To the Editor:
I’d like to bring to light a growing issue affecting many contractors and developers here in Rockland County — including my own shul’s construction project.
Orange & Rockland Utilities (O&R), the sole provider authorized to install the expensive transformers needed to connect new buildings to the electric grid, has developed a troubling reputation. Even after being paid — often tens of thousands of dollars — O&R becomes nearly impossible to reach, and installations can take months to complete. These extended delays have caused major financial losses and stalled progress for countless Rockland County projects.
At one point, a lawsuit was considered. However, fear of retaliation from what many view as a government-backed monopoly led to the idea being dropped.
Perhaps some media attention will help hold O&R accountable and bring long-overdue change to this broken system.
Moshe G.
Chestnut Ridge
The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of Monsey Scoop. Have an opinion you’d like to share? Send it to us for review at monseyscoop@gmail.com.
Maybe there is just no more room on the grid for anymore transformers after all the overbuilding. Your shul isn’t getting finished? Why not daven at any of the other hundreds of Shuls located conveniently all over Ramapo. Lastly, nobody but the politicians on the take really care about the builders financial situation. A lot of people who have been living here a long time feel that it is time for another town to be found and leave Monsey alone.
@Ephraim Yurowitz
As someone who was born and raised in Monsey, I do understand your frustrations with the Monsey overdevelopment. That being said, did you note that the person signing the letter states he lives in Chestnut Ridge? People moving to Chestnut Ridge are exactly the kind of people who are ‘moving out’ from the main areas and not adding to overcrowding. In addition, some areas of Chestnut Ridge have no proper shul for Shabbos, necessitating opening new shuls, our own shul that was just completed included.
Not every house or shul being built is part of the overcrowding problem.
I’m happy that Mr. Yurowitz can walk that far to any shul he wants. There are a lot of people that can’t.
He complains of over building , I wonder how long he lives in Rockland and how old his house is. What was there before. His house was built.. my family moved here 65-70 years ago.
Look in chestnut ridge and airmont and see how far the shuls are located.
Moved here in 1976. My house was built in 68 or 69. It was zoned as were all houses at the time in Monsey and the surrounding areas as single family. My issue is the new “shoot first, ask questions later” attitude. The change in zoning which was implemented without concern for the damage that is doing, both through traffic and multiple accidents per day, are a direct result of this. There is never a good time of day to go anywhere in both Monsey and Chestnut Ridge throughout the day. Buses stoping every house. People thinking that them making the right on red, has the right of way. Overall disregard to general traffic rules. And don’t even get me started with the horn honking! When I started driving in 81, you never heard a horn. Now at 4 am there are alarms and horns beeping. Enough already.
you forgot to mention the deterioration of the roadways. Union Road from Maple going north was done several years ago. now, due to all the building, which requires tearing up the road for water connections, the road needs to be redone again (at tax payors expense). Require the contractors to return the roadway to the how it was before they tore it up – not just throw some gravel and asphalt in the ditch and walk away.
And BTW, if you can’t sign your name, your opinion is valueless to me.
And… nobody cares whose opinions you value.
As someone who’s been working in monsey since 1984 the congestion is now at a critical level. The people getting hit killed isn’t enough it’s time to wake up and make monsey a safer place