New Proposed Law Targets Serial Violator Of Open Meeting Law, Satmar Hasidic Village Of Kiryas Joel

“Right in our back yard, the Village of Kiryas Joel has proven time and time again that they have no respect for the Open Meetings Law and for the Freedom of Information Law. They are flagrant violators of both of these laws."

New Proposed Law Targets Serial Violator Of Open Meeting Law, Hasidic Village Of Kiryas Joel
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

New York State Assemblyman James Skoufis (D, Woodbury) says the Satmar hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel is a bad neighbor that has to be reined in.

“Right in our back yard, the Village of Kiryas Joel has proven time and time again that they have no respect for the Open Meetings Law and for the Freedom of Information Law. They are flagrant violators of both of these laws,” Skoufis reportedly said this morning at a news conference he called. Skoufis was joined at the news conference by several municipal and county officials from the area surrounding the hasidic village, the MidHudson News reported.

Village of Woodbury Trustee Neil Crouse spoke about a case involving a request to Kiryas Joel by Woodbury for information. The request began seven years ago with a fax request, a two-week wait, then a visit to the KJ office and another two-week wait with no response.

“We then sent by certified return receipt mail, request for the same information and we’re still waiting seven years later. We’re still waiting for a response. I don’t hold out too much hope that we are ever going to receive a response,” Crouse reportedly said at the press conference.


The state’s Committee on Open Government has no enforcement power and reportedly can only issue advisory opinions.

Skoufis has proposed a bill that would create a state commission with the power to fine elected officials who abuse the Open Meeting Law or ignore FOIL requests.

Under that proposed law, after a complaint is filed, mediation would be required. Following that, the commission would hold an evidentiary hearing. After that, the commission could order the release of the illegally blocked information.

Now, all citizens can do is file an Article 78 proceeding, a difficult process with little likelihood of getting results unless the petitioner can afford to retain counsel and purse an aggressive stance. And even then it isn’t easy to succeed, even when the agency or municipality is clearly in the wrong.

“Especially for the flagrant abusers, those, that small minority that flagrantly violates these laws, someone can’t afford to file an Article 78 and sue a municipality each and every time. That’s just not realistic, it can’t happen, people can’t afford that,” Skoufis reportedly said, noting that while Kirays Joel “… is certainly on the high end of the spectrum in terms of violations of these two laws…,” the proposed law would apply statewide in any situation where an Article 78 could be filed.

Comments

[Tapped out]

It's way past time to hold their feet to the fire.
This is America where the Village of Kiryas Joel is located.
They must follow the laws of the land like everyone else !

[flatearth]

Thank you James Skoufis!

[Sarek]

This is like that town in California where the board and mayor voted themselves outrageous salaries. I'm sure a smart attorney can find some state law to use to hold them responsible.

[Time 2 pay the piper]

Time for KJ to play by the rules OR PAY UP !!

http://www.recordonline.com/article/20150309/NEWS/150309390

[jancsibacsi]

In the gemora they call a town like kj,urei miklot:)

[Rocky]

Sarek: The officials in Bell, CA were in fact brought to justice. Most of them were convicted. Two were given long prison sentences and ordered to make restitution to the city. The others were ordered to make restitution. There was no block voting involved, just greed. Read here: http://timelines.latimes.com/bell/

[dh]

Yuppers. Bell, CA. Where one day the fat cat officials had all the pomposity of a well tanned, button busting Sholom Rubashkin and the next they were pale & faking coronary events in court. I remember it well.

I was eating pizza every night during the 6 o'clock news. The night of sentencing I enjoyed a hot fudge banana split with peanut chunks. Good times.

[Monroe Resident]

Finally! Thank you James Skoufis. But give it teeth. They will just ignore the fines until they are dragged into court, which means legal expenses in any event.

Include mandatory jail time for every day they stonewall.

Great piece of legislation, but give it teeth.

[KJ CAN BE STOPPED]

>> CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO FROM MR. SKOUFIS' PRESS CONFERENCE !!!
WATCH OUT KIRYAS JOEL THE GOVERNMENT IS FINALLY COMING AFTER YOUR CORRUPTION !!http://t.co/xVvnu64Wqh