Clintondale resident Anthony Covino is passionate about everything he does.

He’s a minister, an assistant high school football coach and an outspoken critic of Town of Plattekill politics. When he approached the Republican Party about running for the Town Board in the fall, he was told by a prominent GOP official that he was too outspoken at meetings and needed to calm down.

But that warning hasn’t stopped Covino from continually coming to the Town Board to complain about a business being run next to his property by Robert Earl, the owner of RG Earl Plattekill, LLC.

Covino owns the property at 1427 Route 44/55 that has been in the family since 1920. It originally was an apple farm of over 30 acres.

Covino said he and his son enjoyed living there until Earl began developing the property next door.

“Originally he told my neighbor he was going to put up a couple houses,” Covino said. “Then I did a little investigating and I found out he was going to put storage containers back there. I’m concerned because there’s wetlands back there and God forbid if there’s a spill and something is in the container.”

Covino also said trucks and backhoes that go up and down the gravel road leading to the company’s property leave mud all over Route 44/55.

“One time I called the DOT (Department of Transportation) and they brought a four-man crew down to clean it off,” Covino said. “They told me if it happened again they were going to send him a bill. There’s been numerous complaints about it to the State Police and the Town of Plattekill Police.”

Covino said debris coming from trucks pulling out of the gravel roadway pose a threat to those driving on Route 44/55.

“There was just an accident here last week,” Covino said as he stood near the highway at the edge of his property. “A guy came too fast around this corner, took a tree out and rolled over and hit a pole.

Another guy lost control of his car and hit a parked car in a driveway. There’s a concern when the guy (Earl) leaves debris on the road. I’m an avid motorcycle rider and it’s dangerous to ride when there’s debris on the road.”

Earl didn’t return a message left by the Southern Ulster Times seeking comment.

A public hearing was held before the town planning board on August 24, 2021 with Patty Brooks of Brooks and Brooks Land Surveyors representing Earl, who proposed creating a storage holding facility that deals with large portable containers.

Brooks explained that the business near 1417 Route 44/55 would just store empty storage containers. The business model includes transporting the empty storage containers to a location convenient for a client to fill the unit, and then transporting to either a destination, or back to the initial location, for storage until the client is in need of the contents again.

Covino voiced his complaints at the hearing about possible hazardous materials being stored on the property, and Brooks said none would be stored there.

Covino also complained to the planning board about dirt being left on the roadway and at the end of the hearing the board asked Earl to “please make sure that the road is free of dirt and debris for the safety of motorists.”

The planning board then closed the public hearing and voted to declare a negative declaration that was requested for the project by Brooks so Earl could move forward with his plans.

Although the project got the go-ahead from the planning board, Covino hasn’t given up in his attempts to get the company to comply with town regulations.

He appeared at the April 5 Town Board meeting and again was critical about the town’s inaction.

Covino said the only Town Board member to come to the property to take a look at the situation firsthand was Councilman Dean DePew Sr.

“Dean totally agreed that the road needs to be maintained and fixed,” Covino said. “He sent a letter and called the Building Department and guess what happened? Absolutely nothing. This has been going on for two years. I think he was working back there without permits.”

DePew said that Councilman Wilfrido Castillo Jr. and Building Inspector Scott Mandoske recently inspected the property.

“I know Mr. Castillo went up together with the building inspector to check and verify that that road with the mud, the water, whatever else was coming out on that property,” DePew said. “I also know the building inspector did send an email to Mr. Earl asking him to add more material to that driveway. You coming to this meeting, I will once again reach out to the building inspector to see where that stands.”

Covino also said that logging work on the property was being held earlier than the permitted start time of 7 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. on the weekend.

“A truck can go up there at 6 a.m. as long as he’s not working,” Castillo said.

“Oh, they’re working,” Covino said. “They’re loading logs at 6:30 in the morning.”

“I’ll be up there at 6:30 in the morning tomorrow,” Castillo responded.