[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
[00:00:07]
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION, GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ MOMENT OF SILENCE In memory of former Greenburgh Police Chief Donald Singer, appointed as a Police Officer on October 10, 1960, promoted to Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and ultimately appointed Chief on August 25, 1976, serving 25 successful years as Chief, 32 years in total, before retiring on May 31, 1992. Prior to his law enforcement career, he served in the 30th Bombardment Squadron of the 19th Bombardment Wing of the United States Air Force until his Honorable Discharge on May 3, 1950. Chief Singer continued his military career as a member of the New York National Guard, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In memory of the 1,082,265+ individual victims of COVID-19 who have died in the United States, 6,681,433+ deaths worldwide, each leaving family members and friends too soon In memory of the people in Ukraine killed during Russia's invasion and relentless intentional targeted bombing of civilians in apartment buildings, hospitals, train stations, schools and children centers, deliberating targeting utilities used by civilians to leave them without electricity and heat through the brutal winter weather, with mass graves being found after invaded areas have been retaken, all in Russia's effort to destroy Ukraine and its people, who are forced to fight for their land, their freedom, and general democratic principles. May they rest in peace and peace be restored to Ukraine]
UM, NEXT, UM, A MOMENT OF, UH, MR. MAIN STANDING FOR THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, A MOMENT OF SILENCE.UM, IN MEMORY OF FORMER GREENBURG POLICE CHIEF DONALD SINGER, HE WAS APPOINTED AS A POLICE OFFICER.
ON OCTOBER 10TH, 1960, HE WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT, LIEUTENANT, CAPTAIN, AND, UH, CHIEF OF POLICE.
ON AUGUST 25TH, 1976, HE SERVED 25, UH, SUCCESSFUL YEARS AS CHIEF 30 YEARS IN, UH, TOTAL BEFORE RETIRING ON MAY 31ST, 1992.
AND PRIOR TO HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER, HE SERVED IN THE 30TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON OF THE 19TH BOMBARDMENT WING OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
UNTIL THE HONORABLE DISCHARGE ON MAY 3RD, 1950, CHIEF SINGER CONTINUED HIS MILITARY CAREER AS A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE NATIONAL GUARD ACHIEVED THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND, UM, IN MEMORY OF THE 1,082,265, UH, VICTIMS, UM, OF C OVID 19, WHO HAVE DIED IN THE UNITED STATES, 6,681,433 PLUS DEATHS WORLDWIDE, EACH LEAVING FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TOO SOON.
AND IN MEMORY OF THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE KILLED DURING RUSSIA'S INVASION AND RELENTLESS INTENTIONAL, UH, TARGETED BOMBINGS OF CIVILIANS AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS, TRAIN STATIONS, UH, SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN'S CENTERS, DELIBERATING TARGETING, UH, UTILITIES USED BY CIVILIANS TO LEAVE THEM WITHOUT ELECTRICITY AND HEAT THROUGH THE BRUTAL, UH, WINTER WEATHER WITH MASS GRAVES BEING FOUND AFTER INVADED.
AREAS HAVE BEEN RETAKEN, ALL IN RUSSIA'S EFFORT TO DESTROY UKRAINE.
AND ITS PEOPLE WHO ARE FORCED TO FIGHT FOR THEIR LAND, THEIR FREEDOM, AND GENERAL DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.
MAY THE REST IN PEACE AND PEACE BE RESTORED TO UKRAINE.
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk]
TOWN SUPERVISOR PAUL FINER.HERE, COUNCILWOMAN ELLEN HENDRICKS.
PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN GINA JACKSON.
PRESENT INTERIM TOWN ATTORNEY JOE DENKO.
[ SWEARING IN CEREMONY Swearing in of NYS Assemblywoman MaryJane Shimsky by the Honorable Town Justice Delores Scott Brathwaite. Councilwoman Ellen Hendrickx will comment.]
PRESENT.AND NEXT, UH, WE HAVE THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF OUR NEW STATE ASSEMBLYWOMAN MARY JANESKY AND COUNCILWOMAN ELLEN HENDRICKS, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOME WORDS? CERTAINLY A QUICK NOTE ABOUT OUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN MARY JANE SHAMSKY'S CV SINCE LEAVING HER HOMETOWN OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.
UH, SINCE LEAVING HER HOMETOWN OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, MARY JANE EARNED A BACHELOR OF ARTS FROM YALE UNIVERSITY, HER LAW DEGREE FROM N Y U LAW, AND HER PHD IN HISTORY FROM THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
SHE WORKED AS AN A D A IN THE, THE APPEALS BUREAU IN THE MANHATTAN DA'S OFFICE.
SHE ALSO TAUGHT HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY AT MARYMOUNT COLLEGE WHEN IT WAS LOCATED IN TARRYTOWN.
IN 2007, MARY JANE STARTED A THREE YEAR STINT IN THE LATE ASSEMBLYMAN RICHARD BRODSKY'S OFFICE AS A COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR.
SHE SUBSEQUENT, SUBSEQUENTLY WON ELECTION TO THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS AND SERVED THERE FROM 2011 TO THE END OF 2022.
AFTER A SUCCESSFUL RUN, SHE NOW TAKES A SEAT AS ASSEMBLYWOMAN FOR THE 92ND DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES MOST OF GREENBERG.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I SERVED AS ASSEMBLY WOMEN'S SHAMSKY'S LEGISLATIVE AIDE WHILE SHE WAS IN AT THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS FOR EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS, AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE COORDINATOR FOR PART OF THAT TIME, I NEVER ONCE DOUBTED HER PASSION TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, NOR HER INTEGRITY.
TWO TRAITS, WHICH I GREATLY ADMIRE AND WHICH WE ALL HOPE FOR IN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
OFTEN PEOPLE CONFLATE POLITICS WITH GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE AND ARE RATHER DISDAINFUL OF THE FORMER, AND THEREFORE THE LATTER.
IF WE THINK ABOUT IT, WE ALL ENGAGE IN POLITICS IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES, EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN FAMILIES.
GOVERNANCE, HOWEVER, IS EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT.
AND I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT AS THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN JOINS THE RANKS OF STATE GOVERNMENT,
[00:05:01]
SHE WILL, SHE WILL BE A GREAT PARTNER WITH THE TWO PEOPLE I NOW ASK TO SPEAK, WHO ALSO EPITOMIZE THE PASSION TO MAKE ALL OUR LIVES BETTER AND WHOSE INTEGRITY IS WITHOUT QUESTION.WOULD MAJORITY LEADER STUART COUSINS.
FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE, AND HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A WHILE WITH COVID AND ALL.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY AND GOOD TO SEE THIS WONDERFUL TURNOUT ON BEHALF OF, YOU KNOW, SHE'S, SHE'S BEEN A BUDDY FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
IN FACT, UH, I GUESS THROUGH BOTH OF OUR JOURNEYS, WE HAVE FOUND TIME TO COMMISERATE AND TO FIGURE OUT, EVEN WITH ALL THE COMMISERATION, HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SEND US, UH, INTO THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, THAT DOG WITH THE BONE, SHE WON'T LET IT GO.
AND IN FACT, WE WERE TOGETHER WITH THE, UH, WITH, WITH THE ANNIVERSARY OF, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND SHE'S SITTING NEXT TO ME AND SHE'S SAYING, OKAY, WHEN CAN WE MEET? I WANNA GO OVER MY AGENDA.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT WORKING FOR YOU.
RIGHT,
AND SO IT IS SUCH AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE PART OF THIS DAY FOR YOU.
I WORK FOR THEM,
AND I KNOW, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, RICHARD WOULD BE PROUD THAT YOU ARE ASCENDING TO THIS SEAT.
AND I KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOUR FAMILY KIND OF KNOWS WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE LOOKS LIKE, SO, UH, THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, BE WAVING.
BYE TO YOU AS YOU HEAD UP THE HIGHWAY.
BUT WE WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER, AND IN TURN, SHE WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF US.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, GODSPEED, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING, UH, A GENUINE PARTNER FOR SO MANY OF US, BUT CERTAINLY FOR ME IN REPRESENTING THIS DISTRICT.
WOULD COUNTY EXECUTIVE LATIMER LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? GOOD EVENING,
YEAH, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT.
ONLY ONE THIRD OF WHAT I USED TO BE, UM, TO THE HONORABLE BOARD SUPERVISOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL.
I SEE YOU ALL ANYWAY, ALL OVER TOWN.
BUT IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN THIS CONTEXT AND, AND TO, UH, UH, BE HERE THIS NIGHT WHERE MARY JANE IS, UH, SYMBOLICALLY SWORN INTO HER POSITION AS A STATE ASSEMBLYMAN ASSEMBLYWOMAN.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE, UH, OFFICES OF RICHARD BRODSKY WHEN I WAS AN ASSEMBLYMAN.
AND, UH, RICHARD, OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW WAS BRILLIANT AND ERASABLE, AND, UH, KNEW MORE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAN ANYBODY ELSE DID, AND CERTAINLY MORE THAN I KNEW WHEN I WAS IN A SETTLEMENT.
SO I WENT TO VISIT HIM, UH, THIS PARTICULAR DAY TO TALK ABOUT SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
UH, SOME, UH, UH, CHAIR OF THE ECON COMMITTEE FOR, AND WHEN I WENT THERE, MARY JANE WAS WORKING THERE, UH, AS, UH, ONE OF HIS KEY STAFFERS.
AND RICHARD, UH, WASN'T THERE AT THE TIME I SHOWED UP.
SO I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO MARY JANE FOR SOME TIME.
WE KIND OF KNEW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, I REPRESENTED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY BACK IN THE DAY AND DIDN'T COMING OVER THIS SIDE TOO MUCH AND DIDN'T KNOW EVERYBODY OVER HERE.
AND I FOUND OUT THAT SHE HAD BOTH A LAW DEGREE AND A DOCTORATE IN HISTORY, WHICH IS VERY INTIMIDATING TO START RIGHT OFF
AND, UH, BUT WHAT I ALSO UNDERSTOOD IN OUR CONVERSATION IS JUST HOW, UH, COMMITTED SHE WAS ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC POLICY AND HOW SHE WOULD TAKE, UH, WHAT MANY OF US THINK OF AS ACADEMIC INTELLIGENCE, BUT APPLY IT TO THE TASK OF ACCOMPLISHING A, A MISSION.
BECAUSE FOR ANY OF US WHO SERVE IN PUBLIC OFFICE, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND TOWN, TOWN CLERK WHO ARE HERE NOW, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, I SEE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS LED BY CATHERINE BOAR HERE, KEN JENKINS, THE DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS HERE.
AND OF COURSE, UH, OUR GREAT SENATOR, BOTH, UM, UH, AUDREY STEWART COUSINS, AND SHELLY MAYER, HER COLLEAGUE.
WHEN YOU ARE IN OFFICE, THE TEST ISN'T, DO YOU GET ELECTED?
[00:10:01]
THE TEST IS, DO YOU ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING? IS THERE SOMETHING CONCRETE THAT'S DONE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.RICHARD BRODSKY CERTAINLY HAD THAT, AND, AND MANY OTHERS WHO'VE SERVED IN OFFICE HAVE, HAVE HAD THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO HAVE THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHEN YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY.
NOW, SHELLY MAYER SERVED IN THE, IN THE ASSEMBLY, AS DID I, AND WHILE I SERVED IN THE SENATE WITH ANDRE STEWART, COUSIN, THE SENATE OPERATES DIFFERENTLY IN THE SENATE.
THE INDIVIDUAL SENATOR HAS A LOT OF INFLUENCE ON WHAT HAPPENS.
EVEN WHEN WE WERE IN THE MINORITY, A MINORITY SENATOR ON THE FLOOR, AND IN OTHER WAYS HAVE THINGS TO MOVE, THE ASSEMBLY OPERATES MUCH MORE LIKE A CORPORATION.
AND I WAS IN A CORPORATION AS A RELATIVELY JUNIOR MEMBER IN THE NESTLE FAMILY OF COMPANIES, AND I HAD NO INFLUENCE.
RIGHT? I HAD A TITLE AND I HAD RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME TO MOVE AN IDEA UP THE LADDER TO SENIOR PEOPLE, THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE.
SO, IN THE ASSEMBLY, IT OPERATES THE SAME WAY.
WHY DOES THAT MATTER? BECAUSE WHO YOU SEND TO THE ASSEMBLY HAS TO KNOW THAT, AND THEY HAVE TO KNOW THE AMOUNT OF PERSISTENCE IT'S GONNA TAKE.
MAYOR ARMACOST IS GOING TO ASK YOU FOR SOMETHING.
MAYOR BUAN IS GONNA ASK YOU FOR SOMETHING.
SUPERVISOR FINER IS GONNA ASK YOU FOR SOMETHING.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY I'M BEING A LITTLE FACETIOUS, BUT THERE ARE 150 OF OR 149 OTHER PEOPLE.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEND HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THAT PERSISTENCE AND THAT GRIT TO POWER THROUGH IT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST HAVING, UH, A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY, BEING LOUD, BECAUSE LOUD DOESN'T GET YOUR BILL OUT OF THE CODES COMMITTEE, RIGHT? BEING SMART, BEING PERSUASIVE, BEING PERSISTENT, PUTTING TOGETHER ALLIANCES OF OTHER PEOPLE.
I MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH TIME, BUT FORGIVE ME IF YOU WOULD.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A PERSON IN ELECTIVE OFFICE HAVING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN ELECTIVE OFFICE, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT DO IT ON YOUR OWN.
YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE AND SAY, I'M THE DULY ELECTED ASSEMBLYMAN SENATOR, WHATEVER, AND I WANT IT DONE THIS WAY.
AND THEY LOOK AT YOU LIKE, YEAH, RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU SIT AND YOU BUILD THOSE COALITIONS.
AND I'VE WATCHED MARY JANE SHAMSKY DO THAT IN THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS TO THE BENEFIT OF GREENBURG AND THE VILLAGES THAT SHE'S REPRESENTED.
SO NOW, AS SHE GOES TO ALBANY IN A TOUGHER JOB, SHE'S GOT FRIENDS, SHE'S GOT SOME GOOD STAFF PEOPLE AROUND HER.
YOU HAVE FRIENDS THAT YOU'VE LEFT BEHIND IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OTHER HOUSE DOWN THE ROAD, UH, IN THE CHAMBER.
BUT, BUT YOU REPRESENT ALL OF GREENBURG NOW AND ALL OF MOUNT PLEASANT AND ALL THOSE VILLAGES.
THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT ARE COMPETING.
I HAVE CONFIDENCE, MARY JANE, THAT YOU HAVE THE INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT YOU KNOW HOW TO APPLY IT.
YOU KNOW HOW TO BE PERSUASIVE AND TO PUSH AND TO PUSH TO GET THAT RESULT.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHETHER IT'S THIS HONORABLE TOWN BOARD OR ANY OF THE OTHER VILLAGES THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE, YOU'RE GONNA KNOW THAT THE PERSON WHO'S UP THERE IS FIGHTING FOR YOU AND ACCOMPLISHING THINGS.
MARY JANE, GOD BLESS YOU, GOOD LUCK.
CALL ON YOUR FRIENDS WHO ARE STILL IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO DO ANYTHING WE WANT, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP YOU.
IF I MAY ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS.
STEVE COLEUS IS REPRESENTING THE HONORABLE SENATOR GILLIBRAND.
UM, AND I, I A FEW PEOPLE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED, IN ADDITION TO MAYOR KABUL, MAYOR NIKKI ARMACOST IS HERE, MATT ROSENBERG, TOMMY DRAKE, THEY ARE HERE FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE BOARDS FOR, FOR ARTS LEE AND FOR HASTINGS, STEVE ASSEMBLYMEN, STEVE OTIS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE AFOREMENTIONED CHAIR OF THE, UM, BOARD OF LEGISLATORS.
BUT MARGARET CIO, COLLIN SMITH, BEN BOYKIN, THEY'RE ALSO HERE.
AND I CAN'T SEE FAR ENOUGH TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHERS, WILLIAM.
AND THEY MIGHT BE HIDING BEHIND MASKS TOO.
JEWEL WILLIAMS, JEWEL WILLIAMS, OH, AND JEWEL WILLIAMS. JOHNSON JOHNSON, OUR TERRY CLEMONS.
UM, THE HONORABLE WALTER RIVERA, THE HONORABLE DOLORES BREATHER.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM HER IN A MOMENT.
UM, IF I'VE MISSED ANYONE, I AM APOLOGETIC BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T SEE THAT WELL, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
SO NOW WE'LL HAVE THE SWEARING IN, UH, WITH JUSTICE, UH, DOLORES SCOTT BRETH
[00:15:01]
AND, UM, MARY JANESKY.DO YOU WANNA GO TO THE, THE MICROPHONE? MICROPHONE? YOU WANT ME TO GO TO THE MICROPHONE? I, I THINK YEAH.
BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO RAISE YOUR HAND, BUT THEY'RE PUTS, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
LET ME, LET ME JUST SAY THAT THIS, BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR HAND, PUT YOUR HAND DOWN,
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS AN HONOR FOR ME.
WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
I'VE, I'VE, OKAY, I, I'M SAYING THAT THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR FOR ME.
MARY JANE AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I HAVE WATCHED HER ASCEND TO THIS HEIGHT.
AND I AM SO PLEASED AND SO PROUD OF YOU, AND I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE.
THE OATH OF OFFICE THAT ME, THAT MARY JANE WILL BE TAKING IS THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION, UH, DESIGNATED, UH, OATH OF OFFICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOING INTO NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC OFFICE.
OKAY, NOW YOU CAN RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND
I MARY JANESKY, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES AS A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY AS A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY, 92ND DISTRICT, 92ND DISTRICT, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES.
I DON'T WANT THE BOARD TO BE HERE TILL TWO IN THE MORNING, SO I CANNOT THANK EVERYONE HERE WHO I SHOULD THANK, BUT I WILL TRY TO SWEEP BY AS MANY AS I CAN.
I HAVE KNOWN ALL OF YOU ON THE GREENBERG TOWN BOARD FOR MANY YEARS.
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THAT A LOT BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND I HAVE MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY.
AND I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, FOR WORKING TOGETHER, FOR CHALLENGING ME, WHEN I SHOULD BE CHALLENGED.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US BORROW YOUR HOME TONIGHT, UM, TO THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
YOU'VE BEEN REALLY, REALLY EXCELLENT ROLE MODELS, AND I THINK VERY HARD EVERY DAY ABOUT HOW, WHETHER I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE OR NOT, HOW I CAN LIVE UP TO YOU.
I SEE SENATOR, MAYOR, ASSEMBLYMAN, OTIS.
UM, SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS ARE HERE, UM, INCLUDING JEWEL WILLIAMS JOHNSON, WHO ALSO REPRESENTS GREENBERG AND MARGARET ZI, WHO REPRESENTS GREENBERG.
ALL OF THE GREENBERG COUNTY LEGISLATORS, UM, ARE HERE.
WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD AND LONG TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS.
DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE JENKINS.
I SEE PEOPLE I'VE WORKED WITH ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
I SEE PEOPLE I'VE WORKED WITH ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES.
I SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BROUGHT ME TO THEIR CHURCHES.
I SEE PEOPLE WHOSE SON AND MY SON WENT TO DAYCARE TOGETHER WHEN THEY WERE BABIES,
UM, I I SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED FOR ME, FOR PEOPLE WHO DO WORK FOR ME, AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE SOMEDAY PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK FOR ME.
[00:20:01]
I ALSO SEE MY FELLOW CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPECTING GREAT THINGS OF THEIR GOVERNMENT, AND I PROMISED TO DO MY BEST TO DELIVER.UM, I HAD THE PASSAGE OPEN, UM, IN OUR KING JAMES BIBLE SINCE IT'S A 17TH CENTURY TEXT.
UM, YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT ME TO READ FROM THERE, BUT I HAD IT OPEN TO CHAPTER 13 OF ONE CORINTHIANS.
MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT AS LOVE IS PATIENT LOVE IS KIND.
BUT THE THING I REMEMBER EVERY DAY IS THE PRECEDING VERSE, WHICH IS, IF I SPEAK IN THE TONGUES OF MEN OR OF ANGELS, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM ONLY RESOUNDING GONG OR A CLANGING SYMBOL.
IF I HAVE THE GIFT OF PROPHECY AND CAN FATHOM ALL MYSTERIES AND ALL KNOWLEDGE, AND IF I HAVE A FAITH THAT CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM NOTHING.
IF I GIVE ALL I POSSESS TO THE POOR AND GIVE MY BODY TO HARDSHIP THAT I MAY BOAST, BUT DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I GAIN NOTHING.
WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS THAT WE BRING TO THE JOB OF ELECTED OFFICIAL OR PEOPLE WHO WORK TO, TO BRING THE BEST GOVERNMENT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE.
BUT IF WE DON'T APPROACH IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF CARING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT, WE'RE ONLY GONNA MESS IT UP.
THIS IS THE START OF EVERYTHING, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS SUPER STRUCTURE.
AND, UM, A COUPLE DAYS AGO, THE GOVERNOR GAVE HER STATE, OR ACTUALLY IT WAS YESTERDAY, THE DAYS ARE ALL KIND OF PUT TOGETHER, UM, GAVE HER STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.
WE ARE GOING TO BE STARTING OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THE STATE BUDGET.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROMISING IDEAS IN THERE, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO REQUIRE THE DUE DILIGENCE TO SEE HOW WELL THEY WILL WORK IN PRACTICE, AND TO SEE HOW WE WEIGH DIFFERENT PRIORITIES AGAINST EACH OTHER.
BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.
BUT OUR RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE POTENTIAL OF A RECESSION LOOMING ON THE HORIZON.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES IN BOTH HOUSES AND WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU TO DETERMINE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE, TO MAKE AS MANY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN FOR ALL OF US AS WE CAN.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, PAUL ON THE TOWN BOARD, AND THANK YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, I'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, ALSO THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR ROLE IN HELPING, UH, THE TOWN, UH, SOLVE A MAJOR PROBLEM, UH, WHEN YOU WERE A COUNTY LEGISLATOR, UM, UH, WE HAD A MAJOR FLOODING, UH, ISSUE, TROUBLESOME BROOK, AND IT WAS GOING ON FOR 50 OR 60 YEARS.
AND, UH, YOU ORGANIZED THE, THE FIRST EFFORT.
YOU KEPT PRODDING EVERYBODY TO TAKE ACTION.
AND A, A GOOD PORTION OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED THANKS TO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND, AND THE TOWN.
BUT WITHOUT YOUR INITIAL, UM, EFFORTS, WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE WORKED ON SOMETHING ELSE.
SO I WANNA, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR THAT, THAT EFFORT.
AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, HAVING A REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
AND I, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE AN OUTSTANDING ASSEMBLYWOMAN, SO THANK YOU.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA BE, I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST CAME HERE, UH, FOR THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY, SO IF PEOPLE, UH, DON'T WANNA LISTEN TO, UH, THE REST OF THE BOARD MEETING,
IF, IF, BECAUSE WE HAVE LIKE A REALLY LONG AGENDA IF PEOPLE COULD LIKE, TALK IN THE LOBBY.
[ Promotion of Sergeant John Roberts to Lieutenant, Police Officer Jason Vlasaty to Sergeant, and Police Officer Jean Paul Lara to Detective]
NOW, UM, I'D LIKE TO CALL ON, UH, THE POLICE CHIEF, UH, TO, UM, UM, OFFICIATE AT THE CEREMONY FOR, UH, THE PROMOTIONS OF, UM, UH, SOME GET THAT LAST DOOR CLOSED.THE, THE DOOR'S ABOUT TO CLOSE.
[00:25:18]
SHOULD I, YES.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YEAH.
YOU CAN BEND THAT UP A LITTLE BIT.
AFRAID OF BREAKING IT CAN PICK IT UP.
IS EVERYONE IN THAT NEEDS TO BE IN? THANK YOU.
UH, THIS IS THE PORTION OF THE TOWN BOARD MEETING.
WE'RE, UH, I AM HAPPY TO STAND UP HERE, INTRODUCE AND ANNOUNCE THE PROMOTION OF THREE MEN THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT AND WORK WITH.
I NORMALLY, I SAY A LITTLE BLURB WHEN I GET UP HERE BEFORE THEY COME UP FOR THEIR SHIELD.
AND I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO SAY TONIGHT THAN, UM, I HAVE HAD AT OTHER TIMES.
BUT, UM, THESE ARE QUIETLY THREE OF THE MOST DECORATED OFFICERS WE HAVE.
I'M GONNA START WITH THE PROMOTION OF SERGEANT JOHN ROBERTS TO LIEUTENANT SERGEANT.
NO, WE DIDN'T GET TO THAT YET.
LIEUTENANT ROBERTS GREW UP IN TOWN, GRADUATED FROM EDGEMONT HIGH SCHOOL AND EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM PACE UNIVERSITY.
PRIOR TO BECOMING A GREENBERG POLICE OFFICER, LIEUTENANT ROBERTS WAS A PARK RANGER FOR THE COUNTY POLICE AND A GREENBERG AUXILIARY OFFICER.
SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, THEN PROBATIONARY POLICE OFFICER ROBERTS WAS OFF DUTY ON HIS BOAT IN LA MERRICK HARBOR WHEN HE OBSERVED THE VEHICLE SPEEDING THROUGH THE LOT AND CRASHED THROUGH THE SEA WALL INTO THE WATER.
WITHOUT HESITATION, LIEUTENANT ROBERTS RUSHED TO THE AREA WHERE HE SAW TWO MEN IN THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY SINKING.
BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED, HE WAS ABLE TO KICK THE REAR WINDOW OUT, RESCUE BOTH OF THE MEN, AND BRING THEM SAFELY TO SHORE.
AS A RESULT OF HIS ACTIONS, LIEUTENANT ROBERTS WAS AWARDED THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY MACY AWARD FOR LIFESAVING AND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS COMMUNITY OF HEROES AWARD.
SOON AFTER LIEUTENANT ROBERTS BECAME A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S MARINE UNIT ASSIGNED TO THE PATROL DIVISION, LIEUTENANT ROBERTS SERVED MANY YEARS AS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, AND IN 2017 WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT.
IN 2020, HE WAS PROMOTED APPOINTED AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE RECORDS UNIT.
AND IN 2022 WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DETECTIVE DIVISION AS A DETECTIVE SERGEANT.
JOINING HIM TONIGHT IS HIS WIFE MEREDITH, AND TWO DAUGHTERS, ALEXA AND MADDIE, PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING LIEUTENANT JOHN ROBERTS.
I THINK YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT,
THE FAMILY SHOULD COME UP RIGHT HERE.
YOU GUYS TOGETHER NOW? BEAUTIFUL.
NEXT WE HAVE THE PROMOTION OF POLICE OFFICER JASON VADI TO SERGEANT POLICE OFFICER.
[00:30:01]
JASON TI GREW UP IN THE ARLEY SECTION OF GREENBERG.PRIOR TO GRADUATING FROM MARLEY HIGH SCHOOL, HE ENLISTED IN THE US MARINE CORPS.
FOLLOWING THE TERROR ATTACKS ON NINE 11, SERGEANT TI WAS DEPLOYED MULTIPLE TIMES IN SUPPORT OF BOTH OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND ENDURING FREEDOM.
SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING A 20 YEAR CAREER WITH THE MARINE CORPS, PO SADE ACHIEVED THE RANK OF GUNNERY SERGEANT.
SERGEANT SADE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND ON JANUARY 2ND, 2013, BECAME A POLICE OFFICER WITH THE TOWN IN GREENBURG.
SINCE HIS TIME WITH US, HE HAS SERVED IN PATROL AS A PATROL OFFICER, A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, AND A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT.
PO TI HAS EARNED SEVERAL DEPARTMENT AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY MACY AWARD, THE F B I, MEDAL OF MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE DEPARTMENT'S HIGHEST AWARD, THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
SERGEANT ADE IS JOINED HERE TODAY BY HIS MOTHER, MARGARET VADI, HIS TWIN BROTHER, ALSO A GREENBURG POLICE OFFICER, SERGEANT ERIC LATI, AND HIS WIFE RACHEL, HIS SISTER KAREN, AND HER HUSBAND, RICH SISTER LAURA AND JASON'S NEPHEWS, BRADEN AND GUNNER.
AND LISA JUSTINE UNABLE ATTEND TONIGHT, BUT JASON'S BIGGEST MOTIVATION IS HIS DAUGHTER.
ISABEL, PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING SERGEANT JASON TI AGAIN.
COLBY
IT'S ONLY A THREE HOUR MEETING.
NEXT TIME WE'LL GET SOME VELCRO
SO WE HAVE TO, UH, TAKE, TAKE OUT WATER ON A RESOLUTION OF PROMOTING, UH, SERGEANT JOHN ROBERTS.
YEAH, THEY HAVE ONE MORE TO GO.
WHERE'S THE A FAMILY YET? I'M GET IN FRONT.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE PROMOTION OF POLICE OFFICER JEAN PAUL LARA TO DETECTIVE, POLICE OFFICER.
NOW, DETECTIVE LARA BEGAN HIS PATH IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN 1995 WHEN HE JOINED THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S AUXILIARY UNIT.
OFFICER LARA WAS ATTENDING COLLEGE WHEN THE TERROR ATTACKS ON NINE 11 OCCURRED.
HE THEN JOINED THE THROGS NECK VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS.
AND IN 2003 WAS HIRED BY THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON POLICE DEPARTMENT, ACHIEVING HIS DREAM OF BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER.
AND MAY OF 2005, DETECTIVE LARA TRANSFERRED TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, ASSIGNED TO THE PATROL DIVISION, AND ALREADY BEING AN E M T.
HE SPENT HIS FIRST FEW YEARS ANSWERING BOTH POLICE AND E M S CALLS.
SINCE JOINING THE DEPARTMENT, DETECTIVE LARA BECAME A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, TRAINING OVER 20 CURRENT OFFICERS.
HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S HONOR GUARD AND MOTORCYCLE UNIT.
IN 2007, DETECTIVE LARA BECAME A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNIT AND HAS SINCE BECOME A TEAM LEADER, LESS LETHAL INSTRUCTOR AND MASTER TASER INSTRUCTOR.
DETECTIVE LARA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING THE DEPARTMENT'S DRONE PROGRAM AND OUR HIGHLY REGARDED PEER SUPPORT TEAM.
HE CURRENTLY VOLUNTEERS WITH THE NEW YORK LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ASSIST AT THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY POLICE ACADEMY DURING OFFICER WELLNESS TRAINING, AND IS CERTIFIED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS INTERVENTION STRESS FOUNDATION AS A COUNSELOR, AND I HAVE TO THROW THIS IN THERE, ESSENTIALLY DOES ANYTHING IN THE BUILDING AROUND THE BUILDING THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS HIM TO DO, WHETHER IT DID HIS JOB OR NOT.
SINCE 2019, DETECTIVE LARA HAS BEEN ASSIGNED FULL-TIME
[00:35:01]
IN THE TRAINING UNIT WHERE HE IS, WHERE HE WORKS TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE DEPARTMENT TRAINING.DETECTIVE LARA IS THE RECIPIENT OF OVER 25 AWARDS, INCLUDING THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY MACI AWARD, THE F B I MEDAL OF MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE DEPARTMENT'S HIGHEST AWARD, THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
JOINING DETECTIVE LARA TONIGHT IS HIS WIFE, BAHAR, HIS DAUGHTER AVA, SON MICHAEL, HIS PARENTS, ANGELICA, IRAN, SISTER ANGELICA, AND HER BOYFRIEND WAYNE.
BROTHER JORGE, AND MOTHER-IN-LAW.
LILY, PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING DETECTIVE JEAN PAUL LARA.
YEAH, BUT HE GETS ONE STRAIGHT.
DON'T BLAME IT ON A, IT'S, DON'T BLAME IT ON THE JACKETS.
THAT'S IT'S WHAT THE BOARD'S FOR.
IT'S EASY TO FIGURE OUT WHO THE FAMILY MEMBERS WERE BECAUSE OF THEIR BIG GR WHILE THIS WAS ALL HAPPENING.
I'M SURE THAT THEY NEED TO PHOTOSHOP.
NOW WE SHOULD MAKE IT OFFICIAL NOW.
UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE, UH, PO RESOLUTION PROMOTING SERGEANT JOHN ROBERTS TO LIEUTENANT POLICE OFFICER JASON, LAST STATE TO SERGEANT AND POLICE OFFICER JEAN, UM, UH, PAUL LARA TO DETECTIVE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THOSE SECOND.
SHOULD WE GO UP AND GET IT? YOU WANT IT? A GREAT
[ Honoring State Champions - Irvington High School Girls Varsity Soccer Program Amanda Berry, Grade 11; Allie Cloutman, Grade 10; Abby Constantine, Grade 12; Niki DeNardo, Grade 11; Olivia DeNardo, Grade 12; Addie Dring, Grade 11; Jules Edelman, Grade 11; Claire Friedlander, Grade 12; Elise Harcsar, Grade 12; Claire Johnson, Grade 12; Kaitlyn Krieger, Grade 12; Keira Nyarady, Grade 11; Kyli Parsons, Grade 12; Aly Raimondo, Grade 10; Amanda Raimondo, Grade 12; Sofia Rosenblatt, Grade 11; Syian Sawian, Grade 10; Rylan Topman, Grade 11; Sadie van der Spuy, Grade 12; Samara Vasishta, Grade 10; Elizabeth Brereton, Grade 12 Manager; Varsity Head Coach Patrick DiBenedetto; Varsity Assistant Coach Randi Myers; Assistant Coach Cristian Ishoo; Assistant Coach Suzanne Carroll; Athletic Trainer Hana Gross; and Athletic Director John Buonamano Daisy Jopling - Internationally known violinist will discuss her foundation and mentoring students in Greenburgh]
NEXT ON, UH, THE PROGRAM, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE HONORING, UH, IRVINGTON VARSITY SOCCER TEAM.THEY HAVE WON THE NEW YORK, UH, STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
I THINK THEY WERE IN THE LOBBY.
UM, UM, WHY DON'T WE GET A QUICK TRANSITION? YEAH.
JUST GONNA HAVE A QUICK TRANSITION.
UH, CHIEF, COULD YOU TELL, UH, THE, UH, THE, UH, IRVINGTON, UH, VARSITY SOCCER TEAM? THEY COME IN.
I'M REALLY STARTING TO THINK THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE LOOP BLOWERS.
IT'S, IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU THINK OF MEETINGS THAT ARE GONE FOREVER.
IT DOESN'T NO, BECAUSE WE SEE IT.
SO YOU SEE IT SO, UM, CROWDED.
IS THAT THIS IS, IT WAS JUST, NO, THERE'S A, IS THE WHOLE TEAM OUT? UH, YEAH, WE ARE.
WE NOW ARE, UH, AT THE WHOLE TEAM.
UH, PAT, WE COULD HAVE, UH, THE, THE TEAM MEMBERS COME IN.
CAN YOU HAVE THE TEAM MEMBERS COME IN, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
[00:40:01]
YOU WANNA STAND DOWN? OKAY.UH, WE'RE REALLY VERY FORTUNATE TO, UH, HAVE SOME CELEBRITIES WITH US TONIGHT.
UM, UH, NEW YORK STATE CHAMPS, UM, IRVINGTON VAR, VARSITY SOCCER TEAM WON THE NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD INVITE YOU TO THE MEETING TODAY.
SO IF, UH, YOU BECOME PROFESSIONAL, UM, ATHLETES, UM, MAYBE WE WILL GET INVITED TO, UH, UH, TO A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
UH, THAT WAS THE, THE REAL MOTIVE,
SO, COACH, WOULD YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE TEAM AND, UM, AND WHY THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE TEAM, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN IRVINGTON'S HISTORY.
YOU JUST SPEAK TO MIKE FOR US, PLEASE.
YOU CAN PICK, YOU CAN PICK IT UP.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY MONUMENTAL, UH, YEAR FOR THEM, UH, LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST REALLY EXCITED IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT THEY'VE DONE SINCE.
UM, FOR SOME OF THEM IT'S BEEN THEIR, UM, THEIR FOURTH YEAR, YOU KNOW, WITH THE VARSITY TEAM.
SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE, UM, THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR, UM, AND SOME OF THEM EIGHTH GRADE.
SO, UM, JUST VERY, VERY PROUD OF THEM.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT STARTED WITH A SECTIONAL TITLE, UM, AND THEN IT MOVED ON TO REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, UM, TO MAXIMIZE THEIR SEASON.
UM, SO JUST, UH, JUST A WONDERFUL EVENT.
UM, A GREAT THING FOR IRVINGTON TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ADD TO SOME OF THE OTHER SPORTS THAT HAVE, UH, GOTTEN THIS FAR.
UM, AND JUST REALLY SO PROUD OF THEM AND REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THEIR SUPPORT THAT THEY'VE, UH, GIVEN US THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEASON.
AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COACH? UM, SINCE TWO, WELL, THE, THE GIRLS I STARTED BACK IN, UH, 2005 AND SIX, AND THEN WENT WITH THE BOYS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEN CAME BACK IN 2015 TO THE PRESENT.
SO WHAT IS LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, LESSON, UH, THAT, UM, PEOPLE COULD LEARN, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN GOING INTO SPORTS? UM, ALSO IF THEY ARE HOPING TO BECOME CHAMPIONS, IT'S THAT DETERMINATION THAT, UH, THAT GRIT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, NEVER GIVING UP AND, UM, YOU KNOW, STICKING WITH, UH, THE DAILY GRIND THAT THE SPORT GIVES YOU.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, TI YOU KNOW, TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET THAT THAT FAR.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WENT TO, UM, THE SECTIONAL SEMI-FINALS LAST YEAR, AND, UM, THAT LEFT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE IMPRESSION IN THEIR, THEIR MINDS, AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY WANTED MORE THIS YEAR, AND THEY CERTAINLY WENT FOR IT ALL.
SO, UM, THAT DETERMINATION, UM, IS JUST A TRIBUTE TO, YOU KNOW, ALL THEIR HARD WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE CAREERS AS ATHLETES AT IRVINGTON.
AND I GUESS OVER THE YEARS THEY'VE LOST SOME GAMES ALSO.
OF COURSE, THE K IS, IF YOU LOSE, DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T GET DISCOURAGED.
SO I'M GONNA CALL THE NAMES OF THE, UM, THE CHAMPIONS AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A CERTIFICATE FROM THE TOWN BOARD OF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
WANT TO JOIN US WHILE WE'RE GIVING THE CERTIFICATES? YOU CAN COME DOWN, UM, IF YOU WANT.
UM, I DON'T WANNA HOG ALL THE ATTENTION OF US BEING ABLE TO NAME DROP SAYING I GAVE CERTIFICATES, BRAG ABOUT IT.
ANYBODY WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING? IF YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING, THAT'S FINE.
[00:45:06]
CAITLYN KRIEGER.SEEING, UH, SIAN ROLAND TOPMAN.
AND ELIZABETH VERITAN 10 BIRTHDAY.
COACH, LET'S CONGRATULATIONS SO MUCH.
LET'S JUST WAITING FOR VISITATIONS.
I REMEMBER ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
HOW'S IT GOING THE YEAR? THAT'S TERRIFIC.
[ SUPERVISOR & TOWN COUNCIL REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS GOOD NEWS...The Town continues (since 2008) to have the highest possible bond rating from Standard & Poors (AAA) and (since 2010) (Aaa) from Moody's. Less than 1% of communities in the nation have this record of financial stability. Recently, on 3/23/2021, Moody's reaffirmed the Town earned Moody's highest rating and, on 03/26/2021, Standard & Poors once again reaffirmed the Town earned Standard & Poors highest rating. Anyone interested in serving on a board or commission should send a resume to the Town Board via Judith A. Beville, Town Clerk, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Any individual or group interested in a visit from the Town Board should email the Board at TownBoard@GreenburghNY.com ]
WE FORGOT TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR, UH, UH, DOROTHY, JEANETTE, UH, JENKINS, WHO WAS ONE OF THE INDUCTEES OF THE 2022 COUNTY, UH, SENIOR, UH, CITIZEN HALL OF FAME AT THE LA AT OUR LAST MEETING.AND, UM, SHE'S DONE LIKE A REMARKABLE, SHE'S JUST A REMARKABLE, UH, HUMAN BEING.
UM, SHE, UM, HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE SENIOR PROGRAMS, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
SHE'S INVOLVED IN HER, UH, HER CHURCH.
UM, SHE, UM, UM, IS INVOLVED IN THE MONTHLY SENIOR SWIM DAY, UH, TERRIFIC, UH, PERSON.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE WASN'T, UM, UH, FORGOTTEN AND
[00:50:01]
SHE WAS RECOGNIZED, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT SHE GETS, UM, UH, THE PRO THE PROCLAMATION.SO THEN WE COULD, LET ME, UM, UM, JUST MENTIONED ONE OTHER THING BEFORE, UH, YESTERDAY I FOUND OUT THAT GREENBERG WAS NAMED BY MONEY MAGAZINE AS, UM, THE NUMBER EIGHTH BEST PLACE TO LIVE, PLACE TO LIVE IN THE ENTIRE NORTHEAST.
UM, AND, UM, MOST PEOPLE IN THE TOWN ARE NOT HERE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE ENJOYING THE REST OF GREENBURG
BUT THE THING IS, I WAS REALLY, UH, I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT DESIGNATION NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
WE WERE, I THINK, RATED LIKE THE 80TH BEST PLACE IN THE COUNTRY, BUT THIS WAS ALSO A, A NICE, UH, HONOR, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO MOVE INTO THE BEST.
AND MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE NUMBER ONE.
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 380 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh entitled "Noise" as it relates to Leaf and Garden Blowers]
UM, SINCE WE'RE WAITING FOR DAISY, BUT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, WHY DON'T WE START WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN OKAY.AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE HEARING, WE'LL HEAR DAISY.
IS ANYBODY SIGNED UP? WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK? WELL, DO YOU WANT A MOTION TO OPEN? OH, YEAH, YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS A PROPOSED, UH, LEAF BLOWER, UM, YOU KNOW, LAW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE POSTED IT ON THE WEBSITE.
WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE, A LOT OF CONSTRUCTIVE, UH, SUGGESTIONS.
I THOUGHT THAT SINCE THE MEETINGS, THE NOISE NOISE LAW AS IT RELATES TO LEAF BLOWERS, RIGHT.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT SINCE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THE AGENDA WAS PACKED WITH A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF CEREMONIES, UM, THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY NOT CLOSE THE HEARING TODAY.
SO IF PEOPLE DECIDED THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE'S TOO MANY THINGS ON THE AGENDA, THEY SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL.
AND THIS WAY WE COULD CONTINUE TO GET A FEEDBACK, WRITTEN FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE.
DO YOU WANNA SEE IF ANYONE DOES? ANYBODY HERE? PAUL, WE HAVE NO REQUEST TO SPEAK.
WELL, NO, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN, UM, MR. OH, ACTUALLY, MR. MR. BURKE.
UH, MR. BUR, WE ACTUALLY, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE HEARING, MR. BURKE INDICATED IT'S DONE THAT HE WANTS TO SPEAK.
IT'S ALREADY DONE AT THE SECOND HEARING, NOT THIS ONE.
NOW, WAS THERE A HAND IN THE BACK TO SPEAK FOR THIS HEARING? THIS IS ON THE CHAPTER THREE 80, THE NOISE, GREENBERG, TOWN OF GREENBERG.
PLEASE, CAN I, CAN I BRIEFLY CLARIFY THAT, PLEASE? THERE ARE TWO HEARINGS TONIGHT.
THEY, THEY ARE BOTH IN REGARDS TO THE REGULATION OF LEAF BLOWERS.
UM, THIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR A PROPOSED, UH, AMENDMENT TO OUR NOISE ORDINANCE, WHICH ALREADY EXISTS.
AND WHAT THIS LAW WOULD DO WAS, UH, WOULD BAN THE USE OF BLOWERS, UM, MONDAY, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS END ON HOLIDAYS, UM, FROM MAY 1ST, 2023 THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST, 2023.
BUT IT WOULD, WHAT IT WOULD ALSO DO IS REGULATE THE NUMBER OF DECIBEL LEVELS, UH, ALLOWED, UM, WHEN YOU ARE USING A BLOWER.
SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE AMENDMENTS, THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THE NOISE.
AND THE NEXT HEARING WOULD BE THE CREATION OF A NEW CHAPTER, UM, WHICH WOULD BAN THE, THE USE ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE CHAPTER, NOT DEALING WITH THE DECIBEL LEVEL.
SO THERE'S JUST A MINOR VARIANCE, UM, JUST CREATING A LAW AND AMENDING A LAW.
SO THIS ONE IS ABOUT THE NOISE.
I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD HAVE JUST COMBINED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS HEARING.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, BECAUSE THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT CHAPTERS.
IT'S OKAY TO TAKE THEM BY TIME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE, IS THERE, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST ONE ON THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WITH REGARDS TO AMENDING CHAPTER THREE 80 OF THE CODE? OF THE TITLE OF GREENBERG ENTITLED NOISE AS IT RELATES TO LEAF AND GARDEN BLOWERS? SIR, PLEASE COME FORWARD FOR THE RECORD AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND WE HAVE CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES.
[00:55:01]
MY NAME IS GEORGE GUNLOCK.I'M A RESIDENT, UH, OF THE TOWN.
GOOD EVENING SUPERVISOR, FINER BOARD MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS.
WOULD YOU MIND HOLDING THAT A LITTLE CLOSER? THANKS.
HOW'S THIS TESTING? ONE, TWO? YES.
UH, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, I'VE, UH, TAKEN SOME TIME, UH, IN THE RECENT PAST TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE, UM, ORDINANCES THAT YOU WANT TO AMEND AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH REGARDING THE LEAF BLOWERS AND THE NOISE, UH, SITUATION.
AND, UM, I JUST SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS AND WANT TO MAKE THAT KNOWN.
I THINK IT'S, UH, AT THIS POINT A GOOD COMPROMISE.
PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT GO A LITTLE, LITTLE FURTHER, BUT, UH, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR BALANCE AND I SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TO PUSH THIS MEASURE.
ACCORDING TO MY LIST, I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHERS.
YOU HAVE A GENTLEMAN OVER HERE? OKAY, SIR, PLEASE COME.
CAN I SPEAK ON BOTH? UH, UH, I CAN SPEAK ON BOTH.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.
DO YOU ALSO WANT TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING? MR. BUR YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE FIRST ONE AS WELL? OKAY.
SO THIS GENTLEMAN, SIR, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THIS GENTLEMAN, SIR, WITH THE TIE ON, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
AND WITH THE MAROON TIE ON, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
HONORABLE SUPERVISOR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CHAIR FOR THE NEW YORK STATE TURF AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION, WHICH HAS ITS, UH, HEADQUARTERS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET.
AND WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE TO TALK ABOUT LEAF BLOWERS.
UH, UH, I HAVE TO COMMEND, UH, SUPERVISOR FINER FOR, UH, HEARING US, FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO, UH, TO SPEAK.
AND, UH, TONIGHT, UM, I I WAS REALLY KIND OF SURPRISED.
I, I, UH, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TUESDAY AND THURSDAY THAT WERE GONNA BE EXCLUDED AND THAT WE WERE GONNA BE ALLOWED ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY.
SO, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY HAS DEALT WITH LEAK BLOWER BANDS FOR DECADES.
AND, UH, WE, UH, NOW WITH THE, UH, WITH THE BATTERY OPERATED EQUIPMENT, WE, UH, WE'VE BECOME COMFORTABLE REALLY WITH THE SUMMER BANDS IN, UH, IN THE COMMUNITIES PROVIDING THAT THE DATES ARE REASONABLE.
YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WE PUT THE BLOWERS AWAY IN MANY, UH, COMMUNITIES ON JUNE 1ST.
AND, UH, WE ARE ALLOWED, UH, THE USE OF ELECTRICS, UH, DURING THE SUMMER THAT'S REASONABLE.
UH, WE'RE ALLOWED AGAIN, UH, TO USE THE, UH, GAS POWERED LEAF BLOWERS ON OCTOBER 1ST.
ACTUALLY, LOT OF LEAVES FALL PRIOR TO, UH, OCTOBER 1ST.
BUT, UH, IN, IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WE COMPLY WITH THAT.
AND, UH, WE'VE FOUND A WAY TO OPERATE AND TO, UH, AND, AND TO WORK EFFICIENTLY AND SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS.
THIS IDEA, UH, WHERE WE CAN'T WORK ON, UH, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, UM, IS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED.
I I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER OCCUPATION OR ANY, ANY OTHER, UH, LINE OF WORK WHERE YOU'RE RESTRICTED, UH, ON WHAT DAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WEEKDAYS YOU CAN COME IN AND WORK.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ASK FOR A SIMPLE SUMMER BAN, OKAY? FROM, UH, MAY 1ST TILL OCTOBER 1ST, LET US USE ELECTRICS.
IT WOULD ONLY BE FAIR THAT YOUR D P W UH, UH, WOULD COMPLY WITH THE SAME RULE.
UH, USE THE GAS BLOWERS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN YOU'RE ALLOWED.
AND, UH, USE ELECTRICS WHEN, UH, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, UH, WE UNDERSTAND A AND P M RESTRICTIONS, CERTAINLY, UH, ON THE, UH, THE WEEKENDS.
WE FEEL THAT'S FAIR, WHERE WE, WE FEEL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE VERY COMPLICATED, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, ENFORCE A LAW ON CERTAIN DAYS OF THE WEEK.
SO I'D LIKE YOU TO, UH, CONSIDER THIS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M AVAILABLE, UH, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
SO YOU'RE BASICALLY, UH, ENDORSING US DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT SCARSDALE DID.
SCARSDALE IS, YOU KNOW, IS, UH, IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY, AGAIN, UH, THEY, THEY RAISED THE, UH, THE QUESTION OF, UH, BANNING THE BLOWERS ON CERTAIN DAYS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SEEKING COUNSEL
[01:00:01]
TO SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.UM, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THAT THAT'S A RESTRAINT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, OTHER, UH, OTHER OCCUPATIONS AND OTHER PROFESSIONS, UH, DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THE NOISE ISSUE.
THE PART OF IT, WE, WE UNDERSTAND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHY THEY DID IT.
BUT, UM, WE, UH, WE DON'T AGREE WITH, UH, THE, THE, THE DATE, UH, RESTRICTIONS THAT THEY WROTE INTO THAT LAW IN SCARSDALE.
COULD YOU MAYBE, UH, PROVIDE A TOWN BOARD WITH LIKE A COPY OF A, A LOCAL LAW THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE ADOPTED THAT YOU COULD LIVE WITH? SURE.
I COULD MOST DEFINITELY DO THAT.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, YONKERS HAS A LAW, YOU KNOW, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, PROVIDE EVEN, UH, EVEN BRONXVILLE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UH, THEY, THEY MIGHT HAVE CHANGED THE LAW, AND, UH, BUT THE DATES ARE IMPORTANT TO US.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF YOU CUT OFF THE, UH, THE LEAF BLOWER TOO EARLY, YOU, YOU CAN'T FINISH.
UH, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR, THE LEAVES DIDN'T FALL TILL VERY LATE.
OKAY? UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, UH, SAY YOU CAN'T USE THE BLOWER UNTIL, UH, OCTOBER 15TH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DIFFICULTY WITH THAT, WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, THE TAXPAYERS REALLY WHO, WHOM WE SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, IF THE TAXPAYERS TOLD US, DON'T USE THE BLOWER HERE, WE DON'T USE THE, WE HAVE NO NEED FOR USE THAT BLOWER.
IF WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, BY, BY A CUSTOMER, THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT, YOU KNOW? BUT THEY DO WANT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'VE BEEN TICKETS ISSUED IN, UH, SCARSDALE WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S USING THE BLOWER GETS A TICKET, A TICKET GOES TO THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY, AND, AND A TICKET GOES TO THE HOMEOWNER AS WELL.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I I DON'T REALLY, UH, FEEL THAT THAT'S NECESSARY.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THERE HAS TO BE ENFORCEMENT.
AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, UH, I HOPE THAT YOU MIGHT, UH, CONSIDER THAT FOR US.
YOU HAVE ONE MR. BUR, COME ON UP, MR. MM-HMM.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING TODAY? WELL, HOW ARE, HOW ARE YOU, HOW ARE YOU? HONESTLY, I DON'T USE A BL I DON'T USE A LEAF BLOWER AT ALL.
SO, UM, I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHERE YOU GUYS ARE COMING FROM WITH, UM, THE NECESSITY OF HOW ELECTRIC, ELECTRIC, UM, DEVICES ARE WORKING NOWADAYS.
'CAUSE LET'S FACE IT, GASOLINE IS BECOMING ARCHAIC.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? MY NAME IS CAROL ALLEN.
I ACTUALLY HAD NOT PLANNED TO SAY ANYTHING TONIGHT, BUT AFTER HEARING THE COMMENTS FROM THE OTHER CITIZENS, I WANTED TO ASK THE TOWN BOARD, IF YOU ENACT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT YOU ALSO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN, AS WELL AS ALL THE LANDSCAPERS WHO WORK IN THE TOWN OF THE BENEFITS OF MULCHING THEIR LEAVES AND LEAVING THEM IN PLACE RATHER THAN BLOWING THE LEAVES, BAGGING THEM, TAKING THEM AWAY.
WE COULD PROBABLY SAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY IF WE STOPPED HAULING LEAVES AWAY.
WE WOULD ENRICH THE SOIL, WE WOULD ENRICH THE ENVIRONMENT, AND IT WOULD MAKE GREENBERG A MUCH BETTER PLACE, ECOLOGICALLY SPEAKING, IF WE WERE TO MULCH OUR LEAVES INSTEAD OF BLOWING THEM, BAGGING THEM, AND THEN CARTING THEM AWAY.
UH, JOE, THE OTHER, UH, COMMENT THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING IS IF WE TAKE THIS APPROACH AND BAN IT TWO DAYS A WEEK, UM, WE MIGHT WANNA HAVE TWO SECTIONS OF THE TOWN HAVE THE BAN ON ON DIFFERENT DAYS.
BECAUSE IF YOU DO A BAND THE SAME LIKE ON THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, THEN IT WOULD MAKE IT, THERE'LL BE MORE LEAF BLOWING ON EVERY OTHER DAY BECAUSE THE LANDSCAPERS ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE BLOWING THE LEAVES.
YOU KNOW, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY, THERE'S GONNA BE MORE OF THEM DOING IT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE WOULD BREAK THE TOWN INTO HIVES, UH, IT WOULD REDUCE THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL LEAF FLOWING ON OTHER DAYS WHEN IT'S ALLOWED.
SO I'M JUST ASKING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMMENTS AND PEOPLE HAVE MADE CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS, AND I THINK THE BOARD HAS TO ANALYZE ALL THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HOPEFULLY COME UP WITH, UM, A PROPOSAL.
AND AGAIN, THE PROPOSAL IS ONLY
[01:05:01]
FOR ONE YEAR, SO IF IT DOESN'T WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AN EXPERIMENT RATHER THAN A PERMANENT LAW.YOU KNOW, ALSO, MS. ALLEN'S SUGGESTION, DR.
UM, HER, HER SUGGESTION IS A GOOD ONE.
UM, I THINK IT WAS IRVINGTON HAD, UM, A LOVE THEM AND LEAVE THEM, LEAVE THEM, UM, PLAN IN PLACE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT TO SEE, UM, PER DR.
ALLEN'S SUGGESTION, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND WE COULD WORK WITH A NATURE CENTER ON IT AS WELL.
UH, THEY HAVE EXPERTS THERE WHO COULD GIVE US A, UH, GUIDANCE IN DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO ANYBODY, UH, ON ZOOM, UH, TRYING TO PARTICIPATE? NO.
THEN I'D LIKE TO, THERE'S ANOTHER HAND.
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, BUT YOU DO GET A SECOND ROUND.
UH, SO I, I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHO REMARKS MADE BY ONE OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS.
UM, THE SPEAKER SAID THAT, UH, IT WAS UNPRECEDENTED, UH, TO BAN PREVENT PEOPLE FROM WORKING ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PREVENT ANYBODY FROM WORKING.
WE ARE MAKING SOME, UM, RESTRICTIONS ON THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY CAN USE ON THOSE DAYS, BUT WE ARE NOT STOPPING ANYBODY FROM WORKING.
I, IT, IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT, UH, THE SAME SPEAKER MENTIONED THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED THE LEAF BLOWERS.
THAT IF A CUSTOMER SAID NOT TO USE A LEAF BLOWER, IT WOULD NOT IMPACT THEM AT ALL.
THEY COULD CONTINUE WITH THE EMPLOYMENT.
AND THEREFORE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO FORWARD WITH THE RESTRICTIONS, UH, THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED ON THE, UH, IN THIS PROPOSAL.
SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, UH, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT THOUGH.
YOU KNOW, PAUL, THIS WE'VE BEEN, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
EARLY ON, COUNCILMAN JACKSON SUGGESTED THAT WE DIVIDE UP THE TOWN.
I THEN MODIFY THAT TO SAY WE SHOULD DO THE SANITATION SCHEDULE SO THAT THE LANDSCAPERS WOULDN'T BE PROHIBITED FROM WORKING ON TUESDAYS.
THEY WOULD WORK IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TOWN THAT WAS APPARENTLY DEEMED TO BE UNWORKABLE, WHICH IS WHY IT NEVER MADE IT INTO THE, THE CODE.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO NOW GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WAS RE RECOMMENDED PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UH, UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO MODIFY THIS.
THAT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE AND COME BACK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH IT 'CAUSE I SUPPORTED IT EARLIER.
I'M NOT SO SURE I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THE CURRENT VERSION, BUT BECAUSE OF, THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES.
IT'S, BUT IT SHOULD BE GIVEN ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.
UH, SO I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN THE HEARING TO THE NEXT MEETING AND LEAVE THE, UH, YEAH.
[ To consider a Local Law creating a New Chapter 374 in the Code of the Town of Greenburgh entitled “Leaf Blowers, Regulation of Yard and Leaf Blowers”]
AND, UM, THE SECOND HEARING IS, UH, TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW CREATING A NEW CHAPTER 3 74, AND THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED LEAF BLOWERS REGULATIONS OF YOUR AND LEAVE, UH, BLOWERS.UM, UM, WOULD ANYBODY, UH, IT'S AS JOE DANKO SAID, IT'S SIMILAR TO THE, THE LAST, UH, HEARING.
SO, UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO ADD? OR WE COULD INCLUDE, UH, ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IF THE PREVIOUS HEARING AND THIS HEARING'S RECORD, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT YOURSELF IF YOU DON'T WANT, WE MIGHT WANNA DO THAT.
'CAUSE MANY OF THE COMMENTS ON THE PREVIOUS HEARING ACTUALLY RELATE TO THIS, THIS, UM, RIGHT, THIS NEW CHAPTER.
SO WHY DON'T WE CORRECT, ADD ALL THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS ON, AND YOU COULD JUST COPY AND PASTE.
UM, UH, SO, UH, ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? MR. BURKE, YOU HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, AT THIS HEARING.
DO YOU STILL WISH TO SPEAK? YES.
BRENDAN C BRENDAN C BURKE A K ABR C BADHAM, UM, WANTS TO SAY THAT, UM, HE WANTS TO SAY HE'S SORRY FOR THE DISEASE DEATH NOWADAYS.
AND HE WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
AND EVEN THOUGH I DON'T, I'M NOT, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT ALL THREE STATES OF LIVING ARE DIFFERENT.
[01:10:01]
REALLY WISH THAT, UM, THAT ALL HUMAN POWER VEHICLES CAN BE USED IN ALL THREE STATES OF LIVING.IT'S MORE OF A HUMAN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, LIKE BICYCLES, BOARDS AND STUFF IN THE FUTURE.
ANYBODY ELSE? THEN I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WAY.
ADJOURN, UH, THE HEARING TO THE NEXT MEETING, ADUR FOR ALL PURPOSES.
UH, NEXT, UM, WE HAVE, UM, UH, DAISY JOING, UH, WHO'S AN INTERNATIONAL KNOWN VIOLINIST, AND SHE WILL DISCUSS HER, UH, FOUNDATION AND MINT AND A PROPOSAL TO MENTOR STUDENTS IN GREENBURG.
SHE'S DONE IT IN PEAK SKILL AND, UM, IT'S BEEN ACTUALLY VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN, UM, IN ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS TO, UH, TAKE UP THE VIOLIN AND TO APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, MUSIC.
UM, UH, JANELLE HAS, UM, UH, A VIDEO.
DID YOU, UH, UH, WOULD YOU WANT HER TO SHOW THE VIDEO FIRST OR WOULD YOU WANT HER DO YOUR VIOLIN? YEAH, LET'S SHOW THE VIDEO FIRST.
IS THERE A PLACE? HELLO EVERYBODY.
SO THANK YOU PAUL, FOR INVITING ME TODAY.
UM, SO YOU HAVE TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
OH, DID YOU JUST FIND OUT? IS THERE A POWERPOINT? YEAH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE VIDEO OVER.
UM, BUT I, WHEN I PLAY, I'M GONNA PLAY THE TRACKS OF MY BAND AND I'VE GOT A LITTLE SPEAKER AND I JUST NEED TO PLUG INTO A POWER.
SO IF YOU COULD PLAY THE VIDEO, I'M GONNA MOVE, WELL SAYING, I'LL PLUG IN THIS AND THEN I CAN PLAY FOR YOU FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THEN FOR A COUPLE MINUTES.
SO YOU HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES
SO THE VIDEO HAS NO SOUND THOUGH, JANELLE.
GARRETT, WHEN YOU PLAY THE VIDEO TURN, YOU NEED TO TURN ON THE SOUND.
UH, THAT DIDN'T SOUND THAT YOU DIDN'T HEAR SOUND.
YEAH, IT'S A REALLY BIG AUDIENCE.
LIKE THE CROWD TODAY WAS JUST HUGE AND ALSO VERY ENERGETIC.
LIKE MY HEART WAS RACING PRETTY FAST, BUT JUST SEEING LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE AND LIKE THE SMILES ON EVERYONE'S FACES WAS JUST SO NICE TO SEE.
IT'S A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE PLAYING WITH MY PEOPLE AND, UH, I'LL DEFINITELY GET BETTER FROM IT.
IT'S GONNA BE COOL TO GO UP ON THE STAGE AND SEE THAT HUGE CROWD.
IT'S JUST LIKE A SUPER FUN ENERGY AND THEY LOVE SINGING WITH A BIG ORCHESTRA.
THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT THEY RARELY HAVE IT.
DA JOPLIN MUSIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION IS PROUD TO GIVE THIS YEAR'S SCHOLARSHIP TO LUCIUS LUCKY BELLE SON.
LOVE BY NEW LET US MARCH ON TO THIS BEAUTIFUL HALL IS JUST SO AMAZING AND IT'S, IT JUST INSPIRES YOU TO GREATER LEVELS.
[01:15:17]
IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT THEY'RE PLAYING AT SUCH A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL.I LOVE THE FACT THAT THESE KIDS HAD A GREAT TIME.
THESE KIDS HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN.
THEY HAD A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE THEMSELVES.
THE PERSON SHE BROUGHT ON THAT STAGE, ALL THE CHILDREN.
YEAH, NO, I BASICALLY, UH, THOUGHT, UM, WENT, I MET DAISY.
I THOUGHT THAT, UM, THIS WOULD BE LIKE AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM, UH, SAY AT THE THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE LIKE A LOT OF, UM, ARTS PROGRAMS AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO UPLIFT PEOPLE AND GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL.
UM, AND IF THEY APPRECIATE MUSIC, YOU KNOW, REALLY COULD GIVE PEOPLE, WE HAVE SO MANY TALENTED PEOPLE IN, IN GREENBURG, UM, THAT I FEEL THAT THIS WOULD BE THE TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT COULD GIVE, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY HAVE THE DISCIPLINE OF LEARNING, YOU KNOW, VIOLIN, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE DISCIPLINE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF, UH, PLAYING WITH, WITH OTHERS, AND HOPEFULLY HAVING A LIFE CHANGING, UM, EXPERIENCE.
SO, DAIS, BEAUTIFULLY SAID FOR YOU.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME.
UM, I DON'T, I MIGHT PLAY A LITTLE BIT, BUT LET ME JUST SAY IN A COUPLE OF TALKING TO ALL OF YOU, UM, COUPLE OF WORDS.
SO, I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL CAREER PLAYING, UH, CONCERTS AROUND THE WORLD.
I HAVE MY OWN BAND, UM, PLAYING IN MAJOR CONCERT HALLS AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, I LIVED IN VIENNA BEFORE COMING TO NEW YORK.
AND WHEN I CAME HERE, I CAME HERE TO DO SOME TOURS AND THEN MET MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND WHO DID PASS AWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT ENDED UP STAYING HERE.
AND, UM, ON LEAVING NEW YORK CITY AND COMING TO PEEKSKILL WHERE I NOW LIVE, UH, I PLAYED A CONCERT AT THE PARAMOUNT, AND A GROUP OF MOMS CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO GET A STRINGS PROGRAM TO HAPPEN IN THE PEEKSKILL SCHOOLS.
YOU'RE LIVING RIGHT HERE IN PEEKSKILL.
CAN YOU HELP US? AND I FELT I'VE HAD A WHOLE LIFE WHERE MUSIC'S GIVEN ME THIS INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE JOB.
I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I KNEW I HAVE TO INSPIRE THE KIDS TO WANT TO PLAY AND GET THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BEHIND THIS.
SO I WENT AND PLAYED IN ALL OF THE PEAK SKILL SCHOOLS, AND I ONLY REALIZED THEN THAT I HAVE A REAL TALENT TO MAKE KIDS REALLY WANNA PLAY AND REALLY HAVE FUN PLAYING.
AND I PLAY A LOT OF DIFFERENT STYLES OF MUSIC.
SO I WENT IN, I CAME IN PLAYING MICHAEL JACKSON'S THRILLER, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU COULD DO THAT ON THE VIOLIN, YOU KNOW? AND THEN I WAS SLOWLY MOVING INTO PLAYING BACH, YOU KNOW, OR SOMETHING, BUT I HAD THEM IN MY HANDS.
SO ALL TO SAY THAT A, AFTER A FEW YEARS, ALL THE KIDS WANTED TO PLAY, THE PARENTS WANTED THEM TO PLAY.
WE GOT THE SCHOOL, SCHOOL BOARD.
FINALLY, A COUPLE YEARS LATER, WE STARTED A VIOLIN PROGRAM.
WE HAD ONE TEACHER AND 20 VIOLINS AND 70 STUDENTS AUDITIONED TO BE IN THAT PROGRAM THAT YEAR.
SO I STARTED MY OWN FOUNDATION, THE DAISY JOPLIN MUSIC MENTORSHIP FOUNDATION, WHICH NOW HAS BEEN GOING FOR 11 YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE FREE AFTER SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAMS IN PEAK SCHOOL, AND WE HAVE WORKSHOPS.
AND WE, UH, THEN WHAT I FOUND IS TO HAVE KIDS, UH, TWO THINGS GIVEN FREE TICKETS TO GO TO AMAZING CONCERTS.
UH, WHEN I WENT AND PLAYED, THEN WORKED WITH OTHER KIDS IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE THEY ALREADY HAD STRING PROGRAMS. IT WAS AMAZING TO ME THAT KIDS MIGHT HAVE PLAYED THE VIOLIN FOR 10 YEARS, BUT THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TO AN INCREDIBLE PROFESSIONAL MUSIC CONCERT WHERE THERE'S A VIOLINIST KILLING IT OUT THERE.
UM, AND WHEN THEY COME TO A CONCERT AND THEY FEEL THE ENERGY AND THEY SEE THE PASSION WITH WHICH WE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS ARE PLAYING, IT IS LIFE CHANGING FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A PROPENSITY TO BE INTERESTED IN THE ARTS.
AND THEN, UH, KIND OF TO TOP THAT, WE REALIZED IF YOU GIVE CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM ALONGSIDE PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, WORLD CLASS WHO HAVE THE PASSION TO MENTOR THESE KIDS, IT CAN COMPLETELY CHANGE.
THEY CAN BE NEARLY FAILING OR FAILING EVERYTHING IN SCHOOL, BUT YOU TEACH THEM BEATBOXING FOR THREE MONTHS, THEY GO ON STAGE,
[01:20:01]
THEY'RE A STAR, THEY GET A STANDING OVATION.THAT KID IS GONNA BE AN HONOR STUDENT THE NEXT YEAR, OR THEY'RE GONNA AT LEAST BE MUCH BETTER.
IT CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR THEM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL TOURING AND DOING CONCERTS AROUND THE PLACE.
I JUST PLAYED A CONCERT ACTUALLY AT THE PYRAMIDS, WHICH WAS AMAZING, ON THE 4TH OF NOVEMBER, 2022, WITH INCREDIBLE EGYPTIAN MUSICIANS.
AND I CARRIED ON THIS, UH, MUSIC MENTORSHIP PROGRAM BECAUSE I'VE DONE IT NOW FOR 10 YEARS, AND IT'S SO REWARDING AND SO AMAZING.
SO WE HAD, UH, 120 KIDS ALSO IN CAIRO WHO ARE MENTORED.
ANYWAY, SO NOW MY LIFE IS LIKE, I'M STILL TOURING TOURS, BUT I AM TOLD, WHEN PAUL SAID TO ME, UH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE NOW WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF KIDS PLAYING IN THE PICK SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
SO FROM 2017 TO 2022, THE GRADUATION RATE HAS INCREASED BY 22% IN THE PEAK SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, UH, I WAS AT A FUNDRAISER, SO I STILL HELP.
LIKE WE RAISED $15,000 IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 8TH, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, ME PLAYING AND KIND OF GETTING THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED JUST TO HELP THE ORCHESTRA GET MORE INSTRUMENTS.
'CAUSE NOW PSON DOES A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A BASSOON.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
SO THE SUPERINTENDENT STOOD UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY MUCH BECAUSE OF THESE AMAZING MUSIC PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE REALLY, REALLY CHANGING EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR KIDS' LIFE.
JUST THE, YOU KNOW, THE GRADES.
AND, AND OF COURSE IT'S FUN AND AMAZING TO PLAY MUSIC.
UM, IT, IT'S SO GOOD FOR THE BRAIN IN SO MANY WAYS.
SO I'VE BECOME VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, AS YOU CAN TELL.
UM, AND WHEN PAUL SAID, LISTEN, WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN PEEKSKILL, I WANT YOU TO COME AND DO IT IN GREENBURG.
YOU KNOW, SO I'M HERE TO SAY, UH, THIS IS WHAT MY FOUNDATION BRINGS.
UM, I HAVE, BECAUSE I AM A STOOL TOURING AND YOU KNOW, WORLD CLASS PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, I HAVE CONNECTIONS TO INCREDIBLE ARTISTS WHO, GIVEN THE FRAMEWORK, ARE READY TO COME IN AND WORK WITH KIDS ON ANY LEVEL AND MENTOR THEM.
YOU KNOW, THESE MUSICIANS ACTUALLY WANT THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY GET IT, YOU KNOW, TO JUST GO INTO SCHOOLS AND WORK WITH THE KIDS.
SO I CAN BRING THE FRAMEWORK OF HOW THIS PROGRAM HAPPENS, WHICH IN A NUTSHELL IS WE, ME AND OTHER ARTISTS GO INTO THE SCHOOLS.
UH, WE THEN WORK WITH THE TEACHERS WHO TEACH THE KIDS.
OR IF THERE ISN'T A MUSIC PROGRAM, WE WILL GIVE SOME WORKSHOPS AND SOMETHING WHERE THE KIDS CAN LEARN IN THREE MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, LIKE MAYBE SINGING IN A CHOIR, OR AS I SAID, BEATBOXING.
SO WE THEN HAVE A CONCERT, YOU KNOW, THE FRAMEWORK CAN BE, LET'S SAY, ANYWHERE FROM THREE MONTHS TO A YEAR WHERE THOSE KIDS ARE PERFORMING WITH US.
SO ME AND I'LL HAVE UP TO 35 PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS.
WE'VE DONE, UH, ORAL CONCERTS WHERE WE'VE HAD HALF THE ORCHESTRA BEING STUDENTS AND HALF THE ORCHESTRA BEING PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, UM, AND LINCOLN CENTER.
SO WE PLAY ON MAJOR STAGES, LIKE AT THE PYRAMIDS OR, YOU KNOW, AT THE PARAMOUNT THEATER, OR WE COULD DO THE TARRYTOWN MUSIC HALL.
UM, SO WE GIVE THESE KIDS THIS OPPORTUNITY OF THAT TRAINING.
THE MENTORSHIP, IT CAN BE ONE-ON-ONE, IT CAN BE DEPENDING ON THE BUDGET, UH, WHATEVER WE HAVE, BUT EVERY CONNECTION THOSE KIDS CAN HAVE TO THOSE PROFESSIONAL, PASSIONATE, REALLY INSPIRATIONAL AND KIND OF LOVING MUSICIANS IS AMAZING.
AND THEN TO PERFORM WITH THEM ON A MAJOR STAGE TO A PACKED HOUSE IS A GREAT, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, BUT ONE CONCERT CAN BE LIFE CHANGING FOR THEM.
AND THEN WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENED BEYOND THAT IS THAT THE KIDS THEY WANNA LEARN.
AND WHEN THE KIDS REALLY WANNA LEARN AND THE PARENTS WANT THEM TO LEARN, AND THE COMMUNITY SEES HOW BENEFICIAL IT IS, THEN THE MUSIC PROGRAM START.
SO JUST TO END, I DUNNO, HOW HAVE I GOT ANY MINUTES LEFT OR SECONDS.
BUT ANYWAY, TO END, UM, I WAS JUST WITH A FRIEND OF MINE, A LANA SWEENEY, WHO, WHO'S JUST RETIRED FROM UNITED WAY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND SHE WAS REMINDING ME THAT WHEN I FIRST CAME TO LIVE IN PEEKSKILL, SHE MET ME AND ASKED ME TO GO AND PLAY FOR THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE THAT SHE WAS THEN, THEN HEAD OF, UM, IN NEW YORK.
AND I PLAYED IN BED-STUY IN, IN AN AREA.
SHE SAID IT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING AREA.
AND I CAME IN AND I PLAYED FOR MAYBE 200 KIDS WHO'D PROBABLY NEVER, EVER SEEN A VIOLIN BEFORE.
THIS WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS AGO, UH, I DID START OFF WITH SOME SONGS I KNEW THEY WOULD KNOW, THEY WOULD NOT, THEY, I COULDN'T STOP PLAYING.
LIKE THEY WERE LIKE, PLAY MORE, PLAY MORE.
I ENDED UP PLAYING LITERALLY UNACCOMPANIED BAR FOR THESE KIDS.
UM, AND THEY ALL WANTED TO LEARN THE VIOLIN AND THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE THEN STARTED A VIOLIN PROGRAM AFTER ME JUST PLAYING ONCE FOR THE KIDS.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY, YOU KNOW, WITH MY FOUNDATION TO BRING.
UH, WE WORK ON EVERY LEVELS, WE RAISE ALL THE, YOU KNOW, SPONSORSHIP MONEY AND, AND, UM, AND LET'S DO IT
SO, SO JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK YOU, PAUL FOR INVITING ME.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO BRING MY SERVICES HERE AND HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN.
THE STUDENTS HERE, SO, AND WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING THIS? AND I HAVEN'T EVEN PLAYED IT.
I KNOW, SORRY, MY TENNIS ARE UP, BUT I WANTED TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, 240 YEAR OLD ITALIAN VIOLIN, BY THE WAY.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY, IT COULD BE THOUGH.
I LOVE THE WAY SHE KNOWS WHERE IT'S, UM, SO WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU, WHAT CAN YOU TELL, WHAT CAN YOU, WHAT CAN YOU TELL? MAKE SURE
[01:25:01]
EVERYBODY ELSE YES, YES, YES.WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU TELL PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED, BUT WHO ARE INTIMIDATED BY THE INSTRUMENT ITSELF BY ACTUALLY OBTAINING THE INSTRUMENT? HOW, HOW, HOW DO, HOW DO KIDS WHO WANT PLAY YEAH.
GET AN INSTRUMENT? HOW CAN THEY GET AN INSTRUMENT? DO THEY HAVE TO BUY IT? CAN THEY RENT IT? HOW DO THEY GET IT? BECAUSE IT'S A VERY INTIMIDATING LOOKING THING.
SO GREAT QUESTION, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING ALSO, UM, THERE ARE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT BRING INSTRUMENTS TO KIDS FOR A START.
AND MY FOUNDATION THROUGH OUR NETWORK, I MEAN, I HAVE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME COMING TO ME SAYING, I HAVE A VIOLIN IN MY LOFT.
IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FOR 20 YEARS.
CAN I PLEASE GIVE IT TO YOUR PROGRAMS? MM-HMM.
IT'S NOT LIKE TOO, TOO, TOO EXPENSIVE.
UM, BUT MY TE THE, THE TEACHERS I HIRE, I DON'T ACTUALLY TEACH, UM, THEY TOLD ME $4,000 CAN GET 20 VIOLINS.
LIKE, IN OTHER WORDS, UH, YEAH.
SO, SO YOU WOULD FUND, YOU'D HELP, YOU'D FUNDRAISE AND YOU, YOU'D POINT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IF THEY WANTED TO RENT, OR YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN, IN OBTAINING ONE.
THERE ARE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS READY TO HELP KIDS PLAY INSTRUMENTS.
IT'S LIKE CONNECTING THE DOTS.
AND WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE CITY AT PSS, 1 99, A FEW BLOCKS FROM LINCOLN CENTER, ONE OF THE PARENTS WALKED IN WITH HIS CHILD TO THE SCHOOL AND SAW WRITTEN COMPOSITIONS ON THE WALL AND PAINTINGS ON THE WALL.
AND HE WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AND SAID, HOW ABOUT MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS? TURNED OUT THAT HE WAS SECOND BASSIST FOR THE PHILHARMONIC, AND HE PUT A, HE PUT SEVERAL MUSICIANS TOGETHER, AND A GROUP OF KIDS STUDIED WITH THEM, AND THEY WROTE THEIR OWN COMPOSITIONS, AND THEN THEY PUT ON A CONCERT.
BUT IT WAS EDUCATIONAL FOR ME, DESCRIBING HOW EACH SOUND THAT AN INSTRUMENT CAN MAKE, CAN BE RELATED TO THE SOUNDS THAT WE'RE USED TO IN EVERYDAY LIFE.
AND, AND IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT MY DAUGHTER MANY YEARS LATER REMEMBERS VERY, VERY FONDLY.
YEAH, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, FOR ME IT'S ABOUT THREE THINGS.
IT GIVES KIDS INCREDIBLE CONFIDENCE, PUT THEM ON THAT STAGE, EVEN SINGING IN A CHOIR.
I MEAN,
WE STARTED THIS VIOLIN PROGRAM.
WE HAD KIDS PLAYING, LIKE THEY COULD PLAY JUST A FEW NOTES ON THE VIOLIN, BUT I HAD THEM PERFORM THESE 20 KIDS WITH ME IN MY CONCERT AT THE PARAMOUNT.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A VIDEOGRAPHER, AND HE IS JUST SO CUTE.
HE INTERVIEWED THE KIDS AND HE WAS LIKE, ONE OF THEM.
SO WHY ARE YOU PLAYING AT THE PARAMOUNT HUDSON VALLEY ON THE STAGE? OH, BECAUSE I'M GOOD ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, I WAS CHOSEN.
I LOVE, LIKE, HE FEELS SO CONFIDENT AND HE'S JUST PLAYED THE VIOLIN FOR A FEW MONTHS.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, SO, SO IT GIVES THEM CONFIDENCE.
NUMBER TWO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, I, I FEEL THAT THIS TIME IN HISTORY IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE EACH CONNECT WITH OUR CREATIVITY.
EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING IS CREATIVE.
AND MUSIC IS THAT SELF-EXPRESSION.
AND CONNECTING WITH OUR INNER PEACE, I MEAN, CONNECTING WITH A PART OF US, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP US FEELING BALANCED AND EMOTIONALLY, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO COPE WITH LIFE.
AND THIRDLY, IT'S VERY GOOD FOR OUR BRAIN.
LIKE YOU PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT, IT'S BEING PROVEN THAT MATHEMATICS, IT'S GREAT.
IT'S JUST GREAT FOR OUR LEARNING CAPABILITIES, PROBLEM SOLVING.
SO, WELL, DO YOU PLAY FOR US? SHOULD I PLAY SOMETHING? I MEAN, I, I FEEL LIKE I MUST HAVE, I'D RATHER LISTEN TO YOU THAN, UH, PEOPLE YELLING AT US
SO THEN, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE GIVE OUR STUDENTS IS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN A LOT OF DIFFERENT, A LOT OF DIFFERENT STYLES OF MUSIC.
UM, AND SO I PLAY THIS, UH, PIECE BY VI VALDIS WINTER, WHICH EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT I HAVE A BAND AND WE HAVE LIKE A REGGAE VERSION OF IT.
SO HERE IN MY BAND, LET'S SEE WHAT THE VOLUME'S, LIKE,
[01:31:08]
IT'S COMING OUT.SO NOW YOU COULD SAY YOU PLAYED AT THE TAJ MAHAL, RIGHT? WE, WHAT THIS CALLED KNOW THAT'S AMAZING.
ON THE NINTH AND 10TH OF SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, IT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT CONFIRMED.
SO THIS IS NOT GOING ON RECORD, BUT LIKE, I'M PROBABLY PLAYING AT, AT TAJ AL, UH, TO DO WITH THE G 20 SUMMIT THERE.
SO, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK TO, UH, BRING THIS TO GREENBERG AND WE SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO, UH, NOT ONLY THE THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT ALSO TO, UH, USE ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN GREENBURG AND SEE IF WE COULD SET SOMETHING UP, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE TOWN.
I SEE, UH, BISHOP PRESTON AND DR.
SO THAT MEANS IT PROBABLY WILL HAPPEN, RIGHT?
AND BY THE WAY, ONE OF MY DAUGHTER'S FRIENDS WHO WAS IN THAT PROGRAM DID GO, DID PLAY IN CARNEGIE HALL, SO YEAH, NOT, UH, NOT IN THE MAIN HALL.
SHE WAS THE ONE THAT INTRODUCED ME TO FULL FINANCE.
SHE'S AMAZING MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY AND GREAT ARTS.
SHE ACTUALLY, UM, UH, ADVOCATE, ORGANIZED, UH, ALL THE ARTS PROGRAMS, UH, AT THE GALLERY AT THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN ROME, UM, AND NOW IS, UH, BACK IN, IN TARRYTOWN.
SO WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE TO SEARCH FOR TALENT AND, UM, AND THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND GIVE OUR, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, BECOME THE TOP, UH, IN, IN, IN THE WORLD.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT RESIDENTS OF CHILDREN ANYWHERE ELSE DON'T HAVE.
NEXT, UH, WE, UH, YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR SPEAKERS BEFORE WE, YOUR SPEAKERS ARE PLUGGED IN UP HERE.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advance signup is required. A continuous five minute limit per speaker will be strictly enforced. The clock will start when a speaker begins speaking and will not be stopped for any reason until the speaker is finished or five minutes has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Interruptions by Town Board members, the Town Clerk or the public will not be permitted. If a speaker insists on an immediate answer, should an answer be provided, it shall be part of the speaker's five minute allocation and not be interrupted. There will not be a second five minute round. Any written comments sent to PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com by 6 PM the day of the hearing will be forwarded to all Town Board members in advance of the meeting for their consideration. Written comments will not be read at the meeting unless the original author is present to do so.]
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY LATER ON TO BE SUBTLE ABOUT TAKING THEM, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL TAKE THEM NOW.NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ANYBODY WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN ANYONE ON ZOOM? MICHELLE BROWN ON ZOOM.
[01:35:14]
YOU NEED TO UNMUTE.UM, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I WAS LISTENING TO THE WORK SESSION THE OTHER DAY REGARDING THE, UM, HOT WATER AT, UM, MAPLE BEACH AND, UM, OAK STREET.
AND THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THAT FRANCIS BROUGHT UP THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY INTERESTING REGARDING THE $355,000 THAT'S REQUIRED TO, UM, FIX BOILERS AND, AND TUBING AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
YET THIS CONTRACTOR NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT FLUSHING THE SYSTEM AS A PROFESSIONAL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT, RIGHT NOW IT IS WORKING.
UM, YES, OF COURSE THERE'S OTHER ITEMS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE ANYONE OTHER THAN FRANCIS AND MAYBE THE BOARD, A FEW BOARD MEMBERS THOUGHT WE SHOULD REEVALUATE THIS 3 55, OR AT LEAST THIS CONTRACTOR.
I FELT THAT WAY, AND I HOPE WE, UM, CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE UNPROFESSIONAL PEOPLE MAKING PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS.
UM, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT OTHER UNITS IN 2020 1ST OF DECEMBER DID NOT HAVE HOT WATER, AND IT WAS A CONVERSATION JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH UNTIL THE TOWN, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY STOPPED HAVING OPEN MEETINGS AND JUST WERE HAVING WORK SESSIONS.
SO PEOPLE WERE NOT CONTINUALLY COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, BUT IT HAD BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE DECEMBER, 2021.
AND, UM, THERE WERE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD IN THE HOUSING, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT THOUGHT AT THAT POINT, UM, IT WAS, THEY WERE OVER IN, OVER THEIR HEAD.
THEY WANNA DO OTHER THINGS, AND IF THEY DIDN'T, IT WAS GONNA AFFECT OTHER THINGS AND IT WAS BAD.
SO I REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THE GREENBERG HOUSING AUTHORITY, YET HOW I'M COMING TO YOU AS PEOPLE THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE A, AS PAUL WOULD SAY, QUOTE UNQUOTE, A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND I DON'T THINK THE FACT THAT SOMEONE LIVES IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD, AND YOU DIDN'T DO THIS.
YOU DID HAVE YOUR TEAM GO IN AND HELP AND FIGURE OUT, AND THAT'S WHY THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE.
I'M, AND I'M SAYING THANK YOU FOR THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU BEING CONNECTED TO THE RESIDENTS, NOT THE TENANTS, THE RESIDENTS OF GREENBURG, THE GREENBURG THAT THEY SAY IS LIKE THE EIGHTH BEST PLACE TO LIVE.
OKAY? I ALSO WANTED TO, UM, SO I'M SAYING THANK YOU FOR THAT, BUT I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW THINGS HAPPEN AND WE JUST DON'T TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE.
I STILL WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SIGN THAT HAPPENED ON NORWOOD ROAD.
UM, DID WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED? IS THE CASE OPEN? IS THE CASE CLOSED? UM, THERE'S NO FEEDBACK, UM, OTHER THAN IT'S NOT A HATE CRIME.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE COMMUNITY STILL NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT AND NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, YES, YOU REPLACE THE SIGNS, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
HOWEVER, THERE THAT STILL HAPPENED AND I DON'T THINK THAT, NOT TALKING ABOUT IT MAKES IT GO AWAY AND THE MURAL, OF COURSE, OF COURSE.
I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF THAT.
UM, THE MURAL I'M SURE IS CORRODING BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER AND THE LOCATION AND IT'S JUST HORRIBLE.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE, THE, THE COMPASS OF OUR LIFE IS BLACK PEOPLE, RIGHT? WE GET SOMETHING WE NEVER GET ALL THE WAY THERE.
AND THEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT BRINGS US TO A PLACE OF DAMN NEAR CORROSION.
UNLESS YOU FIGHT, WE'RE ALWAYS FIGHTING.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT AS A TOWN WHO SAYS THEY'RE THE GREATEST OF WHERE WHEREVER IN WESTCHESTER LIKE APPRECIATES ALL PEOPLE THERE, YOU DON'T GET TO BE WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE OF A, A CERTAIN SECTOR OF PEOPLE.
YOU GET TO BE WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN GREENBURG.
GREENBURG'S ALWAYS BEEN A SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE FIGHT TO STAY THERE.
AND UM, I MEAN, I GREW UP IN TARRYTOWN, ALSO A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE FIGHT TO STAY THERE.
WE ALL KNOW LOW INCOME HOUSING AND ALL THAT'S BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST FOR MANY.
BUT A MURAL THAT HAS A GREAT INVESTMENT TO OUR CHILDREN, TO OUR HISTORY,
[01:40:01]
TO OUR PURPOSE.I MEAN, FAIRVIEW'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A NEW SETTLEMENT AS IF YOU WILL.
I MEAN, BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN A PART OF GREENBURG FOR AS LONG AS GREENBURG'S BEEN THERE, SLAVES WERE IN GREENBURG.
SO WE ARE JUST A PART AS MUCH AS THIS COMMUNITY THAT THRIVES.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO MANIFEST THESE, THIS GREATNESS IN EVERYBODY.
AND LET'S THINKING WITH THE MURAL.
[ AT 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing settlement of property damage related Claim, File No.: 111/22C, by Susan Field, for an amount not to exceed $1,711.02]
OKAY, THEN WE COULD GO ONTO THE AGENDA.UM, AND, UH, AT T ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY DAMAGE RELATED CLAIM FILE 1 1 1 22 C BY SUSAN FIELD FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,711 AND 2 CENTS.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ AT 2 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioners Frank Racanelli and Marguerite E. Royer for property located at 97 Roundabend Rd. The Town’s share of the refund is $519±; the County’s share is $3,881±; the No. Yonkers Sewer District’s share is $570±; the Irvington Union Free School District’s share is $22,422±. Refunds from all sources total $27,393±.]
AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX, SARY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONERS FRANK BELLI AND MARGARET WARRIOR FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 97 ROUND OF BEND ROAD, UM, REFUNDS FROM ALL SOURCES 27 3 9 3.
[ BD 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution approving a professional services agreement with M.J. McGarvey, P.E., P.C for interim professional engineering services, at a cost not to exceed $40,000]
AYE.RESOLUTION APPROVING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH MJ MCGARVEY FOR INTERIM PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES.
IT COST NOT TO EXCEED $40,000.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND, UH, IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CL 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution scheduling a public hearing for Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 7:30 pm, to consider a local law creating a new Article XVII to Chapter 440 "Taxation" in the Code of the Town of Greenburgh entitled "Tax Assessment of Condominiums and Cooperatives."]
AYE.RESOLUTION OF, UH, SCHEDULING A PUBLIC CARING FOR WEDNESDAY, UH, JANUARY 25TH TO CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW CREATING A NEW ARTICLE, UM, UM, ENTITLED TAX ASSESSMENT OF CONDOMINIUMS AND COOPERATIVES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CD 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing the formation of a Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee to advance various sustainability initiatives related to Fuel Cell Technology, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, Ground-Mount Solar Facilities, Wind Turbines, etc. [Note: Members will be appointed after completion of required Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Code of Ethics Training]]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FORMATION OF A SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ADVANCE VARIOUS SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES RELATING TO FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, GROUND MOUNT SOLAR FACILITIES, WIND TURBINES, ET CETERA.[ CR 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Greenburgh School District related to the New York State My Brother's Keepers Fellows Program]
AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE GREENBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT RELATED TO THE NEW YORK STATE.
MY BROTHERS KEEPERS FELLOWS PROGRAM LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT WAS AS AMENDED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S APPROVAL, CORRECT? I, I, I MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CO 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing fiscal year 2022 budget transfers]
AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2022.
[ PO 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution promoting Sergeant John Roberts to Lieutenant, Police Officer Jason Vlasaty to Sergeant, and Police Officer Jean Paul Lara to Detective]
RESOLUTION PROMOTING SERGEANT JOHN ROBERT'S, UM,[ PO 2 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing the Police Department to go to Bid for Medical Supplies to be used in 2023]
UH, WHILE AUTHORIZING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GO TO BID FOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO BE USED IN 2023.[ PW 1 - 1/11/2023 Resolution approving Change Order No.1 and amending the contract with Sport-Tech Construction Corporation for the Pickleball Court Construction and Resurfacing of the Basketball Court at East Rumbrook Park, for an amount not to exceed $28,700]
AYE.AND, UM, RESOLUTION APPROVING CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE AND AMENDING THE CONTRACT WITH SPORTS TECH CONSTRUCTION CORP FOR THE PICKLEBALL COURT CONSTRUCTION RESURFACING OF THE BASKETBALL COURT AT EAST BROOK FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 28,700.
[ PW 2 - 1/11/2023 Resolution authorizing Auctionsinternational.com, an on-line auction company, be used, at no cost to the Town, to sell eighteen (18) itemized older vehicles and miscellaneous equipment considered surplus or needing significant repair]
AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL COME AND ONLINE AUCTION COMPANY TO BE USED AT NO COST TO THE TOWN TO SELL 18.
ITEMIZED ALL THE VEHICLES AND MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT CONSIDERED SURPLUS OR NEEDING SIGNIFICANT REPAIR.