Rockland Reporter

Village of Piermont issued the following announcement.

The Village Board along with the Police Chief, Fire Chief, and I are all aware of the issues facing our residents on the weekends when it comes to out-of-towners descending on Piermont at a time when everyone should be staying home.  I have been a Piermont homeowner for 30 years. I too love this Village and am quite aware of what is happening on the weekends. The health and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority during this Pandemic.  

The Piermont Village Board and Police Department are under strict laws set in motion by the State of New York of what we can and cannot do.  Under “normal” circumstances, I could declare a Village “State of Emergency” that would allow us to do things like closing down the Village to outsiders.  However, because of the state-wide State of Emergency that the Governor declared, no municipality can enact a Local State of Emergency as defined by State Law, or issue orders pursuant to a Local State of Emergency without approval from the New York State Department of Health, and they are not granting exceptions.

That being said, there are some steps that we can take to help reduce the number of visitors to Piermont during this COVID-19 crises to allow for easier social distancing for our residents, along with safety for our First Responders, and the Board has decided to institute those steps:

Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, the following parking lots will be closed to all vehicles at all times unless they have a Piermont Parking Permit:

The “River Lot” – (Parking lot next to Parelli Park – across from the Firehouse)

Parking Lot “D”

Spruce Street Lot – Next to the Yuda Condominums

In addition, there will be NO PARKING allowed on the following streets:

Piermont Ave. from Kinney Street to Gair Street

Ferdon Ave. from Rockland Road to Paradise Ave.

Any automobiles found to be in violation of these parking restrictions will be ticketed, and risk getting their cars towed.

The rationale for restricting parking is to make sure there is unimpeded access for emergency vehicles, and to ensure EMS and Fire Equipment are not delayed in a medical emergency during a public health crisis.  The number of vehicles clogging our street circling and looking for overtaxed parking facilities is something that we will try to remedy with these new restrictions. As always, Village Board decisions are constantly evaluated to make sure they achieve their stated purpose & will be updated on an ongoing basis.

I am in touch with County Executive Ed Day who has indicated a desire to reopen the County Parks by the end of the month.  Should the County and Orangetown reopen their Parks, the Board will reopen the Piermont Village Parks. Until then, our Parks would just be a magnet attracting even more visitors to Piermont.  We continue to ask that all Piermonters respect the closure of our Parks, including those residents who live along the Erie Trail. Anybody caught on the Erie Trail is trespassing.

The Board wants to take this opportunity to once again thank all our First Responders and hospital workers for putting themselves in the face of danger every day. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.”  It is obvious our first responders and hospital workers are the most courageous people we have ever met.

The Board also wants to thank our Village Employees who are making sure that the Village continues to operate during these taxing, turbulent times.  This is not an easy task.

Our Police continue to do everything they can to help keep us safe, and enforce our laws, while at the same time ensuring that our Police Officers stay healthy, and available to serve the Residents.  We have added additional Officers on patrol over the weekends to help keep everyone safe. The Board applauds their valiant efforts in extremely trying times.    

And we want to thank the residents of Piermont for continuing to remain vigilant about staying at home, maintaining social distancing, flattening the curve, and saving lives.  While the stay-in-place order has been extended, it is also working, and both State and Village numbers seem to have plateaued. Piermont remains at the low end of the infection rate in the County.  This is a result of the great job that both Piermont residents and Government are doing. Tragically, we have lost members of the Community, and as residents we owe it to them and others still at risk to do everything each of us can.

Last – the Village Board acknowledges that these are extremely stressful times for most residents.  While some residents may not agree with all the steps that the Board has taken during this Pandemic health crises, we assure you that all our actions have been in the interest of keeping our residents healthy and safe, and to help get everyone through to when life returns to some sort of normalcy.  We, too, have never experienced anything like this. We only ask for patience and understanding. We all still have a ways to go, but we will get through this, together.  

Thank you.

Mayor Bruce Tucker

Original source can be found here.