[ 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]
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WELCOME TO OUR TOWN BOARD, UH, WORK SESSION.
TODAY IS, UH, TUESDAY, JANUARY 9TH.
UM, A LITTLE AFTER, UH, FIVE 15.
AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE FOR, UM, TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULE TO JOIN US.
IT'S A RAINY DAY, AND, UM, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE FELT THAT THEY WERE GONNA RISK THEIR LIVES COMING HERE, UH, WORRIED, WORRIED ABOUT TREES COMING DOWN AND ALL THAT, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO WE'RE GONNA START, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY BEING OUT OF HERE.
UM, BEFORE, UH, TOMORROW MORNING, UH, WE WE'RE GONNA BE, TRY, TRY TO BE OUT OF HERE EARLY, UM, BUT, UM, SO YOU COULD GET HOME SAFELY.
BUT THE FIRST ITEM IS, UH, UM, CAROL ALLEN AND MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, UH, FROM THE SAVING, UH, GREENBERG, UH, COALITION, UH, ASKED TO MEET WITH US, UH, TO DISCUSS LEGISLATION THAT WAS, UM, APPROVED BY THE SENATE TODAY.
AND, UM, UH, IT'S A CHAPTER AMENDMENT THAT THE LEGISLATURE'S CONSIDERING.
DR. ALLEN, YOU KNOW THE RULE, YOU KNOW THE PROCEDURE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
WE, MICHAEL SCHWARTZ AND I AS REPRESENTATIVES DR.
CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS CAROL ALLEN.
YES, I AM A RESIDENT OF HARTSDALE FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.
I AM THE LEADER OF THE SAVING GREENBERG COALITION.
OUR COALITION HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST YEAR ON THE PROBLEM THAT THE TOWN IS FACING ABOUT THE INCORPORATION, A POTENTIAL INCORPORATION OF THE EDGEMONT SECTION OF OUR TOWN.
WE LEARNED LAST YEAR THAT SHOULD A REFERENDUM OCCUR, THERE WOULD BE NO INPUT FROM THE RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE HAMLET OF EDGEMONT.
AND IT IS OUR BELIEF, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT THIS IS UNDEMOCRATIC, THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE A SAY IN THE FUTURE OF OUR TOWN.
EDGEMONT WOULD BREAK AWAY, TAKE ALL OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS WITH THEM, AND THE REST OF US WOULD BE LEFT TO SUFFER THE DECREASE IN SERVICES, THE INCREASE IN TAXES, AND THE DECREASES IN PROPERTY VALUES THAT WOULD RESULT FROM LOSING THAT AFFLUENT SECTION OF OUR TOWN.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE MET WITH OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
WE HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE PUBLIC, AND AS A RESULT OF OUR EFFORTS, A VILLAGE INCORPORATION BILL WAS SUBMITTED BY STATE SENATOR ANDREW STEWART COUSINS, WHICH, WHICH SOMEWHAT CHANGE BY UPDATING THE CURRENT INCORPORATION PROCESS, A VILLAGE INCORPORATION COMMISSION WOULD BE CREATED, WHICH WOULD OVERSEE THAT PROCESS, AND THAT COMMISSION WOULD BE CHARGED WITH MAKING SURE THAT A VILLAGE INCORPORATION WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST, BOTH OF THE AREA THAT WANTS TO INCORPORATE, AS WELL AS NOT NEGATIVE TO THE TOWN THAT WOULD REMAIN BEHIND THIS LAW PASSED.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SECTION IN THAT LAW THAT EXEMPTED THE EFFORT OF THE EDGEMONT SECTION OF TOWN.
IN ADDITION, A LAW WAS WRITTEN BY SENATOR SFUS, WHICH WOULD ALSO CHANGE THE VILLAGE INCORPORATION REQUIREMENTS SOMEWHAT BY REQUIRING A FISCAL ANALYSIS TO BE DONE POSTED PUBLICLY FOR 90 DAYS BEFORE REFERENDUM COULD BE HELD.
AND ALSO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN.
THAT WOULD INCORPORATE, WE WERE IN FAVOR OF THAT CHANGE BECAUSE THE FISCAL ANALYSIS WOULD THEN BE PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE OF EDGEMONT SHOULD A REFERENDUM OCCUR, SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT ON THEM.
THERE CURRENTLY IS NO RECENT ANALYSIS THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE.
THE LAST DATE OF ANALYSIS WAS APPROXIMATELY 2017.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE CURRENT SESSION, SOME CHAPTER AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, AND AS MR. FINER HAS SAID, THEY PASSED THROUGH THE SENATE TODAY AND HAVE BEEN SENT ONTO THE ASSEMBLY.
THE AMENDMENTS ARE DISASTROUS.
AS STATED, THEY WOULD EXEMPT EDGEMONT FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE NEW LAW UNTIL THE YEAR 2040.
THAT WOULD GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL 16 YEARS BEYOND THE SIX THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKING IN ORDER TO TRY AND INCORPORATE.
NOW, MRS. TOLKIN IS HERE TODAY, AND SHE DISAGREES WITH OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW.
BUT FROM ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH, MOST OF WHOM ARE LAWYERS, THIS IS IN FACT THE CASE THAT EDGEMONT WOULD CONTINUE THEIR EFFORT TO INCORPORATE UNDER THE CURRENT RULES FOR AN ADDITIONAL 16 YEARS.
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ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY SINCE WHEN WE FIRST APPROACHED THE SENATOR.SHE SAID THAT SHE COULD NOT SUPPORT DOING A HOME RULE FOR GREENBERG BECAUSE SHE WOULD HAVE TO LEGISLATE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE STATE, NOT JUST FOR US.
AND VERY CLEARLY, THIS CURRENT CHAPTER AMENDMENT, WHICH SHE HAS PROPOSED, IS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY TO BENEFIT EDGEMONT TO THE DETRIMENT OF GREENBERG RESIDENTS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SO NEGATIVE TO 40,000 RESIDENTS, 40,000 OF HER CONSTITUENTS, ONLY TO SUPPORT THE EDGEMONT CORPORATION COMMISSION COMMITTEE, WHICH REPRESENTS AT MOST THE 7,500 TO 8,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN EDGEMONT.
AND PROBABLY A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAN THAT.
SO WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS WE CAN PURSUE AS THE COALITION AND AS THE TOWN BOARD, SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO NULLIFY THIS LEGISLATION THAT IS RAPIDLY GOING THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
MY NAME IS MIKE SCHWARTZ, AND I'M A 32 YEAR RESIDENT OF GREENBURG WHO LIVES IN EDGEMONT 32 YEARS THIS SUMMER.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS, UH, INCORPORATION, UM, EFFORT, UH, NOT IN FAVOR OF IT FOR THE ABOUT SEVEN YEARS.
AND, UM, I'M TAKEN BY HOW IRRATIONAL THE ACTIONS OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE IN TERMS OF ABANDONING 42 OF THE 50,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG.
SO I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE? SO FIRST, FOR MYSELF LIVING IN EDGEMONT, THE REALITY IS IF A VOTE OCCURRED TODAY, A REFERENDUM VOTE CAME TODAY, I WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT THE TERRITORY IS THAT'S MAKING UP THE NEW EDGEMONT VILLAGE.
I WOULDN'T KNOW FROM WHERE MY SERVICES ARE COMING, THE LEVEL OF THE SERVICES OR THE COST.
I WOULD HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FINANCIAL FUTURE LOOKED LIKE, WHAT MY TAXES WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT CAPITAL BUDGETS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND NOT ONLY WOULD I NOT KNOW IT ON THE DATES THAT I VOTED IN THE REFERENDUM, BUT IT'S LIKELY I WOULDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL POSSIBLY 90 DAYS LATER AFTER A VILLAGE BOARD WAS VOTED IN AND AFTER A VILLAGE MANAGER WAS HIRED.
SO PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATION, WHICH HAS, HAS BEEN PUSHED, PUSHED, PUSHED THROUGH BY SENATOR COUSINS, UM, HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY ASSEMBLYMAN ASSEMBLYWOMAN PAUL, AND HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH ABROGATED BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN SHAMSKY.
UM, THE, THE WHOLE THING SEEMS IRRATIONAL.
THE PEOPLE IN EDGEMONT DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT LIFE WILL LOOK LIKE AFTER AN INCORPORATION, THE NEW LAW, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY ASCENDED COUSINS, WHICH DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR THE UNINCORPORATED TOWN, UH, THE BALANCE OF THEM EITHER, UM, A VOTE, A PART OF THE PETITION PRO BEING PART OF THE PETITION PROCESS, ANY REPRESENTATION IN THE PROCESS OR ANY CONSIDERATION, AND WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE FOR THEM OF AN INCORPORATION.
BUT FOR EDGEMONT, I AT LEAST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE INFORMATION IS.
THE NEWER LAW, WHICH COVERS 20 MILLION PEOPLE IN NEW YORK STATE, BUT DOESN'T COVER THE 50,000 PEOPLE COVERED AS NOT THE WHITE WORD PROTECTS, DOESN'T COVER, UH, PROTECT THE 50,000 PEOPLE IN UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG CALLS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A COMMISSION OF THREE PEOPLE APPOINTED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THE CONTROLLER, WHO WOULD LOOK AT ALL THE FINANCIAL SITUATIONS AND THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT RELATE.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, IF EDGEMONT WAS TO BECOME A VILLAGE,
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BOTH EDGEMONT AND THE BALANCE OF THE UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG WOULD BE LESS DIVERSE THAN THEY ARE TOGETHER.AND THEY WOULD MAKE A DECISION IN THE END, A VETTED FINANCIAL REPORT WOULD BE IN PLACE THAT EVERYBODY COULD SEE.
AND THIS COMMITTEE OF THREE PEOPLE UNASSOCIATED WITH THE POLITICS OF GREENBERG AND EDGEMONT, WOULD MAKE A DECISION IF THEY FOUND THAT IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING FOR UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG THAT WE SAY, I'M SORRY, CAN'T GO FORWARD.
IF THEY FOUND THAT IT WOULD CHANGE THE LIFESTYLE OR CAUSE ANY ISSUES FINANCIALLY OR SOCIALLY TO THE PEOPLE IN EDGEMONT, THEY WOULD SAY, SORRY, YOU CAN'T GO FORWARD.
20 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK ARE PROTECTED BY THIS LAW, BUT 50,000 PEOPLE IN UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG ARE NOT.
SO THESE ARE THE TWO SETS OF ISSUES.
ONE IS THE INEQUITY OF VOTER SUPPRESSION AND LACK OF REPRESENTATION AND LACK OF CONSIDERATION.
AND THE SECOND IS THE LACK OF INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION IN A REFERENDUM VOTE.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I WANT THAT TO JUST PREFACE BY, BY SAYING, UM, A, A A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST, WELCOME TO TWO NEW PEOPLE ON THE BOARD TO A, A NEW BOARD MEMBER AND TO A NEW TOWN CLERK.
UM, AND APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE COMING IN AT A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE TOWN, BUT I WANT TO REINFORCE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY PERSON AT THIS TABLE IS A SUPPORTER OF THE CONCEPT OF EQUITY IN THIS PARTICULAR DISCUSSION.
AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORTS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US IN THE PAST, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORTS IN THE FUTURE.
DO YOU WANT TO GO FURTHER, CAROL, OR SHOULD I? NO, GO AHEAD.
SO, I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, FOR THE FUTURE IS, IS A FEW THINGS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE AS A COMMITTEE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, AND CAROL AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMITTEE ARE WONDERFUL AND, UM, AND HAVE GREAT SOCIAL VALUES AND, AND ARE MORAL PEOPLE.
AND WE'LL GO FORWARD AND DO AN EXTREMELY EXTENSIVE ORGANIZATION OF THE ENTIRE UNINCORPORATED TOWN, TRY TO GET THE VILLAGES INVOLVED, AND ALSO MOVE INTO EDGEMONT BECAUSE AS CAROL SAID, THE EDGEMONT INCORPORATION COMMITTEE REPRESENTS THE EDGEMONT INCORPORATION COMMITTEE.
THEY DON'T REPRESENT ME, THEY DON'T REPRESENT OTHER MEMBERS, UH, UM, OF THE COMMUNITY IN EDGEMONT WHO ARE SITTING BEHIND US, WHO ARE, UH, JUST FURIOUS.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA DO A GOOD JOB OF ORGANIZING THE COMMUNITY SO THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL KNOW HOW WE FEEL.
AND IF IT MEANS PRIMARY SING, SOME OF THEM EVEN WITHOUT THE HOPE OF WINNING, THAT'S FINE.
IF IT MEANS GOING TO EVERY COMMUNITY MEETING AND STANDING UP AND EXPRESSING TO EVERY COMMUNITY WHAT THOSE ELECTED OFFIC OFFICIALS DID, HOW THEY ABANDONED US AND DISCARDED US, WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL.
HOWEVER, FOR THE BOARD, I THINK TWO THINGS OCCUR.
I KNOW THE BOARD HAS ALREADY VOTED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE COMPLETED THE PROCESS OF HIRING AN ATTORNEY WHO WILL HELP PAUL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE, UM, THE PETITION IS SUFFICIENT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A PETITION A, A POT A, A POTENTIAL PETITION.
HE'S VERY, HE'S A SCIENTIST, A VERY POTENTIAL PETITION, A, A, A VERY, UH, SOON TO COME.
WE BELIEVE PETITION, UH, IS, UM, IS SUFFICIENT.
AND I, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UM, CONFIRMED THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT.
HOWEVER, I I, I BELIEVE THAT ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADDITION OF THE NEW, ABOUT 45 LINES OF SECTION 10 OF THIS NEW BILL, SENATE 8,001, BY THE WAY, IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO SENATOR COUSINS THAT IT WAS THE FIRST BILL OF THE YEAR.
SHE'S IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING IN THE SENATE.
THE FIRST BILL ENTERED ON THE FIFTH AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
IT WENT TO THE RULES COMMITTEE.
THE RULES COMMITTEE VOTED ON IT IN SEVEN MINUTES AND 29 SECONDS PASSED THE NEXT DAY AND SENT TO THE ASSEMBLY.
A LOT OF THOUGHT WENT INTO THIS.
BUT WITH THE, THOSE 45 LINES IN SECTION 10, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A REAL SERIOUS OPPORTUNITY
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TO DO DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT.WE BELIEVE THAT, THAT THE LAW IS DISCRIMINATORY RACIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, HOUSING, AND THROUGH VOTER SUPPRESSION.
AND WE WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AND SPEAK TO THEIR ATTORNEY ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FUNDING SUCH A DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WOULD BE BEHIND YOU AND APPRECIATE THAT.
AND WE BELIEVE IT'S CALLED FOR THE IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, PLACES US IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN DO NOTHING ELSE, BUT USE THE LEGAL SYSTEM TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO.
BOB HERMAN WAS SOLICITOR GENERAL OF, UH, THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE RIGHT UNDER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL UNDER BOB ABRAMS, AND FORMER COUNSEL TO THE GOVERNOR OF, UH, NEW YORK STATE.
AND, UH, ALSO BILL DRAFTER PAUL.
OH, IS YOUR MIC NOT ON, OR YOU JUST KEEP TURNING YOUR HEAD AND NOT OH, I'M SORRY.
UH, BOB, BOB HERMAN, WHO LIVES, UH, IN HARTSDALE, UH, WAS SOLICITOR GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE NUMBER TWO PERSON IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, UM, UNDER BOB ABRAMS, AND ALSO FORMER COUNSEL TO, UH, THE GOVERNOR.
AND, UM, UH, BILL DRAFTER, UM, UH, WORKING, UH, FOR THE STATE SENATE.
AND, UM, HE ASKED IF HE COULD, UH, SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, THANK YOU.
UM, I, UM, WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT, OUR TOWN CLERK WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
IF YOU COULD STATE AND SPELL YOUR NAME.
UH, ROBERT HERMAN, H-E-R-M-A-N-N.
I'VE BEEN HERE 18 YEARS IN GREENBURG.
UM, I'VE BEEN PRACTICING LAW FOR 50 PLUS YEARS DOING LITIGATION, UH, MOST OF WHICH, UH, FOR NOT-FOR-PROFITS, CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR A GOOD LONG TIME.
AND I FINISHED MY CAREER THERE AS A SOLICITOR GENERAL, BUT I'VE ALSO HAD OTHER, I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE TO, AS A BACKGROUND FOR WHAT I'M, YOU KNOW, GONNA LEAD UP TO ABOUT, UH, THIS, THIS, UH, PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WHICH, BY THE WAY, UM, A CH THERE'S NO HISTORY OF A CHAPTER AMENDMENT EVER BEING NOT SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR.
THEY'RE ALL PASSED, AND THEY'RE ALL SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR.
SO, UM, THAT WILL ALL HAPPEN PRETTY QUICKLY, I THINK.
UM, THE, UM, UM, I WORKED FOR, UM, ATTORNEY GENERAL AS MENTIONED.
I ALSO WORKED FOR THE GOVERNOR AS A MEMBER, UH, OF HIS CABINET, UH, AND AS AN ADVISOR, UH, TO, TO, UH, THE GOVERNOR.
AND I ALSO WORKED, UH, ON THE STATE SENATE SIDE DOING BILL DRAFTING.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THESE ASPECTS OF, UH, OF, OF LEGISLATION.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A PIECE OF LEGISLATION LIKE THIS.
UM, IT IS SO NARROWLY FOCUSED, SO PARTICULARLY EXEMPTING ONE COMMUNITY, NOT FOR ANY SUBSTANTIVE REASON RELATED TO, UH, WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL WAS, BUT JUST TO GIVE THEM A FAVORED TREATMENT BECAUSE OF THE, UH, DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY HAPPEN TO BE LOCATED.
UM, AND, UH, YOU CAN LOOK FAR AND WIDE AND YOU, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL FIND ANYTHING.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE ALL PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THE CONCEPT OF SPOT ZONING, WHERE YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T PICK A PARTICULAR, UH, UH, SPOT AND JUST ZONE FOR THAT.
WELL, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY SPOT ZONING ON THE, ON A GUBERNATORIAL LEVEL.
UM, AND, UH, AS A RESULT, THERE ARE MANY POSSIBLE CHALLENGES THAT COULD BE RAISED TO THIS.
UH, BUT I THINK THE FUNDAMENTAL ONE IS, IS, IS GOING TO BE RE RELATED TO THE DENIAL OF EQUAL PROTECTION TO THE COM REST OF THE STATE AND THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN THIS, THIS, UH, TOWN.
UM, I'M RELUCTANT TO, UH, TO SAY ANY MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE.
UM, I'VE BEEN ADVISING PAUL, I'VE TALKED TO JOE, UM, AND, UM, THE ISSUES THAT, UH, REALLY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, UH, REALLY IN, IN A EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ORDER TO PREVENT A CLAIM IN THE FUTURE THAT ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE HAS BEEN WAIVED WITH REGARD TO THAT.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OR, OR ABOUT MY BACKGROUND OR, OR WHERE WE GO.
BUT I THINK AT BOTTOM LINE, THERE IS A VERY TENABLE, UH, LAWSUIT TO BE BROUGHT OUT OF THE, OUTTA THIS EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION.
UH, THE TOWN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL TWO PRIOR TIMES
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ON AN APPELLATE LEVEL, UH, WITH THIS.AND PARTLY BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A CERTAIN JUDICIAL SYMPATHY.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, THIS CASE WOULD, WOULD BE POWERFUL, UH, EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE, AND, UM, AND COULD PREVAIL.
BUT I'M, I'M RELUCTANT TO GET ANY MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT AT, AT THIS POINT.
UM, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE A GOOD ATTORNEY,
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING LONG ENOUGH, AS THEY SAY,
SO IT'S LIKE, WHAT WOULD THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD BE IN TERMS OF, UM, DISCUSSIONS AS TO POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, NEXT STEPS, YOU KNOW, WOULD WE WANNA DISCUSS THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY? WOULD WE WANNA DISCUSS IT, YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEK? UH, IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE ASSEMBLY YET, SO IT'S A LITTLE PREMATURE.
MAYBE IT, IT WILL BE, IT'S, IT'LL BE IT.
THIS WILL BE APPROVED NEXT WEEK.
BOB IS A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.
A CHAP, A CHAPTER AMENDMENT IS NEVER, EVER OVERTURNED.
AND SO THIS IS GONNA BE APPROVED.
AND I, I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT, IT WAS MY EXPECTATION FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THIS WOULD OCCUR.
SENATOR COUSINS MADE A, TOOK A STANCE, DOUBLED DOWN AND SAID, THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING.
THIS IS JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL FIND OUT SHE HAD TOLD THE TOWN BOARD THAT IT WAS, THAT SHE WAS GONNA DO SOMETHING, BUT NEVER SAID UP, UP TILL 2040.
THE CONCERN, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE IS THE IMPACT ON STABILITY FOR THE TOWN.
BECAUSE IF BASICALLY WE HAVE THIS HANGING OVER OUR HEADS TILL 2040, HOW COULD WE PLAN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH BUDGETS, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH, UM, UH, PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, WE ARE NOT GONNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE OR WHY WE DON'T HAVE.
IF IT WAS LIKE A ONE SHOT OPTION, IT WOULD BE ONE THING.
BUT I JUST REALLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE STABILITY ISSUES.
WELL, THE GOVERNOR IN HER SIGNING MESSAGE DIDN'T MENTION THIS.
WHAT SHE MENTIONED WAS, UM, EXEMPTING AN ENTITY THAT HAD A REFERENDUM.
THEY WERE UP TO THE POINT OF A REFERENDUM AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO THEN INCLUDE THEM.
I NEVER ENVISIONED THIS, THIS, THIS IS LIKE A, A GUT PUNCH.
I NEVER ENVISIONED THE EXTENT THAT THIS GOES, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO APPLY AS STRANGE AS IT WOULD BE TO AN UNFILED PETITION.
THE CURRENT PETITION THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO FILE OR SAYING THEIR FILE OR PORT TELLS PAUL TELLS US EVERY TWO WEEKS IT'S ABOUT TO BE FILED.
UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA APPLY TO THAT PARTICULAR PETITION.
AND THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN A STUDY RIGHT NOW, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE CGR, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ACTUALLY NAMED IN THE BILL AS BEING A VALID ENTITY.
SO THERE COULD BE NO CLAIM IN THE FUTURE THAT THEY'RE NOT LEGITIMATE.
UH, I NEVER ENVISIONED ANY OF THIS, UH, BEYOND IT BEING THE NEXT TIME THEY FILE.
MM-HMM,
UM, IT WOULD BASICALLY, AND IT'S UNUSUAL, RIGHT? THEY HAVEN'T FILED, AND THERE'S NO PETITION BEFORE US, BUT GRANDFATHER IT ANYWAY INTO IT.
I NEVER ENVISIONED, IF THEY'RE UNSUCCESSFUL IN THE NEXT PETITION, THAT WOULD BE THE THIRD TIME THAT THEY COULD TRY AGAIN.
AND THEN TRY AGAIN, AND THEN TRY AGAIN UNTIL 2040.
AND THEN IN 2041 OR MAYBE 2040, UH, THEY THEN WOULD HAVE TO DO THE STUDY LIKE EVERY OTHER ENTITY, MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
UH, WELL, ANOTHER, ANOTHER, I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE LISTENING PUBLIC, EVERY MEMBER OF THE TOWN BOARD HAD NO KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER UNTIL WE GOT AN EMAIL ON, UH, SUNDAY.
IT WAS FILED VERY LATE ON FRIDAY.
IT WAS GOT AN EMAIL ON SUNDAY WITH THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT, AND WE, WE READ IT WHERE I'M, FRANKLY, I'M IN DISBELIEF.
'CAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ONE HAMLET IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK IS, IS SO PROTECTED THAT THE PROTECTIONS THAT APPLY TO EVERY OTHER ENTITY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE WOULD BELIEVE TO BE A REASONABLE PROCESS, BUT NOT JUST ON THE NEXT PETITION.
IT'S ON THE PETITION AFTER THAT.
AND THE PETITION AFTER THAT, AND THE STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE BY
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MARCH 30TH.'CAUSE THAT'S IN THE BILL TOO.
DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO THAT THIS HAD TO BE DONE IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
PAUL CAN'T USE THAT AS A REASON FOR THROWING OUT THE PETITION IF IT SHOWS THAT IF THERE'S A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE, UH, UM, IMPACT ON EDGEMONT AND OR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
SO THAT STUDY, AS MUCH AS WE'RE DOING IT, UM, DOESN'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON ANY OF THIS.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT I AGREE WITH THAT, THAT, THAT IT WOULD BE MEANINGLESS THAT THE OTHER, THE CGS, I DIDN'T SAY MEANINGLESS.
I DON'T, I DON'T, AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT HERE.
BUT I DO THINK THERE IS ANOTHER GUT PUNCH HERE, WHICH IS THE, THE STUDY THAT EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THIS STATE WILL GET FROM THIS DISINTERESTED, UH, STATE COMMITTEE.
EXCEPT, UH, WE GET THE STUDY, BUT WE DON'T, BUT NOBODY GETS TO CRITICIZE IT.
NOBODY GETS TO LOOK BEHIND IT.
IT, IT CAN BE JUST WINDOW DRESSING AS IT MAY WELL TURN OUT TO BE.
WELL, THE, THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I HAVE, JUST BECAUSE WHENEVER THIS OCCURS, SO IN 2039, AS I UNDERSTAND THE, THE AMENDMENT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RELYING ON THE 2024 CGR STUDY.
BUT IN THIS BILL, THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS HAVE WHATEVER THIS STUDY IS, WHICH IS DONE, DONE, YOU KNOW, IN A RUSH MANNER.
UM, I, I TELL YOU, I I AM ABSOLUTELY STUNNED AND JUST IN SAVED ME, SAVED ME A LOT OF EMAILS.
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS UNTIL WE LEARNED ON SUNDAY THE EXTENT THAT THIS WAS, AND THAT IT DIDN'T JUST APPLY TO THE NEXT PETITION THAT THEY FILED.
BUT ANY PETITIONS THEY FILED FOR THE NEXT 16 YEARS.
SO, FRANCIS, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT THE TOWN BOARD, UH, MEET WITH JOE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO, UH, CONSIDER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, LEGAL ACTION AS WAS SUGGESTED? WELL, ON ONE VOTE, BUT I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT'S A GOOD, WOULD THAT BE SO THE CONSENSUS OF, OF THE BOARD TO, UH, UH, TO WORK WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY, THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD TO MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND WHETHER WE SHOULD MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN A CONSENSUS.
AND SHALL WE BE, SHALL WE MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT? THE WEATHER? OR DO WE MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? MAYBE THINK WE NEED ONE MORE PERSON? YEAH.
WHAT'S THAT? I, I THINK WE NEED ONE MORE PERSON FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
IT'S HAVE A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION.
MAY I MAKE IT MIGHT MAY NOT BE THE FINAL, IT WILL NOT BE THE FINAL DISCUSSION, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THE PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME OUT TONIGHT, SO THEY PROBABLY RIGHT.
WANNA SEE THIS MOVED ALONG A BIT.
MAY I JUST MAKE A COMMENT? PLEASE.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM TODAY CAME OUT IN RESPONSE TO OUR CALL SAYING OUR TOWN IS BEING SCREWED BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
DID I MISS ANYTHING IN MY COMMENTS THAT I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT OUT? TEAM? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
SO HAVING BEEN A ZONING BOARD MEMBER FOR 10 YEARS, AND YOU TURN AROUND AND YOU SAY TO THE AUDIENCE, I, I, EVERYONE HERE SUPPORTS MO, WHOEVER SUPPORTS WHAT CAROL'S POSITION, COULD YOU STAND? COULD YOU GET THIS? YEAH, I THINK, I THINK WE GOT THE MESSAGE RIGHT? MM-HMM,
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMEBODY HERE FROM SENATOR COUSIN'S OFFICE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, TWO MEMBERS OF THE, SHE'S NOT GONNA TAKE A POSITION.
YOU KNOW, TWO MEMBERS OF THE, TWO MEMBERS OF THE IC IN THE BACK.
I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, OH, I'M SORRY MR. SIMON, YOU HAVE TO COME UP.
YOU'RE GONNA ADD THAT ON A NIGHT WHERE TREES ARE LIKELY GONNA FALL, ALL OF YOU CAME OUT ANYWAY, RIGHT? AN EFFECT, AN ANCILLARY NEGATIVE EFFECT OF WHAT? SENATOR CUSS, WAIT, CAN YOU PLEASE INDICATE PLEASE? ROTH ASSIGNMENT.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE, UH, SAVING GREENBERG COALITION.
AND, UH, A ANCILLARY EFFECT TO WHAT CAROL CORRECTLY POINTED OUT IS THE FACT, A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
BECAUSE IF THE TOWN IS DECREASING SERVICES AND INCREASE IN TAXES, THAT IS NOT A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SCHOOL TO BUDGET OR THE SCHOOL TO RAISE A BOND.
IT'S NOT A DIRECT EFFECT, BUT THAT IS A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
[00:30:01]
ANOTHER EFFECT.YOU DIDN'T WANNA SAY HE IS ON THE PLANNING BOARD? 'CAUSE HE'S NOT SPEAKING FOR THE RECORD.
SO YOU JUST, WHAT'S THAT? YOU THANK YOU.
THANK YOU WOLF FOR EVERYTHING.
WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM FIRST AND THEN SOMEONE WILL MAKE A VOTE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WAS, WAS THERE A MOTION ON THE CONTINUING THE EXECUTIVE? WELL, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AT THE END, THE END OF THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY IF YOU ARE LEAVING.
UM, WE, WE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME SPEAKING ABOUT THE REST OF THE AGENDA ITEMS. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, RIGHT, YOU COULD ALWAYS GO HOME AND WATCH IT ON CABLE IF YOU SO CHOOSE OR IT'S STREAMED, WATCH IT ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND BECAUSE IT'S RECORDED, YOU CAN ALWAYS PLAY IT.
IT'LL BE UP AND RUNNING TOMORROW.
JUST CLICK ON MEETINGS AND AGENDAS OR AGENDAS AND MEETINGS, WHATEVER IT IS.
UH, AND THEN CLICK, YOU KNOW, VIEW LIVE.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
APPARENTLY MARY JANE, MARY JANE'S PERSON DIDN'T COME IN.
WHAT PASCAL IS DRAWING APPARENTLY WAS WHAT STEVE SAID.
SO NEXT, UH, THE TOWN BOARD RULES AND PROCEDURES.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, MAJOR OR MINOR CHANGES FROM OUR PREVIOUS? UH, NO.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA.
USE THAT EXACT WORDING IN HERE.
UM, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE AT LEAST 2008.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE PROCEDURES? EVERY SPEAKER SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND WHERE THEY LIVE.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE'VE BEEN REQUIRE WHAT? YOU'D HAVE TO SHOW ME THAT.
I THINK THAT'S, IT'S IN THE, MAYBE YOU COULD SAY, UH, THE NAME AND, UH, THE HAMLET THAT THEY LIVE RATHER THAN THE SPECIFIC ADDRESS.
SO YOU CAN'T SAY WE, WE, WE CAN PROPOSE IT, BUT I BELIEVE SOMEONE CAN REFUSE TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION.
SO YOU CAN'T SAY I LIVE IN HARTSDALE.
RIGHT? YOU CAN, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU CAN'T FORCE SOMEONE TO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FORCE ANYONE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY OR THE WORLD CAN SHOW UP HERE AT A PUBLIC MEETING AND SPEAK AND IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.
THEY HAVE TO NO, NO, DON'T HAVE TO SAY THEIR NAME.
NO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY THEIR NAME.
BUT OF COURSE THEN YOU GIVE IT THE WEIGHT, WHICH YOU THINK YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA SAY THAT THEY LIVE IN THE TOWN OR WHATEVER.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S THE WAY THAT GO AHEAD.
UM, WE COULD SAY WE'RE ASKING THEM, WE COULD ASK, UM, WHERE THE TOWN CLERK COULD SAY WHAT'S, WHAT HAMLET DO YOU LIVE IN? AND THEN IF THEY SAY, I DON'T WANT TO GET MENTION IT, THAT COULD BE RECORDED IN THE, IN THE MINUTES, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
OF COURSE,
WHERE THE ONLY WAY YOU'LL KNOW HOW TO CALL THEM IS BY THEIR NAME.
SO, BUT ONCE THEY GET UP THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY IT.
THEY COULD SAY IT THERE, GEORGE SANTOS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT YEAH, LET'S NOT GO THERE.
HOPEFULLY THAT CHAPTER IS ENDED.
CAN, CAN I JUST POINT OUT ONE THING? NUMBER 20, SUSPENDING THE RULES.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS DISCUSSION ON THIS IN THE PAST.
NUMBER 20, SUSPENDING THE RULES.
TYPICALLY A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE IS NEEDED FOR THAT SINCE THAT IS A PRETTY EXTREME MEASURE.
SO THAT SHOULD BE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS.
CAN I GET SOME OVERTIME? NO, YOU ALMOST GOT FIRED A FEW MINUTES, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY.
YOU HEAR THAT YOU'RE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN, ISN'T IT? YES, IT'S OKAY.
[00:35:01]
GONNA ASK HIM SUCH A NICE WAY,SO I, YOU KNOW, OH, THAT MIC'S OFF BY THE WAY.
YOU GOTTA PUT YOUR MIC ON AND SPEAK INTO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THAT, UM, CAN WE HAVE PUT INTO OUR AGENDA? NO PERSONAL ATTACKS ON ANY INDIVIDUAL SHALL BE PERMITTED.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE WE WE COULD SAY THAT IT TAKES OVER THE, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE FRONT PAGE OF OUR I KNOW.
I MEAN IT'S JUST, I WANNA EMPHASIZE IT.
ACTUALLY, YOU COULD EVEN DO IT WITHOUT SUSPENDING YOUR RULES, IF NOT ENDING PUBLIC COMMENT OVERALL, BUT JUST ASKING SOMEONE BE REMOVED FROM THE PODIUM IF THEY'RE VIOLATING OUR CODE BY BEING DISRESPECTFUL OR IN ANOTHER WAY.
IT'S EITHER CHAIR THAT'S CORRECT.
UNLESS WE OVERRULE HIM FOR NOT DOING IT.
AND THAT WOULD BE BASED ON A MAJORITY VOTE.
HE'S ACTUALLY DONE THAT LAST YEAR.
YEAH, YOU COULD
WELL, IF SOMEBODY'S TOTALLY DISRUPTING THE MEETING, I MEAN, THE PERSON WOULDN'T LET US CONTINUE.
WELL, THEY JUST KEPT STANDING UP THERE AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE WHERE IT SAYS NO.
YOU DON'T SEE WHAT, WHAT A HAMAN ATTACKS NO.
LOOK ON THE BOTTOM OF ALL THIS HERE.
WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY OF MAKING A FLASH LIGHT IN, IN FLUORESCENT LIGHT.
I PUT YOU SERIOUSLY THE FIRST PAGE.
AND THEN THAT BOTTOM BOX WAS ADDED IN ADDITION TO THAT BECAUSE SOMEBODY CAME IN AND SAID, RIGHT, RIGHT.
NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE NECESSARY.
LET'S PUT IT IN FLASHING LIGHTS, PLEASE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT TECHNOLOGY YET.
WELL, PAULA IS GONNA GET A SIGN THAT'S GOING TO SAY NO PERSONAL ATTACK.
ONE OF THOSE SIGNS THAT WE HAVE.
MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD SAY BEFORE EVERY MEETING, BUT, BUT, BUT JOEL SAID THAT GONE FORWARD NOW, I, I COULD STATE THE RULES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING OR RIGHT BEFORE PUBLIC HEARING, PUBLIC COMMENT DISCUSSIONS.
AND HE HAS BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MORE.
BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENS WITH TOO MUCH FREQUENCY.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, I'M SORRY, I SAID UNDERSTOOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE SOMETHING VERY RADICAL.
SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE BEFORE YOU, WHILE YOU PROPOSE.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR WORK SESSION.
LIKE WE HAVE A WORK SESSION TODAY.
NOW TOMORROW'S, TOMORROW'S AN ACTUAL TOWN BOARD MEETING.
BUT NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE A, WE'LL HAVE A WORK SESSION, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO TURN, UM, WE'LL HAVE A WORK SESSION.
AND THEN THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT WEEK, WE'LL COME IN AND WE DON'T GET TO SEE THEM AND DISCUSS.
WE SEE THEM, BUT WE DON'T GET TO DISCUSS THEM UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT HERE, INSTEAD OF THE RESOLUTIONS BE DUE ON WEDNESDAY, THEY'D BE ON NOON, THEY'D BE DUE AT MONDAY AT NOON.
WE WILL THEN SEE, YOU KNOW, DRAFT FORM, YOU KNOW, ROUGH WHATEVER.
NO, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU AGREE WITH THAT, DO YOU AGREE, JOY? I AGREE.
COULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO BE LATER IN THE DAY, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS? IT'S LIKE 2:00 PM JUST SHORTLY AFTERWARDS.
JUST IN CASE SOMEONE GETS IN AT NINE, A FEW HOUR TURNAROUND, MAYBE SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
OH, WHAT IS LUNCH BY THE WAY?
TIME WOULD, I MEAN, TWO O'CLOCK.
LET'S SAY, UM, THERE'S A RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE APPLYING FOR A GRANT
[00:40:01]
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE FIND OUT ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, PRETTY LATE.UM, COULD WE HAVE SOME SORT OF PROVISION WHERE, UM, SAY A SUPER MAJORITY OF THE BOARD COULD PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, SAY THE LAST MINUTE IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT THERE'S A EMERGENCY.
YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD A COUPLE INSTANCES WHERE THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE SAY, OH, IT'S, IT'S AFTER THE FACT.
BUT IF WE HAD THE ABILITY OF, UH, MAKING EXCEPTIONS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND AGAIN, WE COULD SAY IT'S FOUR MEMBERS OUT OF THE FIVE MEMBERS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A MAJORITY WOULD BE ABLE TO, IT WOULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY.
RIGHT? SO I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT, AS YOU KNOW, AND I'VE HELD OVER ANYTHING PUT ON AFTER THE AGENDA'S BEEN PUBLISHED BECAUSE THE, THE, UM, THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA, RIGHT? AND SO WE PUBLISH THE AGENDA IN ADVANCE.
UH, IF THERE'S A GRANT, UM, THAT IS, IS ALL OF A SUDDEN DUE IN ONE OR TWO DAYS OR ACTUALLY FOUR DAYS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE TIME OR FIVE DAYS BETWEEN THE TIME THE AGENDA'S PUBLISHED, UH, WE HAVE TO WORK ON THAT GRANT.
YOU KNOW, THAT GRANT NOTICE BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME TO WRITE UP A GRANT, RIGHT? SO YOU SEE GARRETT, GARRETT WAS WORKING ON THIS, THIS GRANT PRACTICALLY SLEEPING.
HERE HE IS DONE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY NOTHING ELSE WORKING ON THIS.
SO WHILE HE'S WORKING ON IT, WE HAVE NOTICE.
SO IF SOMETHING COMES UP, YOU KNOW, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, LIKE TONIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I JUST THINK THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO RELY ON WHATEVER WE ULTIMATELY PUBLISH.
UM, NOW, COULD THERE BE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES? UH, YES.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT BECOMES A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE AS TO WHAT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE.
I'M JUST SORT OF THINKING IF WE LOOKED AT, SAY, WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT.
SO RIGHT NOW THE SENATE PASSED.
WE HEARD A BILL THAT, UM, WAS INTRODUCED BY, UH, THIS STATE SENATOR.
IT HASN'T PASSED ASSEMBLY RIGHT YET.
UM, IF WE, YOU KNOW, I, I ASSUME YOU KNOW, MARY JANE CHIMPSKY, YOU KNOW, WAS WATCHING THE MEETING TODAY.
SO, BUT IF WE BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AND IF IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE ASSEMBLY YET, WE'RE GONNA PASS A, A BILL, A RESOLUTION FROM THE TOWN BOARD SAYING WE THINK THIS LEGISLATION IS REALLY BAD AND WE HOPE THAT OUR, UH, GREENBERG REPRESENTATIVES IN THE ASSEMBLY WILL VOTE AGAINST IT.
THIS IS LIKE A EXTRAORDINARY, IT MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE FORCE BECAUSE THEN SHE'S GOING AGAINST THE RESO A FORMAL RESOLUTION FROM THE TOWN BOARD.
AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
SO I'M, SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A RESOLUTION, PAUL, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A GRANT? SO I JUST WANT SOME CLARITY.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, YOU, THERE COULD BE SOMETHING HAPPENING IN ALBANY OR WASHINGTON THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS.
SO I'M NOT SAYING IT SHOULD BE USED A LOT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE LIKE AN EXAMPLE, LIKE WHILE WE HAD THE VOTE, THE DISCUSSION WE HAD TODAY WOULD'VE BEEN A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S LIKE ONCE MAYBE EVERY ONE OR TWO TIMES A YEAR.
AND I AGREE BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY AS TO HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WITHOUT, UM, GOING BACK TO THE DAYS WHERE WE WOULD GET PEOPLE UP AT THE MICROPHONE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT IN 12, 14 YEARS, 16 YEARS.
UM, STATING, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU SURPRISING ME? AND IT, AND IT COULD BE THE MOST INNOCUOUS THING THAT THERE IS, BUT YOU'RE JUST SURPRISED, YOU KNOW? SO I'D RATHER NOT GO BACK TO THOSE DAYS.
UM, AND I DO THINK THERE'S EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE TOWN ATTORNEYS.
THERE COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE, CAN I SUGGEST WE HAVE THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? I, I JUST NEED TO, WE NEED TO, I NEED TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
SO FOR WHATEVER REASON, I, I DON'T HAVE MY REORGANIZATION.
YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR REORGANIZATION? I'M NOT SURE IF SOMEONE TOOK MINE HERE.
DOES ANY, DOES EVERYONE HAVE THEIRS? ONE? I HAVE.
OH, YOU HAVE ONE? OH, THAT'S GREAT.
EVERYONE HAS IT EXCEPT FOR ME.
HEY JOAN, I'LL GIVE IT RIGHT BACK.
IN TERMS OF WHERE IT SAYS THE FOLLOWING NEWSPAPER SHALL BE DESIGNATED
[00:45:01]
WORRIES AS NEWSPAPERS.UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, THE JOURNAL NEWS, THE RIVER TOWNS ENTERPRISE CHESTER ACCOUNT PRESS.
I'M WONDERING, UH, YOU ALSO HAVE THE EXAMINER NEWSPAPERS THAT COVERS, UH, YOU KNOW, GREENBURG A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE.
I'M SAYING IF WE'RE GIVING STATE TOWN CLERK THE ABILITY OF ADDING OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, PUBLICATIONS, THOSE ARE THE OTHER ONES THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, REACH PEOPLE IN, IN GREENBURG.
SO IT'S BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE.
BUT THAT'S IN TERMS OF NOTICES AS WELL, WHICH WE WOULD HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE NOTICES GO TO EACH OF THE ONES LISTED HERE IN EVERY INSTANCE.
AND NO, THIS SAYS THAT I THINK, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TOWN NOTICES SECTION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? THAT THAT'S FOR NOTICE FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT ACTUALLY THIS WOULD BE WHERE IT SAYS THE HUDSON RIVER.
WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? PAGE FOUR.
IT WOULD BE FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE TOWN MAY ALSO USE THE FOLLOWING NEWSPAPERS OF PROOF.
SO WE HAVE TO THE HUDSON INDEPENDENT RIVER JOURNAL AND WESTCHESTER SPANO.
WE SHOULD PUT THE EXAMINER ON BLACK WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE BECAUSE THAT GIVES YOU THE OPTION TO ADD.
SO IT SAYS IF ACCEPTABLE TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
SO LET THE TOWN ATTORNEY LOOK AT ITS PUBLICATION, UH, DISTRIBUTION TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN ADD THEM.
I'M NOT, WE'RE NOT IN DISAGREEMENT, BUT HERE THAT'S FINE.
IT DOES SAY TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO, BECAUSE NO, I KNOW HOW YOU ARE.
SO WE, WE CAN, BUT WE PUT THAT AS A FOOTNOTE.
WHAT WAS THE SECOND ONE? UH, UH, THE EXAMINER.
IS EVERYBODY FINE WITH THE 5:00 PM UH, WORK SESSION STARTING TIME? DO YOU WANNA START IT EARLIER OR LATER? 5:00 PM WORKS.
I THINK THAT'S THE COMPROMISED ITEM THAT'S TURNED OFF.
YEAH, I CAN START BEFORE FIVE.
SO WOULD YOU RATHER MAKE IT FIVE 15 OR, I'M SAYING IT DOESN'T, WHATEVER IS GOOD FOR YOU IS FINE WITH ME.
FIVE 15 WOULD BE A LITTLE BETTER, BUT I DON'T WANT TO INCONVENIENCE EVERYBODY ELSE.
WELL IF, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT AT FIVE, THEN WHY DON'T WE START FIVE 15? WE NEVER START AT FIVE ANYWAY.
NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, WHY DON'T WE SAY FIVE 15 ABOUT, OKAY, SO THIS WAY YOU DON'T FEEL THAT YOU'RE IN A RUSH.
I'M SURE THEY'LL, THEY'LL ALLOW YOU TO LEAVE 'CAUSE THEY LET OTHERS LEAVE EARLY AT FIVE
NEXT YOU DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT FLOORS.
SO WHAT DID WE DECIDING ON? WE DECIDING ON FIVE 15 OR FIVE ON SEPARATE FLOORS.
WAS EIGHTH FLOOR EIGHTH WHERE STEVE WAS WHEN HE WAS ON THE BOARD? WHEN I WAS, IT WAS ELLEN WHEN WE WERE ALL ON THE, WE WERE THERE WHEN STEVE WAS ON THE BOARD.
WELL THAT WAS SO WE COULD JUST BRING IT ALL THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW
THE ADVANTAGE OF TWO WAS WE HAD TOTAL ACCESS TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES WITHOUT HAVING, UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE FIVE.
'CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN, WHEN I WAS A LEGISLATOR, EVERYBODY LEFT AT 10 MM-HMM.
SO I JUST WANNA KIND OF BRING IT BACK.
SO ARE WE STAYING AT FIVE O'CLOCK OR ARE WE STAYING AT FIVE 15? I JUST SORT OF FEEL THAT IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, WHY, WHY, WHY SHOULD YOU ALWAYS BE LATE? I'M EITHER THE FIVE O'CLOCK OR FIVE 15.
THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE 15 SO WE COULD JUST NOTE THAT.
WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE LATER AT NIGHT, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA STILL STOP.
10 MINUTES IS NOT 15 MINUTES IS NOT GONNA MAKE, MAKE OR BREAK ANYTHING.
JUST THE LAST ONE TO GET HERE.
AND THAT SHOULD BE AN ACTUAL FIVE 15 AS OPPOSED TO YEAH.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S PRETEND IT'S FIVE AND IT'LL BE FIVE 15 AND THEN WE'LL WORK AT THAT.
UM, UH, I DON'T SEE IT ON, WAS THAT, I DUNNO IF IT'S ON, IT'S, I DON'T SEE IT ON HERE.
AM I MISSING THAT TIME OF MEETINGS? OH, HERE IT'S RIGHT.
SO WE'RE GONNA ADD WORK SESSION.
FOR THE ISSUE OF, UH, LISA, CAN YOU JUST SLIDE IT DOWN? JUST SLIDE IT DOWN.
JUST SLIDE IT DOWN BECAUSE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST NEED THEIR OWN COPY AND SPOIL PEOPLE WHO, FOR THE ISSUE OF THE PETTY CASH.
THIS THE CONFERENCE ROOM THOUGH.
WOULD I AUDITORIUM? AUDITORIUM.
THANK YOU FOR THE ISSUE OF THE PETTY CASH FUND.
UH, I GUESS THE DEPARTMENT'S HEADS,
[00:50:01]
EVEN IF THERE'S NOMINAL AMOUNTS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO KEEP, UH, RECEIPTS AND UM, SHOULD WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE SPENDING LIKE $200 IN CASH, THEY HAVE TO, UM, PROVIDE, UM, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WITH COPIES OF THE RECEIPTS OR SOMETHING.LET'S, LET'S ASK HIM, LET'S NOT JUST THROW A BUNCH OF RECEIPTS AT THE CONTROLLERS.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY HOW THEY'RE SPENDING.
SHOULD I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE COPIES OF RECEIPTS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE.
THEY CAN SCAN 'EM IN AND THEY CAN HAVE COPIES.
WE NEED TO SEE COPIES OF RECEIPTS.
WHAT I DON'T WANT IS SOMEBODY TO GO WITH A BOX OF RECEIPTS AND HAND THEM TO THE CONTROLLER.
BUT I'M SAYING COULD WE JUST ADD LIKE A RESOLVE CLAUSE OR UH, OR WAREHOUSE CLAUSE SAYING THAT, UM, DEPARTMENT HEADS MUST PROVIDE ON WHAT PAGE? YOU, ON PAUL? UH, PAGE FIVE.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IT WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, ANY DEPARTMENT HEAD, ANY DEPARTMENT THAT SPENDS, UH, PETTY CASH HAS TO, UM, PROVIDE THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE WITH, UH, RECEIPTS AND KEEP A LEDGER, UH, DETAILING HOW THE, THE DOLLARS WERE SPENT.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT, IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT THE RECEIPT IS NOT FOUND A NEED TO WRITE A JUSTIFICATION OF WHY THE RECEIPT IS NOT AVAILABLE.
I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD JUST SEND CREDIT CARD.
GINA, I THINK THAT'S ALL DONE.
IF THERE'S NO RECEIPT THAT'S FOUND, THEN WE SHOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD HAVE TO BE REQUIRED.
SO I, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST JOB, I I I DO THAT.
SO, BUT I'M JUST, IF THEY DON'T HAVE, SO LEMME JUST FINISH.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE A RECEIPT, THEY CAN EITHER ONE TRY TO GO AND GET A RECEIPT.
TRY TO, AND IF NOT, THEN HAVE TO WRITE A JUSTIFICATION.
MAYBE WE COULD HAVE A FORM ATTESTING TO THIS, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING.
SO YOU DON'T, IF THEY, WE SHOULD STILL APPROVE IT, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME FORM STATING WHY THERE IS NO RECEIPT AVAILABLE.
I'M JUST THROWING OUT SOMETHING.
UM, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN MY FATHER WAS ALIVE AND HE LOOKED AT ALL THE BOOKS HE WAS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, I GOTTA SAY, YEAH, EVERY TIME YOU MENTION THIS, I JUST GOTTA GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT.
I KNOW HE, I I, I KNOW HE'S, HE, HE'S, HE'S NOT HERE ANYMORE.
AND HE WOULD BASICALLY SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, NO RECEIPT, YOU DON'T GET PAID.
BECAUSE THE THING IS, I SORT OF FEEL THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS CAN'T, UH, THE JUSTIF SHOW EVIDENCE THAT MONEY WAS, EVEN IF IT'S $20 WAS SPENT ON TOWN PURPOSES, THEN IT SHOULD COME OUT OF THEIR POCKET RATHER THAN OUT OF THE TOWN TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BASICALLY NOT BEING TIGHT ENOUGH THAT, THAT'S JUST MY OWN FEELING.
SO I THINK THAT'S DONE, PAUL, QUITE FRANKLY.
BUT IT'S NICE TO HAVE IT IN WRITING.
AND AS TO WHY YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR RECEIPT HERE.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THE CONTROLLER
OH, WE RAN OUT OF, YOU KNOW, THE A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
GIVE US ANOTHER ONE WITHOUT ASKING WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FIRST ONE.
I'M, I'M WONDERING, UM, WITH ALL OUR VARIOUS, AND SANDRA, WE SHOULD SPEAK TO PETER, ASK ABOUT, UM, THE SETTING UP A SECTION TO SCAN RECEIPTS, YOU KNOW, IN A CERTAIN FORMAT FOR THOSE LISTENING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO DO CLARIFICATION HERE.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THIS IS THE MOST THAT THESE EACH DEPARTMENTS CAN HAVE IN PETTY CASH? YES.
SO IF THEY USE THE PETTY CASH, SAY THEY HAVE A HUNDRED DOLLARS, THEY USE A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
ONCE THEY USE IT, THEN THEY COULD GET ANOTHER A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO IS THERE LIKE A LIMIT AS TO THE AMOUNT OF PETTY CASH THAT THEY COULD HAVE SPEND DURING THE YEAR? BECAUSE I, WHEN I READ THIS, I THOUGHT THAT THE PETTY CASH WAS, WHEN I SAID A HUNDRED DOLLARS, I SAID, OH, IT'S A HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR.
IT'S NOT REALLY WORTH MAKING A BIG THING.
BUT IF IT'S A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER SAY THEY NEED ANOTHER A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEN TWO WEEKS LATER ANOTHER A HUNDRED DOLLARS, THEN IT ADDS UP.
WHERE, SO LET ME, LET ME EXPLAIN HOW PETTY CASH IS USED.
UM, I'LL USE THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR EXAMPLE.
SOMEBODY COMES IN TO BUY AN EASY PASS AND THEY COME IN WITH A $50 BILL.
THAT'S WHERE THE PETTY CASH GETS USED.
SO AT SOME POINT THEY'LL HAVE BIG BILLS.
THEY'LL HAVE TO GO TO PROBABLY THE RECEIVER OR SOMEPLACE AND GET THE BIG BILLS BACK TO SMALL BILLS SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE COME IN,
[00:55:01]
THEY HAVE, UH, MONEY TO MAKE CHANGE, BUT NOW THEY'LL HAVE EXCESS MONEY BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE BEEN GIVEN, THEY'LL HAVE $30 IN EXCESS OF THAT A HUNDRED DOLLARS LIMIT THAT GOES INTO THE LOG FOR THE EPASS.SO THE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS TO BUY THE EASY PASSES PAY UP FRONT, WHETHER THEY GET USED OR NOT.
WHAT, WHAT A STATE DOESN'T MISS A TRICK.
UH, AND THEN AS PEOPLE COME IN TO BUY THEM, AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN BUY AN EASY PASS AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE PLACE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE MAKING ALL THESE KIND OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
THAT'S ALL GONNA BE YES, IT'S ALL GONNA BE GOOD.
UH, BUT THAT'S WHERE IT MOSTLY IS SO THAT THE PETTY CASH WOULD STAY AT A HUNDRED NOW JUST IN DIG BILLS AND THEN THEY WOULD GET THEM CHANGED AGAIN.
AND, BUT THE EASY PASS OR WHAT? THE HUNTING LICENSE OR WHATEVER, UH, THAT WOULD BE LOGGED SEPARATELY, NOT IN UNDER PETTY CASH.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD CHECK TO SEE, SPEAK WITH THE CONTROLLER AND TO SEE IN THE PAST IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY, IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY EXCESSIVE SPENDINGS OF PETTY CASH MONEY.
SO YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT NEED TO IMPOSE.
AND IF THERE HAS BEEN, THEN WE NEED TO CRACK DOWN.
I YEAH, IF YOU'RE MAKING CHANGE, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO LOG THAT.
YOU NOW HAVE A BIGGER BILL THAN A SMALL BILL WHEN YOU STILL HAVE A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
BUT THEY HAVE TO JUSTIFY WHAT I USE THE MONEY ANYWAY, SO I'M, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? SHE'S AGREEING WITH ME.
I SAID LISA, THAT IF THEY'RE FIND, THEY'RE FINDING THAT IF THEY'RE USING ANYTHING THAT'S EXCESSIVE, THEN, THEN YOU SHOULD, UM, OTHER THAN FOR MAKING CHANGE OR EMERGENCY EXPENDITURES THAT YOU SHOULD CRACK DOWN ON IT.
HAVE WE EVER, HAVE WE EVER ORDERED IT ON, YOU KNOW, OUR PETTY CASH
NO, I'M JUST SAYING IF IT, IT'S, WELL IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S A MINIMUM.
NOT MUCH TO MAKE CHANGE KNOW, BUT I'M JUST, IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT CUMULATIVE.
EACH DEPARTMENT HAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF CASH ON HAND.
I'M JUST EVEN, I'M, I PROMISE I'LL SPEAK TO THE CONTROL YOUR, SO THE MOST THAT'S ON HERE IS, IS $250.
AND THAT'S FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND THEN $145 WE GET ASKED THE CONTROLLER BECAUSE SOME, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS GETS, IT'S A VERY SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT.
I REALLY DON'T PERSONALLY DON'T SEE WHERE THE ISSUE WOULD BE.
NOW IF YOU WERE TALKING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, THEN I COULD SEE YOU BEING CONCERNED.
BUT I MEAN THESE MINIMUM AMOUNTS, OKAY.
JOE, I THOUGHT WE MIGHT PUT THE LIAISONS TO THE DEPARTMENTS ON THIS LIST AS WELL.
THAT WAS TODAY YESTERDAY'S TASK.
THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT ACHAR, A CHARTER, A AMEN, UH, CHAPTER AMENDMENT AND THEN THAT NO ONE GETS ALL THAT ONE OUT THE WINDOW.
SO EVERYTHING IS STILL IN ROUGH FORM, BUT WE'LL DO THAT.
OH, SO THIS IS NOT THE FINAL LIST? NO, THIS IS THE LIST.
THIS IS THE LIST FOR LIAISONS.
WE GOTTA TELL YOU DEPARTMENTAL, RIGHT? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M SEEING THIS ACTUALLY.
OH, REALLY? YOU NEVER GOT THE EMAIL? MM-HMM? YOU DIDN'T CALL US TO TELL THE HOSPITAL YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED.
I DID, I DID SAY AT THE MEETING I HAD.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU DIDN'T GET IT.
I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T GET IT THAT NIGHT.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED NOW OR IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WELL IT DEPENDS IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PERSONNEL.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENTS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU THAT I HAVE 10
IF YOU LOOK AT 'EM, THEY'RE SMALL.
WE COULD, WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT.
BUT THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE BIGGER WE CAN DO.
TELL YOU WHAT, I'LL TAKE YOUR 10.
EVERYBODY, LIKE EVERYBODY'S BUSY TIME.
I JUST WANNA HAVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON IT.
SOME IN SOME WAY BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A A LOT.
THAT'S, THAT'S, WE TALK ABOUT IT AND YEAH, WE WERE REFERRING TO ADDING THE DEPARTMENT HEAD LIAISONS AS WELL.
[01:00:01]
SO BUILDING DEPARTMENT, TOWN, ATTORNEY CLERK, THE LIAISON TO EACH.YEAH, THERE IS LIAISON TO THE CLERK.
NEVERMIND
THERE'S NO LIAISON TO THE RECEIVER TAXES.
YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S UH, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, TOO MUCH, I COULD BE LIKE AN ALTERNATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE THING IS LIKE, IF YOU CAN'T GO TO LIKE A BOARD MEETING OR SOMETHING OR ANYBODY ON THEIR DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, IF ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOW UP, YOU KNOW, SHOW UP, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE BUSY OR WHATEVER, THEN YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO CALL ME, THEN I COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, ATTEND IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR PLACE.
PAUL, YOU NEVER SAID YOU'D BE AN ALTERNATE TO THE ANTENNA BOARD.
SAYING HE DIDN'T SEE, SEE HE'S GOING OVER, HE'S RIGHT, HE'S WRONG.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA ENTERTAIN IT.
AND THE INTEREST OF THE WEATHER FORCE, ALL SAFETY, WE ALL TRY TO HELP OUT.
WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO, ITEMS ARE, SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IS TO, UM, TALK, WE CAN GO OVER THE FREQUENCY OF THE MEETINGS AND ABOUT HOW LONG JUST SO THAT RIGHT.
SOME OF THEM AND WHAT THEY EVEN ARE.
SOME OF THEM I'M NOT EVEN AWARE OF WHAT THEY DO.
I THINK SOMEBODY HAS SUGGESTED, I FORGOT BY EMAIL MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY LIAISONS TO DIFFERENT BOARDS, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE, SAY TIME AT WORK SESSIONS WHERE THERE COULD BE, UM, LIKE A QUICK LIKE FIVE MINUTE REVIEW OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS.
SO THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY IT'S THE LIBRARY BOARD IS DISCUSSING SOMETHING.
WE COULD HAVE A, A LIAISON REPORT ON THE LIBRARY OR A LIAISON REPORT ON THE HEALTH CENTER, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OR WHATEVER, THE NATURE CENTER, WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS.
SO THIS WAY ALL OF US, UM, AND THE PUBLIC AT A PUBLIC MEETING WOULD'VE A BETTER IDEA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING AND IF THERE'S ANY CONTROVERSIAL OR NON-CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES, LISTEN TO THIS.
IF YOU, IF YOU PUTTING, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT, UM, I THINK ODDLY DOES IT THIS WAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY STILL DO, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THEY DO.
THEY START OFF GIVING REPORTS AND IT ACTUALLY GIVES INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTEND, UH, PARKS AND REC, RIGHT.
BOY, I TELL YOU, LISTEN, I JUST KEEP, MAYBE IF YOU KEEP DOING IT, MAYBE YOU DRUM SOME INTEREST OF UH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
BUT I THINK THAT, YEAH, LET'S NOT START TOMORROW.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, MAYBE WE PUT THAT, MAYBE WE PUT THAT INTO THE ORDER OF, UH, WHAT WE DO.
WAS THAT PAUL'S? THAT WAS PAUL'S IDEA.
SEE HOW DOES SHE, IS STARTING OFF.
SO YOU GO WALK, PLACE THAT COUNCIL.
WHERE WOULD THAT GO? COUNCIL SHEEN? UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU SAID THE REPORTS ISSUES WOULD BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, WOULD IT BE GIVEN BY, UH, THE LIAISON OR BY THE DEPARTMENT? HEAD LIAISON.
THERE'S, AND OF COURSE, EACH OF THE RULES, WE, WE'LL HAVE TO WORK OUT THAT DETAIL BECAUSE IF WE SPEND THAT ORDER, IF WE GIVE A REPORT ON EVERY, EVERY COMMITTEE, EVERY TIME, WE, WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW RIGHT.
SO AT EVERY MEETING, A DIFFERENT, UH, BOARD MEMBER COULD DO, UH, A, A FIVE MINUTE A REPORT ON, UH, SUMMARIZING THE LIAISON ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'VE HAD WITH THE, WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY BA OR AGENT OR BOARDS THAT THEY BASICALLY HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED.
AND I THINK IT ALSO WOULD BE GOOD, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THAT THE, THAT A TOWN BOARD MEMBER IS NOT ONLY SPENDING THEIR TIME AT WORK SESSIONS, BUT SPENDING TIME, UH, DURING THE WEEK, UM, AT DIFFERENT, UH, MEETINGS AND JUST REPORTING INFORMATION THAT MAY BE, UH, USEFUL FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REPORT EVERY WEEK, BUT WE, WE WILL WORK OUT SOME KIND OF, UM, SYSTEM OF SYSTEM TO DO IT.
THE OTHER THING IS EVEN USING THE PAGE TWO CLOSURE ON PAGE TWO OF FOUR OF THE RULES.
THE RULES, WE ALREADY HAVE AN E WHICH SAYS BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE ALREADY HAVE A BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS AND WE COULD JUST EXPAND THAT TO BE, YOU KNOW, GIVING THOSE KIND OF RULES.
THING THAT'S IN F SO THAT'S EI HAVE EI HAVE EI HAVE 12.
DO YOU HAVE OH, F IS LIAISON REPORTS.
SO I GUESS, SO AFTER E BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[01:05:01]
BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS BE JUST IN GENERAL SAYING WE HAVE THE EVENTS COMING UP.EVENTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST BOND RATING.
AND SO YOU'RE GONNA MAKE, YOU'RE GONNA COMBINE THE TWO, RIGHT? NO, NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
'CAUSE IT, OR IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AND TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TOWN WIDE THOUGH.
SO DOES THAT BECOME THE NEW F? NO.
OR DO WE PUT IT AT THE BOTTOM? WE'RE IT, WE'RE KEEP IT, WE'RE KEEPING, SO NOTHING CHANGES.
SO IT'LL BE THE BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE LIAISON REPORTS.
WELL, WHAT'S NOT ON HERE IS THE, OKAY.
THE ACCOUNT CLERK ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT USED TO BE HERE.
AND ALSO PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION NEEDS TO BE PUT LOWER IN THE ORDER IF WE'RE KEEPING IT THE SAME WAY.
OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING AS TO WHAT GOES FIRST.
WHAT GOES SECOND? DO YOU KEEP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, THEIR ARCHITECTS AND EVERYBODY ELSE LATE, EARLIER, OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT GREAT WAY TO DO IT.
WE TRY A LIGHTNING ROUND, BUT WE HAVE A SUGGESTION.
I THINK MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO IS LIMIT OUR, OUR PRESENTATIONS AND, AND PUT A TIME FRAME ON IT.
I DON'T SEE WHAT THAT, OR DO WE WANNA DO THAT LATER IN THE MEETING? WELL, SOMETIMES WE'RE HONORING KIDS, SO, SO, NO, IT SHOULD BE EARLIER, RIGHT? YEAH, IT SHOULD, IT SHOULDN'T BE LATER THE WAY IT IS NOW.
SO, SO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE MOMENT, UH, SOLEMN MOMENT OF SILENCE ROLL CALL AWARDS.
SO I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A SUGGESTION.
ISN'T THAT WHAT WE SAID ABOUT 20 MINUTES? NOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SAID.
BECAUSE THE TOWN ATTORNEY JUST SAID YES.
RIGHT? SO DON'T, NO, BUT THAT'S WHAT NO, NO, NO.
WE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE SIDEBAR.
SO YES, PUBLIC HEARINGS COMES BEFORE PUBLIC HEARINGS COME BEFORE.
SINCE YOU'RE PAYING SOMEONE TO TAKE TRANSCRIPTS OF A PUBLIC HEARING AND STUFF.
THAT'S HOW THIS IS WORKING OUT.
AND THEN THE LIMITATIONS FOR THE PRESENTATION, ARE WE GONNA PUT THAT DOWN? WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT.
DO YOU WANNA SAY THAT? UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD KEEP, UH, A MAXIMUM OF SAY, TWO PRESENTATIONS FOR 10? NO, I'M JUST SAYING NO, WE HAVE THAT AS A POLICY.
NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE KEEP BREAKING IT, BUT I'LL TRY NOT TO BREAK IT.
I'LL SAY IT'S A NEW BEGINNING.
UM, SO I'D SAY TWO PRESENTATIONS, NO MORE THAN 10 MINUTES EACH FOR EACH PRESENTATION.
IF I, IF THEY, I'LL KEEP IT TO TWO OF THEM AND TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE FIVE MINUTES, AND THEN WE'LL GO OVER TO 10 MINUTES TO 20 MINUTES TO PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AND IT WILL BE TWO MAXIMUM.
AND, AND THAT'S STRICTLY ENFORCED.
SO HOW THAT, HOW RIGHT WOULD BE, UM, LIKE THE POLICE, SHE HAS A WHIP IN HER BACK POCKET, WATCH OUT.
THE POLICE CEREMONIES WOULD NOT BE A PRESENTATION.
NO, THEY'RE NOT A PRESENTATION.
BUT THIS WOULD BE BASICALLY IF A FOLLOWING HER HONOR, THE GIRL SCOUTS OR THE BOY SCOUTS OR, SO HOW WOULD THIS AFFECT THINGS LIKE, UM, WHEN WE DO HERITAGE TYPE CELEBRATIONS? THAT WOULD BE 10 MINUTES STILL.
SO I JUST WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS.
SO WHEN WE HAVE HUGE PRESENTATIONS LIKE WOMEN'S DAY AND BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND ANY OTHER HISTORY MONTH, WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT ON THE SAME DAY? WHY COULDN'T WE HAVE A SEPARATE DAY SO WE CAN, SO WE'RE NOT LIMITED TO THE TIME THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT, LIKE IN THE PAST.
WELL, HOW ABOUT IF WE, LIKE THE COUNTY DOES.
NO, WE, THAT'S NOT HOW THE COUNTY DOES IT.
I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE EVENTS THAT WAS NOT ON THAT'S ON THE NINTH FLOOR.
WE SERVE FOOD ON THE NINTH FLOOR.
THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
THAT ON THE DAYS THAT WE WANNA HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION LIKE THAT, WE START AT SEVEN.
WE, WE COULD START EARLIER, BUT THAT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH TIME THOUGH.
BUT I RUN THE HERITAGE PROGRAM ACTUALLY.
UNDERSTAND, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT FROM EXPERIENCE, THAT IT'S NOT YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING SOMEONE'S FOR WOMEN'S DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT IF YOU, ARE WE GONNA LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GONNA ACKNOWLEDGE OR, I HAVE A SUSPENSION OF THE RULES WITH FOUR FIFTHS.
SO THE WAY WE DO IT AT THE BOARD OF LEGISLATURES, 'CAUSE I RUN THE HERITAGE PROGRAM THERE.
SO EVERY MONTH WE BASICALLY HAVE A DIFFERENT HERITAGE PRESENTATION.
WE KEEP IT LIMITED TO ABOUT 15, 20 MINUTES.
SOMETIMES WE HONOR TWO PEOPLE.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST ONE, BUT IT
[01:10:01]
IS CONTAINED WITHIN THAT TIME BECAUSE THEN THE, THE BOARD WANTS TO GO ONTO THEIR MEETING AND THEY DON'T WANT TO, WHILE THEY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT, THEY WILL ALSO WANNA BE TIME SENSITIVE.SO IT'S WORKED REALLY WELL IN THAT WAY.
UM,
50 AND YOU'RE HONORING WOMEN AND YOU'RE HONORING 50 PEOPLE, IT LOSES SOMETHING.
SO IF YOU HONOR FIVE PEOPLE, 50 AND, AND IF YOU'RE HONORING FIVE PEOPLE'S, OH, ALWAYS HAPPENED.
BUT I'M SAYING IF YOU'RE HONORING FIVE PEOPLE AND YOU REALLY MAKE IT SPECIAL, THEN IT MEANS MORE TO EACH OF THE HONOREES.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, YOU CAN HONOR TWO PEOPLE ALSO.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST NO MORE, NO MORE THAN FIVE.
HOW THAT A BLOCK OF 20 MINUTES.
I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT TO TWO PRESENTATIONS.
IT'S A BLOCK OF 20 MINUTES TO USE HOW YOU WANT.
ONE PERSON, IF ONE TAKES 20 MINUTES OR 10, THERE'S ONE PERSON.
YOU HAVE FOUR PEOPLE TAKE FIVE DEPENDING ON THE PRESENTATION.
AND THAT JUST HAS TO BE COORDINATED.
FOUR, THERE'S 5, 5, 4 OR FIVE MINUTES.
BUT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T BE A GAME.
WHICH IS WHAT IT USED TO BE IS WE WOULD BE TOLD THIS IS GONNA BE FIVE MINUTES AND IT TURNS OUT IT'S 45 MINUTES.
AND, AND THEY OH, AND THEY GET DONE WITH THE 45 MINUTES.
IT SAYS, NOW I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE POWERPOINT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, WE, IT'S GOTTA BE, YOU KNOW.
NO, I'M STRICTLY, I'M SUBMITTED TO KEEPING IT TO THE 20 MINUTES.
AND THEN, BUT THAT WOULD APPLY.
NOW ARE WE SAYING THAT THAT'S GOING TO APPLY? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE WOMEN'S DAY OR FLAG RAISING.
THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE BUT THAT.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON IT.
FLAG RAISING A FLAG RAISING SHOULD BE DONE BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30.
IT'S GONNA BE OUT NOT EVEN IN THE ROOM, SO.
BUT JUST TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, OF DOING IT ON A DIFFERENT DAY, IT'S LIKE IF THE PUBLIC'S ALREADY HERE FOR THE BOARD MEETING ANYWAY, SO IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THEM COME IN AND THEN FOR ANOTHER DAY, IT'S HARD.
DON'T THINK IT'S HARD TO GET PEOPLE BACK.
IT'S ALSO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BETTER FOR PUBLICITY.
I DON'T AGREE, BUT I'LL GO WITH THAT.
IT'S BETTER FOR PUBLICITY BECAUSE WE ARCHIVE THESE THINGS.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A TAB STAYING SPECIALTY.
YOU KNOW, AND, UH, OVERRULED SOMETHING MAJOR.
FOUR FIFTHS I'VE BEEN BEFORE FOUR FIFTHS.
IF THERE'S SOME MAJOR EVENT, THEN WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR IT.
BUT, UM, OR START EARLY MAYBE FOR ONE OR START EARLY.
CERTAIN SPECIAL OCCASION TO BE THAT YOU WIN.
I WAS JUST GONNA ASK THE, THE CLARIFICATION FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS.
IT IS, UH, THE 20 MINUTE LIMITATION.
IS THAT AND GOING TO INCLUDE A START TIME OF SEVEN O'CLOCK OR A START TIME OF SEVEN 30? UM, I THINK, THINK IT WOULD NORMALLY BE WITHIN THE MEETING AT SEVEN 30.
UH, BUT WE'LL LEAVE OPEN THE OPTION.
IT'S ALREADY IN HERE TO SAY, TO INTERVIEW PEOPLE.
WE, WE COULD ALSO SAY THAT WE MIGHT DO IT EARLIER AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
CAN I JUST ASK THE BOARD A QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE START TIME ON WEDNESDAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, SOMETIMES WE'LL GO LIKE CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT OR WHATEVER, AND IT REALLY IS HARD TO CONCENTRATE WHEN EVERYBODY'S FALLING ASLEEP.
AND I'M SORT OF WONDERING IF IT WOULD'VE MADE SENSE FROM A POLICY TO START THE BOARD MEETING, SAY INSTEAD OF SEVEN 30 TO START IT AT SEVEN.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD GET OUT AT A MORE REASONABLE, YOU KNOW, HOUR IF THE BOARD WOULD WANT THAT.
I, I, I WOULD SAY THAT NUMBER ONE, BY LIMITING THE PRESENTATION TIME TO 20 MINUTES, THAT WILL HELP.
NUMBER TWO, BY FOLLOWING THE RULES, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TIME ALLOTTED TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SO HAVING THE, THE FIVE MINUTES AND THEN ADDITIONAL FIVE MINUTES ONLY IS A VERY LONG TIME.
IT'S ONLY, IT'S ONLY ON A PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THAT REQUIRED BY LAW? THAT'S TRUE.
THE SECOND PUBLIC FIVE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, IT SAYS FIVE FOR BOTH OF THEM.
I'LL HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT THOUGH.
THERE'S ONLY A REPETITION ON PUBLIC HEARING.
IT DOESN'T SAY THERE'S A SECOND.
NO, BUT IT'S STILL, IN TERMS OF THE, OF A, THE MINUTES, NUMBER OF MINUTES, IT'S FIVE MINUTES FOR EACH ONE.
IT'S, WELL, THIS IS POTENTIALLY 10 MINUTES IF WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING.
BUT IF SOMEBODY IS COMING IN TO TALK ABOUT A LOCAL LAW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S REALLY TOUGH.
FIRST OF ALL, PLANNING BOARD DOESN'T HAVE A TIME LIMIT.
ZONING BOARD DOESN'T HAVE A TIME LIMIT.
WE SEEM TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH MANAGEMENT OF KEEPING PEOPLE, BUT, BUT PLANNING BOARD, ZONING BOARD, YOU GO OFF TOPIC, YOU'RE SHUT DOWN.
BUT YOU CAN SPEAK AS LONG AS YOU WANT, AS LONG AS YOU'RE ON TOPIC.
THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GOING NEXT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS HERE, RIGHT? NO, IT'S NOT.
[01:15:01]
ON A PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT, SOMEBODY'S GETTING UP ABOUT A PUBLIC HEARING.YOU'LL HAVE A PARTICULAR PERSON GETTING UP AND, AND TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING TOTALLY IRRELEVANT.
AND WE ENTERTAIN THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO.
YOU KNOW, OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD.
AND THEN THEY GET INTO A SHOUTING MATCH AS TO WHY YOU'RE STOPPING ME.
BUT THAT'S, WE JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SO YOU DON'T THINK THAT THE IDEA OF CHANGING IT FROM FIVE TO THREE MINUTES IS SOMETHING YOU WANNA DO? WELL, AS SOME, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S SPOKEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAY FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE I BECAME A ZONING BOARD MEMBER OR A TOWN BOARD MAYOR, UH, WE CAN REALLY BENEFIT FROM PEOPLE WHO DO THEIR HOMEWORK.
AND REALLY, UH, NOW OF COURSE THAT MEANS YOU ALSO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST SEE THE CLOCK.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE STAND UP THERE AND SAYS, OH, I GOT THREE MORE MINUTES.
UH, WHAT COULD I TALK ABOUT? YEAH.
WHAT ABOUT A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS OPPOSED TO PUBLIC HEARING? WELL, WE USED TO HAVE EIGHT MINUTES AND WE CUT IT DOWN TO FIVE.
I KNOW WE HAD THREE MINUTES IS STANDARD
WE HAD THREE, WELL, WE HAD, WE HAD FIVE MINUTES ON THE AGENDA AND THEN THREE MINUTES AFTERWARDS FOR ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.
IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE KEPT THE FIVE MINUTES TO ACTUALLY AGENDA ITEMS, WHICH WAS HELPFUL.
UH, BUT THEN PEOPLE HAD TO WAIT AROUND UNTIL 10 30, 11 O'CLOCK.
AND SO THAT, THAT DIDN'T SEEM FAIR.
SO WE JUST DECIDED LET'S JUST GET IT ALL IN FRONT AND, AND DO IT THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS WORKS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, VERY INTERESTED IN A LOCAL LAW, LIKE SOME OF THESE LOCAL LAWS COMING DOWN THE PIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM ARE 15, 20 PAGES.
UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY LEARNED A LOT FROM HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO I, I'M, I'M RELUCTANT TO CUT THAT SHORTER BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ABUSE IT.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST WHEN PEOPLE ABUSE IT.
AND THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, KNOW MAYBE, AND THIS IS WHERE IT'S ABUSED, NUMBER ONE, THEY MIGHT COMMENT IN PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN REITERATE THE SAME THING IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S THOSE THAT WILL START OFF IN A PUBLIC HEARING REFERRING TO SOMETHING AND THEN SEGUE.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S WHERE BECOMES OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN HAS TO STEP IN.
SO, AND, AND ONCE AGAIN, I DO SUGGEST TO CUT A LOT OF UNNECESSARY USE TIME OUT OF MEETINGS THAT WE WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO LEAVE THE PODIUM BEFORE RESPONDING.
UM, JUST SO THAT IF THERE'S A DIALOGUE AT THAT MOMENT, THEN OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE MAY BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN ADDITIONAL TIME AS WELL.
IT BECOMES VERY CONFUSING FOR THE AUDIENCE MEMBER.
AND I COULD SEE THEIR FRUSTRATION IN THOSE MOMENTS.
I'M SURPRISED YOU HAVEN'T MENTIONED THAT BEFORE.
'CAUSE IT'S, THEY'RE NOT REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE A DIALOGUE, RIGHT? IT'S JUST SUPPOSED TO BE THEIR COMMENTS.
WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IS SOMETIMES THERE ARE QUESTIONS POSED OR ASSERTIONS MADE.
SO IT'S A, I THOUGHT THAT WAS JOE.
NO, IT'S SUPPOSED, SO JUST SO I'M CLEAR, 'CAUSE YOU'RE, THAT'S GOING BACK TO, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT PART THAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE CLOCK.
AND I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLOCK.
AT THIS, IS IT A DECISION OF THE BOARD SO THAT IF THERE IS INTERACTION, IF THERE IS A RESPONSE CLOCK DOESN'T STOP COPY THAT THAT'S IN YEAH, THAT'S IN THE AGENDA.
AND IT ONLY STARTS WHEN THEY BEGIN SPEAKING.
WELL, IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, OBVIOUSLY.
SO WHAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN DOING, IT'S ON THE AGENDA THAT SAYS IF SOMEBODY ASKS US A QUESTION DURING THE FIVE MINUTES THAT WE ANSWER IT, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD, GOOD THING TO HAVE.
BUT SOMETIMES SOMEBODY WILL GET UP AND I KNOW JUST FROM GETTING UP AND SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ASK YOU A QUESTION, WHETHER YOU SAY YES OR NO WILL DEPEND ON THE REST OF THEIR COMMENTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ANSWER THAT.
NOW, OF COURSE, IF THEY ASK US, YOU KNOW, TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DRAFTING OF A PARTICULAR LAW AND WE ANSWER IT THOROUGHLY, THEY HAVE NO TIME LEFT.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT.
BUT IF THEY'RE ASKING US, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY, VERY QUICK WITH A VERY QUICK ANSWER, I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT.
AND THE SPEAKER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO YIELD BACK THEIR TIME AS WELL.
IF THEY FEEL THE ANSWER IS GOING ON FOR TOO LONG AND THEY KNOW THEY'LL RUN OUT OF TIME.
[01:20:01]
WE HAVE THE AGENDA.WHAT'S THAT? DO WE STILL FAX THINGS? NO, I KNOW THAT, I SAW THAT IT'S WON OUT HERE.
SO CAN WE EMAIL, SO THESE RULES ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THEY PRE-EXISTED, UM, THE, UH, THEY WERE, THEY WERE, UH, ALFREDA WILLIAMS DAYS, UH, STATES THAT THE CLERK IS GOING TO BE PREPARING THE AGENDAS AND SO FORTH.
UM, IT WOULD BE NICE AT SOME POINT TO GET THAT BACK THERE, BUT YOU'RE NEW AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO INUNDATE YOU.
SO I DON'T KNOW, JOE, HOW WE PROPERLY WORD THIS.
BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING THE RULES ARE THAT THE CLERK IS GONNA PREPARE THE AGENDAS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR A YEAR OR SO, WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, SEE A TRANSITION FROM TRANSITION, TRANSITION.
SOMETHING LIKE YOU'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, RIGHT?
OH, THAT'S, THAT'S, OR DESIGNATE.
'CAUSE IN CASE SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE THEN.
SO YOU, YOU WOULD BE DESIGNATING THEN JOAN.
SO WE NEED TO WHO AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET HER TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN CLERK WORK.
THERE'S OTHER WORK WE NEED HER TO DO.
THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING ELSE I WAS LOOKING AT.
AND THIS IS A PAUL THING, SO I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT BEHIND YOUR MOMENTS OF SILENCE.
THAT'S, THEY'RE VERY MEANINGFUL, BUT THEY ARE VERY LENGTHY.
I WAS THINKING, WHAT ABOUT WE EDIT THEM DOWN A LITTLE BIT? YEAH, I THINK WE COULD EDIT IT DOWN, UH, RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SAYING THE SAME THING.
WE COULD SAY A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND MEMORY, MAYBE TWO SENTENCES OR SOMETHING.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BETTER.
I CAN TAKE A CRACK AT IT IF YOU LIKE, AS A COPY OUT IT.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN THE FIRST TIME OUT YOU MIGHT WANNA SAY MORE AND THEN AFTER IF WE KEEP REPEATING IT, THEN YEAH.
ARE YOU CHANGING IT? I DO CHANGE IT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
REMEMBER? YOU COOP ASKED ME ABOUT THE ORDER.
THE ORDER THAT I GAVE, I HAD GAVE YOU, I THINK IT WAS TODAY.
THE SARAH, THE OH, THE CEREMONY.
SO YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, REMEMBER YOU ASKING HIM A QUESTION? SO I JUST NOTICED THAT HE CHANGED THE ORDERS.
THAT'S NOT THE ORDER THAT WE PUT ON THE DOWN.
SO AGAIN, TODAY BECAUSE OF THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT CHANGED 'CAUSE OF THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT.
WE DIDN'T GET FROM THE FLIGHT THAT I SAID THAT'S THE ORDER CHANGED.
THIS IS THE CORRECT CHANGE ORDER.
THIS IS THE COURT CORRECT ORDER.
YEAH, THIS IS THE CORRECT ORDER.
THAT'S, BUT IT'S GONNA SAY WHO'S SPARING YOU IN.
THAT NEVER GOT TRANSFERRED IN BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE CRISIS MODE BECAUSE THE, OKAY.
THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT GOOD TO KNOW.
ALTHOUGH I DID SEND INFORMATION, SO I JUST YELLED.
SO BACK TO IF WE'RE MOVING THE RULES FOR THE, IF WE'RE MO I'M SORRY.
I WAS GONNA SAY FOR THIS, JUST LOOKING AT THE, IF YOU WANNA GO BACK TO THE RULES, IT'S OKAY.
SO IF WE ARE MOVING PUBLIC COMMENT DOWN, THEN I THINK WE HAVE TO ALSO MOVE DOWN, UH, INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL LAWS AND UM, APPOINTMENTS.
BECAUSE YOU WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THEM IF THEY WANT TO.
I THINK THAT'S, IF WE FLIP THOUGH G AND J THEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT COMES AFTER INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL LAWS AND BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENT.
PUBLIC HEARING COMES BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH, BUT ALSO HAVING THE H AND I MOVED DOWN TO, TO, MM-HMM.
CAN WE JUST, CAN WE, JUST FOR CLARITY, CAN WE JUST SAY WHAT A, B, C THEN CAN WE JUST PUT IN THE RIGHT ORDER PLEASE? AND THEN WE COULD JUST NUMBER THEM AND CHANGE 'EM.
SO A IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE THAT STAYS B ROLL CALL AWARDS AND PROCLAMATIONS.
WHAT FOR WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO SOMN MOMENT OF YEAH, MOMENT OF SILENCE.
C AWARDS, AWARDS AND PROCLAMATION IS DE IS BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS.
OKAY THEN G UH, G WOULD BE PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
AND THEN H WOULD BE INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL LAWS? NO, NO, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING PUBLIC
[01:25:01]
COMMENT.SO THEN THIS, SO THEN H IS NOW PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL LAW IS I, INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL LAWS IS INTRODUCTION.
LOCAL LAWS IS I BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IS J BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THIS BECOMES J AND K AND L STAY THE SAME AND K AND L STAYS THE SAME.
I MEAN, YOU GOT IT BECAUSE I'LL, I'LL GET IT.
SO JOE SAID HE WANTS TO JOIN A MEETING AT NINE.
WHAT
AND THEN HAVE TO SEPARATE YOU TWO.
HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO SIT IN BETWEEN YOU AND ELLEN
SO JOY, YOU GET TO KICK BOTH OF THEM OUT.
YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS COME ON AND THIS IS THE WORST SEAT FOR ME, BUT NO, I DEAL WITH IT.
UM, WELL IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER NOW.
WHAT'S THAT? I SAID IT'LL BE A LITTLE BETTER NOW.
I JUST MEAN WITH THE, THIS CHAIR.
ALRIGHT, I THINK WE CAN GET ANOTHER COPY AND THEN CLEAN IT UP AND THEN WE CAN SEND IT IN.
I'LL BE DOING AN AGENDA REVIEW AND I CHECKED WITH RICH.
HE SAID THE ROADS ARE STILL OKAY.
IS THAT YOUR PHONE? JUST MAKE SURE I KNOW WE HAVE KIDS.
FOR THOSE LISTENING, RICH IS THE COMMISSIONER OF THE PUBLIC WORKS.
AND OF COURSE HE'S GONNA SAY THE ROADS ARE OKAY BECAUSE THAT'S HIS JOB'S TO KEEP THEM.
BUT IF THEY TRAVELING ON THE ROADS SEEM TO BE OKAY TO TRAVEL.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE WIND IS? THAT'S, IT'S NOT THE ROADS, IT'S REALLY TREES THAT COME WELL, MEANING IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE ROADS.
IT'S SAFE TO DRIVE IS BASICALLY THAT'S POINT WE'RE TO MAKE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE IS HOT.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT ICE.
OH, THANK, WELL I GOT KA CLAIMING THE DRIVEWAY RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT, I REMEMBER ONE YEAR THERE WAS A STORM AND SOMEBODY WAS VISITING HIS DAUGHTER AND A TREE FELL ON HIM AND HE DIED WHILE HE WAS VISITING.
PAUL, REMEMBER, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT WAS MAYBE FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO, SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY WAS, UH, DRIVING IN HARTSDALE? YES.
UH, I THINK HE WAS AT ONE OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND WHILE HE WAS PARKED THE CAR, THE TREE FELL ON HIS HIM AND HE DIED.
DALE'S A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE.
PARKING NEXT TO A TREE AFTER A SOAKING RAIN AND HIGH WINDS.
WE GOTTA, WE WE, WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT THAT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE STORM, BUT THE, JUST A WEIRD WIND.
THE WIND CAME IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO WHERE THE, NORMALLY THE WINDS WERE COMING IN ONE DIRECTION, SO ALL THE ROOT SYSTEMS WERE PREPARED FOR THE WIND COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, BUT THEY WERE FAIRLY WEAK AND THIS ONE STORM CAME IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND WE LOST, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF TREES.
AND, AND PART ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THERE'S A LOT, THERE ARE A LOT OF ROCK FORMATIONS, GRANITE AND THE TREE ROOTS SPREAD HORIZONTALLY RATHER THAN DOWN VERTICALLY.
NOW THAT WE'VE GOT ESTABLISHED THAT ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT LIAISON REPORT, SO NEXT, OH, I JUST WANTED, SORRY, I'M SORRY.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY, THE NEXT, THE NEXT TOMORROW TOWN BOARD MEETING, THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.
ARE WE GONNA CUT THIS? ARE WE GONNA TRY? WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TIME TO CUT IT DOWN FOR TOMORROW, SO GO THE NEXT ONE.
WE'LL CUT IT DOWN TO THE TWO LINES.
NO, WE COULD DO IT EVEN FOR TOMORROW OR FOR TWO LINES.
YEAH, I'VE TAKEN IT, TOMORROW'S A PERSONAL DAY, SO I'M GONNA DO IT.
IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL HAPPENING TOMORROW IF SOMETHING HAPPENING TOMORROW? I WAS HAVE TO SAY.
AND EMAIL IT TO EVERYONE OR EMAIL TO EVERYONE AND MAKE SURE LISA'S COPIED ON.
I WANTED TO MENTION JOAN AND JOAN AND JOAN.
MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE, UM, INITIATIVE.
UM, I HAD SPOKEN TO JIM KIERAN FROM, UH, UH, THE FILLER CENTER.
HE USED TO BE WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
AND, UM, TODAY HIS TEAM, UH, DONATED 50 SANDBAGS, ABOUT 50 SANDBAGS TO PEOPLE AROUND THE TOWN.
AND THEY ACTUALLY, UH, DROVE TO DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE MORNING.
I, UH, REACHED OUT TO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, THE AREA, THE AREAS THAT ALWAYS FLOOD AND THEY JUST DROP THEM OFF AT PEOPLE'S HOMES.
AND, UM, STARTING TOMORROW, THERE'S A WOMAN, KIMONA HANSSEN, UM, WHO'S BEEN HOMELESS FOR OVER TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF, UH, IDA.
[01:30:01]
SO, UH, THE FILLER CENTER HAS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE DONATING THEIR TIME AND GONNA HELP REBUILD HER HOME.SO I WAS REALIZED, VERY PLEASED WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT.
SO, AND HE SAID HE'S GONNA MM-HMM.
SO I REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE ON BABBITT COURT AND ON OLD KENGA ROAD ASKING IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, GET THE ASSISTANCE OF, UM, THE FELLOW CENTER BECAUSE THEY WANNA WORK WITH THE TOWN ON OTHER INITIATIVES.
AND WE, WE HAVE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF EMAILS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE CLEAN OUT, YOU KNOW, WATERWAYS OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND THAT'S WHAT OUR STAFF IS DOING.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY REGULARLY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE OUT.
THEY'VE BEEN OUT, THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT REGULARLY.
SOMETIMES THEY DON'T KNOW THE, THE OBSTRUCTIONS UNTIL THE ACTUAL EVENT STARTS.
BUT THEY ROUTINELY COME AROUND AND, AND DO THAT.
THEY DID NORTH, THEY DID SOUTH.
AND OF COURSE, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE? YEAH.
I SPOKE TO, UH, RICH AND BRIAN EARLIER TODAY.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THOUGHTS I HAD IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AREAS THAT ALWAYS GET FLOODED.
SAY OLD KENGA ROAD, UH, BABBITT COURT, UM, YOU KNOW, NORTH ELMSFORD.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST THINK THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WHEN WE ARE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CREWS ARE OUT.
AND I SUGGESTED THAT, UM, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WORK WITH, UM, UH, RICH FUN AND, UH, WITH, UH, TERRANCE AND JANELLE.
AND IF THEY KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT, WE DO LIKE A LITTLE VIDEO.
AND THEN BEFORE A STORM WE COULD SAY, WE JUST WANNA SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO PREVENT FLOODING, BUT WE WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THE TOWN HAS ACTUALLY MADE AN EFFORT AND TAKEN INITIATIVES, PROACTIVE INITIATIVES, AND THEN PEOPLE COULD SEE, YOU KNOW, VISUALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
AND IT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE PROCESS.
HOW, HOW ABOUT IF WE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT IS TIME CONSUMING FOR THEM, DEPENDING ON WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE.
BUT IF WE CAN JUST HAVE, YOU KNOW, REPORT TODAY THEY CLEARED, YADA, YADA, YADA, YADA, YADA, YADA, 1, 2, 3, 4, YOU KNOW, JUST REPORT.
BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS, LIKE TODAY, YOU KNOW, I'D GET, I GOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 50 OR 60 EMAILS FROM PEOPLE SO THAT SAY, OH, THE DRAIN IS BAD AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE MM-HMM.
SO I FEEL THAT IF YOU SHOW SOMETHING VISUALLY, I COULD SAY, LOOK, I WANT TO SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF THE, OR A VIDEO OF THE, THE CREWS AND THEY CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF PROOF THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK WE CAN WORK WITH, I'LL WORK WITH, I'LL WORK WITH RICH AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY SOMETHING, MAKE RESIDENTS COMFORT, MAKE RESIDENTS COMFORTABLE AND CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE CREWS HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN OUT, UM, MAKING, ENSURING THAT, UM, THESE AREAS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.
SO I'LL WORK WITH RICH ON THAT.
SO MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE THE LIAISON TO OH, FUNNY THING ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW, UM, REGARDING THE FLOODING.
SO WHEN ELLEN AND I WORKED TOGETHER, UM, AT THE COUNTY FOR MARY JANE, THERE WAS THE SWAB, YOU KNOW, INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
I DUNNO WHAT'S REALLY WELL WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TIME WAS THAT, UM, MARY JANE WORKED WITH PAUL AND WITH, WITH, UM, WITH THE ELMSFORD BOARD.
AND THEY GOT OUT THERE AND CLEARED.
BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKES, IT'S A STATE BECAUSE IT'S STATE AND GETTING PERMISSION.
AND IT'S REALLY A STATE JOB, BUT THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID IT ANYWAY.
AND IT DID HELP FOR QUITE A WHILE.
I'M JUST WONDERING, IT'S BUILT UP AGAIN.
SO I, WE HAVE, WE STILL HAVE THIS SWAB INITIATIVE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
I JUST DUNNO HOW ACTIVE IT IS.
AND YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH IT MUCH MORE THAN I WAS AT THE TIME.
I WAS THE COMMITTEE COORDINATOR.
SO, UM, I, I CAN ALSO LOOK INTO HOW MAYBE 'CAUSE THAT'S DAVID AND MEMORIAL DAVID YEAH.
CAN CONNECT WITH THAT TO SORT OF REINVIGORATE THAT PROCESS AND ALSO THE, LIKE, SAY PEOPLE TODAY, THIS MORNING, I HAD LIKE ALL THESE EMAILS FROM PEOPLE ON ALL KENGO ROAD.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FLOODED, OUR IMMIGRANTS NEW MM-HMM.
AND THEY SORT OF FEEL THAT NOBODY'S REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO THE THING IS, IF WE COULD GET SORT OF LIKE A MAINTENANCE, UH, I KNOW, UH, JEWEL WILLIAMS JOHNSON IS WORKING REALLY HARD TRYING TO GET A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WITH THE COUNTY.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WHERE I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IS IF WE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND WORK WITH THE STATE, EVEN IF WE, UH, COULD GET A GRANT AND WE COULD SEND, UM, WE WANNA EXPLORE EVERY SINGLE OPTION.
AND IT MAY TURN OUT THEY, THEY'LL SAY, YOU
[01:35:01]
CAN'T, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM.UM, THEN WE COULD AT LEAST SHOW PEOPLE THAT WE EXPLORED EVERYTHING.
I KNOW THE GOVERNOR, I THINK IN HER, UH, UH, BUDGET IS PROPOSING BUYOUTS, WHICH IS A REALLY, FOR SOME OF THESE TROUBLE AREAS, THE BUYOUTS MAY BE THE MOST PRACTICAL RIGHT.
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FEMA ALSO HAS PROPOSED.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF HOOPS, BUT, UM, THERE ARE, BUT THE DIFFERENT MU MUNICIPALITIES DID TAKE CARE OF LIKE THE, THE CULVERTS IN THEIR AREAS AND MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE GETTING CLEANED OUT PERIODICALLY.
I DON'T KNOW KNOW THAT THAT'S HAPPENING ANYMORE IN, IN THE VILLAGES.
I, I, WELL, THE, YOU KNOW, THE VILLAGES FOR THE MOST PART ARE RIGHT ALONG THE HUDSON WHERE THEY'RE MORE V AND BETWEEN THE HUDSON AND ITS MILL AND WHERE THEY'RE REALLY VULNERABLE.
SO I I, I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN THERE.
AND THERE'S A BRONX RIVER PARK OR THE BRA INITIATIVE TOO, SO THAT 'CAUSE OF THE FLOODING IN THE BRONX RIVER PARKWAY.
UM, IF YOU CAN GIVE ME THE ACRONYM, UM, FOR THE SWAB, SWAB.
AND I THINK SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT ITILL OH, SAM WATERSHED.
BUT IF YOU'RE DOING, IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATORS ON THE FLOOD INITIATIVES, I THOUGHT IT WAS SO CLEVER.
AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE A COUPLE MAJOR FLOOD INITIATIVES.
THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU COULD BE REALLY, UH, EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR.
BECAUSE IF WE COULD GET A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, UM, SAY ESPECIALLY I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, MANHATTAN BROOK AND THE FULTON PARK, THAT WOULD BE LIKE AN ENORMOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU WOULD, YOU'D BE ABLE TO, UH, YOU COULD REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
IT'S INTERACTION AND, AND IDENTIFYING WHERE IT'S COUNTY AND WHERE IT'S TOWN, IT'S INTERGOVERNMENTAL.
AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN, IN GOVERNMENTALLY AND STATE.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT, ACTUALLY, DO WE HAVE A LIAISON, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, UH, INTERGOVERNMENT, UH, LIAISON BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, SAY, FLOODING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL.
AND I'M SORT OF WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROBLEM THAT, THE THING THAT I FIND REALLY FRUSTRATING DURING THE PAST COUPLE, YOU KNOW, DAYS, IS I FEEL THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY FULTON PARK, THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT GETTING THE REPRESENTATION AND THEY FEEL THEY'RE BEING IGNORED BECAUSE YEAH, THEY JUST, A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.
AND IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF WE COULD SAY TO THEM, LISTEN, WE'RE REALLY ALL TRYING AND WE'RE BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE EVERY SINGLE OPTION UNTIL WE COME, UNTIL WE KNOW THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF WE COULD HAVE AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL, I DON'T KNOW, LIAISON, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
I'M LOOKING AT, I THINK 11, 11, 11 LIAISONS IS, I'M JUST BETTER THAN 10.
I, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH TALKING ABOUT.
LET'S EXPLORE THAT AND LET'S DEFINE IT.
BECAUSE I THINK IT, IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA.
BUT DON'T, DON'T WE DO THAT ALREADY? WE DO THAT ANYWAY WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN GOVERNMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DO, YOU DO IT.
I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST, I JUST SORT FEEL THAT WE HAVE, LIKE, I JUST FEEL REALLY BAD WHEN THEY SAY YOU DON'T CARE OR WE DON'T CARE.
BUT, BUT, BUT PAUL, WE DO CARE.
BUT I JUST FEEL BAD WHEN THEY SAY, I KNOW.
I MEAN, I FEEL BAD TO SEE THAT PEOPLE STILL OUTTA THEIR HOMES AFTER THREE YEARS.
SO WE DO TALK AND INTERACT AND ENGAGE OUR, UH, PUBLIC OFFICIALS OUTSIDE.
SO I THINK, I THINK WE'RE DOING, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEIR ISSUE IS NOT GOING AWAY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE STILL BEEN DEALING WITH THAT.
IT'S, IT'S HARDENING TO EVERYONE.
SO I THINK, I THINK FOR WE KNOW YOU WANNA MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, PAUL.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE, OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR STORMS ARE GETTING WORSE.
AND SO THERE IS MORE FLOODING AND THERE, AND OUR STORMS ARE WORSE, WHICH THEN LEADS TO MORE FLOODING.
AND, AND I THINK ALSO PEOPLE DON'T, THAT THEY, THEY REACH OUT TO A LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT THEY DON'T REALIZE MIGHT NOT BE THE PROPER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S WHERE WE CAN BE HELPFUL AND ADVISE THEM AND HELP THEM REACH OUT TO THE PROPER PEOPLE WHERE IT IS AND WE CAN HELP WORK ON THEIR BEHALF.
SHE, SHE HANDLES CONSTITUENT SERVICES.
I'VE HANDLED CONSTITUENT SERVICES TOO.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS A, UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF, AND AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT GINA AND FRANCIS, I MEAN, WE ARE ALL DOING THAT.
SO ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA? NO, NOT REALLY.
[01:40:01]
UH, I MAY OR MAY NOT BE HELD OVER.UM, JUST FINDING EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO IT.
THIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATE MANAGEMENT, UM, WITH MARSHALL AND STERLING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TIME TO READ IT.
AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, TOWN ATTORNEY HAS GONE OVER IT, MADE SOME EDITS TO IT.
BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S NOT A ANNUAL THING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO WE COULD PUT IT ON THE WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK AND JUST HOLD IT OVER.
BUT WE HAVE TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE, IT'S TIME SENSITIVE AND IT LOOKS OKAY.
IT'S SAYS WE HAVEN'T DONE IT BEFORE.
AND FRANKLY, YESTERDAY AND TODAY IT'S ALL BEEN CHAPTER MINUTES.
IF, UH, IF IT'S, IF YOU WANT AN EXTRA WEEK TO LIKE REVIEW IT AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK, THAT GIVES YOU AN EXTRA WEEK.
I REALLY WANNA, I CAN'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ME TO HOLD SOMETHING OVER SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING.
'CAUSE THAT, THAT CAUSES ALL KINDS OF COMPLICATIONS.
SO, UH, I JUST POINTED OUT, YOU KNOW, AND JOE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
IN YOUR SPARE TIME, PH ONE, UH, WE'RE ACCEPTING A DONATION FROM THE LANZO FOUNDATION, BUT IT'S FOR GENERAL SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WHEN WE ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO EXPEND THE MONEY, THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER RESOLUTION FOR WHAT IT'S BEING SPENT FOR.
WHICH IS WHAT IS TYPICAL WHAT WE DO ANYWAY.
OH, AND PAUL, JUST FURTHER BACK ON THE AGENDA FOR THE SCHOOL SWEARING AND CEREMONIES, I, I WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE JANUARY 11TH ONE.
BUT I WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND TO THE JANUARY 22ND ONE.
SO WILL, WILL YOU GIVE THE APOLOGIES WHEN YOU I'LL GIVE THE APOLOGIES.
I CAN, I CAN'T
AT THE COUNTY AND I CAN'T DO THAT.
NO, THIS IS REALLY MORE, THAT'S A TECHNICAL TERM.
HE SWEARING IN CEREMONY AAL TERM.
SO THE KIDS COULD, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM REALLY YOUNG.
SO THE KIDS BASICALLY WILL SAY, UH, THIS IS WHAT THE TOWN DOES.
YOU'LL SAY, HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO PLAYGROUNDS? UH, DO YOU WANT THE PLAYGROUNDS? DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PLAYGROUNDS? AND THE LITTLE RAISE EXAM, SAY, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO CUT IT DOWN THAT AND JUST GIVE THEM GENERAL, UH, IDEAS AS TO WHAT THE TOWN DOES.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO, I'M GONNA HAVE TO CONFIRM WITH YOU ON THE, UM, THE, UH, WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY? THIS, THE SCHOOL SWEARING AIDS.
'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHERE IF YOU SHOW UP, THAT'S FINE.
AND IF YOU CAN'T SHOW UP, I'LL APOLOGIZE IF YOU DON'T.
YOU STILL SERVE YOUR TERM OUT.
YOU'VE BEEN SWORN IN SO MANY TIMES.
PAUL, WE HAVE A MEETING ON YOUR BIRTHDAY.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? NO PROBLEM.
I'M NOT, I, BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHERS WHO, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY CELEBRATE THAT DAY? MY BIRTHDAY'S A HOLIDAY.
OH, WHAT ABOUT OTHERS THAT CELEBRATE THAT ON THE 14TH, FEBRUARY 14TH.
BUT I, IF IT'S FEBRUARY 14TH, IS HAVE A FEELING.
SHE'S, I HAVE A FEELING YOU'RE IN THE SAME SITUATION WITH ME.
AND THE GIFT IS WE COME TO THE TOWN BOARD MEETING.
WELL, SHE'LL BE OUT TO SWEARING IN TOMORROW.
SO, UH, I'LL MENTION THAT AND IF SHE STARTS YELLING AT ME, THEN I'LL
OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, PAUL, I'M NOT SURE THAT I CAN DO THE 22ND EITHER.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A COUNTY BOARD MEETING NIGHT.
I KNOW, BUT THOSE AFTERNOONS ARE LIKE, THEY'RE CRAZY.
SO ARE WE AT THE POINT OF THE MEETING WHERE IT'S, WE CAN MAKE AN ADJOURNS EXECUTIVE SESSION? YEAH.
PAUL, YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
FOR WHAT PURPOSES? FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UH, DISCUSSING LEGAL AND ALL TALKING TO THE MICROPHONE.
PAUL, UH, NO, WE'RE NOT DOING IT HERE.
UH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF, UM, TO SEEK POLITICAL ADVICE, IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE LEGAL, LEGAL ADVICE.
SEE ON THE AGENDA WHERE IT SAYS SEVEN 15.
READY? ARE YOU ON THE AGENDA? SEVEN 15? JUST READ THAT.
MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING PERSONAL MATTERS.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING,
MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSING PERSONAL MATTERS INVOLVING
[01:45:01]
SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AND TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON VARIOUS MATTERS.