Search underway for City Court judge to replace Johnson
Peekskill city officials have begun the first step in naming a replacement for former City Court Judge Reginald Johnson, who retired on Sept. 30 following a scathing investigation that found he was unfit to serve.
The job opening for the full-time position was posted in mid-September asking for candidate resumes after Johnson submitted his retirement papers in late August. The last date for submittals was Sept. 27, but City Manager Matt Alexander said last week he will review the applications received and determine if enough candidates applied for the Common Council to review. If not the listing could be re-opened, Alexander said.
The Peekskill Court is currently being served by visiting judges supplied by New York State. Peekskill also has a part-time judge, Judge Lissette Fernandez, who continues to preside on a limited schedule.
The Common Council will screen the candidates and make the final decision on who replaces former Judge Johnson as the city’s full-time judge.
The Peekskill City Court is also searching for a Chief Clerk to supervise daily operations of the court. That job was posted by the State of New York Unified Court System on Sept. 16 with a deadline of Sept. 30 to respond.
Former Judge Johnson retired on Sept. 30 after the state Commission on Judicial Conduct determined that he “… failed to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary by failing to maintain high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary would be preserved.”
Their investigation determined that Johnson dismissed moving violation traffic tickets over a number of years for friends and influential officials, including Peekskill Schools Superintendent Dr. David Mauricio, and verbally abused female colleagues and staff members. Johnson was named City Court judge by the Common Council in 2014 and re-appointed to another ten-year term this past January.
– By Jim Roberts
HDW condemns action by Peekskill Mayor, seek retraction and investigation of Mayor
The Hispanic Democrats of Westchester issued the following statement on Sept. 27
The Hispanic Democrats of Westchester strongly condemn the action of Peekskill Mayor Vivian McKenzie calling for the resignation of Ramon Fernandez from the City Council.
This transparent abuse of power is nothing more than an act of retaliation against a public servant who has served his community with the utmost integrity since 2019.
Fernandez is the only Hispanic elected official in Peekskill, a city where the Hispanic population is estimated at 41.25%, according to the American Community Survey. Fernandez has indicated he intends to run for Mayor in 2025.
To discredit Fernandez, Mayor McKenzie issued a press release stating that the Common Council held a meeting and voted to request Fernandez’ resignation from the Council. The mayor further stated that their decision was based upon “sworn testimony” of Fernandez. If, in fact, a meeting was called by the mayor, and a vote was purportedly taken, such action is unlawful and in violation of New York State’s Open Meeting Law. Notice of such meeting was not published.
The legitimacy of the mayor’s position is also suspect in that no such request to resign has been made to Councilman Rob Scott. Mr. Scott has been indicted for submitting petitions to the County Board of Elections that included the signatures of three dead men. This serious crime has met with no admonishment or request to resign, notwithstanding the immense gravity of the allegations.
The Hispanic Democrats of Westchester call on the mayor to retract her statement and calls on the Peekskill Board of Ethics to investigate the mayor’s illegal action, report its findings to the public, negate any purported action taken at the unlawful meeting, and take action to force the Mayor’s resignation.
The mayor is trying to silence the voice of a formidable candidate who intends to challenge her in the next election. There is no place in our democratic process for vindictive and abusive actions of elected officials.
In response to Mayor McKenzie’s acts, further action before the NYS Attorney General’s office will be contemplated.
Local 137 says non-union contractor working in Buchanan
Representatives from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 137 joined the giant inflatable rat used by unions at job sites to protest against the developer of a 148-unit apartment building under construction in Buchanan.
The workers claim the developer, New Jersey-based AMS Acquisitions LLC, is employing a non-union contractor, Tony Casale Inc., at the project.
Site work on preparing the land for construction was underway on Friday, Oct. 4 when the protestors were lined up on the side of Albany Post Road just north of Buchanan Hardware.
The AMS Buchanan proposal is for a five-story, 148-unit multi-family residential building comprised of one- and two-bedrooms with residential amenities and parking on a six-acre site at the corner of Craft Lane and Albany Post Road. The project includes 56 one-bedroom and 92 two-bedroom rental units.
AMS Acquisitions LLC is a Fort Lee, N.J.-based real estate investment firm that focuses on the acquisition and development of retail, residential, and office properties. Founded in 2012, AMS has built a portfolio of more than 1 million square feet, with an aggregate transaction volume in excess of $1 billion.
Developers of the AMS proposal say that their project will generate about $830,000 in annual tax revenue – $472,00 to the school district, $250,000 to the village and $78,000 to the county.
A union representative and the company both did not return requests for comment.
– By Jim Roberts
Camp Smith personnel head to South Carolina to help
Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered deployment of 20 New York engineer soldiers to the South Carolina Army National Guard’s Readiness Center in Greenville, South Carolina.
Some of the engineers are stationed at Camp Smith in Cortlandt. They will support the recovery efforts in South Carolina following the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“New Yorkers lead by example and help our neighbors in times of despair,” Hochul said. “These additional resources and expert personnel being sent to South Carolina will assist in the cleanup and recovery of the areas affected by Hurricane Helene, and help improve the quality of life for the civilians living there.”
The unit includes 17 pieces of heavy equipment, including dump trucks, backhoes, front-end loaders, and cranes. In addition to sending soldiers from New York, Hochul has also deployed a swift water rescue team and equipment as well as heavy lift helicopters.
Coffee with police at Bohlmann Towers on Oct. 11
The City of Peekskill Police Department is partnering with Sun River Health and members of the Peekskill Housing Authority to host a “Coffee Care and Creativity with Cops” on Friday, Oct. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bohlmann Towers Community Room located at 807 Main St.
Meet the members of your community who protect, serve and care for you. All are welcome for a chance to chat with Peekskill officers, have refreshments, and enjoy art activities.
For more information, please contact Jaslyn Session at (914) 522-0898 or email [email protected].
Ribbon cutting at the new Fleischmann Pier
Join the City of Peekskill for the Fleischmann Pier and Charles Point Park grand reopening and ribbon cutting celebration on Sunday, Oct. 13 from noon to 3 p.m.
All are welcome to come out and enjoy an afternoon that will include food trucks, live music, boat tours, a children’s scavenger hunt, and a commemorative souvenir. For additional information, please contact Cathy Santacoloma at (914) 734-4212.
Cortlandt receives $100K state grant for solar fixtures
The Town of Cortlandt is receiving a $100,00 state grant to purchase wind and solar lighting fixtures to be placed in the Town Hall parking lot.
The funding is from the municipal electrification grant that New York State Senator Pete Harckham delivered to all of the municipalities in Senate District 40 as part of the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology (CREST) program.
“As the Town of Cortlandt continues to work toward increasing use of renewable energy for its municipal infrastructure, this investment in a combination of wind and solar lighting makes perfect sense,” Harckham said.
“The lights are powered by a combination of solar and wind power,” said Cortlandt Town Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker. “The fixtures are completely off the grid and will help the Town of Cortlandt maintain our Bronze Level Certification through New York State Energy Research & Development agency (NYSERDA) and its Climate Smart Community (CSC) program through which communities are awarded points for implementing a variety of green, sustainable technologies.”
The Town of Cortlandt had been seeking funding for several Wind Remote Power Units (RPUs), which are powered solely by wind turbines and solar panels while providing 100 percent renewable, clean energy.
Wind Remote Power Units capture wind and solar energy year-round, and the power can be stored for up to five days, depending on usage and demand. The units can be set to full illumination and can be also programmed to either turn off completely or switch into night mode, which dims the lights so as not to disturb nearby residences, while still providing security.
Harckham announced in July 2023 that $2.3 million in grant funding was available to local municipalities for various improvement and infrastructure projects, including downtown improvements and new public safety equipment, all of which would help residents without impacting taxpayers. Each municipality in the 40th Senate District was eligible to receive up to $100,000 in grants, CREST funding that would be without restriction; municipal officials could use their own discretion for how it should be spent.
Peekskill Rec has something for everyone this fall
The Peekskill Parks and Recreation Department once again provides residents with a wide range of activities throughout the city for the fall season.
Youth soccer, pee wee, youth and teen tennis, swimming are all on the slate. Kiley Center activities include Dancing with Dache and basketball for all age groups.
The annual Thanksgiving Foul Shooting contest will be at the Middle School on Nov. 23 as well as adult swim classes.
To learn about all these programs and more along with registration information and fees, read the program guide.
Field Library hosting flu shot event on Oct. 15
To help the public reduce the risk of contracting the flu this season, NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital is offering free flu vaccines to adults 19 and older on Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Field Library, 2 Nelson Avenue in Peekskill.
No registration is required. Please stay home if you have a fever above 100°F or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 5 days. For more information, please call 914-734-3576.
Candidate forum for local races Oct. 8 in Cortlandt
The Town of Cortlandt will host a “Meet the Candidates” event on Tuesday, Oct. 8 starting at 11 a.m. at the Muriel H. Morabito Community Center, 29 Westbrook Drive, Cortlandt Manor.
This is an opportunity to understand their positions on issues that impact you and your community. Light refreshments will be served.
Please call 914-528-1572 to register and for more information.
Scheduled to attend:
US Representatives 17th Congressional District
- Mike Lawler, Republican, Conservative
- Mondaire Jones, Democrat
US Assembly, District 95
- Dana Levenberg, Democrat, Working Families
- Michael Capalbo, Republican, Conservative
Senatorial, District 40
- Peter Harckham, Democrat, Working Families
- Gina Arena, Republican, Conservative
District Attorney
- John Sarcone III, Republican
- Susan Cacace, Democrat
Nominations open for Italian American Heritage Month
In celebration of Italian American Heritage Month, the City of Peekskill is seeking to honor outstanding Italian American members in our community.
This honor is based on their personal or professional achievements, civic contributions, or general good deeds that have favorably impacted our citizens. Please send a detailed letter of nomination with specific and pertinent information including newspaper clippings, résumés or other articles you feel support the nominee’s induction. Do be objective and concise.
If you would like to nominate someone, please complete this form and submit by Friday, Oct. 11.
Lincoln Depot Museum celebrated 10th Anniversary bash
The Lincoln Depot Museum thanks all who attended and contributed to its tremendous 10th Anniversary Celebration event on Saturday, Sept. 28 with a special thank you to all of its sponsors.
The restaurants that donated dishes to the event were a huge hit among the guests. Please think of them when you plan on eating out. We appreciated New York State Senator Peter Harckham stopping by to present the Museum with a special New York State Empire Award.
The museum must give an extra special thank you to their friend Daisy Jopling, who was the highlight of the evening. Her performance was as electric as ever and enjoyed by all. We were fortunate that Daisy was able to be a part of our celebration. Her rising international popularity has made her a very busy and in-demand artist.
Obituary
Mary Zeoli
Mary Zeoli, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, died on September 26, 2024, at the age of 94.
Mary was born in Ossining, New York to Michael Apollonio and Perina Cerrone. Mary resided in Croton, NY, and was a widow to Angelo Zeoli. She is survived by her four children and their spouses – Samuel Zeoli (Jolene), Angelo Zeoli (Nina), Emily Burke (Tim), and Mary Ann Eng (Walter). She is also survived by her grandchildren Megan, Gabriella, Stephanie, Sara, Katerina, and Kara, and her great-grandchildren Mila and Theo.
Mary was known for her love of cooking, flowers, plants, and taking care of her family. She will be deeply missed, but her memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew her.
