[00:00:01]
WELCOME TO OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23RD, 7:30 PM AND WE'LL START WITH
[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION, ONE EIGHTH, INDIVISIBLE.
LIBERTY, LIBERTY, JUSTICE, AND JUSTICE FOR OR, AND, UM, NEXT,
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk]
THE ROLL CALL FROM THE TOWN CLERK.CAN YOU STEP IN? TIM IS, TIM IS NOT HERE EITHER.
UH, WHY DON'T WE COME BACK HERE? OKAY.
[ MOMENT OF SILENCE In memory of George Edberg, retired Highway Dept. team member, passed away May 10th. George worked thirty years with the town, he was a hard working employee who was well liked by all his coworkers. In memory of Robert Marano, Jr., retired Water Department employee, passed away this month. Rob was a very well respected and beloved town employee. In memory of LaChrista Brabham, beloved daughter of Tyrone Caver, passed away in May. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tyrone and his family. In memory of the 601,741+ individual victims of COVID-19 who have died in the United States, 3,840,223+ deaths worldwide, each leaving family members and friends too soon]
OF, UH, SILENCE AND MEMORY OF GEORGE EDBURG, A RETIRED HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT TEAM MEMBER PASSED AWAY MAY 10TH.GEORGE, UM, WORKED 30 YEARS WITH THE TOWN.
HE WAS A HARDWORKING EMPLOYEE, VERY WELL LIKED BY ALL HIS, UM, COWORKERS.
UM, HE, UM, WAS A RESIDENT OF, UH, PAULING, NEW YORK, FORMER WHITE PLAINS RESIDENT.
UM, HE WAS BORN, UM, IN, UM, WHITE PLAINS IN 1964, UM, AND ON MAY, MAY 27TH, 1995, HE MARRIED HIS WIFE, THERESA.
UM, GEORGE WORKED AS A MECHANIC FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR 30 YEARS, AND HE RETIRED IN AUGUST OF 2019.
HE SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE THERESA, HIS SON AARON, AND HIS SISTER GAIL.
UH, GEORGE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A LOVING MAN WHO IS HARDWORKING AND HE'S GONNA BE MISSED BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO, UH, KNEW HIM AND, UM, AND LIKED, LIKED HIM TREMENDOUSLY.
UH, HE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIS SON, AARON, AND, UH, SPECIAL GIRLS, UH, MO AND KAY.
UM, HE STARTED, UM, WORKING ON FEBRUARY 6TH, 1989 AT THE REPAIR, UH, SHOP OF THE TOWN.
AND WE WILL, WILL, WE'LL MISS HIM.
AND WE THANK HIM FOR HIS, UH, HIS SERVICE TO THE TOWN.
UH, ALSO IN MEMORY OF ROBERT MURANO, A JUNIOR RETIRED WATER DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE WHO PASSED AWAY, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS MONTH.
HE, ROB WAS A VERY WELL RESPECTED AND BELOVED TOWN EMPLOYEE.
HE WAS ONLY 60, UM, AND HE LIVED IN THORNWOOD, AND HE WAS BORN IN 1960 TO ROBERT AND PATRICIA MURANO IN FORT LAUDERDALE.
UM, HE WORKED, UM, IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT, UM, UM, AS A FOREMAN.
HE HAS SURVIVED BY HIS FATHER, UM, AND HIS MOTHER AND HIS DEVOTED WIFE, UH, CATHERINE.
UM, HE IS ALSO GONNA BE TREMENDOUSLY, UH, MISSED AND WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEE IN OUR TOWN.
AND ANOTHER SAD, UM, NODE MEMORY OF LIKE KRISTA ROBIN, UH, BELOVED DAUGHTER OF TYRONE, UH, COVER, UH, PASSED AWAY IN MAY.
AND OUR THREATS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH, UH, TYRO, UH, ARE WITH TYRONE AND HIS FAMILY.
UM, LIKE KRISTA WAS A BELOVED MOTHER, DAUGHTER, NIECE, AND COUSIN AND FRIEND.
SHE HAD A FANTASTIC, UM, SMILE THAT LIT UP PEOPLE'S SOULS.
SHE WAS A WONDERFUL PERSON WITH A VERY BIG PERSONALITY, AND SHE IMPACTED MANY LIVES IN MANY POSITIVE WAYS.
SHE WAS A TRUSTED FRIEND, CONFIDENT WHO GAVE, UM, POINTED ADVICE TO THOSE WHO SHE CARED ABOUT.
SHE UPLIFTED AND EMPOWERED PEOPLE, AND HER WORDS MADE EVERYTHING CLEAR.
UM, SHE WILL ALSO, UH, BE, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUSLY, UM, MISSED.
AND THOSE WHO, UH, KNEW HER WILL ALWAYS HAVE GREAT MEMORIES, UM, BEING WITH HER.
RICH, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, YOUR EMPLOYEES? YES, PLEASE, IF I COULD.
UH, FIRST, UH, GEORGE BERG, UM, THE GENTLE GIANT OF THE REPAIR SHOP, AND THEN THE SIDE SHOP, HE IS ON THE, ON THE LEFT IN THAT PICTURE.
HE WAS VERY WELL RESPECTED BY EVERYBODY IN D P W.
UM, YOU, YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR A NICER PERSON TO WORK WITH.
[00:05:02]
I, I GOTTA TELL YOU AGAIN THAT HE WAS VERY TIGHT WITH LIONEL ALSO IN, IN THE REPAIR SHOP.AND THOSE GUYS HAVE REALLY, AND GAL HAVE REALLY TOOK A HIT DOWN THERE.
UM, HE'S REALLY GONNA BE MISSED.
UM, ROBERT MURANO, UM, WHO'S IN THE RIGHT IN THIS PICTURE.
UH, HE RETIRED A FEW YEARS AGO.
HE IS ONE OF THE FOREMAN IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT.
ANYTHING YOU ASKED HIM TO DO, HE DID.
ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE, ALWAYS STOPPED TO TALK TO YOU.
VERY, UH, VERY FAMILY ORIENTED GUY.
UH, ALWAYS WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT HOW YOUR FAMILY WAS DOING.
UM, AND BOTH THESE GUYS WAY TOO EARLY, REALLY.
UH, D P W'S TAKEN A REAL HIT IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AND THEN, UM, LAST, UM, LA KRISTA, UH, DAUGHTER OF TYRONE CARVER, UH, THE CARVER FAMILY HAS BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND NOW TYRONE'S LOST HIS, HIS, UH, HIS DAUGHTER.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS GUY DOES IT.
UH, AGAIN, HE'S A, HE'S A VERY SPIRITUAL GUY, ALWAYS WILLING TO, TO LEND AN EAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, HE LOST HIS BROTHER TUBBY A FEW YEARS BACK, OR AL CARVER, UH, WHO ALSO WORKED FOR THE TOWN.
AND, UM, OUR HEARTBREAK FOR TYRONE AND HIS FAMILY, WE SEND A LITTLE LOVE TO THEM.
WELL, A MEMORY OF, UH, 602,462 PLUS INDIVIDUAL VICTIMS OF C OVID 19 HAVE DIED IN THE UNITED STATES.
3,880,450 PLUS DEATHS WORLDWIDE, EACH LEAVING FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TOO SOON.
[ UPCOMING TOWN BOARD MEETINGS: Wednesday, July 21, 2021, 8:00 PM Wednesday, Sep. 8, 2021, 7:30 PM Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, 7:30 PM Wednesday, Sep. 23, 2021, 7:30 PM ]
UPCOMING TOWN BOARD MEETINGS.JULY 21ST AT 8:00 PM UH, SEPTEMBER 8TH AT 7:30 PM UH, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11TH AT 7:30 PM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD AT 7:30 PM AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, OUR MEETINGS WILL BE, UM, HELD AT TOWN HALL RATHER THAN, UM, UH, REMOTE.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT BEGINNING OF JULY 1ST, UM, RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO, UH, TOWN HALL, UM, AND, UH, MEET WITH, UM, EMPLOYEES OR, UM, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND, AND DO BUSINESS.
AND, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE GO OVER THE GUIDELINES, UM, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN WE OPEN THE TOWN HALL TO UP TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU WANT, I, I MET TODAY, WE HAD A LUNCHEON WITH THE TOWN SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION.
MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, AT THIS POINT ARE, UM, LETTING PEOPLE, UM, MEET WITH EMPLOYEES BY APPOINTMENTS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD MAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, SENSE AT LEAST FOR THE INITIAL PERIOD.
AND JUST ON JULY 21ST, WE'RE GOING TO START THE MEETING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, SO WE'LL GO UNTIL 1130 THAT DAY.
UH, THE PLANNING BOARD HAS THE ROOM FROM FIVE O'CLOCK UNTIL 7 45.
SO, SO WOULD WE SAY, UM, IS IT THE CONSENSUS THAT, UM, UH, BEGINNING WITH THE NEXT TOWN BOARD MEETING ON JULY 21ST, THAT ALL OUR MEETINGS WILL BE HELD, UM, IN PERSON, THE BUILDING? LET'S SEE WHAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S RUMOR, BUT LET'S, LET'S WHY.
[ PRESENTATIONS Ardsley Scout Troop 3 - Video Presentation Honoring Charlie Grey Sr. (Sanitation) and Chuck Pateman IV (Highway), upon their retirement after for more than 30 years of service to our residents Honoring Mary Kathrun MK Blazek for setting up the operations of the COVID ANGELS Program and for her leadership efforts during LGBTQ Month in Greenburgh Shirley Roberts - Book Release Tourette Awareness Month - Alexandra Cuttler Sustainable Westchester - Paul Presendieu/Community Choice Aggregation Program Update]
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY, UM, THANKING CHARLES GRAY AND CHUCK PATEMAN UPON THEIR RETIREMENT FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS.BOTH, UM, CHARLIE AND CHUCK HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL, UH, TOWN EMPLOYEES, UM, VERY HARDWORKING, VERY, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED.
AND, UM, Y IF YOU, YOU ASKED ME TO THINK OF ONE THING, ONE THING TO CRITICIZE, UM, I, MY MIND WOULD GO BLANK BECAUSE THEY BOTH ARE JUST EXCEPTIONAL.
UM, EMPLOY, WE'RE EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES, EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVANTS, AND TERRIFIC PEOPLE.
UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR THEM.
AND RICH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? I ABSOLUTELY WOULD.
I'LL START WITH, UH, CHARLIE GRAY, SR.
UH, CHARLIE GRAY, SPENT 35 YEARS WITH THE TOWN OF GREENBERG IN THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT.
HE, UH, BASICALLY SPENT HIS WHOLE ADULT LIFE, UH, WORKING FOR THE TOWN.
HE IS NOW RESIDENT CHARLIE GRAY.
UM, HE LIVES IN GREENBURG, RIGHT BEHIND TOWN HALL.
[00:10:02]
THERE WAS NOTHING YOU WOULD ASK HIM THAT HE COULDN'T DO OR WOULDN'T DO.UM, GREAT, GREAT PERSON, GREAT BOSS.
UH, HE WAS ONE OF THE FOREMAN IN THE, THE, UH, SANITATION DEPARTMENT.
THIS GUY KNEW THE TOWN, KNOWS THE TOWN BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE, UH, TWO OF HIS SONS, ALSO GREENBERG RESIDENTS WORKING WITH US, CHAD GRAY OF THE E R B AND, UH, CHARLIE GRAY JR.
UH, AGAIN, THE APPLE DIDN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.
THESE GUYS ARE, ARE REALLY HARD WORKERS.
THEY REALLY TAKE AFTER THEIR FATHER AND THEIR, THEIR LOVE FOR THE TOWN AND HOW IT WORKED HARD.
UM, AND THEN YOU GOT CHARLES PEYMAN IRVINGTON RESIDENT, FOURTH GENERATION GREENBERG.
UM, THIS GUY WAS THE GENERAL FOREMAN OF THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
HE CAME UP, UM, FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE RANKS, ROSE UP, UH, FOR MANY YEARS.
HE WAS THE CHIEF SHOP STEWARD OF THE TEAMSTERS.
AND, UH, ALWAYS HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF EVERY EMPLOYEE DOWN THERE.
HE ALWAYS WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP THESE GUYS OUT.
UH, I, I, I CAN'T TELL YOU, I MEAN, HE WOULD GO TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND, UM, TRY IF THERE WAS A SITUATION, ALWAYS THERE, REAL TEAMMATE FOR THE TOWN.
UH, HE PUT 30 YEARS INTO THE TOWN.
UM, HE'S NOW RETIRED, AND ALSO A CITIZEN, UM, OF GREENBERG.
UM, ONE THING I WANNA MENTION ABOUT BOTH THESE GENTLEMEN, WHEN THERE WERE STORMS, EVEN THOUGH CHARLIE WORKED FOR SANITATION, HE WORKED THE HIGHWAY DURING THE SNOWSTORMS. SO WHEN EVERYBODY WAS HOME, YOU KNOW, BUCKLED IN, WHEN WE HAD THOSE HEAVY STORMS, THESE GUYS WOULD BE HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, 30, 40 PLUS HOURS CLEANING UP THE TOWN, MAKING EVERYBODY SAFE.
UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RETIREMENTS IN THE D P W, UM, ONE OF WHICH THESE GUYS ALL THE BEST HEALTH AND HAPPINESS TO THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR RETIREMENT.
UM, I'M SURE WE'LL SEE 'EM AROUND SOON.
UM, AND AS I SAID TO FRANCIS EARLIER, UH, YOU KNOW, DURING THE COVID WE LOST, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE RETIRE.
WE REALLY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING, UH, DURING THOSE TIMES.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO SET SOMETHING UP, POSSIBLY IN THE FALL TO HONOR, UM, THESE RETIREES, UM, IN A PROPER WAY.
SO I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR TIME.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO THANK THESE GENTLEMEN BOTH.
UM, UM, IT CHA OR CHARLIE HERE? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
PAUL, WE ARE GONNA DO SOMETHING IN THE FALL.
UM, NEXT, UM, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE, UM, VIDEO PRESENTATION FROM ARDSLEY SCOUT, TROOP THREE, A VIDEO PRESENTATION, AND, UM, THEY'RE DOING AMAZING THINGS.
DOES SOMEBODY WANNA INTRODUCE IT OR IS THAT THE INTRODUCTION? UM, UM, SO ME AND TRISTAN ARE BOTH FROM, MY NAME IS ANTHONY AND I'M FROM LEY SCOUTS, TRO THREE.
AND SO WE PUT TOGETHER A VIDEO ON THE, UM, WHY WE SUPPORT THE FOOD PANTRY AND WHY WE HELP PEOPLE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MICHAEL, THE SCOUT MASTER OF R 2 2 3.
TODAY, SAY A FEW WORDS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTICIPATION.
THE ONLY ON THIS PART IS, IS LOWER OUR SPONSORING ORGANIZATION, ARTS AND METHODIST CHURCH.
HI, MY NAME IS SPENCER, AND I'M HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FOOD DRIVE BECAUSE A LOT OF FAMILIES HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, UH, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, AND THAT HAS MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
AND I THINK IT, UH, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM, UH, HELP THEMSELVES AND FEED THEMSELVES IN PARTICIPATING IN A COMMUNITY SERVICE POSITIVELY OF THE DO STORY FOOD PANTRY MAKES ME HAPPY AND OTHER PEOPLE HAPPY DO STORY.
FOOD PANTRY CAN ALSO SERVE MORE PEOPLE THAN I CAN.
THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS WHENEVER YOU DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS, YOU ALWAYS GET SOMETHING BACK IN RETURN.
ONE THING I LEARNED IN SOCIAL STUDIES WAS THAT IN HINDUISM, TO REACH THE CONCEPT OF HEAVEN AND HINDUISM, YOU HAVE TO, TO, ONE THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS DO YOUR DHARMA AND GET GOOD KARMA.
DOING YOUR DHARMA MEANS YOU DO YOUR, YOU DO GOOD THINGS, AND YOU DO YOUR GOOD
[00:15:01]
DS.AND THE KARMA PART IS WHENEVER YOU DO THOSE GOOD THINGS, YOU GET SOMETHING GOOD BACK TO YOU.
IN RETURN, I'M HAPPY WE COULD COLLECT AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO THE PEOPLE OF WESTCHESTER, AND I HOPE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A FOOD DRIVE TWO DAYS AGO.
A I MUST PERFORM THESE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IN THE SCOUT LAW, I THINK A SCOUT MUST BE KIND.
AND WE ARE KIND WHEN WE HELP THE POOR AND EATING BY DISTRIBUTING AND PACKAGING, UH, FOOD FOR THEM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THESE ACTIVITIES.
IN THESE TESTING TIMES DURING THE PANDEMIC, A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO HAVE THREE PROPER MEALS A DAY.
OUR FOOD DRIVE ENSURES THAT THERE'S FOOD ON EVERY FAMILY'S TABLE.
ADDITIONALLY, PURCHASING FOOD FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR THIS FOOD DRIVE HELPS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY THRIVING.
AS A BOY SCOUT, I'M GLAD TO HAVE PLAYED MY SMALL PART IN HELPING THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE ESPECIALLY DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS, IT'S BEEN HARDER AND HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO GET IMPORTANT NECESSITIES, LIKE FOOD AND WATER.
THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, IT'S GREAT BECAUSE WE GET TO DONATE FOOD TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED.
I'M GLAD TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE TO HELP SUPPORT THE LESS FORTUNATE.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US SCOUTS TO DO THE FOOD DRIVE BECAUSE WE GET TO HELP THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY NOW DURING C O V I D.
A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS OR MIGHT NOT HAVE FOOD TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US SCOUTS TO, UM, TO GIVE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HUNGRY AND NEED FOOD, UM, THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED TO LIVE.
I THINK WE NEED THE FOOD DRIVE BECAUSE IT HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED OF FOOD, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID.
OVER, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT THE SCOUTS.
IT'S NOT OVER OF THOSE THINGS.
IF YOU FEEL LIKE HAPPINESS IS THE TRUTH, WHAT? HAPPINESS, WHAT YOU, NO OFFENSE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU BRING ME DOWN.
BRING ME DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.
THE WHAT? LIKE, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANNA DO.
[00:20:03]
DOWN.LIKE, YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE HAPPINESS IS THE TRUTH.
WHAT? LIKE, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.
AND THE SCOUTS ARE REALLY A GREAT ACE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, YEAH, I SAW THEM A FEW DAYS AGO AND, UH, WHEN THEY HAVE THE DRIVE, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO HELP THE HUNGRY.
UM, AND THE SARY FOOD PANTRY IS A VERY WORTHY CAUSE.
REALLY GREAT WHAT OUR YOUTH ARE DOING.
NEXT, UM, DO WE HAVE, UH, MK BLAZEK HERE YET? I BELIEVE SO.
UH, EARLIER TODAY, UM, WE HONORED, UM, UH, MARY, UM, UH, CATHERINE, UH, BLAZE, ALSO KNOWN AS MK FOR SETTING UP THE OPERATIONS OF THE COVID ANGELS PROGRAM AND FOR HER LEADERSHIP.
UM, DURING, UM, THE COVID ANGELS, UM, UM, THE CO THE COVID, YOU KNOW, CRISIS, I'VE, UH, WORKED WITH MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS, BUT I COULD SAY WITHOUT ANY EXAGGERATION THAT MK IS THE BEST ORGANIZER I'VE EVER, UH, MET IN MY, MY LIFE.
UM, SHE, UM, SET UP THE FOUNDATIONS, YOU KNOW, WORKING, UM, CAROL, CAROL ALLEN, AND OTHERS, UH, THAT ENABLED US TO, UH, HAVE OVER A FEW HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS AND HELP VACCINATE, UM, OVER, UM, OVER 4,000, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM GREENBURG.
UM, SO MK IS VERY, VERY DESERVING OF, UM, OF THIS HONOR.
UM, SHE IS AN OUTSTANDING RESIDENT OF, OF THE TOWN, AND I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UM, UH, SHE, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE L G B T Q, UM, FIRST ANNUAL FLAIR GRAZING CEREMONY.
UM, UH, TODAY, UM, TODAY'S THIS MONTH IS, UM, L G B, UH, IS PRIDE MONTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA HONOR MK FOR JUST BEING AN EXCEPTIONAL AND TERRIFIC PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING US.
AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, DURING THE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY, IF YOU EVER, UM, TRIED MOVING OUT OF HERE, UM, WE WOULD, UH, ASK THE POLICE TO, UH, SURROUND YOUR HOUSE AND PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR SUPPORT DURING PRIDE.
UH, IT'S, UH, EXTRAORDINARY TO BE PART OF A COMMUNITY THAT, UH, WORKED SO HARD TO BE INCLUSIVE.
AND I PARTICULARLY WANTED TO THANK YOU FRANCIS AND GINA, FOR BEING THERE TODAY.
IT WAS LOVELY TO MEET YOU BOTH.
AND, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO HELP KICK OFF WHAT WILL HOPEFULLY BECOME AN ANNUAL PRIDE EVENT HERE IN GREENBURG.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE ANGELS COMMITTEE THAT HELPED MAKE THIS SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY THING.
I WAS SO PLEASED THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAME OUT IN SUCH FORCE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
I THINK IT'S, UH, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT LIBBY IN GREENBERG.
UM, NEXT, UM, WE ARE VERY, VERY, UM, FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VERY EXCEPTIONAL, UM, UM, RESIDENT OF OUR TOWN WHO, UM, RECENTLY WROTE A BOOK.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK SHIRLEY ROBERTS TO, UH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER BOOK.
IT'S A PLEASURE OF BEING HERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF GREENBURG FOR THE LAST 37 YEARS.
AND ALSO JUST TWO YEARS AGO, I RETIRED FROM MONROE COLLEGE AS AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR.
[00:25:01]
STARTED WRITING BOOKS.AND I THOUGHT I WOULD REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE BOOK IS CALLED, THIS IS THE BOOK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD SEE IT, BUT THE BOOK IS CALLED, UM, HE CALLS THEM BLESSED RAISING CHILDREN TO IMPACT THE WORLD THAT THEY LIVE IN.
AND AS A SPIRITUAL WOMAN, AS A CHRISTIAN WOMAN, TO ME, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT EACH PARENT KNOWS WHAT THE GIFT, THE GIFTS AND ABILITIES THAT HAS BEEN PLACED IN, IN CHILDREN.
BECAUSE ALL OF US ARE GIFTED, ALL OF US HAVE GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED IN US.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND IF I JUST TAKE ONE MINUTE JUST TO READ SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE BACK OF THE BOOK THAT SAYS, PARENTS ENCOUNTER NUMEROUS CHALLENGES IN NURTURING THE LATENT GIFTS, TALENT, AND ABILITIES WITHIN THEIR CHILDREN.
THESE CHALLENGES INCLUDE INSTILL THE TEAM INSTILLING OF KNOWLEDGE, SPIRITUAL GROWTH, CORE VALUES, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY.
AS CHILDREN DEVELOP, THEY REQUIRE THE NECESSARY TRAINING NEEDED TO ACTIVATE THEIR GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL.
ONCE ACTIVATED, THESE QUALITIES HELP US ALL TO UNDERSTAND THE PROFOUND REVELATIONS OF RIGHT, LEFT UNTOUCHED OR UNDEVELOPED.
THE CHILD CAN DEVELOP INTO A PERSON WITH UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL AND UNREALIZED POSSIBILITIES.
THE PAGES WITHIN THIS BOOK ARE FILLED WITH STORIES, EXAMPLES, AND LESS MATURE TO IGNITE A PASSIONATE PARENTS TO LOOK DEEPER AND FIND THE HIDDEN TREASURES, NOT ONLY WITHIN THEIR CHILDREN, BUT ALSO WITHIN THEMSELVES, RESULTING IN RAISING CHILDREN WHO POSITIVELY IMPACT WHERE THEY LIVE.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE BOOK, YOU CAN GO ON BARNES IN NOBLE, UM, AND ALSO AMAZON IT'S CALLED, AND THE BOOK IS CALLED, HE CALLS THE BLESSING, RAISING CHILDREN TO IMPACT THE WORLD THAT THEY LIVE IN.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL CHECK THIS BOOK OUT.
DID YOU BACK THE, DID YOU BACK THE, THE BOOK AWAY FROM THE CAMERA? A LITTLE BIT.
OH, CAN YOU? NO, I IT'S HER CAMERA.
SHE HAS, SHE HAS THAT THING ON THE BACKGROUND THAT, UH, SCREEN ON THE BACKGROUND, THAT BLUR.
SO THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T SEE THE BOOK.
PUT PUT IT WHERE YOUR FACE IS AND I'LL, WHERE MY FACE IS.
AND THEN COME CLOSER TO THE CAMERA.
MS. MS. ROBERTS, WHY DON'T YOU SEND US A PICTURE OF THE, OF THE COVER OF THE BOOK AND WE CAN TRY TO GET IT OUT.
WHY DON'T WE DO THAT FOR YOU? THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.
NEXT, UH, DO WE HAVE, UH, ALEXANDRA, UH, CUTLER.
UH, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE, UM, UM, A YOUNG WOMAN, ALEXANDRA, UM, CUTLER, WHO HAS APPEARED BEFORE THE TOWN BOARD IN, IN THE PAST.
AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA TELL, OH, IT'S ABOUT A SPECIAL EVENT THAT YOU, UH, WERE PART OF.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, AND ESPECIALLY TO MR. FINER FOR PRESENTING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M IN 11TH GRADE, AND I LIVE IN GREENBURG.
I HAVE TOURETTE SYNDROME OR TSS, WHICH IS A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER, WHICH CAUSES MOTOR AND VOCAL TICS.
THESE ARE MOVEMENTS OR SOUNDS THAT YOUR BODY MAKES THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL.
IMAGINE TRYING TO HOLD IN A SNEEZE.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HOLD BACK A TICK.
THESE TICKS, WAX AND WANE, MEANING THAT THEY CAN GET BETTER OR WORSE.
I'M 17 YEARS OLD, AND JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, I NEVER DREAMED THAT I WOULD REACH THE POINT WHERE I AM TODAY.
I HAD SEVERE TICKS, WHICH CAUSED ME TO MAKE A SCREECHING SOUND EVERY OTHER SECOND.
MY TICK CAUSED MY RIB CAGE TO COLLAPSE, CAUSING BREATHING ISSUES AND MY INNER EAR CRYSTALS TO BE KNOCKED LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED BALANCE ISSUES AND MANY ANKLE SPRAINS.
BY FINDING THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF HELPFUL THERAPIES, MEDICATIONS, AND SPECIALISTS, MY SYMPTOMS HAVE WANED.
AND I'M NOW IN A BETTER PLACE.
AND BACK IN SCHOOL, I'M LEARNING TO DRIVE A CAR.
I HANG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS AND I'M AN ALL AROUND NORMAL TEENAGER.
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TRT SYNDROME FIVE YEARS AGO AFTER VISITING MULTIPLE SPECIALISTS AND AFTER SEVERAL MISDIAGNOSES, I PRESCRIBED DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS THAT HAD NO IMPACT ON MY SYMPTOM.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL ONE OF MY DOCTORS HOSTED A CONFERENCE CALL WITH ALL MY MEDICAL PROVIDERS THAT I WAS BATTED TO THE RIGHT DOCTOR FOR A DIAGNOSIS.
I WAS THRILLED TO HAVE RECEIVED THIS DIAGNOSIS BECAUSE NOW MY PROBLEM HAD A NAME
[00:30:01]
AND I COULD FIND A WAY TO HELP MYSELF UNDER THE A D A OR THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.THOSE WITH THE DIAGNOSIS OF TOURETTE ARE PROTECTED, AND THEY HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS ANY OTHER PERSON.
THOUGH THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY'RE TREATED WITH THE SAME RESPECT AND COURTESY AS ANYONE ELSE.
THEY ALSO FACE CHALLENGES WITH BEING ACCEPTED AMONGST OTHERS.
AND THIS CAN CAUSE ISOLATION AND DEPRESSION.
THERE WERE TIMES THAT I WAS BULLIED BY RANDOM STRANGERS ON THE STREET BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MY TIPS.
ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL MEMORIES I HAVE TOOK PLACE WHEN I WAS WALKING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AND A WOMAN WHO WAS TALKING ON THE PHONE CALLED ME A RETARD.
A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE UNEDUCATED, AND MY GOAL IS TO EDUCATE THEM AND ERASE THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH TOURETTE SO THAT OTHERS DON'T HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES I DID.
I'M A YOUTH AMBASSADOR FOR THE TOURETTE ASSOCIATION OF THE AMERICA, AND A BIG BUDDY TO A YOUNGER KID WITH TOURETTE.
MY GOAL IS TO FOSTER AWARENESS AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND TEACH OTHERS NOT ONLY TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES, BUT TO EMBRACE WHO THEY ARE, EVEN WITH THEIR DIAGNOSIS.
I WANNA HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND WHAT TSS IS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THOSE WHO HAVE IT AND THOSE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THEM.
TOURETTE AFFECTS ONE OUT OF EVERY 160 SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, AND ONE IN 100 CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED BY A TICK DISORDER.
WE RECENTLY LET THE MARIO CUOMO BRIDGE TE FOR THE START OF TOURETTE AWARENESS MONTH.
THIS WAS ONLY POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE HELP OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPECIALLY THANK MR. FINDER FOR HIS GUIDANCE IN HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS.
IT'S NOW AN ANNUAL EVENT, AND GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS ISSUED A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THREAT AWARENESS MONTH.
THREAT AWARENESS MONTH TAKES PLACE FROM MAY 15TH THOUSAND 15TH, AND PROVIDES A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH AMBASSADORS LIKE MYSELF TO RAISE AWARENESS.
THE ACTIONS WE TAKE TO RAISE AWARENESS MATTER.
AND IF ONE PERSON BENEFITS FROM LEARNING ABOUT TOURETTE, OR HAS HELPED TO FIND THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS, THEN WE CAN CONSIDER OUR MISSION SUCCESSFUL.
RECEIVING HELP AND SUPPORT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS A FAMILY WITH TOURETTE DIAGNOSIS CAN ASK FOR.
AND THAT SUPPORT COMES TO MANY IN OUR AREA FROM THE TOURETTE ASSOCIATION, NEW YORK HUDSON VALLEY CHAPTER.
WITHOUT THEM, MY FAMILY AND I WOULD'VE BEEN LOST TRYING TO NAVIGATE AND ADAPT TO OUR NEW NORMAL.
AND YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU AT THIS POINT.
THERE IS NO CURE FOR TOURETTE, NOR DO WE KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT, THOUGH WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT.
HOWEVER, WE DO KNOW THAT THOSE WITH TOURETTE MUST LIVE WITH IT EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES.
ONE CONSTANT IS THAT IT WILL ALWAYS CHANGE.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, AND THANK YOU.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALWAYS BEEN A REAL INSPIRATION EVER SINCE I'VE KNOWN YOU.
AND, UM, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT FUTURE AHEAD OF YOU.
YOU AND YOU REALLY, UM, ARE INSPIRING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HOPE TO, UM, UH, ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION AND YOUR GOALS IN LIFE? I'M GOING TO BE A SENIOR AT ARDSLEY HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, AND AFTER THAT, I AM GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE TO BECOME A SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWYER SO THAT I CAN HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
AND I WANNA LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE, UM, ESPECIALLY KIDS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE HELP AND THE CARE THAT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR A GOOD FUTURE.
AND I HOPE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE, UM, SENDING OUT YOUR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, UH, YOU'LL CONSIDER, UH, ASKING ME TO WRITE A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU BECAUSE OH, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WOULD DEFINITELY WANNA WRITE LIKE A GLOWING RECOMMENDATION.
I PERSONALLY THINK ANY COLLEGE THAT DOESN'T SELECT YOU IS MAKING A VERY, VERY BIG MISTAKE.
SO, UM, AND I'LL MENTION THAT TO THEM.
SO JUST PUT ME DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL WRITE AS MANY LETTERS AS AS YOU WANT.
AND, UH, WHAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY SCHOOLS THAT YOU'RE, UH, THINKING ABOUT? UH, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SCHOOLS LIKE BINGHAMTON, SYRACUSE, AND TULANE.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE HIGH LAW SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE RATES.
SO YOU CONTINUE TO SPREAD AWARENESS, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WERE, MADE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE AND MAYBE POSSIBLY BULLIED, BULLIED YOU IN THE PAST.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TAKING A STANCE LIKE THAT AND TAKING SOMETHING THAT CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR YOU AND TAKING IT TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND CHANGE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, THAT IS COMMENDABLE SOLES, OODLES TO YOU.
WELL, IT'S BECAUSE I'M GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS AND PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO LISTEN THAT I'M ABLE TO DO WHAT I CAN.
YOU, YOU KEEP, YOU KEEP PUSHING FORWARD.
[00:35:01]
YOU KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY LISTENS.I, I ALSO ADMIRE THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU WERE GE EXPLAINING THE, UH, THE INCIDENT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, AND CLEARLY IT BROUGHT BACK EMOTIONS, UH, YOU DIDN'T, YOU DIDN'T ATTACK THE PERSON WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, BEING MEAN TO YOU.
YOU SAID THE PERSON WASN'T EDUCATED ENOUGH IN TOURETTE'S.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE SET OUT TO DO, THAT MY MOTHER AND I ACTUALLY TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THEM IN THAT MOMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, SO YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING TEACHABLE MOMENTS, UH, JUST BY YOU BEING YOU, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
WE DEFINITELY HAVE EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR, UM, IN OUR TOWN.
I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT ON MAC.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE SIRI IN THIS MEETING, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO A SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
SO PAUL, TO, UM, COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION PROGRAM UPDATE FROM SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
UM, BEFORE I START MY PRESENTATION, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT THIS IS A SURREAL MOMENT.
I KNOW SUPERVISOR FINDER FROM MY TIME AT WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS A STUDENT WHERE HE WAS AN ACADEMIC PROFESSOR FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, YEAH, I, I TAUGHT A CLASS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND UM, UM, SOME STUDENTS ACTUALLY PAID ATTENTION.
YOU WERE, YOU WERE ONE OF THE SMARTEST, UH, STUDENTS, UH, UM, THAT I, YEAH, I ONLY DID ONE CLASS, UH, A SEMESTER.
BUT YOU WERE DEFINITELY AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST FOR PROFESS, UH, UH, SORRY, I JUST CALLED YOU PROFESSOR FIDER, SUPERVISOR FIDER.
YOU AC YOU ACTUALLY ASSISTED ME.
I READ FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT SENATE AND YOU LET ME TALK TO THE STUDENTS IN FRONT OF THE CLASS.
AND, YOU KNOW, STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ARE VERY LOW TURNOUT, SO BEING ABLE TO TALK TO 20 STUDENTS, IT REALLY HELPED OUT AND, UH, HELPED ME BECOME A STRONGER TRANSFER STUDENT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU CONTINUE TO UPLIFT STUDENTS LIKE YOU JUST DID FOR ALEXANDRA, BECAUSE THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW YOUR SUPERVISOR BACK THEN, BUT YOU'RE DOING AMAZING WORK AND, UM, AS I WAS INCLUDING ALL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ON THE TOWN COUNCIL.
SO, UM, AM I ALLOWED TO SHARE MY SCREEN TO ACCESS THE PRESENTATION OR? SURE, YEAH.
AND, UM, ALRIGHT, SO, HELLO EVERYONE.
I AM THE OUTREACH COORDINATOR FOR SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A, AN UPDATE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE, THE TOWN OF GREENBERG'S COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION.
UM, GIVEN THESE UPDATES AS, AS PART OF THIS, OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONS, WHERE WE HAD TO MAKE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS TO LET RESIDENTS KNOW HOW PROGRESS IS GOING IN COMPARISON TO YOUR GOALS AS A CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITY, OR THE GOALS OF THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT HAS PASSED IN 2019.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, UM, SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER IS A NON-PROFIT CONSORTIUM OF 44 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ACCESSIBILITY IN, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGY.
UH, WE ARE A NONPROFIT TO ALLOW A LITTLE BIT OF INDEPENDENCE FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT BECAUSE AS YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WITH TRANSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP ON THE COUNTY LEVEL, THAT SOMETIMES CREATES A, A TRANSITION IN HAVING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY AS A PRIORITY WITH SOME OF THE NUMEROUS ISSUES THE COUNTY FACES.
SO, US BEING AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT REALLY ALLOWS US TO HAVE AN AUTHENTIC COMMITMENT TO OUR MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE TOWN OF GREENBURG IN, IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMMING AND IN ACCESSIBILITY TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.
UM, OUR PROGRAMS, WE OFFER NUMEROUS PROGRAMS, OBVIOUSLY IN COMMUNITY ENERGY.
WE ARE HERE ABOUT OUR WESTCHESTER POWER PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS MUNICIPALITIES WITH ESTABLISHING COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATIONS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE PROGRAMMING IN COMMUNITY SOLAR, WHICH ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO ACCESS THE BENEFITS OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY ON THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT TO REALLY HAVE THIS BEING ACCESSIBLE TO RESIDENTS OF ALL SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS OF SOCIETY.
UM, ALSO PROGRAMS IN ELECTRIFICATION SOLUTIONS, ENERGY SMART HOMES LETS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU COULD DO WITHIN YOUR OWN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY AND ALSO PROGRAMS IN, UM, CLEAN TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WAYS THAT RESIDENTS COULD BE ABLE TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT ANY CARBON EMISSIONS.
ALSO, PROGRAMS AND GRID EFFICIENCIES SUCH AS GRID REWARDS, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO TRACK YOUR, YOUR, UH, ENERGY USE THROUGHOUT THE MONTHLY UTILITY CYCLE PERIOD.
[00:40:01]
POWER PLANT, WHICH ALSO ALSO GIVES YOU MORE E OVERSIGHT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON YOUR, ON YOUR GRID IN A TOTAL.AND ALSO, WE WOULDN'T BE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IF YOU DIDN'T, UM, HAVE PROGRAMMING ON ZERO WASTE, ZERO WASTE PROGRAMMING TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR, UM, MANAGEMENT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE SOLID WASTE STREAM TO SUPPORT YOUR PART, UM, PARTNERS AND LEADERS WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND ALSO PROGRAMMING IN, UM, IN RECYCLING LITERACY SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW WHAT'S RECYCLABLE, WHAT'S NOT, AND ALSO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM, UM, A SCHEDULE OF THEIR, OF THEIR MUNICIPALITIES RECYCLING, UM, UH, A PROGRAM ON THEIR SMARTPHONE ON A, SO THEY CAN ACCESS IT ON A MOBILE DEVICE.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, UH, JUST TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY ENERGY PROGRAMMING, IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN REGARDS TO THINGS THAT WE HAVE REALIZED DUE TO COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND OUR URGENCY OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS COMMUNITY, UM, HAVE, UM, RENEWABLE ENERGY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE AT AN EQUITABLE RATE BY LEVERAGING MUNICIPAL POPULATIONS.
UM, THIS HELPS US WITH BEATING CHA, UH, MADE THE CHALLENGES OF THE NEW YORK STATE AND, AND NATIONAL CLIMATE GOALS AND PUTTING POWER IN THE HANDS OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AT AN AFFORDABLE RATE TO GIVE THEM CONTROL OVER THEIR CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.
AND THIS REALLY ALLOWS US TO REALLY ACCESS THE BROAD RATE, BROADER RANGE OF RESIDENTS AND OFFER A ROBUST PATHWAY TO GRE RESILIENT AND HEALTHIER LOCAL ECONOMIES, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE WESTCHESTER POWER PROGRAM IS REALLY GIVING RESIDENTS CONTROL OVER THEIR ENERGY USE, UM, OVER THEIR LOCAL ENERGY GRID.
COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE A RENEWABLE ENERGY OPTION FOR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE CON EDISON AS A DEFAULT SUPPLY.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCESS NEW YORK STATE HYDROPOWER AT A MORE EQUITABLE RATE, LEVERAGING YOUR MUNICIPAL POPULATION THAN FOR RESIDENT WHERE TO GO TO THE, UM, GUESS NEW YORK STATE POWER TO CHOOSE RED, UH, WEBSITE AND BE ABLE TO, AND OR TO SOLICIT PRICING FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY ON THEIR OWN.
AND THROUGH THIS WESTCHESTER POWER PROGRAM, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE ELECTRICITY IN THE BULK FOR RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE ABLE TO PROACTIVELY WORK WITH LEADERS AND GOVERNMENTS SUCH AS YOURSELVES TO SET THE CRITERIA FOR SUPPLIES.
WE CAN REALLY SET THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, THAT BARRIER OF WHERE THE PRICE TIDE CANNOT EXCEED IN REGARDS TO KILOWATT PER HOUR FOR RESIDENTS.
AND ALSO EDUCATE AND ADVOCATE RESIDENTS ON CLEAN ENERGY, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO RESIDENTS CAN KNOW HOW TO READ THEIR BILL, HOW TO REALLY, UM, KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY WAYS THEY CAN LOWER THEIR ENERGY USE.
AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH LEADERS IN GOVERNMENTS SUCH AS YOURSELF, TO REALLY HELP WITH THE TOWN'S OVERALL ENERGY USE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, POSITIONING, UM, UM, THE TOWN AND, UM, MUNICIPALITIES FOR CERTIFICATIONS AND GRANTS BEING THE CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITIES AND CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT 'CAUSE IT ALLOWS TOWNS TO REALLY ACCESS GRANT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO TRANSCEND SOME OF THE ECONOMIC BARRIERS THAT MUNICIPALITIES FACE TO MEET SOME OF THE NEW YORK STATE AND INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE GOALS.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, WE, WE HAVE 28 MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION PROGRAM THROUGH WESTCHESTER POWER.
THIS INCLUDES THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE.
AND THIS ALLOWS US TO GIVE SUPPLY TO 115,000 RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE CITY OF YONKERS IS GOING TO BE JOINING US VERY SHORTLY IN THE FALL, WHICH WILL BE OUR 29 MUNICIPALITY, WHICH IS GONNA BE REALLY GREAT 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE LARGEST CITY IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, PART OF OUR STRONG COALITION.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, WE HAVE BEEN DOING REALLY GREAT ON A COUNTY LEVEL, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG HAS BEEN DOING.
UM, SO FAR, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG HAS OFFSET 8,000, UM, 2, 278 METRIC TONS.
CARBON DIOXIDE, WHICH IS A, WHICH IS A LOT OF C O TWO FOR THOSE OF YOU MAY NOT, MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW.
UM, METRIC TON IS IS EQUIVALENT TO 2,200 POUNDS.
SO THIS IS A LOT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
AND, UM, REALLY, UM, I I REALLY TIP MY HAT TO THE LEADERSHIP OF TOWN OF GREENBURG WITH, WITH, UM, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION.
THIS IS THE EQUIVALENCY OF TAKING UP THAT 1,800 CARS OFF THE ROAD FOR ONE YEAR IN THE PLANNING OF 1 130 6,590 TREE SEEDLINGS OVER THE SPAN OF 10 YEARS, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.
THIS IS A E P A CALCULATOR THAT ALLOWS US TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FIND EQUIVALENCIES THROUGH METRIC TONS.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY GREAT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
UM, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATIONS THROUGH WESTCHESTER POWER IS BEING POWERED RIGHT NOW BY NEW YORK STATE HYDROPOWER, WHICH A HUNDRED PERCENT EMISSION FREE.
AND THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF IMAGE, UH, A COUPLE OF LISTINGS OF SOME OF THE TOWNS THAT HAVE THESE HYDROPOWER, UM, FACILITIES IS LITTLE FALLS WATERTOWN FOR THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THIS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UM, PICTURES AT THE BOTTOM, WHICH KIND OF SHOWS THAT OUR SUPPORTING OF THIS HYDROPOWER DOESN'T IMPACT THE PRESERVATION OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE TOWNS THAT ARE GENERATING THIS ENERGY SUPPLY FOR US, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.
YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE IMAGES LOOK REALLY, THEY LOOK GREAT AND IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER THAN IF WE WERE TO SET UP A FOSSIL FUEL OR FRACKING PLANT OR OIL REFINERY IN THESE AREAS.
[00:45:01]
WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING, UM, MUNICIPALITIES WITH THE PRESERVATION OF THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES AND NATURAL BEAUTY.QUICK, UM, QUICK RUN THROUGH OF THE BENEFITS OF THE WESTCHESTER POWER PROGRAM.
WE'RE A VETTED COMMUNITY PROGRAM BY US BEING A NONPROFIT, NOT AN ESCO, WHICH IS AN ENERGY SERVICE COMPANY.
OUR PROGRAMS ARE MUNICIPALLY VETTED THROUGH MUNICIPAL LEADERS SUCH AS YOURSELF.
UM, RESIDENTS CAN RETAIN THE CHOICE TO STAY IN THE CHIEF C C A OR RETURN TO THE UTILITY AT ANY TIME.
THEY CAN OPT OUT AND RETURN TO CON AS A DEFAULT SUPPLY WITH NO FEES OR PENALTIES.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN DO AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY, ANY TIME OF THE DAY, ANY TIME OF THE YEAR.
AND, UM, THEY, THEY'RE FREE TO SHOOT, THEY'RE FREE TO GO AND THEY'RE ALSO FREE TO COME BACK.
ALSO REGARDS TO COST INSURANCE AND STABILITY, UM, WE PROVIDE VERY COMPETITIVE PRICES BY LEVERAGING A LARGE CUSTOMER BASE TO ATTRACT THE BEST MARKET PRICE.
AND AS I SAID BEFORE, UM, LEVERAGING A LARGE CUSTOMER BASE IS REALLY THE BEST WAY.
'CAUSE IT ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS BETTER PRICE THAN IF THERE WOULD BE AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNER TRYING TO ACCESS RENEWABLE ENERGY.
SO THIS IS REALLY GREAT, UM, GREAT WAY THAT CCAS REALLY SUPPORT THE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.
UM, ALSO THE SUPPLIER'S TRUTH IS CHOSEN THROUGH A PUBLIC BIDDING PROCESS.
WE INVITE ESCOS TO US, AND I'M GONNA ACTUALLY JUST EXPLAIN IT IN THE FUTURE SLIDE THAT ALLOWS US TO REALLY PULL UPON THE COMPETITIVE NATURES OF THESE ESCOS THAT WANT TO GAIN THE CONTRACT OF MUNICIPALITIES AND THE CUSTOMER BASES THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.
AND WITH THE, AND UNDER ALSO, THERE'S NO FEES OR PENALTIES FOR C C A PROGRAMS, NO SURPRISES.
AND WE PROVIDE A FIXED RATE, WHICH ASSURES AGAINST THE VALIDITY AND FIXED PRICE AND PRICE SPIKES.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE PAYING 5 CENTS A KILOWATT ONE MONTH, AND THEN THE NEXT MONTH YOU'RE PAYING 11 CENTS KILOWATT.
UH, WE REALLY PROVIDE THAT FIXED RATE, WHICH GIVES YOU MORE OVERSIGHT ON WHAT YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR YOUR, UH, FOR YOUR ELECTRICITY, WHICH PROVIDES YOU FLEXIBILITY AND MORE COMFORT TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE, UM, YOUR FINANCES FOR OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
AND ALSO, WE PROVIDE NO NOTICES OF NEW PRICING SENT OUT TO RESIDENTS ALL THE TIME BEFORE CONTRACT RENEWAL.
MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY YOU AS MUNICIPAL LEADERS, BUT ALSO AS RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE C C A PROGRAM ARE MADE AWARE OF, AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AT EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS.
ADVOCACY BASED EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY PRIDE OURSELVES ON BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO REALLY SHOWCASE OUR COMMITMENT AND AUTHENTICITY TO RESIDENTS, UM, WITHIN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
UH, WE HAVE IN-OFFICE SUPPORT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAYS FROM 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US 24 7 ANYTIME AT IN INFO@SUSTAINABLEWESTCHESTER.ORG.
YOU CAN EMAIL ME ANYTIME AT CALL@SUSTAINABLEWESTCHESTER.ORG.
I HAVE A JOKE THAT I TREAT MY EMAILS LIKE AOL INSTANT MESSENGER, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF THIS TO, UM, TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY PROMPTLY RESPONDING TO RESIDENTS WHENEVER WE GET A MESSAGE.
AND WE ALSO TAKE AS MUCH TIME NEEDED, UM, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR CUSTOMERS, UM, UM, TO REALLY PROVIDE THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE GUARANTEE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EDUCATING CUSTOMERS SO THEY COULD BECOME A PARTNER AND AN ALLY IN OUR COMMITMENT TOWARDS ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND WEST COUNTY AS WHOLE SPANISH LANGUAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SOMETHING THAT WE PROVIDE HERE.
I HAVE SOME COLLEAGUES AT SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER THAT ARE FLUENT IN SPANISH AS WELL TOO.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY TRANSCEND SOME OF THE CULTURAL BARRIERS THAT, UM, THAT, THAT ARE IN, UM, OUR COUNTY AND IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
AND ALSO WE HAVE NUMEROUS OUTREACH EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS EXEC, UH, ESPECIALLY WHILE WORKSHOPS AND HOW TO READ YOUR BILL.
UM, I HAVE SOME COLLATERAL, DIGITAL COLLATERAL I COULD SHARE WITH YOU AND I ALLY WILL FORWARD YOU TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER, WHICH HAS A WEALTH OF PRESENTATIONS THAT COULD BE SHARED.
AND ALSO, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I DON'T KNOW, UH, WE'RE HERE FOR MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE ARE ALREADY OFFSET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND YOUR PARTICIPATION HELPS ACHIEVE CLEAN ENERGY COMMUNITY CERTIFICATION AND PRESENT POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR GRANTS.
AND ALSO, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 26 AT OUR 28 MINUTES ITIES, WHICH IS CLOSE THE TOWN OF GREENBURG THAT HAVE CHOSEN THE GREEN SUPPLY AS A DEFAULT, WHICH ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO ACCESS A HUNDRED PERCENT CARBON EMISSION FREE, UM, HYDRO HYDROPOWER AND OFFSET RESIDENTIAL CARBON EMISSIONS TO REALLY LOWER YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT THROUGHOUT AND FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
UM, JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OUR POWER RATE OF OUR WESTCHESTER POWER RATES.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF OUR GREEN SUPPLY FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY RESIDENTS ARE PAYING 7.41 CENTS PER KILOWATT THESE HIGH INCIDENT TERRITORIES IN JANUARY 1ST, 2021.
SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, ARE, ARE GIVEN A PRICE TAG OF 7.10 CENTS PER KILOWATTS.
ALSO, OUR STANDARD SUPPLY OPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS THAT AREN'T READY FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY, BUT WANNA SUPPORT THE C C A, UM, RES.
UM, THAT STANDARD SUPPLY OPTION FOR RESIDENTS IS 6.75 CENTS PER KILOWATT AND ALSO SMALL, UH, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES COULD ACCESS IT FOR 6.45 CENTS, UM, PER KILOWATT.
THIS IS JUST A QUICK, UH, UH, IMAGE OF THE REVERSE AUCTION AND HOW IT HAPPENS.
IT'S, IT'S REALTIME BIDDING WITH TOTAL TRANSPARENCY ONLINE WHERE STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS YOURSELVES AS MUNICIPAL LEADERS CAN WATCH.
[00:50:01]
AND MOVING IT THROUGH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO ATTRACT MORE BIDDERS.PEOPLE COULD JUST JUMP ONLINE AS OPPOSED TO MEETING IN AN ASSEMBLY HALL, HOLDING UP, UM, YOU CAN SAY HOLDING UP, UH, UH, UM, UH, SIGNS TO, UM, HAVE A BID.
REPORTING OF ALL THE PROCEEDINGS AND THE REVERSE AUCTIONS ALLOWS US TO REALLY PULL ON THE COMPETITIVE NATURES OF DIFFERENT ENERGY, OF DIFFERENT ENERGY SERVICE COMPANIES AND, AND REALLY HAVE, UM, THE, UM, REALLY BE ABLE, REALLY BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE LOWEST 10TH OF A CENT FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF, UM, OF, OF OUR OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE CCAS.
AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A REVERSE AUCTION, IT, UM, IT'S A COMPLETELY AMAZING PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, AUCTIONS PEOPLE BOWL LIKE, I HAVE $1 HERE, $2 THERE, $3 THERE, PUT A REVERSE AUCTION.
IT SAYS, I HAVE TWO $2 HERE, $101 50 CENTS THERE, 75 CENTS HERE, 50 CENTS.
IT'S REALLY GREAT 'CAUSE IT SHOWS THAT THE NUMBERS AND THE THE COMPETITIVE NATURE IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE FINANCES OF THE PARTICIPANTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION.
THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CON OF, OF THE WESTCHESTER POWER PRICING.
IN COMPARISON TO CON EDISON RATES ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, WE PERFORMED VERY STRONGLY FROM 2016 GOING INTO 2018 AND 2019.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY AS WE HIT 2020, THAT WAS A C OVID 19 PANDEMIC HIT US.
THERE WAS A DROP IN OIL AND GAS, UM, AND CONCENT PRICE DROPPED AS WELL WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION TO NEWS, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THEY WERE ACTUALLY, WE WERE ACTUALLY BE PAID FOR GETTING A, A BARREL OF OIL AND, UM, IT, IT REALLY IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO, UM, HAVE A COMPETITIVE PRICING.
BUT SO FAR, IN 2021, WE HAVE BEEN SAYING A STRONG RECOVERY IN OUR PRICING AND COMPARISON TO THE RATES FROM CON EDISON.
WE HAVE SEEN A SIMILAR FLUCTUATION FOR OUR SMALL COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, UH, WHERE WE HAVE A STRONG PERFORMANCE BETWEEN 2016 GOING INTO 2019.
AND AS WE APPROACH 2020, WE SEE THAT DROPAGE PARTIALLY DUE TO THE C OVID 19 PANDEMIC AND THE DROPAGE OF GAS.
WHILE WE ALSO SEEING A RECOVERY AS WE APPROACH THE YEAR 2021.
A LITTLE BIT OF SILVER LINING IS THAT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE FIXED RATES AND WE LOCK IN OUR ENERGY SERVICE, UM, PROVIDER AND, UH, ESCOS INTO CONTRACTS AT FIXED RATES ALLOWS US AT 7.41 CENTS TO HAVE A GREATER PRICE THAN WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IF YOU WENT ON THE NEW YORK STATE POWER TO CHOOSE WEBSITE AND, AND LOOKED AT WHAT THE PRICES OFF HYDROPOWER.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW YOU SEE EIGHT 8.10 CENT, 8.19 CENTS, 8.6, 8.69 CENTS, UM, 10.39 CENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE, UM, THESE ARE REALLY GREAT PRICES ARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION AT 7.41 CENTS IN COMPARISON TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU WANTED A NEW YORK STATE WEBSITE AND SAW WHAT THE PRICE, WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE FOR A RESIDENTIAL INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO ACCESS RENEWABLE ENERGY.
THIS IS A QUICK CHART OVERVIEW OF OVER THE, OF THE MEETING.
KNOW I'M IN A, YOU KNOW, I'M IN A MEETING, RIGHT? OH, YOU'RE IN A MEETING FOR THE MEDIAN ON GREENBURG RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT, WHICH WAS AT EIGHT POINT 583 KILOWATTS, UM, PER MONTH.
UM, BRACKETS ARE IN OUR FOR, FOR BEHIND, NO NON BRACKETS ARE AHEAD.
AND WE, WE DID SEE A, A LITTLE BIT OF A, UM, OF A, OF A DROPAGE.
BUT THE GREAT THING IS THAT YOU COULD TELL RESIDENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAYING TWO, $2 $3 MORE SO FAR IN THIS CURRENT CONTRACT CYCLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS A HUNDRED PERCENT CARBON EMISSION FREE RENEWABLE ENERGY, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.
'CAUSE IT SHOWS THAT YOU ARE FOR A VERY SMALL, RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT, UH, OF, OF AN INCREASE IN PRICE OF WHAT YOU'RE PAYING.
YOU ARE COMPLETELY ELIMINATING CARBON EMISSIONS FROM YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO DO SO FOR THE SAME.
UM, THIS IS THE SAME CHART AS WELL FOR, UM, SMALL COMMERCIAL BUSINESS ACCOUNTS.
UM, SAME SLOW TRAJECTORY, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TERMS OF THE FIRST CONTRACT PERIOD AND THEN BEING ABLE TO SEE THAT RECOVERY.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT AS THE, THE CONTRACT PERIOD FOR OUR, OUR THIRD CONTRACT PERIOD CONTINUES INTO 2020 INTO THE YEAR 2021 AND APPROACHING 2022, WE'LL SEE A STRONGER RECOVERY.
AND WESTCHESTER POWER IS, IT'S A FOUNDATION FOR FURTHER INITIATIVES, UM, OF THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE.
ANOTHER BIG PROGRAM THAT WE WE'RE PROUD TO SUPPORT IS COMMUNITY CHOICE, ALWAYS COMMUNITY SOLAR, WHICH FURTHER LEVERAGES THE POWER OF AGGREGATION, WHICH ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SOLAR TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT INSTALLATIONS POWER SOLAR CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY ON THEIR OWN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
THIS IS GREAT FOR RESIDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE ROOFS THAT ARE STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR PANELS.
ALSO, RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN MULTI-FAMILY HOMES THAT AREN'T ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE, WITH THEIR LANDLORDS OR THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING TO INSTALL SOLAR CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY ON THE PROPERTY THERE.
SO THIS ALLOW, THIS COMPLETELY ELIMINATES SOME OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC BARRIERS FOR RESIDENTS, UH, UH, TO ACCESS THE BENEFITS OF SOLAR, UH, SOLAR ENERGY.
UM, THERE'S ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AS WELL, BUT IT'S ALSO ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
UM, NOT ONLY BY DRIVING DEMAND, UH, FOR NEW SOLAR DEVELOPMENT, YOU ARE ABLE TO ACCESS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DROPS.
[00:55:01]
SO RESIDENTS IN GREENBERG BE ABLE TO POSITION THEMSELVES, BE TECHNICIANS AND INSTALLERS FOR SOLAR, UM, FOR, UM, FOR, FOR SOLAR TECHNOLOGY.AND THIS ALSO COMPLIMENTS THE WESTCHESTER POWER PROGRAM BECAUSE NOW NOT ONLY ARE YOU HAVING YOUR RESIDENTIAL ENERGY SUPPLY COMING FROM NEW YORK STATE HYDRO HYDROPOWER, BUT YOU'RE ALSO HAVING COMMUNITY SOLAR SUBSCRIBING TO A LOCAL SOLAR GRID ON SOLAR FARM THAT'S REDUCING YOUR UTILITY BILL BY UP TO 10% DUE TO YOUR ACQUISITION OF SOLAR CREDITS.
SO YOU, YOU SUBSCRIBE TO A NEARBY SOLAR FARM AND THE AMOUNT OF SOLAR ENERGY THAT'S GENERATED, AND THIS IS COMPLETE FREE AND, AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT PROGRAM, UM, AND THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT'S BEING, THAT'S BEING GENERATED THROUGH THAT MONTHLY BILLING PROCESS IS, IS REFLECTED AS SOLAR CREDITS.
THAT IS, THAT IS IN A REDUCTION ON YOUR CON EDISON BILL.
AND IT INCREASES ACCESS AND EQUITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
AS I SAID BEFORE, NO OFFER INSTALLATIONS, NO OFFER PAYMENTS AND NO CANCELLATION FEES.
UM, WHERE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HAS ORDERED UTILITIES TO PROVIDE CONSOLIDATED BILLING FOR COMMUNITY SOLAR.
AND THIS UNLOCKS THE, THE POSSIBILITIES OF OPT-OUT COMMUNITY SOLAR INTEGRATED WITH PARTICIPANTS IN THE TOWN OF GREENBERGS COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION PROGRAM.
SO THIS MEANS THAT ALL RESIDENTS IN THE, UH, UH, THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE C C A PROGRAM FOR GREENBURG ARE ALSO GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A, UM, A SUBSCRIPTION TO A NEARBY SOLAR FARM AND ACCESS THE, THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF, OF, UM, YOU COULD SAY OF THE REDUCTION OF FROM COMMUNITY SOLAR, FROM GENERATING SOLAR TECHNO, UM, SOLAR ENERGY.
AND THIS GREATLY EXPANDS ACCESS TO SAVINGS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
IT REVIEWS THE BARRIERS FOR LOW INCOME CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION FOR RESIDENTS THAT FEEL AS IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THIS LEVEL OF, UH, OF RENEWABLE ENERGY OF THIS LEVEL, TECHNOLOGY, RENEWABLE ENERGY.
AND WE'LL EXPAND THE CUSTOMER BASE FOR RESIDENTS THAT WILL OPT BACK IN.
'CAUSE THEY HEAR ABOUT THIS INTO THE, UH, TOWN OF GREENBURG C C A.
AND THIS IS, UM, WE ARE GONNA BE RETURNING BACK TO YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE, UH, FOR THE OPT OUT COMMUNITY SOLAR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REVISE THE, UM, THE ENABLING LAW THAT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG PASSED FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS, UM, BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY SOLAR.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IF RESIDENTS ARE THAN C C A DON'T WANT TO BE IN COMMUNITY SOLAR, THAT THEY SAY THAT THEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T WANT FREE MONEY.
I DON'T WANT DISCOUNT THROUGH SOLAR RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS.
WE COULD REMOVE THEM AS A HASSLE FREE, BUT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE DO REVISE THE ENABLING LAW THAT WAS PASSED BY THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR THE, FOR THE C C A TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY SOLAR, UM, TO BE, UM, INTEGRATED INTO THE PROCESS.
AND WE WILL BE, UM, RETURNING BACK TO JUST, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FOLLOWUPS TO GET THIS, UM, ACCOMPLISHED SEAMLESSLY.
ANOTHER, THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROUD OF IS GRID REWARDS, WHICH REDUCES YOUR USAGE, UM, WHICH REDUCES USAGE DURING PEAK TIMES.
AND YOU GET PAID FOR YOUR REDUCTION, UM, UH, DURING PEAK DEMAND, PEAK ENERGY USAGE TIMES, UM, DURING A MONTHLY BILLING CYCLE.
UM, THIS ALLOWS IT, THIS THIS ALLOWS US TO BE INSTALLED SIMPLY ONTO YOUR SMARTPHONE DEVICE.
YOU'RE ABLE TO TRACK YOUR ENERGY USAGE, WHICH MOST RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH ENERGY YOU'RE USING.
WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS USED TO COME IN MY ROOM AND SAY, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.
YOU KNOW, UH, I'M PAYING TOO MUCH ON ENERGY GRID.
AND I COULD TELL MY MOM THAT, HEY, MOM, ACTUALLY WE'RE ONLY USING A FIFTH OF THE, YOU KNOW, ENERGY THAT WE WERE USING LAST MONTH.
I PROBABLY WOULD BE, WOULD'VE BEEN HOMELESS AS A KID IF I DID THAT THOUGH, HONESTLY.
BUT, UM, THIS APPLICATION REALLY ALLOWS FOR THE TOTAL TRANSPARENCY OF YOUR ENERGY USE, UM, ON YOUR SMALL FORM DEVICE, ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE MORE PERSONAL CONTROL, BE ABLE TO REDUCE ENERGY USE AND REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IT ALLOWS FULL STATES ARE DEPENDENCE ON PEAKER PLANTS, WHICH IS A HUGE STEPS TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
THESE PEAKER PLANTS ARE INSTALLED IN LOW INCOME DISPROPORTIONATELY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND AMERICA.
AND THEY'RE TURNED ON DURING MOMENTS WHERE ENERGY USES ARE ON PEAK DEMAND.
AND THEY, AND THEY REALLY HAVE DEVASTATING IMPACTS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF RESIDENTS, UM, THAT ARE IN THOSE NEARBY AREAS.
THESE ARE RESIDENTS THAT ARE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THE, UM, THE, UM, THE AWARENESS OF HOW THEY COULD REACH OUT TO LOCAL LEGISLATORS SUCH AS YOURSELVES OR COUNTY LEGISLATORS SUCH AS YOURSELVES.
SO IT'S REALLY UP TO US AS OTHER AS COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT TRANSCEND OUR MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY BOUNDARY LINES AND NEW YORK STATE BOUNDARY LINES AS WELL.
AND THIS ON THIS, THIS PROGRAM WITH GRID WARDS HAS BEEN GREAT.
WE HAVE REALLY HAD RESIDENTS ALREADY SAVING 50 TO OVER $200, UM, A YEAR FROM THEIR PARTICIPATION IN ON-DEMAND RESPONSE EVENTS WHERE IT'S, THESE ARE EVENTS WHERE THEY'LL CALL UPON YOU WHEN THE, WHEN THE ENERGY GRID IS ON PEAK USE, TURNING DOWN YOUR AC A COUPLE OF DEGREES DURING THE SUMMER, OR TURNING DOWN YOUR HEATER A COUPLE OF DEGREES DURING THE WINTER, OR MAYBE EVEN TURNING OFF YOUR AC OR THE HEATER DURING MOMENTS.
AND THIS REALLY PAYS DIVIDENDS AND ALLOWS YOU TO SAVE MONEY.
UM, AND AS WE KNOW THROUGH THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, ANY MONEY THAT YOU CAN SAVE IS MONEY THAT YOU COULD, YOU COULD ALLOCATE TOWARDS OTHER EX UH, TOWARDS OTHER EXPENSES THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN THE HOUSEHOLD OR TO PREPARING THAT RAINY DAY, UM, EMERGENCY FUND.
JUST A COUPLE OF KEY MILESTONES, UM, AND, AND KEY DATES AND MILESTONES
[01:00:01]
FOR OUR CON EDISON TERRITORIES.JUNE 30TH, 2022 IS THE END OF OUR CURRENT CONTRACT PERIOD, WHICH MEANS THAT MAY, 2022 IS WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE NOTIFICATION MAILING GO OUT TO OUR
AND MARCH AND APRIL OF 2022 IS WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT R F P AND CONTRACT GENERATED FOR US TO PREPARE FOR THE BIDDING PROCESS, UM, WITH ENERGIES, UH, WITH OUR SCOS THAT ARE OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO GET THE BEST PRICE FOR OUR, UM, FOR CCAS AND OUR CON ADDISON TERRITORIES.
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON HERE AT SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
WE REALLY ARE DEPENDENT ON THE COUNTY AND LOCAL PRESS.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANY LOCAL, UM, PAPERS IN GREENBURG THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND, UM, PUT, UM, SOME ADS IN TO GET WORD OUT ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS AND GETTING WORD OUT ON THE CCAS, UM, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO FORWARD IT TO MARIA GENI, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH HERE AT SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
WE ALSO HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.
UH, SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DO HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL THAT HAS A COLLECTION, ARCHIVE OR VIDEO PRESENTATIONS, ESPECIALLY THINGS ON HOW TO READ YOUR BILL.
AND WE ALSO HAVE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE DONE IN SPANISH AND THIS, THAT GOES INTO A, SEGUES INTO OUR DIGITAL COLLATERAL, UM, THAT I COULD BE, FEEL FREE TO SHARE WITH ANY OF YOU, UM, IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.
'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE AS, UM, UH, TO ALL RESIDENTS AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
AND ALSO A VIRTUAL VIRTUAL COMMUNITY EDUCATION SET, UM, SESSIONS THAT WE'LL BE DOING.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO FACILITATE ANY, UM, ANY, UM, PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WITH SOME COMMUNITY GROUPS IN GREENBURG.
UM, THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC A LITTLE BIT A SILVER LINING IS THAT IT FACILITATE OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS RESIDENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL TO EACH OTHER.
SO I COULD TALK TO YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, SAFELY FOR MY OWN HOME, AND, UM, BUT I AM FULLY VACCINATED, SO I'M WILLING TO MAKE APPEARANCES IN PERSON IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THIS IS VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL, AND YOU'RE AGREED, UH, ASSET TO SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A TIME TO GIVE THIS UPDATE AND I COMMEND YOU AND YOUR, AND EVERYONE AND THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR THE AMAZING WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING OUTSIDE OF THANK YOU AS WELL TOO.
[ TOWN CLERK COMMENTS]
NEXT, MR. ON THE AGENDA.UM, DID, UH, ANYBODY WANNA SAY ANYTHING OF THE CLERK? I DO NOT.
I DO, I DO NOT HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS, UH, TO, FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
I DO, I DO WANNA JUST REMIND EVERYONE, UM, REMIND OUR PUBLIC OF A REQUEST THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN SHEHAN MADE A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT IF YOU ARE HAVING, UM, IF YOU'RE, YOU ARE HAVING, UM, STREET CLOSURES, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING STREET CLOSURES, PLEASE TRY TO GET YOUR REQUESTS IN AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE EVENT, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE, UH, AMONG, UH, VARIOUS TOWN DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE GONNA, UH, SHOW A STATEMENT ABOUT THE DECORUM OF THE, UH, TOWN BOARD MEETINGS.
UM, I WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, THE GREENBERG TOWN BOARD APPRECIATES COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS AT ITS OPEN MEETINGS.
RECENTLY, COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE THAT WHETHER INTENDED OR NOT, WERE HURTFUL TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE COMMENTS PERPETUATED RACIAL OR RELIGIOUS, UM, STEREOTYPES.
WE BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT BIGOTRY AND HATE HAVE NO PLACE IN GREENBURG.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO EDUCATE EACH OTHER AROUND THIS ISSUE.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN A ROBUST AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE, AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT, THAT THE TOWN CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE DIALOGUES.
AND THE STATEMENT WILL BE, UM, READ BEFORE, UM, ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS AT EVERY FUTURE TOWN BOARD MEETING, PUBLIC HEARINGS, UM, TO
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 285 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh, entitled “Zoning,” as it relates to Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) uses]
CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED ZONING AS IT RELATES TO BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE BEST USES.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.
[01:05:01]
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR.AND TOWN BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE RECORD.
GARRETT DUCAIN, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS A CONTINUATION OF THE HEARING OF THE TOWN BOARD HELD ON JUNE 9TH, 2021, RELATED TO A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM, LOCAL LAW, TO REGULATE THE USE.
AT THAT JUNE 9TH HEARING, I PRESENTED AN OVERVIEW OF THE LOCAL LAW AND RELATED PROCEDURE LEADING INTO THE JUNE 9TH MEETING.
SEVERAL WRITTEN COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SUBMITTED FROM THE PLANNING BOARD, GREENVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, NYSERDA, WESTCHESTER COUNTY BEST INDUS, AND BEST INDUSTRY DEVELOPERS.
TESTIMONY WAS RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC AT THE JUNE 9TH HEARING AND FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE HARTSDALE FIRE DISTRICT.
ALL OF THESE COMMENTS RECEIVED WERE CONSIDERED, AND MANY OF THOSE COMMENTS RESULTED IN A SECOND VERSION OF THE LOCAL LAW DATED JUNE 18TH.
THIS JUNE 18TH VERSION OF THE LAW WAS SENT TO ALL INTERESTED IN INVOLVED AGENCIES AND IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS CONTINUED HEARING THIS EVENING.
THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL IN GREENVILLE FIRE DISTRICT ADDITIONALLY PROVIDED COMMENTS ON THIS JUNE 18TH VERSION, AND SEVERAL OF THOSE COMMENTS WERE WHEN INCORPORATED WILL FURTHER IMPROVE THE LAW FOR EASE OF REVIEW BY ALL INTERESTED IN THE LOCAL LAW.
THE JUNE 18TH VERSION CONTAINS RED LINES DEPICTING ALL PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS.
I'M NOW GONNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THOSE CHANGES.
FOR TIER ONE BESTS, A MINOR TWEAK TO THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY WAS MADE FROM 75 KILOWATT HOURS TO 80 KILOWATT HOURS.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT NOW CORRESPONDS TO THE MAXIMUM SIZE OF RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS IN THE UNIFORM CODE.
FOR TIER TWO, THE CAPACITY THRESHOLDS DID INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY ON A NUMERICAL LEVEL, IF YOU RECALL, UH, FOR TIER TWO IN THE MIXED USE DISTRICTS, UH, THERE WAS A 2,400 KILOWATT HOUR MAX, AND IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS, THERE WAS A 4,800 KILOWATT, UH, HOUR MAX.
THOSE NUMBERS INDEED INCREASED TO RESPECTIVELY, UM, 6,000 AND 12,000 KILOWATT HOURS.
AND WHAT THIS IS, IS A FUNCTION OF UPGRADES TO TECHNOLOGY, WHICH STORE THESE LEVELS OF ELECTRICITY INTO COMPACT SYSTEMS WENT OVER THAT A BIT, UH, AT THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THE NUMBERS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE NEW LAW ARE STILL CONSERVATIVE.
UH, CON EDISON FOR REFERENCE APPROVES THREE TIMES THESE AMOUNTS IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, AND IT'S NOTEWORTHY THAT NYSERDA LOCAL LAW HAS NO CAP ON BEST SYSTEMS. SO, GREENBERG, UH, THE CAP, I THINK IS, IS UNIQUE AND I THINK IT WILL SUIT THE TOWN, UH, WELL FROM A COMMUNITY CHARACTER PERSPECTIVE.
IN ADDITION, THE LAW NOW INCLUDES A MAXIMUM FOOTPRINT DEFINITION FOR BEST TO ENSURE THAT THE SYSTEMS ARE NOT SCALED WITH MASSING THAT COULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.
THE FOOTPRINT SIZE ADDITION THAT WAS ADDED IS ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE NYSERDA LAW, BUT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL CONTROL FOR THE TOWN FROM A MASSING AND VISUAL PERSPECTIVE.
ON PAGE SIX OF THE LAW, THERE ARE THREE NEW PROVISIONS ADDED AS A RESULT OF FIRE DISTRICT INPUT RELATED TO SIGNAGE AND MANDATORY TIER ONE BEST REFERRALS TO FIRE DISTRICTS.
UH, AS AS A NOTE, THE TIER ONE WOULD STILL BE ADMINISTRATIVE, BUT WE HEARD FROM THE FIRE DISTRICTS THAT, UH, THEY FELT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY BECOME AWARE OF BOTH THE, UH, PROPOSED APPLICATIONS AND APPROVED SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE THEM ON RECORD.
ON PAGE 12 OF THE LAW, THERE ARE REFERENCES NOW ADDED TO THE N F P A 8 55 REGARDING TRAINING PROCEDURES, AND THAT WAS AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF ARUP, WHICH IS THE TOWN'S CONSULTANT REVIEWING THE LOCAL LAW.
PAGE 16 OF THE LOCAL LAW GIVES INFORMATION REGARDING THE MAX FOOTPRINT AND, UM, THE NUMBERS THAT ARE SIGNED.
AND, OH, AND I SHOULD NOTE THIS WAS A RECOMMENDATION FOR, FROM THE PLANNING BOARD FOR THE TIER TWO, UH, MAX FOOTPRINT IN THE ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE MIXED USE IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS, THERE'S A 1400 SQUARE FOOT MAX FOOTPRINT, WHICH I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE MAX FOOTPRINT WOULD BE THE BATTERY CABINETS IN ANY SURROUNDING, UM, ENCLOSURE, SUCH AS A, A FENCE OR A, UH, CONCRETE MASONRY WALL.
THE MAX FOOTPRINT OF, IN THE, IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS IS ASSIGNED AS 3,500 SQUARE FOOT FOOTPRINT, SO BIGGER FOOTPRINT THERE, UH, WITH THE ZONING DISTRICTS THAT ARE LESS APPROXIMATE, UH, TO ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICTS ALSO ON PAGE 16 OF THE LAW, AND THIS WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING BOARD, THE SETBACKS OF PROPERTY LINES CAN BE REDUCED TO 50 FEET IS WHAT'S PROPOSED NOW IN THE LOCAL LAW TO A PROPERTY LINE FOR TIER TWO BEST SYSTEMS,
[01:10:01]
IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE APPROVING BOARD BASED ON THE HAZARD MITIGATION ANALYSIS.AND I THINK THE LAST NOTEWORTHY UPDATE TO THE LOCAL LAW THAT'S PROPOSED IS THAT ON PAGE 18, A 40,000 SQUARE FOOT MAXIMUM IS ASSIGNED TO THE TIER THREE, UH, BESTS.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE C A C AND GREENVILLE FIRE DISTRICT, I'VE ALREADY PROVIDED ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO THE JUNE 18TH VERSION, WHICH WAS POSTED FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I BELIEVE THOSE COMMENTS, UH, MANY OF THEM WILL, WILL ADDITIONALLY IMPROVE THE LAW WHEN INCORPORATED.
THAT'S MY REMARKS, AND I, I'M HAPPY TO HEAR FROM THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC.
I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC SINCE IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING.
AS FAR AS SIGNUPS, I BELIEVE, UM, THERESA MAORI FROM THE C A C, UM, DID YOU INTEND TO SPEAK TONIGHT? THANK YOU, GARY.
NO, I WAS NOT INTENDING TO SPEAK.
AND I THINK THE BIG THING IS YOU'VE RECEIVED OUR COMMENTS AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY WILL BE INCORPORATED.
UM, SOME OF THEM OBVIOUSLY ARE JUST ISSUES OF HOW, UM, SOMETHING WAS WORDED, BUT SOME ARE SIGNIFICANT.
AND I THINK WHAT I WILL DO IS I WILL REACH OUT TO YOU WITH MIKE, AND I WANT, WE THINK WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE INCREASED FOOTPRINT SIZE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS AS TO WHAT THAT CONSISTS OF.
SO I THINK IF WE'RE SAYING THAT'S INCLUDING THE FENCING AS WELL AS THE UNITS THAT NEEDS TO BE SPELT OUT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POPULATING, UH, CABINETS UP TO THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE.
SO I THINK WE CAN WORK ON THIS.
YEAH, AND I, I DO WANNA SAY, I KNOW, I KNOW THE CAC C SPENT, UM, AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME CLOSELY REVIEWING THE LAW, AND, UH, THERE WAS CERTAINLY SOME THINGS PICKED UP THAT, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, I, I MAY HAVE MISSED WITHOUT THEM.
AND, UH, MY PHONE LINE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL, UH, SPEAK AND IF NECESSARY, WE CAN HAVE A GROUP ON THE CALL AS WELL TO, UM, GET INTO SOME OF THE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD.
BUT, UH, COMMENTS ARE VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND WE APPRECIATE THEM.
I, OKAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, GARRETT.
UM, I AM GOING TO BE READING A STATEMENT WRITTEN BY ELLA PRIZER, P R E I SS E R.
I HAVE RECEIVED THE JUNE 18TH DRAFT BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM LEGISLATION.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CORRECTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO THIS PROPOSED PROVISION TO THE TOWN ZONING ORDINANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE TIER TWO DEFINITION INCLUDES ONLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING AND PLAN COMMERCIAL CENTER PROVISIONS OF THE UR DISTRICT.
IS THIS INTENTIONAL? IF THE T D Y C C OR THE UNION BAPTIST CHURCH WANTED TO HAVE A BEST, WOULD THEY BE EXCLUDED? ALSO, WHY ARE THE M THE MULTIFAMILY DISTRICTS AND THE P DISTRICTS ALSO EXCLUDED? SECTION 2 85 DASH FIVE NOW INCLUDES FIRE CODE AND UNIFORM CODE, BOTH TERMS REFERRED TO THE SAME NEW YORK CODE.
WHY ARE TWO DEFINITIONS NEEDED? A DEFINITION IS PROVIDED FOR SOLAR FARM, WHICH EXCLUDES SOLAR PANELS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.
IF PROVIDING ENERGY FOR TO THE RESIDENTS, WHY IS NO DEFINITION OR EXCLUSION NECESSARY FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WHERE SOLAR PANELS PROVIDE ANYTHING TO THE COMMERCIAL ENTITIES, SUCH AS ON ROUTE ONE 19 AND TAX THE ROAD REVISE SECTION 2 85 DASH A PARENTHESES FOUR B, WHICH IDENTIFIES SPECIAL PERMIT RE REQUIREMENTS, NOW EXCLUDE CERTAIN STRUCTURES SUCH AS BEST SOLAR FARMS, WIND FARMS, ET CETERA.
WHAT EXACTLY WOULD NOW REQUIRE A SPECIAL PERMIT FROM THE TOWN BOARD? AND WHERE ARE SOLAR FARMS AND WIND FARMS ALLOWED? THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY EXAMPLES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THERE IS NO WAY TO ADDRESS THEM ALL AT THIS HEARING.
I URGED THE TOWN BOARD NOT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DRAFT PROPOSAL AND KEEP IT OPEN.
UM, I, NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY DOREEN LIPSON.
UM, IT, GARRETT MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE, UH, COMMENTS BY THE HARTSDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE C A C, THE PLANNING BOARD.
UM, I SEE THE PLANNING BOARD IS POSTED.
UM, COULD YOU PLEASE INCLUDE ANY POSTINGS, INCLUDE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYONE THAT SUBMITTED, UM,
[01:15:01]
A, UH, FOR A POSTING, WHETHER IT'S IN THE ACTIVE APPLICATIONS OR WHETHER OR NOT YOU INCLUDED IN A SPECIAL PLACE.BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE AND TO KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE THINKING, WHAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE THINKING.
UH, MAYBE THAT WILL SET OFF, UH, A LIGHT BULB SOMEWHERE AND THEY WILL THEN ALSO HAVE AN IDEA.
AGAIN, I THANK YOU PROBABLY TOMORROW BECAUSE SEE YOU LATER.
OKAY, AGAIN, SOON, MS. LIPSON, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
IF THOSE ARE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EMAILED, UH, THOSE COMMENTS, UH, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND, UM, WE, WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST TO GET ALL THE COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS ENTITIES ON THE WEB.
I BELIEVE ALL OF THEM ARE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE C A C COMMENTS, WHICH I RECEIVED YESTERDAY.
I'LL DOUBLE CHECK ON THE HARSDALE FIRE DISTRICT.
BUT, UM, THE CD AND C, UH, ACTIVE TOWN BOARD APPLICATION, UM, LINK DOES INDEED HAVE ALL THE BEST COMMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
BUT THA THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU A QUESTION? YES.
UH, UM, UH, HOW MUCH TIME WOULD YOU THINK, UM, AND MAYBE DOREEN COULD ALSO, OR, UH, ERIC COULD ALSO COMMENT.
UM, WELL, HOW MUCH TIME WOULD YOU THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD GIVE IF WE ADJOURN THE HEARING WITHOUT CLOSING IT? I THINK YOU HAVE THAT DEPENDS UPON HOW QUICKLY GARRETT CAN TURN AROUND THE CHANGES.
I MEAN, I THINK WHAT, AND THEN HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT AS A REVO NEXT REVISION.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.
OBVIOUSLY SOME THINGS WERE MISSED, SOME THINGS MAY NEED SOME MORE DISCUSSION.
SOME THINGS ARE JUST A QUESTION OF REDRAFTING, BUT I THINK THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF WORK THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT GARRETT'S SCHEDULE IS AT THIS TIME.
SO I THINK GARRETT IS A VERY, IS THE ONE WHO PROBABLY SHOULD BE OFFERING THE OPINION OF HOW LONG WE SHOULD ADJOIN THIS FOR GARRETT.
OH, IF, IF THE MEETING'S ADJOURNED, I WOULD NOT ADJOURN IT MORE THAN, UH, THE NEXT MEETING.
I FEEL THAT, UM, UH, THE COMMENTS ARE HELPFUL.
UH, I WOULD DESCRIBE THEM AS NON-COMPLEX, UM, AND CAN I THINK, BE, UH, ACCOMMODATED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER TO, YOU KNOW, SOLICIT ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
SO MAYBE WE SHOULD ADJOURN IT TO THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS THE END OF JULY, UH, JULY 21ST.
AND AND HOW LONG BEFORE THAT, GARRETT, DO YOU THINK YOU'LL HAVE? HAVE IT POSTED SO PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT IT? UH, BEFORE NEXT FRIDAY.
AND THEN WITH IT'S ADJOURNED, ADJOURNED TO THE NEXT, UH, MEETING, DOES IT NECESSARILY, IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS HAVE TO BE CLOSED THAT NIGHT, OR IF, IF THERE WAS STILL, UH, CONTROVERSY, WOULD IT STILL BE
UH, I DO KNOW THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS.
WELL, I, I'M ASKING A QUESTION, GARRETT, BECAUSE I THINK I WAS ASKED ABOUT MY FEELINGS ABOUT MOVING IT AD JOURNEY INTO THE NEXT MEETING.
AND MY QUESTION IS, THIS IS A PROCEDURAL ONE, IS, IS, IS THAT TO MEAN IT HAS TO BE CLOSED AT THE NEXT MEETING, OR WE HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE IT CLOSED AT THE NEXT MEETING? THAT'S, THAT'S NOT QUITE THE SAME THING.
IS THERE AN OBLIGATION TO CLOSE IT AT THAT MEETING? THE TOWN BOARD, THERE'S NO OBLIGATION FOR THE TOWN BOARD TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
BUT, UM, I THINK IN THE INTEREST OF, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING AN ENDLESS LOOP, I WOULD WANNA TURN AROUND.
I WOULD AGREE, BUT I JUST WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A SAFETY BACKDOOR TO GET OUT AND IS SOMETHING ISN'T QUITE THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE.
I THINK IF YOU GO TALKING ABOUT THE END OF JULY, THAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PERIOD OF TIME FOR EVERYONE TO LOOK AT IT IF IT'S OUTPATIENT.
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WE COULD ALL, WHAT WE COULD ALSO DO, UM, IS, UM, MAYBE BEFORE THAT TIME WE COULD DISCUSS THIS IN A WORK SESSION AND THEN INVITE, UM, EVERYONE WHO SPOKE TO REVIEW IT AND WE COULD HAVE A, LIKE AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION AND SEE IF WE COULD READ SOME SORT OF CONSENSUS SO WE COULD DO A LITTLE WORK BEFORE, BEFORE THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WE HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS, UM, JAMES ROBINSON AND, AND GARRETT.
I SEE PAT WILLIAMS' HAND ALSO.
MS. WILLIAMS, THIS WOULD GO NEXT.
I'M REPRESENTING EAGLE ENERGY STORAGE.
FOR, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, EAGLE ENERGY STORAGE HAS PROPOSED WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A TIER THREE SYSTEM UNDER THE NEW LOCAL LAW.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE TOWN BOARD, THE PLANNING BOARD, THE C A C, AND, AND YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO'S COMMENTED ON THE LAW, WE, WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT ON THIS.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART, WE THINK THAT THIS, THIS LAW IS, IS REASONABLE.
UM, THE, THE ONLY, UH, OUTSTANDING PROBLEM AS
[01:20:01]
WE SEE IT IS, IS ON PAGE 18 OF THE LAW, WHICH, UH, RELATES TO THE PROPOSED 10 ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT.AND THAT PROVISION IS QUITE PROBLEMATIC FOR OUR PROJECT.
UM, WE, WE ALSO BELIEVE IT WOULD LIKELY BE PROBLEMATIC FOR, FOR MOST OTHER PROJECTS OF THIS TYPE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO TO POINT THAT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS A, IS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THIS PROJECT AND WE HOPE, UH, THAT THAT CAN BE REVISED BEFORE THE LAW IS FINALIZED.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THIS IS AN A, A GREAT EFFORT.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, THAT'S THE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFERENCING THE BUFFER REQUIREMENT AND THE OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENT.
UM, THE PROPOSED LAW WOULD HAVE A TIER THREE SYSTEM THAT IS A SECONDARY USE, UM, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A, HAVE 10 ACRES SET ASIDE AS A CONTIGUOUS OPEN SPACE SUBJECT TO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND, UM, RECORDED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK.
AND THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT WE HAD CONTEMPLATED WHEN WE ENGAGED WITH THE NO WOOD COUNTRY CLUB.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, THE, OUR SYSTEM IS SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, A HALF ACRE OR SO AND SO TO, TO INCREASE THAT TO 10 ACRES, THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LAND THAT THEY'RE SETTING ASIDE THAN, THAN THEY HAD ANTICIPATED.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT I, UM, AM IN AGREEMENT WITH
AND, UM, THEREFORE I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT MY QUESTION IS CORRECT.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE EXTENDING THE PROPER TIME THAT WE COULD HAVE USE AND MY ALLERGIES ARE KILLING ME.
THERE MAY NOT BE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT I WOULD STRONGLY URGE SO THAT WE COULD EVENTUALLY BRING CLOSURE TO THIS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, GARRETT, IS THAT ANY INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET TO US AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, UH, AND NOT WAIT TILL THE NEXT HEARING AND SAY, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WRONG WITH THIS, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE HAVE TIME TO DO IT.
UH, YOU NEED TO ADJOURN IT AGAIN BECAUSE, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT WE, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE SOME CLOSURE.
SO WE'RE ASKING, UH, WE'RE GIVING, YOU KNOW, UM, THREE, THREE TO FOUR WEEKS IN ORDER TO DO SOME FURTHER EVALUATION OF THE, OF THE PROPOSED LAW.
UH, PLEASE GET YOUR COMMENTS IN AS SOON AS YOU CAN SO THEY CAN BE ADDRESSED SO THAT WE HAVE A, UH, A CLOSE TO FINALIZED DOCUMENT GOING INTO THE NEXT, NEXT HEARING.
I THOUGHT WE HAD ANOTHER SPEAKER.
UH, IS THAT DANNY? WHO I DON'T SEE.
YEAH, I JUST, TO THAT GENTLEMAN, THIS IS THE, UH, THIS, THIS WAS A SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEARING AND NOT THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO SIR, UH, IF YOU COULD JUST PLEASE BE PATIENT.
I THINK WE'RE PERHAPS, UM, 30 MINUTES FROM GENERAL COMMENT.
SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN THE HEARING, UH, TO OUR JULY MEETING.
SO THAT'S JULY 21ST, RIGHT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
STARTING ON MEETING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
'CAUSE THE PLANNING BOARD IS USING OUR, UH, CABLE SYSTEM PRIOR TO.
I THINK THAT WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT, PAUL, SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE STARTING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
UH, DID WE VOTE? DID WE VOTE? I FORGOT.
'CAUSE I WAS MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
[01:25:01]
SAID AYE.ALRIGHT, SO I, PAUL, PAUL, PAUL MOVED TO ADJOURN HEARING TO JULY 21ST, YOU SAID AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, TEN SECOND, AND EVERYONE SAID, AYE, AYE.
YOU DID, YOU MADE A VERY ELOQUENT SPEECH, SO, SURE.
[ To consider an Amended Site Plan Application by Ferncliff Cemetery Association, which is located at 280 Secor Road (P.O. Hartsdale)]
NEXT, UH, TO CONSIDER, UM, AN AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION BY FERN CLIFF CEMETERY ASSOCIATION LOCATED AT TWO 80 C ROAD.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.
SUPERVISOR FINDER, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD FOR THE RECORD.
GARRETT DUANE, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS RELATED TO AN AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION OF FERNCLIFF CEMETERY ASSOCIATION FOR A PROPOSAL CONSISTING OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTION OF THE CEMETERY TO INSTALL UNDERGROUND CONCRETE VAULTS WITH RELATED IMPROVEMENTS.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING THE CONSTRUCTION OF VARIOUS CRIPS AND BURIAL VAULTS ON PREVIOUSLY UNDEVELOPED CEMETERY LAND WITH RELATED RETAINING WALLS, FENCING, AND LANDSCAPING.
FERNCLIFFE CEMETERY IS LOCATED AT TWO 80 CCO ROAD, POST OFFICE HARTSDALE IN THE R 31 FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT.
IN TERMS OF PROCESS, THE APPLICANT APPEARED BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD AS PART OF A SITE PLAN REFERRAL FROM THE TOWN BOARD, WHICH INCLUDED WORK SESSIONS ON MAY 5TH AND JUNE 2ND, 2021.
IN THE PLANNING BOARD HELD A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON MAY 19TH, 2021, AND ON JUNE 2ND, THE APPLICATION WAS THE SUBJECT OF A UNANIMOUS POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING BOARD.
THE PLANNING BOARD MADE THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS.
THE AMENDED SITE PLAN SUBMISSION SATISFIES THE APPLICABLE SITE PLAN STANDARDS SET FORTH IN SECTION 2 85 DASH 54 STANDARDS A THROUGH K.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE PLANNING BOARD'S REVIEW OF DOCUMENTATION IN THE APPLICATION MATERIALS AND BASED ON REPRESENTATIONS BY THE APPLICANT CONCLUDED THAT THE PROJECT WILL NOT SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE INTENSITY OR SCALE OF ANY ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT ONSITE USES.
FURTHER, THE PLANNING BOARD FOUND THAT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS AS SHOWN ON THE RENDERINGS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT, APPEAR TO BE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AND BLEND IN WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE EXISTING CEMETERY SITE AND DO NOT APPEAR THAT THEY WOULD RESULT IN NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
THE PLANNING BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE APPLICANT'S OUTREACH WITH ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND ITS WILLINGNESS TO REVISE ITS PLANS TO REMOVE ADDITIONAL UNSIGHTLY EXISTING TREES AND INSTALL NEW EVERGREEN PLANTINGS TO ENHANCE THE VISUAL BUFFER BEHIND A RESIDENCE ON FOREST BOULEVARD.
AND IN PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE LANDSCAPED AREA TO BE SITUATED BEHIND THE PROPOSED RETAINING WALL FOR FUTURE MAINTENANCE PURPOSES, MR. JAMES CARAS, PROFESSIONAL PLANNER ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT AND WITH J M C IS HERE THIS EVENING AND WE WILL PRESENT THE PROPOSAL.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
MY NAME IS JAMES CARRIS ON BEHALF OF, UH, FRANCO CEMETERY ASSOCIATION.
UM, I HAVE A, UH, BRIEF PRESENTATION TO PROVIDE, UH, THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC, UH, IF I, UH, CAN SHARE MY SCREEN? YES, YOU CAN.
WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING TO, UH, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDED SITE PLAN, APPROVAL REQUEST FOR, UH, FRANKLIN CEMETERY, UH, TO DEVELOP AN ADDITIONAL AREA OF, UH, GROUND BURIALS, UH, AT THE CEMETERY PROPERTY KNOWN AS HILLCREST WEST.
UM, AS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, FERNCLIFF UH, CEMETERY IS LOCATED ON SECOR ROAD.
UH, THE 64 ACRE NORTH PARCEL, UH, CONTAINS THREE EXISTING MAUSOLEUM BUILDINGS AND EXTENSIVE EXISTING GROUND BURIALS.
UH, THE AREA OF THE PROPOSED ACTION IS HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN RED.
IT IS CENTRALLY LOCATED ON THE SITE ALONG THE NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE, AND WE'RE SEEKING, UH, AMENDED SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
UM, WE RECEIVED A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING BOARD AS GARRETT DESCRIBED.
WE'RE ALSO SEEKING A PLANNING BOARD STEEP SLOPE PERMIT REMOVAL PERMIT, AND, UH, THE, UH, OPENING TONIGHT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CLOSING THAT HEARING.
IDEALLY, UH, JUST A BRIEF HISTORY, SINCE WE WERE LAST BEFORE THE TOWN BOARD AT YOUR REFERRAL ON APRIL 28TH TO THE PLANNING BOARD, WE HAD A SIDEWALK WITH THE PLANNING BOARD, UH, PRESENTED THE PROJECT AT, UH, A WORK SESSION OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
WE THEN HAD A SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC HEARING, AND, UM, WE RECEIVED THE, UH, POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION ON THE PLANS AUTHOR JUNE 2ND MEETING.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO A NICE PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:30:01]
PROJECT, UM, IS, UH, DEVELOPING EXISTING, OR EXCUSE ME, AREAS OF EXISTING LAWN THAT ARE PROPOSED TO HAVE FUTURE GROUND BURIALS.UM, THE, UH, AREAS ARE ALREADY EXTENSIVELY PLANT, UH, UH, BURIED WITH, UM, EXISTING, UH, VAULTS SURROUNDING THIS SITE.
UM, BUT, UH, THE RENDERING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE, THE NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE IS AT THE LEFT OF THE SCREEN.
WE HAVE A PROPOSED UPPER BURIAL AREA HERE, SEPARATED BY A RETAINING WALL AND A LOWER FIELD BURIAL AREA HERE.
UH, THESE RETAINING WALLS ARE, UM, GOING TO BE EXTENSIVELY LANDSCAPED, UH, TO BEAUTIFY THE AREA AND ALSO TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT SCREENING TO THE NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH HERE.
AND, UM, IF WE'RE TALKING NUMBERS HERE, WE'RE TALKING APPROXIMATELY 700 LAWN CRIPS, WHICH ARE, UH, CONCRETE VAULTS, WHICH WILL BE PLACED IN THE GROUND.
THESE ARE, UH, STEEL AND REBAR REINFORCED CONCRETE BOXES, UH, ON ALL SIX SIDES THAT WILL BE, UH, PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED USING MODERN CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES.
THEY'RE, UH, SITUATED ON, UH, 12 INCHES OF COMPACTED SUB BASE MATERIAL WHEN THEY'RE PLACED IN THE GROUND, AND THEN THEY'RE BACKFILLED WITH A MINIMUM OF 18 INCHES OF TOPSOIL WITH LAWN AND LANDSCAPING ON TOP OF THAT.
SO THEY'RE VERY SECURE, THEY'RE VERY STABLE.
UM, THIS IS A MODERN, UM, INSTALLATION TECHNIQUE FOR CEMETERIES, WHICH PROVIDES A, A VERY, VERY LONG LASTING PRODUCT, WHICH ELIMINATES ANY HORIZONTAL OR LATERAL, UH, VERTICAL MOVEMENT IN THE GROUND AND PRE PREVENTS FUTURE SETTLING OF, UH, THE SURFACE REQUIRING ANY REGRADING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, WHAT'S KNOWN AS, UH, UM, CREMATION ESTATES AND, UM, RYT STATES FOR A, A GENERATIONAL, UM, UH, PRODUCT FOR, UH, FAMILIES TO, UH, PURCHASE, UH, SEVERAL PLOTS, UH, NEXT TO THEM.
AND THESE ARE SITUATED, UH, ALONG THE PERIMETERS OF THE WALLS HERE AND HERE.
UM, NEXT, UH, JUST WANNA SHOW A FEW, UH, VISUAL PERSPECTIVE RENDERINGS OF WHAT THE PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THIS IS A VIEW LOOKING NORTHWARD.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THE NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE, UH, EXTENSIVELY LANDSCAPED.
UH, MAJORITY OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT WOULD CONSIST OF LAWN.
UH, BUT THERE IS LENGTH, UM, ALONG, UH, BOTH THE TOPS AND BOTTOMS OF ALL OF THE, UH, WALLS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
THERE'S ANOTHER VIEW LOOKING EAST, UH, PROSPECTIVE RUNNER.
SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE FOREGROUND THE LOWER AREA AND IN THE BACKGROUND, UH, THE UPPER AREA, ANOTHER VIEW SHOWING THE SAME LOWER AREA AND THE UPPER AREA PROPERTY, LONG PROPERTY LINE ALONG THE, UH, UH, LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE HERE.
AND THEN FINALLY A, UH, GROUND LEVEL VIEW OF, UH, WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THE MONUMENTS AND THEN, UH, REFLECTING BENCHES HERE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A, A FAMILY ESTATE.
AND THEN TO THE RIGHT HERE, THESE SMALL, UH, MONUMENTS HERE WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A, UH, FAMILY CREMATION ESTATE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE ARE SEEKING A STEEP SLOPES PERMIT FROM THE, UH, PLANNING BOARD, UH, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AREAS, UH, IN OUR, UH, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENT AREA THAT, UH, CONSISTS OF TOWN REGULATED STEEP SLOPES.
UM, THE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT AREA IS, UH, STILL UNDER AN ACRE.
AND, UH, THE TREE REMOVAL THAT'S REQUIRED IS, UH, 48 EXISTING TREES, UH, PRIMARILY ALONG THE, THE NORTH PROPERTY LINE HERE.
BUT, UH, WE'VE, UH, DISCUSSED IT EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PLANNING BOARD, WITH STAFF.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THE TREES WERE INSTALLED IN THE MID NINETIES, UH, TO SCREEN, UH, THE PROPERTY.
AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE, UH, GROWN AND THEIR UNDERSTORY HAS TAKEN OVER AND THEIR, UH, IN SOMEWHAT POOR CONDITION.
SO, UH, WHAT WE WOULD BE REPLACING AS PART OF THE PLANTING PLAN, UH, WOULD BE, UH, AN IMPROVEMENT AESTHETICALLY TO THIS SITUATION.
UH, THE PLANNING BOARD ASKED US TO PRESENT, UH, SOME SECTIONS OF THESE WALLS.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS A SECTION, UH, FROM, UH, UH, PROPERTY OF THE NORTH THROUGH THE, THE WALL, UH, TO THE SOUTH, SHOWING THE LANDSCAPING ON THE BOTTOM AND THE TOP OF THE WALLS HERE TO, UH, IMMEDIATELY, UH, UM, COMPLETELY SCREEN THE WALL.
AND THEN, UH, THE WALL DIMINISHES, UH, AS YOU MOVE FURTHER WEST.
AND, UH, THE LANDSCAPING THOUGH IS, UH, CONSISTENT AND CONTINUOUS AS YOU, UH, LOOK ACROSS THAT FACE OF THAT WALL.
UH, AND THIS IS JUST A, UH, AN IDEA OF, UH, THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE WALL.
YOU CAN SEE THE UPPER SECTION HERE, AND THEN IT STEPS DOWN TO THE LOWER AREA HERE.
UH, THIS IS, UM, A VIEW OF, UH, UH, WHAT, UH, THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TO THE NORTH WOULD BE.
UH, LOOKING AT UNDER PROPOSED CONDITIONS, WE WERE PROPOSING, UM, TO PLANT A MINIMUM OF 12 FEET HIGH, UM, GREEN, UH, EMERALD, GREEN ARBOR VARIETY PLANTINGS TO, UH, IMMEDIATELY AND PERMANENTLY CREATE THIS SENSE OF PRIVACY, UH, NOT ONLY FOR, UH, THE CEMETERY, BUT ALSO FOR ITS NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH.
AND, UH, EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, WE, UH, DID MEET WITH, UH,
[01:35:01]
UH, SEVERAL NEIGHBORS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE, TO THE CEMETERY.UH, AT THE SUGGESTION OF, UH, YOUR BOARD AND COMMISSIONER DUQUE, WE HAD PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, UM, IN THEIR, IN THEIR BACKYARDS.
REALLY GOT A GOOD LOOK AT THE, THE, THE CONDITIONS.
AND, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH, UH, SOME SOLUTIONS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA REMOVE AN EX, AN EXISTING CHAIN LINK FENCE.
WE'RE GONNA BURY ON SLIGHTLY OVERHEAD UTILITY WIRES THAT ARE THERE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA REMOVE TREES THAT ARE, UH, UH, CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA INSTALL SOLID, UH, UH, SCREENING, UH, PRIVACY FENCING FOR TWO OF THE NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN WE HAD OUR, UH, SIDEWALK WITH, UM, A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING BOARD, UM, ONE OF THE GOOD COMMENTS WAS, OKAY, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA PUT THIS FENCE? WELL, HOW ARE YOU GONNA MAINTAIN THE, THE, THE PLANTINGS ON THE, THE, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL? SO THEY SAID, UH, WE SHOULD INCORPORATE A GATE INTO THAT FENCE, WHICH WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE IN THIS AREA.
AND THEN, UH, FURTHER TO THE EAST, UM, WE OBSERVED THAT, UH, THE EXISTING, UM, PLANTINGS IN THE CONDITIONS HERE WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN IDEAL AND DIDN'T PROVIDE ANY SCREENING REALLY.
AND EVEN THOUGH THIS IS BEYOND THE, UH, THE AREA OF WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA AT THE, AT THE SUGGESTION OF CHAIRMAN SIMON, UH, TO INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL 21, UH, UH, GREEN GIANT, UM, EMERALD, EXCUSE ME, EMERALD GREEN ARBOR PLANTING RIGHT HERE.
SO, UM, IN CONCLUSION, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM, UH, NOT ONLY YOUR BOARD, BUT FROM THE PLANNING BOARD AND OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH.
UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO, UH, UH, INCORPORATE THOSE SUGGESTIONS INTO THIS SITE PLAN AND, UM, YOU TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS UNLESS THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? IS THERE GONNA BE ANY BLASTING INVOLVED? NO, UH, IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED THAT THERE'S GONNA BE ANY BLASTING INVOLVED, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THIS IS A FILL, UH, CONDITION INSTEAD OF AN EXCAVATION CONDITION.
UH, THE WALLS WILL SERVE TO LEVEL OUT AND RAISE UP THE GRADE OF THE AREA INSTEAD OF EXCAVATING DOWN INTO THE EARTH.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE, I'M SORRY.
SOMEBODY I SAID GARRETT, I'M SIGNED UP.
UH, PAUL, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD OF ME OR I SHOULD WAIT.
I WAS JUST GONNA RE-ASK, UH, IF UNDER THE PROPOSAL, UH, A FOLLOW UP TO KEN'S QUESTION, WHAT ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION TIME TABLE? YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, HOW WILL CONSTRUCTION IMPACT, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE? LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT TIME CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE, I'M SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
YOU KNOW, HOW WOULD IT IMPACT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE TIMES WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE TAKING PLACE, HOW MANY TRUCKS STILL BE, UM, REALLY QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION? RIGHT? SURE.
THE, THE, THE, THE DURATION OF CONSTRUCTION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TO EXCEED A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS.
AND ALL THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WOULD OCCUR DURING THE TOWN REGULATED HOURS OF PERMITTED CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THERE'S, UH, EXISTING ACCESS ROADS INTO THE SITE, SO THERE'S VERY MINIMAL DISTURBANCE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, FRANKLIN CLIFF HAS, UM, COMMITTED TO, UH, DOING THIS DURING ONE GROWING SEASON.
SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD IDEALLY START THIS WORK FOR THE WALL INSULATION IN THE SPRING OF 2022.
UH, IN COMPLETING THAT OVER THE WARM MONTHS, THAT BEING, THEY ARE ABLE TO COME IN, IN THE FALL AND DO ALL THE PLANTINGS AND STABILIZE EVERYTHING SO THAT IT'S, IT'S LEFT IN A GOOD CONDITION FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO THE WINTER MONTHS.
SO, UM, THE, THE DISTURBANCE HERE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTRUCTION WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE TYPICAL, UH, NOISE AND IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY, ANY WORK THAT'S DONE ANYWHERE.
UH, BUT, UH, IT'S NOT ANTICIPATED TO, UH, TAKE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, UH, OF TIME.
I'M PRESIDENT OF THE WORTHINGTON WOODLAND CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
I AM SPEAKING FOR SHEILA MAX, M A C K S.
SHEILA IS ONE OF THE HOUSES ON THE NORTH END, ON THE NORTH SIDE.
UM, SHE HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE OR ANYTHING THAT, THAT JAMES HAD SPOKEN ABOUT.
HOWEVER, MANY YEARS AGO, SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH FERNCLIFFE BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
A TREE FROM FERNCLIFF FELL DOWN INTO HER YARD AND FERNCLIFF WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT IT, AND THEY REFUSED TO REMOVE IT OR SEND SOMEONE TO CUT IT UP, CHOP IT UP AND TAKE IT AWAY.
AS A RESULT, SHEILA HAD TO GO TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT TO
[01:40:01]
GET FERNCLIFF TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.SHE WON, AND FERNCLIFF EVENTUALLY HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT GUARANTEE WILL THE ABUTTING HOUSES IN THE BACK HAVE THAT FERNCLIFF WILL REPLACE OR REMOVE ANY UNSIGHTLY NEW STUFF THAT'S BEING GROWN AND REPLACE IT WITH, UM, NEW OUR IDE OR WHATEVER THEY PLAN ON DOING AS SCREENING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT GETS WRITTEN INTO THE PLAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, UM, YOU SAY IT WILL BE DONE, OR HOW, HOW, THE QUESTION IS HOW THAT'S, THAT'S THE COMMENT FROM SHEILA.
WERE THERE, IS, WERE THERE ANY COMMENTS, UH, MS. LIPSON? I JUST SPOKE.
UM, YEAH, JUST, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE POINTS.
UM, THE, THE, THERE'S, UH, MANDATORY, UH, PERFORMANCE GUARANTEES ON, ON THE LANDSCAPING AND, UM, AND THOSE ARE BUILT INTO THE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE TOWN BOARD.
AND INDEED, ANY TREES THAT DO NOT SURVIVE GROWING SEASONS, UH, MUST BE REPLACED.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ROUTINE.
AND, UM, IN FACT, WE'VE HAD, UH, TREES REPLACED, UH, AS PART OF SITE PLAN APPROVALS, TREES THAT HAVE DIED, YOU KNOW, OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
UH, WE'VE RECALLED, UH, SITE PLAN CONDITIONS AND HAD THEM, UH, REPLACED.
SO, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE PLANS SUBMITTED ARE VERY DETAILED AND THEY SPECIFY EXACTLY, UH, WHAT TREES WILL GO AND HOW MANY THERE WILL BE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE THAT CHECK AND BALANCE AND, UH, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S BONDING AND, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER MECHANISMS THAT ARE ALL DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE LANDSCAPING IS, IS DONE, UH, CORRECTLY AND DONE IN A LASTING FASHION.
BUT YES, WE, WE HAVE, UH, THE PROTOCOL IN PLACE.
AND GARY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT FERNCLIFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TREES AND LANDSCAPING ON ITS PROPERTY, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO I JUST DIDN'T WANT ANY MISUNDERSTANDING WITH RESPECT TO THAT.
THIS WAS A TREE THAT WAS ON FERN CLIFF'S PROPERTY AND DIED AND FELL INTO SHEILA'S PROPERTY.
THIS WAS NOT SHEILA'S TREE, THIS WAS FERN CLIFF'S TREE.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN LEGAL ISSUES THERE, SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS NOTWITHSTANDING THE LEGAL ISSUES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHOSE TREE IT IS AND WHERE THE TREE FALLS.
THAT'S WHY SHE WENT TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT.
IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY FERN CLIFF EVENTUALLY.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
I JUST HAD ONE, ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO THE LANDSCAPING.
UM, ARE, ARE ANY NATIVE SPECIES BEING USED OR JUST, JUST OR NOT? WAS THE QUESTION ABOUT NATIVE SPECIES, WHETHER THERE'S, WHETHER THE LANDSCAPING IS GOING TO CONTAIN ANY NATIVE SPECIES? UH, YES.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TOWN FORESTRY OFFICER ON, UH, THE APPROPRIATE, UH, SPECIES MIX HERE, UH, WITH REGARDING DIVERSITY AND NATIVE SPECIES.
AND SO YES, THE INTENT IS TO, UH, USE AS MUCH NATIVE PLANTINGS, UH, AS POSSIBLE.
SO ON THE, THESE, THE SCREENSHOT THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING SHOWN AT THE VERY REAR OF IT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BASE ELEVATION ON RN CLIFF'S PROPERTY IS ABOUT AT ROOF LEVEL OF THE HOUSE BEHIND IT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THE HOUSE THAT'S SHOWN THERE, THAT ROOF LINE, UH, THAT IS A ONE STORY HOU HOUSE, RIGHT? WHICH IS TYPICAL IN, IN, IN YES.
SO HOW HIGH IS THE RETAINING WALL THAT, OR DO YOU HAVE A SHOT OF THE RETAINING WALL FROM THE VIEW FROM THAT HOUSE? IF I GO BACK, I CAN SHOW YOU THIS.
UM, I THINK THIS, THIS IS PRETTY REPRESENTATIVE OF, OF, UH, UH, THIS, THIS WALL HERE.
THERE'S TWO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT WERE SHOWING HERE.
I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, TWO 15 FOREST BOULEVARD AND, UH, 2 0 5 FOREST BOULEVARD, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UM, BUT THE RETAINING WALL, UM, ALONG THIS SECTION HERE IS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN FEET IN HEIGHT AND RETAINING WALL HERE.
UH, ON THE LOWER PORTION IS APPROXIMATELY, IT TRANSITIONS, UH, FROM SEVEN DOWN TO FOUR FEET HEIGHT.
AND THE PLANTINGS THAT WERE PROPOSED TO IN INSTALL ARE, ARE MINIMUM SPECIFIED AT 12 FEET HEIGHT AT THE TIME OF PLANTING.
AND THESE CAN BE SOLD FROM LOCAL NURSERIES.
UH, FRANKLIN CLIFF HAS DONE HIS
[01:45:01]
HOMEWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN DO THIS PLANTING PLANT.UM, AND IF I JUST SHOW YOU THIS THOUGH, THIS IS, THE INTENT IS TO CREATE, YOU KNOW, A UNIFORM, UH, UH, VEGETATIVE BUFFER THAT DOES PROVIDE SOME INTEREST INTRIGUE WITH A VARIETY OF LOWER GROUND COVER SHRUBS HERE, COMPLETELY SCREEN THE WALL.
UM, AND WHEN WE, WHEN WE MET WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, UH, OUT HERE, UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN THEY LOOK OUT INTO THE BACKYARD, IT'S KIND OF DISCONCERTING TO SEE A CAR DRIVING ALONG FROM CLIFFS ROAD OR SOMEONE WALKING OR JOGGING.
'CAUSE IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE IT'S YOU'RE IN YOUR, THEIR BACKYARD.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS DOES IS GIVES THEM A SENSE OF, OF PRIVACY, UM, FOR, FOR BOTH PROPERTY OWNERS ON BOTH SIDES.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS TO ARRIVE AT THIS, THIS SOLUTION HERE.
SO MY, MY THE PURPOSE OF MY QUESTION IS THAT NORMALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A RETAINING WALL OF THAT HEIGHT, YOU HAVE WEAK POLES IN IT.
ARE YOU PER, UH, SO THAT, UH, ANY MOISTURE ON YOUR SIDE OF THE WALL HAS A PLACE TO GO WITHOUT BULGING OUT THE, THE RETAINING WALL? ARE YOU INTENDING TO HAVE WEEP HOLES OR DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF KEEPING ALL LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS, RAIN, WHATEVER, ON FORKLIFT'S SIDE OF THE RETAINING WALL BY SOME KIND OF AN INFER A MEMBRANE GOING INTO SOME KIND OF A DRAINAGE SYSTEM SO THAT IT'S NOT COMING OUT ONTO THE NEIGHBOR'S, UH, BACKYARD? SURE.
SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO JUST REITERATE THAT THESE CONCRETE VAULTS ARE SELF-CONTAINED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT THAT THEY CAN BE.
AND BEYOND THAT, UM, WHEN THE COMPACTED SUB BASE FOR THE VAULTS IS, IS PLACED IN THE GROUND, THERE ARE PERFORATED UNDER DRAINS THAT ARE INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE SITE.
AND THESE ARE ON THE, THE, THE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE PERFORATED UNDER DRAINS CONNECT INTO EXISTING DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE ON FERN CLIFF'S PROPERTY TO MITIGATE GROUNDWATER AND ANY, UM, UH, STORMWATER THAT DOES, UH, FALL AND ABSORB INTO THE GROUND IN THIS AREA.
SO, SO IS IT A REQUIREMENT THAT ANYONE WHO IS BURIED IN FERN CLIFF MUST GO INTO A CONCRETE BULB? I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN OPTION.
WELL, IN THIS AREA OF GROUND BURIALS, YES, BECAUSE THESE WILL BE INSTALLED AT, AT ALL AT ONCE.
AND THEN WHEN THEY ARE READY FOR, UH, THEIR, UH, OCCUPANT THAT THEN THAT CASKET WILL BE PLACED WITHIN THIS EXISTING CONCRETE VAULT THAT'S ALREADY IN THE GROUND.
SO WILL THERE BE WE POLES THEN THAT WILL ALLOW, UH, PERMIT, UH, WATER LIQUIDS, WHATEVER IS IN THE SOIL TO COME THROUGH THAT WALL AND GO ON TO THE, UH, NEIGHBOR A BUDDYING NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD? I, I, I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT IS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED BY A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER WHO'S DESIGNING THE WALL, UH, TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY HYDROSTATIC LOADING THAT'S OCCURRING THERE.
UM, SO I HAVE NOT SEEN THE FINAL WALL DESIGN DRAWINGS, THE TECHNICAL WALL DESIGN DRAWINGS THAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT FOR PERMIT.
BUT, UM, THE TOWN IS CERTAINLY GOING TO REVIEW THOSE, THOSE DRAWINGS IN DETAIL.
BUT MY, MY, MY AFFIRMATIVE VOTE ON THIS, WHICH I DON'T HAVE AN AN ISSUE WITH THE PROJECT AT ALL, EXCEPT WHATEVER IS ON FIRM CLIFF'S SIDE OF THAT WALL SHOULD STAY ON FIRM CLIFF'S SIDE OF THE WALL AND, AND NO LIQUID OF ANY TYPE SHOULD MAKE IT TO THE NEIGHBOR'S SIDE OF THE WALL.
AND I, I, I WANNA LEAVE IT THERE, BUT, UH, I WOULD HAVE TO SEE SOMETHING FROM SOME, SOME PROFESSIONAL TO STATE THAT WHATEVER IS GENERATED OR EXISTS ON FIRM CLIFF'S SIDE OF THAT WALL DOES NOT COME ONTO THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
LIKELY MEANS SOME KIND OF AN IMPERMEABLE MEMBRANE THAT CATCHES IF YOU ARE ALREADY PUTTING IN PIPES THAT GOES INTO SOME PIPING SYSTEM THAT TAKES IT AWAY ON FAL SIDE OF THE WALL.
I WILL, UH, I WILL TAKE THAT BACK TO, UH,
I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, THEY CAN ASK THEIR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TO STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TO LOOK AT CONSIDERING, AS, YOU KNOW, MOST ANYTHING CAN BE ENGINEERED, YOU JUST HAVE TO PROVE.
[01:50:02]
GREAT.I'M NOT SURE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS UP OR I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY OTHER SIGNUPS I LIKE, I, I'D, UH, RECOMMEND THAT WE HOLD THIS OVER FOR ALL PURPOSES TO THE NEXT, UH, MEETING.
I KNOW WE HAVE A, A LARGE, UM, AGENDA ON JULY 21ST, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS GONNA TAKE VERY LONG, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN THE RECORD UNLESS YOU THINK YOU COULD PROVIDE IT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN 10 DAYS OR SO.
AND IF IT'S THERE, IT'S THERE AND IF IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, WE COULD ALWAYS DO IT THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, UH, WELL WITHIN THAT 10 DAY TIMEFRAME.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN FOR 10 DAYS AND, UM, AND THAT, THAT'LL BE THAT A SECOND.
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 520 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh entitled “Conservation Advisory Council” to expand the Council up to nine (9) members with staggered two year terms]
OKAY.UH, CONSIDER AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE 20 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL TO EXPAND THE COUNCIL OF UP TO NINE MEMBERS WITH STAGGER TWO YEAR TERMS. I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN THE HEARING.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST SIMPLY A, UH, A LOCAL LAW THAT AUTHORIZES AUTHORIZES THE TOWN BOARD TO APPOINT NINE MEMBERS TO THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AS OPPOSED TO SEVEN.
THE LAW CURRENTLY PROVIDES FOR SEVEN MEMBERS, AND I THINK IT WAS THE INTENT OF THE TOWN BOARD TO EXPAND THE BOARD SO YOU COULD HAVE, UH, MORE MEMBERS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS IN, UH, DIFFERENT AREAS, UH, OF THE TOWN.
AND, UH, SIMPLY PUT, THAT'S A VERY, UH, SMALL AMENDMENT TO THE, UM, THE EXISTING CHAPTER FIVE 20.
ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK? YES, THERESA TORI, WISHING TO SPEAK.
UM, IF YOU DO NOT APPOINT THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN, BEEN HELD FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS NOW SINCE THEY WERE INTERVIEWED TONIGHT, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND CHANGE US TO NINE, WE WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION AS A COUNCIL.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THE QUORUM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE MEMBERS TOMORROW NIGHT, WE HAVE A SCHEDULED MEETING.
I HAVE ONE MEMBER THAT NEEDS TO LEAVE EARLY, ANOTHER ONE WHO WILL BE, HAS RESUMED COMMUTING TO THE CITY AND WILL BE ARRIVING LATE.
UM, I I, WE ASKED TO WORK WITH YOU FOLKS ON THIS WHEN WAS SUGGESTED.
UH, WE HAVE NOT PRESENTED A PROBLEM TO THE CHANGE, EVEN THOUGH IN 2010 WE SPECIFICALLY ASKED TO GO DOWN TO SEVEN TO BE THE SAME NUMBER AS THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE, UM, OTHER, UH, THE ZONING BOARD.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE WHEN WE WERE KNOWING MEETING QUORUM BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A WONDERFUL AND IDEAL THING, AND WE WISH THAT WE HAD MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTED TO VOLUNTEER TO SERVE ON THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, BUT I THINK THIS IS TRUE OF ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COUNCILS IN THE TOWN, IT DOES REQUIRE A TIME COMMITMENT.
AND IT'S HARD TO FIND PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER AT THE CURRENT TIME.
WE HAVE SOME VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE WAITING, AND IF THEY WERE APPOINTED TONIGHT, IT WOULD SOLVE OUR CURRENT PROBLEMS. AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE WILLING TO TRY TO FUNCTION AT KNOWING IF WE ARE NOT GONNA DO THE APPOINTMENTS TONIGHT, I WOULD ASK YOU HOLD OFF CHANGING THE SIZE OF THE BOARD UNTIL SUCH TIME AS YOU WERE WILLING TO APPOINT PEOPLE.
OTHERWISE, YOU ARE MAKING US A NON-FUNCTIONING COUNCIL.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANT, WANNA BELIEVE THE TOWN BOARD'S INTENT IS TO HAVE A CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT CAN'T FUNCTION.
SO I THINK UNLESS YOU'RE DOING BOTH TONIGHT, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU HOLD THIS OVER TO YOU ALREADY TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS.
CAN I JUST CLARIFY, CAN I JUST CLARIFY, THERE'S NO WAY THAT
[01:55:01]
WE CAN MAKE THIS CHANGE TONIGHT AND BE EFFECTIVE TOMORROW BECAUSE LOCAL LAWS ARE EFFECTIVE WHEN THEY'RE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.SO, AND THIS CAME UP IN SOME EMAILS TODAY, SO YOU WOULD BE OPERATING TOMORROW BASED ON THE CURRENT REGULATIONS, BECAUSE THIS WOULD NOT BE IN EFFECT.
MATTER OF FACT, WHAT I SUGGESTED WAS THAT WE, WE, UM, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE REALLY IS NO CONTROVERSY OVER THIS AND VOTE TO A POINT ALL THE MEMBERS ON TUESDAY, TOMORROW IF YOU HAVE FOUR MEMBERS.
NOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE FOUR MEMBERS TOMORROW NIGHT, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
BUT IF YOU HAVE FOUR MEMBERS TOMORROW, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR QUORUM AND THEN COME TUESDAY YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR FULL, YOU KNOW, THE FULL BOARD BECAUSE WE COULD, WE CAN LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN UNTIL MONDAY AND THEN VOTE ON TUESDAY, A SPECIAL MEETING.
SO THAT YOU WOULD THEN, AND EVEN THEN, IT WOULDN'T BE NECESSARILY NINE MEMBERS.
IT'S WHEN IT'S FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE, WHICH TAKES A FEW DAYS.
I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THAT, IS THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU'D BE DOING AT A WORK SESSION, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YOU CAN WELL, WE A SPECIAL MEETING TO WORK.
SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
I MEAN, I I THINK TAX EXPEDITE US.
YEAH, I I GUESS MY CONCERN BECAUSE IF WE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IF WE COME OUT OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, WE'LL STILL BE FUNCTIONING UNDER, UM, THE SEVEN TOMORROW NIGHT.
UH, AND THEN YOU WOULD, I GUESS, I GUESS MY THING IS, I I, SO LONG AS THE APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE MADE, I DO NOT HAVE AN OBJECTION.
I HAVE A VERY, AS I SAID, I HAVE A VERY STRONG OBJECTION IF WE'RE NOT IMMEDIATELY MAKING THE APPOINTMENTS.
SO THEN WHY DON'T WE HAVE, WHY DON'T WE THEN JUST HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, UM, ON, UH, TUESDAY AND WE'LL MAKE ALL THE FOUR APPOINTMENTS AT THAT TIME.
THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA WHEN WE GET TO IT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALL THE APPOINTMENTS ON THIS AGENDA TO STATED TO BE DONE AT A SPECIAL MEETING BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SEATS TO APPOINT ALL THE MEMBERS THAT WE ARE GOING TO APPOINT TONIGHT, BECAUSE THIS WOULD NOT TAKE EFFECT
SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO TONIGHT, IT'S NOT GONNA AFFECT YOUR MEETING TOMORROW.
I, I MEAN, I, I'M RELYING ON THIS BEING A SEQUENCE THAT WORKS.
OTHERWISE WE WILL BE NON-FUNCTIONING.
AND AS AN ADDED BONUS
AND SO WE ADDED ALL OF THE RENEWALS OF THE EXISTING MEMBERS.
YOU'LL SEE IT WHEN WE GET TO THAT ON THE, ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT WOULD ALSO BE DONE ON, ON, UH, TUESDAY.
SO THAT EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEIR TERMS, THEIR TWO YEAR TERMS. THEY HAVE TO BE STAGGERED.
AND, UM, I ACTUALLY WENT BACK, FOR EXAMPLE, TERRY, WHEN YOU WERE FIRST APPOINTED IN WHAT YOUR FIRST TERM WAS, AND IT WAS IN AN ODD NUMBER OF YEAR.
SO YOUR TERM EXPIRES EVERY, EVERY, UM, ODD NUMBER OF YEAR.
AND MIKE SIEGEL, FOR EXAMPLE, HIS FIRST APPOINTMENT WAS AN EVEN NUMBER YEAR.
SO HIS TERM EXPIRES EVERY EVEN NUMBER YEAR.
AND SO WE HAVE THAT ALL FIGURED OUT, STRAIGHTENED OUT, SO THAT WE COULD GIVE YOU FULLY ALL APPOINTED, UH, MEMBERSHIP, UH, COME TUESDAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
SHARE DIFFERENT LIGHT ON THE SITUATION.
WHAT'S THAT? I SAID THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
AND IT DOES SHED A DIFFERENT LIGHT ON THE SITUATION AND I MEN YOU TO HAVE GONE THROUGH FIGURING OUT THE AING YEARS OF APPOINTMENTS.
SO ONE OF, ONE OF, ONE OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WE ARE APPOINTING, WE STILL NEED TO INTERVIEW AS A BOARD.
UM, SO, UH, SO I WONDER, JOAN, IF YOU CAN REACH OUT TO LAUREN HOWELL TO SEE WHETHER WE CAN INTERVIEW HER ON, ON TUESDAY AS WELL BEFORE WE DO THE APPOINTMENTS.
I CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT IF SHE'S AVAILABLE.
OKAY, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN UNTIL MONDAY AT 5:00 PM IS THERE A SECOND? UM, CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION? WOULD IT MAKE ANY SENSE, UM, JUST TO GIVE REASSURANCE AND THEN SAY, UM, AND, AND SCHEDULE A PUB AND SCHEDULE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSES OF VOTING? UM, UH, ON ALL FOUR, ON FOUR APPOINTMENTS, UM, ON TUESDAY.
SO THAT COULD BE PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
SO THERE'S A COMMITMENT FROM OUR PART THAT THERE WILL ACTUALLY BE A VOTE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ALREADY ON, IT'S ALREADY ON THE AGENDA.
I, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THERE'S
[02:00:01]
GOTTA BE SOME LEVEL OF TRUST, RIGHT? YEAH.LET'S JUST, SO HERE, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HELD OVER TO 6:00 PM UH, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT DATE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE 2019 TYPO.
UH, AND HERE YOU ARE, YOUR ENTIRE BOARD.
CHERRY YOUR ENTIRE BOARD NOT ON DISPLAY.
FRANCIS
SO THIS IS WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON HERE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR THESE PEOPLE IF WE DO IT TONIGHT.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA OF THIS.
AND REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS OVER THE, THE COMING MONTHS, WE SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THE APPOINTMENTS AS SOON AS THE, UM, LOCAL LAW TOOK EFFECT.
AND IT WON'T TAKE EFFECT TONIGHT, SO IT WON'T BE AVAILABLE FOR TOMORROW.
AND OH, JUST LET ME ZOOM ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE AND YOU'LL SEE THE STAGGERED TERMS. YES.
AND FOR EXISTING PEOPLE, I'D LOOK TO SEE WHEN WAS THEIR FIRST APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD AND THEN IT'S TWO YEAR TERMS AFTER THAT.
SO, UH, AND I THINK JOAN RANDOMIZED THE NEW PEOPLE JUST SO THAT IT'LL BE TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE.
UH, EVEN NUMBER OF, I GUESS THAT'S A BAD TERM, BUT AN EVEN NUMBER OF ODD YEAR AND, AND EVEN YEARS.
DID WE SPECIFY THAT ONE OF THE NEW MEMBERS IS GONNA BE AN ALTERNATE? WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED AN, WE DON'T HAVE THE ALTERNATE.
WE DON'T NEED, WE DON'T NEED AN A.
WELL YOU MAY NEED AN ALTERNATE, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE HAVE ONE, SAY WE HAVE ONE REGULAR MEMBER SEAT STILL OPEN.
SO IF ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING TONIGHT IS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
'CAUSE WE HAVE ACTUALLY AN ALTERNATE SEAT OPENED AND ONE REGULAR MEMBER SEAT OPEN.
SO I THINK POLO INTERRUPTED THE VOTE.
DID SOMEBODY SECOND? I SECOND.
UH, FRANCIS, COULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT YOUR MOTION BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT, IT WAS A, A COMPLETE STATEMENT.
I HAVE HERE, FRANCIS MOVED TO CLOSE AND LEAVE RECORD OPEN CLOSE.
I SAID CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN UNTIL MONDAY AT 5:00 PM OKAY.
AND I'M VOTING, AYE I THINK OTHERS DID AS WELL.
[ Re-opening of a Public Hearing to continue consideration of the extension of the Finmor Sewer District in the vicinity of 701 Dobbs Ferry Road]
OKAY.REOPENING OF A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER CONSIDERATION OF THE EXTENSION OF THE FINMORE SEWER DISTRICT IN THE VICINITY OF 7 0 1 DOPPS FERRY ROAD.
I, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, THE APPLICANT, UM, IS, IS NOT APPEARING TONIGHT.
THEY'D LIKE TO ADJOURN IT, UM, TO JULY 21ST.
THEY'RE NOT SURE IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE ABLE TO, UM, CONDUCT THE HEARING THAT DAY EITHER, BUT THEY WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE A, A CONTROL DATE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT DATE.
SO THEN, THEN LET'S LOOK AT THE AUGUST MEETING BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN FIT INTO THAT JULY 21ST.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE HAVE AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, SO WHY DON'T WE HAVE A CONTROL DATE OF, OF AUGUST? AND MAYBE THEY'LL ACTUALLY COMPLY WITH THE REQUEST FOR PREVENTION.
THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO AFFORD NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC DATE SUCH THAT THE TOWN BOARD THEN HAS TO PAY TO PUBLISH A DATE FOR A NEW PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE A CONTROL DATE.
WHATEVER DATE YOU FEEL IS
OKAY, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE, UH, CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ALL PURPOSES, UH, TO AUGUST 11TH.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advance signup via PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com is required. See instructions on first page. A three minute limit per speaker will be strictly enforced. No interruptions by Town Board members, the Town Clerk or the public will be permitted. Any questions on agenda items should be asked at this time. Department Heads have the option of leaving the meeting following Public Comment. Therefore, if anyone has questions that are related to resolutions/items on the agenda involving a specific Department Head, those questions should be raised at this time]
NOW WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.ANYONE WANNA COMMENT ON ANYTHING?
[02:05:04]
I KNOW WE HAVE PAT WEEMS WHO HAS, UH, INDICATED THAT SHE'D LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.DO WE WANT, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE SPEAKING? BECAUSE DO IT, IT'S EASIER.
I THINK IF WE JUST DO EIGHT MINUTES AND THEN DO ONCE AND THEN WE COULD JUST MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA.
BUT THEN WE COME OUTTA RULES, THEN WE GET OUTTA RULES AND THEN IT BECOMES A CHALLENGE.
SO WHY CAN'T WE STICK THE RULES? NO, I'M ASKING IF WE COULD AMEND THE RULES JUST EASIER THEN WE DON'T, WE KEEP DOING THAT.
WE KEEP GETTING OUTTA RULES AND THEN IT STARTS A CONFUSION.
AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST REALLY JUST STICK TO OUR RULES SO WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO CONFUSION.
ASK IF IT WAS THE THREE MINUTES OR THE FIVE MINUTES.
IT'S THREE MINUTES AND I'LL TAKE THE THREE MINUTES AND WAIT UNTIL THE FIVE MINUTES LATER.
ONE IS ON THE BLACK LIVES MATTER, THE SIGNS THAT WERE TAKEN DOWN AND I DIDN'T SEE CHIEF MCMURRAY'S NAME HERE.
IS HE HERE TONIGHT? IS HE LOOKING? GOODNESS, I, OKAY.
I DON'T, I DON'T SEE HIM PRESENT.
I DIDN'T THINK I SAW IT EITHER.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR WITH THE BLACK LIVES, BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNS AND WHAT ARE THEY GONNA BE PUT UP? AND
UM, HOW, HOW LONG IS THIS GOING ON AND WITH THE BLACK LIVES MATTER? UM, WHEN WILL THEY HAVE A OPENING FOR THE, UH, SIGNS TO GO UP? THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
AND IS THERE ANY PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER THAT THEY'VE HAD WITH, UM, FINDING OUT WHO'S BEEN DOING THE INVESTIGATION TAKING PLACE FOR THE BLACK LIVES MATTER? HAVE THEY, IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON ANYTHING? THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
SIGN THE DATE THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT 'EM BACK UP.
IS THERE ANY CHANGE IN THE SIGNS ITSELF? UM, ARE THEY GONNA BE IN THE SAME PLACE, OR DO YOU HAVE A NEW LOCATION? IS IT'S, IS THERE ANYBODY THERE ON THE COMMITTEE THAT CAN GIVE A REPORT? WE'RE MEETING, WE'RE MEETING TOMORROW TO DISCUSS, UH, WHEN THE SIGNS WILL GO BACK UP.
UH, THE MESSAGE MAY MESSAGE, UH, MAY BE DIFFERENT.
UM, BUT THE SIGNS ARE GONNA GO BACK UP AND THEY'RE GONNA GO BACK UP ON THE WELCOME SIGNS AS SOON AS WE HAVE SIGNS TO PUT THEM ON.
UH, RIGHT NOW, UM, TWO OF THE WELCOME SIGNS, THE ONE THAT WAS TORN DOWN AND IT'S BROKEN, IS MISSING.
AND WE'RE WAITING TO GET A REPLACEMENT.
AND THERE'S A SECOND SIGN, UH, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE REPLACED AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE WELCOME SIGNS.
UH, THEN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER.
UH, YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA BE, YOU TURN, TAKE THE ONE THAT'S UP.
SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THAT ONE.
YOU SAID ONE WAS MISSING TO BEGIN WITH AND ONE WAS BROKEN.
UH, AS, BECAUSE IT WAS VANDALIZED RIGHT.
SO WE'VE ORDERED NEW ONES AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME IN.
SO ALL OF THE, THE, UM, THE, THE SIGNS ARE STILL GONNA READ THE ALL LIVES CAT MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER, THAT THOSE WILL BE UP ON THE TWO NEW ONES.
BUT THE ONE THAT WAS TAKEN DOWN AND THE ONE THAT'S GOING UP THAT WAS LOST, UM, HOW DID Y HOW DID WE LOSE THE SIGN? NOBODY TOOK IT DOWN.
THE ONE, THE ONE WAS JUST MISSING.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT.
BUT THE, UH, THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO CHANGE THE MESSAGE FROM, UH, ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER, BECAUSE THERE WAS A FEELING THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER, THE SLOGAN HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATED BY, UH, BY GROUPS WHO MEAN TO DEFAME IT, WHO MEAN TO CHANGE ITS MEANING FROM BLACK LIVES, IN FACT, MATTERING TO SOME SORT OF ANTI-WHITE, ANTI-COP, YOU KNOW, ANTIFA NONSENSE.
AND WE DIDN'T WANT OUR, UH, MESSAGE TO BE MIXED UP IN ALL THAT NONSENSE.
UM, AND THAT BECAME CLEAR, UH, AFTER THE SIGN WAS TORN DOWN, UM, WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE,
[02:10:01]
UH, MADE THOSE ASSOCIATIONS.SO THE COMMITTED TO THE VOTE AT THE LAST MEETING, UM, AND WE DID, WE VOTED ON A DIFFERENT SLOGAN, UM, AND, UM, THE SLOGAN THAT WE VOTED ON WAS, RACISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED HERE.
SO THE SIGNS WHEN THEY GO BACK UP, WILL READ, RACISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED HERE.
WHY CAN'T WE JUST LEAVE? LIKE, I, LIKE THE RACISM WON'T BE TOLERATED HERE BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THAT.
BUT CAN'T WE LEAVE ON THE ALL LIVES? UM, CAN'T ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I, YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING OF THE, THE COMMITTEE VOTED.
UH, AND THIS IS THE NEW SLOGAN.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE ORIGINAL SLOGAN.
ALRIGHT, MS. WILLIAMS, CAN WE COME BACK TO YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME OTHER SPEAKERS WITHIN THE THREE MINUTE TIME PERIOD? THREE MINUTES IS OKAY.
I'LL COME BACK IN FIVE MINUTES.
I ANSWER THIS ALL, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
ARE WE SPEAKING ON THREE MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT? OH, OKAY.
SO THE NEXT PERSON, UH, IN, UH, ORDER OF, UH, TO SPEAK IS GANI.
UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP THIS SHORT.
UH, MY NAME IS GANI BARAK AND I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A RECENTLY ENACTED LAW REGARDING THE LISTING OF ALL L L C MEMBERS.
PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE BUILDING PERMIT, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW WAS TO LIST AND UNMASK ALL LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION MEMBERS FOR THE TOWN CAMP, FOR TOWN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REASONS SPECIFICALLY.
UM, I WAS TOLD, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WAS TO, YOU KNOW, CROSS-REFERENCE ANY MONIES TO MEMBERS OF TOWN GOVERNMENT WOULD POSITION STANCES ON ANY ISSUES.
IT'S AN ISSUE THAT DESERVES MORE.
WE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO HIM WHEN HE COMES BACK.
I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUT OF TURN.
I ACTUALLY WORK WITH GHI, UM, AND, UH, HIS THING IS FROZEN NOW, BUT, UH, MAYBE I CAN JUST, I DON'T MEAN TO JUMP TO QUEUE HERE, BUT, UM, I GUESS HE DIDN'T HAVE INTERNET SERVICE.
WE ACTUALLY ARE, UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LAW THAT WAS ENACTED AND IT WAS, SEE IF HE CAME BACK ON.
YES, WE STARTED AGAIN IN THREE MINUTES.
UM, YEAH, SO IT WAS A, A LAW ENACTED BASICALLY TO UNCOVER, UH, CAMPAIGN FINANCES.
IT'S REQUIRING ANY APPLICANT, UH, THAT'S APPLYING FOR A BUILDING PERMIT TO GO AHEAD AND DISCLOSE THE MEMBERS OF THE L L C.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S ALSO REQUIRING THE LANDLORD TO DISCLOSE THE MEMBERS OF THE L L C.
UM, WE, WE, WE THINK THIS IS AN EXTREME OVERREACH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR US TO BE THE LANDLORDS OF A PROPERTY, WE'VE ALREADY REGISTERED OUR L L C WITH THE STATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE'RE NOTICING IS THAT THIS IS CAUSING A TREMENDOUS HOLDUP IN ALL OF OUR BUILDING PROCESSES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF GARRETT'S STILL IN THE LINE, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, GARRETT HAD COME UP WITH, UH, THE, UH, ECONOMIC, UM, INFLUENCERS TO COME TO OUR PROPERTY ONE DAY AND SEE WHAT WE DO.
AND WE BASICALLY, UM, HAD A DISCUSSION WITH HIM AND HE SAID, WHAT ARE THE HOLDUPS FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO GREENBURG? AND WE SAID, THE PROCESS TO GET PEOPLE TO COME AND LOOK AT A PROPERTY, GET A PROPERTY READY, HAVE THEM MAKE A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO SIGN THE LEASE, GET THROUGH THE BUILDING PROCESS, IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ARDUOUS TASK.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TASK.
BUT TO ADD THIS ON TOP OF IT IS, AGAIN, TO US AND EXTREME OVERREACH.
AND IT'S REALLY JUST HURTING THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND RECONSIDER THIS BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S ASKING US ON A TOWN LEVEL THROUGH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO DO SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
SO GANI CAN DEFINITELY DEFINE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER IF IT GETS BACK ON THE LINE, BUT, UM, THAT'S THE GIST OF IT.
[02:15:01]
EVENING EVERYBODY.UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS A BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGN THAT'S GONNA BE BE REPLACED WITH RACISM ISN'T TOLERATED.
DID, DID HE SAY RACISM IS NOT TOLERATED? IS IT TOLERATED HERE OR JUST TOLERATED? I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GET THE WHOLE QUOTE.
RACISM IS, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED HERE, REALLY.
BUT THEY CAN PULL DOWN A BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGN, NOT TOLERATE.
AND WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE WORDING FROM ACTS OF RACISM.
BUT THE, THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE PHRASE BLACK LIVES MATTER HAS BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED BY ANTI, YOU KNOW, BY ANTI-BLACK, ANTI-WHITE, YOU KNOW, RACIST PEOPLE WHO HAVE CO-OPTED THE TERM, UH, TAKING THE MEANING AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER, UH, AND TURNING IT TOWARD, YOU KNOW, DEFUND THE POLICE.
YOU KNOW, WE HATE WHITE PEOPLE, ANTIQUE, OH GOD.
AND SO WE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG DON'T WANT OUR MESSAGE TO BE CONFLATED WITH, WITH WHAT THOSE RIGHT-WING FORCES ARE TRYING TO, UH, MAKE IT MEAN.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE BUT KEN, I HEAR YOU
THE PROPAGANDA THAT'S BEING PERPETUATED ON BLACK PEOPLE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN 400 YEARS.
AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER FORM OF PROPAGANDA.
WHEN YOU MAKE A CHANGE TO AN UNTRUTH, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S TRUE.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK BLACK PEOPLE FEEL? SO THAT COULD CREATE SOME KIND OF DISCORD BECAUSE IT'S TAPPING INTO THESE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE IT'S TAPPING INTO.
AND YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE ANY NEGATIVITY AROUND THE TOWN OF, TOWN OF GREENBURG.
BUT YOU, HOW YOU GONNA DO THAT? BLACK PEOPLE LIVE IN GREENBURG.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? SO WHEN I WALK DOWN THE STREET AS A BLACK WOMAN AND I'M BLACK, MY LIFE MATTERS.
I DON'T HAVE TO SAY IT OUT LOUD.
THEY'RE GONNA TEAR ME DOWN TOO.
THEY DON'T LIVE IN AN ALL WHITE SOCIETY.
THEY DON'T GET TO SAY WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THEY DON'T LIVE IT.
THEY CAN'T DEFINE A BLACK LIGHT.
A CONVERSATION GREATER THAN HAVING A CLOSED DOOR DISCUSSION AMONGST A FEW, DECIDING THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NEEDS TO OCCUR.
IT CAN'T JUST BE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE SAYING THE SKY IS GRAY WHEN YOU'VE BEEN TOLD THE DEFINITION OF THE SKY IS BLUE, BUT 30 PEOPLE WALKING AROUND SAYING IT'S THE SKY IS BLACK GRAY.
YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE BLUE SKY.
YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WHO INHERENTLY DON'T LIKE BLACK PEOPLE.
AND LIKE, THIS IS THE PART THAT IS WE ARE, WE'RE FIGHTING FOR.
SO PULL DOWN THE SIGN AND WE'LL PUT UP A, WE DON'T TOLERATE RACISM, BUT THAT'S A RACIST ACT TO, TO RIP DOWN OR SO, BUT WE DON'T TOLERATE THAT.
SO MS. BROWN, WE GET YOUR POINT.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS TOPIC WE BROUGHT UP AMONGST THE TOWN IN A WAY THAT IS PRESENTED BY ALL PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
WE JUST WANNA GIVE MR. ABRAMS A CHANCE TO SPEAK AS WELL.
AND THEN, SO I READ ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE, BUT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE RULES.
THEN YOU MIGHT GET MORE TIME AND HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO ARTICULATE YOUR THOUGHTS.
GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES ACTUALLY, BUT CLIFF, READY FOR YOU.
WE GO BACK ANI, WE SEE YOU GANI.
WE KNOW THAT YOU CAME BACK ON.
[02:20:01]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.I, I GUESS I WAS JUST RAMBLING OFF OF MYSELF AND MY INTERNET HAD COLLAPSED AND I GOT BOOTY FROM THE MEETING.
SO I, I TRY TO CONTINUE ROUGHLY WHERE I KIND OF THINK I WAS.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE UNMASKING OF THE L L C MEMBERS AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TOWN'S IDEA WAS BEHIND IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY IT, IT KIND OF, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, YOU KNOW, AS A PLAN ON HIRING A OR EMPLOYING A FORCE OF FORENSIC ACCOUNTANTS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS JOB BY CROSS-REFERENCING, YOU KNOW, THE NEWLY UNMASKED MEMBERS OF THE L L C WITH THE PERSONAL FINANCIAL RECORDS OF ALL THE TOWN EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, UM, ARE THE TOWN EMPLOYEES VOLUNTARILY PROVIDING THE MONTHLY ACCOUNT STATEMENTS ON ALL THEIR ACCOUNTS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS ACCOUNTS ARE THE NEWLY HIRED TEAM OF FORENSIC ACCOUNTANTS GOING TO CROSS-REFERENCE CELL PHONE LOGS, TEXT MESSAGE, META METADATA TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED TO TAKE THIS TO ITS END.
AND AT ITS END IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ENORMOUS OVERREACH LIKE 1984 MOVIE OVERREACH.
YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY WHAT THIS LAW HAS ACTUALLY DONE IS STALL DEVELOPMENT.
AND FIRST, UM, FIRSTLY, A NEW TENANT, ESSENTIALLY JIUJITSU WITH DEEP ROOTS IN GREENBERG, HAS HAD THEIR PERMIT STALLED AT THE PROPERTY THAT I MANAGE.
THEY HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE APPLICATION AND THE LAW REQUIRING THE APPLICANTS TO DISCLOSE THEIR MEMBERSHIP AS REQUIRED BY THE LAW.
THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND MISINTERPRETATION OF THE LAW WILL NOT PROCESS THEIR PERMIT APPLICATION UNTIL THE PROPERTY OWNER ALSO DISCLOSES THE L L C MEMBERSHIP.
THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL NOT DISCLOSE THEIR OWNERSHIP BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE TOWN OF GREENBURG HAS OVERSTEPPED ITS AUTHORITY.
THE PROPERTY OWNER ALREADY DISCLOSES THEIR MEMBERSHIP TO THE STATE AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
IF THERE'S ANY INDICATION OR WRONGDOING, THAT INFORMATION AND A LEGAL INVESTIGATION IS EASILY OBTAINED.
FURTHERMORE, THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY HAS TWO OPEN PERMITS WITH THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
ONCE THOSE PERMITS ARE COMPLETED, THEY WILL NOT BE APPLYING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL PERMITS.
GARRETT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS SEEN THE CALIBER, QUALITY AND BENEFIT OF THAT WORK.
AND SPECIFICALLY HOW THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS BECOMING AN ENGINE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT AS LONG AS THE LAW STAYS IN EFFECT, THAT WORK IS GONNA STOP.
AND SADLY, THE PEOPLE WHO IT HURTS THE MOST ARE THE SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE ESSENTIAL JIUJITSU WHOSE BUILD BUILDING APPLICATION IS STUCK IN LIMBO BECAUSE OF IT.
I HUMBLY AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR JUST TWO THINGS.
FIRST, THAT A CLARIFICATION BE GIVEN TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AS TO WHETHER THE OWNER OF A PROPERTY BE MANDATED TO DISCLOSE THEIR L L C L L C MEMBERSHIP EVEN AFTER THE APPLICANT HAS ALREADY COMPLIED AND DISCLOSED THEIR MEMBERSHIP.
RIGHT? THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE, SEPARATE THAN THE OWNER, THIS IS SPECIFIC TO THE SMALL BUSINESS APPLICANT, ESSENTIALLY JIUJITSU, WHOSE APPLICATION IS STUCK AWAITING A REVIEW FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
IF THE TOWN BOARD IS READING THE APPLICATION AS I HAVE, THE APPLICANT NEEDS TO DISCLOSE NOT THE PROPERTY OWNER.
THIS WOULD HELP MOVE THIS APPLICATION THAT'S STUCK IN LIMBO FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO THE BUILDING PERMIT REVIEW PROCESS.
DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GONNA GET A PERMIT, IT JUST MEANS THEY'RE FINALLY GONNA REVIEW THE APPLICATION.
THE SECOND THING THAT I HUMBLY ASK AND RESPECTFULLY ASK IS TO THINK HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND ALL THE OTHER ISSUES OF POLITICAL REALM.
WITHOUT USING THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AS A POLITICAL TOOL, THOSE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENT HAVE ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT.
FROM UNETHICAL CONTRACTORS CUTTING CORNERS TO THE EVER-CHANGING MYRIAD OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS THAT SEEM TO CHANGE EVERY SIX MONTHS FROM OVERREACHING STATE AGENCIES TO DOWNRIGHT MICROMANAGEMENT FROM THE STATE AGENCY IS MAKING THEM A POLITICAL TOOL, IS GOING TO HAVE THE UNINTENDED OUTCOME OF STALLING WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE SLUMP THAT WE'RE IN.
AND THAT'S MOTION, THAT'S POSITIVE OUTCOME.
THAT'S BELIEF IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE, THE GOOD OF OUR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN THAT PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE DOING GOOD AND THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE DOING BAD.
OKAY, MR. DONNY, I GOTTA STOP YOU THERE 'CAUSE YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP AND I JUST WANT TO BE CONSISTENT.
I THINK THE BOARD GETS THE GIST OF YOUR COMMENTS.
YEAH, I JUST HAD ONE, ONE FRACTION OF A SECOND, SETH.
YOU KNOW, I, I MAY JUST BE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE MEETING BRINGING THIS UP.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER THINGS OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT THIS THING SENT CHILLS THROUGH THE INDUSTRY.
YOU MIGHT NOT BE HEARING ABOUT IT, BUT RIGHTFULLY THE QUESTION IS, THEY'RE ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S NEXT? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA ASK FOR NEXT? AND AT THAT POINT, IT'S JUST GONNA STOP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME.
THANKS CLIFF ABRAMS. I WOULD LIKE FOR LOUISE TO GO FIRST AND I WILL GO AFTER LOUISE.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT I NEED THE SOUND BOARD.
I ALSO WANNA GET BACK TO THE SIGN, UM, THE SIGN BEING RIPPED DOWN WAS A HATE CRIME.
[02:25:01]
OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS AGREED ON THE WORDING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO AND WE'RE GONNA PUT IT UP.AND THEN IT WAS TORN DOWN, WHICH IS A HATE CRIME IN ITSELF.
AND NOW YOU'RE COWERING TO, TO, UM, TERRORISM, WHICH IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF I WENT OVER TO TOWN HALL WITH A BLOW TORCH AND I SET THE PRIDE FLAG ON FIRE, WOULD YOU NOT EVER, EVER, EVER PUT UP A PRIDE FLAG AGAIN? IF I WENT TO THE, IF, I MEAN, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT AND IT'S OFFENSIVE TO ME.
IT'S OF THAT PRIDE FLAG IS OFFENSIVE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND IF I WENT ACROSS THE RIVER TO ROCK, TO ROCKLAND COUNTY, INTO MUNCIE, AND I RIPPED DOWN ONE OF THEIR SIGNS, THERE WOULD BE A MAJOR PROBLEM.
THEY WOULD NOT FOLD TO CHANGE IT.
BUT HERE WE PUT A SIGN UP AND IT'S LIKE, OH, OKAY, NEVERMIND.
WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, I DON'T CARE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT, HOW PEOPLE ARE INTERPRETING THIS.
THE WHOLE FACT IS THAT THEY TORE IT DOWN AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA PUT IT BACK UP AND CHANGE THE WORDS, WHICH MEANS THEY WON.
SO NOW THEY CAN COME IN AND DO SOMETHING ELSE, AND THEY WON.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST, IT, IT WAS A HATE CRIME IN ITSELF.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S NOT BACK UP AGAIN.
I MEAN, LITERALLY, IF I DEFACE LIKE A HOLOCAUST THING, THEY WOULD NOT TAKE IT DOWN.
THEY WOULD CLEAN IT UP AND IT WOULD BE OPEN THE VERY NEXT DAY THE SAME WAY.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY HURTFUL.
IT'S REALLY, IT'S SHOWING, UM, WHOEVER DID THIS ONE PERSON, THEY MAY NOT HAVE EVEN LIVED IN GREENBURG.
THEY COULD HAVE COME FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, ORANGE COUNTY AND TORE THE SOUND AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU'RE TELLING THEM DAY ONE THEY CAN COME IN HERE AND DO ANYTHING AND YOU'RE, YOU'LL BE AFRAID.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL THAT I JUST WANNA, I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO CLIFF.
TIM, BEFORE YOU START THE CLOCK, I JUST LIKE 20 SECONDS, RIGHT? I JUST WANNA MAKE A POINT OF INFORMATION TO MS. JEN JACKSON.
UM, BEFORE THE REAL RULES WAS BEFORE YOUR CHANGE THE RULES.
WHEN THE MEETING STARTS AT SEVEN 30, YOU GOT THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON WHAT YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN IF YOU WANTED MORE TIME, YOU HAD TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.
LIKE, YOU'LL MAKE US WAIT NOW TO GET YOUR FIVE MINUTES.
IT'S JUST A SHAME THAT I GOTTA COME, I GOTTA WAIT TILL 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT TO GET FIVE MINUTES.
NOW YOU CAN START THE CLOCK ON ME 10.
SO PAUL READ SOMETHING EARLIER ABOUT, HEY SPEECH ABOUT IF YOU MAKE AN EXAMPLE, USE ANOTHER RACE TO USE AS A EXAMPLE.
IT'S A HEY SPEECH, BUT SOMEBODY CAN TAKE CHANGE.
I'VE BEEN IN GREENBURG MY WHOLE LIFE AND NOBODY NEVER RIPPED OR WELCOME TO GREENBERG.
YOU PUT, YOU PUT BLACK LIVES, ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER AND IT GET RIPPED DOWN WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AND Y'ALL TRYING TO TELL ME THAT THING A HATE CRIME, THEN THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS NOT HERE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOUR LIFE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE GOING SWEEP THIS UNDER THE RUG BECAUSE, UM, PEOPLE ARE SENDING US LETTERS AND, AND, UM, EMAILS SAYING THEY DON'T WANT THIS TYPE OF SIGN.
AND TO SAY ABOUT ANTIFA AND, AND HATE THE POLICE.
YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THIS THING THEY CALL CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, TELLING THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH IS THAT THEY RIP, UH, A BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGN DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE WORD BLACK LIVES MATTER.
AND THEN THE TOWN WHO VOTED ON IT FOUR MONTHS AGO TO PICK THIS SIGN UP ALLOWED THE PEOPLE WHO RIPPED IT DOWN.
YOU CONTINUE TO TRY TO SAY, OH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY FROM GREENBERG.
YES, IT WAS THIS, THIS TOWN GOT A LOT OF RACIST PEOPLE IN IT.
AND I KNOW I'M ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE
[02:30:01]
HAD ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE WAS WILLING TO COME TO A WORK SESSION LIKE MS. BROWN TALKED ABOUT.IT SHOULD BE AN OPEN DISCUSSION.
IT SHOULDN'T BE JUST SEVEN PEOPLE BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION.
SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THAT.
I'M A BLACK MAN, YOU KNOW, I TAKE IT VERY DEFENSIVE THAT SOMEBODY CAN RIP THE SIGN DOWN BECAUSE IT SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, AND THIS TOWN BOARD HERE FEELS LIKE IT AIN'T NO BIG DEAL.
THEN THEY'RE GOING TO TELL ME THAT CHASE BANK IS NOT GIVING UP THE TAPE.
I'M GONNA GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY BECAUSE I KNOW IF I WAS ACROSS THE STREET AT THAT GROCERY STORE AND I ROBBED IT AND RAN OUTTA THERE, CHASE BANK WOULD GIVE UP THE TAPE.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE THAT A CRIME HAPPENS IN THE GREENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT? CAN'T GET THE VIDEO.
ALL I WHAT YOU ALL RACISM IS NOT TOLERATED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S RACISM WHEN YOU GRAB A SIGN WITH CHANGE IN A CAR AND BREAK THE SIGN DOWN.
BUT BECAUSE A FEW WHITES WHO DON'T LIKE IT SEND LETTER TO Y'ALL AND WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE WHOLE WORDING.
AND THEN BLACKS AIN'T SUPPOSED TO BE UPSET ABOUT IT.
AND I'M MORE DISGUSTED WITH THE BLACK LEADERSHIP THAT'S IN GREENBERG THAT NOBODY FEEL IT'S A SENSE OF URGENCY.
NONE OF THESE BLACK ORGANIZATION AIN'T WRITING LETTERS TO THE TOWN BOARD OF MR. FINE TO TELL HOW UPSET WE ARE.
WE SUPPOSED TO JUST, JUST SAY, OKAY, THE TOWN DON'T WANT, UM, HURT PEOPLE'S FEELINGS.
AND YOU KNOW, AND, AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE ARE SITTING UP ON THIS BOARD HERE, KNOWS THAT ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER IS NOT NOTHING RACIST.
OKAY, CLIFF, I GOTTA STOP YOU THERE.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT THE GREENBERG POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS DOING THE, UH, SEEKING THE, UH, THE TAPES.
IT'S THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT'S, UH, SEEKING, UH, EVIDENCE.
UH, AND I THOUGHT YOU, GREENBERG POLICE STARTED, STARTED IT OFF.
THEY DID, AND THEY REFERRED IT TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS NOT CLASSIFIED IT AS A HATE CRIME.
THE T GREENBERG DOESN'T HAVE, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO DEBATE.
WON'T YOU BE QUIET THEN? OKAY.
SO YOUR QUESTIONS, I'LL BE QUIET.
NO, NO, DON'T, DON'T BE QUIET THEN.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING TONIGHT? HI JONATHAN.
HOW YOU DOING? I'M THE OWNER OF, UH, ESSENTIAL JIUJITSU.
UM, JUST KIND OF GOING OFF ANI AND FLOW, WE'RE SAYING BEFORE, UM, I STARTED THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE PERMITS AND ALL THAT BACK IN MARCH AND WE'RE NOW IN JULY.
AND YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU GUYS, I'M JUST FRUSTRATED AT THIS POINT.
UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR AND A HALF FOR ME AS BUSINESS WAS NOT GOOD.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE TRYING AGAIN A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND NOW I'M KIND OF STUCK IN LIMBO HERE.
AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS NEW LAW OR RULE HAS TO DO WITH ME PERSONALLY.
I'VE PROVIDED EVERYTHING YOU GUYS NEEDED FROM ME AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE PERMIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OUT A FEW DAYS AGO.
AND THEN I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS A FEW DAYS AGO AND I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
LIKE I SAID, I, I'VE BEEN CRUSHED THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF AND NOW I'M FACING THIS WHERE I'M LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT STEP'S GONNA COME NOW.
UM, LIKE THEY WERE SAYING, I'M JUST STUCK IN LIMBO.
AND I SAID, I STARTED THIS PROCESS TO GET SPECIAL PERMITS.
THEN THE BUILDING PERMIT BACK IN MARCH.
WE'RE IN JULY, ABOUT TO BE IN JULY.
AND I JUST, I JUST WANT ANSWERS.
LIKE I, YOU KNOW, COVID CRUSHED ME.
I'M HERE TODAY AND NOW, NOW THIS, UM, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
LIKE I SAID, I DON'T HAVE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH ME AND MY BUSINESS.
'CAUSE I PROVIDED YOU GUYS ALL THE INFORMATION.
I DID THE, ALL THE TOWN BOARD MEETINGS FOR THE SPECIAL PERMITS.
THIS, THAT EVERYTHING YOU GUYS WANTED ME TO DO.
I DID IT, PROVIDED IT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, AND NOW I'M JUST STUCK IN LIMBO.
UM, I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF ANYONE CAN GIMME ANY ANSWERS OR GIMME ANY GUIDANCE AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I'M, I I I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON.
OKAY, SO THIS ISSUE CAME UP RIGHT NOW FOR US.
UH, THERE, OUR ETHICS CODE IS VERY STRICT REGARDING, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKING
[02:35:01]
MONEY AND APPROVING APPLICATIONS.AND I THINK, I THINK YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM THERE IF WE ARE GIVING FAVOR FAVORITISM TO CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR CAMPAIGNS.
OKAY? SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT THAT TO OCCUR, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT THAT TO OCCUR.
HOWEVER, WE WILL, AND WE GET A LIST OF WHO ARE THE APPLICANTS, UM, THAT ARE APPLYING FOR APPROVALS FROM THE TOWN AND WE CAN'T, CAN'T SOLICIT FROM ANYONE ON THAT LIST.
BUT THEN YOU GET TO AN L L C AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IS IT REALLY THAT IS ON THE L PART OF THE L L C.
AND SO WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE TAKING THE MONEY OR NOT, BUT IF IT DISCLOSED LATER ON THAT WE DID, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CANDIDATE.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE PERSON WHO'S CONTRIBUTING.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR ETHICS LAW.
BUT WHAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT IS THAT THERE'S A DIS THERE A DISTINCTION SHOULD BE MADE BETWEEN THE APPLICANT, RIGHT? UH, WHO IS, WHO IS RENTING AND THE PROPERTY OWNER, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPERTY OWNER, IF THAT PROPERTY IS OWNER, IS AN L L C, NOT MEANING YOU, IF THE PROPERTY OWNER IS AN L L C DOES.
OUR CODE REQUIRED THAT DISCLOSURE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS.
UH, THE, THE, THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT IS TO GET COMMENTS LIKE YOURS AND OTHERS AND, UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL SPEAK TO OUR TOWN ATTORNEY AND WE'LL ADDRESS IT.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE OTHER SPEAKER IS THAT THERE MAY BE AN INTERPRETATION ISSUE OF THE WORDING, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
WHILE WE'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER ON ZOOM HERE AND LISTENING TO YOUR COMMENTS, UH, WE NEED TO TAKE YOUR COMMENTS BACK AND LOOK AT THE REGULATIONS, THE PURPOSE OF THE REGULATIONS, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
I MAKE A SUGGESTION, WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T THEY, WHY DON'T YOU, UM, UM, WRITE TO AND ASK FOR A MEETING WITH THE ETHICS BOARD? BECAUSE MAYBE THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME DEALING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN, YOU KNOW, ISSUES.
AND, UH, YOU COULD EXPLAIN TO THEM YOUR CONCERNS.
AND IF THEY WANNA RECOMMEND, UH, THAT WE CHANGE, YOU KNOW, TIGHTEN UP THE WORDING OR MAKE CHANGES, THEN WE COULD DO SO YOU YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT? NO, I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S, THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL THAT, UM, OUR CURRENT LAW NEEDS, UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGES, YOU, YOU COULD ASK THEM TO, YOU COULD EXPLAIN TO THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR CONCERNS AND, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY A GOOD, YOU KNOW, A GOOD CHANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL, THEY'LL REFLECT ON IT AND THEN GIVE THE TOWN BOARD THE BENEFIT OF YOUR, OF THEIR THOUGHTS.
'CAUSE ANY CHANGES IN THE LAW WOULD REQUIRE OR USUALLY WOULD GO TO THEM ANYWAY.
I MAY I RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST SINCE WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE LAW.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF US ACTUALLY WROTE THE LAW HELP, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO THE WRITING OF THE LAW THAT WE SEE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS, THERE IS AN INTERPRETATION ISSUE OF THE WORDING WE COULD, AND THAT IF WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOAL.
UM, AND THEN IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT, THEY THEN GO TO THE ETHICS BOARD AND, AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE ETHICS BOARD HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION BECAUSE RIGHT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I, THE, JUST LET ME FINISH.
TO GO TO THE ETHICS BOARD, YOU HAVE TO GET ON THE CALENDAR OF THE ETHICS BOARD.
AND THE ETHICS BOARD MEETS ONCE A MONTH.
AND I DON'T, I'M NOT SO SURE HE WANTS TO WAIT A MONTH.
UH, I, I CAN'T, I MEAN, I'M, I'M, I'M, LIKE I SAID, IT'S COSTING ME TIME AND MONEY AT THIS POINT.
UH, I MEAN, I PROVIDED EVERYTHING YOU GUYS NEEDED ME TO PROVIDE.
WELL, I THINK THE ETHICS BOARD IS MEETING TOMORROW, SO MAYBE I'M LOOKING IT UP RIGHT NOW.
IT IT IS TOMORROW? I THINK SO MAYBE, UH, MAYBE WHAT YOU COULD DO IS YOU COULD E UH, UH, IF YOU EMAIL THE TOWN ATTORNEY, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, A PARAGRAPH OR TWO, THE TOWN ATTORNEY COULD ASK THAT, THAT ETHICS BOARD, UH, REVIEW IT.
AND THEN, UH, THAT ETHICS BOARD MAY SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, THIS IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REFLECTING ON IT.
THIS IS WHAT YOU RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, BE DONE.
UH, AND IF YOU SAY THERE'S URGENCY, MAYBE THEY CAN GIVE US A, YOU KNOW, A, A RECOMMENDATION IMMEDIATELY.
PAUL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE LAW.
YOU KNOW, THE ETHICS BOARD IS CONSTRAINED BY THE LAW, YOU KNOW, NOW THEY CAN MAKE AN INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW THAT'S DIFFERENT.
[02:40:01]
TOMORROW.I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY SET THEIR AGENDA.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN JUST WALK INTO THE ETHICS BOARD AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE AN INTERPRETATION.
AND THEY, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT PLANNING TO MEET DURING THE SUMMER.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BECOME A BURGEONING ISSUE AND I, AND I THINK GARRETT AND THE BUILDING INSPECTOR CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN CORROBORATE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG HERE.
I MEAN, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING TO TONIGHT PROBABLY REPRESENTED ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, SEVEN OR SO OTHERS WHO ARE GONNA BE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD.
UM, SO IT'S JUST, THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY.
I'M JUST MENTIONING THAT IT, IT MIGHT BE GOOD JUST TO KIND OF INTERPRET THIS INTERNALLY AND JUST COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF CONCLUSION JUST TO MOVE THINGS ALONG.
AND MAYBE I, JUSTIN, BUT WE'RE GETTING INTO, WE'RE GETTING INTO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT OUR BOOTS HERE, SO, RIGHT.
SO IF I MAY JUST INTERRUPT THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? UH, YES.
IF, IF SOMEONE, IF SOMEONE SHARED MY SCREEN, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SHOW YOU WHAT THE ISSUE AT HAND IS.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, BECAUSE THE, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THE, THE LAW AND THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, AS, AS MR. FINER SAID, IS A LARGER ISSUE AT HAND.
AND I THINK IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE SHORT TERM, TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE JONATHAN TORRES AND HIS WIFE.
UM, IT'S REALLY THE, THE FORM IS IN PLAIN ENGLISH.
AND, AND IF I JUST COULD SHARE MY SCREEN, I'D SHOW YOU THE FORM AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE ISSUE IS.
NO, WELL, I DON'T, I I, I, I KNOW THE FORM YOU'RE REFERRING TO, AND I KNOW THE COUNCIL, UM, MEMBERS AND THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THAT BECAUSE I SHARED IT WITH THEM.
SO I JUST DON'T WANNA DO THAT NOW BECAUSE WE'LL BE DEVIATING FROM THE WAY WE OPERATE, WHICH I DON'T WANT TO DO.
AND, AND IF YOU WANNA DO THAT, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES IN A LITTLE WHILE TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, TIM, TIM, I JUST SORT OF FEEL ETHICS BOARD IS MEETING TOMORROW.
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'LL SAY, I, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANNA WEAKEN THE ETHICS LAW.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THERE'S A, AN INTERPRETATION ISSUE, YOU KNOW, MY FAILING IS THAT IF WE ASK FOR QUICK, UH, YOU, I DON'T, AND EVEN IN FORMAL, INFORMAL, INFORMAL DECISION FROM THE ETHICS BOARD, UM, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION.
THEN MY FEELING IS THAT, UM, THAT, AND YOU, AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S URGENCY INVOLVED, THEN I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD RESOLVE THIS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN TWO DAYS ALLOWED TO SAY, I MEAN, MAYBE WE NEED A CHANGE IN THE LAW, OR MAYBE WE DON'T.
YEAH, MR. MR. FINER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOLDUP IS WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
I SEE STEVEN FRETA IS, IS ON THIS MEETING, UH, HE'S MUTED.
BUT THE FORUM HAS TO DO WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT FORM, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT FORM.
AGAIN, THIS IS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO MR. TORRES.
AND PEOPLE LIKE MR. TORRES, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT FORM THAT IN QUESTION SAYS, LIST THE NAMES AND HOME ADDRESSES OF EVERY PERSON OR ENTITY WITH AN OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THE L L C LISTED ON THE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION.
WHAT THIS FORM ACTUALLY MEANS IS BECAUSE THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING IS LISTED ON THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT PERMIT APPLICATION AS THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING.
THEY NEED TO DISCLOSE IT AS WELL TOO.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE MISINTERPRETATION OF, OF, OF THE LAW.
I THINK THE BIGGER REALM OF THE LAW, LIKE MR. LEWIS WAS SAYING, THAT, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I'M THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
I'M, I'M, I'M ONE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS SENT CHILLS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAT THAT HAS STARTED HERE.
BUT I THINK IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM, WE'RE LOOKING TO JUST AN INTERPRETATION FOR MR. FRETA AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, DOES THIS FORM SAY THE OWNER OR DOES IT SAY LIKE IT READS, WHICH IS JUST THE APPLICANT? AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE MY FORM, YOU KNOW, MY, MY SCREEN SO EVERYONE CAN SEE THE FORM IN QUESTION.
IS THIS STILL
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING BACK AND FORTH, THE, OUR OUR TOWN ATTORNEY IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GIVE US LEGAL ADVICE IN THIS TYPE OF A FORUM.
THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSION, INCLUDING WITH THE BUILDING INSPECTOR AND, AND VERY LIKELY THE ETHICS FORUM.
AND SO, UM, YOU, YOU MAY WANT AN ANSWER TONIGHT.
I JUST DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET IT.
WE NEED, WE, WE NEED TO, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA TAKE WEEKS.
DOESN'T MEAN, WE MEAN IT'S GONNA TAKE A WEEK.
UH, BUT THERE'S SOME THOUGHT THAT HAS TO BE GIVEN TO THIS BECAUSE
[02:45:01]
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY GOOD REASON FOR THAT BEING ON THERE.AND THE QUESTION BECOMES AN INTERPRETATION ISSUE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT INCLUDES THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE, WE CAN GET RESOLVED.
SO, MR. TURS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AND I, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, WORKING EXPEDITIOUSLY, VERY EXPEDITIOUSLY, EXPEDITIOUSLY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT COULD HELP.
OKAY, SO I, OH, MARY BOWDEN, MARY, GOOD EVENING.
THE CONVERSATION THAT JUST HAPPENED WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING.
THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD IS MEETING THIS WEEK.
THERE ARE NO DECISIONS OF THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD.
THERE IS NO INDICATION WHO IS ON IT.
FRANCIS IS READING HIS EMAIL BECAUSE WHEN FRANCIS TOOK PICTURES AT THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD, THEY DISAPPEARED.
SOMEBODY ELSE WILL HAVE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VIDEOS THAT FRANCIS TOOK AS A TOWN EMPLOYEE AND DISAPPEARED THEM.
THE QUESTION IS, WHY DOES NOT THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD APPEAR ON A TOWN WEBSITE? WHY ARE THERE NO RECORDS OF THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD ON A TOWN WEBSITE? IT'S A PHANTOM COMMITTEE.
I CAN ONLY RAISE ISSUES THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF.
THERE'S A VIDEO OF THIS MEETING, AND IT CAN BE ACCESSED BY ANYONE.
THERE IS NO VIDEO OF THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD.
THERE ARE NO MINUTES OF THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD.
THERE IS NO NOTHING I SEARCHED.
SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIND OUT WHY THAT HAS BECOME A PHANTOM PHANTOM COMMITTEE.
BEYOND THAT, LAST FRIDAY NIGHT WAS THE CELEBRATION FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO SAY HELLO TO ME AND MY WIFE WERE WONDERFUL PEOPLE I HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS CAME TO GREET ME.
AND WHOEVER SET THAT UP, IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS FROM BOTH MY AND ME AND MY WIFE'S POINT OF VIEW.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME, AND THANK YOU FOR SETTING IT UP.
THERE ARE FIVE MINUTES MORE COMING AT THE END.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE NO FURTHER REQUESTS FOR THE, UH, THREE MINUTE, UM, PORTION OF PUBLIC.
WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T A PHANTOM ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD.
THE PEOPLE ON THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD WORK EXTREMELY HARD.
THEIR NOTICE NOTICE THE FRIDAY MEETING IS NOTICED ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS THING ABOUT TAPES FROM 20, 21 YEARS AGO, UM, YOU KNOW, HE KEEPS MENTIONING THIS, BUT HE, BUT HE HAS NOTHING TO, TO DOCUMENT IT.
YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, AND I UNDERSTAND, AND HE'S DONE THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL, THAT HE FEELS THAT SINCE, YOU KNOW, I'M A, I'M A PUBLIC FIGURE, THAT HE CAN KEEP, YOU KNOW, LYING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND NO, IT'S NOT, NOT SLANDERED BECAUSE THE STANDARD IS, IS MUCH HIGHER FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS.
BUT PREVIOUSLY, HE, HE, HE SAID THAT THERE WAS A DESTRUCTION OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION, DESTRUCTION OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, JUST LIKE HE'S WRONG ABOUT THE ANTENNA BOARD.
AS A PHANTOM, THE CHAIR OF THE ANTENNA BOARD IS GONNA BE REALLY DISPLACED TO HEAR THAT.
'CAUSE THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND TIME.
AND THAT ANTENNA BOARD CONSISTS OF CATHERINE LETTER QUETTA AS THE CHAIR, EDDIE MAE BARNES, A FORMAL COUNCIL MEMBER, AND, UH, AND CORA CAREY, A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
THESE ARE PROMINENT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND TO SAY THAT THEY'RE A PHANTOM IS INSULTING.
AND IT GOES TO THE STATEMENT THAT PAUL READ AT THE BEGINNING.
[02:50:01]
I HAVE TO ANSWER THAT RECORD.MOVE THE AGENDA RIGHT NOW, AND THEN YOU CAN RESPOND IN YOUR FIVE MINUTES, PAUL.
SO LET'S MOVE WITH THE AGENDA.
ARE YOU ALL WAITING ON ME OR WERE YOU WAITING? NO.
WHO? I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE MOVING THE AGENDA HERE.
[ BOARDS & COMMISSIONS]
SO WE'RE GONNA HOLD THIS OVER AT THE END OF THE MEETING.THERE'S SCHEDULING A, UM, SPECIAL MEETING.
'CAUSE WE NEED IT ANYWAY FOR ANOTHER, ANOTHER RESOLUTION THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
SO, SO JUST SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS OF EVERY MEMBER,
UH, AND THAT'LL BE HAPPENING NEXT TUESDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK.
[ TB 1 - 6/23/2021 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh authorizing the Town Supervisor to enter into a revocable license agreement with Joseph Katona of Satori Unlimited, LLC to operate a Farmer's Market, accommodating approximately twenty (20) to thirty (30) vendors at the rear portion of the Town Hall Parking Lot between the hours of 2:00 PM and 6:30 PM on Thursdays beginning August 5, 2021 through October 28, 2021]
THAT WE NEED TO HOLD OVER ALSO TO THAT SAME MEETING BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME DETAILS.UH, RESOLUTION, I'M, I'M SORRY, FRANCIS, COULD YOU EXCUSE ME? PAUL FRANCIS, COULD YOU PLEASE GO BACK TO THE TOP OF THAT STATEMENT WHERE YOU TYPED HOLD OVER TO THE, TO 6 29.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S A WORK SESSION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SAW THE TIME.
YEAH, I PROBABLY SHOULD RE MADE IT BACK.
[ AT 1 - 6/23/2021 Resolution amending “AT 1” adopted on 5/26/2021, authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a three-year Animal Control Contract Renewal with the Humane Society of Westchester f/k/a/ New Rochelle Humane Society for the period April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024]
AMENDING A T ONE ADOPTED ON 5 26 2021, 2021, AUTHORIZING THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A THREE YEAR ANIMAL CONTROL, UM, CONTRACT, UH, RENEWAL WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF WESTCHESTER, UM, FOR THE PERIOD APRIL ONE, UH, TO MARCH, UH, 31ST 2020, UH, FOUR.[ AT 2 - 6/23/2021 Resolution approving the continued retention of Thomas J. Troetti, Esq., as Outside Counsel, at a rate of $275 per hour for out of court legal services and $225 per hour for in-court legal services, to represent the individual Greenburgh Police Officer Defendants in the matter of Carlos Jessamy v. County of Westchester, et al., for an amount not to exceed an additional $25,000]
APPROVING THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF THOMAS TRADY AS OUTSIDE COUNSEL, UM, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UM, 25,000.I HAVE A A, A QUESTION ON THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE, UH, THE NUMBERS ARE INVERTED.
IT SHOULD BE 2 75 FOR, UM, IN COURT LEGAL SERVICES AND 2 25 FOR OUT OF COURT SERVICES.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO AMEND THAT, THAT PORTION OF IT.
WELL, LET'S JUST VOTE ON IT AS AMENDED.
DOES IT READ CORRECT? NOW IT READS CORRECTLY, RIGHT? YES.
SO VOTE ON, LET'S VOTE ON ATT TWO AS AMENDED ATT UH, TWO AS AMENDED.
[ CL 1 - 6/23/2021 Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing for Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at 8:00 PM, to consider an Amended Site Plan Application by Old Saw Mill Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron”), located at 777 Old Saw Mill River Road (P.O. Tarrytown)]
SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY, JULY 21ST TO CONSIDER AN AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION, UH, BY OLD SOMIL HOLDINGS, UM, UM, A SUBSIDY OF REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS.UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT FOR APRIL OR JULY 21, UM, AT 8:00 PM SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
JUST HAVE TO INTERRUPT YOU FOR A SECOND.
UM, DID, DID WE DO TB ONE? TB ONE WE'RE HOLDING TO TUESDAY.
[ CL 2 - 6/23/2021 Resolution scheduling a public hearing for Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at 8:00 PM, to consider an Amended Site Plan Application by Loop Road Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Regeneron – Loop Road”), located at 555 Saw Mill River Road (P.O. Tarrytown)]
RESOLUTION.SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 21ST AT 8:00 PM TO CONSIDER AN AMENDED SITE PLAN APPLICATION BY LUKE ROAD HOLDINGS, THE WHOLLY SUBSID OWN SUBSIDY OF REGENERON.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT FOR 8:00 PM SECOND DEAL TWO.
[ CL 3 - 6/23/2021 Resolution scheduling a Public Hearing (via Zoom) for Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at 8:00 PM, to consider an agreement with the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson for Fire Protection Services to the Donald Park Fire Protection District for the year 2020]
RESOLUTION.SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 21ST AT 8:00 PM TO CONSIDER AN AGREEMENT WITH THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES TO DONALD PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE YEAR 2020.
[ CL 4 - 6/23/2021 Resolution scheduling two Public Hearings (via Zoom) for July 21, 2021, at 8:00 PM, to consider two one-year agreements between the Town of Greenburgh and the Village of Ardsley to provide Fire Protection Services to Unincorporated Area residents in the Chauncey and South Ardsley Fire Protection Districts, respectively, for the year 2020]
TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR JULY 21ST AT 8:00 PM TO CONSIDER TWO YEAR, TWO ONE YEAR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE VILLAGE OF LEY TO PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES TO INCORPORATED[02:55:01]
AREA RESIDENCE.AND THAT T OUT THE LEY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, UH, I JUST NOTICED THAT I HAVE ON HERE VIA ZOOM AND THAT UNLESS THE, UH, THE CONTINUING, UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER ALLOWS IT TO BE VIA ZOOM THAT, UH, IT WOULD BE, IT MAY BE IN PERSON.
SO LET'S VOTE ON C THREE AND C FOUR.
I THINK THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT SAY VIA ZOOM.
SO LET'S, LET'S VOTE ON IT AS AMENDED BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE VIA ZOOM, IT MAY BE IN PERSON, SO THE RESOLUTION WILL READ IN A MANNER PERMITTED BY BY LAW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT AS AMENDED.
A AND THE SAME THING IS GONNA APPLY TO THE CD FOUR SEAL FOR RIGHT SEAL FOUR RESOLUTION, UH, SCHEDULING TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR JULY 21ST AT 8:00 PM AS AMENDED RELATING TO, UM, THE, UH, FIRE DISTRICT PROTECTION SERVICES TO UNINCORPORATED AREA.
[ CD 1 - 6/23/2021 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh (1) affirming its continuing aggressive stance against systemic racism and all forms of racism; and (2) approving an exemption from the Code of the Town of Greenburgh related to the installation of banners supportive of equality and civil rights for a duration of longer than 30 days]
CD ONE RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AFFIRMING ITS CONTINUED AGGRESSIVE STANCE AGAINST THE STEM OF RACISM IN ALL FORMS OF RACISM.APPROVING IS AN EXEMPTION FROM THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG RELATING TO THE INSTALLATION OF BANNERS, ACCORDING HOLIDAY AND CIVIL RIGHTS FOR A DURATION OF LONGER THAN 30 DAYS.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE AS AMENDED AS WELL AS AMENDED.
[ CD 2 - 6/23/2021 Resolution accepting a proposal for Historic Preservation Architectural Services from Stephen Tilly, Architect in connection with a Town of Greenburgh restoration project for Odell House Rochambeau Headquarters located at 425 Ridge Road, P.O. Hartsdale, for an amount not to exceed $146,450.00]
ACCEPTING A PROPOSAL FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION SERVICES FROM STEVE TILLEY ARCHITECT IN CONNECTION WITH THE TOWN OF GREENBURG RESTORATION PROJECT FOR ODELL HOUSE AT AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE 46,450.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ PO 1 - 6/23/2021 Resolution adopting the recommendation of the Greenburgh Police Department to add parking restrictions on the South Side of Lawton Ave between the intersections of Columbia Avenue and North Central Avenue amending Chapter 460 of the Greenburgh Town Code]
ADOPTING RECOMMENDATION OF THE GREENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ADD PARKING RESTRICTIONS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TON AVENUE BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS OF COLUMBIA AVENUE AND NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE.AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR 60 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
RESOLUTION, UH, TO REPEAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WHARTON, THE AVENUE BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS OF WILSON STREET AND COLUMBIA AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR 60 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
[ PO 2 - 6/23/2021 Resolution to repeal restrictions on the South Side of Lawton Avenue between the intersections of Wilson Street and Columbia Avenue amending Chapter 460 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh]
[ PO 3 - 6/23/2021 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Hold Harmless Agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and Arlo Lane Properties Owner L.L.C. for the use of 23 Arlo Lane, Cortlandt Manor, NY]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBERG AND ARLO LANE PROPERTIES FOR THE USE OF 23 YEAR ARLO LANE.[ PW 1 - 6/23/2021 Resolution awarding the construction of drainage improvements at the intersection of Stadium Road and West Hartsdale Road, and at the Bayberry Road culvert crossing, to Gordian Group, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $160,236.95]
UH, RESOLUTION AWARDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF STADIUM ROAD AND WEST DALE ROAD AT BAYBERRY ROAD, CULVERT TO G DOWN GROUP, UM, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1 62 36 95.NO, WELL, WELL IN FAVOR, AYE GINA.
[ PW 2 - 6/23/2021 Resolution authorizing Change Order #2 amending the 2020 contract for the Old Tarrytown Road and Manhattan Avenue Sidewalk Improvements Project in the Town of Greenburgh, previously awarded to the lowest bidder, Peter J. Landi, Inc., for an additional cost of $8,613.25, increasing the total contract amount not to exceed $830,123.25]
CHANGE ORDER.UH, NUMBER TWO, AMENDING THE 2020 CONTRACT FOR THE OLD TARRYTOWN ROAD IN MANHATTAN.
HAVE NATIVE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG PREVIOUSLY AWARDED TO THE LOWEST BIDDER, UM, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 830,001 $23 AND 25 CENTS.
WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
WELL, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY VOTING ON IS INCREASING AT $8,613 AND 25 CENTS, WHICH BRINGS IT TO THAT NEW TOTAL.
SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S AN, THIS IS AN $8,600 RESOLUTION, NOT AN $830,000 RESOLUTION.
[ PW 3 - 6/23/2021 Resolution awarding the bid for Construction of New Concrete Pads at the Town of Greenburgh DPW Facility, to Gordian Group, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $31,700.22]
RESOLUTION AWARDING THE TOWN, UH, THE, THE AWARDING BID FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CONCRETE PADS AT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG D P W FACILITY TO GEODON GROUP FOR AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $31,700 AND 22 CENTS.I'D LIKE TO MAKE, MOVE THAT SECOND.
SCHEDULING, UM, UH, A MOTION TO HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING, UH, FOR GREENBURG TOWN BOARD ON JUNE 29TH AT 6:00 PM FOR THE PURPOSE OF VOTING ON A LOCAL LAW, INCREASING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL FROM 79 MEMBERS, UH, APPOINTING AND REAPPOINTING MEMBERS THERE TOO.
[03:00:01]
VOTING ON TB 1 6 23 2021.NOW WE HAVE A SECOND ROUND PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THIS IS THE ORDER OF, UH, FIRST ROUND OF PUBLIC COMMENT AT WEEMS. OKAY.
NOW, WE WERE DISCUSSING THE BANNER, NOT THE BANNER, THE SIGN.
AND I'D ALREADY GONE THROUGH, BASICALLY WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS SUCCINCTLY.
IN FIVE MINUTES, EVERYBODY GOES TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A PROLIFIC WRITER.
AND WHAT HE SAYS IS GERMANE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
NOW, WHILE HE WAS IN JAIL IN BIRMINGHAM, HE WROTE A LETTER AND ONE OF THE QUOTES THAT HAS COME OUTTA THAT LETTER WAS, INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.
EVERYTHING HE SAYS, YOU CAN TAKE IT, FLIP-FLOP IT, AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE MEANING IS STILL THE SAME.
AND SO WHEN YOU SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER, IT'S STATING THAT THEY DON'T MATTER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER.
SO WHEN YOU SAY ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE SEEING BLACK LIVES DO MATTER BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE ARE BEING KILLED, IT'S NO LONGER JUST MALES, IT'S FEMALES, IT'S CHILDREN.
SO ALL FACETS OF BLACK LIVES MATTER IS BEING STATED TO MAKE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT UP UNTIL NOW, Y'ALL DON'T EVEN DO ANY IDEAS ABOUT BLACK LIVES BEING IMPORTANT.
CORNELL WEST WITH RACE MATTERS, AND THEN WE BUILT UPON IT.
SO NOW THE SIGN WAS TORN DOWN, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM OUR POLICE CHIEF CHRIS MCNERNEY OTHER THAN SOMEBODY JUST SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHO SAID IT.
UM, HE SENT THAT OVER TO THE DA'S OFFICE.
IS HE ASKING THE DA WHAT KIND OF CRIME IT IS BEFORE HE'S INVESTIGATING IT? I, I, I WANT US TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETHING SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID BY NOW.
I SENT A EMAIL TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE, UM, THE COUNCIL STATING THAT YOU'RE NOT, NONE OF THIS IS GONNA BE SHOVELED UNDER A RUG.
WE HAVE TO FACE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AS A TOWN.
NOW THE COMMITTEE CAN VOTE ON ANYTHING IT WANTS TO VOTE ON, BUT YOU'RE GONNA GET A PUSHBACK FROM ME.
ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE SEEING TO IT THAT EVERYBODY IS BEING KILLED AND THE POLICE ARE DOING IT, THEY'RE KILLING BLACK PEOPLE WITH IMPUNITY.
HAS IT HAPPENED IN GREENBURG? I BELIEVE I'M GONNA SAY YES.
WE KNOW IT HAS HAS IT HAPPENED IN THORNWOOD? YES.
IT'S HAPPENED ALL OUT THROUGH WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
POLICEMEN ARE KILLING BLACK MALES, BLACK PEOPLE WITH IMPUNITY.
NOW, WHEN WE SAY ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING.
BLACK PEOPLE, THEIR LIVES SHOULD MATTER RIGHT NOW.
BUT YOU ARE BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE IT.
THE SIGN HAS TO GO BACK UP WITH ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THAT, I AGREE, WE GONNA PUT A SIGN THAT SAYS RACISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN GREENBERG.
NOBODY IS GOING TO COME IN, PULL DOWN A SIGN AND THINK THAT I AM GOING TO SAY, OKAY, THIS PERSON DID THIS AND I'M GOING TO FORGIVE HIM.
I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF CRIME IT IS.
THAT PERSON GOES TO TRIAL FOR VANDALISM AND DESTRUCTION OF PER OF, UH, PUBLIC PROPERTY.
THAT PERSON WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
NOW THE TOWN HAS TO
AND, AND THERE'S A SONG THAT THEY WROTE,
[03:05:01]
FREEDOM.WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM WILL NOT REST.
WE WHO WILL BELIEVE IN FREEDOM WILL NOT REST UNTIL IT COMES.
WHEN THE MOTHER OF A WHITE CHILD SON WHO'S MURDERED IS THE SAME AS THAT OF A BLACK CHILD THAT'S MURDERED.
THEN WE CAN SEE THE CORRELATION.
SO THAT MEANS, AND I'M GONNA, UM, SAY FRANCIS PAUL, I DIDN'T SEE DIANA AND ELLEN WHO'S RUNNING NEXT.
DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM IS NOT THE HONEST OF BLACK PEOPLE.
IT IS THAT OF THE WHITE PEOPLE.
CAUCASIANS, I'M NOT GONNA CALL YOU A WHITE, YOUR CAUCASIANS, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU SEE THE PROBLEM NOW YOU MUST ADDRESS IT AND IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED.
NOT SO MUCH AS THAT WHAT YOU SEE, BUT WHAT I SEE, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE OFF MY HAT.
CHIEF MCNERNEY SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THAT CRIME.
NOW HE CAN WAIT FOR HER TO TELL HIM WHAT THE CRIME IS, BUT THE CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND HE SHOULD BE SEEKING OUT THROUGH EVERY, EVERY REASONABLE PROCESS THAT HE HAS.
OKAY, MS. WILLIAMS, THAT'S YOU.
I I DON'T SEE, UM, MR. UH, BROCK, IS HE STILL HERE? DOES HE WANNA SPEAK AGAIN? I DON'T SEE HIM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CONVEY THAT MY LIFE MATTERS.
I HAVE TO CONVEY MY LIFE MATTERS.
BUT WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND IS THAT CAUCASIAN PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF BLACK PEOPLE BECOMING THEMSELVES OUT LOUD.
AND IF THIS BOARD IS GOING TO SAY, WE ARE NOT GONNA SUPPORT THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN GREENBURG, WHICH, DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF BLACK PEOPLE LIVE IN GREENBURG?
HAVE YOU ASKED THEM HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT SIGN? BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT THEY WANT THAT SIGN UP.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT I CAN HAVE A YOU, I'M GONNA SAY WHITE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH WITH THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ME AND I AM NOT YOU.
BUT I SEE YOU AND YOU DON'T SEE ME.
YOU GET LETTERS FROM PEOPLE THAT TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE OPPOSED TO IT, BUT YOU GOT PEOPLE IN YOUR FACE TELLING YOU THAT THEY'RE OPPOSED TO IT.
I WE RIGHT HERE TELLING YOU OUR LIVES MATTER.
BUT THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH FOR US.
AND IT IS A HATE CRIME BECAUSE BLACK LIVES MATTER.
THEY'RE NOT SAYING ALL LIVES MATTER UNTIL LIVES MATTER.
AND AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU'VE HAD SIGNS IN GREENBURG FOREVER.
AS SOON AS A SIGN THAT SAYS BLACK LIVES GOES UP AND IT COMES DOWN WITH THE THEORY THAT IT DID RIPPED DOWN
I DON'T NEED THE DA OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TELL ME.
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT IT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE WHEN I'M IN GREENBURG, WHEN I'M IN, WELL, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT? I'M TELLING YOU THAT THEY CAN RIP DOWN A SIGN LIKE THAT BECAUSE BLACK LIVES DON'T MATTER.
WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? 76% OF BLACK PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH THE STREETS IN THEIR HOMES WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE DEALING WITH THEM.
YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, POLICE BLUE LIVES MATTER.
WHOMEVER THESE THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE, THEY'RE NOT BLACK ORGANIZATIONS THOUGH.
YOU SEE, YOU'RE, THIS SEEMS RACIST TO ME.
[03:10:01]
THIS WHOLE THING SEEMS RACIST TO ME.THE WAY YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK WITHIN A PARAMETER THAT'S CREATED BY A SOCIETY THAT DOESN'T SEE US.
YOU'RE TRYING TO PLAY BY THE RULES THAT WERE SET FORWARD BY PEOPLE THAT KILLED PEOPLE STOLE THEIR LAND.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW PUTTING PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREET, THEY DON'T CARE.
LIKE HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT MY BLACK LIFE WITHOUT LISTENING TO ME? YOU'RE NOT LISTENING.
YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE POLITICAL PEOPLE.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, AND I'M NOT, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, S**T GETS BURNED DOWN BY BLACK PEOPLE.
'CAUSE THEY GET TIRED OF KNOCKING.
I'M TELLING YOU, YOU CANNOT MISTREAT A PEOPLE AND THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT THERE'S NO REPERCUSSIONS THAT OCCUR.
I'M TRYING TO SAY TO YOU THAT, HMM, WHILE YOU'RE PROTECTING THOSE PEOPLE, YOU ARE NOT LOOKING OUT FOR THE 76% OF PEOPLE THAT COULD REALLY TURN S**T UP IN THERE,
I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU LIKE IT'S, THAT SIGN HAS TO GO BACK UP.
THE SIGN WILL GO BACK UP AND IT HAS TO GO BACK UP THE RIGHT WAY, THE TRUTHFUL WAY.
YOU SAID YOU VOTED ALREADY ON THE NEW, UM, WORDING FOR THE SIGN.
IS THAT WRITTEN IN STONE? YEAH.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, MS. BROWN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR ALL THE COMMENTS AND THE BOARD MAY RESPOND TO SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS.
AND, UH, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING PROFANITY BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS THE TOWN IN A VERY NEGATIVE, I APOLOGIZE TO THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR PROFANITY.
I WAS TRYING TO, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, BUT THIS IS A SENSE OF URGENCY AND I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT BEING BLACK IS A PROBLEM.
OKAY, MS. BROWN'S, UH, FIVE MINUTES.
I HAVE TIM, THE QUESTION WAS, WAS THAT VOTE A VOTE THAT CANNOT BE MODIFIED? I, I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
ANY VOTE CAN BE MODIFIED, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMEONE WILL SPEAK TO THAT AFTER WE HEAR ALL THE COMMENTS.
I JUST WANNA PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING MICHELLE JUST SAID AND THEN I WANNA ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, THE THE VIOLENT NATURE THAT THAT SIGN WAS WHI DOWN IS REALLY A HATE CRIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO DO WE NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS OR DON'T WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO STAND FIRM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT THAT SIGN BEING RIPPED DOWN.
THE ONLY THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS IF PEOPLE CAN BURN BOOKS, THEY COULD BURN PEOPLE.
AND THAT WAS TRUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLOCAUST AND WHAT HAPPENED IN GERMANY AT THAT TIME.
AND THEY BURNT THE BOOKS AND THEN THEY BURNT THE PEOPLE.
IF SOMEBODY COULD COME IN HERE AND RIP DOWN SO VIOLENTLY WITH CHAINS, THEY COULD COME IN HERE AND HARM OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEVER LEARN FROM IT, AND WE HAVE TO LEARN FROM IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, UH, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE TO CONVEY THIS, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T COWER, THAT WE DON'T ALLOW THE BOOKS TO BE BURNED.
AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, NEVERMIND.
BECAUSE IT DOES TURN TO PEOPLE AND IT THIS WILL TURN TO PEOPLE EVENTUALLY.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANNA BRING UP TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, COMMENT IS ABOUT TRYING TO GET FRESH FOOD INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND BY WAYS OF A FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH I WANTED TO DO.
AND I THINK I'M STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S STREET VENDOR LAWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MAY NEED TO BE AMENDED TO GET THAT GOING.
I MEAN, THERE'S LIKE A THOUSAND PLUS FAMILIES RIGHT HERE ON MANHATTAN AVENUE AND LIKE FOUR SQUARE BLOCKS, OLD TERRYTOWN ROAD, HILLSIDE, ALL THE WAY DOWN, UP TO MANHATTAN AVENUE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED OUTSIDE PEOPLE TO COME IN TO BUY FOOD.
WE HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE RIGHT HERE.
SO THE, I KNOW PAUL, WE'VE KIND OF WENT BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WE DON'T WANNA COMPETE WITH OTHER FARMER'S MARKETS,
[03:15:02]
BUT I THINK THE TOWN OF GREENBERG, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT, EVERY INCH OF LAND WAS SET, WAS SOLD ON ONE 19, AND YOU GUYS APPROVED ALL THATAND NOW WE ARE IN A POSITION AND BECAUSE OF THOSE POLICIES, WE ARE IN A POSITION THAT WE ENDED UP IN A FOOD DESERT.
SO IT'S REALLY, YOU GUYS SORT OF OWE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO BRING FRESH FOOD DIRECTLY INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MEETING ABOUT IT YESTERDAY.
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW TO PLEASE KEEP ME INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON REGARDING A, UM, FARMER'S MARKET AND IF WE CAN DISCUSS OTHER WAYS OF BRINGING IT INTO THE COMMUNITY BESIDES THAT TOWN HALL.
YOU HAVE MY WORD, LOUISE, THAT YOU WILL BE INFORMED OF THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, IT, IT WILL LIKELY BE NEXT TUESDAY, UH, OR, OR FRIDAY.
CLIFF ABRAMS IS, UM, THANK YOU.
UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOUR VOICE IS A LITTLE LOW.
UM, TRUST ME, I DON'T COME HERE TO GO BACK AND FORTH WITH NOBODY.
I COME HERE WITH COMMUNITY CONCERNS, WHO COMES TO ME WITH THINGS THEY FEEL ABOUT HOW THEY GET SHORT, SHORT CHANGED IT IN FAIRVIEW AND IT DISAPPEARS.
THAT WHEN WE COME HERE AND TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS AND ABOUT THINGS, WE THINK THAT IS, THAT THE TOWN AIN'T LISTENING TO US.
I GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO TO WAIT TO BE UP AT 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT TRYING TO LET THE TOWN BOARD KNOW THAT, HEY, WE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT'S NOT, Y'ALL NOT HERE TO WORK WITH US.
AND IT'S ALL RIGHT TO CHANGE UP.
LIKE, I, I, I TOTALLY FEEL FOR THAT BROTHER, UM, WHO BUSINESSES LIKE GOING DOWN AND I FEEL FOR HIM.
AND THE SAME WAY WE FEEL FOR HIM.
I HOPE HE FEEL FOR WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT.
I, I, I MEAN BLACK LIVES, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I GET SICK OF YOU SAYING IT.
I FEEL LIKE WHEN, WHEN KING AND THEM WAS MARCHING AND THEY SAYING, I AM A MAN.
I, I AIN'T GOTTA TELL YOU, I'M A MAN.
AND IT, AND IT GETS FRUSTRATED AND THEN THE TOWN DON'T SAY NOTHING.
WE TALK, WE COME BACK, WE TALK AND IT'S LIKE, YO, JUST LOOK AT US AND FEEL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE US ANY EXPLANATION OR ANY SOLUTIONS.
BUT I'D BE AT OTHER MEETINGS AND I SIT HERE AND I LISTEN TO Y'ALL AND HOW WHEN OTHER COMMUNITIES COME HERE, THE RESPECT YOU'LL GIVE THEM.
BUT WHEN WE COME FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF FAIRVIEW AND THE VOICELESS WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE ONE TIME I BRING ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE TO A BOARD MEETING AND THEY SAT FOR FROM SEVEN 30 TO 10 O'CLOCK AND THEY LEFT.
AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP.
AND IT'S NOT, YOU DO IT PURPOSELY.
AND LIKE WHAT I SAID BEFORE, THAT YOU SHOULD GET THREE MINUTES AT SEVEN 30 AND THEN YOU COULD LEAVE.
I DON'T WANNA SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO ALL THE RESOLUTIONS I HAVE TO PASS.
DON'T PEOPLE THAT WITH THE RESOLUTIONS, THEY ON THE CLOCK.
AND I WANNA KNOW WHO CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN THE TOWN BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE BECAUSE FAIRVIEW FEELS THAT THEY ARE NOT WANTED AT THEIR DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE.
[03:20:01]
I AM A DISTRICT LEADER.I'M ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
I'M ON THE GREENBERG HOUSES AGAINST RACISM HOUSING.
AND I GO DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND THEY TREAT ME LIKE I'M A PEDOPHILE.
AND, AND IT'S LIKE, AND I SHARED IT WITH THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DAVE, WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, UM, TERRENCE WASN'T THERE.
'CAUSE I GOT THE RESPECT FOR TERRENCE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S OPEN ENOUGH TO DIALOGUE, BUT IT IS THE MAJOR DISCONNECT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE, THE TOWN BOARD, AND THE FAIRVIEW COMMUNITY OF THE HAT, MANHATTAN, THE 46TH DISTRICT.
IT'S LIKE, WHO REPRESENT US? WHO DO WE COME TO AND SOMEBODY REALLY LISTEN AND COME WITH A SOLUTION OR JUST ALLOW US TO COME HERE, GET OUR FIVE MINUTES, AND THEN IT'S LIKE NEXT.
AND THEN Y'ALL WANNA KNOW WHY PEOPLE GET UPSET AND USE PROFANITY, WHICH WE DON'T MEAN TO, I DON'T MEAN I DON'T WANNA GO BACK AND FORTH WITH FRANCIS AND TRY TO PROVE A POINT, BUT IT GET FRUSTRATING WHEN I COME HERE.
AND I'VE BEEN COMING HERE CONSISTENT FOR AT LEAST THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
AND SOMETIME I SAY I SHOULDN'T GO, BUT I GO BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE RIGHTS, DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY COULD COME HERE AND SPEAK UP, BUT THEY DON'T WANNA SPEAK UP BECAUSE THEY FEEL THE SAME WAY WHEN THEY GO DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMAND RESOURCE.
AND I JUST HOPE THIS BOARD HERE IS WILLING TO LIKE OPEN UP THE HEART AND BE WILLING TO CONNECT SOME OF THESE DOTS BECAUSE IT'S LIKE Y'ALL ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE FAIRVIEW PART OF GREENBURG THAT'S IN THAT CATCH AREA OF THE 46TH DISTRICT, WHICH IS LIKE
ALL RIGHT, CLIFF, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT THAT'S YOUR
MARY, I'M MARY
MARY IS THE LAST SPEAKER WHO IS PRESENT WHO SPOKE THE FIRST ROUND.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY IN PARKING LOTS IN THE METRO NORTH, PARKING LOTS IN PARTICULAR.
AND SO I MADE A VIDEO ABOUT SAFETY AND THE PROBLEMS IN PARKING LOTS.
BUT I MADE IT AT THE WEGMANS SHOPPING, UH, CENTER BECAUSE IT MORE CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED THE PROBLEMS. AND THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE TO ILLUSTRATE IT.
THE VIDEO WAS PLAYED TODAY AT THE, UH, M T A BOARD MEETING.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE ABOUT MINUTE 25, YOU'LL SEE MY PRESENTATION.
I HAD AN ASSISTANT WITH ME TO FILM IT.
I DID IT IN A WHEELCHAIR CHAIR.
I DID IT FROM MY CAR, WHICH HAS A HANDICAP PLACE, AND I KNOW HOW TO USE A WHEELCHAIR.
I LEARNED ABOUT 35 YEARS AGO, I WENT FROM MY CAR AND SHOWED THAT PEOPLE WERE WALKING ALL OVER AND CARS WERE WALKING ALL OVER.
AND WHAT REALLY WAS NEEDED WAS A CROSSWALK COME DOWN ONE SIDE OF THE AISLE SO THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD USE THE CROSSWALK.
AND CARS KNOW VERY WELL DON'T DRIVE IN A CROSSWALK.
AND SO THERE WOULD BE A SEPARATION BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS, PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS AND THE CARS AND THE VIDEO SHOWS BECAUSE IT'S A SHOPPING CENTER WITH NO CURB.
AND PEOPLE CAN COME OUT FROM ANY POINT OF THAT STORE AND WITH THEIR SHOPPING CART.
AND THE VIDEO CLEARLY SHOWS PEOPLE WALKING EVERYWHERE.
BUT IN A DESIGNATED CROSSWALK, THE CROSSWALK IS NOT WHERE PEOPLE WALK.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, WHY DON'T YOU PUT CROSSWALKS WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY WALK? WELL, THEY WROTE A THING CALLED A MANUAL, A UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES.
AND WHAT WAS APPROPRIATE 30 YEARS AGO
[03:25:01]
ISN'T APPROPRIATE TODAY.NOW, I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU WOULD USE A PRINCESS PHONE OR A DIAL PHONE OR A PUSH BUTTON PHONE.
SO WHY ARE WE USING TECHNOLOGY AND WHY ARE WE USING CROSSWALKS THAT WERE DESIGNED FOR ANOTHER ERROR? PEOPLE ARE DISTRACTED TODAY.
ALL CROSSWALKS NEED TO LOOK THE SAME TO THE DRIVER.
WHEN THEY WERE DESIGNED, THEY WERE NEW TO PEDESTRIANS.
NOW PEOPLE ARE TEXTING AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONES AND NOW, AND THEIR EYES COME UP.
THEY HAVE TO SEE THE CROSSWALK AS A BAR CROSSWALK.
THERE ARE THREE CROSSWALKS ALL WITH CORRECT PARTS.
THE FOURTH CROSSWALK IS A MISHMASH.
I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS THAT I NEED TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS ANYMORE.
WHEN I MET SOMEBODY FRIDAY NIGHT, I HAD TO ASK WHO SHE WAS.
AND I KNOW HER FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS STUFF.
I MAKE FRIENDS EVERYWHERE I GO BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO HELP ME.
ONE THESE DAYS WHEN I FALL DOWN, I, DEAR FRIENDS IN EVERY DELIVERY TRUCK THAT COMES HERE, KNOWS ME, KNOWS MY CAR, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF ME.
IF I FALL DOWN AND GET LOST, MY CAR'S GOT A TRACKER ON IT.
MY PHONE'S GOT A TRACKER ON IT.
MY POCKET'S GOT AN APPLE TRACKER IN IT.
MY WATCH HAS GOT A SEPARATE TRACKER ON IT.
'CAUSE I'M GONNA GET LOST ONE OF THESE DAYS.
SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO COME AND GET ME.
IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THIS WORLD SAFE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
MY GRANDCHILDREN, I'M OUTTA HERE, GUYS.
IT'S THE KIDS THAT HAVE TO TAKE OVER, HELP THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA MAKE ELECTRIC CARS BE HERE.
GENERAL MOTORS, GENERAL MOTORS LOWER THE DAY.
THEY'RE GONNA MAKE ONLY ELECTRIC CARS BY FIVE YEARS THIS WEEK, LAST WEEK, TWO WEEKS AGO, NO GAS STATIONS SHALL BE REBUILT OR EXPANDED IN GREENBURG BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE ANY GASOLINE CARS.
THEY'LL BE TAKEN BACK AND JUMPED.
THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAVE.
READ ABOUT CALIFORNIA, READ ABOUT THE WATER.
THE CORN FARMERS HAVE NO WATER.
THEY SUCKED IT ALL OUT OF THE GROUND, STOPPED BEING REPLACED.
I APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO, THE PEOPLE IN GREENBURG WHO'VE TAKEN CARE OF ME OVER THE YEARS, AND I SINCERELY THANKED THEM ALL.
I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT HELP FROM A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
I'M JUST THE FRONT MAN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING ME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THANK ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WHO'VE TAUGHT ME WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW.
BUT BEFORE WE DO, I MEAN, THE TOWN BOARD WAS CRITICIZED FOR NOT RESPONDING TO COMMENTS AFTER THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, LET ME JUST SAY THAT STEREOTYPING OF ANYONE, OF ANY RACE, UH, OR RELIGION IS WRONG.
PAUL, ANSWER THE QUESTION ALREADY.
WELL, BEFORE PAUL, BEFORE YOU DO, UM, MICHELLE, IS MICHELLE BROWN STILL HERE? OKAY.
WE ADJOURN? NO, WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
I'M SO USED TO 'EM NOT BEING ANSWERED QUESTION.
I THOUGHT WE WE HAVE THE FIVE MINUTES AND THE EIGHT MINUTES ALREADY.
I KNOW, BUT HE STILL, I I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE'RE WE ADJOURN? ANYONE SECONDED OR DID VIOLATE THE RULES? WHAT? NICE AND RESPECTFUL.