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NOW WE[ 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]
HAVE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, A WORK SESSION AGENDA AND THAT FIRST 15 MINUTES TO SAVE EDGEMONT COMMUNITY, UH, ORGANIZATION WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAKE A PRESENTATION.CAROL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, IS IT JUST YOURSELF? WE HAVE NO, IS IT SAVE GREENBURG OR SAVE IT? SAVING GREENBURG C SAVING GREENBURG COALITION.
SAVE EDGEMONT, SAVE EDGEMONT PRESENTATION.
THAT'S WHAT THIS SAYS, RIGHT? GRAPHIC.
SO IS ANYBODY ELSE COMING TO THE TABLE WITH YOU? UH, ONE AT A TIME.
YOU WANT EVERYBODY COME UP? WE COULD DO ONE.
IT'S JUST HOW YOU DIVIDE IT UP.
BEFORE YOU START CAROL, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.
UM, RAISING CONCERN ABOUT TB FOUR, IT'S USUALLY A TOWN CLERK'S RESOLUTION AND SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT, UM, IT HAD BEEN RECATEGORIZED A T B A TOWN BOARD RESOLUTION, BUT IT HAS BEEN APPROVED.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT, THAT'S THING.
SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M PART OF THE SAVING GREENBURG COALITION ACT.
IF YOU COULD JUST TURN YOUR MIC ON PLEASE.
AND IDENTIFY YOUR, AND JUST BRING AND PULL IT UP AND JUST INTRODUCE WHO YOU ARE.
I AM CAROL ALLEN FROM HARTSDALE, AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M PART OF THE SAVING GREENBURG COALITION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, UH, TO TRY AND OBTAIN THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS IN UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS AN INCORPORATION REFERENDUM FROM THE EDGEMONT SECTION OF TOWN ON APRIL 27TH, SENATOR ANDREW STEWART COUSINS ADDRESSED THE, THE COMMUNITY AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WE HELD AT CHRIST TEMPLE CHURCH.
UH, IN HER COMMENTS, SHE OUTLINED SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT SHE HAD CHAMPIONED ON BEHALF OF THE NEEDS OF GREENBURG, SUCH AS SCHOOL AID, THE DOBBS FERRY HOSPITAL, THE TENNIS BUBBLE, AND THE CHANGE IN CONDO TAXATION.
SHE STATED THAT THE ISSUES REGARDING VILLAGE IN CORPORATION ARE A STATEWIDE PROBLEM, THUS, THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO SEEK A STATEWIDE RESOLUTION, WHICH WILL ADDRESS MANAGING THE VARIOUS FACTORS DRIVING INCORPORATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD RECEIVED A 50 PAGE STUDY FROM PACE UNIVERSITY DISCUSSING VILLAGE INCORPORATION, AND THAT SHE WAS WORKING TO PUT MONEY INTO THE STATE BUDGET TO GET A FISCAL ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OUR COALITION HAS ASKED FOR.
BUT WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A COPY OF THE STUDY FROM PACE THAT SHE CITED.
WE ALSO HAVE NOT RECEIVED DEFINITIVE CONFIRMATION THAT THE MONEY HAS BEEN EARMARKED IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS RECENTLY PASSED FOR THE FISCAL ANALYSIS.
NOR HAVE WE GOTTEN A STATEMENT OF THE TIMETABLE FOR OBTAINING THE ANALYSIS AND PROPOSING NEW LEGISLATION.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR LEGISLATION TO BE CRAFTED TO WORK ITS WAY THROUGH BOTH HOUSES OF THE LEGISLATURE AND TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR.
AND WE REMAIN CONCERNED THAT DURING THIS LENGTHY PROCESS, EDGEMONT WILL HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO FILE THEIR PETITION FOR INCORPORATION, AND SHOULD THE PETITION BE DEEMED VALID TO HAVE A VOTE ON THE REFERENDUM, YET THE MAJORITY OF THE PRESIDENTS WHO WILL BE AFFECTED WILL STILL NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON A MATTER THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY OUR TOWN AS WE KNOW IT.
WE THEREFORE BELIEVE THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON VILLAGE IN CORPORATION UNTIL THE NECESSARY STUDIES AND LEGISLATION ARE COMPLETED.
SO WE ARE ASKING THE TOWN BOARD TO JOIN US TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU TO OFFICE AND ASKING FOR THE RAPID IMPLEMENTATION OF A STATEWIDE MORATORIUM ON VILLAGE INCORPORATION SO THAT THE FAIR PROCESS THAT THEY ENVISION THAT PROTECTS THE RIGHTS OF ALL INDIVIDUALS CAN BE PUT INTO PLACE.
I REPRESENT, UH, KEEP EDGEMONT.
WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION OF EDGEMONT RESIDENCE THAT ARE, UM, OPPOSED TO INCORPORATION.
FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, THE EDGEMONT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEBATING ON THE BASIS OF SPECULATION, RUMOR FUZZY FACTS, UM, IN-HOUSE STUDIES DONE BY ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY FACTUAL BASIS OR THIRD PARTY, INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY WAY TO ACTUALLY EVEN DEBATE THE ISSUES.
UM, ASSUMING THAT THERE IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO BE A VOTE ON INCORPORATION, IT SEEMS ONLY SENSIBLE NOW THAT THERE'S MONEY BEEN ALLOCATED, UH, TO POSTPONE OR PUT A MORATORIUM IN PLACE TO KEEP EDGEMONT FROM HAVING ITS VOTE
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UNTIL THERE'S A COMMON SET OF FACTS AND A COMMON SET OF INFORMATION ON THE TABLE.I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT I MEET IN EDGEMONT THAT SAY, WELL, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE? NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THE BUDGETS, ANYTHING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE, NONE OF THAT.
THERE ARE PROPOSALS FROM AND, AND INTUITIONS FROM BOTH SIDES, BUT THERE'S NO REFERENCE STUDY TO REFER TO.
AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO HAVE THAT AND TO CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR A SENSIBLE, RATIONAL DEBATE SEEMS, UM, IT'S INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO ME HOW ANYBODY COULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF WAITING JUST A SHORT ADDITIONAL PERIOD TO PUT THAT IN PLACE.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S THE WAY TO MOVE, MOVE AHEAD IN AN APOLITICAL, SENSIBLE, RATIONAL WAY.
AND I URGE AND ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ACTION OF THE TOWN'S TOWN BOARD HERE IS NOT DISPOSITIVE AND IT'S ONLY ADVISORY, UM, I CAN'T SEE ANY REASON NOT TO SUGGEST TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT THEY PUT IN A MORATORIUM UNTIL THESE STUDIES ARE COMPLETE.
I'M WITH THE, UH, SAVING GREENBERG COALITION AS WELL.
UM, TO ME, THIS, THIS ALL SEEMS LIKE A COMMON SENSE ISSUE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A LAW THAT'S OUTDATED.
IT'S BEEN UPDATED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE.
THERE'S SEVERAL ISSUES ACROSS THE STATE.
THAT'S THAT'S RIGHT NOW UNDER REVIEW, WE FINALLY HAVE THE, UM, WORD THAT THERE'S A BUDGET BEING EARMARKED TOWARDS A STUDY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'LL BE A REAL IMPACT ON THE VILLAGE THAT'S GOING TO GET INCORPORATED THEORETICALLY, UH, ACROSS THE STATE OR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT IF THERE WERE CONCERNS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE COMMISSIONING A STUDY OR SENATOR COUSINS IS IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT THERE'S A MORATORIUM TO WAIT UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY ARE RELEASED.
AND THEN FROM A STATEWIDE PERSPECTIVE, UH, DECISIONS COULD BE MADE, RIGHT? WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT IS GONNA BE IN GREENBURG.
WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE ARE HOLDS IN THE PROPOSAL FROM THE EDGEMONT INCORPORATION GROUP, UM, WITH REGARDS TO HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FUND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ALL OF THAT.
THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR US TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED MORE OVERSIGHTS.
WE NEED SOME RESPONSIBLE REVIEW IN THIS CASE.
THE, THE TROUBLE IS, UH, TO DR.
ALLEN'S POINT, THERE'S A LOT OF TIME BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THE LAW COULD BE AMENDED BASED ON THE STUDY AND DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, IT GIVES EDGEMONT OR THE FEW, THE SMALL NUMBER OF EDGEMONT UH, ORGANIZERS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO RALLY ENOUGH VOTES TO CREATE, CREATE A REFERENDUM.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE'RE OFF TO THE RACES, THEY'RE INCORPORATED TO THE DETRIMENT OF GREENBERG INCORPORATED AND TO THEMSELVES.
SO, UM, WHATEVER, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE LIMITED IN WHAT YOU CAN DO.
ALL YOU COULD DO IS PETITION ALBANY, YOU KNOW, SENATOR COUSINS AND THE LIKE, BUT WE REALLY NEED A STRONG SHOW OF SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD RECOMMENDING THAT.
AND IT, IT, IT REALLY IS A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO.
WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S FAIRNESS AND EQUITY WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF ANYTHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN NEXT.
FIRST, IF I CAN, IF I CAN APPROACH SIT, SIT.
FIRST, IF I CAN APPROACH THE BENCH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE FOLLOWING TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
THERE'S 850 COPIES OF AN ONLINE PETITION, 500 PAPER PETITION OF PEOPLE, UH, WITHIN A PAPER PETITION.
AND, UM, AND 500 LETTERS, WHICH ARE GOING TO SENATOR COUSINS AND, UM, ASSEMBLY MEMBER, UH, MKI, ALL ASKING FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? WELL, I APOLOGIZE.
I'M A A 30 YEAR RESIDENT OF GREENBURG LIVING IN EDGEMONT.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S PETITIONS, ONLINE PAPER, PETITIONS, AND LETTERS, UH, ABOUT 1,850 SO FAR.
IT'S AN INTERIM APPROACH OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WHICH WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
SO I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT, UM, ABOUT, CAN I TAKE A LOOK
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AT THIS WHILE YOU SPEAK? I'M SORRY, MY COPY.I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND THE SENSE OF URGENCY AND TRY TO GIVE YOU A BETTER EXPLANATION ABOUT WHAT'S OCCURRING, BECAUSE EACH OF YOU MUST FEEL VERY PUT UPON BY THE PRESSURE BEING EXERTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BY PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHAPPY WITH YOU AND WHAT'S OCCURRED OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS.
UM, AND ABOUT THE PRESSURES WHICH WE BELIEVE, WHICH WE DON'T EXPECT YOU TO RESPOND TO, WHICH MUST BE BEING EXERTED UPON YOU FROM UP ABOVE, FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, FROM OUR STATE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATION OF THE TOWN.
THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON BETWEEN SIX AND SEVEN YEARS.
AND DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THERE'S BEEN THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE ATTEMPTS AT LEGISLATION TO DEAL WITH, UM, WITH AMENDING NEW YORK STATE VILLAGE LAW AROUND PROVIDING PROPER INFORMATION, AS PETER HAD MENTIONED, AND AROUND PRESENTING THE VOTE AS JOHAN AND, AND DR.
ALLEN, UH, HAVE PRESENTED IN EACH OF THE CASES OVER THIS PAST, UH, A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IT'S JUST NOT THE LEGISLATION WHICH CAME DOWN FROM TOM ABER RELATED TO GREENBERG.
IT'S ALSO THE LEGISLATION WHICH WAS PROPOSED BY SENATOR THETHE IN NASSAU COUNTY AND ASSEMBLY PERSON SFUS IN ORANGE COUNTY.
AND IN EACH OF THE CASES THAT LEGISLATION MANAGED NOT HOW TO BE ALLOWED TO REACH THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE.
AND THE SENSE OF URGENCY WE'RE FEELING NOW IS THAT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDS ON JUNE 8TH, PROBABLY WILL BE EXTENDED AS IN PAST YEARS TO JUNE 15TH.
AND THEN AFTER THAT TIME, BETWEEN JUNE 15TH AND JANUARY OF 2024, THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY STOPS.
THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY SAFEGUARDS.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP THE SUBMISSION OF A PETITION.
THE EDGE ONE INCORPORATION COMMITTEE HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO SUBMIT THEIR PETITION.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE HEAR, N NOT BEING ATTRIBUTED TO ANYBODY ON THE BOARD.
WHY ARE WE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS MORATORIUM? THE LEGISLATURE'S NOT GONNA PASS IT ANYHOW.
WHY WASTE OUR VOTE? WHY WASTE OUR TIME? WHY, UH, INFURIATE THE PEOPLE WHO WE NEED TO SUPPORT US? UM, WE HEAR THAT EDGEMONT ISS NOT GONNA SUBMIT THEIR PETITION.
SO WHY DO A MORATORIUM, UM, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? WHAT ARE WE GONNA FIND OUT IN THIS STUDY? WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS? THESE ARE ALL KIND OF SPECIOUS ARGUMENTS BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT ON JANUARY 15TH, WE BELIEVE EDGEMONT WILL SUBMIT ITS PETITION.
JANUARY, JANUARY, I'M SORRY, JUNE 15TH.
EDGEMONT WILL SUBMIT THEIR PETITION.
WE EXPECT THAT AFTER TWO FAILED ATTEMPTS, A GROUP OF VERY SOPHISTICATED AND BRIGHT ATTORNEYS WILL COME UP WITH THE ANSWERS TO THE PROBLEMS, WHICH CAUSE THEM, UH, TO, UH, TO, TO HAVE THE PETITION FOUND INSUFFICIENT IN THE APPELLATE, UM, DIVISION.
AND WHILE THIS $200,000 STUDY IS BEING DONE BY, UH, BY DIFFERENT GROUPS OF IN NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT, EDGEMONT WILL HAVE BECOME A VILLAGE INSTEAD OF SPEAKING TO US, THE BOARD WILL BE PRESIDING OVER HOW MUCH TO RAISE THE BUDGET, WHAT SERVICES TO CUT OR TO REDUCE, AND WHICH OF OUR WONDERFUL STAFF NEED TO BE RETRENCHED.
SO THERE'S AN ENORMOUS SENSE OF URGENCY FOR US THAT SOMETHING GET DONE BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE 15TH.
WHEN YOU SAID REPRINT, YOU MEAN LAYOFFS? UH, YEAH.
SO THERE'S A TREMENDOUS SENSE OF URGENCY IN THE COMMUNITY BY A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BY GET SOMETHING DONE.
NOW, WE DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IF EVERYBODY VOTES IN FAVOR AND EVERYBODY CALLS UP IMMEDIATELY AND SPEAKS TO SENATOR COUSINS AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER SHAMSKY AND SAYS, WE NEED THIS, WE NEED THIS.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA DO IT.
BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A COMMUNITY IS TO BE FULLY TOGETHER IS FOR THE BOARD AND THE RESIDENTS TO BE IN CONSONANCE ON, ON, ON THE BASIC IDEA.
WE'RE NOT RESTRICTING MONTS ABILITY TO VOTE.
AND EVERYBODY DESERVES REPRESENTATION AND THE RIGHT TO BE CONSIDERED.
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WE ARE RIGHT NOW.AND, UH, LET ME JUST SAY ONE OTHER THING IS THAT NOTHING EVER PRESENTED BY OUR COMMITTEE IS PERSONAL IN NATURE OR DIRECTED AT AT ANYBODY IN THAT MANNER.
IT'S JUST, YOU HAVE TO VIEW WHAT'S OCCURRING AS THIS, AGAIN, THIS REAL SENSE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GONNA HAPPEN AND WE'RE POWERLESS WITHOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE HERE? 'CAUSE YOU, AT PREVIOUS, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE IMPACT OF A, YOU KNOW, OF AN EDGEMONT INCORPORATION ON UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLE LAYOFFS, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, BRIEFLY MENTION WHAT YOU KNOW YOUR BEST GUESSTIMATE WOULD BE? UH, YOU KNOW, THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR THE TOWN AND WORST, YOU KNOW, SO, SO EDGEMONT, IF WE GO BY EDGE MOUNT'S NUMBERS, WHICH ARE NOT TERRIBLY INCORRECT, THERE'S EIGHT.
WE KNOW THERE'S $18 MILLION WORTH OF LOST BUDGET.
14 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TAXES, THAT'S A FINITE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, BASED ON TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE.
AND YOU CAN PROJECT AND LOOK AT HASTINGS, WHICH IS AROUND THE SAME SIZE AND OBVIOUS FERRY AND FIGURE OUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE BETWEEN TWO AND A HALF AND THREE AND HALF MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FEES, SALES TAXES AND ALL, ALL SUCH TAXES.
SO $18 MILLION IS A REAL NUMBER.
EDGEMONT HAS AGREED THAT $2 MILLION OF THAT, WHICH IS THEIR PORTION, UM, OF THE BOND LIABILITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE BOND LIABILITY WILL COME BACK.
THEY HAD SAID THEY WERE GONNA BUY 12, $12 MILLION WORTH OF OUR SERVICES.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S GOING TO OCCUR, AND THAT'S A LONGER DISCUSSION.
BUT EVEN IF THAT'S THE CASE, THAT'S $4 MILLION, IT'S UNLIKELY THEY'RE GONNA BUY THE LIBRARY.
THEY'RE GONNA USE THE ELMSFORD MODEL AND SPEND 250,000 INSTEAD OF A MILLION OR, OR A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS.
IF THE COST OF BENEFITS FOR A WORKER IN A MUNICIPALITY IS GENERALLY A THIRD OF THEIR SALARY, OR EVEN LET'S SAY A HALF OF THEIR SALARY, AND SOMEBODY MAKES $80,000, AN AVERAGE SALARY IS $80,000.
YOU CAN FIGURE $120,000 PER PERSON DIVIDE 120 INTO 5 MILLION.
COULD, WILL THERE BE SOME OTHER SAVINGS? YEAH, THEY WILL MAKE IT 35 STAFF OR 30 STAFF.
BUT AS YOU DETERMINE THAT NUMBER, LOOK AT THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, THE GUYS WHO PICK UP MY, UH, RECYCLING OF PEOPLE I KNOW ON A FIRST NAME BASIS.
I STOP AND TALK TO THE PATROLMAN WHO COMES UP MY BILL, YOU KNOW, PAST MY HOUSE ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN I GO GET MY FISHING LICENSE.
I SPEAK TO THE SAME WOMAN EVERY YEAR IN JUDITH'S OFFICE.
UM, THERE'S BREAKAGE IN THIS SITUATION.
THERE'S REAL BREAKAGE, AND YOU ARE GONNA BE PRESIDING OVER THAT IF THIS OCCURS.
DON'T KNOW IF THE INPUT OF THIS BOARD WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE OR IF IT CAN.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO FEEL THAT YOU ARE WITH US AND WITH US A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR HEARING US ON THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT, UH, QUITE A, UH, QUITE A LONG TIME.
AS YOU KNOW, I'M THE PASTOR OF CHRIST TEMPLE CHURCH, AND, UH, LET ME PUBLICLY SAY THIS, THAT I APPRECIATE THE OVER 200 PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR THAT WE HAD, OUR TOWN MEETING THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND, AND I THINK WAS VERY, UH, RESOURCEFUL AND VERY INFORMATIVE, GOTTEN, I GOTTEN MANY CALLS, UH, THAT WANT MORE INFORMATION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PUT, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER MORE TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN ORDER TO INFORM THE PEOPLE OF THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OR THE DEFINITE IMPACTS OF THIS KIND OF MOVE WITH EDGEMONT, UH, SUCCEEDING FROM THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF GREENBURG.
I, UH, I I WANT TO TALK TO, UH, TO THE POINT OF HOW WE ARE ALWAYS STRONGER TOGETHER.
IT'S NO, IT'S NOTHING THAT SEPARATES THAT THERE IS NOT SEVERE LOSS.
ANYTIME WE SEPARATE ANYTHING, THERE IS GOING TO BE LOSS.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SEPARATION NOW, WE GET, UH, OF EDGEMONT SUCCEEDING FROM
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THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF GREENBURG.WE KNOW THAT IT WILL BE, HAVE MORE OF A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY SEVERELY DEVASTATED.
AND SO, IF WE CAN JUST KEEP IN OUR MINDS THAT WE ARE ALWAYS STRONGER TOGETHER AND WE ALL BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE THAT I THINK, UH, IT WOULD BE VERY, UM, UH, RESOURCEFUL IN LETTING THE STATE KNOW THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN A LAW THAT PROMOTES AND, AND, AND, AND INFLUENCES AND, AND CONTINUOUS A LAW THAT PROMOTES SEPARATION.
I THOUGHT IN THIS TIME THAT ANY LAW THAT IS, UH, BRINGING DIVISION OR SEPARATION WOULD BE CHANGED.
BUT WE SEE THAT THERE IS A, A VERY STRONG, UM, CONTINGENCY THAT STILL WANTS TO KEEP THAT LAW IN PLACE.
BUT ANYTIME SOMETHING AFFECT US, WE NEED TO HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT.
AND IF WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT, THEN OUR VOTE IS SUPPRESSED AND WE ARE DISENFRANCHISED EVEN FURTHER.
SO, I, I WOULD URGE THE TOWN BOARD TO LET THE TOWN KNOW THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN KNOW WHERE YOU STAND IF YOU CAN'T MAKE A DECISION.
THAT IS INFORMATION THAT THE TOWN BOARD CAN HONOR AND RESPECT.
BUT AT THIS TIME, I THINK THERE'S TOO MUCH, UM, LEADWAY IN THE FACT THAT THE, THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG DON'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHERE THE TOWN BOARD STAND.
IF WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE STUDY COMES BACK TO MAKE A DECISION, THAT'S INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE ASSIMILATED DISSIMILATE TO THE TOWN, SO THAT RESIDENTS WILL KNOW WHERE YOU STAND WITH US IN THIS ISSUE.
BECAUSE THIS ISSUE DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT THE RICH, IT AFFECTS THE POOR, IT AFFECTS THE THOSE THAT ARE IN THE MEDIUM LEVEL OF INCOME.
SO WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS GOES TO WHERE IT NEED TO GO IN THE STATE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HOME RULE MAKES A CHANGE AND GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
WE PAY OUR TAXES, ALTHOUGH THERE MAY NOT BE AS MUCH AS EDGEMONT, BUT WE PAY OUR FAIR CHAIR AND VOTER SUPPRESSION.
IT'S TIME FOR VOTER SUPPRESSION TO BE OVER.
AND TOM, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO COME BY AND SAY HELLO.
UM, I WAS ASKED BY SOME PEOPLE TO COME SHARE, UM, SOME OF MY EXPERIENCE, UM, WITH THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A, A SERVANT OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR I GUESS 37 YEARS.
UM, I WAS SITTING WHERE YOU GUYS WERE SITTING BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND THE NINETIES.
I WAS HERE WHEN THE FINFIN AND LAW WAS PASSED.
AND, UH, I REMEMBER THE, THE CHAOS BASICALLY WITH PEOPLE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA SAYING WE NEED TO HAVE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
AND THE TOWN LOOKING AND SAYING, STATE LAW SAYS THAT IF WE HAVE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, THEY HAVE TO BE TOWN WIDE.
AND THEN THE SUPERVISOR'S SAYING, OKAY, BUT WE NEED THESE FACILITIES.
AND THE VILLAGE IS SAYING, WE DON'T WANT 'EM TOWN WIDE.
WE HAVE GREAT, YOU KNOW, RECREATION.
WE DON'T WANT PAY FOR SOMEBODY ELSE'S RECREATION.
AND SO THE COMPROMISE WAS WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE NER IN-LAW.
AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT IF, WELL, TWO THINGS.
ONE, THAT IF THE EDGEMONT VILLAGE IS EVER FORMED, YOU'RE GONNA BE BACK IN THAT CHAOS.
WHAT HAPPENS? WHO PAYS FOR YOUR ENTIRE RECREATION SYSTEM? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S YOUR B BUDGET, RIGHT? THAT PAYS FOR ALL OF THE RECREATION.
I MEAN, I THERE, AND THAT'S BEEN CONFIRMED.
YOU REMEMBER THE BERNSTEIN DECISION, BERNSTEIN VERSUS FINER, RIGHT? BACK IN 2009, WHERE THE COURTS UPHELD, UM, THE POSITION OF THE TOWN BASICALLY SAYING THAT ANY ADDITION TO THE RECREATION SYSTEM HAS TO BE PAID FOR ONLY BY THE UNINCORPORATED AREA IF IT'S IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, AND IF IT'S DONE BY THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SO YOU'VE GOT THIS ENTIRE GOOD RECREATION SYSTEM SET UP, AND IT'S PAID FOR BY THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
ANYTHING THAT REDUCES THE TAXES IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA STRESSES THAT SYSTEM.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT PEOPLE CAN PAY IN TAXES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA START TO DO CLOSE DOWN PARKS? ARE YOU GONNA CLOSE DOWN THE TOWN PARK? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IF YOU REMOVE A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF TAX MONEY? UM, AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT
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THE, UM, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT, YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.THE SECOND CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS, I WOULD HOPE THAT IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A STUDY THAT YOU HAVE INPUT INTO WHAT THAT STUDY LOOKS AT, IT'S VERY EASY TO SET UP A STUDY AND JUST LOOK AT, WELL, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA COST FOR A VILLAGE.
THIS IS WHAT IT'S GONNA COST THE TOWN AS WE'RE DONE.
NO, I THINK YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK IN THAT STUDY ABOUT THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT NOW.
WHAT ARE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES? WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS? HOW MANY OTHER LAWS ARE OUT THERE? LIKE THE NER AND LAW, I LIKE TO CALL IT THE FIN AND ABER LAW NOW SINCE I GOT TO AMEND IT.
BUT HOW MANY OTHER LAWS ARE THERE LIKE THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN INVOLVED WHEN YOU START TO REARRANGE THIS, THIS SYSTEM THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER? I MEAN, LET'S FACE IT, YOU MAKE DECISIONS EVERY DAY AND YOU SAY THEY WANNA DO THIS, THAT JUST DOESN'T FIT THERE.
THAT'S JUST THE WRONG PLACE DEVELOPER.
GO SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE TOWN, WE'D BE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, AND, AND OVER THE YEARS WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT.
YOU PUT CERTAIN TYPES OF SERVICES, CERTAIN TYPES OF FACILITIES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE TOWN BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE NEED IS.
AND YOU'VE GOT, WE HAVE THE CENTRAL AVENUE IMPACT ZONE, WHICH I WAS HERE TO VOTE FOR WAY BACK WHEN.
SO WE DESIGNED CENTRAL AVENUE A A CERTAIN WAY.
WELL, IF YOU CUT OFF A CERTAIN PART OF CENTRAL AVENUE AND SAY, THAT'S NO LONGER TOWN OF GREENBURG, THAT'S NOW UNDER THE CONTROL OF A MAYOR AND A VILLAGE BOARD.
WELL, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO YOUR WHOLE SYSTEM, TO YOUR WHOLE PLANNING SYSTEM, ET CETERA.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT IMPLICATIONS.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT SOMEHOW WE GET IT A MORATORIUM, UH, IF EITHER STATEWIDE OR JUST FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG BRAIN.
THIS IS WHERE THERE COULD BE COOPERATION.
THIS IS WHERE THE, THE, THE ADVOCATES IN, IN EDGEMONT CAN COME FORWARD AND SIT AT THE TABLE, ALMOST LIKE A SCOPING SESSION FOR AN E I S AND SIT DOWN AND SAY, OKAY, THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE NEED TO HAVE ANSWERED.
YOU PUT IN YOUR QUESTIONS, GET PEOPLE FROM THE UNINCORPORATED AREA TO PUT IN THEIR QUESTIONS.
LET THE PEOPLE FROM EDGEMONT COME IN AND PUT IN THEIR QUESTIONS AND MAKE THAT A MEANINGFUL STUDY THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE BY THE STATE.
I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MONEY WAS IN THE BUDGET, CORRECT.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO MAKE THIS A MEANINGFUL STUDY AND JUST FREEZE EVERYTHING SO EVERYBODY'S NOT ARGUING WITH IT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF THEY COME IN WITH A PETITION, THE SUPERVISOR'S GONNA DENY IT.
YOU'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.
AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THE STUDY.
NO, I HAVE TO REVIEW IT BEFORE I SAY I'M DEFINITELY
THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME,
UM, BUT WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WHY NOT JUST FREEZE EVERYTHING IN PLACE AND DENY IT ONLY IF THERE'S CAUSE YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, CAN I WITHDRAW THAT STATEMENT? I'M ON THE RECORD.
UM, BUT MY POINT, YOU'RE A POLITICAL SAVVY GUY.
UNDER WHAT SCENARIO DO YOU SEE THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN WHO REPRESENTS EDGEMONT AGREEING TO A MORATORIUM? UM, AT THIS POINT, THIS LATE IN THE GAME DID DO EVERYTHING WRONG.
AND LET, AND LET ME PREFACE THIS BY PEOPLE GETTING UP AND SAYING, WE WANNA KNOW WHERE THIS BOARD STANDS, LIKE AS IF YOU HAVE NO MEMORY THAT THIS BOARD VOTED EXACTLY WHATS GREENBERG WANTED WHEN WE VOTED THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD VOTE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU ASKED US TO DO.
YOU DIDN'T ASK US, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY VOTES AND LET'S HAVE A MORATORIUM.
YOU ASKED US, LET'S MAKE SURE EVERYBODY CAN VOTE.
NOW YOU'RE SAYING TO US, BUT NOW WE WANT A MORATORIUM WHEN THE CHANCES OF A MORATORIUM PASSING ARE ZERO.
TELL ME, UNDER WHAT SCENARIO THIS PASSES.
I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO THE SUPPOSED TO PASS IT.
IT HAS TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE AND YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR CAN SIGN IT IN DECEMBER.
WELL, THAT'S TRUE, THAT'S TRUE.
BUT IF THE TOWN BOARD ASKS FOR THEY'RE GONNA FILE, THEY CAN FILE ANYTIME.
BUT THERE IS A, A, A, A RELUCTANCE TO OVERRIDE HOME RULE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT'S ONLY THE, THE, THE TOWN BOARD.
I MEAN, WE SAW THE GOVERNOR BACK AWAY FROM HER PROPOSAL ON, ON HOUSING BECAUSE THE MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS CAME OUT VERY STRONGLY AGAINST IT.
FRANKLY, I WAS SURPRISED THAT SHE DIDN'T GET SOMETHING OUT OF THAT, THAT SHE DIDN'T.
'CAUSE WE ALL UNDERSTAND WE NEED MORE HOUSING, BUT I'M SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN'T MORE IN THERE IF YOU REMOVE THE MANDATE TO AT LEAST ENCOURAGE MORE HOUSING.
UH, BUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO THE GOVERNOR MAY LISTEN AND SAY, THIS IS WE'RE ONLY TALKING A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE WAITING UNTIL THE STUDY IS IS COMPLETED.
AND IT MAKES THE STUDY MEANINGFUL.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY CLOSING THE BOND DOOR AFTER THE ANIMALS HAVE, UH, GONE OUT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT THERE ARE, UM, DISPUTED ISSUES.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR THERE WAS A DISPUTE OVER PARKING.
IF EDGEMONT INCORPORATES, UM, DO EDGEMONT RESIDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARK? YES OR NO? THEY SAY YES.
THEY, THEY'LL HAVE PRIVILEGES.
THERE'S PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE
[00:30:01]
WHO SAY NO, THEY'RE GONNA LOSE THOSE RIGHTS, THEIR ACCESS TO THE POOL.UM, THERE COULD BE DISPUTES OVER, UM, HOW MUCH THEY HAVE TO PAY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE BONDS THERE, THERE'S, THERE COULD BE A MILLION.
THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED ISSUES.
SO I SEE A MORATORIUM AS BASICALLY, UM, BEING SOMETHING THAT EDGEMONT RESIDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM AND UNINCORPORATED A GREENBERG RESIDENTS WILL, UH, BENEFIT FROM.
BECAUSE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, UM, UH, RESOLVED BY, UH, BY SOMEBODY WHO'S NEUTRAL AND, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T COME IN WITH AN AGENDA.
AND EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTION THAT IS TOTALLY UNBIASED, MAKING, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UH, MAKING A STATEMENT, I THINK THAT, UM, THERE'S A BETTER CHANCE THAT PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IT THAN IF WE SAY, OH, THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
OR IF, OR, OR IF THEY SAY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT, UM, WE OWE IT TO, UM, OUR RESIDENTS TO GIVE THIS EFFORT THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING.
IF, IF, IF WE, UM, SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM AND THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T APPROVE IT, IT'S THEIR PROBLEM.
THEY CREATED A PROBLEM, NOT US.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF, UM, IF WE APPROVE THE RE, IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, THEN WE'RE SENDING A ME A STRONG MESSAGE TO STATE LEGISLATORS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA SIT BY AND LET THE TOWN GET DESTROYED.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE ALL WORKED SO HARD AND WE HAVE A REALLY FANTASTIC, YOU KNOW, TOWN, YOU KNOW, RAIDED ONE OF THE BEST IN, IN THE COUNTRY, UM, BY MONEY MAGAZINE AND, UH, RATING AGENCIES.
SO WHY, WHY SHOULD WE TAKE A CHANCE AND NOT DO, YOU KNOW, DO EVERYTHING.
I FEEL WE, IF WE WOULD VOTE ON THIS NEXT WEEK AT OUR, YOU KNOW, AT OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH IT, THEY COULD SPEAK AT THE, AT THE PUBLIC SESSION.
WE COULD SEND IT TO ALBANY AND WE COULD ENCOURAGE OUR LEGISLATORS TO, UM, TO APPROVE IT.
AND I KNOW FROM OUR EXPERIENCES, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH YOU WHEN YOU WERE IN ASSEMBLY, YOU KNOW, MOST OF WHAT ALBANY DOES IS DONE THE LAST 48 HOURS ANYWAY.
ISN'T THAT TRUE? WELL, THAT'S TRUE.
SO IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF, OF WILL, WILL THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN FROM, UH, WHO REPRESENTS EDGEMONT GO ALONG WITH THIS, I THINK THIS IS A REASONABLE REQUEST.
YOU'RE NOT ASKING HER TO SAY THAT EDGEMONT CANNOT, UH, UH, FORM ITS OWN VILLAGE.
WHAT YOU'RE ASKING HER TO DO IS TO, IS TO PUT SOME, SOME SENSE BEHIND A, UH, A STUDY.
IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY SAYING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A STUDY, SO WHY IT SHOULD BE A MEANINGFUL STUDY.
AND IT SHOULDN'T BE JUST WINDOW DRESSING.
IT SHOULDN'T COME OUT AFTER IT'S TOO LATE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT, THAT SHE COULD EXPLAIN THAT TO EDGEMONT, AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN EDGEMONT WHO WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE STUDY AND, AND SEE WHETHER, WHETHER THE, THE INFORMATION THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN IS ACCURATE INFORMATION.
AND I SHOULD SAY ONE OTHER THING, WHEN I ATTENDED BISHOP PRESTON'S, UM, AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE SAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, GREENBERG, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, EVENT THAT AT YOUR CHURCH, I WAS LIKE REALLY ENCOURAGED BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I WALKED OUT SO EXCITED BECAUSE ANDREA STEWART COUSINS WAS THERE, MARY JANE CHIMPSKY WAS THERE, AND BOTH OF THEM, THEY DIDN'T SAY WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
THEY BOTH LEFT ME WITH IMPRESSION THAT THEY WANNA BE HELPFUL TO THE TOWN.
THEY DIDN'T SAY EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO TO BE HELPFUL, BUT THEY DID SAY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THEY BOTH HAVE SHOWN OVER THE YEARS A COMMITMENT TO GREENBURG.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WANNA SEE GREENBERG FALL APART OR GET DESTROYED.
SO I THINK THAT WITH A LITTLE PUSHING, I'M PERSONALLY CONVINCED THAT IF WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION, I'M CONVINCED THAT BOTH OF THEM WOULD SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM.
THAT'S MY OWN GUT REACTION FROM POLL.
LIKE, THIS DOESN'T SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA DO EDGEMONT AND CORP.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, UM, PREVENT YOU FROM, UH, VOTING.
ALL IT DOES IS SAY, WE WANT TO GIVE YOU, WE WANT TO HAVE THE FACTS AND HOLD OFF.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THE EDGEMONT PEOPLE MAY LIKE THIS ALSO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES THEM TIME TO, UM, TO SPEAK TO THEIR RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE THE, UH, THE STUDY WILL, YOU KNOW, WILL FIND THAT OUR OPINION IS WRONG.
YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT AS DEFINITE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT YOU, YOU HAVE AN INDEPENDENT STUDY AND WHATEVER THE STUDY SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE WILL LIVE WITH.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY.
I, SO I JUST WANT TO RE ASK THE BOARD, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THIS ON THEIR RESIGNATION.
NATHAN, TOM, WHAT I JUST LIKE TO PUT, I'D LIKE TO PUT THIS ON, UH, FOR A VOTE LIKE NEXT WEEK.
AND I JUST WANT TO GET SORT OF A SENSE
[00:35:01]
IF THE BOARD WOULD, WOULD GO ALONG WITH, UM, THE RESOLUTION, BECAUSE THEN WE COULD REACH OUT TO SENATOR COUSINS.WE COULD REACH OUT TO ASSEMBLYMAN WOMEN CHOMSKY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AMY PAUL, AND WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE A VOTE.
AND, UM, AND WE REALLY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UH, TAKE STEPS TO MAKE THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE ALSO IF WE, IF, IF, YOU KNOW, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS REALLY GOOD GOVERNMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE THOUGHTS ARE OF, OF THE BOARD IF YOU WOULD SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST A SIMPLE VOTE SAYING WE SUPPORT A MORATORIUM.
YOU'RE NOT SAYING ANYTHING ELSE.
JUST, WE WANT A MORATORIUM UNTIL THIS, THIS STUDY, WHICH SENATOR COUSINS ALREADY PUT IN THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WE, THERE'S DEFINITELY A STUDY.
IT'S IN FACT, AND THE SCARS DON INQUIRE THIS WEEK, UH, SENATOR COUSINS CONFIRMED THAT THE STUDY WAS, UM, WAS FUNDED.
SO, UM, SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A STUDY.
SO WE JUST DON'T WANT A VOTE UNTIL, UH, THE, THE STUDY IS COMPLETED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, IF THE BOARD WOULD SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
SO ONE, ONE OF THE, UH, COMMENTS IS THAT THERE IS TREMENDOUS OPPOSITION TO HAVING A STUDY DONE BY EDGEMONT.
THEY JUST DIDN'T, THEY, THEY JUST WANTED TO DO WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
HOWEVER, THEY AGREED, THEY AGREED TO HAVING A STUDY.
WE PASSED THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ASKED OF US BY SAVING GREENBERG THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE, UH, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD BE THAT BE THE CASE WE PASSED THAT YOU DON'T SEE THE LEGISLATORS JUMPING ON MAKING THAT LAW.
INSTEAD, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION OF HAVING A STUDY AND BASICALLY PUT EVERYTHING ON PAUSE, INCLUDING EDGEMONT.
THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T FILE, UH, UNTIL THE OUTCOME OF THE STUDY.
SO WE WENT AND WE MADE OUR BEST EFFORT TO GET THAT FIRST RESOLUTION ENACTED.
AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT WAS DOING A STUDY AND GETTING MONEY IN THE BUDGET, UH, FOR THAT TO BE DONE.
WE ARE NOW PRESENTED AT THE 11TH HOUR, ANOTHER ASK.
SO AS FAR AS THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN THAT REPRESENTS EDGEMONT, SHE'S, I'M, I'M SURE SHE'S GONNA SAY, BUT WE ALREADY GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WANTED.
NOW WE'RE GOING BACK AND SAYING, OH, I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED THEN, BUT NOW WE WANT THE MORATORIUM.
THIS WOULD'VE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER IF IT WAS ONE ASK INSTEAD OF IT'S GONNA BE SEEING, OKAY, SO WHAT'S NEXT WEEK AND WHAT'S NEXT WEEK? PARTICULARLY SINCE YOU HAVE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD WHO ARE ASKING FOR SOMETHING FROM ALBANY EVERY DAY, RIGHT? SO MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, EXTREMELY BRIGHT GUY, UNDERSTANDS ALBANY.
HE SAT HERE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA PASS.
RIGHT? I THINK THIS IS MISDIRECTION OF WHERE YOUR EFFORTS SHOULD BE.
QUITE FRANKLY, I NOTICED THAT THAT PETITION IS NOT GOING TO AMY POLLETT.
RIGHT? WHY ISN'T IT GOING TO AMY POLLETT? IT'S, YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT WHEN YOU SAID SO I APOLOGIZE.
SHE NEEDS TO BE CONVINCED THE ASSEMBLY IS NOT IN THE HABIT OF PASSING LEGIS HOME RULE LEGISLATION WHEN THE, THE HOME MEMBER IS OPPOSED TO IT.
BECAUSE THE OTHER ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ARE GOING TO SAY, WELL, IF, IF I VOTE AGAINST THAT MEMBER WHEN I HAVE A BILL IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'M OPPOSED TO IT, THEY MIGHT OUT VOTE ME.
THERE'S A LOGISTICS HERE AND I DON'T WANT WINDOW DRESSING.
I'M NEVER GONNA SAY TO SOMEBODY WHAT I THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR.
'CAUSE THE EASIEST THING TO SAY RIGHT NOW IS SURE, ANYTHING YOU WANT WILL DO.
BUT I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A WASTE OF EFFORT.
I THINK THERE ARE BETTER WAYS OF WINNING THE ARGUMENT.
I THINK YOU CAN WIN IT ON THE MERITS AND, AND ALL OF THIS, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T CARE.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T PASS IT, YOU DON'T CARE.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK.
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO TO CHANGE THAT.
I THINK WE SHOWED, WE CARED ON THAT FIRST VOTE, A VERY SIGNIFICANT VOTE RIGHT NOW.
[00:40:01]
THAT EDGEMONT LIVES UP TO THEIR WORD AND THEY WILL WAIT FOR THE STUDY TO BE COMPLETED.BUT TO ASK FOR A MORATORIUM NOW TO MAKE THAT REALITY, THIS BOARD WANTED A MOR MORATORIUM LAST YEAR AND WE COULDN'T GET TRACTION ON IT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOW DO YOU THINK WE'RE GONNA GET TRACTION ON MORATORIUM WITH WEEKS TO GO IN THE, IN THE, UH, THE SESSION? AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM AT THE LAST MOMENT.
AND IF WE DON'T VOTE ON THIS, IT MEANS WE DON'T CARE ABOUT SAVING GREENBERG OR SAVING, OR SAVING THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEING PORTRAYED.
AND, AND THE FOCUS IS NOW ON THE TOWN BOARD AS OPPOSED TO ALBANY WHERE YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE THE MEMBERS OF ALBANY IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING.
YOU HAD THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALBANY AT YOUR MEETING.
DID YOU ASK FOR MORATORIUM AT THAT POINT? WHY DOES IT HAVE TO COME THROUGH US? WE ASKED ALBANY ALL THE TIME.
YOU HAVE 200 PEOPLE AT A MEETING THAT HAS MUCH MORE IMPACT, MUCH MORE IMPACT THAN WHAT WE WILL HAVE BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY ASKING ALBANY FOR, YOU KNOW, ROADS, YOU NAME IT, SIDEWALK.
YOU NAME EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING FOR.
BUT NOW IT'S COMING DOWN TO THIS BOARD.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED YOU TO VOTE FOR A MORATORIUM, HAS NO CHANCE OF PASSING, NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER OF PASSING.
AND EVEN IF IT DOES GET IT THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, THE GOVERNOR CAN TAKE UNTIL DECEMBER, YOU DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA FILE BY DECEMBER.
IF YOU THINK THEY'RE GONNA FILE, YOU KNOW, BY, BY JUNE 15TH, THEY'RE CERTAINLY GONNA FILE BEFORE DECEMBER.
SO WHAT DOES IT DO OTHER THAN ITS OPTICS OR POINTING FINGERS? WE DON'T NEED THE POINTING OF FINGERS.
I THINK YOU CAN WIN THIS ON THE MERITS, ON THE DOLLARS.
BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE APPROACH THAT'S BEING TAKEN.
I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT WHAT I BROUGHT UP AT THE MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT.
YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WHILE THEY ARE PART OF THE COALITION, WAS NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COALITION.
SO PLEASE DON'T THINK THAT IN THE COALITION HAS FAULTED YOU FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE DONE BECAUSE THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.
WE HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN TO THE SENATOR AND WE'VE ASKED FOR A MORATORIUM AND WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US SUPPORT IN THAT REQUEST.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO ASK FOR IT.
THERE WAS ONE MORE THING I WAS GOING TO SAY AND NOW I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.
I WASN'T RESPONDING TO THE LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN TO US.
I WAS RESPONDING TO COMMENTS TODAY AS TO, ARE YOU WITH US OR ARE YOU NOT? BASED ON WHETHER OR NOT WE VOTE ON THIS, I WAS NOT REFERRING TO THAT LETTER.
IF WE DIDN'T DEMONSTRATE OUR POSITION BASED ON THE FIRST VOTE, I DON'T KNOW, WHATEVER WILL, OKAY.
THE THIRD THING I, I REMEMBERED NOW IS YOU, I DO NOT BELIEVE YOUR DECISION SHOULD BE BASED UPON WHETHER WE CAN WIN IT OR NOT.
IF ASKING FOR THE MORATORIUM IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T WIN THE FIGHT, YOU'VE DONE WHAT WAS RIGHT.
EVEN, EXCUSE ME, EVEN IF IT ACTUALLY MIGHT BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR OUR SUPPORT AND WE HAVE CONCERNS THAT IT MIGHT BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, ESPECIALLY BASED ON THE CONTROLLER'S LETTER OF 1982, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IS FROM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SOURCES HAS STILL HAS VALIDITY.
SO WE ARE CONCERNED THAT BECAUSE WE ALL DO CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT GREENBERG AND KEEPING GREENBERG AS A WHOLE, IF WE CAN WORK OUT DETAILS, RIGHT.
UM, WE FEEL THAT THIS LETTER MUST BE HEATED BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE ANYTHING IN ANY WAY.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THIS AS PART OF THE OVERALL STRATEGY OF TRYING TO GET CHANGE MADE SO THAT GREENBERG WOULD NOT BE DESTROYED BY THE INCORPORATION OF EDGEMONT.
BUT THERE, THERE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING.
BUT THE, THE LETTER LETTER AND IF YOU FEEL THAT THIS WOULD BE DESTRUCTIVE TO THE CAUSE, THEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE
[00:45:01]
BUT NOT TO SUPPORT IT.BUT WE THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AND NOT SIMPLY SAYING, FAIR ENOUGH, WE DON'T WANNA DO IT BECAUSE YOU ASKED US TO DO SOMETHING ELSE BEFORE.
OH NO, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE WE HAVE, THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
WELL THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY IT'S COMING ACROSS.
WELL, I GUESS EVERYBODY, I GUESS, LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
I GUESS A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT'S BEEN SET AT THIS TABLE AND PRIOR TO THIS TABLE'S COMING ACROSS IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN THIS CONCEIVED AS IT BEING, AS JUST THE WAY, 'CAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN, WE'VE ALL HAD CONVERSATIONS AS IT RELATES TO THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID AND IMPRESSIONS THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN.
AND I'M NOT GONNA REITERATE WHAT, UM, COUNCILMAN SHE JUST SAID, BUT I MEAN THAT IS, THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE.
I MEAN, ALL OF THIS AND THE LEARNING THIS, WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC BECAUSE AS WE CONTINUE, WE NEED OUR PARTNERS IN GOVERNMENT.
AND IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR PARTNERS IN GOVERNMENT, WE DON'T HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIP WHEN THERE ARE THINGS, OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE.
NOT, AND NOT TO SAY AND NOT TO MINIMIZE THIS PROCESS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AND BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVE THESE RELATIONSHIPS AND NEED TO GET THINGS DONE THAT WE, THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN, IN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, HAVING THAT DIALOGUE SO WE CAN GET THINGS DONE.
AND JUST AS IT WAS MENTIONED, IF WE KEEP GOING TO THEM THIS EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
AND THEN WE DON'T WANNA BE LIKE LITTLE KIDS AND JUST LIKE IN AND JUST LIKE MY SON, HE KEEPS ASKING ME OVER AND OVER AND OVER CAN I HAVE THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN? AND AT SOME POINT YOU DON'T HEAR ANYONE.
EVERYONE GETS TURNED OFF AND WE DON'T NEED THAT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT'S GOING ON IN GREENBURG THAT WE NEED TO GET PASSED AND WE NEED OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS TO ASSIST US WITH THAT.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED TO EVERY, MOST EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN SITTING IN THIS ROOM THAT I'VE TALKED TO PERSONALLY AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TRIED OUR BEST.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE MAKING SURE STRATEGICALLY THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO BE HARMFUL IN THIS PROCESS.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T SUPPORT, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING, BUT WE DON'T WANNA BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THINGS THAT'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL.
BECAUSE NONE OF US IN THIS ROOM, NONE OF US SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE WANT TO SEE GREENBURG DESTROYED.
AND AS MANY AS CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD, MY CONCERN WAS NEVER ABOUT THE GREENBURG COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WAS ALREADY PUT OUT THERE.
MY CONCERN WAS MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE JOBS IN PLACE, THAT SERVICES IS NOT TAKEN AWAY, TAXES ARE NOT GOING UP, SOME THINGS AREN'T INEVITABLE.
BUT HONESTLY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO JEOPARDIZE THAT.
SO PLEASE, EVERYONE WHO IS LISTENING ON THE TV WHO IS LISTENING IN THIS ROOM DO NOT WALK AWAY THINKING THAT WE DON'T CARE.
WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WORKING ON THIS AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AND TALKING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE I HAN LET ME JUST, LEMME, I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS CLEAR.
CAN WE JUST TABLE THE, UM, THE POINTS THAT WE DON'T THINK YOU CARE? THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
TO YOUR POINT, WE NEED STRATEGY AND WE NEED PARTNERS.
WE ARE JUST A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS ALBANY.
WE HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME, A FEW FOLKS THAT'S VERY WELL VERSED.
SO WE ARE COMING TO YOU AND THIS IS OUR STRATEGY MM-HMM.
SO WITH THIS PROPOSAL FOR A MORATORIUM, TO YOUR POINT, FRANCIS, THERE'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ASK FOR AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE SENSIBLE AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
AND WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL OF GREENBERG INCLUDING EDGEMONT.
SO TOMORROW AFTER WE MEET, WE MIGHT COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE THOUGHT, THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE AND WE WILL WANT TO PROPOSE IT TO YOU, UH, TOM BOARDER ELECTED OFFICIALS SO THAT YOU CAN ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF US.
MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF, IS WE DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE OFFENSE TO IT AND FEEL AS IF YOU'RE UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN, HADN'T BEEN DISCUSSED OR SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT DISAGREE WITH.
SO APOLOGIES FOR ANY COMMUNICATION THAT MADE YOU FEEL THAT YOU NEEDED TO BE DEFENSIVE.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT, AT YOU AS ADVERSARIES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU AS ADVOCATES AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE EXPRESSED HERE TODAY, THAT YOU'LL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND MAKING DECISION FOR WHAT MAKES SENSE.
LAST YEAR WE HAD A VOTE, UH, FOR THE SAME THING.
TO YOUR POINT, IT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.
WE STILL THINK IT MAKES SENSE.
I THINK YOU THINK IT MAKES SENSE, IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN.
RIGHT? IT COULD BE AN ISSUE OF TIMING, IT COULD BE AN ISSUE OF OTHER THINGS.
SO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IS TO TAKE FULL CONSIDERATION OF EVERYTHING THAT THAT WAS SHARED, UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR PARTNERS.
[00:50:01]
UM, CREATE A DEFENSIVE OR ADVERSARIAL ENVIRONMENT HERE.WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FIRST OF ALL, THAT WE CONSIDER YOU PARTNERS.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU PEOPLE USE THE WORD, I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DID POLITICIANS, SOMETIMES DERISIVELY AND I'M, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT YOU DID.
WE'RE NOT HERE ON THIS BOARD AS POLITICIANS, WE ARE HERE AS RESIDENTS MM-HMM.
OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T BE HERE.
IT'S A LOT OF WORK DESPITE WHAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK.
WE'RE NOT HERE JUST ON TUESDAY EVENINGS AND EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY.
WE PUT A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF THOUGHT AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND A LOT OF CARING INTO THIS JOB THAT WE DO.
AND WE PUT OURSELVES ON THE LINE.
AND SOMETIMES WE'RE GONNA MAKE GREAT DECISIONS AND SOMETIMES MAYBE NOT GREAT DECISIONS.
AND SOME DO AND OF US WILL MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND SOME OF US WILL NOT.
AND THEN WE, WE STRIVE FOR CONSENSUS.
WE, OUR FEELING IS THAT BASED ON A, AS I'VE MENTIONED THE CONTROLLER LETTER, THAT THAT COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT US.
B UM, WE HAVE A A A NU ANOTHER ASSEMBLY PERSON WHO IS PART OF THIS TOWN AND SHE'S DOING WHAT SHE SHOULD BE DOING.
SHE'S ADVOCATING FOR THAT PIECE OF GREENBERG THAT SHE'S REPRESENTING.
THAT'S THE ONLY PIECE OF GREENBERG THAT SHE'S REPRESENTING.
AND SO I THINK THAT MAKES IT A HARDER LIFT BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE AT THIS CROSSROADS.
THERE'S, THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE.
AND THAT IS THAT, THAT, UM, THE RESIDENTS OF EDGEMONT WHO WISH TO MOVE AHEAD AND WHO HAVE COLLECTED THE PETITION SIGNATURES WERE VERY ADVERSE TO HAVING A MORATORIUM AND DID IN FACT, UM, INDICATE THAT THEY WOULD RUSH TO FILE.
AND ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, OUR LEGISLATORS ON THE STATE LEVEL DON'T JUST SAY, POOF, LET'S PUT MONIES IN FOR A STUDY THAT WAS HARD FOUGHT.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO WORK AT THAT IN THE SAME WAY.
SO, AND, AND IT SEEMS TO BE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE RESPECTED BY EVERYBODY, THAT THAT WILL BE A WAY OF HAVING A NON, UM, SOMEONE WHO ISN'T SO, OR A GROUP WHO ISN'T VESTED IN THIS THE WAY WE ARE TO BE OBJECTIVE, TO GIVE US A REAL CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT THE IMPACTS WOULD BE, GOOD, BAD, OR INDIFFERENT, DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE.
SO I, I THINK, AND, AND I MIGHT, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
NO, I THINK YOU SAID RIGHT, THAT, THAT THE EDGEMONT PEOPLE, AND WE DON'T KNOW THAT THE EDGEMONT PEOPLE ARE RESPECTING THAT PROCESS TOO WITHIN OUR LEGISLATURE.
WE CAN HOPE AND WE CAN HOPE, UM, AND HAVE FAITH IN OUR, IN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THAT LEVEL TO DO WHAT IS, WHAT IS.
AND I JUST, I JUST WANNA ADD, HOLD ON A SECOND, JOHAN, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I JUST WANNA ALSO ADD IN THE POINT THAT, UM, ASSEMBLYMEN, UH, AON MENTIONED WE'RE NOT GONNA DO WINDOW DRESSING.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT US TO SAY, OH, WE DO SOMETHING.
AND KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT GETS NO TRACTION, I THINK IN ANYTHING.
I THINK WHAT YOU APPRECIATE FOR US, THAT WE'RE BEING VERY HONEST, WE'RE BEING, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE BEING, WE'RE SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND, AND WHAT WE TRULY BELIEVE, AND I DON'T, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, AND, AND AS WE GO FORWARD, THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING.
THAT WE JUST PUT A PIECE OF IT AND SAY, HEY, WE JUST DID IT.
AND THEN KNOWING THAT WE TURN OUR BACKS AND GO TO THE, AND GO HOME AND SAY, IS IT, IT GETS NO TRACTION.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM AND THAT WE'RE JUST BEING COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT, COMPLETELY HONEST, OUR ASPECTS.
SO I DON'T, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT POINT IS CLEAR AND THANK YOU, UM, UH, ASSEMBLY APATHY FOR SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NO DRESSING AS WHAT WE DON'T DO.
THIS IS WHAT THIS COUNCIL WILL, WE WON'T DO THAT.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO, WE'RE NOT HERE TO PLAY TO PLAY ANY TYPE OF GAMES.
WE TAKE THIS VERY, VERY SERIOUS.
THIS COMMUNITY MEANS THE WORLD TO US.
THIS IS WHY WE SIT HERE EACH AND EVERY DAY AND WHEN Y'ALL SEE
[00:55:01]
US IN, IN, IN TV OR WHATEVER.BUT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
SO WINDOW DRESSING IS WHAT WE'RE NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND DO.
WE'RE NOT GONNA SIT THERE AND GIVE ANY FALSE NARRATIVE TO YOU TO SAY, OH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
GONNA UHHUH
AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK TO US TO SAY, WHAT HAPPENED? BOARD.
OKAY, WELL WHAT HAPPENS IF, UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY WE DO NOTHING AND LET'S SAY THEY FILE A PETITION 'CAUSE THERE'S NO MORATORIUM AND THEY BREAK AWAY, THEN IT, IT'S GONNA BE A DISASTER FOR THE TOWN.
AND THAT, WELL, I THINK NOBODY WILL SAY THAT WE STOOD UP FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT I DON'T, BUT WE ARE STANDING UP.
YOU GET THAT IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR OVER TO COUNCILMAN JONES.
SO COUNCILMAN JONES FIRST, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THOSE WHO WOULD INCORPORATE MAY NOT BE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN EDGEMONT.
THEY MAY NOT BE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO VOTE WHEN THERE IS A MORATORIUM.
SO WE CAN'T JUST ASSUME THAT EVERYONE THAT LIVES IN THE SECTION OF EDGEMONT WANTS TO INCORPORATE.
AND JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A REFERENDUM, IT'S A DONE DEAL.
BECAUSE HISTORY HAS TOLD US THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
YOU KNOW, THIS HAS HAPPENED, IT HAPPENED IN THE FIFTIES.
IT HAPPENED IN THE SEVENTIES, NOT JUST THE PAST TWO TIMES IN THE PAST 11 YEARS, AND IT HASN'T GOTTEN ANY TRACTION.
RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN EDGEMONT, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
UM, OR, OR WHEN THEY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
IF THEY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, WE CAN'T PRESUPPOSE WHAT THE END RESULT IS GONNA BE BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE IS MORE THAN ONE FACTION, IF YOU WILL MM-HMM.
UM, MY FEELING IS THAT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF ASKING FOR A MORATORIUM.
I FEEL LIKE THE ISSUE JUST MAY NOT BE RIPE AT THIS TIME.
AND BY THAT I MEAN TWO WEEKS AGO, YOU KNOW, SENATOR COUSINS AND LEGISLATOR SHAMSKY, UH, LAID OUT, UH, WHAT THEY WERE WORKING ON.
UM, SENATOR COUSINS TOLD US ABOUT TWO STUDIES, NOT ONE, BUT TWO STUDIES.
UH, A STUDY THAT WAS BEING, UH, PRODUCED BY PACE ABOUT THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF A WOULD-BE INCORPORATION THAT IS PRACTICALLY FINISHED, NOT READY, NOT READY FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION YET, BUT WILL BE SOON.
AND THEN SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TRY TO PUT MONEY, UH, INTO THE BUDGET FOR A FISCAL STUDY.
NOW WE KNOW SUBSEQUENTLY THAT THE MONEY HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE BUDGET WAS APPROPRIATED, AND IT ISN'T THE BUDGET FOR THAT FISCAL STUDY.
UH, SHE ALSO LAID OUT MANY WAYS IN WHICH SHE HAD WORKED WITH THE TOWN, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND, AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED THOSE THINGS.
AND TO GINA'S POINT, WE DO WORK WITH, WITH, WITH BOTH SENATOR AND LEGIS AND, AND ASSEMBLY PERSON ALL THE TIME ON DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO MY FEELING IS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
ONLY TWO WEEKS HAS GONE BY SINCE THESE PROMISES WERE MADE TO US AND SO FAR HAVE BEEN KEPT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO PUT SOME MEAT ON THOSE BONES, AS IT WERE, BEFORE WE ASK FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
SO IF IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TAKING TOO LONG OR IF IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, WE'RE CHASING OUR TAILS, THEN LET'S REVISIT THE DISCUSSION OF WHETHER TO ASK FOR MORATORIUM.
AND APOLOGIES IF I SAID POLITICIANS.
I MEANT I DIDN'T HOLD IT AGAINST YOU.
UM, SO, UH, ULTIMATELY IT, IT MAKES SENSE THAT WE WILL WAIT GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SAID.
UH, THE, THE SENSE OF URGENCY ON OUR PART AND FOR EVERYONE THAT SIGNED A PETITION AND EVERYONE THAT HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS IS THE WAY THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT INCORPORATION HAS BEEN SENT OUT.
SOME OF THE FLYERS HAS SOME CLEAR MIS MM-HMM.
SO BEING THAT THEY'RE USING SUBTERFUGE TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE AND TO GET PEOPLE A RALLY BEHIND THE IDEA, WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ALSO MAKE IT.
SO, EVEN THOUGH I'M JUST HEARING TODAY THAT THEY GAVE A COMMITMENT TO HOLD OFF ON IT.
NOW, WE HEARD OF THE STUDY WHEN WE MET WITH SENATOR COUSINS BACK IN EARLIER PART OF THIS YEAR.
THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET, WE'RE IN MAY.
SO I'M NOT SAYING IT HASN'T HAPPENED OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT, BUT GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF DELAYS THAT ARE LIKELY TO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT
[01:00:01]
THAT WE ASK FOR IT TODAY.IN YOUR WISDOM, YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY WITH, UH, A ASSEMBLY MAN, A HERE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO HOW THIS HAS BEEN MANAGED IN THE PAST.
IT, IT STILL MAKES SENSE, BUT WE UNDERSTAND, GIVEN THE NUANCE AND HOW YOU TEND TO WORK WITH ALBANY AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT YOU ASK FOR THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO WAIT.
UM, CAN I ASK IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO REVISIT THIS CONVERSATION PROBABLY IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS OR SO? WELL, IT'S TOO LATE.
WELL, THAT'S TOO LATE FOR THE ASSEMBLY.
THE, UH, THERE'S, NOBODY MADE A COMMITMENT THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE HOLDING OFF, FILING THE PETITION.
YOU KNOW, I NEVER HEARD THAT FROM ANYBODY.
I NEVER HEARD THAT FROM, UH, THE INCORPORATION.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT A COMMITMENT MADE.
THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS NEVER A COMMITMENT MADE PUBLICLY THAT IF THEY DID THIS STUDY, UM, THAT, UM, THAT THERE, THERE WOULDN'T BE A PETITION, UH, YOU KNOW, FILED.
THEY HAVE INDICATED TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, IF THE STUDY DOESN'T GO ALONG THE WAY THEY WANT IT, YOU KNOW, IF IT TURNS OUT IT'S GONNA BE, IF THEY SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE, UH, THE INSTITUTION THAT DOES THE STUDY IS GONNA FIND THAT ALL THESE HORRIBLE THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN FOR UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
THEY MAY FILE IT, UH, YOU KNOW, BEFORE.
SO, SO MY FAILING IS BY, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I DON'T WANT TO JUST REPEAT MYSELF BY NOT DOING ANYTHING.
WE'RE TAKING A CHANCE AND WE HAVE TO SUFFER FROM THE, WITH THE RAMIFICATIONS, THE CHANCE THAT THEY FILED A PETITION AND WE'VE DONE NOTHING.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT, UH, PEOPLE WANT TO BE EDUCATED BEFORE THEY VOTE.
AND THAT EVERYONE, THOSE WHO WOULD INCORPORATE, AND THOSE WHO OPPOSE INCORPORATION, WOULD LIKE ANSWERS TO A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE, AS WE DO THAT THESE STUDIES ARE COMING, THAT A VOTE WOULD BE POSTPONED OR HELD OFF ON UNTIL ALL THAT INFORMATION FROM THE THIRD PARTY, NEUTRAL, AS IT WERE, IS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED VOTE IF THEY VOTE.
AND, AND THAT IF WE ASKED FOR A MORATORIUM, THEY WOULD THEN FILE THEIR PETITIONS.
SO YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS IF, IF A MORATORIUM IS, IS FILED, THAT WE WOULD BE PROVOKING THE, THE, THE PETITION.
FOR THE, FOR THE VOTE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO IT'S MY, I MAY, IF I MAY, AT THIS TIME, I WAS TALKING TO A GENTLEMAN THAT LIVED IN EDGEMONT MM-HMM.
HIS STATEMENT TO ME WAS THAT EDGEMONT IS PAUSED AND READY.
THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY HAVE BEEN.
AND, AND THEY'RE NOT WAITING FOR A STUDY TO COME.
NOW, THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY THAT THEY HAVE PROMISED NOT TO FILE.
THAT'S MY, IT'S NOT MY INFORMATION CONVERSATION.
I, SO LEMME LEMME, IT'S THE IMPRESSION THAT I HEARD TONIGHT AND I DID NOT SAY THAT.
WELL, BUT THAT'S THE IMPRESSION THAT WE HEARD.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY PRESENT CAN, CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
BUT, SO WE HAVE CONFLICT AND DEF INFORMATION.
WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AS THE SAY GREENBERG COALITION, IS TO HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN BE INFORMED, YOU CAN BE INFORMED OF WHAT WE KNOW AND, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN RETURN.
GIVE TO US WHAT INFORMATION WE HAVE.
WE'LL, UH, FORMULATE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
AND I THINK THAT WE DO THAT AND WE'RE, AND, AND, AND KEEP OURSELVES UNIFIED IN THIS EFFORT.
WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING.
AND SO, SO I I I, I, I, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYONE TONIGHT SAY THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, WE ARE POINTING FINGERS AT YOU.
I ASKED, YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE TAPE.
YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE TAPE.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION? OKAY.
I JUST HAD ONE SISTERS BAPTIST, I JUST, I JUST, I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN WHAT I, I AM VERY SUSPICIOUS OF SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL AGREE TO A STUDY BUT THEN DOES NOT AGREE TO A MORATORIUM UNTIL THAT STUDY IS DONE.
TO ME, IF YOU'RE AGREEING THAT THE STUDY, AND YOU'LL WAIT FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE STUDY, WHY NOT? BUT IT'S A POSITION THEY'VE TAKEN FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, INCLUDING LAST YEAR.
SO WORKING WITH OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, WE GET THIS, THIS STUDY THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE $200,000, I BELIEVE IS IN THE BUDGET TO DO A STUDY.
AND WE'LL HAVE SOME PARTICIPATION IN WHAT ACTUALLY IS BEING STUDIED, INCLUDING THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
[01:05:01]
KEN'S POINT.IF YOU ARE THE VOTING PUBLIC IN EDGEMONT, AND YOU HAVE NOW A GROUP OF EDGEMONT LEADERS PUSHING THE VOTE PRIOR TO THE STUDY COMING OUT, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD NOT HELP IN GETTING THAT VOTE PASSED.
PARTICULARLY IF THIS GROUP SHOWS ON THE MERITS THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THEM TO VOTE FOR INCORPORATION, TO HAVE THEM AGREE, THEM BEING ALSO STATE REPRESENTATIVES, TO HAVE THEM AGREE TO DO THIS STUDY, GET IT INTO THE BUDGET, AND THEN SHOULD THE EDGEMONT LEADERS DECIDE TO PUSH FOR A VOTE ANYWAY BEFORE THAT COMES OUT, THAT'S NOT GONNA HELP THEM IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED AS THEY GO FORWARD WITH AN INCORPORATION PROCESS.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST YOU INCORPORATE AND YOU'RE DONE.
THEY'RE GOING TO NEED THINGS FROM ALBANY.
SO MY SUSPICION THAT WHY WOULD THEY NOT AGREE TO A MORATORIUM HAS BEEN BY OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, SOMEWHAT CALMED BECAUSE BY TALKING TO THEM, BECAUSE EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE RIGHT NOW WORKING IN GOOD FAITH.
WE PUT ON OUR RES ON OUR AGENDA PROBABLY TWO AND A HALF MONTHS AGO OR SHORTLY AFTER WE SAW, UH, DID THE OTHER PETITION.
THE, UM, THE ONE THAT YOU ASKED US TO VOTE FOR, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THE STUDY OURSELVES.
AND MATTER OF FACT, WE'LL SPEND $70,000 AND DO THE STUDY OURSELVES AND LOOK AT THE EFFECT.
WE COULDN'T DO EDGEMONT 'CAUSE OF THAT, UM, THE, UH, CONTROLLER'S OPINION, BUT WE COULD DO THE UNINCORPORATED AREA THAT WOULD REMAIN RIGHT.
SOME PEOPLE SAID, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY, YOU KNOW, GRAY AREA THERE.
RIGHT? WE WERE WILLING TO DO THAT, BUT THEY SAID, BACK OFF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, BACK OFF, WE'LL DO THE STUDY.
IF UNINCORPORATED AREA DOES IT, WE DO IT, THERE'S GONNA BE A TAINT TO IT.
IF EDGEMONT DOES IT, THERE'S GONNA BE A TAINT TO IT THERE.
LET ALBANY DO IT, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR EXPERTS.
AND SO WE HELD OFF, WE THOUGHT, AND WE, WE KEPT PUTTING UP CHECK THE AGENDAS, WE'RE GONNA HOLD IT OVER TO THE NEXT MEETING.
AND THEN WE SAID, OKAY, IF IT DOESN'T, APRIL 1ST WAS WHEN THE BUDGET WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PASSED, WE WERE ALL SET TO VOTE ON IT.
AND THEN THEY, THEY'D INVEST THE BUDGET.
SO, OKAY, IN FAIRNESS, LET'S WAIT FOR THEM TO PASS THE BUDGET.
RIGHT NOW WE HEAR THAT IT'S IN THE BUDGET.
SO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING COOPERATIVELY TO TRY TO GET DATA OUT, RIGHT? IF WE CAN'T WIN THIS BASED ON DATA, WE'RE NOT WINNING THIS.
RIGHT? UM, NOW AS FAR AS INCORPORATION IS CONCERNED FOR US TO NOW, AFTER DOING ALL OF THIS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE WORKING COOPERATIVELY, UH, TO THEN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? NOW WE WANT YOU ALSO TO PASS A MORATORIUM, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU WILL NOT EVER PASS IN THIS SESSION.
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT IT WILL NOT PASS IN THIS SESSION.
AND MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, VERY EXTREMELY SMART GUY, WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA PASS IN THIS SESSION, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE, THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FOR EDGEMONT, UM, IS NOT GOING TO TURN AGAINST HER CONSTITUENTS TO DO THAT.
WHAT I WOULD RATHER SEE HAPPENING AS WE DEVOTE EFFORTS TO THINGS THAT COULD HAVE A DIFFERENCE, AND THAT IS TO ADDRESS WHATEVER CONCERNS THE TYPICAL EDGEMONT RESIDENT HAS.
AND MANY OF THEM, THEY DON'T HAVE A, THEY DON'T HAVE A, AN IDEA AS TO REALLY WHAT'S FACTUAL AND WHAT'S NOT.
YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S POSTERS UP THAT MAY BE MISLEADING.
THE TOWN BOARD REALLY CAN'T COUNTER THAT.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN, BUT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE REALLY TRY DOING IS PUTTING ON US SOMETHING THAT COULD WIND UP GIVING THE EDGEMONT LEADERS, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH.
AND LOOK, YOU CAN'T TRUST THEM.
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO BE PART OF GREENBERG? WE HAVE WHAT SEEMS TO BE THROUGH OUR REPRESENTATIVES, UH, A WORKING RELATIONSHIP NOW WITH AN AGREEMENT TO DO A STUDY TO FIND OUT THE IMPACTS ON EDGEMONT AND ON THE REMAINING AREA OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE AN AN A, UM, MORATORIUMS NOT GONNA PASS.
[01:10:01]
AND EVEN, EVEN, UH, ALL THE, UH, SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY COULD PASS IT BY THE TIME THE GOVERNOR DEPENDS ON THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, SHE MIGHT SIT ON IT UNTIL THIS, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE APPROACH TO HAVE, AND WHERE I TAKE OFFENSE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, YOU MUST PASS THIS.YOU KNOW, PAUL'S GONNA SAY YES, YES, YES TO WHATEVER YOU ASK.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST PAUL.
AND IT'S WHOEVER SPEAKS TO HIM LAST, AND YOU'RE SPEAKING TO HIM LAST, I DON'T WANNA BE I UNDERSTAND.
NO, IT'S NOT PERSONAL ATTACKS.
YOU, YOU'RE SAYING WHOEVER SPEAKS TO ME LAST, I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.
I FEEL THAT THE TOWN HAS TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR THE TOWN, AND I WANT MAKE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I'LL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SAVE THE TOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO, SO DO WE, WE ALSO, ALSO WOULD LIKE THAT.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, TO THE, I ALSO THINK THAT IF WE PUT THE PRESSURE ON ALBANY, I THINK THAT OUR BOTH, HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU OVER THE YEARS SENATE AND THE GOVERNOR WILL BE SUPPORTIVE.
THAT'S MY, I THINK, I THINK THE 200 PEOPLE THAT GATHERED AT CHRIST TEMPLE ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON ALBANY, RIGHT? I THINK ALBANY IS FEELING THE PRESSURE, AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S $200,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR AN ADDITIONAL STUDY.
REMEMBER, IT'S NOT JUST ONE STUDY, IT'S TWO STUDIES, ONE BY PACE UNIVERSITY AND ONE BEING DONE BY THE STATE CONTROL.
WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S DOING IT.
WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S GONNA DO IT.
BUT THE MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET FOR SOMEONE FOR A SEPARATE FISCAL STUDY BASED, NOT JUST THE PRACTICAL STUDY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE BY PACE UNIVERSITY THAT WE'RE WAITING
AND MY MAIN POINT, MY MAIN POINT, I JUST DON'T WANNA LOSE THE POINT, IS THAT RIGHT NOW EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE WORKING TOGETHER.
WHY? AND SOME MANY PEOPLE SAY, WHY POKE THE BEAR? UH, I'M NOT USING THAT ANALOGY, BUT WHY GIVE THEM AN AN EXAMPLE OF, LOOK, YOU CAN'T TR TO THE RESIDENTS, THE, THE TYPICAL RESIDENT IN EDGEMONT.
LOOK, THERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
WE WERE WORKING COOPERATIVELY AND LOOK WHAT THEY DID AND IT BE UNSUCCESSFUL AT THAT.
OKAY? MAY I JUST MAKE A POINT ON PRAC, ON PRACTICALITY? I NEED YOU TO, TO PICK UP A MIC.
LEMME JUST MAKE A POINT ON, ON PRACTICALITY, BECAUSE WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE, UM, BASED ON THEIR OWN PERCEPTION.
PRACTICALLY, EDGEMONT HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE OVER THE LAST SIX WEEKS AND HAS SAID DIRECTLY THEY'RE ABOUT TO SUBMIT AND FILE THEIR PETITION.
THERE'S NOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, OF COURSE FACT.
SECOND FACT IS THE SESSION ENDS JUNE 8TH.
AS MUCH AS I AGREE WITH YOU, THE QUESTION OF A MORATORIUM WOULD BE BETTER OFF HANDLED IN THE FUTURE.
IT CAN'T BE HANDLED IF WE DON'T DO IT NOW.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING TO YOU.
NOBODY'S BOTHERING, NOBODY WOULD BOTHER TO BE DOING THIS.
NUMBER THREE FACT, EDGEMONT IS NOT WORKING WITH US.
EDGEMONT IS WORKING ON THEIR OWN.
I'VE LIVED IN EDGEMONT FOR 31 YEARS.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN GREENBERG THINKS THIS, THINKS THIS IS VOTER SUPPRESSION AND UNEQUAL REPRESENTATION UNDER THE LAW.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO, BECAUSE THERE'S A CRUMMY LAW FROM HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO THAT.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO UNDERSTAND PRACTICALLY, AND THIS IS THE BASIS OF WHAT I SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT BEFORE.
THE ONLY REASON THAT SENATOR COUSINS WOULDN'T DO A MORATORIUM ON HER OWN TO SUPPORT HER PRESENTATION OF A STUDY IS BECAUSE THE PRESSURE FROM EDGEMONT IS UPON HER.
THE REASON THAT SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS IS THE LOBBYISTS, IS THE SUPPORT, IS THE CONTROL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY UPON HER.
AND EDGEMONT, PLEASE LET ME FINISH.
WHY DO YOU, I'M, IF EDGEMONT SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE AGREE, LET'S HAVE A MORATORIUM.
PEOPLE LIKE ME WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE MY SERVICES ARE COMING FROM, WHAT LEVEL THEY'RE GONNA BE, AND HOW MUCH THEY COST.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE BOND I HAVE TO PAY.
THERE'S $150 MILLION WORTH OF POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS THAT EDGEMONT DOESN'T LIST ON ITS BUDGET.
HOW ARE THEY GONNA FED EVERYTHING INTO A COUPLE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE
[01:15:01]
SPACE? I WANT TO KNOW ALL THESE THINGS.IF EDGEMONT WANTED THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN, THEY WOULDN'T BE PRESSURING SENATOR COUSINS TO NOT PASS THE LEGISLATION.
SO IN THE END, IT'S A SIMPLE PROCESS.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IS CORRECT.
THE PRESSURE THAT EDGEMONT EXERTS ON SENATOR COUSINS APPEARS TO BE GREATER THAN THE PRESSURE OF THOUSANDS OF ORGANIZED GREENBERG PEOPLE WHO ARE TELLING HER THIS IS JUST WRONG
IF IT WAS NOT, SHE WOULD PROPOSE THE, THE MORATORIUM SO THAT HER STUDY, WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA, WOULD GO THROUGH MAY I SURE.
THERE ARE TWO HOUSES OF GOVERNMENT, CORRECT? AND SENATOR STEWART COUSINS IS THE MAJORITY LEADER OF ONLY ONE OF THEM.
SO YOU KEEP INVOKING HER NAME AS PASSING IT, AND SHE COULD PASS IT IN THE SENATE AND, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE SHE WOULD, BUT THAT DOES NOT CONTROL THE ASSEMBLY.
AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY BOTH THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TO, IN SUPPORT OF WHAT FRANCIS SAID, WE HAVE A MAJOR QUESTION AS TO THAT BEING PASSED.
UH, AMY POLLEN IS A VERY GOOD ASSEMBLY WOMAN, NO QUESTION.
AND SHE REPRESENTS HER TERRITORY.
HER CONSTITUENTS FIERCELY AS CERTAINLY SENATOR STEWART COUSINS DOES, AND AS CERTAINLY AS ASSEMBLY MEMBER SHAMSKY DOES.
BUT THAT, AND, AND SO DOES THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN.
SO EVEN, EVEN IF WE, WE COULDN'T, EVEN IF THERE WAS A MORATORIUM ON THE HORIZON, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IT WOULD HAVE A LIMIT TO IT.
SO THERE'S A, IF THERE WERE A MORATORIUM PASSED IN SOME PERFECT WORLD, UM, IT MIGHT RUN OUT BEFORE THE REST OF THE PROCESS HAPPENS THAT THERE'S YOU.
BUT THAT, AGAIN, I I I HAVE TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT WE SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD NEVER PASS THE ASSEMBLY.
SO I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT, JUST RESPOND THAT I APOLOGIZE.
SO YOU'RE AN EXTREMELY SOPHISTICATED, UM, PERSON IN, IN, IN THE POLITICS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
YOU'VE WORKED A, A LIFETIME WITHIN IT.
AND I RESPECT YOUR OPINION OF THIS, BUT ANYBODY WHO'S EVER DONE THIS BEFORE, I MEAN, I WAS GETTING GRANTS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BUDGETS OF THE SENATORS AND ASSEMBLY PEOPLE IN THE SIXTIES FOR PROGRAMS WHEN I WAS IN THE SOCIAL WORK FIELD.
AND CERTAINLY, I DON'T KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU, BUT SENATOR COUSINS HAS EXTRAORDINARY POWER AND EX EXTRAORDINARY, NOT OVER THE ASSEMBLY.
AND AND FRANCIS JUST MENTIONED A LITTLE WHILE AGO THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT IF SHE ASKED THE SPEAKER TO PASS SOMETHING IN THE ASSEMBLY THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH HER OWN DISTRICT, HE WOULD DO IT.
AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED WHEN WE UTILIZED, UH, OUR OWN POLITICAL PEOPLE OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, THREE OR FOUR TIMES TO TRY TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED.
AND THE SPEAKER WOULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE SENATOR COUSINS SAID NO.
SO SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO DO, LOOK LAS, LOOK AT THE FACT THAT SHE JUST PASSED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
OUR CONDOMINIUM RULE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SHE'S A PERSON WHO HAS THE, THE SAME POLITICS AS ALL OF US.
PROGRESSIVE HAS DONE EXTRAORDINARY THINGS FOR THE STATE, AND THE TOWN IS REVERED IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
YET ON THIS ONE SPECIFIC TOPIC, WHAT SHE DOES IS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO HER ENTIRE CAREER, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
I HAVE GREAT SUPPORTIVE, VOTED FOR HER ALL THE TIME.
[01:20:01]
CAMPAIGN, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.BUT TO SAY THAT SHE CAN'T GET THIS DONE, I BELIEVE IS INCORRECT.
IF SHE WANTED IT, IT WOULD BE DONE.
AND, AND JUST IN, IN TERMS OF THE, THE QUESTION YOU HAD ABOUT EDGEMONT AGREEING TO HOLD OFF, I DON'T NEED A MORATORIUM.
IF COUSINS, IF, UH, SENATOR STEWART COUSINS COMES IN AND SAYS, I'VE MET WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE EDGEMONT CORPORATION COMMITTEE, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL HOLD OFF IN SUBMITTING THEIR PETITION UNTIL AFTER A STUDY IS DONE AND ANY, UH, AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ARE REENACTED, I WOULD BE FINE WITH THAT.
WE WOULD JUST STOP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND ONE OF THE THOUGHTS I HAD THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY BEFORE YOU DO THAT.
HE PREFACED HIS STATEMENT BY SAYING, FRANCIS SAID, AND I DIDN'T SAY THAT ANDREA STEWART COUSINS HAS TRA TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE OVER THE ASSEMBLY AND COULD GET SOMETHING PASSED.
I SAID THAT INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATIVES FOR THEIR AREA HAVE INFLUENCE.
BUT SHE IS THE SHE, BUT I'M SAYING SHE'S THE INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATIVE.
THIS IS, I, I JUST DON'T WANT, THIS IS THE COMPANY MISREPRESENTED IDEA THAT I HAVE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING TODAY.
THE NEXT MEETING OF THE TOWN BOARD IS NEXT WEDNESDAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT SOME MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD REACH OUT TO THE LEADERS OF THE EDGEMONT CORPORATION, YOU KNOW, COMMITTEE JEFF SHERWIN, UM, OR, UH, JOHN LEWIS, AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE WANNA WORK COOPERATIVELY.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A FIGHT.
UH, THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE APPROVED A BUDGET THAT INCLUDES A STUDY.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING, IF WE DON'T PUSH FOR ANY LEGISLATION, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO, UM, TO HOLD OFF ON FILING OF THE PETITION? AND THEN BEFORE WES, BEFORE NEXT WEDNESDAY, IF THEY SAY YES, YOU KNOW, TO YOU, THEN WE DROP THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE MORATORIUM BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE A, A HANDSHAKE WITH THEM.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT WOULD ACTUALLY WORK BE NICE, BECAUSE THIS WAY WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE THEIR INTERESTS OF HAVING A FAIR STUDY IS THE SAME AS OUR INTERESTS.
EVERYBODY IN THE TOWN DESERVE, WHETHER THEY LIVE IN EDGEMONT OR THEY LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED, GREENBURG DESERVES TO KNOW THE FACTS BEFORE THIS, YOU KNOW, REFERENDUM PROCEEDS.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A DELEGATION OF THE TOWN BOARD, UH, MEET BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEDNESDAY WITH THE EDGEMONT INCORPORATION LEADERS AND ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD VOLUNTARILY, UH, PUT OFF, UM, UH, FILING THE PETITION UNTIL AFTER THE STUDY AND, YOU KNOW, AND LET, AND THEN LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
AND THEN NEXT TUESDAY WE COULD DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
I MEAN, DOES ANYBODY KNOW JEFF SHERWIN, OR YES, I KNOW JEFF.
SO WHY DON'T, WOULD YOU BE WILLING, WILLING TO I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SHERWIN.
THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
SO WHY DON'T YOU BECOME THE, UH, THE HEAD OF THE DELEGATION, UH, AND UM, AND, AND THEN SEE IF YOU COULD PERSUADE THEM TO HOLD.
I'LL ASK THE, I WILL ASK THE QUESTION.
AND THEN WE COULD PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TUESDAY.
THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
UM, AND NOTHING PERSONAL HERE TONIGHT.
EVERYTHING IS JUST A PASSION OF THE MOMENT AND APPRECIATE THIS, THIS, THIS IS A DISCUSSION THAT WE ALL FEEL HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT, BUT WE RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.
AND LET ME SAY, IF WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU ALL GET, PLEASE GIVE IT TO US AND WE'LL BE THE SAME WITH YOU MM-HMM.
WE HAVE TO GET, UH, RICH FUN ON, UH, THE WORK SESSION.
MOVE ALONG HERE ON THESE THINGS.
WE'RE ONLY AN HOUR AND A HALF, UH, LATE.
SO WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE, WHERE ARE, OKAY, THE NEXT IS A FOOD SCRAP.
ROGER, YOU WANT TO COME? OH, NO, THIS IS NOT THE FOOD SCRAP AFTER THAT.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THE, THE DISABLED PARKING, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS YESTERDAY, SO WE CAN TAKE THAT OFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, SO THAT I JUST SAVED 15 MINUTES.
UM, THE FOOD SCRAP RECYCLING, WE NEED RICH FUND.
I, I GAVE EVERYBODY THE, THE SURVEY RESULTS.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE SURVEY WAS GOING OUT.
WHAT SURVEY? WE DID A CHRIS, WE PUT DID A, A WHO'S WE A, A QUESTION.
WHO'S WE ON? WHETHER I DID, WHO'S WE? I DID IT.
UM, I POSTED SOME, WE DID A, UM, UH, WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE WANT FOOD, SCRAP RECYCLING.
I SENT EVERYBODY A COPY OF THE, SUMMARIZE THE RESULTS FOR US.
[01:25:01]
UH, HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.IT'S, UH, LEAF BLOWERS TIMES TWO.
LET ME JUST SAY IT WAS, UH, 248 PEOPLE.
UM, WHAT DID THEY DO? CUT THE NUMBER DOWN ON THE CHART.
WAIT, I, I'M JUST, UM, COULD WE GET RICH HERE? BECAUSE I SPOKE TO HIM.
UM, I JUST SUMMARIZE, JUST SUMMARIZE.
THE, THE ISSUE IS RICH, HAD I SPOKE TO RICH AND, UM, I'M, I DON'T HAVE, I'M ASKING RICH RIGHT NOW, IF HE COULD, UM, SPEAK BECAUSE I SPOKE TO HIM EARLIER.
UNLESS AGENDA DOESN'T HAPPEN, I, I, I SPOKE TO RICH AND I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD LET'S, WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE ALONG HERE.
YOU JUST, BUT THAT 15 MINUTES, SO, SO AN HOUR AND A HALF.
WELL, SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE GENTLEMAN FROM, FROM COMMUNITY SOLAR, RIGHT? WHY DON'T WE DO THAT SINCE HE'S HERE? OH, HERE'S RICH.
HI, RICH, PLEASE TURN YOUR MIC ON.
YOU WANT BRIAN ON TOO? HE, YEAH, HE'S UP THERE.
HE'S GOT MORE THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT.
SO PAUL IS ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY WOULD GIVE UP.
PAUL IS ASKING PEOPLE IF THEY'D BE WILLING TO GIVE UP THE SECOND GARBAGE PIT PICKUP IN ORDER TO HAVE FOOD SCRAPS PICKED UP AND STUFF.
OR, OR, AND THERE WERE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
ONE WAS, UH, UH, DOING CURBSIDE PICKUP OF, UM, UH, FOOD SCRAPS.
ONE WAS ONE DAY A WEEK, AND ONE DAY A WEEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, GAR, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE.
ONE OPTION IS HAVING MORE, UM, CONTAINERS, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALSO TALKING TODAY ABOUT DOING A PILOT, UH, PROGRAM JUST TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT AND THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT.
YOU HAVE A GROUP IN, UM, IN HASTINGS THAT IS, UM, UH, PICKING UP, YOU KNOW, FOOD SCRUBS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL OVER.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, AND BASICALLY WE SPOKE RICHARD AND I EARLIER TODAY.
AND SO COULD YOU NOW FILL IN THE REST OF THE BOARD ABOUT A SURVEY WE HAD? NO PROBLEM.
WE WERE ASKED, UH, IN D P W RIGHT ABOUT THE THOUGHT OF REDUCING THE GARBAGE PICKUP EACH WEEK TO ONCE A WEEK.
AND PAUL ASKED YOU TO DO THAT.
SO I GUESS THEY'RE DOING THIS IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, I THINK WE'RE VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A REAL, UH, BACKLASH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY UPSET THAT WE ARE LIMITING THE PICKUP TO ONCE A WEEK.
WE SAW, UH, WHEN WE WENT WITH THE SIDE LOADER PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE ONE ARM TRUCK MM-HMM.
AND WE ISSUED TOWN ISSUED BARRELS TO EVERYBODY.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHEN YOU SAW HOW REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT IN TOWN THE GARBAGE PICKUP IS.
UM, WE HAVE SINCE REALLY TRIED TO CONTROL BULK PICKUP.
SO WE HAVE SCHEDULED BULK PICKUP.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED IF THIS HAPPENED, THOSE DATES WOULD BE PUSHED OUT MONTHS.
UM, AND WE HAVE OTHER CONCERNS.
ONE IS COST, MANPOWER OR EXCUSE.
I SPOKE, UH, STAFFING, UM, AMONGST OTHER ISSUES.
WE HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH, UH, WITH, WITH PAUL ABOUT WAYS TO KIND OF TEST THIS OUT.
UM, AND BRIAN CAME UP WITH THE IDEA THIS MORNING MAYBE TO TRY A PILOT.
UM, MAYBE THE FIRST 200 PEOPLE THAT SIGN UP, WE SEE HOW IT GOES.
I WANNA REMIND THE BOARD THAT BACK PRE COVID, THERE WAS A GRANT THAT WAS OBTAINED, UM, TO PURCHASE VEHICLES AND TO TRY THIS PROGRAM.
UM, IT WASN'T PROCEEDED WITH BECAUSE OF COST.
ANYTHING YOU ADD, LIKE THIS IS GOING TO COST WITH LABOR MM-HMM.
CAN YOU JUST REPEAT YOUR LAST STATEMENT I INT HERE? YEAH.
SO IF YOU ADD A SERVICE, 'CAUSE THE GARBAGE IS GONNA GET PICKED UP EITHER WAY.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE EQUIPMENT, SO THERE'S SPECIALIZED TRUCKS THAT WOULD HAVE TO PICK THIS UP.
NOW, HONESTLY, WE HAVE TRUCKS THAT COULD PICK THAT UP, BUT THOSE TRUCKS WOULD THEN BE TAKEN OFF THEIR GARBAGE ROUTES AND REDIRECTED TOWARDS THE FOOD SCRAP PICKUPS.
'CAUSE YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SWITCH 'EM ONCE THEY WENT FOOD SCRAP.
YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SWITCH 'EM BACK TO GARBAGE ONCE YOU OFFER
[01:30:01]
SOMETHING.SO AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE STUDYING THAT HAS TO GO INTO THIS.
UM, AND I KNOW BRIAN REALLY WAS DIGGING INTO THE NUMBERS WITH, WITH CHELSEA DOYLE IN OUR OFFICE.
AND IT IS GROWING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, RIGHT NOW, IF WE DID PICK THE STUFF UP, WE WOULD'VE TO TAKE IT UP TO COURTLAND MANOR, WHICH WOULD, OUR TRUCKS COULDN'T BE ON THE PARKWAY WOULD'VE TO BE GENERALLY DOWN NINE TO GET UP THAT WAY.
THAT'S GONNA ADD TIME DURING THE DAY FOR TRAVEL GAS.
SO THERE'S, ALL THESE THINGS HAVE TO GET LOOKED AT.
WE'RE NOT AGAINST FOOD SCRAP PICKUP.
I THINK IT'S JUST GOTTA BE LOOKED AT MORE.
AND I KNOW THE COUNTY IS DOING A LOT TOWARDS THAT.
SO, AND IF I MAY, IN FACT MM-HMM.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME IN SCARSDALE.
UM, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE WHO CAN GIVE US A SPEED, UH, SUMMARY OF, OF THAT, UH, MICHELLE STERLING.
UM, AND WHY DON'T YOU COME TO THE TABLE? MICHELLE, CAN I JUST MENTION YOU, UH, YOU ASKED FOR THE SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS 'CAUSE I HAVE IT OVER HERE.
SO THERE WAS 501 PEOPLE RESPONDED.
THE FIRST QUESTION, THERE'S ONLY A FEW QUESTIONS.
DO YOU CURRENTLY SEPARATE YOUR FOOD, UH, WASTE FROM YOUR REGULAR TRASH? 41.3% SAID, UM, NO.
THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WAS, IF YES, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR FOOD WASTE? THERE WERE 245 RESPONSES.
UM, UM, 22% SAID THEY COMPOST AT HOME.
UM, 40, UM, 2.9% BRING TO A PUBLIC, UH, FOOD WASTE SITE.
UM, 10.6% SAID HIRE A SERVICE TO PICK IT UP.
AND 24.5% SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UH, DENNIS SAID, IF OTHER PLEASE SPECIFY.
AND THERE WERE 60 RESPONSES AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST LISTED.
WELL, I SENT THE ENTIRE BOARD YESTERDAY.
UM, THE, THE RESPONSES, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO, UM, AND WHO, WHO RECEIVED THE SURVEY? I, IT WAS JUST BASICALLY POSTED ON, UH, THE TOWN WEBSITE AND ON NEXTDOOR AND ON FACEBOOK AND ON, YOU KNOW, ON ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT I CAN THINK OF.
I THINK IT SHOWS A WILLINGNESS AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD RESPECT THE COMMISSIONER'S DESIRE TO EXPLORE IT AND HAMMER OUT DETAILS AND SEE WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU HAD POSITED INITIALLY WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU FIRST, UH, BROUGHT THIS UP WAS THAT WE COULD SUBSTITUTE, UM, ONE OF THE GARBAGE PICKUPS FOR COMPOST FOR, UM, UM, FOOD WASTE.
AND WELL, IN THEORY, WE THAT'S GREAT AND WE MIGHT GET THERE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, COULD HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY.
UM, AND IT TAKES, IT TAKES A WHILE.
IT'S TAKEN A WHILE IN SCARSDALE.
THEY HAVE, UH, 1700 OF HOW MANY 5,000 HOUSEHOLDS, 5,000 SOME ODD HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON FOR, FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S PARTIAL AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND THEY'VE HAD GOOD RESULTS, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T YET MEAN THAT YOU CAN, IN FACT, UM, YOU CAN IN FACT HAVE MAKE THAT DRACONIAN A MOVE.
IT HAS TO BE, WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE AND I THINK WE SHOULD STILL, UM, KEEP ON EXPLORING IT.
BECAUSE NOW WHAT YOUR SURVEY HAS SHOWN IS THAT THERE'S INTEREST.
BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF EXPLORING WHAT WOULD BE, YOU TALKED ABOUT A PILOT PROJECT.
THIS MORNING WE PILOT WHERE WE PUT OUT, UH, SOMEHOW GET A LIST GOING AND MAYBE PEOPLE SIGN UP THE FIRST 200 WE TAKE AND WE SEE HOW IT GOES.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU THE, THE UH, DROP OFF SITES WE HAVE NOW ARE VERY ACTIVE.
UM, IN FACT, I SEE KEN OUT THERE QUITE OFTEN,
UM, BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND TOO, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD ALSO, UH, THE SCHOOLS, I KNOW EDGEMONT WAS CURIOUS FOR A WHILE ABOUT MAYBE HAVING ANOTHER SITE.
I KNOW AT SOME POINT, UH, THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH, UH, HAVING THE SITE AT VETERAN PARK AS AN ALIENATION OF PARKLAND.
[01:35:01]
HAVE, I THINK MICHELLE AND RON ARE REALLY ADVOCATES AND GREAT RESIDENTS OF SCARSDALE THAT HAVE PUSHED US AND EDUCATED EVERYBODY AND REALLY GOTTEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ON BOARD.WE WOULD'VE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE TOO, NOT JUST ON THIS.
UM, AS WE WERE TALKING TO PAUL, UH, A DAY OR TWO AGO, AND AS BRIAN HAS GOTTEN MORE INVOLVED WITH THE COUNTY ON THE, THE, UH, THE, UM, SOLID WASTE BOARD, THE BIGGEST SAVE FOR THE TOWN IS IF WE REALLY START TO LOOK AT EDUCATION OF RECYCLING IN TOTAL, NOT JUST FOOD SCRAPS, BUT PAPER AND GLASS AND, AND, AND BOTTLES.
'CAUSE WE THAT WE DON'T PAY FOR FOOD SCRAPS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WE'RE PAYING FOR THE DISPOSAL UNLESS AT SOME POINT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF AN AREA WHERE WE COULD TAKE CARE OF THE MATERIAL OURSELVES.
AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR RECYCLING YARD FOR SOME TIME.
IT REALLY HASN'T GAINED TOO MUCH TRACTION.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO ONE WANTS IT IN THEIR AREA.
YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD LIKE IT, BUT JUST NOT IN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND.
THESE ARE THINGS WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU A QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE PILOT, IF WE DID SAY LIMITED TO SAY 200 PEOPLE MM-HMM.
A MAJOR, WHY? WHY WOULD BE THE, SO THE TRUCKS ARE GONNA HAVE TO GET DIVERTED TO, TO DO THIS PILOT.
AND WE WOULD PROBABLY SET IT UP, I THINK SIMILAR TO THE WAY SCARSDALE DOES IT.
BUT WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO THOSE TRUCKS AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THE REGULAR GARBAGE WOULD STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE.
SO WE WOULD'VE TO OFFSET POSSIBLY WITH SEASONAL HELP ON THE REGULAR TRUCKS AND THEN HAVE SEASONED SANITATION EMPLOYEES THAT KNOW THE TOWN GO AND DO THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOOD SCRAP PICKUP.
BUT IS THAT LIKE
UM, BUT THERE IS A COST WE WOULD HAVE TO GET MORE INTO THE WEEDS ON WHAT THE COST IS.
YOU'D HAVE TO DEDICATE A TRUCK.
WELL, BECAUSE WHAT I'M SORT OF WONDERING IS WOULD IT MAKE SENSE AS A PILOT TO BREAK UP THE, YOU KNOW, TO TEST IT OUT IN DIFFERENT AREAS AT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT MONTHS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD TAKE, SAY EDGEMONT ONE MONTH, YOU COULD TAKE PARTS OF PARKWAY GARDENS ANOTHER MONTH.
YOU COULD TAKE EAST IRVINGTON ANOTHER MONTH AND THEN SORT OF GET, GET A, SO THIS WAY PEOPLE COULD TEST IT OUT AND THEN WE COULD ALSO PUBLIC PUBLICIZE WHERE THE CONTAINERS ARE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST START TRYING IT AND DO THAT FOR SORT OF, UH, MAYBE THE FIRST YEAR, THEN THE SECOND YEAR.
YOU KNOW, SEE IF, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO GO FULL STEAM AHEAD.
SO I THINK IS IT POSSIBLE JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND MAYBE THAT YOU AND SUPERVISOR CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND GET MORE ONCE YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT BRIAN IS NOW DOING SOME RESEARCH.
YOU ARE ALSO DOING SOME RESEARCH, I THINK WHEN YOU FULL HAVE A FULL PACKAGE.
WHEN YOU STILL HAVE A FULL PACKAGE AND ALL YOUR INFORMATION'S TOGETHER, YOU CAN COME BACK AND PRESENT IT TO US.
YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK, I THINK WE'RE JUST WORKING, YOU KNOW, WITH YEAH.
AND BRIAN AND CHELSEA ARE DOING THAT HEAVY LIFT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW, SO WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN FOR INTERVIEWS NOW.
AND I, AND I APOLOGIZE AND I APOLOGIZE.
DO YOU HAVE THE AGENDAS FOR THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS? HE HAS A, THERE'S ONLY TWO.
ANY THEY THEY'RE COMING IN FOR, FOR THE INTERVIEW.
PAUL, COULD YOU SHARE IT SO WE KNOW? YES.
ARE WE GOING TO POSTPONE THEN TO THE NEXT MEETING? YES.
NEXT, THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING, INCREASE, UH, DISCREET FUNDING FOR THE NEXT STEPS.
UM, WE BASICALLY, UH, YOU INDICATED THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO, UM, UM, DO THAT UNTIL WE HAVE MORE DATA.
IS THAT BASICALLY YEAH, I, I BELIEVE IN THE PAST AND THE CLERK, UM, AFTER, I'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH HER, SHE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I HAD THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE REPORTS GIVEN TO THE BOARD BEFORE VOTING ON THE SCREEN AMOUNTS.
AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE INFORMATION, WE HAVE NO DATA, IT'S BEEN COLLECTED.
UH, THE STATE IN THE PAST IS GIVING US DATA AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY KNOW EXACTLY THE IMPACTS IT'LL BE FOR EACH MUNICIPALITY.
AND WAS INTERESTING TO LEARN THAT THE MANY, MANY MUNICIPALITIES WENT TO 40,000, SOME WENT TO 50,000 EXCEPT FOR YONKERS.
AND I BELIEVE ONE OTHER MUNICIPALITY THAT WENT TO 50,000.
IT TURNS OUT THEY HAD NO ELIGIBLE PEOPLE.
SO IT WAS, YES, IT'S GREAT THEY WENT TO 50,000, BUT IT DIDN'T CROSS THEM ANYTHING.
SO WE NEED TO GET THAT ANALYSIS.
[01:40:01]
MAKE, I DON'T WANNA SAY START, BUT, UM, IN MANY RESPECTS IT START WE NEED TO, TO MAKE DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, FEEL GOOD DECISIONS.IT WAS FAIRLY THOROUGH AND, YOU KNOW, I PUT THAT IN AN EMAIL, BUT IT'S STILL ON THE AGENDA HERE.
COMMUNITY SOLAR, THE R F P GARRETT AND LARGER, SORRY, THAT WAIT FOR A LOT LATER.
SO THANKFULLY DRY TOPIC AFTER THE INTENSITY OF THE THREE MONTHS
UM, SO WHEN WE MET TWO WEEKS AGO, THE TOWN BOARD HAD ASKED IF, UM, WE COULD DO SOME MORE DUE DILIGENCE, FIND OUT IF THERE'S OTHER ENTITIES THAT WOULD HAVE INTEREST IN ASSISTING THE TOWN WITH ITS SOLAR NEEDS, UH, AND SOLAR DESIRES ON MUNICIPAL PROPERTIES.
SO SINCE THAT TIME WE PUT OUT WHAT'S CALLED A REQUEST FOR INTEREST.
AND IT WAS A ONE-PAGER, WHICH I SHARED WITH THE BOARD, AND ESSENTIALLY GAVE THE BUILDING BLOCKS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MUNICIPAL SITES WITH ROOF SPACE, UH, SOME PARKING LOT SPACE, UM, AND DIDN'T REQUEST ACTUAL PROPOSALS.
WE REALLY WANTED TO JUST GET AN UNDERSTANDING ARE THERE ENTITIES OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD HELP AND PROVIDE INFORMATION.
UM, SO WE POSTED THIS R F I ON THE NEW YORK STATE CONTRACT REPORTER AND WITHIN ONE WEEK WE GOT SIX RESPONSES FROM COMPANIES, UM, THAT KIND OF ARE ALL IN, THEY DO EVERY ASPECT OF SOLAR, WHETHER IT'S PLANNING COMMUNITY, SOLAR, UM, DEVELOP SOLAR, EVEN ASSIST WITH RFPS FOR SOLAR.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY, UH, AN ARRAY OF, UH, COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT CAN ASSIST.
AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS I'M LEARNING A LOT EACH DAY.
YOU KNOW, I DID HAVE SOME TIME I SPOKE TO, UM, V UH, TOWN OFFICIALS IN MOUNT PLEASANT GOT AN UNDERSTANDING FOR WHAT THEY DID AT THEIR SITE.
THEY WORKED WITH SOMETHING CALLED CONED SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE SAME ENTITY THAT I SET THE TOWN UP WITH ON THE BEST.
SO IT'S KIND OF THE SAME PEOPLE.
I CALLED THEM UP, THEY SAID, ABSOLUTELY WE DO SOLAR.
I'VE GOT A CALL INTO THE CITY OF WHITE PLAINS WHO WORKED WITH NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY AND IS DOING A LOT OF SOLAR ON THEIR MUNICIPAL PROPERTIES.
SO I'M CONTINUALLY LEARNING A LOT THE SIX FIRMS THAT RESPONDED TO THIS R F I, UM, I'M GONNA SET UP TIME TO SPEAK WITH THEM, GET AN UNDERSTANDING FOR WHAT THEY'VE SEEN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND LASTLY, UM, I'M ALSO SORT OF LEARNING THAT WE MAY NOT NEED SORT OF A, I DON'T WANNA PUT IT THIS WAY, BUT A MIDDLEMAN.
UM, WE MAY BE ABLE TO JUST ISSUE AN R F P FROM THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, WITH TOWN LETTERHEAD, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME SAVINGS THERE.
UM, SO THERE'S KIND OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO GO ABOUT THIS.
I'M LEARNING MORE ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND I THINK I JUST NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO KIND OF CONTINUE LEARNING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I I DO THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY IT MIGHT JUST BE THAT WE CAN ISSUE A R F P DIRECT FROM THE TOWN.
WHEN YOU SAY A LITTLE MORE TIME, WHAT'S A LITTLE MORE TIME? CAN I ASK? I'D SAY A MONTH PERHAPS.
AND ALSO I, I, I WOULDN'T WANNA BOX THE TOWN INTO A LEASE DEAL.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS GREAT TO, UM, NOT HAVE COST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE ECONOMICAL FOR THE TOWN IN THE LONG RUN.
SO I, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S WRONG TO POTENTIALLY HAVE THIS EQUIPMENT LEASED ON THE ROOF, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE YOU SHOULD BOX YOURSELVES INTO THAT.
AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THE M O U SAID, HEY, LET'S GO OUT AND FIND SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO LEASE.
'CAUSE BASICALLY THAT ENTITY'S GONNA REAP THE FISCAL BENEFITS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT MAKES SENSE.
I ALSO THINK, AND I SAID THIS LAST TIME, UH, FUNDING SOURCES, IF THERE'S GRANTS THAT SHOULD BE WORKED INTO THE EQUATION EQUATION.
SO THE R F P THAT GOES OUT SHOULD REALLY BE GRANT FOCUSED.
UM, IF WE COULD GET A MILLION DOLLARS OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE ON A $2.5 MILLION INSTALLATION, UM, TO ME, HOW COULD WE NOT? SO THOSE, THAT'S, THAT'S MY RESEARCH.
UM, ROGER'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
AND I, YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE PAPERWORK BOOK TOGETHER.
UM, HAVE, HAVE YOU GUYS READ THE, UH MM-HMM.
WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, TWO MONTHS AGO, OH, BY THE WAY, BIG THANKS TO GARRETT FOR FINDING TIME TO POST, UH, THE CRITERIA ON THE NEW YORK STATE REPORTER.
UH, WE DID GET TWO DOCUMENTS BACK AND WE DID, UH, I DID WEB RESEARCH ON ALL THE OTHER RESPONDENTS.
UM, SO I THINK, UM, WE STARTED OUT WITH SOME WORK, UH, WITH SUSTAINABLE.
WESTCHESTER HAD A COUPLE OF, WE A COUPLE OF MONTHS ALREADY LOOKED AT SOME SITES.
WE DISCUSSED THE SITES, AND THEN I THINK THERE WAS A QUITE REASONABLE CONCERN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING THE WORK TO SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND HOW A LOT OF RESIDENTS WITH LARGE ELECTRICITY BILLS PERHAPS WOULD, MIGHT ROLL THEIR EYES A BIT AT THAT.
[01:45:01]
I SAID I'D TAKE, UH, TWO WEEKS TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND COME BACK AND SEE WHAT COULD BE SOME, SOME ALTERNATIVES.WHAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING ON TO DATE WAS A, UH, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, SO, UH, NOT A COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION.
SO WE HAVEN'T COME HERE BEFORE AND ASKED FOR A BUDGET FOR THE TOWN TO HIRE CONSULTANTS.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIG DECISION POINTS NOW IS, UH, DO WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FINDING BUDGET, UM, AND THEN CHOOSING A CHARGEABLE, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT.
DO WE WANT TO USE A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION? UM, UH, THE, I HAVE A LARGE MEASURE OF URGENCY ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
I'M VERY MUCH AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY, EVERY MONTH THAT GOES BY WE'RE, WE'RE BASICALLY PERPETUATING MORE FOSSIL FUEL EMISSIONS, RIGHT? NOT TO SAY WE SHOULD HURRY SOMETHING, BUT THAT TO MAKE A BAD DECISION.
BUT THE DECISION WE'RE MAKING RIGHT NOW IS TO GET STARTED, TO GET STARTED IN R F P PROCESS.
UM, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, THIS IS A TOWN R F P, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, I THINK, UM, UH, THIS WAS RAISED BEFORE WHEN WE TALKED ONE MONTH BACK.
I MEAN, THE TOWN OWNS THE R F P AND SO GARRETT'S LEADERSHIP EXACTLY.
LEADERSHIP OF RICHARD AND OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS IS GONNA BE ESSENTIAL.
SO THE DECISION WE'RE MAKING IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF TECHNICAL ADVICE WE WANNA BRING TO BEAR.
WE'RE NOT MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT WHETHER WE SHOULD LEASE NOT MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE R F P, BUT IT'S LIKE, SHOULD WE GET GOING WITH A NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH? OR DO WE WANT TO FIND BUDGET MONEY FOR A COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION? 'CAUSE NO, NOT-FOR-PROFITS CAME BACK FROM THE, UM, WAS IT THE NEW YORK STATE REPORTER CONTRACT REPORTER, RIGHT? NO, NO.
NOT-FOR-PROFITS CAME BACK AND THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS THAT I REACHED OUT TO.
AND YOU'VE GOT THE LIST ON THE SECOND PAGE AND MANY OF YOU GAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THAT.
UM, UH, HAVE NOT REALLY RESPONDED QUITE CANDIDLY.
I'VE PUT IN SOME CALLS TO, UH, MARVIN, UH, KEN, THREE DIFFERENT CALLS TO HIM AND MM-HMM
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE 2020 ODD THOUSAND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, MAYBE 7,000 OUR SIZE, IT'S A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES PLUS MANY OTHER PEOPLE LOOKING AT SOLO.
I THINK THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF EXPERTISE QUITE CANDIDLY.
UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE OPTIONS TONIGHT ARE REALLY, I THINK YOU, AS YOU THINK ABOUT THEM, WE THINK ABOUT, WELL, WHAT'S THE COST OF DEAL OF NOT GOING FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, WE'RE TOO AVAILABLE.
UM, TURNS OUT THAT THE CONSULTANT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LEO WEGMAN, WHO MANY OF YOU'VE GOT TO MEET, UH, IS ALSO COULD WORK FOR Q 100.
HE'S ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF Q 100.
HE ACTUALLY WOULD END UP DOING A FAIR AMOUNT OF EXTRA WORK, EXTRA HOURS, BUT HE SEEMS QUITE COMMITTED TO DO THAT OUTSIDE OF HIS SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO WE CAN MAINTAIN, UM, THE MOMENTUM, THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE ALREADY, NOT HAVE TO RETRAIN SOMEONE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANY MONEY OR FIND A BUDGET, WHICH MIGHT TAKE TIME TO, UM, AND I THINK HE'S VERY EXPERT.
I REALLY THINK HE'S VERY EXPERT.
UM, I ALSO TALKED TO ALEX DUNN OF THE GREENBERG NATURE CENTER, AND SHE HAS GOOD MEASURE OF R F P EXPERIENCE.
YES, SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU, JEN.
I WAS LOOKING OUT FOR YOU EARLIER.
I'M SO DELIGHTED WE GET A CHANCE TO MEET IN PERSON,
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, ALEX IS AN EXPERT IN WATER QUALITY, IS IN WATER QUALITY, BUT DOING AN R F P MAKING AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT SHE KNOWS WELL HOW TO DO.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY RUN MANY, MANY RFPS IN MY PROFESSION TOO.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, DO WE FEEL WE SHOULD CHANGE FROM A NOT-FOR-PROFIT APPROACH TO A FOR-PROFIT APPROACH? IF SO, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A BUDGET FOR THAT? AND WHAT DOES IT COST IN TERMS OF DELAY AND MONEY TO GET ON A FOR-PROFIT APPROACH? AND I APPRECIATE GARRETT OFFERING TO DO SOME MORE LEGWORK IF WE GO DOWN THAT APPROACH.
AND I'D CERTAINLY BE HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT.
UM, MY OWN VIEW IS THAT TIDE MATTERS HERE.
IT MATTERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, IT MATTERS FOR OUR PLANET.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE A TRULY EXPERT PERSON AND WE CAN AWARD THE WORK TO CURE 100 TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT WE HAD AROUND SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
SO I THINK ONE OPTION IS TO GO WITH CURE 100 WITH LEO WEGMAN, UH, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND PICK, UH, TAKE UP ALEX'S OFFER TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW AND JOIN THAT TEAM.
AND THEN THE OTHER PATH WHICH WOULD TAKE LONGER AND COST MONEY, UM, FROM THE, FROM, I DUNNO WHAT BUDGET YOU HAVE.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'D GET ABOUT BETTER WORK PRODUCT.
I REALLY DON'T THINK WE'D GET A BETTER WORK PRODUCT.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE R F P AND THE STRUCTURE OF IT, AND THAT, THAT REALLY IS WHAT WE START ON AS SOON AS WE DECIDED
[01:50:01]
WHO THE TEAM IS IS GONNA RUN IT.I, AS I SEE IT, YOU WANNA COME BACK.
SO, YEAH, THE ONLY THING I, I GUESS I'M UNCLEAR ON THOUGH IS, UH,
I MEAN, IF YEAH, HE'S GOING TO ASSIST, UM, NOT WITH A, YOU KNOW, 1%.
IF A DEAL HAPPENS, UM, THEN YEAH, I'D SAY LET'S, LET'S WORK WITH HIM STARTING LIKE YESTERDAY.
BUT I MEAN THE, THE M O U THAT WAS SET UP WITH SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER WAS 1% OF, YOU KNOW, THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE GLEANING OFF 1% OF, YOU KNOW, REVENUE FROM ENERGY, UM, THAT'S NOT GOING TO THE TOWN.
UM, BUT THAT OTHER AGREEMENT, SO IT'S NOT FREE.
SO I IMAGINE CURE 100, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S LIKE 0.75% OR FIVE, I BE A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT.
5% THINK IT'D BE A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, I GUESS I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S EVEN NECESSARY.
IF WE CAN ISSUE AN R F P AND THERE'S ENOUGH EXPERTISE OUT THERE TO KIND OF REVIEW, YOU KNOW, RESPONSES, UM, I JUST DON'T NEED EVEN KNOW IF WE NEED SOMEBODY THAT MAYBE THEY'RE WORKING FOR FREE ON THE FRONT END, BUT TO HELP US JUST REVIEW THE R F P, BUT THEN KNOWING THEY'RE GONNA TRY AND GLEAN 1% OF THE WHOLE PROJECT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT COMPLEX TO BE HONEST.
I I, YOU KNOW, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE, WE DON'T WANT TO ADD ANY MORE POLLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, HOWEVER, WE'VE GONE DOWN THE ROAD THIS FAR, I THINK A, A MONTH FOR GARRETT TO DO HIS DUE DILIGENCE.
UM, SO, SO FOR THE, ASK A QUESTION HERE, GARETH.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS WILL DO THE WORK FOR NO COST TO THE TOWN AND NO COST TO THE DEVELOPER? NO.
I'M SAYING I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WORKING, UM, WITH TOWN STAFF, WE COULD ISSUE AN R F P AND GET RESPONSES AND WADE THROUGH THEM, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S A FREE TECHNICAL ADVISOR AT THAT MOMENT.
BUT THEN IF WE ULTIMATELY WORK WITH FIRM A TO INSTALL THE SOLAR, THAT THAT TECHNICAL ADVISOR GETS 1% OF THE WHOLE PROJECT COST, IT'S LIKE A MIDDLE PERSON THAT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE THERE.
OH, SO YOU DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE TECHNICAL ADVICE? IT'S A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW, I GUESS.
UH, YEAH, UNLESS THEY'RE FREE.
I MEAN, I, IN A PERFECT WORLD SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER, WHATEVER THEIR FUNDING MECHANISM IS, THEY'D BE HELPING ALL COMMUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER TO WADE THROUGH RFPS WITHOUT GLEANING, GLEANING, GLEANING OFF 1% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET.
SO HE BASICALLY, I'M NOT, I'M NOT AGAINST THAT.
HE'S BASICALLY SAYING THAT WE DON'T NEED THAT, THAT HE NEEDS A MONTH.
UH, IN A MONTH HE COULD DO ALL THE WORK THAT LEO WOULD DO.
UH, BUT, AND THERE'D BE NO COST TO THE TOWN.
BUT WHEN I SPOKE TO GARY, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU EARLIER, YOU KNOW, MY GUT FEELING IS, LET'S SAY WE SAID, OKAY, YOU HAVE A MONTH BECAUSE YOUR FRUSTRATION IS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR MONTHS AND NOTHING'S HAPPENED.
SO WHAT IF WE WOULD SAY IN AGREEMENT, SAY WE COULD GIVE GARRETT A MONTH AND SAY THE FIRST MEETING IN JULY, IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WORKING ON ODELL HOUSE, YOU'RE WORKING ON ALL THE SIDEWALKS, OR YOU'RE WORKING OUT ON ALL THESE OTHER INITIATIVES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TONS OF WORK AND YOU DO, I THINK, AND I MENTIONED IT TO, UH, UM, TO ROGER IN THE MORNING, I SAID, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE WORLD OF YOU, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THE BEST, UH, PUBLIC SERVANTS WE HAD.
I SAID THAT YOU DID BE BEHIND YOUR BACK.
SO GARRETT, IS THAT REASONABLE? IS THAT 30 DAYS REASONABLE? IF YOU CAN'T, WE HAVE TEMPLATE RFP.
IF YOU COULD DO IT IN A MONTH, THEN I'D SAY IT'S WORTH GIVING YOU THE FIRST SHOT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF IT TAKES LONGER THAN A MONTH, THEN I'D SAY THEN THE TOWN BOARD SHOULD SAY, OKAY, WE GAVE YOU A MONTH.
UM, UM, UNDERPAID, OVERWORKED, UH, AND UM, AND SO, AND, AND BASICALLY THEN WE WOULD GO OUT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OKAY, THEN WE COULD GO OUT TO BID.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S FAIR? NO, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST, I AGAIN, AGAIN, UNDERSTANDABLY UNDER, AND AGAIN, I, I UNDERSTAND ALL THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE GARRETT SAID YES, THAT 30 DAYS WOULD WORK WITH HIM, WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS GOING ON.
AND YES, WE DO, ALL OF US DO AGREE THAT YOU ARE A GREAT EMPLOYEE AND A GREAT ACCESS TO ASSET TO THE TOWN.
BUT I HONESTLY, AND EVERYONE KNOWS ME, I GOTTA KEEP MOVING THIS ON.
WE, WE, WE JUST, WE JUST HAVE PEOPLE SITTING OUT HERE THAT HAS BEEN HERE FOREVER.
I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR.
I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I HONESTLY KNOW THAT, UM, ARE WE ISSUING AN R F P NOW IN 30 DAYS OR ARE WE NO, GARRETT'S GOING TO BE, GARRETT'S GOING TO BE WORKING.
SO IF YOU MEET WITH GARRETT, HE'S GOING TO BE WORKING OUR PROCESS AND COMING UP WITH THE R P, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT AN R F P TO THE TOWN BOARD, GET THE GREEN LIGHT FROM THE TOWN BOARD TO ISSUE THAT R F P.
[01:55:01]
SO WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT R F P IN A MONTH.LEAST IS, UH, THE FARMER'S MARKET.
SO I KNOW THERE WAS POTENTIALLY SOME DISCUSSION OF NOT HAVING THE FARMER'S MARKET.
OH, HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD.
SO AS I WAS SAYING, I, I HEARD THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OF POTENTIALLY NOT HAVING THE FARMER'S MARKET ON ELM STREET, BUT INSTEAD ON JULY.
UM, HOWEVER, IF IT IS ON TOWN PROPERTY, WE WOULD REQUIRE INSURANCE, WHICH I KNOW BOB HAD SENT OVER AN UPDATED, UH, INSURANCE CERTIFICATE EARLIER TODAY, WHICH I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW YET.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY IF THE BOARD'S MOVING FORWARD WITH HAVING IT ON TOWN PROPERTY, EVEN IF IT IS ON ELM STREET AS OPPOSED TO ON, YOU KNOW, OUR PROPERTY HERE OR ANY OTHER PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF THE STREET, I WOULD ASK THAT WE WORK ON A CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S ALL DONE PROPERLY.
AND BOB, I SAW YOUR EMAIL THAT THERE WAS A DELAY OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT LAST YEAR, I'M SURE IF THAT, IF THE BOARD WANTED US TO PROCEED AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING, THAT WE COULD WORK OUT LANGUAGE THAT SATISFIES ALL PARTIES.
UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE, UH, AT LAST WEEK'S WORK SESSION, WHEN I WASN'T, WHEN I WASN'T HERE, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY SAID THAT HE WOULD REACH OUT TO ME AND GET THESE ISSUES RESOLVED, UM, BEFORE THIS WORK SESSION TONIGHT.
I WASN'T HERE, I ONLY WATCHED THE TAPE AND, AND UH, I WATCHED, I THOUGHT PRETTY CAREFULLY.
AND SO I WAITED TO HEAR FROM THE TOWN ATTORNEY AND, YOU KNOW, WE GET ALONG, WE, WE WORK ON OTHER THINGS, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
UH, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM.
UH, SO FINALLY I REACHED OUT TO HIM, UM, AND I SENT OVER THE INSURANCE CERTIFICATE.
UH, AND I ALSO RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE ISSUE OF, OF WHETHER A CONTRACT IS REQUIRED NOW, UH, A CONTRACT WAS REQUIRED WHEN LAST YEAR, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT WAS ON TOWN HALL PROPERTY WHERE THE, WHERE THE FARMER'S MARKET WAS TO BE HELD.
YOU EVEN HAD AN R F P, UH, TO, TO, UH, SOLICIT INTEREST IN HAVING A FARMER'S MARKET SPONSORED BY THE TOWN ON TOWN HALL PROPERTY.
THIS IS AN INITIATIVE THAT IS NOT SPONSORED BY THE TOWN.
IT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT CAME FROM RESIDENTS.
UH, COINCIDENTALLY, UH, THE MARKET MANAGER, UH, AND PEOPLE INVOLVED IN LAST YEAR'S FARMER'S MARKET WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITHOUT THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE TOWN MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY CAME UP WITH THIS CONCEPT OF HAVING A FARMER'S MARKET THAT APPEALED, UH, THAT THAT THAT IS INTENDED, UH, TO ADDRESS THE FOOD INSECURITY ISSUES OF PEOPLE ON MANHATTAN AVENUE AND IN PARTICULAR, UH, IN, IN, IN, UH, ON, ON THAT, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SO THAT RESIDENTS LIVE THERE WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY AT RISK, WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO GO, THEY COULD WALK TO, TO GET FRESH FOOD FROM FARMS. AND THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENCOURAGE THAT.
UH, SO AMONG THE THINGS I ALSO SENT OVER TO JOE WAS LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM SOME OF TWO OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENCOURAGED THAT.
SO IS THERE A CONTRACT REQUIRED? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH, THIS IS A, ON A PUBLIC STREET, UH, YOU DON'T REQUIRE, UH, UH, WHEN YOU CLOSE PUBLIC STREETS, UH, UM, UH, OTHER PEOPLE TO HAVE TO GET CONTRACTS WITH THE TOWN.
IF THEY HAPPEN TO SELL SOMETHING ON A PUBLIC STREET, UH, UH, THERE IS NOTHING IN THE TOWN CODE THAT CALLS FOR A CONTRACT WITH, UH, UH, THE PERSON PUTTING ON OR, OR COLLECTING THE, GATHERING THESE VENDORS TO PERFORM THIS PUBLIC SERVICE.
WHEN KIDS PUT UP LEMONADE STANDS ON TOWN RIGHTS OF WAY, YOU DON'T REQUIRE THAT THEY ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE TOWN.
UH, WHEN PEOPLE, UH, WHEN WHEN STREETS ARE CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE TOWN FROM TIME TO TIME FOR, FOR, UH, UH, BLOCK PARTIES.
BLOCK PARTIES AND WHAT LIKE THAT PEO THINGS ARE SOLD ALL THE TIME AT THOSE THINGS.
UH, AND INCLUDING FOOD, BAKE SALES, WHAT HAVE YOU.
YOU DON'T REQUIRE CONTRACTS WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
NOW, UH, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED A CONTRACT.
I JUST THINK THE ONLY QUESTION THAT, THAT I HAVE VIS-A-VIS THE EXAMPLES YOU'VE GIVEN MM-HMM.
THIS IS, THIS IS RE REQUESTING THAT THE, THE STREET BE CLOSED WEEKLY
[02:00:01]
FOR SIX MONTHS.SO THERE, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE SO THAT IT'S, IT'S KIND OF APPLES TO ORANGES IN THAT RESPECT.
IF YOU HAD A TOWN CODE PROVISION THAT CALLED FOR THAT, AND MAYBE YOU WANT TO CREATE LEGISLATION, UH, ON FARMERS' MARKETS AND CLOSING, UH, STREETS FOR THAT PURPOSE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IN YOUR CODE.
I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WELL, I, I WANNA, BUT I, I, LOOK, I, I DID COME PREPARED FOR THIS MEETING EVEN THOUGH I HAD TO WAIT AN HOUR AND A HALF FOR IT.
UM, THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU DO HAVE IN YOUR CODE THAT ARE IMPORTANT THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR HERE.
NOT A CONTRACT, BUT YOU DO HAVE SOMETHING IRONICALLY IN THE CODE CALLED THE THE PEDDLERS AND AND SOLICITORS SECTION.
I DUNNO HOW MANY OF YOU CAME PREPARED TO DISCUSS THAT TONIGHT.
BUT I'M BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANNA HAVE HAPPENED IS I DON'T WANT THIS FARMER'S MARKET TO GO FORWARD SERVING THE PEOPLE WHO MOST NEED IT AND THEN HAVE THE TOWN ACTING IN SPITE TO GO AND ISSUE SUMMONSES TO EACH OF THE VENDORS FOR NOT HAVING A PEDDLERS LICENSE.
BUT IT IS IN YOUR CODE AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY YOU WON'T DO IT BECAUSE LEMME TELL YOU WHAT YOUR CODE SAYS.
YOUR CODE SAYS THAT ANYONE WHO SELLS FOOD, INCLUDING FROM A FARM, FRESH FARM FOOD ON A PUBLIC STREET IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG MUST HAVE A PEDDLER'S LICENSE ISSUED BY THE TOWN BEFORE THEY MAY DO SO.
NOW I REALIZE THAT PROBABLY IS AN ANTIQUATED THING, BUT IF, IF THIS FARMER'S MARKET GOES FORWARD AS I THINK IT SHOULD, AND I THINK YOU ALL LIKE THE IDEA OF IT, THE LAST THING WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IS FOR THOSE VENDORS WHO ARE NOT FOR-PROFITS COMING IN TO SERVE PEOPLE IN NEED TO BE SIT WITH SUMMONSES FOR NOT HAVING A PEDDLER'S LICENSE.
I THINK YOU PRESUME, JOEL DID YOU WANNA, DID YOU WANNA ADD? I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WAITING TO SPEAK.
I I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT LAST WEEK I DID NOT SAY I'D REACH OUT TO YOU BEFORE THIS WEEK'S MEETING.
I SAID A PROGRESS REPORT COULD BE GIVEN ONE WEEK FROM TODAY.
THERE'S DEFINITELY A DISTINCTION WITH THOSE TWO COMMENTS AND I KNOW THAT IN THE MEANTIME, A ACCOUNT OFFICIAL HAD SENT PROPOSED UPDATED LANGUAGE TO THE LIABILITY INSURANCE AND THAT HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO YOU.
SO TO SAY THERE'S BEEN NO PROGRESS AT ALL, I THINK IS INCORRECT.
BUT ALSO LAST WEEK AT THIS TIME WE FOUND OUT THAT THE PLAN WAS TO NOT HAVE THE FARMER'S MARKET ACTUALLY OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN RIGHT OF WAY AND TOWN AREA ALTOGETHER, BUT ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE ON THE ROAD.
I BELIEVE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS LEARNED THAT.
DID I AGREE THAT NIGHT AS WELL.
UM, SO, SO IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE TOWN CODE HAS TO SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT A CONTRACT IS ESSENTIAL.
I THINK IT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE TOWN BOARD WHO WILL BE VOTING ON A STREET CLOSURE AND ANY OTHER MATTERS TO REQUIRE A CONTRACT.
I I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT AN ARGUMENT AMONGST US.
I THINK THAT IF THE BOARD WANTS TO PROCEED WITH THIS, WE COULD WORK OUT SOMETHING THAT IS AGREEABLE TO ALL PARTIES.
UM, AND, AND, AND I, AND I WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO SAY THAT IF THIS WAS NOT OCCURRING ON ELM STREET BUT INSTEAD OCCURRING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, ALL OF THESE ISSUES WOULD BE CONSIDERED MO IMMEDIATELY.
AND I, I KNOW I PERSONALLY WILL BE GOING, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE FARMER'S MARKET OCCURS THERE, IF IT OCCURS SOMEWHERE ELSE, I'LL PERSONALLY BE ATTENDING TO SUPPORT IT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST EASIER IF, IF WE MOVE IT TO THAT PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THAT'S NOT, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BEING CONSIDERED.
YEAH, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, WHAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
IT'S NOT BEING MOVED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WHEN DID, WHEN WAS IT, WHEN DID IT MOVE OFF OF PRIVATE PROPERTY? IT NEVER WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T AUTHORIZE ELM STREET TO BE USED, EXCUSE ME.
THE, THE, THE PERSON MAKING THE APPLICATION PUT THIS PROPOSAL TOGETHER AND HAS ALWAYS INTENDED IT TO BE ON ELM STREET AND THAT STREET WAS TO BE CLOSED AND PARKING FOR THE FACILITY OR FOR THE OPERATION WAS SECURED FROM MARK SOJA AND OTHER PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS.
NOT TO HAVE THE MARKET ON THEIR PROPERTY, BUT TO ALLOW PARKING FOR IT TO BE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THAT WAS WAS JUST CLEAR THERE WAS A CLEAR MISCOMMUNICATION BECAUSE THAT, THAT WASN'T WHAT WE THOUGHT.
'CAUSE I WATCHED THE MEETING MM-HMM.
IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE I HAD BEEN GETTING COMMUNICATIONS THROUGHOUT ON THIS MM-HMM.
SO I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION, BUT IT WAS CLEARED UP AT LAST WEEK'S MEETING MM-HMM.
[02:05:02]
MY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE MY NAME WAS INVOKED, WAS THAT I WOULD BE RECEIVING A CALL AND THAT IF A CONTRACT WAS REQUIRED, WE WOULD WORK IT OUT QUICKLY TO SO THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DELAY.BECAUSE DELAY WAS THE THING THAT HURT THE MARKET LAST YEAR IN ITS LAUNCH BECAUSE GETTING VENDORS TO COMMIT WHEN THERE'S UNCERTAINTY CREATES THE PROBLEM.
AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TRY TO PIN THE DELAY ON, ON, ON, UH, THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE LAST YEAR, UH, AS ONE OF YOU DID.
I WON'T REVISIT IT AS I WON'T I WALK AGAIN.
I JUST SAID I'M NOT GOING THERE SOMETHING THE BEGINNING OF MAY.
I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD LIKE THE REASON I TOOK THE TIME TO COME TONIGHT AND TO SIT THROUGH AN HOUR AND A HALF OF WAITING TIME, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CALLED FOR SIX 15 MM-HMM.
WELL YOU CLEARLY SAW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE, BUT I'D LIKE FOR YOU, ALONG FOR YOU TO DO TO, TO ACCOMPLISH TONIGHT IS TO MOVE THE BALL FORWARD.
I DON'T SEE A NEED FOR A CONTRACT.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A, UH, A TOWN SPONSORED EVENT.
THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL WANTING TO HOLD A PUBLIC INTEREST THING, UH, ON, ON, ON A PUBLIC STREET.
UH, THE TOWN ALLOWS FOR PUBLIC STREET SALES OF FOOD IN ITS CODE.
IT DOESN'T SAY IT HAS TO BE A ONE-OFF.
IT COULD BE ANYBODY DOING, IF YOU GET A LICENSE, YOU COULD DO IT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THE LICENSE LASTS.
WHEN YOU DO THE FARMER'S MARKET IN HARTSDALE, YOUR HISTORY OF THAT WAS YOU WOULD DO RESOLUTIONS, UM, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERVISOR TO ISSUE PEDDLER'S LICENSES TO THE, TO THE, UH, VENDORS.
BUT THERE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THEM.
SO YOU WOULD DO THOSE, BUT THAT WAS ON A TOWN SPONSORED FARMER'S MARKET.
SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU, IF YOU NEEDED TO DO ANYTHING AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE TOWN CODE'S PROVISION ON PEDLER AND LICENSES, I WOULD RECOMMEND A RESOLUTION, UH, WAIVING ANY FEES ON THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED FOR ADLER'S LICENSE FOR THOSE VENDORS WHO ARE COMING TO THE TOWN TO, FOR THAT PURPOSE.
SO LET ME JUST ASK ONE QUESTION.
SO FOR SIX MONTHS EVERY WEEK, UM, THE CLEANUP, THE TOTAL CLEANUP WOULD BE DONE BY THE FARMER'S MARKET OF THE STREET AFTER ALL THE VENDORS HAD PACKED UP AND LEFT.
AND THE GARBAGE DISPOSED OF, AND EVERY ASPECT THAT JUST, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO INVOLVE OUR D P W, JUST LIKE YOU AND OUR POLICE IN TERMS OF ACCESS, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST WELL, THE POLICE, SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE HAVE TO THE POLICE NEED TO CLOSE THE ROAD.
IT'S A ROAD THAT CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW IS, IS NOT HEAVILY TRAFFICKED.
IT'S BASICALLY USED FOR PEOPLE PARKING THEIR TRUCKS, UM, WHICH IS AN ISSUE, UH, UH, ALSO, BUT, UH, IT IS, UH, THE, THE, IT BE TREATED THE SAME WAY.
YOU EXPECT OTHER PEOPLE WHOSE STREETS ARE CLOSED FOR BLOCK PARTIES AND, AND THE LIKE THAT THAT, UH, UH, THE VENDOR OR THE PERSON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER NEEDS TO CLEAN IT UP BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT CLEANED UP, I CAN ASSURE YOU THE THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ARE GONNA SAY, NO, YOU MAY NOT PARK YOUR CARS HERE.
I DON'T WANT THAT VISITED IN FRONT OF MY, UH, UH, PROPERTY ANY LONGER BECAUSE YOU MADE A MESS.
UH, AND, UH, THE TOWN ALWAYS CAN RESERVE THE RIGHT TO NOT ALLOW THE STREET TO BE CLOSED IF THERE'S A MESS THAT'S WITHIN YOUR DISCRETION.
OKAY, THAT'S CONTRACT FOR THAT.
BUT YOU NEED A CONTRACT FOR THAT.
NO, YOU DON'T NEED A CONTRACT FOR THAT.
YOU CAN DO, UH, UH, UH, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT GOES.
UM, BUT YOU DON'T NEED A CONTRACT TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO CLEAN UP, UH, AFTER THEMSELVES UNLESS YOU REQUIRE EVERYONE TO GET A CONTRACT.
WHEN, WHEN BLOCK PARTIES ARE HELD AND YOU CLOSE THE STREETS, DO YOU ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION AGAIN? IT'S IT'S WEEKLY FOR SIX MONTHS.
SO DO IT ON A ONE SHE'S RUNNING A BUSINESS FOR AND MAKING A PROFIT, RIGHT? NO, IT'S NOT FOR PROFIT, SIR.
WHERE DO, WHERE DO YOU COME OFF SAYING IT'S A FOR-PROFIT? IS, IS, IS IS SHE GONNA BE CHARGING FOR THIS FOOD TO MAKE SURE OR IS SHE GIVING IT AWAY TO ADDRESS THE FOOD INSECURITY? THE PEOPLE ARE, ARE, WHO ARE THE VENDORS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE GOING TO BE SELLING THEIR STUFF, BUT THEY ARE NOT FOR-PROFITS AND THEY ARE COMING IN THERE TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY
[02:10:01]
BY REQUIRING THEM TO, TO PAY FEES, WHICH THEY COULD DO.THAT'S WHY I SUGGEST I I, I POINTED OUT TO YOU WHAT YOUR CODE SAYS.
YOU ARE BASICALLY IMPOSING AN OVERHEAD COST ON THEM THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR THEM TO DELIVER THE PER MERCHANDISE TO THE PEOPLE MOST IN NEED.
THAT'S WHY I WOULD ASK THAT BE A WAIVER.
UH, IF IT WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY, YOU WOULDN'T NEED DO THAT WHEN YOU'RE SERVING, UH, UM, THE, UH, PARTS OF THE POPULATION THAT ARE NOT ECONOMICALLY AT RISK LIKE THE PEOPLE ON MANHATTAN AVENUE ARE.
SO I, I THINK THAT WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS AND, UM, AND CERTAINLY I'M ALL FOR, UM, GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO THIS FARMER'S MARKET.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION AND I THINK THAT THE TWO OF YOU, THE TWO ATTORNEYS, UM, CAN DISCUSS IT AND WE SHOULD THEN BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT NEXT WEEK.
SO, UM, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, IN THE INTEREST OF, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO RESOLVE THIS HERE.
THE TWO OF YOU MUST SPEAK, BUT YOU'VE MADE, YOU, YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINTS I THINK THAT THEY, THAT SOME MERIT RESOLUTION ON, SO THE TWO OF YOU TALK NEED THE TWO OF, NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND THEN YEAH, LET THEM HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
LET THEM HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, WHO'S GONNA CALL WHO? YES.
UH, I AM FREE, SO, OKAY, SO NOW WE TALK, DEAL.
WELL, EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHEN DO YOU THINK THE MARKET WOULD START? I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED TO, THEY WANT TO START IT IN EARLY JUNE.
UH, AND, AND, UH, BUT THIS UNCERTAINTY HAS TO END HERE AND NOW BECAUSE THOSE VENDORS WILL, OKAY, WELL YOU'LL DO, YOU'LL MEET TOMORROW AND WE'LL MOVE OUT.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.
OKAY, SO THEN I WANNA MOVE THAT WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSING PERSONNEL MATTERS INVOLVING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AND SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON VARIOUS MATTERS.