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GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1500 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
UH, WELCOME TO OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING, UH, TODAY'S JULY 20TH AT, UM, ALMOST 4 35 13.UM, AND, UH, OUR FIRST GUEST IS, UH, VIRGINIA GIANA, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT A VERY EXCITING INITIATIVE THAT HER FOUNDATION IS, UH, STARTING AT THE GREENBERG, UH, LIBRARY OF VETERANS, UH, WOMEN'S VETERANS PEACE GARDEN.
UM, YES, I AM VIRGINIA JORDANO.
I'M THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BARBARA JORDANO FOUNDATION, AND OUR MISSION IS IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN VETERANS BY PROVIDING HOLISTIC WELLNESS TOOLS FOR THEM AS THEY TRANSITION FROM MILITARY SERVICE INTO CIVILIAN LIFE.
THE SECOND PART OF OUR MISSION, THOUGH, IS ALSO TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE ROLE OF WOMEN VETERANS.
PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, ONLY WOMEN VETERANS, BUT THERE ARE OVER 200,000 JUST IN OUR TRI-STATE AREA, AND THEY'RE WAY OVER 2 MILLION IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND AS YOU PROBABLY REALIZE, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN, IN KEEPING US SAFE SINCE THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
MOVING THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU, THIS ONE, AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW MY OTHER DEVICE.
SO, AS YOU SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT WOMEN VETERANS AND THE ROLES THAT ROLE THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS PLAYED.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS ESTABLISH A PEACE GARDEN THAT WOULD BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO A VERY SPECIAL SPOT TO HONOR THESE WOMEN.
AND WHEN WE DID OUR RESEARCH, WE REALIZED THAT AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL, THERE ARE NO OTHER GARDENS IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES THAT HONOR SPECIFICALLY WOMEN VETERANS.
SO, UM, WE DID SPEAK TO MR. FINER ABOUT THIS, AND HE EMBRACED THE IDEA AND ENCOURAGED US TO LOOK AT THE LIBRARY AS A POSSIBLE SITE FOR THIS.
AND THIS IS WHY I BROUGHT THAT LITTLE VISUAL AID SO THAT YOU COULD SEE WHERE IN THE LIBRARY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE DID MEET WITH MR. UH, JOHN SEXTON FROM THE LIBRARY, AND ACTUALLY ALSO, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE GIRL SCOUTS BECAUSE ONCE THEY HEARD THAT WE WANTED TO DO THIS, THEY WANTED TO BE PART OF IT, AND THEY SAID THAT THE GIRLS WOULD HELP TO, UM, WATER THE GARDEN AND TO, TO DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO IT IS A KIND OF A TEAM EFFORT.
SO, UM, WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW IS THAT WE'D LIKE TO GET THIS DONE BY SEPTEMBER BECAUSE WE'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO DEDICATE IT IN SEPTEMBER.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING INTO PRACTICE, PUTTING INTO PLACE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
WE DID MEET WITH THE CORNELL COOPERATIVE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, AS PART OF THAT, THAT SIGN IS THE SCHEMATIC FOR THE GARDEN.
AND SO THEY DEVELOPED A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FOR US.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR IS THAT ALL OF THE PLANTS, WE ASKED FOR TWO THINGS.
ONE WAS THAT ALL OF THE PLANTS WOULD HAVE MEANING.
SO THEY ALL ARE, THEY ALL REPRESENT LOYALTY AND PATRIOTISM AND LOVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THE SECOND THING THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE HAPPENED WAS THAT THE GARDEN NEVER LOOKED LIKE IT HAD DIED, THAT, SO EACH SEASON THINGS COME UP, SO IT'S ALWAYS GREEN.
SO ONE OF THE THING THAT I REALLY WANNA TALK ABOUT THOUGH, IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS ABOUT HONORING THE WOMEN VETERANS, WE ALSO, AND WE LOVE THE IDEA THAT WHAT MR. FINER SAID IS THAT THINKING ABOUT USING THE LIBRARY SITE AS THIS POTENTIAL PLACE, BECAUSE IT WOULD BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER TO ENJOY THE SPOT TO SIT THERE, MAYBE TO GET A BOOK AND TO READ OR TO GO INTO THE LIBRARY AND MAYBE USE IT, UM, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY WOULD NORMALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY HAD.
SO, UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR PERMISSION TO DO THAT, TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS, AND TO HAVE THE FIRST PEACE GARDEN FOR WOMEN VETERANS IN, IN THE UNITED STATES, AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL IN GREENBURG WITH THE HOPE THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES WILL FOLLOW SUIT.
AND ACTUALLY, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER, UM, STATES HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME ONCE THEY HEARD THAT WE WERE DOING THIS, AND THEY, THEY VERY MUCH ARE INTERESTED IN REPLICATING IT ALSO.
SO GREENBERG GREENBERG WOULD BE THE FIRST.
AND I, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR, FOR EMBRACING IT AND FOR, UM, KIND OF STEERING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO THE GOAL IS SEPTEMBER, AS I SAID, TO HAVE THE DEDICATION.
WE'RE WORKING ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA GET THIS DONE WITH YOUR PERMISSION.
AND THE LIBRARY, UM, HAS SUPPORTED THIS.
UH, WE MET, UH, JOHN SEXTON AND YOU, WE MET, UH, A FEW DAY, A FEW WEEKS AGO MM-HMM.
SO THERE'S REALLY NO ISSUES FROM MS. WHAT ABOUT THE ADVISORY BOARD? WHAT DIANA NER IS THE LIAISON TO THE LIBRARY.
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SHE HAPPENS TO NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT DID YOU MEET WITH THE ADVISORY BOARD? THE LIBRARY HAS ALREADY APPROVED IT.THEY VOTED, UM, MR. SEXTON TOLD US THAT THEY HAD ALREADY HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, AND THEY VERY MUCH WELCOMED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT THERE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S KIND OF AN AREA.
UM, WE SELECTED THAT AREA FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
ACTUALLY, MR. SEXTON REALLY SUGGESTED THAT BECAUSE NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION, BUT THE BACKDROP MAKES IT INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.
SO WHERE IS THE AREA EXACTLY? IT'S NOT, YOU SEE WHERE THAT LITTLE CIRCLE IS? THE CIRCLE IN FRONT OF THE ENTRY DOOR THAT, THAT PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND TO DROP OFF BOOKS.
CAN I GET UP ON YOUR COURSE? IT'S RIGHT HERE.
SEE, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SHAPE OF IT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS AROUND THE CIRCLE IN THE ISLAND IN FRONT OF THE FRONT DOOR.
SO THAT WHOLE AREA WILL BE CLEARED OUT.
AND THEN, AND ACTUALLY THE BENCHES WILL BE ACROSS THE PATHWAY FROM IT.
SO THE BENCHES WILL BE LOOKING AT THE BENCH, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE GARDEN MM-HMM.
AND WE LIKED IT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY AS PEOPLE COME INTO THE LIBRARY COMPLEX, THEY'LL SEE IT.
FIRST NON-CONTROVERSIAL ITEM SINCE I'VE BEEN TOWN SUPERVISOR
WHAT'S YOUR NEXT STEP? SO, UM, WE ACTUALLY, I MEETING WITH A HORTICULTURIST NEXT WEEK AND, UM, WHO SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THIS, AND HE WANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE, AT THAT SITE AND TELL US SPECIFICALLY WHO CAN HELP US TO GET THE PLANTS, TO GET THE, UM, THE BENCH.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING THAT I WOULD ASK THE, THE TOWN TO BE ABLE TO DO, IS TO PUT IN THE BENCH ONCE WE ACTUALLY GET IT.
UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO OURSELVES.
AND, UM, SO ONCE WE MEET WITH THE HORTICULTURIST, UM, THEN WE CAN DEFINITELY MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THE PLANTS AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HOPEFUL THAT BY SEPTEMBER WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THIS DONE.
I SPOKE TO, UH, RICH FRIEND AND HE INDICATED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, UH, USE, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD, UH, WORK WITH, UH, WITH THE FOUNDATION AND, AND INSTALLING THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE AND WORKING WITH YOU.
I LOVE THE IDEA THAT WE'RE PUTTING, I MEAN, GREENBERG IS ALREADY ON THE MAP FOR SO MANY REALLY GOOD THINGS, BUT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY UNIQUE AND HOPEFULLY WILL ENCOURAGE SO MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES TO DO THE SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SORT THINKING OF SOMETHING, WOULD IT HAVE MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, SENSE TO HAVE A DEDICATION ON A VETERAN'S DAY? BECAUSE I, I, I'M THINKING THAT IF YOU HAVE A DEDICATION, LIKE IN SEPTEMBER, UH, YOU, IT IS ONE THING IF YOU DO IT ON VETERAN'S DAY, UM, IT REALLY WOULD HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE ROLE WOMEN VETERANS, UH, YOU HAVE HAD.
AND THEN WE COULD ALMOST LIKE INCORPORATE, UM, UM, VETERANS' DAY, LIKE CEREMONY THIS AS PART OF THE VETERAN'S DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM.
IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VETERANS DAY, MEMORIAL DAY.
THOSE ARE THE TWO DAYS THAT THE PUBLIC PAYS ATTENTION.
THOSE ALL THE TWO DAYS THAT THE PUBLIC PAYS ATTENTION.
WE HAD THOUGHT SEPTEMBER ORIGINALLY BECAUSE WE WERE THINKING WEATHER AND NOVEMBER IS OVER.
WELL, YOU COULD HAVE, LIKE, YOU COULD HAVE ALMOST LIKE, UH, UH, HAVE IT DONE BY SEPTEMBER, BUT IF YOU HAVE LIKE A PUBLIC CEREMONY, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE ON A, ON VETERAN'S DAY, I THINK I THINK IT WOULD GET MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE, YOU KNOW, ATTENTION.
I, I, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU.
AND SO, UH, GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE ACTUALLY TO DO IT THEN.
I'M, I'M ALSO WONDERING IF WE LOOKED AT, SAY, THE LIVING HISTORY, YOU KNOW, TAPES THAT WE'VE HAD, OR, YOU KNOW, I'M, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SORT OF CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY, UH, UM, UH, WOMEN VETERANS WHO WERE INTERVIEWED AS PART OF THAT.
AND MAYBE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO, YOU KNOW, TO HELP PUBLICIZE THIS MM-HMM.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BASICALLY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE TOWN AND THEIR PARENTS, THEIR, THEIR MOTHERS WERE VETERANS, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD TELL THEIR STORIES.
WE COULD, YOU COULD EVEN HOST, UM, YOUR OWN, UM, CABLE TV PROGRAM AND INTERVIEW, UH,
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VETERANS.AND, AND WE COULD, AND I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY, YOU KNOW, BE NICE.
WELL, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO, TO BRING ATTENTION AND TO BRING PEOPLE FORWARD.
UM, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANY WOMEN VETERANS, THEY THINK THEY DON'T KNOW ANY WOMEN VETERANS, BECAUSE WOMEN VETERANS DON'T TEND TO SPEAK UP AND SAY THAT THEY'RE VETERANS.
SO I THINK WE WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY ARE ARE FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, REALLY.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A, A GREAT SUGGESTION.
SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHAT I COULD DO IS I'LL ASK JANELLE TO DO LIKE A YOUTUBE OF THIS PRESENTATION MM-HMM.
DO YOU WANNA JUST TELL PEOPLE AGAIN HOW THEY COULD REACH YOU MM-HMM.
AND OUR PHONE NUMBER IS (914) 686-8002.
SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE, REPEAT THAT A LITTLE SLOWER FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING AND SURE.
SO OUR WEBSITE IS JORDANO FOUNDATION.ORG.
OUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS JORDANO FOUNDATION@GMAIL.COM, AND OUR PHONE NUMBER IS (914) 686-8002.
ANY SUPPORT THAT ANYBODY CAN GIVE OR ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
NEXT, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE START.
WE JUST, UH, A BUNCH OF ISSUES GOING ON.
THANK, IT'S OUR FIRST MEETING AT FOUR 30 IN A VERY LONG TIME.
NEXT, UM, THERE'S AN ISSUE, UH, RELATED, UM, RELATING TO, UH, TAX, UM, YOU KNOW, PENALTIES.
AND YOU, MAYBE WE SHOULD START BY MENTIONING THAT, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UM, IN THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HAD EMAILED ON ME AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UM, INDICATING THAT THEY NEVER RECEIVED, UH, THE TAX BILLS.
UM, I FEEL IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS A ERROR ON THE PART OF VENDORS IMPACTING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 600 PEOPLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE RECOMMENDED, UH, THAT WE EITHER, UM, REDUCE THE PENALTIES OR, UH, WAIVE THE PENALTIES IF, UM, BECAUSE IT WAST VENDORS, UH, ON MISTAKE, WE'VE NEVER, UH, WAIVED PENALTIES.
WE REALLY HAVEN'T, TRADITIONALLY YOU WAIVED PENALTIES, UM, BEFORE, BUT I FEEL THAT SINCE IT WAS A VENDOR THAT MADE THE MISTAKE, UH, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, WERE RETAINED BY THE TOWN, I FEEL THAT, UM, THAT IT WOULD BE A NICE GESTURE AND MAYBE DEEPAK COULD START BY JUST TELLING US WHAT HAPPENED.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE BRIEF DESCRIPTION.
WE USE A THIRD PARTY VENDOR CALLED SS C A FOR OUR PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND TAX COLLECTION SYSTEM TO PREPARE THE TAX BILLS IN MARCH.
WE SENT TOWN AND COUNTY TAX BILLS IN AUGUST.
WE SENT SCHOOL TAX BILLS IN MARCH.
WE GET FILES FROM MORTGAGE COMPANIES TO UPDATE THE BANK INFORMATION DUE TO A SHORT THROAT LEAK.
ABOUT 1,455 PROPERTIES WERE UPDATED WRONGFULLY WITH THE BANK CODE.
BECAUSE OF THAT, THE SYSTEM DID NOT, DID NOT GENERATE A TAX BILL FOR THIS PROPERTIES AND TAX BILLS WERE NOT SENT TO THIS PROPERTY OWNERS.
OUT OF THIS 1,455 PROPERTIES, 830 PAID ON TIME BEFORE MAY 1ST, AND S C A HAS SINCE FIXED THE PROBLEM.
SO, SO IN AUGUST, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH UPDATING THE BANK CODE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT BASICALLY HAPPENED.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE PAID AFTER THAT DEADLINE? AFTER THE DEADLINE? LIKE, UH, 300 PAID WITH THE PENALTY AND 300 STILL UNPAID HOW MANY PEOPLE WE LOOKED AT? YEAH.
UM, COME ON, HOW MANY PEOPLE UPON ACTUALLY, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE RECOGNIZE BILL CALLED AND THEN PAID 800, AS I SAY, LIKE OUTTA 1455, 830 PROPERTY PROPERTY OWNERS PAID.
THEY MUST HAVE CALLED TAX OFFICE.
THEY EITHER CALL OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, SO YOU CAN GO IN AND SEE HOW MUCH YOUR BILL IS AT ANY TIME, AND YOU CAN PAY THAT WAY.
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WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY CALLED, WE, IF THEY CALLED, WE MAY HAVE SENT THEM A BILL.WE HAVE, EVERY TIME WE SEND OUT BILLS, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T, THAT SAY THEY DON'T, THEY DIDN'T GET IT.
SO WE ALWAYS EITHER EMAIL IT TO THEM, OR IF THEY DON'T HAVE EMAIL, WE'LL SEND IT TO 'EM WHENEVER THEY CALL.
YOU MIGHT BRING THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, I'M SORRY.
AND, UM, MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SEASONED TAXPAYERS, SO THEY KNOW WHEN THEIR BILLS ARE DUE.
AND IF THEY DON'T GET IT, WE USUALLY GET PHONE CALLS ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH SAYING, I DIDN'T GET MY BILL
SO WE TELL THEM TO WAIT A WEEK AND THEN GIVE US A CALL BACK.
'CAUSE THEY'RE NERVOUS ABOUT THE, A POSTAL DELIVERY AND EVERYTHING.
BUT WE CAN ALSO TELL 'EM, WE CAN LOOK IT UP ONLINE IF THEY NEED ANY DETAILS, IT'S ONLINE.
SO OUT OF THAT, UM, 311 THAT ARE UNPAID, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED OF THEM THAT ARE CHRONIC LATE PAYING ANYWAY, AND THEY ALSO HAVE LIENS.
SO THEY HAVE ALL THE LIENS, PREEXISTING LIENS.
SO IT WASN'T JUST THIS, THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT DON'T PAY IT, YOU KNOW, ON TIME.
UM, SO THERE'S ABOUT 210 THAT ARE STILL NOT PAID.
OUTSTANDING YEAR, EXCUSE ME, OUTSTANDING YEAR OUTSTANDING.
THAT'S AS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, LAST FRIDAY, FRIDAY, FRIDAY BEFORE WHATEVER.
AND THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, SUPPOSEDLY S C A HAS FIXED IT, AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM.
WE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE.
BUT OUT OF, WE SEND OUT 30,000, WELL, WE HAVE 30,000 HAVE 30,000 PARCEL.
WE SEND 17, 17, 18,000 BILLS ARE ACTUALLY MAILED.
NO, WELL, I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE I SAID, MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR THAT TAX BILL, AND THEY ARE CALLING US IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO FIND OUT THEY'RE, WE'RE, THEY'RE CALLING NOW FOR OUR SEPTEMBER ONE BILL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE IT, SO WE CAN'T GIVE IT TO THEM.
BUT WE DO TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO ONLINE ANYWHERE IF YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU GO ON VACATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK IT UP.
IT SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH IT IS, GIVES YOU ALL THE DETAILS.
OUR WEBSITE IS VERY, VERY WELL, UH, INFORMS THE, UH, TAXPAYERS.
IS THERE, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS WAS A VENDOR MISTAKE, WE HIRED THE VENDOR.
UM, DOES THE TOWN HAVE THE ABILITY OF GOING AFTER THE VENDOR AND ASKING THEM TO ABSORB THE COST OF THEIR PENALTIES? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HIRE THEM TO PROVIDE A SERVICE AND THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
DO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR THAT WE'VE REVIEWED AND IS IT ACCOUNT FOR THAT ISSUE? WELL, EVERY YEAR WE RENEW THE CONTRACT, LIKE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO SYSTEMS FROM THEM.
ONE IN THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE AND ONE IN THE TAX OFFICE.
SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SOFTWARE, BUT SAME VENDOR.
HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IS A DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE PENALTIES THAT HAVE BEEN INCURRED SO FAR? WAIT, SECOND, TIM ASKED A QUESTION.
WHERE IT, I KNOW IT'S GONE OUTTA MY HEAD, BUT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
WHAT DID YOU SAY, TIM? YEAH, MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE CONTRACT AND RESPOND.
WHAT DOES THE CONTRACT SAY? IF IT ADDRESSES THAT ISSUE? YES.
I, I BELIEVE IT, IT, I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE CONTRACT, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE ARE NOT UNDER ANY TYPE OF, UM, STATE LAW OR ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO SEND OUT BILLS.
THAT'S, THAT'S A GOING THING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SEND THEM OUT AS A COURTESY TO THE TAXPAYERS MM-HMM.
AND WE GIVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION IN EACH MAILING.
WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY MAILING THESE OUT.
AND AND HOW MUCH WERE THE, HOW MUCH WERE THE PENALTIES? PENALTIES WERE 70, ALMOST 70,000.
BECAUSE, UH, NOW IS THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST, I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT IT'S, WE ACTUALLY COLLECTED $212,000 IN PENALTIES.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET THEIR TAX BILL WAS 67 SOMETHING.
IS THIS A BIDED CONTRACT OR DO WE USE THIS INCOME? NO.
AND ARE THERE OTHER COMPANIES THAT, UH, PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICE? WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR A, UM, A TAX SERVICE, A TAX, UH, SOFTWARE COMPANY, THIS IS BASICALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS OUT THERE.
THE ONE THAT WE HAD WAS A DOSS PROGRAM, WHICH YEAH, IT WAS RUNNING ON THE, IT, IT RAN NICE, BUT THEY, IT WASN'T, IT WAS RIGHT.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT, THE COMPANY THAT, THAT, UM, SERVICED IT, PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE ASS 400 MEANS.
YOU KNOW, THEY CALL IT THE GREEN SCREEN, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL RIGHT.
THE LITTLE GREEN SCREEN, YOU KNOW, WHICH, IT WORKED FINE.
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THE COMPANY, THE SOFTWARE COMPANY NO LONGER WAS REALLY SERVICING IT.IF WE, WHEN WE HAD A PROBLEM, THEY LITERALLY, WE HAD TO GO BACK AND FORTH.
I WAS ON ONE TIME FOR LIKE FOUR OR FIVE HOURS JUST TRYING TO GET THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO TO FIX IT, BECAUSE NOBODY REALLY HAS THAT PROGRAM.
I MEAN, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T SERVICE IT ANYMORE.
I MEAN, I JUST FIND IT LIKE VERY, UH, AGGRAVATING.
AS A SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN INTERESTED IN CONSUMERISM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, I FEEL THAT IT'S NOT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO CHARGE PE PEOPLE EVERY YEAR RELIED ON GETTING A TAX BILL.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY ALWAYS RELIED ON IT.
SO THE THING IS, MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT THE BILLS ARE DUE APRIL, SEPTEMBER, AND JANUARY, BUT THERE'S A, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE TAXES UNLESS, UM, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THEY GET THE BILL.
AND I FEEL THAT IT'S REALLY UNFAIR, UM, FOR THE TOWN TO CHARGE PEOPLE THE PENALTY WHEN ARAB, WHEN IT'S NOT THEIR MISTAKE.
IT WAS A VENDOR THAT THE TOWN HIRED.
IT'S A CONS, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR AGENT MADE A MISTAKE, DIDN'T SEND THE BILL.
AND I, I FEEL THAT AT THE MINIMUM WE SHOULD, UM, UM, REDUCE THE PENALTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, DO SOME GESTURE AND SAY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT OUT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE MONEY OFF A MISTAKE THAT WE ARE PARTIALLY, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE FOR.
YOU KNOW, I ALSO THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I SAID, SUGGESTED THIS TO THE TOWN BOARD A FEW DAYS AGO.
WE SHOULD GET LAW SIGNS AND SAY, TAX BILL, DO, UH, PAY YOUR TAXES BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
UH, AVOID PENALTIES, HAVE EITHER THE POLICE OR PUBLIC WORKS AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE TOWN AND, UH, AND IN THE VILLAGES, PUT THEM AT KEY LOCATIONS AS ANOTHER, AS ANOTHER REMINDER.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE REALLY BUSY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO ME, I JUST, YEAH, I KNOW.
I, I'VE BEEN EMAILING EVERYBODY LIKE EVERY COUPLE HOURS PRACTICALLY FOR THE PAST ABOUT EVERY 10 MINUTES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I FIND THIS, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST FIND THIS LIKE VERY, VERY OFFENSIVE.
YOU KNOW, PAUL, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT'S VERY ANNOYING AND I CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
AND WE DO HAVE SYMPATHY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FORGET.
I HAD A MAN 82 YEARS OLD, SITTING AT MY, AT MY COUNTER THE OTHER DAY, ASKED ME IF HE COULD, IF I COULD WAIVE THE PENALTY.
NOT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET A BILL.
HE'S BEEN THERE 40 SOMETHING YEARS.
HE PAID THE TAXES EVERY SINGLE TIME.
HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF SELLING THE HOUSE.
AND HE WAS JUST TOO OVERWHELMED WITH EVERYTHING.
I DIDN'T WANNA CHARGE HIM THE PENALTY.
I, IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO SAY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WOULD COME OUT BEING, I'D BE THE GREATEST GUY IN THE WORLD.
YOU CAN'T DECIDE, YOU CAN'T BE OBJECTIVE ABOUT IT BECAUSE NOW HE HAS A GOOD REASON.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY'RE NEVER LATE, AND THEY HAVE A PERFECTLY GOOD REASON TO BE ANNOYED.
YEAH, BUT THAT'S DIFFERENTT, YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T BE SUBJECTIVE ABOUT IT.
BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE MY FEELING IS LIKE, I FEEL, WELL, I COULD FEEL SORRY FOR EVERYONE, BUT OVER HERE IN THIS SITUATION MM-HMM.
WELL, IF YOU READ THE, IF YOU READ THE, THE, THE, UM, OPINION, IT SPECIFICALLY STATES, AS UNFAIR AS IT MAY SEEM, THAT THE TAXPAYER DID NOT RECEIVE A BILL.
IT IS NOT, IT DOESN'T WARRANT HAVING THE PENALTIES WAIVED.
SO I'M DISCOUNT READING WHAT THE STATE CONTROLLER SAID.
SO OF CONCERN IS THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, ANN, THAT ARE CHRONICALLY LATE, WHO ARE STILL LATE, RIGHT.
WHO ARE NOW CLAIMING THAT HAVE LATE, THEY'RE LATE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET THE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN ONES TO COMPLAIN.
OH, WE DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE, THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE SAME.
I DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE EVEN PAID THAT ARE NOT PART OF THAT GROUP THAT WE KNOW THAT MAYBE DIDN'T RECEIVE A TAX BILL EITHER.
MAYBE THE POST OFFICE DIDN'T MAIL.
BUT YOU, DEEPAK HAS A LIST OF EVERYONE.
WAIT, BUT THOSE ARE ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T, WE KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T GET MAILED.
WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE OWE THAT $210,000 THAT PAID THE LATE FEE THAT MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED A BILL BECAUSE THEY, IT WAS MAILED, BUT MAYBE THEY DIDN'T GET IT.
BUT THEN IT'S NOT THE TOWN'S MISTAKE.
WELL, WE CAN'T PROVE THERE'S, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TOWN MAKING A MISTAKE.
NO, BUT THE THING IS, WE, WE KNOW RIGHT NOW THAT WE SENT IT OUT TO, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE WE KNOW DEEPAK HAS A LIST OF THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO WE KNOW DIDN'T GET IT.
AND I FEEL THAT, UM, IN A LIMITED, WE'VE NEVER WAIVED, YOU KNOW, PENALTIES IF PEOPLE DIDN'T PAY FOR ANY REASON.
ON, ON THIS HAND, THERE'S, IT'S IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU BUY, GO TO A, A BUSINESS AND YOU BUY SOMETHING AND THE BUSINESS MADE A MISTAKE,
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YOU COULD RETURN IT.AND, AND I SORT OF FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME POLICY.
AND I FEEL THAT THE GESTURE OF, UM, ISSUING LIKE A, AT LEAST A REFUND OR A PARTIAL, UH, REDUCTION, I THINK THE GOOD WORLD THAT WE WOULD GET WOULD, WOULD MORE THAN, UH, BENEFIT THE TOWN.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PE YOU DON'T WANT PE EVERYBODY ANGRY AT THE TOWN.
AND I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING HARD.
WE'RE, UH, WE'RE, UH, PAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE WANT TO DO A GREAT JOB.
IF WE MAKE A MISTAKE, WE'LL ADMIT IT.
WE'LL ACCEPT PART OF THE BLAME.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THIS IS LIKE, SO WRONG.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I FEEL THAT IT'S THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, I, I WAS AT THE TOWN POOL ON SUNDAY TALKING TO PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN GOING AROUND ON MY BICYCLE, JUST STOP, YOU KNOW, STOPPING PEOPLE WALKING.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY FURIOUS OVER THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST, I, I JUST FEEL VERY, VERY UPSET ABOUT IT.
UH, AND TIM SAID THAT IF THE TOWN BOARD, UH, BASICALLY, UM, FEEL THAT IT'S AN INTEREST OF THE TOWN, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY OF WAIVING IT MM-HMM.
UM, SO IT'S NOT THAT IF, IF THERE'S A MISTAKE, DO YOU FEEL THERE'S ANY WAY THAT IF THERE WAS A, THAT IF WE DID THIS, THAT THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WOULD FIND THAT WE DID SOMETHING WRONG? NO.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T RECEIVE A TAX BILL IS NOT AN EXCUSE NOT TO PAY YOUR TAXES.
AND THE PENALTIES ARE VALID AND THEY'RE LEGITIMATE, AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
HOWEVER, THE LAW DOES PROVIDE A PROVISION FOR THE TOWN BOARD OR A GOVERNING BODY TO WAIVE INTEREST IN PENALTIES IF THEY BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN.
IF THEY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
AND HISTORICALLY, THIS TOWN BOARD HAS NOT WAIVED INTEREST AND PENALTIES UNLESS IT INVOLVED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO AGAIN, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS AN ABILITY TO WAIVE INTEREST AND PENALTIES, BUT ONLY IF THE TOWN BOARD BELIEVES IT'S WARRANTED BASED IN THE INTEREST IN THE TOWN, AND THEY ADOPT A RESOLUTION.
AND ONE YEAR, DIDN'T WE DO AN AMNESTY? I, I'M PRETTY SURE DO AN AMNESTY DID THAT WAS, THAT WAS A, A RESOLUTION ALSO.
AND THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SITUATION.
BUT WE DID, WE DID WAIVE PENALTIES.
IT WAS ON LIENS, AND WE OWNED THE LIENS.
AND IT WAS ON, AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM EMAILS ABOUT THIS THAT, UH, THAT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE SOMEBODY HAD, DID NOT PAY THEIR TAXES FOR SO LONG THAT THE INTEREST IN PENALTIES EXCEEDED SOMETIMES TWICE OR THREE TIMES THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, AND SO IF YOU'RE DOING A STANDARD AS IT, AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY, UH, TO THE, TO THE INTEREST OF THE TOWN, IT'S THE INTEREST OF THE TAX TAX DISTRICT IN THIS CASE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SYNONYMOUS, BUT WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAX DISTRICT, MEANING THE TAXPAYERS IN THE DISTRICT, UH, BEFORE WE WAIVE, YES, WE WAIVE INTEREST AND PENALTIES.
THE, THE AMNESTY ALSO, THE AMNESTY ALSO WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN BECAUSE WE HAD ON OUR BOOKS LIENS AS A PART OF OUR BALANCE SHEET.
AND OUR AUDITORS KEPT LOOKING AT THAT GETTING, GOING UP 8 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND THEN EVERY YEAR THE INTEREST GOES UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE TO START WRITING THAT OFF.
SO THOSE NUMBERS GOT TO BE $28 MILLION.
AND WE NEEDED TO GET THAT DOWN, WHICH WE COLLECTED, I BELIEVE, IF I REMEMBER, IT WAS SO MANY YEARS AGO, I THINK IT WAS CLOSE TO SEVEN OR $8 MILLION WE COLLECTED.
AND THE THING IS, IS THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR BALANCE SHEET LOOKS PRETTY NICE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY PAPERS IF YOU GOT THE MONEY NOW FOR IT, AT LEAST YOU CAN.
'CAUSE WE DON'T, WE DON'T BOOK THE INTEREST UNTIL IT'S PAID.
SO IT WASN'T LIKE WE LOST MONEY IN THE WAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO RECOUP THE MONEY.
SO, AND FROM DOING THAT, HOW MUCH DID WE COLLECT? I THINK IT WAS 7 MILLION IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
UH, AND OR NOT BEING ABLE TO SELL THEIR HOMES.
THAT'S, THERE'S A, AN EXAMPLE THERE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS CONCERNED, THE WAY WE HAVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKS IS THERE ARE MANY PROPERTIES.
[00:30:01]
AGAIN, THE PERSON WHO HAD THE PROPERTY BEFORE, THEY HAD, UM, INCURRED SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES AND INTEREST.NOBODY COULD BUY IT BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY OFF THE LOANS, THE, THE LIENS, THE TAX LIENS.
AND SO YOU HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS COME IN AND SAY, UH, I'M WILLING TO BUY THAT, BUT THE BANK IS NEVER GOING TO LOAN ME THE MONEY IN ORDER TO PAY OFF ALL THOSE LIENS BECAUSE THE PROPERTY ISN'T WORTH IT.
AND SO, AGAIN, IN THAT SPECIFIC INSTANCE, UH, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE SAID IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAX DISTRICT TO WAIVE INTEREST IN PENALTIES.
SO THERE'S TWO SITUATIONS AS FAR AS I CAN TELL IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN.
ONE IS WHEN WE DID AN AMNESTY IN 2013.
AND THE SECOND IS WHEN WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE CAN RIGHT.
AND YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE A REALLY BAD FEELING ABOUT THE TOWN IF WE DON'T WAVE IT.
AND I FEEL THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN FOR RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN TO FEEL THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ON THEIR SIDE AND IS RECOGNIZING THAT A MISTAKE WAS MADE AND IS WILLING TO, UH, NOT PENALIZE THEM FOR A MISTAKE THAT WE'RE PARTIALLY, UM, RESPONSIBLE FOR.
UM, I FEEL THAT IF THERE'S GOOD, THE MORE GOOD GOODWILL WE HAVE, THE MORE PEOPLE WILL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE TOWN.
AND IF WE MAKE MISTAKES AND EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE WILLING TO, UM, UM, ACCEPT IT OR EVEN UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE MAKING MISTAKES.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS JUST LIKE VERY, VERY OFFENSIVE.
UM, NOT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, I MEAN, NOT EVERYBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE TAX BILLS.
UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, WE'VE ALWAYS SENT IT OUT.
MOST PEOPLE, I BET YOU 99% OF THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW WHO, UH, DIDN'T GET IT, UH, ALWAYS HAVE A HISTORY OF ALWAYS, UH, LOOKING AT THE, YOU, YOU KNOW, THE BILLS.
WELL, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T 99% BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY, IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, ALMOST A HUNDRED OF THEM WERE CHRONIC LATE PEOPLE AS THE 300.
SO IT'S LIKE A, IT'S LIKE TWO THIRDS.
WELL, DO YOU KNOW WHAT UNDER, YOU KNOW, THE PROPOSAL THAT I, THAT I, I'D LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD BASICALLY SAY THAT I THINK, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, BOTH, UH, VENITA AND, AND I, WE SAID IT WAS A 5% PENALTY.
UH, UM, WE WOULD REDUCE IT TO 2% PENALTY.
UM, AND IF IT'S NOT PAID BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE, THEN IT WOULD BE THE FULL, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE THE FULL PEN PENALTY.
SO WHAT I WOULD, AND IT WOULD BE JUST A ONE SHOT YOU THING.
SO THEY WOULD'VE TOLD JULY 3RD, WE WOULD SAY TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE CHRONIC, UH, YOU KNOW, LATE PAYERS, UH, WE FOUND AN ERROR WAS MADE FROM A VENDOR.
ALTHOUGH WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WAIVE THE PENALTY, UM, UH, THERE'S A 2% PENALTY INSTEAD OF A 5%.
WE'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WAIVING EVERYTHING, UH, AT THE SAME TIME AFTER JULY 30TH.
UH, YOU HAVE TO PAY THE FULL PENALTIES, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE IN THE STATUTE.
AND, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, IT'S NOT GOING TO, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY PAID? WHAT A PENALTY CAN I JUST SUGGEST REDUCE WHATEVER, WHATEVER THE BOARD DECIDES TO DO.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE RESOLUTION BEFORE IT'S ADOPTED, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU'RE NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH, IT'S GONNA OPEN UP THE DOORS.
SO I WOULD REALLY JUST LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE RESOLUTION BEFORE THE BOARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GONNA WORK.
NO, THEN, THEN WE WOULD, THAT'S ALL, THERE'S THREE, ABOUT 300 PEOPLE.
AND PERSONALLY, I THINK YOU SHOULD GO TO THE STATE CONTROLLER TO GET AN OPINION.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING IS THE STATE, UH, THE, THERE'S 300 PEOPLE WHO WOULD GET REFUNDS, PARTIAL REFUNDS.
NO, THERE'S, IT WAS 800 THAT PAID WITHOUT PENALTY.
AND THEN THERE WAS, THERE'S 300, 600 ALTOGETHER.
600, LIKE SIX 300 PAID WITH PENALTY AND 300 STILL OUT 10.
NO, THAT'S WHAT, SO 300 WOULD GET THE REFUND.
AND THEN 300, THE REST OF THE PEOPLE, WE WOULD SEND A NOTE SAYING, UH, YOU HAVE TO PAY BY JULY 30TH, OR YOU HAVE THE FULL PENALTIES.
BECAUSE THIS WAY WE'RE GIVING THEM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING THEM NOTICE.
AND IF THE BOARD WOULD GO ALONG WITH US, WE COULD SEND OUT A, A NOTE LIKE TO ALL THE 600, LIKE TOMORROW, YOU KNOW, TOMORROW AND, YOU KNOW, AND FRIDAY.
AND THEY WOULD, AND YOU KNOW, THIS WAY IT'S 1, 2, 3.
UM, AND WE WOULD, AND IT'S A, THIS IS A ONE SHOT, UH, UH, REDUCTION.
I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE PERSONALLY
[00:35:01]
OF COURSE, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE A REFUND.IF ANYTHING, I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY THE WHOLE THING.
AND THEN YOU DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU WANNA REFUND BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY PRODUCES THE PENALTY.
NO, WE COULD, I DON'T HAVE, BUT NO, I'M JUST SAYING BECAUSE I DON'T, NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT PAID AND THEY HAVE TO BE REFUNDED.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST MAKE IT CLEAR ACROSS THE WHOLE BOARD THAT EVERYBODY THAT PAYS WHAT THE PENALTY, IF YOU WANNA DO THAT, THE BOARD DECIDES.
OTHER, THE OTHER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED BECAUSE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE UNSURE ABOUT THE LEGALITIES AND PRESIDENT, WE COULD BASICALLY, UH, REACH OUT TO, WE COULD SAY THAT WE COULD CONTACT THE STATE CONTROLLER AND WE COULD SAY, UM, TO THE STATE CONTROLLER, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL AS A BOARD THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A VENDOR MISTAKE, WE'D LIKE TO MAKE A ONE TIME, UH, EXCEPTION.
UM, IF WE DON'T HEAR BACK FROM YOU, SAY WITHIN, UH, 30 DAYS, WE WILL ISSUE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE REFUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THIS WAY WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING THE CONTROLLER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE OR IT'S APPROPRIATE.
I, I DON'T THINK THE CONTROLLER GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS, BUT IF THE BOARD WANTS TO BE EXTRA SURE, WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE CONTROLLER AND THIS WAY WE COULD SEND OUT NOTICES TO EVERYBODY SAYING AT LEAST THE TOWN BOARD'S TRYING.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SUGGESTED, RIGHT? DAN? I SUGGESTED YOU SHOULD GO THROUGH THE STATE CONTROLLER.
THAT'S WHAT ELMER DID WHEN THEY DID THAT.
UM, AMNESTY OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
AND DID THE CONTROLLER HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT? YES.
UM, THEY HAD, THEY HAD, THE OPINION WAS BASICALLY WHAT THE OPINION WAS I SHOWED YOU, WHICH WAS, IF IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN OR THE VILLAGE OR THE TAXING AUTHORITY, THEN THEY, THEY COULD WAIVE THE PENALTIES.
AND IT WAS SPECIFIC PROPERTIES THAT WERE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN.
WELL, ANYWAY, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO ANYTHING ELSE, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED.
SO IT WAS IN THE BEST, BUT IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, COUPLE, LIKE MAYBE FIVE OR SIX PIECES OF PROPERTY.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SUGGESTING, WOULD THE BOARD HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE BOARD HERE.
WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WE NEVER MAKE A DECISION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WITHOUT EVERYBODY.
WE CANCELED THE MEETING LAST WEEK 'CAUSE YOU WERE ON VACATION.
WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE CANCELED THIS ONE BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ON VACATION, BUT WE'RE HAVING IT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
BUT, SO SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE, 'CAUSE THIS HAS LONG LASTING IMPLICATIONS.
IT DOES BECAUSE IF YOU CHANGE THE STANDARD FROM, FOR AMNESTY PROGRAMS, WHEN THERE'S THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN OR FOR, UH, MAKING IT SO THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE BUILT BY, BY UH, UH, ELIMINATING THE PENALTIES.
AND YOU NOW MAKE IT THAT IF YOU DON'T GET A BILL, THAT WE WILL IN WAIVE THE INTEREST IN PENALTIES THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT, OR I ASKED DEEPAK HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE DID NOT GET THE BILL AND HE CAN'T TELL ME A NUMBER.
HE KNOWS BASED ON THE GLITCH, HOW MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T GET A BILL.
SO NOW IF OTHER PEOPLE TELL US, I DIDN'T GET A BILL EITHER, RIGHT? WHAT DO WE DO? AND WE'LL SAY, WELL, YOU WEREN'T PART OF THE GLITCH.
HOW IS THAT GONNA FLY? SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME SERIOUS ISSUES HERE.
HOW ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO EMAILED US, WHO SAID THAT SHE GOT THE BILL, BUT SHE HAD A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER RIGHT IN APRIL AT THE END OF THE PERIOD.
AND SHE JUST COULD NOT PHYSICALLY, NOT PHYSICALLY PROCESS SENDING IN HER PAYMENT.
AND SO SHE PAID LATE AND SHE WOULD LIKE US TO WAIVE THE PENALTIES AND INTEREST.
BUT WE, SO WHERE DO YOU, WHERE DO YOU START? WHERE DO YOU STOP? YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A CLEAR, CLEAR DELINEATION OF WHEN WE DO IT.
NOW, WE, WE HAD SOMEBODY JUST IN, IN FEBRUARY, THEY DIDN'T PAY THE, UH, SCHOOL TAX BILL.
YOU REMEMBER, THEY DIDN'T PAY THE SCHOOL TAX BILL.
AND THE PENALTY FOR NOT PAYING THE SCHOOL TAX BILL IN JANUARY IS SIGNIFICANT.
WHAT IS IT? 12%? IT'S FEBRUARY 1ST IS 10%.
WELL, THE RE THE REASON WHY IT'S 10%.
SEE, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT IS BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO SEPTEMBER.
'CAUSE YOU GET YOUR BILL IN SEPTEMBER, THEY, THE LAW SAYS THAT YOU CAN PAY HALF OF IT IN SEPTEMBER AND HALF IN JANUARY.
MANY PEOPLE PAY IT ALL TOGETHER IN SEPTEMBER.
I JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THEY DON'T FORGET IN THAT SITUATION, THE WOMAN, I BELIEVE SHE EITHER LOST HER HUSBAND OR SHE HAD COVID OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
AND SHE, SHE COULD NOT ACTUALLY EVEN PAY THE, THE BILL.
AND NOW SHE HAS NOT ONLY THE BILL ITSELF THAT SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY, BUT NOW SHE HAS 10% ON TOP OF IT.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE BOARD TOOK THE POSITION THAT WE COULDN'T INVOKE 1182, SECTION 1182.
'CAUSE HOW COULD WE SHOW THAT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF
[00:40:01]
THE TOWN TO DO THAT? SO NOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR US IS TO CHANGE THE STANDARD.AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET A BILL SET ASIDE ALL THESE OTHER, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UH, SITUATIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET A BILL, THEN THE TOWN HAS SET A STANDARD THAT WILL WAIVE THE INTEREST IN PENALTIES FOR YOU WHEN WE DIDN'T DO IT FOR ALL THESE OTHERS.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHY THE CONTROL'S OPINION THAT ANNE SENT US, RECEIVER OF TAXES SAYS, AS, AS UNFAIR AS IT SOUNDS, AND IT, IT, IT SOUNDS UNFAIR, RIGHT? THAT THE, UH, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DON'T GET A BILL, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE TOWN DOESN'T SEND YOU A BILL.
YOU'RE STILL REQUIRED TO PAY THE TAXES BY THE, THE DEADLINE AND 877 PEOPLE OR SO WHO DIDN'T GET THAT BILL DUE TO THE TAX GLITCH CALLED UP AND PAID THE BILL.
AND SO IF THERE'S NO DOUBT, IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE BOARD HAS ACTUALLY HAD, YOU KNOW, JUST DISCUSSING IT, YOU KNOW, ONE-ON-ONE BETWEEN OURSELVES HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HEART WRENCHING AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP.
BUT THERE'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE HERE THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF.
AND WHEN WE SAY THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAX DISTRICT TO TAKE THIS STEP, UM, SOMEBODY'S GOTTA GOT, SOMEBODY HAS TO SHOW US, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT IS AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, SAYING IT WOULD BE A NICE GESTURE.
WELL, OF COURSE I, IT WOULD BE A NICE GESTURE FOR THE WOMAN WHO HAD THE NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER AND I HAVE NO DOUBT SHE'S TELLING THE TRUTH.
UH, WHO COULDN'T PHYSICALLY MANIPULATE, YOU KNOW, THE COMPUTER TO, TO DO THIS, TO, TO PAY THE BILL? WE SAID NO.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT'S, BUT YOU KNOW, ON THE OTHER HAND, BUT ANYWAY, WE NEED, WE NEED THE ENTIRE BOARD.
Y Y RIGHT? SO, SO THEN WE, WE WOULD PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA FOR, UH, NEXT TUESDAY.
BUT I STRONGLY URGE ANYONE WHO HAS NOT YET PAID THE BILL IS TO PAY THE BILL BECAUSE AUGUST 1ST, RIGHT? YOU'LL INCUR ADDITIONAL PENALTIES AND INTEREST.
YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
I SEE SOME OF THE EMAILS GOING TO PAUL SAYING, YOU KNOW, SHOULD I CONTINUE TO HOLD OFF IN PAYING THE BILL IF SOMETHING GETS WORKED OUT AND A REFUND WILL BE GENERATED, IT WILL BE GENERATED.
BUT YOU DON'T WANNA PUT YOURSELF INTO A SITUATION WHERE THE BILL GETS BIGGER.
SO DO YOU THINK, UH, WE COULD, YOU COULD SEND OUT, UH, A NOTE TO PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, WELL THE 800, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, UM, BY TOMORROW, NO.
OR BY, YOU KNOW, BY, UH, BY, YOU KNOW, BY NEXT WEEK BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, MY FAILURE IS WHAT, WHAT'S THE NOTE GONNA SAY, PAUL, TO THE, TO THE 800 PEOPLE WHO NEVER GOT THE BILL IN THE FIRST PLACE SAYING THE BILL THAT THE PENALTIES ARE GONNA GO UP AND THE TOWN BOARD? NO, THEY'RE, THEY, THEY'RE PAID RAISE.
WE ONLY HAVE 311 THAT HAVEN'T PAID.
SO SAY THE 300 PE PEOPLE JUST SAY, UH, I JUST, WE SHOULD SEND A LETTER TO THEM SAYING, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE TAXES ARE DUE BY JULY 31ST.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T, DIDN'T GET THE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T PAY YET, UH, THE PENALTIES GO UP ON AUGUST 1ST.
THE TOWN BOARD WILL BE DISCUSSING, UH, NEXT TUESDAY, UH, WHEN WE HAVE, WHEN WE HOPEFULLY HAVE EVERYBODY PRESENT THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, OF, UH, REDUCING THE PENALTIES.
AND IF WE DO, UH, YOU'LL GET A REFUND.
BUT NO DECISION WAS MADE BY THE BOARD AT, AT THAT TIME.
THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GIVE ME, YOU KNOW THE NAMES I'LL ASK, YOU KNOW, KRISTA, TO GET IT OUT TOMORROW.
CAN I LOOK AT IT BEFORE YOU SEND IT OUT?
IS ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO SEND, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO GET INTO WHAT THE BOARD MAY DO OR MAY NOT DO OR WHATEVER.
WHEN THAT'S WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN THAT HAPPENS.
BUT RIGHT NOW YOU CAN, YOU CAN'T PUT THAT IN A LETTER.
WE WILL BE GETTING, EVERYBODY WILL BE CALLING AND, AND SAY, WELL, I DON'T GET REMINDER NOTICE FROM YOUR REMINDER WE COULD SEND OUT, WE COULD DEFINITELY DO THAT.
WE JUST SENT OUT REMINDERS OF ANYONE THAT DIDN'T PAY.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE KNEW THEY DIDN'T GET THE BILL BECAUSE WE'VE SENT THEM OUT AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE TOWN BILL, BUT THEN THERE WERE, THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO, WHO FORGOT THE SECOND HALF OF THE SCHOOL, SCHOOL BILL.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WENT TO LIEN.
ALTHOUGH WE DO SEND OUT NOTICES THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DUE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE, WE JUST SENT IT OUT WITH ANYBODY THAT HAD OPEN LIENS AND OPEN TOWN TAX.
SO WE COULD, WE COULD DO THAT AGAIN WITH THE TOWN TAX ONLY.
I COULD DO IT WITH THE TOWN TAX AND WE CAN SEND IT OUT.
YEAH, AND YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A STANDARD DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO KEEP THE STANDARD.
BECAUSE MY FAILING IS THAT IF WE SAY THERE ARE SITUATIONS THAT ARE
[00:45:01]
HEARTBREAKING, YOU, SOMEBODY'S ELDERLY, SOMEBODY HAS NEUROLOGICAL ISSUES, WE MAY, UH, WORKING WITH THE STATE WANT TO SAY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, THERE COULD BE, UH, DIFFERENT CONDITIONS IMPOSED FOR DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE STATE ALWAYS CHANGES.YOU KNOW, WE ALL, THAT GOVERNMENT ALWAYS CHANGES, UH, STANDARDS AND, YOU KNOW, AND POLICIES AND YOU KNOW, I JUST REALLY FEEL THIS IS LIKE TOTALLY UNFAIR.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I REPEATING MYSELF, BUT WE'LL PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TUESDAY AND WE'LL HAVE THE WHOLE BOARD VOTED UP OR DOWN AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE EVERYBODY COULD JUST REFLECT ON IT.
SO, UM, I, I HAVE TO LEAVE SHORTLY.
UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT, UM, THERE HAS, I HAVE TO ADD AN AJE A, UM, RESOLUTION TO THIS AGENDA.
IT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND UH, IT HAS TO GO ON FOR NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA.
SO, UH, IT'LL, WE CAN MAKE IT CL SEVEN, WHATEVER, BUT IT HAS TO GO ON HERE FOR THE 27TH.
AND JUST REGARDS WITH REGARDS TO THE FARMER'S MARKET, I JUST ASK THAT, UH, THIS MATTER REGARDING, UM, THE CONTRACT BE RESOLVED THIS EVENING BECAUSE WE HAVE CHILDREN, WE HAVE RESIDENTS, AND WE HAVE VENDORS AND MANY PEOPLE, UH, MEETING TO, UM, FINALIZE PLANS REGARDING THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SO AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE GREENBERG TOWN HALL FARMER'S MARKET COMMITTEE, I'M REQUESTING THAT OUT OF CONSIDERATION FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS EFFORT AND THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE PLANNING TO BE A PART OF IT, THAT THIS MATTER BE RESOLVED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD OUT OF CONSIDERATION, RESPECT, AND COURTESY TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED.
LET ME JUST ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE I SPOKE TO FRANCIS.
SO YOU FEEL JUST MEANT, JANELLE, COULD YOU BRING BACK MY AGENDA?
WE WERE, WE DISCUSSED IT TODAY.
SO, SO THE ISSUE, THE ISSUE WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET IS THAT WHEN THERE WAS A PRESENTATION MADE AT THIS TABLE WHILE, WHILE BACK, UH, IT WAS REPRESENTED THAT THE FARMER'S MARKET WOULD ONLY OCCUPY THE SPACE THAT IS AT THE REAR OF THE PARKING LOT AND TO THE RIGHT AND THE REST OF THE PARKING LOT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ZONING BOARD MEETING AND ALL THE REST.
SO I ASKED FOR AN ACTUAL LAYOUT OF HOW THE FARMER'S MARKET WOULD ACTUALLY HANDLE THE CARS THAT WERE COMING TO ACTUALLY VISIT TO GET THE PRODUCE.
BECAUSE NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE WALKING TO IT.
AND IT TURNS OUT THAT NO, THE AREA TO THE REAR AND TO THE, AND TO THE RIGHT, UH, IS SOLELY THE FOREST MARKET WHERE THEY'RE WALKING AROUND THE TABLES, ALL THEIR TRUCKS, AND THE, THE VEHICLES FOR ANYBODY VISITING IS GOING TO BE OCCUPYING THE REAR OF THE PARKING LOT.
AND SO AT LOOKING AT, AND THERE'S, WE HAVE A MAP OF THAT NOW.
SO THAT WILL HELP US DO A CONTRACT THAT IS MORE REALISTIC THAT, BUT WE AS A BOARD NEED TO DECIDE WHAT GETS PRIORITY ON A THURSDAY NIGHT.
AND IT'S BASICALLY THREE NIGHTS, UH, THURSDAY NIGHT IN PARTICULAR AS TO, UH, IF THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH CARS, DO THEY GO ACROSS TO DINE FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET OR ARE WE EXPECTING PEOPLE COMING TO THE ZONING BOARD MEETING TO GO ACROSS TO DANON AND TO TO UH, UH, AND THEN COME ACROSS THE STREET TO THE ZONING BOARD? WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO GET IT RESOLVED BECAUSE MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S SIMPLY NOT THE CASE.
IT COULD, YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY, HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE REALLY POPULAR, BUT, AND THE VENDORS ARE GONNA COME PROBABLY WITH VANS FOR THEIR WARES AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO PARK THEM SOMEPLACE AND THAT'S GONNA BE IN THE BACK.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE MAIN CONCERN.
I SPOKE TO PAUL ABOUT IT, UH, THIS MORNING.
AND, UH, I THINK WE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CONTRACT WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT THERE'S FLEXIBILITY, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE A STANDARD.
UH, AND HOW DO WE EVEN ENFORCE THAT? WELL,
[00:50:01]
MAYBEUH, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE DEDICATED SPACES FOR PEOPLE COMING TO THE ZONING BOARD, BOARD MEETING AS WELL.
AND SO REALISTICALLY HAVE A RESULT, REALISTICALLY SPEAKING THIS PARKING LOT, I MEAN, IN, IN, IN THE 13 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS PARKING LOT PACKED FOR A ZONING BOARD MEETING.
AND IT'S NOT LIKELY THAT IT WILL BE PACKED UNLESS THERE'S SOME MAJOR ZONING ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO, UM, UH, CHANGE, UM, AN AN ENTIRE, UH, UM, STANDARD OR CODE OR, OR WHATEVER.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR, UH, MANY YEARS NOW.
WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT TWO THURSDAY NIGHTS BECAUSE OF THE DELAY IN RESOLVING THIS CONTRACT ISSUE, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED HAD THERE BEEN A WILLINGNESS TO COME TOGETHER AND RESOLVE IT BEFORE NOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED A LONG TIME AGO INSTEAD OF DRAGGING PEOPLE ALONG, UM, BEGGING AND PLEADING, UH, FOR THERE TO BE SOME RESOLVE TO THIS MATTER.
IT'S JUST UNNECESSARY, UH, UH, UM, CONTROL.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO THURSDAY NIGHTS, ONE IN SEPTEMBER AND ONE IN OCTOBER.
THE ZONING BOARD ONLY MEETS ONCE A MONTH.
THERE ARE NO OTHER ISSUES OR, OR POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH PARKING ON ANY OF THE OTHER THURSDAY NIGHTS THAT THE FARMER'S MARKET WOULD BE HELD.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A UNREALISTIC ANTICIPATION OF AN ISSUE EVEN ON THE TWO THURSDAYS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH REGARDS TO THE ZONING BOARD MEETING ONE THURSDAY IN SEPTEMBER AND ONE THURSDAY IN OCTOBER THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE FARMER'S MARKET.
THE, CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION? OF COURSE.
BUT THAT'S 'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACT, THE CON NO, I'M NOT STILL TALKING TO YOU.
THE CONTRACT CALLS FOR THERE BE A PROVISION FOR IT TO GO BEFORE TO THANKSGIVING.
SO IT, IT'S POTENTIALLY THREE NIGHTS.
BUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF PLANNING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION CONTINGENCY, UH, EVENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON THE ZONING, I WAS ON THE ZONING BOARD FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
I KNOW THAT WE PACK THIS PARKING LOT SOME NIGHTS AND SO THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PLANNING.
AND THE, THE PERSON WHO PUT IT TOGETHER, LISTEN, YOU WANT ME TO, YOU WANT THE, THE, THE, THE THING THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE COMMITTEE TO BE STABBED.
BUT HE'S NOT GONNA BE HAPPY 'CAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT HE REALLY WANTS.
AND SO WHAT I SAID TO PAUL, BUT YOU WON'T LET IT GO IS THAT WE WOULD WORK ON THIS.
WE HAVE A MEETING OF THE MINDS BETWEEN PAUL AND MYSELF OF HOW WE COULD ADDRESS THIS AND LET US ADDRESS IT.
CAN I JUST MAKE A SUGGEST SO IT'S NOT, LEMME SAY ONE THING.
MY FAILING IS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THREE POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, NIGHTS ON THOSE THREE EVENINGS WHEN THE ZONING BOARD MEETS, WE, WE WOULD WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE, YOU KNOW, PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
WE COULD WORK OUT ALL THESE THINGS.
THE THE BIG PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN I SPOKE TO THE HEAD OF THE FARMER'S MARKET, THE PERSON WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH MM-HMM.
SO THE THING IS, SO I DON'T REALLY, TO BE HONEST, I DON'T REALLY CARE, UM, WHAT WE SAY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK OUT ANY OF THE MM-HMM.
UH, SO, AND YOU KNOW, AND THERE WERE NO ISSUES.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE NO ISSUES.
SO WE'LL ALL WORK TOGETHER AND UM, AND, UM, AND I, I WOULD PREFER ALMOST LIKE STAMPING IT, UH, LETTING HIM SPEAK TO THE LAWYERS, LETTING HIM PLAN, THEN WE COULD START ADVERTISING.
WE HAVE A WHOLE GROUP OF INTERNS WHO ARE STARTING TO, UH, PUBLICIZE THIS.
UM, UH, THEY WANNA PUBLICIZE IT AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT WOULD BE REALLY SAD IF WE LOSE THE WHOLE THING.
WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, UH, WHATEVER THE BOARD DECIDES WOULD BE THE, THE, UM, UH, RESOLVE TO THIS MATTER.
I AM JUST SAYING IT DOES NOT, IT DID NOT NEED TO BE DRAGGED
[00:55:01]
ALONG TO THIS POINT, THIS WHAT THIS CONVERSATION COULD HAVE BEEN HAD.BUT TWO WEEKS AGO, LET'S TALK ABOUT, BUT IT DIDN'T, BUT THE GUY WASN'T AVAILABLE, BUT WHAT HE WAS AVAILABLE AT WEDNESDAY WASN'T AVAILABLE.
AND FRIDAY, GOING FORWARD, GOING FORWARD, LET'S GO FORWARD, GOING FORWARD, CAN WE SAY THAT, UM, WE WILL HAVE A CON, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
YOU WILL COME UP WITH A CONTRACT.
AND WE'LL GIVE IT TO HIM NO LATER THAN FRIDAY.
AND THEN IF WE DO THAT, AND THEN IF, IF WE CAN'T GET THE WORDING, YOU KNOW, UH, CORRECT.
WE'LL GIVE HIM WHILE WE'VE ALREADY, WHAT THE BOARD ALREADY APPROVED AND, UH, AND THEN HE'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT AND THEN HE'LL LIVE WITH IT.
I MEAN, I, I WOULD PREFER TO ACTUALLY DOING, WHICH MEANS HE'LL HAVE TO START AT 1230.
HE WANTS TO START EARLY IN THE MORNING.
YOU KNOW, LET'S FACE IT, I KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE ZONING BOARD AT NIGHT, BUT THIS IS A GOVERNMENT BUILDING AND THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS GOING ON IN HERE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY DOING IS GIVING UP THE REAR, THE REAR, UH, OF THE PARKING LOT TO THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, BUT I'VE HEARD THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING OVER TIME TO OUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS.
WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING POLICE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO DIRECTING TRAFFIC.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST FOR GOODWILL 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S MAKING MONEY, BUT PEOPLE LOVE IT.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, WE'VE ALSO, WE TALKED ABOUT USING PARKING SPACES.
WE TALKED ABOUT USING AUXILIARY OFFICERS.
UM, DO, DO THEY, THEY, DO THEY GET PAID? WE REQUEST COST AUXILIARY OFFICERS.
I I JUST THINK THAT, UM, WELL THAT'S WORKING INTO THE CONTRACT.
THERE'S A MAJOR MORE, A, A MOUNTAIN IS BEING MADE OUT OF A MOLE HILL WITH RESPECT TO THESE ISSUES.
AND I'M NOT DISCOUNTING THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING.
UM, I I JUST THINK THAT, UM, IN, IN CONSIDERATION, IN COURTESY, PROFESSIONAL COURTESY, IN CONSIDERATION, WE NEED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES INSTEAD OF DRAGGING PEOPLE ALONG.
BUT YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY, COULD WE, BUT DUDE, IT IS NOT, AND FRANKLY, THIS, WE WERE MOVING ON ON THIS AND YOU WANTED TO MAKE AN ISSUE OF THIS AT THIS.
I'M NOT MAKING AN ISSUE OF A PROCESS.
WHY DON'T, AND I'LL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DISTORT.
I'LL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DISTORT MY INTENT.
RE IN THIS SITUATION, I AM ONLY ASKING RIGHT.
THAT SOME RESOLVE BE BROUGHT TO THE ISSUE INSTEAD OF DRAGGING PEOPLE ALONG.
I HAVE BEEN SENDING OUT NUMEROUS EMAILS TO THE BOARD ASKING THAT SOME RESOLVE BE BROUGHT TO THIS MATTER.
AND SO NOW THAT THE ISSUES ARE ON THE TABLE, LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND RESOLVE THEM.
SO, AND I'M SAYING IS THEY WERE ON THE TABLE.
WE HAD RESOLVED IT THIS MORNING.
AND WE WENT, BUT WHEN YOU SAY, AND THIS IS WHAT STARTED IT WHEN YOU DRAGGED THIS ALONG, WE'VE HAD OTHER ISSUES LIKE THE ISSUE YOU JUST HAD HERE.
THIS WAS A VERY TIME CONSUMING ISSUE, DEALING WITH THIS TAX, TAX ISSUE AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVING PENALTIES.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST TONIGHT, I'M TALKING ABOUT OVER THE, OVER THE I'M.
IT'S ALWAYS THERE HAVE BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST FOUR WEEKS SINCE THE LAST MEETING OF THE FARMER'S MARKET PLANNING COMMITTEE BECAUSE THIS MATTER HAS BEEN DRAGGED OUT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S FOCUS ON GOING FORWARD.
THE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'LL HAVE A, WE, WE ARE GETTING A COMMITMENT.
WE'LL HAVE A CONTRACT THAT WORKS BY FRIDAY.
AND THEN YOU CAN TELL, TELL, WHICH IS WHAT WE DISCUSSED THIS, AND THEN WHY DON'T, SO YOU COULD TELL, UH, HIM THAT HE'LL HAVE THE CONTRACT BY FRIDAY AND THEN WE COULD START PUBLICIZING IT.
DOES HE HAVE TO GO? AND WHEN'S YOUR NEXT MEETING WITH THE FARMERS' MARKETING? I'M GONNA CALL, I'M, I'M GOING TO CALL A MEETING THIS FRIDAY.
AND, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE PERFECT.
AND THEN HE WILL MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS A VENDOR.
AND DOES HE, WILL HE BE ABLE TO START LETTING US PUBLICIZE IT AFTER FRIDAY, OR DOES HE NEED TIME AFTER THAT? I, WELL, I'M, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I AM SURE, I THINK, THINK THAT HE'S JUST WAITING FOR THE CONTRACT TO BE FINALIZED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH FINALIZING THE PLANS AND GETTING THE PUBLIC INFORMED AND CON OKAY.
AND CONFIRMING WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE MUSICIANS AND VENDORS.
SO NEXT, UM, WE HAD, UM, THE PURCHASE ORDERS.
WE, WE ONLY HAVE TWO PURCHASE ORDERS ON THE SPREADSHEET.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE ANOTHER ONE.
UH, IT DIDN'T ARRIVE AT MY DESK, UH, AT THE TIME OF THIS PRINTING, BUT WE DO HAVE,
[01:00:01]
UH, THE DEPARTMENT HEAD HERE TO SPEAK ON IT.UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS THE FARBER WOOD SURFACING FOR ALL OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS.
THAT'S A SAFETY, HE SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUE.
UH, WHEN CHILDREN DO HAVE A TENDENCY TO FALL, UH, WE DON'T WANT THEM GETTING HURT AND ON, UH, BLACKTOP OR CONCRETE.
UH, SO THIS WOOD SURFACING, UH, WILL HELP TO, UH, DO A TOP DRESS BASICALLY ON, ON THE, THE CURRENT, UH, UH, GROUNDS.
UM, JERRY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THAT? YEAH, IT'S REALLY A REORDER.
WE ORDERED, WE ORDERED, UH, UH, GOOD EVENING.
AND, UH, IT'S NICE TO BE BACK LIVE
THIS IS MY FIRST, UH, APPEARANCE.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY A ANOTHER ORDER THAT WE MADE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD, UH, MORE AFTER INSPECTIONS OF OUR MANY PLAYGROUNDS, THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT REALLY NEED TO HAVE THE OLD STUFF MOVE.
THE, UH, THE WOOD CHIPS OR FIRE BAR WILL DECOMPOSE AND THEN TURN INTO, UH, ALMOST LIKE DIRT.
SO WE HAVE TO SCRAPE IT OUT AND THEN PUT IN SOME NEW ONES.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER WATER SO WE CAN, UH, MAKE SURE WE GET ALL THE, UH, PLAYGROUNDS, UH, SAFE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF HOTSPOTS THAT, UH, NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND WE WANNA DO THAT BEFORE SCHOOL RESUMES THIS.
AND WHAT'S UNDER THAT? OH, WELL, USUALLY WE GO, WE GO ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT TO 12 INCHES DEEP.
SOMETIMES IT HAS A GRAVEL BASE ON IT.
OTHER TIMES IT'S JUST NATURAL EARTH.
IT'S ALL BASED ON THE, UH, THE GRADES AND, UH, HOW, UH, POROUS THE WATER WILL GO IN THE GROUND SO IT DOESN'T, UH, BUILD UP, YOU KNOW, WATER IN THAT AREA.
AND WHAT KEEPS IT IN PLACE? UM, WE, WE USUALLY HAVE BORDERED IN, WE LEVEL IT OFF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A NATURAL BORDER, UH, WOOD FIBER FIBROUS BORDER, OR A BELGIUM BLOCK THAT WE HAVE AROUND IT.
IT VARIES FROM A PLAYGROUND TO PLAYGROUND.
IS THIS A COMPETITIVE PRICE AS, UH, WE HAVE IT ON CONTRACT? YEAH.
WHAT YOU MEAN? STATE CONTRACT? UH, I, I, WE WENT OUT TO, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, I THINK WE WENT OUT TO BID STREET AND UH, WE AWARDED THIS WAS, THIS WAS A TOWN BID AWARD.
YEAH, THIS WAS A TOWN BID AWARD EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
OH, SO WE'RE JUST USING IT NOW? YEAH, IT'S THE CONTINUATION.
IT'S THE, UH, SAME PRICE, UH, PER PER YARD SAFE PRICE, RIGHT, JERRY? RIGHT.
IF YOU DON'T AND SOMEONE GETS HURT, WE'RE GONNA GET SUED AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, IT'S REALLY A, TIM'S OFFICE IS REALLY BUSY TRYING TO DEFEND IT AND WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, SO SURE.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
MY CONCERN WAS ONLY THE, THE PRICE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS COMPETITIVE.
HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW? WHAT'S THAT? OKAY.
I'LL, I'LL FEEL YOU FEEL IT EVEN BETTER WHEN I SEE IT'LL GO OUT TO BID.
UH, THE NEXT ONE I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU IS ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT ON THIS SPREADSHEET.
UH, JERRY HAD PUT IN THE REQUISITION AND IT DIDN'T GET TO MY OFFICE IN TIME TO BE PUT ON THE SPREADSHEET, SO I'LL LET JERRY EXPLAIN IT.
AT THE, THE GLENVILLE WOODS, UH, PARK PRESERVE, UM, WE RECEIVED IN 2018, UH, FUNDING THROUGH THE CAPITAL BUDGET, UH, TO EXPAND THE PLAYGROUND, PUT IN A SWING SET AND DO SOME SENSORY PANELS, UH, FOR, UH, UH, THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED POPULATION.
UH, THAT PURCHASE ORDER OF OVER $55,000 HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THIS BOARD.
AND THEN SINCE THEN, UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT IN PLACE, UH, BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, WE WANT TO, UH, ORDER THIS, UH, FITNESS EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE USED BY THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
IT'S, IT'S A TWO PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
ON ONE STANDUP POST, WE MIGHT GET ANOTHER ONE THAT'S FOR $9,750.
UM, THAT IS ON THE, UH, THE, UH, SOURCE WELL CONTRACT.
SO IT'S A VERY COMPETITIVE PRICE AND WHICH IS, IS DISCOUNTED.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA SAVE A LOT OF MONEY 'CAUSE WE'RE JUST BUYING EQUIPMENT AND MY STAFF IN-HOUSE IS GONNA INSTALL DIRECT BUR RAIL AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO, UH, I FIGURED THIS WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR ME JUST TO COME IN THERE, UH, PRESENT IT.
AND THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR ALL.
UH, WE JUST GOT DEFERRED WITH, UH, OTHER PROJECTS.
SO WE FINALLY GOT, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN BUDGETED, BUT DID THE BUDGET INCLUDE THIS PIECE OF THIS $9,000? WHEN WE HAD THE 90, WE, WE HAD THE CONCEPT TO SPEND UP TO $90,000 MM-HMM.
AND THEN, UH, WE HELD OFF 'CAUSE WE WERE WORKING WITH A, UH, CITIZEN COMMITTEE ON IT, AND WE CAME UP WITH SOME IDEAS AND IT TOOK A WHILE AND THEY GOT DEFERRED.
SO, UH, FINALLY THIS, UH, EARLY SPRING WE GOT TOGETHER AND THEY WOULD PUT A PLAN IN PLACE.
IN ADDITION, WE'LL PROBABLY BE COMING BACK TO YOU WHERE WE'LL BE BUYING SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, WOOD CHIPS AND SOME SMALLER ITEMS, UH, TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
SO THIS WILL BE ABOUT, UH, I DUNNO, $65,000
[01:05:01]
TOTAL.NOW, OUT OF THAT 90,000 MM-HMM.
SO IS IT POT AND NOBODY ELSE BID ON FIVE BAR.
SO IS FIVE BAR SPECIFIC TO THE FIVE BAR GROUP AND NOBODY ELSE CAN SELL IT.
AND, UH, WHEN WE GO OUT, WE HAVE SPECIFICATIONS AND, AND, AND, UH, FIBER, YOU KNOW, CAME IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, AND IT HAS TO BE DONE TO A CERTAIN CLEAN SPECIFICATION.
I MEAN, I CAN GET WOOD CHIPS GALORE.
I WAS GONNA ASK YOU THAT QUESTION.
WHAT'S THE DISTINCTION? BUT THEY'RE HORRIBLE AND THEY'RE GONNA BE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE INFESTED WITH, YOU KNOW, UH, INSECTS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO THIS IS A COMPANY, THERE'S ONLY LIKE ONE OR TWO COMPANIES MIGHT BE ONE UP IN NEW ENGLAND, ANOTHER ONE OUT IN PENNSYLVANIA, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE THEY GOT.
AND IT FOLLOWS A, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY, VERY CLEAN AND SAFE MATERIAL, UH, TO PUT DOWN ON THE GROUND.
NOW, ONCE IT'S PUT DOWN, IS THERE ANYTHING IN IT TO PREVENT IT FROM BECOMING OH, IT STILL CONTINUE TO DECOMPOSE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S USUALLY GOOD FOR LIKE TWO YEARS OR SO.
YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE THREE BASED ON THE MAINTENANCE, HOW MUCH RAINFALL WE HAVE.
ANYTIME WE GO OUT TO BID, IT'S, IT, IT COULD BE THAT COMPANY PRODUCT.
AND WE ALWAYS SAY, 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO BY NEW YORK STATE LAW SAY THAT.
AND, AND IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ALL THE VENDORS.
AND WE GET, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT GETS VERY COMPETITIVE, MANY PEOPLE WILL COME OUT AND SAY, YES, WE HAVE AN EQUAL PRODUCT.
THEY SHOW US, WE'LL CHECK THE STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS.
IF IT IS AND IT'S LOWER PRICE, WE AWARD THAT O OKAY.
EVEN, EVEN IF, SO IF WE PUT OUT, WE WANT A SONY TV, PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY COULD BUILD A SAM, UH, PUT IN A SAMSUNG MM-HMM.
BY THAT, BY THAT SPECIFICATION.
'CAUSE OKAY, SO WHY DO WE EVEN PUT FIVE ALREADY IF THE, SO IF THE SONY MEETS THE EXACT SAME, UH, ITEMS, UH, AS WHAT WE'RE SPEC SPECIFY MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, THAT ARE EQUAL, LIKE IF IT'S, IF IT'S, IF IT'S A TELEVISION, THEN IS IF SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, 10 80, YOU KNOW, P OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT RIGHT.
VERSUS THE SEVEN 40, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ANALOGS.
AND IF IT MEETS ALL THOSE SPECIFICATIONS, UH, YES.
BUT, BUT ON OTHER ITEMS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SAY RED STONE THREE QUARTER INCH, UM, SALT, SHREDDED HAY SOD.
BUT WHEN YOU GET TO THIS ITEM, YOU MENTIONED THE BRAND FIVE BAR, WOOD FIBER PLAYGROUND SURFACING, AND NOBODY ELSE BID ON THAT.
AND THEY DIDN'T BID ON ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THEY MUST, THIS MUST BE THE ONLY THING DO WELL BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S ALL THEY DO.
THAT PRODUCT THEY DON'T GET, WHEN, WHEN WE SEND IT OUT, IT GOES TO MANY DIFFERENT VENDORS.
AND SOME PEOPLE WILL HAVE A PRODUCT IF I DO LIKE WEIGHT EQUIPMENT, AND IT COULD BE LIKE A, UH, LIKE B N SPORTS OUTTA TEXAS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD DO THE ATHLETIC AND, YOU KNOW, WEIGHTLIFTING BARBELL STUFF, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BID ON.
SO PETE, YOU, OUR PURCHASING AGENT, YOU CONSIDER THAT TO BE A COMPETITIVE BID.
AS LONG AS IT'S THE SAME, SAME, OR OF EQUAL VALUE? UH, IT, IT'S, IT MEETS THE, THE QUALIFICATIONS.
AND I, AND SINCE I'M HERE, I JUST WANNA BRING, UM, I THINK WE WENT BEFORE THE BOARD, UM, WHERE WE HAD, UH, FENCE WORK, UH, FOR A BOTANICAL PARK WHERE WE, LAST YEAR WE HAD A STORM AND EVERYTHING CAME DOWN.
AND AT THE TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE, SO WE WERE TRYING TO GET IN THE OPERATING BUDGET AND, UH, OR THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
SO WE WENT THROUGH IT AND IN WORKING WITH D P W, WE WERE ABLE TO SKEW SECURE THE FUNDING FOR A REQUISITION.
UH, THAT WAS GONNA COST LIKE, I THINK $14,500.
UM, WE ISSUED A PURCHASE ORDER THAT WAS APPROVED.
UM, BUT THE VENDOR JUST NOTIFIED US.
AND BECAUSE OF THE, UH, STEEL MARKET, UH, THE COST OF STEEL HAS GONE UP.
SURE ALONE, FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE VOLUME OF THE WORK THAT'S GONNA SURROUND THE ENTIRE, UH, BASKETBALL COURT.
THE METAL ALONE WITHOUT INSTALLATION IS 13,000 A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO HE HAD TO WITHDRAW THE, UM, PURCHASE ORDER.
NOW I'M GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
I GOTTA GET THREE NEW PRICES AND THEN MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU AND THEN FIND OUT IF I EVER EVEN HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE FOR IT.
OTHERWISE, I'M GONNA HAVE THIS
[01:10:01]
OPEN AREA WITHOUT IT.THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONLY DOING HALF OF IT.
AND I GO, NO, EITHER GONNA DO THE COMPLETE THING OR, OR WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT AT ALL UNTIL WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THE PROPER FUNDING.
AND, AND SO THE QUESTION WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, UM, DO WE DO IT NOW SO WE CAN MAKE IT SAFER THERE? OR DO WE WAIT UNTIL THE COST COMES DOWN? OR DO I, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE BASKETBALL HOOPS DOWN AND I'M WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR? I DON'T KNOW, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU.
AND, UH, THAT'S SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WHEN WE TRY TO REQUISITION ITEMS. AND WITH THE, THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW, SOME MATERIALS, PRICES ARE REALLY FLUCTUATING.
AND HE SAID STEEL PRICES ARE CRAZY.
HE, HE SAID THE PRICE THAT HE GAVE ME, WOOD PRICES GONE WOULD, UH, HAS JUST ESCALATED.
AND THE PRICE, I THINK HE SAID LIKE 450% AND, AND THE VENDOR THAT GAVE US THE PRICE, HE SAYS, THAT'S ONLY GOOD FOR 30.
THE VENDOR IS SAYING IT'S ONLY HOLDING FOR SEVEN DAYS.
I SAY, HOW AM I GONNA BE ABLE TO THREE PRICE COME BEFORE THIS BOARD HAS PERMISSION TO GET FOR SOMETHING? SO AT THIS POINT, I GOTTA DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AND THEN TRY TO WORK ON A, YOU KNOW, GET A PRICE ALMOST BEFORE I GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
JUST A, A, A SHEET OF PLYWOOD THAT WAS $28 IS NOW 75.
SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT MARKET RIGHT NOW FOR, UH, PRICING, PRICING ITEMS OUT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, JERRY.
SO THE LAST THING WE HAVE IS THIRD AND THIRD ITEM IS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE, UH, THREE PRICE THIS OUT.
IT IS A VEHICLE STABILIZATION KIT.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UH, IT IS A, UH, NUMBER OF PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, UH, AND A CAR IS IN A, UH, DANGEROUS SITUATION, UH, EITHER OVER A CLIFF, UH, ON A GUARDRAIL, UH, IF THERE'S PEOPLE INVOLVED INSIDE AN EXTRICATION, THAT VEHICLE HAS TO BE STABILIZED BEFORE ANYBODY CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THAT VEHICLE.
UH, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CALLED OUT, UH, MANY TIMES, UH, WHEN THERE IS A CAR ACCIDENT, UH, THE POLICE ARE THERE AND THEY ONLY, THEY DO NOT NEED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, CURRENTLY, UH, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ONE, UH, VEHICLE STABILIZATION KIT ON ONE OF THE RESCUE VEHICLES THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT ONLY IN, IN CASE OF EXTRICATION, IT'S IN CASE OF JUST AN ACCIDENT.
AND A VEHICLE IS IN A, A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION.
UH, SO THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE STABILIZED, UH, PRIOR TO THE WRECKING COMPANY COMING IN AND TOWING THE VEHICLE.
DO YOU KNOW WHETHER WE'VE HAD TWO IN THE PAST AND ONE BROKE AND NOW WE ONLY HAVE ONE? I I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD TWO IN THE PAST.
UM, BUT I TALKED TO CAPTAIN VALENTINE AND HE SAID WE DO HAVE ONE CURRENTLY.
UH, AND THIS IS A SECOND ONE FOR ANOTHER, UH, RESCUE MM-HMM.
JUST IN CASE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A MULTIPLE SITUATION MM-HMM.
THEY DID THREE PRICING ON THE SAME KIT.
THERE'S QUITE, THERE'S QUITE A FEW PIECES TO THIS KIT.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE OR TWO BARS, I'M SURE.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU HOPE YOU NEVER NEED TO USE.
UH, WE'VE HAD, UH, ACCIDENT SCENES IN THE PAST THAT WE'VE HAD TO USE OURS AND, UH, IT'S A, UH, PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OR PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE, UH, NEEDED IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, BUT THANK YOU.
UM,
UM, HE BASICALLY, UM, THEY'RE SPENDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BEAUTIFY, UM, MAYFAIR, NORWOOD, NORWOOD ROAD.
AND, UH, THEY WANT US TO, UH, ABSORB THE COST OF A SIGN.
UM, AND YOU, UH, WE HAD SOME EMAIL EXCHANGES, SOME BOARD MEMBERS, UM, UH, HAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE THE SIGN, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE PRESENT SETTING.
[01:15:01]
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS DOING SOMETHING UNIQUE.THEY'RE SPENDING A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS ON PLANTINGS AND LANDSCAPING AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOME FINANCIAL HELP.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, ACCEPT THEIR, UH, THEIR REQUEST AND MAYBE HAVE IT CREATE A STANDARD FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WHERE WE WOULD PARTNER WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, THAT SAY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THE AREA.
I MEAN, I THINK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS THE TOWN ARE ALREADY DOING SIMILAR THINGS, AND WE ARE NOT UNDERWRITING THEM.
SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT WE WOULD UNDERWRITE THIS CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
THIS WAS LIKE A, A VERY SUBSTANTIAL, YOU KNOW.
BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY CAN AFFORD TO DONATE THAT MUCH MONEY.
OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS MAY BE DONATING MONEY IN PROPORTION TO WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW, SO IT STILL DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
MAY, FRANCIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR SHOULD WE JUST BRING THIS UP NEXT WEEK? UH, YOU CAN BRING IT UP NEXT WEEK IF YOU WISH, BUT THERE'S A STANDARD SIGN FOR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.
WE DO, UH, PAY, THE TOWN DOES PAY TO PUT UP THAT STANDARD CIVIC ASSOCIATION SIGN.
WE DON'T ASK PACIFIC ASSOCIATIONS TO DO THAT.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, UM, MUCH MORE ELABORATE SIGN PUT UP.
BUT THAT WOULD THEN MAKE ALL THE OTHER CIVIC ASSOCIATION SIGNS, YOU KNOW, LOOK LIKE, WELL, WHY, WHY ARE WE DISADVANTAGED THIS WAY? SO I DON'T, I DON'T SUPPORT US HAVING A DIFFERENT, UM, CIVIC ASSOCIATION SIGN FOR ONE CIVIC ASSOCIATION VERSUS ANOTHER.
SO THEN NOW WE HAVE THE AGENDA REVIEW, BUT IF THEY WANT A CIVIC ASSOCIATION SIGN, WE CAN DO A CIVIC ASSOCIATION SIGN.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE VIDEO OR, OR, OR AUDIO ON.
UH, DID SOMETHING HAPPEN? I THINK IT GOT MUTED AGAIN.
ARE YOU KIDDING? NOW? HERE LEMME TRY IT.
IT IS GONNA BE A LONG MEETING.
WE HAVE TO ADD CAROL WALKER'S HUSBAND ON HERE.
WE DISCUSSED THE SIGNAGE CALL TO MAKE THE RECORDS, UH, OF THE SIGNAGE.
IT'S ON THE AGENDA, SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF, UH, YEAH, THEY DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
WELL, THAT'S NOT TOTALLY ACCURATE.
UH, I SUPPORT PUTTING UP PACIFIC ASSOCIATION SIGNED, LIKE ALL THE OTHER CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS HAVE SIGNS AND THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF THEM.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE NOT SUPPORT A SIGN I SUPPORT, I DON'T SUPPORT UNDERWRITING WHATEVER MONEY THEY'RE SPENDING TO BEAUTIFY THE AREA WHERE THE SIGN IS GOING.
BECAUSE OTHER CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ALSO BEAUTIFY THE AREAS IN WHICH THE SIGNS ARE, AND WE'RE NOT UNDERWRITING THOSE SIGNS.
AND PAUL MENTIONED, WELL, THEY'RE GIVING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WELL, PERHAPS THEY'RE GIVING MONEY IN PROPORTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH THEY LIVE.
SO PERHAPS LESS WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, GIVE LESS MONEY.
THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT WE WOULDN'T UNDERWRITE THOSE AMOUNTS AS WELL, IN WHICH CASE WE'D BE ON THE HOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH MONEY.
BUT WE, BUT WE DO, WE, WE DO, UH, UH, USE TOWN FUNDS TO ENHANCE, UH, DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIFFERENT ISLANDS.
AND WE DO DO SPEND MONEY, TOWN MONEY, YOU KNOW, WITH LANDSCAPING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT NOT THE SPECIFIC REQUEST OF A CIVIC ASSOCIATION WHO ALREADY
[01:20:01]
HAS A DESIGN LAID OUT AND PLANS THAT THEY'RE GONNA SPEND X NUMBER OF DOLLARS ON WHATEVER.WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS WHEN THE TOWN MAKES THE DECISION, BECAUSE AN AREA LOOKS A CERTAIN WAY TO CHANGE IT.
THIS IS THE REQUEST OF A CIVIC ASSOCIATION THAT HAS A PLAN AND THEY WANT US TO UNDERWRITE THEIR PLAN.
SO WE SHOULD USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STATE THAT NEXT WEEK'S TOWN BOARD MEETING IS ON TUESDAY, NOT OUR NORMAL WEDNESDAY.
THERE'S AN EVENT THAT, UM, MANY OF THE BOARD ARE GOING TO A, UM, UM, ON WEDNESDAY, UH, FOR A FORMER EMPLOYEE.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A, UH, ON TUESDAY, JULY 27TH, UH, THE MEETING WILL START AT SEVEN 30.
BUT I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD START EARLIER IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INTERNS AS WELL.
THIS, YEAH, WHY DON'T WE START AT SEVEN AND THEN DO YOU WANNA HAVE LIKE A WORK SESSION? WE COULD HAVE A WORK SESSION AT FOUR 30 AND THEN GO RIGHT INTO, OH, THIS IS THE YEAH, WE CAN, WE HAVE THE WORK SESSION BEFORE EXACTLY.
BUT IT DOES BEG THE QUESTION OF ADDING INTERN PRESENTATION TO THIS EVENING WHERE WE HAVE HOW MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS? YEAH, BUT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I, WELL, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE NOT, UM, WELL, THE BATTERY ONE IS, LET'S SEE.
WELL, THE REGENERON, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THESE ARE NOT GONNA BE THAT CONTROVERSIAL.
I MEAN, HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT THAT SIMPLY IS NOT THE CASE.
SOMEBODY GETS UP AND KEEPS TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY SHOULD BE THE PAID FIRE DISTRICTS, THE, UM, PROFESSIONAL FIRE DISTRICTS, I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT TERM EITHER, BUT, UM, SHOULD BE CONSOLIDATED, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACT AND LOOPHOLE OR, UH, LOOP ROAD HOLDINGS, REGENERON, I'M SURE THEY WANT TO SHOW OFF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WONDERFUL PLANS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WHEN IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE INTERNS? IT'S AUGUST 3RD.
I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID IT WAS AUGUST 12TH.
NO, I THINK IT'S THE FIRST WEEK.
IT'S THE FIRST, UH, THURSDAY IN AUGUST.
IF IT'S THE FIRST THURSDAY, THEN THIS IS TOO LATE NOW.
ARE THEY GETTING CERTIFICATES OR NO, THIS WILL BE JUST A PRESENTATION.
WHAT THEY'VE, WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND NOT EVERYBODY WILL PARTICIPATE.
AND THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
WELL, YOU KNOW THAT THE INTERNS ARE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN AND IT MEANS A LOT TO THEM WHEN THEY MAKE PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD.
YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN, I FEEL, UM, THEY SHOULD BE COMMENDED AND ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO I'M SAYING MAYBE WE COULD START AT SEVEN FOR THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, UH, AND HAVE THE, MAKE THEM PRESENTATION, TELL THEM, AND THEN START THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING AT SEVEN 30.
AND WE COULD START, IF WE START THE WORK SESSION AT FOUR 30, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MAKE IT, WE COULD HAVE FOUR 30 TO LIKE SIX 30 AND THEN THE INTERN START AT SEVEN.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR AGENDA REVIEW? NO.
WHAT'S NEXT? WELL, IF WE HAVE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UH, NOT HERE, AND YOU SAID WE CAN'T DECIDE THINGS WITHOUT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, THEN WE SHOULDN'T DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, I GUESS TODAY.
SO ARE WE MOVING TO ADJOURN THEN? YEAH.
WELL, I, I THINK GARRETT HAS A STEWARD, UM, ON CALL FOR A ZOOM MEETING REGARDING, UM, A LEGAL DISCUSSION.
I THINK HE'S, UH, ALLOCATED THE TIME TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, WHICH MIGHT BE INFORMATIVE AND SHOULD BE BRIEF.
SO ARE WE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THAT? YES.
YEAH, I MEAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, AREN'T WE THEN CONSISTENT REALLY
WELL, LET'S ASK GARRETT IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'VE BEEN SOME EMAILS FROM SOME OTHER VOLUNTEER BOARDS ABOUT MASK AND THE LIKE.
I THINK WE SHOULD JUST DISCUSS WELL THIS, UH,
[01:25:01]
OKAY.OKAY, SO THE PLAN NOW IS NEXT WEEK IS FOUR 30 WORK SESSION, SEVEN O'CLOCK INTERNS.
HERE'S THE MAN NOW AND THEY HAVE 30 MINUTES.
YOU MUST HAVE HEARD THE CALL IS 30 MINUTES ENOUGH OF THE INTERNS CALL.
DO THEY NEED 30 MINUTES? NO, I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
DID YOU HAVE NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES OR LESS? I GUESS I LESS, LESS IS WHAT ABOUT 15? YEAH, NO SAY, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, UH, GARRETT, THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, UH, CHAZEN SHOULD, YOU KNOW, SPEAK ABOUT THIS LEGAL ISSUE GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TWO OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WE THE EXACT SESSION RIGHT NOW? NO, WE'RE NOT.
WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S APPROPRIATE GIVEN THE TURN YOUR MIC ON.
YEAH, I MEAN IT'S, IT'S WHATEVER THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD IS.
UH, THE GENTLEMAN STEWART IS AVAILABLE.
HE CAN PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE.
UM, IS HE AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK? UH, WELL, NEXT WEEK THOUGH WAS REALLY TIGHT.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE PICKED THIS WEEK, RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK I, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE TIME CONSUMING, UH, FOR A BRIEF UPDATE IF THE BOARD'S OKAY WITH THAT NOW REMAIN TONIGHT? YES.
SO GO INTO MAKE A MOTION FOR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
IT'S A LEGAL DISCUSSION INVOLVING, UM, SECRET.
WELL, TIM CAN'T MAKE THAT MOTION.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU, THE OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE WHOLE ISSUE OF THE TAX PENALTIES, WE SAID WE DON'T WANT TO DECIDE SOMETHING IMPORTANT BECAUSE TWO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD MM-HMM.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MATTER AND I FEEL WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT, UH, ARE WE PAYING, UH, THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE SPEAKING WITH US? NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I MEAN, HE, HE, HE'S DOES HE NEED A DECISION OF THE BOARD? NO, NO, THERE'S NO DECISION TO BE MADE.
UH, I'D RATHER AGREED BY THE APPLICANT.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BASICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, HOLD OFF UNTIL WE HAVE A WHOLE BOARD.
I MEAN IT, BUT IT'S LIKELY TO BE TWO MEETINGS FROM NOW.
NOT NEXT WEEK, BUT THE WEEK AFTER.
IS THAT
UM, I, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S ACCURATE.
SO, UM, JUST, JUST SO I KNOW ABOUT THE MEETINGS.
DOES THIS AFFECT OUR FUNDING? NO.
AND, UH, AND THEN ARE WE, ARE WE HAVING ANY MEETING DATES THAT WE'RE NOT MEETING ON EITHER ON TUESDAYS FOR THE WORK SESSION, UH, IN AUGUST? DO WE KNOW? BECAUSE I GUESS THAT'S THE 10TH AND I GUESS THAT'D BE THE THIRD.
MAYBE IS THE THIRD OR TUESDAY? THIS IS THE THIRD AND THEN THE 10TH.
JOAN COMES IN FROM FIVE, WE FINALLY GOT SOUND AROUND FIVE MINUTES AGO.
YEAH, WELL THAT'S WHY THIS IS A TEST RUN.
I MAY BE, UH, YOU'RE ON ZOOM, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
I THINK I'M DRIVING MY, UH, DAUGHTER TO A LAW SCHOOL LIST LETTER.
SO WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE MEETING ON THE, THE 17TH.
WE, WE GOTTA FIND OUT EVERYBODY ELSE IS SCHEDULED.
UH, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 TUESDAYS IN AUGUST.
SO DOES AUGUST 3RD WORK, ERIC? YEAH, I THINK THAT'LL BE FINE.
SO WE TABLE THIS MATTER UNTIL AUGUST 3RD.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A FOIL PILL THAT WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE, UM, PROBABLY, UH, NEXT WEEK IN TERMS OF THE TIME FRAME.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, ADDING A FORMABLE APPEAL TO THE NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA.
I THINK FROM, FROM AUGUST 3RD, I, I CAN'T, I CAN'T BE HERE BEFORE SIX.
SO AUGUST 3RD, WEVE A MEETING AT SIX.
THAT'S THE PLACE YOU GOT, YOU GOT MY EMAIL ABOUT THE PARKING LOT YOU, THE TAXI ROAD, THE AVALON.
[01:30:01]
CONVERSATION.YEAH, BECAUSE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REALLY WANTS A PARKING LOT AND YOU KNOW, I BASICALLY WOULD PREFER JUST LETTING THEM HAVE THE FUNDING BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCI, THESE IRVINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WANTS US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY GET FUNDING FOR, UH, A PARKING LOT WHICH THEY FEEL WOULD ENABLE, UH, YOUNG FAMILIES TO ENJOY THE, THE RECREATION AREA.
NOW YOU GOING INTO A TOPIC THAT NEEDS TO BOARD.
DID YOU JUST CHANGE THE ONE, THIS THIRD MEETING TILL SIX O'CLOCK OR NOT? YES.
IT IS WEIRD HAVING IT JUST COME IN FROM THE, IT'S A DISEMBODIED VOICE, JOAN.
IT DOES EXACTLY
BUT IT SHOWS SHE'S PAYING ATTENTION.
SO WE ADJOURN, WE'RE ADJOURNING WITHOUT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.