Lowdown on Tuesday’s Town of Haverstraw Board Meeting

BY MICHAEL CAHILL

The Town of Haverstraw Board members received high praise from the public on Tuesday, for the town’s quickness in responding the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

The comments came during a special board meeting rescheduled for Tuesday night because of the Veterans Day holiday. Though the town did sustain damage, with downed trees and flooding, it was not nearly as bad as it could have been.

Town Supervisor Howard Philips cited the unusually small amount of rainfall as a good thing for the town. Areas near the river, like Bowline Point Park did experience flooding, but it was not as bad as it could have been if the rainfall was heavier.

“It’s great to see my tax dollars going where they should be,” said Thiells resident Ilan Shuleid during the public participation section of the meeting.

Philips said he was appreciative for all the work that the town’s police, firefighters, and DPW put in during and after the storm. But he said he was most grateful that no one in the town died during the storm.

The board also voted unanimously to pass several agenda items including an authorization to settles a tax certiorari with AJ Cangialosi for $7,173 concerning a property on Broadway in the Village of Haverstraw.

Local resident Illan Shuleid pressed to board during the public participation section for a decision concerning regulating the hours leaf blowers can be used in the town. Schuleid had brought the item to the board’s attention earlier this year.

Schuleid said the town should consider the regulation for the health of residents. His suggestion was that the town should limit the use of leaf blowers to times when most people are not home, such as between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Philips responded saying that he and the board believe that regulating leaf blowers in the town is not the best move right now. They will hold off for the time being on imposing any regulations.

The board also opened a public hearing concerning the property at 11 Brisman Drive in Thiells. Currently the property has debris on it that is beginning to have an impact on the neighborhood. However the property owner does not have the funds to clean it up.

Under town law, the town can clean up the debris and charge the property owner back for the service on their property taxes. But a public hearing must held on the issue.

No one spoke during the public hearing portion of the meeting, and the board adjourned the hearing, which will continue at their next meeting on November 26 at 8 p.m. at Town Hall.

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