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[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
ON, WE'RE GONNA, HE'S GOT TO RECORD RECORDING IN PROGRESS TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
WILL YOU STAY STANDING? PLEASE, PLEASE.
IN MEMORY AND IN HONOR OF, UM, COLIN POWELL, WHO WAS A, A GREAT AMERICAN.
UM, COLIN POWELL WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF AND SECRETARY OF STATE.
UM, HE WAS, UM, AN INSPIRATION TO MANY.
HE WAS A PERSON OF ACTION WHO CREATED THE COLIN POWELL CENTER AT, UM, THE CITY COLLEGE TO DEVELOP STUDENT LEADERSHIP AND, UM, TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, TO GET IN, GET INVOLVED IN, UM, IN, UH, IN GOVERNMENT.
THAT SCHOOL LAUNCHED A, A RACIAL JUSTICE, UM, FELLOWS PROGRAM AS A JOINT INITIATIVE WITH CITY COLLEGE, UM, AND PART OF THEIR BLACK STUDIES PROGRAM.
UH, COLIN POWELL WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY, UM, WHEN HE MADE MISTAKES, UM, WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN HE, UH, REPORTED THAT SODOM HUSSEIN HAD WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, HE, UM, WAS SOMEBODY WHO ADMITTED MA MAKING MISTAKES.
UM, AND HE'S SOMEBODY WHO, UM, REALLY IS A ROLE MODEL FOR SO MANY, UM, PEOPLE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
SO, UH, WE SALUTE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND, UM, PAID, YOU KNOW, TRIBUTE TO HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NATION.
HE'S ALSO THE FIRST COUSIN TO MRS. THELMA MCCOY GORDON, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF GREENBURG.
AND WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR MOST SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THELMA, HER FAMILY AND EXTENDED FAMILY.
MAY I ALSO ADD THAT HE WAS THE 65TH UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE SERVING UNDER THEN REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH.
HE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST, UM, UH, CHAIRMAN AFRICAN AMERICAN CARIBBEAN, AFRICAN CARIBBEAN AMERICAN CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF.
AND HE WAS ALSO SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RANKING POSITION IN THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
COLIN POWELL WAS A MAJOR SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL FIGURE IN OUR COUNTRY BEING BORN HERE IN UNITED STATES OF JAMAICAN HERITAGE, AND THE FIRST, IN MANY, MANY RESPECTS.
WE STILL HAVE, WE ALSO HAVE A MEMBER, UH, MOMENT OF SILENCE AND MEMORY OF THE 739,090 INDIVIDUAL VICTIMS OF C OVID 19 WHO HAVE DIED IN THE UNITED STATES.
4 MILLION 9, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 PLUS DEATHS WORLDWIDE, EACH LEAVING FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TOO, TOO SOON.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, THANK, UM, UH, MAYOR ROBERT WILLIAMS, THE VILLAGES.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFERENT PART OF THE MEETING.
AND NOW YOU CAN DO THE RECOGNITION.
[ The Town Board extends their appreciation to Mayor Robert Williams, Village of Elmsford, and Local 456 membership for allowing residents of Babbitt Court to park their cars at the Teamsters Union Hall Parking Lot for all their parking needs during the Hurricane and storms. We appreciate their help to residents in need.]
LIKE TO, UH, THANK, UM, MAYOR ROBERT WILLIAMS, THE VILLAGE OF ELMSFORD AND LOCAL 4 5 6 MEMBERSHIP FOR ALLOWING RESIDENTS OF BABBITT COURT TO PARK THEIR CARS AT THE STERS UNION HALL PARKING LOT, UH, FOR ALL THE A PARKING NEEDS DURING, UM, HURRICANES AND STORMS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP TO RESIDENTS IN NEED.[ Introduction of Police Officer Michael Vingo, being promoted to the Position of Police Detective (See Resolution PO-1)]
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CALL ON THE POLICE CHIEF TO, UM, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, UH, MICHAEL BINGO BEING, UM, PROMOTED TO THE POSITION OF A POLICE, UH, DETECTIVE.GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR FINDER, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, THE CAPTAINS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT.
TONIGHT, CAPTAIN MIKE DE LESSIO AND CAPTAIN FRANK FARINA TO JOIN ME UP HERE TONIGHT.
AS, UH, TONIGHT WE GET TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ONE OF OUR
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OWN, UH, POLICE OFFICER MIKE VGO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE TOWN AND GRADUATED FROM ARDSLEY HIGH SCHOOL.AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, MIKE CONTINUED HIS EDUCATION, GRADUATING FROM MY OWN COLLEGE WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE.
MIKE WAS HIRED BY THE TOWN OF GREENBERG IN JULY OF 2014 AND ATTENDED THE POLICE ACADEMY.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY, MIKE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE MIDNIGHT TOUR WHERE HIS TALENTS WERE QUICKLY RECOGNIZED.
MIKE WAS CONSISTENTLY AMONG THE TOP PERFORMERS, AND IN 2019, WAS ASSIGNED TO THE STREET CRIME UNIT.
WHILE ASSIGNED TO THE STREET CRIME UNIT.
MIKE'S NATURAL TALENT AND SKILL BECAME EVIDENT TO EVERYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT.
MIKE EXCELLED IN ALL ASPECTS OF, OF THE JOB, INCLUDING WORKING NARCOTICS CASES, BURGLARY INVESTIGATIONS, STOLEN VEHICLE AND PROPERTY INVESTIGATIONS, FRAUD AND FORGERY CRIMES, LARCENY INVESTIGATIONS, AND MANY MORE.
IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, MIKE WAS SELECTED TO FILL A POSITION IN THE, IN THE DETECTIVE DIVISION AND EXCELLED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE JOB.
TONIGHT, MIKE IS JOINED BY HIS WIFE CRYSTAL, HIS MOTHER IRENE, HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW, CAROL
MIKEY AND GIA ARE ALSO HERE TONIGHT.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME AS I RECOMMEND POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL BINGO FOR PROMOTION TO DETECTIVE.
SHOULD WE, UH, ACTUALLY VOTE PO ONE? IT'S IN, ON PAGE THREE.
WHY DON'T WE, UH, VOTE RIGHT NOW, UM, TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF, UH, POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL BINGO.
DIANE, IF YOU DON'T MIND YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
I'M, SO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BY THE WAY? OKAY.
NEXT ON, UH, IT'S NOT THE EASIEST WITH A MASK ON.
RIGHT NEXT ON, ON THE AGENDA, UH, WE'RE, UH, VERY PLEASED TO, UM, RECOGNIZE, UH, JACKSON TL.
AND JACKSON IS, UM, AN AMAZING, UM, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR FROM EDGEMONT, UH, HIGH SCHOOL.
[ PRESENTATIONS Tribute to Colin Powell Traffic Light Proposal - Adam Berkowitz/Leffell School Student Jackson Tavel/Edgemont H.S. Senior - Free Landscaping Services for the Elderly ]
AGAIN.SO I'M REALLY, UH, THRILLED TO, UH, RECOGNIZE, UM, UH, JACKSON TL EDGEMONT HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR.
UM, HE'S AN AMAZING, UM, UH, STUDENT, AN AMAZING, UH, UM, FUTURE, UH, LEADER IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND HE SET UP, UM, UM, A FREE LANDSCAPING SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY, UH, YEAR THIS
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SUMMER.UM, AND HE'S ALSO PARTICIPATED IN OUR SNOW ANGELS, UH, PROGRAM AND IS JUST DOING AN AMAZING, UH, A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND MAYBE YOU COULD GIVE US AN UPDATE, UM, OF THE SUCCESSES OF THE LANDSCAPE, UM, ANGELS PROGRAM.
UM, AND LIKE MR. FINER SAID, I AM A SENIOR MONT JUNIOR, SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE AND LISTENING TO MR. JACKSON, WHAT FANTASTIC PROGRAM IT HAS BEEN BEEN.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK IN A MICROPHONE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW OFF, UH, SOME BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS, UH, THAT I'VE TAKEN, UM, IN, UH, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A BACK, UH, BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE LANDSCAPING ANGELS ARE, AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OVERALL GREENBERG ANGELS.
SO THE GREENBERG ANGELS HELP OUT, UM, MANY PEOPLE IN MULTIPLE PROGRAMS AND FIND MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE HELPING OR WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP OUT ANYONE IN NEED.
UM, AND MY TWO AREAS OF FOCUS ARE IN THE LANDSCAPING AND SNOW ANGELS ASPECTS.
UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE BEEN A SNOW ANGEL.
I STARTED IN 2018, AND IF YOU'D BE SO KIND TO SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW OFF THE FIRST EVER PHOTO, UM, I HAVE OF, UH, A PROJECT THAT MY FAMILY AND I DID.
UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS A PRETTY SHORT, UH, FEW PICTURES.
UH, I, I DIDN'T, UM, ANTICIPATE THAT I WOULD EVER NEED TO LOOK BACK AT THESE PHOTOS, AND I NEVER, UH, PLANNED ON ANY SORT OF, UH, REMEMBRANCE OF THESE, OF ALL THIS VOLUNTEERING THAT I'VE DONE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THE WORK I WAS DOING WAS NEVER TO REMEMBER IT.
SO I'M, I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PHOTOS.
HOWEVER, I DO HAVE A FEW GOOD AND MEANINGFUL PHOTOS.
THIS ONE, UM, ALL THE WAY AT THE BOTTOM IS, LIKE I SAID, FROM THE FIRST TIME, UH, I EVER PARTICIPATED IN THE SNOW ANGELS AND WE WANTED TO COMMEMORATE IT.
UM, AND SO IF YOU WOULD CLICK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PHOTO, YOU CAN TAKE ANOTHER, OR YOU CAN LOOK AT ANOTHER PHOTO WE HAD SHOWING, UH, THE FRONT PART.
UM, WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE, I REMEMBER, UH, FEELING A LITTLE NERVOUS THINKING THAT, UM, THIS WAS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET ALL DONE IN ONE DAY.
UH, HOWEVER, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SWEAT EQUITY, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, FINISH IT AND I BELIEVE 45 MINUTES AND, UH, 53 SECONDS, I HAVE IT TIMED
UM, AND, UH, THAT PHOTO MEANS A LOT TO ME.
UM, IF WE GO UP I, IN THE NEXT EVER PHOTO, UM, THAT WE TOOK WHILE BEING A, UH, SNOW ANGEL, WE HAVE JUST A SILLY PHOTO OF MY SISTERS AND I, UM, ON TOP OF A, UH, A PILE OF SNOW THAT WE ACCU, UH, GENERATED WHILE SHOVELING A ANOTHER, UH, DRIVEWAY.
AND THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE SNOW ANGELS, UM, I SHOULD PREFACE, IS TO GRANT EASY ACCESS TO THE HOUSES OF, UH, SENIORS AND, UH, INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, UH, SHOULD A ANYONE NEED TO REACH THEM FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UM, AND THAT IS THE GOAL I TELL EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER, AND THAT IS THE GOAL OF EVERY SINGLE PROJECT WE DO.
UM, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND SCROLLING UP, UH, YOU CAN GO PAST THE, UH, SNOW PHOTOS, UM, AND GOING TO THE FIRST EVER LANDSCAPING PROJECT, UM, BY PART TOKEN.
UH, SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I DO NOT HAVE TOO MANY PHOTOS OF THE, UM, PROJECTS I HAVE, UH, DONE.
BUT I HAVE COMPLETED NINE LANDSCAPING PROJECTS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN ALONE, SOME OF WHICH I'VE HAD ASSISTANCE FROM VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AT FIRST GETTING OFF THE GROUND WAS KIND OF TOUGH.
I HAD NO VOLUNTEERS AND 37 SENIORS WHO SIGNED UP FOR, UH, THE PROGRAM.
AND SO THE FIRST FIVE OR SO WERE DONE BY MYSELF, BY, BY MYSELF.
AND, UM, WITH ANY HELP I CAN GET AROUND MY, THE HOUSE WITH MY SISTERS, UM, AT THE TIME, ALL I HAD WAS A WEED WHACKER.
AND, UH, THE RESIDENT OF THIS HOUSE WANTED ME TO MOW THEIR LAWN, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, THAT I, THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A HEFTY TASK FOR A WEEDED WHACKER, AND IT ATE UP TWO BATTERIES.
BUT THAT IS, UH, IT IS NOT A BIG YARD.
[00:15:01]
HOWEVER, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, YOU CAN SEE A CHANGE.UM, JUST CLICK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PHOTO, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE AFTER PHOTO, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I HAVE GONE BACK TO THEIR HOUSE SINCE AND WITH, UH, UH, WITH A LAWNMOWER.
UM, AND I'M GONNA BE OFFERING MY ASSISTANCE AGAIN.
UH, IF WE GO UP, I WILL SHOWCASE THE FIRST HOUSE, UM, THAT I EVER DID WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, IN BEGINNING OF THE YEAR SEPTEMBER, I STARTED A CLUB WITH MY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, UH, AND HAVE SINCE GAINED 44 VOLUNTEERS.
UM, AND IT HAS, I HAVE, UH, PARTAKEN IN A, UH, PROJECT EVERY WEEKEND WITH ONE OR TWO VOLUNTEERS.
AND THIS WAS THE BIGGEST ONE I'VE EVER, UH, TAKEN ON.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS FIRST PHOTO, THIS IS A LITTLE AFTER THE BEGINNING, UM, BUT JUST BEYOND THAT BUSH THAT YOU SEE, THERE IS A PATH LEADING TO AN AC UNIT THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THE HOUSE HAD, UH, DISCLOSED TO ME, BROKEN OVER THE PANDEMIC, AND WE'RE HOPING TO RESTART IT.
SO IF YOU WOULD, UH, CLICK THE BUTTON, YOU CAN SEE PROGRESS THAT WAS MADE.
I CLEARED OUT A BUSH THAT THEY WANTED GONE, AND THEN IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, UM, YOU SEE JUST OVER TIME THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT.
THIS PROJECT TOOK TWO HOURS AND 41 MINUTES.
IF YOU KEEP GOING, UM, YOU'LL SEE THESE ARE BUSHES AT THE SIDE, UH, AT THE SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY THAT I HAD.
UM, SOME VOLUNTEERS HELP ME, UH, TAKE THE VINES THAT WERE STRANGLING OFF.
WOULD YOU DON'T MIND GOING TO THE NEXT ONE? THANK YOU.
THESE ARE THE TWO VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO HELP ME OUT.
UM, AND THEN JUST TWO MORE TIMES, UH, THIS IS THE, UM, FORETOLD PATH LEADING DOWN TO, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, THE AC UNIT.
AND THE AC UNIT WAS OVERGROWN WITH VINES, UM, WHICH I CUT DOWN, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY TO FIX IT IN, UH, THE SHORT, UH, WEEKS AFTER, UM, WHICH THEY'VE UPDATED ME AND SAID IT'S WORKING AGAIN.
AND SO I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
UM, IF YOU WOULD GO UP, THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONTINUATION OF THE SAME PROJECT, BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE, UH, THIS, OH, UH, PATH LEADS TO A LITTLE SITTING AREA THAT, THAT THEY HAD TOLD ME BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THEY HELD ANY VOLUNTEER, I SORRY, ANY, UM, FRIENDS OR FAMILY THAT WANTED TO COME AND, UH, HAVE A CHAT WITH THEM.
SO IF YOU WOULD KEEP GOING, YOU WOULD SEE THAT ALL OF THESE, I TOOK AWAY, UH, BRANCHES THAT WERE COVERING THE PATH AND MADE IT EASIER TO WALK ON REARRANGING SOME STONES AND CUTTING DOWN SOME WEEDS THERE.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, YOU SEE THE, UM, THE AREA WHICH THEY WOULD HOLD GUESTS.
UH, THEN THE NEXT ONE SHOWS THE AFTER OF, UH, THE WORK I DID.
UM, I, UH, CUT BACK ALL THE VINES, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THEY WERE HAPPY WITH THAT.
AND THE FINAL THING I DID FOR THIS HOUSE, I SAID IT WAS A BIG, IT WAS A BIG PROJECT AND IT TOOK A LONG WHILE.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE VOLUNTEERS I DID, UM, WAS CREATE A PATH TO THEIR BASEMENT, UH, WHICH WAS ON THE, TO, ON THE OTHER, UH, SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WHICH I NOW DONE A 360 AROUND THE HOUSE, UM, CREATING A PATH.
AND SO I'M HAPPY THAT THEY NOW HAVE ACCESS TO THE EXTRA SPACE THAT THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET TO IN FOUR YEARS.
SO, PRE-DATE, THE PANDEMIC, UH, BEGINNING.
UM, SO THIS IS THE BEFORE OF THE AREA THAT THEY USED TO WALK DOWN.
AND IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT, UH, NEXT ONE, THAT IS THE AFTER, UM, THERE WAS, UH, PILES OF DIRT ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT MADE, UH, THESE PEOPLE, UM, UNBALANCED TO WALK ON THAT I FIND OUT.
AND I TOOK OUT VINES THAT WERE, UM, UN MAKING THE GROUND UNEVEN.
IF YOU KEEP GOING, YOU'LL COME TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
THAT WAS JUST, AGAIN, OVERGROWN IN THE LAST PHOTO IS OF A PATH THAT I CLEARED THAT I'M HAPPY TO SAY THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND STORAGE IN THE BASEMENT AGAIN.
UM, THEN I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH MORE OF YOUR TIME, SO IF YOU WOULD GO UP TO THE NEXT SECTION.
THIS, UM, HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 16TH, AS IT SAYS.
AND THE PERSON THAT I HELPED WITH THIS HOUSE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE PLANNING ON MOVING SOON.
UM, THEY HAD A HARD TIME OVER THE PANDEMIC.
THEY SAID THAT, UH, EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE HAD LOST THEIR JOB.
UM, THE PERSON WHO WAS A RESIDENT OF THE HOUSE THAT FIRST CONTACTED ME HAD A HIP REPLACEMENT AND WAS UNABLE TO DO
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ANY OF THE WORK HERSELF.SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYTHING'S OVERGROWN.
SHE EMPLOYED ME TO JUST, UH, MOW EVERYTHING, BUT I MOWED THE WHOLE YARD IN 20 MINUTES AND SEEING THAT THERE WAS OTHER WORK TO DO.
AND I HAD CLEARED MY SATURDAY MORNING AS I DO EVERY WEEKEND TO DO THESE JOBS.
I OFFERED MY ASSISTANCE ELSEWHERE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, YOU'LL SEE ME REMOVING A, UH, SORRY, CUTTING BACK THE ROADED DUNGEONS AND REMOVING A BUSH THAT THEY HAD HATED FOR YEARS, BUT COULD NEVER, UH, GET RID OF.
AND THE NEXT PHOTO IS THE AFTER PHOTO OF THIS LAWN, WHICH THEY SAID, UM, THEY, UH, WHICH THEY SAID WAS A TASK THAT WOULD TAKE THEM UPWARDS OF TWO HOURS TO, TO COMPLETE BY THEMSELVES.
AND SO I WAS HAPPY TO HELP THERE.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, IN HELPING, I SAVED EVERYONE A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE DOING SO IN THE SHORT WHILE IT TOOK ME TO, VERSUS THE TIME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO USE, WHICH COULD BE MUCH BETTER SPENT, I'M SURE, UH, IS, UH, SIGNIFICANT AND MEANINGFUL TO ME.
AND THIS IS WHY, UM, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I, UH, WANTED TO START THE LANDSCAPING ANGELS.
AND THEN IF YOU, UH, GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, YOU'LL SEE AN OVERGROWN AREA THAT HAD, UM, ABOUT THREE INCHES OF DIRT, GARBAGE, AND WEEDS.
UM, THAT WAS CUTTING DOWN THE PATH OF THE HOUSE SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE RESIDENT OF THIS HOUSE JUST HAD A HIP REPLACEMENT, WAS WALKING ON A CANE, AND IT, UH, THEY SAID IT WAS HARD TO GET TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD TO KIND OF BALANCE ON A TIGHTROPE, UM, THROUGH THE AREA THAT THEY, THAT THEY CALL IT A PATH.
AND SO I GRACIOUSLY, UM, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT I DID, 'CAUSE I THINK IT LOOKS SUPER COOL.
UM, I, I TOOK UP ALL THE DIRT, SO IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, YOU'LL SEE THE DIRT REMOVED, AND YOU CAN SEE A MUCH WIDER PATH NOW.
AND THERE YOU, IF YOU LOOK VERY CLOSELY IN ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN, UM, OF THE MIDDLE OF THE PICTURE, SORRY, THERE IS A STONE THAT, UM, KINDA LOOKS TO BE MISSING.
WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS, WAS THERE WAS A STONE THAT HAD, UH, BEEN DUG UP THROUGH WATER DAMAGE OVER THE PANDEMIC, UH, THAT CREATED AN UNEVEN GROUND FOR THE RESIDENT TO WALK ON AND WAS A HAZARD.
UH, SO I PICKED IT UP AND MOVED IT ELSEWHERE.
AND, UM, THEY'RE GONNA PUT IT TO YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE.
HOPEFULLY THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GONNA TRY AND SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO WITH IT OR JUST THROW IT AWAY.
AND, UM, THUS I CREATED A MUCH EASIER PATH TO THE HOUSE, UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PHOTO THAT HAD TRASH GATHERER ALL AROUND THE YARD.
BUT THIS WAS JUST THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH THEY SAID THE, UM, UH, THE TRASHMAN HAD A HARD TIME ACCESSING.
AND SO I ORGANIZED IT ALL IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO.
AND OVERALL, THE RESIDENT SAID THAT, UM, EVERYTHING WAS ENHANCED.
AND I REMEMBER THEM JUST WALKING OUTSIDE AND SEEING THE, SHE'S JUST THE, WOW.
IT WAS JUST KIND OF OPEN MOUTH, LIKE SOMEBODY HAD JUST, UH, GIVEN THEM A BIG SURPRISE AND MADE ME FEEL SO HAPPY THAT, UH, THEY HAD REACHED OUT.
AND I WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR THEM ALLOWING ME TO HELP OUT.
'CAUSE I REALLY ENJOY THE PROCESS THAT GOES INTO THIS.
I LIKE THE, UM, SEEING THE CHANGE OVER TIME, AND I ALSO LIKE SEEING THE IMPACT THAT IT, THAT IT MAKES ON ESPECIALLY, UM, REDUCING HAZARD FOR THEM AND MAKING THEIR DAYS A LITTLE BIT EASIER, TAKING THINGS OFF THEIR MIND.
LIKE I WAS SAYING, THEY HAD ALL LOST THEIR JOBS, UM, DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY WERE, UM, AT HEALTH DISADVANTAGES.
AND SO, UM, THESE FEW HOUSES WERE JUST ONES THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME.
OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE FOUR MORE PHOTOS AND I CAN PROVIDE A LINK TO THE WEBSITE IF ANYONE SHOULD WANT TO LOOK AT THEM.
I ALSO HAVE MORE DESCRIPTIONS OF THESE, UH, PROJECTS.
AND, UM, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS LETTING ME COME SPEAK TO YOU FOR A LITTLE BIT.
AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP ANY, ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME, BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT, UH, I CAN CONTINUE AND MAYBE SHARE IN THE FUTURE.
WE, WE REALLY THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
YOUR ROLE, ROLE MODEL, AND IF, UH, WE COULD CLONE YOU,
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU, WHEN YOU STARTED ON, YOU KNOW, THIS INITIATIVE IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT, I THOUGHT THIS WAS ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, TASK, UH, BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO DO LANDSCAPING FOR SENIORS AND ELDERLY PEOPLE, BUT YOU'VE REALLY
[00:25:01]
MADE LIFE SO MUCH BETTER FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.AND, UM, AND AGAIN, WE CAN'T THANK YOU, UM, YOU ENOUGH.
AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU'VE CHANGED LIVES FOR THE BETTER.
AND, UM, AND YOU DO THIS AS A VOLUNTEER AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I JUST HOPE THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY APPRECIATES HOW LUCKY WE ARE THAT, UM, YOU'RE STILL A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HOPE, UM, WHEN YOU, UH, WELL, MAYBE I'LL WRITE A LETTER, UH, TO THE, UH, PRINCIPAL AT EDGE ONE HIGH SCHOOL SAYING THAT THEY SHOULDN'T, UH, PASS YOU SO THIS WAY YOU COULD WORK ANOTHER YEAR.
BUT, UH, BUT IF, UH, BUT, BUT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPEFUL THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SET UP THE STRUCTURE.
SO, UM, NEXT YEAR WE COULD CONTINUE THIS, AND THIS COULD BE A CONTINUING EFFORT THAT STUDENTS GET INVOLVED IN.
I AM LOOKING FOR A SUCCESSOR AT MY SCHOOL, AND I'M HOPING TO CHOOSE ONE OF THE 44 VOLUNTEERS I HAVE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE MORE THING, UH, GOING INTO THIS AT THE BEGINNING, UM, WHEN I TRIED STARTING THIS AND 37 PEOPLE SIGNED UP AND I HAD NO VOLUNTEERS, MR. FINER TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD BE CONTENT IF I DID ONE OR TWO HOUSES.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I'VE NOW COMPLETED NINE AND I'M GONNA BREAK THE DOUBLE DIGITS THIS WEEKEND.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, JACKSON.
THIS IS JUST AMAZING BECAUSE, UM, IT, IT REPRESENTS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOU AND FABIO WHO WAS IN, UH, ONE OF THE 34 INTERNS IN THE GREENBERG TOWN HALL SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WHO, UM, ACTUALLY COLLABORATED WITH YOU ON THIS, ON THIS IDEA AND, AND JUST ON THIS INITIATIVE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR TAKING THIS IDEA OF, OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOU AND FABIO AND, UM, AND JUST DEVELOPING IT AND RUNNING WITH IT WHILE HE HAS HAD TO GO ON TO COLLEGE.
BUT, UM, I, I'M JUST SO EXCITED AND SO ENTHRALLED OVER THE IDEA.
I I REMEMBER, I JUST REMEMBER THAT DAY, UH, SUMMER DAY IN AUGUST WHEN, UM, YOU WERE HERE MEETING WITH PAUL, AND I BROUGHT YOU IN HERE TO MEET THE INTERNS AND INTRODUCED YOU TO FABIO AND HIS IDEA.
AND YOU BOTH SAID TO EACH OTHER, YOU RECOGNIZED EACH OTHER FROM THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL, AND YOU SAID, LET'S GO TO WORK ON THIS TOGETHER.
THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHAT LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT, COLLABORATION, TEAMWORK, AND MOVING FORWARD, SETTING GOALS AND MOVING FORWARD TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
AND WHAT, WHAT COLLEGES ARE YOU GONNA BE APPLYING TO? UM, THAT IS STILL UP IN THE AIR
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT WHEREVER I END UP WITH, I HAVE A LIST THAT I REALLY LIKE, AND WHEREVER I END UP, I WILL BE CONTENT.
AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE DOING THINGS LIKE, UM, LIKE THIS IN COLLEGE JUST HAPPENS TO BE, UH, I JUST NEED TO FIND A COMMUNITY NEED.
AND THIS HAPPENED TO BE, THIS COMMUNITY'S NEED.
AND I HOPE, UH, YOU'LL LET ME WRITE A GREAT LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU.
[ PUBLIC DISCUSSION (three minutes per speaker) MARIJUANA LEGISLATION-- Should the Town of Greenburgh (unincorporated area) OPT-OUT, OPT-IN, or OPT-IN WITH CONDITIONS? Earlier this year NYS legalized marijuana throughout the state for anyone 21 years or older. If your neighbors are smoking marijuana and you find the smell problematic, there is nothing the town can do about it. Smoking marijuana is now legal in NYS almost everywhere smoking cigarettes is legal. The Town cannot opt-out of that. Municipalities can, however, opt-out of allowing cannabis retail dispensaries and/or on-site consumption licenses (cannabis lounges) if a local law is adopted by 12/31/2021. If a municipality does not opt-out by 12/31, it cannot opt-out in the future, but if a municipality does opt-out before 12/31, it can opt back in at a later date. Another option is to opt-in with conditions, such as allowing dispensaries but not lounges, and/or allowing them only in certain non-residential zones away from schools, playgrounds, etc. Let us know what you think by speaking at this meeting remotely by Zoom Webinar (email PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com for the link which will be sent about 6:30 PM), by speaking in person at Town Hall, or by emailing extended written comments to the Town Board via TownBoard@GreenburghNY.com. Cannabis - Need to Know FAQ Cannabis - Local Governance FAQ Cannabis - Management Fact-Sheet Social Equity Cannabis - Adult-Use License Cannabis - Governance Structure FAQ Cannabis - 2021 Local Government Outline]
NEXT, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, THANK YOU A DISCUSSION ON, UM, THE MARIJUANA LEGISLATION.AND, UM, WE'RE, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR, AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW, THE STATE LEGISLATURE LEGALIZED MARIJUANA THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR ANYONE 21 YEARS OR OLDER.
IF YOU'RE A NEIGHBOR IS A SMOKING MARIJUANA, AND YOU FIND THE SMOKE PROBLEMATIC, THERE'S NOTHING THE TOWN COULD DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL IN NEW YORK STATE.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THE ABILITY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT, UM, DISPENSARIES COULD OPEN UP IN, UM, OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE TILL, UH, DECEMBER 31ST, WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, DO WE DO NOTHING? AND THEN THE DISPENSARIES COULD BE PLACED ANYWHERE WHERE WE COULD OPT
[00:30:01]
OUT.UM, ANOTHER OPTION IS WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, OPT IN WITH CONDITIONS ALLOWING, UH, SAY DISPENSARIES BUT NOT LOUNGES, UM, AND ARE ALLOWING THEM ONLY IN CERTAIN NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONES AWAY FROM SCHOOLS, UH, PLAYGROUNDS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AREAS LIKE EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FIRST, UM, PUBLIC DISCUSSION WE HAD.
THE TOWN BOARD HAS TILL DECEMBER 31ST, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE A DECISION.
UM, AND MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER ARE, UM, HOLDING SIMILAR MEETINGS WHERE THEY HELD SIMILAR MEETINGS AND MAKING, YOU KNOW, MAKING DECISIONS.
SO WE'RE FIRST GONNA LET PEOPLE SPEAK IF, UM, THEIR HERE.
AND THEN AFTER EVERYBODY HAS SPOKEN WHO TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THE MEETING TO, UM, TO SHOW UP, TO GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF YOUR THOUGHTS, THEN WE'LL LET PEOPLE PARTICIPATE BY, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE ZOOM PROCESS.
AND, UM, AND THAT ZOOM PROCESS WILL BE IN THE ORDER THAT THEY RAISE THEIR HANDS TO SPEAK.
AND WE'LL JUST, WE'LL JUST BRING 'EM INTO THE MEETING, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE, UM, AND PAUL, WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL WRITTEN STATEMENTS, UH, THAT HAVE, UH, WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED FOR THEIR STATEMENTS TO BE READ.
SO WHY DON'T WE START, I, I THINK, I THINK GARRETT HAS AN INTRODUCTION.
GARRETT, DUANE IS THE COMMISSIONER.
I HAVE, SO I TAKE A BIT OF A DEEPER DIVE, BUT I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE AUDIO VOLUME SOUNDS OKAY.
GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR, FINE TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, AND ALL THOSE WATCHING.
I'M GARY DUQUE, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH AN OVERVIEW OF NEW YORK STATE'S RECENT LEGISLATION RELATED TO THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA.
WE FOCUS IN ON LAND, LOCAL LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO REMIND ALL RESIDENTS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL VERY INFORMATIVE P D F DOCUMENTS PREPARED BY NEW YORK STATE ON THIS MATTER ON THE TOWN OF GREENBERG WEBSITE.
AND THOSE ARE POSTED UNDER THE NEWS AND TOWN BOARD REPORTS.
AS MANY ARE AWARE, NEW YORK STATE'S RECENT LEGISLATION WILL AT SOME POINT IN 2022, LEGALIZE MANY ASPECTS OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
FOR ANYONE, 21 YEARS OR OLDER, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SUCH AS THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, WILL HAVE VARYING LEVELS OF CONTROL FOR THOSE ASPECTS OF THE LAW, WHICH ARE NOT PREEMPTED BY NEW YORK STATE.
THE TOPICS I WILL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THIS EVENING ARE PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, HOME CULTIVATION, COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION, RETAIL DISPENSARIES, ONSITE CONSUMPTION, SOCIAL EQUITY, TAXATION, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
LET'S BEGIN WITH PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
THE TERM PUBLIC CONSUMPTION IS MOST EASILY DESCRIBED AS WHAT CAN BE SMOKED AND WHERE IT CAN BE SMOKED.
NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW HAS BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE SMOKING OF CANNABIS OR MARIJUANA TO THE PREEXISTING LIST OF CIGARS, CIGARETTES, TOBACCO PIPES, ET CETERA.
IN TERMS OF WHERE SMOKING CAN TAKE PLACE, WHICH AGAIN WILL INCLUDE MARIJUANA AS EXAMPLES ARE A, AT A PRIVATE HOME OR RESIDENCE IN HOTEL, HOTEL OR MOTEL THAT ALLOWS SMOKING AS EXHIBITS.
AS A HYPOTHETICAL, IF A NEIGHBOR IS SMOKING MARIJUANA IN THEIR BACKYARD, SIMILAR TO AS IF THEY WERE SMOKING A CIGARETTE OR CIGAR, AND THE SCENT WAS OBJECTIONABLE TO YOU, THERE'S NO ACTION TO ENFORCE BY THE TOWN OR OTHER IF THIS WOULD BE A PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITY.
WHILE A GOOD RULE OF THUMB TO EASILY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC CONSUMPTION IS THAT IF ONE CAN LEGALLY SMOKE A CIGARETTE IN A CERTAIN LOCATION, IT WILL ALSO BE PERMISSIBLE TO SMOKE MARIJUANA IN THAT LOCATION.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE, THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS TO THAT RULE.
TOBACCO SMOKING, BUT NOT THE SMOKING OF MARIJUANA MAY LEGALLY CONTINUE IN PRIVATE AUTOMOBILES, RETAIL, TOBACCO BUSINESSES, CIGAR BARS, OUTDOOR DINING AREAS OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, AND ENCLOSED ROOMS IN FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS, BARS, OR CATERING CALLS.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO SWITCH TO HOME CULTIVATION.
WITH REGARD TO HOME CULTIVATION, WE ARE REFERRING TO NON-COMMERCIAL GROWING OF MARIJUANA PLANTS.
THE NEW YORK STATE LAW IDENTIFIES THAT A RESIDENT 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER CAN GROW UP TO SIX CANNABIS PLANTS IN THEIR HOME FOR PERSONAL USE, OR UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 12 PLANTS PER HOUSEHOLD.
IN BOTH, BOTH OF THESE INSTANCES, THIS PLANT TOTAL IS SPLIT BETWEEN WHAT'S KNOWN AS MATURE AND IMMATURE PLANTS.
AND THE EASIEST REFERENCE IS MATURE ARE PLANTS WITH FLOWER THAT ARE FLOWERING WITH BUDS.
THESE PLANTS MUST BE KEPT IN A SECURE PLACE AND NOT ACCESSIBLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER 21.
FROM A LOCAL POLICY PERSPECTIVE, REGULATIONS MANDATING PLANTS IN A FENCED IN REAR YARD COULD BE A LOCAL LAW CONSIDERATION FOR THE TOWN.
[00:35:01]
NEXT, COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION.REGARDING COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WILL BE BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION SITES THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE.
INDOOR CULTIVATION OCCURS IN GROW HOUSES, WHICH CAN BE AS LARGE AS 150,000 SQUARE FEET, AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD HAVE HIGH CEILINGS, HEAVY DUTY VENTILATION, LIGHTING, AND SECURITY.
I HAVE READ ESTIMATES THAT IN NEW YORK STATE, 4 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF SPACE DEVOTED TO CULTIVATION IS PROJECTED TO BE BUILT.
COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION COULD ALSO OCCUR ON A FARM OR OTHER COMMERCIAL OPEN SPACE.
I PERSONALLY HAVE DRIVEN PAST A LARGE COMMERCIAL HEMPFIELD IN LAGRANGE, NEW YORK, IN DUCHESS COUNTY, AND I WAS SURPRISED AT THE INTENSITY OF THE SCENT FROM HEMPFIELD.
FROM A LOCAL POLICY PERSPECTIVE.
ONE EXAMPLE OF A POTENTIAL LOCAL LAW PROVISION WOULD BE TO RESTRICT COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION TO FULLY ENCLOSED INDOOR FACILITIES BY SPECIAL PERMIT WITHIN SPECIFIED ZONING DISTRICTS IN THE TOWN, SUCH AS THOSE THAT PERMIT WAREHOUSING.
NEXT, I WILL TRANSITION TO RETAIL DISPENSARIES.
AS A RESULT OF THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATION, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THERE COULD BE OVER 700 RETAIL DISPENSARIES THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE.
THE NEW YORK STATE LICENSE WILL BE REQUIRED AS WELL AS LOCAL APPROVALS IF ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL LAW.
IF SUCH APPROVALS ARE OBTAINED, A RETAIL DISPENSARY MAY ONLY SELL TO SOMEONE 21 OR OVER TO PURCHASE MARIJUANA FOR OFFSITE CONSUMPTION.
THESE FACILITIES MAY NOT SELL ALCOHOL AND WOULD BE SUBJECT TO POLICE INSPECTION.
SIMILAR TO THE POLICY CONSIDERATION MENTIONED PRIOR FOR COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION, AN EXAMPLE OF A POTENTIAL LOCAL LAW PROVISION WOULD BE TO REGULATE DISPENSARIES BY THE SPECIAL PERMIT WITHIN SPECIFIED ZONING DISTRICTS IN THE TOWN.
RETAIL DISPENSARIES ARE ONE OF THE TWO CATEGORIES WHERE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN OPT OUT TO OPT OUT, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF AN INDEFINITE MORATORIUM, WOULD LEGALLY ALLOW THE TOWN TO PRECLUDE THE PRESENCE OF RETAIL DISPENSARIES IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE TOWN.
TO OPT OUT, THE MUNICIPALITY MUST PASS A LOCAL LAW BY DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR.
AS THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED, ALL LOCAL LAWS PASSED BY MUNICIPALITIES OPTING OUT OF ALLOWING ADULT USE.
RETAIL DISPENSARIES WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM REGARDING ONSITE CONSUMPTION.
SECTION 77 OF THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATION PROVIDES LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR ONSITE CONSUMPTION BUSINESSES.
THESE ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE LOUNGES WHERE CANNABIS CAN BE CONSUMED, BUT WHERE NO ALCOHOL IS PERMITTED IN THESE LOCATIONS.
THIS IS THE SECOND AND LAST CATEGORY WHERE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN OPT OUT FOLLOWING SIMILAR PROCEDURES AS NOTED ABOVE FOR RETAIL DISPENSARIES.
ALSO WITH THE DECEMBER 31ST CUTOFF DATE TO OPT OUT.
SIMILAR TO THE RETAIL DISPENSARY CONSIDERATION, MUNICIPALITIES DECIDING NOT TO OPT OUT CAN REGULATE TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER AS WELL.
THERE IS A SOURCE ONLINE WHICH TRACKS NEW YORK STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND IDENTIFIES WHETHER THE MUNICIPALITY IS OPTED OUT OF BOTH DISPENSARIES AND ONSITE CONSUMPTION.
LOUNGES IS LEANING TOWARDS, OPTING OUT, HAS OPTED IN, OR IS LEANING TOWARDS OPTING IN.
AS OF TODAY, IT APPEARS THAT 166 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE NEW YORK, IN NEW YORK STATE HAVE OPTED OUT OF BOTH 34 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE LEANING TOWARDS OPTING OUT.
53 HAVE OPTED IN, AND 20 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE LEANING TOWARDS OPTICAL.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE OPTED IN ON DISPENSARIES, BUT ARE OPTING OUT ON ONSITE CONSUMPTION LOUNGES FOR A STATEWIDE TOTAL OF ABOUT 75% OPT OUT THAT HAVE MADE DECISIONS FROM A SOCIAL EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
SHOULD THE TOWN AT SOME POINT OPT INTO DISPENSARIES AND OR ONSITE CONSUMPTION LOUNGES IS WORTHY TO NOTE THAT NEW YORK STATE MAY PROVIDE LOW INTEREST OR ZERO INTEREST LOANS TO QUALIFIED SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY APPLICANTS AND TO PROVIDE FUNDS NECESSARY FOR THE PROVISION OF SUCH LOANS, WHICH WOULD PRESUMABLY BE FOR RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN ADULT CANNABIS USE BUSINESSES.
ADDITIONALLY, COMMUNITY GRANTS MAY BE AVAILABLE TO THE TOWN UNDER SECTION 99 K K OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS SUPPORTING JOB PLACEMENT, JOB SKILL SERVICES, ADULT EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, TREATMENT, HOUSING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, UNITY BANKING, NUTRITION SERVICES, ET CETERA.
REGARDING TAXATION, THE RELEVANT TAX ON ADULT USE, CANNABIS IS FOUND IN SECTION 4 93 C OF THE TAX LAW, WHICH PROVIDES THE TOWNS AND COUNTIES WILL SPLIT A 4% TAX ON THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF CANNABIS TO A RETAIL CUSTOMER.
THAT TAX WOULD GO INTO A TRUST THAT ULTIMATELY WOULD, WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED SO THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WOULD GET 75% OF THE 4% OR 3% OF THE SALE.
LASTLY, PUBLIC SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.
ONE OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
[00:40:01]
LAW HAS BEEN AMENDED TO READ THAT THE CONSUMPTION OF CANNABIS, ALONG WITH THE DRINKING OF ALCOHOL REMAIN PROHIBITED.SECTION 1 0 2 8 OF THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL LAW HAS BEEN ADDED TO CONFIRM THAT AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE MAY NOT SELL CANNABIS WHERE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE SOLD.
THERE ARE PRESENTLY NO TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO DETECT MARIJUANA IN THE SYSTEM THAT ARE COMPARABLE TO BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT METHODS.
POLICE CHIEF CHRIS MCNERNEY CAUTIONS THAT THERE WILL BE THE RISK OF INCREASED MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AND OR FATALITIES BASED ON THE DATA FROM STATES THAT HAVE LEGALIZED AND HAVE DOCUMENTED INCREASE IN MARIJUANA RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
AND PARTICULARLY FROM COLORADO BASED DATA.
THE CHIEF NOTES THAT IN LEGAL STATES, THERE IS A PREVALENT, THERE IS PREVALENT INFORMATION THAT CANNABIS USE BY YOUTH, INCLUDING VAPING USE, HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY RISEN VERSUS NON-LEGAL STATES.
CALLS TO POISON CONTROL CENTERS FOR MARIJUANA EXPOSURES FOLLOWING LEGALIZATION INCREASED 113% IN COLORADO AND 140% IN MASSACHUSETTS, UH, WHICH ARE 2019 FIGURES.
AND THE POINTS MENTIONED PRIOR LEAD THE CHIEF TO RECOMMEND THAT THE TOWN OPT OUT OF BOTH DISPENSARIES AND ONSITE CONSUMPTION SITES.
THE TOWN LEARNED TODAY THAT THE NEW CANNABIS CANNABIS MANAGEMENT WILL HOLD ITS NEXT MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD, WHICH IS A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE VIRTUAL MEETING.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ADDITIONAL DETAILS CONTINUE TO EMERGE FROM THE STATE WITH REGARD TO IMPLEMENTATION OF MARIJUANA BASED, LEGALIST BASED LEGALIZATION, WHICH TOWN STAFF IS MONITORING VERY CLOSELY.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND JUDITH, CAN WE CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL BEFORE WE HEAR FROM OUR FIRST SPEAKER? UH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD YES.
MAYBE IF YOU COULD GIVE US SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, ON US, GAR, UH, MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS, BUT MAYBE PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
I'M JUST GOING TO DO ROLL CALL.
COUNCIL SUPERVISOR STEINER HERE.
COUNCILWOMAN GINA JACKSON, PRESENT.
PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN DIANA NER.
COUNCILMAN FRANCIS HAN, PRESENT AND TOWN ATTORNEY TIM LEWIS PRESENT.
AND GARRETT, CAN I, COULD I ASK THAT YOU, UH, FORWARD YOUR COMMENTS, UM, TO ME, TO JOAN, AND WE'LL POST IT UP ON THE WEB, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A NICE SUMMARY AND AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOT OF NOTES, YOU GAVE OUT A LOT OF DETAILS AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT IN THE PRINTED PER FORM.
ALRIGHT, SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UM, I'LL START BY ELABORATING A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT THE COMMISSIONER CAIN HAD JUST MENTIONED.
OPTING IN COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF ILLNESS TO OUR RESIDENTS.
IN LEGAL STATES, THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN MARIJUANA RELATED E EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURES.
CALLS TO POISON CONTROL CENTERS FOR MARIJUANA EXPOSURES FOLLOWING LEGALIZATION INCREASED 113% IN COLORADO AND 140% IN MASSACHUSETTS.
AND AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, THAT'S BASED ON 2019 NUMBERS IN GREENBURG.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AN INCREASE IN CALLS FOR SERVICE IN MULTIPLE DWELLINGS WITH EXPOSURE TO, TO MARIJUANA COMING FROM ADJOINING, UH, UNITS DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED BY MARIJUANA WILL INCREASE.
AND THERE'S NO FIELD TESTS YET AVAILABLE.
AS COMMISSIONER KING MENTIONED TO MEASURE MARIJUANA IMPAIRMENT.
THE USE BY OUR YOUTH COULD INCREASE IN LEGAL STATES THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUTH, AND THAT INCLUDES STUDIES WITH EIGHTH GRADERS, 10TH GRADERS, AND 12TH GRADERS.
REPORTING USE IN THE LAST 30 DAYS HAS INCREASED AND STATISTIC NUMBERS FOR INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS AND FATAL CAR ACCIDENTS WHERE DRIVERS TESTED POSITIVE FOR, UM, MARIJUANA CONTINUES TO INCREASE.
I DON'T HAVE THOSE SPECIFIC STATISTICS TONIGHT, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY ADD THEM TO COMMISSIONER DE KANE'S PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE? WHO'S FIRST? OH, CHIEF, I JUST HAVE ONE, ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT I WAS JUST THINKING OF IN TERMS OF, UM, THE PREVALENCE OF MARIJUANA, SAY IN HIGH SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE, OR DOES OUR DRUG TASK FORCE HAVE LIKE ANY ESTIMATE AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENT OF STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE EASY ACCESS TO SAY MARIJUANA AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IS, IS THERE ANY POSITIVE IN TERMS OF REGULATING, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING REGULATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING DISPENSARY? COULD YOU THINK OF ANYTHING POSITIVE WHERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THAT IT'S THE USE IS SO PREVALENT IN, IN MO IN MOST SCHOOLS.
YEAH, I, I DON'T HAVE STATISTICS ON THE USE BY HIGH SCHOOLERS, YOU KNOW, IN NEW YORK.
UM, I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE NEW YORK STATE CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION IS WORKING ON GETTING, BUT AS OF NOW WE DON'T, UH, AS FAR AS PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES THAT
[00:45:01]
THAT COULD BE TAKEN.WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN ZONING REQUIREMENTS THAT CREATE DISTANCES FROM SCHOOLS AND PARKS AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE, UH, ANY OTHER REAL DATA TO RELY ON YET.
IN TERMS OF SPEAKERS PRESENT, UH, ERIC ZINGER IS THE FIRST REQUEST I RECEIVED, UH, FOLLOWED BY HAL SAMS AND THEN, UM, THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT HERE.
SO, MR. ZINGER, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE NORMALLY HAVE FIVE MINUTE COMMENT, BUT THIS IS A THREE MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UH, I HAVE 731 WORDS, SO HOPEFULLY I'M GONNA TALK FAST
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MENTION THAT.
AND ANYBODY WHO HASN'T SIGNED UP WITH THE TOWN CLERK WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
ACTUALLY, THERE ARE VERY FEW THAT ARE ONLINE, AND SO I WOULD'VE NO OBJECTION TO INCREASING IT TO FIVE MINUTES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE SINCE WE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A, A, A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL AUDIENCE.
SO IF THE BOARD IS O OKAY WITH INCREASING IT TO FIVE MINUTES, I'M FINE WITH THAT AS WELL.
NOW I DON'T HAVE TO TALK AS FAST, AYE, AYE.
MY GOAL TONIGHT IS TO CONVINCE YOU TO MAKE THIS DECISION BASED ON THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION, NOT OPINIONS OR FEELINGS.
SO WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE BENEFITS OF OPTING IN ARE.
THE TOWN WILL GET 75% OF THE 4% TAX THAT IS APPLIED TO SALES.
THAT IS MONEY THAT CAN BE USED FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL SERVICES OUR TOWN PROVIDES AND HELP KEEP PROPERTY TAXES, UH, RELATIVELY LOW.
SO WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES? AND THE REAL ANSWER IS THERE AREN'T ANY.
SO LET'S ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE BECAUSE THERE WAS A LONG HISTORY OF XENOPHOBIC MISINFORMATION ABOUT MARIJUANA GOING BACK TO THE 19 HUNDREDS THAT WE NEED TO DEBUNK AND FORTUNATELY CAN DO SO WITH SCIENCE PEER REVERT JOURNALS AND FACTS.
I BROUGHT THOSE FACTS SPECIFICALLY ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS, SUPERVISOR FINER ABOUT TEEN USAGE.
SO LET'S ADDRESS THE GATEWAY DRUG THEORY.
MEDICAL EXPERTS HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEBUNKED THE THEORY OF MARIJUANA BEING A GATEWAY DRUG.
IN FACT, IT'S THE OPPOSITE WITH MARIJUANA ACTING AS AN EXIT DRUG.
THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY IN 2007 STATED THAT USE OF MARIJUANA REDUCES THE USE OF OPIOIDS AND THE OPIOID CRISIS IS A MAJOR CRISIS IN AMERICA.
ALCOHOL ANTIDEPRESSANTS AMONG USERS.
AND ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED STUDIES IN 2020, BY BOTH THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS, ACCESS TO MARIJUANA IS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED RATES OF OPIOID USE, HOSPITALIZATION, TRAFFIC, ACCIDENT AND DEATH.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST LIKE ALCOHOL SALES WOULD BE LIMITED TO THOSE 21 AND PLUS.
AND ACCORDING TO THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO EVIDENCE THAT RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LAWS INCREASE OR ENCOURAGE YOUTH MARIJUANA ACCESS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE I Z A INSTITUTE OF LABOR AND ECONOMICS FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT ORDINANCE IS ALLOWING FOR MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN CRIME.
IN FACT, THEY SEE EVIDENCE OF A REDUCTION OF CRIME IN THE AREAS WHERE RESIDENTIAL MARIJUANA, UH, EXCUSE ME, RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES HAVE BEEN ALLOWED BECAUSE OF THE REMOVAL OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT FROM MARIJUANA SALES.
THE JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE AND URBAN ECONOMICS FOUND THAT OVERALL OUR RESULTS SUGGEST THAT DISPENSARIES CAUSE AN OVERALL REDUCTION OF CRIME IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH NO EVIDENCE OF SPILLOVER TO SURROUNDING AREAS.
AND, UH, AND FURTHER TO THAT POINT, THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE IN 2020 FOUND NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN PEDESTRIAN INVOLVED FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BETWEEN LEGALIZED CANNABIS STATES AND CONTROL STATES FOLLOWING MEDICAL OR RECREATIONAL CANNABIS LEGALIZATION.
SO NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT ALCOHOL.
AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF PREDICTIVE BEHAVIORS REPORTED THAT ALCOHOL IS CLEARLY THE DRUG WITH THE MOST EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT A DIRECT INTOXICATION VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP, WHEREAS CANNABIS REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF VIOLENCE DURING INTOXICATION.
ALCOHOL USE IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN VIOLENT CRIMES.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM ESTIMATES THAT 30% OF VIOLENT CRIMES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE LINKED TO THE USE OF ALCOHOL.
CONTINUING WITH COMPARING ALCOHOL TO MARIJUANA.
MARIJUANA IS SAFER THAN ALCOHOL BY EVERY SINGLE MEASURE OF RISK THAT EXISTS.
THE C D C REPORTS MORE THAN 30,000 ANNUAL DEATHS DUE TO THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A CATEGORY FOR DEATHS CAUSED BY THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA.
WE KNOW THAT TOWNS ARE PERMITTED TO PASS LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER OF ADULT USE.
RETAIL DISPENSARIES AND ONSITE CONSUMPTION LICENSES.
TOWNS MAY PASS LAWS AND REGULATIONS REGARDING LOCAL ZONING, THE LOCATION OF THE LICENSEES, HOURS OF OPERATIONS, AND ADHERENCE TO LOCAL BUILDING CODES.
NONE OF THIS IS PENDING ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION BY THE STATE.
[00:50:02]
ALL OF THIS IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND CODIFIED IN LAW.SO WE HAVE TOTAL CONTROL ABOUT WHERE AND WHEN A LEGAL NON-HARMFUL SUBSTANCE CAN BE SOLD.
REGARDLESS OF ANY DECISION THAT YOU MAKE TONIGHT.
DRIVING LAW INTOXICATED, REGARDLESS OF SUBSTANCE, IS ALREADY ILLEGAL AND REMAINS ILLEGAL.
SELLING TO MINORS IS ALREADY ILLEGAL AND REMAINS ILLEGAL.
SMOKING AND SMOKING IN PUBLIC IS LEGAL AND REMAIN LEGAL.
THE ONLY THING WE DO BY BANNING SALES IN GREENBURG IS GIVE UP THE TAX REVENUE TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
WHY WOULD WE DO SUCH A FOOLISH THING? IF YOU CHOOSE TO BAN MARIJUANA SALES IN THIS TOWN, THE PUBLIC WILL DESERVE TO HEAR WHY.
AND YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU WERE TO APPLY THAT SAME CRITERIA TO LIQUOR STORES AND BARS, YOU WOULD'VE NO CHOICE BUT TO LET NOT ALLOW THEM EITHER PREJUDICIAL TREATMENT FOR MARIJUANA AND THE RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA FROM WHICH IT ORIGINATES SHOULD BE AN ICON OF THE PAST.
IN GREENBERG, WE NEED TO BE LEADERS.
THAT MEANS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS APPROVED UNDER STATE LAW AND BENEFITING FROM THE TAX REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES AND, UH, LOCAL CRIME REDUCTION THAT THIS WILL OFFER.
THANK YOU, MR. MR, CAN I ASK, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THIS.
OH, I, WELL, I THOUGHT YOU SENT AN, UH, AN EMAIL EARLIER SAYING YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
ANYWAY, SINCE I'M HERE,
I'M OF THE GENERATION 63 TO 67 OF COLLEGE WHEN IT WAS OF ESSENCE TO OUR LIFE, AND I STOPPED USING IT AFTER COLLEGE.
IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT GATEWAY DRUGS, I WOULD RECKON THAT EVERYONE WHO HAS USED MARIJUANA OR HEROIN OR CRACK OR ALCOHOL OR SMOKE CIGARETTES PROBABLY STARTED AS MILK DRINKERS.
SHOULD WE ELIMINATE MILK AT THE SAME TIME? THERE'S A LOT OF HYPOCRISY GOING ON WHERE WE TOLERATE CIGARETTES.
THE SURGEON GENERAL SAYS, HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH, AND YET WE SELL IT EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE THAT CHILDREN MIGHT GO.
WE ALSO HAVE ALCOHOL, WHICH AS ERIC HAS POINTED OUT, IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.
SO WHAT I SUGGEST AS A COMPROMISE FOR ALL THIS IS THAT YOU CAN INSTITUTE YOUR OWN LOCAL LAWS AND SET THE SAILING OF AND OF MARIJUANA, POT, MARY JANE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU CAN SET THESE STANDARDS TO BE AS HARSH OR HARSHER THAN THE SAME STANDARDS THAT YOU LIVE BY FOR THE SALE OF CIGARETTES AND THE SALE OF LIQUOR.
EVENING SUPERVISOR, FINER COUNCIL MEMBERS, PUBLIC.
UM, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT CHOICE SPACE OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I RUN A, A CANNABIS LAW FIRM IN NEW YORK CITY THAT REPRESENTS COMPANIES ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND I HAVE PRESIDED OVER THE OPENING OF NUMEROUS DISPENSARIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
UM, ALL OF WHICH HAVE, IF NOT INITIALLY, ULTIMATELY ARE RECEIVED AS GOOD MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THEY BRING A WELL LIT STOREFRONT TO AN OTHERWISE, UH, USUALLY TO A PLACE THAT IS, UH, RUN DOWN, UH, WITH INCREASED SECURITY, SECURITY CAMERAS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A A THEY TURN OUT TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL RETAIL EXPERIENCES.
THERE'S AN UNFORTUNATE PLACEMENT OF A SMOKE SHOP IN HARTSDALE THAT WAS POP, YOU KNOW, UH, POPPED UP RECENTLY, WHICH I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THIS IS WHAT DISPENSARIES LOOK LIKE.
IT'S NOT, THEY LOOK A LOT LIKE MORE LIKE APPLE STORES.
UM, WHEN I GO, I'VE BEEN TO A NUMBER OF THESE SESSIONS IN, IN WESTCHESTER AND, UM, THEY SORT OF DEVOLVE INTO THIS CONVERSATION WHETHER OR NOT MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGAL, BUT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
NOW WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT DO YOU WANT IT IN YOUR TOWN? OKAY, SO IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND, IT'S
[00:55:01]
GOING TO BE IN WESTCHESTER, IT'S GONNA BE IN WHITE PLAINS, AND MAYBE IT'S GONNA BE IN AL FERRY AND HASTINGS MAYBE TART DOWN.UM, SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THE TOWN DO? DOES THE TOWN ALLOW FOR DISPENSARIES AND CONSUMPTION LOUNGES? UH, IF THE TOWN OPTS OUT AND ANY OF THOSE VILLAGES OPT IN, THEY GET TO ENJOY THE ENTIRE TAX BENEFIT CREATED BY THEIR SALES.
AND, AND THE TOWN GETS NONE IF THE TOWN OPTS IN AND THOSE VILLAGES OPT IN, THE TOWN GETS TO SHARE AND THAT TAX REVENUE.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
UM, MY FIRST TIME MEETING YOU, I HATE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU.
IN OUR FIRST MEETING, UH, YOU SAID IF WE DO NOTHING, THEN DISPENSARIES CAN POP UP ANYWHERE.
RIGHT? IF YOU DO NOTHING, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF OPTING IN, YOU THEN HAVE A, A TOWN PLANNING BOARD ZONING AND YOU STILL CONTROL THE TIME, PLACE AND MANNER THAT THAT'S THE REALITY.
THERE'S NO REAL SUCH THING AS OPTING IN.
YOU OPT OUT OR YOU'RE IN, YOU ARE ALREADY, YOU'RE KIND OF IN RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND SO IF YOU LET THE, THE DECEMBER 31ST DEADLINE PASS AND DO NOTHING THAT THAT IS, DON'T OPT OUT.
YOU'LL THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER.
ALSO, UM, ANY COMPANY THAT'S LOOKING TO GET ONE'S LICENSES HAS TO HAVE LOCAL SUPPORT.
THAT'S A REQUIREMENT AROUND THIS STATE AND PRETTY MUCH IN EVERY STATE, SUCH THAT, UH, GROUPS WOULD'VE TO COME TO THE VILLAGE BOARD AND GET THEIR APPROVAL.
SO YOU WOULD, IN ADDITION TO REGULATING TIME, PLACE MANNER, YOU WOULD GET TO BE ABLE TO SELECT THE GROUPS, UM, THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING, UH, THE RIGHT APPROACH AND, AND SHOWING THAT THEY WERE COMMUNITY MINDED AND EDUCATION ORIENTED.
UM, ONE THING I HEAR A LOT OF THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS IS, WELL, IF WE OPT OUT NOW, WE CAN ALWAYS OPT IN LATER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A COMMON REFRAIN.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT QUITE THAT EASY BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THE STATE OF NEW YORK ISSUED ANY LICENSES, THERE ARE 10 CURRENTLY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK WAS 2017.
IT, IT DOESN'T, THIS IS NOT A RULING PROCESS.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS IT THAT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS IT.
STATE OF MARYLAND HAS 18 GROWERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ANY ISSUED IN SIX, SIX YEARS PLUS.
UM, THIS IS NOT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHERE THERE'S A ROLLING PROCESS.
IT'S UP FOR LEGISLATORS, SAY NOW WE WANT A SECOND ROUND.
SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY BY OPTING OUT THAT YOU'RE JUST OUT.
UM, SO JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY O OBVIOUS THINGS.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO DEBATE WHETHER IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL OR ILLEGAL THAT'S OR EVEN DECIDED.
UM, WE SEE IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DISPENSARIES, THEY CREATE JOBS, THEY ACTUALLY, UH, SUPPORT EDUCATION, UM, OF YOUTH.
SO THEY UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HARMS OF YOUTH EXPOSURE TO THE PRODUCT.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU AS A BOARD WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO PICK THE CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO LOCATE DISPENSARIES, UH, IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD PROMOTE THAT AGENDA.
UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S HERE, IT'S GOING TO BE IN WHITE PLAINS.
IT MIGHT LIKELY BE IN DOBBS FERRY.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF DO YOU GUYS WANT TO ALLOW IT IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TAX OF REVENUE GENERATED BY THE VILLAGES THAT ADOPT IT AND TO HAVE A SAY IN TO AND TO REGULATE IT.
SO WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS COMMISSION THAT WAS RECENTLY, UH, FORMED, RIGHT? UH, WHAT ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, TWO MONTHS.
AND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO START COMING UP WITH REGULATIONS REGARDING DISPENSARIES IN 2022.
IF, AS WE HEARD BEFORE, THAT ALL THE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AS FAR AS THE GOVERNMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT, TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER, UH, WHAT IS IT THAT THIS COMMISSION IS GOING TO DO AND HOW DO THEIR REGULATION, THEIR, THEIR REGULATIONS, THEY HAVEN'T WRITTEN YET IN POTENTIALLY INFLUENCE OR AFFECT LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE OPTED IN? RIGHT.
AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT AS A CANNABIS LAWYER TO ANSWER A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS WHEN THE REGS HAVE NOT BEEN WRITTEN.
BUT A LOT OF THOSE REGS WE, WE ANTICIPATE WILL, UM, TALK ABOUT POTENCY, MAYBE POTENCY, LIMITATIONS LABELING, UM, ADVERTISING, RIGHT THINGS, THINGS OF THIS NATURE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN EVERY OTHER STATE.
SO, UM, AND ALSO THE GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATIONS.
UM, SO WHICH THE APPLICATIONS WILL REQUIRE, I'M JUST DRAWING ON PAST EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER STATES, UH, YOU KNOW, APPLICANTS TO DEMONSTRATE, UH, THE, A FITNESS TO, TO, UH, CONDUCT THIS BUSINESS.
UM, IT, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED A FAIR AMOUNT OF CAPITAL.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SECURITY PLAN, SECURITY OFFICERS, UH, ET CETERA.
SO FROM THE STATE REGULATIONS, WE ANTICIPATE
[01:00:02]
LABELING, ADVERTISING, POTENCY, THESE KIND OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT BE LEFT TO THE, UM, LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.BUT IN TERMS OF TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER AND ZONING, THAT'S ENTIRELY CANNABIS REALLY IS, THAT'S ENTIRELY, I NEEDED THAT NEXT WORD,
THAT'S ENTIRELY, I I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT WORD AFTER THAT.
BUT YOU DIDN'T FINISH THE SENTENCE.
OH, WELL I, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE KEY THING HERE, RIGHT? IS THAT THE STATE CONTROLS OUR ZONING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY WRITE THE ZONING LAWS, THEN WE HAVE TO THEN HAVE A ZONING BOARD AND YOU KNOW, BUT OUR, HOW WE IMPLEMENT OUR ZONING ORDINANCE IS D BASICALLY DETERMINED BY NEW YORK STATE IN IN THE CANNABIS REGULATION OR JUST IN GENERAL? NO, JUST IN GENERAL.
THEY, THEY WRITE THE LAWS, YOU KNOW, TOWN LAW, UH, REGARDING OUR, HOW WE CREATE OUR ZONING BOARDS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S, IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN ASSURE US THAT THEY WILL NOT LIMIT TIME, PLACE AND MANNER? FOR EXAMPLE, AS YOU MUST HAVE SOME PLACE THAT IT CAN GO, OR YOU MUST HAVE FIVE PLACES WHERE IT CAN GO IN YOUR TOWN, OTHERWISE YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY, UH, PROHIBITED THEM AND WE CAN'T DO THAT.
WELL, THE, WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS IS THAT THE, THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY CAN, UM, REGULATE TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER, BUT CAN'T REGULATE IT OUT OF EXISTENCE.
RIGHT? BUT, BUT THE STATUTE GOES IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS ULTIMATELY, UH, IT'S A LOCAL DECISION WHERE WHEN, HOW THOSE ARE, THAT IS A LOCAL DECISION THAT'S VERY CLEAR.
UM, IN THE LEGISLATION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PROMULGATED.
THE REGS HAVEN'T BEEN WRITTEN.
BUT, BUT THIS ASPECT, AND I THINK, UH, ACTUALLY THE TOWN, WHOEVER WAS SPEAKING EARLIER YEAH, FOR DEDICATED TIME, PLACE, AND MATTER.
THIS IS A, THAT'S ALREADY CODIFIED.
UM, SO THE STATE, UH, THE STATE IS, I MEAN, I COULD SUBMIT SOMETHING TOMORROW OR SOMETHING.
THE STATE IS NOT GOING TO TELL THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WHERE THESE HAVE TO BE.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE EVEN HERE, RIGHT? CANNABIS IS A LOCAL LEVEL DECISION.
THE STATE DIDN'T TELL THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS, IT SAID HAVE SOME TOWN HEARING AND FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT YOUR TOWN TOWN WANTS IT.
RIGHT? THIS, THIS IS THE WAY THAT IT TAKES PLACE ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
IT'S A VERY LOCALIZED DECISION.
THE IDEA THAT THE STATE WOULD TELL YOU WHERE AND WHEN THAT'S NOT, UM, THAT'S NOT IN THE STATUTE AND THAT WON'T BE CORRECT.
SO I, I APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE I'M GETTING INTO WHAT I USUALLY SAY WE CAN'T DO AS A DIALOGUE.
UH, BUT I JUST AS A LAWYER, HAVING READ THE REGULATIONS, IF WE WERE TO HAVE ONE LOCATION IN TOWN, YOU BELIEVE THAT THE STATE WOULD ALLOW THAT AS, UH, BEING SUFFICIENT IN THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PROHIBIT DISPENSARIES IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
IF WE HAD JUST ONE SOMEWHERE IN THE INCORPORATED AREA OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
I MEAN, HE, WELL, HE NEEDS TO COME UP.
HE GOT AT SOME POINT, HE'S GOTTA COME TO THE MIC WHEN HE'S DONE.
IT SAYS, IT SAYS PERMITTED TO.
I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
DID YOU SAY WHETHER YOU LIVED IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG? NO, I LIVE, I LIVE IN SCARSDALE.
NOT, NOT IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SCARSDALE IS NOT IN THE TOWN OF GREEN.
WELL, PART, PART, PART OF GREENBURG HAS A SCARSDALE PO YEAH.
SO I HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION.
AND THE, AND I I WENT TO A VILLAGE MEETING LAST NIGHT IN SCARSDALE.
AND WHAT DO SCARSDALE DOING? THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT.
THE TWO TRUSTEES INDICATED LAST NIGHT THAT THEY ARE OPTING, THEY'D LIKE TO OPT IN.
OTHER TRUSTEES WERE, UH, QUIET ABOUT IT.
THERE'S, UM, A PROPOSED LAW BEFORE THE STATE, UH, I THINK SENATE, I THINK SENATOR BAR BORELLO.
UM, AND HE'S RECOMMENDING THAT THE STATE, UM, EXTEND THE DEADLINE, UM, FOR THE OPT-OUT PROVISIONS TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2022.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROPOSED LAW COURSE? I'M AND ARE THERE ANY ADVANTAGES, UH, TO SAY GIVING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, YOU KNOW, MORE TIME TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE, TO MAKE A DECISION? YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, NOT HAVING THE REGS WRITTEN IS DEFINITELY SEEMS TO BE A THING THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE FIXATED ON, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, AND I, AND I LISTEN, IT'S NOT, IT'S COMPLICATED AND IT'S NOT PERFECT.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT ENTIRELY NOVEL, RIGHT? THIS IS LIKE NEW YORK IS THE 17TH STATE TO, UM, PERMIT ADULT USE.
[01:05:01]
SEE AND OBSERVE ADULT USE OF MARIJUANA.YOU HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC ADULT USE OF MARIJUANA.
YEAH, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S ADULT USE.
UM, IN ANY EVENT, UH, I, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT, RIGHT? BUT IF, IF IT DOESN'T, IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN DECEMBER 31ST IS THE DEADLINE CURRENTLY THAT IS FACING ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE STATE AND, UM, TO OPT OUT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REGS OFFICIALLY LOOK LIKE THERE.
THERE'S REGS IN MULTIPLE STATES.
UH, WE HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
UH, AND AGAIN, THERE'S GONNA BE DISPENSARIES.
THEY'RE GONNA BE ALL AROUND THE COUNTY.
AND IT'S JUST A QUESTION OR NOT WHETHER TOWN OF GREENBERG WANTS TO PARTICIPATE.
I'M SORT OF, YEAH, BUT MR. LIK, I, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
I JUST KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER SPEAKER.
I JUST, I JUST HAVE ONE, ONE QUESTION.
I'M TRYING TO SIT, I'M JUST, I'M JUST CONFUSED A LITTLE.
I THOUGHT YOU WOULD GIMME THAT MUCH TIME.
PAUL, I, I WANNA, I REALLY WISH YOU
I WANNA, I HAVE A, WE SAID WE WERE HAVING A DISCUSSION.
I JUST HAVE A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IF WE OPT OUT, UM, WE COULD, AND THEN SAY IN FEBRUARY, LET'S SAY WE OPT OUT AND SCARSDALE OPTS IN, AND THEN WE DECIDE, AND THEN WE DECIDE THAT WE'VE OPTED OUT AND SCARSDALE OPTS IN.
DO WE HAVE A, UH, ABILITY ONCE YOU OPT OUT AND SOMETIME NEXT YEAR TO SAY, OKAY, NOW WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALL THESE COMMUNITIES AROUND US.
YES, YOU CAN, BUT MY POINT IS, WHAT I MADE EARLIER IS YOU MAY MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT IN.
THERE'LL BE AN APPLICATION, A DEADLINE, SUBMISSION AND AWARDS.
AND IF YOU'RE OPTING IN AFTER THAT, THEN THERE WON'T BE, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, YOU NEED TO HAVE LOCAL SUPPORT.
SO NO ONE WILL HAVE THIS LOCAL SUPPORT.
SO NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO LOCATE A DISPENSARY WITHIN THE TOWN OF GIN.
BUT THERE WILL BE, THERE WON'T BE A PROCESS FOR ANYBODY TO LOCATE A DISPENSARY WITHIN THE TOWN.
BUT IT WILL BE MORE LIKE, I MEAN, YOU HAVE SAY INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
THERE MAY BE WAREHOUSE, YOU KNOW, WAREHOUSE AREAS WHERE, UM, IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE ACCEPTABLE.
AND THE, THERE MAY BE BUSINESSES THAT SAY SOMETIME, YOU KNOW, ANY, IF THERE'S A, A NEED, IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO, TO PLACE IT IN, YOU KNOW, IN GREENBERG AND WE OPT IN EVENTUALLY, EVEN AFTER, YOU KNOW, DECEMBER 31ST, THEN YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET IT APPROVED.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST RIGHT.
WHY DON'T WE GIVE HIM A BREAK,
I'LL SAY ONE THING I AM SURE ABOUT THOUGH AGAIN.
YOU SAID IF WE DO NOTHING, THERE'LL BE DISPENSARIES EVERYWHERE OR ANYWHERE THAT I KNOW IS NOT TRUE.
IT'S IN THE, IT'S IN THE ZONING BOARD.
I DID GIVE JUDITH TO GIVE H BOARD MEMBER MY PAMPHLET.
SO SORA, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? IS THIS RELATED TO THE MARIJUANA PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR? WELL, NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARIJUANA, YES, IT WILL BE.
I'M EXPOSING MYSELF TODAY AS A MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT WHO SUFFERS FROM DEPRESSION AS WELL AS SUICIDAL IDEATIONS.
I WANNA COMMEND CHRIS BECAUSE WHEN THAT HAPPENED TO ME, CHRIS WAS THERE.
HE CAME FOR ME AND HE PROTECTED ME AND MADE SURE THAT I WAS WELL.
AT THAT TIME YOU WERE ONLY A POLICE OFFICER AND YOU ARE NOW A CHIEF.
A GOOD ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
MOVING ON, I WILL GO ON WHY PEOPLE FEEL SUICIDAL.
AND I'M GONNA TRY TO CONTROL MYSELF ON THIS HOPELESSNESS, A FEELING OF TOTAL DESPAIR.
A SENSE OF THERE'S NO ESCAPE FROM ONGOING.
UN INTOLERABLE SITUATION IS ANOTHER BIG RISK FACTOR.
OFTEN PEOPLE ENGAGE IN SUICIDAL THINKING OR SUICIDAL BEHAVIORS BECAUSE THEY THINK OR FEEL LIKE THEY CAN NO LONGER WITHSTAND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EMOTIONAL PAIN THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN.
I FEEL LIKE THAT TO THE BOARD.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T LISTEN TO ME.
ANOTHER COMMON PARTICIPATING EVENT IS A PERCEIVED SENSE OF BURDEN.
THIS LEADS TO A SENSE OF INAPPROPRIATE GUILT AND CAN GIVE A PERSON AN IDEA OF NOT GOING ON LIVING
[01:10:02]
STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, STRESSFUL SITUATIONS SINCE LEAD TO SUICIDAL, WHICH COUNTS AS STRESSFUL.COVERS OF A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES SUCH AS RELATIONSHIP CRISIS, FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, ACADEMIC WORK PRESSURES, BULLYING, HEALTH PROBLEMS, LOSS OF A LOVED ONE AND SO ON.
AND MY SITUATION, WHY HAS MY MENTAL HEALTH GONE OUT OF CONTROL? BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO THIS BOARD AND PLEADED TO THIS BOARD TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH ME WHO LIVES IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND HAS ASKED THE BOARD TO STEP IN FOR THE AMOUNT OF LIES, THE DECEIT THAT THIS HOUSING AUTHORITY CONTINUES TO DO.
LETTERS CONTINUE TO COME UNDER THE BUSINESS OF GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY ON THE STATE SITE AS A FEDERAL SITE THAT I AM, WHICH IS NO LONGER FEDERAL.
THERE IS NO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
I AM BEING PUT OUT OF MY APARTMENT NOT KNOWING WHERE I'M GOING, NOT KNOWING WHERE MY TREATMENT WILL CONTINUE.
AND I'LL ALSO SHOW YOU A PART OF WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH.
THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH.
I'M LOSING MY HAIR, I'M LOSING MY MIND.
BUT LEMME TELL YOU ONE THING I WILL SAY FOR YOU, MR. ATTORNEY.
I AM A MEDICAL MARIJUANA RECIPIENT SINCE THE YEAR OF 2016 WHEN MARIJUANA WAS BIRTHED PUT OUT.
I HAVE BEEN A POTHEAD SINCE THE AGE OF 12.
AND I WILL SAY WITH MY DEPRESSION AND WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH AND WITH MY ILLNESSES, I AM NOT ON OPIATES.
WHY? BECAUSE I SMOKE MARIJUANA.
BECAUSE MY DOCTORS SAID THAT IT IS BEST FOR ME TO BE AND SMOKE MARIJUANA THAN TO BE AN OPIATE ADDICT.
I HAD MY CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT YESTERDAY.
AND I ASKED FOR YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY I AM SECURE IN MY LIVING SITUATION, IT TOOK FOR ME TO COME AND EXPOSE MYSELF AND EXPOSE MY HEALTH.
MAYBE FOR YOU GUYS TO LISTEN OR MAYBE FOR THE WORLD TO BE.
IF KNOW THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND YOU DON'T CARE THE POINT THAT IT IS AFFECTING PEOPLE, THAT YOU ARE PUTTING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND NOT TELLING THEM WHERE THEY'RE GOING OR WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE OR HOW THEY WILL LIVE OR THEIR CHILDREN.
BUT I AM HERE TODAY LETTING YOU KNOW I HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE.
I HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ILL BEING, FOR HOW I AM FEELING.
BUT I AM UNDER CONTROL BECAUSE I HAVE VERY GOOD THERAPISTS AND THANK GOD I HAVE GOOD INSURANCE.
WHEN THERAPY COMES TO MY HOUSE, I DON'T GO TO THEM.
BUT FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T FORTUNATE LIKE ME AND HAVE GOOD INSURANCE AND ARE ABLE TO STAND HERE AND BE BRAVE LIKE I AM, AND TELL YOU AND SEEK HELP NOT ONLY FROM THE PROFESSIONALS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE VOTED IN HERE TO PROTECT RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS.
DON'T CUT ME OFF 'CAUSE HE SPOKE FOR 10 MINUTES.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
OKAY? I JUST WANT TO GIVE OTHER PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TOPIC AT HAND.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE CUTTING ME OFF BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T CARE ABOUT CUTTING HIM OFF.
BUT YOU CARE ABOUT CUTTING ME OFF WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO GREENBERG IS THAT MAN RIGHT THERE AND SAID THAT YOU LOST HIM.
WHO'S NEXT? DAVID SLO
I BASICALLY ORIGINALLY JUST CAME UP, JUST CAME HERE TO SAY VERY FIRSTLY, DAVID SLOAN.
I LIVE IN EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
UH, ORIGINALLY I CAME HERE JUST TO VO UH, VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THIS.
BUT LISTENING TO SOME OF THE SPECIAL INTERESTS, UH, WHICH I GUESS IS UN NOT UNEXPECTED.
I'VE DEALT WITH CITY OF YONKERS WHEN I USED TO LIVE THERE.
AND THEY WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING HORRIBLE, LET'S SAY.
AND THEN YOU GET THE LABOR UNIONS THAT SHOW 30 OR 40 PEOPLE THAT WANT THE JOBS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A TERRIBLE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE WILL BE SPECIAL INTEREST THAT
[01:15:01]
SOMEBODY LIVES IN SCARSDALE WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN SCARSDALE.'CAUSE HE'S MAKING THE MONEY OFF OF THIS INDUSTRY.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE AS WELL AS THE VENDORS WHO DO THIS.
WE HAVE A STORE IN EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE OPENED UP WITH LIGHTS THAT YOU WOULD SEE AT ANY BODEGA IN THE NEW YORK CITY.
FLASHING LIGHTS, BIG, OBNOXIOUS, TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE TOWN.
APPARENTLY THERE WERE ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT COMPLAINED BUILDING, I'M GUESSING THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT VISITED HIM.
THE LIGHTS CAME DOWN, THE SIGN CAME DOWN.
BUT THE BONGS STAYED LITERALLY SIX ROWS OF BONGS ON THE ENTIRE STOREFRONT.
APPARENTLY SOMEBODY MADE SOME ACTION.
ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE BONGS APPEARED.
THREE WEEKS LATER, THE BONGS DISAPPEARED.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD TRUST THESE PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY PLAY WITH THE RULE PLAY BY THE RULES.
UH, WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ZONING AND THE TOWN'S INPUT INTO WHERE THESE THINGS COULD BE, THE TOWN JUST HAD A KIND OF A DISASTROUS, UNFORTUNATE, UH, DECISION.
AGAIN, FINANCIAL DECISION WITH THE HOUSING OFF CENTRAL AVENUE NEAR THE NATURE CENTER.
ANY, THE 3% THAT WE'RE GONNA GET, WE'RE GONNA END UP PAYING A LOT MORE LEGAL FEES AND POSSIBLY LAWSUITS DOWN THE ROAD.
EXCUSE ME, WHEN THE STATE GOVERNMENT TAKES THE SIDE OF THE INDUSTRY.
UM, AS TO, UH, I'M NOT IN DISAGREEMENT.
I'VE TOTALLY BEEN ADVOCATE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOREVER.
PERSONALLY, I THOUGHT IT SHOULD STAY MORE WITH THE MEDICAL ASPECTS AND NOT THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECTS.
I ACCEPT ALL THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT SHOULD BECOME COMMONPLACE.
WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH A SOCIETY OF STONERS WHO JUST DON'T WANNA WORK, WHO STAY HOME AND JUST NOT BE PRODUCTIVE.
UM, I'M SORRY FOR NOT BEING PREPARED.
LIKE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PREPARED.
UM, MY OPINION, IT ALSO EXASPERATES DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT IF I, I AM NOT DISAGREEING THAT INSTEAD BEING PROZAC.
IF YOU A PSYCHIATRIST SAYS, TRY THIS, LET THE EXPERTS DO IT.
BUT JUST FOR GENERAL PUBLIC TO JUST DO IT.
IT'S THERE IF YOU WANT IT, LET IT BE THERE.
I'VE SEEN, AGAIN, ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE, HOW THE STORE, UM, CAN I MENTION.
OKAY, UH, WE WENT INTO THE STORE THE OTHER DAY JUST TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE.
AND WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THE PRODUCTS.
THE PRODUCTS HAVE ARE ROLLED JOINTS.
THEY HAVE, UH, GUMMIES THAT THEY SAY THEY CAME FROM CALIFORNIA.
IT'S CERTAIN BRANDS, SO IT'S LEGAL TO SELL IN NEW YORK.
I DISCUSSED IT WITH THE CHIEF BEFORE, AND THE CHIEF BASICALLY, UH, DEFERRED IT TO THE CAPTAIN, BASICALLY BECAUSE IT IS NOT LEGAL TO SELL 'EM STORES.
THESE MERCHANTS ARE DOING THINGS ILLEGALLY NOW.
THEY'RE GONNA DO THINGS ILLEGALLY LATER.
I THINK THAT, UM, I'M NOT, I I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE NEAR RESIDENCES.
I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE NEAR WHERE CHILDREN LOOK IN THE WINDOW AND SAY, OH MOMMY, LOOK AT THOSE.
WHAT? THEY DON'T KNOW A BONDS, WHAT'S THAT? I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT OUT OF GREENBERG.
AND AGAIN, SORRY FOR NOT HAVING SOMETHING MORE PREPARED.
SO THE REST OF THE STATEMENTS THAT I HAVE ARE WRITTEN STATEMENTS.
SOMEONE WHO HAS A OH YES, I'M SORRY.
AND, UM, TO GET HOLD, I DID EMAILED
STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU START.
UM, JUDITH GARRETT MAY HAVE RECEIVED SOME, UM, REQUEST THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE IN WRITING, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I DID NOT MEAN TO RELI.
COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AT THE BEGINNING? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING, UM, SUPERVISOR, UM, FINER AND THE, THE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE BOARD.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S THE UNINCORPORATED PART, UM, UH, OF GREENBURG THAT I'M A RESIDENT OF.
I'M A MOTHER WHO, OF A FOUR YEAR OLD WHO MOVED TO, IRONICALLY MOVED TO HARTSDALE ON MARCH 13TH, 2020.
AND IF ANY OF THE, IF THAT DATE IS INGRAINED IN ANYONE'S BRAIN, THAT IS THE DATE THAT PRETTY MUCH THE CITY SHUT DOWN AND WE ALL, UM, UH, BUTTONED UP AND STAYED HOME.
SO THE IRONY THAT I, PART OF THE REASON I MOVED WAS TO SHORT MY COMMUTE, WHILE IT DEFINITELY SHORTENED MY COMMUTE TO THE CITY.
[01:20:01]
WASN'T THE MAIN REASON I MOVED TO HARTSDALE.THE MAIN REASON I MOVED TO HARTSDALE, MY HUSBAND AND I MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE IS WE WANTED A BETTER COMMUNITY.
WE WANTED, UM, BETTER SCHOOLS.
UM, WE LOVED THE AREA, WE LOVED THE FEEL OF THE PEOPLE.
AND, UM, WE STILL LOVE THIS AREA AND THE FEEL OF THE PEOPLE.
UM, WHAT I WILL ALSO ADD IS, YES, I AM A MITCH ICK IS MY COLLEAGUE.
AND NO, I'M NOT REQUIRED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING BY ANY MEANS.
I ACTUALLY, UM, AT SAID THAT I DID WANNA SPEAK AS, AS A MOM AND AS A RESIDENT, BUT ALSO AS AN ATTORNEY IN THE CANNABIS SPACE AND AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR IN THE BRONX.
UM, I'VE HEARD A LOT AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT AT OTHER TOWN COUNSEL MEETINGS.
UM, ALL OF IT ABSOLUTELY VALID AND UNDERSTANDABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION AGAIN, IT'S NOT WHETHER IT'S SHOULD BE LEGAL OR NOT.
AND THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER OUR CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE SMOKING MARIJUANA.
I DON'T WANT MY CHILD SMOKING MARIJUANA.
AT LEAST NOT, DEFINITELY NOT NOW,
UM, BUT THEY ARE SMOKING MARIJUANA.
AND WHAT SCARES ME AS A MOM AND AN ATTORNEY IS THAT THEY'RE SMOKING ILLICIT MARIJUANA.
I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE OVERDOSED BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT, BECAUSE OF OTHER THINGS THAT WERE IN, JUST, PARDON ME, CRAP, UNREGULATED STUFF THAT THEY'RE BUYING FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE, INCLUDING GUMMIES AND THE THINGS THAT YOU SAW IN THE STORE.
YOU WANT THE CHILDREN, EXCUSE ME.
YOU CAN'T EXCUSE, I DIDN'T MEAN TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION, BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS, IS THE ILLICIT MARKET AND IT'S AT ITS PRIME.
UM, IT'S ALSO NOT, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME.
YOU CAN'T DO UHHUH UHHUH EACH TIME 'CAUSE IT PICKS UP ON THE MICS.
WAS KAREN WELL, MR. DONNIE, PLEASE, PLEASE, YOU'RE INTERRUPTING HER.
ALRIGHT, WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE MEETING.
WE DON'T WANT TO CALL THE CHIEF.
WE DON'T WANNA CALL THE CHIEF SMOKE A JOINT IN YOUR FUEL.
NO, YOU NEED TO WEAR A MASK FOR ONE THING.
AND SECONDLY, STOP DISRUPTING THE MEETING.
I'M GONNA STEP OUTSIDE BECAUSE YOU UPSET AND I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE THAT UPSET ME.
YOU NEED TO MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
TOWN BOARD, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT DONNY OLD SCHOOL, HANES.
WE NEED TO GET THE MEETING BACK IN ORDER.
AND I'M SORRY THAT DEVIL RUNG ME OUT.
I DISRESPECT JESUS WHEN YOU DO THIS TO ME, MAN.
YEAH, BUT WHEN, BUT WHEN HE DID, HE JUST PLEASE CONTINUE DISRESPECTED GOD.
UM, MY COLLEAGUE, YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED, HE SAID, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT IT IN YOUR TOWN.
AND I BELIEVE, I WANNA ADD TO THAT, IT'S MORE THAN WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT IT IN YOUR TOWN.
IT'S DO YOU WANT YOUR TOWN? DO WE WANT OUR TOWN TO BENEFIT NOT JUST FROM THE TAX DOLLARS? IT'S NOT JUST TAX DOLLARS.
YOU'RE BENEFITING FROM, YOU'RE ALSO SUPPORTING NEW YORK'S GOAL TO AID SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS.
YOU ARE PROVIDING REGULATED NON ILLICIT CANNABIS TO YOUR RESIDENTS.
I WANNA ADD, I MEAN, I HEAR WE ALL, EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT TAX DOLLARS AND IS IT REALLY GONNA BE A LITTLE, IS IT GONNA BE A LOT? I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL THESE UNKNOWNS.
IT IS UNKNOWN AND IT COULD NOT BE AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE, OR IT MIGHT BE MORE THAN WE COULD EVER IMAGINE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST TAX BENEFITS.
IT'S BEAUTIFICATION OF A LESS DESIRABLE AREA.
I HAVE BEEN TO, UM, OUR CLIENT'S DISPENSARY OPENINGS.
I HAVE STOOD THERE AND WATCHED A MAYOR COME TO TEARS BECAUSE THE, OUR CLIENT, I MEAN IN TERMS OF DICTATING TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER THAT MAYOR, THEY DECIDED THE ONE STREET THEY WANTED THIS DISPENSARY AND CULTIVATION FACILITY ON.
AND ALSO, AND OUR CLIENT LITERALLY, I WOULD SAY OVERHAULED.
I WOULD A GOOD TWO BLOCK RADIUS PLANTED TREES, BUILT A PARK, BUILT A POND.
IT IS A PART OF TOWN NOW THAT PEOPLE WERE STANDING THERE SAYING, I ALWAYS WOULD DRIVE AROUND, MAKE A POINT OF, YOU KNOW, AVOIDING THIS AREA BECAUSE IT WAS SO RUN DOWN AND NOW IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
AND THEY'VE COMMITTED NOT JUST A LOT OF CANNABIS DISPENSARY, OWNERS CULTIVATORS COMMIT THEMSELVES TO THAT COMMUNITY WITH, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTING LOCAL PARKS, WITH SETTING UP EDUCATION PROGRAMS. YOU'RE NOT JUST SAYING YES, WHEN IF THIS TOWN SAYS YES TO SOMEONE OR, OR SOMEONE'S OR SOME ENTITIES TO PUT A DISPENSARY HERE, YOU'RE GONNA BE SAYING YES, NOT JUST TO A DISPENSER.
YOU'RE SAYING YES TO THAT ENTITY.
YOU'RE SAYING WHAT THEY'VE PROMISED, WHAT THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO DO,
[01:25:01]
AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE SAYING THINGS LIKE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE'RE GONNA BE DONATING TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.IT SOUNDS IRONIC, BUT THEY PARTNER WITH, WITH REHAB, UM, ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS TO EDUCATE THE YOUTH ON THE DANGERS OF CANNABIS.
UM, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, I RIDE MY BIKE OVER THE TAPAN, ZAN BACK ALL THE TIME FROM BURWOOD ROAD AND THERE ARE SOME NOT SO BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF GREENBURG.
AND THOSE AREAS, YOU ALL, AS THE TOWN BOARD CAN DICTATE ABSOLUTELY.
AS MY COLLEAGUE MITCH SAID, WHERE THESE DISPENSARIES CAN AND CANNOT GO WHEN THEY CAN OPEN, WHEN THEY CAN CLOSE THE REGULATIONS.
I MEAN, WE'RE ONLY SPEAKING IN TERMS OF OTHER STATES, BUT REGULATIONS.
AND I WOULD THINK NEW YORKERS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEW YORKERS.
NO, DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
WE'LL, MAYBE YOU GET A SECOND OPPORTUNITY.
LET'S SEE WHO ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK, BUT THANK YOU.
UM, THERE ARE NO OTHER REQUESTS HIGHLIGHTING, UH, ALL THAT.
IS ANYONE IN, UH, THE ZOOM ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.
YES, WE DO HAVE, UH, I'M GONNA HAVE MICHELLE BROWN AS A PANELIST.
NOW, IS SHE SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC OF MARIJUANA? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
I THINK MICHELLE WILL BE WITH US IN A MOMENT HERE.
IF WE'RE ALL SET, WELCOME MICHELLE, AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA SPEAK ON THIS MATTER ONE BECAUSE, UM, FIRST THE TIME THAT WAS ALLOTTED TO EVERYBODY WHO GOT TO SPEAK ON IT, THAT WAS A THING FOR ME.
AND TWO, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IN, IN AN OPEN MATTER BECAUSE, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AS KORA WAS SAYING, TO HAVE ALL OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOUR RESIDENTS AND ONE BEING MARIJUANA.
AND, UM, IF IT'S RIGHT THERE WHERE THEY LIVE, IT'S PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY IN A SENSE OF, UM, ANOTHER WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
YOU KNOW, NOT COMING FROM A PLACE OF, UM, CRIME AND A PLACE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, MAKING A COMMUNITY LESS THAN DESIRABLE.
THERE ARE VERY, UM, THERE ARE MANY, UM, BENEFITS TO MARIJUANA AND ONE IS INCLUDING HEALTH, WELLBEING, AND MENTAL HEALTH.
SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO NOTICE, NOTE THAT IT'S NOT FAIR WHEN PEOPLE COME AND SPEAK, REGARDLESS OF IT'S ABOUT THE TOPIC.
'CAUSE THERE'S A THREE MINUTE OPEN TIME FOR EVERYBODY IN FIVE MINUTES, AND YOU CUT THE CORE OFF AND MR. SHEN HAD ALREADY SAID, AND IT WAS PASSED, THAT FIVE MINUTES WOULD BE ALLOTTED.
SO IT CAN'T BE ONE WAY FOR SOME AND ONE WAY FOR ANOTHER.
AND IF I'M MISTAKEN, I'M MISTAKEN, BUT I DO REMEMBER HIM SAYING, ARE WE GONNA DO FIVE MINUTES? THERE'S NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE HERE.
AND SOMEBODY SECOND IT, IT BECAME A THING.
MR. CORA DID NOT HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THIS IS WHAT WE AS ADVOCATES FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE EXCHANGE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THE MOTION THAT WAS PASSED WAS NOT AT ALL ENACTED FOR QUORA.
DID YOU NOT GIVE HER FIVE MINUTES? YEAH.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS THAT WISH TO SPEAK FROM THE, UH, ZOOM SIDE OF THINGS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR READING.
CAN I COME UP? WELL, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA READ SOME OF THE WRITTEN STATEMENTS THAT CAME IN PERTAINING TO MARIJUANA AND THEN, OKAY, I'M TALKING ABOUT MARIJUANA.
I KNOW, BUT, BUT THESE PEOPLE HAVEN'T, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I SAID.
NO, IT MATTERS UP EVEN UP AND TALKED.
[01:30:01]
GOES UP AND TALK A SECOND TIME BECAUSE SAKA CAN'T GO UP.THIS WAS A SPECIALIST, MR. MR. UM, ATTORNEY, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIE BECAUSE YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY.
WELL, DIDN'T YOU JUST GO UP TOO TINY TALK.
BUT THIS IS, THIS IS NO SAKARA.
WE ARE TRYING TO RUN, WE ARE TRYING TO RUN A GOOD MEETING.
YOU KNOW, JUDI, EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IS ANYBODY WHO HASN'T SPOKEN.
JUDITH, HOW YOU GUYS LAUGH WHEN THE GENTLEMAN HAD A, A OUTBREAK HERE AND YOU THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY.
I HEARD, I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FUNNY AT ALL.
IT WAS DISRUPTING THE MEETING.
WELL, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T THE BOARD.
BUT WE CAN'T, THIS IS, THIS IS ALSO DISRUPTING THE MAYOR.
THIS LETTER IS, UH, SUBMITTED BY THE, UH, COUNCIL OF GREENBERG CIVIC ASSOCIATION, ELLA PRIZER, SECRETARY.
DEAR MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE COUNCIL OF GREENBURG CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS HAS REVIEWED THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY BY THE TOWN REGARDING THE SUBJECT APPLICATION FOR TONIGHT'S PUBLIC DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDS THAT THE TOWN BOARD VOTE TO ADOPT A LOCAL LAW OPTING OUT OF ALLOWING BOTH ADULT USE CANNABIS RETAIL DISPENSARIES AND ONSITE CONSUMPTION LICENSES.
IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT REGULATIONS WILL BE PROMULGATED BY THE CANNABIS CONTROL BOARD.
WHAT THE CURRENT LACK OF DETAILS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE M R T A, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CRAFT THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION.
LET ME READ THAT STATEMENT AGAIN.
WITH THE CURRENT LACK OF DETAILS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE M R T A, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CRAFT THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION.
AND WITH THE APPROACHING HOLIDAY SEASON, THERE IS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE TOWN TO ENGAGE CAREFUL PUBLIC REVIEW OF SUCH LEGISLATION BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, 2021.
THEREFORE, THE SENSIBLE SOLUTION SHOULD BE TO OPT OUT AT THE PRESENT TIME.
THE COUNCIL OF GREENBERG CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS C G C A TRUSTS TOWN BOARD MEMBERS WILL VOTE TO OPT OUT PROMPTLY.
SINCERELY, PRISE, C G C A SECRETARY, ANOTHER LETTER TO OUR TOWN BOARD MEMBERS.
I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS EVENING'S MEETING.
I WOULD, HOWEVER, VOICE MY CONCERN AS A LONG-TERM RESIDENT OF EAST DALE AVENUE WITH REGARD TO OPENING OF RETAIL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES AND CAFES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH SO MANY SOCIAL ISSUES IN TODAY'S WORLD, THIS IS AN ADDED LAYER OF CONCERN.
WE JUST KEEP INVITING MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE USE OF DRUGS.
WE CONDEMN THE USE OF NICOTINE AS ADDICTIVE AND HARMFUL.
AND YET AS A SOCIETY APPEAR TO CONDONE THE USE OF ADDICTIVE DRUGS.
A NUMBER OF OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES HAVE OPTED OUT OF OPENING RETAIL DISPENSARIES.
IF GREENBERG WERE TO ALLOW DISPENSARIES, WE BECOME A HUB FOR PURCHASING MARIJUANA.
NOT A GREAT DISTINCTION FOR LIVING IN HARTSDALE.
ALSO, WE WOULD HAVE INCREASED TRAFFIC AND THE ADDED NEED FOR POLICE MONITORING.
I AND MANY NEIGHBORS AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS HOPE THAT THE BOARD CAREFULLY CONSIDER REJECTING THIS OPTION.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO ALLOWING ANY FORM OF MARIJUANA, DISPENSARIES OR LOUNGES IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THE POSSESSION AND SALE OF MARIJUANA REMAINS ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW.
AND I BELIEVE THAT GREENBERG SHOULD NOT ALLOW SUCH ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WITHIN THE TOWN BORDERS.
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE TOWN OFFICIALS TO REJECT ANY ACTIVITY WHICH FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS.
ACCORDINGLY, I URGE THE TOWN BOARD TO OPT OUT OF THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATION, WHICH PERMITS SUCH ACTIVITIES.
FURTHERMORE, WHILE NEW YORK LAW PERMITS SUCH ACTIVITY ONLY FOR PERSONS OVER THE AGE OF 21, JUST AS THERE ARE DOCUMENTED SALES
[01:35:01]
OF ALCOHOL, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, BEVERAGES TO PERSONS UNDER 21, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT ANY MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES WOULD BE ABLE TO LIMIT SALES TO PERSONS OVER THE AGE OF 21.FALSE IDENTIFICATION IS READILY AVAILABLE TO PERSONS WHO SEEK TO AVOID THE AGE REQUIREMENT.
ALLOWING MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES WITH WITHIN THE TOWN UNDOUBTEDLY WILL LEAD TO SALES TO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 21.
YOURS GUY, NOVO, ATTORNEY AT LAW.
FOURTH LETTER PLEASE OPT GREENBERG OUT OF MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES AND LOUNGES EVERYWHERE IN GREENBURG.
WE WHO LIVE HERE DO NOT WANT TO BE KNOWN AS POP HAVEN OR AS A VILLAGE OR TOWN SUPPORTING THIS COMMERCE WHEN ALL TOWNS AROUND US HAVE OPTED OUT AND ARE NOT SUPPORTING THIS COMMERCE BASED ON LAW CHANGE.
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN THE TOWN.
A STATEMENT SENT FROM KELLY BRETT.
DEAR SUPERVISOR, FINER AND TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, I'M WRITING TO EXPRESS MY HOPE THAT GREENBERG WILL OPT OUT OF HAVING MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES AND CAFES IN THE TOWN.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF SUCH BUSINESSES COMING TO OUR AREA, PARTICULARLY AS MANY OF OF OUR NEIGHBORS SEEM TO BE OPTING OUT.
AND WE MAY FIND OURSELVES WITH MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE IF WE DO NOT DO THE SAME.
A TOWN FULL OF MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES SLASH CAFES WILL NOT HELP TO ATTRACT YOUNG FAMILIES A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT SHOULD BE BOLSTERED IN UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
IF WE CHOOSE TO OPT IN AT A LATER DATE, ONCE WE SEE HOW OTHER TOWNS FARE, I WOULD HOPE THAT ONLY CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AREAS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS.
FOR INSTANCE, I WOULD STRONGLY OBJECT TO A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN HARSDALE.
THE FOUR CORNERS OR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO SCHOOLS, PERHAPS ONE MILE AWAY WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND THAT COMPLETES OUR WRITTEN WRITE-IN STATEMENT.
DOES THE BOARD WANT TO HAVE A SECOND ROUND OF, UH, COMMENTS OR NOT? OH NO, THIS WAS THE
[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advance signup via PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com is required. 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]
END OF THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION.NOW WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THERE'LL BE THREE MINUTES THERE.
AND THEN IF WE HAVE TIME, FIVE MINUTES LATER.
OKAY, SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ANY TOPIC THAT YOU LIKE FOR THREE MINUTES.
IT COULD BE THE SAME TOPIC, BUT IT COULD, IT COULD BE THE SAME, IT COULD BE THE SAME TOPIC.
YOU ANYBODY SIGN UP JUDITH FOR I THINK MAYBE MR. SAMS PERHAPS, OR, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, I WANNA GO BACK ON THE TOPIC THAT THE BOARD IGNORES ME ON ALL THE TIME.
AND I WILL CONTINUE SAY I AM HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF AND SPEAKING OF THE INJUSTICE THAT IS BEING DONE TO MYSELF AND OTHER RESIDENTS AT GREENBURG HEIGHTS, L L C GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CALLING THEMSELVES NOWADAYS.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE YOU APPOINTED THESE PEOPLE.
BUT WAIT, I COME TO FIND OUT THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER APPOINTED BECAUSE THERE IS NO MORE FEDERAL HUD.
UM, THEY ARE NO LONGER UNDER FEDERAL HUD REGULATIONS.
THEY ARE NOW OWNED BY A PRIVATE ENTITY.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER COMMISSIONERS, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY SHOULD NO LONGER BE GETTING PAID AS COMMISSIONERS.
I'M GONNA GO BACK TO MY POINT, WHICH IS TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND WHAT IT DOES TO PEOPLE.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE PUT INTO SITUATIONS LIKE I HAVE BEEN PUT INTO OF BEING THREATENED OR EVICTED FROM MY HOME, THAT THE TOWN APPROVED BECAUSE THE TOWN HAD TO GET ALL THE PERMITS AND BOARDING STUFF TO, FOR
[01:40:01]
THIS CONSTRUCTION TO GO FORWARD.SO THE TOWN IS AWARE THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING.
THE TOWN WAS ALSO AWARE WHEN VICTIMS LIKE SENIORS WERE EVICTED AND PUT INTO PLACES WHERE THERE'S NO ELEVATORS.
THEY HAD TO GO UP AND DOWN STAIRS, BUT WHO CARES? THEY'RE BLACK PEOPLE.
WE COULD DO THAT TO BLACK PEOPLE.
WHY DO I FEEL THE WAY I DO? BECAUSE I COME IN FRONT, I GO TO THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY, I ASK FOR A MEETING.
I SEND EMAILS EVERY TWO WEEKS REQUESTING TO KNOW WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN A LEASE WHEN THEY HAVE RELINQUISHED THEIR LEASE WITH ME UNDER GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY.
BUT YET I PAY RENT TO GREENBURG HEIGHTS.
WHERE HAS MY MONEY GONE? MY SECURITY DEPOSIT.
YOU TOLD ME ON MONDAY THAT YOU CLOSED ALL OF THE ACCOUNTS AND HERE IT IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY SECURITY DEPOSIT IS.
THESE ARE LEGAL QUESTIONS AND LEGAL ASSETS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
THE TOWN ASSIGNED THESE PEOPLE TO HANDLE THESE AFFAIRS.
SO THE TOWN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE TOWN IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ME HAVING A PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWN AS TO WHERE I HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO HELP ME AND AS WELL TO WHAT I AM NOT AT ANY THREAT OF HARM OF MYSELF BECAUSE I THANK GOD FOR THERAPY.
I ALSO THANK GOD FOR MARIJUANA.
'CAUSE LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, IT'S THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME THOUGH I WAS SMOKING SINCE 12, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER THEN.
BUT NOW THAT I AM ALMOST 60 YEARS OLD, I REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
IT HAS KEPT ME OFF OF MEDICATION, IT HAS KEPT ME FROM OTHER ILLNESSES, HAS NEAR DISEASE, KIDNEY, AND ANY OTHER THINGS THAT MEDICATIONS WILL GIVE YOU.
ALRIGHT, OPIATE, MS. SANCHEZ, WE HAVE TO LET OTHER PEOPLE SPEAK.
WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FOR 10 MINUTES? THEY'LL GIVE YOU 10 MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG THE TOWN BOARD HAS BEEN MULLING THIS OVER BEFORE IT BECAME A PUBLIC DISCUSSION QUITE A WHILE, HASN'T IT? OKAY, THIS IS JUST A, JUST TO GINA JACKSON AND COUNCILMAN DIANA JETER, THE NEWEST MEMBER TO THE TOWN COUNCIL, THE OLDEST MEMBER TO THE TOWN COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE BOTH BEEN AWARE OF A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS I'VE SENT TO THE TOWN BOARD.
YOU ARE MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU PEOPLE YOU'RE DOING ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I'VE RAISED.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, MR. LEWIS SAID, I WOULD GET AN ANSWER ON MY VERIFIED COMPLAINT REGARDING DAVID FREE 10 BUSINESS DAYS 20 DAYS AGO.
HAVE I? WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE BOARD OF ETHICS? YOU KNOW, MY ISSUES THERE.
YOU KNOW THAT THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ETHICS VIOLATE THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER F ISSUES REGARDING THE ETHICS BOARD? WHAT ABOUT MR. HAYES? IS HE A MEMBER, UH, OFFICER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF THE CODE OF ETHICS? WHAT ABOUT MR. MALARA, THE VOLUNTEER COUNCIL WHO HAS SERVED FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND THE ETHICS CODE RESTRICTS MEMBERSHIP ON THE ETHICS BOARD TO 10 YEARS.
HE'S THE, HE IS THE MOST POWERFUL MEMBER OF THE BOARD, WHETHER YOU CONSIDER HIM TO BE A MEMBER OR NOT, BECAUSE HE'S THERE FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
CONTINUITY, NEW PEOPLE COME ON, THEY REFER TO HIM AND YET HE DOESN'T HAVE TO FILE A FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM.
SO THERE'S A FEW REMINDERS OF THE MANY OTHER ISSUES I'VE RAISED.
I'D LIKE NOW TO HEAR FROM BOTH OF YOU ON HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THESE MATTERS.
WELL, ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING YOU CAN SEE.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TOWN BOARD IS THAT THEY DON'T RESPOND TO THE CITIZENS EVEN ABOUT LEGITIMATE MATTERS THAT AFFECT THE TOWN.
THEY ALL TOOK OATHS OF OFFICE.
AND MR. LEWIS, YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY.
YOU DO REMEMBER TELLING ME THAT I HAVE AN ANSWER.
UM, DO I HAVE AN ANSWER? THE CLOCK HAD STOPPED FOR A SECOND.
YEAH, MR. SAMS, AS YOU KNOW, THE
[01:45:01]
BOARD, YOU KNOW, LETS PEOPLE SPEAK AND THEN THEY MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THEY CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IF THEY CHOOSE TO AFTER EVERYBODY SPEAKS.SO MAYBE YOU'LL GET A RESPONSE.
WELL, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
PROCEDURALLY I'LL WAIT FOR THEM TO RESPOND.
THE CLOCK SEEMS LIKE IT STOPPED AGAIN, JUDITH.
WELL, MR. SAMS ISN'T SPEAKING.
SO IF, IF HE'S NOT SPEAKING, DO DO WE, IS IT FAIR TO RUN THE CLOCK? I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CLOCK RUN.
HE'S, HE'S, HE, YOU HAVE TO LET THE CLOCK RUN.
HE DOESN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST, UH, STOP AND DISRUPT THE MEETING.
SO IN 10 SECONDS MY TIME WILL BE UP AND I'M SURE I'M GONNA HEAR ANSWERS FROM THE PEOPLE I'VE ASKED ON THE TOWN BOARD.
THEY PULL IN OVER $40,000 OF YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY FOR A PART-TIME JOB.
UM, I WANNA JUST BRIEFLY, UH, TALK ABOUT MARIJUANA AGAIN FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I THINK, UH, THE PERSON WHO SPOKE EARLIER MADE AN EXCELLENT POINT ABOUT, UH, ILLICIT VERSUS REGULATED AND TESTED PURCHASES.
YOU KNOW, BELIEVE ME, LOOK, YOU GUYS DECIDE TO BAN MARIJUANA SALES IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING MARIJUANA.
BUT THE MARIJUANA THAT THEY'RE GETTING BE GETTING IS GONNA BE COMING FROM CRIMINALS AND DRUG DEALERS AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T REALLY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE EXTENSIVE TESTING VERIFICATION.
ALL THE, UH, IT'S A VERY REGULATED INDUSTRY IN STATES THAT HAVE LEGALIZED IT.
AND BY ALLOWING LEGAL RETAIL SALES, YOU'RE ACTUALLY MAKING IT SAFER.
'CAUSE BELIEVE ME, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ANY PROBLEM GETTING MARIJUANA IF YOU BLOCK THIS.
UM, I WANNA TALK ON A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
YOU KNOW, FRANCIS, EARLIER THIS MONTH I ASKED YOU IF THE TOWN HAD DETERMINED WHAT QUANTIFIABLE METRICS WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE WHEN THE MASK MANDATE WILL BE LIFTED.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT YOU DON'T ENVISION A MASK MANDATE BEING PERMANENT, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU SAID AFTER THE FACT LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT'S GONNA BE THE CASE.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT HERE TONIGHT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMOVE THE MASK MANDATE TODAY.
AND I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.
BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT WHEN NOW IS THE TIME TO COME UP WITH THE METRICS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, POSITIVE CASES, NUMBER OF CASES, UH, I KNOW WE'VE RECENTLY GONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY WITHOUT ANY DEATHS.
WHATEVER THE METRIC THAT YOU DECIDE IS BEST STATED PUBLICLY.
AND THEN WHEN THE METRICS ARE MET, REMOVE THE MANDATE.
IF YOU DON'T PREPARE THOSE METRICS, NOW THAT'S A TASKED ADMISSION THAT THEY WON'T BE DEVELOPED OR THEY'LL BE DELAYED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN GREENBURG ARE ALREADY HOLDING MEET PUBLIC MEETINGS WITHOUT MASKS.
MEANWHILE, RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO ATTEND GREENBURG LIBRARY PROGRAMMING, WHICH THEY ENJOYED OUTDOORS, UH, ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE ANY INDOOR EVENTS, EVEN WITH MASKS.
IT'S TIME TO DEVELOP A COHESIVE POLICY TO MOVE FORWARD.
I'M NOT SAYING WE NEED TO TAKE THE MASKS OFF OR EVEN ENCOURAGING THIS TO TAKE THE MASKS OFF NOW, BUT WE SHOULD DEVELOP A PLAN.
SO WHAT THE TIME IS MADE, IT'S NOT AN EMOTIONAL OR PERSONAL FEELINGS BASED DECISION BECAUSE GOING BACK TO MARIJUANA FOR A SECOND, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE LETTERS THAT JUDITH READ, YOU HEARD A LOT OF FEELING STATEMENTS.
I FEEL THAT MARIJUANA IS DANGEROUS.
I FEEL THAT MARIJUANA IS GONNA BRING CRIME.
I FEEL THAT MARIJUANA, NONE OF THOSE ARE FACTS.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE'S PERSONAL OPINIONS AND MOST OF THEM ARE SUBSTANTIATED, ESPECIALLY THE THINGS ABOUT CRIME AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE THINGS ABOUT, UM, THE DANGER OF MARIJUANA AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE LAST ITEM I WANNA TOUCH ON IS THE KRISTEN STEIN POLICE CASE.
AFTER TONIGHT WILL BE UP TO $150,000 IN LEGAL FEES.
I'VE SEEN THE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE SEEN THE VIDEOS AFTER THE FACT WHERE POLICE OFFICERS MADE DEROGATORY STATEMENTS ABOUT THE ELMSFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MAKE JOKES ABOUT NOT RESPONDING TO ALARMS OR CALLS FOR HELP.
IS THIS GONNA BE A $2 MILLION BLUNDER ON THE TOWN BOARD BALANCE SHEET? WE AREN'T EVEN CLOSE TO TRIAL.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IN ADVANCE OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET HEARINGS, HOW MUCH IS BUDGETED NEXT YEAR FOR THIS EXPENSIVE LITIGATION AND WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM PLAN? THANK YOU.
WE SPEAK ON THE ZOOM, TWO SPEAKERS ON ZOOM,
[01:50:01]
OKAY.DID YOU RECEIVE MY STATEMENT TO BE READ? OH, YES.
I THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD DECIDED INSTEAD TO, TO SPEAK VIA MY ZOOM.
WOULD YOU STILL LIKE FOR ME TO READ THAT MS. BROWN? NO.
IF SHE'S HERE, SHE SHOULD READ IT HERSELF.
WOULD DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE A STATEMENT? I'M SORRY.
JUDITH, COULD YOU PLEASE READ IT FOR ME AND NO, IF SHE'S HERE, SHE SHOULD READ IT HERSELF.
WHY WOULD JUDITH HAVE TO READ A STATEMENT OF SOMEONE WHO'S PRESENT AT THE MEETING? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, KEN.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE HAVING HIS MENT FRONT.
I JUST FOUND OUT 11TH HOUR AT, YOU CAN EVEN ASK, UM, YOU KNOW, GARRETT, THAT I HAD NO IDEA THAT YOU WERE ZOOM AND I SENT IT IN BECAUSE I I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AUDIT.
OKAY, SO, SO, SO, MS. BROWN, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS READING YOUR STATEMENT.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE FROM CLIFF ABRAMS THAT I WILL ALSO READ THE STATEMENT READS AS FOLLOWS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TOWN WILL HAVE AN UNVEILING OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTERS MATTER BANNERS, MANHATTAN AVENUE MURAL, AND THE ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNAGE.
TO HAVE AN UNVEILING AT A HATE CRIME SCENE IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE BLACK RESIDENTS OF GREENBURG.
THERE SHOULD BE NO CELEBRATION AT THE HATE CRIME SCENE ON NORWOOD ROAD AT ALL.
THIS IS ANOTHER HISTORICAL MOMENT IN GREENBURG THAT DEPICTS RACISM AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH WHEN THE SIGN IS REPLACED ON NORWOOD ROAD.
THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS SITE AS A HATE CRIME SCENE TARGETING THE BLACK RESIDENTS IN GREENBURG.
THAT RACISM EXISTS IN GREENBURG AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
ADDITIONALLY, AT THE TIME OF THE UNVEILING OF THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG, ALSO KNOWN AS THE AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BLACK LIBERATION FLAG, IT SHOULD BE RAISED AND FLOWN AT THE TOWN HALL IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE BLACK RESIDENTS IN GREENBURG.
I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND, UH, JUDITH, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY NOTE JUDITH, THAT, UH, CLIFTON IS PRESENT.
UM, SO HE, HE MAY WANNA SPEAK IN LIEU OF, UH, THE EMAIL THAT HE SENT IN, BUT IF WE CAN CONFIRM THAT WELCOME CLIFF IF YOU CAN YOURSELF.
UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ REMIND JUDY I'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
YOU HAVE TO START THE CLOCK, JUDITH.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND YES, I DIDN'T KNOW NEITHER LIKE MICHELLE, THAT WE COULD COME ON AND SPEAK FOR OURSELF.
I GOT THE 11TH HOUR TOO, BUT I WANT TO SAY I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MICHELLE BROWN ABOUT WE SHOULDN'T CELEBRATE A HATE CRIME SITE AND IT SHOULD BE AT A DIFFERENT DATE.
EVEN THOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TOWN BOARD WANT TO HAVE A, UM, A PRESS RELEASE OF THE THREE PART PROJECT OF THE MERRILL SIGN AND BANNERS.
I THINK THAT THE SIGN THAT THEY WANT TO DO THE CELEBRATION SHOULD BE ON CENTRAL AVENUE WHERE THEY TOOK THE SIGN DOWN THAT WAS ON CENTRAL AVENUE.
THEY, THEY COULD BE THERE, BUT ON NOVA ROAD, THERE SHOULD NOT BE NO CELEBRATION OF A HATE CRIME.
SECONDLY, I ALSO AGREE THAT A PAN-AFRICAN FLAG SHOULD BE RAISED AT THE TOWN HALL IN SOLIDARITY, BUT ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ON FEBRUARY ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
HAVE THE FLAG RAISED AT THE TOWN HALL FOR THE WHOLE MONTH IN CELEBRATION OF BLACK HISTORY HISTORY MONTH AS Y'ALL DID WITH THE L B G Q FLAG FOR PRIDE FOR GAY PRIDE MONTH.
CHIEF MCNAIR, UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON HIS NEW POSITION THAT HE'S LEAVING.
I HEARD IN DECEMBER, AND I'VE BEEN TALKING TO RESIDENTS AND WE FEEL THAT THE TOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, I THINK WAS, WAS FORMED IN 1910.
AND FROM 1910 TO PRESENT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY BLACK POLICE CHIEF.
AND WE ARE ASKING THAT THE TOWN BOARD DO A RESOLUTION TO HAVE A BLACK POLICE CHIEF.
[01:55:01]
WE ARE DEMANDING.AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE, AS CHIEF, NO, EXCUSE ME, LIEUTENANT NORMAN HALL, WHO CAME UP THROUGH THE RANKS FROM, UH, THE B COP TO THE SERGEANT OF COMMUNITY, UM, AFFAIRS, UM, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY POLICING, AND NOW HE'S LIEUTENANT.
I WOULD LIKE IF HE COULD BE ACTING CHIEF UNTIL YOUR SIDE WHO YOU WANT TO HAVE THE CHIEF OFFICER, CHIEF OF POLICE.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT, IN THE GREENBERG CENTER DOING BLACK LIVES MATTER.
YOU'RE SHOWING SUPPORT THAT LET'S MAKE SOME REAL HISTORY AND MAKE A A CHIEF OF POLICE THE FIRST BLACK WITH NORMAN HALL.
AND I WILL COME WITH, UM, A PETITION.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEY ARE WILLING TO WRITE A PETITION IN SUPPORT OF A FIRST BLACK POLICE CHIEF.
IS THAT THE LAST SPEAKER? SO WE CAN MOVE THE AGENDA? YES.
[ BOARDS & COMMISSIONS Appointment of Logan R. Clark to the Historic Landmark and Preservation Board, for a term to expire December 31, 2024 Appointment of Maxine Susseles to the Board of Ethics, for a term to expire December 31, 2024 Appointment of Jacqueline Baranov, as an Alternate, to the Board of Ethics, for a term to expire December 31, 2025]
UM, OKAY.WE HAVE APPOINTMENT OF LOGAN CLARK TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK AND PRESERVATION BOARD FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
APPOINTMENT OF, UH, MAXINE, UH, OLS TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS TERM TO, TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
APPOINTMENT OF JACQUELINE, UH, OV AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS, UH, FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
UH, RESOLUTION A JUST BEFORE YOU START A T ONE IS THE ONE THAT WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY.
UH, IF THE, IF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD IS, IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THEY HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT, THAT'S FINE.
UH, I'VE ALREADY HELD IT OVER ONCE AND ACCORDING TO OUR RULES, I CAN'T DO A SECOND TIME.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY UP TO THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO VOTE ON THAT.
UM, ANY SECOND? WELL, NOT GETTING A SECOND THEN, BUT I, I SUGGEST THAT WE HOLD IT OVER AND, UH, HAVE IT AS PART OF OUR WORK SESSION, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, UM, AS WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY.
IS THAT A MOTION OR IS THAT, UH, A MOTION TO HOLD IT OVER? WELL, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ISN'T ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER MAKE A MOTION TO HOLD IT OVER SINCE I, I I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO HOLD IT OVER.
AND JOHN, WOULD YOU SCHEDULE THAT FOR, UH, THE NEXT AVAILABLE WORK SESSION? I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS NOVEMBER 16TH, RIGHT.
[ AT 2 - 10/27/2021 Resolution approving the continued retention of the Law Office of Vincent Toomey to represent the Town of Greenburgh in the matter of Kristin Stein v. The Town of Greenburgh, et al, for an amount not to exceed $25,000 ($100,000 in total)]
RESOLUTION APPROVING, UH, THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF THE LAW OFFICE OF VINCENT TOY TO REPRESENT THE TOWN OF GREENBERG IN THE MATTER OF KRISTEN STEIN VERSUS TOWN OF GREENBERG, UM, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000.WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ AT 3 - 10/27/2021 Resolution approving the continued retention of the firm of Piscionere & Nemarow, P.C., to represent requested Greenburgh Police personnel in the matter of Kristen Stein v. the Town of Greenburgh, et al., for an amount not to exceed an additional $25,000 ($50,000 in total)]
THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF THE FIRM OF PI OR, AND MEMO RRO TO REPRESENT REQUESTED GREENBURG POLICE PERSONNEL IN THE MATTER OF KRISTEN, UH, STEIN, UM, VERSUS THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED IN ADDITIONAL 25,000 LIKE TO THE THAT SECOND.[ AT 4 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing settlement of property damage related Claim, File No.: 111/21C, by Richard Jackel and Francine Jackel, for an amount not to exceed $9,460.67]
AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM BY RICHARD JACKAL, I JACKAL FOR AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $9,460 AND 67 CENTS.SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE, SETTLEMENT
[ AT 5 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing settlement of property damage related Claim, File No.: 106/21C, by Jean R Jean Mary, for an amount not to exceed $2,312.83]
OF PROPERTY DAMAGE RELATED CLAIM BY JEAN, UM, OR JEAN MARY FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,312 AND 50 AND 83 CENTS.[ AT 6 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing settlement of property damage related Claim, File No.: 117/21C, by Kay H. Yang, for an amount not to exceed $927.36]
RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM FILE NUMBER 1 1 7 21 C BY K H YANG FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 9 27 36.[ BD 1 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing the Building Department to enter into an agreement with the International Code Council to provide plan review of the new 207,000 Sq. Ft. Regeneron Laboratory Building]
BUILDING DEPARTMENT.I'M DOING AN AGREEMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE PLAN REVIEW OF THE NEW 207,000 SQUARE FOOT REGENERON, UH, LABORATORY BUILDING.
[ CL 1 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing permission to close Edgemont Road, from Round Hill Road to the triangle at the end of Edgemont Place/Crane's Pond, on Sunday, October 31st (no rain date), from 2:30 PM until 4:30 PM, for the Old Edgemont Association to hold a Halloween Parade]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PERMISSION TO CLOSE ON EDGEMONT ROAD FROM ROUND HILL ROAD TO THE TRIANGLE AT THE END OF EDGEMONT PLACE.PON ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31ST FROM TWO 30 TO FOUR 30
[02:00:01]
FOR THE OLD EDGEMONT ASSOCIATION TO HOLD A HALLOWEEN PARADE.I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CL 2 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing permission to close Walbrooke Road, between Glenwood Road and Roxbury Road, on Sunday, October 31, 2021 (no rain date), from 2:30 PM until 7:30 PM, for the Edgemont Association to hold its Annual Halloween Event]
THE RESIDENT COMMISSION TO CLOSE BROOK ROAD BETWEEN GLENWOOD ROAD AND ROXBURY ROAD ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, NO RAIN DATE FROM, UH, TWO 30 UNTIL 7:30 PM FOR EDGEMONT ASSOCIATION FILLED ITS ANNUAL HALLOWEEN EVENT.[ CL 3 - 10/27/2021 Resolution scheduling a reopening of a Public Hearing for 7:30 PM, Wednesday, November 10, 2021, to consider a Local Law amending Section 285-28 of the Zoning Ordinance, entitled “DS Designed Shopping District,” as it relates to Automotive Fuel Station Uses]
SCHEDULING AND REOPENING OF A PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UM, WEDNESDAY, UH, NOVEMBER 10TH TO CONSIDER LOCAL LAW AMENDING SECTION 2 85 28 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE ENTITLED DSS UH, DESIGN SHOPPING DISTRICT AS IT RELATES TO AUTOMOTIVE, UM, FUEL STATION, UM, USES.UM, I'D LIKE TO ALSO SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GONNA DO IT ANYWAY, UM, THAT WE NOTIFY EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE AT THE LAST HEARING.
AND THEIR ATTORNEY DID CALL ME, UH, FOR SOME OF THE GAS STATION OWNERS AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY AWARE OF THE HEARING.
SO WORK SESSION THAT OCCURRED AND I, AND I I WOULD SUGGEST WE MOVE THIS AS AMENDED SO THAT EVEN THOUGH THE, THE ACTUAL NOTICE THAT'S GOING OUT MENTIONS THAT THIS IS RELATED TO SAM'S, UH, SO THAT THIS HEADING REFLECTS THAT IT'S INVOLVES SAM'S BECAUSE THE AVERAGE PERSON LOOKING AT RELATED TO AUTOMOTIVE FUEL SERVICES, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST A CHANGE THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO MAKE IN TIME BEFORE THE AGENDA WAS PRINTED.
SO THAT, THAT'S, UM, YOU'RE MOVING AT NOT AS AMENDED.
I WILL SECOND THE AS AMENDED MO MOTION.
[ CL 4 - 10/27/2021 Resolution setting a Public Hearing 7:30 PM, Monday, November 22, 2021, to consider the 2022 Preliminary Budget]
RESOLUTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING 7:30 PM UM, FOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND TO CONSIDER THE 2022 PRELIMINARY BUDGET.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CL 5 – 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing permission to close Kempster Road, Chedworth Road, and Withington Road, all between Cotswold Way and Hadden Road, and close Hadden Road from Kempster Road to Withington Road, on Sunday, October 31, 2021, from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM, for the residents of the Cotswold Association to hold a neighborhood Halloween Party]
AUTHORIZING PERMISSION TO CLOSE KEMPSTER ROAD SHED ROAD ON LIVINGTON ROAD, ALL BETWEEN CUSPAL WAY AND HADDEN ROAD.ENC CLOSE HADDEN ROAD FROM KEMPSTER TO, UH, LIVINGTON ROAD ON, UM, OCTOBER 31ST FROM FIVE TO 9:00 PM FOR THE RESIDENCE OF THE
[ CL 6 – 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing permission to close Bradford Avenue Lane, between Maryton Road and Ethelton Road, on Sunday, October 31, 2021 (no Rain Date), from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM, for the residents of Bradford Avenue to hold a Halloween Block Party]
AUTHORIZING PERMISSION TO CLOSE BRADFORD AVENUE LANE BETWEEN MARITON AND ETHERTON ROAD, UM, FROM 2:00 PM UNTIL 8:00 PM FOR RESIDENCE OF BRADFORD AVENUE TOTAL THE HALLOWEEN BLOCK PARTY.[ CO 1 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing Fiscal Year 2021 budget transfer]
AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET TRANSFER.[ PR 1 - 10/27/2021 Resolution accepting a $2,000 donation from the Metropolis Country Club Foundation, represented by Natalie Robinson, to be used for financial assistance to supplement fees for qualified applicants attending Department of Parks and Recreation Summer Day Camps]
ACCEPTING A $2,000 DONATION FROM THE METROPOLIS COUNTRY CLUB FOUNDATION REPRESENTING, UH, REPRESENTED BY NATALIE ROBINSON TO BE USED FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPLEMENTAL FEES FOR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS ATTENDING DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION SUMMER DAY CAMP.[ PR 2 - 10/27/2021 Resolution accepting a $1,600 Grant from the Bronx River-Sound Shore Audubon Society, Inc., represented by Sandy Morrissey, to be used exclusively for two Pollinator Demonstration Gardens on Town Parklands]
GRAND FROM THE BRONX RIVER SOUND THROUGHOUTPARKLANDS, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
I JUST WANNA MENTION THE GREENBERG NATURE CENTER HAVE AN AMAZING POLLINATOR, UM, IN GARDEN.
I SAW IT ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON FRIDAY, UH, ON SAT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, A, AN INITIATIVE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT IN HASTINGS IN TARRYTOWN.
THERE'S PEOPLE, ALL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITIES ON, THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO LIVES ON TAXI ROAD, SHOWED ME A POLLINATOR GARDEN, A MAGNIFICENT POLLINATOR GARDEN AT HIS HOUSE, UM, OFF OF TAXI ROAD.
IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, IS REALLY SPECIAL AND I'M REALLY THRILLED THAT WE WE GOT THIS GRANT.
THEY DID, THEY DID A FA A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND ALSO THEY HAVE A, A BEAUTIFUL MEADOW THAT WAS, UH, DIED BY KATHY LU.
WHEN IS IT THEY DO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT FANTASTIC? THEY, WHENEVER THEY DO SOMETHING, THEY DO IT WELL.
THEY HAD A GREAT EVENT OVER THE WEEKEND.
[ PO 2 – 10/27/2021 Resolution adopting the recommendation of the Greenburgh Police Department to reduce the posted maximum speed limit on Donald Drive, Mendham Avenue and Heath Place, amending Chapter 460 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh]
RESOLUTION DUB RECOMMENDATIONS POLICE DEPARTMENTS REDUCE THE POSTED MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT ON DONALD DRIVE, AMEND THE AVENUE AND HEATH PLACE, UM, AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR 60 OF DAKOTA, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.I'D LIKE TO, UH, YOU MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ PW 1 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing a proposal for professional engineering services with Woodard and Curran for Data Collection and Preliminary Engineering Analysis related to the Troublesome Brook Drainage Improvements, for an amount not to exceed $344,000]
AUTHORIZING PROPOSAL FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES WOULD, WOULD WORDUM, AND I THINK, UH, BRIAN, HE HALF WILL BE
[02:05:01]
PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY.UH, SO PART OF THE PROPOSAL, UH, SO GOOD EVENING.
BRIAN SIMMONS, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, SO PART OF THE PROPOSAL DOES INCLUDE SOME SUPPORT TO THE TOWN, UH, TO APPLY TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY FOR, AS PART OF THEIR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT LAW PROGRAM FOR, UH, UH, SOME ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS TO STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR GRANTS.
SO WHAT PERCENT OF THE 3 44 DO YOU THINK WILL COME OUT OF THE TOWN? SO THE, THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT LAW PROGRAM THROUGH WESTCHESTER COUNTY, THERE IS A, A PROCESS IN WHICH THERE COULD BE A 50 50 MATCH, 50 MATCH, YOU KNOW, 50%, UH, PUT UP BY THE TOWN.
50%, UM, PAID FOR BY THE COUNTY.
[ PW 2 - 10/27/2021 Resolution authorizing a proposal for professional engineering services with Woodard and Curran for Data Collection and Preliminary Engineering Analysis related to the Manhattan Park Brook Drainage Improvements, for an amount not to exceed $386,500]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROPOSAL FOR FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING, ENGINEERING SERVICES WITH WOODEN CURRENT FOR DATA COLLECTION AND PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING ANALYSIS RELATED TO THE MANHATTAN FOR, FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FOR AN AMOUNT TO EXCEED 386,500.AND, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, THE, THAT WOULD IMPACT THE DATA.
YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER AND, UM, WARREN AVENUE AND FLORENCE AND ROSEMONT, YOU KNOW, BOULEVARD.
CORRECT THAT ENTIRE AREA AROUND MANHATTAN AVENUE, WARREN AVENUE, FLORENCE AVENUE, MANHATTAN AVENUE.
DOES THAT ALSO, YESTERDAY WE WERE TALKING SOME PEOPLE, UH, IN THE FULTON PARK SECTION OF THE TOWN, UH, LIKE, UH, OLD
WOULD THAT, IS THAT MANHATTAN BROOK THAT'S A PART OF THE MANHATTAN BROOK? UM, ARE PORTIONS OF FULTON PARK.
BUT THIS AREA ISN'T INTENDED TO INCLUDE THAT AREA.
ANYBODY'D LIKE TO SPEAK A SECOND TIME? THERE'S NOBODY HERE, SO THANKS BRIAN.
ANYBODY ON ZOOM? ANYBODY ON ZOOM? WANNA SPEAK A SECOND TIME? RAISE YOUR HAND.
GARY, ARE YOU SEEING ANYBODY? NO, I THINK MICHELLE BROWN HAD INDICATED POTENTIALLY SPEAKING A SECOND TIME, BUT UM, MICHELLE, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE THERE, AND I DO SEE A HAND RAISED NOW, UH, LET'S SEE, WE'VE GOT CLIFF, UH, CLIFTON.
SO WE'VE GOT CLIFTON ABRAMS JOINING AND MICHELLE, IF YOU INTEND TO SPEAK THE SECOND TIME, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
CLIFF, UH, CLIFF, IF YOU'RE THERE, IF YOU, UH, JUST UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE L B G Q SIGN IS STILL HANGING AND THERE'S NO EXPIRATION DATE.
SO I AM ASKING THAT WHEN THE PAN-AFRICAN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FLAG THAT LIBERATION FLAG BE RAISED AT THE CEREMONY THAT IT STAY WELL THE EXPIRATION DATE.
AND I ALSO LIKE TO SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS APPEARS THAT WHEN US AS BLACK ADVOCATES COME AND WE SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT COULD CONCERN OUR COMMUNITY, THE TOWN BOARD DON'T GIVE US THE SAME RESPECT AS THEY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE CONCERNS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
I DIDN'T NOTICE THE CURVE DIDN'T GET HER FIVE MINUTES.
SHE WOULD TALK ABOUT SOME REAL PERSONAL AND IMPORTANT THINGS.
AND IT'S DISRESPECTFUL WHEN SOMEBODY GIVE, SPILLING THEIR HEARTS OUT TO BE CUT OFF.
AND WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE WAS TALKING ABOUT STORES AND, AND HOW BRIGHT IT GOING TO BE, THEY GET A CONVERSATION FOR 10 MINUTES.
AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT US AS ADVOCATES TALK ABOUT TO DISRESPECT AND THEY HAVE TO STOP.
AND I'M LOOKING AT CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT FORMED THIS BOARD THAT WHERE THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO SUPPORT US.
I REMEMBER I WAS ON A BOARD MEETING THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT LEAF BLOWERS, THAT I HAD TO STAY FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS JUST TO HAVE PEOPLE GO BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF THE NOISE AND THEY GOT THE TOTAL RESPECT OF THE TOWN BOARD.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO BEING DISPLACED FROM HOUSING AND HOW PEOPLE IS NOT GETTING NOTHING IN WRITING.
HOW PEOPLE IS NERVOUS, HOW PEOPLE IS AFRAID ABOUT HOW THEIR CHILDREN ARE GOING, WHAT SCHOOL THEY GO TO.
[02:10:01]
AND WE GET CUT OFF WITH NO RESPECT.YOU TAKE A LOOK, LOOK AT THAT AND WHAT I'M ASKING, AND I ASKED BEFORE WHEN I DID THIS THING ON NEWS 12, I'M ASKING THE TOWN BOARD TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING, MR. FINER AND THE TOWN AT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE ON RACISM IN GREENBERG.
THIS REAL, BUT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
WE NEED TO HAVE AN HONEST DISCUSSION ABOUT RACISM IN GREENBIRD.
YES, IT'S TOUGH TO TALK ABOUT, BUT IT NEED TO BE TALKED ABOUT.
'CAUSE I STILL HAVING A PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO THE SIGN BEING TAKEN DOWN AND NOBODY WHO DON'T WANT TO SIGN BACK UP HAVE NOT SHOWN UP YET YET TO SAY WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO SIGN BACK UP.
BUT IT'S LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S A COVER UP THAT THEY CAN COMPLAIN THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO SIGN BACK UP, BUT THEY AIN'T GOTTA SHOW THEIR FACE YET.
THEY LISTEN TO THEM AND WE SHOW UP ON A REGULAR BASIS TALKING ABOUT HOW IT SHOULD BE UP AND THEN WE GET CUT OFF.
SO I'M ASKING THIS TOWN BOARD HERE TO HAVE A TOWN HALL MEETING LIKE THE PRESIDENT DO, DO THE TOWN HALL MEETING OR SENATOR, I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO GIVE A TOWN HALL MEETING FOR THE WHOLE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE TOWN.
EVERYBODY LET'S HAVE A SERIOUS DISCUSSION ON RACE IN GREENBURG AND HOW THEY FEEL AND WHY THEY FEEL WE COULD SAY HOW WE FEEL THIS HAS TO STOP THE DISRESPECT AND THEN WHEN PEOPLE GET ANGRY AND SAY CERTAIN THINGS.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULDN'T BE INTERRUPTED AND ALL OF THAT, BUT PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THIS BEEN GOING ON.
I'VE BEEN COMING TO THE ACCOUNT BOARD MEETINGS OVER FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT AND, AND, AND WE GET NO ANSWERS BACK.
I'LL JUST STILL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND UM, TAKE IT IN CONSIDERATION OF HAVING A TOWN HALL MEETING ON RACISM.
AND I TALKED TO OUR CHAIRPERSON, LYNN, UM GOODMAN, WHO IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, AND WE WERE WILLING TO GIVE TO, UM, HOST IT.
IS THAT IT? SCARED OF ANYBODY ELSE? NO, IT WAS.
HOW ARE YOU? I AGREE WITH CLIFF.
THERE'S RACIST BEHAVIOR RIGHT ON THE TOWN BOARD.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS WOVEN IN THE FABRIC OF AMERICA.
NOBODY IS SAYING THAT SOMEONE IS DELIBERATELY WAKING UP TODAY AND SAYING, HEY, HOW CAN I BE RACIST? HOW CAN I BE A GATEKEEPER? BUT I'M TELLING YOU, YOUR ACTIONS, LIKE LOOK BACK AT THE VIDEO YOURSELF.
YOU KNOW, LOOK AT HOW YOU TREAT OTHER PEOPLE, WHETHER IT IS AGAIN, INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL.
AND NOTHING CAN BE SOLVED UNTIL WE TALK ABOUT AN APPROACH.
RACISM, BECAUSE SYSTEMATICALLY RACISM IS EMBEDDED IN POLITICS.
POLITICS IS BUILT FROM A BLUEPRINT OF SLAVERY.
AND THAT BLUEPRINT TALKS ABOUT AND HAS MADE CERTAIN PEOPLE OPPRESSED AND CERTAIN PEOPLE, THE OPPRESSORS AND THAT HISTORY HAS NOT CHANGED THAT, THAT AT ALL.
AGAIN, NOT SAYING ANYBODY'S WAKING UP DELIBERATELY ATTEMPTING TO BE RACIST, BUT THIS CANNOT CONTINUE WITHOUT SO MUCH PERPETRATING IT.
LIKE RACISM DOESN'T EXIST UNLESS PEOPLE ARE BEING THE RECEIVERS OF RACISM AND PEOPLE ARE PERPETRATING RACISM.
IT DOESN'T EXIST WITHOUT THOSE TWO THINGS HAPPENING.
SO YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT THAT IS HAPPENING, HAPPENS IN ACTION.
IT HAPPENS IN WORDS, IT HAPPENS IN DE IT DEFINITELY HAPPENS IN POLITICS AND POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES.
HOUSING IS A THING THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN OFF AS A BOARD TO HOUSE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CITIZENS IN YOUR COMMUNITY FROM LOW INCOME TO MODERATELY INCOME OR AFFORDABLE INCOME OR ACCEPTANCE OF INCOME, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
YOU CANNOT SEE THAT HOUSING IN
[02:15:01]
LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN GREENBURG IS NOT GOING THROUGH A TRANSITION THAT IS NOT AFFECTING ITS RESIDENTS.AND MENTAL HEALTH IS ONE OF THOSE WAYS IN WHICH IT IS AFFECTING THEM.
NOW YOU CAN SAY YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
YOU CAN SAY YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
IT'S GREENBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY.
IT'S GREENBURG HEIGHTS, L L C.
BUT YOU ARE THE TOWN OR YOU ARE THE GATEKEEPER.
AND IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE ALL OF YOUR RESIDENTS ARE MANAGED AND TAKEN CARE OF EQUITABLY.
BEGINNING WITH THE PASSING OF A FIVE MINUTE TIMER TO SPEAK ABOUT MARIJUANA.
AND A HISPANIC WOMAN SPEAKS ABOUT IT.
AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU WANNA SAY, HEY, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
AND SHE DIDN'T GET FIVE MINUTES.
THAT IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND IT HAPPENS BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE ILLUSION OF POWER BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT POWERFUL.
YOU'RE THERE 'CAUSE YOU WERE ELECTED BECAUSE YOUR CONSTITUENTS BELIEVE IN YOU THAT YOU'RE GONNA HELP THEM AND, AND MANAGE THEM AND CARE FOR THEM AND MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THEM.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PUTTING IT ON ZOOM BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC AND I HOPE WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT TO MORE PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A FORMAT THAT THEY CAN ALL PARTICIPATE IN.
SO THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED BY, UH, YOU KNOW, BY ZOOM.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE THIS HYBRID MODEL WHERE PEOPLE COULD PARTICIPATE IN PERSON, UM, OR BY ZOOM AND SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER.
YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITY, SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, UM, UH, MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN.