To Our Business Community,
Empire State Development has created The Hurricane Irene - Tropical Storm Lee Business Flood Recovery Grant Program to provide assistance to eligible small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, farms or owners of multiple dwellings that sustained direct physical flood-related damage as a result of Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee. The grant can provide up to $20,000 in assistance. The deadline to apply for this program March 16, 2012.

The Empire State Development link for this grant is www.esd.ny.gov/BusinessPrograms/FloodRecovery.html. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Joseph M. DeStefano
Mayor, City of Middletown

FREE RABIES CLINIC IN NEWBURGH
The Orange County Department of Health is sponsoring a free rabies clinic on Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 12:00PM to 3:00PM at the City of Newburgh Multi-Activity Center, at 401 Washington Street. This event is only open to Orange County residents; ID must be shown at the event proving residence. Call 845-569-7311 or 845-291-2331 to pre-register. Pets must be leashed or in carriers, and proof of prior rabies vaccination is required to receive a three-year shot.

NEW PARKING REGULATIONS TAKING EFFECT
New regulations passed into law on June 7, 2011 establishing rotating "No Parking" zones in public parking areas in order to facilitate lot cleaning are due to take effect on Sunday, November 27, 2011. Click here for more details.

THESE REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED AS OF 20-DECEMBER-2011.

HOPE FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS
Project Hope is a program that helps survivors in the Hudson Valley cope with the aftermath of the recent Tropical Storms that impacted both Orange and Rockland counties. This service is provided by the Mental Health Association of Rockland County, and is funded by the Federal Emergency management Administration (FEMA), under the direction of the NYS Office of Mental Health.

Project Hope provides free crisis counseling to those whose lives were impacted by Tropical Storm Irene and Lee. Staff is available to assist individuals, families, community groups, businesses and service organizations at no charge. Our goal is to assist our community in recovering from the challenges of the flooding that followed Irene and Lee.

The crisis counselors will provide emotional support to disaster survivors, refer individuals with unmet needs to resources for assistance, help people reestablish their feelings of control, competence, self-sufficiency and effectiveness that were damaged by the disaster, and assist survivors to establish a recovery plan and return to their pre-disaster level of functioning.

To set up a confidential appointment with one of the crisis counselors or to arrange a presentation, contact Ralph DiDomenico 845-642-6213. For more information about Project Hope please contact the program coordinator Frank Caputo at 845-642-1832.

NO PARKING ON CITY STREETS FOR SNOW PLOWING
The parking of vehicles is hereby prohibited on all highways and streets within the City between the hours of 2:00AM and 6:00AM, from the 15th day of November until and including the 15th day of April of each year.

VISIT OUR STORM-RELATED INFORMATION PAGE FOR UPDATES AND RESOURCES.
Please also follow our Facebook page for up-to-the-minute updates.

HANDICAP PARKING PERMITS
As of Wednesday, September 7, 2011 the City Clerk's Office, Room 12 on the first floor of City Hall, 16 James Street will be issuing Handicap Parking Permits with the proper paperwork between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30PM. The Police Department will also issue permits at 2 James Street between the hours of 8:00AM and 4:00PM.

ONLINE TAX PAYMENT
Local tax bills can now be viewed and paid online. Visit our Finance page for more information!

LIGHTS OUT?
Please report burned-out streetlights to Orange and Rockland at ORU.com. Please include both the location and the pole number in your report.

Thank you for you help.