Thursday, January 28, 2010
Stein leaves Ramapo Town Board for judgeship; Withers replaces him
Former Rockland Legislator Patrick Withers became the town's newest councilman Wednesday night after David Stein resigned to become a judge.
The changes resulted from Sam Colman's retirement as a judge in December.
Colman, a former county legislator and state assemblyman, will help the town establish a youth court. The board approved hourly payments capped at $70,000 for the year.
Stein said Wednesday the decision to leave the board was a tough one, though he's made several attempts to become a judge. He's the town's longest-serving board member, winning election in November 1985. Withers will inherit Stein's latest term won in November.
"I love what I am doing now," Stein said. "If it weren't for Sam Colman's retiring, I wouldn't even be thinking about this. I would be looking forward to continuing."
Withers, a Suffern restaurant owner and a retired New York City police officer, said he looked forward to government service again.
He served on the Legislature in 2007 and 2008 after being appointed. He lost an election to then-Airmont Trustee Joseph Meyers.
Withers said he wants to unite the town and ease the animosity against the Hasidic Jewish community over the feeling that the religious bloc gets preferential treatment from the government.
"The main thing I am going to try to do is end the polarization," Withers said. "People have to start coming together and start listening to all the issues and being fair."
Withers also said he would be fiscally conservative. "I have neighbors losing their homes," he said. "I understand the financial problems people are facing."
He said he won't have all the answers. "Maybe people will hear things they don't like and maybe some people will like it," he said. "Like I run my restaurant, I will come to a solution and make sure they leave happy."
http://www.lohud.com/article/20100128/NEWS03/1280424/-1/newsfront/Stein-leaves-Ramapo-Town-Board-for-judgeship--Withers-replaces-him
The changes resulted from Sam Colman's retirement as a judge in December.
Colman, a former county legislator and state assemblyman, will help the town establish a youth court. The board approved hourly payments capped at $70,000 for the year.
Stein said Wednesday the decision to leave the board was a tough one, though he's made several attempts to become a judge. He's the town's longest-serving board member, winning election in November 1985. Withers will inherit Stein's latest term won in November.
"I love what I am doing now," Stein said. "If it weren't for Sam Colman's retiring, I wouldn't even be thinking about this. I would be looking forward to continuing."
Withers, a Suffern restaurant owner and a retired New York City police officer, said he looked forward to government service again.
He served on the Legislature in 2007 and 2008 after being appointed. He lost an election to then-Airmont Trustee Joseph Meyers.
Withers said he wants to unite the town and ease the animosity against the Hasidic Jewish community over the feeling that the religious bloc gets preferential treatment from the government.
"The main thing I am going to try to do is end the polarization," Withers said. "People have to start coming together and start listening to all the issues and being fair."
Withers also said he would be fiscally conservative. "I have neighbors losing their homes," he said. "I understand the financial problems people are facing."
He said he won't have all the answers. "Maybe people will hear things they don't like and maybe some people will like it," he said. "Like I run my restaurant, I will come to a solution and make sure they leave happy."
http://www.lohud.com/article/20100128/NEWS03/1280424/-1/newsfront/Stein-leaves-Ramapo-Town-Board-for-judgeship--Withers-replaces-him
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