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[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1500 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
BOARD, UM, WORK SESSION.AND, UH, FIRST WE'LL HEAR FROM THE HARTSDALE PARKING DISTRICT.
JUST DON'T, LEMME FORGET IT, JOE.
UH, CAN YOU SHIFT? I'M SITTING BETWEEN YOU.
HOW DOES THIS ONE TURN ON? UM, NOPE.
YOU GOTTA PUSH IT IN IF YOU'RE NOT, THERE'S A LITTLE BUTTON ON THE TOP NOW.
SO, THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING.
UM, WE WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD TALK ABOUT, UH, THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HAVING, UH, WITH PARKING ENFORCEMENT, UM, AND SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, UM, TO THE PROBLEM.
UM, SO STEPHANIE, IF YOU WOULD MAYBE JUST TELL THE PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ISSUE FIRST.
UM, STEPHANIE CROW, THE MANAGER FOR THE HEART SALE PARKING DISTRICT.
UM, THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS, UH, FINDING SOMEONE TO FILL OUR FULL-TIME POSITION FOR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
UH, THIS IS A CIVIL SERVICE POSITION AND HOW IT'S BEEN TRADITIONALLY FILLED, THE FULL-TIME.
HOW WE'RE REQUIRED TO FILL IT REALLY IS THROUGH WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
THEY HAVE A CIVIL SERVICE LIST FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS TESTED FOR THE POSITION.
AND FROM THAT VERY SHORT LIST, WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
UH, RIGHT NOW, I AM NOT AT LIBERTY TO HIRE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT COMING OFF THE LIST.
I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO HIRE SOMEONE PROVISIONALLY AND THEN HAVE THEM TAKE THE TEST.
UM, WE'VE TRIED REACHING OUT TO THE COUNTY TO CHANGE THE CIVIL SERVICE TITLE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOU'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO, SO WE REACHED OUT AND WE, WE SPOKE TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES REPRESENTATIVES, AND WE SAID, CAN WE HIRE SOMEONE OFF THE LIST? CAN WE GO THROUGH INDEED OR LINKEDIN OR SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, INTERNET SEARCH AND FIND A CANDIDATE? THEY SAID, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
IT MUST BE FILLED THROUGH THE COUNTY'S LIST.
WE ASKED, CAN WE HIRE SOMEONE AND THEN HAVE THEM TAKE YOUR TEST? THEY SAID, SO LONG AS THERE IS AN ACTIVE LIST WITH MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE POSITION, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO HIRE ANYONE PROVISIONALLY.
SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE LIST? SO WE HAVE HIRED TWO PEOPLE OFF OF THE LIST, UM, BOTH OF WHICH RESIGNED.
UM, EVERYONE ELSE THAT WE HAVE CONTACTED WHO HAS SAID THEY'VE BEEN INTERESTED, AGAIN, IT'S PROBABLY FIVE CANDIDATES, UH, HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A RESUME OR CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN AN INTERVIEW TO WHERE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE HIRING THE PERSON.
WHETHER THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAYBE WALK UP AND DOWN THE AVENUE, YOU KNOW, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES, NOT FAMILIAR WITH TECHNOLOGY OR DOES NOT EXHIBIT THE RIGHT DEMEANOR TO BE ENGAGED WITH THE PUBLIC IN THAT CAPACITY.
SO HAVE YOU INTER THE, THE NEXT THREE ON THE LIST YOU'VE INTERVIEWED FOR, THEY'VE BEEN INTERVIEWED, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE SALARY? $40,000.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE INTERVIEWED ALL THOSE PEOPLE ON THE LIST AND RULED THEM OUT, YOU STILL CAN'T HIRE ANYBODY THAT'S NOT ON LIST.
AS LONG AS THEY EXPRESS INTEREST, THE COUNTY DOES NOT REALLY TAKE THAT AS QUOTE UNQUOTE RULING THEM OUT.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A LIST, YOU CAN DISQUALIFY PEOPLE FOR CERTAIN REASONS.
SO IF YOU REQUIRE REQUEST, REQUIRE CERTAIN INFORMATION, THEY DON'T TURN IT OVER TO YOU MM-HMM.
UM, IF THERE'S SOME PART OF THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL SCREENING OR SOMETHING THAT THEY FAIL, UM, OR LIKE YOU SAID, IF THEY WERE UNABLE TO ACTUALLY DO THE PHYSICAL PORTION OF THE JOB, YOU KNOW, WALKING UP AND DOWN THE BLOCK IS COUNTY.
I MEAN, YOU SHOULD, I'M THINKING YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DISQUALIFY THEM TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE LIST.
SO YOU CAN EITHER, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU CAN'T FIND ANYONE ON THAT LIST, YOU CAN EXHAUST IT AND THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO PERHAPS HIRE SOMEONE PROVISIONALLY.
BUT THEN OF COURSE THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO SCORE WHERE THEY'RE REACHABLE WHEN THE LIST COMES OUT, WHICH IS ANOTHER ISSUE, BUT ONE ISSUE AT A TIME.
THE THING IS THAT, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT I GUESS WERE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, UNFIT FOR THE POSITION, WERE YOU ABLE TO LIKE, DISQUALIFY THEM FROM CONSIDERATION OR MAKE THEM UNRESPONSIVE FOR NOT TURNING IN WHAT THEY NEEDED TO? WELL, WE DON'T ACTUALLY REQUIRE THEM TO TURN IN ANYTHING OR TO PASS A PHYSICAL EXAM.
UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY, BUT IF YOU'RE
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REQUIRING, LIKE IF YOU'RE, SAY YOU'RE REQUIRING A RESUME AND THEY DON'T GIVE YOU A RESUME, THEY, WELL, THEY DO GIVE ME A RESUME, JUST NOTHING ON THEIR RESUME, RESUME OR THROUGH THEIR, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE ACTUAL INTERVIEW, INDICATES TO ME THAT THIS IS A GOOD FIT.AND THAT'S NOT REALLY A REASON FOR THE COUNTY TO, LIKE YOU SAID, ELIMINATE THEM.
AND THE DILEMMA YOU HAVE TOO, IS THE DEMEANOR OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO GET A TICKET AND YOU HAVE TO DEESCALATE A SITUATION OFF AND BE A MATURE PERSON TO HANDLE THAT SORT OF THING WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING IT COME TO BLOWS OR SOMEONE TEARING UP A TICKET AND THROWING IT AT YOU.
SO DID YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? SO, OH, I'M SORRY, BILL.
ARI, I'M WITH THE BOARD, BOARD COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, THE CHAIR THIS, THIS YEAR.
ANYWAY, SO THE DEMEANOR OF THE INDIVIDUAL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S NOT A HIGH SKILL LEVEL JOB MM-HMM.
AND WE HAD A WOMAN WHO TOOK THE JOB WITHIN A WEEK.
LESS THAN 10 DAYS, UM, PUT IN HER RESIGNATION.
AND IT WAS, AND THAT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T LIKE HAVING TO WRITE SOMEONE A TICKET.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFICULT PROBLEM FOR US TO RESOLVE.
AND I THINK OF RETIRED PEOPLE, SOMEONE WHO'S RECENTLY RETIRED, STILL HEALTHY, PASSES A TEST OR WHATEVER.
UM, BUT USUALLY MATURE ON LIST THOUGH.
THEY STILL HAVE TO BE ON THAT LIST THOUGH.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT IS OUR DILEMMA.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF HAVE, HAVE OUR HANDS TIED.
SO WE HAVE A, A REDUCTION IN, IN REVENUE.
AND SO DOES THE, THE TOWN HAVE A REDUCTION IN TICKETING REVENUE? MM-HMM.
WE TAKE THE, UM, COINS OR THE PASSPORT CHARGES.
SO IF YOU WERE TO, I KNOW THAT IF YOU HIRE SOMEONE FROM A, LIKE, POSITION THAT YOU CAN DO THAT WITHOUT THEM BEING ON THE LIST FROM A LIKE POSITION? YEAH.
FROM A TRAFFIC, A LATERAL TRANSFER.
DOES THAT APPLY TO RETIREE? DOES? I DON'T KNOW.
NO, THEY WOULD'VE TO BE EMPLOYED.
YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT OF RETIREES BEING FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT INDIVIDUALS, FORMER POLICE OFFICERS.
SO SOMEONE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RETIRED BE PERFECT.
BUT WHAT, WHAT FRANCIS SAID IS THAT THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WELL, MAY MAYBE, UM, WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY AND ASK THEM IF WE COULD DO IT WHILE YOU'RE SEARCHING MM-HMM.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, STILL, SO ANOTHER, SORRY.
ANOTHER REASON WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NOT SHOWED INTEREST IN THE POSITION HAS BEEN THAT THE SALARY IS TOO LOW.
WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU, BECAUSE THE I M A IS SET FOR THE AGREED UPON AMOUNT.
SO IF WE WERE TO MAKE THE POSITION MORE DESIRABLE TO MORE CANDIDATES ON THE LIST, WE'D HAVE TO INCREASE THE SALARY.
AND THAT WOULD IN TURN INCREASE THE I M A.
WE WOULD THEN INCREASE THE REVENUE.
SO, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE WELL TOWN BOARD TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE WILLING TO EXPAND THE REIMBURSABLE AMOUNT.
YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DATA TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S GONNA INCREASE THE REVENUE BY INCREASING THE SALARY.
UH, AND THE AND WHAT THAT POSITION.
THE RANGE IS FOR THAT POSITION, THAT LEVEL.
SO IS THIS 35 HOUR A WEEK? WEEK? THIS IS A 40 HOUR POSITION.
UM, IT'S CURRENTLY BEING CANVASED AT $40,000.
BUT WITH THE JOB MARKET BEING WHAT IT IS, I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THE SALARY'S TOO LOW.
AND THE OTHER, BUT, BUT YOU STILL HAVE, I, I GUESS I'M, I'M STILL ON.
YOU STILL GOTTA GO THROUGH THAT LIST.
WELL, SO THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE LIST, RIGHT? THAT WOULDN'T EVEN INTERVIEW BECAUSE THEY JUST RESPONDED SALARY TOO LONG.
SO MAYBE MY PERSON IS ON THAT LIST, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO TAKE A JOB LESS THAN 45.
SO THAT, SO, AND YOU EXPLAINED THAT TO THE COUNTY TO SAY THAT YES, WE DID CANVAS THE LIST.
THE LIST CAME BACK AS A SALARY TOO LOW.
AND WHAT THE DAY, WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE TO THAT? SO WE CAN AMPS THE LIST.
I WOULD UPDATE THE CANVAS LETTER TO BE 45, $50,000.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE JOB NOW THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE SALARY HAS RA BEEN RISEN? JOB RESPONSIBILITY IS STILL THE SAME, BUT IT MAY ADD SOME MORE INTERESTED CANDIDATES.
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WHERE ARE YOU IN THE SCORES? IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WERE TO, TO HAVE ONE PERSON DROP OFF THE LIST, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PERSON WHO QUIT IN A WEEK, THAT PERSON'S NOW OFF THE LIST.THAT PERSON IS NOW OFF THE LIST.
WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR, THEIR, THEIR NUMBERS ON HERE.
AND USUALLY IT'S ON THE, THE SECOND THERAPIST.
THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE I CREATED, BUT YES.
UM, THE PERSON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BENEFIT.
SALARY'S TOO LOW, THEY DON'T SHOW UP FOR AN INTERVIEW.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE REASONS MM-HMM.
SO IT'S NOT JUST OPENING IT UP FOR ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, REALLY IT TAKES AN ANALYSIS OF LOOKING UP THE LIST.
WE DO THIS A LOT, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING FROM 40 TO 45.
I JUST THROWING A NUMBER OUT THERE.
IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE UP TO THE TOWN BOARD.
BUT WHAT WOULD, WOULD THAT BE WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE? I WOULD SAY A RANGE.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF WE POSTED IT AS A RANGE BETWEEN 45 AND 50, IT WOULD ENTICE MORE CANDIDATES ON THE LIST.
WHAT ARE THE SALARIES ELSEWHERE? ARE THEY HIGHER IN THAT SAME RANGE? THEY ARE HIGHER WHITE PLAINS.
I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME I CHECKED WAS CANVASSING BETWEEN 55 AND 60.
HOWEVER, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A WHITE PLAINS PARKING ENFORCEMENT ARE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WE DO.
UM, NOT COMPARABLE, ESPECIALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THE CAR COMES INTO WHITE PLAINS, THEY GIVE THE TICKET.
I, I THINK WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW WHERE THE OFFICERS ON FOOT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DRIVING.
EVERYTHING IS WITHIN, YOU KNOW, ONE MILE RADIUS.
UM, HOW MUCH, ASK, ASK PAUL PAUL.
IF THE PERSON WHO GOT A HUNDRED OKAY.
WHAT TO SAY I'M INTERESTED IS, DOES THAT PERSON HAVE THE DEMEANOR YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? OR SOMEBODY THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE, WELL, I'M NOT SURE.
I MEAN THAT I, THE PEOPLE THAT SAID THE SALARY'S TOO LOW OR I'M UNAVAILABLE, I'M NOT INTERESTED.
THOSE PEOPLE, WE DON'T INTERVIEW.
WE, THE, THE CONVERSATION ENDS AT THE CANVAS.
SO I CAN'T SAY THAT THEY NECESSARILY HAVE THE RIGHT DEMEANOR.
THEY MAY HAVE JUST SCORED REALLY WELL.
UM, BUT GUESS THE TEST IS SUPPOSED TO BE REFLECTIVE.
DON'T THEY'LL BE DOING, RAISE THE SALARY WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL GET THAT A HUNDRED THE PERSON GOT ON.
IS THAT A REASON TO ELIMINATE THEM FROM THE LIST? THIS, THESE TYPES OF RESPONSES THAT STEPHANIE'S BEEN DOING? NO.
IT DOES NOT ELIMINATE THEM FROM THE LIST.
THEY'RE NOT ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY.
WHEN WE CANVAS, WHEN WE CANVAS THE LIST, THEIR NAMES WILL RE APPEAR OFF THE LIST.
BUT THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED, THEY'RE OFF.
NOT INTERESTED DOESN'T MEAN TAKE ME OFF THE LIST.
THE COUNTY ALLOWS YOU TO SELECT.
ARE YOU NOT INTERESTED RIGHT NOW? SO YOU CAN PUT I'M TEMPORARILY AVAILABLE.
YOU COULD SAY RIGHT NOW THE SALARY'S TOO LOW.
OR YOU COULD SAY, UM, RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF, YOU'RE ON SOME KIND OF LEAVE.
NO, BUT THAT'S, AND SO WHEN I RE CANVASS, YOUR NAME WILL STILL BE THERE.
RIGHT? WHEN YOU RE CANVASS THEIR NAME WILL STILL BE THERE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PER CURRENT CANVAS, THEY'RE OFF.
SO YOU CAN MOVE DOWN THE LIST.
AND WE HAVE MOVED DOWN THE LIST.
AND SO HOW FAR DOWN THE LIST HAVE YOU NOT TO THE END OF THE LIST.
YOU'RE EXHAUSTED THE LIST THEN IF YOU HAVE EXHAUSTED THE LIST.
SO THEY DON'T CONSIDER IT AGAIN AND EXHAUST THE LIST BECAUSE THEIR RESPONSES WERE NOT NO, OUR RESPONSES WERE NO
I, I, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE OUR HR OR US TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THESE RESPONSES ARE BECAUSE YEAH.
CAN I ASK 'CAUSE NOT INTERESTED IS NOT INTERESTED FOR THIS CANVAS.
THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO IT IN THE FUTURE, BUT FOR THIS CAMP, IT SOUNDS LIKE, CAN I JUST, JUST ONE QUESTION.
HOW MUCH DOES IT LIKE A REALLY GREAT, LIKE THERE WAS ONE, UH, OFFICER ONCE GAVE ME A TICKET.
I, I, I, I REMEMBER SOMEBODY GAVE YOU A TICKET.
YEAH, I REMEMBER, UH, DONALD AND THEN GOT A PROMOTION THE LAST DAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE TOP, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER THAT? YEAH.
SO I, I WENT OUT OF MY CAR, SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, GOOD LUCK.
AND I GOT BACK AND I HAD A TICKET.
UM, EVERYBODY, HE WAS REALLY GOOD.
WHEN WAS THIS? YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO? UM, UM, AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IF SOMEBODY'S REALLY GOOD AND YOU KNOW, LIKE THE PERFECT, UM, OFFICER, HOW MUCH DO THEY, WOULD THEY GENERALLY TAKE IN, WHEN YOU SAID TAKE IN SALARY WISE AND TICKETS AND TICKETS, NO.
REVENUE WISE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO, TO GENERAL THAT CORRELATION.
LIKE, DO YOU HAVE LIKE ANY, IS
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THERE LIKE A, BECAUSE I'M SAYING IF WE WOULD INCREASE IT BY SAY FIVE.YOU WANT KNOW, RIGHT? IS IT WORTH, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT, IS THAT A GOOD INVESTMENT? YES.
BECAUSE IT SOUNDS TO ME THAT THE PERSON, A GOOD PERSON, WOULD PROBABLY MAKE UP FOR $7,000 OR $8,000.
BUT IS IT, BUT WHAT IS THE REVENUE? YOU GOTTA SEE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE BRINGING IN NOW, LIKE MM-HMM.
COULD YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PLEASE? WE DON'T CONTROL THE AUDIO IN HERE.
SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY SEE ON OUR END, OR I DON'T SEE ON MY END HOW MUCH TICKET REVENUE IS BEING, UM, COLLECTED.
WHAT I CAN SEE IS HOW MANY TICKETS ARE ISSUED NOW FROM THAT NUMBER? HOW MANY ARE PLED NOT GUILTY? HOW MANY ARE DISMISSED BY THE COURTS? I HAVE NO CONTROL.
I DID REACH OUT TO THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR WHO REDIRECTED ME TO DUNCAN SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS THE, UM, THIRD PARTY THAT THE TOWN USES TO COLLECT ALL THE TICKET REVENUE.
AND WHEN THEY GET BACK TO ME, I'LL BE ABLE TO PUT THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER.
WHAT WE DO KNOW THOUGH, IS OUR, OUR, UM, INCOME FROM PARKING IS APPROACHING PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS, WHICH IS VERY, VERY ENCOURAGING BECAUSE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE USING THE GARAGES AND SO FORTH.
THE SAME IS TRUE EVEN FOR, UH, ANNUAL PERMITS FOR THE COMMUTERS AND SO FORTH.
MORE THAN 50% OF, UH, PRE PANDEMIC.
WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I I ALMOST THINK THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO GIVE YOU LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS, YOU KNOW, AS POSSIBLE.
AND YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A NOMINAL AMOUNT.
AND IF YOU COULD GET THE RIGHT PERSON, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT WILL HELP THE PARKING DISTRICT SUCCEED, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE STARTING TO GET REVENUE BACK.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THE MAXIMUM REVENUE.
AND I THINK WE ALSO WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE LIKE MAKE TO PUT THE MONEY IN, UH, IN THE METER.
I MEAN, THE OTHER THING TO LOOK AT IS IF THE BOARD WERE TO APPROVE, LIKE YOU SAID, A NOMINAL INCREASE TO THE I M A, WE HAVEN'T HAD A FULL-TIME ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SINCE SEPTEMBER.
SO THE REIMBURSEMENTS THAT YOU'VE BEEN MAKING THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDING THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN SMALL IN COMPARISON TO WHAT THEY SHOULD BE.
SO, SO IT'S NOT REALLY GONNA MATTER AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD ALL OFF OFFSET.
WE WOULD NORMALLY OPERATE WITH ONE FULL-TIME PER PERSON AND TWO PART-TIME.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE PART-TIME PERSON.
AND, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE WORD ON THE STREET THAT THE, IT'S NOT BEING POLICED.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE PUTTING COINS AND METERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A SILLY SITUATION TO BE IN.
ONE LAST THOUGHT I HAD, UH, FOR CHIEF.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE NEW HIRES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO COME ON BOARD WITH, WITH, UM, A LITTLE EXPERIENCE DOING PARKING TICKET, UH, ENFORCEMENT, UH, FOR THEIR TRAINING EVER.
HELP THEIR TRAINING GOING FORWARD AND, AND WE WOULD TAKE BENEFIT OF PART-TIME PART-TIMERS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WOULD THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? WOULD THAT BE MORE TROUBLE THAN IT'S WORTH? NO.
WELL, I DIDN'T WANNA INTERRUPT YOU, BUT SOMETHING YOU SAID.
I'LL JUST, UM, FIRST WE HAVE TWO ANIMAL CONTROLLED PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE HAD.
UM, WE HAD PEOPLE LEAVE, WE ACTUALLY REPLACED ONE OF THE POSITIONS.
WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE REPLACING THESE POSITIONS.
UM, BUT WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE OPTIMISTIC.
UM, WE HAVE A SECTOR PERSON OBVIOUSLY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT AREA.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE SECTOR PERSON CAN BE DIRECTED, HEY, WRITE SOME TICKETS ON EAST HARTSDALE.
BUT DEPENDING UPON THE CALL VOLUME, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK IN LARCENIES THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF COMBATING.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT OFFICER, WE ALSO DO THE E M S FOR THE TOWN.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THAT OFFICER, THAT THAT'S HIS SECTOR, OR HE OR SHE CAN SPEND ACTUALLY WRITING TICKETS ESSENTIALLY LIMITED THERE.
THERE MIGHT BE A DAY WHERE THEY HAVE TIME TO DO SO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE MAY OTHER BE DAYS WHERE THEY DON'T MM-HMM.
SO HAVING SOMEONE DESIGNATED, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IS ALWAYS BETTER WITH REGARDS TO THE NEW OFFICERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO.
I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE WITH A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, THEY MIGHT PRIORITIZE FIRE ZONES OR MAYBE BEING IN AREAS WHERE WE'RE HAVING MORE LARCENIES, UM, AS A PART-TIME JOB.
THE ISSUE IS WHEN YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE DOING SOME OTHER JOB, YOU'RE STILL A POLICE OFFICER.
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YOU START TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SIDE JOBS IN TOWN AT CERTAIN ESTABLISHMENTS WHERE THEY'RE PAYING THE OFFICERS 20, 30, 30 $5 AN HOUR.SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THAT, YOU'RE NOT REALLY GONNA HAVE THE INTEREST FROM THE OFFICERS AND ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE P B A PRESIDENT PRIOR TO THIS MEETING JUST TO FEEL IT OUT.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS LAST TIME THIS CAME UP, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A NON-STARTER FOR THE OFFICERS BASED ON THE SALARY.
WHAT ABOUT THE RETIREES, THEIR RETIREES, IF THEY'RE GETTING, THEY GOT THE PENSION AND IF, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT OVER $40,000 ON TOP OF THAT, WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE RETIRED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF JUST, YOU KNOW, RISK REWARD, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL FOR SOMETHING TO GO WRONG WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION THAT THEY'RE JUST ACCUSTOMED TO FOR THEIR TIME.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT A DISPUTE WITH A TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, A PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER COULD TURN INTO, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNREASONABLE AND SITUATIONS OCCUR.
SO, AND THESE ARE ALSO UNION POSITIONS, WHEREAS THE CURRENT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING PART-TIME WITH TRAFFIC FOR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THEATERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S NOT TAKING AWAY, I AM NOT GONNA LIE TO YOU AND TELL YOU THAT I THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF INTEREST.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF, OF HIRING A LOT OF DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE HAVING A HARDER TIME FILLING CERTAIN POSITIONS.
I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR OFFICERS WRITE THE STREET, YOU KNOW, FOR VIOLATIONS SO THAT THERE ISN'T WORD ON THE STREET AS NOBODY'S DOING ANYTHING UNTIL WE CAN MOST CERTAINLY DO THAT WHILE WE WORK OUT.
THE ISSUE WITH GETTING IN SOMEBODY AND HAVING THE PAR, HAVING THE ANIMAL CONTROL PARKING.
ISN'T THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAID WILL HELP? I I DIDN'T GET THERE YET.
OBVIOUSLY I COULD HAVE SECTOR PERSONNEL LEND A HAND, BUT HAVING THAT DESIGNATED UNDERSTAND CONTROL, PARKING ENFORCEMENT, UNDERSTAND.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD THEM AT ONE POINT WE HAD TWO.
I'M SURE IT MADE A DIFFERENCE.
SO WHY DON'T WE TRY THE INCREASE IN SALARY? JUST REMEMBER THAT YOU GIVE AN INCREASE IN SALARY.
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T THINK HAVE A GOOD DEMEANOR MIGHT TAKE TO SAY YES NOW.
AND NOW YOU'RE STUCK WITH WHOEVER THE TOP THREE ARE.
YOU, YOU, YOU TRY TO SCREEN THEM IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
UH, AND SO THAT MYSELF AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WILL INTERVIEW ALSO, WHERE IN THE PAST WE DIDN'T DO THIS AS MUCH 'CAUSE WE HAD MORE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH ON THOSE LISTS.
ALRIGHT, LET ME ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION.
THE LABOR SHORTAGE, EVERYTHING.
THIS MIGHT BE, THIS MIGHT BE LIKE A STUPID SUGGESTION.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HIRED THIS FIRM THAT DOES SECURITY AT THE TOWN HALL MM-HMM.
I'M WONDERING IF, UM, WE COULD, IF YOU COULD HAVE, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING, UM, GONE TO LIKE A SECURITY FIRM AND BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOMEBODY SIX HOURS A DAY OR SOMETHING.
WHICH, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO, IT NEED TO BE PART-TIME.
NO, THEN THEY'RE NOT, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD BE, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE, IF WE CONTRACT WITH AN AGENCY, IT IS LIKE PRIVATE PRIVATIZING IT MM-HMM.
I CAN HIRE SOMEONE PART-TIME, BUT THEY CAN WORK A MAXIMUM OF 20 HOURS.
BUT IF YOU, OR LET'S SAY, LIKE I BET YOU IF I POSTED ON, UH, ON, YOU KNOW, NEXTDOOR ON THE TOWN WEBSITE MM-HMM.
UM, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, CAN'T I BET YOU, I BET YOU WE WOULD GET, WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND IN CIRCLES HERE.
BUT YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T OFF THE LIST.
THAT'S THE POINT YOU'RE MISSING.
NO, YOU SAID YOU COULD GO OFF THE LIST FOR, FOR PART-TIME.
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS IF YOU BASICALLY, UM, CIRCUMVENT THE SYSTEM INSIDE TWO PART-TIME PARTTIME PEOPLE WEBSITE, I COULD, WE COULD TRY FINDING SOMEBODY TEMPORARILY.
UM, THEN WE COULD ASK THAT IF THEY'RE GOOD, YOU COULD ASK THEM TO TAKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE TESTS WITH THE COUNTY.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE SORT OF LIKE THE EASIEST WAY YOU GET A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PART-TIME.
THAT'S WHEN ARE THEY, ARE THEY OFFERING THE TEST AGAIN SOON? NOT, NOT TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER TWO TO THREE YEARS.
YOU CAN'T HIRE SOMEBODY PROVISIONALLY WHEN THERE'S AN ACTIVE, BUT YOU COULD HIRE PART-TIME.
YOU COULD, OR DO THE PART-TIME.
WE'LL FIND, I COULD, WE COULD FIND PEOPLE.
'CAUSE EVEN, I MEAN SOMEONE OF THE, I MEAN, IF YOU COULD SEND SOMEONE MY WAY, BUT WOULD BE HAPPY TO YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD POST WRITE SOMETHING UP MM-HMM.
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THEN I'LL POST IT ALL OVER THE PLACE.AND I BET YOU WE WILL FIND SOME, WE WILL FIND SOME PEOPLE WHO WOULD WANT TO DO IT.
YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR COMPANY IN MIND? NO, NOT, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST BLASTING TO THE COMMUNITY.
RIGHT? YOU BLASTING YOU'LL SAY THERE MAY BE A RETIREE, THERE MAY BE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO IS OUT OF WORK, UH, RECENTLY GRADUATED COLLEGE OR WHATEVER, CAN'T FIND A JOB, UM, YOU KNOW, IS REALLY FRUSTRATED.
IF YOU DO IT, I COULD DO IT IMMEDIATELY.
I'M ALMOST POSITIVE YOU'LL GET SOMEBODY GOOD.
AND THIS WOULD BE FOR THE CURRENT WAGE THAT WAS CANVASED, NOT FOR AN INCREASE.
WHATEVER YOU, WHATEVER IS THE NORMALLY HOUR, HOURLY RATE OR WHATEVER IT WOULD BE.
AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE REAL GOOD IS IF YOU LIKE THEM, THEN WE COULD TRAIN THEM TO TAKE THIS TEST.
MAYBE THE, THERE'S AN ACTIVE LIST, PAUL.
I MEAN, WE'RE SITTING HERE AND TALKING ABOUT VIOLATING CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS.
NO, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE, YOU CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM IS WE, YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH THIS.
DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE IS HIRING THE PEOPLE.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEM, THEY DON'T WORK OUT IN A WEEK.
THEY, THEY QUIT LIKE THE OTHER PERSON, YOU'VE NOW BROKEN THE LIST LEGITIMATELY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU HAVEN'T BROKEN IT ALREADY.
I MEAN, ANY OTHER CASE WITH, IF THAT HAPPENED TO US, YOU'RE DONE, YOU'VE BROKEN THE LIST AND MEANS THAT YOU CAN THEN HIRE SOMEBODY IN ANY FASHION YOU WANT, BUT TO HAVE AN ACTIVE LIST THAT YOU HAVE THREE LEGITIMATE CANDIDATES ON THERE THAT YOU'RE RECOGNIZING AS ACTIVE AND THEN WORKING AROUND THAT.
I DON'T WANT ANY PART OF THAT.
WE COULD TRY THE PART OUT FIRST.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS, UM, OKAY, JANELLE AND I DON'T KNOW CHIEF POWELL, WHAT THE ANIMAL CONTROL LIST LOOKED LIKE, HOW LONG IT WAS.
BUT IF YOU COULD MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT OFF OF THAT LIST AND DIRECT THEM TO US.
WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY WAITING FOR THE LIST FROM THE LAST EXAM OKAY.
TO COME OUT FOR THE ANIMAL CONTROL PARKING ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHEN WE GET THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH YOU, BUT IF IT'S NOT THE SAME JOB MM-HMM.
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND A CANDIDATE RECENTLY THAT WE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT HE'S GONNA WORK WELL.
BUT, UM, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, TALK AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO, TO HELP OR SHARE INFORMATION.
MY THINKING WAS TO COUNCILMAN SHEEN'S POINT WAS THAT WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED BASED ON THE SALARY, THAT THAT ALLOWS YOU, IF NOT FOR THE ENTIRE, UM, LIFE OF THE LIST OF THE TEST, THAT CANVAS, AT LEAST WITHIN THAT CANVAS TO DISREGARD THEM.
SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH IF YOU'VE GOT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, YOU KNOW, NOT INTERESTED FOR WHATEVER REASON.
BUT THE THING IS, IF YOU STILL HAVE THE THREE THAT YOU KNOW, ARE ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN'T DISQUALIFY, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU'RE NOT CRAZY ABOUT MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE GIVING SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM A CHANCE AND THEN YEAH.
JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS MM-HMM.
BUT, UM, WE'LL TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN ON OUR END TIME.
IT'S MORE THAN GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
IT'S THAT LIKE HAPPENED BEFORE AS THEY TOOK THE JOB AND THEY REALIZED THIS IS NOT FOR THEM.
AND THEN THEY LEAVE THAT YOU HAVE NOW DONE YOUR, YOUR EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO.
AND THEY'RE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE LIVE.
BUT IF, SEE IF THEY GIVE SOMEONE THE JOB AND RATHER THAN THE PERSON QUITTING THE PERSON THAT'S JUST AWFUL AND THEY FIRE THEM.
DOES THAT GET THEM OFF OF THE LIST? NO, YOU CAN'T FIRE THEM WITHIN THE PROBATIONARY TERM.
WE, WE'VE FIGURED THAT OUT TOO.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YOU CAN FIRE THEM, BUT YOU HAVE TO HOLD ONTO 'EM FOR THREE MONTHS.
AND FOR A MAXIMUM OF 12 MONTHS MM-HMM.
AND SO AFTER THE THREE MONTHS YES.
AND WE'VE TO AND IS 40,000 PLUS BENEFITS YES.
'CAUSE THAT'S A BIG, THAT'S THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
IN TERMS OF THE DISTRICT, IN TERMS OF THE REVENUES.
AND I REALLY, PAUL, WE HAVE A VERY LONG, I JUST, I JUST WANNA, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING ON.
THIS IS JUST GONNA TAKE ONE SECOND.
I JUST WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, FINANCIALLY MM-HMM.
UH, WHICH TELLS US THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE CAPTURING MORE IF WE HAD PROPER ENFORCEMENT.
AND OUR PERMITS HOLDERS ARE RETURNING SLOWLY, BUT
[00:30:01]
WE'VE MADE A LOT OF ADJUSTMENTS IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERMITS TO KIND OF OFFSET THE COMMUTER DEFICIT IN TERMS OF, SO WE'RE DOING VERY WELL, YOU KNOW, UM, SOME OF THE, THERE'S A REALTOR ON EAST AND THEY WANTED, HE, HE ALWAYS SAYS, OH, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO RENT FROM MY EMPLOYEES.HE HAS NOT COME TO OUR OFFICE WITH ANY COMPLAINTS.
EVERYONE WHO NEEDS ACCESS TO 24 HOUR PARKING IS GETTING THEM.
SO ALL THE EMPLOYEES AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE GYM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEY WANT TO WORK ON SOMETHING THE GYM WANTS SOMETHING FOR.
I MEAN, I, I LIKE, LIKE, KEEPING IT VERY SIMPLE.
FRANCIS SAID, I DON'T WANNA TAKE HIM TOO MUCH TIME NEGOTIATION.
BUT YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO, HE'LL CALL YOU.
HE CAN, HE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION.
SO WE ARE JUST, WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING A BLAST TO TRY AND FIND SOMEONE AT THIS CURRENT SALARY RANGE BEFORE WE REVISIT PART-TIME.
PARTTIME HAS TO BE PART, GONNA WRITE IT UP AND THEN WE'LL, AND THEN WE'LL, I MAY CONSIDER EVEN GOING BACK TO THE COUNTY THOUGH, AND, AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE LIST AND CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, A, A, A HIGHER SALARY RANGE FOR A FULL-TIME PERSON.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE POSITIONS COMPLETELY FILLED, WE'RE NOT GONNA EXCEED LIMITS OF THE I M A MM-HMM.
SO, AND ALSO, IF YOU DO THAT WHEN CHECK TO SEE IF AS IT STANDS, WE'VE BROKEN THE LIST, JUST VERIFY THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
TO HELP YOU HAVE MORE LEVERAGE.
I THINK THE APPROPRIATE WORD IS WE EXHAUSTED THE LIST.
LIKE IT'S A EXHAUSTED LIST, BUT IT'S EXHAUST I STAND.
WE HAVE $12,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR OUR, FOR ELECTED BARBECUES.
UM, AND, UM, WE WANT TO KNOW IF, UM, WE COULD, UM, CONTINUE THE PRACTICE THAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR WITH AN EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION BARBECUE IN OCTOBER.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO ASK IF THE BOARD THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO DO SOMETHING AT TOWN HALL, LESS EXPENSIVE, BUT BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EMPLOYEES, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN JUNE.
IN ADDITION, UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT? IN ADDITION, IN ADDITION TO THE OCTOBER EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION, YOU HAVE TWO EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I FEEL THAT, UM, IF WE HAVE TWO, I MEAN, WHY DO YOU NEED TWO? YOU KNOW, IF WE LIKE OUR EMPLOYEES AND YOU HAVE, IT'S NOT THAT YOU DO ONE BIG, HUGE CELEBR.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE ONE EVERY WEEK? RIGHT.
I HAVE NO, I'M SAYING YOU THINK THE TAXPAYERS REALLY WANT, LET ME, LET ME SAY IF I'M ASKING, I'M NOT, IT'S NOT AN ARGUMENT.
I'M JUST SAYING WITH THE BOARD.
COULD YOU PUT IT ON THE AGENDA? THE BOARD BASICALLY WANT TO KEEP IT TO ONE DAY.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE THINK IT SHOULD BE ONLY ONCE WE DO, WE HAD A REALLY NICE EVENT IN OCTOBER.
OTHER PEOPLE THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER SEASON IN JUNE.
IT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO DO, LIKE, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN EXPENSIVE THING TO BE A DESSERT PARTY FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, STOP BY, I MEAN, AGAIN, WHATEVER YOU SAY, THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.
IT'S JUST, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? SO IF, IF THEY'RE WANTING SOMETHING IN THE WARM WEATHER, THEN WHY NOT MAKE THE OCTOBER? IS THERE A REASON TO HAVE THE OCTOBER? BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN, SO WHEN I PROPOSED THIS THE LAST TIME, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN WITH THE BENEFITS.
SO THEY HAVE EVERYBODY COME OUT FOR THEIR BENEFITS.
'CAUSE YOU CAN GET EVERYONE TO COME.
'CAUSE IT WAS USUALLY DURING THE DAY, RIGHT.
SO PEOPLE COME LEARN ABOUT THEIR BENEFITS, AND THEN WE TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT THE EMPLOYEES.
SO LAST C O HIT AND THEN WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO BECAUSE THE VENDORS, THE BENEFIT VENDORS WERE NOT COMING.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD ONE IN OCTOBER, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY NICE.
I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS HAVE PUT IT TOGETHER, SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULD NOT STAY IN THAT SAME FASHION, HAVE A HUGE ONE FOR EVERYONE TO COME OUT.
MAYBE, MAYBE YOU HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
MAYBE YOU CLOSE THE OFFICE FOR HALF A DAY OR SOMETHING AND JUST HAVE EVERYONE COME OUT.
MY MY QUESTION IS THAT IF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PAUL MENTIONED SUMMER BEING NICE WEATHER, DA DA DA.
IS THERE A REASON TO HAVE IT IN OCTOBER? OR WE COULD CHANGE THE DATE? OR IS IT I THINK IT, I THINK I THINK WARMER WEATHER AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME BECAUSE IT WAS COINCIDED WITH THE BENEFITS DAY.
UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO BENEFITS DAY HAS TO BE IN OCTOBER THAT YOU HAVE TO, YOU CONFIRM THAT WITH, WITH MILAGROS? I I THINK IT'S BECAUSE YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR, YOUR OPEN ENROLLMENT.
I WAS GETTING, IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE TO THEM AS WELL.
BUT SOME EMPLOYEES WERE OFFENDED THAT WE WERE COMBINING AN A, UM, APPRECIATION DAY WITH THE BENEFITS DAY.
UM, FRANKLY, I DIDN'T SEE IT AS AT THAT WAY BECAUSE YOU
[00:35:01]
CAN ENJOY THE, THE PARTY AT THE SAME TIME FINDING OUT ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS.SO I THOUGHT IT WORKED OUT WELL.
NO, I THINK THAT'S, I THOUGHT IT WAS, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD, I, SO I, I THINK IF YOUR QUESTION IS TO HAVE TWO, I THINK WE CAN DO EVERYTHING IN ONE AND I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN INVEST IN, IF YOU WANNA TAKE THOSE MONIES, WE CAN INVEST IN ONE EVENT AND, AND, AND CELEBRATE THE EMPLOYEES IN THAT MATTER.
THAT'S WHAT THE CONSENSUS AND GIVE TIME OFF AS, AS, UM, AS COUNCILWOMAN JACKSON MENTIONED TOO, SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL CONSTRAINED.
THEY'VE BEEN TAKING THEIR LUNCH HOUR.
WE, WE'VE NEVER GIVEN 'EM TIME OFF.
NO, BUT SOME DEPARTMENTS, UM, THEY REQUIRED CERTAIN EMPLOYEES TO STAY AND THAT'S NOT FAIR EITHER.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK IT OUT SO THAT EVERYBODY GETS AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, THE NEXT, OH, THIS DOESN'T SAY TO MOVE IT TO TWO THIS.
NO, I I THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.
YEAH, YOU JUST ADDED IN THAT YOU WANTED TO DO TOO.
WESTCHESTER POWER MAILING TO CUSTOMER UPDATE.
I, I REACHED OUT TO DAN WALSH AND HE SAID THAT THEY EXPECT THE LETTER TO GO OUT NEXT WEEK.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONE KEN YOU WORKED ON WITH, WITH DAN? THAT'S THE ONE.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY SENT ME, UH, THE COMPARISON, UM, EARLIER TODAY, SO I'LL POST IT TOMORROW.
RATES WERE LOWER THAN, UM, SUSTAINABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, RATES.
BUT MEANWHILE, CONED IS APPLYING TO THE P S C TO RAISE THEIR RATES.
AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE HEARINGS, BUT RIGHT.
UM, NEXT, UH, THE, THE CENTRAL AVENUE ON LAWTON AVENUE, THE HAWK LIGHT UPDATE.
THEY, THEY WERE ALMOST DONE WITH THAT.
GARRETT, DO WE HAVE A, A DATE WHEN THEY EXPECT TO TURN THAT ON? I THINK IT'S LIKE TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS.
OR YOU'RE MUTED THAT HE'S NOT ON MUTE.
YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS MUTE BUTTON, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR HIM.
THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE AUDIO.
IF I TURN ON MY AUDIO, WE'RE GONNA GET, UH, FEEDBACK.
WELL, WE'RE NOT CARRY YOU IN THE BUILDING,
WE, WE DON'T, I DON'T READ LIPS VERY WELL.
SO IF YOU WANNA COME DOWN OR IF FRANCIS, YOU HAVE TO UPDATE SOMETHING.
I THINK IT SAID, THEY SAID, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS LIKE TWO OR THREE WEEKS.
CAN YOU PUT SOMETHING IN THE CHAT, GARRETT? WHAT I AGREED TO DO IS I'M GONNA GO TO EACH OF THE SERVICES AT THE, UH, CHURCH THAT'S RIGHT THERE AND EXPLAIN HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS, BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A MAJOR TAKE A MAJOR, UM, EDUCATION OF HOW THIS LIGHT WORKS.
IT'S NOT A TYPICAL TRAFFIC LIGHT, BUT IT DOES HAVE A RED LIGHT, UH, THAT GETS THE PEOPLE TO STOP.
AND WE MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER THE TOWN BOARD SITTING ON A MAILING, UH, AT LEAST IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.
DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE A DESIGNATED DATE? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA GO OUT ON EACH OF THE SUNDAYS OF THE SUNDAYS, THEN MAYBE WE HAVE, I'M GOING ONE SUNDAY.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW BEFORE IT GETS PUT UP, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT GO UP AND THEN TEACH THEM.
SO MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE, I'M WONDERING WHY THE AUDIO'S NOT WORKING.
UM, AND IT'S SAYING CHAT DISABLED, EVEN THOUGH I, DOES THAT MEAN GARRETT TYPING WON'T REGISTER PASSWORD? THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A FEEDBACK.
UH, THERE'S AN ECHO OF WHAT ELLEN IS SAYING AND HEAR IT IN THE STUDIO.
CAN HE NOT HEAR US NOW? GAR, TRY AGAIN.
HE MADE A DROPPED OFF IN CAMERA.
MAYBE HE'S TRYING TO SIGN OFF AND ON AGAIN.
I STILL HAVE HIM IN TESTING THERE.
WE LOST THE VISUAL, BUT WE HEAR THE VOICE.
WAS IT ON YOUR END, GARRETT? OH, WE HAD HIM TESTING.
DID YOU HEAR GARRETT? CAN YOU HEAR US? I'M GONNA TRY TESTING.
I'M GONNA TRY JOINING WITH AUDIO AND THEN SHUTTING IT OFF AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT WE MAY GET FEEDBACK RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
[00:40:01]
OKAY.NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
BUT ANYWAY, WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED TO HAVE AN EDUCATION PROGRAM, UH, TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE HOW TO USE THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT.
IT'S THE FIRST HAWK LIGHT THAT'S IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
UM, IT CERTAINLY IS A LOT BETTER THAN THE R R F B THAT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED HERE.
GARRETT IS PUTTING UP THE, UM, THE PLANS FOR IT.
UM, AND IT'S AN INTERESTING, IT'S AN INTERESTING LIGHT.
UH, THERE WERE, THE STATE WOULD'VE VERY QUICKLY GIVEN US WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN R R F P A, UH, RAPID RECTANGULAR FLASHING BEACON.
IT'S THE YELLOW LIGHT THAT YOU SEE FLASHING YELLOW IS NOT GONNA STOP PEOPLE ON CENTRAL AVENUE.
UH, BUT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE RED LIGHT FLASHES, PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT A RED LIGHT FLASHING IS THE SAME AS A STOP SIGN.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE LIGHTS GO OFF.
SO THERE'S NO IMPEDIMENT TO TRAFFIC AT ALL.
SO, SO AS YOU'RE, AS YOU'RE DOING, YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE THERE.
WHERE'S WHAT? OH, THE PIECE'S? NO, WHAT'S, WHAT'S NOT THERE YET ARE THE ACTUAL LIGHTS.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE IN THIS ILLUSTRATION WHERE THE ARMS, IT GETS THE NAME HAWK BECAUSE THESE ARMS ARE LIKE THE WINGS OF A HAWK, UM, SO TO SPEAK.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE CHILD WHO GOT VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED BY GETTING HIT BY A CAR, RIGHT AT WHERE YOU SEE THIS, THIS, UH, DARK CAR AT THE CROSSWALK, UH, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THROWN OVER THE CAR AND SERIOUSLY INJURED, UH, BECAUSE THE PERSON DIDN'T SEE THEM.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS A COUNTY BUS, TANDEM BUS IN THE, UM, IN THE RIGHT LANE.
AND THEY DIDN'T SEE THE, THE CHILDREN THAT WERE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE RAPID RECTANGULAR FLASHING BEACON WOULD BE NO GOOD.
THAT'S LOCATED ON THE, THE CURB AND THE BUS WOULD'VE HIT, UH, HIDDEN IT ANYWAY, SO THAT WASN'T GONNA BE THERE.
SO THIS ACTUALLY COMES OUT OVER NOT THE BUS DRIVER'S FAULT.
UH, THIS COMES OVER THE, THE, UH, VEHICLES THAT ARE IN THAT RIGHT LANE.
AND, UH, YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE RED LIGHT.
AND I, I, I THINK, I THINK IT'S REALLY FASCINATING.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S TAKEN TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, I THINK.
IT WAS START THREE BECAUSE IT WAS 2019 WHEN I WAS LAST ON THE BOARD.
WE DID A PETITION AND OVER 2000 PEOPLE SIGNED IT WITHIN A WEEKEND.
AND, UH, THOSE SIGNATURES WERE HELPFUL IN, UH, SHOWING THAT THERE WAS NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, SUPPORT FOR IT, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE NEW YORK STATE REQUIREMENTS.
SO, SO JUST REALLY QUICKLY, SO IF WE DO NEED GARY, WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL HIM ON THE PHONE.
SO THERE'S SOME ISSUES, THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES WITH, UM, ZOOM.
IS THIS WORKING? I, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR THAT? OH, THAT'S EXCELLENT.
COUNCILMAN SHEEN, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT, UM, EVERYTHING YOU SAID WAS, WAS SPOT ON.
AND THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETE IN ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS.
AND, UM, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE WILL NOT IMMEDIATELY TURN THE SIGNAL ON.
THERE WILL BE A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, UM, A DEMONSTRATION THAT OCCURS.
I THINK WE SHOULD, WE'RE GONNA VIDEOTAPE IT, UM, PUT THAT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, DO E-BLASTS.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A HEAVY EDUCATION COMPONENT, UH, WITH HOW THIS, UH, ACT, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVATED SIGNAL IS TO BE USED.
UM, BUT, UH, YES, TO ANSWER THE INITIAL QUESTION, WE ARE LOOKING AT COMPLETION IN THE MONTH OF APRIL AND GOING LIVE, I WOULD IMAGINE END OF APRIL, UH, BEGINNING OF MAY.
UM, THE NEXT THING THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WAS WAIVING OF TAX PENALTIES.
I SENT EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD, UM, UH, REPORT FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS TODAY, UM, DURING THE PAST, UM, MONTH, UM, OR TWO MONTHS.
UM, I'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF, UM, EMAILS WHICH I SHARED, UM, WITH JOE AND, UM, WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE VERY STIFF, UM, 10% PENALTIES IF SOMEBODY FORGETS TO PAY THEIR TAXES, THE SCHOOL SECOND HALF OF THE SCHOOL TAX, IT'S A 10% PENALTY.
THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO, UM, UH, I THINK HER HUSBAND WAS DYING AND SHE, HER HUSBAND WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.
UM, AND I JUST THINK THAT THE PENALTY IS, YOU KNOW, IS EXCESSIVE.
[00:45:01]
UM, IT SEEMS THAT THE STATE LAW, ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS, GIVES THE TOWN, UM, SOME DISCRETION.UM, UM, IF IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, WAIVE OR REDUCE THE PENALTIES.
AND WHAT I'M ASKING IS, THE WORDING IS IN, IN, IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN.
IN THE BEST INTEREST IN THE TOWN.
WELL, THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN IS FOR, UM, PEOPLE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE TOWN.
I THINK SO, UM, I, SO WHAT I'M ASKING THE BOARD, BOARD, I ALSO SENT THE BOARD A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, UM, UM, RESPONSES FROM OTHER TOWN MUNICIPALITIES MM-HMM.
AND WHAT I, WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, IN THAT EMAIL, THEY SAID THE PERSON DIED, DIED.
THE PERSON WHO OWED THE TAXES DIED.
UH, THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED SAID THAT THEY WOULDN'T TOUCH THIS AT ALL.
MOST, MOST PEOPLE ARE DOING, MOST COMMUNITIES ARE DOING THE SAME AS WE'RE DOING, DOING NOTHING, YOU KNOW, NOT WAVING IT.
BUT ALL I'M ASKING IS, SINCE I BELIEVE I'M CONVINCED THAT WE, AND ALSO JOE AND ME, I THINK IN THE FALL WE, WE SPOKE WITH THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, UM, AND THEY, THEY, YEAH, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE ALLOWED IF, IF BY RESOLUTION, YOU DETERMINE IT'S WITHIN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXING DISTRICT, THAT YOU WOULD AUTHORIZE THE ENFORCING OFFICER TO PERMIT THE CANCELLATION IN WHOLE OR IN, OR IN PART.
BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BY RESOLUTION AND THE TAXES WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE DELINQUENT.
SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST IS ONE THAT, UM, WE REQUIRE THE, UM, THE TAX OFFICE TO SEND A REMI SECOND HALF REMINDER TO EVERYBODY, UM, IN JANUARY.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST REMINDING PEOPLE, UM, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY, I THOUGHT WE DO THAT.
IN THE, THIS YEAR WE DIDN'T DO IT.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST WASN'T DONE.
BUT, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, I GUESS THE RECEIVER, YOU KNOW, SHE SAID SHE'S GONNA DO IT IN THE FUTURE, BUT, BUT WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD DO IS, BUT WE ALSO PUT UP SIGNS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SO BUSY.
BUT, SO THE THING IS, IF WE, IF WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE NEED CRITERIA.
THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING AGAINST WHICH TO JUDGE.
YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, I'M GONNA GIVE SOMEBODY A REFUND FOR X Y REASON AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE COMES UP WITH ANOTHER REASON AND YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THE TWO.
SO WHY DON'T YOU WRITE UP WHAT THE CRITERIA? YEAH, WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ALMOST EVERY YEAR.
YEAH, BECAUSE, BUT LET ME JUST ASK IF THE BOARD WITHOUT A CRITERIA, LET ME ASK IF THE BOARD WOULD BE RECEPTIVE.
THE SUGGESTION THAT I HAVE IS IF SOMEBODY, UM, HAS, UM, A FAMILY MEMBER, YOU KNOW, IN A HOSPITAL, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A SPOUSE OR, OR A CHILD, UM, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE ONE OR THE SECOND CRITERIA WOULD BE IF, UM, WE DO NOT, IF THE TOWN FOR SOME REASON DOES NOT SEND OUT THE REMINDER, THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO CRITERIA THAT I THINK WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE FAIR.
BECAUSE THIS WAY IF WE SENDING OUT REMINDERS TO EVERYBODY, THEN IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING, ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THERE'S LIKE A REAL MAJOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW SOMEBODY'S, YOU KNOW, IN SURGERY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY, I'VE HAD ONE YEAR THERE WAS SOMEBODY DYING OF CANCER, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I COULD SEE THE TOWN BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE EMPATHETIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO YOU'RE GONNA WRITE UP THIS CRITERIA AND GIVE IT TO US.
YEAH, BUT I'M SAYING IF THE BOARD, BASICALLY, IF IN CONCEPT THE BOARD BASICALLY WOULD SUPPORT THIS, MAYBE WE, YOU COULD WORK WITH JOE AND MYSELF AND COME UP WITH CRITERIA THAT YOU, I WOULD SAY VENITA AS WELL.
IF YOU'RE VENITA, VENITA NEEDS, ALL WE WOULD BE DOING IS AUTHORIZING THE, THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, WHICH IS THE RECEIVER OF TAXES.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE RE RECEIVER OF TAXES DOES NOT WANT TO DO THIS BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A GRAY AREA AS TO WHO GETS IT AND WHO WOULDN'T GET IT AND WHO'S GONNA BE THE ARBITRATOR OF THAT.
UM, SO WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HER, HER POSITION WOULD BE.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T DICTATE TO HER WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO.
UH, BUT SECONDLY, WITH THIS COMES UP ALL EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S ON THE THIRD, I THINK IT WAS THE THIRD TIME IT'S APPEARING ON UNDER AGENDA THIS YEAR.
UH, AND WE DON'T HEAR CRITERIA.
NO, BUT 'CAUSE REMEMBER IN THAT EMAIL THAT YOU RECEIVED MUNICIPALITY AFTER MUNICIPALITY SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING IT.
UH, THERE ONE PER ONE MUNICIPALITY SAID THEY DID IT BECAUSE OF SOMEBODY WHO DIED.
AND YOU SAID, OH YES, I'D LIKE TO,
[00:50:01]
I'D LIKE TO DO THAT.NOT THAT YOU USE THAT, BUT NOW YOU'RE EXPANDING IT TO PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN THE HOSPITAL.
UH, AT ONE POINT, IS IT NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN? UH, ALL I'M ASKING YOU FOR TO DO IS TO GET OVER THAT LEGAL STANDARD OF IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXING DISTRICT, MEANING THE TOWN TAXPAYERS TO WAIVE THESE PENALTIES.
WELL, IT'S ONE, I SPOKE TO THE COMP CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, THE STATE, BASICALLY, IT'S A VERY, VERY BROAD, WELL, DO WE HAVE ANY AUTHORITY TO REDUCE TO, TO, TO CHARGE A LESSER PENALTY? LIKE INSTEAD OF IT BEING 2%, WE COULD DO THAT.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE ASK FOR A HOME RULE? I DON'T BELIEVE LOWER THE PENALTY.
CAN WE LOWER NEED THE HOME ACROSS THE BOARD? LET'S DO A HOME RULE, LOWER THE PENALTY.
I MEAN THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR WAY OF DOING IT.
THAT YOU MAY HAVE FEWER PEOPLE PAYING IT ON TIME.
BECAUSE IT'S A MATTER OF DO I PAY THIS CREDIT CARD BILL OR DO I PAY THE TOWN TOWN? AND, AND WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT PERCENTAGE.
THE TOWN IS, IS, IT'S A LOT BECAUSE THE TAXES ARE DUE THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
THEY GIVE YOU A LEEWAY OF PAYING HALF OF IT IN JANUARY.
BUT THEY'RE DUE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
YOU THEN MISS THE PAYMENT, THAT HALF PAYMENT IN THE JANUARY, THE, THE PENALTY IS LARGE BECAUSE IT'S GOING BACK NOT FOR THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
IT'S GOING BACK FOR ALL OF THOSE MONTHS SINCE JAN, SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER WHEN YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PAY IT.
SO, AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE SO WOULD YOU GO WITH LIKE, FOR THE SAY JANUARY WHEN YOU GO WITH SAY 2% IN FEBRUARY, ANOTHER 2%, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? INSTEAD OF THE 10%, SHOULDN'T WE, SHOULDN'T THE RECEIVER ATTACH SHOULD BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION? ABSOLUTELY.
NEXT, WHY WE WHYT WE NOT HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITHOUT HER.
SO WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE WORK ON A SET OF CRITERIA AND, AND BRING IT TO VENITA AND SEE IF SHE EVEN IS ACCEPTABLE, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO HER AND HER, GET HER FEELINGS ON THE SITUATION AS WELL AND GO FOR HER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS IS, AND SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO GET OVER THE HURDLE NO MATTER WHAT WE DO AS THAT IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXING DISTRICT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE VENITA BASICALLY IS COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT SHE, THAT THAT'S HER JOB AND THAT'S HOW, THAT'S ALL HER JOB.
TO ME, I, I FIND A 10%, IF SOMEBODY PAYS THE TAXES FEBRUARY 1ST, UM, INSTEAD OF JAN, THE LAST DAY OF JANUARY IS A 10% PENALTY.
AND I THINK THAT'S LIKE EXCESSIVE AND UNFAIR.
SO, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD BASICALLY, UM, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH NITA.
I THINK WE AN OFFER WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH, WITH VENITA JOE AND, AND, AND PAUL, UM, DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CRITERIA.
ALSO TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF, OF A HOME RULE, REDUCING THE PENALTY AND SEE HOW SHE FEELS ABOUT BOTH RIGHT OPTIONS.
SO I JUST, I JUST, DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? NO, NO, GO AHEAD.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO REVISIT, UM, THE HEALING CIRCLES THAT, UH, LANE COBB, THE NEW CHAIR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE BROUGHT TO US AND SPOKE TO US ABOUT MM-HMM.
UM, SHE'S REQUESTED THAT WE ASSIST THAT EFFORT WITH $5,000 AND THAT WE, UM, AS THE TOWN BOARD ISSUE A LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT SO THAT IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO GET PARTICIPATION, UM, FROM, UM, FROM, UH, UH, UH, BOTH THE PUBLIC AND UM, OTHER PARTIES WHO MAY HELP IN FACILITATING.
UM, I'M WONDERING, RATHER THAN DO A BLANKET, YOU KNOW, 5,000 MM-HMM.
SESSION AND SEE IF WE FEEL THAT IT'S LIKE BENEFICIAL.
SO SHE SAID SHE, WELL, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
SO, SO IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN ONE SESSION.
NO, BUT I'M SAYING SHE BASICALLY, WELL, I'M AFRAID THERE'S GONNA BE A LONGER DISCUSSION AND AT SIX 15 WE HAVE SOMEBODY WAITING TO COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW.
UM, YEAH, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT LONG OF A DISCUSSION.
SO, SO I MEAN, UNLESS MEANAND, IT'S, WELL, I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND.
LISTEN, I JUST, NO, THAT'S JUST, I'M JUST DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE LATER ON WHEN WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHY THINGS ARE GOING WRONG AND WHY IS THE SECOND PERSON, OKAY, WELL THIS IS, THIS IS NOT HELPING THE SITUATION.
SO, SO I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I DON'T GO AHEAD GUYS.
SO WHAT, SO HOW DO WE, WE, HOW DO WE FIRST, HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT A LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT TO ENDORSE THE PROCESS? I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROCESS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY FOR WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE LAST TWO, THREE YEARS, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE HELPFUL TO THE TOWN.
[00:55:01]
I AGREE WITH THAT.WHAT IS THAT PROCESS? TO HAVE, TO HAVE THE, TO HAVE THE TOWN COME TOGETHER IS GONNA BE LED BY, UH, LANE COMP AND WHOEVER SHE CONTRACTS TO HAVE, I THINK, I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S DOING IT HERSELF.
UM, AND HAVE HER COME IN AND WE START HAILING AND MENDING THE TOWN.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL IN, ALL DIVIDED FOR ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING, SOME VEHICLE TO BRING US ALL TOGETHER.
WELL, LEMME ASK A QUESTION AND WELL WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT ARE WE AGREEING TO THE, THE, THE BEFORE THE, THE, THE PROCESS IS THAT THERE ARE, UM, FACILITATORS WHO CONVENE CIRCLES AND EACH PERSON, YOU KNOW, EACH CIRCLE IS LET'S SAY 10 OR 15 PEOPLE.
AND THE PEOPLE, THE FACILITATOR, UM, THROWS OUT THE TOPIC, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS, WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED AROUND THE MURAL CONTROVERSY AND HOW THAT HAS AFFECTED PEOPLE IN THE TOWN.
AND EACH PERSON IN THE CIRCLE GETS TO SPEAK THEIR PIECE WITHOUT CROSSTALK.
UM, THEY GET TO, TO, TO TELL THE REST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CIRCLE THEIR BACKGROUND, WHERE THEY'RE FROM, AND WHAT ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY AFFECTED THEM AND HOW IT AFFECTED THEM.
EACH PERSON GETS A CHANCE TO SAY THEIR PIECE.
UM, AND THEN AT THE END, UM, THE FACILITATOR, UM, HOLDS A CONVERSATION WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE, UM, ABOUT WHAT HAS, JUST WHAT EVERYONE HAS JUST SAID.
IT'S OKAY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THE MURAL.
IT'S THE MURAL, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE LITIGATION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THE MURAL HAS BROUGHT UP IN THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, I WOULD ASK THAT TOWN BOARD MEMBERS DO NOT COMMENT ON THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY MAY SAY HOW THEY FEEL.
SO WE WOULD NOT BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
NOT UNTIL WE RESOLVE, WHICH WAS MY CONCERN.
I THINK NOT TALKING ABOUT THE LITIGATION.
I THINK THAT MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD CAN TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THIS HAS RAISED FOR THEM IN TERMS OF BEING A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA AND HOW THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT LOUIS FARRAKHAN DOING SOMETHING GOOD OR BAD FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND NOT SO GREAT FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS AFFECTED ME.
'CAUSE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LITIGATION.
THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE SOCIOCULTURAL BACKGROUND THAT I'VE BEEN RAISED IN AND I'M LIVING IN AND I'M LEGISLATING IT.
DON'T YOU THINK, JOE, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU NOT MAKE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME ABOUT THAT, BUT YOU, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO.
SO WOULD WE BE DOING THIS AFTER THE LITIGATION IS OVER, THEN THERE'S NO ISSUE.
YEAH, BUT SHE'S BASICALLY
SHE'S NOT LOOKING AT THIS AS, UM, THERE RECONCILIATION ONLY ON THE MURAL.
SHE'S SAYING OTHER, YOU KNOW, COULD BE ANY ISSUES.
SHE JUST USE THAT AS EXPENSIVE IS THE MURAL? NO, IT'S IN THE HANDOUT THAT SHE GAVE US.
THE FOCUS TOPIC IS THE MURAL AND THE CONTROVERSY ACRE.
BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS, WE'VE BEEN ADVISED BY COUNSEL NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
NO, BUT THAT WAS, EVERYBODY ELSE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
NO, BUT THAT WAS THE, WE'VE BEEN ADVISED BY COUNCIL SUGGESTION, BUT UNTIL THE LITIGATION WORKS, ALL I'M SUGGESTING IS, YOU KNOW, I FEEL THE CONCEPT OF IS A GOOD ONE, BUT I'M SUGGESTING THAT INSTEAD OF SAYING, OH, HERE'S $5,000, I WOULD RATHER SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR EACH SPECIFIC TIME, WE MAY NEVER NEED, WE MAY NEVER NEED SOMETHING.
UM, UM, THERE MAY BE NO MORE CONTROVERSY THAT NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, I THINK THAT'S, I'M JUST SAYING'S A PIPE DREAM.
I WOULD RATHER TEST IT OUT, SEE HOW IT WORKS, AND THEN, BECAUSE, SO I GOT SOME CALLS AND EMAILS FROM RESIDENTS WHO SAID, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE SPENDING $5,000.
SO I'D LIKE TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT THERE'S VALUE TO THIS, UM, AND HAVE LIKE ONE PILOT TEST, AND THEN WE COULD SAY, LOOK HOW THIS, THIS EXPERIENCE BROUGHT US TOGETHER.
AND THEN IF IT WORKS, THEN, UH, WE COULD CONSIDER LIKE A 5,000, UM, UH, DONATION.
BECAUSE THEN WE COULD SAY, LOOK, LOOK, YOU KNOW, NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HATING EACH OTHER.
NO ONE'S, NO ONE WANTS TO HAVE ALL THIS ANGER AND ANIMOSITY AND IF THEY'RE ABLE TO COOL DOWN TENSIONS, UM, THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK PAUL, IN CONCEPT, IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA.
A ONE-OFF, I THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED ALREADY IS NOT GONNA DO IT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF WE KNOW HOW THIS HEALING CIRCLE CONCEPT WORKED ELSEWHERE? IF WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF METRIC THAT WOULD GIVE US SOME COMFORT LEVEL IN HAVING, IN, IN EXPENDING THE $5,000, THEY'LL ALWAYS BE NAYSAYERS.
PEOPLE THAT DON'T, THAT, THAT'S JUST A GIVEN.
I THINK THAT THAT AMONG US, WE ALL HAVE THE DESIRE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF RECONCILIATION, WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS.
BUT LET'S, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS PROCESS, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.
AND IF YOU HAVE THAT ASSURANCE, MAYBE YOU'LL FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE
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ABOUT ALLOCATING THE MONIES.I'LL, I'LL ASK WAYNE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
SO YOU HAVE A MOTION, MOTION TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING SCHEDULED INTERVIEWS, DISCUSSING PERSONNEL MATTERS INVOLVING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS WHO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON VARIOUS MATTERS.
WE'RE NOT COMING BACK TO EITHER.