For Immediate Release                                          Contact: Rebecca Sheehan
October 28, 2024                                                 845.291.2700

 

Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus Issues

Burn Ban Executive Order

Goshen, N.Y. – County Executive Neuhaus today issued Executive Order No. 13 of 2024, declaring a State of Emergency in Orange County which prohibits certain burning activities due to the prolonged dry weather conditions the County and surrounding areas have been experiencing.

“The beautiful, dry weather we’ve been enjoying comes with a consequence,” stated Neuhaus. “Over the past week, there have been numerous brush fires in the region, including in Orange County. These fires endanger the public and our first responders and we must do what we can to mitigate these dangers while conditions remain ripe for fire spread. My Executive Order will help to keep residents and visitors safe.”

COUNTY OF ORANGE

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 13 OF 2024

DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN ORANGE COUNTY

DUE TO PROLONGED DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS

AND PROHIBITING CERTAIN BURNING ACTIVITIES

          I, Steven M. Neuhaus, County Executive of the County of Orange, State of New York, do hereby declare as an EXECUTIVE ORDER the following:

         

WHEREAS, the entirety of the County of Orange (hereinafter the “County”) has been experiencing prolonged dry weather conditions over the course of several months, which has resulted in extremely dry vegetation and environmental conditions that are susceptible to fire; and

WHEREAS, said prolonged dry weather has created a real, immediate and continued danger of wildfires and fire-related hazard, and the concomitant perilous effect on the lives and safety of the inhabitants that live in the effected portions of the County, and which require immediate measures to protect the lives, health and safety of the public; and

WHEREAS, local fire officials are reporting elevated fire danger levels that are a direct threat to the lives, health and safety of the residents and visitors in the County; and

WHEREAS, the National Integrated Drought Information System currently lists the County as being “Abnormally Dry” and provides that September 2024 was the 8^th driest September on record for Orange County over the past 130 years; and 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 24 of the Executive Law of the State of New York, the County Executive of Orange County, as its Chief Executive, is authorized to proclaim a local state of emergency within any part or all of the territorial limits of the County of Orange, and in connection therewith the County Executive may promulgate local emergency orders to protect life and property or to bring the emergency situation under control.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Steven M. Neuhaus, as County Executive and Chief Executive of the County of Orange, New York do hereby find the public safety to be imperiled by the present and imminent conditions created by the above-referenced weather conditions and the resulting risk of fire and fire-related hazards to the lives of residents, officials, rescue workers and other in the County of Orange and, consequently, to safeguard the lives, health, safety and property of the public, I do hereby declare a STATE OF EMERGENCY for the entirety of the County of Orange pursuant to, inter alia, New York State Executive Law Sections 24 and 25, beginning at 1:00 p.m. this date, October 28, 2024, and continuing until such time that I declare the State of Emergency is no longer necessary or such declaration expires by law, whichever is first; and

I FURTHER ORDER, that as a result of my Declaration of a State of Emergency and above findings, that for the duration of this Declaration and Order subject to extensions, if necessary, that the following is hereby PROHIBITED within the boundaries of the County of Orange:

All outdoor burning of any material, including, but not limited to, yard waste, household paper products, bonfires, campfires, warming fires, outdoor fireplaces, outdoor chimneys and any cooking fires unless such an activity is expressly authorized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The following exceptions shall apply to the above list: (i) outdoor cooking for food exclusively is permitted within a contained gas or charcoal grill; (ii) any firefighting training; and (iii) any burn operations expressly approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Pursuant to New York Executive Law § 24(5), any person who knowingly violates this Executive Order is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

          This Executive Order shall take effect immediately and, pursuant to New York Executive Law § 24(3) shall be (1) signed in quadruplicate, (2) published as soon as practicable in a newspaper of general circulation in Orange County and transmitted to the radio and television media for publication and broadcast, and (3) filed within 72 hours or as soon thereafter as practicable in the (i) office of the Clerk of the County Legislature, (ii) office of the County Clerk, (iii) office of the Secretary of State, and (iv) State Office of Emergency Management within the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, either directly and/or through the County of Orange Division of Emergency Management.

ORDERED this 28th day of October, 2024

Hon. Steven M. Neuhaus 

                                       County Executive

For more information, contact Rebecca Sheehan, Assistant to County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, Director of Public Information and Media Relations, at 845.291.2700 or presscontact@orangecountygov.com.

To learn more about what County Executive Neuhaus is doing for Orange County, follow Orange County Government and Steven M. Neuhaus on Facebook, @Orange County NY Govt and @steve.neuhaus on Instagram, and @OCGovNY and @SNeuhausOC on X. You can also watch Neuhaus’ NeuCast podcasts and Leadership Speaker Series on YouTube.

 

PDF REGARDING BURN BAN

BE IT SO ORDERED

JAMES A. GAGLIANO, MAYOR

 

PDF of Order

Dear Greater Cornwall Area residents, visitors, and friends,

Big doings this weekend around these parts. Thanks to the Town of Cornwall Recreation Department, the Cornwall Youth Committee, and the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson Special Events Committee, we have a special slate of activities that include the entire family.

This Saturday, October 5^th, starting at 4:30 p.m., the Town of Cornwall Recreation Department, in concert with the Cornwall Youth Committee, will sponsor the second annual Cornwall Color Bash one-mile run. Location is the Donahue Farm Property at 42 Bayview Avenue in the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson. There is ZERO cost to participate. The route will take you from farm property up Hudson Street, around the bandstand in Village Square, and back to the farm. Volunteers will help out along the way to provide “color” to all the runners. There will be food available from a number of local vendors, a DJ, and live music provided by the Frozen Peaz. You can pre-register for the run via your cellphone scanning of the QR code on the event flyer.

Please stick around for the Cornwall-on-Hudson Special Events Committee’s outdoor showing of the Barbie movie. Original scheduled date was postponed due to inclement weather. This will be our penultimate outdoor movie experience offering of year. Movie begins around 6:30 p.m.     

On behalf of the Village Board,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

Mayor

Dear Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson residents, visitors, and friends,

Autumn is here. The smell of pumpkin lattes wafting through the crisp Fall air colliding squarely with football season and teachers and children heading back to classrooms for a new school year.

Couple of quick notes: Tonight (Tuesday) begins the time adjustment for our weekly bandstand concert series in Village Square. The time adjustment takes advantage of better daylight hours in September and moves concerts for rest of month up to 6:00 p.m., with concerts concluding at 7:30 p.m. Tonight’s performance will be by the wonderful duo, ONE NIGHT ONLY. Hope to see you there. Next week’s performance will feature STRINGS ATTACHED.

Secondly, if you’ve been following Village board meetings, you know that we are in process of passing a Tree Preservation Law. The Cornwall Conservation Advisory Council, under the able leadership of Carla Castillo, worked diligently to fashion a solid piece of legislation focused on “land development activities” and “clearing activities” . The Town recently passed this legislation with little to no opposition. Counsel for the Village reviewed the law and made some minor tweaks -- tailoring it to Village-specific considerations. The proposed law is posted on the Village website. Go to drop down “Welcome,” find “Village Board,” and then “Proposed Laws” to read the document. There will be a public hearing scheduled for September 16, 2024, allowing for written or public comments related to the proposed legislation. Any issues/concerns – you may also stop in at Village Hall, 325 Hudson Street, to confer with the mayor. This is NOT designed to make difficult the life of the fictional “Mrs.McGillicuddy.” No one will interfere with her removal of a nuisance tree on her private residential property. We all reside in a beautiful region of the state and we want to endeavor to protect our green spaces. Necessary fine balance here for sure. Check out the proposal and come see me with questions.  

On behalf of your Village Board,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

Mayor

Dear Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson residents, et al,

This tough to share. Below the LTE I shared to The Cornwall Local re: Mr. Cashman’s passing:

The phone rang and I dreaded the forthcoming news. Mary Jane Pitt, editor of The Cornwall Local (now News of The Highlands), had promised me an update on the precarious medical condition of 83-year-old Kenneth W. Cashman. Word here had spread rather quickly early last Wednesday that he had fallen ill and with the help of his family was receiving critical care in Middletown. The dreaded news confirmed by MJP, whose voice cracked as she relayed it, that he had passed, shook me to my core. So many now impacted who had the honor and privilege of knowing Mr. Cashman. Conversations with local elected officials and fellow members of American Legion Post 353 ensued. Ken Cashman, a Vietnam-era U.S. Army veteran, was a longtime member of our Cornwall Post. The sober conversations and remembrances that followed centered around this description of the Monroe resident: He was humble and kind.

So just how, pray tell, does a resident of a neighboring community become so synonymous with Cornwall? In fact, if one had to characterize Mr. Cashman, it would be thusly – he was and remains quintessentially Cornwall. Across the years of covering our children at their athletic events, the sports journalist wrote poignant and compelling tales of their exploits and never pretended to be objective in his accounts. He was an unrepentant “homer.” Truth be told, Ken Cashman bled Dragon green and white. He never made himself the protagonist in any of his writings and while serving as longtime editor of The Cornwall Local. His self-effacing columns poking fun at himself were presented under the (wink, wink) self-deprecating nom de plume, “Mr. Know-it-all.” He sang beautiful renditions of “God Bless America” at Cornwall events. He shook hands and kissed more babies than any politician around these parts. Not because he sought patronage, but because he truly LOVED our community. And we LOVED him back.

In 2021, Mr. Cashman sheepishly climbed into the back of a convertible and as he whispered to me, “accepted his fate”; recipient of one of Cornwall’s highest honors -- grand marshal of the annual Fourth of July parade. In 2022, he was awarded “Citizen of the Month” by Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. The distinction much more a “lifetime achievement” acknowledgement than casual monthly nod to his community commitment. Whether acting as Sunday School superintendent or chairman of Bicentennial committee, coaching Little League or Pop Warner, Kenneth W. Cashman lived a lifetime of service and he will be desperately missed.

After we rightly grieve his passing, we, celebrate his life and ensure that his principle of community involvement remain enduring. He certainly set an example for all of us to aspire to emulate. Personally, I will miss his visits to Village Hall to ensure that something he was going to publish was accurate. I’ll miss his wry smile and the twinkle in his eyes as we fiercely debated the appropriateness of the Oxford comma and whether a volleyball serve ace was a “true ace” or not -- if the opposing team touched the ball. Godspeed, Mr. Cashman. You left the world a better place than you found it. You will never be forgotten in your adopted hometown of Cornwall.

With somber remembrance and on behalf of your Village Board,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

Mayor

The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York was recently awarded a $54,000.00 grant from the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology Program (CREST), which is a capital grant program administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). DASNY serves as New York State’s public finance and construction authority. This was also the grant administration authority that the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson utilized to secure monies to aid in the construction of the beautiful pavilion at Donahue Memorial Park.

The CREST program served as a useful mechanism to aid in replacing one of the Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Department’s older vehicles. Our COHPD automotive fleet is undeniably aging and coupled with supply chain issues and inflation at record levels, this grant award serves to help us continue to focus on public safety for our Cornwall-on-Hudson community while avoiding hitting the taxpayers in their wallets. A total win-win for Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY.

The greater Cornwall community has also been recently blessed with the awarding of a $4.5 million NY Forward grant award. The Village then secured a $223,875.00 grant award for construction of the Dock Hill Road connector trail – awarded through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Recreational Trails Program. What this all means is that New York State believes that reinvestment in Cornwall-on-Hudson is a great idea!

Special credit goes to Cornwall-on-Hudson Police Chief Steve Dixon and Village Clerk Doris Wickiser. Chief Dixon identified the available CREST grant, secured Board approval to proceed, and handled process of stewarding the application through the portal with able assistance of Mrs. Wickiser. We are lucky to have such dedicated public servants like this on our Village team.

[L-R in photo]: Village Clerk Wickiser, Mayor Gagliano, Chief Dixon, Deputy Mayor Kane, and Trustee Paliotta. Trustees Carnright and Braine were unavailable for photo.

 

On behalf of the Village Board,

James A. Gagliano

Mayor

August 6, 2024

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Extreme Weather Notice from Cornwall-on-Hudson Mayor’s Office:

We share the following available cautionary weather updates provided by Cornwall’s Office of Emergency Management Director Kurt Hahn, as well as some helpful guidance related to the Town’s and Village’s cooperative efforts to make sand bag materials available to greater Cornwall area residents and businesses. This is “One Team, One Fight” against Mother Nature.

Significant rain is expected beginning tonight (Tuesday) into Wednesday morning. As a result, the Village Bandstand Concert Series event scheduled for tonight is postponed. Another round of wet weather is expected to arrive Friday night and roll into Saturday afternoon – all the result of Tropical Storm Debby, which is moving up the Eastern Seaboard from Florida. Flash flooding is possible in certain areas of our community, as we have experienced with recent weather events.

Both the Town’s Highway Department and the Village’s Department of Public Works have been proactively clearing storm drains, catch basins and open culverts of weather-related washout and debris in order to ensure hyper-localized storm water is able to drain free of obstructions. Please understand this is an ongoing operation and our crews will be attending to days/nights all week.

NOTE: Sand & Sandbags are available (free of charge) at the Donahue Farm Property, located at 42 Bayview Avenue in Cornwall-on-Hudson for residents of both the Town and the Village. Honor System in place -- please limit to ten sandbags per household.

Dial 9-1-1 for Emergencies

Document Storm Impacts:

https://ready.cornwallny.gov/disaster-reporter and tag @cornwalloem in your media posts.

Report Power Outages & Check Status at Central Hudson @stormcentral.cenhud.com.

Please stay safe and follow @cornwalloem for latest information as it becomes available.

Please stay safe and reach out to your respective local government officials with issues/concerns.

On behalf of your Village Board,

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

Mayor

Dear Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson residents,

It is with heavy heart that we share in announcing the passing of Cornwall resident and Medal of Honor recipient, Captain Paul “Buddy” Bucha. Captain Bucha was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor (MOH) for his gallantry in action in the Binh Duong Province of the Republic of Vietnam between March 16th and 19^th in 1968 – the peak of combat operations and U.S. force deployments during the Vietnam War. The MOH also represents the nation’s highest award for conspicuous courage and heroism. For details related to Captain Bucha’s uncommon valor while serving as commanding officer of Company D, please visit the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s webpage. Reading his citation will leave you humbled and appreciative of the sacrifice and courage exhibited by him and his men during fierce combat actions near Phuoc Vinh.

I was honored to first meet him during the mid-Eighties when he spoke at a formal cadet company dining-in. As a young cadet, to me his prepared remarks and words of encouragement were beyond inspiring and were, in part, the reason I decided to join the Infantry. West Point’s natatorium (indoor pool) is also named in his honor, as he served as captain of the Division I intercollegiate Academy swim team before his graduation in 1965. A longtime resident of Ridgefield, CT, we were lucky to share him in the greater Cornwall area when he returned to a family home near his beloved alma mater several years ago. It was then that he stopped in to the mayor’s office to visit with me and yet again leave me humble and inspired. His famous words resonated yet again. “The Medal of Honor, he once said, “is proof that ordinary men and women have within them the potential to challenge fate and literally change the course of history. It only requires the courage to try.” What a sober challenge and one he more than answered in 1968.

President Lincoln famously challenged our fledgling democracy that “[a]ny nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.” With this in mind, I have ordered all flags on Village properties to be lowered to half-mast position today, Friday, August 2nd until Tuesday, August 6^th. I have also spoken with Supervisor Josh Wojehowski and members of the “Hometown Heroes” committee for Cornwall and Cornwall-on-Hudson. In coordination with American Legion Post 353, we will seek to have Captain Bucha be our first nomination for recognition via banner along our main streets when the first batch of nominees is considered and selected.

Please keep Captain Bucha’s family – especially his wonderful wife Cynthia – in your thoughts and prayers. And reflect on Captain Bucha’s humility when he was presented the MOH from President Nixon and flatly advised the president that “[t]he medal that I wear, I wear on behalf of others, not myself.” Stirring words indeed. Rest in peace, Captain Bucha. A grateful nation and your greater Cornwall community will never forget your heroism and sacrifices on our behalf.  

James A. “Jimmy” Gagliano

Mayor

EXTREME HEAT is leading weather-related cause of death. Keep Cool, Keep Hydrated and Stay Safe! Beat the heat by visiting our local businesses (Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce) or stay cool at the Cornwall Public Library.

Cornwall Public Library Hours: