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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Ciaravino bids farewell to Newburgh
By KATELYN CORDERO
[email protected]
After four and a half years running
the City of Newburgh, Michael Ciaravino
is leaving the city in pursuit of other
opportunities. He looks back on his time
managing the city hopeful for the future
and proud of the progress made in the
past four and a half years.
Coming to the City of Newburgh
after working as a trial lawyer, Ciaravino
longed for more fulfilling work. He and
his wife made the move to the city of
Newburgh from Ohio.
“When I first came here the city was far
from where it is today,” said Ciaravino.
“For me looking at the plight of many
urban communities it’s the lack of a sense
of safety.”
First on his list of priorities was to meet
with the police department on a weekly
basis to build relations between the police
force and the community. Ciaravino
believed the answer to many issues in
Newburgh could be found in the police
department. He sought to fix leadership
within the department.
“Out of weekly meetings with the
police department, came self-direction to
achieve what outcomes we needed,” said
Ciaravino. “The pivotal piece was the
relationship with the community.”
Over the past four years crime has
been on a steady decline in the City of
Newburgh, under previous leadership and
now under Police Chief Doug Solomon.
“There was this thing emerging, a
formula that works,” said Ciaravino. “We
needed to slow down and capture the
power of a police officer walking the
Interim manager
Continued from page 1
discussing and looking to take hold.”
Michael Ciaravino resigned in
September to pursue other opportunities,
but promised to stay in the role of City
Manager until the end of the budget
season. Donat will be taking over for
Ciaravino until the council is ready to
appoint a new city manager.
“For me Mr Donat I welcome you,”
said Councilwoman Hillary Rayford. “We
need someone in there that is ready to
hit the ground running and be truthful
and accountable because the city needs
help. We don’t need to bleed anymore. I
welcome you.”
streets. There became a can do spirit
that moved through the department. Now
when you see the results it’s remarkable.”
Ciaravino believes the progress in the
police department goes hand in hand with
economic development in the city.
“For me one of most satisfying aspects
of my work here in the past four years
has been to see the gradual and sustained
decline in crime statistics particularly the
bullet to body injuries and fatalities,” said
Ciaravino. “The decline would create the
market for economic development, create
the market for real estate and create a
sense of hope amongst those that would
consider investing in the community,
especially in the citizens that have been
here for generations.”
Ciaravino saw economic prosperity and
growth in the police department and the
community, but in 2016 the issue of water
contamination in the City of Newburgh
was revealed and continues to loom over
the city today.
In 2016 Ciaravino was told high levels
of Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
were found in Washington Lake the city’s
source of drinking water. After some
research into the chemical Ciaravino took
action. The contamination was the result
of Aqueous Fire Fighting Foam used at
Stewart Air National Guard drained into
Recreation Pond and ultimately making
its way into Washington Lake.
Ciaravino organized a lawsuit to hold
those responsible for the contamination
accountable, including the Department
of Defense, New York State and the Air
National Guard.
He is adamant that the next person to
take on his position continue to fight for
the City of Newburgh’s right to clean
drinking water. He vows to continue the
work he has started free of charge for
the city.
“I hope that we can continue to take
an aggressive stance on protecting
our residents right to clean water,”
said Ciaravino. “Newburgh has a very
important grievance and we shouldn’t
feel intimidated by the pressure to run
water through our filtration system. New
York State has to accept responsibility.”
Ciaravino offered his services to
continue working for the city for free on
the issue of water.
“I’d like to offer my services to the
City of Newburgh as consultant for zero
dollars,” said Ciaravino, at a City Council
meeting on Monday. “I will offer my
services as a way to thank this community
for the tremendous opportunity. It has
not always been pleasant, we certainly
Ciaravino gives the manager update at his
final city council meeting.
know that’s not the way leadership works.
We are here for the good, the bad, and
the uncomfortable. We know that due to
all the contamination there is no reason
that anyone should drink water from
Washington Lake ever.”
Ciaravino is leaving in the midst of
the ongoing litigation and investigation
into the depth of the contamination of
Washington Lake, which he believes is
far greater than what the city is lead to
believe.
His career with the city was not clear
of controversy. Councilwoman Hillary
Rayford speculated at the City Council
meeting on Monday the City Manager
has not been accounted for in terms of his
time sheets. City officials and residents
have questioned the amount of time
Ciaravino spent at City Hall doing his
work as city manager.
“[Mayor Harvey] stated [he] did back
date as far back as April as far as for
[Ciaravino’s] time. I stand for the truth
and what’s right,” said Rayford.
Ciaravino assures that all his time
working for the city was accounted for,
he insists that he works around the clock
whether in the office at City Hall or
outside the office. He applied for and was
approved for family leave at the end of his
term so he could handle personal matters
while still completing his duties as City
Manager.
Ciaravino will be replaced by Joe Donat
as an interim City Manager on December
14. He is hopeful that Donat will continue
his work specifically on the water crisis.
“The city has given me hope that
individuals in a community can rise up
against powerful forces and effect long
lasting change,” said Ciaravino. “I’ve seen
first hand the impact of citizen activism
and now it can move the levers of
power and I hope that never diminishes.
Newburgh may be the ideal model for how
urban centers in the U.S. can fight back
against well monied forces.”
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