Monaghan meets with North Rockland Chamber members

BY KATHY KAHN

Stony Point’s 15,000+ residents want to see more rateables and lower taxes, but how to achieve a balance most can agree on was the topic for its Chamber’s February 17 meeting at Lynch’s Restaurant. New Supervisor Jim Monaghan, former NYC Police officer and 25-year resident of the town, came to meet members, hear their views and give his own input.

Monaghan told the Chamber he’s not a politician by nature, “but wanted to get involved because he sees friends and neighbors who are moving away to escape the taxes. I want to see an affordable and attractive Stony Point with a solid business base bringing in good rateables.”

Some new projects have come to town in recent years, although it seems most projects find their critics. Tractor Supply recently opened up next door to Aldi on Rt. 9W. Monaghan noted that “They saw Stony Point as a great place to do business…but [not everybody] wanted to see a line of tractors sitting on the road.”

Today, Tractor Supply is growing its business, creating jobs and has been a good neighbor to the community. “They are doing great,” said Monaghan, “and as a result, we have learned we need to be open and creative about bringing in new business.”

A gasification plant—one of many proposed around the state—is back on the drawing board, and Monaghan told Chamber members the developer, Planet Energy, has been very cooperative. For those who want the by-products of the gasification moved by train rather than truck, Monaghan noted the project would have to be built before CSX rail had reason to build a hub station servicing the location. “The DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) is lead agency on that project. Although there are concerns about traffic, building the plant will have a tremendous positive impact on rateables for the town.”

Monaghan also spoke about the problems with selling the Letchworth Village property, a prime spot for a hotel/conference center. “It is costly to take those buildings down, due to the asbestos abatement involved. It’s close enough for shoppers at Woodbury Common, which brings millions of people to the area.”

He mentioned developer Wayne Corts’s plan, which has been pitched in varying forms the past several years, to build over 200 housing units on his waterfront property where his marina now stands. Monaghan said any project built will have to clear some regulatory hurdles pertaining to the 100-year flood zone on the waterfront.

“As I said before,” said Monaghan,” I’m not a career politician. I want to see Stony Point thrive and see our business community grow so we can bring taxes down for the residents. This is a wonderful place to live. We’ve got to work together to help it grow and to grow it wisely, but we’ve got to be realists.”