The Rockland County Republican Committee will hold a rally and open its 2009 campaign headquarters at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow in the Clarkstown Plaza shopping mall in New City.

State Sen. Thomas Morahan, R-New City; County Sheriff James Kralik; and County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef will speak. They will outline their vision of Rockland’s future and their plans for the campaign season, according to a party statement.

Vanderhoef is seeking re-election to a fifth four-year term. He is also running on the Conservative and Independence lines.

He is being challenged by Orangetown Town Supervisor Thom Kleiner on the Democratic line, and Andrew Spence on the Working Families line.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

Rockland County turned over four surplus TRIPS buses to Clarkstown today.

Each bus has about 150,000 miles, and are “beyond their useful life…due to the the tremendous number of miles TRIPS logs each day, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said.

The county has replaced the buses with new ones purchased using funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

Meanwhile, Clarkstown’s fleet has exceeded 300,000 miles per bus, Town Supervisor Alex Gromack said.

Town mechanics will refurbish the donated buses for use by the town’s Mini Trans service, Gromack said, a move that will help save the town about $300,000 by avoiding the need to buy new buses for the next two to three years.

Above, Gromack, left, and Vanderhoef, right. Photo provided by Vanderhoef’s office.

County Legislator Alden Wolfe, D-Suffern, has issued a press release noting he is “unsurprised” by the findings of a cancer study in the medical journal “Lancet Oncology.”

He said the study confirmed the dangers of tanning beds and their ultraviolet radiation. It pointed out that the risk of skin melanoma was increased 75 percent when people started using tanning beds before age 30, Wolfe said.

Why does he care so much about the topic?

Because back in 2006, Wolfe authored a bill to ban tanning for anyone under 16 and to require parental consent for those 16 and 17. The Legislature passed it, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef vetoed it, then legislators overrode the veto and made it law.

Wolfe says as a result of the study’s findings, the French-based International Agency for Cancer Research, part of the World Health Organization, has designated ultraviolet tanning beds as “carcinogenic to humans,” meaning they cause cancer.

“Hopefully this latest study will encourage people to make smarter health decisions, and encourage our young adults not to engage in a practice that could have devastating impact on their health,” Wolfe said.

Next up: Wolfe and the other 16 legislators will eventually consider, again, whether to pass a calorie-posting law to require chain restaurants to put the number of calories on their menu boards. Supporters hope such a law will encourage people to make smarter health decisions and to not engage in a practice that could devastate their health.

Bob Baird, columnist for The Journal News, was recently interviewed by Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef and can be seen and heard on the next edition of County Executive’s Forum.

During the show, Vanderhoef and Baird discuss the state of the newspaper business and how it has evolved through the years.  Baird also discusses his involvement with the Challenger Little League and Touching Bases, a softball league for adults with disabilities.

The half-hour show will air at 7 p.m. on Wednesday on Cablevision channel 78, Rockland’s government access channel.  The program will be rebroadcast every Wednesday in November and December at 7 p.m. on channel 78.

Members of the Rockland County Legislature have issued a statement regarding the proposed 2009 county budget submitted by County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef.

The plan increases spending by about $30.3 million, from about $684.2 million this year to about $714.5 million next year.

The proposal increases the amount of money to be collected via the county property tax by about 9.85 percent, from about $54 million this year to about $59 million next year.

Here is the Legislature’s statement:

New City, NY (October 24, 2008) – Rockland County Legislative Chairwoman Harriet D. Cornell, Vice Chairman William L. Darden, Majority Leader Michael M. Grant, and Budget and Finance Chair Ilan S. Schoenberger made the following statement today regarding County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef’s 2009 Executive Budget:

“While we certainly recognize that difficult times call for difficult choices, as elected officials we have a responsibility to ensure that the choices that are made are the right ones.  Over the coming days and weeks we will continue the budget review process that we began several weeks ago and further analyze departmental spending and revenues in an effort to pass a balanced budget that is both fiscally prudent and financially sound.

With a cloudy economic future ahead of us, it is more critical than ever that the budget we received from the County Executive contains accurate projections when it comes to the generation of revenue. We are all aware that sales tax revenues, upon which the county depends, have slowed considerably.  We will closely scrutinize the budget and ascertain how the spending cuts that were proposed affect the delivery of vital services and programs to Rockland County residents.  Knowing that Rockland taxpayers are already struggling to make ends meet, we will closely examine the property tax increase that was proposed by the County Executive.

Today’s turbulent economy has put the county in a tenuous financial situation, yet with a balanced and pragmatic approach we can help chart the right course, steer our county’s finances back on track, and protect Rockland families.”

Five emergency services workers from Rockland have been recognized as the tops in the Hudson Valley Region (Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Putnam, Orange and Rockland counties).

• Cheryl Manasier, an RN at Nyack Hospital — Nurse of the Year
• Brandon Smith of the Rockland EMS Training Academy and a volunteer with the Spring Hill Ambulance Corps — EMS Educator of the Year
• Dr. Oscar Marcilla, based at Nyack Hospital — Physician of the Year
• John McCullough of the Rockland Paramedic Service and a volunteer with the Sparkill Fire Department — ALS (Advanced Life Support) Provider of the Year
• Rockland Paramedic Service — EMS Agency of the Year

There were eight categories, and Rockland snagged honors in five of them. They move on to the next level and in September, the state EMS Council will name its statewide honorees.

The other categories were EMS Communications Specialist of the Year (Rockland’s was Jenny Kugler, a dispatcher with the Stony Point Police Department), Basic Life Support Provider of the Year (Rockland’s was Anthony Masi, a volunteer with the Haverstraw Ambulance Corps) and Youth Member of the Year (Rockland’s was Ephraim Tauber, with Spring Hill).

Here are the bios on Rockland’s regional winners, provided by the County Executive’s office:

Registered Professional Nurse of Excellence
Cheryl Manasier RN
Nyack Hospital

Criteria: Contributions to the EMS community as a NYS registered professional Nurse. Dedication, responsibility, professional behavior, ingenuity, special skill or insight in the prehospital environment.
Eligibility: New York State licensed registered professional nurse serving within the EMS System.

Cheryl has more than 25 years of service looking out for our EMS providers. She has shown an enormous amount of strength and determination. While she has had some personal challenges there was never a doubt she would return to the ER. Cheryl always greets us with a warm welcome and takes an interest in the crew and patient we deliver to the ER. She treats everyone with respect and goes out of her way to educate the crews.

EMS Educator of Excellence
Brandon Smith
Spring Hill Ambulance/Rockland County EMS Training Academy/EMS-9

Criteria: Individual who through outstanding teaching, educational administration/coordination, publication or research has maximally improved prehospital services at the local, county, regional or state level.
Eligibility: EMS Educator or equivalent

Brandon wears many hats in his service to the community. He joined Spring Hill VAC in 1993. Brandon also maintains active status with the Hillcrest FD, DMAT NY-4 and is an instructor at the R.C. EMS Academy. He was appointed R.C. Deputy EMS Coordinator EMS-9 in 2007.  In 2006 he completed his NYS DOH EMT Certified Instructor Certification. He is not one to say no and can usually be found providing CME lectures or teaching his classes. While it might seem to be a busy load he is always willing to help someone with a desire to learn. He has the patience and ability to teach the most challenging student. People like this don’t come along often and we are fortunate to have Brandon there with a smile willing to share his experience and knowledge.

Physician of Excellence
Dr. Oscar Marcilla MD
Nyack Hospital

Criteria: Contributions to the EMS community as a physician. Dedication, responsibility, professional behavior, ingenuity, special skill or insight in the prehospital environment.
Eligibility: NYS licensed physician serving an EMS system.

Dr. Marcilla is the Medical Director of Nyack ER.  He makes it a point to attend as many meeting and events with the EMS providers as time permits. If he is not available he arranges to have a representative present. Dr Marcilla listens with an open ear and addresses all concerns. We are fortunate to have him in our community as a resource and a friend.

John McCullough
Rockland Paramedic Service

Criteria: Contribution by an individual to the community as an Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate (EMT-I), EMT-Critical Care Technician (EMT-CC), or Paramedic (EMT-P). Dedication, responsibility, professional behavior, ingenuity, special skill or insight in the EMS environment.
Eligibility: NYS Certified EMT-I, EMT-CC, EMT-P.

On May 14th 2007 at approx. 5:30 p.m., John was detailed to Medic 21. A call was received for a motorcycle accident with 2 victims. Medic 21 as well as Nanuet & Pearl River VAC responded to the scene. One victim unfortunately succumbed   to his injuries while the other was left with critical injuries including an arterial bleed to the leg. All attempts to stop the bleeding failed until John made the decision to use quik clot.  John is dedicated to serving his community. John’s career includes NYPD, Sparkill Fire Dept, South Orangetown VAC and Rockland Paramedic Services.

EMS Agency of the Year
Rockland Paramedic Service

Criteria: Any agency, which strives for consistency in EMS excellence and exhibits exemplary performance when providing prehospital emergency medical care.
Eligibility: A NYS certified volunteer or career EMS agency, i.e., NYS certified ambulance service or fire department.

RPS has made it a point to advance patient care in their service area. They do not take the easy road and are constantly reviewing new ideas, concepts and products in the EMS field. They work together with the Volunteer agencies to provide Rockland County residents with the best EMS system possible. They participate in all local, regional and state EMS meetings to keep current on changing trends. They have also participated in several pilot programs through the Hudson Valley Regional EMS council. These programs were not mandatory and required many hours of documentation.  Where there is a need RPS will find a way to assist. They are a valuable asset in our EMS community.

The July periodic campaign finance disclosure forms were due yesterday for any person or committee with an active account.

So while we focused primarily on this year’s candidates I took a peek at the statements of County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef and some of his rumored 2009 opponents.

Vanderhoef, a Republican now serving his fourth term in office, brought in more than $105,800 in contributions in the last six months—more than any of the people running for statewide office this year. He reported a balance of $166,577. 27 after opening with more than $131,200.

Much of his money came from corporate donations and several of his expenditures were on fundraisers.

Among the rumored challengers is Orangetown Town Supervisor Thom Kleiner, who’s getting really good at being charmingly coy when asked about the subject.

He raised nearly $41,000 this period, ending with a balance of $112,788.28. Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence took in nearly $76,000 and Clarkstown Supervisor Alex Gromack took in nearly $61,500.

That’s big money in an off-year compared with Haverstraw Town Supervisor Howard Phillips who took in just more than $1,200 and Stony Point Supervisor Phil Marino who raised about half that.

All five supervisor seats, now filled by Democrats, are up next year as well.

The Legislature failed last night to override the county executive’s veto of a local law that called for all major facility projects in Rockland to be “designed, constructed and certified” to the standard of the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.

Bill sponsor Alden Wolfe, D-Suffern, knew the demise of the so-called LEED law was coming — he’d been told the Legislature’s minority party members would side with Republican County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef — so he took the time normally spent pleading for votes to castigate the exec’s office for poor communication.

It’s been a running theme of the Legislature this year—that Vanderhoef’s office is either less than forthcoming on certain issues or gratingly mum on others.

Wolfe detailed to the Legislature his attempts to get the county executive’s input and how he had heard from his chief of staff only after it was too late to make any changes to the proposal.

Chief of Staff Sean Mathews, who was in the audience during Wolfe’s speech, released the following statement through spokeswoman C.J. Miller: “The (LEED) law was flawed. We could not support a law that puts the County in direct conflict with the intent of the  legislation. Secondly, we work with everyone. With over 350 pieces of legislation passed so far this year with only one veto, Legislator Wolfe’s comments seem unfounded.”

The veto override failed 11-6 with Legislators voting among party lines. Twelve votes were needed to overturn Vanderhoef’s veto.

Rockland’s county executive couldn’t resist a little gloating today at a county executives forum at Dominican College in Orangeburg.

When someone from the audience asked how the state could clean up politics in Albany, C. Scott Vanderhoef deadpanned “Well, if they elected another governor last time, I would have been helpful.”

Vanderhoef, who then broke into a smile, ran for lieutenant governor in 2006 alongside John Faso, the GOP’s gubernatorial candidate. They were crushed in the polls by the Democratic Spitzer/Paterson ticket.

He noted that, while campaigning, Spitzer had promised to do away with unfunded state mandates, but that the most recent state budget had more than ever.

Other county executives at this morning’s forum were Andrew Spano from Westchester, Edward Diana from Orange and Steve Levy from Suffolk.

The battle continues… Dum, dum DUM!

Okay, not it’s not that bad. But there has been a running theme this year of the Legislature complaining that County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef has been less than forthcoming with information, something his office says just isn’t true.

Last month, at the April 30 Government Operations Committee meeting Legislator Ed Day, R-New City, asked Hospitals Commissioner Richard Maloney for a detailed breakdown of how much overtime pay is included in the department’s payroll figures.

At last night’s Multi-Services Committee meeting, Day again asked Maloney about the figures and Maloney replied that he’d gotten the numbers to the county executive’s office two days after the request was made.

So Day, visibly miffed, questioned Vanderhoef staffer Vince Altieri who told him he’d have to check and get back to him.

Other legislators, including Jay Hood Jr., D-Haverstraw, Philip Soskin, D-Monsey and Alden Wolfe, D-Suffern, said they were disappointed that the county’s administration had shared so little with them regarding the construction of the new hospital and nursing home. Soskin said he’s gotten most of his information about the project from media reports.

The Legislature, earlier this month, also accused Vanderhoef of not communicating effectively with them when his office requested approval for a $24 million bond related to the Mirant tax dispute.  Vanderhoef countered that the Legislature knew about the issue because it was discussed at a 2006 meeting.

C.J. Miller, spokeswoman for the county executive, said yesterday that claims the Legislature can’t get information on finances are bogus. The  Legislature’s fiscal analyst has access to the same numbers as the administration’s finance personnel.

“That information is open and accessible to everyone,” she said

As to the rest of the complaints, Miller said Vanderhoef’s office isn’t trying to hide anything or play games with the legislators.

“Maybe communication isn’t the problem here,” she said. “Maybe it’s a lack of understanding … a lack of comprehension.”

Check out the podcast below for this week’s top stories:


Download:

Links to related articles:
Tappan Zee suicide prevented
TZB bridge suicide victim ID’d as Yonkers woman, 49
Immigrant’s life in ‘wonderland’ turns tragic
Mom remembers slain 7-year-old daughter
Truck driver faulted in Valley Cottage crash
Kids learn about service, nature in county cleanup
Consumers pay green to go green
Earth Day is celebrated at Rockland Community College
Orangeburg activist receives county environmental award

Podcast file:

Top stories
Two men die after jumping from Tappan Zee Bridge
Fire burns couple out of their new home in Airmont
Mirant says it will raze Stony Point station
Rockland county exec talks economics, nursing home during address
Demolition of Nyack Icehouse under way

Palisades Center mall stories
Palisades Center reshapes Rockland
Megamall replaces county’s downtowns
Mall a magnet for white-collar crime, but violence is lowPalisades Center mall timeline
Mysteries, myths lurk beneath mall’s surface
Palisades Center’s options: Adopt or fade
Retail jobs drive mall’s economy
Palisades Center didn’t cause windfall on locals’ tax bills

Dozens of members from the county’s unions attended County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef’s state of the county address tonight, many standing against the back wall after not finding any available seats.

The unions, the Civil Service Employees Association in particular, have been a noticeable presence in recent months during high profile meetings, including the budget presentation.

Vanderhoef, who had included in his address his wishes to get contracts settled quickly and fairly, was ready for them.

“You deserve a raise, all of you,” he said to thunderous applause. “And as fast as we can do it, we will get it to you.”

Vanderhoef’s administration had offered CSEA a 2 percent raise when their contract expired in January 2007. The union turned it down and has been lobbying for a 4 percent raise.

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef will go before the County Legislature at 8 p.m. tonight to deliver his annual state of the county address.

Being traditionally protective over the speech’s content, his office has leaked nothing about any bombshells or new ideas. The only previews Vanderhoef, a Republican, would give was the affordable housing would be address (again!) and that he would speak at length about the county’s hospital.

The meeting will be held in the Legislature chambers at 11 New Hempstead Road in New City.

In an interview today about his upcoming state of the county speech, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said that he’s done waiting for the County Legislature to collaborate with him on the Housing Opportunities Commission, which would study and implement plans for affordable housing for Rockland’s middle income residents.

It’s a proposal he’s requested for the last several years. The Legislature has not voted on the commission and its members have said there are details that need to be worked out first.

“That one’s getting to be a fine wine,” Vanderhoef said. “It’s aged.”

But residents feeling the housing crunch still have some hope. Vanderhoef said his office is going to forgo the commission and continue to work on creating affordable housing on its own. The county has constructed or rehabilitated more than 1,900 units in the last several years, including about 300 since 2005.

Vanderhoef will deliver his annual address at 8 p.m. on April 1 in the Legislature chambers in New City.

Minutes after Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned over his purported role in a pricey prostitution ring, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, a Republican, issued the following statement:

“This is a very sad day, but it marks a new beginning for New York state,” he  said. “The Spitzer tenure is now over, and the Paterson tenure now begins. We welcome David Paterson to his new position as the leader of the executive branch and we wish him well. I ask all county executives to join me in working in cooperation with the new governor toward a better New York state.”

Vanderhoef ran for lieutenant governor in 2006 on the GOP’s ticket.

Download:

Links to related articles:
‘Truth’ hurts for Piermont couple on reality show
News of Rockland couple’s fight travels globe
Rapper who spoke of cocaine use in New City charged with possessing the drug
Former prosecutor offered choice of jail or prison if she admits having sex with teenagers
Rockland artist, mother of county exec, dies at 86
Retailer’s closure mutally agreed

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef can have a lot of fun with his state of the county address this year. It’s scheduled for April 1—April Fool’s Day.

Oh the possibilities—he could announce that he’s John McCain’s running mate. He could announce a new initiative to dissolve the five towns (actually, some in the county would applaud that.) He’s got a good sense of humor—I’m sure he’ll come up with something.
Either way, the speech is always good for some food for thought. It will be given during the regular County Legislature meeting which starts at 8 p.m. The Legislature meets at 11 New Hempstead Road in New City.

In Rockland, at least.

Today, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef proclaimed Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008 as Knights of Pythias Day in Rockland County.

The international fraternal order has an active branch in Rockland County that performs various acts of community service, including the donation of supplies, coats and scholarships to residents in need.

For more information on the Knights of Pythias, call 845-634-8837.

They should for anyone dining tonight at Del Arte Restaurant in Orangeburg.

As part of a fundraiser to support breast cancer research, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, Rockland Community College President Cliff Wood and Orangetown Town Board Member Denis Troy, among other notable Rocklanders, will be serving food starting at 7:30 p.m.

The John Carollo Cooking Class fundraiser supports the Brest Buddies two-day, 26-mile Avon Walk for breast cancer research.

Anyone wanna place bets on who will drop the first plate?

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef formally approved the $667.8 million 2008 Rockland budget today, but had some strong words in a response to the Legislature, which passed the budget last week.

Firing back at the Legislature’s Budget and Finance Committee, which had pointed a finger at the county’s administration for rising debt in the Department of Hospitals and the county’s continued over-projection of sales tax revenue, Vanderhoef wrote:

One must point out that these projections, after careful review by the Legislature’s financial consultants, became the Legislature’s official projections in their unanimously adopted budget for 2007.

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef announced today that he rescinded his proposal to give eight county employees, including himself, substantial raises in 2008. He listed a recent, unexplained slump in sales tax revenue from the state as the primary reason for the change, but also said that the raises had become a “distraction” and that there were more important parts of the budget to focus on.

Chief among those is the Department of Hospitals. Vanderhoef and other county officials have been touting 2008 as the year the department’s finances will stabilize. Going into to 2008 the county is carrying a deficit of between $14 million and $19 million, most of that from the hospitals department which has been losing money on its facilities.

While the 20008 budget is balanced and stable, Vanderhoef and finance commissioner Chris Kopf said they first need to stabilize spending and revenue at the hospital—or “stop the bleeding” as Vanderhoef put it today—and then begin to chip away at the deficit.

Presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be coming to Rockland on Oct. 31 for a fundraiser, according to Jeff Barker, Giuliani’s Northeast communications director.

Barker said Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, who has been tapped by Giuliani’s campaign to build support among New York’s county executives, is helping organize the event.

While Barker did not disclose the time or location of the fundraiser, saying they were generally private, Rockland Republican Committee Chairman Vincent Reda, who has been named the Hudson Valley leader of Giuliani’s campaign, said the fundraiser would be a luncheon held at the Rockland Country Club in Sparkill.

Legislators David Fried, Ian Schoenberger, Philip Soskin, Bruce Levine Patrick Withers and Vice Chairman William Darden, all Democrats from Ramapo, have issued a press release stating that they are planning to draft legislation that would call on County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef to investigate whether the county could acquire the New York Country Club in New Hempstead.

But Donald Tracy, the New City lawyer of country club owner Joe Cho, said today that his client has already signed a contract with S & G Golden Estates and that he was amused by all the recent political attention paid to the property.

The only way the county could get the 165-acre property now is through condemnation, he said.

“It makes good political rhetoric, for the constituents,” he said of the legislators’ push, “but it’s highly impractical.”

The Rockland Conference of Mayors last week voted to ask the county to buy, or acquire the property through condemnation.

“It sounds ridiculous,” Tracy said.

Jenn Profenna, a spokeswoman with the county executive’s office, said today that Vanderhoef had not received any details from the Legislature.

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef has announced that two cooling centers have opened in Rockland County. The Haverstraw King’s Daughters Library on Route 202 in Garnerville will be open until 9 p.m. The community room on the fourth floor of the Palisades Center will be open until 11 p.m.