“Spring Cleaning” in Nyack is taking it to the streets. Literally.

On Sat May 2nd sellers will take to the sidewalks as buyers and bargain hunters join in a Nyack village-wide yard sale on Sat May 2 from 9a-5p. In the event of rain, the event moves to Sunday May 3.

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A little over month ago I wrote on my Left of the Hudson blog about frustrations many New York progressives felt over Governor David Paterson’s pick to replace Hillary Clinton as our junior Senator.

However, a string of events led me to attend the very fundraiser that I once objected to.

And yesterday, I met Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

And hell froze over. Continue reading →

It’s the year 2030 and the new Tappan Zee Bridge is now open for business (I know, I’m being optimistic. :>) Now the question becomes: what do you do with the old bridge, 400 feet or so to the south of the future bridge? Continue reading →

Nyack Public Schools issued this announcement Monday afternoon in response to concerns about the outbreak of swine flu cases which have proven fatal in Mexico.

We want to assure you that there is no cause for alarm and there are no reported cases in Rockland County.  We are following the guidelines of our emergency safety plans and remain in close contact with the Rockland County Board of Health and BOCES Health and Safety Office. Continue reading →

The Village should restructure the way it holds meetings.  Currently it is too easy to slip into a mode where very small decisions take too much of board members valuable time (and the public who attend the meetings), and HUGE decisions never get on the agenda or if they do, they are rushed.  In the end, the Village Board spends all its time tending to the trees in front of its face and forgets about managing the forest. Continue reading →

How the Hudson River Estuary’s oyster banks and deep channel determined the locations and street plans of the early Dutch settlements of Nyack and Manhattan” is the subject of The Nyack Library’s next Quadricentennial lecture.  Dr. William B. Ryan of Lamont-Doherty will speak at 7p Wednesday 4/29 at the Nyack Library.

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Come to Nyack this Sunday, April 26th for an eclectic mix of jazz, gospel, Jamaican, classical, Irish folk, theatre music & children’s music from 10a-3p at the bandstand by Riverspace Theatre on Main Street of Nyack.

Performances include:

10:00   Danna Banana
10:45   Lower Hudson Valley Youth Choir
11:30   Shea
12:15   Nyack High School Jazz Ensemble
1:00    Rockland Symphony Orchestra
1:45   Helen Hayes Youth Theatre
2:30    Sunrise Berea Choir
3:00    JAMCARR Ekklipse Steel Drum
3:30   Special appearance by US Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

This music program is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Nyacks and Optimum.

The Village Board voted 3-2 last night to approve Mayor John Shields’ resolution to move ahead with a Request for Proposals (RFP) to redevelop the “superblock” (the space currently occupied by Riverspace,the M&T Bank building, and surrounding parking). The resolution included three items:

1. A declaration that redevelopment of the “superblock”  is in the best interests of the Village
2. Permit Riverspace to develop an RFP on behalf of the Village.  Riverspace would assume all expenses.
3. Establish a citizen’s committee, with a $5,000 budget for consulting expenses, as an advisory group to the Village Board.  The Committee is to be set up in a week, and using the Village’s Comprehensive Plan, establish development parameters for the project.  The Committee is to report back in 60 days.

Trustees Louise Parker and Denise Hogan joined Shields in voting for the resolution with Richard Kavesh and Marie Lorenzini voting to oppose it.  Kavesh’s opposition is based on scale, saying that the project scope should only be between Cedar, Franklin, Artopee and Main Street.  Lorenzi says the Village needs to follow the Mayor’s task force’s “white paper” recommendation that Nyack needs to decide if redevelopment is a priority in the first place.  She feels that question hasn’t been answered.

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“It must be a good budget, because we all hate it”

Those were Mayor John Shields words at the end of a long meeting where the Village Board passed the 2009-2010 budget 4-1 (Kavesh against).  The 9.49% property tax hike is the biggest increase in the history of the village.

• July 4th Fireworks displays, which cost $10,000 per event, will be canceled.
• Because of cuts to the DPW budget, roads will not be repaved in 2009-10, however potholes will continue to be filled
• Support for the sidewalk replacement program, where the village contributes 50% of the cost, has been eliminated.
• 10% pay decrease for elected officials (staff gets their 3.75% increase per their contract)
• Village Attorney and other support remains flat
• $120,000 of village support for a YMCA program has been cut.
• Funds to replace broken holiday decorations have been eliminated.
• The Friend’s of the Nyacks “Mostly Music” will get same as last year ($1,000). Movie Nights will continue as well.
• Nyack Center and Camp Nyack stay flat

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Americorps begs to differ with The Who: There is a cure for the summertime blues.

The Rockland County Youth Bureau is looking for motivated people who are at least 17 years of age to perform paid outdoor, environmental community service this summer in the Rockland County. Continue reading →