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WE'RE HAVING OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.[ 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]
IT'S, UM, APRIL 6TH, AND, UM, IT'S, UM, 6:09 PM AND THIS IS THE WORK SESSION.SO WE HAVE FOR OPEN SESSION, UM, UH, BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNAGE.
UM, IS THERE, UM, ANY, UH, DISCUSSION? KEN, DO YOU WANNA, UM, INITIATE THE DISCUSSION? SURE.
I, I SENT AROUND EARLIER AN EXAMPLE OF THE SIGN WITH THE SLOGAN THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD APPROVED.
UH, ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
UM, WE, I, SO I SENT, SO, UM, ROBERT FROM THE SIGN SHOP PRODUCED A, UH, AN EXAMPLE, UH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SHARED SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET COMMENTS FROM THE TOWN BOARD, UH, RELATIVE TO THE SIGN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE WORDS, THE SHAPE, THE PLACEMENT, UM, THE SLOGAN, ANYTHING YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON.
THIS IS HOW, THIS IS HOW THE COMMITTEE ENVISIONED IT LOOKING.
NOW THIS IS THIS, THIS IS THIS.
THIS LOOKS, UH, LIKE, UH, SO IT MAY HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROPER MESSAGING.
I LIKE, I LIKE THE SAYING, I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE UNTIL IS REVERSE CONTRAST.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED AS AT THE COMMITTEE.
UM, I DO HAVE A CONCERN IN THAT I BELIEVE THE LETTERS MAY BE BIGGER THAN THE LETTERS IN THE WELCOME SIGN.
UM, SO I DO THINK THEY SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY SMALLER.
UH, MAYBE IT COULD GO EVEN A LITTLE BIT WIDER AND SPREAD OUT THESE LETTERS A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT THEY WOULD BE THICKER, UH, HORIZONTALLY, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY BE TAKING AWAY SOME, SOME, UH, HEIGHT VERTICALLY, FRANCIS, THAT SIGN IS A STANDARD THAT THEY DON'T CUT THE METAL, THEY BUY THE, THE SHEETS OR THE PLATES.
SO HE WAS WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT I THINK EVERYBODY HAD DIRECTED TO HIM.
YOU KNOW, I THINK HE, HE, HE MADE THE B L M THE FIRST, UH, LETTERS, UH, BIGGER AS REQUESTED TOO.
IF YOU CAN SEE IT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT, BUT, BUT EVEN, EVEN IF THIS BOTTOM SPOT, IF YOU WANNA USE A STANDARD SIGN, EVEN IF THIS BOTTOM DOESN'T HAVE ANY WORDS IN IT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OKAY.
IT'S JUST WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE COVERED UP IN A SNOWSTORM.
WELL, WE COULD ALWAYS RAISE THE GREENBERG SIGN TOO.
SO PAUL, AND, UM, UH, EVERYONE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, SHARE A COMMENT HERE AT THIS TIME, SINCE I'M ON THIS COMMITTEE, AND, UM, WE'VE REALLY BEEN MEETING AND DOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.
UM, THERE, THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THE WORDING OF THE SIGN AND, UM, CONSENSUS, UH, WAS KIND OF ACHIEVED AROUND THE, THE, THE WORDING THAT WE SEE HERE.
BUT NOW THAT I'M LOOKING AT IT, I'M WONDERING IF A MORE POSITIVE STATEMENT MIGHT BE ALL LIVES MATTER WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER, AND HAVE THE WORD WHEN BE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE SAME WAY THAT UNTIL IS MATTER.
BECAUSE IT KIND OF TAKES AWAY CAN'T IS SORT OF AN A, A A, YOU KNOW, UH, A, IT'S A, IT'S A NEGATIVE WORD IN, IN, UM, AND IT'S LIKE SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S SAYING THAT, WELL, ALL LIVES CANNOT MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER, WHICH IS A VERY STRONG STATEMENT.
IT BASICALLY MEANS THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE AMERICANS TOO.
AND UNLESS, AND UNTIL AFRICAN-AMERICAN LIVES MATTER, THEN ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER.
BUT ANO I'M JUST SUGGESTING ANOTHER WAY
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OF SAYING THAT ALL LIVES MATTER WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER.JUST, I, LIKE, I PERSONALLY LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE BETTER, OR IF YOU KEEP, UH, LAW LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
UM, MAYBE YOU HAVE SOMETHING HIGHLIGHTING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN BASICALLY OBJECTS TO ANY FORM OF HATRED AGAINST ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY GROUP BECAUSE OKAY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT RACISM PROBLEM.
SOMEBODY ALMOST, UH, WENT INTO HIM AND HE COMPLAINED TO THE GREENBERG HUMAN RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, COMMITTEE.
SO I SORT OF, I, TO ME, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MISCONSTRUE THE INTENT OF, UM, THE SIGNAGE, BUT BECAUSE I, I FEEL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BLACK LIVES MATTER IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT MM-HMM.
UM, AND I FEEL THAT, UM, THE MURAL IS GONNA HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF THAT.
BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO, UM, INCORRECTLY, UM, MISUNDERSTAND THE SIGN.
AND I THINK THAT I, I PERSONALLY THINK, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WOULD OBJECT, YOU KNOW, TO THIS.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I, I WOULD, I THINK THAT JUDITH'S, UM, RECOMMENDATION IS, IS MUCH MORE POSITIVE, AND I THINK WOULD BE RECEIVED MUCH MORE POSITIVELY BY EVERYONE IN, YOU KNOW, IN THE TOWN.
THAT'S JUST MY OWN, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL FEELING, OR AGAIN, MAYBE PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE BOTTOM.
YOU HAVE TO SAY, IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS WORDING, YOU'RE SAYING GREENBERG, UM, OPPOSES ON, UH, HATE AGAINST EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING, JUST SOMETHING TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE VALUE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OFFENDED BY ANY FORM OF, UM, OF HATRED OR, OR RACISM.
THAT'S SO, SO ARE YOU SAYING IF WE USE JUDITH'S VERSION, WHICH IS A NICE VERSION, UM, WE DON'T NEED THAT WORDING AT THE BOTTOM? UH, WE, NO, NO.
I'M SAYING IF WE USE JUDITH'S, UH, WORDING, THEN THERE'S GONNA BE NO CONFUSION IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S GONNA SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING, UH, BLACK LIVES MATTER, BUT ALL LIVES DON'T MATTER.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA MISCONSTRUE THIS SIGN DUE TO THIS, UM, WORDING IS MUCH MORE POSITIVE.
AND I THINK WOULD BE, UM, I THINK, I THINK WOULD BE CRITICISM, YOU KNOW, FREE.
UM, SO WE COULD PUT LIKE SOME WORDING ON THE BOTTOM IF YOU WANT, BUT IT'S UP TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS WE WANT EVERYONE DRIVING AND SEEING THE SIGN TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M SO THRILLED THAT WE LIVE IN A TOWN THAT, UM, IS PROMOTING, UM, UH, DIVERSITY INCLUSION IS FIGHTING, HATRED IS FIGHTING, YOU KNOW, IS FIGHTING, UH, YOU KNOW, IS FIGHTING ANY, ANY, ANY, UM, EFFORT NOT TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, BECAUSE ALL OF US FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT ALL, ALL LIVES MATTER WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER IS NOT A TRUE STATEMENT.
AND THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY CONTROVERSIAL, BECAUSE WHAT'S THAT'S SAYING IS, AS LONG AS BLACK LIVES MATTER, EVERY OTHER GROUP THAT'S BEEN MARGINALIZED THEIR LIVES, THEN OBVIOUSLY, UM, DON'T COUNT.
IT WOULDN'T, IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE A A P I, UH, RACISM, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SAYS, ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
BECAUSE WHEN MOST PEOPLE SAY, WELL, NOT MOST, BUT WHEN SOME PEOPLE SEE BLACK LIVES MATTER, THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE IS, OH, ALL LIVES MATTER.
WELL, THAT CAN'T BE TRUE UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
IT'S ALSO NOT TRUE UNTIL A A P I, UH, LIVES MATTER UNTIL LATINX LIVES MATTER.
SO THIS IS A TRUE STATEMENT, AND IT'S ADDRESSING THE BLACK LIVES MATTER, UH, MOVEMENT.
UH, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, FRANKLY, I JUST THINK THIS IS EXACTLY THE WORDING WE NEED.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE EDUCATIONAL, UM, AND IT, AND IT, AND, AND IT'S A FACTUALLY CORRECT STATEMENT WHERE IT'S NOT A FACTUALLY CORRECT STATEMENT, AS LONG AS BLACK LIVES MATTER, ALL LIVES MATTER, WHICH IS, WHICH IS THE SAME WAY OF SAYING, UH, WHEN, WHEN, UH, ALL LIVES MATTER, WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER.
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UH, I, I, WELL, I WOULD HAVE THAT STATEMENT.SO IN A SENSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, IT'S A VERY STRONG ARGUMENT, UM, EITHER WAY.
BUT WHAT IS TRUE IS THAT EVERY HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY EVOLVED OUT OF THE STRUGGLE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO BE CONSIDERED HUMAN BEINGS AND TO BE TREATED AS SUCH.
EVERY OTHER STRUGGLE RIDES ON THE BACKS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STRUGGLE, SO TO SAY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DOCUMENT TO DO IS, IT'S GOOGLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN DID, UM, WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE EVOLVE? WHEN DID, UM, ALL OTHER, UH, UM, RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS EVOLVE AFTER BLACK PEOPLE IGNITE IT? THE HUMAN RIGHTS OR CIVIL RIGHTS, UM, INITIATIVE, SO TO SAY, ALL LIVES MATTER WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER IS TRUE.
I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, I I JUST, I, I MADE THE SUGGESTION, UM, AS AN OPTION TO, TO THE WORD CAN'T, UH, IS, IS SORT OF, HAS MORE OF A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION.
BUT LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I PUT IT OUT THERE.
IF THE CONSENSUS IS TO GO WITH THE MESSAGE AS IT IS, THEN THAT IS THE GROUP CONSENSUS.
BUT I PUT IT OUT THERE SO THAT WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE TO PONDER.
UH, LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST ASK A, ANOTHER QUESTION.
WOULD YOU HAVE, UH, KEN, ANY OBJECTION TO PUTTING SOMETHING, A LITTLE CLARIFICATION UNDER THE WORD BLACK LIVES MATTER? JUST LIKE A, YOU KNOW, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HATE, WE WE'RE OFFENDED, UM, OFFENDED AGAINST RACISM OR HATRED AGAINST ANY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ANYONE, YOU KNOW, AND IT COULD BE IN SMALLER LA A LITTLE SMALLER, YOU KNOW, WORDING, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW,
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S ALMOST MORE OFFENSIVE THAN IT IS HELPFUL, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE TINY LETTERS UNDERNEATH THESE LARGER LETTERS THAT PEOPLE CAN'T READ.
YOU KNOW, AS THEY'RE DRIVING BY IN THEIR CAR, THERE'S, THERE'S ROOM FOR THE SIGN, THERE'S STILL ROOM UNDERNEATH IT.
SO THEY, YOU COULD, IF, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WOULD BE A LA UH, A LARGER, UM, YOU KNOW, SIGN, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT WORDING.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WANT THE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO MISCONSTRUE THIS, AND, BUT IT'S GONNA BE, BUT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE MISCONSTRUED.
SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA MISCONSTRUE IT.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE CONTROVERSIAL.
SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN ESCAPE THE CONTROVERSY.
EVERYONE DOES NOT AGREE, PERIOD.
AND, AND JUDITH, I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF THE TWO DIFFERENT WORDS, HOWEVER, I THINK EITHER WORD THAT YOU USE IS GONNA CAUSE SOME CONTROVERSY.
SO IF WE USE UNTIL, IF WE USE, WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA ALWAYS AGREE WITH, UM, WHAT THIS MESSAGING IS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK BOTH, BOTH VERSIONS HAVE, HAVE MERIT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I'M, I AM I'M NOT STRONGLY, UH, PULLED IN EITHER WAY, EXCEPT I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF SMALL LETTERS AT THE BOTTOM AS KIND OF A DISCLAIMER LIKE THAT.
IT'S EITHER GOTTA BE BIG OR IT SHOULDN'T BE ON THE SIGN.
AND WE SHOULD, AND WE SHOULD STAND BY WHAT WE SAY.
IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A, A, A DISCLAIMER ON THE BOTTOM TO SAY, JUST IN CASE, IF THIS IS HOW WE FEEL, WE SHOULD STAND BY WHAT WE SAY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU DECIDE WHICH WORD YOU WANT TO GO WITH, UM, BUT THE SIGN, BUT THE SIZE, EXCUSE ME, AND EVERYTHING, I THINK IS FINE.
BUT ONE, AGAIN, TO YOUR POINT, KEN, ONCE YOU START PUTTING LITTLE DISCLAIMERS AND EVERYTHING, YOU REALLY JUST TAKE THE MEANING BEHIND THAT.
AND I THINK AT THIS, I, I THINK AT THIS DAY, ON THIS DAY, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS, OR WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.
THIS IS REALLY SUPPOSED, UH, INTENDED TO BE EDUCATIONAL, BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE JUST PUT BLACK LIVES MATTER ON THE SIGN AND LEFT IT AT THAT.
BUT THEN FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT WAY,
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THEY WOULD BASICALLY JUST LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OH, WELL, LIVES MATTER AND DRIVE BY.THE REASON WHY UNTIL IS IN REVERSE CONTRAST, IS WE WANT TO DRAW THE ATTENTION TO, UNTIL, UNTIL AND UNTIL, UNTIL WHAT? ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
SO WE'RE ANSWERING THEIR, THEIR STATEMENT THEY WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER HEARING BLACK LIVES MATTER BY DOING THIS.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT TO, TO SAY THAT THERE COULDN'T BE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL A A P I LIVES MATTER OR WHATEVER.
THIS IS NOT PRECLUDING SOME OTHER KIND OF A SIGN.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THIS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE URGENCY IS TO DEAL WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER, YOU KNOW? AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS, THIS IS, IS ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS.
UM, BUT I JUST HAVE ONE OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT IS THE SIGN ON ONE SIDE ONLY THE WORDING ON ONE SIDE OF THE SIGN? YES.
WHAT ABOUT, UM, BOTH SIDES? THIS IS JUST AN IDEA.
UM, WHAT ABOUT, UM, PUTTING, UM, A PHONE NUMBER, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE AND SAY, REPORT ANY HATE INCIDENCES, UH, TO, UH, UH, THIS PHONE NUMBER? BECAUSE, OR BECAUSE MY FEELING IS THAT IT'S NOT THE WORDING OF A SIGN THAT IS ONLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY RACISM AND, AND HATE.
AND IF THERE'D BE A EASY PHONE NUMBER AND AN ACTION STEP THAT THEY COULD TAKE, THEN WE'RE BASICALLY LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF THERE'S, UM, IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT THAT'S IMPACTING THEM, THEIR FAMILY, THEIR FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT THEY SEE, THEY COULD CALL
WHAT, WHAT PHONE NUMBER WOULD THAT BE? WHAT PHONE NUMBER WOULD THAT BE? UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, WE, WE WOULD ASK THE CHIEF, OR WE ASK THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, YOU HAVE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS A HATE, UH, UH, CRIMES UNIT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, UH, WHICH IS GOOD.
UH, YOU HAVE THE COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
UM, UH, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF I'M PASSING A SIGN AND THEN AN HOUR LATER I SEE SOMEBODY ROUGHING UP SOMEBODY, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OH, I'M GONNA CALL THIS PHONE NUMBER AND MR. TON CONCERN THAT I HAVE TO, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A DR.
THAT'S A, THERE, THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT TOO.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN SOMEONE IS DRIVING BY, ARE WE GONNA STOP THE TRAFFIC AND TAKE THE, TO TAKE THE NUMBER? I JUST WANNA BE, BE MINDFUL OF SAFETYNESS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE SEE THAT SIGN.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE CAN PUT SOMETHING TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT, PAUL, WE PUT SOMETHING ON OUR WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, OUR FRONT PAGE WEBSITE THAT THE GREENBERG, YOU KNOW, DOES NOT TOLERATE ANY TYPE OF, UM, UH, DISCRIMINATION.
IF YOU'LL, WE FIND THE RIGHT WORDING FOR THAT, AND WE PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE, AND THEN WE, AND THEN ONCE WE DETERMINE WHAT HOTLINE OR WHAT NUMBER CAN BE USED, WE PUT THAT RIGHT FOREFRONT OF OUR WEBSITE.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAVE TO BE MINDFUL AS WE ARE PASSING, YOU KNOW, ON THE STREET.
JUST THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING, YOU'RE PASSING THE STREET, YOU SEE THAT, THAT WE DON'T CAUSE ANY INCIDENTS UNNECESSARILY.
BUT PEOPLE, THERE'S LIKE PHONE NUMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF, UH, BUSINESSES THAT, YOU KNOW, PUT UP THESE LAWN SIGNS.
AND I SORT OF FEEL HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GO TO THE WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, NOT REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE TOWN.
THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW THEIR, THEIR RIGHTS.
AND IF YOU JUST MAKE IT VERY, VERY EASY AND CONVENIENT, IT COULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ANOTHER ACTION STEP THAT THE TOWN COULD TAKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING THROUGH THE WORDING.
BECAUSE I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FORMED THE COMMITTEE, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT LOOKING AT JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS GOOD.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ONLY ON THIS SIDE.
YOU COULD, UH, WE COULD, YOUR COMMITTEE COULD, UM, COULD CONSIDER THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS AN A FOLLOW UP, YOU KNOW, STEP, YOU KNOW, LATER, LATER ON, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, YOU COULD ORDER LAWN SIGNS OUT IN FIVE MONTHS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PUT THEM UP, BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY, YOU CAME UP WITH A, A REPORT WITH A LOT OF GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, NOW WE HAVE THE SIGNAGE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE MURAL.
AND THEN IF WE BASICALLY TELL PEOPLE WHAT, WHAT STEPS THEY COULD DO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY REALLY APPRECIATE.
SO, RICH, DO YOU KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO PRINT ON THE BACK OF A PRINT SOMETHING ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE, OF THE SIGN? LIKE THIS? YOU COULD DOUBLE FACE IT, BUT WHAT ROB DID WITH THIS SIGN IS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND IT, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT ATTACHED TO THE WOOD POST.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BOARD SEPARATE POST.
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BOTH SIDES.IT, IT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE WITH, UM, UH, A SIGN THAT CARRIES THIS, THIS POWERFUL MESSAGE WITH IT HAVING A SHORT STEM CLOSE TO THE GROUND.
UM, IS, IS IT POSSIBLE, ALTHOUGH I DO, ALTHOUGH I DO LIKE JUDITH, THAT IT SAYS, WELCOME TO GREENBERG ABOVE IT, AND THEN ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER RIGHT UNDERNEATH IT.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT, THOUGH.
I THINK THAT THE MESSAGE CAN STILL BE THE TOWN'S MESSAGE IF MM-HMM.
AND, YOU KNOW, I I ABOUT IT, WELL, ORIGINALLY, ORIGINALLY THE PLAN WAS TO HAVE IT ON THESE TWO, THE SAME, THE SAME POLES THAT THE WELCOME TO GREENBERG SIGN IS ON.
NOW THAT IT'S ON A SEPARATE POLE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU HAVE A VALID POINT.
AND, AND TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, IT CAN.
THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, STANDARD STREET SIGN.
YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD TO, WE COULD PUT TWO POSTS RATHER THAN THE ONE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD TO, I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE COULD FACE BOTH SIDES, TAKE THE, THE EXISTING GREENBERG SIGN AND PULL THE POST TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN AFFIX IT TO THE, TO THE WOOD RATHER THAN THE METAL.
IT'S BASICALLY, YOU TELL US WHAT YOU NEED AND WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE.
THANK YOU, RICH, FOR RESPONDING TO THAT QUESTION ANYTIME, JUDITH, AND FOR, FOR SHARING THE POSSIBILITY.
I HAD RAISED MY HAND BECAUSE I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.
WILL THIS SIGN BE POSTED AT THE MURAL SITE ALSO? IT CERTAINLY CAN BE.
AND I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION WITH THE MURALS.
HAVE THEY DECIDED WHICH ARTISTS WILL BE DESIGNING THE MURAL OR ADDING THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE MURAL? WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH SOME WE'RE, UM, I, ME TOO, UNDER, UNDER, UNDER THE, THE EXCELLENT, UM, GUIDANCE OF, OF SARAH BRACY WHITE.
UM, THE MURAL COMMITTEE IS A SUBCOMMITTEE, AND WE'VE BEEN MEETING EVERY WEEK, AND SHE IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF SENDING OUT AN INVITE TO, UM, TO A MEETING, UH, TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE INDICATED AN INTEREST, UM, TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR, THEIR FINE ARTS WORK.
WOULD I JUST COME, IF, IF YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH SARAH.
WELL, I'M GOING TO, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMEND KEN JONES.
HE CAME TO OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MEETING, AND HE BROUGHT UP THE POSSIBILITY OF APPLYING FOR FUNDING FOR THE MURAL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO, UM, KEN, JUDITH, AND SARAH SOMETIME TONIGHT, IF POSSIBLE, TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE FUNDING, BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVE TO MOVE VERY QUICKLY TO MAYBE APPLY ON FRIDAY FOR POSSIBLE FUNDING.
THIS APPLICATION DOES NOT REQUIRE A TOWN BOARD RESOLUTION OR ANYTHING.
IT'S A SIMPLE APPLICATION, AND IT HAS TO BE COVID RELATED.
SO I NEED TO SPEAK TO, TO THE PARTIES INVOLVED SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT.
I HAD A MEETING TODAY WITH LLOYD COURT AND OUR COMMITTEE, AND IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO SEE IF WE COULD GET FUNDING FOR THE MURAL.
SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CREATIVE HOW WE PURSUE THE MATTER.
BUT I HAVE TO THANK KEN JONES BECAUSE HE CAME TO THE MEETING AND HE PLANTED THE SEEDS IN OUR HEADS, AND WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD.
SO SOMETIME THIS EVENING, I'LL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE UP UNTIL 10 O'CLOCK TONIGHT IF WE COULD MEET TO DISCUSS IT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MOVE VERY QUICKLY.
SO, KEN, I'M KEN, I'M AVAILABLE WHEN YOU GET OUT OF, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL, ALL I CAN SAY IS GOD KNOWS WHEN THAT WILL BE, BUT
WELL, WINSTON, WE CAN TRY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH SARAH IN THE MEANTIME SO THAT SHE'S AVAILABLE AS WELL.
OH, CAN YOU REACH OUT TO JUDITH? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
HEY KEN, OR JUDITH, I THINK IT'LL BE PROBABLY, UM, IMPORTANT JUST TO SHARE WHERE THESE SIGNS ARE GOING TO BE POSTED SO PEOPLE HAVE AN IDEA WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE AROUND THE TOWN.
THE PLAN IS TO POST THEM AT THE WELCOME TO GREENBERG SIGNS.
AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE FIVE, UH, FOUR EXISTING WELCOME TO GREENBERG SIGNS AND ONE GREENBERG TOWN HALL SIGN WHERE THE SIGNS WOULD BE ERECTED, UH, AND PERHAPS AT THE MURAL SITE.
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THANK YOU.SO WE'LL TAKE THESE, IS DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'LL TAKE THESE BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND WE'LL DISCUSS THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MENTION, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANY RECOMMENDATIONS YOU MAKE.
WE'RE UP TO PARK AND RECREATION.
SO PAUL IS, YOU, WE, WE BASICALLY, UH, TALKED TWO WEEKS AGO ABOUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SENIOR CITIZENS WANTING TO, UM, UM, MEET INSIDE.
YOU KNOW, I KEEP GETTING, UH, EMAILS AND, YOU KNOW, CALLS FROM PEOPLE, UH, WHO SAID THEY'VE BEEN VACCINATED, YOU KNOW? I UNDERSTAND.
UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SPIKE AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, AND THE VARIANCE, YOU KNOW, THE COVID INCIDENCES.
SO I SORT OF UNDERSTAND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S VACCINATED.
UM, IT WOULD BE SAFER TO MEET INSIDE.
AND I JUST WANNA KNOW IF, UM, THE, THE BOARD WOULD AUTHORIZE, UM, UH, JERRY AND YOU KNOW, JERRY TO, UM, UH, HAVE LIMITED, UM, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS INSIDE FOR THE SENIORS WHO BASICALLY ARE ASKING IF THEY COULD PLAY BINGO, UM, OR, OR, OR WHATEVER.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, MY, MY WHY DON'T WE ASKING FOR, OKAY.
AND JUST WE DID SAY WE WERE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION TODAY.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS OR, WELL, WELL, JERRY, JERRY, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT SAFELY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, UM, AT ANTHONY VETERAN PARK, LIMITED TO THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED? HAVE WE ADDRESSED THAT? AND HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT.
RIGHT? HOW DO YOU, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL ON A PLAN TO SEE HOW THAT WAS GONNA WORK, AND, AND WE WERE GONNA DISCUSS IT.
I DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE ASKED TO VOTE TONIGHT.
WELL, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT VOTING.
NO, IT'S JUST, AND I, PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, BACKGROUND DOES NOT HELP.
CLEARLY IN THE HUDSON VALLEY AREA, YOU KNOW, UNLIKE MANY OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY, WE'RE NOT SEEING A DROP, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
WE READ ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE TIME WHERE, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO LET THE VIRUS, UM, AT LEAST GET AN IDEA THAT WE'RE NOT STUPID BECAUSE WE CONSTANTLY GIVE THIS, THIS VIRUS A CHANCE TO THRIVE.
AND NOW WITH THE, NOW WITH THE VACCINES, AND IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NATIONAL EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS THING GOES AWAY.
UH, I JUST DON'T, I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE MORE PATIENT MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR, UM, UM, YOUR VIEWS.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT, PAUL, BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD? 'CAUSE I, I, I JUST WANNA JUST SEE REALLY QUICK.
I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD IS NOT LOOKING TO NOT OPEN UP ANY OF THE, OF THE SITES.
'CAUSE WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE DO HAVE CAV UH, COVID FEVER, IF YOU WILL.
HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE BIG TIME.
TRUST ME, I HAVE, I I I'M SUFFERING FROM IT AS WELL.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE.
SO WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT IF WE OPEN SOMETHING UP OR WE HAVE IT AT A SMALL CAPACITY, THAT WE CAN GUARANTEE THAT NOTHING'S GOING TO BE HAP NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK THIS IS WHY WE HAVE BEEN VERY CAUTIOUS OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
'CAUSE WE JUST NEED TO ENSURE THAT, AND, AND TRUST ME, MY MOTHER OF A 13 YEAR OLD WHO IS DRIVING ME ABSOLUTELY NUTS BECAUSE HE WANTS TO GET OUT.
AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS THEIR ONLY, UM, OUTLET, IF YOU WILL.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND VERY MINDFUL FOR EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER PROTOCOLS AND
[00:30:01]
THE PROPER PLANNING IS DONE BEFORE WE JUST FLIP A SWITCH AND SAY, OKAY, EVERYBODY, OR, OR WE HAVE A CAPACITY LIMITED TO 50%, IF YOU WILL, TO HAVE EVERY COME, EVERYONE COME BACK.SO DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND EVERYONE HAVING THAT FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST NEED SOME OUTSIDE FRESH AIR, OR THEY JUST NEED TO BE AROUND SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THEIR FOUR WALLS, IF YOU WILL.
BUT IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THIS RIGHT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE SEEN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS, OF THIS PANDEMIC AND, AND IT'S NOT NICE, YOU KNOW? UM, SO WE JUST, I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING TO NOT, UM, ACCOMMODATE ANYONE, BUT WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT SAFELY AND THAT IT'S PLANNED OUT VERY WELL.
AND I ALSO, UH, WROTE TO BAUCHE'S OFFICE, UM, ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, GUIDANCE ON THIS.
I HAVEN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, HEARD, YOU KNOW, BACK YET, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN WE'VE SPENT LIKE A YEAR BEING VERY, VERY CAREFUL.
AND, UM, ALTHOUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT MANY OF US ARE VACCINATED, THERE'S LIKE A, A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO DANGER ANYMORE.
I, I DO THINK THAT, UM, THERE'S VALIDITY TO BEING A LITTLE EXTRA CAREFUL FOR A COUPLE EXTRA WEEKS OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN WHEN, UM, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WASHINGTON TELLS US THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S SAFE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE PROGRAMS. CERTAINLY, I THINK THE WAY IT'S GOING, UM, THERE'S A VERY, VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS WILL OPEN UP.
AND, AND THERE DEFINITELY ARE ACTIVITIES THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS SPONSORING THAT'S OUTDOORS, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, IS GREAT.
SO NOBODY HAS TO STAY INSIDE THEIR HOUSE AND BE ISOLATED ANYMORE.
AND WE HAVE, TERRANCE IS ORGANIZING WALKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PAVILION, AN OUTDOOR PAVILION NOW, THE PING PONG AREA, SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT COULD COME UP WITH CREATIVE IDEAS.
I JUST WANNA ADD, I JUST WANNA ADD THAT WE ARE PLANNING, UH, TO START HAVING A SENIOR PROGRAM OUTDOORS ON, ON THE PATIO BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, APRIL 19TH.
UH, BUT I ALSO WANNA JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE BE AWARE THAT THERE HAVE HAVE BEEN SOME PROGRAMS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND IN OUR BUILDINGS, UH, MORE FOR YOUTH THAT HAS BEEN MORE IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT, UH, THAT ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEE PROGRAM AT COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE HAVE A YOGA CLASS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
WE HAD A SMALL SPORTS CLASS, VERY, VERY LITTLE, VERY CONTROLLED.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONTRACT TRACING.
EVERYONE FILLS OUT A PRE-ASSESSMENT.
IT'S IN A VERY SMALL MODIFIED LEVEL.
UH, WE JUST HAVE BEEN, UH, HESITANT AND WAITING FOR TOWN BOARD DIRECTOR ON THE SENIORS 'CAUSE THEY'RE A HIGHER RISK GROUP.
AND THEN I THINK ONCE WE'RE, WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, WE'LL BE READY, UH, TO, TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN.
UH, I'M IN TOTAL, I'M IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 20 PROGRAMS FOR OUR SENIORS BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE, UH, THAT INCLUDE BUS TRIPS TO ALL DIFFERENT TYPE OF PLACES.
THEY WILL BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED ON THE BUS.
UM, MANY OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR MOTHER'S DAY, UH, EXTRAVAGANZA THAT WILL BE OUTSIDE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS PLANNED, BUT JUST AT THIS TIME WITH THE, UH, ESSENTIAL WORK CHILDREN OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS STILL IN THE BUILDING AND SOME OTHER THINGS JUST NOT READY AT THIS POINT TO BRING THEM IN, DO NOT FEEL SAFE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN SO LUCKY NOT TO HAVE, UM, ANY PERSON THAT, UM, DIRECTLY, UH, HAD COVID IN OUR BUILDING THIS FAR.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO START NOW.
SO, UM, AS MUCH AS I UNDERSTAND THEY WANT THEIR PLACE, I WILL DO MY VERY BEST TO MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME AND COMFORTABLE WHERE WE'VE GOT IT PLANNED.
AND I, I ALSO WANNA ADD ABOUT OUTDOOR UH, PROGRAMMING.
WE RECEIVED A, UH, EMAIL, UH, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE MADE A DECISION, UH, WORKING WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO, UH, REOPEN UP OUR BASKETBALL COURTS OUTDOORS.
UH, WE DID THAT EARLY LAST WEEK.
UH, ALL THE, UH, UH, COURTS ARE NOW OPEN.
WE HAVE SIGNAGE THAT IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR SMALL GROUPS, NOT PICKUP GAMES, JUST TO SHOOT AROUND.
AND, UH, SO FAR THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN VERY GOOD WITH IT.
WE ARE CONCERNED, UH, OF POSSIBLE PICKUP GAMES TAKING PLACE.
AND WHERE WE HAVE STAFF, UH, WE WILL ENFORCE THAT.
AND WE'LL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED AS THINGS PROGRESS.
[00:35:02]
IS HE MUTED? OH, HE'S NOT ON CAMERA.WE'RE UP TO THE MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOUR, UH, ATTORNEY CLIENT, UM, ISSUES AND PERSONAL MATTERS.
INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL INDIVID, UH, INVOLVING INDIVIDUALS HERE.
AND WE NOT RETURNING AND WITHOUT RETURNING TONIGHT.