POLITICAL MINUTE

Rumor in Ramapo is that Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has no intention to challenge Bob Romanowski and Michael Parietti’s legal victory validating their call for a referendum on ward voting for the town council. Currently five council members-four councilman and the supervisor-are voted on by the entire town. In a ward system the council would consist of six separate “wards” or districts each of which would have an individual council member representing them.

Romanowski and Parietti contend that the five member board does not adequately represent the various groups within the town and tends to be dominated by “bloc vote” influence.

Former village trustee Joseph Gross of Spring Valley will not be winning a new term. Gross, a Democrat, had filed ballots to appear on Democratic and Republican lines in the September primaries. The Republicans decided not to offer him a Wilson Pakula, rendering those petitions useless, and one of his Democratic challengers sued over the validity of his Democratic ballots, and was victorious. The court ruled that Gross’ ballots did not meet legal requirements.

Gross is currently employed in the office of Mayor Demeza Delhomme.  Mayor Delhomme spent four days in jail last week due to his failure to abide by a judge’s orders and reopen a summer camp. A rally in support of Delhomme was held this week before the Spring Valley village board meeting.