Mayor’s Office:

 

200 North Main Street

Spring Valley, New York 10977

 

Phone: 845-573-5867

 

 

Mayor George O. Darden

 

The Honorable Mayor George O. Darden was born, reared and partly educated in Amory, Mississippi. George O. Darden first came to New York in 1966. George is a loving husband to his wife Lottie Jean Darden and adoring father to his two daughters, De’Rita Saunders and Lorraine Yvette Inzar. He is also a joyful grandfather of two beautiful granddaughters and a handsome grandson.

 

George O. Darden holds a B.S. from Mississippi Valley State University and a M.S. from Virginia State University. He also holds a certificate of Advanced Study from SUNY New Paltz. Certified by the State of New York to teach Biology and General Sciences and also a certified District Administrator, he served as Dean of Students at Ramapo Senior District. As an educator for more than thirty years, he is a well-known name and a familiar face throughout the East Ramapo School District.

 

He began his political career in 1971 when he became a Democratic Committeeman in Ramapo District #71. He served in the position of committeeman for 8 years. He also served on the Spring Valley Board of Trustees, served as Deputy Mayor of Spring Valley, and was Assistant Secretary to the Association of Black Elected Democrats of New York State. In 1989, he was elected to serve as a Rockland County Legislator. He served as legislator for twelve years. He became Rockland’s first African-American Chairman of Rockland County Legislature in 1995 and served three terms. For a period of ten years he served as Eastern Regional Director for the National Organization of Black County Officials. During this period of his life he made great strides, creating a large and impressive portfolio of accomplishments. Among his accomplishments as Mayor are the following:

 

·        He is responsible for the revival of and current success of the Spring Valley Marketplace. The near dormant plaza consists of 200,000 square feet of retail space that has undergone renovations, including a build out. In cooperation with the proprietor, pivotal stores were added to the center (Examples: Christmas Tree Store and Target). There has been a tremendous increase in patronage and over 1500 jobs were created as a result of this redevelopment.

 

·        He recommenced and energized the Spring Valley Urban Renewal Project, a revitalization of downtown Spring Valley. The Urban Renewal Project calls for the redevelopment of approximately six blocks of Downtown, transformed into six development sites. The sites will consist of new housing, office space and retail stores of various types.

 

·        He provided the incentive to update Esther Dashew Senior Citizens Apartments located on Secora Road.

 

·        He is credited for obtaining grants for the “Restore Program”. The monies from these grants are used to upgrade our low income senior citizen housing.

 

·        He is responsible for initiating the development of a positive Owner-Tenant relationship at Sycamore Crest Senior Citizen Apartments. He mediated to resolve ongoing issues, which include numerous minor repairs.

 

·        He negotiated and obtained grants to build new recreational facilities at Gesner Gardens (Low income housing projects), which is owned by the Spring Valley Housing Authority.

 

·        He is responsible for mending the flood maps for the Ternure Community to reflect actual flood conditions and reduce flood insurance for the neighborhood.

 

·        He opened Spring Valley’s Section 8 list to the public for the first time in approximately twenty (20) years. Section 8 is a federally subsidized housing program.

 

·        He is responsible for the Village of Spring Valley receiving a 9% tax credit financing for the Youngblood Senior Affordable Housing Project. The Village of Spring Valley is the first and only municipality to receive a 9% credit in the entire county of Rockland in 2004.

 

·        Currently shepherding approval of two affordable housing projects located on Bethune Boulevard.

 

·        In cooperation with the owner, he is responsible for a planned total rehabilitation of the Highview and Lakeview low income apartments. The projected cost for the entire rehabilitation is in excess of Thirteen Million Dollars.

 

·        He obtained funding in the amount of One and One-Half Million Dollars to be used for Aids Housing Project located at the intersection of Fred Hecht and Bethune Boulevard.

 

·        He obtained approximately $200,000.00 in Operation Impact State Grants to reduce street crime by a cooperative effort of state, local and federal law enforcement teams.

 

·        He is responsible for the purchase of property located at the intersection of Rose Avenue and Fred Hecht for which to develop Spring Valley’s newest recreational park. This park is currently in process and is to include several basketball courts, skateboarding facilities, tennis courts, a clubhouse and much more.

 

·        He spearheaded successful negotiations with Orange and Rockland Utilities Company to obtain and develop Spring Valley’s new $125,000.00 West Street Tot Lot called “Unity Park”.

 

·        Currently in negotiations with United Water New York to create a new “Village on the Green” park on the corner of Maple Avenue and Main Street.

 

·        Currently in negotiations with the State of New York to finalize the purchase of a passive park near Kennedy Drive and Old Nyack Turnpike.

 

·        Responsible for the restoration of the lake located at Spring Valley Memorial Park.

 

·        Responsible for the Village of Spring Valley obtaining grants to repair other facilities at the Spring Valley Memorial Park.

 

·        He worked extensively to provide a permanent home for the Head Start Program on land annexed from the Town of Clarkstown.

 

·        He initiated “The Mayor’s Task Force on Gangs”, which drives the Village and the community to focus on issues related to our youth.

 

·        He is responsible for obtaining, what is considered to be, a “flop house” which is near Memorial Park. The building on the property has been a center for various acts of misconduct. Currently, the building is being prepared for demolition.

 

·        He helped jumpstart and provided the first seed money to an organization called “Journaleros”, located at the Episcopal Church on Madison Avenue. This program is designed to remove day laborers from the streets and provide various services for them.

 

·        Worked with the Town of Ramapo to purchase a closed XXX movie theatre, which has been converted into a Cultural Arts Center, as part of the downtown Urban Renewal Project (Open November 2005).

 

·        He provided funding and supported the closing and relocation of Konbit Neg Lakay. Konbit Neg Lakay is a Haitian Social and cultural organization.

 

·        He passed over thirty-five (35) laws, updating the Village codes to improve the quality of life.

 

·        He is responsible for obtaining a grant for Spring Valley’s first balloon lift, which is used to extricated parties injured in accidents by large trucks or train.

 

·         He shepherded the opening of multiple medical clinics in the Village.

 

·        Despite fiscal crisis inherited from the previous administration, he maintained the Village bond rating (Institutional investment grade).

 

·        He increased the cushion between the constitutional tax limit and actual property taxes raised.

 

·        He is responsible for obtaining two grants to be used as funding for local dry cleaners to replace their current equipment with environmentally safe systems.

 

·        He has been successful at adding bi-lingual personnel to the Village staff.

 

·        He successfully fought to defeat a proposed state law change, which would double property taxes on low-rise condos and coops.

 

In Process:

 

·        He is currently working against double taxation on fire protection services in the western parts of Spring Valley.

 

Projected Projects:

 

·        Post Office Square Economic and Cultural Center

 

·        Major arts project in Spring Valley Memorial Park