The John M Perry Post of the American Legion will host its annual Turkey Shoot on October 24th and October 31st.
Turkey Shoot October 31st
Ed Day Endorsed by MTA PBA
New City, NY – Ed Day, Rockland County Executive today announced the endorsement of the MTA Police Benevolent Association.
“On behalf of the 1,000 members of the MTA Police Benevolent Association, we are proud to endorse Ed Day for reelection as Rockland County Executive. Ed’s exemplary service and commitment to the members of our organization has been steadfast. We appreciate his support for the men and women who protect the riders of our transit system and we look forward to working with him for another 4 years,” said Michael O’Meara, President of the MTA PBA.
“I couldn’t be happier to have the support and endorsement of the MTA PBA. I look forward to continuing to represent all the men and women who serve our community in the line of duty,” Day said.
Ed Day is seeking his third term as Rockland County Executive. During his tenure he has turned an inherited $138 million deficit into a $90 million surplus, created the Rockland Center for Codes Investigations, and led Rockland through the COVID-19 pandemic through his “Safety First, People Always” initiative.
Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick and AM Patricia Fahy introduce legislation to ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in NYS Parks
NYACK, NY – Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick stood with environmental advocates on Thursday at Nyack Beach State Park to announce new legislation that would ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in New York State Parks managed by the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. The legislation is supported by the Sierra Club, the New York League of Conservation Voters, and Keep Rockland Beautiful.
One million single use plastic water bottles are sold around the world every minute, but less than a third of these will be recycled. Most of the single-use plastic water bottles created will eventually find their way into landfills, lakes, rivers, and oceans, leaching chemicals and micro-plastics into our water supply. The vast majority of single-use plastic water bottles are made from fossil fuels, and their production and shipment significantly contribute to man-made climate change.
State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Rockland/Westchester) said, “As our country and nations around the world struggle to come to grips with the enormity of the challenges presented by the plastic pollution and climate crises, this bill will help New York State be a leader in the fight to decrease plastic pollution going into our environment and the associated impacts to the climate that come with single-use plastic production. I look forward to working with my colleague Assemblymember Fahy, environmental advocates, and the many New Yorkers who care about this issue to pass this common sense legislation in the 2022 legislative session.”
Assemblymember Patricia Fahy (D-Albany), said “Our national and global plastic pollution crisis is directly tied to the climate crisis. As a longtime advocate in the fight to combat climate change, protect our natural environment and resources, and reduce our plastic carbon and waste footprint, I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Reichlin-Melnick, and look forward to tackling the larger issues of plastic pollution and plastics-related carbon emissions.”
Gale Pisha, Co-chair of Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter’s Legislative Committee and member of Rockland Sierra Club, said “I am privileged today to support this simple but important legislation on behalf of over 50,000 members of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter in NYS. By banning the sale of these unsustainable single use plastic bottles in our state parks, Senator Reichlin-Melnick and Assemblymember Fahy’s bill takes an important step towards freeing us from the scourge of single use plastics and protecting our health. Sierra Club applauds these legislators’ concern for the environment and stands with them to urge the NYS legislature to pass this bill.”
“The New York League of Conservation Voters is excited to see new legislation to reduce single-use plastic use. To create a sustainable and clean New York, we need to rethink how we rely on plastic. We applaud Senator Reichlin-Melnick and Assemblymember Fahy for introducing this important legislation that will decrease our use of plastic water bottles in New York State Parks and reduce litter,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
“This legislation to prohibit the sale of single-use plastic water bottles in state parks managed by the Office of Parks, Recreation, Historic Preservation is a powerful step forward in reducing the ubiquitous plastic waste that, from manufacture to disposal, pollutes our air, water, and land” said Sonia Cairo, Executive Director, Keep Rockland Beautiful.
Senator Reichlin-Melnick and Assemblymember Fahy will be introducing the bill in the coming days.
FEMA recovery center in Ramapo October 24th through October 26th
Important News from Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht:
FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Center will be at the Town of Ramapo 237 Rt. 59 Suffern, New York. October 24th to October 26th from 9 am to 5 pm.
If you were affected by Hurricane IDA, you could file your claim here at the Town of Ramapo with the FEMA representatives. If you have already filed a claim, you are welcome to come and speak to the FEMA representatives.
If you have any questions, please contact the Town of Ramapo Supervisors office at 845-357-5100.
Animal Shelter Ceremonial Groundbreaking
Request For Bid Published – Six Week Bidding Period Began 10/20
New City, NY, – County Executive Ed Day, County Legislature Majority Leader Jay Hood, Director of Facilities Management Bob Gruffi and Hi Tor Board President Debbie DiBernardo broke ground on the new $8.3 million Rockland County Animal Shelter in Pomona.
“It brings me great pleasure and immense pride to be here today, moving this process one step closer to its completion. What was once nothing but a dream will soon be a concrete reality,” said County Executive Day. “The new shelter is designed not only to provide a healthy home for the animals but also to promote and facilitate pet adoptions in a warm and welcoming environment.”
On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the County of Rockland published a Request for Bid for the construction of the new animal shelter building. The bidding period is open for 6 weeks at which point the bids will be reviewed and evaluated before the bid is awarded. The contract will then go through the County Legislature’s review process before being signed and executed. Construction is expected to begin between April 15th and May 1st.
Rockland County Legislature Majority Leader Jay Hood Jr. said, “Rockland County’s animal shelter is about to get a new ‘leash on life’ and I couldn’t be happier that we are finally breaking ground on this long-needed project. The new facility will offer the features needed to properly care for the animals and to better facilitate adoptions so they can find forever homes with families eager to welcome a new pet into their lives.”
County Executive Day shared the details of the design of the new, state-of-the-art 14,000 square foot shelter which will replace the current 4,000 square foot facility. The design is based on a professional needs assessment study which determined exactly what was needed in a new facility.
New Animal Shelter Details:
Visitors will enter under a colorful entry portal and through a vestibule into a Public Waiting Area that is directly adjacent to many of the Shelter’s services:
- a readily available Pet Adoption Counseling Room
- direct access to Adoptable Dogs
- a visible Adoptable Cats Housing area with a large Cat Playroom
- a Small Mammals and Exotic Pets Housing area
Located along the North and South sides of the shelter are the Stray/Surrender & Adoptable areas for dogs and cats, which consist of the following, respectively:
· Stray & Surrender Dog Wards with a total of 12 indoor and covered outdoor interconnected runs
· 4 Adoptable Dog Housing Wards, containing a total of 32 indoor and covered outdoor interconnected runs
· a Dog Bonding/Get-Acquainted Cubicle for each of the Adoptable Dog Wards
· (12) 300 square-foot Exterior Play and Exercise Yards for dogs
· (7) Indoor Cat Playrooms for Communal Cats — containing wonderful cat play structures including ramps, resting boxes, spiral stairs, and bridges — that are each connected to 7 Outdoor Cat Play Porches
· (2) Cat Bonding/Get-Acquainted Rooms for potential adopters
· a Quarantine/Feral Cat Ward with 6 Cat Condo Suites
The new shelter will have improved space to support staff functions and includes the following areas:
· Temporary Dog Holding with 2 large cages and 2 runs
· Temporary Cat Holding with 10 cages
· separate Food Prep and Bathing Areas for dogs and cats
· multiple Storage Areas
· Administrative Areas and a Staff Break Room
The new Shelter will also contain a Veterinary Medical Area that contains the following:
· a Central Treatment Room
· a Pharmacy
· a Diagnostic Lab
· (1) Exam Room
· and 1 Surgery Room for spay/neuter procedures
To the back of the Shelter, separated from public visitation as well as adoptable animal housing, are Quarantine and Isolation areas for dogs and cats that are accessible via the facility’s Veterinary Medical Area. These areas contain the following:
· a Quarantine Dog Ward with 2 indoor and covered outdoor interconnected runs
· an Isolation Dog Ward with 2 indoor and covered outdoor interconnected runs
· a General Isolation Cat Ward with 10 Cat Condo Suites
· a Respiratory Isolation Cat Ward with 10 Cat Condo Suites
A total of $8.3 million has been budgeted for the new shelter. Funding has been secured from the following sources:
- $472,578 from the Hi Tor Shelter Fund
- $500,000 in grant funding from Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski
- $500,000 in grant funding from the New York State Companion Animal Capital Fund
- $6.9 million in Rockland County Capital Project Funding
Legislator Hood added, “I want to thank everyone who has been working diligently to get us to this point – County Staff, the County Executive and all of my colleagues on the County Legislature. Chairman Alden Wolfe and I worked to get a new shelter included in the County’s Capital Projects list several years ago and County government has been moving steadily forward on the project ever since. I’m so pleased about the progress, and I look forward to the dedication of Rockland County’s new animal shelter in the near future.”
“Rockland County is taking the lead in this critical shared service. Ensuring that the Towns will not have the burden of building their own shelters or finding alternative plans at a significant cost; a clear savings for residents and a victory for the animals we all care about. And while I know it has taken a long time, this state-of-the-art facility is worth waiting for. Getting it right for our residents, these animals and our taxpayers was worth waiting for,” concluded County Executive Day.