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Rockland County
Allison-Parris County Office Building
11 New Hempstead Rd
New City, NY 10956
Phone: (845) 638-5122
Website
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2022 Paper Shredding Events in Rockland
Office of Buildings and Codes Closes Illegal Nightclub
Club Closed; Property Owner Hit With 10 Violations
New City, NY, – The Rockland County Office of Buildings and Codes will be citing 42 Grove Street in Spring Valley for at least 10 hazardous code violations stemming from an unlicensed nightclub. This location operated as Sharp Shirt Printing by day but charged admission for illegal parties by night, which included dancers, alcohol, and hookahs.
The Office received a complaint about this illegal club and inspectors worked with the Spring Valley Police Department to shut it down last Saturday night, February 26, 2022, with about 100 people both in and outside of the club at the time.
The tenant throwing the party is known to authorities and has been cited twice since August 2021 but failed to appear for their court appearances. Due to the ongoing lack of compliance, the Office of Buildings and Codes is in the process of citing the property owner with at least 10 violations including a violation of use and occupancy, operating without a construction permit, and no means of egress due to blocked exits.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, we will be ensuring strict enforcement of New York State Building and Fire Code within the Village of Spring Valley and shutting down this illegal club is a prime example of that. As a former police commander, I remember the arson fire that broke out in the unlicensed Bronx club Happy Land back in 1990, killing 87 people, and will do everything in my power to stop a tragedy of that magnitude from happening here in Rockland County,” said County Executive Ed Day. “We in government will continue to do everything in our power to assist and protect the people we serve.”
As of Monday the new Office of Buildings and Codes has conducted 54 inspections and continues to enforce a 30-day moratorium which ends March 15, 2022, on any new permit applications. The moratorium allows the Office to work through the backlog of outstanding inspections and resolve issues that pose an imminent threat to the life, health, and safety of Rockland County residents.
“We are continuing to tackle the outstanding inspections within Spring Valley as quickly as possible which we have been prioritizing based on safety concerns,” said Office of Buildings and Codes Director Ed Markunas.
The Office requests all interested parties submit complaints by calling 845-364-3700 or emailing BuildingsAndCodes@co.rockland.ny.us.
Statement from County Executive Ed Day
I am absolutely outraged and disheartened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine to overthrow their democratically elected government. I stand with Rockland County’s Ukrainian community, consisting of 1,267 Rockland residents who were born in the Ukraine and 2,212 Rockland residents with Ukrainian ancestry, in condemning this terrible atrocity unfolding overseas. I want to remind all Rockland families that we have mental health resources ready and available to provide comfort and assistance to those impacted by this attack.
Those resources can be found by following this link: http://rocklandgov.com/departments/mental-health/
Last week the Department of Homeland Security warned that U.S. organizations at all levels could face cyber-attacks from the Russian government, and its supporters, in retaliation to sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. I want to assure the people of Rockland that we do not take these types of threats lightly. Our Rockland County Information and Technology Services Department led by Director Frank Calise has made significant upgrades to our IT Infrastructure over the past few years and I’m confident our prior actions will shield us from any breach or cyber-attack.
Rockland Behavioral Health Response Team to Get New Coordinator; Founding Administrative Coordinator Tracie Florida to Continue as Clinician
ROCKLAND COUNTY (February 23, 2022) — Rockland Behavioral Health Response Team (BHRT) has announced that its Administrative Coordinator, Tracie Florida, LMSW, is leaving the organization, effective February 1. Florida, who was a founding member of the BHRT team, will continue to serve as a per diem clinician for the agency.
“Tracie’s devotion to BHRT has been a driving force in helping the agency achieve its mission of providing 24/7 emergency mental health support for the citizens of Rockland County,” said Tim Egan, Executive Director of Rockland Paramedic Services, the parent organization. “We are so thankful for all that she has done to develop the agency from its inception through this point.”
Florida was part of the original staff that founded BHRT in 2015. The agency, which is funded by Rockland County through a grant from the NYS Office of Mental Health, provides mobile behavioral health services and 24-hour-a-day crisis intervention, 365 days a year to individuals, families, schools, and agencies in Rockland County. BHRT’s team of experienced mental health professionals respond immediately to requests for in-person assistance or intervention with behavioral health issues by conducting a basic needs assessment, providing referrals to mental health providers and agencies, or in cases where immediate additional support is needed, arranging for transportation to the most appropriate facility.
During her seven years with BHRT, the agency has gained ground in its role as an essential mental health service for Rockland County. Being able to provide these services to citizens in need has been a hallmark of her career, and Florida noted the pride she has taken in the team and in BHRT’s efforts. “It was exciting to be part of this group as a startup and to watch us evolve and expand,” Florida said. “The BHRT model of embedding mental health professionals in first-response systems was a first for Rockland County, and it has caught on around the country.”
Florida also noted the great diversity of the staff, including five people on the team who speak different languages, and the devotion to the mission as key aspects of her team’s success. “We have very low turnover on our staff, which speaks to how well we work together as a group and with the community,” Florida explained.
Moving forward, she hopes BHRT will be able to secure additional funding in order to decrease response times for calls and to provide greater availability to Rockland residents at all stages of need for mental health services. The new Director of Mental Health Services is Daria Filipovic, LCSW, who assumed the role on February 1, 2022.
The Behavioral Health Response Team provides mobile behavioral health services and crisis intervention 24/7, 365 days a year to individuals, families, and agencies in Rockland County. The Team can come to an individual’s home or place of work if a mental health situation needs immediate intervention.
BHRT has an experienced team of mental Health professionals capable of responding immediately to requests for assistance or intervention with any behavioral health issue. The issues can range from serious emotional crisis to seeking guidance for behavioral health support. The Team will conduct a basic needs assessment, which is an essential part of the outreach process. They provide referrals to mental health providers and agencies to ensure that individuals and families receive the on-going care they need. If immediate additional support is needed the BHRT team members will arrange transportation to the most appropriate facility.
BHRT works collaboratively with all Rockland hospitals, mental health agencies, and first response agencies to ensure the most appropriate care. For more information, visit www.rocklandhelp.org.