Reaction to Ramapo Indictments: Calls for Review, Reform, Resignation

The arrests Thursday of Ramapo's town supervisor and assistant town attorney -- both officials of the deeply troubled Ramapo Local Development Corporation -- are on people's minds.

“Any time an elected official is charged with a crime that betrays public trust, we all suffer," said Rockland County Legislature Chairman Alden H. Wolfe. "Such actions chip away at the public’s confidence in good government. “The legal process will now play out. In the meantime, taxpayers are concerned about how they might be impacted by the town’s finances. An independent review is absolutely necessary. Ultimately, today’s events remind us that there is zero tolerance for misconduct in government.”

An indictment against Christopher St. Lawrence and N. Aaron Troodler were announced by Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, after a three-year investigation of the town's books and its relationship to the RLDC that involved both the FBI and the SEC.

The Indictment charges that they lied to investors buying the Town’s and RLDC’s bonds-- in order to conceal both the inability of the RLDC to make scheduled payments of principal and interest to its bondholders from its own money and the deteriorating state of the Town’s finances. They lied primarily by making up false assets to make financial reports look good, Bharara said.

SEE: Prosecutors: Town Officials Sold $150M in Bonds Based on Lies

"The allegations against Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and others arrested this morning are a gross violation of the public trust," said Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester). "Elected officials who do not uphold their oath of office and our laws have no place in government. As I have said time and time again, we must restore the public trust in government and that starts with comprehensive ethics reform. Furthermore, we must provide the Comptroller with the tools necessary to provide oversight to the 303 local development corporations across the state. This is crucial to ensure that we will shine a spotlight on a large part of government that often operates in the dark."

Rockland County Executive Ed Day called for St. Lawrence to step down from two other positions of authority he holds in the county: chairman of the Rockland County Sewer District No. 1 and chairman of the Rockland County Solid Waste Authority.

Both are unpaid positions.

"Both require the attention of a public servant whose character and reputation are beyond reproach," Day said in a prepared statement. "Given the allegations of corruption against Supervisor St. Lawrence made in the federal indictment, stepping aside is the only responsible action until the criminal charges against him are resolved. The residents of Rockland deserve to know that their tax dollars are being used responsibly and their public facilities are being run by people who adhere to the highest ethical standards. Both organizations provide crucial services in Rockland and both have responsibility for taxpayer money.

Day said the Rockland County Sewer District #1 currently holds $197 million in outstanding bonds.

"The investors who hold these bonds need to know that the operations upon which their investments rest are in good hands," he said.

The Solid Waste Authority currently holds $51 million in outstanding bonds. It has an $48 million annual budget. It operates 10 facilities, including three transfer stations and a materials recycling center.

"I am directing my two appointees on the Solid Waste Authority, Judge William Sherwood and Clarkstown Councilman John Noto, to request at the authority’s next meeting on April 20 for Mr. St. Lawrence to step aside pending resolution of the charges against him," Day said. "The 13 members of the sewer district’s Board of Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the Legislature of Rockland County. I am calling for the Board of Commissioners to demand Mr. St. Lawrence’s resignation."

Carlucci and state lawmakers Ellen Jaffee and Kenneth Zebrowski went even further.

“The charges against Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawerence are disturbing and, if proven true, constitute an egregious breach of his oath of office and the responsibilities of his position," they said in a joint statement. "In order to ensure that the Town of Ramapo can operate effectively, we call for the immediate resignation of Supervisor St. Lawrence. To continue working in his current capacity only creates further distractions and is a grave disservice to the residents whose faith in their government must be restored."

Officials also called on the state to intervene in code enforcement for both Ramapo and the village of Spring Valley after the state called Ramapo's fire inspector deceitful or incompetent.

SEE: Rockland Firefighters, Officials Call for State to Intervene in Ramapo, Spring Valley Code Enforcement

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