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EVENING EVERYBODY.[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1500 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
I'M PAUL KLEINER, UM, GREENBERG TOWN SUPERVISOR, AND TODAY IS MARCH 9TH AT, UM, 6:10 PM AND WE'RE GONNA FIRST, UM, START WITH A VERY BRIEF, UM, COMMENTS ON PEOPLE.WERE, UM, UM, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
WELL, BEFORE YOU DO THAT, PAUL, IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, DO THE REMINDER SO WE DON'T FORGET THE REMINDER.
UH, REMINDER, TOMORROW, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A, UM, A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THE GREENBERG AGAINST SUS SYSTEMIC, UH, RACISM TASK FORCE REPORT.
UM, AND RESIDENTS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO COMMENT, UM, UH, TOMORROW AT OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING, WHICH BEGINS AT 7:30 PM AND OUR MEETINGS ARE STILL HELD, UM, REMOTELY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE EMAILED ME OR CALLED ME, UH, TODAY AND THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A NEW, UH, STORE THAT IS CALLED TOBACCO AND CANDY ON EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, YES.
UM, STEVE RETA, THE BUILDING INSPECTOR, IF YOU COULD SAY A FEW WORDS, UM, AND RESPOND TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE.
WE BECAME AWARE OF IT YESTERDAY.
UM, I SENT AN INSPECTOR DOWN THERE, UH, TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND OBVIOUSLY A NEW SIGN WAS PUT UP.
UH, THERE ARE NO PERMITS FOR THAT SIGN.
IN FACT, THEY GOTTA GO TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DALE, UH, UH, COMMITTEE ON THAT.
THEY START COMMITTEE SO THEY CAN GET THAT APPROVED PRIOR TO, SO A VIOLATION NOTICES DID GO OUT FOR THE SIGN AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS.
UM, AND, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH EVERYBODY OVER THERE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, MY INSPECTORS WENT BACK THERE TODAY, UM, AND STILL NOBODY WAS ON SITE TO TALK TO.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN AND, UM, PROCEED TO GO FORWARD AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
SO BASICALLY, UH, IN TERMS OF THE VIOLATIONS, UM, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE CONTEXTUAL COMMITTEE BECAUSE, UM, YOU HAVE TO PUT UP A SIGN, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, UH, SO THE VIOLATION IS ABOUT THE SU THAT THEY NEVER DID THAT.
UM, DO THEY HAVE AN AS OF RIGHT TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF, UH, STORE? UM, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FILE WITH US FIRST, UM, THAT THE CHANGE OF USE HAS OCCURRED IS GOING TO, IS GOING TO OCCUR.
UM, AND THAT HASN'T BEEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T FILED WITH US AT ALL ON THAT EITHER.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON FOR THE VIOLATION.
UM, AND, BUT THEY COULD HAVE A TOBACCO, DO THEY HAVE A TOBACCO STORE? I, I, I BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN, BUT I HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
I'M TALKING IT OVER WITH GARRETT AND OTHER PEOPLE, BUT YEAH, I DO BELIEVE.
SO BASICALLY THE TWO VIOLATIONS ARE THE SIGN AND THE CHANGE, UM, IN USE, AND THEY HAVE TO GET, THEY DID NOT APPRO FILE THE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY DIDN'T FILE APPROPRIATELY WITH US.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FILE WITH US BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING.
ANYBODY, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? NO.
AND NOW THEY HAVE, UH, TWO WEEKS TO, UH, CLEAR IT BEFORE, UM, BEFORE IT GOES BACK, BE BEFORE THEY WOULD GET A SUMMONS? UH, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND AS I GET MORE INFORMATION, PAUL, I'LL, UM, I'LL EMAIL YOU ON IT ONCE WE FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING, GOING ON ONCE WE TALK TO SOMEBODY.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT IT YET.
I'LL SHOOT YOU AN EMAIL AS SOON AS WE FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON IT.
UM, EXCUSE ME, BEFORE, JUST BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST WANT EVERYONE, JUST SO IT'S CLEAR, THE GREENBERG AGAINST SYSTEMIC RACISM TASK FORCE REPORT IS THE POLICE REFORM REPORT THAT'S DUE TO GOVERNOR CUOMO'S OFFICE BY APRIL 1ST.
SO WE HOPE TO EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND PROVIDE YOUR COMMENT.
IT IS, THE REPORT IS ON THE WEBSITE FIRST PAGE.
NEXT WE HAVE LAN, UH, GER, WHO'S GONNA TALK ABOUT HIS, UH, THOUGHTS ABOUT, UH, MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING OF FOREST, UH, FORESTED PROPERTIES.
DO YOU WANT ME TO, TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS? I MEAN, I'VE SENT IT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND I'VE SENT IT TO PAUL, BUT, UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN, UM, I GUESS THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT I, WHAT, WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
MAYBE YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN IT.
SO, UH, ESSENTIALLY IT'S ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT I HAVE CURRENTLY WITH, UH, AND HAVE HAD FOR YEARS WITH THE TREES ON MY NEIGHBORING PROPERTY.
THAT, THAT THE PROPERTY IS UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND, UH, THAT WORD CONSERVATION
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EASEMENT IS BEING MISINTERPRETED BY THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION THAT OWNS THAT PROPERTY.THEY, THEY, THEY BASICALLY, UH, THEY, THEY BASICALLY THINK THAT SOMETHING IS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
THEY CAN'T TOUCH THE PROPERTY.
THEY LET THE FIFTH, THE TREES FALL DOWN LEFT AND RIGHT.
THEY BARELY CLEAN UP AFTER THEM.
UH, THAT IT CREATES A FIRE HAZARD, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
IF THERE EVER IS A DROUGHT AND SOMEBODY IGNITES THESE, THESE FALLEN TREES, UH, I'VE HAD A TREE LAND ON MY HOUSE EIGHT YEARS AGO, I NOTIFIED THEM.
AND, UH, ESSENTIALLY MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, NOTHING IS HAPPENING.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY REFUSING TO, TO MAINTAIN THEIR TREES.
UH, AND I'M CURRENTLY ACTUALLY HAVE, HAVE RETAINED A, A, A LAW FIRM TO RESOLVE THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT IT BROUGHT, BROUGHT TO MY, MY ATTENTION, THE, THE FACT THAT THERE IS A DISCREPANCY IN TOWN CODE AND, AND THE TOWN CODE, UM, HOW WOULD I SAY? THE TOWN CODE FORCES EVERYBODY THAT HAS THE LAW TO MOW THE LAWN.
I'VE GOTTEN A VIOLATION SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I RESOLVED A VIOLATION LAST YEAR.
A, UH, A FRIEND OF OURS GOT A VIOLATION.
WE HELPED HER OUT MOWED HER LAWN FOR HER BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T DO IT HERSELF.
YOU HAVE TO MOW YOUR LAWN, BUT THERE IS NO LAW IN TOWN THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN YOUR TREES SO THEY DON'T FALL ON YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, OR THE BRANCHES DON'T FALL ON YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.
AND, AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE CORE OF THE ISSUE THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY, UM, MAYBE, MAYBE MAKE A LAW LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT SAYS IF YOU HAVE A, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE UNDER, UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT, THAT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT, THAT, UH, THAT PROPERTY PROPERLY.
THAT WOULD BE MY, MY, MY REQUEST TO YOU.
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS AMONG THE TOWN BOARD MEMBERS? UH, GARY CALLED YOU THIS AFTERNOON, DIDN'T HE? TALK TO ME, BEN? YEAH.
I'M, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW IT.
I'M, I'M THE HIRED, UH, HIRED FORESTER FORESTRY OFFICIAL TO ENFORCE, UH, THE NEW TREE ORDINANCES.
BUT, UH, SO I WAS IN TOWN AND HE, HE GAVE ME A LETTER THAT HE HAD SENT TO THE, THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION, A COPY OF IT.
SO THAT SHOULD HELP RESOLVE THE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE HAVING.
IT MAY, MAY HAVE RESOLVED THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT RESOLVES IT FOR THE TOWN IN GENERAL.
UH, SOME OF IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE ON THE APPROVALS THAT WERE GRANTED IN THE PAST, AND WE COULD JUST BE MORE MINDFUL OF WHAT CONDITIONS WE PUT ON APPROVALS IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH, IF I COULD, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT SPEND IS GIVEN UNDER ADVISEMENT AND, UH, AS APPROVALS OCCUR THAT ENTAIL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, WE CAN BE MINDFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, DEAD DISEASED AND DYING TREES ARE TO BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED.
AND I THINK WE HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE AND THE, THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE TOWN BOARD HAVE DEFINITELY MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, FOREVERGREEN TYPE LANGUAGE.
SO, UM, I, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE IN A GOOD DIRECTION IN THIS REGARD, BUT TO THE EXTENT THERE CAN BE IMPROVEMENTS MADE, UM, WE'LL CERTAINLY CONSIDER THAT AND, UH, ADVISE THE BOARDS ACCORDINGLY.
AND WE ARE TAKING IT SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND, AND, AND MYSELF.
WE HAD, UH, QUITE AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, UM, SO THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT WAYS OF ADDRESSING YOUR CONCERNS.
CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION, THOUGH? UM, I, I, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY, I, I WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THERE IS NO DISCREPANCY IN THE LAW WHERE, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO MOW LAWNS COME ON.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I MOW MY LAWN ANYWAY.
I JUST LET IT GO THAT YEAR BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT COMES UP WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S NOT BEING MOWED.
I'M AN ECOLOGIST, I'M JUST EXPERIMENTING WITH MY PROPERTY, AND I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF WILDFLOWERS ON MY PROPERTY.
BUT, UH, THAT, I MEAN, WHY, WHY HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT ON THE BOOKS IF YOU DON'T REQUIRE THREE OWNERS TO DO THE SAME FOR THEIR TREES? THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU.
AND I WISH, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU COULD ANSWER THAT.
BUT I HAVE A SUGGESTION ALSO FOR THE, UM, FOR THE, UH, EASEMENTS, THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, GARRETT, AND THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO, MIGHT WANT TO DISCUSS IT WITH AARON TOO.
UH, IF YOU IMPOSE ON WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WRITE IN CONSERVATION EASEMENT, IF YOU IMPOSE ON, ON THE, UH, RECIPIENTS OF THAT EASEMENT THAT THEY SENT YOU A MONITORING REPORT EVERY ONE, THREE OR FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO PUT ON THERE, WHERE THEY'RE OBLIGATED
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TO, UM, TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN ARBORIST OR A FORESTER COME IN AND GIVE THEM A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH OR A REPORT WHERE THEY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROPERTY.I THINK THAT IS, THAT IS NOT AN ONEROUS OBLIGATION.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE POSSIBLY, UH, VERY DOABLE.
UM, SHOULD WE, GARRETT, IN TERMS OF LIKE THE NEXT STEP, SHOULD WE, IS THERE ANY REFERRALS? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT, OR IT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
UM, I THINK WE'LL DISCUSS IT INTERNALLY AND, UM, I COULD SEE, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE TO, UM, GET AN ADVISORY OPINION FROM THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND CAN YOU, AND CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE, UH, EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WE HAVE THIS LAWN MOWING REQUIREMENT ON THE BOOKS.
IF PEOPLE DON'T MOW THEIR LAWNS, AT SOME POINT IT BECOMES A RODENT TISSUE.
AND THAT'S GENERALLY, AND THAT'S, YOU WANT AN, YOU, YOU WANT AN ANSWER NOW YOU'RE GONNA QUESTION MY ANSWER.
WELL, YOU, FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE HAVE A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO LET THEIR GRASS GROW ANY WAY THEY WANT, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T BECOME A HAZARD BASED ON A CONCERN ABOUT RODENTS.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
AND SO OTHERWISE, PEOPLE TO JUST LET IT JUST, JUST LET IT GROW AND NO MATTER WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, AND THEN THAT WOULD NOT BE IN WHAT MOST PEOPLE CONSIDER TO BE THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UH, GENERALLY WHEN SOMEBODY GETS A VIOLATION PROGRESSED NOT BEING CUT, IT'S BECAUSE, AND IT'S NOT THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT JUST WENT AROUND AND STARTED GIVING OUT VIOLATIONS.
IT'S GENERALLY BECAUSE THEY GOT A COMPLAINT.
AND THAT'S HOW MANY OF THE VIOLATIONS THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT GIVE OUT.
IT'S BASED ON A NEIGHBOR COMPLAINING.
SO OBVIOUSLY SOMEBODY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE AND THE VIOLATION WAS GIVEN, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY IT'S ON THE BOOKS.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING, YOU COULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT UNTIL PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH RODENTS.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT IT'S, UH, CAN I ASK WHAT KIND OF RODENTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WHATEVER, WHATEVER RODENTS YOU, YOU CAN ENVISION, YOU KNOW, MICE, WHATEVER, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
MICE ARE ALSO VERY, VERY, VERY WELL ESTABLISHED IN, IN WOODLANDS AND IN SHRUBS AND, AND SHRUBBERY.
UH, RATS WE DON'T HAVE HERE AT, AT SEASUITE AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS I KNOW.
SO I THINK THAT ARGUMENT DOESN'T, DOESN'T REALLY SIT VERY WELL WITH ME.
I DON'T THINK IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S LOGICAL ARGUMENT EITHER.
SO YOUR ARGUE, YOUR, YOUR POSITION IS THAT WE SHOULD REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT GRASS HAS TO BE MOWED.
WE GET THAT AND WE'LL CONSIDER IT.
I I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT YOU TO REMOVE THAT.
I JUST WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE AN EQUIVALENT ON THE BOOK FOR DANGEROUS TREES THAT IF I COULD, IF MY NEIGHBOR HAD A TREE LIKE THAT, I COULD COMPLAIN TO YOU AND SAY, LISTEN, GIVE THEM A VIOLATION.
THE TOWN DOES NOT GENERALLY GET INVOLVED IN A NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR DISPUTE IF IT'S NOT ON TOWN PROPERTY.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION.
THE, THE TOWN CAN'T BECOME THE EXPERT ON EVERY TREE, ON ALL PRIVATE PROPERTY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A TREE IS HAZARDOUS OR NOT, BECAUSE NOBODY WILL HIRE THEIR OWN ARBORISTS TO FIND THAT OUT.
AND WE WOULD HAVE TO HIRE A WHOLE SLEW OF ARBORISTS.
SO ON PRIVATE PROPERTY ISSUES, WHICH WAS WHAT YOU'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH, IT'S NOT A TOWN PROPERTY.
NOW, WE SPENT ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR TO AN HOUR TODAY, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING HOW TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, PARTICULARLY TO ADDRESS YOUR, YOUR ISSUE WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
YOU SENT THE LETTER TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WRITING AS A PERSON WHO HAPPENS TO WORK FOR THE TOWN, BUT WRITING AS AN INDIVIDUAL TO THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN READ BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AS SINCE IT'S COMING FROM YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND NOT FROM THE TOWN, THAT THE TOWN DIDN'T REALLY CARE.
SO A LETTER IS NOW GOING OUT FROM THE TOWN TELLING THEM THAT THEY NEED TO EVALUATE THE TREE, DETERMINE IF IT'S HAZARDOUS, FILE FOR A PERMIT, AND THE ARBORIST
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WILL THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE.NOW, IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT SOLUTION, LET US KNOW.
WELL, I'M, BECAUSE FRANCIS, I DON'T WANNA CUT YOU OFF, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THAT SOLUTION.
I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT FORWARD GOING OTHERS IN TOWN COULD BE PROTECTED THE SAME WAY, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
WE, WE ARE NOT THE ONES MAKING THE DETERMINATION.
THAT HAS STILL HAS TO BE DONE BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY DISPUTE.
AND THE TOWN DOES NOT GENERALLY GET INVOLVED IN A PRIVATE PROPERTY DISPUTE.
YOU HAVING A PROBLEM WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR, WE CAN'T HAVE THE TOWN COMING IN AND BEING THE POLICE OFFICER INVOLVED IN A PRIVATE PROPERTY DISPUTE IT, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
BUT I THINK FRANCE AND, AND, AND I GUESS NOBODY ELSE IS INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION HERE.
UH, YOU SAID SUCH JUST A MINUTE AGO, YOU SAID THE TOWN HAS AN ISSUE, IF I'M DON'T MIND MY ALARM, BECAUSE THEN I ATTRACT RODENTS.
NOW, ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN RODENT, UH, ECOLOGY? ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN, UH, IS THE TOWN REALLY SHORT? SP I MEAN, SPEND, THAT WAS ONE ITEM THAT HE CITED.
I MEAN, I THINK CLEARLY, UM, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER, UM, BASED ON, YOU KNOW, OVERGROWN LAWNS AND, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY VALUES AND, AND WHAT, WHAT OVERGROWN LAWNS DO TO, YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IN THAT REGARD, NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER IS, IS, IS, WHICH IS WHAT I MENTIONED AS WELL.
THAT'S, BUT THE REASON WHY YOU MAY NOT HAVE OTHER PEOPLE RESPONDING TO YOU IS BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE WE TOOK EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TODAY TO TRY AND WORK OUT SOMETHING TO ADDRESS YOUR ISSUE.
AND ALL YOU'RE DOING IS ARGUING OVER.
BUT NOW LET'S PUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD'VE HAD THE BROADER ISSUE, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED THAT AS WELL.
BECAUSE THE WHOLE IDEA ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RODENTS NOT BEING A PROBLEM BECAUSE BICE EXISTS ALL OVER THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT DIDN'T COME UP, QUITE FRANKLY.
SO, UM, BUT WE'VE HEARD YOU, AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE LETTER THAT WE SENT OUT, UH, FROM THE TOWN REGARDING THIS PRIVATE PROPERTY DISPUTE.
AND BASICALLY THE LETTER SAYS THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY EVALUATE THAT TREE.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF THEY DON'T, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THAT TREE, UM, THEY'RE UNNOTICED THAT THE TOWN HAS RECOGNIZED THAT IF IT IS HAZARDOUS, IT NEEDS TO, UH, BE ADDRESSED BY THEIR ARBORIST.
AND THE TOWN WILL, YOU KNOW, HELP FACILITATE THE, UH, THE PERMITS.
AND IT'S AN INVASIVE TREE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THERE WON'T EVEN BE A COST FOR THE PERMIT.
WELL, IT'S NOT THE COST OF THE PERMIT, THE $25 IS NOT WHAT THEY'RE AFRAID ABOUT.
THE COST OF TAKING THE TREE DOWN.
BUT I MEAN, I, YEAH, I, I'M HAPPY.
I'M HAPPY THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER KANE HAS, HAS FORMULATED LETTER IS IS SENDING IT OUT OR HAS SENT IT OUT ALREADY.
UH, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ME, MYSELF, I'M, DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME.
I, I'M AGGRAVATED ABOUT THIS WHOLE ISSUE.
'CAUSE IT'S BEEN DRAGGING ON FOR AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS, IF NOT LONGER.
AND IN THE PAST 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN I HAD A BRANCH HANGING OVER MY FENCE, THEY CAME OUT IMMEDIATELY AND RESOLVED THAT THE NEW BOARD, IT MUST BE A NEW BOARD.
THEY DON'T EVEN GIVE A DAMN, THEY EVEN TOLD ME.
SO NOT DIRECTLY, BUT THROUGH THE, THE, UM, MANAGEMENT, THEN LET THE TREE FALL ON YOUR HOUSE.
THE INSURANCE WILL PAY FOR IT.
AND THAT TO ME IS NOT A RIGHT ATTITUDE.
'CAUSE I HAVE MY CHILDREN SLEEPING UPSTAIRS IN THE HOUSE.
THEY COULD BE KILLED, OR I COULD BE KILLED IF I, IF I DECIDE TO BE UP THERE.
SO THAT, TO ME, IS MUCH WORSE THAN A RODENT PROBLEM.
AND I, THAT'S WHY I'M THINKING IT COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS TOO.
THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES IN TOWN WHERE THIS SAME KIND OF ISSUE COULD HAPPEN.
AND IF EVERYBODY HAS TO HIRE A LAWYER LIKE I DO, THAT'S A REAL IMPOSITION.
UH, A LOT OF MONEY GOING, GOING TO LAWYERS.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING A, A, A A, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? A, A WORK PROGRAM FOR LAWYERS.
THIS WAY, IF YOU, IF YOU ALWAYS REFER TO, TO, TO, IN, TO, UH, NEIGHBORLY PRO PROBLEM SAYING THAT'S NOT OUR ISSUE.
WE, ON THE ONE HAND, THE TOWN WANTS EVERYBODY TO PLANT TREES.
WE HAVE A REPLACEMENT PLAN IN PLACE.
SO EVERY TREE THAT GETS DOWN GETS REPLACED.
SOMETIMES THERE'S TWO OR THREE TREES.
NOW, AT SOME POINT, IF THE TOWN SAY, TAKES THIS, TAKES THE, TAKES THE POSITION, AND I TAKE THE POSITION TOO, THAT WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND SHOULD GET AS MANY TREES AS POSSIBLE INTO TOWN, AND
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WE SHOULD REPLACE THE TREES THAT ARE GETTING TAKEN DOWN, DOWN, UH, THEN WE SHOULD ALSO CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THOSE TREES OR OF THE TREES IN GENERAL.AND WE SHOULD GIVE THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEALTH OF TREES OR THE AGE OF A TREE THAT COULD FALL ON THE HOUSE.
WE SHOULD GIVE THEM A BREAK TOO AND, AND SUPPORT THEM, NOT JUST ME PERSONALLY.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST REFER THIS TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE TIME AND, UM, ABILITY TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, MORE TIME, YOU KNOW, ON THIS AND COULD HELP US, UM, DO THE FOLLOW UP.
AND THEY COULD WORK WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, GARRETT AND, YOU KNOW, AARON, IT, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, FRANCIS SAID IT'S ALSO A LEGAL ISSUE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE, THAT THE LAW LAWYER HAS TO GET INVOLVED.
THAT'S WHY GARRETT SUGGESTED THAT WE HANDLE THIS, YOU KNOW, GET OPINIONS FROM STAFF.
UM, AND ALL OF THAT IS INVOLVED IN THAT BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT A SIMPLE ISSUE OF US JUST SAYING, YES, WE WILL DO THIS.
EVEN THOUGH YOU WANT AN EASY ANSWER TODAY.
UH, AT LEAST FOR ME, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET IT BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA PROMISE SOMETHING THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DELIVER.
I'D RATHER KNOW WHAT WE CAN DELIVER AND THEN MAKE YOU HAPPY, OR, OR MAYBE NOT IF WE CAN'T DO WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE.
BUT, UH, AT LEAST I'D LIKE TO KNOW ALL OF THE ANSWERS.
AT LEAST THE ISSUE, THE IMMEDIATE ISSUE THAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, WHERE YOU COULDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY SLEEPING IN A BEDROOM ON THAT SIDE OF YOUR HOUSE, THEY HAD TO SLEEP ON A COUCH.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE GAVE GREATER EMPHASIS TO.
AND WE DIDN'T GIVE EMPHASIS TO THE BIGGER PICTURE BECAUSE THAT WASN'T THE IMMEDIATE URGENCY THAT WE WOULD ADDRESS IT.
BUT WE DID TAKE YOUR, TAKE WHAT YOU WROTE SERIOUSLY, AND WE ACTED ON IT, AND WE THINK IT'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND, AND DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME, I'M, I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE TAKING THIS UP.
UH, I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT IT CAN BE DEALT WITH IN THE LONG RUN IN SUCH A WAY THAT EVERYBODY IN TOWN CAN BE HAPPY AND SAFE.
AND I APPRECI APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR TAKING THE TIME RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR, IN YOUR WORKSTATION.
NEXT ITEM MOMENT IS I THINK THE H HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, SO, UM, WE HAD A REQUEST FROM RENEE ROBINSON, A GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBER, UH, OJ ER, PRESIDENT OF THE GREENBERG, UH, WHITE PLAINS, UH, CHAPTER OF, UM, WESTCHESTER BLACK WOMAN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS.
UM, AND, UM, UM, BISHOP PRESTON, UM, ASKED TO, UM, UM, RESPOND.
AND TASHA YOUNG ALSO ASKED TO, UM, UH, PARTICIPATE IN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE MEETING AS WELL.
UM, SO, UM, RENEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? UH, SURE.
UM, WELL THIS IS WITH REGARDS TO THE, UH, RELOCATION OF THE MANHATTAN AVENUE SENIORS.
UH, WE JUST FEEL THAT IT JUST WAS NOT APPROPRIATE TO MOVE THEM DURING A PANDEMIC.
THE SAME THING IS NOW GETTING READY TO HAPPEN TO THE FIVE REMAINING SCATTERED SITES.
OKAY? THEY ARE MOVING US DURING A PANDEMIC AND THE ISSUE WITH THE SENIORS DIDN'T GO WELL.
AND NOW THEY ARE GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME PROCEDURE TO US WITH THE SAME PERSON.
THERE WAS NO, I GUESS, PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE PUT INTO PLACE SO THAT WE COULD AT LEAST GET SOMEONE DIFFERENT TO HANDLE THE SITUATION.
SO WE ARE STUCK WITH THE SAME CONSULTANT THAT DID THE SENIOR CITIZEN.
AND ALSO, NOW I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ISSUES OURSELVES.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY SCHEDULED A G H A RELOCATION MEETING TONIGHT KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE HERE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
'CAUSE UH, SOMEONE WILL BE RECORDING IT.
I ASKED MR. RAJU, AND OF COURSE HE WOULD NOT ANSWER.
UM, I SENT HIM AN EMAIL TWICE TODAY FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND OF COURSE HE WOULDN'T ANSWER.
BUT MY OTHER, UM, SITUATION IS THIS, RIGHT NOW, THERE IS AN EMPTY SEAT IN THE G H A BOARD.
WE, THE TENANTS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME FORM OF, SAY, IN THE SELECTION PROCESS.
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THAT YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, YOU SELECT, YOU PUT THEM IN THERE, BUT THEN IT SEEMS AS THOUGH YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER G H.AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR, I GUESS SOME OF THEM HAVE NOW BEEN THERE OVER 15 YEARS AND IT, IT, IT'S JUST NOT CONDUCIVE FOR US RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED SOMEONE IN THERE THAT AT LEAST WILL BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO THE TENANT'S CONCERNS.
UM, I REALIZE YOU DO HAVE A LIAISON, BUT THE LIAISON SEEMS TO REPORT ON WHAT THE, THE BOARD IS DOING AND NOT THE TENANT'S RESPONSE.
SO MAYBE YOU ALSO NEED TWO LIAISONS, ONE THAT HANDLES THE BOARD AND ONE THAT HANDLES THE PEOPLE.
'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S NOT BEING TRANSMITTED RIGHT NOW.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING YOU HAD LAST WEEK.
I WAS NOT INVITED BECAUSE THEN I COULD HAVE EVEN SPOKEN ON SOME OF THE POINTS THEY MENTIONED, MENTIONED, UH, WE DID NOT RECEIVE LETTERS.
UM, THEY WANNA MOVE US OUT
AND ONE OF THE TENANTS EVEN SAID, WHY DON'T THEY DO ONE PROJECT FIRST BEFORE THEY GO ON TO THE NEXT PROJECT? AND THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE SICK, PEOPLE ARE QUARANTINED, AND IT IS JUST NOT CONDUCIVE.
AND SO THAT'S IT FOR RIGHT NOW,
ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO COMMENT? MS ONE, UH, YOU, I WOULD PATRICIA WINGS, MY COMMENT WILL BE SHORT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD ATTENDED WHO HAD PLANNED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING, BUT I RECEIVED NOTICES THAT THIS MEETING WAS CANCELED.
I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT IN RIGHT UP FRONT.
UH, PAT, PAT, CAN I, CAN I JUST SAY THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ALLOW BISHOP PRESTON TO RESPOND TO MS. ROBINSON AND THE LETTER THAT SHE WROTE TO BLACK WESTCHESTER? BEFORE WE START TAKING GENERAL COMMENTS, I'M FROM OTHER PEOPLE.
I I JUST WANT, I JUST, I JUST WANT, I JUST WANT YOUR COMMENTS TO, TO, TO, TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE HOUSING AUTHOR'S RESPONSE TO THE ALLEGATION.
SO THAT WAY WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU ALL ARE MAKING COMMENTS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'VE HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
I'VE, SORRY TO INTERRUPT EVERYONE, BUT I THOUGHT MR. FINER WAS ASKING FOR, WAS ANYBODY ELSE GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT? AND I JUST CAME ON LATE BECAUSE I JUST RECEIVED THE, UM, THE LINK.
I'M SORRY TO, YOU KNOW, NOT AT ALL.
UM, BISHOP, DO YOU WANNA RESPOND AT THIS TIME? I, I, UH, I PREFER IF ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO THIS, UH, ISSUE OF, UH, OF THE, UH, REDEVELOPMENT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT THEY SPEAK BEFORE I RESPOND, PLEASE.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? SO THIS IS OJ ER ON BEHALF OF THE GREENBERG WHITE CLAIMS CHAPTER OF THE WESTCHESTER BLACK WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS.
AS WE KNOW, THERE WAS A LETTER IN THE BLACK WESTCHESTER WHERE MS. ROBINSON HAS CLAIMS ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF THE 26 SENIORS, OF WHICH 26 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE DISABLED, AND THAT THEY WERE MOVED DURING A PANDEMIC.
THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS, PROCESSES WERE, UM, NOT FOLLOWED.
AND THE PROCESS PLACEMENTS IN INADEQUATE HOUSING, THE INABILITY OF THESE RESIDENTS TO MOVE BACK INTO THEIR APARTMENTS HAS BEEN ALLEGED.
AND IN LIGHT OF ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, WE, THE WESTCHESTER BLACK WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS, WE'RE ASKING NOW FOR A FORMAL REVIEW, UH, OF THESE ALLEGATIONS AND INVESTIGATION AND FACT FINDING.
WE ASK THAT WHAT IT IS FOUND IS BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC, MADE TRANSPARENT, WHATEVER DID GO WRONG.
WE WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE, WILL BE OR THINKING ABOUT BEING RELOCATED.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE ASKING THAT NO OTHER SENIORS, DISABLED INDIVIDUALS HIGH RISK FOR OTHERS BE RELOCATED DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC MENTAL HEALTH WELLBEING ASSESSMENTS OF THESE RESIDENTS BE TARGETED TO THOSE WHO ARE, HAVE BEEN RELOCATED OR ARE UP TO BE LOCATED, AND THAT THERE'S AN EFFECTIVE PLAN OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE DONE AND EXECUTED.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING CHECK-INS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED DURING THE TIME THAT THEY'VE BEEN RELOCATED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOES NOT EXACERBATE THE ISOLATION AND SEPARATION
[00:30:01]
FROM FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND COMMUNITY.IN ADDITION, WE NEED TO KEEP OUR SENIORS AND OUR RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY KNOW AND LOVE AND HAVE A CONNECTION TO MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND FINANCIALLY.
SO THAT IS THE REQUEST OF THE WESTCHESTER BLACK WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS.
AND ALSO, WHEN THEY DID, THEY DID AN, AN, AN, UH, UH, INSPECTION, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR.
AND THE SUMMARY WAS THAT WE WOULD ONLY BE RELOCATED FOR TWO WEEKS.
NOW THEY HAVE SOMEONE ELSE COMING IN AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE TWO MONTHS TO A YEAR.
THAT'S ENTIRELY TOO LONG TO BE RELOCATED, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME.
SO THE THING IS, WHY DID IT CHANGE ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHY DID IT CHANGE? WE NOTICED THAT WITH THE GREENBERG HOUSING MAINTENANCE, THAT THEY'RE NOT, UH, LICENSED, UM, PLUMBERS OR LICENSED ELECTRICIANS.
SO WHAT IS, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY PUTTING A BANDAID ON EVERYTHING.
OKAY? THEY'RE NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM.
AND THE BAD THING ABOUT IT IS WHEN THEY DO MAKE AN ERROR IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR ROOM CATCHES ON FIRE OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PIPES BUST.
THEY, THEY DON'T EVEN TRY TO COMPENSATE YOU.
THEY TELL YOU THAT, OH, WELL YOU SHOULD HAVE RENTERS INSURANCE, BUT IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.
YOU DIDN'T CALL IN A LICENSED, UM, ELECTRICIAN.
YOU DIDN'T CALL IN A LICENSED PLUMBER.
YES, THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN DO, BUT THEY'RE NOT VERSED IN HANDLING THESE SITUATIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I HAVE THE PAPERWORK HERE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE GROUP THAT WAS GOING TO HELP WITH THE, THE, UM, THE, THE PROJECT, UM, PERSON THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO
IT, IT WAS A HORRIBLE SITUATION.
THEY TOLD THEM THEY WOULDN'T HAVE EXTRA, UH, RENT, BUT THEY NEVER MENTIONED TO THEM THAT THERE WAS A HEATING SUBSIDY.
SO THE SENIORS ARE PAYING MORE IN RENT.
THEY TOLD THEM THAT THEY WOULD GET SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS.
UH, I THINK THEY JUST CORRECTED IT, BUT PEOPLE WERE GETTING BILLS FOR 2000.
I HAD ONE CALL ME THE OTHER DAY, SHE GOTTA BILL FOR 9,000.
AND THEY KEPT SAYING, WELL, WE ARE THE VOUCHERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS RECEIVED YOUR COPY, BUT THEY ACTUALLY DID A PETITION, UH, WHERE THEY SAID THEY WANTED EVERYTHING IN WRITING, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
AND NOW I KNOW THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY GOT ONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS GOT YOUR COPY.
DID YOU, DID YOU GET YOUR COPY OF THE PETITION FROM THE SENIORS? HELLO? I DIDN'T GET A COPY.
SORRY, I DIDN'T, I'M TRYING, I WAS MUTED.
I I DIDN'T, YOU, YOU GUYS DIDN'T GET YOUR COPY? NO.
WELL, ONE WAS ADDRESSED TO YOU.
NOW I BELIEVE ONE WAS ADDRESSED TO ME, BUT I DIDN'T GET MINE.
AND I HAPPENED TO CALL UP ABOUT SOMETHING AND THAT'S WHEN ONE OF THE WORKERS SAID ONE OF THE MAINTENANCE, UM, NOT MAINTENANCE, ONE OF THE STAFF SAID, OH, WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO GET YOUR LETTER? AND I SAID, WHAT LETTER? AND THEY SAID, WELL, THERE'S A LETTER HERE FOR YOU.
AND I SAID, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
NOW I BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S FROM THEM, BUT I DIDN'T EVEN OPEN IT.
I'M, WAIT, I'M WAITING FOR YOU, BUT ONE OF YOU GUYS TO OPEN IT.
LET THIS GENTLEMAN OPEN IT FOR ME AND LET'S SEE WHAT IT IS.
BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED YOUR PETITION AS WELL.
WHEN GREENBERG HOUSING RECEIVED THEIRS, ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SENT TO THE TOWN BOARD.
DON'T, WHAT DOES IT SAY? OKAY.
UM, IT'S, IT IS WRITTEN TO ME.
I'M GOING TO OPEN IT NOW AND SEE WHAT IT, WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS, BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE THE PETITION.
IT'S ACTUALLY A LETTER FROM THE, FROM THE SENIORS, UM, REGARDING THEIR TRANSITION.
UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST BRING A, MAKE A COPY AND LEAVE IT WITH YOU GUYS TOMORROW.
WHEN WILL, WHEN WILL WE BE PROVIDED WITH SECTION EIGHT CERTIFICATES IN ORDER TO SECURE HOUSING? UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS.
ANOTHER CONCERN IS STORAGE REMOVAL OF RUBBLE.
I'LL MAKE A COPY AND SEND IT TO YOU, BUT I SHOULD ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THE PETITION THAT THEY SIGNED.
AND, UM, I'LL GET THAT TO YOU AS WELL.
SO OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE MOVE AND THEY FIT THE CRITERIA.
THEY HAVE UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND THEY HAVE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOME OF US HAVE THE SAME ISSUES.
[00:35:01]
MIGHT NOT BE 65, BUT WE, WE MIGHT HAVE TWO OF THE THREE.AND THESE PEOPLE HAVE CHILDREN, AND I HAVE WRITTEN THEM.
AND EVEN WITH THE INSPECTION, THEY JUST, WE DON'T CARE.
IT, IT IS JUST NOT CONDUCIVE FOR ANY OF US RIGHT NOW DURING THIS UNCERTAIN TIME TO BE MOVING IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
IT'S JUST NOT, IT'S JUST NOT CONDUCIVE.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I WROTE TO EVERY ONE OF THE SENIORS, UH, WHO WAS RELOCATED, AND I ASKED THEM IF THERE IF THEY HAD ANY, UH, SPECIFIC, UM, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS. UM, AND SO FAR I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM ANY OF, UH, THE SENIORS.
NOW I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND FOLLOW UP ON, YOU KNOW, ON, UM, ON COMPLAINTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, AFTER I READ YOUR, YOU KNOW, LETTER, UM, IN THE PAPER, UM, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, UH, PLACES THAT THEY WERE BEING MOVED TO, YOU KNOW, WAS SUBSTANDARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, HORRIBLE CONDITIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I LOOKED, AND SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE UNITS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY QUALITY HOUSING.
THE NUMBER OF THE SENIORS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE 1 25 LAKE STREET.
AND I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT, THAT PROPERTY IN WHITE PLAINS.
THERE'S APARTMENT SOME, AND, UM, I KNOW IN, IN YONKERS IS THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, CLEAN RELATIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, COM, YOU KNOW, COMFORTABLE.
THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT FROM MY OBSERVATIONS THAT THEY WERE NOT SUBSTANDARD, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSING, UM, UNITS THAT THE SENIORS HAVE BEEN RELO RELOCATED TO.
BUT I DID, UH, TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO REACH OUT TO THE SENIORS AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY SENIOR WHO HAS ANY COMPLAINTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD CALL ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, I WILL TRY HELPING OUT.
I DID GET, UM, YOU KNOW, TWO CALLS FROM, UM, UM, FROM, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, HAVE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MOVING, YOU KNOW, THESE AREN'T THE SCATTER SITE, UM, HOUSING, UM, UM, UM, TENANTS AND I OFFER TO, YOU KNOW, HELP THEM.
UM, SO ANY TENANT WHO WOULD LIKE MY HELP DURING THIS PROCESS, I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO, TO HELP OUT AND REACH OUT AND MAKE THE PROCESS AS, UM, AS STRESSLESS AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW AS POSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW THAT AS, UM, UM, A WOMAN WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, I POSTED SOMETHING ON THE WEBSITE A FEW DAYS AGO WHO VOLUNTEERS AT THE GREENBERG, UM, YOU KNOW, GREEN, WHO LIVES IN THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND SHE'S BEEN CALLING THE SENIORS MULTIPLE TIMES TRYING TO, UH, HELP, YOU KNOW, PROBLEM SOLVE.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, WELL, WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THE, IF THOSE PEOPLE, IF PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT ARE WRONG WOULD PROVIDE ME AND THE TOWN BOARD WITH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC INSTANCES AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COULD CALL ME.
YOU KNOW, MY PHONE HOME PHONE NUMBER IS FOUR THREE EIGHT THREE.
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UM, PROBLEM SOLVE WITH ANYONE WHO HAS A COMPLAINT.
OKAY? WELL, ON LAKE STREET, SOME OF THEM, UM, CALLED ME AND I DON'T KNOW, THEY WERE PLACED, WHICH IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE HELPED, BUT THEY WERE PLACED ON HIGH FLOORS AND THE ELEVATOR DIDN'T WORK.
THERE WAS ALSO SOMEONE ON LAKE STREET THAT WE HAD TO CALL THE, UM, ADULT PROTECTIVE CONTROL FOR.
THERE IN YONKERS WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT GETTING HEAT.
OKAY? THE PLACE COULD LOOK NICE, BUT THEY WERE NOT GETTING HEAT, OKAY.
ALONG WITH THESE BILLS FOR THIS SECTION EIGHT.
BUT THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT GETTING HEAT, SOME DIDN'T HAVE HOT WATER, AND TO HELP US WITH THIS PROCESS RIGHT NOW, THE OTHER RESIDENTS, WE DO NOT WANT TO MOVE RIGHT NOW.
WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WHOLE SITUATION WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE SUMMER.
SO AT LEAST THEY WOULD GIVE US TIME.
THEY WERE GOING TO GET MONEY, THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THE INVESTMENTS, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD HAVE A CLOSING IN THE SUMMER.
NOW THEY WANNA HAVE A CLOSING MARCH AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
SO
WHAT IS GONNA BE THE PROTOCOL? PLEASE TELL ME.
WELL, WE DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND, PAT.
SO YOU, YOU CAN'T SEE MY HAND WAVING ON THE SCREEN.
[00:40:01]
NOT, BUT SO I'M GONNA, SO THANK YOU, RENEE.I'M JUST GONNA LET PAT SPEAK AND THEN WE COME BACK.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I ALSO HAVE MET AND ENCOUNTERED, UM, RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT SATISFIED.
AND, UM, MY ONE POINT THAT I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE IS WHY THE GREENBERG, WHO IS NUMBER ONE IN HOUSING IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, CAN'T GET SOMETHING DONE.
SO THAT IF WE MOVE THE, UH, OUR SENIORS AND, AND THESE ARE SENIORS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY'RE PUSHING A HUNDRED, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING 65.
AND, AND WHAT I WANNA SAY IS WE CAN DEMAND FROM COUNTY, PAUL, I'M TALKING TO YOU DIRECTLY, WE CAN DEMAND FROM COUNTY TO FIND SOMEPLACE RIGHT HERE IN GREENBURG, AND I'M THINKING OF RIGHT THERE, WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THEY CAN DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY TO HAVE THOSE, THAT THOSE APARTMENTS FIXED UP SO OUR SENIORS CAN MOVE IN IMMEDIATELY.
WE ARE TAKING IN PEEPING FROM ALL OVER WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO BE HERE IN GREENBURG, AND WE CAN'T GET THEM TO PUT UP SOME TYPE OF PROPOSITION THAT SEES TO IT THAT OUR SENIORS GET FIRST PREFERENCES WHEN THEY HAVE TO MOVE.
SO NOW THAT WAS FOR THE WHOLE TOWN COUNCIL.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE OUT THERE ON A LIMB BEGGING HAT IN HAND.
WE ARE THE LEADERS IN NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTY FOR HOUSING, HOUSING.
SO NOW HOW WE HAVE TO SEND OUR SENIORS OUT BEGGING TO FIND SOME PLACE TO LIVE, AND THEY'RE TOO OLD TO FIND IT ANYWAY, THEN I CAN'T JUMP UP AND GET IN A CAR AND GO FIND SOMEPLACE TO LIVE.
SO I'M SAYING THAT WHAT WE HAVE IS THE POWER OF THE STATE WE DESERVE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AND WE SHOULD HAVE PLACES FIRST.
PAUL, ARE YOU, DO YOU DO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? I DO UNDERSTAND ACCOUNTABILITY IS ON YOUR END, RIGHT? I DO UNDERSTAND.
BUT ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I WOULD LIKE REALIZE, PERSONALLY, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME IF, UM, IF PEOPLE WOULD PROVIDE ME WITH SPECIFIC INSTANCES OF, WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S VERY AGGRAVATING WHEN I BASICALLY, I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE.
AND IF I WRITE TO THE HOW TO EACH OF THE SENIORS, AND I DON'T GET ANY RESPONSES, UM, AND THEN I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, PAUL, I I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
NO, IT'S JUST DO, IT MAKES IT AGGRAVATING FOR ME BECAUSE, BUT YOU CAN'T, BUT PAUL, YOU ARE NOT RECOGNIZING THE AGGRAVATION OF THE PERSON.
BUT THE PERSON CALLED ME WHO HAS TO TELL YOU, YOU SMILE IN YOUR FACE AND SAY, OH, YES, MR. UH, FINE, I'M SO GLAD YOU CALLED ME.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY STAY INDEBTED TO YOU FOR YEARS.
AND I HAVE A LOT OF GOOD FRIENDS.
I'M NOT ASKING THEM TO BE INDEBT, BUT NO, PAUL, I'M BASICALLY, THAT'S WHAT IT'S, LEMME SAY, I BASICALLY HAVE HELPED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS WHEN ANY ANYBODY WHO HAS A PROBLEM OR THEY LIKE ME, WHETHER THEY DON'T LIKE ME, WHETHER THEY LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, WHERE THEY LIVE, OUT OF THE DISTRICT, ANYONE WHO HAS EVER CALLED ME, I HAVE ALWAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP.
ALL I'M SAYING, SAYING ALL THIS IS STAMM POLITICS, I'M SAYING IS INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO HELP EVERYONE.
NOT ONE PERSON WHO CALLS YOU, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO TRY.
THERE ARE ANY TENANT WHO HAS IT ISSUE TO CALL ME.
THE THING IS WE'RE SAYING THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS, IS PUTTING PEOPLE UP IN SUBSTANDARD HOUSING.
NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL.
PAUL, SEE YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING? LET ME, LET ME SAY SOMETHING.
I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE OF HELP.
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS BEFORE, BEFORE, IF ANYBODY HAS SPECIFIC INSTANCES, INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT GENERALITIES, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SPECIFICS.
AND I FEEL THAT IF THERE'S SPECIFICS AND IT RISES TO THE OCCASION WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF ABUSES AND PEOPLE, I GET A CHANCE SPEAK.
AND I, I, I'M ALWAYS IN TOUCH WITH THE TOWN BOARD ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK THAT THERE'S, WHEN THERE'S PROBLEMS, WHEN I GET THREE COMPLAINTS OR FOUR COMPLAINTS AND SPECIFICS, I ALWAYS TELL THE TOWN BOARD.
UM, AND SO FAR I GOT ZERO, ZERO COMPLAINTS.
AND, AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, AND WHEN I GET TO COMPLAINTS THAT THEN I'M SAYING, I'M ASKING YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING YOU, WE ASK TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD MEETING, GIVE ME A SPECIFIC, LET HAVE SOMEBODY CALL ME.
AND YOU KNOW, THE THING IS, I'M, AND EVERY TIME I'VE, I'VE FOLLOWED UP WITH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WITH ANYONE YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL DO MY BEST.
AND IF, YOU KNOW, IF I FEEL THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BE AN ADVOCATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE EVERY, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT NOT BE SUCCESSFUL WITH EVERYTHING, BUT I, I WILL DO MY BEST.
I'LL DO EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO HELP, I BELIEVE.
[00:45:01]
HOLD ON.BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY, WE HEAR FROM EVERYBODY.
SO BEFORE, BEFORE WE THANK YOU, PAUL FOR THAT.
THE NEXT HAND I SAW WAS TASHA.
THEN AFTER TASHA FOLLOWING TASHA IS, IS CLIFF ABRAMS, PLEASE.
AND, AND, AND MS. YOUNG, BEFORE YOU SPEAK, I MEAN, LET'S, LET'S NOT INTERRUPT SPEAKERS.
FIRST OF ALL, NOBODY CAN HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WHEN YOU TALK OVER PEOPLE.
LET'S JUST MAKE IT ORGANIZED AND SAY YOUR PIECE WITHOUT INTERRUPTING PEOPLE.
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS TOTALLY UNPRODUCTIVE.
IT'S WITH THAT, MS. YOUNG, CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK? CERTAINLY.
HAPPY DAY AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WOMEN.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT THIS MATTER.
UM, I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND I JUST WANNA, UM, BRING CONTEXT TO WHY I'M SPEAKING ON THIS PARTICULAR, I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT UP, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO AS A MISSIONARY TO UNION BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND, UM, AT THE TIME THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER MISSIONARIES WHO WERE RESIDENTS AT THE LOCATION ON MANHATTAN AVENUE AND OTHER SENIORS, INCLUDING LARRY, WHO WE NOW KNOW WAS KOBE'S UNCLE AND JANET DANIELS AND MARTHA JAMES, WHO, UM, I'VE KNOWN SINCE THREE YEARS OLD.
AND WE, AS RESIDENTS AND ADVOCATES AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO MAKE SURE OUR NEIGHBORS HAD GOOD EXPERIENCES, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
AND WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING WAS MAKING SURE THEY HAD FOOD.
WE, I PERSONALLY STARTED A FOOD OUTREACH PROGRAM AND PRAYER, AND WE WOULD PRAY WITH THEM CONSTANTLY.
UM, NOW THAT I'M HEARING THERE WAS A PETITION MADE AND IT NEVER MADE THE BOARD, THAT'S VERY CONCERNING.
UM, BUT FURTHERMORE, THE QUESTIONS I HAVE ARE AS FOLLOWS.
LIKE THE PRESIDENT, UM, YER SAID, WHY WOULD HOUSING AUTHORITY RESIDENTS, INCLUDING SENIORS AND DISABLED PEOPLE, BE FORCED TO RELOCATE THE SITE DURING THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC? AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE REMOVAL HAPPENED BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL WAS SAYING, STAY HOME.
WE WERE TOLD NOT TO VISIT OUR LOVED ONES DURING THANKSGIVING, DURING CHRISTMAS AND DURING NEW YEAR'S.
SO IF THAT IS SO THAT THEY WERE MOVED DURING THAT TIME, WHAT WAS THE URGENCY? I WOULD ALSO, UM, A A AGAIN, AGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE VOTE ON THIS MATTER.
WHO ON THE TOWN BOARD THOUGHT IT BOTH TOLERABLE AND REASONABLE TO APPROVE AND VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RELOCATION PLAN? THIS PLAN THAT NOW INCLUDES THE DEATHS OR IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAY, MAYBE ADJACENTLY RELATED TO THE DEATHS OF FOUR TO FIVE TENANTS WHO SOME LIKE KOBE'S UNCLE FROM HER OWN REPORT EXPERIENCED DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AT SUCH, YOU KNOW, SHARP RATES THAT POLICE HAD TO BE CALLED FOR WELLNESS CHECKS.
AND HE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE MOVE.
HOW DID AN INITIAL TWO WEEK RENOVATION PER UNIT TURN INTO THIS MOVING AND RELOCATING TENANTS DURING, AGAIN, A PANDEMIC, WHICH I THINK IS A FIASCO FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR WITH THE NON-ADHERENCE TO RENTAL AGREEMENTS.
A ALLEGEDLY NOT HONORING HEATING SUBSIDIES AND SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS, NOR HONORING THE TENANT'S RENTAL AMOUNTS REMAINING EQUAL IN NEW LOCATIONS AND HIRING A RELOCATION TEAM TO DO THAT DUE DI DUE DILIGENCE.
IF THIS IS A FEDERAL SITE, WHICH WE KNOW IT IS, THIS IS UNDER THE F H A ACT.
SO HUD, I THINK SHOULD PROBABLY BE THE ONES THAT ARE IN CHARGE.
SO I WANNA KNOW IF HUD IS IN CHARGE, WHY WERE EVICTION NOTICES ISSUED IN A TIME WITH THE NEW YORK STATE EXECUTIVE ORDER HALTING EVICTIONS.
WHAT ARE THE RELOCATION, REMEDIATION AND RECERTIFICATION PLANS THEY SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC, AN IMMEDIATE AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO HOW ALL OF THIS EVOLVED AND UNRAVELED WHO, WHO IS INVOLVED AND WHO, WHO, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE
WHY THE MANHATTAN AVENUE SENIORS JULY, 2020 REQUEST TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CHAIRPERSON? I, I, I I'M NOT OH, OKAY.
AND THEN, UH, AND, AND THE BOARD WAS NOT ADDRESSED.
UM, UH, BISHOP, I, I KNOW YOU'RE A BOARD MEMBER, BUT THIS IS THE, THIS IS WHAT THE CAUCUS CAME UP WITH.
UM, THE COMMUNITY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW THE DATES OF THE MEETINGS BETWEEN THE TOWN BOARD AND THOSE IMPACTED.
[00:50:01]
IN ADDITION, NO OTHER TENANTS WERE REQUESTING THAT THERE BE A CEASE AND DESIST THAT NO ONE OTHER TENANTS, WHETHER SENIORS, DISABLED, HIGH RISK OR NOT BE RELOCATED OR EVICTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC AS THE FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER SAID, AND FULL MENTAL HEALTH WELLBEING ASSESSMENTS AS THE PRESIDENT SAID.AND IN CLOSING, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY, UM,
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS UNREASONABLE.
AND I DO THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE NEEDS TO BE MADE PUBLIC BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE RENEE SAID THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ADVOCACY, UM, FOR THE RESIDENTS AND, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, PAUL'S OFFERINGS.
I UNDERSTAND, I LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE ALSO, BUT THIS IS A POLICY ISSUE.
THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE OF GOVERNANCE, RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CARING FOR PEOPLE.
OF COURSE IT'S HELPING PEOPLE.
THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE ABOUT WHERE THE BUCK STOPS.
BUT ALSO, UM, WHERE IS HUD IN THIS? SO, UM, AND ALSO I AGREE AND I SUPPORT RENEE'S, UM, ASK ABOUT A LIAISON FOR THE RESIDENTS AND ALSO IF THERE'S A VACANCY ON THE BOARD, UM, AT THE UNTIMELY PASSING OF JOHNNY JONES, I HOPE THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE A SAY OR A PLACE ON THAT BOARD.
CLIFTON ABRAMS. I'M ON THE GREENBERG HOUSING HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
I'VE BEEN APPOINTED BY, UM, COUNCILWOMAN JANET JACKSON ON THE GREENBERG SYSTEMATIC AGAINST RACISM HOUSING.
AND THE TOWN BOARD APPOINTS FIVE COMMISSIONERS TO THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND TWO ARE ELECTED, ONE BY THE STATE, ONE BY THE FEDERAL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE KEN JONES, THE LIAISON, EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMAN KEN JONES.
THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE TOWN BOARD AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND WHEN PAUL, WHEN Y'ALL SAY Y'ALL DON'T KNOW, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE HOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU GIVE PEOPLE FIVE YEAR TERMS AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN ON THERE EXCEPT THE LAST TWO, BEEN ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS OR BETTER.
HOW DO THE RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE NO SAY IN WHAT GOES ON WHEN IT COMES TO THE MOVEMENT.
YOU KNOW, PAUL, YOU SAY THAT YOU WANT TO HELP PEOPLE AND I BELIEVE YOU, BUT IT'S 92,000 PEOPLE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG
IT SHOULDN'T BE, YOU SHOULDN'T BE THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOULD BE WANTING TO HELP.
IT'S A WHOLE TOWN BOARD, AND I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE TO VOTE.
THREE OUT OF FIVE, THREE HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT TO HAPPEN.
I WANNA KNOW THAT THE SENIOR CITIZENS, 'CAUSE I WAS ON THE COMMISSION BOARD WHEN IT, WHEN IT STARTED, THEY SAID THAT EVERYBODY WAS ALLOWED TO COME BACK TO THE SENIOR COMPLEX WHEN THEY GET REBUILT.
I WAS AT A MEETING WHEN SWEENEY, I DON'T KNOW HIS LAST NAME, BUT HE'S A DEVELOPER AND HE SAID THAT EVERYBODY IS NOT GUARANTEED TO COME BACK.
BUT WHEN THE ORIGINAL VOTE CAME, 'CAUSE I WAS ONE, I WAS THERE, WE VOTED THAT EVERYBODY WHO LIVED THERE OUT OF THE 30 UNITS, THAT EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK.
NOW YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE SCATTER SITES, WHICH IS FIVE COMPLEX AND THE SAME THING YOU'RE SAYING THEY COULD COME BACK, BUT ONCE THEY MOVE, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT YOU WON'T DO WHAT YOU DID WITH THE SENIOR CITIZENS? IF I'M WRONG, I STAND TO BE CORRECTED, BUT I KNOW AT THE LAST TIME I WAS AT A MEETING, THEY SAID THAT THE RULE, EVERYBODY GUARANTEED TO COME BACK WAS NOT ON A TABLE NO MORE.
I WOULD TALK LATER AND GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE A CHANCE.
UM, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE SWAN AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SCATTER SITES OVER IN ELMSFORD 3 7 6 SAWMILL RIVER ROAD.
I'M A LIFETIME RESIDENT OF GREENBURG.
I WAS BORN AT GRASSLANDS, GREW UP IN GREENBURG, ATTENDED THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND WORKED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. NOW THAT IN MY LATER, UH, YEARS IN LIFE, I NEED HOUSING AND I FALL UNDER EVERYTHING THAT
[00:55:01]
PRESIDENT YER SAID.WITH ALL THOSE HEALTH ISSUES AND DISABILITIES.
I FEEL TRAUMATIZED AND I ALSO FEEL THREATENED BECAUSE IT WAS DONE BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RAJU ABRAMS. AND I CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHEN HE CAME AND WHEN HE DID IT, IT WAS SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2018, RIGHT BEFORE THE CUOMO BRIDGE WAS BEING RENAMED.
THE, AND THE CAPTAINCY BRIDGE WAS BEING RENAMED.
THIS IS WHEN THE BEGINNING, WHEN HUD WAS FIRST COMING OVER HERE TO INSPECT THE APARTMENTS AT THE SCATTER SITES.
I HAD MY UNIT FIXED UP VERY NICELY.
I EVEN CLEANED UP THE GROUNDS HERE THAT I HAD HOUSING CALLING ME AND TELLING ME THAT I SHOULD GET SOME TYPE OF A, OF REWARD.
BUT EVIDENTLY I MUST'VE BEEN DOING TOO GOOD OF A JOB BECAUSE ROGER JU MADE A PERSONAL TRIP OVER HERE THE MONDAY BEFORE HUD CAME AND MADE IT A POINT TO KNOCK ON MY DOOR WITH GEORGE L AND TO TELL ME HE'S NEVER BEEN ON MY DOOR BEFORE.
AND WHEN HE DID KNOCK ON MY DOOR, I DID NOT EXPECT HIM, I WAS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY.
THIS, THIS MAN'S ON MY PORCH AND THIS MAN IS TELLING ME THAT HE IS GONNA HAVE TO DESTROY WHAT I'VE DONE TO OUTSIDE OF WHERE IN THE, UH, WHERE I LIVE AT.
AND I TOLD HIM, WHY, WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO THAT? AND HE SAID, BECAUSE I NOBODY AND NOBODY WILL HELP ME.
AND WHEN I GOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT, IT WAS THE FACT THAT BECAUSE HE WAS RIGHT, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS ON THAT BRIDGE, THE RENAMING OF THE CUOMO BRIDGE THAT DAY.
SO HE KNEW EXACTLY WHEN TO COME OVER AND WHEN TO THREATEN ME.
AND WHEN HE DID IT, HIM AND GEORGE LUX PULLED UP MY GARDEN, MY GOD.
I HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED EVER SINCE.
THEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER THAT, HERE COMES, UH, THE, UH, UH, GUY IN CHARGE OF THE, UM, OF, OF FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WHAT'S HIS NAME? UH, UH, MARCUS DAVIS.
HE HAPPENED TO COME OVER WALKING AROUND THE GROUNDS.
I GOT MY BIBLES AND THINGS OUT ON THE PORCH.
AND HE HAS AUDACITY TO TELL ME, YOU MUTED YOURSELF.
STEPHANIE, YOU MUTED YOURSELF.
I SENT HER A REQUEST TO UNMUTE.
WELCOME MS. GIVE A COUPLE OF HIT THE SPACE POINT.
I THOUGHT THAT THERE IN ITSELF WAS VERY MENACING AND VERY DISRESPECTFUL.
ANOTHER THING OCCURRED TO ME ALSO, EXCUSE ME.
YOU, YOU CUT OUT A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR AUDIO.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BIBLES IN ON THE FRONT.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT? THE BIBLE STUDY.
EVERYONE KNOWS WITHIN THIS COMPLEX WHERE I LIVE AT, THANK YOU FRANCIS, WHERE I, UH, RESIDE AT THAT.
I DO MY BIBLE STUDY AND I SIT ON MY PORCH IN THE MORNING AND I DO MY BIBLE STUDY WHEN IT'S WARM OUTSIDE.
MARCUS DAVIS DROVE UP AND HE SAT, HE HAD THE BLACK, LITTLE BLACK TRUCK SAT OVER IN THE CORNER FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES, ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
AND I'M THINKING MAYBE THAT'S MAINTENANCE.
AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW HE COULD OUT OF THE TRUCK WITH THREE LIARS AND HE GOES UP, HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO ME, BUT HE WALKS UP THE UNIT ABOVE ME, GOES INSIDE, THEN HE COMES DOWN THE STAIRS AND SAYS, CLEAN UP THIS MESS.
I HAD MY BIBLE STUDY MATERIAL, MY BOOKS AND MY REFERENCE BOOKS OPEN, OPEN.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND I SAID, EXCUSE ME.
AND HE SAID, YOU HEARD WHAT? I SAID, CLEAN THIS MESS UP.
I WAS, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY BECAUSE CONSIDERING THAT HERE I HAVE THE, UH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RAW GI COMING TO MY HOME ON THAT EPT BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE IT WAS THE RENAMING OF THE ANDREW, UH, CUOMO BRIDGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE HAD TOLD ME.
NO ONE WOULD HELP ME BECAUSE I HAD NOBODY AND I WAS NOBODY.
SO HOW AM I TO BE ASSURED THAT SOMEONE'S GOING TO HELP ME DURING THIS RELOCATION? I DON'T CALL, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A RELOCATION.
[01:00:01]
ANYTHING.BECAUSE IF YOU SIGN SOMETHING, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO GO.
SO I'M ASKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY.
'CAUSE ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA GO BACK ON WHAT CLIFF HAD SAID.
THEY WERE GUARANTEED THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR APARTMENTS, UH, BACK THERE.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA COME IN AND THEY WERE JUST GOING TO COME IN AND REFURBISH THEM.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL WE HAVE TO GUT THEM OUT, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS.
SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS ARE NOT WELCOMED ANYWHERE.
KEN JONES HAD THE AUDACITY TO CHUCK TO CHUCKLE THE OTHER DAY SAYING, OH, YOU CAN GO TO HAWAII AND PUERTO RICO WITH THE VOUCHERS.
KEN, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU GO TO PUERTO RICO AND HAWAII WITH THE VOUCHER.
THAT'S VERY CONDESCENDING OF YOU TO SAY THAT.
LIKE I SAID, THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED HERE.
I COMPLAINED ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS HOMELESS THAT WAS WALKING AROUND AND WHO WAS BOTHERING ME.
FINALLY, THE INDIVIDUAL BROKE INTO MY HOME AND ASSAULTED ME.
I GUESS IT WAS DUE TO THE C 19.
HE WOULD HAD BEEN ON THERE TWICE.
HE HAD JUST GOTTEN OUT OF A, A, A PRISON FOR ASSAULTING HIS MOTHER AROUND THE CORNER.
BUT HE WAS ALLOWED TO COME BACK ON THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY DID NOT ENFORCE THE BAR OUT LIST.
A MONTH AGO, I'M IN MY APARTMENT AGAIN.
'CAUSE I HAD TO TAKE OUT A COURT ORDER OF PROTECTION WHEN I CALLED THE POLICE, WHEN THE, WHEN HE WAS WANDERING AROUND IN FRONT OF MY ENTRANCE, THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.
THEY SAID BECAUSE GREENBURG HOUSING, IT WAS A GREENBURG HOUSING THING.
THEY WERE GETTING TOGETHER TO REVISE THE LIST.
FINALLY WHEN I HAD, UH, THE GUY ARRESTED AGAIN WAS HE SET A FIRE OUTSIDE MY BEDROOM WINDOW AND I HAD TO CALL THE GREENBURG POLICE.
AND THAT'S WHEN HE WAS FINALLY ARRESTED BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO BURN THE UNIT DOWN.
SO WHEN YOU SAY GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE ARE HERE.
WHAT IS THAT, UH, A CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, THING THAT YOU ALWAYS QUOTE BISHOP.
SO HOW DARE YOU BRING SOME TYPE OF PRESENTATION BEFORE THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, THE TOWN THAT I GREW UP IN, THE TOWN THAT I WAS RAISED IN, AND THE TOWN THAT I GAVE BACK TO.
AND YOU GOING TO TRY TO TELL ME THAT I'M NOBODY? HOW DARE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I THINK THIS WILL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
NOW, BISHOP, IF YOU CAN KIND RECEIVED A LOT OF COMMENTS, UM, I THINK IN QUESTIONS, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO COME AND SPEAK, PLEASE.
BEFORE HE DOES THAT, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY THAT MS. SWAN JUST SAID.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, MS. SS SWANG THAT WITH THE VOUCHERS THAT ARE BEING GIVEN TO TENANTS DURING THE RELOCATION, THEY CAN TAKE THOSE VOUCHERS AND RELOCATE ANYWHERE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INCLUDING HAWAII OR PUERTO RICO.
UH, UH, GINA, AND TO, UH, PAUL, FINER SUPERVISOR AND ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND TO THE, UH, COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UM, HOPEFULLY YOU ARE GARNERED WHY I WOULD, UH, I CHOSE TO LET ALL, EVERYONE SPEAK PRIOR TO ME SPEAKING.
UM, LET, LET ME, UH, FIRST STATE AND, AND, UH, GIVE THIS SENSE.
UM, THE REASON I WANT I WANTED TO DO THAT IS SO THAT I WOULD KNOW HOW TO SHAPE MY RESPONSE.
I, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR ABOUT 21 YEARS AND, AND IT'S BEEN MY PURPOSE AND MY VISION TO, UM, TO, TO MAKE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SOMETHING THAT'S NOT LOOKED DOWN UPON AS A PLACE THAT PEOPLE LOOK ON AS NOTHING.
AND NOBODIES, THAT HAS BEEN MY VISION.
AND SINCE BEING THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD, WE HAVE BUILT NOTABLE, UH, RESIDENTS.
WE BUILT SIX HOUSES, SOLD THEM TO UNDERPRIVILEGED HO UH, INDIVIDUALS, LOW INCOME PEOPLE, UH, I THINK IS A BETTER WORD, LOW INCOME PEOPLE.
THEY OWN THOSE HOUSES, SIX HOUSES, RIGHT? IN GREENBURG, WE BUILT AN EIGHT UNIT, UH, DEVELOPMENT ON THE CORNER OF MANHATTAN AVENUE
[01:05:01]
AND OAK STREET, OR, AND, AND IT'S OCCUPIED BY SENIORS, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE, UH, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.IT LOOKED LIKE WHAT I BELIEVE THE, THE TOWN SHOULD LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS HOUSING IS CONCERNED.
MY WHOLE SCOPE IS TO CHANGE THE VIEW OF WHAT HOUSING LOOKS LIKE.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S LOW INCOME HOUSING, IT DON'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE LOW INCOME HOUSING.
OUR, OUR RESIDENTS FOR, FOR, UM, TOO LONG HAVE BEEN LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD HOUSING.
AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF WHY WE WANT TO REDEVELOP AND REBUILD, BECAUSE WE THINK THEY DESERVE NOT DESERVING IS NOT BASED UPON YOUR INCOME.
IT'S BASED UPON YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WE WANT TO BUILD A QUALITY OF LIFE.
NOW, WITH ALL THE COMMENTS THAT HAS BEEN MADE, UM, I, AFTER READING WHAT WAS IN THE BLACK WESTCHESTER PAPER, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO GET WITH OUR ATTORNEYS, AND WE WENT THROUGH EVERY LINE, LINE BY LINE, AND WE WROTE A RESPONSIVE LETTER BACK TO THE TOWN BOARD.
AND TO MR. FINER, THAT LETTER WAS DELIVERED TODAY.
AND, UH, IN THAT LETTER, IT ADDRESSES ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE BOUGHT FOR AND, AND WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION, NOT ALLEGATIONS, THEY ARE CORRECT DOCUMENTED INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION IS A COMP IS, UH, ATTACHED SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW THE BOARD VOTED.
YOU CAN SEE THE AGONIZING OF HOW THE BOARD, BOARD, HOW THE BOARD, UH, TALKED ABOUT THIS AND WORKED THROUGH THIS.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE SENT OVER 200 PAGES TO TIM LEWIS, HAND DELIVERED TO TIM LEWIS TODAY OF EVERY MEETING, EVERY ACTION, EVERY CONSULTANT THAT, THAT WE CONTACTED AND, AND CHOSE AND, AND THE RESOLUTIONS AND HOW THE BOARD VOTED ON THOSE RESOLUTIONS, YOU CAN LOOK FOR YOURSELF.
SO, UH, THAT HAS BEEN DELIVERED FOR THE LAST 10, MAYBE 11 YEARS.
UH, TASHA, I THINK YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION FOR THE 10 OR 11 YEARS, GREENBURG IN THE CLIMATE OF OUR SUBSIDIES BEING CUT FROM WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE BOARD, THE FIRST YEAR WAS CUT 5%.
LAST YEAR IT WAS CUT DOWN TO ALMOST 60%.
WE ONLY GET 60% OF WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE HOUSING GOING, AND THAT DOES NOT WORK.
SO WE ELECTED TO REBUILD MANHATTAN AVENUE WITH BRAND NEW APARTMENTS AND, AND RE RENOVATE ALL OF THE 85 UNITS OF THE REMAINING SECTION EIGHT.
BUT EVEN IN THAT SUB FINANCIAL CLIMATE, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE RECORD FROM HUD THAT DO OUR INSPECTIONS, YOU WILL SEE THAT GREENBERG HAS BEEN PRUDENT IN EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE TO THE POINT OF HUD GIVING US A HIGH PERFORMING HOUSING AUTHORITY BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE THINGS SO WELL ON A LIMITED BUDGET THAT IS IN THE RECORD.
YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND TIM LEWIS HAVE THOSE RECORDS.
AND WHAT I AM, UH, UM, WHAT I AM OFFERING IS, I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE TOWN BOARD AND NO ONE EVER SPOKE TO THE HOUSING BOARD ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
THE FIRST ACT, UH, A RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD, SHOULD BE TO COME TO US SO THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU CORRECT INFORMATION AND NOT GIVE YOU ANY INNUENDO.
WE HAVE THAT CORRECTION, THOSE CORRECTED, UH, UH, STATEMENTS TO YOU.
AND I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE PAUL FINDER AND THE TOWN BOARD POST ALL THIS INFORMATION ON THE TOWN WEBSITE.
SO NOT ONLY THE TOWN BOARD CAN READ IT, BUT THAT THE WHOLE TOWN CAN SEE THE PRUDENCE OF HOW WE HAVE OPERATED AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE HAVE OPEN MEETINGS THAT ANYONE CAN COME TO, NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS.
AND IF YOU COME, WE DON'T LIMIT RESPONSES TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, RESIDENTS OWN IT.
WE OPEN IT UP FOR ANYONE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
SO THAT'S THE OPEN DOOR WE HAVE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS TO THIS LEVEL AT THIS POINT WITHOUT COMING TO THE HOUSING BOARD.
WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THE CORRECT INFORMATION.
GINA, MS. ROBINSON, I'M, THANK YOU.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOUR HAND WAS OFF ON THE PRIOR.
IF NOT, THEN I HAVE MICHELLE BROWN, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KEEP EVERYONE IN ORDER.
FIRST I WANTED TO SAY, UM, UM, PAUL, WE DI
[01:10:01]
WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM YOU IN THE, UH, MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.IT IS NOT ADDRESSED TO THE SENIORS.
IT JUST SAYS, DEAR NEIGHBOR, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE SAME LETTER YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT THIS LETTER EVEN SAYS ATTENDANCE WILL BE OUTTA THEIR CURRENT APARTMENT FOR LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS.
WHEN THEY HAD THE ZOOM MEETINGS, SHE SAID IT WOULD BE UP TO A YEAR.
NUMBER TWO, THE POINT IS, UM, SOME OF US HAVE GONE TO GREENBERG HOUSING.
OKAY? I CAN GIVE YOU A STACK OF EMAILS THAT I HAVE SENT TO THE CO-CHAIR PERSON AND TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVEN TODAY, I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OKAY? AND THEY'RE NOT ANSWERED.
OKAY? AND THEIR ATTORNEYS ARE FOR THEM.
THEIR ATTORNEYS DON'T SIT DOWN AND SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE? AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
THEY HAVE THEIR ATTORNEYS, THEIR ATTORNEYS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR HOW MANY YEARS, AND THEIR ATTORNEYS ARE FOR THEM.
NOW, IN MY LETTER, I ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS, RED WAS CHANGED TO SECTION 18.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN TELL THE RESIDENTS THAT.
THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME A RESPONSE.
OKAY, BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING AND NO ONE SENT OUT LETTERS TO THE RESIDENTS? NONE AT ALL.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF GETTING US AWAY FROM HUD? WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN BORROW MONEY, BUT WHAT ARE WE LOSING? THEY HAVE NOT ANSWERED.
OKAY, WHY DID WE GO FROM THAT COMPANY THAT WAS ONLY GOING TO DISPLACE US FOR TWO WEEKS TO THIS WHOLE OTHER COMPANY THAT WANTS MORE MONEY AND WANTS TO DISPLACE US FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR? THESE ARE QUESTIONS.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED, AND I HAVE BEEN EITHER TOLD, WELL, THE ATTORNEYS ARE HANDLING IT, YOU KNOW, OR THAT'S NOT YOUR CONCERN, YOUNG LADY.
OKAY? AND THIS RECERTIFICATION PROCESS, THEY DIDN'T TELL US THAT IT WOULD BE AN OUTSIDE COMPANY.
THEY NEVER SENT ANY MEMOS, NOTHING ON THAT.
OKAY? THIS OUTSIDE COMPANY INTERVIEWED US, AND THEY WERE A LOT BOLDER QUESTIONS THAN NORMALLY OUR RECERTIFICATION, UM, PROCESS ENTAILS.
SO NOW THAT LEADS TO, TO, TO WONDER, WELL, ALL THIS TIME WAS THE, THE G H A NOT DOING IT CORRECTLY THAT THEY HAD TO HIRE ANOTHER COMPANY TO COME IN.
THEY'VE LOST MY RECERTIFICATION PAPERS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO OTHERS.
SO SOME OF THE RECERTIFICATION PAPERS THEY CAN'T FIND, AND THEN THEY SEND YOU A LETTER.
YOU'RE NOT REIFIED, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU'RE NOT ENTITLED TO COME BACK.
SOME THINGS THEY SAID, I DIDN'T HAVE.
I, I SAT DOWN WITH THE INTERVIEWER.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS PAPERWORK, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN REQUEST IT.
AT WHICH POINT SHE GAVE A A LETTER OF REQUEST, YOU SIGN IT, YOU GIVE IT TO THEM, AND THEY CAN REQUEST ANYTHING, BANK STATEMENTS, EMPLOYMENT, THAT'S FINE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, GREENBERG HOUSING HAS YOUR WORK, HAS YOUR PAPERWORK, AND THEN GUESS WHAT? A WEEK LATER, A WEEK LATER, THEY'VE HAD YOUR PAPERWORK.
ALL THIS TIME THEY COME UP WITH, OH, YOU'RE NOT RE-CERTIFIED BECAUSE LISTEN, YOU HAVE ALL MY PAPERS.
IF YOU MADE A COPY AND YOU DON'T WANNA GIVE IT TO THE INTERVIEWER FOR WHATEVER REASON, FINE, BUT YOU HAVE A COPY.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND LIKE I SAID, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, THE POINT BEING, WE DO NOT WANT TO MOVE DURING A PANDEMIC.
NOW, ANYTHING YOU NEED US TO DO, SIGN A PETITION OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, WE ARE WILLING TO DO.
BUT WE, WE, WE
SOME OF US ARE NOT EVEN FEELING WELL.
SOME PEOPLE ARE BEING QUARANTINED.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T WANNA MESS UP WITH THE, THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.
AND THEN TO JUST KEEP GETTING LETTERS.
OH, WELL, IF YOU DON'T DO THIS, YOU'RE GETTING EVICTED.
OKAY, YOU'RE GETTING EVICTED, YOU'RE GETTING, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED THEM.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS REALLY NOT FAIR.
AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BIG RUSH IS.
ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ORIGINALLY HAD A MEETING AND SAID THEY WOULD DO IT IN THE SUMMER.
OKAY, WHY NOW? THE END OF MARCH 31ST.
AND I KEEP TELLING THEM,
OKAY? AND, UM, AS FAR AS THE SENIORS GO, YEAH, THEY'RE A DOLLAR LATE
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE PERSON THAT THEY HAVE CALLING IS ACTUALLY FROM THE STATE SIDE, I BELIEVE, AND NOT A FEDERAL TENANT.
AND IT'S ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS THAT'S MAKING THESE CALLS, AND THEY HELP SOME SENIORS, BUT THEY DIDN'T HELP THE OTHERS.
SO I'M GETTING THE CALLS AND I'M BEING TOLD WHAT'S WRONG, AND I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO THEIR PLACE
[01:15:01]
OF RESIDENCE.I'M ACTUALLY GOING THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN THEY HAD MEETINGS, I WOULD SAY, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE IT AT THE SENIOR SITE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME UP HERE? YEAH.
I'M NOT WELL LIKED BY THE GROUP.
BUT YOU CAN'T CUT YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE.
THE SENIOR, I HAD TO GO DOWN AND TRY TO GET THE SENIORS TO BRING THEM UP WHEN THEY WERE HAVING THE MEETINGS AT THE STATE SITE.
WHY, WHY WON'T YOU HAVE THE MEETINGS AT THE FEDERAL SITE WHERE THE SENIORS ARE, THEY ATTEND.
THEY ACTUALLY ATTEND, THEY COME OUT TO THE MEETINGS, BUT THEY MADE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND ONE OF MY BIGGEST SUPPORTERS THAT WOULD TELL ME WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT, MR. SLEDGE, HE'S NO LONGER HERE WITH US.
HE PASSED AWAY WHEN THEY HAD ALL THIS MOVING AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
HE ENDED UP IN A NURSING HOME.
AND THE STRESS, HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING AFTERWARDS.
AND MAYBE HIS SON WOULD TAKE HIM, BUT HE DIDN'T WANNA GO TO FLORIDA.
AND ANYWAY, HE'S PASSED AWAY NOW.
SO, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE JUST ASKING YOU TO PLEASE PAUSE IT.
AND IF ANYTHING, WHY DON'T YOU LET BRIAN SWEENEY AND MS. WALTON CONDUCT THE, THE SENIOR SITE FIRST, AND LET'S SEE HOW THAT GOES.
AND THEN AFTER THAT POINT, THEN START RELOCATING THE, THE FEDERAL TENANTS, THEN DO THE OTHER SCATTER SITES, BUT DO ONE PROJECT AT A TIME.
PLEASE JUST DO ONE PROJECT AT A TIME AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
AND MY LETTER IS DEFINITELY NOT INNUENDO.
'CAUSE I ALSO CAN PROVE EVERYTHING THAT I'VE WRITTEN IN HERE.
SO YOU HAVE TWO, UH, SIDES THAT CAN PROVE WHAT'S BEING SAID.
CAN I GO AFTER MICHELLE? ASHA.
OH, TASHA IS YOUR NEXT, THEN MICHELLE.
AND THEN CAN I GO AFTER, UM, TASHA, PLEASE.
I JUST WANNA KNOW, UM, WHO IS BRIAN SWEENEY AND MS. WALTON? ARE THEY FROM HUD? IS HUD IN CHARGE OF THE RELOCATION? NO, UH, HUD IS NOT IN CHARGE OF THE RELOCATION.
THAT'S WHY I INVITE YOU TO COME AND TALK TO US, PERSON TO PERSON.
WE CAN GIVE YOU CORRECT INFORMATION.
BRIAN, BRIAN SWEENEY IS THE CONSULTANT THAT WE HIRED THROUGH A P D F, AND, AND WE CHOSE THAT PERSON.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE, AT THE, UH, RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO, WE DO BY RESOLUTION.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT WHO VOTED FOR, WHO VOTED AGAINST
AND I WANNA JUST SAY ON THE RECORD, UM, BISHOP PRESTON, YOU KNOW, I GREATLY ENJOY GETTING TO KNOW YOU.
AND THIS IS ASIDE FROM THAT, THAT IS GENUINE AND SINCERE.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER, IS, UM, VERY MUCH NEEDING TO BE TRANSPARENT.
AND, AND I GET IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT TRADITIONALLY HOW THINGS ARE DONE, BUT I THINK THE REASON WHY WE'RE AT THIS POINT IS BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS HAVE FELT UNHEARD.
AND THIS IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A HEARING IN FRONT OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE THERE TO REPRESENT THEM.
SO, SO THAT IS WHY I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, AND STEPHANIE AND RENEE CERTAINLY SPEAK VERY WELL FOR THEMSELVES, BUT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE FELT, THEY HAVE FELT UNHEARD.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE BEEN MISTREATED.
AND, UM, THIS, THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, MOVING IS THE SECOND MOST STRESSFUL THING NEXT TO DEATH OF A LOVED ONE.
SO IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE FUTURE WOULD BE.
IT'S ABOUT ADDRESSING WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW TO PEOPLE IN REAL TIME.
GREENBURG DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO IT'S A POTENTIAL FOR 85 FAMILIES WITH SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN TO REMOVE THEIR CHILDREN FROM THE SCHOOLS THEY GO TO.
UM, IT'S A POTENTIAL FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, TRANSPORT, MAYBE THEY HAVE A EASY TRANSPORT TO WORK RIGHT NOW TO BE A LONGER TRANS, TRANS, UM, TRANSIT, UH, TO AND FROM WORK.
WHAT ABOUT BROADBAND ACCESS? SO WE KNOW THAT IN GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY, PART OF THE BUDGET INCLUDES YOUR UTILITY, RIGHT? SO WHEN THEY MOVE, THEY COULD POTENTIALLY PAY MORE FOR THE, THE GAS AND HEAT AND MAYBE NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD INTERNET, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL DURING COVID.
SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT I KNOW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I I I, I DO INTERFACE WITH HUD OFFICIALS AND PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.
HUD IS VERY STRICT ABOUT THIS KIND OF REMOVAL AND RELOCATION BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY, UM, ASPECTS TO THE FEDERAL HOUSING ACT THAT HAVE TO BE ADHERED TO.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY, IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE GOTTEN TO THE BOTTOM.
[01:20:01]
WE CAN UNDERSTAND AND, AND, AND CORRECT THIS IS A CHANCE FOR COURSE CORRECTION BECAUSE WE KNOW IT DIDN'T GO WELL WITH THE SENIORS.UM, IT, IT IS VERY, YOU KNOW, UM, JARRING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
AND, AND IT'S NOT REALLY SOMETHING WE COULD JUST SKATE PAST.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO GET RIGHT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TREAT OUR NEIGHBORS THE WAY WE DON'T WANT TO BE TREATED.
SO I, I, THAT'S JUST, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST END IT THERE.
WELL, I, I, UH, I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND, AND IT'S, UM, IT, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME NOT TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THE FACT OF HOW YOU STATED YOUR STATEMENT THAT WE DIDN'T CONSIDER ALL THESE MATTERS.
AND, AND EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE, WE'VE MET WITH THE SENIORS NUMEROUS TIMES ON THE PROPERTY.
MS UH, MS UH, UH, ROBINSON WAS THERE WITH US AS WE MET.
UH, WE DOCUMENTED THOSE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE A LIST OF ATTENDEES THAT WAS AT THE MEETINGS AND, AND, AND EVERYTHING.
IS THERE, UH, THAT WITH THE MANHATTAN AVENUE, UH, PROJECT? NO.
I'LL JUST SHOW YOU HOW, HOW, HOW PRUDENT WE'VE BEEN WORKING.
WE, WE HAD TO GET A CONTRACTOR, UH, A DE A DEVELOPER TO DO THE MANHATTAN AVENUE, BUT WE DID IT SO METICULOUS UNTIL WHEN WE GOT TO, GOT TO THE POINT OF DEVELOPING THE OTHER 85 UNITS.
HER GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY, THE GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY TO BE THE DEVELOPER BECAUSE WE WORK SO WELL WITHIN THEIR LIMITATIONS AND THEIR STRUCTURE THAT DON'T HAVE TO.
AND NOW WE JUST HAVE A CONSULTANT, AND WE ARE THE DEVELOPER AND ALL THE DEVELOPER FEES COME BACK TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SO THAT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN DEVELOP MORE PROPERTY FOR MORE PEOPLE OR OF LOW INCOME.
THAT, THAT'S HOW PRUDENT WE'VE BEEN.
SO, SO IT, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO THESE, UH, THESE, UH, STATEMENTS THAT ARE UNFACTUAL WHEN I KNOW THE STEPS WE TOOK, WE TOOK, I KNOW THE TIMES WE MET, I KNOW THE TIMES WHEN WE PUT PEOPLE IN THEIR CARS, SENIORS THAT WERE MOVED, THEY GOT CONFUSED, GOT ON THE BUS, CAME BACK TO MANHATTAN AVENUE, WE PUT 'EM IN OUR PERSONAL CARS, TOOK THEM BACK TO THEIR HOUSES, WE GO CHECK ON THEM, WE GIVE THEM FOOD JUST LIKE UNION BAPTIST DOES.
AND, AND SO, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M TAKING THE POSITION.
READ THE DOCUMENTATION, YOU'LL GET YOUR ANSWERS.
MAY I RESPOND MADAM CHAIRWOMAN? MAY I JUST RESPOND? IT'LL BE QUICK.
OH, UM, SO I, I I, I THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HUD MANAGEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY HUD WAS NOT MADE THE MANAGER.
UM, I THINK YOU, YOU MIGHT'VE JUST EXPLAINED IT, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, THE, THE 60% DEFICIT COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HUD NO, YOU CANNOT EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THIS TIME UNDER HUD.
SO, SO WHAT REALLY NEEDS, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST HERE IS THAT EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, COME TO ONE OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HOLDS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND ASK THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHAT IS GOING ON AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING THE RESIDENTS.
CAN I FINISH MY STATEMENT WHEN YOU FINISH, PLEASE? WELL, I, I, I, I'M REALLY WOULD LIKE TO PARTIALLY ADDRESS YOUR STATEMENTS BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SAYING THINGS THAT ARE INACCURATE.
UM, NOT BECAUSE THAT YOU'RE SAYING THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE INACCURATE, THAT THAT CAN, CAN BE CLEARED UP AT A HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD MEETING THAT ARE HELD REGULARLY.
YOU KNOW, IT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION FLOATING AROUND THAT CAN EASILY BE CLEARED UP IF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, IF, IF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INTEGRALLY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, COME TO HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETINGS AND, AND ASK QUESTIONS, UM, RATHER THAN, UM, JUST READING, READING WHAT IS NOT ACCURATE, AND THEN COMMENTING AS IF IT IS, UH, WHICH JUST MAKES PEOPLE UPSET, UM, BECAUSE MISINFORMATION IS BEING SHARED.
WELL, THOSE MEETINGS, COULD YOU TELL US WHEN, WHEN IS THE NEXT MEETING? AND MOST OF US DID SAY ALLEGED, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FACTS, OR I DON'T BELIEVE A LOT OF US ACCUSED EITHER SIDE.
WE ARE SAYING WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO THE TRUTH.
AND I THINK WE'RE AT A JUNCTURE WHERE IN ADDITION TO THE TRUTH, IF YOU ARE SAYING SENIORS ARE
[01:25:01]
STILL COMING BACK TO GREENBERG, MANHATTAN AVENUE, THERE'S SOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FROM THIS POINT FORWARD? IN ADDITION TO ATTENDING A MEETING, FINDING OUT THE FACTS, THERE'S CONCERNS STILL FOR OUR SENIORS.
SO WE NEED TO NOW MOVE THIS NEEDLE.
WHAT ACTIONS ARE WE GOING TO TAKE? I'M WILLING TO COME TO THE MEETINGS.
I'M WILLING TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED.
SO AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE READ AND HEAR THE FACTS.
AND WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE YOU AND THE TEAM THAT CHANCE TO DO THAT AS YOU ARE GIVING US A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
SO IF YOU COULD TELL US WHEN ARE THE NEXT MEETING IS, WHERE THE DATE AND TIME, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF US WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND MM-HMM.
AND NOT THAT YOU DIDN'T DO THE RIGHT STEPS BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED, OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED IN TO ASSIST YOU AND THE SENIORS TO MAKE IT A MUCH SMOOTHER AND A MUCH PALATABLE MOVE.
OJ THE NEXT MEETING I WOULD LIKE TO 15TH.
THE NEXT MEETING IS MARCH 15TH AT 5:00 PM SO, UM, I, I JUST WANNA FINISH MY POINT.
AND WHAT I SAID, BISHOP IS RIGHT.
I SAID, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UM, THAT WHEN HUD OFFERS MORE SUBSIDY, IT IS ATTACHED TO AN EXPANSION OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
SO I GUESS WHAT I, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS, WILL HUD BE AT THESE MEETINGS? BECAUSE I'M VERY MUCH INTERESTED AT WHEN HUD BECAME UNINVOLVED.
AND WHY? BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM MY EXPERIENCE, AND, AND I'M NOT MAKING A, A FACTUAL STATEMENT BECAUSE I'M SAYING AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM MY EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH HER.
THAT'S MISINFORMATION IN ITSELF.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOT BE AN INTERRUPT.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOT BE INTERRUPTED.
SO, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BISHOP, THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, MAYOR CULPA, IF, IF IT'S NOT TRUE, I'M SAYING IS AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND THE HUD REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE THE ONE TO CLARIFY THAT, AND THIS IS A FEDERAL HOUSING SITE.
SO HUD HAS SOME KIND OF INVOLVEMENT.
I, I MEAN, UNLESS THEY'RE TOTALLY NOT INVOLVED AT A FEDERAL HOUSING SITE, WHICH I THINK IS UNFACTUAL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WILL HUD BE AT THESE MEETINGS SO WE CAN HAVE ALL PARTIES IN THE SAME ROOM AT THE SAME TIME? AND CLARIFY WHAT THE, WHAT IS.
BECAUSE IF IT'S STILL CIRCULAR BETWEEN GREENBERG HOUSING AND THE RESIDENTS, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY GONNA GET THE ANSWERS WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
WELL, UH, THIS GO BACK TO SOME OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH THE TOWN BOARD.
WHEN THE TOWN BOARD WAS ASKING FOR DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE, AND WE KEPT EXPLAINING.
AND UNTIL THE, UH, WE FINALLY GOT THE TOWN BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU DO A DISPOSITION FROM HUD, YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN APPLICATION.
WHEN YOU MAKE THAT APPLICATION, THEY GIVE YOU INFORMATION UPON THE LEVEL OF THE APPLICATION TO GO TO YOUR TOWN AND HAVE THE TOWN TO, UH, GIVE, GIVE THEIR CONSENT TO HAVE THEIR PROP HAVE THAT PROPERTY DISLOCATE, UH, UH, DISPOSITION OUT OF THE HUD PROGRAM.
ONCE THE HUD ISSUES THAT DISPOSITION, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I NEED TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS, THEN HUG IS THE OVERSEER, NOT THE INVOLVED PERSON, THE OVERSEER BY ISSUING GUIDELINES THAT WE MUST FOLLOW, AND WE MUST FOLLOW THEM TO THE T THAT'S WHY I SAID EARLIER, WE FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES.
SO STRICT AND SO STRINGENT, UH, WITH THE MANHATTAN AVENUE 30 UNITS, UNTIL HUD GAVE US THE RIGHT TO BE THE DEVELOPER WITH THE 85 UNITS.
I, YOU, YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE 10 HOUSING AUTHORITIES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE UNITED STATES THAT OPERATES ON A CONSISTENT BASIS AS A HIGH PERFORMER.
GREENBURG OUGHT TO BE PRAISING GREENBURG HOUSING FOR THAT.
AND, AND, AND SO, SO THEY GIVE US GUIDELINES.
THOSE GUIDELINES HAS BEEN MET.
IF THEY WERE NOT MET, THEY WOULD NOT GIVE THE FUNDING BECAUSE THE TAX CREDIT, UH, CREDITORS THAT GIVE THEM MONEY FOR THESE DEVELOPMENTS
[01:30:01]
HAVE TO WORK THROUGH HUD, THROUGH THE BANK, AND THROUGH A REPRESENTATIVE THAT WE WILL HIRE TO MAKE SURE ALL DOCUMENTATION IS KEPT UP TO DATE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.WE DON'T PUT OURSELVES ON THE LINE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW THAT'S WORKING WITH THE SENIORS FROM, UH, THE, FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH OF WESTCHESTER, MAKING SURE THAT THEY GO, GO THROUGH.
WHEN THE LADY WAS THERE, WE TOOK HER HOME, WE GOT A, A MENTAL HEALTH WORKER TO GET IN CONTACT.
THEY'S IN, THEY'RE IN CONTACT WITH HER CONSTANTLY.
AND SO ALL OF THIS IS UNFACTUAL, AND, AND YOU NEED TO READ THE DOCUMENTS IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION.
WE ARE, WE HAVE NEVER CLOSED OUR DOOR TO ANYONE.
THAT'S WHY I, AND I'M NOT MAD, BUT I DO TAKE ISSUE, WHICH YOU'VE, WHICH YOU'RE GOING AROUND HOUSING AUTHORITY AND GET AND GOING TO A TOWN LEVEL WHEN YOU COULD HAVE COME TO US AND WE WOULD GIVE YOU THE FACTS AND THE DOCUMENTATION TO GO ALONG WITH OUR STATEMENTS.
AND WE ARE BLOWING IT UP TO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TRULY CORRECT.
AND CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? OH, WAIT.
MICHELLE HAS BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY FOR PAUL.
SO LET, LET LET MICHELLE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THEN YOU'LL BE NEXT.
MY QUESTION IS RENEE, RENEE HAS HER HAND UP TOO.
I'M ON THE UNION RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, UM, TO MR. PRESTON, WHEN YOU SAID, UM, FUNDS WERE CUT 60%, DID YOU SAY CUT 60% OR YOU, UM, WAS, WAS IT CUT 40%? UM, I WAS NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
WELL, AND THAT WAS ONE I SAID CUT TWO 60% OF WHAT WE NEEDED.
SO YOU GOT 60%, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? 60% OF WHAT WE, AND THE WAY YOU LOOKED AT MAKING UP SOME OF THE OTHER 40 WAS BY DOING THE SENIOR BUILDING.
DID I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
THAT'S, THAT'S, WELL, YOU SAID, WELL, HOW DID YOU MAKE UP THE OTHER 40% THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE? WE, I MISSED THAT.
WE, UH, WE, THE ONLY THING WE COULD DO AT THAT TIME IS TO GO BACK AND REBUDGET AND GO INTO OUR RESERVES.
THAT'S THE ONLY, THAT'S THE ONLY CHOICE YOU HAVE.
THAT WAS A GREAT, GREAT ANSWER.
DO YOU, WHO HA DO YOU, YOU HAVE A OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT GOES, LOOKS AT YOUR FINANCES? YES.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT COMMITTEE? THAT WE, WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTANT OUT OF NEW JERSEY THAT COMES AND GO THROUGH OUR BOOKS EVERY MONTH.
NO, BUT THE OTHER, AS A MATTER, AS A MATTER OF FACT, ON TOMORROW NIGHT, WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THAT, THAT BUDGET SCHEDULE WITH OUR, UH, WITH, WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE ACCOUNTANT TOMORROW NIGHT.
BUT I'M ASKING, DO YOU HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AS PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE OR, BECAUSE MY, I'M A, I'M A FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A, UM, A MASTER'S IN THAT.
AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE JUST FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL ME THAT YOU ONLY GOT 60% AND YOU'RE GONNA MAKE WOOS FOR THE OTHER 40.
SO HOW IS EVERYBODY BEING, I THINK YOU'RE UNDER MISUNDERSTANDING.
YOU SAID WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED 21 YEARS AGO, IT WAS 2%.
AND YOU'RE SAYING NOW YOU MISUNDER.
I SAID, MA, THE FIRST CUT WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD WAS 5% OF WHAT WE DO AN ASSESSMENT.
WE DO A NEEDS ASSESSMENT EVERY YEAR AT THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO BRING THE HOUSING UP TO STANDARD, NOT LUXURY, UP TO STANDARD.
AND EVERY YEAR AFTER, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, THEY'VE BEEN CUTTING DOWN.
EVERY YEAR WE SAY, WE SAY WE NEED 300,000.
THE LAST YEAR WAS LIKE, THEY GIVE US 60% OF WHAT WE TURNED IN FOR, FOR THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
AND, AND THAT'S BECAUSE HUD IS TRYING TO GET OUTTA PUBLIC HOUSING, WHICH I UNDERSTAND.
AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS STILL THE ONLY OVERSIGHT YOU HAVE IS AN OUTSIDE ACCOUNTANT AND THE BOARD AND OH, WHO, WHO OVERSEES ALL THAT? LIKE, WHO IS A NEUTRAL PARTY OUTSIDE OF THAT OTHER THAN AN ACCOUNTANT? THE ACCOUNTANT IS THE NEUTRAL PARTY, AND THE BOARD IS THE OVERSEER OF WHAT THE BOARD'S, WHAT THE ACCOUNTANT BRING BEFORE US, AS WHAT A BUDGET SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND WE, AND WE LOOK AT EACH LINE AND GO LINE BY LINE AND SAY, WE CAN DO WITHOUT THIS AND THIS LINE, MOVE IT TO ANOTHER LINE.
OH, AND THE TENANTS HAVE, NOBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
THAT THAT IS A, THAT IS A BOARD, UH, RESPONSIBILITY.
IT'S NOT A TENANT RESPONSIBILITY.
WE ARE THE LANDLORDS AND THAT'S OUR POSITION.
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE, ARE THEY INFORMED OF IT? THEY CAN ASK.
[01:35:01]
THEY KNOW TO ASK.THEY, AND THEY DO ASK QUESTIONS, KNOW, AND WE GO ON THE BUDGET AT A PUBLIC MEETING.
DID THEY KNOW TO ASK A QUESTION THAT THERE WAS 60% THIS TIME AND WE HAD TO REALLOCATE GO BACK AND, AND GET 40 FROM OUR OUR OTHER? DID THEY KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS MADE OUR MEETINGS OPEN AND EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT WE DO ALL THE TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.
SO I GUESS ANOTHER DUMB QUESTION.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE I'M IRRITATING YOU AND I'M REALLY NOT TRYING TO DO THAT.
I DO HAVE THAT EFFECT ON SOME PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S NOT MY
I'M PA I'M PASSIONATE, NOT IRRITATED.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN THE BUDGETS COME OUT EVERY YEAR, IT'S ONE GIVEN TO EVERY TENANT.
THE BUDGET IS, UH, GOING OVER IN THE PUBLIC MEETING, UH, IF THEY LIKE A COPY OF IT AVAILABLE.
SO DO THE TENANTS GET A COPY OF THE BUDGET? DOES SOMETHING GO OUT BECAUSE I, WHERE I LIVE, I GET A COPY OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.
DO THEY GET A COPY OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET? IF THEY, IF THEY REQUEST A COPY, WE GIVE THEM A COPY.
OH, BUT WHAT IF THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY COULD EVEN ASK, ARE THEY TOLD IT'S OKAY TO ASK YOU? YOU, YOU ARE SPEAKING IN INNUENDO TERMS. WE MAKE IT AVAILABLE.
I SPEAKING IN TERMS OF NOT EVERYBODY'S GOOD AT MATH.
IT'S ON THE, THE BUDGET AND NOT EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THEIR FINANCES.
FINANCIAL LITERACY IS A THING THAT'S A PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO MY THING IS NOT EVERYBODY EVEN KNOWS THEY CAN ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S NEVER BEEN ANSWERED OR SHOWED TO THEM.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT MAKES A PERSON HAVE, IT'S LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? SO IF I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE APP.
DON'T YOU THINK THAT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT? THAT THEY SHOULD KNOW WHAT EVERY LINE ITEM IS IN THEIR BUDGET? IT'S IN THEIR, IT IS THEIR MONEY TOO, RIGHT? EXPLAIN TO ME HOW IS IT NOT TRANSPARENT WHEN WE GO OVER DURING A PUBLIC MEETING? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EVEN AWARE THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW THAT.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY HAVE TO ACT.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TRANSPARENT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR FINANCE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND SAY, HOW MUCH IS IN MY BANK ACCOUNT? YOU SUPPOSED TO SHOW THEM 'CAUSE YOU'RE MANAGING THEIR MONEY, HOW THEY'RE LIVING, WHAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THIS YEAR, WHAT THEY MAY HAVE THIS YEAR, WHAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY GET MORE OF THIS YEAR.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A SAY ON A BUDGET BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY GET TO SEE IT.
THE FINANCIAL I'M SAYING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY EVERY MONTH PUBLICLY.
MY QUESTION IS, AND I GUESS MAYBE YOU'RE NOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK, BUT I'M THINKING YOU ARE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE ON THE BOARD OF THE GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY.
CORRECT? YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IT'S OKAY TO SHARE THAT IN YOUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.
WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT WITHOUT BEING ASKED? THAT'S THE QUESTION.
IF YOU JUST, IF YOU LIKE A COPY OF THE BUDGET, WE CAN GIVE IT TO YOU.
SO WHERE CAN WE GO FIND IT RIGHT NOW? ON THE WEBSITE? IF, IF YOU WANNA LOOK ON, IF YOU LOOK ON THE WEBSITE OR YOU CAN SEND UP A FILE OR REQUEST TO THE, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITY AND IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
BUT IS IT ON THE WEBSITE? BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE WEBSITE AND IT'S NOT PUBLIC INFORMATION.
UNLESS I GO AND FILE A A, A FOIL AND ASK FOR IT TO MAKE IT PUBLIC.
I CAN'T JUST GO, I HAVE TO GO ASK YOU.
IF SOMEBODY LIVES IN YOUR BUILDING, THEY ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR BUDGET IS, PERIOD.
AND IF IT'S NOT ON A WEBSITE, I'M JUST ASKING WHY ISN'T IT? AND I'M ASKING WHY DO THEY NOT GET IT EVERY, EVERY ONCE A YEAR.
ONCE A YEAR, AND ANY AMENDMENT, ANY MODIFICATION, ANY UPDATE SO THEY COULD SHOW UP TO THOSE MEETINGS AND HEAR WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND HERE ARE YOU MAKING THOSE DECISIONS WITH THE REST OF THE DO I'M JUST ASKING, IS THERE LIKE A LEGAL REASON? IS THERE A MISSING, MICHELLE? IT IS CALLED, THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT IS USUALLY DONE.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M, I'M SORRY.
I'M ASKING MR. PRESTON BECAUSE HE IS ON THE BOARD AND I'VE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION SUFFICIENTLY.
I, I AND I REQUEST NO, I CAN GO ON THE BOARD.
I GO, CAN I MAKE, CAN I MAKE A POINT? WE HAVE A WORK SESSION AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THE TOWN BOARD, THIS IS, UH, A MEETING NO PROBLEM WAS HOW SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY WANTED TO COME.
AND WE, WE HAVE THE COMMENTS AND WE HAVE TO MOVE ON THIS THING.
WE'VE ALREADY SPENT ALMOST TWO HOURS ON, ON, NOT ON THIS, THE TOWN DOES.
YOU KNOW WHAT, ALL I COULD SAY IS THAT PEOPLE, UH, IN FIVE MINUTES, I WANNA GO ON TO THE OTHER ITEMS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS THAT THE TOWN BOARD HAS TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, TODAY.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MENTION ONE THING.
PEOPLE, UM, THE HOW, AS BISHOP
[01:40:01]
SAID, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS NOT GETTING FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW.UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHEN THE TOWN BOARD, UM, WAS ASKED TO APPROVE THE, UM, THE SENIOR, BUT MR. FINER FINER THE SENIOR HOUSE, NO, NO, NO.
I WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU KNOW WHAT, WHY DON'T WE THEN JUST WHY DON'T WE, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
THEN AFTER THAT, WE'RE GONNA GO ON.
I'VE MEETING, I'VE BEEN WRITING.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I'M SORRY, LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ASK ONE QUESTION.
SO CAN SOMEONE WRITE, FILL OUT A FORM AND REQUEST THIS FREE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUDGET? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
IF THEY CAN'T DO IT THERE, WHERE CAN THEY DO IT? BISHOP PRESTON, I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER NO MORE QUESTIONS CONCERNING THAT.
I'VE GIVEN GIVE YOU THE ANSWER THAT OKAY.
SAID IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION, SIR.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PUBLIC ACCESS IT.
AND I ANSWERED THAT QUESTION ALREADY, SO I'M, IT'S NO NEED TO BE REDUNDANT.
THERE'S A FORM ON THE WEBSITE THEN.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD IT PROPERLY, SIR.
YOU DID HEAR IT CORRECTLY? YES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? WE, WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER ISSUES.
SO, UM, SO WHY DON'T WE, UM, I MEAN THE HOUSING FOR A WHILE, PAUL.
SO, OKAY, THIS IS, I'VE BEEN, THIS IS RIGHT NOW, THIS NOT GONNA BE QUICK.
YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW WHAT? AT THE MEETING, THIS IS THE LAST COMMENT, AND THEN WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE OTHER ITEMS YOU HAVE.
I'M AT THE MEETINGS, UH, MOSTLY EVERY MONTH.
I'VE NEVER HEARD THE ACTUAL BUDGET READ.
I'VE HEARD THE AMERICAN EXPRESS BILLS, UM, READ, BUT I DON'T HEAR THE ACTUAL, UM, BUDGET READ OUT LOUD.
I KNOW WE DO IT IN A CLOSED SESSION, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN IT DONE IN A PUBLIC SESSION.
NUMBER TWO, UM, THE, THE, THE LIAISON PART, LIKE I SAID, WE NEED SOMEONE TO COME IN THAT SEES OUR SIDE AS WELL.
AND MY, MY REASON FOR SAYING THAT IS THAT DURING THE MONTHS WHEN THE SENIORS WERE COMPLAINING, UM, MR. KEN WAS NOT THERE.
SO HE ACTUALLY MUST BE ASKING BISHOP WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEN GETTING BISHOP'S VIEW.
BUT OUR VIEW IS NEVER BROUGHT BACK.
OKAY? OUR VIEW IS NEVER BROUGHT BACK.
OKAY? I ALSO HAVE MY LETTER AND I WE'RE, PAUL, YOU SURE RUSH TO GET US WITH PAUL? KNOW WHAT? FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GONNA TOMORROW, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT GONNA SPEND THE WHOLE EVENING ON THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK THE TOWN BOARD IF WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ISSUES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BECAUSE THIS IS A HOUSING AUTHORITY ISSUE, RATHER THAN, BUT YOU'LL APPOINT.
BUT PAUL, YOU APPOINT FIVE COMMISSIONERS, YOU APPOINT FIVE COMMISSIONERS, OKAY? WE APPOINTED FIVE.
IT'S PART OF YOUR PROBLEM TOO.
WELL APPOINT FIVE COMMISSIONERS.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF LEMME SAY ONE THING.
IF THE TOWN BOARD HAD, IF RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE OLD UNITS AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, IF WE DID NOT RENOVATE THESE U UH, THE UNITS, IF WE DID NOT BUILD MODERN, CLEAN, AND IF, AND, AND COMFORTABLE, UH, CONDITIONS, IF WE DID NOT UPGRADE, UH, THE, THE, THE UNITS THAT ARE EXISTING PEOPLE WOULD BE REALLY, UM, INFURIATED BECAUSE NOBODY'S THE AUTHORITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK.
NOBODY LIVING IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD BE LIVING IN SUCH STANDARD CONDITIONS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I BASICALLY, UH, AM PLEASED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS RENOVATING VERY OLD UNITS ARE, I BELIEVE DESERVE TO BE BECAUSE I'M TO THE UNITS I'VE SEEN THE IS NOT APPROPRIATE OR ANYBODY, IT'S, WE'RE TALKING, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF IMPROVING HOUSING.
WELL, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE LIKE HUMAN BEINGS AND HAVE HIGH STANDARDS, AND WE HAVE A HOUSING AUTHORITY.
HUMAN BEINGS IS NOT THAT BAD BEFORE PANDEMIC.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT QUESTIONING.
DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT? THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY'RE TALKING THE MONEY AND NOBODY'S CHECKING THAT.
THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
THE THING IS, WE'RE NOT IF, OKAY, LET'S JUST MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM BECAUSE THIS IS, WE CAN'T, THEY HAVE, DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.
WHO IS MAKING THOSE DECISIONS? NOBODY'S SAYING THAT THIS HAS TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
NOBODY'S REALLY LOOKING AT THE FINANCES.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE BEST FINANCIAL MOVE IN THIS MOMENT.
'CAUSE YOU SAY SO AND WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS YOU ABOUT IT, NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE EXACT NATURE.
[01:45:01]
STREET AND WE HAVE 10 FLOORS IN THERE, AND OUR APARTMENTS WERE RENOVATED AND NOBODY MOVED OUT.WHEN ONE WAS VACANT, WE MOVED IN THERE, THEY FIXED OUR PLACE, WE MOVED BACK IN THERE.
NOBODY HAD TO LEAVE THE BUILDING AND THE WHOLE BUILDING'S BEEN RENOVATED.
AND THAT'S FRANKLIN TOWERS TOWN.
OKAY? WE, WE EVERYBODY, SO MY POINT I'M MAKING TO YOU, SIR, IS I HEAR YOUR POSITION, I HEAR YOUR DECISION, BUT IT WASN'T THE ONLY DECISION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE.
LI TENANTS ARE NOT HAPPY WITHOUT MOVING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE MOVING ON THE NEXT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UH, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE A LONG TOWN BOARD MEETING ON.
I DON'T WANNA SPEND TILL THREE IN THE MORNING AT THE MEETING.
SO FRANCIS, WHAT'S THE NEXT ITEM? WELL, LEMME SAY, LEMME SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
AND I, I DO KEEP THAT DOOR OPEN IF YOU WANT TO COME TALK TO US.
LOOK AT THE, LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
I I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO HIDE.
AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHOR.
I'M, I'M SORRY THAT WE DON'T HAVE 10 FLOORS THAT WE CAN MOVE PEOPLE AROUND.
SO WE HAVE TO PUT, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
WHY WAS LAST MONTH? YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE EVERYBODY AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE SAYING WORTH.
THEN YOU DON'T LET PEOPLE MOVE BACK IN WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SEE, NOBODY MADE GETTING RID THIS.
YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOWN BOARD MEETING, OTHERWISE, OKAY, LET'S THE NEXT, WHAT'S THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT, UH, I'LL DISPLAY IT IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THESE RENOVATIONS, UH, THERE'S AN EMPHASIS NOW ON MAKING SURE THERE'S BROADBAND IN EACH OF THE BUILDINGS.
I, I WOULD URGE, BECAUSE I'M HEARING A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION, I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THAT IN ADDITION TO DOING BROADBAND IN ALL THE APARTMENTS, THAT SOME MONEY BE SET ASIDE TO ACTUALLY WIRE UP THE MEETING ROOM SO THAT THE RESIDENTS COULD ACTUALLY WATCH THE, UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETINGS ON, IN THEIR, IN THEIR, IN THEIR APARTMENTS.
UH, IT COULD EVEN BE SET UP AS AN INTRANET AS OPPOSED TO GOING OUT ON CABLE AND COMING BACK IN AGAIN.
UH, SOMETHING SO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, MISCOMMUNICATION OR LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
BUT THAT'S, WELL, WHAT, WHAT? I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA START ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF
THE, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, THE AGENDA REVIEW.
THANK YOU TO THOSE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
WE DEFINITELY WANNA HEAR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR VOICE.
I'M GOING IN THE KITCHEN
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR, UH, LION OAK.
AND THEN, UH, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE PRESENTATION, GINA? YES.
SO TOMORROW EVENING, WILL WE, WE WILL RECAP THE REPORT THAT WAS GIVEN IN FEBRUARY TO TALK ABOUT OUR FINDINGS WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE POLICE REFORM, UM, HEARD THE MANDATE FROM GOVERNOR CUOMO.
SO PLEASE, THERE WILL BE A SEPARATE COMMENT SEGMENT ON THIS, ON THIS REPORT.
WE'RE LOOKING TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE.
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE TOMORROW'S MEETING, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME DIRECTLY.
WE WILL LIKE TO CAPTURE EVERYONE'S, UH, COMMENTS AND RESPONSES AND, AND, AND WHATEVER WE, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED, WE WILL MAKE SURE WE MAKE THE MODIFICATION.
BUT AGAIN, WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HEARD.
SO THERE'LL BE A DECISION ON A ONE YEAR, UH, YEAR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, UH, FOR THE YEAR 2020.
AND WE DID GET INFORMATION FROM THE, UH, FROM THE VILLAGE.
UH, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON NOISE.
UH, WHAT'S BEING CIRCULATED IS A STANDALONE CHAPTER.
THIS ACTUALLY HAS IT LISTED AS THE CHAPTER THREE 80 ON NOISE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS TO GET YOUR COMMENTS ON THE ACTUAL PROVISIONS THAT ARE IN THERE,
[01:50:01]
REGARDLESS OF WHAT CHAPTER IT'S ACTUALLY IN.SO THAT'S THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON TWO FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACTS.
THIS IS FOR THE NORTH ELMSFORD AND WEST ELMSFORD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS, UH, FOR THE YEAR 2021.
AND THAT, UH, CONTRACT IS WITH THE VILLAGE OF ELMSFORD.
THOSE CONTRACTS ARE WITH THE VILLAGE OF ELMSFORD.
THIS IS THE TB ONE, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH THE, UH, VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN FOR A FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, VARIOUS TAX CERTS SETTLEMENT OF A PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM.
I THINK GARRETT HAD TO DROP OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES.
GARRETT, YOU'RE NOT HERE, RIGHT? I'M HERE.
CD ONE IS A REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT, MARIA REGINA HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE OUTDOOR SPORTS FACILITY, THE, THE, UH, TRACK AND, AND THE FIELD SPACE THAT THEY HAD APPROVED BY THE TOWN BOARD.
AND, UH, THEY INDICATED THAT THE PANDEMIC CAUSED A HOLD ON THAT PROJECT.
THEY STILL HAVE AN INTENT TO BUILD THERE, SO THEY'RE SEEKING TO HAVE THEIR, UH, AMENDED SITE PLAN APPROVAL EXTENDED BY THE TOWN BOARD AND CD.
CD TWO IS A SIMILAR EXTENSION.
AND THIS PROJECT IS FOR AMENDED SITE PLAN.
THANK, SO APPROVAL, IT'S CROSSROAD SHOPPING CENTER, AND IT HAS, AND THAT, THAT, THAT PROJECT ENTAILED, UH, DECK PARK, UH, DECKED PARKING, UH, OVER THE, UH, MANHATTAN BROOK THERE.
AND, UH, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE TOWN BOARD AND THEY STILL INTEND TO, UH, BUILD THAT DECKING IF, IF THE NEED ARISES.
AND THAT WILL BE BASED ON, UH, TENANT NEEDS AT THE SITE.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING VARIOUS LEASES, SO THEY, THEY STILL INDICATED AN INTENT TO BUILD THAT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR 2020 FROM THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
UH, THE DETAILS, UH, ARE OR WILL BE UP ON THE WEBSITE.
WE HAVE TO MODIFY THE 2020 BUDGET.
ROBERTA YOU ON, APPARENTLY NOT.
AND THEN A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE 2020 OPERATING BUDGET.
DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT EITHER C O ONE, C O TWO, OR C O THREE? THE BUDGET TRANSFERS? WE'RE GOING TO ATTACH, WE'LL GIVE THE DETAIL, RIGHT? UM, OUTSIDE BILLAGES AND DEBT SERVICE.
THAT'S TO COVER DEBT PAYMENTS.
THE LAST ONE IS, OH, TO COVER JUDGMENT AND CLAIMS. OKAY, JERRY? YES, I'M HERE.
YOU WANNA SPEAK ABOUT PR ONE OR P R TWO OR PR THREE? UM, I, LEMME SEE.
THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, DEALS WITH THE NUTRITION PROGRAM CONTRACTOR WE HAVE IS THE CARE CARES ACT.
IT'S BASICALLY SELF-EXPLANATORY, UH, ON THE ATTACHMENT.
UH, THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, WE HAVE OUR REGULAR BIDS FOR ATHLETIC SUPPLIES.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS VENDORS, AND, UH, IT IS VARIOUS ONES WE HAVE.
WE SHARE THAT, UH, BID WITH THE, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, MAKING SURE WE GET THE, UH, LOWEST UH, PRICES POSSIBLE FOR THEM.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING FOR THE T-SHIRTS FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS.
FRANCIS, YOU HAVE A PROMOTION? YES, WE DO.
YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT?
SHALL WE TELL YOU? IT'S MARIA PETINO
IT'S MARIA PETINO IN THE RESOLUTION.
SHE'S, UM, SHE'S BEEN AN OFFICER HERE FOR, IT'S GONNA BE FIVE TO SIX YEARS AT LEAST.
NOW SHE'S DONE OUTSTANDING JOB.
SHE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DETECTIVE DIVISION.
SHE DID HER, UH, FOUR MONTH, UH, EVALUATION PERIOD THERE.
SHE GOT EX OUTSTANDING REVIEWS AND SHE'S BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR
[01:55:01]
PROMOTION.ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYBODY IS SHY.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE 2021, UH, TRAFFIC MATERIALS, UH, AWARDING IT FOR THE LOWEST BIDDER.
YOU'VE ALREADY GONE OUT TO BID AND NOW YOU'RE ACCEPTING THE LOWEST BIDDERS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IF YOU COULD SEE ME, I WOULD TAKE A BOW.
YOU'RE STILL GETTING USED TO THE TITLE COMMISSIONER.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE, I THINK.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, ASK, UH, JERRY, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME RESIDENTS HAD, UM, ASKED US SOME WHEN WE'RE GONNA BE RESUMING, UM, THE SENIOR PROGRAMS, UM, AT THE, UM, A VETERAN, UM, IN PARK AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, ALSO, UM, TERENCE.
AND I'M WONDERING IF, UH, YOU COULD PROVIDE US WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, UPDATES.
YOU KNOW, NOW MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING VACCINATED AND SOME OF THE SENIORS WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, UM, WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COME BACK.
AND IT'S REALLY A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE FOR, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE, UH, NOT TO HAVE THE PROGRAM.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, GIVE US YOUR THINKING, UM, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD AT LEAST MOVE UP SOME OF THE, UM, PROGRAM RESTORATIONS, MARY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN GETTING MORE, YOU KNOW, UH, PHONE CALLS, UH, FROM SENIORS AND, AND, AND FOR THAT MATTER, YOU KNOW, ALL PROGRAMS. AND WE KNOW WITH THE, UH, INCREASED VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, IN, IN A WHOLE COUNTRY NOW, I THINK, UH, 60% OF SENIORS, 65 AND OLDER HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, WHICH IS REALLY ENCOURAGING.
AND, UH, WE'RE, UH, GETTING TOGETHER WITH STAFF LOOKING AT A WAY TO, IN AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, TO MAKE SURE WE, UH, RESTORE OUR PROGRAMS TO THE POINT THAT WE DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO LIKE A SECOND WAVE, YOU KNOW, OF, UH, INFECTIONS.
SO, UH, I, I DIRECTED, YOU KNOW, MY STAFF NOW FOR MULTIPURPOSE CENTER ON A MODIFIED BASIS TO IDENTIFY THE PROGRAMS, WHICH WE CAN OPEN UP, YOU KNOW, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND, AND IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, 4, 4, 4 WEEKS OR, OR SO, WE HOPE TO, UH, REINTRODUCE THAT.
UH, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS WE'VE REALLY INCREASED PARTICIPATION THROUGH, UH, ZOOM PROGRAMMING.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE LIKE, PEOPLE IN THE CENTER AND ZOOM PROGRAMMING AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK OUT THE, UH, MECHANICS OF THAT, UH, AND DECIDE LIKE, WHICH PROGRAMS ARE MOST POPULAR THAT PEOPLE WANNA DO FROM HOME, AND WHAT TIME OF DAY TO DO THAT ALONG WITH PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE IN PERSON.
WE ARE ALSO STILL TRYING TO LOOK AT, UH, PROGRAMMING, UH, AT THE CENTER, UH, WHERE WE CAN GO OUTSIDE UNDER THE, UH, UH, TENT, UH, WHEN THE WEATHER GETS WARMER.
SO, UH, WE ARE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, RESUME THESE SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, I I JUST WANT TO SHARE AT THIS TIME, WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET OUR CAMPS READY, AND AS OF NOW, THE BOARD OF HEALTH WILL NOT ALLOW US TO GO BACK TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, ATTENDANCE.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE BEST CASE SCENARIO AS OF TODAY, 50%.
SO WE STILL HAVE TO USE THE SAME AMOUNT OF AREA, BUT AT REDUCED CAPACITY AT 50%.
AND LIKEWISE FOR RAIN SHELTER AT THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER OF THE SUMMER, IF THE WEATHER'S BAD, WE'LL HAVE TO CANCEL THE SENIOR PROGRAMMING ON THOSE DAYS, AND SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THE CHILDREN IN OUR CAMPS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, EVERY, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MONTH ON, ON HOW WE'RE, UH, UH, UH, PROGRESSING.
AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, UH, TERRANCE AND DAVID AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND TERRENCE, UH, I'M HERE TODAY, PAUL, UM, UM, A SLIGHT, UH, JUST TRAGEDY TO, UH, ONE OF, ONE OF HIS NEIGHBORS THAT HE IS TENDING TO.
SO I AM, UM, I'M IN ATTENDANCE HERE AND EVERYTHING THAT JERRY JUST SAID, I CAN ALSO CONFIRM.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, DOING SOME EXTENSIVE OUTREACH, UH, WITH JERRY, UH, THROUGH WESTCHESTER RECREATION AND PARK SOCIETY AND GETTING OTHER, UM, MUNICIPALITIES FEEDBACK ON REOPENING.
UH, BUT EVERYTHING THAT JERRY JUST SAID, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, SO WE WILL KEEP YOU GUYS UPDATED AS WELL.
SO MAYBE LIKE NEXT WEEK WE COULD HAVE LIKE A, A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION OR UPDATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS WAY AT LEAST WE COULD SAY, IF WE CAN BE FIVE WEEKS OR FOUR WEEKS, WE COULD SAY TO THE SENIORS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BEGINNING OF MAY OR THE END OF APRIL,
[02:00:01]
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WAY THEY'LL HAVE SOME IDEA.YOU KNOW, I, I'D ALSO, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MAYBE STAY IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF THE SENIORS AND LET THEM KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD LOOK FORWARD TO.
SO THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S LIKE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND, YOU KNOW, LIFE IS GONNA GET BETTER FOR THEM BECAUSE IT REALLY IS VERY DIFFERENT TO, UM, JUST, JUST TO ADD TO THAT SAME POINT, PAUL, WE ARE, UM, PLANNING CERTAIN ACTIVITIES, UH, WITH THE SENIORS.
AS JERRY SAID, OUR ZOOM, UH, PARTICIPATION HAS SKYROCKETED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, EVEN ON THE TECHNOLOGICAL BASIS, THE SENIORS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, TO LEARN A TON.
UM, SO THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN GETTING THEM THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S NECESSARY.
BUT WE'VE ALSO, UM, BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT AN OUTDOOR WALK THAT WILL BE STARTING, UM, THE END OF APRIL.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY BRING YOU, UH, MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, JUST A COMMUNITY WALK UP AT THE PARK, UM, LIMITED CAPACITY, SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, FACE MASKS, BUT JUST SOMETHING FOR, FOR THE SENIORS TO DEFINITELY GET EXCITED ABOUT.
AND PAUL, I JUST WANT TO ADD TOO, AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION, I, I THINK BOTH DEPARTMENTS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE EMAILS, NEWSLETTERS.
WE ALSO HAD, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE NUTRITION PROGRAMS, WE'RE OUTREACHING HOME BOUND PEOPLE.
SO, UM, THE ONES THAT USE OUR PROGRAMS, THEY KNOW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF US, AND THE MAJORITY OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, ARE COMMUNICATING, UH, WITH US.
UM, SO IF, IF THERE'S ANY PEOPLE SAYING THEY'RE NOT, BY ALL MEANS, JUST GIVE THEM MY DIRECT, UH, NUMBER AND, UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET A, UH, A PROMPT, UH, ANSWER TO THEIR QUESTIONS.
OKAY, WE'RE UP TO, UH, MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION FOR, TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING CONTRACTUAL ISSUES AND LEGAL LITIGATION MATTERS, AS WELL AS MATTERS INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL PERSONNEL.
YOU'RE MAKING THAT MOTION, PAUL? YES.
AND WE WON'T BE COMING BACK THIS EVENING, BUT WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW NIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT'S WORKS AT, UH, TOWN BOARD MEETING.
THERE'S A, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT GREENBERG AGAINST SYSTEMIC RACISM.
PLEASE READ THE REPORT THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE AND COME AND COMMENT.
WILL THE, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITY BE ON TOMORROW'S AGENDA? WHAT IS ON THE, WHAT IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ISSUE FOR TOMORROW NIGHT'S AGENDA? AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, THE WORK SESSION DETERMINES THE AGENDA FOR THE TOWN BOARD MEETING.
IS THAT, IS THAT NOT TRUE? THAT'S NOT TRUE, I GUESS.
NO, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS AT WORK SESSION TO AVOID HAVING A DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE A MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION ON TUESDAY THAN WE CAN HAVE AT TOWN BOARD MEETING.
SO, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES ON THE AGENDA.
SO WHAT, IS THERE ANY WAY TO, UM, KNOW WHEN THE, THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS WOULD BE ANSWERED? I THINK THAT, I THINK THOSE QUESTIONS RIGHT THERE, TASHA, YOU WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO FOLLOW WITH BISHOP BECAUSE BISHOP POLLS THE ANSWERS.
I'M JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEETING THOUGH, RIGHT? OH.
SO THE BOARD DOESN'T, THE TOWN BOARD DOESN'T INVOLVE WITH THEMSELVES WITH THE HOUSING BOARD AT ALL? WELL, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE.
THE, UM, PAUL AND KEN GOT ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS.
THE, UH, THE, THE ARTICLE IN THE PAPER.
UM, THE REST OF US GOT IT TODAY AFTER THE MEETING STARTED, SO I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO READ IT.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.
BISHOP ASKED THAT IT'D BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
AND SO THERE'LL BE ANSWERS THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN INFORM MAYBE FURTHER QUESTIONS OR ANSWER THE QUESTIONS SATISFACTORY.
BUT, BUT, UH, AS FAR AS YOUR DIRECT, UH, QUESTION AS TO, IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ON TOMORROW NIGHT'S MEETING? IT IS, IT IS NOT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW.