Help Block Chester's Concentration Camp By Coming to the Town Meeting

Tomorrow, January 14, at 6:45 p.m., is the Chester Town Board meeting. You will have two opportunities for public comment: at the beginning of the meeting and toward the end. Just an FYI that it’s a pretty packed agenda. So here’s my recommendation: If you are a Town of Chester resident specifically, I encourage you to speak during the first public comment period.If you are not from the Town of Chester and you can afford to do so, I encourage you to let the Town conduct its business and use that second public comment period.If you can’t attend, the Town of Chester broadcasts its meetings live on YouTube, and I’ll share a link alongside this video, which can be found here. You can copy and paste the script below and email it to the Town Clerk, Linda Zappala at [email protected] goal is to ask the Town Board to pass a resolution calling on State Senator Skoufis and Assemblyman Brian Maher to demand a vote on New York For All and the Melt Act, and pledge to vote in support of passing it.There are many bills we will need to fight for this year, but in terms of containing ICE’s presence in our community, these two are the most important.I’ll be back at the end of this week — or maybe the weekend — with another one of those long ass posts to talk about what this all means and where we’re going next in terms of the fight against ICE.Sample ScriptMy name is ________And I have been a resident of Chester since ____________***This evening, I am here to request that our Town Board pass a resolution at the soonest possible opportunity. Preferably, at the next Town Board meeting.That resolution should do the following:* Affirm the Town’s support for our Latino community.* Affirm that the Town does not support the operation of a concentration camp at 29 Elizabeth Drive in the Village of Chester.* Affirm the Town’s support for the New York For All and the New York MELT.* Request that State Senator James G. Skoufis and Assemblymember Brian Maher publicly call for both these bills to be brought to the floor in the Assembly and Senate and voted on at the soonest available opportunity.* Demand that Governor Kathy Hochul stop dragging her feet and sign both bills the moment they come across her desk.While these bills will not completely prevent ICE from operating in our community, they will limit the amount of cooperation received by ICE from our state agencies, counties, and municipalities; and they will also prohibit ICE from wearing masks while conducting immigration enforcement.I’d like to make just one final point before closing. If you are on this Town Board, and do not support New York For All and the New York Melt Act, you should say so this evening.We, as members of the community, have a right to know where you stand, and if you do not stand with the community now, you will not be an elected representative for long come election day.Thank you.***If you are not a Chester resident, say instead, “I have been a resident of the Orange County Community since _________ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.monroegazette.com/subscribe