Mid Hudson Times Sep. 13 2017

T IMES NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION FIRST-PLACE AWARD FOR GENERAL EXCELLENCE, 2016 MID HUDSON Vol. 29, No 37 3 SEPTEMBER 13 -19, 2017 City of Newburgh residents shared conflicting opinions on a proposed amendment to a local law that requires city department heads to live within the city limits. The proposed amendment to the law addresses concerns regarding fairness of the rule as it pertains to existing city employees in the direct line of promotion to department-head positions and how the law might affect the recruitment of new employees. “You want the very best person for all the city positions you can get,” said Drew Kartiganer, sharing his opinion at a public hearing held on Monday night. The amendment would do two things, said city Corporation Counsel Michelle Kelson. It would enlarge the exemption ONE DOLLAR Big plays boost Goldbacks Celebrating Coltrane Page 14 Page 44 SERVING NEWBURGH AND NEW WINDSOR City revisits residency requirement law By SHANTAL RILEY [email protected] 3 categories for an employee of the city who “could be considered in the line of promotion for a municipal-officer position.” It would also allow waivers to be considered on a “case-by-case basis” for potential appointees. The residency law exempts a department head already in their positions as of the law adoption date of January, 2015. “Do Continued on page 33 N ewburgh remembers 9-11 Erosion a concern for Lafayette Ridge By SHANTAL RILEY [email protected] Carl Aiello City of Newburgh Firefighters salute the flag, Monday morning, during the annual 9-11 Memorial Service. Monday marked the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 that approximately 3,000 people, including 343 firefighters who died at New York’s World Trade Center. WWW.MIDHUDSONTIMES.COM Developers appeared before the New Windsor Planning Board last month to present changes to a plan to build an apartment complex on an 11.6-acre site, east of Route 9W in the Plum Point area off Lafayette Drive. Lafayette Ridge Apartments are slated to house 62 one, two and three-bedroom rentals near the Hudson River. Among other features, the development is expected to include three, 20-unit buildings, a smaller building with two units, parking, playground and a gazebo area. A forced sewer main is planned to connect the development to the town sewer system. Speaking before the New Windsor Planning Board in May, property owner Steve Michalski described the apartment complex as “higher-end rentals, targeting people that want to be in Cornwall School District.” When built, one-bedroom units will likely start out at about $1,500 per month, he said. At a planning board meeting on Aug. 9, however, town officials expressed concern over the potential for erosion at the sloped site. “We recommend an appropriate retaining wall be provided to cause stability in the fill on the roadway parking Continued on page 33