News That Matters » Carmel

$1M Carmel suit claims assessor creates hostile workplace | The Journal News | lohud.com

Jeff Green — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 11:25:18 +0000

CARMEL — Carmel Town Hall off McAlpin Avenue is a tempest of threatening and childish behavior stirred by the town’s gun-toting assessor, according to a recently filed lawsuit.

In the suit, Eileen Brennan, the town’s account clerk, details what she claims is a hostile work environment perpetuated by Assessor Paul Jonke. Jonke, she said, yells in Town Hall, has carried a gun to work and filed a false sexual-harassment complaint against her. She is seeking $1 million in total damages from both him and the town for enduring his behavior.

A Long Island-based lawyer representing Jonke and the town noted the suit was not a verified complaint, meaning it was signed only by Brennan’s attorney and not by Brennan, who would do so under the penalty of perjury, he claimed. Attorney Michael Miranda all but called the suit a work of fiction. It was filed early in March in state Supreme Court in Carmel.

ENB Region 3 Completed Applications 03/09/2011 – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation

Jeff Green — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:05:46 +0000

ENB Region 3 Completed Applications 03/09/2011

* Region 3 SEQR and Other Notices

* Region 3 SPDES Renewals

Putnam County

Applicant:

Town of Carmel

60 McAlpin Ave

Mahopac, NY 10541

Facility:

Sycamore Park

Long Pond Rd

Mahopac, NY 10541

Application ID:

3-3720-00119/00005

Permit(s) Applied for:

Article 24 Freshwater Wetlands

Section 401 – Clean Water Act Water Quality Certification

Project is Located:

Carmel, Putnam County

Project Description:

New York City Department of Environmental Protection proposes stormwater improvements at the Sycamore Park parking facility in the Town of Carmel in Putnam County. The proposed project includes the conversion of the existing gravel parking lot to smaller, paved parking spaces and two “overflow” grassed parking lots. Stormwater treatment will include the installation of two biofiltration areas to collect and treat runoff from the paved areas as well as a vegetated drainage swale. The existing clogged culvert will be cleared of debris and the culvert length reduced to restore open channel flow. In total, 1.66 acres of the adjacent area of New York State regulated Freshwater Wetland LC-22 (Class 1) will be temporarily impacted by the project. Upon completion of the project, the impacted area will be restored using native seed mixes, as well as replanted using native trees and shrubs.

Availability of Application Documents:

Filed application documents, and Department draft permits where applicable, are available for inspection during normal business hours at the address of the contact person. To ensure timely service at the time of inspection, it is recommended that an appointment be made with the contact person.

State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Determination:

Project is an Unlisted Action and will not have a significant impact on the environment. A Negative Declaration is on file. A coordinated review was performed.

SEQR Lead Agency: NYC Dept of Environmental Protection

State Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) Determination:

Cultural resource lists and map have been checked. No registered, eligible or inventoried archaeological sites or historic structures were identified at the project location. No further review in accordance with SHPA is required.

Coastal Management:

This project is not located in a Coastal Management area and is not subject to the Waterfront Revitalization and Coastal Resources Act.

Opportunity for Public Comment:

Comments on this project must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person no later than Mar 24, 2011.

Contact:

Daniel T Whitehead

NYSDEC Region 3 Headquarters

21 South Putt Corners Rd

New Paltz, NY 12561

(845)256-3054

r3dep@gw.dec.state.ny.us

via ENB Region 3 Completed Applications 03/09/2011 – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation.

Developer Camarda Wants Your Tax Dollars

Jeff Green — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 19:10:07 +0000

Thanks to Lori Kemp for first posting this at Facebook:

“P.L.I. LLC, (Camarda) a limited liability company with offices at 1699 Rte.6 has requested that the Industrial Development Agency provide financing for the Company in the form of tax-exemption/or taxable industrial development revenue bonds in an aggregate amount not to exceed Thirty-Three Million to be used to finance a certain project consisting of the following:

a. The construction of new buildings, comprised of approximat…ely 210,000 sq. ft on approximately 44 acres to be used as a retail center and as community and office space and the installation of certain equipment to be used by the Company to be used for commercial purposes and to be located at 3741 Danbury Avenue in The Town of Southeast. (Stateline)

b. Paying certain incidental expenses, including costs of issuance incurred in connection thereto.

c. Granting of certain other financial assistance available pursuant to Section 874 of N.Y. General Municipal Law, as amended including but not limited to certain real property tax relief, sales and use tax exemptions and mortgage recording tax exemptions.”

Patterson Crossing Realty Company, LLC. (Camarda) has also requested the IDA to finance in the form of tax-exempt and/or taxable industrial development revenue bonds not to exceed Fifty-Five Million dollars.

There will be three hearings:

Southeast Town Hall on RT.22
Feb. 23rd, 2011
10:00 AM **

Patterson Town Hall
Feb.23rd, 2011
12:00 Noon**

Kent Town Hall
Feb. 23rd 2011
1:00 PM**

Carmel Town Hall
Feb. 23rd 2011
2:00 PM

** Conveniently timed so that the working stiffs can attend the Public Hearings

Other taxpayer-funded gifts for this developer have included:

Interest-free 450K loan given by the Town of Carmel on the sale of the 19 acres for the Hotel project.

Interest-free loans given by way of allowing Camarda to pay his building fees in installments.

Empire Zone designation for the Carmel hotel & Union Place which comes with a tax abatement beginning at 50% of the nominal property tax for town, school, county, and increases 5% per year for ten years until it reaches 100%;

$1.5 million in multi-model grant to improve Rte 311 (Improvements that the developer promised to pay for);

…and now 55 million in IDA Bonds for Patterson Crossing and $33 million in IDA bonds for Stateline Crossing, and 110 million for Union Place in Mahopac.

Now, can someone please explain how these projects will be bringing “tax relief?”

Mining in Carmel?

Jeff Green — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:54:31 +0000

Putnam County – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Shultz Old Route 6 Mine will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. The action involves a proposal by the applicant to remove approximately 165,000 cubic yards of soil and rock from 8 acres within a 10.3 acre site. Excavation will be conducted in 3 phases. Phase 1 involves 3.3 acres of excavation on portions of lots 2-5; phase 2 involves 2 acres of excavation on portions of lots 5 and 6; and phase 3 involves 2.7 acres of excavation on portions of lots 1 and 2. The approval to mine into phase 3 will be predicated on the successful mining and reclamation of phases 1 and 2. The estimated duration of operation is 3 years. The project is located along the east side of Old Route 6, approximately ½ mile southeast of the hamlet of Carmel in the Town of Carmel, New York.

Contact: Dan Whitehead, NYS DEC – Region 3 Office, 21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561-1620, Phone: (845) 256-3801.

From the Environmental Notice Bulletin:
Thanks to Edie Keasbey for sending this along

Putnam County

Applicant:

Lee Shultz

Facility:

Shultz Old Rte 6 Mine
Old Rte 6 Near Us Rte 6
Carmel, NY

Application ID:

3-3720-00344/00001

Permit(s) Applied for:

Article 23 Title 27 Mined Land Reclamation

Project is Located:

Carmel, Putnam County

Project Description:

The applicant proposes to remove approximately 165,000 cubic yards of soil and rock from 8 acres within a 10.3 acre site. Excavation will be conducted in three (3) phases. Phase 1 involves 3.3 acres of excavation on portions of lots 2-5, phase 2 involves 2 acres of excavation on portions of lots 5 and 5, and phase 3 involves 2.7 acres of excavation on portions of lots 1 and 2. The approval to mine into phase 3 will be predicated on the successful mining and reclamation of phases 1 and 2. The estimated duration of operation is 3 years. The project is located along the east side of Old Route 6 in the Town of Carmel, Putnam County.

Availability of Application Documents:

State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Determination:

Project is a Type I action and will not have a significant effect on the environment. A coordinated review with other agencies was performed and a Negative Declaration is on file.

SEQR Lead Agency: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

State Historic Preservation Act (SHPA) Determination:

A cultural resources survey has been completed. Based on information provided in the survey report, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) has determined that the proposed activity will have no impact on registered or eligible archaeological sites or historic structures. No further review in accordance with SHPA is required.

Coastal Management:

This project is not located in a Coastal Management area and is not subject to the Waterfront Revitalization and Coastal Resources Act.

Opportunity for Public Comment:

Comments on this project must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person no later than Nov 19, 2010.

Contact:

Daniel T Whitehead
NYSDEC Region 3 Headquarters
21 South Putt Corners Rd
New Paltz, NY 12561
(845)256-3054
r3dep@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Lake Gleneida Walking Trail

Jeff Green — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:16:56 +0000