The Rockland County Legislature voted unanimously to approve the sale of two county-owned buildings for $8.2 million.
The building located at 185 North Main Street in Spring Valley netted a highest bid of $4.2 million from Congregation Khal Bais Shmiel, and the building located at 2 New Hempstead Road in New City brought in a highest bid of $4 million by JP Morgan Chase & Co. Both sales are subject to approval from the county attorney.
Both buildings were publicly advertised, and three bids were received for the Spring Valley location. In addition to Congregation Khal Bais Shmiel, bids were received for the location from the Village of Spring Valley and JR, LLC.
Legislator Toney Earl asked if the Village of Spring Valley’s bid was considered. Legislator Ilan Schoenberger told Earl the bid was considered, but it was also the lowest bid of the three, coming in around $1.7 million.
“I wouldn’t mind selling it to Spring Valley, I really wouldn’t, but we have to get the most money we can for the county of Rockland,” Schoenberger said.
The New City building received two bids total, with the only other bid coming from Koenig Management. Schoenberger said the county bought the building about six or seven years ago. Legislator Joseph Meyers asked how much the county paid for it then, and Schoenberger said he didn’t remember, but his staff told him it was about $2.5 million.
While Meyers voted in favor of the sale of both buildings, he was the only legislator to raise some concern about selling either property. He wondered if was a good idea to sell the New City location given its close proximity to the county offices, just in case the county government for whatever reason needs more space down the line.
“I just hope that the expense of getting additional space convenient to and close to our government offices will not be higher than what we’re selling this for now,” he said. “I worry about that.”
Schoenberger said the New City location still has a bond on it, but the sale will bring in about $8 million in cash to the county. In the proposed 2012 budget, the county executive had the sale of the two buildings bringing in $5 million, which would go toward deficit reduction. Selling for more than expected gives the county some options for the money, Schoenberger said.
“We can do that now, with $5 million to offset the deficit and still have $3 million for operating expenditures, or put the whole $8 million toward the reduction of the deficit,” he said.
I heard from the grapevine that some of the carpetbaggers supporters will receive benefits and jobs and since they have plenty of this slush money, $7 million worth, they are very vocal about this carpet bagging outsider getting a bloated contract instead of the local guy who has invested his hard earned money in real estate in Rockland and pays over $30,000 year in property taxes while helping to support the Empire Zone. Is that true? Do you have any oersoal interest in seeing the carpet bagging outsider get the contract at a cost o $7 million more than Mr BREGA?
Thats from a news article a year ago. $.33/gallon to pump deisel fuel $33 to pump a hundred gallons. Not bad, and Coach supplies the fuel. Thats about 2 thousand a day just for fueling, he gets about $50 a bus to wash them in an automatic wash, 30 a night. Just how is he going to do the contract for $5 million less?
I am shocked that the RCLegislature has determined their is no use for 185 North Main Street. This building is uniquely situated in the center of where many East Ramapo residents reside. I have tried in vain to contact The Legislature, with creative ideas as to how this building can be utilized to reach out to disenfranchised parents and students, and how it could be made into a center that not only offers a variety of services to residents, but could also be used by East Ramapo to "think out of the box," and provide a unique educational experience to East Ramapo students. For the Legislature to say that the building is no longer needed is short sighted. Their reasoning is services currently being offered could be consolidated in other areas. If the Legislature looks beyond numbers alone, there exists incredible opportunity to aid our students, raise the "all important," test scores and create a true community center. As a lifelong resident and former teacher, my frustration with the Legislature is substantial. Clearly, not one member is thinking out of the box. Dave Kanegis