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Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, June 6, 2018
KeyBank to close Wallkill Branch
By LAURA FITZGERALD
[email protected]
KeyBank will close their Wallkill
location on Aug. 31, 2018. Customers
were notified by letter on May 25 that
their accounts will automatically be
transferred six miles away to the location
at Scott’s Corner in Montgomery.
“People are banking in different ways
now. The decision is based on a number of
factors including traffic in that branch,”
KeyBank
Senior
Communications
Manager Karen Crane said, “and as
we make adjustments and add more
resources for mobile banking and digital
banking we are also making adjustments
to our branch network.”
Crane said all the same services will
still be available to KeyBank customers.
“Even though their accounts are being
moved to another branch, they will still
get all the same services from KeyBank,
and can access those services by phone,
online, through our mobile app or in any
of the branches that are in the area,”
Crane said.
Scott’s Corner is the closest KeyBank
branch to Wallkill, but the branch in
Modena is also about eight miles away.
The Shawangunk town clerk, justice
court, supervisor and tax collector all have
accounts with KeyBank in Wallkill. Town
Clerk Jane Rascoe said Shawangunk is
still weighing its options. The town board
will make the final decision on what to do
with its accounts at KeyBank.
The Wallkill Avenue branch of KeyBank will close at the end of August.
“It is certainly going to be a change in
the way we do business,” Rascoe said.
The town supervisor also has accounts
with M&T Bank. The closing will be an
inconvenience for the town and customers
will have to learn new procedures, Rascoe
said.
Hopefully, the town can arrange for a
courier service for cash, Rascoe said.
Larry Powell, a retired pastor and
Wallkill resident, said some residents
and senior citizens don’t have cars, and
usually walk to the KeyBank in Wallkill.
Those residents will not be able to easily
travel to the branches in Montgomery or
Modena.
The Wallkill Valley Federal Savings
and Loan is also within town, so some
residents may transfer their accounts
to that bank. Then they would have to
navigate a new system and find new
services.
Michael Horodyski, president and CEO
of the Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and
Loan, said that while one less business
isn’t going to help the vibrancy of the
town, the Wallkill Valley Federal Savings
and Loan is ready to serve new customers
with its knowledge of the local landscape.
“We’re certainly there ready to serve
whoever wants to come through the
door,” Horodyski said.
Horodyski said the Savings and Loan
banks on a relational, rather than
transactional, basis, and has a better
understanding of the local business
landscape.
Powell said the town will lose another
business, which would add an empty
storefront. And, people who come in
from the surrounding area to use the
bank might not come in as often, further
hurting businesses.
“This is just the latest straw placed
on Wallkill’s back—when will it break?”
Powell said. “Key just does not seem
to have taken community needs into
account, probably only their bottom line.
Would they be willing to meet with some
community leaders to take input and
reconsider their decision?”
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Montgomery Village Justice resigns
Village of Montgomery Justice
Andrew Roepe resigned on Friday, a
little more than one month after being
re-elected to his
position.
Roepe resigned
after receiving an
employment offer
from the United
States Department
of State which will
require him to
Andrew Roepe
relocate to Virginia.
His village justice seat carried a term
of four years and the question remains
unanswered as to who will replace him.
There are several different outcomes,
but the decision will ultimately be
left to Village of Montgomery Mayor
L. Stephen Brescia. The mayor can
appoint somebody to fill in the position
until the next village election.
“In New York State, if you are not
a lawyer, you can’t assume the duties
and perform the functions of your
office until you successfully complete
the week long training and testing by
the Office of Court Administration,”
says Roepe. “They give that training
and testing for new judges only twice
a year. They give it in April...and they
give it in December. Because the next
training isn’t until December, if the
mayor were to appoint somebody now
to the position who’s not a lawyer,
they basically wouldn’t be able to do
anything until December.”
For now, Village of Montgomery
Associate Judge Tina Fassnacht will be
filling in for Roepe until a replacement
is chosen.
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