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[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1500 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
READY TO GO? THANK YOU.SO WELCOME TO, UH, THE MEETING.
UM, WE'RE ALL, UM, DEVASTATED BY, UH, THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED.
UH, LAST GOOD MORNING IN PROGRESS.
WELCOME TO, UH, OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.
WE'RE ALL DEVASTATED BY THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, RESIDENTS ARE NOT LOOKING FOR WORDS, BUT YOU WANT ACTION.
AND, UM, WE'RE, UM, WE HEARD, UM, THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAD.
UH, WE WANNA ADDRESS, UH, THE SPEEDING ISSUES.
UM, WE'LL BE PUSHING FOR, UM, SPEED CAMERAS.
UM, WE WILL BE, UH, DOING MORE, UM, ENFORCEMENT OF SPEEDING.
AND I THOUGHT, UH, WE COULD BEGIN BY HEARING FROM THE POLICE CHIEF AND HE COULD GIVE US, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS AS TO, UM, INITIATIVES THAT, UH, YOU'RE PLANNING, UH, TO TAKE.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, WE JUST WANNA EXTEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE CAIUS FAMILY, SOME MEMBERS OF WHOM ARE IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND FOR THOSE, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU ON ZOOM, IF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND ELECTRONICALLY, WE'LL CALL YOU IN THE ORDER OF THE RAISED HANDS.
CHIEF, CHIEF, GOOD EVENING BOARD.
JUST TO BE FRANK, I DIDN'T THINK THAT I WAS GOING TO BE THE ONE TO START THIS MEETING.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'M, I'M SORRY FOR THE LOSS FOR EVERYONE THAT IS GRIEVING.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF EMOTION AT THE LAST MEETING.
UNDERSTANDABLY, PEOPLE WANT TO SAY WHAT THEY WANNA SAY IN TERMS OF THEIR IDEAS, WHAT THEY EXPECT, WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY NEED, AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, I REALLY WANTED TO LISTEN MORE THAN SPEAK, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE LAST SUNDAY, AND THEN I'LL BE HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF I NEED TO, TO COME BACK UP TO ANSWER ANYTHING OR TALK ABOUT ANYTHING I CAN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TIME.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I JUST HAVE SOME NOTES, SO I DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING IMPORTANT OUT, BUT I'M MORE OR LESS GONNA SPEAK FROM MY HEAD AND HEART.
THE INCIDENT OCCURRED LAST SATURDAY, AND THE UNFORTUNATE LOSS OF LIFE IS THE RESULT OF A CRIMINAL ACT BY AN INDIVIDUAL.
I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO GET INTO THE PARTICULARS OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND THE ACCIDENT.
THERE'S AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, AND THERE'S A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, AND THERE'S A CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDING THAT IS TAKING PLACE.
THE PERSON WAS LOCATED, ARRESTED, CHARGED, UM, IS CURRENTLY STILL BEING HELD AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY JAIL.
THE ISSUE IS, FROM WHAT I GLEANED FROM THE MEETING LAST WEEK, EMAILS, TALKING TO THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED FOR THEIR SAFETY ON EAST DALE AVENUE.
AND, UM, FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS SINCE I BECAME CHIEF, MYSELF, THE CAPTAINS, WE'VE REALLY BEEN TAKING AN APPROACH WHERE AS COMPLAINTS, ISSUES, PROBLEMS COME INTO US, WHETHER IT'S SMOKE SHOPS, WHETHER IT'S, THERE WAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH SHOPLIFTING, YOU KNOW, UH, 12 MONTHS AGO TO ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, UM, CERTAIN ISSUES THAT WERE COMING INTO US, DIFFERENT UNIT COMMANDERS, DIVISION COMMANDERS, THE CAPTAINS, MYSELF, EVEN, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS AROUND THE TOWN, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, JUST COOPERATION, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT HELPING US WITH THE SMOKE SHOPS.
WE'VE ESSENTIALLY BEEN TARGETING PROBLEMS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO GET THE PEOPLE CREATING THE PROBLEM TO STOP CREATING THE PROBLEM.
AND, UM, EITHER MAINTAINING IT AND OR MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PROBLEM.
AND WITH THIS, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT LIVE ON EAST DALE AVENUE, I'M CONFIDENT, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU'VE SEEN AN UPTICK NOT ONLY IN OUR PRESENCE, BUT ALSO IN THE NUMBER OF CARS WE HAVE PULLED OVER, STOPPED.
UM, YOU MAY IN DRIVING BY YOUR PASSING, AND YOU MAY NOT ACTUALLY WITNESS WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE'S BEING ISSUED A SUMMONS, BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN PROACTIVELY ENFORCING OR DALE AVENUE SINCE THIS HAPPENED.
THE TRUTH IS, PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PREVENTED THE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED FROM OCCURRING, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT IGNORING THE ISSUE AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT AS BEST WE CAN FOR NOW.
THAT'S THROUGH OBVIOUS PRESENCE AND ENFORCEMENT, NOT JUST BEING THERE, BUT STOPPING CARS, RIDING TICKETS.
THE THING IS, WITH, AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS A POLICE OFFICER, WHENEVER PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW,
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COMPLAINING, OH, THEY'RE SPEEDING ON MY BLOCK, THEY'RE SPEEDING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT HAPPENS IS WE, AS THE POLICE, WE SEND OFFICERS, THEY PATROL, THEY WRITE TICKETS, AND QUITE OFTEN THE PEOPLE THAT RECEIVE THE BULK OF THE TICKETS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.SO THAT'S QUITE OFTEN WHY WE TAKE A TARGETED APPROACH UPON REQUEST OF THE RESIDENTS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANY COMMUNITY IN THIS TOWN TO FEEL LIKE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PICKING ON THEIR COMMUNITY, PICKING ON THEIR RESIDENTS, OR UNFAIRLY STOPPING AND TICKETING THE PEOPLE IN THEIR AREA.
BUT, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT THE RESIDENTS OF THAT AREA TO KNOW THAT WE ARE TAKING AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO GETTING PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN PAY ATTENTION.
UM, TERM, THE TOWN BOARD HAS GRANTED ME PERMISSION, AND WE HAVE INCREASED OUR STAFFING FROM 115 TO 120 OFFICERS.
WE HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN AND GOALS THAT INCLUDE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN CERTAIN UNITS, SO WE HAVE MORE OFFICERS AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
BECAUSE IF YOU LIVE ON EAST DALE, ON ANY STREET IN TOWN, WE CAN DIRECT THAT SECTOR OFFICER TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO SOMETHING, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT COME OVER THE RADIO.
SO THEY CAN SIT IN A CERTAIN PLACE LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN THING X AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT WHEN THEY GET A CALL FOR SERVICE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEY HAVE TO GO RESPOND TO IT, AND THEY'RE NO LONGER THERE LOOKING FOR THAT THING.
SO WHAT WE NEED IS WE NEED EXTRA OFFICERS SO THAT THE OFFICERS CAN RESPOND TO THE CALL, ADDRESS THE CALL, BUT SOMEONE'S STILL IN A POSITION TO DETER OR TAKE ACTION FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE PLAGUING US.
AND, UM, THAT'S PRIMARILY GOING TO BE ACHIEVED THROUGH OUR TRAFFIC UNIT AND OUR COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICERS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE GENTLEMAN IS HERE OR NOT, SOMEONE MADE A COMMENT ABOUT WE DON'T NEED MORE OFFICERS IN SHORTS.
THE, THE THING WITH THE COMMUNITY POLICING OFFICERS, AND YOU'LL SOMETIMES SEE THEM IN SHORTS ON THE SUMMER, THEY'RE DRESSED A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
PART OF THEIR FUNCTION AND ROLE IS TO INTERACT, TALK TO PEOPLE, GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, GET TO KNOW THE AREA, KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS IN PLACE, NO, WHEN SOMETHING IS OUT OF PLACE, PROBLEM SOLVE, MAYBE KEEP SMALL THINGS FROM BECOMING BIGGER THINGS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE IDENTIFIABLE BY THEIR UNIFORM AND WHY THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC AREA.
AT THE SAME TIME, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE IN THAT AREA THAT REQUIRES ENFORCEMENT AND EXTRA POLICE ATTENTION, THEY CAN ALSO PROVIDE THAT.
SO, WITHOUT ME TAKING UP ANY MORE TIME, UM, AGAIN, I WASN'T PREPARED TO GO FIRST, BUT, UM, I THINK THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I WANNA SAY.
I WILL BE SITTING HERE AND I WILL BE LISTENING.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU TWO, TWO, THANK YOU.
ONE IS, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON, UM, THE VALUE OF, UM, THE, UH, UH, CAMERAS, UM, THAT NEW YORK CITY AND CITIES HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED? WOULD THAT HELP, UH, US DO A BETTER JOB OF ENFORCING IN? THE SECOND IS, UH, SOME PEOPLE, UM, HAVE SUGGESTED THAT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY OFFICERS, THEY USE, YOU KNOW, REGULAR BICYCLES, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD, THE TOWN BOARD SHOULD BE ASKED TO PURCHASE, UH, E-BIKES, WHICH WOULD ENABLE THEM TO, UM, UH, GO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO PATROL MORE AREAS ON EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
UH, WITH THE E-BIKES, TECHNOL TECHNOLOGY IS ALWAYS EVOLVING.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE LOOKED INTO BUT HAVEN'T MOVED TOWARDS DOING.
IF THE ISSUE IS REALLY VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC AND SAFETY, AN OFFICER BEING PRESENT, BEING VISIBLE ON FOOT AT TIMES IS GREAT, BUT YOU'RE ALSO GONNA NEED THAT OFFICER TO BE IN A VEHICLE.
SO AS WE MOVE INTO THE COLDER WEATHER, YOU KNOW, E-BIKES OR GETTING THE CPOP OFFICERS BACK ON THEIR BICYCLES, THAT WILL REALLY BE MORE SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON IN THE SPRING.
IN TERMS OF THE CAMERAS, UM, THERE'S PROS AND CONS, SO I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR A DISCUSSION AMONGST US AT A LATER TIME.
WE COULD HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
ONCE AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M JUDITH BEVILLE, YOUR TOWN CLERK, TOWN OF GREENBURG, AND I'M GOING TO BE CALLING ON THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK GEORGE GUNLOCK.
AND IF I DON'T PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME CORRECTLY, PLEASE CORRECT ME.
I DO NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SENSITIVE TO YOUR CORRECT ME.
I FEEL THAT YOUR NAME SHOULD BE PRONOUNCED CORRECTLY.
AND SIR, BEFORE YOU BEGIN, COULD I JUST QUICKLY SAY, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT EVERYONE STICK TO THREE MINUTES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT.
WE WANNA GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO SPEAK.
THERE'S A VIGIL TONIGHT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE TIMELY.
AND THERE ARE CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROOM.
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SO MY NAME IS GEORGE GUNLOCK.UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF HARTSDALE.
I WISH A GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE.
UM, I WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEPEST SYMPATHIES TO STEPHANIE'S FAMILY.
AND I THINK, UH, I CAN SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE SAY WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER TRAGEDY IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I'M AWARE OF SOME OF THE POSITIVE STEPS, UH, THE TOWN HAS TAKEN IN THE, UH, IN THE RECENT PAST TO, UH, TO CONTROL TRAFFIC.
UH, THAT INCLUDES, UM, THE NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT ON CENTRAL AVENUE WHERE I KNOW THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL STOP SIGN PUT ON RIDGE ROAD UP BY THE PARK.
AND I'M HERE AT, AT THIS MOMENT JUST TO ADDRESS, UH, A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION.
I WANNA TALK, BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE INTERSECTION AT, UH, HILLCREST AND RIDGE.
THAT'S JUST OUTSIDE THE, UH, MARION WOODS AND THE BROOK, UH, UH, PARK.
UH, MANY PEOPLE FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CROSS THAT INTERSECTION.
UH, THE ELDERLY GO THE STROLLS IN THE, IN THE PARK.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXERCISE EARLY IN THE DAY.
THEY'RE DOG WALKING AND AND SO ON.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WITH ALL THREE STOP SIGNS, WE HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF THE MOTORISTS THAT DON'T COMPLY WITH THE STOP SIGN, AND THEY JUST EITHER RULE THROUGH OR DRIVE THROUGH.
IT'S, IT IS A TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN, AND I DON'T WANT US TO BE SITTING HERE A YEAR FROM NOW DEALING WITH SOMETHING WE CAN, UM, CORRECT.
AND I THINK THAT THE, WHAT'S NEEDED TO ENSURE SAFETY AT THAT INTERSECTION IS, UH, ENFORCEMENT COMPLIANCE, RIGHT? UM, IT'S SIMPLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY OBSERVE THE INTERSECTION, A PATROL CAR OR WHATEVER THE POLICE DECIDE IS APPROPRIATE, AND OBSERVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VIOLATING, UH, THE, THE NEED TO STOP AND ISSUE, UH, ISSUE SOME, AND JUST PERHAPS THE WORD WILL GET OUT AND EVERYBODY WILL COMPLY AND STOP AT THE INTERSECTION AND KEEP IT SAFE FOR ALL OF US.
UH, AGAIN, THAT'S HILLCREST AND RIDGE ROAD, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO, I KNOW YOU HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION, I'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, INTERACT WITH POLICE DOWN BOARD OR ANYTHING THAT, UH, MIGHT BE HELPFUL WITH.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I'M EDTA AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AT 1 77 EAST DALE AVENUE, UH, ROCKLEDGE HOUSE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THE RESPONSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL, EXCEPT THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXCEPTION,
OUR TRAFFIC HAS INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY, WE ALL KNOW THAT.
AND IT'S BECOME VERY AGGRESSIVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND I'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 40 YEARS, SO I GO WAY BACK.
AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PRESENCE HAS NOT BEEN ON EAST DALE AVENUE.
AND IN THE MORNING AND THE AFTERNOON AND THE EVENING, ESPECIALLY DOWN AT THE, UH, RAILROAD STATION THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
UM, MAYBE WE WOULD LOOK AT HAVING A TRAFFIC BUMP, UH, HALFWAY UP EAST DALE AVENUE, JUST LIKE IT'S NEAR THE TRAIN STATION.
UH, MAYBE WE WANNA INSTALL A TRAFFIC SPEED MONITOR SO THAT AS A PERSON IS COMING UP DRIVING, THEY COULD SEE THEIR SPEED LIKE THEY HAVE IN SCARSDALE ON FENNIMORE ROAD.
UM, YOUR PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHT ON, UH, THAT GOES OVER TO THE BRONX RIVER, A PARKWAY, UM, WALKWAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO PUT THAT LIGHT UP.
YOU CAN'T SEE A THING, YOU TAKE YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS BECAUSE AS THE SUN HITS THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CARS GO ZOOMING BY.
THAT'S A, A DEFINITELY AN ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, WE IN EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, IT'S LIKE A COMMUNITY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.
AND I'M HOPING THAT AS OUR COMMISSIONER, POLICE COMMISSIONER, CHIEF, THAT, UH, YOU, YOUR PLAN IS GOES AHEAD BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY NEED THE PRESENCE OF POLICE.
IT'S BEEN PART OF MY PLAN EVEN BEFORE THIS, BUT RIGHT.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN AND OUR CONDOLENCES AGAIN TO THE FAMILY.
STEPHANIE'S SISTERS ARE HERE TONIGHT, AND WE ARE WITH YOU AND WITH YOUR, YOUR SISTER IN PRAYERS.
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THANK YOU.I'M A PROPERTY MANAGER ON HARTSDALE AVENUE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING THERE ABOUT 13 YEARS.
SORRY, STEPHANIE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE.
I HAVE SOME PERSONAL ISSUES, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT TRAFFIC CONTROL IS THE ISSUE.
I DON'T THINK SPEED IS AN ISSUE, BECAUSE AS THE POLICE CHIEF SAID, THIS IS A GENTLEMAN ON CREATING A CRIMINAL ACT AND RUNNING AWAY FROM THE POLICE.
OKAY? MY FEELING IS IN THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS, I THINK PROTECTION IS THE MATTER.
I THINK THE FOCUS ON STILL AVENUE SHOULD BE HOW CAN YOU STOP A TON VEHICLE FROM HITTING SOMEBODY? HOW COULD YOU STOP IT DEAD IN ITS TRACKS? SOMEBODY'S OUTTA CONTROL, LIKE HE WAS, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED IF THEY WERE BOTHERED.
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING HE COULD HAVE HIT BEFORE HE HIT A PERSON.
YOU CAN TRY TO CONTROL TRAFFIC.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED.
OKAY? THAT'S A FACT OF THE MATTER.
MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE PREVENTED WHAT HAPPENED TO STEPHANIE, MAYBE THEY COULDN'T.
BUT I GUARANTEE YOU SOMETHING, IF THAT CAR HIT BEFORE IT HIT, STEPHANIE WOULD'VE STOPPED IT.
THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
UM, I'M HERE BASICALLY, UH, TO GIVE MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF STEPHANIE.
SHE WAS A NEIGHBOR ON MY FLOOR IN 45 EAST DALE AVENUE.
UH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE LONG, MY HUSBAND AND I, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HER VERY WELL.
UM, I'M JUST HERE BECAUSE I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD WITH THE TRAFFIC.
CAN YOU MAKE SURE TO TALK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE? OH, SURE.
MY HUS, MY HUSBAND IS DISABLED.
AND, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO THROUGH THE BACK OF OUR BUILDING, WE WENT THROUGH THE FRONT 'CAUSE IT'S LEVEL.
AND I WAS TRYING NUMBER OF TIMES GETTING MY HUSBAND FROM THE WALKER INTO THE CAR, CAR AND THEN GOING AROUND MY CAR TO GET IN TWICE.
I BARELY GOT, I, I'M, I I BARELY GOT AWAY FROM THE SITUATION WITHOUT BEING HIT A NEIGHBOR IN THE BUILDING.
SAW IT HAPPEN THIS ONE TIME SHE RAN AFTER THE GUY.
BUT I'VE NOTICED THAT PEOPLE, THE, THE, THE, THE LIGHT THAT'S ON COLUMBUS AND COLUMBIA, COLUMBIA, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PICK UP THE MICROPHONE AND HOLD IT IF YOU WANNA TURN AROUND AND FACE THE, UM, THE LIGHT THAT'S IN COLUMBIA AND HARTSDALE AVENUE.
I NOTICED THAT EVERY TIME PEOPLE AFTER THAT LIGHT, THEY HIT IT, THEY HIT THAT GAS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HELD UP BY THE TRAFFIC THROUGH THE TOWN AND THEY JUST WANNA GO.
AND OUR BUILDING IS NOT THAT FAR FROM IT.
AND I'VE NOTICED THAT'S WHERE THEY PICK UP THE SPEED.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AND I JUST HOPE THAT THINGS CAN CHANGE AND STEPHANIE'S LIFE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN VAIN.
I AM MARY BOIN AND I'M 90 YEARS OLD.
AND I LOOK FOR ALL OF THOSE LITTLE TRICKS TO KEEP ME ALIVE.
YOU NOTICE MY GLASSES ARE YELLOW.
WHEN I WAS A SKIER, WE ALWAYS USED YELLOW GOGGLES TO INCREASE THE CONTRAST.
SO I HAD MY GLASSES MADE YELLOW.
MY DOCTOR SAID, YOU GOT SKIN CANCER ON YOUR HEAD, WEAR A HAT.
AND I LOOKED AT THAT INTER WITH THE CROSS THERE, AND I SAID TO MYSELF, IN A DAYTIME, THE LIGHT SHOULD BE TWICE AS BRIGHT AS THEY ARE NOW.
SO YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE, 'CAUSE NOT EVERYBODY WEARS THIS COLOR HAT, BUT IN THE EVENING THERE COULD BE A LIGHT UP THERE THAT SHINES DOWN AN L E D LIGHT.
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THOSE LIGHTS GO ON, IT SHINES ON THE PEOPLE WHO WEAR BLACK AND YOU CAN'T SEE.BUT IF THAT LIGHT WENT ON AND PEOPLE WERE CROSSING, YOU'D SEE 'EM SIMPLE LITTLE THING.
AND I, I ASKED ABOUT IT, AND IT COULD EASILY BE CONNECTED SO THAT IN THE DAYTIME YOU HAD TWICE AS BRIGHT LIGHTS.
THOSE LITTLE YELLOW LIGHTS, YOU NEED THEM TWICE AS BRIGHT IN THE DAYTIME AND FOR THE NIGHT THEY'RE OKAY.
AND THEN IN THE NIGHTTIME, OR EVEN IN THE DAYTIME, WHEN SOMEBODY'S THERE, THAT L E D LIGHT SHINES ON THE AREA.
SO PEOPLE ARE BETWEEN, THIS IS A SAFETY THING.
TRICKS THAT, THAT SAFE, MAKE IT SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE.
THESE TWO LITTLE THINGS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER, PEOPLE DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION.
THEY WALK PAUL, PAUL HAS THOSE SAFETY THINGS.
YELLOW VANS, THEY DON'T WEAR 'EM.
SO PUT A LIGHT UP THERE, SHINES DOWN THERE.
ANYBODY SEEING THAT LIGHT, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE SOMEBODY THERE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN THE, IN THE DAYTIME, WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE TWICE AS BRIGHT AS THEY ARE NOW.
YOU GOT THE SAME ONE IN DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME.
THEY'RE GOOD FOR THE NIGHTTIME, BUT NOT FOR DAYTIME.
I HAVE HAD TO ASK THE NAMES OF PEOPLE I KNOW FOR MANY YEARS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THIS OLD IS YOU FORGET NAMES.
BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYWOMAN MARY JANESKY.
I WOULD AGAIN LIKE TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO STEPHANIE'S FAMILY WHO CLEARLY HAVE SUFFERED A GRIEVOUS LOSS.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY CAUSE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF FEAR FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR LOVED ONES.
SO THERE'S A A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE.
I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO GET THE TRAFFIC LAW AMENDED TO ALLOW THE, THE SPEED CAMERAS TO OPERATE ON A TOWN ROAD.
BUT ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THERE'S PLENTY OF RESEARCH, THERE'S PLENTY OF STUDIES, THERE'S PLENTY OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ON UNSAFE ROADS.
AND A LAW ENFORCEMENT APPROACH ALONE WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
YOU NEED TO ADD WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL A PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, APPROACH AS WELL.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED BY FOLKS HERE TONIGHT.
IT ALSO MEANS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE 2021 TOWN STUDY ENTITLED EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE PEDESTRIAN AND TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT STUDY BOLLARDS MIGHT BE SOME OF THE ANSWER.
SPEED BUMPS MIGHT BE SOME OF THE ANSWER, SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS IN HERE TO INCREASE SITE DISTANCES FOR THE PEDESTRIANS AND NARROWING THE CROSSING AREAS SO THEY SPEND LESS TIME ON THE OPEN ROAD CAN ALSO HELP IMPROVE TRAFFIC SAFETY.
MANY OF THE COMMENTS HERE, AS I SAID, HAVE BROUGHT UP SIMILAR THINGS, PHYSICAL BARRIERS AND THINGS THAT WILL HELP PROTECT THE PEDESTRIANS.
BY MAKING THEM ON THE ROADS A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME CAN DEFINITELY HELP MAKE THEM SAFE.
I URGE THE TOWN TO TAKE A MULTIFACETED APPROACH, FOLLOW SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN ITS OWN STUDIES.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO HELP PRESERVE LIFE AND LIMB ON EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE ON BOTH THINGS.
I WILL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
I SHOULD YOU JUST MENTION THAT LAST YEAR WE GOT A GRANT FROM, UH, SENATOR COUSINS TO DO, UH, UH, TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND GARRETT DUANE, UM, STARTED TO DISCUSS IT AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE CONSULTANT AS A FOLLOW-UP ACTION STEP TO DECIDE EXACTLY, UM, WHAT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AND WHEN WILL WE ANTICIPATE THAT THEY'LL BE IMPLEMENTED PROBABLY AROUND 2025 AND THE COMMUNITY MEETING WILL BE HELD, UM, PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ATTEND TO HEAR
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WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS I SAID, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO TO BE HELPFUL AS WELL, WORKING WITH, UM, THE MAJORITY LEADER, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO SO.I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, YOUR PREDECESSOR WAS ACTUALLY WORKING WITH US ON LEGISLATION FOR SPEED CAMERAS.
SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF THAT WOULD BE REVISED.
UH, AND WHEN YOU MAKE MENTION BOLLARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S NOT A TOWN ROAD, IT'S A STATE ROAD.
SO ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO WOULD BE HELPFUL.
WE, WE CERTAINLY HAVE DONE A LOT AS FAR AS YEAH, USING SENATOR ANDREWS DO IT 'CAUSE IT'S MONEY.
WELL, AND WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT NOT TONIGHT.
THE EAST HARTILL AVENUE, THAT'S THE EAST HAR STILL AVENUE, UH, IS A TOWN ROAD.
IT'S WEST TAR STILL AVENUE IS A STATE ROAD.
THAT'S WHAT D O T TOLD US TODAY.
UM, BUT WHATEVER YOU CAN DO REGARDING, UM, UH, SPEED CAMERAS, UH, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF RED LIGHT CAMERAS BECAUSE THEY TEND TO CAUSE UM, REAR END COLLISIONS.
UH, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH SPEED CAMERAS.
SO WHATEVER YOU COULD DO, THAT WOULD BE FINE.
AS I SAID, I'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, WITH THE, THE PHYSICAL STREET SCAPE, PLEASE KEEP ME INFORMED AS WELL AND I'LL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP WITH THAT AS WELL.
RANDY MERNA, I HOPE I'M SAYING YOUR NAME CORRECTLY.
UM, I LIVE AT 180 EAST STARTS STILL AVENUE, UH, FOR THE PAST 44 YEARS.
AND, UM, THE WHOLE TRAGIC IRONY OF THIS IS THAT THREE YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, STEPHANIE WAS INTERVIEWED BY CHANNEL 12 NEWS, RIGHT AT THAT SAME INTERSECTION, EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T IN THE INTERSECTION THIS TIME, BUT TALKED ABOUT WHAT A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION IT IS, RIGHT IN THE VILLAGE THERE.
YOU'VE GOT CARS COMING FROM CENTRAL AVENUE TO THE TRAIN STATION.
THERE'S A STOP LINE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FEET BEFORE THE CORNER TO MAKE A RIGHT INTO THE MUNICIPAL LOT.
THEY GO, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ON RED MEANS STOPPING FIRST AND THEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN.
THEN COMING OUT OF THE MUNICIPAL LOT NEXT TO RITE AID, THERE'S A NO TURN ON RED SIGN.
AND JUST AS I WAS COMING HERE TONIGHT, I SAW A CAR NOT ONLY SPEED THROUGH THE RED LIGHT AND MAKE A RIGHT TURN, BUT DIDN'T HESITATE AT ALL.
SO IT'S A CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, THE ONE WOMAN SAID BEFORE, HOW, UM, IT'S NERVE WRACKING NOW STANDING AND TRYING TO CROSS IN THAT INTERSECTION FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.
UM, I'M NOT FAULTING THE POLICE BECAUSE IT'S THE PEOPLE DRIVING THE CARS AND THE PADE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS TRAGEDY FROM H HAPPENING AGAIN.
UH, JUST AN ASIDE, 30 YEARS AGO, MY SON WAS GETTING OFF THE SCHOOL BUS IN FRONT OF MY BUILDING AT 180 AND A CAR MADE A RIGHT TURN ON RED WITH HIM STEPPING OFF.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE WONDERFUL BUS DRIVER WHO PULLED HIM BACK ONTO THE BUS BY HIS JACKET, MY SON WOULD'VE BEEN HIT BY A CAR RUSHING BECAUSE EVERYONE'S RUSHING TO THE TRAIN STATION.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE, BUT, UM, HOPE WE CAN IMPROVE AND MAKE IT A SAFER NEIGHBORHOOD FOR EVERYONE.
DAVID SLOAN, GENERALLY, I'M NOT SOMEBODY THAT USES A PHONE FOR NOTES.
UH, THE FIRST THING, WHICH NO ONE'S REALLY STEPPED ON, TALKED ABOUT, UH, OF A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE CAMERAS ON SCHOOL BUSES.
SO WHEN CARS PASS A SCHOOL BUS OR THE RED LIGHTS ON AND THING OUT, UM, THEY GET A SUMMONS.
AND IF YOU DO IT TWICE OR THREE TIMES, THEY'RE VERY SIGNIFICANT, UH, PENALTIES.
UH, CAN WE LOOK INTO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UH, AS TO, I LIVE AT ONE 40 EAST HARTSDALE.
IT WAS GREAT YOU GUYS PUT UP THAT STROBE LIGHT.
YOU PUSH THE BUTTON, NOBODY STOPS.
IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU COULD STICK A POLICE CAR.
I SUGGESTED A MOTORCYCLE, BUT APPARENTLY THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE FOR ENFORCEMENT.
BUT HIDE A POLICE CAR ON, UH, ROADWAY PARALLEL TO EAST CLARKSDALE.
AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I MEAN, YOU JUST GIVE OUT SUMMONS, YOU, UH, THEY PUT IN THE SPEED LIMIT WITH THE
[00:30:01]
SIGN YOU'RE GOING AS FAST.UM, HOW ABOUT A VARIABLE SIGN SAYING 50 TICKETS ISSUED ON EAST CLARKSDALE AVENUE LAST WEEK.
THAT WOULD PEOPLE, THAT'S MAYBE EVEN BETTER THAN THE ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING LIE, MAYBE ISSUE, DO A, UH, ISSUE THAT MANY TICKETS OR FOOT VIOLATIONS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT IS A GREAT IDEA.
UM, AND POSSIBLY LOOK INTO SPEED HUMPS.
UM, NO ONE REALLY LIKES THEM, BUT IT WILL DEFINITELY SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC.
AND, AND I PERSONALLY, I'M NOT A FAN OF SPEED CAMERAS AND, UH, RED LIGHT CAMERAS BASICALLY.
'CAUSE I SEE WHAT NEW YORK CITY HAS DONE AND IT'S JUST BECOME A CASH GRAB.
UH, SO MY OPINION, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT MY OPINION.
BUT, UH, THAT'S ONLY ONE PERSON'S OPINION.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK IN CONDOLENCES TO EVERYONE WHO KNEW THE VICTIM.
HI, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD SUPERVISOR AND PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT.
I'M SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE MAJORITY LEADER, YOUR STATE SENATOR ANDREA STEWART COUSINS.
UM, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING HER TONIGHT.
UM, WE WERE PROUD TO SUPPORT AND FUND THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU WANT TO DO TO IMPROVE EAST AND WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THIS, SENATOR WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER SHE CAN IN ALL REGARDS TO HELP THE TOWN OF GREENBERG.
I WANNA SAY SOMETHING PERSONAL.
I WAS TOWN CLERK A LONG TIME AGO IN THE TOWN OF GREENBERG, EDA REMEMBERS, UM, BACK FROM 79 TO 93.
AND I WORKED WITH STEPHANIE AND WE WORKED TOGETHER WHEN SHE WAS ON THE PLANNING BOARD, WHEN SHE WAS ZONING SECRETARY, WHEN SHE BECAME HEAD OF THE HARTSDALE PUBLIC PARKING DISTRICT, WHICH I HELPED HER ATTAIN THAT POSITION.
I SEE HER SISTERS HERE TONIGHT.
SHE WAS A GREAT FRIEND, WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY ALL OF YOU WERE HERE.
NOT ONLY FOR STEFFI, BUT BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT WAS HORRIFIC AND IT DIDN'T NEED TO HAPPEN.
SO I AM HERE PLEDGING THE SUPPORT FOR THE SENATOR.
UM, AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HOWEVER YOU NEED US, WE ARE HERE, WE'RE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE HERE FOR THE TOWN BOARD.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TRIBUTE ON FEBRUARY, UH, SEPTEMBER THE 13TH, UH, TO STEPHANIE.
AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, SHARE THAT REFLECTION AGAIN, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT OR COME IN BY ZOOM ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGISLATOR.
AND FIRST OFF, I WANT TO GIVE, GIVE MY DEEP CONDOLENCES TO STEPHANIE'S FAMILY.
UM, I'M NEW TO THE PUBLIC OFFICE.
I WAS JUST ELECTED TO REPLACE MARY JANESKY SIX MONTHS AGO.
UM, AND THE IDEA OF A, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HAD IN MY TIME IN PUBLIC OFFICE, THAT WE'VE HAD SOMEONE PASS AWAY IN SUCH A TERRIBLE MANNER IN MY DISTRICT, RIGHT? I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING HARTSDALE.
AND WHILE THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, AS INVOLVED IN THIS AS THE STATE OR IN THE TOWN, I CAN ONLY PLEDGE EVERYTHING THAT ALL EVERYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP.
NOW, I'M THE FATHER OF A TWO YEAR OLD AND THE IDEA OF HIM BEING HIT BY A CAR IS JUST UNFATHOMABLE TO ME, RIGHT? AND THE, YOU KNOW, THIS INCIDENT WAS HAPPENED HERE CLEARLY IS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS EVERYONE, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T WALK ACROSS THE STREET, YOU CAN'T GET YOUR GROCERIES WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT IT, RIGHT? IT IMPACTS YOUR VERY SENSE OF COMMUNITY, YOUR VERY SENSE OF SAFETY.
SO THE ONLY THING I CAN COMMIT IS THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY.
COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS WORKS ON THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU, YOU NEED, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP, I PLEDGE MY SUPPORT.
AGAIN, PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO.
[00:35:01]
PAUL.EXCUSE ME, PAUL TI CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? UM, I LIVE AT ONE 19 EAST STAR STILL AVE RIGHT BY THE CROSSWALK.
UM, AND FOR YEARS NOW, IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM.
UM, LITTLE STEPS ARE TAKEN EVERY TIME SOMETHING HAPPENS, BUT NOTHING EVER CHANGES.
I REMEMBER YEARS AGO SOMEONE WAS HIT WHEN IT WAS WINTER TIME, RAINY, NOT BRIGHT OUT, AND, UH, THEY LOST THEIR LIFE.
UM, AND NOW THIS, EVERY TIME YOU STEP INTO THE CROSSWALK, YOU HAVE A HIGH CHANCE OF GETTING HIT.
UM, I WAS ALMOST HIT TWO TIMES.
UM, AND EVEN WHEN PEOPLE DO STOP, THE PEOPLE BEHIND THEM DON'T STOP.
SO WHAT HAPPENS, EITHER REAR END THEM TO SEND THAT CAR TO YOU OR THEY GO AROUND THEM, AND THEN THEY ALMOST HIT YOU.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THERE IS NO, LET'S TAKE LITTLE STEPS.
UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO EITHER GET INJURED, ALMOST INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE MADE HERE? UM, I DON'T WANT MYSELF OR MY MOM TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CROSSING THE ROAD EVERY TIME WE GO INTO TOWN.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A WAY TO LIVE.
UM, I THINK HIRING EXTRA POLICE OFFICERS, WHICH I BELIEVE THE CHIEF SAID HE DID, AND STATIONING THEM THERE, UH, SPEED CAMERAS, ANYTHING, UM, SHOULD BE DONE TO FIX THIS ISSUE.
UM, COST AND, AND, AND BUDGET SHOULDN'T BE A THING WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE'S LIVES.
SPEED BUMPS ARE ANOTHER GOOD IDEA.
UM, I REALIZE IT'S A TRAVELED ROAD THAT MIGHT SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC, BUT IN THE SAME SENSE, THAT'S WORTH IT IF SOMEONE SURVIVES BECAUSE OF IT.
UM, I ALSO THINK GIVING OUT TICKETS WILL HELP WHEN YOU GIVE OUT ENOUGH.
UM, MULTIPLE PEOPLE STOOD UP HERE AND SAID THAT, UH, RED LIGHT CAMERAS DON'T WORK OR THEY CAUSE OTHER ISSUES.
UM, BUT I THINK EVERY OPTION SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE WE'RE HAVING.
UM, IF THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET AND GRANTS WERE FORGIVEN, UH, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FAST TRACKED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
NOT 2025, IF THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
UM, IT SHOULD BE DONE SOONER THAN THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE GET INJURED OR DIE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT GETTING BETTER FROM WHAT I SEE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN PUT THAT LIGHT ON FOR THE CROSSWALK.
UM, YOU CAN PUT IT ON AND STAND THERE FOR A SECOND.
THEY'LL STILL SPEED THROUGH IT.
YOU COULD BE HALFWAY THROUGH AND THEY'LL SPEED THROUGH IT.
SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE SOON.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND THEY FEEL, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME THERE'S A TRAGEDY, THERE'S MEETINGS AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS AND EVERYBODY SAYS WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING, AND THEN, UM, A MONTH LATER, NOTHING HAPPENS.
AND I JUST WANT TO ASSURE REASSURE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS MEETING AS A SHOW.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO GIVING THIS PRIORITY, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO GIVING THIS PRIORITY AFTER IT'S OFF THE FRONT PAGES OF THE NEWSPAPERS.
UM, I HAD SPOKEN TO, UM, UH, GARRETT DUQUE, THE COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING, AND I ASKED HIM TO PREPARE LIKE A LIST OF ALL THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INITIATIVES WE'VE TAKEN IN THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS.
WE'VE, UM, UM, FUNDED, UM, AND BUILT OVER 11 AND A HALF MILES OF SIDEWALKS, NEW SIDEWALKS IN THE TOWN AS A RESULT OF, UM, SOME OF THE PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN, IN THE PAST.
UM, SO WE HA THE TOWN BOARD, EVERYONE ON THE TOWN BOARD HAS, UM, COMMITTED TO, UM, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INITIATIVES.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE, LOOK, IT'S AN ANNUAL EXPENSE.
WE'RE DOING, UM, ADDITIONAL SIDEWALKS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UM, EVERY ADDITIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INITIATIVES EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND THE ISSUES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT UP TODAY, AND WERE BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK IN TERMS OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ON EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE IS GONNA BE GETTING THE HIGHEST PRIORITY ATTENTION.
AND IF WE HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, WE WILL SPEND MORE MONEY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT RESULTS.
WE DON'T, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO, WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO PREVENT EVERY SINGLE ACCIDENT BECAUSE THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
BUT WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TOWN IS DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS SOME THE PROBLEMS AND TO MAKE EVERYBODY NOT ONLY BE SAFE, BUT FEEL SAFE.
[00:40:06]
HI.UH, MY CONDOLENCE IS STEPHANIE.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, HEARING ALL ABOUT, UH, UH, PROVIDING SOME KIND OF A MANNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE TALK? OH YEAH, SURE.
UM, AND HEARING ALL TO SOME KIND OF A MEMORIAL OR REMEMBRANCE.
UM, AND WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT HER, FOR HER COMMITMENT AND HER SERVICE TO OUR TOWN, NOT JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS A VICTIM OF SOME RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE, THE BY A DRIVER THAT THAT WAS SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE.
I WANNA POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS AND I'M, I WAS MAKING NOTES.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, UH, WE HAVE TO BE TOTALLY AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND AVOID THINGS LIKE TUNNEL VISIONS AND HAVE ONE ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITH TRAFFIC AND, AND, AND PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS, UH, PEDESTRIAN, AS WELL AS TRAFFIC FACE.
I AGREE WITH ASSEMBLY WO, UM, THAT IT'S A, THIS SHOULD BE A MULTIFACETED, COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH, UH, AND, AND CREATION OF TRAFFIC CALMING, UM, ATTITUDE AND, AND DEVICES.
UH, AND POLICE IS JUST ONE ARM OF IT.
AND WE SHOULD AL ALWAYS HAVE IN MIND THAT, UH, MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE THINGS.
THE, THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY, THE, THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY IT IS IN, IN THE EAST HARTSDALE.
IT'S, IT'S AN AGING POPULATION, SO WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT.
I, I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT ALSO, THE FACT THAT THE TOWN I IS TRYING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES AND CONCERNS, BUT IT HAS NOT TAKEN A, A PROACTIVE ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC STATISTICS, UH, DONE, DONE BY PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE LICENSED AND, AND TRAINED.
UM, JUST, UH, YES, WE HAVE SOMEONE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT DOES THE BEST POSSIBLE, BUT THIS SHOULD BE SYSTEMATIC, SYSTEMATIC APPROACH.
NOT WHEN IT HAPPENS, NOT WHEN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET COMPLAINTS, BUT IT SHOULD BE SYSTEMATIC AND IT SHOULD BE DONE ON AN ONGOING BASIS AS WELL AS, AND, AND ADVERTISE IT AS SUCH.
UM, THE OTHER PART, THE VIOLATIONS, UH, YES, CAMERAS, YOU KNOW, CAMERAS CHARGE THE CAR.
IT DOES NOT CHARGE THE, THE DRIVER AS, AND WE HAVE TO SEE HOW THE, OUR COURTS WORK AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE KNOW HERE THAT IT'S A COMMON PRACTICE THAT PEOPLE PLEAD OUT FROM TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
THAT MEANS WE LEAVE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD DRIVING EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE MULTIPLE POINTS, MANY POINTS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY PLEADING OUT.
AND IF I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE WHAT IT IS, AND THE STATE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT, THE REASON THAT'S DONE IS BECAUSE THE TOWN CAN KEEP MORE OF THE, OF THE TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
IF THEY CALL IT A NON-TRAFFIC OR MOVING VIOLATION, THAT SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.
IT SHOULD BE ELIMINATED BY THE TOWN THAT THAT STATE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING, PEOPLE DRIVING THAT, THAT DON'T BELONG ON THE ROAD ANYMORE.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M MARK BENCH AT ONE 20 EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
UM, WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UH, EXPRESS OUR, UH, SADNESS FOR STEPH'S, STEPHANIE'S HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
UM, AND NOTHING THAT COULD'VE OCCURRED.
NO, UH, NO CALMING, PROBABLY COULD'VE PREVENTED IT, BUT, UH, THE, UH, THE BUMP IN FRONT OF THE OLD CHASE BANK, UH, IS PRETTY USELESS.
I THINK YOU COULD TAKE THAT AT 50 MILES AN HOUR, UH, AND NOT HURT YOUR CAR.
HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER BEEN TO THE, THE, UM, AT GRANADA? HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE PARKING AREA? WOULD YOU DARE GO OVER ONE OF THOSE SPEED BUMPS FASTER THAN FIVE MILES AN HOUR? YOU'D RUIN YOUR CAR.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THAT AND THE SPEED BUMP, OR THE SO-CALLED SPEED BUMP AT, UH, UH, IN FRONT OF THE OLD, UH, PLACE THERE.
I CROSSED THE STREET FROM RITE AID FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I'VE ONLY LIVED HERE FOR TWO YEARS.
I CROSSED THE STREET TO GET TO THE PIZZA PARLOR, UH, FROM RITE AID TO THE PIZZA AREA WITH, WITH THE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, WALK.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT SOMEONE WAS COMING AT ME FROM, FROM, UH, ROCK
[00:45:01]
LEDGE.I THOUGHT IF I HAD THE LIGHT, I I WOULDN'T NEED TO LOOK, WALK OUT FOR SOMEBODY COMING TO ME FROM THE LEFT.
UH, THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY, BARRY KROMER, GOOD EVENING.
I'M HERE WITH, I'M HERE WITH MY PARTNER JOHN.
WE ARE THE OWNERS OF, UH, BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE AT 1 99 EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
UH, WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG.
I'VE, I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE SPEAK AND SAY THEY'VE BEEN HERE 30, 40 YEARS.
WE'VE ONLY BEEN ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS OR SO, BUT WE WANTED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO STEPHANIE'S FAMILY.
UH, STEPHANIE WAS ACTUALLY IN OUR OFFICE, UH, THE DAY BEFORE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.
AND, UH, I WAS IN MY SCARSDALE OFFICE AT THE TIME AND MY HARTSDALE OFFICE CALLED ME AND SAID, THERE'S SOME LADY HERE THAT WANTS TO POST A SIGN.
AND HE SAID HER NAME WAS STEPHANIE.
AND I SAID, LET HER POST WHATEVER SHE WANTS TO POST.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HARTSDALE COMMUNITY.
UM, I ACTUALLY SHARE A LOT WITH, WITH STEPHANIE, UH, BECAUSE I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE GARTH ROAD COUNCIL, UH, GARTH ROAD, BEING VERY SIMILAR TO EAST HARSDALE AVENUE, LOTS AND LOTS OF CO-OP APARTMENTS.
AND WE SHARE A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC CONTROL AND ON AS PRESIDENT OF THE GARTH ROAD COUNCIL, UH, WE OFTEN HAVE RESIDENTS WHO, WHO COME TO US AND EXPRESS A CONCERN ABOUT SPEED AND VEHICLES SPEEDING THROUGH GARTH ROAD.
IT'S ACTUALLY WORSE ON EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, THAT BEING A, A THOROUGHFARE.
BUT WE'VE LOOKED AT WAYS TO MITIGATE, UH, THOSE SITUATIONS ON GARTH ROAD.
UH, SOME WORK BETTER THAN OTHERS, AS YOU'VE HEARD, AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE THIS EVENING SAYING WHETHER SPEED BUMPS WORK OR RED LIGHT CAMERAS WORK, OR WHAT WORKS BETTER THAN OTHER, UH, THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO.
MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO AN EVALUATION TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT WORKS BEST.
WE DID FIND ON GARTH ROAD, ONE SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE WORKING, AND THAT IS THE FLASHING LIGHTS THAT SAY PEDESTRIAN.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE THAT, UH, IN OTHER LOCATIONS.
ANY DALE AVENUE OR, UH, THERE'S, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY CALL THE DEVICES THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD THAT, UM, UM, UH, AT THE CROSSWALK THEY SAY PIT WARNING PEDESTRIANS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA WORK ON EAST, EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
SO AGAIN, UM, MY CONDOLENCES TO STEPHANIE'S FAMILY AND AS ONE OF THE, UH, PARTS OF YOUR BUSY COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, WE ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? ANY OTHER RESIDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? BARRY IS THE LAST NAME THAT I HAVE ON THE LIST.
SOMEBODY, PAUL, A TONE SUPERVISOR, WILL RECOGNIZE YOU.
UH, YOU COULD COME UP, COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE JUST REAL QUICK.
YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, SIR.
SIR, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
AND, UH, I'M NOT HERE FOR THE TRAVEL.
I'M MORE CURIOUS ABOUT THE, UH, NINE 11 MEMORIAL ON, UH, CENTRAL AVENUE.
THAT'S REALLY NOT THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING.
WE, WE WILL HAVE AN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON OUR SEPTEMBER 13TH MEETING TO OPEN UP TO OTHER DISCUSSIONS AS WELL.
BUT TONIGHT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AT EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEND US AN EMAIL WITH YOUR CONCERNS OR COME BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING, WE COULD ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AT THAT TIME.
UNDERSTAND IF YOU WOULD SEND IT TO TOWN BOARD.
UNDERSTAND ON, ON THE TOPIC, UH, IT WAS A DRUNK DRIVER.
SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.
IT HAS TO DO WITH A DRUNK DRIVER AND, UH, UH, DRUGS.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
IT HAS TO DO WITH A DRUNK DRIVER.
SO YOU WANNA DO CAR STOPS INSTEAD OF FLOODING THE AREA WITH SUMMONSES, YOU DO PLENTY OF CAR STOPS AND YOU WANT IT ADMONISHED.
THAT'S ALSO AN OFFICER'S AT THE OFFICER'S DISCRETION.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FLOOD THE AREA WITH SUMMONSES.
[00:50:01]
IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT THAT NINE 11 WAS DISCUSSED.THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.
YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF THE ASSAULT.
THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RE I'M SORRY, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT, UM, ON EAST DALE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, AND I JUST WANNA REITERATE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID HERE.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF EV EVERYBODY, UM, HAS HEARD OF THAT GAME.
FROGGER, I FEEL LIKE A FROG TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET.
I WANNA OFFER MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.
IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.
AND I CONCUR THAT WE NEED EITHER TO REMOVE THE BENCHES, PUT BARRIERS, OR PUT SOME FENCES.
THERE ARE SOME FENCES THAT ARE, UM, ON CENTRAL AVENUE THAT ARE PROTECTING, UM, A COUPLE OF THE, UH, RESTAURANTS AND THE STORES THAT ARE RIGHT ON THE CORNER OF CENTRAL AND TO EAST HARTSDALE.
AND I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE, WOULD BE HELPFUL TO MITIGATE THE ISSUE.
ANYBODY ELSE? DO WE HAVE ANY ZOOM CALLS? WE DO.
ARE THEY DOING IT BY CHAD? MR. EMAN, I JUST, UM, HIT THE PROMOTE TO PANELIST.
IF YOU CAN ACCEPT THAT, THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS.
WELCOME MR. EISENMAN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS JOSH EISENMAN AND I JUST, UM, WANTED TO, UH, READ WHAT I SENT TO THE TOWN BOARD IN AN EMAIL, UH, AS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF 180 EAST HARTSDALE.
AND KNOWING STEPHANIE FROM WHEN SHE WORKED WITH MY MOM IN, UH, COUNTY PLANNING, I WAS BEYOND DISMAYED BY THE DEADLY ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ACROSS FROM MY WINDOW.
AS SUCH, I'D LIKE TO BE PART OF THIS WORKSHOP.
AND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THIS ISSUE, I'D ALSO LIKE TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY THAT WHILE NOTHING COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE DEATH OF MY INNOCENT AND BELOVED STEPHANIE, I'M IN FAVOR OF BOTH A RED LIGHT CAMERA AND A PERMANENT SPEED MONITOR BEING INSTALLED AT THE LIGHT CORNER OF, UM, EAST HARTSDALE AND ROCKLEDGE, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SPEED BUMPS BEING INSTALLED ALONG EAST HARTSDALE BETWEEN THE VILLAGE AND THE FOUR CORNERS.
UM, NOTE THAT THERE'S A NON-PERMANENT SPEED BUMP SOLUTION THAT CAN BE INSTALLED IMMEDIATELY, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEND EXAMPLES OF THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING WE USE DOWN HERE IN GRAND CAYMAN AND IT PREVENTS, UM, SPEEDING CONSIDERABLY.
SO I CAN SEND EXAMPLES TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE THAT NOT A DAY OR NIGHT GOES BY, THAT I DO NOT SEE OR HEAR SOMEONE SPEEDING THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION AT SPEEDS WAY BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE VILLAGE.
AS SUCH, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THE POLICE INSTALL PERMANENT SPEED AND RED LIGHT CAMERAS.
AND WHILE THE POLICE ARE STATIONED AT THAT CORNER FOR A SHORT PERIOD EV EVERY DAY, THAT WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
AND AGREE THAT CHANGES NEED TO BE FAST TRACKED RATHER THAN CONTINUED, RATHER THAN THESE CONTINUED THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS BEYOND THAT, REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 15 MILES PER HOUR OR DOING WHAT RYE AND SCARSDALE HAVE DONE BY CUTTING OFF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC THROUGH THE VILLAGE IS NOT PRACTICAL UNTIL ANOTHER ROUTE TO CENTRAL AVENUE IS BUILT.
I E NEVER, BECAUSE THIS IS A THOROUGHFARE, THIS STRETCH OF ROAD WILL CARRY TOO MUCH TRAFFIC AND TOO MANY AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS LIKE THIS WILL CONTINUE TO PLAGUE OUR STREETS.
AND I HOPE PAUL'S COMMENT ABOUT TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES BEING IMPLEMENTED SOON ISN'T JUST LIP LIP SERVICE, SADLY.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER, THERE WAS A, A LADY IN THE BACK.
WOULD, WOULD YOU SEND US, UH, INFORMATION? YOU SAID YOU HAD SOME SUGGESTIONS RELATING TO THE GRAND CA YEAH.
WHO SHOULD I SEND THAT TO? IF YOU COULD EMAIL TOWN BOARD@GREENBERGNY.COM YEAH, SURE.
HI, MY NAME IS GRACE LOVE, AND I JUST DID WANT TO GIVE SOME FEEDBACK MYSELF AS A PEDESTRIAN.
SAFETY DOES NOT FALL ON THE POLICE.
[00:55:01]
A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.SO AS A PEDESTRIAN, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE AT TIMES.
WALKING ON HARD, STILL MYSELF, I DO GO THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS, UM, JUST FOR EXERCISE AND WITH THE ELDERLY IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE ELDERLY, DISABLED PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED, IT, IT'S A LOT OF BURDEN ON A PEDESTRIAN TO HAVE TO MAKE CONSIDERATIONS OF WHERE CAN I WALK? THAT'S THE SAFEST FOR ME.
THAT SHOULD NOT BE WHAT A PEDESTRIAN IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
UM, PERSONALLY, I LOVE HARTSDALE.
HARTSDALE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY COMMUNITY, SMALL TOWN FEEL, AND IT'S UP TO HARTSDALE TO DECIDE ON WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO TOLERATE AND NOT TOLERATE MYSELF.
UH, WHERE I WORK, WE DO PRIORITIZE SAFETY AS A NUMBER ONE CONCERN, AND THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE, UM, ISSUE THAT WE FOCUS ON EVERY NIGHT.
SO AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, I JUST LIKE TO ASK ALL RESIDENTS, WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO TOLERATE AND NOT TOLERATE? THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON ZOOM? THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE? I DO NOT BELIEVE SO.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE IS, IF YOU COULD JUST ELECTRONICALLY RAISE YOUR HAND, IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER.
THAT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE THOUGHT, UM, IN EDGEMONT, UH, THERE WAS A COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, LUCAS
AND I'M WONDERING OF WOULD MAKE SENSE TO HAVE, UM, A SMALL WORKING GROUP THAT COULD, UM, WORK WITH THE TOWN BOARD AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, REVIEW THE VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS AND OPTIONS, AND THEN, UM, POSSIBLY PROVIDE US WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, QUARTERLY, UH, PROGRESS REPORTS.
UM, SO THIS WAY, UM, EVERYBODY YOU KNOW HERE WILL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY SAY, QUARTER, SAY, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, WE HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING.
AND THEN THREE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, IN MARCH WE DO THE SAME THING.
THIS WAY YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TICKETS HAVE WE BEEN ISSUING, UH, WHAT, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE WE MAKING ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE? WHAT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ARE WE FOLLOWING FROM THE STUDY THAT WE DID, WE'RE NOT FOLLOWING? AND THE REASONS, UM, IF WE'RE DOING THE CAMERAS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY WE'RE DOING IT OR WHY WE'RE NOT.
BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE KEY TO THIS IS REALLY, UH, THE FOLLOW UP.
AND I FEEL THAT IF EVERYBODY SEES THAT WE REALLY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE REQUIRING, UM, YOU KNOW, PROGRESS REPORTS, UM, AND UPDATES, AND THE COMMUNITY HAS KEPT INFORMED, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL COME UP WITH, WE WILL DEFINITELY MAKE THE STREETS SAFER FOR EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, AVOID SOME, SOME ACCIDENTS.
AND I THINK A ALONG THE WAY WE'LL GET NEW IDEAS THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF, UH, TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD KEEP MAKING THIS A WORK.
THIS SHOULD BE A WORK IN PROGRESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT PERFECT, BUT WE WILL KEEP MAKING IT BETTER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY WHO'S HERE AND SOME WHOM I MET LAST WEEK AND TO ALL THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE, WE SAW LAST WEEK HOW MUCH SUFFERING YOU ALL FELT AS WE HAVE TODAY.
UM, I HOPE SINCE THIS IS ON, IT MAY BE ON TELEVISION LATER, THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING UNDERSTAND THAT DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY IS SO IMPORTANT AND THAT WE SLOW DOWN.
I, I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF HAVING A LEAD FOOT SOMETIME, BUT WE LOOK AT HOW MUCH HURT THERE IS, HOW MUCH PAIN THAT YOU'VE CAUSED UNNECESSARILY AND THE CLOSE CALLS THAT YOU'VE HAD.
YOU KNOW, THE POLICE CAN'T MONITOR EVERYBODY AND SPEED BUMPS CAN WORK JUST SO FAR AND LIGHTS, IF PEOPLE IGNORE THEM, JUST DON'T DO THE TRICK.
SO PLEASE, LET'S ALL TAKE A LESSON FROM THIS AND BE, GO EASY ON THAT GAS PEDAL, PAY ATTENTION, LOOK TO SEE WHO'S WALKING, LOOK TO SEE THE PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE TRYING
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TO GET INTO THEIR CAR.I ALSO WANT TO, UH, EXPRESS MY SINCERE SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY.
UH, IT'S AN UNBELIEVABLE LOSS, YOU KNOW, WE SAY THERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, AND FOR SOME REASON GOD WANTED STEPHANIE.
UM, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY, UH, BUT THE FAMILY ALSO TAUGHT US HOW TO GRIEVE.
I WENT BACK TO EAST DALE AVENUE EXACTLY ONE WEEK AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND FRANKLY, I WAS STUNNED THAT THE FAMILY THOUGHT OF TAKING THE DOG THAT WAS AT THE FUNERAL AND PLACE IT AS PART OF THE MEMORIAL.
YOU KNOW, THAT I SAID IT LEAVING THE FUNERAL PARLOR.
BUT THAT REALLY, UM, WAS INSPIRATIONAL TO ME AT STEPHANIE, WOULD'VE BEEN SO PROUD OF THE SENDOFF AS SUDDEN AS IT WAS, AND IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
AND I AGREE, THERE'S NOTHING THAT ANYBODY HERE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, I WAS, I WAS, I WAS JUST, IT TOOK ME QUITE A WHILE.
IT'S STILL TAKEN ME QUITE A WHILE, UM, TO COME TO TERMS WITH THAT THIS BOARD IS NOT GOING TO STOP IN DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES.
WHAT WE HEAR, AND IT WAS MOST TROUBLING, IS WELL, WE PUT UP THE FLASHING YELLOW BEACONS, BEACONS AND NOBODY STOPS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE NEED A TREMENDOUS EDUCATION EFFORT, NOT ONLY ON THE DRIVERS, BUT ON THE PEDESTRIANS.
AND PART OF THAT EDUCATION, UNFORTUNATELY, IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE ENFORCEMENT.
AND PART OF THAT ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE TICKETS.
BECAUSE I RECENTLY DROVE THROUGH EASTCHESTER AT A 25 ON A MAIN ROAD, 25 MILES AN HOUR, AND THERE WAS SPEED CAMERAS ON THAT ROAD.
AND GUESS WHAT SPEED PEOPLE WERE GOING 25 MILES AN HOUR, RIGHT? THEY WORK, THEY'RE A DETERRENT.
HOPEFULLY YOU DON'T GET A TICKET, BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WHAT WE'LL BE EXPLAINING ON THE 13TH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'VE BEEN SPENDING ON IMPROVING THE AREA, UM, THINGS THAT YOU DON'T NORMALLY SEE ABOUT LIGHTS AND TIMING AND SOPHISTICATED, UM, CONTROLS, TRAFFIC CONTROLS, UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT STARTED PRIOR TO, UH, YOU KNOW, AFTER STEPHANIE'S DEATH.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, THESE THINGS DO TAKE A LONG TIME.
IF WE'RE GOING FOR SPEED CAMERAS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE TO COME INTO SESSION, VOTE ON IT, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS TO APPROVE IT.
SO IT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T START.
AND SO, UH, ON THE 13TH WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO A TRIBUTE TO STEPHANIE.
AND IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME HERE ON THE 13TH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND, UH, EXPRESS A REFLECTION EITHER ON ZOOM AND THERE WAS SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AT THE BEGINNING WHERE SOUND WASN'T GOING OUT.
UH, YOU DO IT ON ZOOM OR IN PERSON, UH, THAT WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THE FAMILY HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO COME BACK ON THE 13TH FOR THAT TRIBUTE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S THE TIME, THE, THE BEST TIME FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE REFLECTIONS ABOUT STEPHANIE, UH, TO SHARE THEM.
I'M YOUR TOWN CLERK, JUDITH VILLE AND I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS, MANY MOMENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT MY 15 YEAR, 10 TENURE, UH, ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
I COORDINATED, UM, MUSICIANS PARTICIPATING IN THE EAST HARSDALE FARMER'S MARKET.
UM, STEPHANIE WAS VERY MUCH A CONSULTANT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AS YOU HEARD SUSAN TOLSON SAY, UM, WHEN SHE WAS ALSO THE TOWN CLERK.
AND I, I JUST WANT TO, TO ADD TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT DISCOURSE CONVERSATION, UM, THAT
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IS, IS FILLED WITH, UM, RICH, UH, INPUT WITH REGARDS TO RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT THE, THE PHYSICAL SAFETY, PHYSICAL ASPECT OF SAFETY IS, IS ONE THING WHEN WE ARE FORCED TO ENCOUNTER BUMPS, UM, IN THE ROAD AND WHEN WE ENCOUNTER SIGNS, BUT TO THE PRESENCE OF A UNIFORMED OFFICER SENDS A PSYCHOLOGICAL, A MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO OUR THINKING THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONARY STEPS TO SLOW DOWN TO BE AWARE OF HOW WE'RE DRIVING.AND I, I, I JUST THINK THAT, THAT I DO NOT HAVE A VOTE ON THE BOARD.
UM, HOWEVER, I'M HEARING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EVERYONE.
AND I THINK THAT THE PRESENCE OF A UNIFORMED OFFICER, WHETHER THAT PERSON BE SOMEONE SUCH AS THE GENTLEMAN SITTING HERE, OR A CHIEF OR AN AUXILIARY OFFICER, THE PRESENCE OF A UNIFORM OFFICER MAKES A DIFFERENCE PSYCHOLOGICALLY.
WHEN WE SEE THAT PERSON THERE, WE ARE FORCED TO RETHINK OUR BEHAVIOR.
SO COMBINED WITH THE, THE, UM, BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND THE SIGNAGE THAT MIGHT SAY, THAT MIGHT REMIND US OF THE SPEED THAT WE'RE GOING, A UNIFORMED OFFICER CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE, AGAIN, TO SAY MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO YES, MY SISTERS, WE HAD A, UM, GREAT CONVERSATION LAST WEEK AND IT WAS REALLY HARD AND IT WAS REALLY CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT AND WE ALL WHO WERE THERE MADE A PROMISE THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY, NOT ONLY IN AT HARTSDALE AVENUE EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, BUT AROUND GREENBURG AS A WHOLE.
SO AS TOWN SUPERVISOR MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING MONEY IN A BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY, THAT SAFETY FOR AROUND THE TOWN, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY IT'S JUST NOT HARTSDALE AVENUE.
AND I'M NOT TO SAY THAT GREENBURG IS NOT SAFE, BUT WE HAVE THE REALISTIC OF THIS MATTER IS THAT THIS LIFE WAS TAKEN BY DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AND HIGH SPEED.
THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THE CHIEF AND HIS TEAM COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THAT.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT, UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL LISTENING, THAT WE ALL HAVE MADE A PLEDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, SAFETY IS PRIORITY IN EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND THIS MOMENT IS SO SAD FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE WE SHOULD NOT BE SITTING HERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
I SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT MY TWO SISTERS HERE GRIEVING THE WAY THAT THEY ARE.
BUT THIS SHOWS THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE AND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE.
AND THIS IS WHEN I LOVE THAT WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
YOU HAVE THE STATE, YOU HAVE THE COUNTY, YOU HAVE EVERYONE REALLY COMING TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS IS PRIORITY FOR ALL OF US.
SO AGAIN, MY CONDOLENCES AND AGAIN, MY SYMPATHY TO EVERYONE, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THIS TOGETHER.
SO PLEASE EVERYONE DO FLOOD US WITH THE EMAILS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND WITH THE GREAT LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CHIEF, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH HIM AND SUPPORT HIM AND HIS STAFF AND MAKING SURE THAT IN OUR STAFF, THE COMMISSIONER OF PLANNING, COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND EVERYONE INVOLVED, THAT EVERYONE TO TAKE THEIR EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO, WHAT WE PUT GOING FORWARD, THAT WE MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE FOR ALL, FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY CHIEF, I BELIEVE PERSONALLY THAT YOUR PRESENCE AS WELL AS THE PRESENCE OF YOUR STAFF MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, UM, SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN MENTIONED ABOUT A PARTICULAR SAFETY ISSUE, UM, WHICH I THINK IS MEANT TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS, BUT IT SEEMS TO TEMPT DRIVERS IN A WAY THAT IS NOT INTENDED.
SO THE PARKING LIGHT, I MEAN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF COLUMBIA AND EAST HARSDALE AVENUE, I IS A LENGTHY TRAFFIC LIGHT.
UH, VERY OFTEN I'VE, I'VE CUT THROUGH COLUMBIA TO GET TO EAST HARSDALE AVENUE, SO I DON'T GET STUCK AT THE FOUR CORNERS.
IT'S A VERY LONG TRAFFIC LIGHT, PROBABLY TO PROJECT PEDESTRIANS AS THEY CROSS THE STREET.
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BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS IS DRIVERS BECOME SO FRUSTRATED BY THE LENGTH OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT.THEY BLOW THE RED LIGHT ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
AS SOON AS THE FIRST ONE DOES IT, THE ONE BEHIND THEM DO IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT CAN BE DONE THERE, BUT THAT'S A REALLY STRANGE SITUATION, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF WHAT IT DOES TO THE PEOPLE DRIVING THE CARS, YOU KNOW? UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE AWARE OF THAT, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
SO IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU FOCUS ON WHILE WE'RE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS.
BUT I THINK THAT'LL ALSO BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT'S BEING DONE WHEN THEY RELOCATE, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
AND SO ALL THAT TIMING WILL LIKELY CHANGE IN THE, IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
ANYBODY ELSE? WE THANK YOU ALL.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA RETURN RECORDING.