Craig Ellick one of many to speak in opposition

CENTRAL VALLEY – Virtually everyone who attended a Monday night public hearing by the Orange County Legislature voiced their opposition to a proposal to tap the New York City aqueduct and run a pipeline to the Village of Kiryas Joel.

Speaker after speaker said the community was not looking at the best interests of the region.

Craig Ellick of Mountainville came to the middle school in Central Valley to voice his opinion.

“I think it’s a continuation of a community that thinks they are above the law and above everybody else and to grab every bit of excess sewer, it doesn’t make sense and it seems to be that they have put themselves above the rest of the community without giving anything back,” he said.

County Legislature Chairwoman Roxanne Donnery had a message for the municipal leaders of the Hassidic village.

“It hurts me terribly when I feel a community lives within democracy but doesn’t practice democracy,” she said. “I’m not speaking to the people within the community; I’m speaking to the leadership. And, my prayer would be for that leadership to allow the people to make their own decisions.”

Along with additional water would be the need for additional sewer capacity.

Orange County Executive Edward Diana last week announced he would take environmental issues about the pipeline project back to court.