FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2018
Contact: John Lyon 845-638-5645
Laura Incalcaterra 845-638-5184

Flanked by veterans and local elected officials, County Executive Ed Day signed a resolution that opens the way to a new and permanent home for the members of the Harold B. Holt-Manny Lopez American Legion Post 46.

The resolution, No. 429 of 2018, accepts and authorizes the sale of tax-delinquent county-owned property to the Village of Haverstraw. The resolution was introduced by County Legislator Jay Hood, who recused himself from the vote, and was adopted by the Legislature 15-0, with one legislator absent.

For years, the veterans have been looking for a new home in the village. They currently meet in the nearby Knights of Columbus Hall. The post has been enjoying a rejuvenation in recent years. It is simultaneously the oldest and the newest post in Rockland, named after Army Sgt. Harold B. Holt, who died while serving in World War I, and Army Cpl. Manny Lopez, who made the ultimate sacrifice during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Village will work with the veterans so that a new post may be built on the parcels at 7 and 9 McKenzie Avenue, the site of two fires that left the attached buildings boarded up for about the last decade.

"This is a great day for Veterans in Rockland County and especially so for those here in Haverstraw," said County Executive Day. "I am honored to have been able to play a role in providing this land to a Veterans group in need of a permanent home. I would like to thank the Mayor of Haverstraw, Michael Kohut, and Legislator Jay Hood for their hard work setting up this deal. I look forward to visiting this Post once it has been rebuilt, I know they will accomplish great things for Rockland's veterans and the entire community."

Legislator Jay Hood said, "We often hear talk about the sacrifice of our military forces, but when you connect that sacrifice to actual people in your hometown, it becomes much more personal. It is fitting that Harold Holt and Manny Lopez be forever remembered with this new home in the community where they grew up."

Hood also thanked Haverstraw Mayor Mike Kohut and County Executive Ed Day for helping to pull the sale together, as well as the veterans and Yolanda Lopez, Manny's mother, for her sacrifice and service to our country.

Haverstraw Village Mayor Michael Kohut said, "The Village of Haverstraw is thrilled that County Executive Ed Day and the Rockland County Legislature have agreed to allow the Village to purchase the McKenzie Avenue property. The Village and the County, together with the Town of Haverstraw, which is providing money for environmental testing, believe that providing this opportunity to our veterans to create a home for their post is a worthwhile and ultimately rewarding goal for everyone."

Post 46 members intend to demolish the decrepit structure now at the site and plan to launch a fundraising campaign in coming weeks to be able to move forward.

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