County Lends Dilapidated Building To Troubled Animal Shelter

NEW CITY, NY – Rockland County will open the doors of the currently unoccupied Sain building at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City for emergency use by Hi Tor Animal Care Center. The shelter's board of directors wrote to County Executive Ed Day Friday seeking assistance while it deals with an outbreak of ringworm in its cat population.

Day offered the Sain building, once used for county offices and now only a focus of political infighting.

Hi Tor will use the Sain for space to house and treat the affected animals while the infection is eradicated from the shelter's premises.

“This is a temporary measure to help these animals get the treatment and care that they need before they can be returned to a fully cleaned and sanitized shelter,” Day said in a press release.

Use of the dilapidated, controversial Sain building is the latest wrinkle in Hi Tor's troubles.

The shelter's most recent problems started in November with a dispute between the manager and the board. He went off-site to protest working conditions and was fired on the spot, which led two of his assistants to walk out. The board called in a number of volunteers and spent the next few days completely cleaning up and reorganizing the shelter, according to its Facebook page.

The outbreak of ringworm, a highly contagious fungal infection, was diagnosed afterward. While the board president blamed the manager, former staff and volunteers pointed out that cats with ringworm had been isolated until the "clean-up" mixed animals and equipment.

Hi Tor is a contract agency, handling strays for the county as well as towns and villages.

Officials pointed out that the county government was involved only by providing space in addition to the Department of Health continuing to provide oversight of their operations.

Hi Tor is in the process of developing a protocol, which will be approved by a Board-Certified Shelter Veterinarian, for the treatment of all affected animals. The treatment of affected animals will be handled entirely by Hi Tor.

The Sain building will not be open to the public due to health and safety concerns.

Day first proposed selling the deteriorating Sain building in 2014. Massachusetts-based National Development responded to an advertisement for the sale in 2015, offering to pay $4.51 million – $510,000 above the appraised value.

However, that was blocked by the county Legislature.

Lawmakers have cited irregularities in the process and also said they think the space is needed for parking.

In October, Legislator Alden Wolfe told Patch he didn't like the circumstances under which the plan for the sale evolved.

"Many of my colleagues and I have had serious concerns about this deal since it was first proposed. The developer is represented by a broker named Scott Milich. Mr. Milich is not only a campaign contributor to Ed Day, George Hoehmann and others, but also served in a high-ranking position in Ed Day's campaign. He stands to make a six-figure commission if this deal goes through," Wolfe said. "During our investigation, we learned that Mr. Milich had privately reached out to Ed Day in the fall of 2015 and arranged a private visit to the Sain Property for his client - long before it was formally offered for sale to the public. I also understand that there are still several senior housing proposals languishing before the land use boards in Clarkstown, yet town officials have reportedly given their blessing to this deal, along with a commitment to "fast track" it. Something doesn’t seem right to me. Under these circumstances I’m not willing to add my stamp of approval."

Wolfe also said he didn't want to sell the building as a "one-shot revenue item" to pay for operating expenses because that would be fiscally irresponsible.

Also, he criticized the county executive's $60 million to focus county services at the Pomona complex, calling the developer's offer of $4.5 million "spit in the ocean."

"I agree that the building itself should be knocked down, but I’m not yet prepared to sell taxpayer-owned real estate without a well thought out plan that meets the current and future needs of Rockland’s residents," Wolfe said.

SEE ALSO:

• Rockland Lawmakers To Consider Crisis At Hi Tor Tuesday
• Town Officials Check Hi Tor Animal Shelter
• Firm Re-ups Offer to Buy Sain Building for Senior Housing
• Bid on Sain Building is Actually No Bid, Say Rockland Lawmakers
• Sain Building Sale Delay Latest Spat Between Day, Wolfe
• County Executive Padlocks the Sain Building

PHOTO/ Rockland County