Orange County, Monroe, NY – It began three years ago with a request by the Village of Kiryas Joel to take over part of a county road to install sidewalks and do other improvements.
Kiryas Joel leaders call it an urgent safety matter. They say they want sidewalks for their growing population near Route 44, which crosses an area where hundreds of condominiums have been built, and there is a lot of pedestrian traffic, including mothers pushing baby strollers.
“This road now leads to about 1,100 apartments,” Village Administrator Gedalye Szegedin said. “That’s almost a third of the village living on that road, so we want to make a significant investment in it.”
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Opponents applaud the sidewalk plan but argue that Kiryas Joel can build them without taking ownership of the road.
Legislator Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove, the chairman of the Physical Services Committee, said he’s concerned Kiryas Joel might close the road on the Sabbath or other religious days when the Hasidim don’t drive. And he wants the county to continue to maintain the road.
Szegedin said the village never closes its roads for religious reasons.
Two separate requests are pending: one to give Kiryas Joel 1,800 feet of Route 44, the other to give a 1,080-foot adjacent stretch to the Town of Monroe.
Kiryas Joel officials point out that the county has given up other road sections, and complain that their municipality is being treated differently.
The county’s Physical Services Committee plans to discuss the request today. But anticipating rejection, Kiryas Joel officials have announced a Sept. 7 public hearing to begin the process of seizing the road through eminent domain. [Record]
this bloomingrove man stopped work for water pipes because they had to ran through property of the county
so you see you see he wont let you built sidewalks, for the same reason he dosn’t let to run the water well pipes
7:12 The Town doesn’t build sidewalks, they dont care if there is accidents (another Jew killed, so what?) KJ worked hard to get federal grants for sidewalks and in order to install them it must belong to them or thru an easement which will allow them to make the work, it’s like you can’t walk in to your neighbor’s property and start constuction on a building!!
What an Idiot!
To the comment who wrote about the “Snow Removal”, why can’t you remove the snpw from that road if it belongs town?? Just remove the snow.
The sidewalk the town should build… but you could remove the snow…
I’m just trying to help
I remember when one of the local politicians (I think he was from Blooming Grove) gave a statement about the water issue with KJ, that KJ needs a lot of water because “they turn on the sink on Friday and they are not allowed to turn it of on Sabbath”!…
I Think “MURDER” is a more appropriate charge for this KJ hater.
He should be charged for Reckless Endangerment!!!
D U M P FORNARIO!!! He has blood on his hands!!! There was several accidents already on this road and this is a real safety issue for the nearby residents!! He is using dirty politics and risking iives!!!!
You are correct, Forest Road which is the Main Thouroughfare of the Village is heavily used on the Sabbath by non-village residents so this Legislator’s comments is clearly inappropriate and deceiving, he should apologize for his false remarks!!
Legislator Frank Fornario, R-Blooming Grove, the chairman of the Physical Services Committee, said he’s concerned Kiryas Joel might close the road on the Sabbath or other religious days when the Hasidim don’t drive
Its amazing
the village of KJ has so many roads, for like 32 years now, and alot of them are driven on Shabbas by some outsiders, and never had they closed one single road because the Hasidim don’t drive on those days…
Its just that this Bloomingrove man I guess, likes them too much.
Because the service they give can’t compare with town services for example “Snow Removel” the village has special equipment for snow removel the town doesn’t remove snow from the sidewalks,
Why is it important for JK to own the road? Just corious.
This guys from the legislature made it their duty to make life difficult for KJ, but the more they attack the better we become prepared next time around, as the Torah says: “Kasher Yeani Kein Yirbi V’kein Yifrotz” (parshas shemos)