Bingham named to Moodna Commission after move by Houle

The January 17 Monroe Town Board meeting saw a course correction to kick things off. After adjourning from executive session, Councilwoman Dorey Houle motioned to appoint Councilwoman Mary Bingham to the Moodna Commission, effective immediately. Houle then made a statement about the qualifications of Councilwoman Bingham, saying, “It would be a disservice not to have her [Bingham] on the commission.”

As previously reported by The Photo News, Monroe Town Supervisor Tony Cardone appointed Houle and another member of the public to the commission, but did not appoint Councilwoman Bingham. This was despite Councilwoman Bingham being on the agenda that evening to also be appointed to the Moodna Commission. This evening, the board voted unanimously to appoint Councilwoman Bingham before proceeding with other town business. There was no follow-up discussion concerning the appointment of Dorey Houle as acting supervisor, despite the turmoil that appointment caused at the previous meeting.

Bus driving concerns

During public comment, Orange Turnpike resident Matt Ladka spoke about what he described as dangerous conditions involving school bus operations on Hawxhurst Road and Orange Turnpike. Ladka said that his daughter was the first to express concern, stating that she was almost hit by one of the buses coming down the notoriously tight road. Ladka’s daughter was not hit, but he said more than once to the town board that “something is going to happen” if this problem was not addressed. Ladka pointed out that he wasn’t only speaking about Hawxhurst Road, but all the side roads and little roads that the school buses were now traversing. Ladka mentioned that in the past, these buses did not travel down roads like Hawxhurst.

Supervisor Cardone stated in response that he met with the Monroe-Woodbury School District about this issue. Cardone then asked the town attorney if it was possible to ban the buses from operating on these smaller roads, but was told that needed to be investigated. Supervisor Cardone expressed frustration that school children needed to be dropped off right in front of their homes instead of at a designated stop at the end of the road. He shared his belief that doing so could avoid problems like those Ladka discussed.

Councilwoman Houle asked Ladka for the time of day the bus comes through his area that raised these concerns, what its number is, and the bus company that operates it. Houle stated that this information is needed by the town to file a complaint with the respective bus companies and other parties. Cardone added, “Unfortunately, safety is not the priority of bus companies that operate outside of Monroe.” He did not identify to which bus company he was referring.

Other business

Supervisor Cardone said that Woodbury Town Supervisor Kathryn Luciani is pursuing a grant to build a new animal shelter. The joint Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) between the town of Monroe and the town of Woodbury makes it possible for Luciani to request a grant twice the size than if only Woodbury applied. There may be an additional cost to the town of Monroe for the new shelter, but Cardone did not state what that extra cost would be. He pledged to share more information as soon as he had it.

The supervisor added that the Woodbury Animal Shelter can only hold four dogs, and it is currently at maximum capacity. Cardone also said that the current facility is not up to the standards set by the New York State Department of Agriculture, and an upgrade is needed. (At the Woodbury Town Board meeting held the same week, Luciani stated that the shelter would not be in compliance with forthcoming revisions of New York State Department of Agriculture’s rules and regulations, which would go into effect in 2025.)