Monroe tree law public hearing to remain open until March 24

The Monroe Town Board continued its review of the proposed local law regarding tree preservation at the March 3 meeting. Councilwoman Maureen Richardson contended that the law should consider how native shrubs could be used as potential replacement for trees, noting that trees don’t exist in a vacuum and that the town needs to consider the full ecosystem when determining how to replace removed trees.

In response, Councilwoman Dorey Houle said she appreciated the importance of landscape diversity, she felt that Richardson’s request would overcomplicate the code and that it should focus solely on trees.

Dennis Fordham, chairperson of the Monroe Conservation Commission, agreed with Houle, noting that the current tree law focuses only on trees and that other codes focus on landscaping and planting of environmentally beneficial shrubs and bushes. He added that these shrubs do not replace trees on a long-term basis and adding alternatives to trees will weaken the law.

The board agreed with Fordham on the benefits of keeping the public hearing open and voted to continue it until March 24.

Library programs

During the meeting, Amanda Primiano from the Monroe Free Library spoke about the library’s plans for 2025, including the purchasing of new technology such as a portable viewfinder, which residents can borrow to ease the reading of newspapers or other printed documents. The library will also host an open house this April that will include tours as well as a scavenger hunt for kids. In addition, Primiano shared that the library will once again host a series of programs geared toward small business owners in the community. The library is also looking for feedback from the community on what they would like to see in an expanded facility.

Student employment

At the meeting, Councilman Sal Scancarello announced the Monroe-Woodbury High School Job Fair, which will take place on April 10 at the high school. Local businesses were encouraged to participate in the event, which will include more than 1,500 students looking for job opportunities.

In other student career news, Supervisor Anthony Cardone shared that the organizers of the M-W High School Life Skills program, which is an initiative focused on providing disabled students with opportunities to gain real-world experience, reached out to the town about performing tasks, such as vacuuming the conference room, for them. In response to discussions on whether there would be more opportunities for these students, Houle noted that New York State has a program that enables disabled individuals to attain an entry-level position, provided they meet minimum requirements, and said she would be happy to speak with the head of the Life Skills program about this opportunity.