The County Executive And The Task Force Are Seeking The Public’s Suggestions For Investing the Ellenville Million For The Betterment Of The Ellenville/Wawarsing Area
Kingston, NY- Following up on his State of the County proposal to assist the Ellenville/Wawarsing region, Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein and an advisory Task Force of local community leaders, business owners and residents have scheduled their first community forum on February 5th at 5:30 P.M. at the Trudy Resnick Farber Building, 50 Center Street in Ellenville to discuss ideas and accept suggestions for projects to positively impact the economy of the Ellenville/Wawarsing area.
In County Executive Hein’s 2015 State of the County Address, he discussed how the financial crisis of 2008 as well as a series of structural challenges have affected traditional Catskill resort areas since they boomed in the 50s and 60s, and have disproportionately negatively impacted the Ellenville/Wawarsing area. In addition, the New York State Gaming Commission has decided not to grant a license to the Nevele at this time. To help our community better control its own destiny, the County Executive has stepped in and acted. He announced the formation of the “Ellenville Million” Task Force and the designation of one million dollars from funds due to the County and collected by the State to offset any casino impact from neighboring counties to be used to help the people and the economy of Ellenville and Wawarsing. The “Ellenville Million” Task Force’s mission is to recommend valuable projects that the members have determined would improve the economic condition of the Ellenville and Wawarsing area.
“I urge all community leaders, business owners and residents in the Ellenville and Wawarsing community to attend this open forum on February 5th and make recommendations to the task force on how to best appropriate and potentially leverage these funds to benefit the local economy,” said County Executive Mike Hein. “The people of Ellenville and Wawarsing are extraordinary and have courageously faced profound and longstanding challenges, and although we hope that a future gaming license at the Nevele can be part of the solution, it is important that we take every action to control our own future. I have great confidence in the Task Force and I am looking forward to their recommendations.”
“I’d like to sincerely thank County Executive Hein for his commitment to the people of Ellenville and for generously designating one million dollars to help improve the economy of Ellenville and the Town of Wawarsing. He has appointed the Ellenville Million Task Force to assist in this process of assessing potential projects,” said Julie Cohen Lonstein, Esq., Chair of the Ellenville Million Task Force. “The County Executive and the Ellenville Million Committee would like to hear ideas and suggestions from business owners and area residents on how best to spend the allocated money and what projects will have the most favorable economic impact and promote job development. Please join the County Executive and the Ellenville Million Committee at an open public meeting on Thursday, February 5, 2015, beginning at 5:30pm at the Trudy Resnick Farber Building to be part of this exciting initiative and opportunity to be a voice in your community.”
The following are Members of the Ellenville Million Task Force: President of the Rondout Valley Business Association Richard Travers; business person, former Ellenville Village Manager and former County Legislator Mary Sheeley; community leader Reverend Julius Collins from the Shiloh Baptist Church; Ellenville Hospital CEO Steven Kelly; Attorney Julie Lonstein; business owner Philip Coombs; and business owner Candido Perez.
The community forum will be held at the Trudy Resnick Farber Building located at 50 Center Street in Ellenville on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 5:30 P.M. The Ellenville Million Task Force will also accept written suggestions and comments via email: ellenvillemillion[at]gmail[dot]com or U.S. mail: Ellenville Million Task Force, C/O Julie Lonstein, P.O. Box 351, Ellenville, NY 12428.
