Newburgh Activists Present Opinions to City Council for Vacant Lot Use August 7, 2011 -- 6:30pm -- Newburgh, NY -- "MId-City Lot." More info: http://cvhaction.org Neighborhood activists in downtown Newburgh presented the city council with a community survey compiled from hundreds of local opinions polled about the Mid-City Lot. This vacant Broadway parcel between Lander and Johnston Streets was formerly considered as a site for the proposed Orange County Community College annex. Five years ago, developer Robert Carchietta acquired ownership of the land with the help of Newburgh's IDA, which co-signed the mortgage. However, in 2009, Newburgh foreclosed on the property after Carchietta failed to make mortgage and tax payments. Now the city is seeking proposals from developers. Community Voices Heard, an regional advocacy group for low-income families, with a branch office on Lander Street, wishes residents be included in the discussions. They gathered outside the lot on Monday beneath threatening storm clouds, demanding that impoverished people of Newburgh have their say in Mid-City Lot's ultimate fate. Later members attended the city council meeting and presented their concerns to elected officials. Loretta Manning, one of the activists, complained the proposed college annex fell though. "That was actually trying to create something for our community," she said. "We're left with nothing, with leftovers. It's an eyesore, it's a nuisance, it's aggravating. Demanding inclusion in new proposals, she added, "Residents are not going to just stand by anymore. Let's face it, it doesn't belong to City Hall, it belongs to the residents who live here in Newburgh, and that have to live around it, walk past it." Andrei Niles, who presented the community survey, remarked on data collected. "The general consensus is that they would like to have job opportunities," he said. "Also, people wanted to have a supermarket in the area at least, or to have affordable housing." Niles believes both are possible on the vacant land. "There was a secret committee that formed to finance the six proposals," Niles added. "The people that sit on the committee, they don't live in Newburgh, they're from the outside, they don't understand what Newburgh needs in this unique financial situation that we're in." Marguarita Knox agreed. "We just want something here that's going to benefit the community regarding housing, jobs and education training, as well as bringing revenue back into this community." City mayor Nicholas Valentine commented that the criticism comes too early. "We're gonna have input from everybody on the Mid-City Block," he said. "We're not doing anything yet, they're way ahead of the game. We've only talked to a couple of developers last Thursday, there's no decision tonight. It's gonna take a couple of months to even get to a decision. I can only say that it's very very premature. To say that we're not having community input, when we haven't even offered to have community input, is a little over the top. Tonight there will be no action." ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9B2y-eF4dA

Congressman Antonio Delgado (D-NY19) -- Q&A, Feb. 21, 2019 at the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, Kingston NY ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQCs44EAKxU