Another pipe issue hits Kiryas Joel
By Chris McKennaJuly 21, 2007
Times Herald-Record Monroe —
Nothing like the words "Kiryas Joel" and "water pipe" to stir up a little controversy.
The source of friction this time is not the 13-mile pipeline the village wants to build to tap the Catskill Aqueduct, but a much smaller pipe to carry water from one of its Monroe wells to a filtration plant.
The problem is that the pipe must cross under an 8-foot-wide railroad bed owned by Orange County and destined to become part of the recreational path known as the Heritage Trail. And for that, Kiryas Joel needed permission from county lawmakers.
But it started work without approval — until ordered to stop. And now, a harmless request that might have sailed through the Legislature with little or no opposition has kicked up a minor kerfuffle.
One legislative panel unanimously approved the crossing yesterday, but the chairman of a committee that was bypassed wants to delay a vote by the full Legislature for at least a month so that his group gets a say.
"I'm just very, very disappointed about the whole decision," said Legislator Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove. "They knew what the process is, and they avoided it."
For about a year and a half, Kiryas Joel has been using a fire hose as a makeshift connection to its latest Monroe well. The 8-inch-wide pipe that will replace it must pass under the Heritage Trail and then run underground beside it for 800 feet.
County lawmakers have approved similar crossings by utilities and others without much hoopla — except for Chester School District's request to build a driveway across the trail to its new high school and middle school. That finally got approval after much controversy.
Yesterday, lawmakers considered postponing Kiryas Joel's request so Fornario's oversight committee could hear the matter. But they agreed to move it forward after Michael Amo, a Central Valley Republican who represents Kiryas Joel, told them the village could lose $200,000 to $300,000 if its contractor must continue waiting to resume work
The Committee members are: .A. Alan Seidman, Chairman
Anthony Marino, Thomas Pahucki, Jeffrey D. Berkman,Michael Amo, Michael R. Pillmeier
14 comments:
So where does that leave the Legislature? Are all 21 members voting on this, or as usual, is KJ getting a pass, and can again do exactly as they please? Do they get fined for doing it illegally without permission?
So KJ is out $200-$300.000. GOOD. They,once again, got caught breaking the law.They are sneeky & dishonest.
Hey,Amos. Shut up & try doing something for Central Valley for once. You do LIVE HERE.
I like Chris McKenna, the reporter from THR. I've seen him at many events, not only Woodbury.I'm not always happy with what he has to report.But he seems to be open and fair. Yea, I know that's his job. But I've seen even CNN swing a report to one side.
What do you guys think?
Gee Chris, don't worry, I like you.
What a disgrace. Have they no shame. They have a complete disreguard for others and the laws of the land. I can only hope one day it ALL catches up with them.
I like McKenna too. He was pretty fair in his reports regarding woodbury. Sorry to see him go
Where's he going?
Has anyone noticed that the Village of Kiryas Joel is asking the county to give them conty rt 44. This is so they can build their sidewalks. Other towns and villages have built their sidewalks without taking over a county road. Sorry to sound suspicious but the track record for KJ has not been good when itcomes to this stuff. What is the real reason they want the road?
Like, really! Where is Chris McKenna going?
He went.
He had been covering the Monroe, Woodbury area. He was kicked upstairs to cover County politics in Goshen. That spot opened up when Brendon Scott was sent to cover Albany.
Replacing McKenna is John Sullivan who is having a hard time finding his footing. He'll probably get it right eventually, but meanwhile he's gotten a bunch of stuff wrong and pissed off a lot of folks in Monroe and Woodbury.
By the way, in the meantime, the best informed political coverage of Monroe and Woodbury comes from the Photo News' Tony Houston, who also had a rough start, but put in the time to really learn what was going on here.
Tony Houston, huh?
O.K. I'll start reading him.
KJ gets away with what it does because the politicians have no backbones. KJ claims to be a good neighbor, but good neighbors are not sneaky and do not lie and steal.
Our own politicians are sneaky and lie to us, why are you so upset with KJ!!
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