Purchase of an empty 75’ x 100’ lot at 1 Barclay St. for $33,000 was approved by Port Jervis Common Council on Monday night with one no vote from Lisa Randazzo, councilwoman-at-large, the first of several park-related conflicts to emerge from the meeting, as city issues play out in parks.
“In the immediate future, the lot will be used for Hose 6 parking, as it has for well over 40 years,” Mayor Kelly Decker said later. “Any other use of that property or disposal of same can be done by any future council.”
Also commenting later, Stan Siegel said, “The land is adjacent to Tri-State Park, so if the firehouse is abandoned, it could become a continuation of the park.”
He has been pushing for a centralized firehouse.
Randazzo said she opposed spending the money on that park when Church St. Park had received no upgrades. Later she explained that the recreation department had made a serial bond request for $80,000 to resurface the Church St. tennis courts which, she said, are often used for pickle ball as well as tennis. She noted that a pickle ball league was formed during the pandemic, but the council decided that the tennis courts were not a priority this year because of other expenses, such as bridge replacement.
“My feelings are that if we are looking to have safe playing space for our youth and community, we first should invest the funds we have available into the existing park improvements needed,” Randazzo said. “The park on Barclay St. has minimal equipment in comparison to Church St. and Riverside park facilities; both are within walking distance for all city residents.”
Lourriston Potter put the potential of Church St. Park in the spotlight when he organized a community barbecue there in July that drew hundreds of people to the activities on all three levels of the park. But the council turned down his recent request to hold a fundraising event there. Potter attended the council meeting to ask why during public comment.
Decker said that Potter’s application was submitted less than 30 days in advance, and he had not identified the purpose of the funds to be raised. Potter said the money would be used for re-entry programs and prizes for youth at the event.
During public comment, Frank Steffen made an emotional defense of Potter, implying that racism was a factor in the council’s denial.
“You don’t ask Boy Scouts what they’re raising money for, do you?” he asked.
Decker said that they do.
Randazzo praised the barbecue event and said she had been there with her children but indicated that some betting may have been going on.
Steffen said later, “I was sitting at home watching the council meeting on TV and seeing a young Black man trying to be a mentor in a city that lacks them. At the barbecue, lots of kids were having a good time, and it was a good vibe. Lourriston established himself with the city there. Now he wants to set up a basketball tournament. In my opinion, they make him jump through hoops because they’d rather have the police do that.”
Also in public comment, Ed DeGroat said that he’d read on Facebook that parking for the new hotel on Front St. and 29-31 Front St. residences, now being constructed, would be available in designated sections of city parking lots. Decker scoffed at Facebook assertions.
“Just like any other customer at any other business, they can park on any city street or municipal parking lot,” Decker said later.
Cory Puopolos, co-owner of the buildings under way, did not respond to inquiries about parking plans.
Also during public comment, Barbara Marszalek described pink slime that city residents told her they found in their sinks, tubs and toilets. Decker said he would look into it.
On a different note, during public comment, Anne Horsham lauded the ADA access provided by West Point tour buses on a recent city recreation trip to the Bronx Zoo.
“They’re wheelchair accessible, with two tracks on the floor, so more than one wheelchair can ride,” she said. “City buses have tracks too. My fear on the train is that, where it stops, will it be wheelchair accessible?”
Also at the meeting, the council passed a resolution to create a Climate Smart Task Force. See accompanying story for details.
A public input event for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant proposal was also announced at the council meeting. See accompanying story for information about the event at 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 2, in Riverside Park, with rain and Zoom alternatives.
I also stated later that I found Mrs. Randazzo's comment, about her children seeing other children with money was proof of some nefarious activity, to be utterly ridiculous. Her story sounded like something akin to a Nancy Drew story plot, if not an Encyclopedia Brown Mystery. I would find her statement laughable if it wasn't overtly RACIST. Personally I feel her intentions for being at this event was to find some shade on it. Just deplorable and adolescent honestly...jmo