The tension had been mounting for days, including street protests outside Town Hall and calls for Ramapo Supervisor Chris St. Lawrence to step aside. But the Ramapo Supervisor, who faces federal charges related to municipal bond activity (along with other members of his administration), had yet to stand before the public at an official Town Council meeting.
#Ramapo supervisor announces there will be not public comment allowed at meeting. Residents outraged. @FiOS1NewsLHV pic.twitter.com/AA1lR4Sj9R
— Ariana Lubelli (@ArianaLubelliTV) April 27, 2016
That changed Wednesday morning, as Supervisor St. Lawrence faced an increasingly agitated public at the special town council meeting. After St. Lawrence announced that there would be no public comments — which is technically allowable as NY “Law is silent on public participation” for official municipal meetings — the roomful of residents responded with shouts and insults.
The Town Hall special meeting continued to devolve to the point where the public was asked to leave the meeting and council doors were closed.
The regularly scheduled Thursday, April 28 meeting of the Ramapo Town Council was cancelled due to the special Wednesday meeting.
#Ramapo resident demand fire inspector be fired, lash out at SupervisorSt Lawrence @ 1st public meeting since arrest pic.twitter.com/9Xe7g7QeUC
— Tara Rosenblum (@tararosenblum) April 27, 2016
Amid all the agitation, the agenda for the brief meeting was oddly mundane and included the appointment of two Ramapo Police Department Sergeants and a radio dispatcher.
Agenda for #Ramapo meeting this morning calls for hiring Tom Buckley as a consultant for fire safety inspections. @lohud #Rockland
— MikeD_Rockland (@MikeDonofrio_) April 27, 2016
Sloatsburg’s Thomas Buckley, a village trustee, was also scheduled to be hired as a fire inspection consultant. Buckley, a respected member of the Rockland County fire fighting community, was probably brought in to offset the recent issues brought on by the charges against current Ramapo Fire Inspector Adam Peltz.
Peltz, who serves as the president of the Monsey Fire Department, is under investigation for his town fire inspection work.
Residents asking for #Ramapo Town Supervisor to resign. Shirts read “CSL MUST RESIGN.” @FiOS1NewsLHV @cjpapa13 pic.twitter.com/UQ9XvCRLwL
— Ariana Lubelli (@ArianaLubelliTV) April 27, 2016