Each year communities nationwide join together to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse by wearing a red ribbon from October 23rd to 31st, which is the National Red Ribbon Week. Various activities have been scheduled throughout the month of October to celebrate the Red Ribbon Campaign.
The campaign provides communities with a forum to bring together parents, schools and business to find new and innovative ways to keep kid’s drug free.
The 2021 National Red Ribbon Week Theme, Drug Free Looks Like Me™ created by Marin Wurst, a 7th grader at Solon Middle School in Solon, Ohio, the Theme is a reminder that everyday Americans across the country make significant daily contributions to their communities by being the best they can be because they live Drug-Free!
The first Red Ribbon Celebration was organized in 1986 by a grassroots organization of parents concerned about the destruction caused by alcohol and drug abuse. The red ribbon was adopted as a symbol of the movement in honor of Enrique “KiKi” Camarena an agent with the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration who was kidnapped and killed while investigating drug traffickers. The campaign has reach millions of children and has been recognized by the U.S Congress.
Thank you to the Rockland Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence, Inc. for providing the red ribbons our officers are wearing this week!
Town of Ramapo
Ramapo Town Hall
237 Route 59
Suffern, NY 10901
845-357-5100
www.ramapo.org
Indian Point Siren Test – October 27, 2021
There will be a test of the Indian Point sirens in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, and Orange Counties on Wednesday, October 27th, at approximately 10:30 am. This sounding is only a test. If there were an emergency at the nuclear power plants, the sirens would be sounded continuously at full volume for 4 minutes, followed by an activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on radio and television stations to broadcast important information and instructions. The sirens are not a signal to evacuate, rather they are intended to alert the public to tune to this or another EAS radio or TV station for important information. This siren sounding is ONLY A TEST. No action by the public is necessary.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Fire & Emergency Services at 845-364-8800 should you have any questions.
Ramapo Supervisor Specht offers Halloween safety tips
Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht offered the following Halloween safety tips as part of the Ramapo Safe Campaign.
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.