Harrison REVIEW THE
May 11, 2018 | Vol. 6, Number 19 | www.harrisonreview.com
Save Harrison group raises $90K for legal battle
CROSSING THAT BRIDGE The possibility of a soundlink connecting Long Island to Westchester County took another step forward, as several companies have expressed interest in taking on the large-scale development project. For more, see page 9.
State corrections employees arrested over sexual relations with inmates By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Three former state prison employees in two correctional facilities located in Westchester County have been arrested and charged with making sexual advances on inmates, in addition to other allegations made by New York State police. According to the Westchester County District Attorney’s office, former correction officers Iran Colon, 31, and Melissa Hill, 44, as well as a former head cook in one of the facilities, Garth Trail, 62, were arrested and charged with a number of crimes. Colon, a former correction officer at the Taconic Correctional
Facility in Bedford Hills has been arraigned on a 19-count indictment stemming from illegal activities involving an inmate from May 2017 to September 2017. He has been charged with three counts of promoting prison contraband in the first-degree, five counts of rape in the third-degree, and four counts of criminal sexual act in the third-degree, all felonies; he was also charged with seven misdemeanor counts of official misconduct. Trail allegedly engaged in a sexual act with an inmate in September 2017 in the Taconic Correctional Facilities’ kitchen area and has been charged with criminal sexual conduct in the third-degree. The correctional facility is a medium
security building that houses only women. Hill has been charged with two counts of official misconduct for sexual acts in connection with a romantic relationship with an inmate from November 2017 to January 2018. The former correction officer was employed at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in the town of Ossining. The maximum security facility houses adult males. “Any inappropriate action between an inmate and a corrections employee can damage the safety and security of prisoners, corrections employees and the greater community,” said county District Attorney Anthony Scarpino about the ongoing investigation. “Our prosecutors will vigorously work
to bring these cases to an end.” According to authorities, the investigation began when an inmate in the Taconic Correctional Facility was discovered with a cellphone in September 2017. The unnamed inmate who was found with the cellphone allegedly had a sexual relationship with Colon. State law does not allow inmates to give sexual consent to correctional employees. “We have zero tolerance for any criminal activity within our facilities,” said Anthony Annucci, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision acting commissioner. “These actions should prove INMATES continued on page 8
The grassroots movement Save Harrison Inc. has raised $90,000 to continue its legal battle in opposition to a planned senior living facility at the former Lake Street Quarry in the town of Harrison. According to a release by the local organization, the group is challenging last year’s determination by the state Supreme Court Appellate Division that upholds the town’s decision to change the Lake Street property’s zoning designation in anticipation of a 148-unit development known as the Brightview Senior Living Center. In 2016, Save Harrison sued the town, the local Planning Board, and Brightview in response to the Harrison Town Council’s unanimous approval of the zoning change that paved the way for the development. The lawsuit disputed several steps in the process leading to Brightview’s approval, and challenged the decision to allow for the construction of a senior living center at 600 Lake St., but also paved the way for such projects at several other residentially zoned properties across Harrison. In February 2017, the state court ruled that the town’s zoning change was legal. Now the independent group is preparing
for another long legal battle, after appealing that ruling. “As the Appellate Court reviews our claims, it is important to remember that it only takes one action found in our favor to halt the Brightview development,” the grassroots group’s release reads. “The final verdict is expected to take 12 [to] 18 months, a painful length of time for a developer to wait around. Our fight is far from over and our continued efforts will require money.” The proposed 165,000-squarefoot senior facility is located in a suburban neighborhood with single-family homes. Originally, the plan included constructing a 162-unit facility, but the number of units was reduced in the developer’s modified proposal. Brightview modified its plan last year and received its final approval from the Town Council; however, the developer has not yet acquired building permits to begin construction at the site. Meanwhile, the now defunct quarry has been unused for several years, after the owner had several run-ins with the town over numerous violations on his property. As of press time, the property is assessed at a market value of $971,874. -Reporting by Franco Fino
Save Harrison Inc. has appealed a ruling by the New York state Supreme Court Appellate Division which determined that a zoning change at 600 Lake St. was legal. The site is proposed for construction of the 148-unit Brightview Senior Living Center. File photo