(L to R): Councilman Yitzchok Ullman; Councilman Daniel Friedman; Town Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence; Councilwoman Brendel Logan; Councilman Patrick Withers.
Daniel Friedman began his career as a Ramapo Town Council member through a special appointment by Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence in 2010. Although Friedman’s official Ramapo voting record since that time has supported the Supervisor’s initiatives, the councilman from Spring Valley has also publicly distanced himself from St. Lawrence.
Today, Supervisor St. L again refused to allow a vote on my proposal to cut energy costs for taxpayers. His antics have cost u over $200k.
— Daniel Friedman (@CouncilmanDF) June 19, 2014
Maybe shock waves from the May, 2013 F.B.I. raid on the Town of Ramapo offices freed up Friedman’s perspective on town business. In any case, there appears to be a real rumble going-on at the town council between St. Lawrence and Friedman, who has gone so far as to charge that “recent events and investigations” “demonstrate a clear record of illegal activity by Supervisor Christopher P. St. Lawrence and his administration.”
Friedman has called a Reform Ramapo open door meeting at Ramapo Town Hall on Tuesday, June 24, at 6 p.m. in Conference Room II. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Ramapo Town Hall at 237 Route 59, Airmont.
I will be holding the first ever Town Hall meeting with residents to discuss legislative ideas to reform Ramapo. http://t.co/VvRyMsU6iR
— Daniel Friedman (@CouncilmanDF) June 17, 2014
Call it grandstanding or people powered politics wherein Friedman has heard the siren call of real town tax and spend reform — the result is that the councilman is providing the public an opportunity to participate in the Ramapo legislative process.
“It is clear, from what I have uncovered and what I continue to uncover, that this town needs major legislative reforms that will put an end to criminal activity and any form of corruption in Town Hall,” Friedman said in a statement about the reason for holding a Reform Ramapo meeting.
This past March, Friedman sent letters to state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, invited both to visit Town Hall and investigate “abuse of power” by the town supervisor.
Going from $95k to $45k because of my opposition and investigation – this is definitely a victory for all taxpayers http://t.co/tOUeNkRFCR — Daniel Friedman (@CouncilmanDF) June 6, 2014
At a late May town board meeting, Friedman voted with the rest of the Town Board, save Brendal Charles, who abstained from the vote, to approve Bernard Charles as assistant recreation activities coordinator with the Ramapo town Parks and Recreation Department — a full-time job that will pay Charles $45,973 per year.
Councilwoman Brendal Charles and Bernard Charles are married but that relationship apparently had no bearing on the application process and appointment process – nor did it have any bearing on Charles former consultancy with the town.
