Hometown Happenings 1/10/19

This week the Town Board held its reorganization meeting, but this year it was a reaffirmation meeting. For me, it was to reaffirm my commitment to administering a Town government that represents all of the people of Clarkstown honestly and responsibly.

Looking back upon this past year, I am happy to report that we have made some real progress despite some of the tough challenges that were inherited when I started. We continue to identify long-term solutions for long-standing problems. For example, last year we:

• Saw the replacement of Lake Nanuet bathhouse and other significant upgrades to allow the pool to serve the residents for the next thirty years
• Completed the final renovations of the bathhouses at Germonds Pool, making it a wonderful, safe and inviting place for families.
• Tackled and completed the first phase of the renovations at Street School Community Center, along with an enhanced Hall of Heroes so generations of Clarkstown residents can reflect upon the sacrifice of those who have served our country bravely.
• Installed a new roof for our Police Department and Justice Court. After ten years of leaks and with the help of several grants we got it done!
• Paved over thirty miles of roads, triple the number we used to do, in an effort to get caught up and on a ten year roadway resurfacing plan.
• Constructed a new playground at Kings Park, offering a wonderful new place for young families to gather.

I am especially proud and excited that we recognized one of our own heroes Corporal Megan Leavey and her Canine Sgt. Rex with the opening of the Megan Leavey Dog Park in Congers.
We also took on some other types of preservation.
We completed the first significant open space purchases in nearly ten years, preserving and protecting over forty acres of property from development. These included:
• The acquisition of the 21 acre Rockland Country Day School property, which will protect a gem for our future. This will enable future park expansion and other possibilities, including senior housing.
• We purchased over four acres on Mountainview Avenue which we are working to incorporate into a trail network with Mountainview Nature preserve.
• We celebrated the opening and preserving of the Marydell property which preserved seventeen acres and incorporated these into Hook Mountain State Park.
These were important moves with an eye to the future. Please look to this space over the course of the next few weeks as I share the goals I have for this year. I wish you and your family a safe, healthy and Happy New Year!

  Clarkstown, Clarkstown Board, george hoehmann