Fighting over Rockland Block Grant Program, Human Rights Commissioner Continues

NEW CITY, NY — Rockland County lawmakers are scheduled to discuss the problems in the county's Community Development office at a committee meeting Tuesday night, though the County Executive's Office says they haven't been invited.

Those problems are not the reason County Executive Ed Day's pick for Human Rights Commissioner was rejected by lawmakers, said Alden Wolfe, chairman of the Rockland County Legislature.

“Ed Day does all concerned a disservice by perpetuating the untruth that Dr. Penny Jennings’ rejection was in any way connected to an investigation," Wolfe said in a statement Tuesday. "To date, the Legislature still has received NO information from the Administration regarding any investigation or its efforts to enforce loan agreements with CDBG loan recipients."

The county administration has been looking into operations at the Community Development office for some time, and escalated efforts after receiving unsatisfactory reports from the former director, Day said.

The legislature rejected Jennings before the problems became public, Wolfe said. While lawmakers had been initially favorable, they changed their minds because they said she did not reach out to them or respect the Legislature.

Though Day said the lawmakers' change of heart came as a surprise, Wolfe said Day should have reached out to the legislature.

"If this was REALLY about hiring the best person for the job, and Ed Day was REALLY interested in working with us to secure Dr. Penny Jennings’ confirmation, then he would have done what most reasonable people would have done - reached out, had a conversation and tried to find common ground," Wolfe said. "Instead, he did what he typically does when he doesn’t get his way - attack, blame, deflect, and most pathetically, invent his own reality. These tactics are great if you’re looking to divide, build hate and destroy relationships. These are not the tactics of a leader."

Wolfe criticized Day's administration over the investigation into the block grant program, saying that he was now in his third year as county executive and should have gotten it done sooner.

“He says he is now going to attempt to enforce the terms of loan agreements – of course that’s welcome," Wolfe said. “We have scheduled a committee meeting for Nov. 29 to hear from the Administration and I expect a full briefing."

But Day's spokeswoman said the office of the County Executive has not received any direct communication from the Chairman of the Legislature regarding the committee meeting.

Wolfe also took exception to Day's announcement that he was moving Jennings to a different administrative role since her acting appointment as Human Rights Commissioner had come to an end, an announcement he made Tuesday as he unveiled actions the county is taking to deal with the problems in the Community Development office.

Wolfe said he considered the personnel move an insult.

The OCD administers the federal Community Development Block Grant program. The grants help fund public improvement projects ranging from the Bowline Point Park playground in Haverstraw town and a community park in Kaser, to sidewalk improvements on Midland Avenue in Nyack and Wayne Avenue in Suffern.

The administration is instituting proceedings against a Ramapo enterprise and a Haverstraw business for misuse of block grant funds.