BLOOMINGBURG – The second meeting of the now reorganized village board of Bloomingburg drew an even larger crowd than the April 21 reorganization meeting. This time, however, there were a number of Hasidic gentlemen in attendance, and some of them were to add a fresh twist to the Bloomingburg story.

As before and as expected, the board faced tough, persistent questioning from various people in the audience.

Mayor Russ Wood announced that the village was looking for applicants for a reconstituted village planning board and a zoning board of appeals. Currently the needs of both those functions of local government are in the hands of the Town of Mamakating.

Lesleigh Weinstein, a village resident, asked why the village sought to return planning and zoning control from the town, reiterating her point that the town boards have been doing a good job and making sure that applicants adhere to the letter of the law.

Wood did not respond to the specifics of this question, and will continue to seek applicants for village boards.

Holly Roche, of the Rural Community Coalition, brought up a point from the leaked "memo" that indicated deception on the part of the developer during the planning process for the controversial Chestnut Ridge development. She noted that two members of the village board, Rivkah Mosesson and Aaron Rabiner, rent their homes from the developer Shalom Lamm. She asked if this wasn't a blatant conflict of interest. The new village attorney, Rory Brady, said he would look into the matter.

More questions were posed about garbage pickup, which some said has not kept pace with garbage generation in the village. The mayor announced that the contract with the current garbage company, Thompson, will be continued for another year and added that he was asking for weekly pickup now since the volume of waste has increased.

A more serious topic was then broached by Roche, who brought up the subject of a missing book of planning board meeting minutes from 2006, which disappeared at some point during the last period of Mayor Berentsen's term of office three years ago. A copy of a village board resolution dated from August 14, 2008, was meanwhile circulated, which showed a motion made by Peggy Wood, wife of current Mayor Russ Wood, whose language set off many more questions regarding descriptions of Chestnut Ridge, and an entity known as "Forestburgh Conservation League, LLC" which was named as having submitted a "detailed project narrative" to the village board, along with an environmental assessment form as the "application." Was this a mistake? A question was then raised about who could have typed up this document, and when?

Other questions arose from the large audience. Kathy Roehmer, a former village trustee, asked about the need for the village to buy a truck. Discussion ensued about what kind of truck, and whether the mayor had misspoken when he said "dump truck." Wood appeared to remain determined to bond for a truck of some kind for village workers.

Someone asked who was acting as building inspector for the village and was told that Mary Grass, who is building inspector for the Town of Mamakating, was in that position now. The man then asked about code enforcement at properties that he described as having far too many registered residents to conform to code. Brady, the village attorney, suggested that a complaint form be filled out.

Another village resident said that all the fuss and bother everyone was experiencing could be solved by dissolving the village into the town, a motion that failed in referendum two years ago. This provoked prolonged applause. Mayor Wood said he would not consider such an option.

Other questions concerned elements of the "memo" that revealed future plans for the Chestnut Ridge development. The developer's attorney has maintained that the document was a sales pitch designed to appeal to Hasidic homebuyers, and that much of its contents should be seen as "blue sky" sales language. Those in the audience tended to disagree with that assessment. The village attorney pointed out that any further additions to what has already been approved would have to pass through the planning process and receive required permits.

The developer's arrears in payments to maintain the sewer plant came up again. Brady was questioned as to whether he understood his own fiduciary responsibility to the village in this matter. He said he did and added that he was still working his way through the material involved in various lawsuits and agreements involved in the Chestnut Ridge development.

At this point, a completely new factor intruded on the proceedings. One of the Hasidic visitors introduced himself as Rabbi Yoel Loeb from Kiryas Joel. Rabbi Loeb then read a prepared statement in which he castigated the developer, Lamm, and said that Hasidic people were primarily interested in living a Torah-governed life and that they did not seek disharmony with others in society. He added that he was accompanied by another rabbi, who came from Rockland County to lend support. That rabbi carried a large sign denouncing the corruption seen in East Ramapo school district. Rabbi Loeb's statement was met with prolonged applause from an audience that appeared slightly astonished by his intervention.