Rockland Community College has selected a new president, but his start date isn’t yet known. Dr. William Mullaney was selected at a special board meeting earlier this month by the RCC Board of Trustees, and he was approved yesterday by the State University of New York as the college’s ninth president. Mullaney previously served as president of SUNY Corning Community College. RCC’s last president, Dr. Lester Edgardo Sandres Rápalo, and the school ended their partnership in June less than a year into his term. RCC had been grappling with financial issues, layoffs and various cost-cutting measures after an $8 million shortfall was discovered.
Clarkstown Gets New Councilman
The town of Clarkstown has a new Town Councilman. Bob Axelrod was appointed to represent Ward 4 at the final Town Board meeting of 2024 last night. Axelrod is a retired Speech and Communication Professor at RCC, a member of the New City Library Board, and a former member of the Camp Venture Foundation board. Axelrod replaces Pat Carrol, who was elected last month as the District 96 representative in the state Assembly, replacing Ken Zebrowski who stepped down from that position in July to join an Albany-based law and lobbying firm, and become president of the Rockland Business Association.
Schools News: Nanuet Passes Referendum, South Orangetown Elects New Board Member
Yesterday’s Nanuet Union Free School District special Property Purchase Referendum passed with flying colors. The vote was 493 for the proposal, 181 against. The district will now move forward with buying a residential home at 32 Highview Avenue in Nanuet for $577,000. It’s right next door to the Highview Elementary School. The home will be converted into a “reimagined outdoor education space and learning commons” designed for students in the 3rd and 4th grades. The district says they do not expect the project to add any cost to taxpayers. Also yesterday, the South Orangetown Central School District elected John Robert Coleman to the Board of Education in a special election. Coleman was elected to fill a seat vacated due to resignation and will serve the duration of the unexpired term, which ends June 30th, 2027.