Tutini named planning chair

MONROE — With the recent announcement that Orange County's sewer plant would be expanding, few places will be affected as much as the town of Monroe, where building projects once held back by sewer capacity, could be returning to the forefront.

Against that backdrop, the town of Monroe Planning Board on Tuesday night appointed Elisa Tutini, the former Assembly candidate, as temporary chairperson pending a potential search for a new chairperson that could lead to the resignation of a new board member.

Tutini nominated herself to the post. Before Tutini won the seat, board members Jerome O'Connell and Audra Schwartz backed Gary Abrignani for chairman. But that move was defeated by board members Patrice Francois, Lisa McQuade, Richard Troiano and Tutini.

After Tutini was nominated, Abrignani objected, citing Tutini's status as a town employee running the Monroe Dial-A-Bus Program, as a conflict.

“It's not right to the taxpayers,” he said.

Tutini said that didn't affect her when she was a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Abrignani said that chairing the board would consume more time. He said it was almost like a full-time position.

Tutini cited her experience running for Assembly as one of her qualifications to the lead the planning board.

“I don't know what that has to do with (the planning board),” Abrignani said.

Her appointment was followed by a lengthy executive session sparked by planning board member Schwartz's objections to the nomination of Tutini.

Schwartz called on the town board to begin a search for a new chairperson which the planning board could approve. Schwartz said that one board member should resign to allow for a qualified and experienced chairperson.

Troiano twice moved to take discussions to executive session for attorney/client discussions, winning out the second time after Schwartz made her suggestion for a new board member.

Planning Board attorney Michael Donnelly said after the executive session he would consult with Monroe Town Supervisor Harley E. Doles on the potential new appointment.

Doles, who attended part of Tuesday's planning board meeting, showed no enthusiasm for the suggestion when reached by phone on Thursday.

"No one has ever heard of anything like this," Doles said. "It is thoroughly and completely inconsistent with anything" done before, Doles said.

Doles questioned the competency of the planning board for not believing there was anybody on the board qualified to be chairperson. "They are all political appointments," he said.

Doles and the town board chose not to reappoint chairwoman and longtime planning board member Mary Bingham this month. She was replaced on the board by McQuade. Doles cited "personnel" reasons for replacing Bingham.

Doles had no issue with Tutini working for the town and serving on the planning board, saying it had been done before on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Francois also works for the town in the assessor's office, he said.

Mikvah
Following Tutini's ascension as chairwoman, the board spent a lengthy amount of time reviewing a proposed mikvah, a holy ritual bathing facility for Congregation Keren Chesed Yisroel off Zupnik Drive outside the village of Kiryas Joel. The congregation was represented by Jacob Ferencz, part of the KJ Alliance, which is part of a smaller faction inside Kiryas Joel which has disagreed with the village's leadership.

The Village of Kiryas Joel has raised objections to the mikvah, with village attorney Donald Nichol on Tuesday appearing at the meeting to question whether there was enough water.

The planning board agreed to retain a hydrogeologist to study water availability in the area.

Ferencz said there would be some showers mainly used on the Sabbath and baths which would be about the size of three tables.

The planning board requested more information about how often they would be used and how many people would use them. At one point, Tutini said Zupnik Drive was a “narrow road.”

Professional Square LLC plaza
The board also requested more information from John Queenan, an engineer for the proposed Professional Square, a four-story retail and office building proposed on Route 208, near RSB Tile and the Route 17 ramp.

Queenan asked for permission to begin applications for permits for the project, which the board agreed. Those permits include a wetlands disturbance permit.

According to a letter from Queenan to town engineer Mark Edsall, the project would entail drainage work, pipe installation, erosion and sediment control measures within a 100-foot wetland buffer. There would also be clearing within the buffer to install pipes and drains.

The 39,997 square-foot, four-story building would include 22,100 square feet of leasable space, including 5,400 square feet limited to retail space. The principals, Joel Brach and Benny Wercberger, have not yet disclosed which type of businesses would be targeted to occupy the space.

- Nathan Mayberg