While Saturday was the 17th annual Orangetown Highway Department Open House, the tradition actually dates back 30-plus years.
“It started when one of my grandsons was in Nauraushaun Nursery School,” said Orangetown Highway Superintendent James Dean. “I invited his whole class down to see all the vehicles, and did the same for my other grandkids. Then, 17 years ago, we decided to open it up to the whole community.”
Dean added that they’re also trying to improve partnerships with green-friendly organizations, especially for the Open House. On Saturday, Keep Rockland Beautiful, the Cornell Cooperative Extension and Organic Recycling, Inc., all had booths.
“It’s just a day for the community to come in, ask questions about what we do and see all of our equipment,” Dean said. “We really love to see all the kids climbing on all the vehicles.”
