Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Electric Avenue.

Law Office of John J. Tormey III, Esq.
John J. Tormey III, PLLC
1636 Third Avenue, PMB 188
New York, New York  10128  USA
(212) 410-4142 (phone)
(212) 410-2380 (fax)
jtormey@optonline.net
https://www.tormey.org
 
REQUEST UNDER THE NEW YORK STATE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW (“FOIL”)
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
 
VIA FAX: 1-518-473-2827, U.S. MAIL, and E-MAIL:
grantsweb@nysed.gov
commissioner@nysed.gov
Dr. Betty A. Rosa, Commissioner of Education
New York State Education Department (NYSED)
89 Washington Ave, Room 124 EB
Albany, New York  12234  USA
 
VIA FAX: 1-518-473-2827, U.S. MAIL, and E-MAIL:
FOIL@nysed.gov
Records Access Officer
New York State Education Department (NYSED)
89 Washington Ave, Room 124 EB
Albany, New York  12234  USA
 
Re: FOIL Request - Village of Piermont, New York – All Grant Documentation

Dear Dr. Rosa and Colleagues:
 
Executive Summary: A few weeks ago, some new and serious questions arose regarding grant funding and the Village of Piermont, New York. I have launched a citizen inquiry into that funding. This FOIL request is a part of it. While the below FOIL is written in a detailed manner, its thrust is actually a lot simpler than that. I am looking for all Records which you may have relating to Piermont grant monies including solicitations and applications therefor. The FOIL request follows.
- - - - -
 
Without limitation to the further specificity of my itemized queries hereinbelow, this FOIL request seeks all Records relating to the Village of Piermont New York, all grants sought or obtained in connection therewith, all applications and entreaties therefor, and NYSED, since January 1, 2018.
 
I am an attorney in New York, and a citizen and resident of the Town of Orangetown and the County of Rockland. Under the New York State Freedom of Information Law:
http://www.dos.ny.gov/coog/foil2.html
and, as may be applicable, its state, federal, and other counterparts, including without limitation New York Public Officers Law, Article 6, Sections 84-90, and Title 5 of the United States Code, Section 552 (collectively herein referred to as “FOIL”), request is hereby made that each of you provide to this, my law office, full and complete copies of each and every document and other item of material dated, generated, or otherwise materializing from January 1, 2018 forward to the present day (collectively, “Records”) which may be at all responsive to the following requests:
 
1. Grants, And Exhibits. All Records described as follows:
 
Please review “Exhibit A” to this FOIL. “Exhibit A” is a print-out of all pages which I found on the Internet when Google-searching “Piermont, NY” and “grants”, extracted from these URLs:
https://www2.nysed.gov/COMS/CF050/CF0501?SEDCODE=500301640508
https://www2.nysed.gov/CAFE/CF420S/50.HTML
What I found was specific reference to NYSED and to Piermont grant monies, including specific references to the following:
 
SED CODE: 500301640508
500301640508 ROCKLAND
PROJECT #: 0580-24-0268
CFDA #A3060
FUND: 0580240268
PROGRAM NAME: LOCAL GOV’T RECORDS MANAGEMENT
“Piermont, NY”
“MAYOR: BRUCE TUCKER”
“Federal/State Grant Payments”
“Federal and State Grant Status Report”
“Agency Summary Report”
“New York State Education Department”
“Grants Finance”
PAID TO DATE: 9,820
“(AGENCY) BUDGET TOTAL: 19,640”
“CF350”
“CF760”
“CF300”
“AGENCY SUMMARY OF APPROVED PROJECTS”
[Bold-face emphasis added].
 
In any event, I am seeking all Records relating to the foregoing data-entries.
 
2 Grant Solicitations. All Records constituting, reflecting, or otherwise referencing requests, solicitations, applications, amendments, bids, or other inquiries seeking grants, awards, loans, commendations, funds, matching funds, or other things of value in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
3. Grant Monies. All Records constituting, reflecting or otherwise referencing payments, grants, awards, loans, funds, matching funds, commendations, recognitions, other things of value, or rebates, refunds, economic penalties, or fines, in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
4. Grant Conditions. All Records constituting, reflecting, or otherwise referencing “ground rules” or other pre-conditions for payments, grants, awards, loans, funds, matching funds, commendations, recognitions, or other things of value in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
5. Audits. All Records constituting, reflecting, or otherwise referencing any audits or other follow-up on payments, grants, awards, loans, funds, matching funds, commendations, recognitions, or other things of value in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
6. Piermont Entities. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing any Piermont, New York non-profit entities, commissions, societies, alliances, associations, boards, or other associated entities including the following, and including without limitation all e-mails and other communications to or from these entities, in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York:
 
-Piermont Comprehensive Plan Committee (alias the “CPC”).
-Piermont Civic Association.
-Piermont Historical Society.
-Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance.
-Village of Piermont Planning Board.
-Village Of Piermont Zoning Board Of Appeal (ZBA).
-Village of Piermont Waterfront Resiliency Commission.
-Nelson Pope Voorhis and “Planner” Maximilian (“Max”) Stach.
 
7. Piermont People. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing any of the following individuals in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York:
 
-Mayor Bruce Edward Tucker aliasBruce Tucker”.
-Sylvia Welch – “Grant Writer”, “Commissioner For Funding And Development”, and Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee”.
-Maximilian (“Max”) Stach of the Nelson Pope Voorhis firm.
-Barbara Scheulen - Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee”, and President, Piermont Historical Society.
-Rod Johnson - Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee”.
-Klaus Jacob - Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee”.
-Paul Kadin - Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee”.
-Chris Sanders - Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee” and former Mayor.
-Lino Sciarretta, Esq. - Member, “Comprehensive Plan Committee”.
-Mark William Blomquist - Deputy Mayor and Piermont NY Village Trustee.
-“Richard Owen Burns” aliasRob BurnsaliasDick Burns” - Ex-Piermont NY Village Trustee
-Christine McAndrews - Piermont NY Village Trustee.
-Rondi Marie Casey aliasRondi Casey” - Ex-Piermont NY Village Trustee.
-Nathan (Nate) Mitchell - Piermont NY Village Trustee and current Mayoral Candidate.
-Michael Emerson Wright alias Michael Wright” - Piermont NY Village Trustee.
-Jennifer DeYorgi Maher - Piermont NY “Chief Fiscal Officer”, “Treasurer”, “Village Clerk”, and “Registrar of Vital Statistics”
-Michele Marzo, Piermont NY Deputy Clerk, Treasurer.
-Sylvia Carbonell, Piermont NY Village Clerk.
-Maggie Cavanaugh - Clerk, Piermont NY Building Department.
-Charles (Charlie) Schaub, Piermont NY Building Inspector and “Flood Plain Manager”.
-Joe Knizeski, Assistant Piermont NY Building Inspector.
-Christian (Chris) Catania, alias “Christian Charles”, Piermont NY “Clerk to the Boards”, “Administrative Assistant Building Clerk”, and “Secretary of the Planning and Zoning Boards”.
-David Levy, Piermont NY Planning Board “Chairman”.
-Daniel Spitzer, Ex-Piermont NY Planning Board Chair
-Ed Nelson – Ex-Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Jerry Warshaw – Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Kim Stiefel - Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Don Guyton – Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Mary Kirby – Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Jacey Raimondo – Alternate Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-David Kristiansen - Alternate Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Adra Bubesi Mounier – Ex-Alternate Member, Piermont NY Planning Board.
-Usha Wright – “Chairman”, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Walter Cain – Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Kevin Timoney - Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Peter T. Metzler – Ex-Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Dr. Philip Tierno – Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Gregg Manzione – Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Rochelle Spooner - Alternate Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Molly MacQueen - Alternate Member, Piermont NY Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA).
-Joanne Ottaviano - President, “Piermont Civic Association”.
-Margaret Grace - President Emeritus, “Piermont Civic Association”.
-Mary Lukens - Vice-President, “Piermont Civic Association”.
-Greg Barrett - Treasurer, “Piermont Civic Association”.
-Dan Sherman - Vice President, “Piermont Historical Society”.
-Steve Kulovits - Secretary, “Piermont Historical Society”.
-Betsy Franco Feeney - Board Member, “Piermont Historical Society”.
-Lola Esnard - Board Member, “Piermont Historical Society”.
 
8. Other Grantor Agencies. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing any governmental entity grantors including those below-listed as may be applicable, in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York – and including without limitation all e-mails and other communications to or from these agencies.
 
-New York State Department of State (NYSDOS).
-New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) “Smart Growth Community Planning Program”.
-New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) “NYS Smart Growth Program”.
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant Program.
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), DEC SDVOB Compliance Unit.
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), SDVOB Program.
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), MWBE Program.
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Hudson River Estuary/Hudson River Programs.
-Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
-FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
-FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program.
-U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
-New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services.
-New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), MBS, Bureau of Contracts and Grant Development.
-New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
-Empire State Development Corporation.
-New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
-New York State Water Resources Institute (NYSWRI), Cornell University.
-Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County.
-Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County.
-Climate Resilience Partnership.
-New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (HCR).
-New York State Homes And Community Renewal, Office Of Legal Affairs.
-New York State Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) – Mid-Hudson Region.
-Rockland County Department of Planning.
-Rockland County Planning Board.
-Rockland County Comprehensive Plan - “Envision Rockland”.
-“Envision Rockland” - Community Advisory Working Group.
-Rockland County Office of Community Development.
-Rockland County Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
-Rockland County Law Department.
-Rockland County Department (Division) of Environmental Resources (DER).
-Rockland County Highway Department.
-Rockland County Office of Buildings and Codes (OBC).
-Rockland County Sewer District No. 1.
-Office of the Rockland County Executive.
-Town of Orangetown, New York.
-Town of Orangetown Planning Board.
-Office of the Town of Orangetown Supervisor.
-Town of Orangetown - Office of Building, Zoning, Planning and Enforcement (OBZPAE).
-Rockland County Soil and Water Conservation District.
-Orangetown Highway Department.
-Clarkstown Highway Department.
-Haverstraw Highway Department.
-Stony Point Highway Department.
-Ramapo Highway Department.
 
9. Title 11. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing Title 11 of the “Environmental Protection Fund” in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
10. Downtown Revitalization Initiative. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing the “Downtown Revitalization Initiative” in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
11. NY Forward Program. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing the “NY Forward Program” in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
12. Brownfield Opportunity Area. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing the “Brownfield Opportunity Area” in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
13. Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing the “Local Waterfront Revitalization Program” in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
14. Federal Funding CFDA #97.047. All Records reflecting or otherwise referencing “Federal Funding CFDA #97.047” in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
15. Buzzwords. All Records reflecting, or otherwise referencing the following in connection with the Village of Piermont, New York:
 
adaptation
adoption
budgeting
citizen input
climate change
community development
community facilities
economic development
elevation
environmental development
flood plain
flooding
goals
implementation recommendations
infrastructure
land use
mitigation
outreach
parking
planning
revitalization
SEQR
SEQRA
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (“SWOT”) reports and analyses
sustainability
transportation
workshops
zoning
 
16. E-Mails And Correspondence. Specifically, I am seeking all Records of any e-mails, memos, notes, correspondence, documents, or other writings to, from, referencing, or otherwise relating to the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
17. All Other Records. Specifically, I am seeking all other Records of any other kind or nature relating to the Village of Piermont, New York.
 
18. Definition Of “Records”. “Records” should be construed in the broadest sense and manner possible and should include “any information kept, held, filed, produced or reproduced by, with or for (your agency or office)... in any physical form whatsoever...” (FOIL,§86[4]) including without limitation all audio recordings, blog posts, correspondence, data maintained electronically, data, e-mails, executive summaries, extracts, faxes, instant messages, Internet posts, letters, log-book entries, memos, paper records, personal messages, social media communications, spreadsheets, summaries, synopses, telephone records, test-reports, visual recordings, and any other materials:
http://www.dos.ny.gov/coog/foil2.html#s86
 
19. Headings And Subheadings. The headings and subheadings used in this letter are for convenience of reference purposes only, and should not be construed to be words of limitation or otherwise of any substantive significance relative to this FOIL request.
 
20. Costs. If there are any copying or other fees for this, please let me know what they are and how they are calculated, before filling the request and forwarding the Records to me. As this FOIL should be considered a matter of public importance, and as its results will be shared with the general public and published, I am asking that any otherwise-applicable fees be waived for this document-production. I am also asking that all documents be provided to me electronically to the full extent possible, so as to obviate the need for any photocopying expense.
 
21. Denials And Appeals. In the event that any portion of my request is denied, please inform me of each of the specific reasons for any such denial in writing - and provide me with the name, address, and other contact information of the person or entity to whom an appeal should be directed.
 
22. Additional Requests. This FOIL request is not intended to be exhaustive, and I may make additional and follow-up requests.
 
I will appreciate a response from you and your office as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
 
Very truly yours,

John J. Tormey III, Esq.
 
cc:
VIA FAX: 1-518-474-1927, U.S. MAIL, and E-MAIL:
coog@dos.ny.gov
NYS Committee on Open Government (COOG)
Department of State
One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Suite 650
Albany, New York 12231 USA