County Executive Updates On Spring Valley Buildings Department Takeover, No Tax Dollars Should Be Spent To Fix Spring Valley Issues

County Executive Ed Day submitted the proposed $1.5 million budget for the Office of Buildings and Codes to the Rockland County Legislature for their approval. The budget includes funding for staff, contractors, equipment, computer software and printed materials. Projected revenue for the budget comes from the fees associated with code enforcement inspections. The budget is intended to be revenue neutral and could be amended in the future to include possible New York State aid funding.

“This budget prepares for all eventualities, and we have already had discussions with our State Senators and Assembly Members about securing New York State aid to ensure that no county tax dollars go towards fixing Spring Valley’s issues. While we have been Ordered by the New York State Department of State to undertake this unprecedented task, it would not be right to ask county taxpayers to foot the bill,” said County Executive Ed Day.

The County has identified a need for at least 12 Full and Part-time Building and Fire Inspectors and 5 support staff who will work under the supervision of the Director of the Office of Buildings and Codes to clear Spring Valley’s backlog of outstanding inspections. Additional contractors could also be hired as part of this process. The Director of the Office of Buildings and Codes will report directly to the County Executive’s Chief of Staff and will be closely supported by the Office of Fire and Emergency Services and the Law Department.

The Office of Buildings and Codes main office will be on the 2nd Floor of Building A in the Robert Yeager Health Complex in Pomona. This space had been vacant and is currently being remodeled and upgraded.

“We will soon be empowered to ensure strict enforcement of New York State Building and Fire Code within Spring Valley. The County will not hesitate to issue fines to those in violation of State codes. But fines are not the goal, they are just another tool we will use to ensure compliance and correct dangerous conditions that threaten the lives of residents, visitors and first responders,” said County Executive Day.

Former NYPD Police Officer and Suffern Mayor Ed Markunas is being appointed (pending County Legislature confirmation) to serve as the Director of the Office of Buildings and Codes. During his time as Mayor Ed Markunas oversaw the Village’s Building Department and developed and implemented the Village of Suffern Code Initiative (modeled after the incredibly successful Rockland Code Initiative) which combatted code, housing, and fire safety issues.

“Ed Markunas is incredibly qualified to oversee this new Office and serve as its Director; he is a man of impeccable character. He has served in the NYPD, the US Coast Guard and directly managed Suffern’s Building Department while he was Mayor. Ed Markunas has been involved in our update calls with NYS and Spring Valley for weeks, helped to develop the budget and determine staffing needs and has already provided significant insight. I have full faith in his ability to manage this situation and resolve many of the issues facing the residents and businesses of Spring Valley,” said County Executive Ed Day.

Also submitted to the Rockland County Legislature was an Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) between the County and the Village of Spring Valley. The proposed IMA lays the groundwork for the transfer of control of the Building Department back to the Village without delay after the issues within Spring Valley have been corrected as Ordered by the New York State Department of State (NYS DOS). However, NYS DOS has not yet detailed under what specific circumstances control of the Building Department will be returned to Spring Valley.

The IMA focuses on four main areas which will reduce County costs; allow staff and code enforcement personnel of the Village to work under County oversight while remaining employed by the Village; borrow equipment and vehicles from the Village; allow the County access to the Village’s recordkeeping software (Municity); any revenue (fees or possible fines) collected that surpasses the operating costs incurred by the County will be returned to the Village.

“All staff performing inspections will be operating under the direct oversight of my Administration and Director Markunas with a strict zero tolerance policy. Any Village employee who does not comport entirely with the rules and regulations of New York State will be removed from participating in our effort. The true bad apples of the Village Building Department which are under indictment, have not and will not be part of this process,” said County Executive Day.