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GREAT.[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1500 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK SESSION, UH, TODAY IS, UM, JANUARY 4TH.HOPE YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, GREAT, UM, NEW YEAR.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA, UM, START, UM, WITH, UM, ANNU.
ANNA, UH, APPARENTLY SHE WANTS TO BE PUBLIC.
HOW ARE YOU? LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING, ANU.
UM, I, WE, I WANTED TO, UM, JUST ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT THE STATE OF THE COURT THESE DAYS.
UM, UM, HOW, HOW, HOW ARE THINGS OVER THERE? WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON? THINGS ARE MOVING PRETTY WELL MM-HMM.
WE DO, UH, WE DO HANDLE CRIMINAL 70 PER 70% OF OUR CASES ARE CRIMINAL, MAYBE 60% OF THE CRIMINAL, 30% OF S CIVIL RESTER, UH, B T L.
UM, THE, THAT'S HOW, AND THAT'S ALSO INCLUDES THE CRIMINAL ALSO INCLUDES THE TOWN ORDINANCE CASES THAT WE HANDLE TOO.
SO YOU SEPARATE OUT THE D W I CASES FROM THE CRIMINAL CASES.
D W I IS PART OF THE CRIMINAL.
AND, AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CRIMINAL IS D W I? UH, IT'S, IT'S GOTTEN, UH, HIGHER, UH, THESE DAYS AFTER THE C SINCE THE COVID STARTED.
I WILL PROVIDE YOU THAT INFORMATION, UM, AFTER RUNNING A REPORT TOMORROW.
30% OR WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 30% OR, OR MORE OF THE 70% CRIMINAL 60.
UM, AND WHAT, WHAT EFFECT, UM, HAS THE MORATORIA PUT INTO PLACE BY THE GOVERNOR HAD ON THE COURT? IT'S TAKING A TOLL ON THE COURT BECAUSE THINGS ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME.
AND, UH, JUDGES ARE ALSO, UH, GETTING INVOLVED IN HANDLING THEM BECAUSE IT, IT, IT IS A DAY-TO-DAY THINGS ARE BEING CHANGED AND, UH, AS A CLERK, IT'S HAVING A DIFFICULT, UH, TIME TO INTERPRET THE LAW THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING.
AND SO JUDGES ARE GETTING INVOLVED AND THEY, THEY'RE HELPING US THROUGH THAT.
AND, UH, UH, IT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE QUESTIONS COMES UP DAY TO DAY, AND NOW JUDGES ARE INVOLVED IN THAT.
WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THE MORATORIUM IS LIFTED, HOW IS THAT GONNA AFFECT THE COURT? TE UH, KEN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, LAND, THE TENANT EVICTIONS? YES.
UM, THE CASES, THERE ARE CASES PENDING RIGHT NOW AND NOT PUT ON THE CALENDAR BE BECAUSE OF THE COVID DECLARATION.
UH, ONCE THAT, UH, UPLIFTED, UH, CASE WILL BE GOING, EVERY, EVERY SINGLE CASES THAT'S PENDING WILL BE BACK ON THE CALENDAR.
UM, WE, THE JUDGES NEED TO COME IN, UH, HANDLE IT ON A DIFFERENT DATE BECAUSE IT WON'T BE ON THE SAME DAY AS THEY ARE DOING IT.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT CRIMINAL AND CIVIL ON THE SAME DAY ANYMORE ONCE IT'S LIFTED.
SO YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A CRIMINAL DAY AND THEN A CIVIL DAY? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, UH, GOING BACK TO THE, UH, CRIMINAL SIDE OF THINGS, UM, ARRAIGNMENTS ARE NOW 24 HOURS, AREN'T THEY? YES.
UH, YES, WE ARE BACK ON ARRAIGNMENTS.
AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT, UH, COURTS ARE NOT HANDLING, THE LOCAL COURTS ARE HANDLING ARRAIGNMENTS? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE, THERE'S A VACANCY, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE COURT.
AND, UM, COULD YOU TELL US SORT OF THE SCHEDULE OF THE JUDGES, UH, YOU KNOW HOW, I MEAN, ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU, THEY'RE ALL PART-TIME AND I'M SORT OF
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WONDERING, ARE THEY ON DUTY FOR THREE MONTHS AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, COMES IN OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BASICALLY ALL WORKING ALL YEAR.IT'S ACTUALLY ON CALLS ARE EITHER TWO TO THREE WEEKS ON AND THREE WEEKS OFF.
IT'S NOT, DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S MANAGED, UH, HOW IT'S SCHEDULED.
IT'S NOT, NO, JUDGES ARE OFF THREE MONTHS STRAIGHT.
'CAUSE IF THEY ARE NOT ON CALL, THEY WILL BE WORKING IN THE OFFICE.
IF THEY ARE NOT, THEY CANNOT BE OFF AT THE SAME TIME ON CALL AND, YOU KNOW.
AND WHO'S, UM, ON DUTY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WHICH JUDGES ARE ON DUTY, YOU KNOW, DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY, UH, JUDGE PR OR JUDGE ORDEN JUST FINISHED HER ARRAIGNMENT.
JUDGE
SHE STARTED THERE OR TOMORROW.
SO HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT THE TOWN BOARD, UM, APPOINT THE JUDGE, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO? UH, IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE JUDGES ARE, UM, IT, IT WILL BE, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE, IF IT'S ONLY TWO JUDGES, THEY HAVE TO BE ON CALL AND HANDLING THE CALENDARS.
UM, WE ARE SCHEDULED CRIMINAL, YOU KNOW, THE CASES ARE SCHEDULED.
WE ARE STILL HANDLING WHATEVER THE CIVIL THAT WE CAN HANDLE.
PLUS THE CRIMINAL CASES ARE STILL 60 PLUS EVERY WEEK.
I MEAN, EVERY CALENDAR DATES HAVE THEY, UM, AND V T L CASES THAT'S STILL HANDLING ALL ALSO THE TOWN, TOWN CASES.
ALL OF THAT'S BEING, WE ARE, WE ARE BACK ON EVEN THOUGH WE ARE VIRTUAL, BUT WE ARE BACK HANDLING ALL THE CASES.
IT'S THE COVID DECLARATION CASES.
WHEN YOU HA HAVE THE NUMBER OF CASES INCREASED DUE TO COVID, UH, IS IT GENERALLY D W I IS INCREASED? BESIDES, BESIDES D W I, I MEAN THE CRIMINAL, UH, THE OTHER CRIMINAL CASES, CIVIL AND BQ, WE DO GET, UH, UH, PETAL LARCENY, GRAND LARCENY, CRIMINAL CONTEMPT, DOMESTIC CASES.
THEY ARE ALL, UH, IN, UH, PRICE.
UM, WHAT WOULD YOU, UM, SO WITH RESPECT TO THE, UH, THE, THE LANDLORD TENANT MORATORIUM, WHEN THE MORATORIUM IS LIFTED AND ALL OF THOSE CASES ARE THEN BEFORE THE JUDGES, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CRIMINAL CALENDAR, THEY NEED TO HANDLE THEM ON A DIFFERENT DATE, WHICH THEY STILL NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE STILL GOING TO BE CRIMINAL CASES AND THE LANDLORD TENANT CASES ARE ALL TIME SENSITIVE NEEDS TO BE HANDLED IN TIMELY FASHION.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PUT ONE CASE ON A SIDE TO HANDLE THE OTHER ONE.
THE JUDGES NEED TO, UH, HANDLE THEM ON A DIFFERENT DATE OR DIFFERENT TIME.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M WORKING WITH THE JUDGES TO, TO, UH, RESCHEDULE SHUFFLING THINGS AROUND TO, TO HANDLE THEM.
YOU WON'T BE HANDLING, OR I SHOULD PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, YOU'LL BE HANDLING A LOT OF CASES.
THE, THE INITIAL, UM, TRANCHE OF CASES WOULD BE THE, THE ONES THAT WERE IN ABEYANCE BEFORE COVID STRUCK.
THE MORATORIUM WAS PUT IN PLACE AND THEN, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FIT THE OTHERS ON THE CALENDAR.
WILL YOU BE EXTENDING THE DAY, THE COURT DAY IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE MORE AND TRYING TO HAVE MORE CASES PER DAY? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED ONCE IT'S OPEN.
RIGHT NOW, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THAT.
'CAUSE I, IT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY NEED TO DO AN ADDITIONAL TIME, BUT SOMETHING I NEED TO SPEAK WITH THE JUDGES, HOW TO HANDLE THEM.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO, RIGHT NOW WE ARE DOING VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC CASES STRICT, UH, 90% OF OUR VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC CASES ARE BEING HANDLED VIRTUALLY.
SO WE DO HAVE A NORMAL BEFORE PANDEMIC, WE HAD A TWO DAYS WORTH OF VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC CASES THAT WE HANDLE.
PEOPLE ARE SCHEDULED, THEY CAME INTO COURT.
THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT ADDRESSED.
SO THOSE TWO DATES, WE COULD USE THOSE TWO DATES FOR CIVIL CASES, UM, AND UTILIZE THOSE TWO DATES TO HANDLE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT I'M ANTICIPATING, BUT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE JUDGES.
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ARE THERE ANY ISSUES, UM, IN THE COURT THAT, UH, SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE TOWN? UH, WE DID AUTHORIZE, UH, THE HIRING OF A LAWYER, UM, IN THE BUDGET, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S OTHER PROBLEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE US TO ADDRESS.WE, I, I FEEL THAT THIS YEAR WILL BE THE YEAR THAT WE MAKE A DECISION ON THE COURT.
AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, PLAN, YOU KNOW, BE, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, UM, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS DEFINITELY GONNA BE A VERY, VERY HIGH PRIORITY.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE THE JUDGES TO BE IN, IN IT, IN IT FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT MAINLY THE, MY MAIN ISSUE IS, UH, PROVIDING RAISES FOR THE JUDGES AND THE STAFF.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN REASON THAT I'M, I, I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY HOLDING ON TO STAFF, IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE FINDING OTHER JOBS, UM, ELSEWHERE MORE THAN WHAT THEY GET HERE, 10, $15,000 MORE THAN WHAT WE GET HERE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASON I'M HAVING TROUBLE.
PEOPLE COME INTO GREENBURG COURT TO JUST THE FOOT WET, LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN, UH, LEARN AND LEAVE.
THEY DON'T NEED TO WORK HARD AS MUCH AS THEY DO HERE WHEN THEY GO TO OTHER COURTS.
SO, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THEY ARE COMING INTO GREENBURG.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE SEEN FOR PAST 10 YEARS.
THEY COME IN, LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN, LEARN, AND THEY LEAVE.
AND ONLY WAY TO HOLD ON TO THE, UH, GOOD STAFF, PROVIDE THEM MORE MONEY, CHANGE THEIR GRADE, UH, TO HIGHER GRADES.
AND CAN I, WE DO, WE ALSO THINK THAT THE COURT HAS NO SPACE TO DO ANYTHING.
WE DON'T HAVE A, WE, I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS SO MANY TIMES.
COURT HAS NO JURY DELIBERATION RULE, NO JURY, UH, JURY TO, UH, GO IN, IN A PRIVATE PLACE TO DO ANYTHING.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE ARE FACING.
WE ARE A COURT AND NOT HAVING A JURY, UH, AREA.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO JUST, TO GET A, A LITTLE BIT BIGGER PLACE TO HANDLE THAT AND A BIGGER SPACE TO HANDLE REST OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HANDLE.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, I CAN.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UM, THE, THE POSITIONS OF CIVIL SERVICE.
THE, UH, THE POSITIONS ARE CIVIL SERVICE.
I JUST WANT, I JUST NEEDED CLARITY ON THAT.
UM, ANNU, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE, UM, THE AVERAGE CALENDAR CALLS IN A DAY? THE NUMBER OF CASES ON A CALENDAR? UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, THE AVERAGE IS 60 CRIMINAL CASES.
AND, UH, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE IN A MORATORIUM STATUS, WE STILL HAVE LIKE A 15 TO 20, UM, CIVIL CASES AVERAGE A WEEK.
IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WEEKLY CRIMINAL CASES ARE LIKE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED, 140, UM, UH, LANDLORD TENANT WEEKLY, WE HAVE CLOSE TO, UH, 15 TO 20.
AND, UH, UM, WE ALSO HAVE A TOWN ORDINANCE CASES THAT WE HANDLE THAT'S LIKE A, A 40 OR 50.
THEN ALSO V T L, THAT'S ALL DEPENDING THE CALENDAR 150.
UM, BUT THERE ARE, UM, THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HANDLE, UM, LOT MORE VIRTUAL.
SO THE VTLS ALONE ARE 150 A WEEK? YES.
UM, 50 PER, THAT'S WHAT WE DO RIGHT NOW.
150 A WEEK, RIGHT? A NOW? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, UM, DO YOU SEE THAT INCREASING AS, UH, IN, IN COMING MONTHS? UM, RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT SITUATION, WE MAY WANNA STAY WITH THE 50, BUT, UM, AFTER, UH, JANUARY IF THINGS OCCUR A LITTLE CALMER WITH THE CO COVID SITUATION, WE MIGHT GOING TO INCREASE IT TO A HUNDRED.
THAT'S WHAT WE INITIALLY PLANNED TO DO, A HUNDRED PER, UH, JUDGE A WEEK.
SO, WHICH MEANS IT'S GOING TO BE 300.
'CAUSE WE ARE BACKED UP WITH THE DEAL CASES THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT SENDING THEIR PLEAS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THINGS ARE BEING DONE VIRTUALLY ONLY WAY FOR US TO, UH, SUSPEND THEIR LICENSE.
THEY, WE MUST SCHEDULE THEM BEFORE A JUDGE.
UH, SO IF THEY DON'T APPEAR, JUDGE HAVE THE, UM, AUTHORITY OR COULD MAKE A DECISION TO SUSPEND THEIR LICENSE.
SO YOU'RE PROJECTING THAT THE NUMBER OF V
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T L CASES COULD INCREASE TO 300 A WEEK THIS MONTH? YEAH.IS THAT, IS THAT, UH, ARE, IS THAT THE SHARPEST INCREASE IN SUBJECT MATTER THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING? WE HAVE TO GO THINGS LITTLE SLOWLY.
THE OFF THE COURT IS VERY, YOU KNOW, THE SIZE OF THE COURT.
IF I HAVE, I SCHEDULE MORE THAN A HUNDRED, IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, PROBLEMATIC.
UM, I WON'T ABLE TO HANDLE, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE CHANGING.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE OUTSIDE FOR A LONGER, LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, SO IT'S BECAUSE OF THE COVID SITUATION, SIX FEET APART, THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING US TO SCHEDULE MORET CASES.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HANDLING T O VIRTUALLY.
SO V T L I GET THE IMPRESSION IS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE CASEWORK THAT THE JUDGES SEE BEFORE THEM.
AND YOU ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE TRIAL SCHEDULE THAT NEEDS TO BE SCHEDULED.
WE ARE TALKING TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO GET THAT GOING.
THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING, UM, SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY.
AND ALSO, UH, WE HAVE A JURY TRIALS THAT'S, THAT NEEDS TO BE SCHEDULED, DECISIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE STILL, UM, HAPPENING, YOU KNOW.
UM, WE ARE STILL BACK FULL-TIME COURT EVEN THOUGH THINGS ARE BEING DONE VIRTUALLY.
UM, SO ARE YOU, ARE YOU GETTING JURIES NOW? ARE YOU, HAVE YOU STARTED TRIALS OR YOU HAVEN'T STARTED THEM YET? WE DID SCHEDULE A JURY, BUT THEY END UP TAKING A PLEA.
SO WE DID NOT HAVE THEM COME IN, BUT IT WAS SCHEDULED.
THERE IS A, UH, THERE ARE QUITE A NUMBER OF, UH, CASES THAT NEEDS TO BE SCHEDULED.
HOW, HOW MANY, UH, TRIAL BACK LOGS ARE YOU LOOKING AT? UM, UH, FOUR, SIX, UH, IN MY KNOWLEDGE, SEVEN.
AND WHEN A JUDGE IS ON TRIAL, THEY CAN'T OBVIOUSLY BE DOING THE, THE, THE 300 V T L CASES IN A WEEK.
SO THAT, DOES THAT FALL TO THE OTHER JUDGES? WE DON'T, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANY OF THOSE CASES BECAUSE IF THE JURY'S HAPPENING, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO TAKE CARE OF ANY OF THE MATTERS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE OFFICE OR THE COURTHOUSE.
WE JURY, AND KEEP IN MIND WE DON'T HAVE A JURY DELIBERATION ROOM, SO PEOPLE, THE JURORS ARE STAYING OUTSIDE OF THE COURTROOM OR, UH, IN THE LOBBY AND IT, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE ANY OTHER CASES.
SO WHEN YOU'RE, THIS IMPACTED THE BUDGET, I'M SORRY.
HOW HAS ALL THESE DELAYS IMPACTED THE BUDGET? UM, I DON'T, THE COURT IS, UH, I DID NOT LOOK AT THE LAST, THE FINAL MONTH OF JANUARY.
DECEMBER, UH, REPORT IS NOT IN YET.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE, ARE WE STILL KEEPING UP WITH THE NUMBERS, UH, BECAUSE OF DOING THINGS VIRTUALLY.
JUDGES ARE TAKING THE TICKETS HOME AND DOING THEIR WORK AT HOME.
UM, THEY ARE BRINGING THEM BACK AND WE ARE HANDLING THEM IN THE OFFICE.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A HUGE, UM, IMPACT ON THE BUDGET.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE DELAYS HAVE NOT AFFECTED THE INCOME TO THE COURT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, IF, HOWEVER, THERE COULD PROBABLY BE MORE INCOME IF WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE DELAYS AND SPEED THINGS UP.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND BECAUSE OF, WE DO, OUR MAJOR, UH, AREA OF, UH, FINES THAT WE ARE COLLECTING IS THROUGH THE B T L CASES.
AND, UH, SINCE WE ARE HANDLING THEM VIRTUALLY, THE TURNAROUND TIME IS VERY, TAKES A LITTLE LONGER.
UM, IT, UH, PEGGY AND THE TEAM, UH, WE RECEIVED THE PLEA.
WE SEND THE INFORMATION OVER TO THE, UH, TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEN THEY DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AND THEY SEND THE INFORMATION TO THE DEFENDANT AND OR DEFENSE COUNSEL.
THEN THAT INFORMATION NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COURT.
THEN COURT NEEDS TO PROCESS IT AND PUT, GIVE IT TO THE JUDGES
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TO LOOK AT THE, UH, FINAL, UH, INFORMATION AND THEY ORDER THE FINE.ONCE WE RECEIVE THAT FROM THE JUDGES, WE SEND OUT THE FINAL, UH, NOTICE.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS OF HANDLING THEM.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR PAST YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO.
THE TOWN BOARD'S GONNA BE, UM, SELECTING A JUDGE, UM, PROBABLY, UH, AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, MOST HELPFUL TO THE COURT? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU LOOK FOR? UH, YOU KNOW, I, I AM NOT QUALIFIED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ONLY REASON I AM THE COURT COURT ADMINISTRATOR.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN BOARD SHOULD, UH, CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE DO WORK IN THE OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR.
AND I, I'M NOT IN ANY POSITION TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION 'CAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE, UM, I HAVE THE QUALIFICATION TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
I'M NOT A LAWYER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY DO, THE JUDGES DO HAVE A, A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY WHEN THEY ARE ON THE BENCH.
THEY HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
MY, I, YOU KNOW, MY THINKING PROCESS IS NOT PROBABLY THE RIGHT THINKING PROCESS THAN THEY'RE MAKING A DECISION.
SO I RATHER LEAVE THAT UP TO THE JUDGES TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND, UH, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M SAYING THAT.
I COULD DO EVERYTHING ELSE EXCEPT BEING A JUDGE.
SO WE HAVE JERRY WHO'S BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING, SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BRING THE MICROPHONE OVER AND TURN IT ON.
I'M BRINGING IT PRETTY CLOSE TO YOU.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, HAVING ME, UH, GO BEFORE THE, UH, TOWN BOARD TODAY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT THREE, UH, RESOLUTIONS.
I'D LIKE TO GET ON THE NOVEMBER 12TH AGENDA AND THERE'S A PACK NOVEMBER, EXCUSE ME,
THE THE FIRST ONE I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IS THE RESOLUTION, UH, AUTHORIZED IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO SOLICIT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF SEASONAL TENANT FACILITIES THROUGH LEASE AGREEMENTS AT ANTHONY F VETERAN PARK.
UM, THIS IS A, UH, A LAW THAT WAS ENACTED, UH, YEARS AGO THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE OUTSIDE VENDORS COME IN AND LEASE OUR TENNIS COURTS.
WE'VE DONE, I THINK, TWO PREVIOUS RFPS THAT, UM, WE PUT ON THE STREET AND HAD NO, UH, SUBMISSIONS.
UM, LAST YEAR I WAS APPROACHED BY A PROSPECTIVE VENDOR THAT WOULD LIKE TO PUT, UH, A PROPOSAL IN AND THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WE'D LIKE TO SOLICIT AND SUBMIT TO US.
AND THEN, UH, REVIEW ALL THAT INFORMATION AND THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE TOWN BOARD WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PURSUE THAT.
WE, WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND I THINK THE TIME IS RIGHT NOW TO PUT IT BACK OUT AND SEE IF THERE'S INTEREST.
THE BUBBLE ON VETERAN PARK IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, NOT VETERAN RUM BROOK IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, DOING SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SIGNIFICANT AND PROBABLY WOULD BE A 30 YEAR, ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 30 YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT.
AND, UM, UH, IT WOULD BE BROKEN UP INTO TWO PARTS.
BASICALLY A, UH, WINTER SEASON AND THEN A SUMMER SEASON AS TWO SEPARATE LEASE AGREEMENTS.
HOW MANY COURTS? UM, WELL, IT'S UP TO THEM TO SUBMIT.
UM, THE AREA THAT WE'RE MOST LIKELY INTERESTED IS WHEN YOU COME INTO THE PARK.
IT'S LIKE, UH, COURTS 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
AND IN ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN IT, THERE MIGHT BE WHERE THEY MAY COME BACK WITH A PROPOSAL AND PUT 'EM ON TOP OF THEM OR JUST BASICALLY, UM, REMOVE ALL OF THEM AND BUILD, YOU KNOW, NINE NEW COURTS AND PUT IT, YOU KNOW, AN INVESTMENT.
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THE STUFF THAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT AND IT COULD BRING IN SOME SIGNIFICANT REVENUE FOR US.AND AT THE SAME TIME, UH, PROVIDE A SERVICE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING SEASONAL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A BUBBLE THAT'S YEAH, IT WOULD BE BUBBLE AND THE BUBBLE WOULD COME DOWN.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF DOING SOMETHING PERMANENTLY.
AND I, I'M AGAINST THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALLY CONSIDERED SEASONAL, YOU KNOW.
UM, SO, UH, BUT WE ARE OPEN, UM, TO, OF THOSE COURTS TO UH, LEASE THEM TO OUTSIDE PEOPLE AND THEN COME UP WITH A PLAN, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD PROVIDE QUALITY TENNIS.
AT THE SAME TIME THE OTHER COURTS THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE UTILIZING THEM FOR OUR TENNIS PROGRAM AND THAT'S NOT GONNA DISAPPEAR.
AND WE'RE ALSO MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, CONVERTING SOME OF THOSE COURTS INTO PICKLEBALL COURTS.
NOW THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
COURTS, BUT I WOULD SAY FROM COURTS 14 TO 19, TECHNICALLY THAT'S IN SEACOR WOODS PARK.
THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE AREA THAT WE GOT STATE APPROVAL THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A LEASE ON MM-HMM.
SO COURTS 14 THROUGH NINE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED OKAY.
AND THE ACTUAL AGREEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR US TO READ? WELL, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT.
NOW, IT'S JUST A, UH, JUST THE SOLICITING, IT'S JUST SOLICITING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
SO THAT WAS THE OTHER, UH, RES IS THERE, IS THERE A CONSENSUS THAT JERRY SHOULD BE MOVING, COULD GO FORWARD ON THIS? YEAH.
BASED BASED ON GOING OUT TO BID? YES.
I, I AM MEETING WITH THE PARK AND REC ADVISORY BOARD AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AND THEY, YOU KNOW, AND I, I'M GONNA GET A FORMAL RESOLUTION FROM THEM.
SO THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD GO BEFORE YOU, THEIR POSITION.
THE OTHER, UH, RESOLUTION IS, UH, TO GET THE PERMISSION TO DO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO SOLICIT, UM, PROPOSAL FOR THE OPERATION OF THE FOOD CONCESSION AT THE ANTHONY M VETERAN PARK, WHICH IS PRIMARILY FOR THE, UH, POOL OPERATION.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WITH COVID, UM, THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD, UH, AFTER 2019, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY LITTLE BUSINESS AND BASICALLY, UH, WE AMENDED THAT AGREEMENT AND THEN WE WENT OUT FOR A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT.
AND, UH, WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDED THE SERVICE, UM, IT WAS ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.
AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING TO GO BACK OUT ON THE STREET AND, UH, DO A REVISED THREE TO FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN MAKING A, UH, PROPOSAL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SUBMIT THAT.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW, IT'S VERY HARD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MAKE A LIVING.
UM, I DO, I AM CONFIDENT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN A MAJOR WAVE OF THE OMICRON RIGHT NOW, UM, I'M HOPEFUL AND CONFIDENT THAT THE SUMMER SEASON WILL BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN, THAN WHAT WE HAD IN 2021.
IT WAS REALLY TOUGH ON 2020 LAST YEAR.
I THOUGHT WE, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY PROVIDE A MORE NORMAL PROGRAM AND I'M HOPING IT GETS A LITTLE BIT THERE.
I DON'T THINK COVID WILL BE OUT OF THE WAY, BUT, UH, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE MORE NORMAL TO HOW IT WAS TO 2019.
AND I, I WOULD PROBABLY ANTICIPATE THAT THE PROPOSALS WE GET FROM PAST YEARS WOULD BE A LOT LESS 'CAUSE THERE'S LESS MONEY TO BE MADE WITH LESS PEOPLE COMING INTO THE PARK.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE LAST ONE WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WE HAD HELD OVER IN THE, I THINK THE LAST DECEMBER MEETING, OR THE MAY EARLIER IN THE MONTH DECEMBER, IS TO RENEW THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH THE ANNOUNCER OF THE LEAGUE AUTHORIZING THEM USE OF THE WEST BROOK PARK.
UM, THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, UH, REALLY SINCE THE 1950S.
WE FORMALIZED IT PROBABLY ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, WE JUST FINISHED, UH, DECEMBER 31ST, 2021.
AND THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED AND, UM, UH, THERE WAS SOME MINOR CHANGES.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IN THE AGREEMENT IN PARTICULAR IS THAT OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITIES THAT THEY USE, UH, AT WESTBROOK, IF THEY USE ANY OTHER FACILITIES IN OUR, ANY OTHER FIELDS IN OUR PARK SYSTEM, UH, THEY, WE THINK IT'S A VERY, UH, A GOOD AGREEMENT WHERE WE ALLOW THEM TO HAVE PRACTICES WHEN FIELD SPACE ARE AVAILABLE AT NO COST.
BUT WE WOULD CHARGE THEM 50% THE REGULAR RATE, UM, BECAUSE THEY DID TAKE OVER OUR YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PROGRAM YEARS AGO.
AND WE FIGURED THIS IS A, A REALLY GOOD CLEAN AGREEMENT.
SO, UH, THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY UP AT THE NEXT
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MEETING.AND I'M ALSO HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AGREEMENT THAT WE DO, WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS NOW.
WELL, IT'S IN OR WE, OR BEFORE THE MEETING I CAN COME BACK, YOU KNOW, SO MEET, YEAH.
SO IF WE HAVE, IF WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT, THEN WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN COMMENT ABOUT IT ON TUESDAY.
WELL, THAT AGREEMENT WAS SENT OUT BACK IN DECEMBER, AND I CAN RESEND IT TO YOU 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GET A TON OF, UH, YOU KNOW, EMAILS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WAS HELD OVER, BUT IT, YOU KNOW.
YEAH, NO, I, IT WAS, 'CAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF AGENDAS WE HAD AT THE LAST MINUTE.
AND A MATTER OF FACT, I MADE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT SINCE IT WAS LAST MINUTE, I SENT IT TO HOLD IT OVER.
IT WASNT, IT WAS PRETTY LATE AND IT WASN'T LIKE, WE HAVE TO GET IT DONE RIGHT THEN AND THERE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME.
AND IF WE HAVE TO EVEN GO INTO FEBRUARY, UH, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY STANDARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, STUFF AND WE TIGHTEN IT UP.
WE GOT A LITTLE MORE INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED.
SO, UH, I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD AGREEMENT, BUT I'LL BE VERY GOOD AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE.
ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC PORTION OF TODAY'S MEETING? DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DISTRIBUTING MASKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? PAUL, OR AT LEAST THAT WE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BOARD DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND, UH, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, DID A GOOD JOB LAST WEEK.
UH, GIVING OUT THE COVID, UH, TEST KEPT COUNTY WAS STILL WAITING, UH, TO GET A, AN EXTRA SUPPLY.
BUT WE DO HAVE 4,000, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, MASKS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN BOARD TO, UM, DISCUSS LIKE A SCHEDULE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, UM, GO AROUND THE TOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY, UM, ANNOUNCE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, FOR AN, YOU KNOW, DO LIKE AN HOUR DISTRIBUTION, SAY ON EAST
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SCHEDULE YOU COULD DO NEXT WEEK OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OR YOU KNOW, OR THE WEEK AFTER, AFTER WHENEVER THE BOARD IS READY OR, YOU KNOW, AND WE COULD ALSO INVOLVE THE, THE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER AND, AND HELPING US ORGANIZE IT.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO PUT SOME DATES DOWN AND GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AS TO WHERE, WHERE THOSE WILL BE.
I, I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS, UM, TO GO AROUND THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE TOWN ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON DIFFERENT DAYS AND BASICALLY THIS WAY THEY COULD SEE THAT WE'RE MAKING AN EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO EVERYBODY.
NEXT ITEM IS THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOUR, DISCUSSING PERSONNEL MATTERS INVOLVING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AND SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON VARIOUS MATTERS.
AND SO, UH, AND WE WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR AND STAY SAFE.
AND, UH, OUR FIRST BOARD MEETING WILL BE ON JANUARY 12TH, AND WE SHOULD ALSO DISCUSS SOME, UH, MAYBE A HYBRID, YOU KNOW, APPROACH.
UH, SO WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE WAY WE'RE GONNA, DURING THE PANDEMIC, HOW WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH, UM, UH, THE BOARD MEETINGS.
WE'RE ALL SET, WE'RE ALL SET, PAUL, TO DO HYBRID.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH THE PUB, WITH THE PUBLIC.
DO WE WANNA LET PEOPLE IN? DO WE WANT, DO WE WANT EVERYBODY CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE BY ZOOM? YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD DISCUSS THAT ALSO.
YEAH, BECAUSE I JUST, I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING COVID IS JUST, IT'S LIKE EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, I FIND FIVE, 10 PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT.
SO IT'S, IT'S GETTING REAL, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST EXPLODING RIGHT NOW.
THE PREVAILING WISDOM IS THAT IT IS ALL RELATED TO THE HOLIDAYS.
PREVIOUS YEARS IN OMICRON HAPPENS TO BE MUCH MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.
SO I THINK THAT WE, WE SHOULD ASSESS IT AFTER.
UM, I MEAN, WE, WE SHOULD MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THE NEXT MEETING AND THEN AT THAT TIME ALSO REASSESS.
I THINK IT'S GOTTA BE A ROLLING DECISION, RIGHT? YEAH, EXACTLY.
I THINK THAT, UM, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT BY, YOU KNOW, THE END OF JANUARY, WE COULD BE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN WE ARE TODAY.
SO IT MAY BE THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING IT'LL BE THE BOARD AND SINCE IT'S SWEARING IN IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND THE PUBLIC CAN COME ON BY, BY ZOOM.
UH, BUT WE, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AND WE'LL PUT OUT AN ANNOUNCEMENT AS TO HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.
BUT WE'RE ALL SET UP TO DO HYBRID.
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THINK, WHICH IS WHAT THIS MEETING IS, IS HYBRID.DO WE HAVE TO ADJOURN AGAIN OR ARE WE ADJOURNED? YOU BET.
WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME, ALAN, TO YOUR FIRST OFFICIAL WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE YEAR.
SORRY, I'M NOT IN PERSON TO BE WITH YOU.
WE HAVE FOUR YEARS TO SPEND TOGETHER.
I DON'T RECALL IT BEING, BEING SECONDED, VOTED ON, BUT I'LL SECOND IT.
I WE'RE OUT COMING BACK TODAY.