[00:00:01]
AYE.[ 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]
TASHA YOUNG.WE'RE, UM, KEEPING ALL PRESENTATIONS TO LIKE 10 MINUTES.
FOR THE, SO IF AFTER 10 MINUTES IT'S NOT, WE, WE JUST STARTED THIS LAST WEEK.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE ORGANIZED, NOT MORE, MORE EFFICIENT.
RIGHT? THERE ARE TIME TASHA'S MORE EFFICIENT, MORE THAN YOU HAVE 15 MINUTES ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA.
TASHA, WHY DON'T YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON.
SOMEONE'S MIC IS NOT, OH, MAYBE THAT'S PAUL.
SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR GIVING ME TIME TO MEET WITH YOU ALL.
I AM HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
FOR ME, AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, I HAVE SPENT, UM, THE GREATER PART OF ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS REALLY CANVASSING THE COMMUNITY, UM, BUSINESSES AS WELL AS RESIDENTS ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE LED ME TO JOIN A GROUP AT THE ADVICE OF PAUL THAT WAS DISCUSSING FOOD INSECURITY, PARTICULARLY IN FAIRVIEW.
UH, WE DISCUSSED BUSINESS VENTURES SUCH AS COOPERATIVES, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE, UM, GOTTEN SOME INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT, WORKING WITH DELIA MARKS WHO BROUGHT IT TO SUPERVISOR FINER THE RESULTS OF THAT CONVERSATION TURNED INTO A NOW NOT-FOR-PROFIT.
THAT IS THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP.
AND WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS NOT ONLY DO PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO SEE FOOD BUSINESSES COME TO THE AREA, THEY ALSO WANT TO SEE SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATION.
SO THROUGH A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS, AGAIN WITH BUSINESS OWNERS, SOMETIMES WITH PEOPLE ON THE PLANNING BOARD, UM, I'VE GAINED A WEALTH OF INFORMATION OF WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOWN.
AND I DO HAVE SOME PROPOSALS ON HOW TO REALLY, UH, FUNNEL FUNDING IN TO THE TOWN THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY FOCUS, OF COURSE, WORKING WITH GARRETT AND UNDER HIS DIRECTION, BUT REALLY LOOKING FOR GRANTS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY IN THAT WAY.
IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CAPACITY, GREENBURG NOW IS DESIGNATED AS A, UH, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING.
SO ABOUT 40% OF FUNDING FOR ECONOMIC, I MEAN, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALLOCATED TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
BUT UNLESS WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS PAYING ATTENTION AND REALLY ADVOCATING, LIKE ALMOST LASER FOCUSED TO GET THIS FUNDING INTO GREENBERG, WE MIGHT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY.
OR WE MIGHT NOT GET THE FULL AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY GET.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE AREA THAT I WOULD, UM, REALLY WORK HARD GRANT WRITING AND, AND FINDING OUT WHERE THE FUNDING IS AT THE FEDERAL STATE COUNTY LEVELS.
I ALSO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH PEOPLE AT THE WESTCHESTER CATALYST THAT IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARM FOR THE COUNTY.
AND REALLY SPENDING TIME WITH THOSE PEOPLE WITH M W B E DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS OTHER SMALL BUSINESS VENTURES.
SO I DO HAVE MY, MY RESUME HERE.
I COULD SPEAK ABOUT MY BACKGROUND.
I COULD SPEAK ABOUT BRINGING IN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN MY LAST POSITION IN BROOKLYN FOR COLLEGES, UM, IN, IN CROWN HEIGHTS WITH CONGRESSMAN HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND LORI CUMBER, MY FORMER EMPLOYER.
I COULD SPEAK ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY AND REALLY PARTNERING WITH MUTUAL AID ORGANIZATIONS IN CROWN HEIGHTS AND FORT GREEN AND GETTING 1.8 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD INTO THE COMMUNITY.
I CAN TALK ABOUT LOCAL HIRING THAT I INITIATED AND HAD TO NEGOTIATE WITH DEVELOPERS THAT CAME TO DEVELOP TO MAKE SURE THEY HIRED PEOPLE LOCALLY.
THESE ARE, UM, SOME INITIATIVES THAT I THINK WE COULD BRING HERE IN GREENBURG.
AND, AND I HOPE YOU WOULD GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND THE PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.
WOULD YOU BE, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE FOLLOW UP, SAY WITH THE CO-OP MM-HMM.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SEVERAL SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEIR GRANT WRITER AND SMALL BUSINESSES NEED AN ENTITY
[00:05:01]
WHERE THEY CAN FIND SUPPORT, WHERE THEY CAN FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN, UM, PRODUCE, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS MENTORSHIP.AND I THINK A COOPERATIVE WOULD REALLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BOTH FOR THE FOOD AND, AND ALSO FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK, I COULD, I COULD SAY THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THAT HOME.
SEE, I, I, I FEEL THAT IF WE COULD GET THE CO-OP STARTED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WORK, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP, WHICH IS ORGANIZING SOME, YOU KNOW, FANTASTIC EVENTS AROUND THE TOWN.
BUT THEN IF WE ORIGINALLY, WE SET UP THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP TO GET THE CO-OP STARTED.
SO IF WE GOT A CO-OP, AND THEN IF WE COULD FOCUS ON SAY, THE FAIRVIEW, SAY THE ONE 19 CORRIDOR YES.
AND HAVE LIKE A LIMITED, UM, YOU KNOW, INITIATIVE, UH, AND SORT OF TEST OUT, YOU KNOW, TEST OUT SOME, UH, APPROACHES THAT WE HAVEN'T TRIED, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WORTH IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ALSO NOTICED, YOU KNOW, UH, BOTH MARY JANE CHIMPSKY AND LEGISLATOR WILLIAMS MM-HMM.
I'M WONDERING IF, UH, THERE, IF THERE'S A POSS I WAS THINKING OF THIS TODAY MM-HMM.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I'D BE, YOU KNOW, RECEPTIVE.
BUT I DEFINITELY, I MEAN, WHEN WE HAD OUR CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, MONTHS AGO, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE THE IDEA AND I THINK YOU'D BE, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY GOOD AT THIS.
UH, I'M JUST SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, FOR MYSELF.
I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY BE SUPPORTIVE, ESPECIALLY IF WE COULD GET A CO THE CO I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH A CO-OP, THE PROBLEM WAS THAT YOU CAN'T ORGANIZE A CO-OP BY COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE SOMEBODY THE RESPONSIBILITY.
AND SAY YOU'RE IN CHARGE, UM, AND YOU BASICALLY ARE DOING IT.
AND THEN YOU, YOU KNOW, TO ME IT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC INITIATIVE FOR THE TOWN.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GET A SENSE OF, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, ARE YOU, ARE YOU LIKE THE IDEA PERSON, THE CONCEPT? AND, AND WHAT EFFORTS WILL YOU BE MAKING FOR IMPLEMENTATION? HOW MUCH TIME IN YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE? 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT A MILLION THINGS GOING ON, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT HOW MUCH TIME WILL YOU BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE? UM, SO THAT'S FOR STARTERS.
SO, UM, I THINK THE FIRST PART IS WHERE WOULD I PINPOINT, IS IT, WELL NO MORE THAT IF, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE GREAT AT COMING UP WITH CONCEPTS.
SO, UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO HOW MUCH OF THAT WITHIN, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
RIGHT? SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S, WELL, LET'S SAY WE WOULD SAY THE ECONOMIC, LET'S SAY WE SAID THE GOAL WOULD BE TO SET UP A CO-OP, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S SAY THIS ASSIGNMENT IS ORGANIZE A CO CO-OP.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR LIKE A YEAR.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, DELIA, YOU KNOW, FELT WAS GREAT.
IT'S, IT DEFINITELY WOULD BE A BIG ASSET TO THAT AREA.
IS THAT AN R F P THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING? I'M, I'M, I'M A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED.
SO IS THAT A R F P THAT YOU'RE PUTTING THROUGH, THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TO THE TOWN? JUST THE WAY IT'S EXPLAINED, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA TRY TO THIS QUESTION FIRST.
I AM A CONCEPT PERSON AND I ALSO AM AN AM AN EXECUTION PERSON.
SO THE WAY I EXECUTE IS, OF COURSE, I HAVE CAP CAPABILITIES MYSELF, BUT YOU HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A TEAM.
SO I WILL BELIEVE THE LAST CONSULTANT WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH, UH, GARRETT MCCAIN.
SO UNDER GARRETT'S DIRECTION, I WILL CARRY OUT THE, THE DESIRES OF THE BOARD OF THE SUPERVISOR AND, UM, YOU AND, AND IMPLEMENT IT AND EXECUTE IT.
THE WAY I WOULD SEE A AGREEMENT WOULD BE WITH GOALS, TIMELINES I COULD CREATE THAT I COULD PRESENT THAT, UM, THAT COULD BE CREATED, AND THEN I COULD WORK THAT PLAN.
SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A PLAN BASED ON THE NEEDS AND THE DESIRES OF THE LEADERSHIP THAT I'M WORKING WITH.
UM, IF PAUL WOULD LIKE THE COOPERATIVE, UH, INITIATIVE TO BE IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT IS WHAT, UM, I'M ASSIGNED TO DO, THEN THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO.
COULD YOU, WELL, THAT IS ONE ASPECT, BUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT DOESN'T TAKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR FOOD CO-OP.
SO IN TERMS OF THE BIGGER PICTURE IN THE BOARD, THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT I, THAT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I SORT OF FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
[00:10:01]
AND, AND THERE'S LIKE A MILLION THINGS YOU COULD DO.AND, YOU KNOW, AND BASICALLY IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE REACHING OUT TO, UH, UH, COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES, BUT REALTOR TO COMMERCIAL REALTORS ARE ALSO DOING, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW.
SO I DON'T REALLY FEEL THAT, THAT THAT'S REALLY THE BANG FOR THE BUCK.
ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FAILURES, YOU KNOW, WHICH I'M DISAPPOINTED IN, IS THAT THE, A FOOD CO-OP COULD PROVIDE GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, IT'S SORT OF LIKE A, A SMALL LITTLE, LIKE GROCERY STORES, OR IT COULD BE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE OWNED BY, UH, THE EMPLOYEES.
SO IT'S A WAY OF TRAINING PEOPLE, UH, FOR, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NOT HAVE, UH, EMPLOYMENT SETTING THEM UP.
AND TO ME, IF WE COULD GET, IF SAY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, SAY IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO HAVE SOMEBODY ASSIGNED TO THAT, IF WE BASICALLY WOULD SAY TO TASHA TO START, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT SAY YEAR OR SO, WORK ON THAT.
IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, AND IF SHE'S REALLY SUCCESSFUL, YOU KNOW, IN SETTING UP A CO-OP THAT'S REALLY FANTASTIC, THEN WE COULD SAY, WOW, MAYBE WE COULD EXPAND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, COORDINATED.
'CAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A SUCCESS AND WE'VE PROVEN TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, MONEY, YOU KNOW, WELL SPENT.
UH, SO I WOULD PREFER A VERY LIMITED, UH, RESPONSIBILITY.
AND THEN BASICALLY WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS, OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, THE COUNTY LEGISLATORS, POTENTIAL GRANTS, AND SAY, IF WE COULD GET, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND IF IT WORKS, THIS WOULD BE JUST FABULOUS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER, UH, ROLE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TO WORK WITH, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, GENUS COMMITTEE, THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP.
UM, AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THESE PROGRAMS ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE SUCCESSFUL.
I, I SPOKE TO JOHAN, UM, YOU KNOW, A FEW DAYS AGO, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE REALLY SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE FOOD VENDORS THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE MAKING THIS A PROGRAM THAT IS GONNA BE EXCEPTIONAL.
SO, SO PAUL, AND, AND JUST I'M THINKING OF YOUR TIME.
SO, SO IN EFFECT, THIS IS, THIS IS RIGHT NOW THE, THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FOOD CO-OP.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
GIVEN A, A TIMELINE A YEAR SAY, AND THEN GOING BEYOND THAT IF WE WANNA EXPAND IT.
SO THAT KIND OF ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
AND MAYBE YOU COULD COME UP WITH LIKE A PROPOSAL AND A TIMELINE, AND THEN THE TOWN BOARD COULD, YOU KNOW, REVIEW IT AND THEN WE COULD, THE BOARD COULD DECIDE, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANNA, I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, IS THIS A SINGLE SOURCE? I WAS JUST TRYING, THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS A SINGLE SOURCE HOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW, WHAT DIRECTION YOU, YOU'RE TRYING TO GO INTO.
BUT I, IS THERE A PROPOSAL? I MEAN, I'VE, I'VE BEEN ASKING, I'VE BEEN GETTING LETTERS FROM POLITICIANS SAYING, THIS IS A GREAT THING BASED, YOU KNOW, THEY SUPPORT YOUR APPLICATION.
SO I WRITE BACK AND SAY, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE APPLICATION.
IS THERE AN APPLICATION? YEAH.
THIS WAS BORN OUT OF A REQUEST FOR QUOTE, AND I BELIEVE MIKE RELA WAS AWARDED THE FIRST AWARD.
SO, UM, WHEN I HAD UNDERSTOOD, AND I SAT IN ON A LOT OF THE MEETINGS, I THINK THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT FUNDING WOULD BE BROUGHT IN TO THE TOWN THAT WOULD CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
RIGHT? SO I, I WORKED WITH GARRETT ON THE GREENBERG AGAINST SYSTEMIC RACISM HOUSING COMMITTEE.
SO MY, MY, UM, PRESENTATION IS ABOUT FUR FURTHERING THE WORK THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE OR, OR CONTINUING THE WORK THAT MIKE RELA DID TO GET FUNDING IN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED TOWARD COOPERATIVES.
OF COURSE, THERE IS ALREADY FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WESTCHESTER COOPERATIVE NETWORK THAT COULD BE GOING INTO SUSTAINABLE FEATURES WHERE WE HAVE TO GET OFF OF FOSSIL FUELS, I BELIEVE BY 2030 OR 2040 OR 2050.
SO THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO TURN IN THEIR FUEL INJECTED CARS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
SO THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS WE COULD REALLY LOOK AT, UM, STIMULATING THE ECONOMY LOCALLY.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY FOCUS TO THE EXTENT THAT, SO MM-HMM.
YOU WANNA TURN YOUR, JUST REMEMBER IT'S TED'S BIKE
[00:15:01]
FIRM, UM, IS STILL ENGAGED.THEY ARE AT THE, UM, BACKEND OF THE CONTRACT.
IT WAS FOR A NOT TO EXCEED $60,000, UM, UTILIZED, HAS BEEN ROUGHLY 47,000, UH, CLOSE TO 48,000.
SO, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA PRESENT TO THE TOWN BOARD SOME CONCEPTS FOR THEM TO, UH, FINISH OUT THAT CONTRACT, WHICH COULD BE, UH, TARGETED, UH, VACANCY OUTREACH, UH, FOR OFFICE BUILDINGS OR SOME MAJOR VACANCIES.
UM, I ACTUALLY WAS HOLDING A BIT BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE DOWNTOWN REINVESTMENT INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A, UH, $10 MILLION GRANT APPLICATION.
I'M, I'M CATCHING WHERE THAT'S NOT GONNA BE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR.
BUT THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A GREAT TASK FOR THEM TO DO TO HELP US GET THAT.
SO I KNOW THERE'S RESTORE NEW YORK, UM, GRANT THAT JUST WAS ANNOUNCED.
SO I, I'VE YET TO REALLY FORMULATE AN ACTION PLAN FOR RELA TO UTILIZE THE REST OF THE, UM, THE FUNDS FROM THAT INITIAL CONTRACT.
BUT TO ANSWER THE, UH, INITIAL QUESTION, UM, $60,000 NOT TO EXCEED 48,000 SPENT.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE SAID, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, THIS IS LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE, THE BUDGET YEAR, SO, AND I DON'T THINK I REAPPROPRIATED ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY FUNDS, YOU KNOW, NEW FUNDS FOR THIS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, UM, WE COULD ALWAYS, OH, YOU HAVEN'T DONE THE BUDGET YET, RIGHT? THE BUDGET? NO, FOR 2022, BUT FOR 2000.
BUT I'M SAYING IF WE DECIDE THAT WE WANNA START WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH A SAY CO-OP, YOU KNOW, FOR, AND, AND MAYBE USE SOME OF THE EXTRA DOLLARS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVEN'T USED FOR, YOU KNOW, WITH, SO WE HAVE, SO WE, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR.
'CAUSE I WANT EVERY, I WANT YEAH.
SO WE NOT GONNA CONTINUE THE CON THE CONTRACT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE, I WOULD PREFER.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA GIVE HER A FALSE NO, I IMPRESSION THAT SOMEBODY I'M SPEAKING, I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
I, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE A PROPOSAL.
DON'T NORMALLY OPERATE THIS WAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S REASONABLE.
WHY DON'T YOU WRITE UP A PROPOSAL, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH A PROPOSED DOLLAR AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, TO START AND FOCUS ONLY ON THE STARTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE CO-OP AND JUST LIMITED TO THAT.
SO WAIT, WAIT, ARE WE NOW DECIDING WE, IT'S NOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S THE CO-OP IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THEN WE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING ON THAT BECAUSE THERE'S CERTAINLY NOT A LACK OF INTEREST BY THE FED GROUP FOR HAVING A CO-OP.
AND IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ALMOST A YEAR, I GUESS.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY, WE, WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYONE WHO HAS THE TIME TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT.
AND I THINK, UH, WHAT WOULD THAT TAKE? SEE, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE TO GET ONE.
WHY IS IT THAT AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS IT? OKAY, THAT'S NOT, NOT THIS DISCUSSION.
THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP LAUNCHED THE CONCEPT OF COOPERATIVE.
RIGHT NOW, THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP IS FO IS, UM, FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY GARDENING AS WELL AS SUSTAINABLE MEASURES FOR ENVIRONMENT AND NOT THE COOPERATIVE.
THAT IS A SEPARATE INITIATIVE THROUGH THE WESTCHESTER COOPERATIVE NETWORK.
IF THE TOWN OF GREENBERG WANTS A COOPERATIVE HERE, WHICH THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE COUNTY, UM, TO REALLY PUT SOME, SOME TEETH BEHIND THAT, THAT IS NOT WHAT THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP IS CONCENTRATING ON.
IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THE BOARD WANTS TO GO INTO, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT SOMEONE TO CONCENTRATE ON, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN DO.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO, UM, DISPARAGE ANY WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE FAIRVIEW EMPOWERMENT GROUP TOWARD COOPERATIVE.
NOBODY'S DISPARAGING ANYBODY HERE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO TAKE THE INFORMATION THAT, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN PLENTY OF EMAILS AS TO TRYING TO GET THIS WORKING AND THERE MAY BE OBSTACLES THAT THEY COULDN'T OVERCOME.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.
IT REALLY IS THAT WE NEED SOMEBODY TO FOCUS TIME AND ENERGY ON THE COPE.
AND WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU KNOW, I FELT THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE CO-OP CONCEPT.
I KNOW THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
YOU'VE WORKED NICELY WITH, UH, DELIA, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS CONFIDENCE IN YOUR, UH, ABILITY TO, TO WORK ON IT.
YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL SHE WAS DISCOURAGED BECAUSE IT'S BEEN GOING ON AND ON AND ON, AND NOTHING'S HAPPENED.
UH, YOU KNOW, I SPOKE TO MY ASSISTANT KRISTA AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS A FEW MONTHS AGO.
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD BE GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF DOING IT, WE COULD GET THIS DONE.
IF WE GOT A CO-OP STARTED AND IT
[00:20:01]
WAS SUCCESSFUL, IT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC INITIATIVE, UH, FOR PEOPLE IN THE FAIRVIEW COMMUNITY WHO ARE RIGHT.IT WOULD BE JUST A FABULOUS THING.
SO I, I FEEL THAT TASHA IS DEFINITELY LIKE THE, THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE LIKE TOTAL CONFIDENCE THAT SHE COULD PULL IT OFF.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A REALLY FANTASTIC, UH, ASSET.
BUT I'M ASKING AS A FOLLOW UP TO FRANCIS'S IDEA, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU COULD COME UP WITH A PROPOSED BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD NEED TO START SOMETHING FROM THE TOWN COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF FUNDING WE COULD GET TO IMPLEMENT IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A BUDGET AND A PLAN OF ACTION.
AND THEN WE COULD, IF YOU DID THAT, THEN WE COULD HAVE A FOLLOW UP MEETING AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HOPEFULLY MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE TOWN PROVIDE THE R F P AND THEN I COULD RESPOND TO IT.
IF THAT'S, IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE, THEN JUST ASK NO, WELL, THE REQUEST SPEAKING, WELL, THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL USUALLY COMES FROM THE ENTITY AND THEN I RESPOND TO IT.
SO IF THAT IS THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO INTO, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
I, I THINK, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE BEST JUST TO PUT PAUL, JUST SAY, JUST GIVE US YOUR OUTLINE OF WHAT YOUR PROPOSAL SO WE CAN READ IT AND THEN WE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN PULL FROM THERE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND PAUL'S THINKING WHERE THE DIRECTION WAS GOING THERE, BECAUSE I KNOW, AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE, THAT THERE WAS ALREADY AN OPEN CONTRACT.
SO I WASN'T SURE FROM THIS OPEN CONTRACT, WHAT CONCEPTS ARE WE PULLING FROM THIS CONTRACT? BUT FROM WHAT GARRETT JUST DESCRIBED, THAT IT'S NOT THAT THAT AREA IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? YES.
SO I WASN'T SURE, ARE WE TRYING TO DO A SOLE SOURCE? AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE WOULD NEED SOME SORT OF PROPOSAL THAT'S, THIS IS, I, UM, WE NEED A PROPOSAL PURPOSE PROPOSAL.
I JUST, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT DIRECTION IS IT GONNA BE A SOLE SOURCE? SO WE ARE DOING A FULL LEDGE BIDDING.
I JUST, I WOULD'VE, I RATHER UNDERSTAND, TO BE HONEST.
LIKE, I FEEL YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A YEAR AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING AND THERE'S BEEN OBSTACLES.
AND I, IF IT WAS UP TO ME, I WOULD JUST SAY, IF WE REALLY WANT TO GET THE CO-OP GOING INSTEAD OF HAVING LIKE A LENGTHY BIDDING PROCESS AND HEARING FROM ALL THESE CONSULTANTS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ALWAYS TALK GREAT.
AND THEN THEY DON'T ALWAYS DELIVER.
I'D RATHER GIVE, I WOULD RATHER THAT'S TRUE.
GIVE YOU LIKE, THE CHANCE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU, THIS WAS ONE OF YOUR IDEAS, YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I SORT OF FEEL, GIVE YOU THE CHANCE, COME UP WITH A, A REASONABLE PROPOSAL AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF, AND THEN WE A LIMITED TIME TO GET IT DONE.
AND IF IT GETS DONE, THEN AFTER THAT WE COULD SAY, WELL, YOU'RE DOING A REALLY FANTASTIC JOB.
THEN WE COULD SAY, THIS IS PROJECT NUMBER TWO.
SO I THINK WHAT TASHA'S ASKING FOR THOUGH IS AN RFP WHERE WE SELL, WE WANT FROM HER.
'CAUSE IT, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T, UM, IT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR ME TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT THE TOWN WANTS AND THEN I COULD RESPOND THAT I COULD DELIVER WHAT I COULD DELIVER ON.
BUT I'LL SEND THE BOARD, SEND IT FIRST SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW IT.
NOT WHEN I'M LISTENING TO ABOUT PEOPLE, BUT YES.
NEXT, UH, WE HAVE TREVOR SOMERFIELD.
DYLAN, DO YOU, YOU CAN SIT, YOU CAN YOU, YOU COULD WANT ME TO COME UP HERE AND GOOD EVENING.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GOOD EVENING.
WE HAVE THE HEAD OF, UH, THE EDGEMONT COMMUNITY COUNCIL HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
SO, UH, BASICALLY, UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US AND UM, UH, WHEN WE HAD THE RADIO PROGRAM, WE'RE ALL BACK.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SITUATION EDGE MONTH.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF SMOKE SHOPS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU WERE WORKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO COME UP WITH A MODEL, YOU KNOW, PROPOSAL THAT COULD BE THEN THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE.
UM, COULD, UH, WHOEVER'S RUNNING YOUR TECHNOLOGY, WOULD YOU MIND DOING ME A FAVOR? I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER STAFFERS ON THE LINE.
MOLLY FRANCO, UM, WHO WORKS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, UM, IS ON THE LINE AS WELL AS KUSH.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN LET THEM IN AS PANELIST OR NOT.
[00:25:01]
AND KUSH, I DON'T HAVE THAT PERSON.WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING US ALL THIS EVENING.
UM, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER, UM, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
UM, I TALKED WITH PAUL, UM, WHAT WAS IT, A LITTLE BIT OVER A MONTH AGO.
UM, HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION, UM, AND APPRECIATED THE, THE INVITE TO THE RADIO SHOW.
UM, AND HE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT SMOKE SHOPS IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
AND WHAT I OFFERED WAS, UM, BOTH, UH, LOVELY KUSH BOO AND MOLLY, WHO ARE ON THE PHONE HERE, UM, THEIR LOCAL EXPERTISE IN WORKING WITH, UM, BOTH YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND TOBACCO, UM, IN GREENBURG AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
UM, BUT ALSO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN AROUND THE STATE THAT AS A, A, A TOWN BOARD YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PURSUE AND ADOPT.
AND I, I WILL JUST, UM, LAY OUT A A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE, I HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AT SIX O'CLOCK, SO THIS IS GONNA BE A, A PRETTY QUICK SWING, BUT WE'LL, UH, SEND MORE INFORMATION IN WRITING IF, IF YOU, UM, WOULD LIKE IT OR REQUEST IT.
UM, AND THERE WERE A FEW THINGS WHEN I LOOKED AT GREENBERG AND, UH, NEW YORK STATE THAT STUCK OUT THAT MIGHT BE PURSUABLE, UM, TO ADOPT.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE IS A NEW YORK STATE LAW THAT PROHIBITS SELLING OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITHIN 1500 FEET OF A SCHOOL.
UM, AND CERTAINLY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT TO LIMIT THAT TO EVEN 500 FEET.
SO LIMITING THE DISTANCE OF, UH, TOBACCO AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS BEING S SOLD, UM, TO KIDS WITHIN A SCHOOL, UM, IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, UM, AND IMPORTANT, AND I THINK ONE THAT LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE CAN TAKE UP.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE TOO, AND I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW THIS AS, AS LEGISLATORS, UM, THAT NEW YORK STATE DOES NOT PROHIBIT OR PREEMPT LOCAL LAW.
SO BASICALLY WHATEVER A LAW WANTS TO PURSUE OR, OR LOCAL, UH, MUNICIPALITY WANTS TO PURSUE IN TERMS OF LAWS THEY CAN DO.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD POINT TO AND THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, IS A BAN AND, UH, PROHIBIT, UH, PROHIBITING THE SALE OF MENTAL MENTHOL PRODUCTS ON THE SHELVES, UM, IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS NEW YORK STATE.
UM, WE KNOW THE F D A RELEASED THEIR RULE, AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO BAN MENTHOL PRODUCTS FROM SHELVES, BUT THIS IS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, SO IF WE WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE, WE CAN ACT LOCALLY FOR THESE PRODUCTS ON SHELVES, UM, IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD POINT TO AS WELL IS POINT OF SALE DENSITY.
UM, WE WORKED WITH SOME FOLKS LAST YEAR OUT IN ARONDE, COY IN WESTERN NEW YORK, UM, TO LIMIT THAT.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT SMOKE AND VAPE PRO, UH, VAPE SHOPS IN PARTICULAR, UM, YOU CAN ACTUALLY LIMIT THE DENSITY OF THOSE SHOPS, UM, IN YOUR MUNICIPALITY.
UH, AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN PRETTY EFFECTIVE, ESPECIALLY DEALING WITH KIDS, UM, WHEN WE KNOW THAT MORE THAN 25% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE USING TOBACCO OR OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, THAT WAS RECENT, RECENTLY RELEASED IN OUR STATE OF TOBACCO CONTROL REPORT THAT COMES OUT EVERY JANUARY.
UM, AND WE GOT SOME QUESTIONS, ACTUALLY EVEN FROM THE STATE BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS PROMOTING, UM, THE TWO POINT, WHAT WAS IT? 6% USE OF, UH, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AMONG, AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE OUR CONCERN LIES TODAY.
IT'S TOBACCO AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
UM, WHEN YOU START PUTTING IN VAPING PRODUCTS IN, IN OTHER, UM, DEVICES INTO THE MIX, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT MORE THAN 25% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS USING, UH, TOBACCO AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, WHICH IS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR LUNG HEALTH.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO OFFER.
I WANTED TO HAND IT OVER JUST REAL BRIEFLY TO, UM, MOLLY, YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? YEAH, SURE.
UM, YOURSELF, AS YOU'RE GONNA BE THE POINT OF CONTACT ON THERE.
I WILL BE THE POINT OF CONTACT.
I SERVE AS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR POWER AGAINST TOBACCO.
UH, WE ARE HOUSED OUT OF THE AMERICAN LOAN ASSOCIATION, UH, BUT WE SERVE UNDER THE BUREAU OF TOBACCO CONTROLS, UH, ADVANCING TOBACCO FREE COMMUNITIES GRANT, COMMUNITIES GRANT.
UM, AND WE WORK TO EDUCATE AND ADVOCATE FOR SMOKE AND VAPE FREE SPACES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN PUTNAM, ORANGE, WESTCHESTER, AND ROCKLAND.
UH, WE WORK ON A TON OF INITIATIVES GETTING FROM HOUSING TO MUNICIPAL PARKS TO YOUTH WORK.
BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE ON GREENBERG'S OPTIONS TO
[00:30:01]
ADDRESS TOBACCO RETAILERS IN COMMUNITIES, SINCE I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A MAJOR CONCERN OF, UH, THE MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT SOLUTIONS NEW YORK STATE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE FOUND.SO, AS TREVOR MENTIONED, LICENSING IS A GREAT OPTION.
UH, GENERALLY, TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL REQUIRES THAT THE CITY OR THE COUNTY ISSUE BUSINESSES NEW AND EXISTING A LICENSE BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SELL TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
SO IT GIVES YOU A LOT OF LEVERAGE, UH, BECAUSE YOU CAN DETER, YOU AS A MUNICIPALITY CAN CHOOSE, UH, WHAT CRITERIA NEED TO BE MET IN ORDER TO, UH, OBTAIN THAT LICENSE.
AND ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN ALSO, UH, SET A MORATORIUM ON THE NUMBER OF NEW LICENSES OR CAPPING THE NUMBER OF LICENSES IN EXISTENCE, UH, FOR THAT, THE MUNICIPALITY ISSUES.
UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2015, WE WORKED WITH NEWBURGH AND REQUIRED THAT TOBACCO RE RETAILERS OBTAINED A LOCAL LICENSE.
UH, THAT'S WHAT THE, UH, THE CITY DECIDED, AND THEY HAD TO REGISTER WITH THE CITY CLERK, AND THE CITY SET THEIR OWN CRITERIA THAT NEEDED TO BE MET BEFORE THAT NEW RETAIL LICENSE COULD BE GIVEN OUT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THEY ADDED ON A FEE, UH, TO OBTAIN THAT LICENSE AND A FINE FOR ANY SHOP THAT VIOLATES THEIR STRICT GUIDELINES THAT THEY HAD SET IN THE CITY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S ZONING, WHICH TREVOR HAD MENTIONED, UM, IN NEW YORK STATE'S 1500 FEET.
BUT THERE'S NO REASON THAT A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY COULDN'T REDUCE THAT.
UM, AND, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE, UM, IN PORTCHESTER, UH, THEY REDUCED IT TO 500 FEET.
AND ADDITIONALLY, ALONG WITH LIMITING IT FOR THE SCHOOL PROPERTY LINE, YOU CAN ALSO LIMIT IT FOR OTHER SPACES THAT YOUTH OFTEN FREQUENT.
SO IN LOUISVILLE, WHICH IS LOUISVILLE, WHICH IS IN LEWIS COUNTY, WAY UPSTATE, UH, THEY KEPT THE MINIMUM DISTANCE.
SO THEY KEPT THAT 1500 FEET, BUT EXPANDED IT BEYOND SCHOOL PROPERTY LINES TO INCLUDE CHILDCARE, FACILITIES, YOUTH CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, PARKS, ANYWHERE WHERE CHILDREN FREQUENT.
SO THAT'S ALSO GONNA REDUCE THE DENSITY OF RETAILERS IN, UH, IN YOUR AREA.
SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON.
UM, YOU ALL CAN REACH OUT TO ME OR I CAN REACH OUT TO YOU AND SEND YOU ADDITIONAL MATERIALS OF POLICY OPTIONS, UH, THAT YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND, UM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO REDUCING TOBACCO AND E-CIGARETTE USE WHERE WE LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.
AND A RETAIL ENVIRONMENT IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THAT WORK.
AND WE'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE TOWN IN NAVIGATING THOSE POLICY OPTIONS.
AND IN GENERAL, WE HOPE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR CONCERNS ALONG THE WAY.
SO, UH, I WILL HAVE MY EMAIL SENT TO YOU GUYS, AND YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, YOU'VE LOOKED AT LOTS OF CODES, WHICH, WHICH MUNICIPALITY DO YOU THINK HAS THE STRICTEST CODE RIGHT NOW? SO THAT, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON, UH, I MEAN, NEW YORK CITY IN GENERAL IS PRETTY STRICT, BUT I THINK IT DEPENDS ON IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT ZONING OR LICENSURE IN NEWBERG.
IT WAS AT ONE TIME SEEN AS THE MOST STRICT LICENSURE.
SO THAT'D BE THE ONE I WOULD LOOK AT.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO LICENSURE, BERG AND FRANCIS, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN REVIEWING, UH, THAT LAW ALREADY.
UM, YEAH, MOLLY, THIS IS, UH, JOE, INTERIM TOWN ATTORNEY.
IF YOU COULD SHARE THE FULL LIST OF ALL THOSE LAWS.
MY OFFICE FOUND ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM SO FAR.
BUT IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU WORKED ON THEM TO, TO PLEASE SEND THEM OVER.
UM, I'LL GET YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL.
UH, AND IS THERE ENABLING LEGISLATION AND, AND IN THE STATE THAT ALLOWS US TO GO STRICTER THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING REGULATED? YOU KNOW, THAT THAT LAW THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT SIGNAGE, UH, SEEMS TO HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER BEING SOMEBODY FROM THE COUNTY IS THERE.
WHAT IS IT THAT ALLOWS US TO DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR OWN ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT, AT LEAST TO ME, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S EXPRESSLY STATED IN, IN THE STATE LAW.
TREVOR, DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT? I MEAN, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER THAT, YOU KNOW YEAH, I'LL, THOSE STATE GUIDELINES, THEY'RE REALLY JUST A MINIMUM.
WHERE'S THE LOCALITY, THEIR BASELINE.
AND, AND WHAT REALLY ALLOWS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IS THAT, UM, NEW YORK STATE DOES NOT HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED PREEMPTION.
UM, AND THAT, AGAIN, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENFORCE THEIR, UM, OWN LAWS AROUND, UM, CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO DIG AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND SEND YOU THE SPECIFICS ON THAT, UM, AND SEND IT YOUR WAY.
AND I'LL DO THAT WITH A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL ANYWAY, JUST SO WE MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, MOLLY, UM, YOU HAVE HER EMAIL, YOU'VE GOT CUSH BOO'S EMAIL, YOU'VE GOT MINE.
UM, SO AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, AND EVEN THE OTHER DOCUMENTS ON SOME OF THE, UH, LAWS AND, UH, POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE, UM, WE CAN GET IT TO, TO YOU ALL, AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AND DECIDE WHAT YOU ALL WANT TO DO.
BUT REALLY, PREEMPTION IS THE, THE PREEMINENT, UH,
[00:35:01]
ISSUE HERE AND THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO, UM, AND RESTRICT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO TOBACCO SALES AND RETAILERS, EVEN IF RESTRICTIONS, EVEN IF THE RESTRICTIONS ARE GREATER THAN NEW YORK STATE.THEY CAN'T LESSEN THE RESTRICTIONS.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE SEEN, WHEN I MENTIONED THE, UM, JUST AS ONE EXAMPLE THAT THE 1500 FOOT RULE, UH, WITHIN SCHOOLS WHEN NEW YORK CITY APPLIED THEIR STRICTER MANDATE YEARS AGO, UM, TO PREVENT, UH, SALES WITHIN 500 FEET OF SCHOOLS.
UM, AND THAT'S ALSO WHY, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED TO SEE ACTUALLY ON THE BOOKS, IT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY AT OUR NEW YORK STATE INITIALLY, UM, BUT THE TOBACCO 21 LAWS, UM, THEY WERE ENACTED, UH, IN SOME MUNICIPALITIES, AGAIN, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SPECIFICALLY MASSACHUSETTS IS ONE I WOULD POINT TO, BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE LIKE NEW YORK STATE IN THAT, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PREEMPTION LAWS.
SO, UM, MUNICIPALITIES CAN ACT AND TAKE ACTION ON WHAT THEY SEE FIT.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON, IF I GO, I DO WANT TO CARVE OUT NEW YORK CITY THOUGH, 'CAUSE THE STATE REGULATIONS C CARVE OUT, UM, YES.
UH, CITIES GREATER THAN A MILLION PEOPLE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND THEY DO THAT, THEY DO THAT A LOT SO THAT THEY CAN GET THINGS PASSED.
SO WHAT NEW YORK CITY DOES DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO I, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE ON SOLID GROUND.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS PAST THIS THING.
AND THEN THE VERY FIRST TIME SOMEBODY CHALLENGES IT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW TOWN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? RIGHT.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND WE CAN BACK IT UP.
I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON THE 15, OH, SORRY.
NO, UH, JUST, JUST IN TERMS OF CHALLENGES, I MEAN, FROM THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, WE CAN'T REALLY COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, NEW YORK CITY WAS ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, IN THE FIRST PLACE AGAIN BECAUSE THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, INITIATED THAT LAW.
AND WERE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE 500 FOOT RULE.
UM, I WORKED WITH A, UM, IF YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH A LITTLE MUNICIPALITY IN THE SOUTHERN TIER, ENDICOTT, NEW YORK LAST YEAR, UM, THEY HAD ENACTED A STRONGER, UM, LICENSURE FOR, UM, AGAIN, SELLERS OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITHIN A SCHOOL ZONE OR CLOSE TO A SCHOOL ZONE.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE STATE TO, UM, OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY TO ACTUALLY LIMIT THE, THE FEAT THAT A TOBACCO RETAILER COULD BE WITH, UH, WITHIN A SCHOOL.
SO, UH, THERE'S EXAMPLES, UM, THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP ON, UM, AND SEND YOU MORE INFORMATION ON SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, UM, AND YOUR ATTORNEYS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE LUNG ASSOCIATION HERE IS TO, YOU KNOW, TELL YOU, RIGHT, UM, YOU CAN TAKE ACTION TO LIMIT TOBACCO AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCT USE IN YOUR YORK COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON THE NEW YORK STATE BASELINE REGULATION, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE BASELINE IS THAT IN NEW YORK STATE, I THINK YOU INDICATED THERE COULD BE NO SALES OF TOBACCO WITHIN 1500 FEET OF A SCHOOL PROPERTY.
AND 500 IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT 1500 FOR THE REST OF, IT'S NOT JUST SIGNAGE, IT'S, IT'S SALES AND, AND ACTUALLY IT, I, I BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE INCLUDES ADVERTISING AS WELL.
IT'S, UH, ADVERTISING AND PARAPHERNALIA.
ALRIGHT, JOE, UM, UH, MIKE SIEGEL DRAFTED A, A PROPOSED LAW EVEN I THOUGHT WAS ACTUALLY GOOD.
SO, SO THAT, SO TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THE TOWN BOARD TO REVIEW THAT.
I THINK SPELLED SPECIFICALLY WITH ZONING REQUIREMENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIMIT DENSITY LICENSING, MAYBE BANNING WITHIN SCHOOL ZONES, BOTH SALES AND ADVERTISING.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO TAKE THAT DRAFT AND TO REVIEW IT AND TO LOOK AT IT WITH ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL, AND TO SEE, UM, WHAT WE ALL DETERMINE TO BE THE BEST OPTION.
BUT I THINK WE ALSO NEED MAYBE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, CANNABIS SALES AS OPPOSED TO SALE OF TOBACCO AND VAPOR PRODUCTS AS WELL.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SMOKING PARAPHERNALIA THAT WE NEED TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF CANNABIS.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ALREADY A LOCAL LAW THAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT DEALS WITH THE ZONING OF CANNABIS.
UM, AND THIS LAW MIGHT COUNTERACT SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.
SO MY OFFICE IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING THAT INFORMATION AND DISCUSSING, UH, WITH COMMISSIONER DUANE AS WELL.
WELL, WE'RE NOT ALLOWING IT ANYWHERE.
AND THIS IS SAYING YOU'RE, IT'S NOT ALLOWED WITHIN CERTAIN DISTANCE, IT CREATES AN AMBIGUITY.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE SAYING IT'S NOT ALLOWED WITHIN FIVE, 1500 FEET, WELL, IT'S NOT ALLOWED NOW.
SO MAYBE THIS OTHER LAW CAN BE REDRAFTED TO INCLUDE IF WE WERE TO GO THAT ROUTE ONLY TOBACCO AND VAPE PRODUCTS AS OPPOSED TO CANNABIS.
WELL, AND, AND, AND THIS, THE, THE LAW THAT THE E C C WORKING GROUP DRAFTED SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, WHICH
[00:40:01]
I THINK IN THE, THE APRIL 14TH DRAFT THAT, THAT I'VE SEEN, UH, SEEMS TO APPROACH RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA MORE OR LESS THE SAME.UM, AND YOU KNOW, THIS, WHAT WE'VE DRAFTED IS TOTALLY AGNOSTIC ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
IT'S SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
JOE, WHEN DO YOU THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO HAVE A DRAFT BY? WELL, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO DISCUSS WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE, WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THIS? WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE ALL THE OPTIONS? AND I THINK WE NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE LUNG ASSOCIATION AND WE NEED THOSE OTHER LAWS, AND WE NEED TO REVIEW THE ENFORCEMENT POLICY AS WELL.
I HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE ALREADY WORKING ON IT.
UM, I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE E C C AND THAT WE NEED TO KEEP, UH, TAKING IN DATA, BUT AS FRANCIS SAID EARLIER, UH, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO DRAFT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND HELD UP IN THE COURT OF LAW.
SO I, I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT TIMEFRAME RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO HAVE OUR FOLLOW-UP WORK TO DO, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPEDITE IT.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, UM, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OF OUR POLICE, OUR PD TO ENSURE THAT NOT, YOU KNOW, TO DO INSPECTIONS PERIODICALLY OR, AND, UM, WHICH I WOULD SUGGEST, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S MANDATED BY NEW YORK STATE, THAT THE LEVELS OF PROOF WITHIN EACH OF ANY OF THE, UM, SHOPS, IF THERE ARE ANY, BE VERY STRINGENT AND SPELLED OUT, YOU KNOW, TWO FORMS OF ID OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT.
RIGHT NOW, THE, IN TERMS OF THE, THE ADVERTISING AREA, THAT'S THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THAT'S BEEN GOING OUT AND CHECKING UP ON THAT.
AND OUR OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO AS WELL MADE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, FOLLOWING UP, WHICH HAS BEEN HELPFUL, BUT WE CLEARLY HAVE, UH, SOME MORE WORK TO DO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR TO US AS WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PURSU? YEAH, I MEAN, I MEAN, ULTIMATELY HOW, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S DIVIDED INTO TWO LAWS AS THE WORKING GROUP IS PRESENTED OR WHETHER IT'S THREE LAWS, UM, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY OUR BIGGEST CONCERN, THIS REALLY CAME TO A HEAD ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WHEN THERE WAS A SMOKE SHOP ON THE CORNER OF, UH, MOUNT JOY AND CENTRAL AVENUE, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, PRESENTED MERCHANDISE IN THEIR WINDOWS.
I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL SEEN THIS, YOU KNOW, BONGS, UH, YOU KNOW, WEAPONS, UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY BONGS, YOU KNOW, NED WITH, WITH CARTOON AND COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS, UH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHICH WAS ONLY, UH, 430 FEET FROM SCHOOL.
AND, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WE FEEL, WHILE, WHILE WE, WE RECOGNIZE THE STATE LAW, WHICH WE THOUGHT ONLY COVERED ADVERTISING, AND IF THE STATE LAW COVERS BOTH ADVERTISING AND SALES, THEN THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT WORKING FROM THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ONLY COVERED ADVERTISING, WE FELT THAT THAT DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITHIN EDGEMONT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE SCHOOL BUSES, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WALK TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WALKING BY THESE SMOKE SHOPS WITH, WITH THIS SORT OF MERCHANDISE, YOU KNOW, EVERY MORNING AND EVERY AFTERNOON, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE WEAPONS WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, FUNDAMENTALLY PUTS OUR COMMUNITY AT RISK.
AND THEN WHEN SPEAKING WITH SOME, SOME OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY LEADERS IN, IN HARTSDALE AND FAIRVIEW, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MENTIONED THAT IT'S NOT JUST SCHOOL, BUT IT'S PARKS.
UH, BECAUSE, AND ULTIMATELY, WHETHER IT'S WHERE OUR KIDS LEARN, WHERE OUR KIDS PLAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE SPACES SAFE.
AND I'LL, AND I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WHAT'S TROUBLING ABOUT, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE SHOPS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
UM, SO THEY'VE ALREADY HAD A POTENTIALLY THREE VIOLATIONS, YOU KNOW, THESE OTHER SMOKE SHOPS, WHILE ON PAPER THEY SMELL, THEY SELL TOBACCO.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN CAUGHT ONCE OR TWICE, UH, SELLING ILLEGAL MERCHANDISE UNDER THE TABLE.
AND SO IF YOU REGULATE, YOU KNOW, MARIJUANA SHOPS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THING.
BUT YOU HAVE THESE, THESE UNDERGROUND MARIJUANA SHOPS THAT ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES AS TOBACCO SHOPS AND EVEN, UH, EVEN IT'S JUST THE, THE PARAPHERNALIA AND THE OTHER ACCESSORIES SO CLOSE TO A SCHOOL, UM, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
TO PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION, I BELIEVE THE, THE LAW, THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW CLEARLY ONLY INDICATES THE ADVERTISING,
[00:45:01]
BUT I BELIEVE THERE HAVE, BUT, BUT I BELIEVE THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES WHO HAVE ENACTED A LAW LIKE THIS IN REGARDS TO SALES.BUT THE OVERALL STATE LAW IS SPECIFICALLY FOR ADVERTISING IN STOREFRONTS WITHIN 1500 FEET.
AND THAT'S WHERE I GET TO WHAT IS THE ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THIS.
CLEARLY WE CAN DO IT WITH ADVERTISING AND WINDOWS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN PROHIBIT THEM FROM HAVING TOBACCO INSIDE THEIR STORE AS A, AS A TOWN.
WELL, I, I'M, I'M NOT THE TOWN ATTORNEY, SO I'D CERTAINLY DEFER TO HIM, BUT IT SEEMS THAT OTHER, UH, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE, HAVE GONE AND DONE THAT.
BUT THE FACT THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DONE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT RIGHT.
NOW, IF THEY'VE GONE TO COURT AND COURT HAS SAID, YES, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO EXTEND IT, THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
BUT I, I UNDERSTAND THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DONE IT, SO WHY DON'T WE? SURE.
WELL, AND ULTIMATELY WE JUST WANT TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
AND OF COURSE WE, WE, WE FEEL HAVING THESE SORT OF PRODUCTS SO CLOSE TO A SCHOOL, UM, IS, I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH YOU.
I'M SURE
UM, I MEAN, I, IT'S JUST OUTRAGEOUS WHAT THEY PUT IN THE
LET ME ASK, HOWEVER, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON SOLID BACKGROUND LEGALLY, THAT WE CAN TAKE IT FROM, DON'T DISPLAY THAT TO NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THAT TO, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT AT ALL WITH AN INSIDE OR WHATEVER, UNLESS YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO, LET ME ASK TREVOR, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, IF THERE IS, UH, BUSINESSES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, OPERATING AND SELLING, COULD THE TOWN AND ENACT LEGISLATION, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD THAT WOULD APPLY TO EXISTING BUSINESSES? I'M SORRY, REPEAT THAT AGAIN.
IT WAS A, IT WAS A LITTLE LOW ON YOUR MIND.
UH, IT, IT BASICALLY, COULD WE ENACT LEGISLATION? I, I, I THINK HE SAID EARLIER, HE CAN'T GIVE US LEGAL, IN HIS OPINION YEAH.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT HAVE ADOPTED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD APPLY TO, UM, BUSINESSES THAT, UH, ALREADY HAD OPENED, BUT ALL WITHIN THE 1500, YOU KNOW, FEET, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I'M NOT SURE ON.
UM, AND, AND TO BE HONEST, AGAIN, FROM, YOU KNOW, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION STANDPOINT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A LAWYER.
I CAN'T PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN OFFERING OUR ASSISTANCE AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, AND, UM, SENDING IT TO YOUR FOLKS THERE ON YOUR TEAM, UM, TO TAKE A LOOK AT ACROSS THE STATE TO LIMIT TOBACCO USE, UM, AND OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, UH, AMONG OUR YOUTH IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GET 'EM, YOU KNOW, HOOKED ON PRODUCTS.
AND THAT AGAIN, INVOLVES FLAVORS, IT INVOLVES POINT OF SALE, IT INVOLVES, UM, ADVERTISING, UM, IN PARTICULAR.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN COMMENT ON AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
BUT, UH, TO THAT QUESTION, I CAN'T PROVIDE AN ANSWER.
AND ALSO, WOULD, DOES THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION DO ANY MEDIATION WITH, UH, SAY SMOKE SHOP OWNERS, LANDLORDS AND MUNICIPALITIES AND CIVIC GROUPS? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES IS, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO ADDRESS BUSINESSES THAT ALREADY HAVE OPENED, PERHAPS THAT THE AMERICAN LAW LOAN ASSOCIATION WOULD, UM, WOULD REACH OUT TO THE LANDLORDS AND OWNERS AND, UM, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP, UH, HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, HELP COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF, UH, APPROACH THAT EVERYBODY COULD, YOU KNOW, LIVE WITH.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE THEY WOULD BE MORE, UH, RECEPTIVE.
I, I KNOW WE HAVE RESOURCES ON LUNG.ORG, UM, THAT ADDRESS, UM, FOR INSTANCE, SMOKING, UM, AND MULTI-HOUSING UNITS.
BUT I'M NOT SURE IF MOLLY OR KBU YOU HAVE ANY PROGRAMS LOCALLY YOU'RE RUNNING THAT DOES THAT TYPE OF WORK.
YEAH, WE RUN, IT'S THE SMOKE FREE HOUSING INITIATIVE AS WELL.
I MEAN, I KNOW THAT DOESN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE ISSUE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, BUT, UM, I, I USUALLY MEDIATE WITH PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LANDLORDS, UM, ABOUT WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE IF THEY WANNA HAVE A SMOKE-FREE POLICY, UM, IF THEY'RE RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM TENANTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WELL, AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I, I EMPHASIZE ONE POINT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR THE OUTRIGHT BANNING OF TOBACCO, UH, OR, OR WEAPONS OR, OR ANY OF THIS IN GREENBURG.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR A BARRIER FROM THE, THE ACCESS OF THESE PRODUCTS IN SCHOOLS AND PARKS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE, THERE MAY BE PLACES WHERE, WHERE
[00:50:01]
THIS SORT OF STUFF IS APPROPRIATE, BUT ULTIMATELY 1500 FEET FROM A SCHOOL AND A PARK IS, IS WHERE IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.SO I'VE SEEN SOME, SOME PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT HAS US STATING THAT IT'S PROHIBITED IN ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, BUT AS YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS ARE A SEPARATE ENTITY.
WE CAN'T EVEN REQUIRE THEM TO DO BUILDING PERMITS.
SO HOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? YEAH, I MEAN, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE SOME, UH, AREAS WHERE, WHERE GOVERNMENTS HAVE JURISDICTION OVER SCHOOLS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE CERTAINLY SAW THAT IN, IN, UH, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL NEWS WITH, WITH PRAYERS IN SCHOOLS AND GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, RIGHT.
UH, YOU KNOW, CREATING RULES AROUND THAT.
UM, AND I THINK ULTIMATELY THE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BOARDS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR THREE THINGS.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HIRING AND FIRING OF A SUPERINTENDENT, SETTING BUDGETS AND SETTING EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND KEEPING THE CHILDREN.
ULTIMATELY, THE POLICY ON GROUNDS IS, IS NOT, WHILE THERE IS CURRENTLY A, A, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IN EDGEMONT, A SCHOOL POLICY THAT REGULATES CERTAIN THINGS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, AND THERE'S EVEN STATE EDUCATION POLICY THAT REGULATES CERTAIN THINGS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE TOWN COULDN'T ALSO, UH, REGULATE, REGULATE WHAT GOES ON IN THE TOWN.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A FOURTH, ACTUALLY.
AND THAT'S KEEPING THE STAFF AND STUDENT SAFE.
RIGHT? IT WOULD BE NICE IF THAT WAS THEIR FOURTH MISSION, UH, YEARS AGO.
THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT THAT IN THERE.
BUT
THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE LIMITED ABILITY TO ENFORCE.
BUT, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS ABOUT KEEPING, KEEPING KIDS SAFE AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, DANGEROUS THINGS AREN'T AT THEIR FINGERTIPS WHEN THEY'RE WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOLS AND PARKS.
UM, BUT I, MY, MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE 15 MINUTES LATE TO ANOTHER MEETING ALREADY.
AND YOU, YOU'VE BEEN FANTASTIC.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND HAVING US HERE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE TEAM OF, UH, KEEPING TOBACCO PRODUCTS OUT OF, UH, THE HANDS SPECIFICALLY OF OUR YOUTH, UM, AND OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
UM, AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH AND PLEASE LET US KNOW, UM, WHAT ELSE WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU OTHER THAN WHAT WAS LAID OUT HERE TONIGHT.
AND I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF HELPING US, UH, TO TRY TO ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS ISSUE.
CAN I JUST ASK IF WE COULD, JUST, SO WE CAN MOVE IT ALONG, LIKE HAVE LIKE A, A TIMETABLE OR SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA AND JOE, YOU COULD GIVE ME, GIVE US LIKE A ESTIMATED TIMETABLE SO THIS WAY WHEN YOU REPORT BACK TO THE E C C, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SAY, OH, THE TOWN BOARD'S GONNA HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE AUGUST 1ST, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
THIS WAY THEY'LL, THEY'LL KNOW THAT IT'S NOT, NOT GONNA FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
SO, I I, I'LL BASICALLY THEN PRESENT SOMETHING TO YOU LAYING OUT YOUR OPTIONS TO WHICH, WHICH TYPE OF REGULATION, UM, YOU WANNA LOOK AT.
WELL, I SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, BEFORE AT YEAH.
SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING, IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF LEGISLATION THAT WE CAN ENACT WHEN SCHOOL, WHEN SCHOOL'S GOING TO START AGAIN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
WE'RE HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK ON THE 28TH.
DO YOU, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, WE COULD HAVE LIKE A PRO A PROPOSAL AND INSTEAD OF PUBLIC HEARING? WELL, WE DO HAVE AN AUGUST.
WHAT MEETING? NO, I THINK IF WE HAVE AUGUST 20, I THINK NEXT WEEK WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT'S ALREADY OCCURRING THAT NIGHT AND ALL THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO PROCEED FOR, FOR THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A PRIORITY.
MAYBE IF WE GAVE AUGUST 10TH, THAT WOULD BE A MORE REALISTIC MEASURE TO GET THINGS MOVING ALONG.
SO WE HAVE A MEETING AUGUST 10TH, AND THEN, UM, IS THERE ANOTHER MEETING IN AUGUST? THERE IS NOT, NO, IT IS SEPTEMBER 14TH, I BELIEVE.
I DIDN'T, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO AT LEAST SET THE, THE, UM, SET THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, SEPTEMBER 14TH.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE, LET'S TALK ABOUT, LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
WE HAVE, WE'LL SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE.
WE HAVE A PROPOSAL FROM, YOU KNOW, MIKE SIEGEL, A PROPOSED LAW FROM MIKE SIEGEL.
WHAT IF WE PUT MIKE SIEGEL'S, UH, JUST TO MOVE IT ALONG, MIKE SIEGEL'S, UH, PROPOSED LAW ON THE AGENDA FOR, BUT WE HAVE, BUT WE HAVE THE ISSUE WITH THE CANNABIS LANGUAGE RIGHT NOW, WITH THE LOCAL LAW THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PROPOSED.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT EXACT DRAFT, I DON'T THINK WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
BUT WHAT, WHAT IF HE TAKE, WHAT IF WE TAKE OUT THE CANNABIS, YOU KNOW, APART FROM HIS PROPOSED LOCAL LAW AND BASICALLY JUST ASK HIM TO COME UP WITH A BASIC THING.
WE SET A PUBLIC HEARING AT JULY 28TH USING HIS LANGUAGE, AND THEN, UH, AND
[00:55:01]
THEN WE SET IT FOR, YOU KNOW, AUGUST, AUGUST 10TH, AND THEN WE'LL LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC.AND THEN WE COULD ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, UH, AT END OF AUGUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS TO APPROVE SOMETHING.
I MAY NOT EITHER OTHERWISE, OTHERWISE WE WON'T HAVE ANY, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO START THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH TIME.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL TO, TO DO IT FOR THEM IF WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
BUT LET'S NOT, WELL WE, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S MAKE THAT OUR GOAL AND RIGHT.
AND MAYBE I'LL ADD, I'LL DRAFT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT MIKE SIEGEL PUT TOGETHER AND, UM, SEND THAT OUT THIS WEEK WITH THE GOAL OF US, UH, HAVING MORE OF AN AGREEMENT AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE IN THAT LAW FOR THE 28TH, THEN UM, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS SOMETHING THE LAW WILL BE FOR US TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 28TH.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE ADOPTING THE LAW, UNDERSTAND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE UNDERSTAND.
I JUST WOULDN'T WANNA PUT A LOCAL LAW ON THAT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT A FIFTH OR A SIXTH ITEM ON THAT ONE ITEM ONLY MEETING
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, THE FO APPEAL FROM, UM, UM, JOE DENNIS.
CLIFF ABRAMS IS, UM, SHE SENT AN EMAIL STATING THAT CLIFF ABRAMS WOULD BE REPRESENTING HER IF I DON'T.
SO, UM, THE FOIL APPEAL WAS SENT.
WE DID A THOROUGH REVIEW AND WE FOUND THERE TO BE NO DOCUMENTATION WITHIN THE TOWN.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE WAS A DENIAL IN THIS PROCESS.
SO, SO LET ME ASK YOU, UM, WHICH IS SECTION THREE, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THIS OVERVIEW AND IT SAY THAT IF THEY BUY LIKE A HUD YES.
OR A COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT TO SEE MORE THAN 200,000 BECAUSE, UM, THEY SHOW A HIGHER LOW.
I'M NOT COMING AS HOUSING, I'M COMING AS INDIVIDUAL.
SO THIS IS, BUT THIS IS A HEARING ONLY FOR DOCUMENTS MAINTAINED BY THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SO, SO MAYBE MS. DENNIS SHOULD LOOK INTO MAYBE FOILING ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY, BECAUSE WE DID A THOROUGH REVIEW AND WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS.
MEAN, I, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTS, DOES THAT MEAN THAT, UM, THERE'S NO DOCUMENTS OR IS IT THAT YOU COULDN'T FIND 'EM BECAUSE WE TRYING TO FIND OUT THAT YOU'RE, THAT COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT MONEY YEAH.
AND NOBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND THEY'VE BEEN USING FOR THE SIDEWALKS.
AND IN CERTAIN SENSE LIKE THAT NOBODY IS GETTING EMPLOYMENT FROM THE LOWER OR LOWER INCOME.
SO I, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THOSE DOCUMENTS EXIST ELSEWHERE.
BUT WHAT I COULD SAY FOR SURE IS THAT WE'VE DONE, DONE THE REVIEW IN-HOUSE, ALL, ALL THE EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT WERE PART OF THIS FOIL REQUEST, RECEIVED IT, AND THEY HAVE DONE A REVIEW AND THEY, WE DO NOT HAVE THE DOCUMENTS.
SO UNLESS YOU WERE TO SHOW SOMEHOW THAT THOSE DOCUMENTS DO EXIST AND ARE MAINTAINED BY GREENBERG, WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT, THAT YOUR APPEAL IS DENIED.
IF, IF YOU WANT TO SEPARATELY DISCUSS WITH ME, AND MAYBE I COULD POINT YOU IN THE DIRECTION OF SOMEONE ELSE WHO MAY HAVE IT, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT.
WHAT CAN YOU SEND US TO SHOW US THAT Y'ALL DID THE WORK IN THIS? WELL, IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO PROVE A NEGATIVE, BUT WE, WE DID AN IN-HOUSE REVIEW, WE MADE THE REQUEST, AND WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I, I THINK GARRETT FILLED OUT A CERTIFICATION.
I, I BELIEVE THAT'S A DIFFERENT FOIL REQUEST.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT FOIL REQUEST.
IN THE PAST CLIFF, WHEN IN, IN OTHER ITERATIONS WHEN WE RECEIVED FOIL DOCUMENTS, THE WORD GOES OUT.
WE NEED TO HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS TO US BY SUCH AND SUCH DATE WITH THE SPECIFICS AND THE PEOPLE MUST REPORT BACK THAT THEY'VE, THAT THEY'VE REVIEWED.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT SAME THING HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT THEY SAY, I HAVE FOUND NOTHING.
THAT'S ONLY, THAT'S THE ONLY THING.
[01:00:01]
IF THERE'S NOTHING, WELL, I COULD PROVIDE A DOCUMENT AFTER THIS HEARING CONFIRMING THE DENIAL OF THE APPEAL BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS ARE NOT MAINTAINED BY THE TOWN.I COULD PROVIDE THAT TO MS. DENNIS.
UM, AFTER THIS HEARING OCCUR, SO WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE SECTION THREE VERSUS THE OTHER ONE, SINCE YOU CAN'T TALK ON THAT NOW? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO BE AT THE WORK SESSION? BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVE THE COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANTS.
YOU, THERE'S SIDEWALKS Y'ALL ALLOW CERTAIN PEOPLE TO YEAH, YOU COULD SEND NOTICE TO EITHER, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER OR ONE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND WE WILL REVIEW AND PLACE IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA, UH, IF WE BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE.
'CAUSE I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WAY, THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF MONEY COMING THROUGH THE TOWN AND Y'ALL BE DOING A LOT OF SIDEWALKS AND WORK AND PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY IS NOT GETTING NO, UM, YEAH, WE, WE WILL, WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR CORRESPONDENCE AND POSSIBLY PUT IT ON A FUTURE WORK SESSION, BUT FOR TODAY'S PURPOSES, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE FOIL REQUEST.
UM, AND WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. UH, THE NEXT IS THE MS. HAL, HAL WITHIN APPEAL.
WILL MR. FINER BE ATTENDING? EXPECT THAT, WELL, LET'S WAIT.
IS THIS WHERE YOU COME FOR EMPLOYMENT BY THE TOWN WITH A PROPOSAL? WE WAITING.
OH, GLAD TO SAY WE'RE STICKING TO THE TIMELINE.
WELL, I BASICALLY FEEL I'VE ASKED RATHER SIMPLE QUESTIONS IN RESPONSE TO INFORMATION THAT MR. FINER HAS PROVIDED THE TAP ON OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.
IN 2021, HE PROMOTED A COMPANY CALLED, WHICH HE CALLS THE ZUCKERBERG INSTITUTE AND PAPERWORK, WHICH HAS BEEN SIGNED BY, THIS IS SIGNED AS ZUCKERBERG MEDIA.
AND ESSENTIALLY THEY PROVIDE SERVICES OF EDUCATIONAL NATURE TO GREENBERG STUDENTS OR STUDENT AGE.
AND IN LAST YEAR'S PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM WENT FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER STUDENT.
IF THEY WANTED TO APPLY IT FOR COLLEGE CREDIT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY EXTRA.
THE TOWN, ACCORDING TO MR. FINER PAID 100, PAID 100% OF THE COSTS, MEMOS OF UNDERSTANDING WERE PAID.
OKAY? WE'RE EXECUTED BY THE TOWN SIGNED BY MR. FINER FOR $39,000.
AND TWO MONTHS LATER, A SECOND MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING WAS SIGNED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30,000 TOTAL OF $69,000.
NOW, I'M IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE TOWN BOARD OVER THE COURSE OF A TWO OR THREE YEAR PERIOD TO SEE WHETHER MORE HAS HAPPENED THAN JUST EXECUTING
[01:05:01]
RESOLUTIONS AND NOTHING HAPPENING FURTHER.SO WHEN I SAW THIS, I SAW POTENTIAL OF $69,000, WHICH I COULD FIND NO RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE TOWN BOARD TO ADVANCE THIS MONEY.
I COULD FIND NO RESOLUTIONS TO ACCEPT THIS MONEY AS GRANT MONEY OR WHEREVER IT CAME FROM IF IT WASN'T PAID BY THE TOWN.
AND I COULD SEE NO NAMES OF PARTICIPANTS TO TELL ME THAT THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY WERE EXISTING.
MR. FINER REFERS TO INDIVIDUALS FROM THIS GROUP, AS HE HAS DONE IN A RECENT THING ON THE FOOD MARKET.
WE, HE'S NAMED LAST YEAR'S PARTICIPANTS.
AND THE QUESTION IS, YOU'VE ALL BEEN PRESENT AT PRESENTATIONS WHERE THE NAMES OF THESE STUDENTS ARE GIVEN OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WE CAN'T CLAIM, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING, UH, MINORS OR PERSONAL PRIVACY WHEN MR. FINER ROUTINELY VIOLATES THE SAME LAW HIMSELF.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDING, WHAT, WHO IS TO SAY THAT THIS IS ALL A PHONY THING AND THE TOWN IS DISPERSING MONEY TO SOMEONE HAVING NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
NOW, WHEN WE START WITH ZUCKERBERG INSTITUTE, WE GET THE FEELING THAT IT'S A NONPROFIT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE.
I BELIEVE IT IS A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE FOR PROFIT.
SO WE CAN'T EVEN SAY THAT THIS IS GOING TOWARDS CHARITY.
SO I FILED A FOIL REQUEST AND I WAS SEEKING TO FIND WHO FUNDED IT, WHO PAID FOR THE STUDENTS, WHEN DID THE MONEY COME IN, AND HOW DID IT GO OUT AND TO WHOM? AND THE TOWN RESPONDED ONLY BY SUPPLYING ME WITH INVOICES AND THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND SAID, THAT'S ALL THAT EXISTS.
SO IF RESOLUTIONS TO ADVANCE THIS MONEY, IF RESOLUTIONS TO ACCEPT THIS MONEY, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE ASKED WERE DON'T EXIST.
THERE CERTAINLY SEEMS CONTRARY TO PRACTICE BY THE TOWN, WHEN YOU ROUTINELY VOTE TO ACCEPT $150 CONTRIBUTION FOR THE THEO YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER, HOW COME YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN 69,000 AND THAT HAS BEEN DENIED UNDER THIS OPEN GOVERNMENT? WELL, WE, WE DID A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE DOCUMENTS AND WE SENT EVERYTHING WE FOUND WITHIN OUR SEARCH.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MAYBE SOME OF THOSE DOCUMENTS SENT TO YOU WERE REDACTED, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY REVISION TO WHAT WE FOUND.
NOTHING I RECEIVED WAS REDACTED.
AND CERTAINLY YOU'RE TELLING ME NOW THAT IF YOU HAD RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU PASSED TO ADVANCE THIS MONEY, YOU WOULD REDACT THEM.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T SAY I WOULD REDACT THE RESOLUTION.
ALRIGHT, WELL, SHOW ME THE RESOLUTIONS THERE.
SO THEN WHERE'D THIS MONEY COME FROM AND WHERE DID IT GO? IT WASN'T FROM GRANT.
YOU HAVE, UM, WHAT WAS SENT TO YOU AS IT WAS YES.
I THINK IT CAME FROM A GRANT FROM AN, UH, WHEN DID YOU ACCEPT THE MONEY? WELL, I ARE, THIS WAS NOT, I BELIEVE THAT YES, EVERYTHING THIS YEAR WE YES.
THAT WE, UH, USED NON TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
WELL, WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? THESE NON TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
AND THE INTERESTING THING IS, YOU WANTED TO DO THIS PROGRAM AGAIN IN 2022, BUT THIS TIME THE STUDENT FAMILIES HAD TO PAY 50% OF THE COST.
AND YOU TOLD ME THERE WAS NO INTEREST.
WELL, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, ANY OF THE EMAILS THAT SAID, ZUCKERBERG, I HAVE NO PROBLEM GIVING YOU THOSE RECORDS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A GOOD PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THE STUDENTS LEARNED A LOT FROM IT AT SOME POINT THAT THE, WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RESOLUTIONS.
WHERE DOES, HOW DO YOU TAKE IN $69,000 AND HAVE NO RECORD OF IT? YOU SEE, MR. FREE IS VERY QUICK TO DO, TO SAY DON'T EXIST.
AND IF THEY DON'T EXIST, YOU HAVE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.
BECAUSE WHERE IS THIS MONEY COMING FROM? WHERE IS IT GOING? I THINK YOU HAVE A CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITY.
[01:10:02]
YOU KNOW, YOU SIGNED TWO MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING INDICATING PAYMENTS OF 39,000 AND $30,000.LIKE THE FIRST 39,000 WAS SO SUCCESSFUL, LET'S GIVE 'EM ANOTHER $30,000.
NOW, YOU KNOW, AS YOU LIKE TO SAY, JOE, WHERE HAS YOUR OFFICE LOOKED? WE ASKED DEPARTMENT HEADS TO RESEARCH THEIR DOCUMENTS.
I I JUST LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE APPEAL PROCESS IS THE COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS AND IT'S NOT AN INTERROGATORY TO BE ASKED QUESTIONS AND, AND TO ANSWER, TO GIVE RESPONSES TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE PROVIDED WHAT WE COLLECTED IN OUR OFFICE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
UH, IF UNDER FURTHER REVIEW WE WERE INCORRECT, AND OF COURSE YOU'LL GRANT THE APPEAL.
BUT I COULD TELL YOU I SPOKE TO FIRST DEPUTY FREE AND WE BELIEVED THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SUPPLIED.
WELL, THAT'S ALL VERY NICE, BUT I THINK THE TOWN HAS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM IN HOW IT HANDLES ITS MONEY.
THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WILL PAY GREENBERG, NEW YORK WILL PAY 39,000 TO FACILITATE THE PROGRAM.
SO I ASSUME THERE SHOULD BE A WRESTLE.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT SAYS 30,000.
I'M NOT BLAMING YOU, I'M NOT BLAMING ANYBODY HERE EXCEPT MY PROBLEM IS THAT I THINK MR. FREE, AS USUAL IS VERY QUICK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT OUT OF CONTEXT, BUT MR. FREED, A YEAR AGO ON HIS OWN VENTURE, FR FRANCIS NOT SAY TO GIVE THESE TO ME, I THINK HE SAID GIVE HIM TO JONES.
WELL, JOAN IS NOT HERE, MR. FREE REDACTED, SORRY.
THE FINANCIAL, THE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM.
AND YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY, I I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RELEVANT TO TODAY'S.
WELL, IT SHOWS A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION.
AND IT ALSO SHOWS A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR THAT I HAVE SEVERAL VERIFIED COMPLAINTS FROM THE BOARD OF ETHICS, WHICH THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO PASSED OVER TO THE TOWN BOARD.
AND THE TOWN BOARD HAS TAKEN NO ACTION, MR. FREE REDACTED INFORMATION, CONTRARY TO WHAT IS SAID IN THE CODE OF ETHICS, DID SO ON HIS OWN THING.
A FO APPEAL WAS LAUNCHED AND IT WAS DECIDED IN THE APPLICANT'S FAVOR THAT THIS INFORMATION WAS VITAL.
I DON'T THINK IT'S, AND MR. FREE THEREAFTER MADE THAT INFORMATION FILE, BUT THE TOWN BOARD TOOK NO ACTION TO, IN ANY WAY PUNISH MR. FREE FOR HIS ILLEGAL ACTION.
HIS JOB IS TO ADMINISTER THE CODE OF ETHICS.
AND THE CODE OF ETHICS VERY CLEARLY PROVIDES FOR A FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM REDACTING THE REAL ESTATE OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS REQUIRED TO EXECUTE A FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE FORM IS VERY MUCH AN INGREDIENT OF THE CODE OF ETHICS.
HOW ARE WE GONNA KNOW IF THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST REGARDING A PERSON'S REAL ESTATE AND SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE VOTING UPON, WHICH MAY AFFECT THEIR REAL ESTATE UNLESS WE KNOW WHAT REAL ESTATE IS OWNED.
SO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, AND I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT AS THE NEW TOWN ATTORNEY OR ACTING ATTOR TOWN ATTORNEY, INTERIM TOWN ATTORNEY.
BUT I THINK THE TOWN BOARD HAS A LOT OF WORK TO CATCH UP ON REGARDING ETHICS BOARD FORWARDS.
MY, MY MY VERIFIED COMPLAINTS WHERE YOU WERE JUST ABSOLUTELY IGNORING IT.
I THINK, I THINK WE NEED MORE INFORMATION AND WE'RE NOT GONNA RESOLVE THIS TODAY.
I JUST, UH, GOOGLED AND I FOUND SOMETHING, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU WERE MAKING A REPRESENTATION THAT WE HAD A PROGRAM THAT BASICALLY DIDN'T EXIST AND WE HAD A PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAVE SPRING 2021 UPDATE.
THERE WAS A PRESENTATION AT THE TOWN AT THE, I BELIEVE AT THE TOWN BOARD IN JUNE OF, UM, JUNE 10TH.
I'M NOT, I DIDN'T REPRESENT 2021 DOESN'T EXIST.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT EXISTS TO THE EXTENT OF 69,000.
WELL, I, WE BASICALLY PROVIDED THE TOWN BOARD WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH AN UPDATE LISTING WHAT WAS DONE.
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER, AND YOU KNOW, I IT'S ON YOUTUBE.
[01:15:01]
UH, THE ZUCKERBERG, UH, THERE'S ONE JUNE 10TH, 2021.IF I SPEND MY DAY COURTING THE MEDIA, I COULD HAVE THINGS PUBLISHED TOO.
OKAY, WELL THAT DOESN'T PROVE ANYTHING.
OKAY, WELL YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE DETAILS AS TO WHAT WAS DONE, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, I THINK YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT.
IT'S NOT PROVIDING ME WITH DETAILS.
AND AS YOU DOING BUSINESS A NEW WAY IN THIS TOWN THAT YOU TAKE IN THE EQUIVALENT OF $69,000 AND DISPERSE IT AND IT DOESN'T FLOW THROUGH THE BOOKS OF THE TOWN, I THINK WE HAVE TO DO MORE WORK.
AND IS THAT THE, DID WHAT YOU JUST GAVE THE TOWN CLERK, IS THAT THE SUM OF OH, SHE GAVE THEM BACK.
NO, HE DID NOT GIVE THIS TO ME.
HER, UH, HOW, WHERE DID YOU THIS CAME FROM, UM, STAFF IN MY OFFICE.
IN RESPONSE TO YOUR FULL REQUEST? YES.
SO, SO LET, LET ME JUST EXPLAIN THE PROCESS HERE.
SO A FULL REQUEST, THE PROCESS, UH, VIA A, AS PER NEW YORK STATE LAW IS AS FALLS, A FALL REQUEST COMES INTO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE THEN FACILITATES THE RESPONSE.
THAT MEANS THAT WE SEND THE RESPONSE TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICE OF RECORD TO RESPOND.
ONCE THE DOCUMENTS ARE GIVEN TO THE APPLICANT, THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS DONE ITS DUE DILIGENCE TO FACILITATE THAT REQUEST.
NOW, SHOULD A DECISION BE MADE BY THE APPLICANT TO TAKE IT TO AN APPEAL LEVEL FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DOCUMENTS THEN BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DESIGNATED HEARING OFFICER.
SO THESE ARE YOUR DOCUMENTS NOW, AND THE TOWN COUNCIL HAS A COUNCIL AIDE.
SO IF THEY NEED ANY FURTHER COPIES TO BE MADE OF THE DOCUMENTS TO FACILITATE THEIR DECISION MAKING WITH REGARDS TO THE APPEAL, THEN THE APPROPRIATE PERSON TO GIVE THESE DOCUMENTS TO IS THEIR AID.
OR JOE, YOU CAN TAKE THEM BACK TO YOUR OFFICE.
SINCE, SINCE THE A IS NOT HERE, I WILL CALL ALSO A TOWN CLERK.
IT IS, THIS IS RELATED TO YOUR WELL, WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY, THE TOWN CLERK HAS RUN, LET'S STOP OVER THE TOWN CLERK PRESENT DUE DILIGENCE ON THIS.
I DON'T WANNA HAVE A FEUD BETWEEN THE TOWN BOARD AND THE TOWN CLERK.
UNDERSTAND WE SAID LAST NIGHT, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS.
INTERNAL ATTACKS, NO PERSONAL.
I STATING THAT HE HAS DOCUMENTS WE HAVE NOT SEEN.
I DON'T WANT, WE ARE ASKING THE TOWN CLERK TO MAKE COPIES.
SHE'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA HAVE A, I'M FORWARD.
I'M SAYING, I'M SAYING THAT IT IS RESPONSIBILITY, IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD TO NOT FACILITATE THIS CLERK HAS BEEN HER DUE DILIGENCE.
JUST ONE OTHER MATTER, MR. FREE HAS WORKED FOR THE TOWN FOR A LONG TIME, HAS PRESIDED OVER TOWN BOARD MEETINGS.
HE HAS SAID THAT HE HAS NO ISSUE WITH HAVING A SEARCH DONE FOR THE WORD ZUCKERBERG AND TURNING OVER THOSE DOCUMENTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW WE ARE SITTING HERE TODAY BECAUSE MR. FREE DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT.
YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT MR. FREE IS UNAWARE THAT HOW THE TOWN TAKES IN MONEY AND DISPERSES IT, AND THIS IS THE FIRST DEPUTY TOWN ATTORNEY WHO HAS TAKEN AN OATH OF OFFICE.
THIS IS NOT HOW THE TOWN SHOULD BE RUN.
WHAT I'M SAYING, I ASSUME, RIGHT? PARDON ME? YOU'RE NOT OBJECTING TO WHAT I'M I'M TELLING YOU IT'S THAT THE SUPERVISOR IS SAID WE'LL DO IT.
A SEARCH OF OUR EMAIL SYSTEM FOR THE WORD ZUCKERBERG.
YOU SAID YOU COULD HAVE EVERYTHING.
ANY OF MY EMAILS, YOU COULD HAVE 100% OF THEM.
IT'S PROBLEM THAT I'M GETTING IT AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
OKAY, SO, SO THEN THERE'S NOTHING SO WE CAN MOVE ON DECISION.
WE DON'T HAVE TO, ANY DOCUMENTS DID NOT EXIST.
SO GIVE HIM EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE.
WE WILL NOW, AS YOU ASK, DRAFT THESE PEOPLE BEFORE WHO COME TO FOUR YOU BY
[01:20:01]
WHEN, SO THAT WE GET, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE THE OPINION.WE'LL HAVE SD PACK TO DO A SEARCH OF THE COMPUTER AND JUST GIVE EVERYTHING THAT SAYS ZUCKERBERG.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW HIS VACATION SCHEDULE, SO I'M ASKING YOU.
THEN I WILL HAVE THIS MATERIAL.
YOU, WHEN? AS SOON AS YOU GET IT.
AS SOON AS HE DOES THE WORK THAT, AND I WILL, I WON'T.
HE'LL BE ON THREE WEEK VACATIONS.
HOW I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU IN THE NEXT WEEK TO, IF WE CAN PROVIDE THE INFORMATION WITH WITHIN THAT TIME.
AND IF WE ARE STILL CONTINUING OUR SEARCH, I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WHERE WE ARE IN THAT SEARCH AND WHEN WE EXPECT IT TO BE COMPLETED.
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, JOE.
UM, I MEAN, MOST OF THE EMAILS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE ZUCKERBERG ARE THERE, THERE WERE AT LEAST 60, 70 STUDENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST.
DO YOU, DO YOU, UH, RELEASE THE NAMES OR DO YOU RED, DO YOU LIKE CROSS OUT THE NAMES AND THE EMAIL ADDRESSES OF THE PARTICIPANTS? I MEAN, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE, UH, WITH THE BODY OF THE LETTERS BE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M INTERESTED.
I MEAN, THOSE WERE BASICALLY THE, THE EMAILS.
I, I DON'T WANT THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES.
I WANT THEIR NAMES TO KNOW THAT THEY EXIST.
THEN YOU COULD HAVE IT AND WE'LL JUST PRESS OUT THE EMAIL ADDRESSES AND YOU KNOW, LIKE THEIR LAST NAME.
BUT I DO KNOW IN THE INITIAL, LET'S, LET'S JUST GO ON FROM THIS.
HOW AM I GONNA KNOW WHO THEY ARE? IF YOU CROSS OUT THEIR LAST NAME? WELL, WELL, MR. FINE, YOU WROTE THIS.
THEY BY NINI NINI SAYING IS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL EDGEMONT HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR.
YOU KNOW WHAT ALREADY HAS? LET'S NOT.
WELL, THE FACT OF THE MATTER, MR. NER SENT THIS OUT OVER THE GB LIST.
I, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THE, THE INITIAL DOCUMENT REQUEST, I DON'T BELIEVE ASKED FOR EMAILS.
SO THEN YOU'RE NOT ENTITLED TO EMAILS.
DID YOU NOT READ WHAT I JUST GAVE YOU? WHAT I WAS SEEKING IN THE, IN THE REQUEST.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I WANTED WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM, WHERE IT WENT.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR NOW TO GO BACK AND REVIEW.
UM, IF, IF WE FEEL WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, THE, THE TOWN WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION AND IF NOT, WE'LL CLARIFY AND SEEK MORE INFORMATION.
AS I SAID EARLIER, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK.
HOW, I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK ONE QUESTION OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
IS THIS, IS THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YES.
WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY? YES.
IS THE TOWN PERMITTED TO MAKE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS? I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
WELL, THE QUESTION IS, I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS REPRESENTS ITSELF AS A CHARITY OR NOT.
THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
IT WAS SORT OF LIKE A INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
YEAH, WE, WE, PAUL, I THINK WE'RE DONE.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE MEETING.
I'D TO MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF, UH, SEEKING LEGAL ADVICE AND, AND PERSONAL MATTERS.
PERSONNEL MATTERS AND PERSONNEL MATTERS INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALS.