Statement From Kiryas Joel Village Administrator Gedalye Szegedin On New Town of Palm Tree

Today is a truly an historic day that will usher in a new era of peace and stability for all the residents of Monroe. We would like to thank all the voters in Monroe for their overwhelming support. They chose a better path forward, one of diplomacy and compromise instead of angry rhetoric and litigation.

From the beginning, the petition to form the Town of Palm Tree by separating the Kiryas Joel community from Monroe was submitted with one-and-only goal in mind: ‘to create a solid foundation for a lasting peace between the residents of KJ and the residents of Monroe’, by giving both communities total independence from the other without any political interference.

The result of today’s vote is an historic step, providing a framework for peace and stability for both communities and its educational institutions. It is important to note that the creation of the Town of Palm Tree is the first time in more than a generation that a new town government is being created in New York.

It shows that reasonable people can find solutions to their differences and when given the choice will choose peace and harmony with their neighbors instead rather than seemingly endless conflict.

We are thankful to the Orange County Legislatures for giving Monroe voters the opportunity to decide its community’s future in the today referendum.

{Matzav.com}