment and involvement with local entrepreneurs and business people,” he said. “We remain committed to delivering consistent, high-quality service and responding to the needs of the Chester community.”
Headquartered in Montebello, N.Y., Provident Bank, with $2.8 billion in assets, is the largest independent full-service community bank in the lower Hudson Valley. It operates 33 branches serving the Hudson Valley, including one office in Bergen County, N.J. The bank offers a complete line of commercial and retail services. For more information visit www.providentbanking.com.
Camp LaGuardia is an ideal spot for a community pool
To the Editor:
When I read the viewpoint of a Jason Silver on recreational facilities in Chester, I wanted to comment on it.
Thanks, Mr. Silver, for your opinion on viewpoint regarding recreational facilities in Chester for all people who live in the area.
I also agree with the other writer about the higher taxes, but don’t we pay high taxes now. What are we getting for our money? There is nothing in Chester for the kids and their families like other towns have. We have a park down by the onion field, which, if you go to on a day that the sun is out, you roast in because there are no trees.
Our families need to have a community pool, and Camp LaGuardia would be an ideal place. Whispering Hills has pools, but we are not allowed to go there. Not everyone can put a pool in their yard. And with the price of gas, people are looking to stay close to home. What would be a better place than right here in Chester?
So I hope when the town officials review the plans of this situation they include a community pool in their assessment, not only one for the new residents that will be living there.
Marie Salom
Chester
News
Man gets 12 years in home invasion and attempted rape
By OLIVER MACKSON
GOSHEN - The jury didn't believe David Small. They did believe the woman whose home he invaded, and that was enough for Orange County Court Judge Nicholas DeRosa to sentence Small on Wednesday to 12 years in state prison.
A jury on April 9 convicted Small, 29, of felony charges of second-degree burglary and attempted first-degree rape, and a misdemeanor charge of second-degree unlawful imprisonment. He took the stand in his own defense.
DeRosa, who presided over the trial, told Small that he spoke with the jurors after the case, as he usually does.
"They did believe the complaining witness. They did not believe your testimony," DeRosa told Small.
The victim told Small she's been so badly traumatized that she's going to move out of her home in the Whispering Hills condo complex in the Village of Chester, where she was attacked in 2005.
She also told Small that she feels compelled to change her name.
Small's lawyer, Alan Joseph, asked DeRosa to limit the sentence to the minimum of 3 1/2 years. Joseph filed a notice of appeal on Wednesday, saying there were numerous issues to pursue with a higher court, including the certainty of the victim's identification of Small.
The prosecutor, Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Milza, asked for the maximum sentence of 15 years.
Small will have to register with the state as a sex offender. After he serves his time, he'll be under parole supervision for 15 years.
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http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?job_did=J3F6RK6WGLZNJNB0YPZ&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=96615b88322d42e080f634032e084254-270817138-RI-4&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_chester_ny
Eagle Crest on town’s agenda
Chester — The Chester Town Board is expected to discuss the proposed Eagle Crest subdivision at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at town hall, 1786 Kings Highway.
The developer’s plan is to put 26 houses on 90 acres at the Lewis Farm on Hambletonian Road — part of the farm where Hambletonian, perhaps the most famous standardbred trotting horse of all time, was born in 1849.
On Wednesday night, the planning board agreed that Eagle Crest is suitable for a cluster development — an arrangement by which developers are allowed to build more houses in exchange for leaving part of the site open space. The planning board will make its recommendation to the town board.
The site is located in the town’s Ridge Overlay District and also includes an historic barn.
Camp LaGuardia (located in the Town's of Chester and Blooming Grove; Monroe Woodbury School District)
The closing of the homeless shelter and purchase of the Camp LaGuardia property were widely reported in our local newspapers. Recent articles have made residents aware of the County’s intention to sell the property and their request for bids from developers. We believe it is important for all area residents to understand the breadth and scope of the proposals currently under consideration.
Top bidders included:
MOUNTCO from Scarsdale proposed 807 units of rental/ownership housing, plus 165,000 sq. ft. of office space. (http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/NEWS/80715014)
EASY EQUITIES from Whitestone, the largest proposed plan, consisted of 650 condos and 722 single family homes with a golf course and 500,000 sq.
ft. of office space as well as a 650 room hotel.
MALT LLC from Saugerties proposed 463 residential units, plus a golf course with lodge, and 95,000 sq. ft. of office space/hamlet center.
* new addition; UNIVERSITY (http://strausnews.com/articles/2008/05/09/photo_news/news/16.txt
Residents should stay informed and be involved as the county moves forward in considering these proposals. The impacts of development of this size will undoubtedly be felt by the surrounding communities. Your local Town Board and County legislators should be made aware of your concerns about this significant project will have on our schools, traffic, water resources, and community services.
check the County's website for upcoming legislature meetings at http://www.orangecountygov.com/
Development Projects - Town of Chester, NY
Next Town Planning Board meeting - Aug 6 and Aug 20.
Recent approvals....Tetz Mining Expansion, Planning Board grants conditional final approval to Glenmere Bed & Breakfast Inn. Preliminary Approval to Warwick Ridge and Giuliana Estates. Also the Planning Board granted an extention on their preliminary approval for KB Laroe (behind Town Hall) and the adjancent Ridgeview Estates (behind Pond Road).
Here is a review of some proposed housing projects in the Town/Village:
Meadow Hill (Senior)....Rt 94 * 142 units
BT Holdings...........17M * 438
Greens of Chester….Rt 94 431
Chester Golf (Adult)….Laroe Rd 380
Bellevale….Lakes Rd 158
KB Laroe….Laroe Rd 7
Laroe Estates…Laroe Rd 9
Ridgeview Estate…Laroe Rd 17
Eagle Crest… Hambletonian Rd 26
Warwick Ridge…Ridge Rd 15
Ashford Estates…Surrey Meadows 20
The Hills of Chester…Whispering Hills 19
Mastrantoni….Rt 94 10
Giuliana Estates….Glenmere Rd 14
Wild Haven....Bull Mill Road 9
Total homes proposed to be built: 1,695
* proposed in Village of Chester
Here is a review of commerical and other projects proposed:
Tetz Industrial Park...Rt 94 (approx 600,000 sq foot of building space including Unilock, Fresenius, Coach USA)
C&S Expansion...Indust. Park (approx 90 foot high, 350,000 sq foot bldg)
Dr Attardo....17M
Yeshiva...17M
Barbone Bros...Elkay Dr
Glenmere B&B....Pine Hill Rd
Chester Fitness Center...Bellvale Rd
Hoferkamp...Sugar Loaf
DePaulis...Black Meadow Rd
Lowes...Rt 94 (Village)
Provident Bank by Holiday Inn (Village)
Motel behind McDonalds (Village)
Note: Parital lists only and subject to change based on approvals/revisions. All files can be viewed by the public at Town or Village Hall.
The fear factor - Superintendent and parent give their sides of arrest story
By Vicki Botta
Chester — In the days and weeks after a clash between a parent and a school’s superintendent became public, a nightmare unfolded for both.
Mary Marino, a mother arrested on June 18 for “creating fear and panic” at the school, faces days in court and the fear of losing her credibility and licensing as a registered nurse. The superintendent has also had to face challenges to her credibility along with a barrage of hateful blogs posted not only under the report of the arrest but under many other articles on the Chronicle’s Web site, www.chroniclenewspaper.com.
Fear is a prime actor in the drama. Both women claim they acted because they were afraid for their safety and the safety of those around them.
The article that set off the firestorm reported that Marino was arrested at her home a day after going to the school to complain about how the district was treating her son.
Livingston said she had declined to speak to the paper until now because she wanted to do the right thing and not subject the parent or her child to public scrutiny or embarrassment. And she did not speak out even after members of the community began “skewing and misleading” information because she did not want to feed into the frenzy.
Both women agreed to elaborate on the incident. Not surprisingly, the two versions differ.
Marino said she first approached Livingston about her 13-year-old son’s grades and a fight that had left him with a concussion and a fractured cheekbone. She said the school had responded by trying to get her to press charges against the 17-year-old who brutally beat her son.
Livingston said the school did not want to get involved because the fight did not happen on school grounds. Marino said she didn’t want to press charges against the boy because of his age and because she feared repercussions against her son.
A range of complaints
Livingston said Marino’s story about her son kept changing and escalating, with different people being accused of different things. In a telephone interview with Marino, it was difficult to piece together the flow of events.
Marino said the problems started when the school tried to suspend her son for taking a girl’s I-Pod. While Marino admits this was wrong, she believes the punishment was too harsh. Her son was only trying to flirt with the girl, she said, and had returned the I-Pod. She said he was charged grand larceny for stealing the $400 device.
Marino also alleges that one faculty member abused her son and another gave him a questionable letter. Livingston said she investigated the allegations and called them “blatantly incorrect.” She said she called eight different people on her staff to verify whether they were true.
Matters escalated from there.
In Marino’s eyes, Livingston responded by getting defensive, treating her like a nuisance. Marino said that after she had poured out her story to Livingston “in what felt like a confession to the right ears,” Livingston responded with, “Well, now my day is crap.”
Livingston suggested that Marino seek help from the outside professional agencies that Livingston contacted. But Marino said her lawyer advised her not to talk to anyone, and that she did not trust anyone being paid by the Chester school district.
Fear escalates on both sides
Marino said that during her second visit to the school, Livingston came at her with clenched fists and warned her she would be arrested. Town of Chester Police officer Janice Oppmann, the school’s resource officer, stood by, she said, “the way police stand just before they are about to act. I thought I was in danger of being shot.”
Livingston was also afraid. She said she cleared the main office out of concern for others’ safety. She called for backup and kept Oppmann at the school to maintain order and serve as a witness.
Marino said she left because she feared that, if she were arrested on the school grounds, the evidence in her bag would be confiscated.
Livingston said that as Marino left the school, she followed her out into the parking lot and saw her stick her head into a car, screaming obscenities about the middle school principal to the principal’s ninth-grade daughter, who was in the car. Marino denies this, but Livingston has a police report with a statement from the daughter recounting this event.
Marino said all the trauma to both sides could have been avoided had Livingston showed her she was truly following up on her concerns instead of dismissing her.
Livingston maintains that Marino “kept saying things over and over again, and I said, ‘I need you to leave the building right now.’ She refused and I warned her several times, leave or I will have you arrested.”
Feeling the fallout
Marino and Livingston are both feeling the fallout from the incident. Marino has to go to family court, civil court, and criminal court at a particularly difficult time in her life. Her husband is suffering from a brain tumor, and another of her sons is serving in Iraq. Meanwhile, she commutes to the city to her full-time job as a registered nurse at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
Livingston, meanwhile, has been coping with an immense public backlash. In an age of media frenzy, when instant communication is possible through such vehicles as MySpace, YouTube, and blogs, not much takes place under the radar. School officials generally seek to avoid negative press about their districts, but in today’s world it isn’t as easy as it once might have been.
Marino said her only concern is for her son, and that she wants nothing to do with the malicious blogging about Livingston.
Livingston said she did not like hiding information, but was only trying to be law abiding and to act in the best interests of others.
“I tried to do the right thing, and when she took it to the newspaper, it blew my mind,” she said. “Why put it out there? I’d be more embarrassed that I was arrested in public.”
Marino claims she had no other recourse in trying to get the school district to address her son’s problems. “Now it’s for the courts to decide,” she said.
“We have a very strong case,” Livingston said. “I’m very confident about the whole thing. In my 22 years in education I’ve had to put up with a lot as a public figure. I take my lumps. My mom always said sticks and stones.... But when she saw the blogs, even she couldn’t believe what she saw.”
A costly distraction
The distraction is proving costly to the superintendent.
“I feel very sad,” Livingston said. “It’s hard enough to lead a school district, but to be sidetracked by this when I should be planning the next school year...it’s not productive in any way shape or form.”
Livingston said her main objective when she took the position as superintendent in 2006, her first time in such a role, was to rebuild the trust of the district’s administration.
“I felt I could handle this because I try to get along with as many people as I can,” she said. She tries to think positively and not be deterred by “black hat wearers” always seeking to play “antagonists to her protagonist.”
She said the “kids are doing better” since she has taken the job, but that it will take time to “trickle upwards to the higher grades.” She feels that standardized tests do not fully reflect the progress being made.
Before she came to the district, it had a 40 percent turnover rate among its teachers, she said. Fewer than ten teachers have left the district during her time there. With Chester being a lower-paying district, she said she can’t fault teachers for trying to expand their horizons.
As far as the recent confrontation with Marino is concerned, Livingston said there is no way to be coached for every situation. Some incidents are just on-the-job training, she said. She tried her best, wants to put this behind her, and move on.
“I have a job to do and I have a school to open in two weeks,” she said. Perception and what people take away are amazing. All I ask is that people operate on fact, not information fed to them.”
Village sets moratorium on outdoor furnaces
By Susan Cornell
Outdoor furnaces like these may exacerbate respiratory problems, the village’s building inspector says.
Chester — The Chester Village Board is considering a moratorium on the construction and installation of outdoor wood burning furnaces.
Building inspector John Orr suggested the moratorium because of the possible health and safety problems associated with these furnaces. They burn a range of fuels, from firewood and coal to corn and wood pellets.
The furnaces’ smokestacks or flues are only eight to nine feet high, and release smoke at a much lower level than indoor stoves and fireplaces. Village code requires that the chimneys of indoor stoves be above the roof peak.
But as Orr pointed out, outside furnaces are not covered by building code regulations. And their emissions may harm people with bronchial and other respiratory problems.
Orr said there are no outstanding applications for outdoor furnaces, and he is not aware of any such furnaces in the village at this time.
Trustee John Deshler, who ran the meeting in the absence of Mayor Phil Valastro, said the board wants to make sure residents are protected. They are not trying to inconvenience the public, he said.
The moratorium will allow the village do research on for the health and safety of residents.
The board scheduled a public hearing on the proposed moratorium for 7:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, at village hall.
In other business
• Building inspector Orr reported that work at the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center continues. A field change, possibly caused by an error or oversight, allowed a 32-foot-high pylon sign to be erected at the entrance to the site. The village is negotiating with Lowe’s to have the sign moved closer to Route 17 and lowered to 20 feet to lessen its visual impact on village residents.
• Water Commissioner Tom Becker said his department has collected all but one outstanding water bill. He asked the board to approve a $50 fee for minimum water use across the board per billing period for expenses incurred.
• Becker said they met with representatives from the proposed Labrador (BT Holdings) development about water issues and requirements related to the development’s application.
The village also agreed to set up a $25,000 escrow fund to pay the cost incurred by the village for its review of Labrador’s application.
• The Parks and Recreation Commission will hold a concert at the community park on Sunday, Sept. 7. It will feature Crazy Tyrone, Hudson Blues, and Second Nature. Residents should check the town’s Web page (www.thetownofchester.org) or call the parks department for more information (469-7000 ext. 8).
Short Line terminal and maintenance facility gets green light - Project seen as boon to mass-transit and the environment
By Edie Johnson
Chester — In one of the fastest big-project approvals in recent Chester planning board history, Coach USA (also known as Short Line Buses) received final conditional approval for its 190,000-square-foot bus terminal and maintenance facility. The remaining conditions rely only on receipt of final maps, fees, and health department approvals that go along with the approvals of all projects.
The terminal will be located on 51 acres, the last lot in Tetz Corporate Center on Route 94. It will join Unilock, Hills Science Diet, and Fresnius Medical as corporate buildings on land that has been reclaimed from the mining activities of the past.
Short Line buses have been serving commuters in Bergen and Rockland counties for years. With its commuter load growing in Orange County, and its main facility in Mahwah deteriorating, the company decided to work with both Chester and county planners to build a safe and modern terminal.
The company has recently undergone corporate reorganization and is now known as Coach USA, but the buses still carry the well-known Short Line name. Over the past several years the line has kept many of its buses in local park-and-rides, but with thefts and vandalism a factor, they needed a better plan. The county has supported this project from its inception, both conceptually and financially. The more successful busing is, the county says, growing congestion in the area will be alleviated, particularly at the Monroe, Chester, and Goshen interchanges. One bus takes dozens of cars off of the road.
Meanwhile, architects, and engineers for the bus company designed a terminal that addressed most of the complaints that came before them. Most of the terminal is underground and can barely be seen from sensitive vantage points. The visible portions will be metal-clad and painted gray/off white with red and blue in shades to reflect the company colors. At the end of the most visible building, a concrete acoustic wall will buffer whatever little noise comes from the building. A second wall of ten-foot evergreens will blend the building into the surrounding landscape, which the builder has promised will be generous.
All interior air will be triple-filtered before being discharged into the outside air, and a complex alarm system will ensure the inside remains safe.
Some concerns remain about the project’s effect on local traffic and air quality in downtown Chester. While buses may reduce air pollution overall, the impact on Chester’s main intersections continues to grow.
This company has made a point of saying it wants to be a good neighbor. Planning board member Don Serotta recalled his days of commuting to New York City. If a few commuters missed the last bus, Short Line would go to the extra effort to run another bus for the night.
Because of the abundance of water on the site, Coach has considered using environmentally friendly geothermal methods for heating. Buses will come into the site in a counterclockwise loop and sent either to a large holding section to be cleaned and stored for the next day, or to the maintenance section for work. The maintenance section can handle 16 buses at a time, while the storage section holds 105 buses. Because of this new storage facility, the buses will not have to idle during the evening hours.
The buses will be washed with 98 percent recycled water. Three catch basins will be spread across the property to hold stormwater.
Ground pollution is protected as well. Oil changes will be high-tech, with one line bringing in new oil in while the old oil drains into a secure storage container. The old oil will then be resold to an oil recycling company.
Planning board member Barry Sloan said he was concerned about snow removal in winter. He doesn’t want salt used to melt ice and snow kill the 10-foot trees planted in front of the building or leach into the groundwater.
A note on the plans stipulated that salt rather than sand had to be used on the roadway because sand would clog the stormwater system. The planning board decided to take the note off the plans and leave it to the judgment of the owners to dispose of the snow safely, as is done in the remainder of the industrial park.
Coach will build its corporate office at the front end of the building. It will include 5,000 square feet of office space. This portion of the building will be 29 feet high at its highest point. The remainder of the massive building will be set below ground level and will be 26 feet at its highest point.
Getting the buses off the road at night is seen as a benefit to both the environment and to safety. Coach USA has worked with the federal Department of Homeland Security and the Orange County Planning Department on a secure plan, including providing GPS systems for every bus. Grants are likely to pay for much of this work.
Chester — The Town of Chester Police Department recently received a new crime-fighting tool that will help officers catch car thieves, child abductors, and other law-breakers.
The department’s new license plate reader consists of two cameras mounted on the patrol vehicles that are able to read license plates going by the police vehicle in either direction, or parked, at lightning speed. The cameras are attached to a mobile data terminal that processes the data and immediately accesses a database. The officer on patrol is alerted if there is a problem with the license plate.
The reader can alert officers about suspended registrations, stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, vehicles wanted in connection with Amber Alerts, wanted persons, sex offenders, and much additional investigative information.
The reader can also be used to aid in locating vehicles from crimes that had just occurred. For example, if a bank robbery were to occur in Chester, or any other jurisdiction, and a license plate (or partial plate) of a suspect vehicle were reported, this information could immediately be entered into the mobile data terminal. If the suspect vehicle drives by, the reader would immediately notify the officer of the “hit.”
Since receiving the reader last week, the Town of Chester Police Department has made seven misdemeanor vehicle and traffic law arrests based on hits from the reader. These misdemeanors might otherwise have gone undetected.
The reader was fully funded by the
License plate readers will help police fight crime
Division of Criminal Justice Services. Readers being distributed all over the state as part of a program being spearheaded by the Division of Criminal Justice Services and the governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. Many agencies in Orange County have begun to receive and use the technology with astounding results, according to Town of Chester police Chief Brian Jarvis.
By John Sullivan
Times Herald-Record
GOSHEN — Next to Cherrywood Drive in Arcadia Hills is a large swath of woods that has long been known as Party Central for teens.
Residents of the subdivision, home to a high concentration of kids, say they've put up with the drinking, the beer cans left on their lawns and the parked cars late at night on their unlit streets. But a spike in property damage, theft and trespassing incidents this summer has residents demanding police action.
"They're damaging everyone's property throughout Arcadia," said Mary Norris, a resident of Cherrywood Drive whose car was scratched with a key and pelted with eggs. "After a while it gets costly, and there's no end in sight."
Most of the complaints have come from homeowners next to the woods where the parties originate.
Complaints to police and town hall include vandalism to and thefts from parked cars; damage to pools and lawns; and, in one of the most outrageous incidents, someone defecating in a pool.
"Every house has been hit in one form or another, whether it's been their mailbox smashed, rocks thrown at their homes, or their cars keyed, " said Colleen Horan, who lives on Beechwood Drive.
Town police Chief Dennis Marsh confirmed the uptick in youth crimes since summer started.
The department has fielded numerous calls and logged at least six written complaints, including reports of graffiti, public lewdness and possession of drugs, Marsh said.
Police have increased surveillance of the area, he said.
"I've told my officers to be in there (Arcadia Hills) every hour on the hour (at night)," he said.
It's a ritual of adolescence in nearly every suburban community in America: Kids find a secluded spot in the woods, bring alcohol and drugs, and party until police get wise.
"You chase them around from location to location," said Chester town police Chief Brian Jarvis.
But the recent problems in Arcadia Hills are out of character for the well-kept community, where most neighbors and their children know each other, residents said.
"What I'm understanding and hearing is that the parents are working and the kids get to do what they want," said Elsie Podolsky, a Wedgewood Drive resident who had lawn furniture thrown in her pool.
Marsh said his officers are working on stopping both the parties and the vandalism, which he does not believe are related, he said.
Most of the serious problems are caused by a limited number of young people who live in Arcadia Hills, he said.
"It's just one or two kids, who are bopping around there and testing everyone's resolve," he said.
jsullivan@th-record.com
Teen skateboarder injured in crash
August 26, 2008
CHESTER — A 15-year-old boy was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center with head trauma after he was hit by a car Wednesday morning, village police said.
Police said the teen was skateboarding through the intersection of Route 17M and Route 94 when he was struck by an oncoming car. The accident is still under investigation.
The extent of the boy’s injuries could not be learned.
By John Sullivan
August 26, 2008
Figures from the Chester and Washingtonville school districts show minor increases and in some cases, decreases, in school tax rates over the previous year.
For Chester school residents living in Blooming Grove and Goshen, the rates decreased by .75 percent and 1.12 percent to $124.75 per thousand of assessed housing value and $33.06 per thousand, respectively. Chester residents will see their tax rate increase 1.94 percent to $33.06 per thousand.
Factoring in the equalization rate, which is 50 percent for Chester and Goshen and 13.25 percent for Blooming Grove, homes with an approximate market value of $340,000 in each of the towns would pay about $5,619 for the year. The total school budget for Chester schools in 2008-2009 is $22 million.
Washingtonville district residents living in Blooming Grove will see a combined school and library tax rate increase of about 3 percent to $127.49 per thousand. Those living in Cornwall and Hamptonburgh will pay $32.81 per thousand and $20 per thousand, an increase of 2 percent and less than 1 percent, respectively.
New Windsor residents of the school district will pay $123 per thousand, an increase of 4 percent.
The district’s tax collector’s office did not have a breakdown of the figures by market value per home, Monday. The total budget for the district is $43 million for the school year.
jsullivan@th-record.com
By Tom Bushey
August 26, 2008
State police senior investigator Terrence Mullen takes photographs at the scene of a car-pedestrian accident at the intersection of Route 17M and Academy Avenue in Chester on Aug. 26, 2008. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital in a helicopter that landed at the Chester Mall.
No other details were available.
August 26, 2008
LaGuardia sale makes progress - County singles out Scarsdale developer
By Edie Johnson
Chester — The county jumped a small but significant hurdle Wednesday in deciding the fate of the former Camp LaGuardia homeless shelter in Chester and Blooming Grove.
The legislature’s Physical Services Committee approved an application from Mountco, a Scarsdale-based builder who wants to put hundreds of senior citizen and workforce housing units on the 258-acre property.
Mountco offered $12 million for the property, which the county bought for $8.5 million from New York City in early 2007. John Madeo, director of development at Mountco, told The Chronicle that the $12 million would apply only if Mountco gets approval for all of the 807 units it wants to build on the site. If the county whittles down the number of units, the offered price will go down too.
The committee also authorized county Executive Ed Diana to begin contract negotiations amid concern that he would be unduly influenced by a recent $2,000 campaign contribution from Joel Mounty, Mountco’s president. It’s the county supervisor’s job to make contract negotiations, and his lawyer did not want him to give up this authority.
Stopping short of giving Diana a full go-ahead to complete the sale, legislators asked that he provide more details about the deal at a later date before it becomes final. The proposed sale to Mountco is expected to go before the full legislature for a final decision sometime in October.
The committee also asked Diana for assurances there would be no surprises, as they felt was the case when the county bought the land last year.
Diana argued that this is a different scenario. During the time of the purchase, time was of the essence and Mayor Michael Bloomberg had insisted that negotiations remain private or the deal was off, he said.
The city had demanded that any profit gained from the future sale of the property be split with the city. If it sells by the end of the second year — this year — the city will retain 75 percent of the profit.
The Mountco offer was attractive to a county looking to recoup its payout because it will make a series of payments even during the approval process. Mountco’s only competition was Michael Parlamis, who planned to found a university on the site. Parlamis agreed to pay only when he received final approval.
But several legislators said they were worried that Mountco’s proposal relies on federal grants that would have to be secured before much of the project could reach completion.
The idea of Mountco devoting most of the new housing to senior citizens has wide appeal among officials, who say such housing will not add to the school tax burden in the Monroe-Woodbury School District.
The full legislature has already rejected two of the committee’s recommendations, including one from Easy Equities, which made a re-appearance at Wednesday’s committee meeting. Its principal, Jacob Selechnik, was widely been reported in the media as being an irresponsible slumlord.
Selechnik’s business counselor, Stan Herman told the committee: “You can’t compare what may have happened 10 years ago in a tenement district in the Bronx with what was proposed here.”
He suggested that some of those poor districts are in such terrible condition, it is not uncommon to run into all kinds of problems while trying to recover them. And any big businessman’s closet is likely to contain some skeletons. “For example, try looking into Donald Trump’s history,” he said.
He complained that the county treated Easy Equities unfairly. “It was never given the same chance as the other bidders,” he said.
Richard Mayfield, Diana’s assistant, responded to the suggestion that Diana will be swayed by Mounty’s contribution. “Nonsense, that is nonsense!” he said. The committee will make the decision, not Diana, he noted. All legislators take contributions, and that’s the way the system works, he said.
Diana told the committee: “You’ve gotta have some faith. I think our record stands for itself. It comes down to having a little trust.”
But while Legislator Noel Spencer agreed that all legislators accept contributions, he added, “It’s different when you’re in the middle of negotiations with someone. It smells funny.”
Things did not go the way Chester town Councilman Alex Jamieson wanted. He favored buying the property outright so that it could maintain control over its sale.
“I don’t know how [Ed Diana] can negotiate the property when we are the ones who have to decide how it will be used,” he said. He repeated his earlier claim that if the proposal were put out for a referendum, voters would agree to buy it.
Representatives from all three municipalities in which the site is located — the Town of Chester, Village of Chester and the Town of Blooming Grove — are continuing to meet so they can provide a unified response.
Steve Neuhaus, the Town of Chester supervisor, said, “The thing to remember is we made a pact right from the beginning on this, to make the decision together ... Phil Valastro [the mayor of the Village of Chester] controls the water. I control the sewer system, and Charlie [Bohan, the Blooming Grove supervisor] is in control of the facility buildings.”
Chester school tax rate released
Chester — Residents of the Chester School District won’t feel too much of an increase in their taxes this school year.
Residents of the Town of Chester are the only ones within the district who will see an increase in their school taxes. They will pay $33.0587 per thousand of assessed value, up $.6299 per thousand over last year’s rate, or 1.94 percent. The 35 property owners in Blooming Grove who attend Chester schools will see a drop of $.9431 per thousand of assessed value, as their tax rate drops to $124.7499. That is a decrease of .75 percent. In Goshen, where residents saw a huge jump last year, a decrease of $.3731 per thousand will be more palatable, costing residents $33.0587 per thousand of assessed value. That decrease is 1.15 percent.
Equalization rates are set by the state Equalization Board, which releases its figures each August. The Chester School District business official, Erin Brennan, said the equalization rate for both Chester and Goshen is 50 percent, meaning that the assessed value is about equal to 50 percent of the property’s market value. In Blooming Grove, the equalization rate is 13.25 percent. Brennan also said that in May he anticipated the weighted average of the increase to be 1.91 percent. It actually was 1.59 percent.
In terms of dollars and cents, here is how it stacks up. Take a home with an approximate market value of $340,000 in each of the three municipalities. In Chester and Goshen, that home is assessed at approximately $170,000; in Blooming Grove, the home would be assessed at $45,050. Each of those homeowners will pay about $5,619 in school taxes for the 2008-09 school year. Compared to last year, that homeowner in Blooming Grove is spending $42.44 less this year in taxes; the homeowner in Goshen is paying $63.42 less this year. Chester residents in the district will see an increase of $107.08 more this year.
Drivers: Be good and reap rewards
Chester — A program to acknowledge drivers who display safe driving behavior is coming to Chester.
The Chester Volunteer Ambulance Corps in conjunction with the Village of Chester Police Department began Operation Safe Driver this week. When a driver is observed by a Chester Ambulance member or a village police officer displaying courteous driving, they may be stopped and given a gift card donated by a local business. Alternatively, their license plate may be copied and the card mailed to them.
“Emergency medical services are about more than just responding to 911 calls for help,” wrote Nick Kobylensky of the ambulance corps in a press release. “It is also our job to do what we can to educate the public so that emergencies can be prevented. This program is one way that we can do that. Other areas of the country have tried similar programs and have had as much as a 30 percent drop in traffic-related fatalities and injuries. We at Chester ambulance are excited to begin this program and recognize the contributions people make everyday to keep Chester safe.”
For questions or comments about Operation Safe Driver, visit www.chesterambulance.com/safedriver or e-mail afedriver@hotmail.com.
School board updates, approves extracurricular activities policy
By Linda Smith Hancharick
Chester — The Chester Board of Education approved a new extracurricular activities policy last week, adding stricter eligibility criteria for students participating in any optional after-school activities.
The policy, which takes effect immediately, requires that students “must maintain satisfactory academic performance in order to commit the extra hours and energies needed to participate in extracurricular activities.”
The policy states that those students who participate in extracurricular activities will have their academic record reviewed at the start of the activity and every five weeks after by the Academic Eligibility Committee. The committee is made up of the building administrator, athletic director, a guidance counselor, and a faculty representative. If a student is failing more than one subject, he or she must attend study sessions four times each week.
“A student will be considered ineligible to participate in an extracurricular activity if he/she fails more than one subject during any five-week or 10-week report card cycle,” notes the policy, which is number 7410 in the book. During that time, the student may participate in practice or rehearsal after the study sessions but cannot participate in any competition or performance until the grades improve through the study sessions.
“Students may still participate in practices as long as they attend the study sessions?” asked board member Wendy Murray, as she reviewed the policy before approving it.
Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston explained that the policy is not so restrictive that it won’t allow kids to work their way back to competing or performing.
“We are saying they must attend the study sessions and if practice or rehearsal is still going on, they may attend,” said Livingston. But they will not be able to participate in games or performances.
“I want to make sure there are no exceptions,” Murray said. “They cannot participate.”
After the committee reviews eligibility, it will notify the advisor or coach on each student’s status. If any student is failing more than one subject, the principal will notify the parents in writing. In addition, the superintendent will report the number of failing students at least quarterly to the Board of Education.
“The Chester Union Free School District and community firmly believe that academics are the primary focus of our instructional efforts,” reads the policy. “In this regard, participation in extracurricular activities is considered a privilege.”
The district’s policy book can be found on the district’s Web site.
Chester man charged in knife-point robbery
Chester — On Aug. 13 around 7:30 p.m. Monroe Village Police were dispatched to a strip mall parking lot on Route 17M following a report of a knife-point robbery.
Police said the suspects were described as two black males in their late teens who left the scene in what was described as an “unique-style vehicle.” Descriptions of the suspects and the vehicle were broadcast to other police departments and a short time later the vehicle was stopped by the Chester Town Police with one of the suspects still inside driving.
The Monroe police brought the victim to Chester, where town police were holding the suspect to see of he was one of the persons involved in the attack.
Arrested at the scene was Kurt Wilson, 19, of Chester. He was charged with first-degree robbery and was sent to Orange County Jail on $50,000 cash bail.
Police know the name of the second suspect, whom they believe possessed the knife and demanded the money from the victim, but they have been unable to locate him. Police said he is 19 and on parole for robbery.
Home of Hambletonian awaits approval for cluster development
By Edie Johnson
Chester — The Chester Town Board stopped short of approving a cluster plan for the proposed Eagle Crest development, which would put 23 or 25 residences on the land where Hambletonian, the most famous trotting horse in history, was born.
The Sugar Loaf Historical Society wants to preserve an historic barn on the land, but the board was unsure how to convey the barn to the historic group. The town board ultimately agreed to meet with the planning board before deciding whether to transfer the barn to the historical society or let it remain part of the development’s open space section. In the latter case, the barn is likely to be demolished.
At a town board meeting on Tuesday, Jay Westerveld, the president of the historical society, read the zoning law that allows historic buildings and barns in a cluster development to be conveyed to a land trust or conservation organization. He said the historical society has access to grants that could contribute to the necessary repairs and upkeep.
But town officials are worried about the condition of the barn in the meantime, saying it is badly in need of repairs and could pose a safety problem. Westerveld said the historical society has adequate insurance and can install alarms on the barn’s doors and windows. He also warned that parts of the property were designated endangered bog turtle habitat in 1978 and 1982 and so are protected by state. This habitat would be difficult for a homeowner’s association to manage, he noted.
The town board wondered why the planning board, which had discussed the Eagle Crest application several times in the last two years, had not dealt with the barn issue. The planning board, reluctant to come to a decision because of the complicated ownership question, sought an opinion from the town’s lawyer, Scott Bonacic. After a lengthy discussion with Bonacic, the town board decided that the planning board could have taken the prerogative to make decisions about the barn — but felt it worthwhile to hold a joint discussion.
The board also decided to ask the building inspector what would be required to bring the barn up to code.
Tracy Schuh of the Preservation Collective, a local organization committed to the protection of Chester’s natural resources, said the process was flawed because of the lack of communication between the two boards.
“Few towns have things like that to be proud of,” she said, referring to the Hambletonian connection. She suggested boarding up the barn until repairs could be made.
She noted that one of the goals of clustering as stated in the town’s master plan is “to preserve cultural resources, including houses, barns and other historical structures.”
Clustering falling out of favor
Clustering houses closely together gives the developer the opportunity to build more houses in exchange for leaving broad swaths of land open. In the case of Eagle Crest, 64 percent of the 87-acre site would be left open and managed by the homeowners association. Part of the land is wetland, which is unbuildable in any case. The wetland issue has made clustering controversial — why give builders a bonus for not building on land that can’t be built on anyway?
The town supervisor, Steve Neuhaus, said, “Discussions are under way where we may eliminate density bonuses entirely.”
The board noted that Eagle Crest, if approved, would be the town’s first cluster development, and thus “precedent setting.”
Several members of the board and the audience said the Eagle Crest builder is not entitled to a bonus density, and asked that the lot count be held at 23 rather than 25.
Kirk Rother, engineer for the builder, has requested 25 lots of about one acre each. This plan is unpalatable to several of its neighbors, whose estate lots sit on roomy spans of five acres and more.
“If you’re going to give this guy three bonus lots, then he should give you something, like fixing this barn,” one neighbor told the board. “We moved to the country. We don’t want it to look like where we came from.”
They were also unsatisfied by the 25 feet of buffer land that would shield them from the development. They read the part of the master plan recommending a buffer of 100 feet or more.
But the former chair of the zoning board of appeals, Don Serotta, said “that was supposed to be a goal, not a fixed number.”
The town board put Eagle Crest on its agenda for its next meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 9. Anyone wishing to submit a written comment in the meantime should send them to Chester Town Hall, 1786 Kings Highway, Chester, NY 10918, or e-mail sneuhaus@thetownofchester.org.
Hambletonian, record-breaker
Hambletonian was born on May 5, 1849, on the Seeley Farm, which at the time covered hundreds of acres along Hambletonian Road in Chester. Parts of the Seeley and later Banker properties were later divided, a portion of it becoming the Lewis Farm, now being considered for a cluster subdivision. (See photo next page.)
In the mid-1800s, harness racing was permitted in many areas that flat racing was not. A field hand bought the colt Hambletonian and his mare for $125.
Shown at the Orange County and Goshen Fairs, Hambletonian was not a marvel at the track - although he did break a record at the Union Track.
He went on to cover mares — first at $20 per cover and later for $75. In all, he sired 1,287 offspring. From his meager beginnings, Hambletonian became the greatest progenitor in American trotting horse history.
Parent arrest case postponed until Oct. 14
Chester — The hearing involving the Chester School District’s case against parent Mary Marino has been postponed until Oct. 14.
Marino, a 20-year resident of Chester, was arrested on June 18 on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass a day after she went to Chester Academy to discuss issues relating to her 13-year-old son. She was arraigned and released without bail.
Two hearings had been scheduled, one for July 8 and another for Aug. 26. Both were adjourned to later dates.
Upcoming Chester town meetings
• Sept. 2: Parks and Recreation Commission at 7 p.m.
• Sept. 9 and 23: Town Board at 7 p.m.
• Sept. 10: Town Master Plan and Zoning Committee at 7:30 p.m.
• Sept. 3 and 17: Town Planning Board at 7:30 p.m.
Check the town Web site at www.thetownofchester.org/events.shtml to confirm these and future monthly dates and agendas.
Chester sets Halloween parade date
Chester — Mark you calendars — the annual Chester Halloween parade and community party will be held on Sunday, October 19, in the village’s historic downtown.
The parade starts at 2 p.m., with the party to follow. The event will end at 5 p.m.
There are always great costumes, prizes, music, free refreshments, carnival games before and after, free raffles and many giveaways,” said Phyllis Battiato, one of the organizers. “Our hope is to make it bigger and better than last year when we had a record number attend. Community spirit is important!”
This year’s sponsors include the Chester Kiwanis Club, the Village Police Benevolent Association, and the Chester Parks and Recreation Department.
By Christian Livermore
September 03, 2008
Orange and Rockland Utilities customers will pay 35 percent less for electricity this month than last month.
The utility has set its residential electricity supply charge for September at 7.8 cents per kilowatt hour, down from 16.4 cents per kilowatt hour in August and 16 cents per kilowatt hour in July.
A typical O&R residential electric customer will pay $108.10 for 677 kilowatt hours in September, down from a record high for the company of $166.61 in August, a $58.51 drop.
The 7.8-cent rate is the lowest since November 2007.
The reduction was driven by a substantial drop in fuel costs to generate electricity, said O&R spokesman Mike Donovan.
"We've seen those prices drop also in our everyday lives, when we drive up to the gas pump," he said.
Market supply charge for electricity accounts for about 70 percent of the overall bill. The rest comes from the delivery charge.
As with the new lower rates, the higher summer rates were driven by an increase in fuel costs. And O&R wasn't the only one to set record-high rates this summer.
Central Hudson Gas & Electric set its residential bimonthly electricity supply charge for August at 13.6 cents per kilowatt hour, up from 11.4 cents per kilowatt hour in July and 8.6 cents per kilowatt hour a year ago.
O&R just got approval from the state Public Service Commission for a rate hike, and Central Hudson has asked for one, as well.
By John Sullivan
September 01, 2008
Chester — The parties to a lawsuit pitting an injured town police detective against the village and its police officers hope to receive a critical decision in the case by the end of the year.
It was just over three years ago that then-Officer Robert Ferrara collided head-on with an SUV driven by Daniel Mooney. The crash occurred during a July 20, 2005, police chase, in which a drunken Mooney turned off his lights on Greycourt Avenue and sped into Ferrara, who was coming at him the other way, trying to join a pursuit.
The resulting collision left Ferrara's body shattered. He has since been promoted to detective, but has missed work lately because of ongoing surgery for his injuries, said his superiors in the town.
Mooney was found guilty of various assault, vehicular assault and reckless endangerment charges.
Ferrara's civil lawsuit against the Village of Chester, Mooney, Mooney's aunt, Sandra Hopp (who let Mooney use her SUV, despite the fact his license was suspended), and three members of the village police alleges that the defendants' actions resulted in his injuries. In particular, Ferrara claims that village Officers David Hagberg and Timothy McGuire and Sgt. Jim Thornton, who supervised the pursuit, acted outside of police procedure during the chase that Ferrara claims should have been avoided from the beginning.
Mooney's then-girlfriend, Christine Malec, who was in the car with Mooney when it crashed, is also suing the village for her injuries.
An attorney retained through the village's insurance company argued to have the case thrown out under a legal doctrine protecting law enforcement officers from civil liability while performing their duties. State Supreme Court Judge Joseph Owen, however, denied that dismissal last year, sending the case to an appeals court, where it lingers. Attorneys in the case said arguments in the appeal are expected to be heard this month.
Attorneys for the village said they believe the appeals court will grant them the dismissal.
Ferrara's attorney, Frank Zeccola of Goshen, declined to comment at length.
"We've been waiting a long time (to resolve this case)," he said. "We're confident the outcome will be successful."
Ceremony to remember those lost on 9/11
Chester — The public is invited to a ceremony to commemorate the lives of those who died in the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The Chester Kiwanis Club will hold the ceremony at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, at the 9/11 memorial, located in Chester Community Park on Vadala Road.
The Chester memorial, dedicated by the Kiwanis Club four years ago, was the first in the nation to recognize everyone lost on that fateful day in 2001, including those who perished at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the plane crash in Shanksville, Pa. In addition, the memorial pays tribute to the victims of another act of terrorism — the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 — by including the “living American Elm” tree generated from the Oklahoma City site.
The community will offer a special remembrance of the five people from the Chester area who died on 9/11: Thomas Dowd, Thomas Holohan, Lynne Irene Morris, Paul Ruback, and Donald Tuzio.
Members of the local clergy have been invited to conduct the remembrances and to provide inspiration to the living, according to Kiwanis member Ed Stoddard. “We will ask that appropriate signs of memorial and remembrance be shown by those helping to honor these individuals,” he said. “Members of the community and groups and organizations are invited to pause and to take a few moments to celebrate the lives of all of the individuals we lost on 9/11.”
Hills of Chester receives approval — with conditions Close proximity to noisy highway worries town planners
By Edie Johnson
Chester — After years of negotiating and downsizing this subdivision of 24 homes on the Chester-Goshen border, the Chester’s planning board gave its conditional final approval to the Hills of Chester.
One condition is the subdivision’s approval by the Orange County Department of Health, which may take up to nine months. Another is that the developer conduct a traffic and noise study to see how the new houses will be affected by their close proximity to Route 17.
Gerry MacDonald, the town engineer, said the developer had resolved all other technical matters, chief among them the controversial connecting road through Whispering Hills. MacDonald confirmed that it is a town road, and that the 30-day waiting period to hear from the Orange County Planning Department had passed without comment.
While this planning board, and especially its chair, Ray Johanson, had hoped that the stub connection to the Hills of Goshen would be a through road for the sake of interconnectivity, it will be open only to police and fire vehicles and school buses. The Town of Goshen was the municipality that set the limit on the road, so it will be up to Goshen to enforce it, the board maintained.
But a problem remains with the closeness of the new houses to Route 17. A narrow 20-foot buffer will separate the backyards from state highway property. The lowland strip has only a little scrub brush growing on it and will provide little protection from highway noise.
Pulling short of full approval, the board debated the noise problem at length. They considered the fate of those future homeowners when Route 17 becomes an interstate, bringing in even more traffic.
The applicant’s representative said it was not the developer’s responsibility to buffer noise from the highway and suggested, “Let the buyer beware.” Several other developments were built along the highway and were not required to build walls or plant trees, he said.
But deputy chair Barry Sloan and another board member, Don Serotta, disagreed, saying the planning board is responsible for protecting the public.
“Why is it always ‘buyer beware,’ and the town is stuck with a look that doesn’t fit the town and leaves the town with an eyesore?” asked Sloan. “I thought we were here to protect the public’s interest.”
The board considered different types of buffers, including walls, berms, plantings of large trees, and a redesign of the layout to include a wider buffer.
Johanson said he was uncomfortable having the board make decisions about using walls as noise barriers. For one thing, he said, no one on the board is really knowledgeable about their construction. For another, the building and financing of such walls may be the purview of the state transportation department.
Planning board member Frank Gilbert said that in New Jersey, it is always the state transportation department that designs and builds walls. Board member Robert Conklin suggested calling the transportation department in New York State to ask about procedures and designs.
Johanson further argued that the planning board would be asking the applicant to mitigate noise not of its own making. And board members agreed that it may not be appropriate for the board to ask the applicant for noise mitigation when there is no proof of a problem.
In the end it was the planning board’s lawyer, David Donovan, who said the board could issue a negative declaration — that the planning board does not expect the project to have any negative effect — but on the condition that a noise and traffic study is done and its recommendations carried out. Donovan said he was not recommending this option, but only offering it as a choice open to the board.
The planning board liked this option and included it as an addendum to the project’s approval. The applicant is required to hire an expert to do the study in conjunction with the transportation department. The study will be done after current repairs on Route 17 are completed, the board said, because highway construction is causing the traffic to move slowly and make very little noise.
The board asked for the study to be submitted to them in writing along with recommendations for a wall, berm, or plantings.
In other business: Plans for a Korean Catholic church along Route 17M, at the site of Old Route 17M, were presented to the board. A public hearing will be held on this project at the full board’s next meeting on Oct. 1.
School athletes will face new policy
By Linda Smith Hancharick
Chester — September is a clean slate for students — but not necessarily for athletes who will be abiding by the new extra curricular activity policy implemented by the Chester School district just last month.
The three Rs will definitely affect who plays on the sports fields this fall. But the first five weeks are somewhat of a catching up period for those who failed more than one subject in the spring. According to the policy, any student who fails more than one subject must attend study sessions and not participate in the extra-curricular activity except for practices. Since the policy was just adopted a few weeks ago, students who failed more than one subject in the spring will attend study sessions beginning on Sept. 8 but will be allowed to participate in competition. If after five weeks a student is failing more than one subject, the policy will go into full effect, and the student will not be allowed to play.
“We’re going to give them every opportunity to succeed,” said Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston.
She said the guidance department pulled up the final report cards distributed in June of all athletes who will compete this fall. Of those, three football players and three boys varsity soccer players would have lost their eligibility to compete based on the new policy. Livingston said the number might be fewer depending on summer school attendance, figures that she did not have at the board meeting. No one from the girls soccer team or the cross-country team falls into the category.
Livingston conferred with Jason Closs, the athletic director, and Leslie Hyatt, the high school principal, and decided the study sessions would begin on Sept. 8. The students who failed subjects in June may attend practice after completing the 45-minute study sessions four days each week. But five weeks is the deadline for pulling up the grades.
“As long as we’re only giving five weeks,” said board of education member Frank Sambets. “That’s the drop dead date.”
That date would be Oct. 10.
The school’s Academic Eligibility Committee will review the academic records of students participating in any extra-curricular activity before the activity begins and in five-week intervals. The committee is made up of the building administrator, athletic director, a guidance counselor, and a faculty representative.
Livingston explained last month that the policy is not so restrictive that it won’t allow kids to work their way back to competing or performing.
“We are saying they must attend the study sessions and if practice or rehearsal is still going on, they may attend,” she said.
District sets goals for 08-09 school year
Chester — As the new school year began this week, the Chester School Board and administrators shared their goals for the district. Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston outlined those goals last week, with increasing student achievement and meeting student needs as goal one.
”We would like to see an increase in student achievement across the board,” said Livingston. “We want to see a higher percentage of students at 85 percent and over on Regents.”
The percentages which will be determined after discussions with the teachers and set in October, she said.
The objective ultimately is to see a higher percentage of students in grades three through eight taking the state assessments scoring at levels 3 and 4, as well as those taking the Regents’ exams scoring an 85 or over.
The second goal for the district is to ensure quality instruction throughout the entire district. In order to achieve that goal, Livingston said, the district will take a four-pronged approach. First, they will review and assess hiring and retention practices with a focus on professional development for teachers and staff. Next, the district will ensure the appropriate supervision of those giving instruction. Third, the district will continue to review and assess evaluation protocol through administrative team meetings. Finally, the district will ensure consistent quality instruction in co-curricular and athletic experiences.
Goal three is to enhance productive district-community communications. For many years, board members and residents have implored the district to provide better communication with the public, especially when crafting its budget. To that end, the district plans to create and implement a district media plan, including the addition of a public relations person.
“I think we should move forward and get a public relations person to get the word out,” said board member Frank Sambets.
Livingston agreed, but with only three board members at last week’s meeting, said the topic will be discussed further when the full board was present.
The fourth goal is to maintain a solid financial status and manage the tax burden while sustaining quality educational programs in the district.
”We will look at what we have and see what has priority over others,” said Livingston. “Funds are not infinite. The district must seek ways to ensure reasonable tax rates.”
Livingston said this goal is on-going and looked at every year.
These goals were presented to the faculty and staff on opening day this week.
Village sets moratorium to study hazards of outdoor furnaces
By Susan Cornell
Chester — Building Inspector John Orr pointed Monday night to a 45-page cautionary document titled “Smoke Gets in Your Lungs,” published in March by the state Attorney General’s Office.
Orr asked the Chester Village Board last month to consider a moratorium on outdoor furnaces, saying the smoke could prove harmful, especially to those with respiratory ailments.
Several people who sell and install furnaces disagreed at Monday night’s public hearing on the moratorium. But in the end, the village board voted 4 to 1 to pass a six-month moratorium so that they could study the issue further.
Trustee John Reilly voted against the moratorium, saying it should be done during a more reasonable time of year. The burning season will be over when the moratorium is lifted, he said.
Cliff Robinson told the board he has spent five years installing wood furnaces. A lot of inaccuracies were being presented about their supposed hazards, he said.
A 2006 test that showed the degree of particulate matter emanating from the furnaces was flawed, he said, and better tests have since been developed that show the furnaces to be much less harmful.
He noted that burning gas and oil also produces pollution and a “hodgepodge” of cancer-causing chemicals.
Larry Walsh, a wood-burning stove installer, pointed out that the Federal Environmental Protection Agency has approved wood-burning furnaces.
He said the gasification units in these stoves are 80 percent efficient when burning properly seasoned wood, coal, and corn. If you burn something like garbage, it voids your warranty, he said.
Bob Nininy, a wood-burning furnace owner who lives out of the area, said some restrictions may be needed. But he said wood stoves are really saving people in these days of spiraling fuel costs.
And, he said, most of the smoke coming out of chimneys comes from burning wood with too much moisture.
Board members said there was no way to control what people will burn in their furnaces.
Jim Wicks said that because wood is a local renewable crop, the use of wood-burning stoves should be encouraged. He also asked the board to look at the best burn practices.
In other business
• Building Inspector John Orr reported that the Lowe’s home improvement center is continuing its site work, with a November opening planned. Water Commissioner Thomas Becker said the pressure tests at the site were completed, with no problems showing up.
• Police Chief Peter Graziano introduced three new part-time police officers: Jason Andino, Luis Caquais, and Julian Dwornik.
• Graziano also brought up problems on Academy Avenue, and suggested that the board consider eliminating parking and reducing the speed limit on the road. Mayor Valastro said the board will present a proposed law at future meeting and set up a public hearing.
• Colonial Lanes will hold a bowl-a-thon on Oct. 18 to increase awareness of epilepsy in Orange County.
• The board approved Clayton Delaney restaurant’s plans for a 20th anniversary pig roast to be held from 2 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 4.
• The next village board meeting will be held on Oct. 6 because of the Columbus Day holiday.
County picks Mountco for LaGuardia buyer
By Edie Johnson
Chester — The fate of the former Camp LaGuardia homeless shelter has finally been settled, with the county’s decision last week to sell the 258-acre campus to Mountco Construction and Development Corp.
Mountco, based in Westchester County, has proposed a mix of senior citizen and other housing, along with offices, shops, and a branch of Mount Saint Mary College in a walkable community.
Chester Town Supervisor Steve Neuhaus said all three municipalities involved - the town and village of Chester and the town of Blooming Grove -- favored the Mountco bid because it would be the least intrusive, because the principals were willing to work through the approvals “no matter what it takes,” and because Mount Saint Mary supported it.
“You have worked with us all along, and we will show that we are willing to work with you,” Neuhaus told the legislature. “We need to get this moving so it will be back on the tax rolls.”
And he then delivered the county some good news: the lion’s share of the property, which is in the town of Chester, will be taken off the tax rolls until the sale is final.
Mount Saint Mary will lease 20,000 to 40,000 square feet of the property, depending on its needs. Neuhaus said he wants to enter into an agreement with the college detailing how much it will pay the town in lieu of taxes. He also wants to know what Mountco will pay, which will depend on how many homes are actually approved.
No one is happy about the 800 residences Mountco has proposed for the campus, so the towns are set to negotiate.
“Not one thing will happen in our zoning without our board being involved,” Neuhaus assured the public.
Not all legislators were pleased with the Mountco selection. Tom Pahucki of Goshen said he would have preferred that the towns buy the property to resell as they saw fit.
“I think Orange County can do better than what we have here, with the densities that this is going to burden these communities with, and the overburdening of the infrastructure with this density,” he said. “This is lunacy.”
“I’m not crazy about this either,” said Tony Marino of Newburgh. “I feel we will be here two years from now, trying to decide what to do with this white elephant.”
Wayne Decker of Cuddebackville said “it feels like deja vu all over again.
“If we are to sell this property, that’s when the real work begins,” he said. “This will put a great weight on the administrators of the three towns. They are the ones that are going to have to shoulder this burden.”
The final vote was 18-2 in favor of Mountco, with Pahucki and Jeffrey Berkman of Middletown dissenting.
Towns set to negotiate
Some legislators said they wanted to put Mountco on a timetable for payments, and to get more money up front beyond the $2 million down payment Mountco has offered.
But Neuhaus said that he and the village mayor, Phil Valastro, and the Blooming Grove supervisor, Charlie Bohan, plan to work out a sliding scale for payment based on the number of homes. Mountco is willing to pay $12 million if all 800 units are proposed. The county wants at least $8.5 million out of the deal.
At the Chester town board meeting Tuesday night, Neuhaus described a scenario where, if everyone gives a little, the number of houses could be cut in half, with a large number of the units senior citizen housing. Officials favor senior housing because it would be less burdensome to the Monroe-Woodbury school district than a housing development populated by growing families.
But while his fellow board members suggested passing a resolution to show their support of Mountco, Neuhaus recommended they hold off until they get more details in writing.
In addition to the contested number of homes, Mountco has proposed a “new urbanism” design with a retail square, apartments, a “pizza farm,” and an agro-tourism feature showcasing a part of Chester’s famous black dirt region.
The other serious bidders included Michael Parlamis, who wanted to found a Greek-American university on the site, and Easy Equities, which wanted to build houses and a hotel.
Last week in front of the legislature, Stan Herman, a business consultant representing Easy Equities, gave one last pitch on behalf of his client, Jacob Selechnik. After coming close to approving Easy Equities, the county balked once discovering the wide media coverage Selechnik has received over the years as one of New York City’s most notorious landlords.
Herman complained that his client was treated unfairly in not getting a chance to present his proposal, which would have paid $12 million up front, and with half the housing density of the other proposals because of its hotel and recreational facilities. But Legislator Alan Seidman of Salisbury Mills shot him down rather abruptly, saying it was simply not true that the Easy Equities plan would offer fewer houses.
The next step in the Mountco deal is for County Executive Ed Diana to negotiate a contract. The completed contract will then go back to the Physical Services Committee, and back again to the full legislature for final approval. The process is expected to take one to two months. Mountco expects to break ground in 18 months.
Art in the park
Zac Shavrick with a portion of his sculpture, “Dumpster Divers.”
Large-scale sculpture to be installed in Chester’s industrial park
Chester — Industrial parks don’t have to be boring. As one young artist discovered, they can serve as the perfect showcase for sculpture — especially when the sculpture is made with over two tons of steel and thousands of welds.
The creation embodies two and half months of non-stop work by the 21-year-old Zac Shavrick of Ferndale. Brakewell Steel Fabricators Inc., located at 55 Leone Lane in Chester’s industrial park, commissioned the work for its front lawn.
“Most people think that this is just an industrial park,” said Dan Doyle of Brakewell Steel, which specializes in twisting steel to any purpose, from snowplows to trash bins for the New York City subway. “Since so many people drive by, I thought we could do something to make it more of an experience — something uniquely whimsical for the passing cars to see.”
An unveiling reception for Shavrick’s sculpture, titled “Dumpster Divers,” will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Twelve figures rise out of a dumpster in this massive installation, which is 12 feet wide and 14 feet high. It is Shavrick’s largest piece so far. Each figure holds a different tool used by fabricators to bend, shape, cut and weld steel.
Shavrick’s style shows strong influences from underground comics, and is reminiscent of the drag racing monster bubble gum cards of Big Daddy Roth’s Rat Fink art from the 1960s.
“This piece is really an autobiography,” Shavrick said. “It illustrates the evolution of my sculptural career and depicts my relationship with Brakewell.”
Shavrick has been creating objects out of steel as far back as he can remember. His father is sculptor.
“I’ve had permission to raid Brakewell’s scrap steel dumpster since I was a little boy,” he said. “It makes sense that I would create a sculpture for Brakewell.”
He sells his sculpture at art exhibitions and on the Web. He’s even sold some pieces to rock stars like Ozzy Osbourne and John Rzeznick of the Goo Goo Dolls.
This isn’t the first sculpture to find a home on Brakewell’s front lawn. Three large figures of fabricated steel painted red, white, and blue have lined Leone Lane for years. Since the roads through Chester’s industrial park are a common shortcut between Kings Highway and Route 94, these pieces are well-known to passers-by.
“I tell people that they are rocket launchers,” Doyle joked. “They are in fact experimental beach erosion arrestors, designed to slow or stop waves from eroding sand from high value beaches.”
For more information, visit Shavrick’s Web site at zacmax.com. Brakewell’s site is at www.brakewell.com.
Kids start homecoming tradition in Chester
Parade will kick off from Chester Academy at 10 a.m. on Sept. 27
By Linda Smith Hancharick
Chester — Senior class President Briana Taylor and fellow classmate Sean Thomas had an idea: Why not have a homecoming parade in Chester? So inspired, they set out to start a new community tradition.
On the first day of school they approached their principal, Leslie Hyatt, who was as enthusiastic about the idea as they were themselves. Less than two weeks later, the plans are final and the preparations are in full swing, thanks to quick approvals from town, village, and school district officials, and enough enthusiasm from the student body and its advisors to propel the effort forward.
“We want to start this tradition,” said Briana. “Chester is such a close-knit community. Why don’t we have a parade? Sean and I decided we’d do it.”
She went to both the town and village board meetings, where she received an enthusiastic reception. Last week she presented the idea in detail to the school board and met pretty much the same response.
“This sounds like a great idea,” said board member Frank Sambets.
“This is commendable,” added fellow board member Joan Donato. “The community needs to see how motivated you are.”
Even Village of Chester Mayor Philip Valastro was on hand to show his support.
“I was very excited when I heard this,” he said. “It’s bringing school spirit to the community. And I think Miss Taylor is right — they should do this every year.”
After all of the approvals, Briana and Sean had to go before the toughest crowd of all: the students. On Tuesday, the school assembled to hear Briana lay out the plan. Each grade in the high school would assemble a float reflecting the chosen theme of the parade, patriotic songs. Only recyclable materials will be used on the float. And the timetable is pretty short — the parade will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27.
At first, Briana wasn’t sure the idea would fly with the students.
“The kids seemed kind of skeptical,” she said. “But as the day went on, their enthusiasm grew.”
And they are getting some help along the way. The Varsity Club is donating $50 to each of the four classes to help with supplies. Briana said they are looking for donations, including the use of tractors and trailers for the floats.
And if having a spirited parade in the community isn’t enough, the project got even better this past weekend.
“One parent came up with the idea to make it a food drive too,” Briana said. “A truck is going to follow the parade, and spectators are encouraged to donate food for the Chester Food Pantry.”
So now it’s down to business for the students. They will be designing the floats, measuring for materials, and then putting it all together.
“We only have a week and a half to pull it off,” Briana said. “There’s lots of engineering to do, and that’s the hardest thing. But it will be so worth it. In this community, it can totally be done.”
Police are investigating assault in Academy Avenue residence
Chester — The Village of Chester Police are investigating the Sept. 12 attack of an Academy Avenue resident.
According to the police report, three unknown male suspects entered the apartment at 11 Academy Avenue in the Academy Hills residential development in the village. They confronted the resident, who was returning home at approximately 6:15 a.m. from working overnight.
The resident was assaulted and sustained minor injuries. It is unknown at this time whether anything was stolen from the apartment.
The three suspects wore all-black clothing and fled on foot in the direction of Main Street, according to the police report. The police believe this is not a random attack.
No arrests have been made at this time, and no further information is available, according to the police. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information may call the Village of Chester Police at 469-4111
The village police department was assisted by the New York State Police ID Unit, and the police departments in the towns of Chester and Goshen.
The Chester Park and Recreation Commission did an outstanding job of making the community happy at its end-of-summer concert on Saturday, as seen by the smile on every face. It was apparent that the children were not the only ones who enjoyed the entertainment provided by Crazy Tyrone. The bands Second Nature and the Hudson Blues also performed for the crowd. Town of Chester Police Sergeant Daniel Doellinger estimated attendance at over 200 people. Next up: the park commission’s kite fest on Saturday, Sept. 20
Three break into apartment, assault and rob tenant
CHESTER – Police are looking for three men in connection with an apartment break in at 11 Academy Avenue in the Village of Chester on Friday morning. Police believe the attack was not random.
Village Police Chief Peter Graziano, Jr. said the three men, all wearing black clothing, confronted the resident who was returning from work overnight. He was assaulted and sustained minor injuries.
Undetermined items were taken before the three robbers fled on foot toward Main Street.
If police catch the suspects, they plan to charge them with home invasion robbery in the first degree and burglary in the first degree.
Anyone with information is asked to call Chester Village Police at 845-469-4111.
Chester Police were assisted by State Police ID Unit, and Chester and Goshen town police.
September 25, 2008
MIDDLETOWN — Orange Regional Medical Center will be hosting a job fair 1-6 p.m. Thursday at the Holiday Inn in Middletown.
Managers, recruiters and staff will be available to answer questions about employment opportunities at the hospital. Orange Regional offers a wide range of employment opportunities, including nursing, the allied health professions, finance, information technology and clerical positions.
How Wall Street is playing on Main Street
By Pamela Chergotis
Goshen and Chester — With the federal government in a huddle over the meltdown on Wall Street, there’s been a lot of talk about how the crisis will affect Main Street.
Will students be able to get college loans? Have realtors and developers scaled down their plans in anticipation of a market with fewer buyers and less credit?
Will towns be forced into big tax increases to make up for declines in revenue from mortgage and sales taxes? Will they be able to maintain the same level of service?
The Chronicle asked several community leaders how they see the future from this early and uncertain stage of the crisis. Although everyone agreed the situation was grave, many welcomed the opportunity the crisis presents to get back to basics. Many of their answers will surprise you.
Jean Rowe, Executive Director
Builders Association of the Hudson Valley
Rowe sees the good and the bad. Many local people work on Wall Street, and they are losing their jobs. But she expects that mortgage rates will continue to stay low.
She’s seen tough times before, especially the housing slump of the early 1990s — “and we got over that hurdle okay.”
“The unknown is the frightening task that’s out there,” she said.
Rowe said today’s economic problems were caused by lenders extending far too much credit on terms that were far too generous. Now, she said, the criteria for obtaining credit “will be more stringent, as it should be.”
Some members of her association called last week’s sudden tightening of credit an “overcorrection.” She’s heard about deals that have fallen through even though the purchaser had a solid credit line.
But she believes the pendulum will swing back to a more reasonable middle position.
“It’s time to get back into a realistic balance,” she said.
Joel Mounty, President
Mountco Construction and Development of Scarsdale
Joel Mounty is poised to become one of area’s the biggest developers, with his plan to put 800 houses, offices, shops, and a college on the former Camp LaGuardia site in Chester.
He is not discouraged by the turmoil on Wall Street. In fact, he said, “timing is more important than ever” for a development like his because it will satisfy the coming demand for affordable and workforce housing - with “affordable” meaning for senior citizens and medium-income families, and “workforce” for the professional class, like doctors and lawyers.
More foreclosures means more people without homes, he said.
“Housing in this area was in short supply before,” he said. “Now the problem will be dire.”
Does he expect getting money for his project to be difficult?
“Financing is always a problem,” he said. But his company is big, well-established, and has links to many solid financial institutions, he said.
Still, he said, it will take some work.
More than before?
“Wall Street is in flux right now,” he said. “Ask me Friday.”
Roy Reese, Superintendent
Goshen Central School
The Goshen school district has already been affected by financial jitters. Last year voters turned down a $70 million capital improvement, and in the spring voted down the budget.
But Superintendent Roy Reese said the district is in the best possible position to meet the crisis because school tax increases during his tenure have been kept to under 5 percent or, in the case of the current budget, slightly over.
“We’ve tried to hard to reduce our spending as much as possible,” he said.
People sometimes have difficulty adapting to reduced services. For example, to save money on fuel, the district this year shortened bus routes and consolidated bus stops, which has angered many parents. He has also had to cut staff this year.
The reports from Albany aren’t encouraging. News briefs from associations representing superintendents and school boards in New York are all predicting shortfalls in state aid, he said.
“It certainly has everyone’s attention,” he said of the crisis. “If it means we have to make further cuts, we will.”
Steve Neuhaus, Supervisor
Town of Chester
The good news from the Chester supervisor is that he expects to keep next year’s tax increase to 2 or 3 percent. He said it is more important than ever to hold the line on spending, with revenue from mortgage and sales tax already significantly down in the last year.
He said compared the town’s dependence on these wildly fluctuating sources of revenue to “living like a junkie.” He wants the town to live within its means, with or without them.
Neuhaus said town departments have adopted stricter procurement policies and have been instructed not to spend more next year than they have spent this year. He wants water districts to pay their own way and police cars with greater fuel efficiency. But he doesn’t want to “let things go and then get clobbered with a 20 percent increase all at once.”
“The economy is having a huge effect on the area,” he said. The management of Lowe’s home improvement center, soon to open in Chester, told him they received more than 1,000 applications, many from people with college or post-graduate degrees.
“That’s very indicative of where the local economy is right now,” he said.
As he goes door to door campaigning for Councilman Jerry Murray, who is up for election this November, he is discovering just how worried people are about their financial future.
“It will be a rough year,” he said.
Doug Bloomfield, Supervisor
Town of Goshen
Supervisor Doug Bloomfield knows that many Goshen residents have jobs on Wall Street. And he knows that when people lose their jobs, they are often unable to meet basic obligations like taxes and sewer fees.
He said Goshen has 26 houses in foreclosure, evenly split between village and town. The boom times are over.
“In the past we got money from New York State,” he said. With Governor Paterson’s tough talk about reining in spending, he said, “that could very well dry up.”
He predicted that revenue from sales and mortgages taxes will be off next year. “It’s already off this year,” he said.
Like others in charge of big budgets, he sees to-the-bone cuts as the best way to meet the financial crisis.
“I just charged the town board last night to take this very, very seriously,” he said on Tuesday.
The town plans to continue its policy of saving for future purchases instead of borrowing, and to keep services at their current level, he said. “But I’m sure we’ll have to make adjustments.
“I feel confident about this board,” he continued. “We have a lot of businesspeople on it who know what they’re doing.”
Ann Garti, Chief Executive Officer
Orange County Realtors Association
Ann Garti has seen home prices deteriorate in Orange County. But she sees the bright side.
“Ultimately it will bring more people into the marketplace that have been priced out,” she said. “A good market doesn’t mean that prices have always to be rising. There should be balance.”
She believes credit will be harder to come by.
“I’m not convinced that is a bad thing,” she said. “There are probably some people who should not be buying a home.”
While she never foresaw the magnitude of the current crisis, she did think that people were taking on too much debt when home prices were at their height.
“There was lots of concern about how people were using their homes as cookie jars and taking money out,” she said. “That’s not what a home is about. It’s about shelter, lifestyle, and building financial security. Taking the equity out of your home doesn’t build financial security.”
She said there is a “pervasive feeling of entitlement” in society today. She looks forward to “a return of the old way.”
“You just don’t appreciate it until you’ve worked for it,” she said.
John Ivankovic, Director of Financial Aid
Orange County Community College
John Ivankovic said college-bound students don’t need to defer their plans even if credit becomes scarce.
Students at Orange County Community College receive the federal Stafford Loan, which is guaranteed by the Department of Education. The spending limits even went up $2,000 this year: $5,500 for dependent freshmen, and up to $10,500 for independent sophomores. Tuition at the college is about $3,300, a fraction of the tuition at private four-year institutions.
Ivankovic said students planning to attend a four-year university can save money by going to a community college for the first two years. They can transfer 60 credits from OCCC to a four-year university and save a bundle in the bargain.
Ivankovic hasn’t seen many students choose this option, but believes it will become more commonplace in a tough economy.
He encourages students and their parents to consider whether their choice of college is rational or emotional.
“There’s no right or wrong here, but if you look at it from a money point of view, community college is the way to go,” he said.
Joe Giglio, Agent
State Farm Insurance, Goshen
Joe Giglio predicts that the country is headed for a repeat of the Great Depression. But he said it will be “worse this time because the government is going to cause this one.”
“There is nothing you can do except sit tight and try to economize,” he said.
His worries started during the time of high home prices. He was writing policies for house purchases with slim down payments of 1 to 3 percent.
“They weren’t really investing much,” he said.
Complicating matters is New York State’s tax rate, one of the highest in the nation. He blames taxes for an exodus that has lost him customers.
“The number one reason why people leave me is they move,” he said. “Taxes are driving them out.”
He called the proposed federal buyout of Wall Street as “a tremendous power grab.
“When Chavez did this, taking over oil companies, nationalizing this and that, they said, ‘He’s a big socialist,’” he said. “But we’re doing the exact same thing. Capitalism is under assault.
“But I’m an optimist,” he continued. “The American people are very resilient.”
Board member criticizes extra-curricular policy
Chester — Wendy Murray missed the Aug. 28 meeting, when the school board decided to implement the extra-curricular policy a bit differently than had been discussed earlier.
Murray, a BOCES teacher and Chester school board member, had commented extensively on the policy throughout the process of putting it together. She was disappointed that it didn’t go into full effect this fall.
“We said all along it would be in effect in the fall and it isn’t,” said Murray to her fellow board members and to Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston.
At the crux of the discussion is the new policy stating that anyone participating in extra-curricular activities — sports, clubs, drama club — who fails more than one subject must attend five-week study sessions and not participate in the activity except for practices and rehearsals until grades improve. The policy was adopted last month. And while those who failed in the spring should have been held to this standard, according to Murray, they were not. Instead, the board agreed with Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston to give those students the five weeks of study sessions, which started on Sept. 8, while allowing them to participate in the activities. If after five weeks they are still failing, the policy will go into full effect, the board decided.
Livingston said the new policy wasn’t advertised and, with some sports having only one game or meet per week, it brought up serious concerns for the kids.
“We want to give them the opportunity to play,” Livingston said. “Those failing (in the spring) would have to take study sessions for five weeks and then their grades would be looked at.”
The same criteria will be in place for the clubs, which started last week.
Murray disagreed, saying the policy should have been implemented fully from the get-go.
“We’ve been public about the discussions,” she said. “We discussed it constantly throughout the summer. Football, soccer, cross country and clubs — it includes them but it’s not being handled the way it will be in the second quarter, third quarter and fourth quarter. We said all along it would be effective in the fall. It isn’t.”
“I don’t happen to agree,” Livingston said. “I made the choice to implement it a little differently.”
Livingston said that the policy would be in full swing soon.
“By basketball season, they will have known the policy by then.”
The study sessions are open to all students, according to high school Principal Leslie Hyatt, whether they participate in extra-curricular activities or not.
“The sessions are available to all students,” said Hyatt. “We encourage all students who fail to go to the study sessions. With sports and athletes they want that privilege. There is a lot of concern by the kids, and that’s good. If kids don’t want to go or parents don’t want them to, I can’t make them.”
“We don’t have the leverage over the other students,” board member Frank Sambets commented, as compared to those in clubs, sports, and drama.
Still, Murray was not satisfied with the way it will remain.
“These are all privileges,” said Murray, who had commented throughout the discussions that asking kids to pass their classes was not asking too much of them. “First and foremost our job is to educate them.”
‘Not One More’ raises awareness about teen fatalities
Chester — The Chester Union Free School District in coordination with The Orange County STOP DWI will be presenting the “Not One More” Forum on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. in the Chester Academy Auditorium.
“Not One More” is a public campaign begun by the Times Herald Record to raise awareness of teen fatalities and what we can do as a community to make teens safer drivers and passengers. The purpose is to educate and persuade inexperienced teens about the dangers they face behind the wheel.
At this forum there will be several speakers from the Chester Community. One young man involved in a teen driving accident will share his story of how his accident has affected his life and the life of his family.
Please join us for this very important presentation for parents and students in grades eight through twelve only. Let’s join together to continue our work to keep our students safe.
For further details please contact Mrs. Nunez at 469-2178 ext. 2210 or by email at nnunez@chester.ouboces.org
‘The Karaoke Crime Scene’ murder mystery set for Oct. 12 in Chester
CHESTER — The Chester Kiwanis Club will hold its first murder mystery dinner at the Jester Restaurant and Pub in the Castle on Route 17M on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
The play, “The Karaoke Crime Scene,” features a wacky team of paranormal investigators, working for “Crime Seen Magazine.”
The team of paranormal investigators takes on the job of finding out if the rundown and abandoned Flamingo Bar is really inhabited by spooky characters.
Cast includes Snoodie Nozes (Mary Mirabella), Woolee Boogher (Cristopher X. Crance), Droopie Draws (Maggie Greener), Narlee Kneez (Jim Burtis), Poofee Airdoo (Norma Stoddard), Luke E. Trumee (John Vero) and Misty Substance (Sue Bahren).
Tickets are $40 per person or $35 per person for seniors over 65. Price includes a buffet and show. A cash bar is available.
For information and/or tickets, contact Barbara Mutino at 469-9404.
By Nancy Kriz
CHESTER — Ozzie, a blonde, tan, and very hairy Pomeranian, sat on Erin Carhart’s lap this past Wednesday at the Chester Town Hall. He munched on granola snacks offered by the town clerk, Betty Ann Reilly. The little dog was oblivious to his role in turning Carhart’s life around.
Who would have thought a routine errand to renew a dog license would lead to a successful kidney transplant by a living donor?
Last month, Carhart received a kidney donated by Reilly.
“I have so much energy now that I don’t know what to do with myself,” Carhart said. “I’m a new person. It’s unbelievable. You forget over time what it feels like to feel normal and to feel good. I have a whole different outlook on everything. My fiancé and I are finally talking about getting married next year, and I want to go back to work.”
Her wedding plans had been on hold. But Joe Simonetti “re-proposed” to her while she was in the hospital. He reminded her of how much he loved her. He said he wanted their wedding date to be Aug. 8, 2009, their anniversary.
Reilly has also undergone a transformation. When her husband and son told her that her kidney was working in Carhart’s body, “it was like someone had just given birth,” she said. “It was really a truly joyous occasion. It’s a miracle what medical science can do. I just happened to have had a piece of the puzzle.”
Ten tough years
Carhart’s story began about 10 years ago, when doctors concluded that both her kidneys had failed due to an infection of unknown cause.
Her first kidney transplant came from a cousin, but was rejected. Powerful immunosuppressant drugs failed, and so did the kidney.
Carhart was on hemodialysis until tests revealed that her best friend was a match. But six days after her second operation, she developed an unexpected blood clot. The kidney needed to be removed, and she was back on hemodialysis.
For almost 18 months, Carhart endured four-hour hemodialysis treatments three times a week while the donor search continued. At the time, transplant experts said she had a seven- to nine-year wait for a cadaver kidney. But they said a kidney from a live donor would be the better route because those transplants are more successful.
In an article published in The Chronicle last October, Carhart remained hopeful that a third living donor could be found.
“Dialysis is just survival,” she said then. “But a transplant lets you have a life. I know it’s the best choice. There are people out there. I just have to find them.”
And through a simple, chance encounter at town hall, she did.
A chance encounter
One day late last fall, Carhart’s mother, Jean, was renewing Ozzie’s license when she bumped into Reilly.
“I knew of Erin’s plight,” recalled Reilly, who lives about three blocks from the Carharts. “It’s a small community here. I used to ask a mutual friend about how she was doing.”
While Ozzie’s paperwork was being processed, Jean told Reilly that her daughter badly needed a transplant. She pulled out a letter she always carried with her asking for help finding a donor.
Reilly was aware of the Chronicle article, and that a few people had called the Carharts expressing an interest in being tested. None were matches.
Reilly told Erin’s father, Robin, that she was willing to be tested.
“A few weeks later, I got the news I wasn’t expecting,” Erin Carhart recalled. “Betty Ann Reilly was a match. I had so many antibodies from a blood transfusion and the two kidney transplants that I knew it would be a really hard match to make.
She was in the car with her mother when she got the news.
“We both were crying,” she said. “Then I was thinking, ‘How was I going to tell her (Betty Ann)? And would she do it?’ She was very surprised but more than willing.”
Reilly had yet to tell her husband.
“I said, ‘Remember that kit that came in the mail?’” Reilly recalled. “Well, I’m a kidney donor.”
The couple spoke at length. Her husband wanted to meet Carhart.
“He was the devil’s advocate,” Reilly said. “He wanted to make sure Erin would be sure to take care of herself if she received the kidney. Me, I think with my heart.”
The Reillys met with Erin and her parents for a long talk. Ultimately, Reilly’s husband put himself in the parents’ position.
“If it were our daughter, he would want someone to help,” she said. “We would go forward, but we were going to include our children and wanted them to support our decision. And the Carharts assured us that if we changed our minds, it was okay and they still had hope.”
A bond forged by fate
With her children’s blessing, Reilly underwent additional testing, including psychological testing, “to make sure you’re sound and you know what you’re doing,” she explained.
After a few setbacks in Carhart’s health, surgery took place Sept. 12 at New York Presbyterian Medical Center.
“As soon as I woke up and I knew everyone was okay and the kidney was working, it was such a relief,” Carhart said. “It was the weirdest thing. As soon as I woke up, I was in pain but my whole body felt so much better. I didn’t have those flu-like symptoms of aches and chills and feeling so tired. I told my parents, ‘I feel better already. I can really feel it.’”
Carhart had what is considered conventional surgery. Reilly’s operation was done laproscopically, which is now the standard for most live donor transplants.
Why did she want to donate her kidney to someone she barely knew?
“I didn’t think of it as a great, big deal that a lot of people think of it as,” she said. “It just seemed right. We were trying to give someone an opportunity for a better life, that’s why we pursued it. There wasn’t any other reason. I treat people the way I would want to be treated.”
Carhart is still recovering from surgery and is getting settled with the right doses of medications she will need to prevent rejection. She sees her doctors twice weekly for blood tests to make sure all is well.
Carhart calls Reilly “my guardian angel and the toughest guardian angel there is.” Both women feel fate brought them together.
“Just how everything unfolded — timing is everything,” Reilly said. “We have more of an extended family now, Erin and her parents. She is a lovely girl.”
Carhart was equally complimentary. “She’s a strong woman,” she said of Reilly. “She must be a saint.”
But in all of her happiness, Carhart hasn’t forgotten those who still wait.
“A lot of people think of organ donations as you sign a donor card and when you die, then someone can have your organs,” she said. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. A lot of people can be donors with a fairly simple medical procedure. You can do a good deed and keep someone alive while you’re alive. Promoting living donations — that’s going to be one of my missions now.”
People should never give up hope, she said.
“Just when you think things won’t work out, they seem to,” she said. “You never know.”
Roller derby skates into town
CHESTER — Man’s Ruin Roller Derby will present the Iron Maidens against the Murder Hole Madames in “Carnage at the Castle,” to be held on Sunday, Oct. 5, at the Castle Fun Center on Route 17M in Chester. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the game begins at 6:30 p.m.
Adults pay $10 in advance, $12 at the door; children 3 to 12, $5 in advance, $8 at the door. Children 2 and under will be admitted free.
The half-time show includes the Men’s Roller Derby and music by The Emergency.
Man’s Ruin is looking for members to skate on a team or be a referee (we take guys and gals!, their press release says). Participants must be 18 or older, no experience necessary.
Practices are at the Castle from 7 to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 9 to 11 a.m. on Sundays.
For more information e-mail MRRG@hvc.rr.com or visit myspace.com/mansruinrollergirls.
Endangered frog brings state officials to town
Chester and Goshen consider how to protect frog while allowing growth
By Edie Johnson
Chester — You might have called it either a northern cricket frog emergency meeting or a developers’ rights emergency meeting.
The local frog population has attracted the attention of the state, whose representatives came down to Chester last week to meet with an impressive array of town officials, conservationists, developers, and lawyers. Conservationists sought a way to protect the frog, while developers want to move forward with plans they say have been delayed way too long already.
Officials from Chester, Warwick, Florida, Goshen, and Monroe were among those who attended the meeting.
The state regards the shores of Glenmere Lake, in Chester and Warwick, as vital because the northern cricket frog is “found in good numbers” there, said Steve Joulle, a wildlife biologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Only about 20 northern cricket frog sites remain in the whole of the Hudson Highlands and the Shawangunk Ridge, he said.
State conservation officials said they were not in Chester to say yes or no to projects proposed for frog habitat areas, like the Glenmere mansion bed and breakfast and Guiliana Estates, but only to “develop a workable plan.”
Mansion in the middle
Glenmere mansion is a product of the Gilded Age whose guests once included society’s wealthiest and most prominent citizens. The mansion’s current owners said they were investing $25 million in a renovation to turn the building and its historic gardens into a luxurious bed and breakfast, restaurant, and spa.
About six months ago, the state told the Town of Chester to post the site with a stop-work order. The owners have contested the order, saying they might sell the mansion to one of many developers knocking on their door unless the state gives them a break.
Carol Smith, vice-president of Government Initiatives and Special Projects at the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, made an impassioned plea to move the project forward.
Jim Last, a local landscaper, joined in. “This project is huge,” he said. “It has 96 to 100 acres, and they are preserving the whole thing with private funds. They are not clearing it, they are not taking trees out. It is an economic stimulus to the area. We don’t need to slow this down, we need to fast-track it and get some money back into the tax base.”
The lawyer for the owners, Steve Greineke, said a letter sent to the conservation department that suggested there were additional wetlands and migratory paths on the site contained major inaccuracies that took months to correct. The agency should investigate sources of such information before causing hardship to worthwhile projects, he said.
Merriman of the conservation department said the state will study the Glenmere preserve either this fall or next spring to track the frog’s migratory paths more precisely. They also want to study how recreational activities along the shoreline will affect the habitat.
Do frogs help or hurt the water supply?
Those assembled expressed great concern over the safety of Glenmere Lake because of its importance as a water source. But they disagreed on how best to protect it. Some believe protecting the frog protects the water.
“If you save the frog you will be saving the water source, a water source that is pure and potable, worth its weight in gold,” said Sandra Kassam, president of the Stewart Park and Reserve Coalition and a member of the Glenmere Coalition.
But a representative of Glenmere Home Sites said protecting the frog is turning the lake from reservoir to wetland.
“Since 1955, when this was a beautiful pristine lake, it has been turning into a swamp,” he said. “We cannot clean it because of the frogs. It will become a wetland. Some day we may be able to have saved the frogs but we lose the water source.”
Another man said, “I am here for the common man, the guy who can’t be here today because he is at work providing for his family, trying to pay for his groceries and gas. We cannot afford to stall these good projects that will help us.”
The conservation officials said several towns had recommended taking an area-wide approach, but they emphasized it is up to individual applicants to make sure their environmental studies are done right.
“The worst thing is to have to jump in at the last minute,” said Mike Merriman, permits advisor for the conservation department.
Chester town Supervisor Steve Neuhaus invited the panel and other mayors and supervisors to hold more sessions with the conservation department in the future.
Are you registered to vote? Deadline is Oct. 11
The Orange County Board of Elections will hold voting registration days on Saturday, Oct. 11 from 2 to 9 p.m. at its offices at 25 Court Lane in Goshen and at the following locations within the area:
Blooming Grove: Town Hall, lower level, 6 Horton Rd.
Chester: Town Hall, 1786 Kings Highway
Goshen: Town Hall, 41 Webster Ave.
Monroe: John DeAngelis Meeting Room, 15 Lake St.
Tuxedo: Town Hall, 1 Temple Drive
Warwick: Town Hall, 132 Kings Highway
Woodbury: Town Hall Meeting Room, 511 Rt. 32
Residents may also register by mail. Forms are available at any post office or by downloading them www.orangecountygov.com/elections.
All registration forms must be delivered to the board office or postmarked by Oct. 10.
Registered voters who qualify and wish to vote by absentee ballot may apply for a ballot by submitting an application by mail before Oct. 28 or may apply and vote in person at the board offices during regular business hours.
Questions regarding voter registration or absentee voting may be directed to the Orange County Board of Elections at 291-2444 or 879-7655.
DWI passenger assaults village police
Chester — Two Village of Chester Police officers were assaulted on Sept. 28 after stopping a car for a traffic violation.
While the driver was in the process of being arrested for driving while intoxicated, at approximately 1:40 a.m., the defendant, Jamie Manza, 28, of Campbell Hall who was also intoxicated, became belligerent.
While Officer Matthew Cardwell was attempting to arrest Manza, he became combative and struck Cardwell in the face, according to the police report. Cardwell sustained injuries to his face, neck and back.
Officer John Raftery, who assisted Cardwell in the arrest, sustained a sprained thumb and forearm, according to the report.
Both officers were treated and released at Orange Regional Medical Center, Arden Hill Campus.
The defendant was charged with assault in the second degree, a felony; obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor; resisting arrest, a misdemeanor; and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.
Last call: Don’t let stimulus payment pass you by
NEW YORK — The Oct. 15 deadline to file a 2007 income tax return and to receive an economic stimulus payment this year is fast approaching.
This is the deadline for the estimated 346,000 New York retirees and disabled veterans who may be eligible to receive a stimulus payment but who normally don’t file a tax return. It’s also the deadline for the approximately 537,000 people who earlier this year received extensions to file their tax return.
The IRS has yet to hear from an estimated 346,000 New Yorkers who receive certain Social Security benefits or certain Veterans Affairs benefits.
The agency has twice sent letters to this group that included a Form 1040A, a sample form and instructions on sending the return to the IRS.
If it has been misplaced, the fastest way to obtain a Package 1040A-3 is to go to www.IRS.gov or to one of the 24 New York IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers where people can get assistance in preparing the return as well.
A return also can be prepared and submitted for free through Free File which is available at www.IRS.gov.
People must file a tax return in order to receive an economic stimulus payment even if they normally are not required to file a return.
For eligible individuals, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provided for stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples) or the amount of the taxpayer’s 2007 net income tax liability, whichever is less. There also is a $300 payment for each qualifying child. There is an income phase-out starting at adjusted gross income amounts of $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married taxpayers.
For people who have no tax liability and who have no requirement to file a tax return because their income is too low or nontaxable there is a stimulus payment of up to $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the $300 payment for each qualifying child. However, people in this situation must have at least $3,000 in qualifying income from earned income, nontaxable combat pay as well as certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement.
Qualifying income from Social Security includes retirement, disability and survivor benefits. Supplemental Security Income is not a qualifying income. Qualifying income from Veterans Affairs includes disability compensation, disability pension and survivor benefits. Qualifying Railroad Retirement Board benefits include the social security equivalent portion of Tier I benefits. Also, those who are dependents or eligible to be dependents on another’s tax return are not eligible. People must have a valid Social Security Number unless their spouse is a member of the military.
Book and bake sale coming up
Chester — The Friends of the Chester Library are holding their semi-annual book and bake sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Chester Senior Center, located at 1784 Kings Highway (downstairs from the library).
A “Friends-only” preview and book sale will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10. Anyone interested in becoming a friend can sign up at the preview sale.
Books for donation will be accepted at the library. No encyclopedias, textbooks or magazines will be accepted. Donations of baked goods are welcome on the day of the sale.
For more information call the library at 469-4252 or visit www.rcls.org/chs.
Auditors criticize town
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chester purchases without competitive bids
ALBANY — The state Comptroller’s office Wednesday issued a report saying the Town of Chester made hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchases without the benefit of competition.
This was due to a weak procurement policy for the purchase of goods and services, according to an audit released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit, conducted for the period January 2007 to May 2008, also found that the town failed to enter into written contracts for over $226,000 in professional services.
“Public officials have to stretch every tax dollar,” said DiNapoli. “This means having a strong, solid purchasing policy that provides officials with the guidance they need to make educated purchasing decisions on behalf of the taxpayer.”
Auditors reviewed payments made to 31 vendors and found the town did not:
• centralize purchasing, which would have enabled them to make volume purchases at a discount;
• solicit competitive bids for purchases totaling $227,639 from six of the vendors;
• solicit competitive proposals or quotations for any of the eight professional service providers auditors reviewed totaling $285,000; or
• have written agreements with seven of these professional service providers totaling $226,308.
DiNapoli recommended that town officials:
• update the town’s procurement policy to ensure it complies with the State’s General Municipal Law. The policy should include detailed and consistent guidance on competitive bidding, aggregate purchases, emergency purchases, and documentation of purchases;
• establish procedures that require obtaining multiple proposals or quotations when competitive bidding is not required and ensure that goods and services are procured in accordance with the GML and town policy;
• centralize purchasing to ensure the town solicits bids for purchases of goods and services that take advantage of volume discounts; and
• enter into written agreements or pass resolutions for all current and future professional services that detail the services provided and compensation for those services.
DiNapoli’s statement noted that town officials generally agreed with the comptroller’s recommendations, and indicated they would take corrective action.
Supervisor Steve Neuhaus agreed, saying the town had called on the auditor in January for the review. “For the past couple decades, the town has never gotten quotes,” and that policy has since been changed. In addition, a new attorney and contractors have been selected, he said.
Chester will be seeking three competitive bids for all major purposes and make greater use of county and state bidding.“This will be a positive for Chester,” Neuhaus said.
Village Board sets two public hearings
Public hearing on speed reduction and parking restrictions for a few local roads
CHESTER — The village board on Monday scheduled a 7:15 p.m., Nov. 10 public hearing to allow citizens to express comments and concerns about the proposal to restrict parking on Carpenter to one side of the road and reduce the speed limit to 25 mph.
Police Chief Peter Graziano reported this is being done for safety issues. In an effort to make the speed limit reduction of 25 mph uniform in this area, the board included Butler Terrace and School Street to the resolution.
Ed Piatt commented he is all for reducing the speed on Carpenter road but did not understand the parking issue. He indicated that if one side is open it could give cars a clear shot and cars will go faster.
The police say they have had some near misses due to limited site distance.
The board also discussed the resolution and public hearing on the addition of alternates and fees for the planning and zoning boards. The village board has found that in cases where there is a conflict with members or a sickness, an alternate can be seated so there will be a full board reviewing and voting on a particular matter. The public hearing for this will be Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.
Mayor Valastro asked that any residents interested in serving as an alternate on these boards send a letter and resume to the village clerk.
In other business
The building inspector’s report indicated that the Lowes site work continues and a November opening is planned. Provident Bank has been issued a temporary Certificate of Occupancy, while working through some minor issues to finalize the project.
The Chester Movie Theater was issued a renovation permit.
To date there have been no complaints or inquiries from any residents about anything to do with the Wood Burning Furnace Moratorium. The mayor indicated he reviewed some of the maps and there could be a problem with sighting some furnaces away from homes due to lot configurations and neighboring homes.
Chief Graziano reported that police have had 337 arrests this year. This breaks the previous department record of 324 arrests.
The new traffic pattern at Brookside is, right lane for right turn, center is straight, and left is for left. There have been a number of narrow misses; drivers are cautioned when using this intersection.
A tractor trailer driver complained they can’t make a left turn. Nancy Keonis indicated that there is a problem on Deshler with the new traffic pattern. The police chief said he would contact the DOT on this matter.
Water Commissioner Thomas Becker reported he met with engineers about upgrades for the filtration plant this past month. He indicated he did not receive the expected guidelines and timeline for the filtration but wanted to get it to the board so they could use it to possibly secure a second bond.
Orange County Property Tax Services has an approximate, one-acre lot that the board may want to consider purchasing for added protection to Walton Lake. The village board voted to discuss this matter further in executive session.
Tom Becker indicated he has been contacted by the Town of Chester. They are in need of two licensed operators and would like to have Becker cover for the second operator in case of an emergency. He reported to the board that all three of the village’s operators are licensed.
The board also noted that the town would have to reimburse any funds if there was such an emergency. They said that any contracts would have to be reviewed by the village’s attorney, Henry Christensen.
In other discussion, many School Street residents expressed concerns about speeding to the board, requesting the village do something to make it safe for the children.
Rose Christacy indicated there was a “children playing” sign at the end of the street covered by brush. As it is a small street, the children’s safety is the major issue. Janet Land said young school children and speeding traffic are the issue. There is no place to park and the street needs to be paved.
Michael Johnson, and many other residents noted problems with noise.
The Board responded that it would send the highway superintendent as well as the building inspector to the street to see what could be done.
Mayor Valastro explained to the residents that the cost of paving has increased “through the roof.” The Board is doing its best not to have to increase residential taxes.
The Board agreed with Brian Leentjens from the Castle Fun and Jesters, for a letter of no objection and to wave the 30 days for a liquor license so he would not have to be continually applying for a temporary one.
Mayor Valastro reminded everyone that Chester’s annual Halloween Parade will be taking place Oct. 19.
Ed Piatt wad the only resident commenting at the public hearing for the Cold War Veteran Exemption. “Any benefit given to the Veterans is a good idea.” Mayor Valastro indicated that the county has already enacted the same legislation
Highway Department Superintendent Thomas Bell reminded everyone that snow restrictions start on Nov. 1 and will be in effect until April 15.
He also reported that the village will start leaf pickup soon.
Chester team victorious in first ‘Battle of the Books’
CHESTER — The Chester Library team earned bragging rights and the satisfaction of being the best at the recent “Battle of the Books,” an event allowing participants to flex some literary muscle in a friendly rivalry with peers from other towns.
Youths in grades six through 12 living in Orange, Rockland and Sullivan counties were eligible to compete through their public libraries. “The Chester Five” (as the winning team will be known to history) fended off challenges from the Monroe and Stony Point libraries, narrowly winning the inaugural event, organizers said, adding that a team from Warwick also “competed valiantly.”
Chester’s team consisted of Ahsan, Emelia Estep, Abby Hintermeister, Hannah Salzberg and Jesse Schacher. They emerged victorious after two rounds of close competition.
“The library is very proud of these industrious young readers,” said Gabriel J. Wasserman, Chester young adult librarian for Chester. “Moreover, the knowledge and enthusiasm demonstrated by all four teams showed that Battle of the Books is a worthwhile, engaging program that can develop into an increasingly fruitful annual competition among area libraries.”
The contest had a quiz format. Teams were asked to identify which of the eight books contained a particular character, plot twist, setting or some other unique facet. The 2008 books were “American Born Chinese.” by Gene Yang; “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman; “Son of the Mob,” by Gordon Korman; “Twilight,” by Stephenie Meyer; “The Outsiders.” by S.E. Hinton’ “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card; “Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie,” by David Lubar; and “Fever, 1793,” by Laurie Halse Anderson.
The Chester Library will receive a commemorative Battle of the Books plate, engraved with “Chester Public Library” as the 2008 winner. The plate will be on display in the library until another library wins.
The RCLS Battle of the Books was based on a smaller program for younger children in Warwick, run for years by the Warwick Public Library, and a larger program run annually by the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), based in Poughkeepsie.
Questions were contributed by a committee of librarians from Chester, Warwick, Monroe, Stony Point and Central Valley. The committee chose the list of books, developed rules and protocols for the battle. The books were selected on the basis of suitability for the age group, variety of genre, and other qualities.
Sunday’s Halloween parade to offer thrills and chills
Chester — The gang’s all here — and they want you to be part of the fun too. Chester’s popular Halloween parade and community party will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 19, in historic downtown Chester — rain or shine.
“There are always great costumes, prizes, music, free refreshments, carnival games before and after, free raffles and many giveaways,” organizer Phyllis Battiato said. “Our hope is to make it bigger and better than last year when we had a record number attend. Community spirit is important!”
Registration for the parade is at 1 p.m. sharp. The suggested donation is one bag of candy per family. The parade will start at 10 Greycourt Avenue and ends at Vadala Road.
Bring a chair and a bag for your goodies. Carnival games will be available before and after the parade.
The event is sponsored by the Chester Kiwanis, Village Police Benevolent Association, and the Chester Parks and Recreation Commission. For more information call Battiato at 469-4956.
Top 10 fall foliage viewing sites
Looking to admire fall foliage colors? Here’s Hudson Valley Tourism’s top “leaf-peeping” picks:
• John Boyd Thacher State Park, just outside of Albany in Voorheesville.
• Schodack Island State Park in Schodack Landing.
• Olana State Historic Site in Hudson.
• Five State Lookout in East Windham.
• Mohonk Preserve in Gardiner. Set in the Shawangunk Mountains.
• Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park.
• Upper Delaware Scenic Byway in Port Jervis.
• Monteverde at Oldstone Manor in Cortlandt Manor.
• Hook Mountain State Park in Upper Nyack.
For additional information, visit: www.travelhudsonvalley.com, or call 615-3860.
The buzz: Be kind to bees
Local farmers find that TLC and good bee hygiene boosts crop yields
By Edie Johnson
Chester — In this season of abundance, we are fortunate to live among farmers who keep our tables well supplied with fresh fruits and vegetables right through to Thanksgiving. But let us not forget to thank other hard workers on our behalf: those busy pollinators, the bees. Without them, farmers would find nothing in their fields to harvest.
But bees are in danger because of a recent phenomenon called colony collapse disorder, which has dwindled their numbers and threatened a good portion of our food sources. But some local hives, and innovative treatments, may help. This year, hives had to be shipped in from the South to help farmers in Chester and Blooming Grove, and so far they are doing fine.
When not busy at his regular “city job,” Ken Steger raises goats and tends beehives at his Chester home. He bought some imported hives this year along with Guy Jones of Blooming Hill Organic Farm on Route 208 (www.bloominghillfarm.com), which produces organic vegetables for many posh New York City restaurants and markets. He also farms land in Chester’s famous black dirt area and runs a fascinating co-op farm in the mucklands by Otterkill Road under the trestle in Mountainville (pictured below). Jones offers a wide variety of herbs, fruits, vegetables, organic granolas, a secret recipe mint ice tea, and organic farming information (see links on his Web site), and crafts. His farm has been active for over 20 years and is featured in epicurean magazines. Many consider him the local guru of organic and cooperative farming.
Hives from the South were shipped to Jones’ farm before. But 15 years ago, and then twice again last year, a couple of what are known locally as the “Oxford Road Bears” destroyed the hives. Steger and Jones have since moved the hives to the black dirt site, which bears apparently do not like as much.
Foot baths for bees
Steger said local bees are healthy because of the special care and immaculate conditions they enjoy here. His bees are washed daily — not the bees themselves, but the storage frames they live in. It’s called a “foot bath” because the solution used at the entrance of the hive to clean the frames keeps the bees from spreading germs. His bees are also fed a sugar syrup to keep them well-nourished when they do not find nectar in flowers.
Steger attributes the bee crisis across the country to a weakened immune system. Some of the immunity-fortifying species that bees feed on have been nearly eradicated, he explained. And the conditions are unhealthy in some commercial hives, which are often overcrowded and don’t even allow the bees to develop honeycombs.
Jones said he’s seen a significant increase in the yield of his crops because of the bees. One of the more unusual crops grown at Blooming Hill Farm is buckwheat, which Steger uses to make his distinctive honey.
Blooming Hill is not the only farm to benefit from this bee project. Most bees travel six to eight miles in their search for nectar, so they expect other large farms, particularly in Chester, such as Pine Hill Farm and Roe’s Orchards on Route 94, to benefit too.
And these benefits extend beyond crops. As their business grows, local farms are branching out. Pine Hill sells pottery, and Roe’s offers a wide variety of homemade jams in addition to their famous cider.
The threat of sprawl
Some speculate that the bees’ problems are due to urban sprawl. As developers clear ground for new houses, hedgerows and other nectar-gathering grounds are bulldozed. What the bulldozers don’t remove is clipped short by the new homeowner or poisoned with weed killers.
Bees have a very complex social structure that requires a joint effort to develop the myriad combs that make a healthy hive. Limit their choice of flowers, and the bees may be deprived of nectars important to a healthy immune system.
Local planning boards are helping by asking developers to retain hedgerows and buffer lands. There are many benefits to these natural buffers. One of them is providing places where bees can gather nectar.
Recent developments that give hope to farmers include better urban planning, less use of pesticides, and improved organic farming techniques. The average homeowner can help too, by planting a few fruit trees in the yard.
When they swarm in every spring, the bees sip first from dandelions, clover, forsythia, and lilacs. Then they switch to the annual and perennial flowers that brighten our gardens. They proceed finally to our crops, especially cucumbers, squash, grapes, pumpkins, and corn.
With every bite, we can thank the bees for our plenty. Steger and Jones will do their part to make sure they stay happy, healthy, and, as we naturally expect from bees, busy.
Photo by Edie Johnson
Boom and bust
In ancient times, the Pharisees would send bee hives downriver to help establish a new farming community. In more recent times, our own pioneers brought hives from Europe, taking them along as they traveled South and West because they knew they were crucial for a full harvest. Farmers in the 19th century started to build large storage frames that allowed commercial pollination to develop.
Beekeeping has become a big business in the United States. About 1,000 breeders transport bees across the country in huge commercial vans. Commercial breeders winter the bees over in areas of the South so they will be primed to do their work early in the spring. Some farming activities, such as the almond tree groves in California, would be devastated without them.
As recently as the 1940s, the United States boasted 5 million healthy bee colonies. Today, this number has dwindled to about 2.3 million. Experts find diseased and sometimes completely empty hives, and have still not been able to determine where the bees have gone. Sometimes bees will make their hives underground.
These experts say the causes of colony collapse are complex, and that the disorder is not due to one factor alone. But one of the main culprits is a small brown mite, similar to a tick, that came from Asia. In past years beekeepers had antibiotics to keep parasites under control, but they have now developed resistance to the medicine and in recent years bees have been disappearing by the millions.
About bees
Bees include four broad categories that help pollinate crops. About 4,500 species of bees are native to the United States and Canada.
Bees are tended both by small local beekeepers and large commercial breeders. Natural varieties live in the remaining hedgerows and forests. In recent years, bees have been imported from Italy, Russia, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Some of the natural varieties that thrive along local hedgerows seem to have developed hardier strains, and some of the imported bees seem to be resistant to colony collapse disorder. On the other hand, bees imported from Australia are suspected to have brought the current virus in the first place.
Every variety has its own characteristics. Some are friendly, others aggressive and likely to sting. Some are productive, others less so.
Bees produce different flavors of honey, depending on the kinds of nectar they thrive on.
While a queen bee may live several years, worker bees die after they build their hive and bring in the nectar.
On parade
The Chester Fire Department was among the nearly 50 fire companies which participated in last Saturday’s Orange County Volunteer Firefighters Association parade in Harriman.
Free Halloween skating at the Castle on Oct. 25
Chester — The Castle Fun Center in Chester is hosting a free Family Halloween Skate Party on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 7 to 10 p.m., featuring a costume parade, costume contest with prizes and trick-or-treating.
Sponsored by the Village of Chester PBA, the event will also feature roller skating and live music featuring one of the Castle “Battle of the Bands” winners: “Within the Walls.”
Additionally, the Orange County Sheriffs Department will be onsite with its “Operation Safe Child” to provide free child safety ID kits. Both adults and children are invited to dress up.
“We’ve experimented with many different Halloween venues in the past years and have decided to focus on a simple, family focused event for the community,” said Castle owner Brian Leentjes.
For more information call 469-2116 or visit www.thecastlefuncenter.com.
Board, superintendent differ on extra-curricular requirements
By Linda Smith Hancharick
Chester — Six weeks into the school year, some members of the Chester school board and the superintendent disagree on how a newly adopted extracurricular activities policy should be carried out, and when study sessions should be held.
“I don’t quite understand how the procedure Ms. Livingston [the superintendent] wrote matches the policy we put together,” said Wendy Murray, a board member. “There is a problem if our procedure contradicts our policy.”
The superintendent writes procedures to give guidelines on how to carry out district policies.
The school board adopted the policy in August after months of discussion. It states: “The policy is inclusionary and is intended to keep students actively involved in extracurricular activities and to use the positive influence of the advisor/coach to improve their academic performance. This policy intends to allow students to participate in all practices, rehearsals, etc., but not in any contest, event, game, performance, etc. until the academic deficiencies are improved. A student will be considered ineligible to participate in an extracurricular activity if he/she fails more than one subject during any 5-week or 10-week report card cycle.”
The policy goes on to state that eligibility will be reviewed every five weeks. “During that period, students must attend four after-school study periods per week. Students may still participate in extracurricular activities (i.e., practices, rehearsals, meetings) during this period as long as they attend the study sessions.”
Murray questioned the procedure written by Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston, which includes an academic probation and academic restriction period, and specifies failing three or more subjects.
“A student failing one or more subjects will be placed on academic probation for two weeks,” said Murray as she read from Livingston’s procedure. “Any student failing three or more subjects will immediately be placed on academic restriction and will be academically ineligible to participate in after-school activities for a period of at least five weeks.”
“That is what we agreed on,” said Livingston.
“We did not,” Murray said. “I’m concerned with how did we get back to students failing three or more subjects. Our policy doesn’t say anything about three or more subjects.”
Livingston said that when a student fails three or more subjects, “then they’re done” with their season. The policy written and approved by the board is punitive to students and doesn’t give them the opportunity to stay involved in their sport or activity, she said.
“How are you keeping them in the sport?” asked Livingston.
“They can go to rehearsals and practices, just no games,” said Murray. “We were very clear when we wrote this. And now you are letting them do their study sessions during lunch period?”
“Is this about helping students or punishing them?” asked board president John Pasichnyk.
“This is so not a punishment,” said Murray. “I don’t feel there should be flexibility with [study sessions]. We agreed there would be no special arrangements. Mr. Sambets, help me on this.”
Board member Frank Sambets agreed with Murray. “If we start to show flexibility, it has no bite,” he said.
Pasichnyk said he doesn’t see a problem with being flexible on the study sessions.
“This was not designed to punish at all,” Murray added.
Livingston disagreed. She said many parents were already complaining to administrators about the policy.
“This policy is biting just where you wanted it to,” Livingston said.
“We are six weeks into school and 20 kids are failing a subject,” said Murray. “We spent five to six months writing a policy, and we discussed not making changes for specific kids. We made this together. We approved this together. I couldn’t do it myself. If we have varsity kids failing one or more classes, we have big problems. If they don’t pass their classes, they don’t graduate. If our students are not passing their classes, we are not doing our job.”
Livingston asked why the board isn’t concerned with the whole child? “I feel this is a punitive policy for students,” she said. “If a student fails, they’re done.”
Murray argued that six weeks into the school year, students have had their first review, and those failing more than one subject should be in the after-school study sessions four days a week and practicing with their teams.
“Not one child should not be able to participate yet,” said Murray. “They should just be in study sessions.”
Pasichnyk said he would like the board to revisit the language of the policy. He and Livingston did not return phone calls from The Chronicle to clarify the procedure.
“I wasn’t here when that policy was approved,” said Pasichnyk. “If it says it in black and white, then we have to abide by it. If two different people can read it differently, we must revisit it. We’ll go back over the materials from previous meetings.”
Hair donation helps women with cancer
Mackenzie Kolman, 10, of Chester donated her ponytail to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, which creates free wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Pantene’s partner HairUWear uses about six donated ponytails to make one wig. The American Cancer Society distributes the wigs at no cost to patients through its extensive network of nationwide wig banks. For more information visit www.beautifullengths.com.
Join trip to Radio City
CHESTER — The Friends of the Chester Public Library is sponsoring a trip to see the “Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall in New York City at 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8.
A bus will depart the parking lot at the library, located at 1784 Kings Highway, at 12:30 p.m. and will return at about 8:30 p.m.
The cost of $77 must be paid in full when making a reservation.
For more information, visit the library or call 469-4252.
Order of protection amended in Chester Academy parent case
By Linda SMith Hancharick
Chester — The Chester parent who was arrested in June and charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass will now be able to attend school board meetings, according to her attorney, John Kelly.
“I specifically asked to modify the order of protection against Mrs. Marino and make it less restrictive,” said Kelly. “At the minimum she should be able to go to school board meetings as a taxpayer.”
This happened at a scheduled appearance on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Chester town court.
Marino was arrested by Town of Chester police on June 18, a day after she went to Chester Academy to meet with Superintendent Helen Anne Livingston to discuss her son, a student at the time in the middle school.
The police report states that Marino was loud and abusive, causing panic and alarm. Marino said it was the superintendent who was out of control and intimidating.
Chester Academy Middle School Principal Ernest Jackson took out the order of protection for himself and his family against Marino as a result of the incident.
Kelly called the order of protection “ridiculous” since Marino has never met Jackson nor does she know what he looks like.
The next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m.
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