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"Information is the currency of democracy." - Thomas Jefferson “Without vision, the people shall perish.” - Proverbs 29:18
Tentative agenda for May 21, 2013.
There will be a Board of Trustees Meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 7:30 PM at the Piermont Village Hall as follows:
1. Public Comment
2. Approval of Minutes - May 7th, 2013
3. Department Report
4. Request from Demian Resnick, Location Manager, seeking support from the board for filming a TV Pilot in the Village
5. Continuation on Request from Piermont Fire Department to hold an “Open House” at the Fire Department/ River Lot on June 2, 2013
6. Request from the Piermont Chamber of Commerce to waive fees for Bastille Day
7. Continuation of Discussion on Piermont Historical Society Train Station Caretaker Agreement
8. Continuation on discussion of Resolutions pertaining to Desalination Facility proposed by United Water of New York to be built and operated in the Town of Haverstraw, New York
9. Continuation on Request from The Athlete Recovery Center for a Special Permit to dedicate a parking space on Piermont Ave. for a bicycle rack
10. Continuation on Request from Margaret Grace of the Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance to hold the 400th Anniversary of the Two Row Wapum treaty.
11. Request from Jade Bailey of New York Cycle Club to hold its 3rd Annual Newcomers ride on Sunday June 30, 2013
12. Authorize Village Clerk to seek public bids for a Triple Combination Pumper
13. Authorize Village Clerk to seek public bids for a Garbage Truck
14. Develop list of items to be included in future BAN/Serial Bond
15. Approval of Warrant
16. Old/New Business
17. Adjournment
For Immediate Release: May 10, 2013
GOVERNOR CUOMO DEPLOYS SANDY HELP TEAM TO LOCATIONS IN ROCKLAND COUNTY
Trained Staff to Help Sandy Victims with Applications for Federal Housing and Business Recovery Aid
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo is deploying Sandy Help Team representatives to locations in Rockland County on Monday, May 13 and Tuesday, May 14 to help homeowners and business owners affected by Superstorm Sandy apply for recovery aid.
Trained staff, from both the State and Rockland County, will be available to meet with residents at these locations on Monday, May 13 and Tuesday, May 14:
Stony Point
Piermont
Congresswoman Nita Lowey said, “As many Rockland County homeowners and businesses recover and rebuild from Superstorm Sandy, it is good news that these Sandy Help Team representatives will be available to help local residents apply for badly-needed storm aid. Federal support in the wake of Sandy has been critical in helping residents of the Lower Hudson Valley get back on their feet, and I am pleased that Rockland residents will have access to these important resources.”
County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said, “I am pleased that the Sandy Help Team will be visiting the Village of Piermont and Town of Stony Point. Their presence will certainly complement the outstanding efforts of our county agencies, in particular the Office of Fire and Emergency Services and Community Development Office, in continuing to map out strategies to help our business and homeowners recover and rebuild from Super Storm Sandy.”
To apply for housing or business recovery assistance, visit http://nysandyhelp.ny.gov/.
Business recovery assistance is also available at NYS Small Business Development Center Disaster Recovery locations in Rockland County:
Suffern
Haverstraw
Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
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Hudson Valley post office hours to be cut
Originally published: March 14, 2013 2:37 PM
The United States Postal Service announced to mixed reaction at public meetings Wednesday that weekday retail hours would be cut from eight to six at the Ardsley-on-Hudson and Piermont post offices.
The 40 patrons who attended the Ardsley-on-Hudson meeting applauded when they learned their post office wasn't closing, as many had surmised from a Postal Service survey sent to them a month earlier.
Across the Hudson, customers who attended a meeting at the Tappan Post Office on the future of the Piermont branch greeted the news with apprehension instead of applause. There were concerns that the reduced hours were a harbinger of worse to come.
"Our current staff is superb, and knows and is interested in the village," said Piermont resident Frank Holahan. "I'm here tonight because I'm concerned about the loss of staff and quality."
From the Clerk-Treasurer - Village of Piermont
FEMA WORKSHOP … 4-months later
FEMA and the Rockland County Department of Emergency Services will be holding a
Disaster Recovery Workshop
in Piermont on Tuesday February 26, 2013.
The workshop will run from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is intended for individuals, residents, and businesses that experienced damages due to Sandy. It will take place at Piermont’s Village Hall 478 Piermont Ave., and is free and open to the public.
FEMA describes the workshop as, “An opportunity for people to get their disaster assistance and recovery questions answered one-on-one, face-to-face.” “This couldn’t come
soon enough, as some residents have commented on a lack of communication regarding what is expected of them and they are eager to move on with their lives.”
FEMA reminds Sandy survivors that the deadline to register with FEMA is February 27. Applicants can call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). Another way to register is to go online at www.disasterassistance.gov
or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.
View the FEMA press release here.
The Weather Channel - 2012: Warmest Year on Record for U.S.
Jon Erdman, Nick Wiltgen Published: Jan 9, 2013, 6:20 AM EST weather.com
If you thought 2012 was unusually warm where you live in the U.S., your suspicions have been confirmed.
According to the U.S. "State of the Climate" report released Thursday by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, 2012 was the warmest year on record in the contiguous U.S. (Lower 48 states), in records dating to 1895.
The average temperature for the Lower 48 States in 2012 (55.3 deg. F) bested the previous record warm year, 1998, by a full degree Fahrenheit, and was 3.2 degrees F above the long-term average in the 20th century.
Nineteen states had a record warm year in 2012. Click through the slideshow above for the full list of these states. Another 26 states had at least a top 10 warmest year in 2012. Every state in the Lower 48 States had at least above-average warmth in 2012. Only Alaska was cooler than average in 2012.
Village of Piermont - Real Estate Tax Information
View the tentative (as of Feb. 1, 2013) Piermont 2013 Assessment Roll here.
Property Tax and Exemption Information -
New York State Office of Real Property Services
View the Grievance Packet and forms here.
Further information including dates and times for Tax Grievance Hearings will be posted as it becomes available.
The Wave - Rockaway's Newspaper Since 1893 - Friday, February 1, 2013
FEMA Extends Deadline
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 30-day extension
for survivors to register for federal disaster assistance. The new registration deadline for Hurricane Sandy survivors
in New York is February 27th. FEMA also approved a 14-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program.
The new checkout date for applicants staying in hotels under this program is Sunday, February 10th.
The February 27 registration deadline allows survivors in the 13 New York counties designated for federal disaster
assistance an additional 30 days to register with FEMA and complete and return low-interest SBA disaster loan
applications, an important step in the FEMA grant process. Designated counties include: Bronx, Kings,
Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are still open throughout New York to provide face-to-face assistance to Hurricane Sandy survivors. Note: Beginning Feb. 3, all NY DRCs will end service on Sundays, but remain open Monday through Saturday.
The new registration deadline for disaster assistance in New York is Wednesday, Feb. 27.
FEMA, at the request of the state of New York, has approved a two-week extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. FEMA will call applicants eligible for the extension to notify them of the extended two-week period and the checkout date of February 10, 2013.
Gotham Gazette - Thursday, January 17, 2013 - by Sarah Crean
Storm Surge: An Interview With Climate Change Expert Klaus Jacob On NYC's Post-Sandy Future
NEW YORK — Geophysicist Klaus Jacob has been warning about how vulnerable New York City is to violent weather for years and, more importantly in his view, how climate change and rising sea levels will transform the shape and character of the metropolis.
Weeks before Superstorm Sandy shocked the city and upended the public discussion about preparing for future extreme weather, The New York Times published an interview with Jacob in which he said that the storm surge from Hurricane Irene came only a foot from paralyzing transportation in and out of Manhattan.
“We’ve been extremely lucky,” Jacob told the Times. “I’m disappointed that the political process hasn’t recognized that we’re playing Russian roulette.”
The Institute for Public Knowledge - New York University
Public Forum on Climate Change, Sandy, and the Future of New York City
A few weeks ago, New York City--along with a long swath of North America's Atlantic coast and several Carribean islands--
was battered by Superstorm Sandy, a weather system that caused unprecedented damage to hundreds of communities. The Institute for
Public Knowledge is organizing a Public Forum at NYU to think broadly about this storm, climate change, and the city of New York.
How do we prepare for a future with more frequent and violent storms?
What are the roles for government agencies, private organizations, and individual citizens in emergency preparedness?
What are the public health implications--both long-term and short?
Does New York need a massive design intervention, or some new housing codes?
When we rebuild, where should we rebuild--and how?
Yahoo News - Nov.28, 2012 -
Sea Levels Rising Faster Than Projected
Sea Levels Rising Faster Than Projected
By Live Science Staff | LiveScience.com – Wed, Nov 28, 2012
New satellite measurements suggest that global sea levels are rising faster than the most recent projections by the United Nations' climate change panel.
The new report found that sea levels are rising at an annual rate of 0.12 inches (3.2 millimeters) — 60 percent faster than the best estimate of 0.08 inches (2 millimeters) per year, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calculated in 2007.
"This study shows once again that the IPCC is far from alarmist, but in fact has underestimated the problem of climate change," German oceanographer and climatologist Stefan Rahmstorf, who led the study, said in a statement. "That applies not just for sea-level rise, but also to extreme events and the Arctic sea-ice loss."
Satellites, which measure changes in sea level by bouncing radar waves off the sea surface, provide much more accurate measurements than tide gauges, because they have near-global coverage, as opposed to just coastal coverage, researchers say.
In addition to the change in sea level, the team assessed another marker of global warming — the overall warming trend of global temperatures. But their results closely corresponded with the IPCC's fourth assessment report, finding that the current overall warming trend of global temperatures is 0.28 degrees Fahrenheit (0.16 degrees Celsius) per decade.
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
The Science and the Lessons of Hurricane Sandy
There’s plenty of conversation going on about all this already. On the Connecticut public radio show “Where We Live,” on WNPR, Earth Institute Executive Director Steve Cohen joined others talking about building more resilient cities.
On Democracy Now, Cynthia Rosenzweig of the Center for Climate Systems Research and the NASA-Goddard Institute for Space Studies talked about New York’s vulnerabilities to extreme weather events. She had a hand in two studies, one done a decade ago, that foretold some of what came to pass this week.
Earth Institute researcher Radley Horton spoke to Terry Gross on NPR radio’s “Fresh Air” about climate and the future after Sandy — what do rising sea level, warming oceans and disappearing Arctic sea ice have to do with it?
On the New York news site CapitalNewYork, reporter Dana Rubenstein spoke with Lamont-Doherty scientist Klaus Jacob and others for her piece, “There could be worse: What New York isn’t doing (yet) about the next storm.”
Here are more articles and broadcasts following up on the storm:
High-Def Storm Models Yielded Accurate Predictions
3-D Maps Pictured Sandy’s Devastation—Five Years Ago
Hurricane Fatalities in New York Keep Mounting
Sandy Just Latest Example of Climate Change’s Threat
Experts: Civil Disorder Not Likely in Sandy’s Wake
Watching Sandy, Ignoring Climate Change
New York Was Warned About Hurricane Danger Six Years Ago
Did Climate Change Cause Hurricane Sandy?
Oct. 31: Two days after Hurricane Sandy knocked out power to lower Manhattan and shut down the New York transit system, the city is struggling to recover. It’s hard to say yet how long that will take.
Klaus Jacob, a scientist with the Earth Institute, said the storm is a “wake-up call” for New York and other cities around the world to address aging infrastructure and better prepare for coastal flooding. The call comes in even louder if you consider the prospect of rising sea levels and more extreme weather events from global warming.
“We had one wake-up call last year under the name of Irene. We got away with less than we will most likely incur from Sandy,” Jacob said in an interview with the BBC. “The question is how many wake-up calls do we need to get out of our snoozing, sleeping, dreaming morning attitude? We have to get into action. We have to set priorities and spend money. For every one dollar invested in protection you get a return of four dollars of not incurred losses.”
November 19, 2012 - FEMA News Release
DISASTER AID DOES NOT AFFECT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE BENEFITS
NEW YORK – Disaster assistance does not count as income. Survivors who receive federal disaster assistance as a result of Hurricane Sandy will not pay additional income taxes or see any reduction in their Social Security checks or any other federal benefits.
Grants for temporary housing, essential home repairs, replacement of personal property or other needs do not count as income. Donations from charitable organizations also will not affect Social Security payments or Medicare benefits.
“We understand the concerns of senior citizens and other survivors and do not want them to be burdened with the question of whether or not disaster assistance will affect other benefits they may be receiving,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Byrne. “The assistance we provide will not affect taxes or social security. Anyone with questions can call the FEMA helpline or visit one of our disaster recovery centers.”
Survivors can find the nearest disaster recovery center by visiting www.FEMA.gov/DRCLocator or by calling the FEMA helpline, 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who have a speech disability or hearing loss can call TTY 800-462-7585.
Survivors can also register with FEMA by calling the helpline numbers. Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Or people can register with a tablet or smartphone by using the FEMA app or by visiting m.fema.gov.
Homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage from the hurricane in any of the 13 New York counties designated for federal individual assistance may be eligible for FEMA grants to help cover expenses for temporary housing, home repairs, replacement of damaged personal property and other disaster-related needs, such as medical, dental or transportation costs not covered by insurance or other programs.
Eligibility for FEMA assistance is not dependent on income. The determination of the amount of disaster assistance an eligible applicant receives is based on the amount of loss and damages incurred as a direct result of the storm and the amount of their insurance settlement, if any.
November 17, 2012 - FEMA News Release
FEMA ELIGIBILITY LETTER, THE FIRST LETTER MAY NOT BE THE FINAL WORD
NEW YORK – If you applied for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following Hurricane Sandy and received a letter stating you were not eligible for disaster aid, you should know that the first letter may not be the final word.
If applicants receive a letter from FEMA that states that they are ineligible, it does not necessarily mean an applicant is not eligible for disaster assistance. If the letter states “ineligible” or “incomplete,” more information may be needed, such as the applicant’s insurance documents or proof of status of their claim, prior to disaster aid being granted.
FEMA requires homeowners and renters to provide insurance and other information at the time of registration. After a disaster, important documents may not be readily available or may be destroyed. Applicants for disaster aid can update their information about insurance and residency at any point during the application process.
A determination letter sent by FEMA will specifically explain why an application needs to be revisited. It might ask for insurance settlement documentation for property damaged or destroyed, or for documents reflecting proof of occupancy or ownership of the damaged property.
Natural Hazard Mitigation Association - Hurricane Sandy Survivors Encouraged to
“Build Back Safe & Smarter”
Communities wrecked by Hurricane Sandy can seize this opportunity to rebuild in better, safer,
and smarter ways, according to the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association.
“We all want to rush to rebuild, but sometimes in our haste, we build back the same old problems into
buildings doomed to be damaged again in the next storm.”
Federal Emergency Management Agency - Disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, education, and references.
Disaster survivors can register for help from the Federal government online at
DisasterAssistance.gov
following all presidentially declared disasters that have been designated for individual assistance.
Seventeen Federal agencies contribute to the user-friendly portal, which offers you applications for
and information about over 70 forms of assistance.
It also provides information on local resources available to disaster survivors.
From The Office of Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand -
A Guide to Disaster Assistance and Relief Funding
- How to Navigate the Disaster Assistance Process.
From the
Office of Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand -
Hurricane Sandy - a guidebook
that outlines available disaster assistance programs.
Federal Emergency Management Agency -
FEMA.gov
American Red Cross
, disaster relief, CPR certification, donate blood
County of Rockland, New York
- Home Page
County of Rockland, New York -
Storm Update
Town of Orangetown - Orangeburg, New York
Update from Orangetown Town Hall -
Andy Stewart
Orange & Rockland -
Storm Center
United Water -
Emergency Operations Center
News - Rockland County, New York
- Journal News
News - Nyack-Piermont, NY Patch
New York State Thruway - Real Time Traffic Alerts
Palisades Interstate Parkway - Advisories
New York City -
Department of Environmental Protection Homepage
US Environmental Protection Agency - Homepage
US Environmental Protection Agency -
Hurricane Sandy Response & Recovery
Environmental Protection Agency -
in New York
New York City -
Department of Environmental Protection Homepage
After Hurricane Sandy:
What's Safe to Eat in the Refrigerator?
Message from -
M&T Bank
County of Rockland, New York -
Gas Stations Open in Rockland
From the Office of the County Executive - Hurricane Sandy Updates
FEMA:
Mapping Information Platform: Home
Weather Forecast from Weather Underground
NOAA National Weather Service - Area Forecast Discussion
NOAA National Hurricane Center - Hurricane Preparedness - Be Ready
Weather Forecast - from the National Weather Service
Weather Forecast - from the Weather Underground
Hurricane Sandy time-lapse animation from Space -
Nasa has released a time-lapse animation
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration GOES-14 satellite captured
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