The Clarkstown Town Board recognized the achievements and contributions of three distinct groups – young hockey players, the youth court and police department dispatchers - at its Tuesday night meeting.

The board honored the Clarkstown Capitals Hockey Club’s Squirts team for winning the 2011 Congressional Cup. The Squirts team of 11 boys and girls ages 9 and 10 years old won the January competition in Washington, DC. Seven players, wearing their red hockey jerseys, and their assistant coach Bob Posma accepted the congratulations of the board members.

Posma said it was the second year in a row the Capitals had won the competition. This year’s team had a record of 35 wins, 12 losses and 4 ties. He said their goaltender Abigail had 11 shutouts and is their team’s most valuable player. “She is recognized as the best goalie in Hudson Valley Hockey,” said Posma. The Capitals are part of the Hudson Valley Hockey League and their home rink is at the Palisades Center.

Youth Court

Clarkstown Police Detective Eileen Malloy serves as director of the town's youth court program and introduced the 42^nd graduating class of Youth Court to the Town Board.  She praised the participants for their interest and dedication to completing 10 weeks of training.

“They are our newest group of civic minded teens,” she said. “They are such a fabulous example of what is right with our town.” She thanked the Town Board and police department administration for “realizing that these kids in our town are the most valuable resource we have.”  

Councilwoman Shirley Lasker of Upper Nyack, who is the program liaison, said, “I do think it is a very effective way to deter other youths from doing worse things.”

Detective Malloy, Police Chief Michael Sullivan and Administrative Captain Anthony Ovchinnikoff presented certificates to the graduates: Simone Adler, Sam Askenas, Marc Bachner, Kevin Bertrand, Justin Breslow, Christopher Bunyan, Connor Burnich, Victoria Civisca, Isabelle Fisher, Julia Fisher, Daniel Friedman, Sam Friedman, Evan Halpern, Jonathan Herbstman, Colby Kash, Jonah Kelly, Jake Lindeman, George Lolo, Skyler Miller, Alex Montag, Kevin Munroe, Peter O’Neill, Gabrielle Pollard, Dylan Samuels and Benjamin Zwang.

Youth Court is a court of peers between the ages of 13 and 16 who are Clarkstown residents. Youth Court participants try, judge, defend and convict or exonerate other juveniles. The court has guidelines established by adults and a Youth Court Steering Committee.

Emergency Dispatchers

Town Supervisor Alexander Gromack read a proclamation designating April 10 through April 16 as Clarkstown 911 Dispatchers Week and a time to realize the importance of the work they do. He said the dispatchers handled 144,000 calls during 2010 and 11,000 of those were medical emergencies.

“They’re not dispatchers, they’re emergency communications specialists and an indispensable link in the public safety chain,” said Chief Sullivan.

The police department has 11 dispatchers and five of them attended the meeting and were thanked by Chief Sullivan, Administrative Captain Ovchinnikoff and the Town Board. The department’s dispatchers are: Kristy Sanfrantello, Richard Cummings, Beverly Brooks, Robert Zayas, Mary Francis Ginnity-Zayas, Brian Duddy, Lorraine Monahan, Seth Needleman, Brian Davidson, Jason DiSalvo and Lauri Sharkey. Brooks, who helped save the life of a one-year-old who fell into a family pool last year, was named Dispatcher of the Year by the Rockland County 911 Dispatchers Association. She is being honored by the group at an event on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Volunteer Hose Co. in West Haverstraw.