Task force to receive award

New Windsor — The Southeastern Orange County Task Force will receive a Profiles in Progress Award at the third annual dinner of Pattern for Progress on Thursday, Oct. 27. The dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Anthony’s Pier 9 on Route 9W in New Windsor. The task force has been working since 1998 in an effort to deal proactively with growth in the towns of Monroe, Woodbury, and Blooming Grove, and the villages of Harriman, Kiryas Joel and Monroe. One of the task force’s accomplishments has been the creation of the Southeastern Orange County Traffic and Land Use Study, a $500,000 project that gives a detailed analysis of traffic conditions on the state-owned corridors in the area, including Routes 6, 17, 17M, 208, 32, and the heavily-traveled Route 17/6/32 interchange. Several elected officials, and planning and zoning board members from each of those municipalities, are part of the task force, as well as state and county officials and the Metro Transit Authority and New York Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority. “The Southeast Orange Task Force proves that by working together, a diverse group of interests can get past inevitable disagreements on land use and traffic issues and can make positive change in their communities,” said David Church, commissioner of the Orange County Planning Department and the organization’s project manager. “The Task Force has held together for nearly four years and I am convinced they will continue to work together given the positive experiences they all share from meeting, collaborating and working issues out as a group.” For the last three years, Pattern has honored groups with the Profiles in Progress Award for crossing municipal boarders and collaborating toward a common goal. In 2003, Warwick Partnership for a Quality Community was honored for its efforts to preserve open space and downtown commercial districts. Last year, Sullivan Renaissance was honored for its efforts to beautify Sullivan County. The award is made possible through funding from the Verizon Foundation. Member reservations are $110 per person and $1,200 per table of 12. Nonmember reservations are $145 per person and $1500 per table of 12. For reservations, call 565-4900.