Medline Industries, Inc. is vying for a special exception use permit from the Town of Montgomery Planning Board, which would allow them to build a 1.3-million-square-foot facility for offices, shipping and receiving and warehouse storage on the east side of NYS Route 416 and north of Interstate 84.

Larry Wolinsky, attorney with Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, provided current updates on the project at the Town of Montgomery Planning Board meeting on Monday evening. Medline Industries, Inc. has provided the planning board with a revised surface water intake protection plan. The board has also been given new data on lighting as well as a revised site plan. There is also a revised landscaping drawing that has been submitted before the board.

“It’s been an iterative process,” Wolinsky said to the planning board. “We’re whittling down the issues. We believe we are getting close to getting this plan in the form that you want.”

Several residents criticized the proposed Medline Industries, Inc. warehouse during the comment session.

Don Berger noted that the King Service Holding Inc. project for two large warehouses/senior housing is down the Wallkill River from the Medline project. These two projects would produce a tremendous amount of runoff into the river.

“Perhaps you need a cumulative study on all the effects on the Wallkill River,” Berger said to the board.

Berger was also troubled when he saw two newspaper ads with conflicting messages. One ad was from the Jan. 19th edition of the Times Herald-Record and claimed that Medline will bring 1,000 jobs to the town. The other ad was from the Jan. 22nd editions of the Times Herald-Record and the Wallkill Valley Times and claimed that Medline would bring 350 new jobs.

Thomas Fallon, director of operations at Medline Industries Inc. in Wawayanda, contended that there was a miscommunication regarding the ad stating that Medline would bring 1,000 jobs to the Town of Montgomery. He added that the company has said since day one that they are offering 350 jobs, which will increase to 700 jobs within five years. Fallon also discussed his excitement regarding the proposed project.
“I would also like to reiterate how excited we are about coming to Montgomery and our commitment to be a good community partner and business,” he said.

Fred Reichle, chairman of the planning board, added that the board just received Medline’s updates and are currently reviewing them. The board motioned to continue the public hearing regarding Medline’s special exception use permit and site plan on Monday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at 110 Bracken Road, Montgomery.