Orangetown discusses town events and improvements

Orangetown’s first meeting for the month of April began with an itinerary for the next few weeks. The Orangetown Shredding event will take place April 12th from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. This event is hosted by the town clerk’s office, and they request that those wishing to attend the event bring with them non-perishable food items for donation to People to People. 

Following this event will be the St. Thomas Aquinas Earth Day Celebration from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. There will be vendors, educational activities, and an opportunity to explore STAC’s new SKAE Astronomy Center. The town board approved STAC’s use of the town showmobile for the event. 

Orangetown will be hosting a Golden Gala on May 15th. This event will only be for Orangetown residents over the age of 60. The $30 ticket will include live music, a hot buffet with dinner, dessert, coffee and tea, and a photo booth. It will be held at the Rockland GAA Clubhouse. For more information or to RSVP please contact creilly@orangetown.com. 

The town board approved the assistance of the Highway Department and the Police from OPD in using barricades and cones to streamline the Rockland Solace Sunrise Suicide Prevention Walk on Saturday, May 17th. This event will take place from 5:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. 

The grant application for $1.5 million in community project funding will be re-done for 2026. This funding is for “Improved Pedestrian Infrastructure for Middletown Road Corridor,” and will include improvements to sidewalks, curbs, and drainage improvements. With these improvements, the town of Orangetown hopes to encourage pedestrian activity and lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

The town board discussed the five disciplinary charges against Employee Number 4153, who’s name was withheld during public discussion. The hearing officer found the employee guilty, and after a thorough review of the hearing officer’s findings, Kenny concurred with the officer’s findings. “The employee was disregarding department policies, which undermines the integrity and operation of the department…Reading the charges, it’s clear that at times the employee was being antagonistic and confrontational.” All town board members voted to move forward with terminating and dismissing employee 4153. 

Park Superintendent Aric Gorton discussed the plans to go through the Blue Hill Course and conduct tree removal services. “Every 20 years, you should probably go through your course and try to get it back to its original design by doing some tree removals. The course just celebrated its centennial last year, and this is probably the first time we can really attack these trees,” stated Gorton. This decision comes following two golf course architects reviewal of the course. Gorton stated that since the trees are growing so close to the green, they are limiting air flow and causing disease. “This is not just cutting down trees to open the place up,” said Gorton. “It’s going to improve turf conditions and improve playability. It’s also going to make sure we’re not damaging bunker systems.”

Memorial benches were accepted by the board and will be placed in parks around Rockland. The engravings will honor and remember Edward J. Fitzpatrick, Mary N. Fitzpatrick, John F. Skelly, Kristin Quinn Hayes, and Theresa Canzoneri.