Clarkstown Town Board Meeting Turns into Argument

Rockland County Biz Journal’s Tina Traster, husband exchange words with Supervisor George Hoehmann

CLARKSTOWN, N.Y. — A discussion about housing complaints grew heated at the October 13th Clarkstown Town Board meeting, with Town Supervisor Goerge Hoehmann responding to a heated exchange between him and RCBJ’s Tina Traster by defending the town’s enforcement record – and openly questioning the local journalist’s professional conduct.

The exchange centered on code violations and zoning in the Town of Clarkstown – issues that have been at the forefront of this election season, in every major municipality of Rockland County. The exchange also included accusations that complaints about the town’s response were politically motivated.

Traster, owner of the Rockland County Business Journal, and her husband Rick Tannenbaum, were both seen exchanging words with Hoehmann, before picking up their incidentals and leaving the Town Board meeting room.

The discussion moved between criticism of the town’s handling of property complaints and statements defending code enforcement employees. “We have a blogger,” Hoehmann said after the exchange, later referring to Traster’s publication “who tries to portray themselves as a journalist.”

Journalist / Blogger / Reporter: What Does Google Say?

Our completely impartial team at Rockland News decided to go the experts at Google to sort out the differences between a Journalist, a Blogger and a Reporter, so that the public may decide for themselves.

Here’s what Google had to say:

1. Journalist (The Broad Profession)

Role: A journalist encompasses any professional involved in researching, writing, editing, and broadcasting news. This includes reporters, columnists, feature writers, and photojournalists.
Standards: Bound by traditional journalism ethics, including commitments to factual verification, source checking, and editorial accountability.
Scope: They cover a wide spectrum of content—ranging from hard news investigations to deep-dive essays and editorial analysis.

2. Reporter (The On-the-Ground Fact-Gatherer)

Role: A reporter is a frontline subset of a journalist. Their primary job is to go out into the field, interview sources, attend events, and report what is happening as it unfolds.
Standards: Strive for strict neutrality and observational reporting, presenting the who, what, where, when, and why without inserting their personal life or direct commentary.
Scope: Focused heavily on current, breaking, or developing news events for print, digital, radio, or television.

3. Blogger (The Independent Digital Creator)

Role: A blogger writes for a weblog or digital publishing platform, often operating independently outside of a traditional newsroom.
Standards: There is no mandatory requirement for institutional editorial oversight, formal training, or strict neutrality.
Scope: Blogs frequently mix factual reporting with personal opinion, bias, storytelling, or lifestyle content, though some news-focused blogs do report on specific events.

Town Building Inspector Provides Context

“I’m defending our staff from these malicious politically motivated attacks,” Hoehmann said shortly after Ms. Traster and Mr. Tannenbaum left the meeting. Town Building Inspector Larry Kay was then invited to address the complaints and explain the enforcement process.

In the explanation that followed, the board heard that issuing violations requires evidence that can withstand a property owner’s challenge in court. Observations about people arriving and leaving, or the amount of garbage outside a home, were described as insufficient on their own to establish the violations being discussed. “We need hard evidence,” Kay said.

The discussion also addressed practical obstacles to monitoring a property along a busy road, including a lack of shoulder space or a suitable place to park. “And we can’t do 24-hour surveillance,” Kay stated.

Statements defending the town’s response cited a staff of seven code enforcement officers, including a Spanish-speaking officer, and more than 400 cases handled. Also revealed was that the town collected $262,000 in civil compromises during the previous year and predicted a higher total this year.

“So please don’t tell me we’re not doing our job. We are,” Hoehmann said. “You may not like it. People have rights. Rights have to be respected.”

The defense of the town’s record continued with an explanation that enforcement cases take time to develop and resolve. Speakers emphasized that complaints must be investigated and that property owners have the opportunity to contest alleged violations.

“But to say we’re not enforcing the code is just not accurate,” Hoehmann said near the end of the exchange.

After the meeting, Traster’s husband, Rick Tannenbaum, challenged the town’s position in a Facebook post criticizing Supervisor George Hoehmann.

“George Hoehmann is unable to manage the illegal housing problem in Clarkstown,” Tannenbaum wrote.

He argued that residents’ experiences did not match the town’s assessment of its enforcement efforts, adding, “Residents’ lived experience says otherwise.”

The Rockland County Biz Journal has reported on a variety of stories throughout its existence. Stories include criticism of Rockland Green’s efforts to build a new animal shelter, the BusPatrol program for Rockland County, and advocacy in favor of residential housing.