Rockland Agencies Sharing Space Might Cut Taxpayer Costs

Non-profit agencies that serve Rockland residents could lease space from the county in a new Shared Space Initiative proposed by County Executive Ed Day. The concept is to streamline the delivery of services to residents and save taxpayer dollars by providing non-profits space within county buildings, he said.

Day, members of the Rockland County Legislature and local non-profit organizations met at the Robert Yeager Health Complex in Pomona last week to announce the initiative and take a look at the space.

A tour of facilities of the 6th floor of Building A followed the announcement, showcasing the high-quality type of space available to be leased by non-profits.

“With the support of the County Legislature, we will pass a new local law creating a more efficient way of assisting our valued non-profits who already contract with the county to provide services by actually leasing space to them and better focusing the overall effort to provide services to our residents,” Day said.

Rockland County Legislative Minority Leader Lon Hofstein is sponsoring the local law. Legislative Chairman Toney Earl and Legislator Harriet Cornell will co-sponsor the legislation. The new law would allow the County to quickly react to changing market conditions and offer space within the Robert Yeager Health Complex to these non-profits.

Joining the event were Stephanie Madison, CEO of MHA Rockland, Charlotte Ostman, CEO of MHA Westchester, Carlos Martinez, Executive Director of BRiDGES, Sarah Goforth, Executive Director of VCS Inc., Suzanne Barclay, Executive Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension and Dr. Mark Geller, CEO of Nyack Montefiore Hospital

These organizations have experience building "communities of care" and understand what a difference co-locating services can mean to their business models and the positive outcomes to residents.

Rockland County was named the Healthiest County in New York State and it continuously looking for ways to maintain that rating, Day said.

At the Robert Yeager Health Complex, the county departments of Purchasing, Human Rights, and Environmental Resources occupy the 6th floor of Building A. The 5th floor is one of the locations that could be leased.

The Local Law was submitted to the County Legislature last week, Day said.