New Paltz town/village ask state for help with consolidation
After more than five hours of heated debate, village and town officials in New Paltz came to a conclusion on consolidation — they will ask Albany for special legislation. New Paltz will seek a special home rule law from the State of New York, allowing them to let town voters and village voters to cast...
Joseph Rodriguez indicted for the bludgeoning death of a child
Following a nine-month-long investigation, Joseph Rodriguez, 44, was arrested in Newburgh on Sunday, March 17 at approximately 5:25 p.m. and charged with second-degree murder in the June 20, 2012 bludgeoning death of two-year-old Asia Perez-Medina. This case stems from the “grisly discovery of the child’s body at the rear of the home rented by Rodriguez,...
New Paltz Finance Committee meets with the public to explain consolidation costs savings
The New Paltz Consolidation Finance Committee, which studied a proposed municipal merger in New Paltz, squared off with a handful of critics and concerned citizens on Monday night. It was the first in a series of meetings to explain their somewhat controversial conclusion that New Paltz would have saved $1.62 million if the town and...
Ex-school board president Don Kerr sues police for ‘false arrest’
Don Kerr, the former New Paltz school board president, is back in court — but this time by choice. Kerr is suing police Chief Joseph Snyder and Detective Sgt. Robert Lucchesi, along with two U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents, over his Nov. 4, 2011 marijuana arrest. “It is impossible to exaggerate the damage that was...
Town of New Paltz looks to team up with state for street trees plan
A vision to plant street trees along Main Street has the New Paltz Town Board ready to ask the state and the Association of Towns of the State of New York for help. “To re-tree Main Street requires being able to plant trees beyond the right-of-way,” said Al Wegener, the town’s arborist. Town right-of-way usually...
New Paltz officials to discuss consolidation vote
Despite the protests of Mayor Jason West, a majority of the New Paltz village and town boards agreed to take one step closer to consolidation. They agreed to officially vote on what shape a merged “townwide village” government would take at their Jan. 24 meeting. “The truth of the matter is, is that the work...
New Paltz could save $1.6M if town, village merge, officials say
The final financial study of a consolidated New Paltz is in, and it seems to spell good things for both the village and town. According to Deputy Mayor Sally Rhoads, that report shows $1.62 million in projected savings if the two municipalities merge. “Obviously, finances are a key ingredient to our determination as a community...
Final public hearing on Jan. 14 seeks input on Park Point
People looking to say their piece in person about Wilmorite’s proposed Park Point student housing project in New Paltz have one opportunity left to do so. New Paltz’s town planning board is scheduled to close its public hearing on the 732-bed rental facility next Monday evening, January 14, at the town hall. Wilmorite wants to...
New Paltz supervisor Susan Zimet and Mayor Jason West share their vision for 2013
After her first year back in the Town of New Paltz supervisor’s chair, Susan Zimet has some big hopes for 2013. As many people in town might guess, consolidation is a big goal for her — as is controlling municipal spending. However, in the short term, New Paltzians already have some clues about what’ll appear...
Year in review for the town and village of New Paltz
After a tense election, where incumbent Supervisor Toni Hokanson bowed out of the running in the Democratic caucus won by her former ally Susan Zimet, town government in New Paltz began 2012 with three new faces and a chance for a fresh start. Newly re-elected Zimet — who’d previously served as supervisor from 1996 to...
New Paltz town, village merger vote will be put off; public meeting on Dec. 17
After more than three hours of discussion and public comment, New Paltz’s elected officials essentially opted to delay a March 19 public referendum on the merger of the village and town. Dec. 6’s emergency meeting featured a tense exchange, complete with a threatened walkout from town Councilman Jeff Logan — and a debate during which...
Village, town eye March 19 for New Paltz consolidation vote
If it all works out the way the majority of the village and town boards hope, New Paltzians could be heading to the polls on March 19 to vote to consolidate the village and town into one government. “We have come up with right now a $1.4 million savings should the village and town merge,”...