Mid Hudson Times Aug. 10 2016 | Page 4

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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , August 10 , 2016

Council appoints new civil service commissioner

In Brief

Washington Lake Emergency Management plan in place

The City of Newburgh has notified the Town of Newburgh and the Town of New Windsor officials that the City has prepared an Emergency Action Plan for the Washington Lake Dam . The City has informed Town officials that residents and businesses in the areas that could be inundated if there were to be a dam breach are going to be contacted by City of Newburgh Fire Department officials and provided with emergency warning and contact information .

Newburgh Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio reported Tuesday that city officials informed Town of Newburgh officials that the Emergency Action Plan for the dam was developed and prepared as part of normal municipal emergency preparations and is not due to a pending emergency .

The City of Newburgh Civil Service Commission at a meeting in May .

By SHANTAL RILEY sriley @ tcnewspapers . com

The Newburgh City Council has appointed a new commissioner to the City of Newburgh Civil Service Commission . John Powell was appointed to an open seat on the commission earlier this week . The council also reappointed Commissioner Vera Best to her seat .

The council voted four-to-two to appoint Powell at a council meeting Monday . Councilwomen Karen Mejia and Genie Abrams voted against the appointment , requesting time get to know candidates better before making the appointment .

“ I ’ d like to propose that we wait on this one until this entire council ( has ) a chance to have a meet and greet , or be able to interview these candidates in person ,” Councilwoman Abrams said .

“ I ’ m not going to agree with that at all ,” said Councilwoman Cindy Holmes . “ Richard Dubois , the chair , has been gone now for a while .”

Holmes pointed out that she had previously served on the commission , which she described as “ one of the most important boards there is ” in the city . “ They can ’ t function with two ,” Holmes said , referring to the commissioner vacancy . “ I just feel that this is kicking the can even further .”

Councilman Torrance Harvey agreed . “ This civil service commission needs to work and have a quorum ,” he said . “ We have an issue with our police chief position … That issue needs to be resolved .”

The commission has faced mounting criticism since it refused to amend test criteria to allow acting city Police Chief Dan Cameron to take a promotional exam for the job .

The city claimed the test criteria was unfair and challenged the commission ’ s decision in county court . In March , Orange County Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bartlett sided with the commission , which then offered an open exam for the position . The test drew candidates with less experience than Cameron , a popular police chief who has served the City of Newburgh Police Department for 20 years .

Subsequently , not one of the candidates who took the open test accepted the job . “ This particular police chief issue needs to be resolved ,” said Harvey on Monday .

He noted the council was provided with resumes and emails offering information about the commission candidates . “ We already know who these candidates are ,” he said , to which Abrams responded , “ I do not .”

Following backlash over the police chief exam , the civil service commission began to provide public notices on commission meeting dates , times and agendas . This spring , the commission began meeting on a regular basis , on the third Wednesday of each month .

Commissioner Thomas Murphy was appointed chairman of the commission following the resignation of Gadbois in June . Murphy and Best , being the only commissioners at the June meeting , made the appointment . 


Funeral for victim of Newburgh violence set for Wednesday

Funeral services for DeAndric Little , 29 , of Cornwall , who was shot and killed in the City of Newburgh on August 2 , will be held on Wednesday , August 10 at Mt . Carmel Church of Christ Disciples of Christ on Route 300 in the Town of Newburgh . Services will begin at 7 p . m .

Newburgh City Police continue to investigate his death . Little walked into the St . Luke ’ s Cornwall Hospital emergency department just before 8 p . m . and was transferred to Westchester Medical Center where he died .

He is the third person to die this year as a result of Newburgh ’ s violence .

Mount hosts Mid-Hudson School Study Council

Conference

David Shaw , a partner of Shaw , Perelson , May & Lambert , LLP , discussed education law at the Mid-Hudson School Study Council ’ s Annual School Law Conference , held at Mount Saint Mary College on August 5 .

Aimed at superintendents , school board members , administrators , and other educators , the conference provided a comprehensive update on current legal issues facing schools , including student rights relative to social media ; transgender students and staff ; special education requirements ; and more .

About 150 educators were in attendance .