A controversial call to hold a countywide summit on issues like overdevelopment and anti-Semitism in Rockland has some county leaders at odds.
Democratic County Legislator Nancy Low-Hogan says she wants to have a summit next year led by an outside facilitator to help the county answer issues like overdevelopment and anti-Semitism. The summit was approved by the Legislature earlier this week, and now it's up to County Executive Ed Day to ratify or reject.
“If the county executive does not support this concept, it will be an abdication of leadership,” says Low-Hogan.
But Day says he has serious questions about the proposal, which he says is just a Hail Mary from Low-Hogan, who is up for re-election in November.
“Why are we going to find somebody from potentially outside Rockland who knows nothing about this county, have them come, do the job of what should be of a legislator, frankly?” asks Day.
Day also says Rockland already holds summits, like one next month on fair housing, and that Low-Hogan hasn't attended a single one.
“Coming from someone who has done absolutely nothing in this particular area and now telling us that she has all the answers ... it kind of falls a little flat,” says Day.
Day has until Oct. 9 to decide about the summit, whether he'll veto or give it the green light.
The resolution for the summit got a 10-7 vote among county legislators - all 10 Democrats voted for the summit, with the seven Republicans against the idea.