GOSHEN – Several municipal leaders and Orange County residents urged the county legislature to vote to join a legal action against the Village of Kiryas Joel for its approval of the annexation of 164 acres of land from the Town of Monroe.
Speakers line up to make their points
County lawmakers conducted a hearing on the subject on Tuesday with all speakers calling for a lawsuit. They included Cornwall-on-Hudson Village Mayor Brendan Coyne.
“This is a county issue,” Coyne said. “It’s not a Monroe issue. It’s not a Woodbury issue.”
Emily Convers of United Monroe, which is among those leading the charge
against the annexation, said the premise for it is wrong.
“This land grab, whose only defense is cultural, religious in nature, and whose perpetrators go so far as to constantly attack those of us who are justifiably opposed by calling us bigots and anti-Semitic, must be stopped,” Convers said. “This matter must be brought to the courts.”
Legislature Chairman Stephen Brescia said lawmakers appear to be ready to join a group legal effort by local municipalities.
“That’s the leaning I think we are going to have, is to do it in conjunction with the other municipalities,” Brescia said.
The county legislature will reconvene Thursday afternoon to hear more comment and possibly take a vote on some form of legal challenge.
