April 23, 2009
Nyack passes village budget, affirms Riverspace support (from LoHud.com)
By Ben Rubin
NYACK - Pushing through a number of cuts, the village board approved its budget tonight with a 4-1 vote.
Although the board agreed to freeze nonunion workers' pay, end fireworks displays and trim the Department of Public Works budget by $20,000, the $5.08 million budget still resulted in a 9.49 percent average tax increase.
Also at the meeting, Mayor John Shields recommended that the village request proposals to redevelop the Riverspace theater lot. Shields also called for a citizens' committee to research the best project for the lot. The discussion, while impassioned at times, resulted in a 3-2 vote to move forward with Shields' proposal.
"I think this is a really good time for action," said Harriet Cornell, chairwoman of the Rockland County Legislature. "There needs to be village support and enthusiasm for whatever you decide."
While facing an anticipated $150,000 deficit in the budget, the village board sought to protect funding to the nonprofit Nyack Center, explaining that the center's community programs were especially needed during a rough economy.
Elected officials also took a 10 percent pay cut and a sidewalk replacement program was chopped.
Of a long list of cuts proposed by Shields, the village board only reinstated $20,000 worth of funding, most of it going toward a YMCA youth grant.
Before the vote, a large crowd of mostly Riverspace workers and supporters, filled the village board's meeting room, waiting to hear if the board planned to continue with a redevelopment plan in the heart of Nyack. After the board agreed to push for it, much of the audience burst into applause.
Riverspace's board members have offered plans to build a $100 million arts, residential and retail complex downtown. But, they sought assurances that the village supported the project before progressing with their plans, said Julian Palmer, the theater's director of development and outreach.
Palmer said that Riverspace plans to decide by June 30 if it will continue to pursue the project, but added that the vote boded well for their cause.
"I think it's an important step forward," Palmer said. "I think the real test will be with the citizens' committee."
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