What's Going On At 83 University? & Other Southern Orange County Questions
A quick look at upcoming stories, and all of my questions sent to Woodbury Village Planning Board member, Richard Cattagio, concerning 83 University and Highland Lake Estates.
Hi. Today is a short post. This is because I spent all afternoon chasing the following stories:
-What’s going on across from 49 Mountain Lodge Road in the Town of Blooming Grove? As you can see, there’s some work that’s been done, and that area is supposed to be a preserve. The Chester Building Inspector says this is the jurisdiction of Jeanne Ovensen, Blooming Grove Building Inspector. Mrs. Ovensen has not yet responded to requests for comment on this matter.
-Mr. Isaac Ekstein claims to live at 40 Roanoke Drive, but it doesn’t look like anyone is home as of this afternoon:
-How much are Washingtonville Central School District taxpayers spending on the lawsuit filed by hate group members — and South Blooming Grove Village Employees — Joel Stern and Isaac Ekstein?
-What South Blooming Grove Public Safety Officer is paying the Passover Patrol out of his pocket, and then turning around and billing the Village for the hours those patrol members work?
-There are security cameras at C&G and Independence Fire Company that could have captured Mr. Joel Stern allegedly committing a crime. Will either location share the footage?
-I filed a FOIL request (in-person) at the Town of Blooming Grove for Mr. Simon Schwartz’s disclosure statements, and any comments he might have made since getting elected to the Town Board about the UJC, Clovewood, and Keen Equities.
-I also filed a FOIL request (in-person) for the identity of all Village of South Blooming Grove Public Safety officers and all of their reimbursement requests this month. I also requested the surveillance camera footage from the early morning hours of March 21st, when Mr. Stern was allegedly obstructing an investigation of the New York State Comptroller’s office.
-I also sent questions to Mr. Richard Cattagio, Woodbury Village Planning Board member and board member of the Home Owner Association at Highland Lake Estates. A lot of you have been asking me about 83 University, within Highland Lake Estates, and Mr. Cattagio was kind enough to reach out.
I’m not crazy about meeting government officials in person because they can claim one thing, or say another happened during the meeting. I also believe in full transparency. So, you should know what questions I’m asking, and you should get the full, accurate quote from the government official, no matter how dumb it may be. (We’ve got a real dumb one coming tomorrow involving the Town of Woodbury.)
So, after the break, I’ll share you the questions I sent to Mr. Cataggio.
Here’s my email, with all my questions, to Mr. Cataggio. This way you can see what I sent him, and if he writes me back, I’ll share with you what he said to me.
Mr. Cattagio, Thank you for getting in touch. I would like to ask you the following questions.
1. Are you aware of a NYS Attorney General complaint against you and the Highland Lake Estates HOA Board and Spinnaker Management?
2. Are you aware of an Attorney General complaint that is specifically about you?
3. Did you falsely give information to Michael Pannela, Woodbury Building & Zoning Inspector, stating that the entrance gate electrical wires were low voltage?
4. Did you then allow an unlicensed person to cut the wires because Mr. Shulem Perl, Mr. Joel Tirnouer, and Mr. Lazar Friedman — all Highland Lake Estates Board members — don't want the gates in operation?
5. Did you ever give instructions to Spinnaker, Mr. Panella, or any other parties to not send any emails, or any other HOA board information to the other three board members: Ray Torres, Dionne Olimaju, and Shegun Olimaju?
6. Are you aware that a NYS Division of Human Rights complaint was filed against you and Shulem Perl, Joel Tirnouer, and Lazar Friedman?
7. As a member of the Village of Woodbury Planning Board, were you provided integrity and ethics training prior to beginning your term?
8. The bylaws of the Highland Lake Estates HOA state that no board member shall receive compensation of any kind. Did you ever receive a payment from Spinnaker management to watch pavers pave a road on Stanford Drive?
9. Did you receive any compensation from Spinnaker Management to watch road paving this year — including watching an unlicensed person cut the wires at the gate, in the presence of the Woodbury Building Inspector, Michael Panella?
10. Did you ever — or did Mr. Panella ever — verify if the wires are low voltage?
11. Did you tell the board specifically that it was going to be an electrician doing this work?
12. Why did Mr. Panella allow you to cut these wires without an assessment from a licensed electrician?
13. Did you get approval from the Board to not take action against 83 University?
14. Are you aware of the unregistered synagogue at 3 College Dr? Is this facility up to all appropriate code requirements to ensure the safety of the worshipers who currently visit it?
15. Is a synagogue allowed to operate out of a home within Highland Lake Estates according to the HOA rules?
16. There are allegations that you’re showing preference to the Haredi members of the community over the non-Haredi. What do you have to say to the people making this claim?
17. Have Shulem Perl, Joel Tirnouer, and Lazar Friedman influenced your vote in any way, shape, or form, on the Village Planning Board?
18. Are you familiar with Mr. Tyler Etzel Jr., Mr. John Kelemen, and Mr. James Freiband? If so, can you explain the nature of your relationship to these three men?
19. Has Mr. Etzel Jr., Mr. Kelemen, or Mr. Freiband promised you the role of Village Planning Board Chairman if they are successful in winning this Fall’s election?
20. If offered this position, would you accept it?
21. Have you been approached by any other individual, such as Woodbury resident, Mr. Joel Stern, concerning the role of Village Planning Board Chair?
22. Did you attend a dinner party at La Vera Cucina where Board Members and their Family attended at the expense of the HOA?
23. Did you and Shulem Perl, Joel Tirnouer, and Lazar Friedman demote the first ever African American President and Secretary of the HOA, Dionne Olimaju and Shegun Olimaju?
24. Was this demotion racially motivated? Did you ever hear Mr. Perl, Mr. Timouer, and Mr. Friedman refer to Dionne and Shegun as a “chvartze” or “shucher”?
25. Did you reappoint them back to President and Secretary, just for the night of the election only to remove them from their positions the next day?
I’ll let you know what he says when I provide the full write-up for this story, coming soon!