Rockland County Legislators Vote Unanimously To Seek Bids For Sale Of Sain Property

The Rockland County Legislature voted 16-0 Tuesday to approve the solicitation of bids for the sale of the county-owned Sain property at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City.

“This is a bipartisan effort to move the process forward in a way that protects Rockland County taxpayers and is in full compliance with the requirements of law,” said Rockland County Legislature Chairman Alden H. Wolfe.

The bidding process is open to all who can comply with the requirements of the solicitation, which include:

· Minimum bid must be $4.51 million

· An environmental review is allowed

· A non-collusion affidavit must be submitted

· Financial disclosure of political donations must be made

· Affidavit of financial capability required

· A public viewing of the property is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 23

· Bids must be submitted by 11 a.m. on Sept. 15

Wolfe noted that if a bid is awarded by Sept. 23, the closing could happen before the end of the year.

At the direction of the Administration and without approval from the Legislature, a request for proposals was previously issued by the county Purchasing Department for the sale of the Sain property, with one viable offer for $4.51 million. Purchasing is only authorized to procure, or buy, products and services.

The Administration has repeatedly stated that the sales of two other surplus county properties were handled this way.

Legislator Ilan Schoenberger, chair of the board’s Planning and Public Works Committee, noted that in both of those cases, the Legislature voted to authorize the sales prior to any sort of a bidding process, which did not happen in this case. Additionally, he said, state law requirements regarding the required submission of non-collusion affidavits and county law requirements requiring the financial disclosure of political donations were not met. Those issues have now been addressed by the Legislature, he said.

“The bids are sealed and they will be opened at a date and time by the Clerk to the Legislature,” Schoenberger said. “The bids will be read off publicly and as far as I’m concerned, whoever is the highest bidder should be awarded the bid as long as they can prove that they have financial ability to actually buy the property.”

Legislator Michael Grant, chair of the board’s Budget and Finance Committee, said reliable, timely and actionable information has been continually difficult to obtain from the Administration, including answers about which departments in Sain would be relocating to the county’s Ramapo campus and what the costs would be.

“This process has been dragged out because of the Administration’s refusal to provide even basic information that Legislators need to make informed decisions,” Grant said. “I am pleased that Legislators have been able to work together to try to resolve the Sain issue on behalf of – and in the best interest of - all of our taxpayers.”