GREENBURGH –WP NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR– HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING ON MASSAGE PARLOR LICENSING TONIGHT. FIRST STEP IN CRACKDOWN ON MASSAGE PARLOR PROSTITUTION

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor, Paul Feiner. June 10, 2015:

WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. June 10, 2015:

The Greenburgh Town Board will hold a public hearing tonight at Town Hall on a proposed law that will provide the police with the tools to close down massage parlors that are involved in illegal activities – such as prostitution.

The hearing will take place tonight after 7:30 PM at Greenburgh Town Hall.

Two different versions of the law are being considered: one law written by Bob Bernstein, President of the Edgemont Community Council.  The other by the Town’s Planning Board. The legislation drafted by Mr. Bernstein was based on a law that the Town of Clarkstown approved in the 1990s. The village of Farmingdale in Long Island also approved a similar law.  A link to the Town Board agenda (with texts of the two versions) is below.

http://www.greenburghny.com/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=10&TPID=13179

The ECC’s proposal requires massage establishments to obtain a license from the town to obtain a special permit to operate.

Town Councilmembers Kevin Morgan, Francis Sheehan, Chief Chris McNerney, Howard Hirsch of the ECC and Bob Bernstein met recently to discuss both competing laws -hoping that a compromise law, with some modifications could be adopted by the Town Board. It is anticipated that the Town Board will vote on the legislation after we listen to the comments at the hearing and finalize a new draft law.  No vote is expected tonight –the goal: to hear comments and than to finalize a compromise version.

Among changes in the proposed legislation: reducing the $500 cost of obtaining a license to a more affordable amount – a cost that could be burdensome to legal massage owners.  Another compromise: exempting solo practitioners from the legislation since the law’s goal is to close down massage parlors that are really being used for prostitution.

     You can watch the forum that was held -“Illegal Massage Parlors and What Really Goes on Behind Closed Doors”- on  https://youtu.be/mmWXUXyF3fI.

Speakers included  reporter Ken Picard who conducted an investigation on massage parlors in Vermont. And Nancy Levine of My Sisters Place as well as the police chief. The forum was organized by Town Clerk Judith Beville earlier this year.

 

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