Nov 13, 2024 Town Board- Regular

[00:00:01]

UH, WELCOME, UH, TO OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.

TODAY IS NOVEMBER, UH, 13TH, AND IT'S A LITTLE AFTER SEVEN 30.

UH, WE HAD A GREAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING, UH, TONIGHT.

SO, UM, SOME OF US ARE HERE A LITTLE LATER, UM, SO WE APOLOGIZE.

UM, OKAY.

SO LET'S START WITH A PLEDGE OF

[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNTIL YOUR REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY, JUSTICE.

JUSTICE FOR, UH, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING.

AND IF WE COULD HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE

[ MOMENT OF SILENCE In honor and memory of Richard Bobbe, 104. He was a former member of the Greenburgh Budget Advisory Committee. Richard also met with our Town Supervisor weekly for over a decade providing him and other Town officials with management advice that saved the Town significant dollars and helped us manage Greenburgh more efficiently. His passing is a great loss to the town. In memory of Joseph "Joe" Marsek, 81, a longtime resident of Ardsley. Joe graduated from Cathedral High School and attended Iona College before serving in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968. He joined the Ardsley Volunteer Fire Department where he was a dedicated member for 60 years, serving as Chief from 1976 to 1978. His commitment to serving his community remained a guiding force throughout his life. In memory of Reverend Monsignor Patrick J. Carney, 94, Pastor Emeritus of the Church of the Sacred Heart, Hartsdale, who entered eternal life November 6, 2024. Msgr. Carney, a priest for 69 years and a Msgr. for 34 years, came to Sacred Heart Parish as its pastor July 1, 1998. The Town Board proclaimed June 30, 2014 as Rev. Msgr. Patrick J. Carney Day and on September 28, 2016 bestowed "Rev. Msgr. Patrick J. Carney Way" as the honorary street name of Lawton Avenue at the intersection of Central Park Avenue, the corner of the church. The impact he had on the community is immeasurable. In memory of those killed in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion, and in memory of those who have perished due to the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023]

AND IN MEMORY OF RICHARD, UH, BOBBY, HE WAS 104 YEARS OLD.

HE WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE GREENBERG BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

UM, UH, FOR THE PAST 10, 15 YEARS, HE MET WITH ME, UH, WEEKLY.

UH, HE WAS A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, VERY PROMINENT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, AND HE DONATED HIS TIME TELLING ME WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG, EVERY, UM, EVERY, UM, EVERY WEEK, UM, AND THEN YELLING AT ME UNTIL I GOT IT RIGHT, SOMETIMES IT TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT, BUT HE MADE A REALLY BIG, UM, DIFFERENCE.

UM, HE GAVE GREAT MANAGEMENT ADVICE.

HE HELPED SAVE THE TOWN SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS.

HE HELPED US, UM, MANAGE GREENBERG MORE EFFICIENTLY.

AND HIS, UM, PASSING IS A GREAT LOSS TO THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, AND TO ME, AND, YOU KNOW, SHOWS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD CAN MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE HE LIVED AT THE KNOWLES.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HE WAS JUST REALLY ACTIVE UP TILL MAYBE TWO, THREE MONTHS AGO.

AND, YOU KNOW, I SAW HIM IN THE SUMMER A FEW TIMES AND REALLY APPRECIATED HIS ADVICE AND HIS, UM, CONSTRUCTIVE, UH, SUGGESTIONS.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH JOE MAREK.

HE WAS 81, A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF ARTLEY.

HE GRADUATED FROM, UM, CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND ATTENDED IONA COLLEGE BEFORE SERVING IN THE US ARMY FROM 1966 TO 1968.

HE JOINED THE ARDSLEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

HE WAS A DEDICATED MEMBER FOR 60 YEARS, SERVING AS CHIEF FROM 1976 TO 1978.

AND HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS TOTALLY COMMITTED TO, UM, PROTECTING PEOPLE'S LIVES AND, AND PROPERTY, AND JUST MADE A, A REAL POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEER, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, JUST, UM, WE TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED THEIR SERVICE BECAUSE THEY'RE AVAILABLE DAY, NIGHT, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, THEY'RE ALWAYS ON CALL.

AND HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO JUST GAVE OF HIMSELF.

AND ALSO, WE, UM, ARE VERY SAD, UM, THAT REVEREND IGNOR, PATRICK CARNEY, UH, PASTOR EMUS OF THE CHURCH OF SACRED HEART AND HARTSDALE, UM, PASSED AWAY ON NOVEMBER 6TH.

UM, HE WAS A PRIEST FOR 69 YEARS, AND HE CAME TO SACRED HEART PARISH AS HIS PASTOR ON JULY 1ST, 1998.

THE TOWN BOARD PROCLAIMED JUNE 30TH, 2014, AS, UM, UM, REVEREND IGNOR, PATRICK J. CARNEY DAY.

AND ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2016, UM, WE BESTOWED REVEREND MONSIGNOR PATRICK CARNEY WAY AS AN HONORARY STREET NAME OF LAWTON AVENUE, AT THE INTERSECTION OF CENTRAL PARK AVENUE, THE CORNER OF THE CHURCH TODAY.

I WAS, UM, UH, ON LAWTON.

AND, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED THE HONORARY SIGN, UM, COMMEMORATING ALL THAT HE DID FOR OUR TOWN AND OUR COMMUNITY.

AND HE WILL DEFINITELY BE, UM, MISSED.

AND HIS IMPACT IS IMMEASURABLE.

AND THEN WE ARE HAVING A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THOSE WHO KILLED, WERE KILLED IN UKRAINE, DUE TO THE RUSSIAN INVASION MEMORY OF THOSE WHO PERISHED DUE TO THE TERRORIST ATTACK BY HAMAS ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2023.

AND, UM, THE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF THE GAZA IN, UM, YOU KNOW, WAR AND ALL WARS.

THANK YOU.

AND NEXT WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL

[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk]

GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR FINER HERE.

COUNCILWOMAN JACKSON PRESENT, COUNCILWOMAN HABER.

PRESENT, COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS.

PRESENT,

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PRESENT VIA ZOOM.

VIA ZOOM.

AND, UH, DEPUTY, EXCUSE ME, TOWN ATTORNEY IN PARLIAMENTARIAN, MR. JOE DANKO, PRESENT.

OKAY, NEXT.

UM, WE

[ Presentation of the Arts and Culture Committee's "2024 Supporter of the Arts Award" to Miriam Bernabei for her volunteer work interviewing all artists who exhibit in Greenburgh's Town Galleries]

PULL THE MIC DOWN.

THANK YOU, MR. FINER AND TOWN BOARD.

IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO MIRIAM BERNABY.

IN MY ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND CULTURE, I GOT TO MEET HER WHEN SHE WORKED IN THE GREENBERG SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SHE WAS MY LIAISON FOR THAT WONDERFUL SHOW WE HAVE EVERY SPRING.

OUR AWARD EVERY YEAR IS GIVEN TO SOMEONE WHO WE FEEL SUPPORTS THE ART.

THIS AWARD READS, THE GREENBERG ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE PRESENTS ITS 2024 SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS AWARD TO MARYANNE BURNABY FOR HER COMMITMENT TO BRINGING ARTISTS TO COMMUNITY ATTENTION VIA GREENBURG CABLE TV INTERVIEWS.

GIVEN THIS 13TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024, UM, I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT HER, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU.

I INTERVIEWED HER INSTEAD OF LETTING HER INTERVIEW ME .

AND IT WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE OF, UH, UH, THAT WILL, IT, IT WILL TELL YOU ABOUT HER BECAUSE SHE TALKS ABOUT HER LIFE IN GREENBURG.

HELLO, MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AS SARAH GRACIE WHITE GREENBURG'S DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND CULTURE.

FOR MANY YEARS, I RAN INTERVIEWS WITH NEW ARTISTS, THEN COVID-19 STRUCK, AND NO ONE WAS GOING INTO THE LAB.

WE WERE NOT GETTING ANY INTERVIEWS.

THIS PAST SPRING, GREENBURG BEGAN A PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD ART IN THE PARK WITH LOCAL OFFICE, AND PAUL FINDER SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD BEGIN TO INTERVIEW THEM SO THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD KNOW HOW WONDERFUL ARTISTS ARE IN GREENBURG.

NOW, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TRY TO DO ALL THESE THINGS.

SO PAUL ADVERTISED FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD HELP WITH THE INTERVIEWING.

AND TODAY WE HAVE WITH, UH, MIRIAM BERNABY, WHO HAS BEEN CONDUCTING THESE INTERVIEWS ON AND OFF AS WE CHANGE EXHIBITS THROUGHOUT ALL THE SPACES IN GREENBURG LIFE TOWN HALL, THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER, WHICH IS NOW THE GERARD BURNS CENTER.

SHE'S DONE THEM AT THE GREENBURG LIBRARY.

SHE'S DONE THEM IN THE PARK WEB PARK IN GREENBURG.

BUT I THOUGHT I'D ASK HER A FEW QUESTIONS SO YOU'D KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE INTERVIEW WORK.

MIRIAM, I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'VE TAKEN OVER THIS AND YOU SEEM TO LOVE IT.

I DO LOVE IT, .

I ACTUALLY DO.

I KNOW YOU RETIRED FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

TELL US WHAT YOU DID.

I WAS DIRECTOR OF ARTS, MUSIC AND SPECIAL PROGRAM, AND WHAT THAT MEANT WAS THAT I WAS SORT OF A DEPARTMENT CHAIR FOR THE ART AND MUSIC DEPARTMENT.

MM-HMM.

.

BUT IN ADDITION, WE HAD GRANTS THAT BROUGHT IN ARTISTS FROM OUTSIDE INTO THE CLASSROOM THROUGH ARTS WESTCHESTER.

AND, UM, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN THESE ARTISTS SO THAT THEY WOULD MEET WITH THE TEACHERS AND CREATE CURRICULUM AND BASICALLY INTRODUCE THE KIDS TO ALL KINDS OF ARTS.

THEN YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AMOUNT OF ART THAT WAS CREATED AND EXHIBITED EVERY YEAR AT GREENBURG TOWN HALL BY ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.

SO YOU WERE OVERSEEING ALL OF THESE CREATIVITY.

YEAH.

AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

THAT'S WHERE I MET YOU, .

SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RETIRED? I'VE BEEN RETIRED.

I, I DO EVERYTHING BASED ON COVID.

I YOU RETIRED A YEAR BEFORE COVID.

MM-HMM.

.

AND SO IT WAS BC ONE YEAR OF BC SO I HAD ONE YEAR OF, OF DELIGHTFUL RETIREMENT, AND THEN COVID HIT, AND THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU REMEMBER THAT? YES, I REMEMBER THAT.

WELL, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL SEEING YOU DO THIS.

DID YOU HAVE A LULL OF VISUAL ARTS? I KNOW YOU'RE A DANCER, SO TELL US ABOUT BOTH THOSE.

WELL, YES, I'VE BEEN DANCING FOR, OH, GOD, PROBABLY ABOUT 45 YEARS.

AND I STARTED LATE, WHICH IS A REALLY TERRIBLE THING.

HOW OLD AM I? .

UM, BUT IN ANY CASE, I DID START DANCING AFTER I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, AND I TOOK A CLASS AT THE NEW SCHOOL, AND I JUST WAS LIKE, WOW, WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE? SO I STARTED REACHING OUT AND LOOKING FOR ART TEACHERS IN NEW YORK CITY DANCE TEACHERS IN NEW YORK CITY, AND I FOUND ROBERT DY AND LUIGI, AND, AND I JUST, UH, REALLY HOOKED INTO ROBERT DY AND I STAYED WITH HIM.

AND THEN I STARTED WORKING PART-TIME

[00:10:01]

AND THEN I STARTED ASSISTING HIM IN SOME OF HIS TAP CLASSES.

AND, AND THEN I STARTED TEACHING A LITTLE TAP ON MY OWN.

AND THEN I WANTED TO GET A JOB IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO I WENT, AND I ALSO HAVE A LIBRARY DEGREE.

SO THEY SAID TO ME, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, THEY WANTED A LIBRARIAN, BUT THEY WANTED SOMEBODY WHO COULD DO A LITTLE MORE.

SO THEY SAID, DO YOU DO COMPUTERS? AND I WAS LIKE, NO, I DON'T DO COMPUTERS.

I SAID, WELL, I DANCE.

AND THEY SAID, WELL, OKAY, YOU COULD BE THE LIBRARY DANCE TEACHER.

AND THAT WAS IN THE CITY.

AND I DID THAT FOR A WHILE.

AND THEN I SAW AN AD.

I, I DECIDED TO GO INTO ADMINISTRATION TOO, BECAUSE I ALSO ENJOYED COORDINATING THINGS IN THE SCHOOL.

UM, MY PRINCIPAL HAD GRANTS AND SHE WAS LOOKING TO BRING ARTISTS IN, AND I SAW AN AD IN THE NEW YORK TIMES THAT WAS HOW OLD I AM, WHILE I WAS TEACHING.

AND IT WAS FOR AN ARTS DIRECTOR IN GREENBURG.

AND I JUST THOUGHT, WOW, THAT IS COOL.

AND I WAS FINISHING UP MY DEGREE IN ADMINISTRATION, AND I INTERVIEWED FOR IT, AND I GOT IT, WHICH WAS AMAZING.

AND I WAS THERE 20 YEARS.

AND THE REST IS KIND OF HISTORY.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, DANCE AND ARTS AND ALL THAT MELDED TOGETHER AND THE VISUAL ARTS, I JUST ALWAYS LOVED THEM.

MY ART FORM WAS THOUGH, BASICALLY DANCE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT THAT HELPED TO MAKE THAT ART HAPPEN.

I JUST WAS, YOU KNOW, FACILITATING FROM ABOVE.

BUT IT WAS, MY TIME IN GREENBURG WAS AWESOME.

I JUST LOVED IT.

WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

AND I THINK THAT, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR RETIREMENT ALLOWS YOU TO EXPLORE SOME THINGS YOU WOULD NOT HAVE DONE? HAD YOU BEEN INTERVIEWING PEOPLE BEFORE? UM, I DID A LITTLE INTERVIEWING WHEN I WAS IN THE DISTRICT, UM, WITH STEVEN LEWIS.

HE HAD A, A WHOLE, UM, VIDEO PROGRAM GOING ON, BUT NEVER LIKE THIS.

BUT I ALWAYS, THAT WAS ONE OF MY DREAMS FOR ONE SEMESTER OF COLLEGE, I WENT TO NYU FOR JOURNALISM, AND I WENT TO NEW PALTZ, THE, THE REST OF THE TIME WHERE I GOT MY DEGREE AND I MISSED MY FRIENDS.

THAT WAS .

SO I WENT BACK TO NEW PALTZ, BUT I ALWAYS DID HAVE A THING.

I WANTED TO BE A BROADCAST JOURNALIST, , I REALLY DID.

AND WHEN I, AND JUST ON HAPPENSTANCE, I WAS ONLINE LOOKING AT THE HUDSON INDEPENDENT WHERE I SAW THIS AD FROM PAUL FINER, AND I THOUGHT, OH MY GOODNESS, GREENBERG.

OKAY.

I WORKED IN GREENBERG FOR 20 YEARS INTERVIEWING ARTISTS.

WELL, I'VE BEEN IN THE ARTS DEPARTMENT AND I AM INTERVIEWING THEM FOR THE CABLE CHANNEL, WHICH I JUST WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.

AND I WROTE TO PAUL FINER, AND HE WROTE BACK, AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

I KNOW HE SPOKE WITH YOU, I GUESS, FOR SURE, BUT WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THAT SHE'S NOT JUST AN INTERVIEWER OF ARTISTS.

SHE A PRACTICING ARTIST HERSELF, WHICH I THINK GIVES HER A CERTAIN EDGE.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU DOING THIS.

AND THIS IS A VOLUNTEER JOB.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY RETIRE.

THEY FIND THE THINGS THEY LOVE AND DO THEM.

SO YOU'RE STILL DANCING.

I AM STILL DANCING, AND, AND YOU'RE DOING YOUR INTERVIEW AND YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME WHILE YOU'RE DOING IT, BUT YOU ARE REALLY BENEFITING THIS COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WHY GREENBERG IS SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE A PART OF IT CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF IT AND DO THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN TO HELP MAKE US A PLACE PEOPLE WANT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN TODAY.

OH, MY PLEASURE.

AND KEEP AT IT.

OH, I WILL.

AND YOU TOO, BABE.

YOU TOO, .

AND THIS IS A SIMPLE TOKEN THAT WE WANT TO GIVE MIRIAM TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION.

THANK FOR WHAT YOU, THANK YOU.

OH MY GOSH.

.

I NEED HELP.

.

THANK.

OKAY.

I JUST WANNA SAY A QUICK, YEAH, A QUICK, UH, THANK YOU , THANK YOU TO THE CULTURAL COMMITTEE.

AND THIS IS JUST SO WONDERFUL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET A, A PRIZE FOR DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE, IT'S, IT'S REALLY AMAZING.

AND I AM JUST SO GRATEFUL TO PAUL AND TO SARAH BECAUSE I, I JUST, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO.

IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SUCH FABULOUS, TALENTED ARTIST, AND ALSO TO WORK WITH THE TALENTED TERRENCE BROUN.

HE'S A WONDERFUL ARTIST HIMSELF.

HE MAKES US LOOK GOOD UP THERE ON THE VIDEO.

AND AS YOU SAW FROM THE VIDEO, THE FACT THAT I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS, AND ALSO THAT I, I JUST, I'M IN GREENBURG AND YOU KNOW, I WORKED HERE FOR 20 YEARS, AND GREENBURG IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME.

IT HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AND THANK MY HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER FOR COMING, AND THANK YOU.

AND IT REALLY MEANS A LOT.

YEAH.

I JUST WANNA MENTION, UH, THE BAD NEWS FOR YOU IS THAT, UH, THINKING OF, I WAS THINKING OF WRITING TO YOU GOOD MORNING AMERICA, THE TODAY SHOW, AND CNN SAYING THAT, I DON'T LIKE YOUR WORK, BECAUSE I'M AFRAID THAT THEY'RE GONNA DISCOVER YOU BECAUSE YOUR

[00:15:01]

SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY, UH, DON'T WANT YOU DISCOVERED AND, UH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO STAY IN, UM, IN GREENBURG BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY HAVE IT, REALLY, YOU PEOPLE APPRECIATE THE ART.

BUT I KNOW FOR MYSELF, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THESE ART EXHIBITS FOR YEARS, WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR, UM, YOUR INTERVIEWS, UM, IT REALLY MAKES THE WORK SO MUCH MORE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAY IT NOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT MUCH MORE THAN I I EVER DID BEFORE.

I SHOULD MENTION THAT THIS SATURDAY, THERE'S AN EXHIBIT AT, UM, BETWEEN ONE AND 3, 3 30, OR ONE AND 3, 1, 3, 1 AND THREE AT THE, AT THE, UM, AT THE TOWN HALL.

UM, YOU ALREADY DID THE INTERVIEW.

YES.

I, AND I'M, I'M GONNA POST IT ON, UM, I'M THE, UM, WEBSITE, I GUESS ON FRI YOU KNOW, ON FRIDAY, UM, UH, THE INTERVIEW THAT YOU DID.

UH, AND THERE'S A, THE EXHIBIT IS RIGHT OUTSIDE OVER HERE.

IT'S A, A REALLY INTERESTING, UH, QUOTE EXHIBIT.

BUT YOU KNOW, ALL THE ARTISTS, UH, THAT SARAH HAS, UH, HAS FOUND AND THAT YOU'VE INTERVIEWED, THEY ALL ARE REALLY FASCINATING.

THEY'RE SO TALENTED.

YES.

UM, SO GREENBERG IS BECOMING THE ARTS CAPITAL OF THE HUDSON VALLEY.

FABULOUS.

I LOVE IT.

, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, NEXT, UM, WE HAVE, DOES ANYBODY ON THE TOWN BOARD, UM, UH, WANT TO GIVE ANY REPORTS AS TO THE LIAISON WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING? UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INTERESTING THINGS HAPPENING, OR IF YOU DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'RE PREPARED.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE.

WE COULD DO THAT ANY AT ANY MEETING IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SPEAK.

FINE.

UM, NEXT, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS BEING HELD OVER TO, UH, 1211.

AND, UM, NEXT WE HAVE NOW

[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advance signup is required. A continuous five minute limit per speaker will be strictly enforced. The clock will start when a speaker begins speaking and will not be stopped for any reason until the speaker is finished or five minutes has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Interruptions by Town Board members, the Town Clerk or the public will not be permitted. If a speaker insists on an immediate answer, should an answer be provided, it shall be part of the speaker's five minute allocation and not be interrupted. There will not be a second five minute round. Any written comments sent to PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com by 6 PM the day of the hearing will be forwarded to all Town Board members in advance of the meeting for their consideration. Written comments will not be read at the meeting unless the original author is present to do so.]

EACH SPEAKER GETS FIVE MINUTES.

THERE ARE CLOCKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROOM, AND THE CLOCK WILL BEGIN WHEN YOU START SPEAKING.

PLEASE, WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, UM, STATE YOUR NAME AND, UH, WHERE YOU LIVE, AND PLEASE, NO PERSONAL ATTACKS ON ANYBODY.

THANK YOU.

FIRST WE HAVE MS. DIANE BURETTE BAY, RIGHT AT THE PODIUM.

PODIUM RIGHT THERE.

YES.

GRAND RISING, EVERYBODY.

MY NAME IS DIANE VETTE BAY.

IF I DON'T PRONOUNCE WORDS CORRECTLY, I HAVE BRACES ON MY TEETH.

I LIVE AT 52 MANHATTAN AVENUE, THE SENIOR CITIZEN BUILDING.

I'LL BE THERE, UH, FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

IT WOULD BE A YEAR IN JANUARY.

THE LAST TIME I WAS AT THIS MEETING, TOWN HALLS MEETING WAS ROUND ABOUT, UM, WHEN I MOVED IN, IN, UM, JANUARY, WE'LL MAKE ONE YEAR.

AND I CAME TO THE TOWN HALL MEETING, AND THERE'S SOME NAMES THAT I'M GOING TO CALL OUT.

AND I, UM, BEFORE I GET INTO WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE SENIOR CITIZEN BUILDING AT 52 MANHATTAN AVENUE, UM, PASTOR, UH, WILBERT, UM, PRESTON, POOR FINDER, UM, ROGER, IF I'M PRONOUNCING HIS NAME RIGHT, APRAS, UM, DANIELLE GOMAZ, UM, PAMELA EARL, UM, TERRANCE YOUNG, THESE PEOPLE I HAD WENT TO WHEN I FIRST MOVED IN 52 MANHATTAN AVENUE.

MY BILL CAME IN AND I ADDRESSED THIS TO THE TOWN HALL MEETING HERE.

UM, I WAS ONLY THERE FOR TWO WEEKS.

THE FIRST BILL CAME IN AT 200 SOMETHING DOLLARS.

THE NEXT MONTH, 500 SOMETHING DOLLARS, ALTOGETHER 800.

I WENT TO THESE PEOPLE FOR ASSISTING, TELL 'EM MY PROBLEMS. NO ONE HELPED ME.

NOW THEY COME IN MY APARTMENT, THEY'VE BEEN ROBBING ME, STEALING EVERYTHING I HAD IN THE APARTMENT.

THIS IS UNDER MANAGEMENT.

WHEN I APPROACHED MR. ROGER APRONS, UM, HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING.

HE CAME IN AND I HAVE A, A WITNESS HERE.

UH, MY ADVOCATE, ZMT BAY, HE WAS COMING IN THE PARKING LOT.

AND

[00:20:01]

AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID TO HIM ABOUT MY CONED BILL.

HIS EXACT WORD SAID TO ME, YOU PAY THE F*****G BILL.

AND THEN HE WAS GONNA OPEN THE CAR TO TAX ME.

AND MY ADVOCATE SAID, WHOA, MAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THIS IS A LADY, MR. TERRANCE YOUNG.

I WENT, WHEN I GOT ROBBED, I WENT TO THE POLICE.

THEY CHECKED THE VIDEO.

UM, THE VIDEO, THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.

AND THEY STILL COMING IN MY APARTMENT STEALING ROBIN, MY AUNT PASSED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.

AND I INHERIT GOLD GLASSES.

GOLD GLASSES.

COME HOME ONE MORNING.

'CAUSE I WAS AT THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK, UM, AL SHARPTON, TIRED, GOT UP, LOOKED AT MY CABINET, IT WAS ALL GONE.

THEY TOOK, UM, HE WAS COMING IN THE BUILDING.

I WAS IN THE, LET ME BACK IT UP.

I WAS IN THE, A LAUNDROMAT AND THE YOUNG GUY CAME IN, EXCUSE ME, IF YOU COULD JUST ADDRESS THE TOWN BOARD SO WE EVERYONE COULD SEE YOU ON YEAH, THE YOUNG GUY CAME IN, CAME IN THE BUILDING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW HE GOT IN THE BUILDING AND WENT INTO THE LODGE.

THE, THE LOUNGE ROOM.

YOUNG GUY, SOMETHING SAID, GET OUTTA THE LAUNDROMAT.

WHEN I PASSED THE, UM, THE LOUNGE, IT WAS NO LIGHT ON NO NOTHING.

DO YOU KNOW THE FBI IS INVESTIGATING THIS SITUATION HERE.

THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL SENIOR CITIZEN ABUSE.

OKAY.

NOW, HERE TODAY, IT'S A LOT TO SAY WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, BUT I WENT TO ALL THESE PEOPLE, AIN'T NEVER GOT NO ASSISTANCE.

MR. TERRANCE YOUNG SAYS TO ME, MY ADVOCATE THAT PAUL FINDER TOLD HIM NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN MY SITUATION.

OKAY? I'M RETIRED FROM THE VA, I'M A VETERAN.

AND MY WHOLE FAMILY SERVED THIS COUNTRY FROM THE CIVIL WAR ALL THE WAY UP TO NOW.

I SIGNED FOR THE WAX IN 1972.

OKAY? MY JOB IS NEVER OVER WITH NO MATTER WHAT, BECAUSE ANYBODY GET HURT OUT THERE, I STILL HAVE TO ASSIST WHAT KIND OF MESS THAT'S GOING ON IN HERE AT 52 MANHATTAN AVENUE.

THEY'RE HARASSING THE SENIOR CITIZEN PEOPLE.

THEY'RE SCARED TO TALK UP.

THEY COME TO ME.

NOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCKING THE, THE BALLROOM.

IS THIS A COURT ORDER? IS THIS A COURT ORDER FROM THE JUDGE TO LOCK THE BOILER ROOM? FIRST OF ALL, THE BOILER ROOM, THE BOILER ROOM SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THE APARTMENT.

I HAD TROUBLE WITH THE BOILER ROOM BACK IN THE SUMMERTIME.

THE BOILER MAY BLOW UP AND KILL EVERYBODY THERE.

SO WHAT ARE Y'ALL SITTING UP THERE? AND THAT'S IN POSITION.

AND THEN YOU GONNA TELL THE CITIZEN YOU CAN'T HELP THEM.

YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING.

AND WHEN YOU, WHEN I CAME TO YOU, POOR FINDER, YOU SUPPOSED TO INVESTIGATE AS FAR AS MY CONED BILL.

BUT YOU GOING TO TELL TERRANCE YOUNG NOT TO GET INVOLVED? I'M SO GLAD THAT DONALD TRUMP IS IN THE CHAIR, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T VOTE.

BUT HE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.

NOT ONLY FOR THE IMMA FOR THE, MY GATES, THE IMMIGRANTS, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT'S HERE, THAT'S THE WALKING ON THIS SOIL IN THE USA, WHICH I SAY UNDER SATAN'S AUTHORITY.

OKAY? I DIDN'T RETIRE TO COME UP HERE TO BE HARASSED BY PAMELA EARL.

OKAY? THEY STILL COMING IN MY APARTMENT, STEALING MY STUFF.

IT WAS ALREADY, AND EVEN THE COPS SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY, UM, CAN TAKE THE VIDEO, THE TAPE OUT FROM THE VIDEO.

YESTERDAY, THE ELEVATOR WASN'T WORKING.

I REPORTED TO MR. GO, MS. GOMEZ, SHE WAS IN THE OFFICE.

HERE GO PAM EARL WALKING.

MA'AM, SHE MADE THIS, I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF.

WE HAD A CLOCK MALFUNCTION, SO THE TIME DIDN'T START.

WE'RE BEYOND THE FIVE MINUTES.

BUT THANK YOU.

UM, SO WHAT'S GONNA BE DONE? YOU GONNA TELL ME WHAT'S GONNA BE DONE? I WILL GIVE YOU MY CARD AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS AFTER THE MEETING.

UH, AND WHAT'S YOUR NAME? JOSEPH DANKO.

TOWN.

ATTORNEY TOWN ATTORNEY? YEAH.

OKAY.

GIVE IT TO ME BECAUSE EVERYBODY TOOK FOUR, FIVE, AND EVERYBODY

[00:25:01]

NOTHING.

Y'ALL JUST SITTING UP HERE AND BEHIND THE DESK AND EVERYTHING AND YOU DON'T HELP THE PEOPLE.

NEXT WE HAVE CHRIS LINDER.

YOU GOING TO DO MY DESK? ARE THE CLOCKS WORKING, MADAM? NO, I'LL JUST USE MY PHONE.

OKAY.

SO YOU WANT, YOU WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCE? YOU WANNA MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF CAN, CAN YOU JUST HANG ON ONE SECOND.

SO JUST, WE NEED TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THAT THE, SO I, I CAN TIME WITH MY PHONE.

I TYPICALLY DON'T GIVE A ONE MINUTE WARNING, BUT I WILL JUST GO LIKE THAT OF SOMETHING WHEN THERE'S ONE MINUTE.

UM, AND TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO STICK TO THE FIVE MINUTES.

KEEP WITHIN FIVE MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE COPY FOR EVERYONE.

IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.

I'LL TRY TO GET IT THROUGH IT IN FIVE MINUTES AS BEST AS I TRY.

WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES, SO YES.

THANK YOU.

MY EVERYONE THANK YOU.

JUST LEMME KNOW WHEN I'M READY AND I'LL GET STARTED.

JUST GIMME ONE SECOND.

TAKE YOUR SOUND.

DOES HE WANT THIS IN THE RECORD? I WANT EVERYTHING ON RECORD.

DO YOU WANT A COPY? I HAVE A COPY FOR YOU TOO.

HE'S TO SHE'S TOWN CLERK.

THANK YOU.

SORRY FOR NO WORRIES, NO WORRIES.

YOU READY? YOU CAN BEGIN WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ON THE MATTER OF IMPORTANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

ONE THAT REFLECTS BROADER DISCUSSIONS TAKING PLACE ACROSS OUR STATE AND COUNTRY.

SPECIFICALLY, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PLACEMENT OF BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNS AND MURALS ON PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTY AND THE POTENTIAL LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS SURROUNDING THESE DISPLAYS.

AS A CONCERNED RESIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC PROPERTY DISPLAYS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY POLITICAL OR SOCIAL MOVEMENT MUST COMPLY WITH FEDERAL NEW YORK STATE AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, AS WELL AS THE TOWN OF GREENBURG'S.

CODE OF ETHICS.

GOVERNMENT MESSAGING SHOULD AVOID ANY PERCEPTION OF RACIAL OR DISCRIMINATORY BIAS, ENSURING THAT THE GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENTAL BODIES MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY IN THEIR OFFICIAL ACTIONS AND DO NOT APPEAR TO ENDORSE ONE GROUP OVER ANOTHER BASED ON RACE OR IDEOLOGY.

IN 2015, THE DNC PASSED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF BLACK LIVES MATTER.

THIS OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT, WHICH WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN NBC AND THE WASHINGTON POST ARTICLES ESTABLISHED THE MOVEMENT WITHIN A POLITICAL DISCOURSE OF A MAJOR PARTY.

ADDITIONALLY, BLM LATER FORMED A POL, A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OR A PAC REINFORCING ITS PRESENCE IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE.

GIVEN THESE AFFILIATIONS, THE PLACEMENT OF BLM SIGNS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY COULD INTERPRET BE INTERPRETED AS PARTISAN, WHICH MAY CONFLICT WITH THE TOWN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAIN NEUTRALITY ON PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTY.

NEW YORK STATE CIVIL LAW RIGHTS SECTION 40 PROTECTS INDIVIDUALS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS MANDATING EQUAL TREATMENT FOR ALL.

WHEN PUBLIC PRO, WHEN PUBLIC PROPERTY DISPLAYS A MESSAGE ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR VIEWPOINT, SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY FEEL EXCLUDED OR THAT ENVIRONMENT HAS BECOME DISCRIMINATORY OR UNWELCOMING.

PUBLIC PLACES ARE MEANT TO BE INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYONE.

AND ANY DISPLAY THAT COULD BE SEEN AS FAVORING ONE GROUP OR ONE GROUP OR IDEOLOGIES OVER OTHERS MAY RISK VIOLATING THIS STATUTE.

ADDITIONALLY, THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF ARTICLE FOUR OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE EQUAL TREATMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT.

PUBLIC PROPERTY DISPLAYS OF PERCEIVED POLITICAL AND PARTISAN AFFILIATIONS COULD BE SEEN AS COMPROMISING THIS FEDERAL MANDATE, NEW YORK STATE ELECTION LAW SECTION 2 0 3 1 A ALSO MANDATES POLITICAL AND OR PARTISAN MATERIALS BE KEPT AWAY FROM POLLING LOCATIONS, ENSURING THAT VOTING SITES REMAIN NEUTRAL.

IF BLM SIGNS ARE DISPLAYED IN OR AROUND PUBLIC BUILDINGS THAT SERVE AS POLLING PLACES, THEY MAY CONFLICT WITH THIS STATUTE'S RESTRICTION ON PARTISAN DISPLAYS NEAR VOTING AREAS.

FURTHERMORE, NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC BUILDINGS LAW SECTION 1 4 7 RESTRICTS CERTAIN DISPLAYS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT FACILITIES ARE NOT USED FOR PARTISAN OR DISCRIMINATORY PURPOSES.

THIS POSITION IS FURTHER SUPPORTED BY NEW YORK STATE SENATE BILL S FIVE S 4 5 3 9 B RECENTLY PASSED BY THE SENATE, WHICH PRO, WHICH WOULD PROHIBIT POLITICAL SIGNAGE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY WHILE NOT SIGNED INTO LAW.

THIS BILL DEMONSTRATES THE COMMITMENT OF OUR STATE OFFICIALS TO KEEP PUBLIC PROPERTY FREE FROM PARTISAN MESSAGING.

UPON REVIEWING THE TOWN BOARD'S, EXCUSE ME.

UPON REVIEWING THE TOWN OF GREENBERG'S CODE OF ETHICS, I'VE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL POTENTIAL AREAS OF CONCERN REGARDING THE PLACEMENT OF BLM SIGNS AND MURALS.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT TOWN OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OR ACTIONS THAT COULD APPEAR TO COMPROMISE IMPARTIALITY IF AT ANY TOWN.

BOARD MEMBERS INVOLVED IN IMPROVING BLM DISPLAYS ALSO SERVED ON BLM AFFILIATED BOARDS.

THIS DUAL ROLE COULD CREATE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR THE PERCEPTION THEREOF PROHIBITED POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

5 7 0 DASH SEVEN, SORRY.

THE FIRST ONE IS FIVE ZERO DASH FOUR.

[00:30:01]

DISPLAYING BLM SIGNS AND MURALS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY MAY BE INTERPRETED AS THE TOWN ENDORSING A POLITICAL PARTICULAR POLITICAL OR SOCIAL MOVEMENT, POTENTIALLY VIOLATING THE STANDARD USE OF TOWN OWNED EQUIPMENT OR PROPERTY 5 7 0 DASH SIX.

THE CODE PROHIBITS THE USE OF TOWN PROPERTY FOR PERSONAL OR NONOFFICIAL PURPOSES WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION.

IF THE BLM SIGNS AND MURALS WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT APPROPRIATE APPROVAL, THIS COULD CONSTITUTE AN UNAUTHORIZED USE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY.

AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST SPEED THROUGH THIS LAST PART.

RECUSAL OF CITATION.

SO 5 7 0 DASH EIGHT TOWN OFFICERS MUST RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM DECISIONS WHERE THEY HAVE PERSONAL INTERESTS, WHERE THEIR IMPARTIALITY MIGHT BE QUESTIONED.

I REQUEST THAT THE TOWN REMOVE ALL BLM SIGNS AND MURALS RELATED FROM PUBLIC PROPERTY UNTIL IT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY WILL LEGALLY APPROVED, FUNDED, AND INSTALLED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL NEW YORK STATE AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, AS WELL AS THE CODE OF ETHICS.

I REQUEST THAT THE ETHICS BOARD INVESTIGATE WHETHER ANY ETHICAL GUIDELINES WERE BREACHED, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH THE USE OF TOWN PROPERTY FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES, I REQUESTED TOWN ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGATE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, INCLUDING THE LAWS THAT I JUST STATED.

UM, YOU KNOW, CIVIL RIGHTS SECTION 40 BUILDING PUBLIC BUILDING LAW 1 4 7, ELECTION LAW 2 0 3 1 A AND ARTICLE FOUR OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.

IF ETHICS, IF AN ETHICS VIOLATION OR LEGAL BREACH IS IDENTIFIED, I BELIEVE THAT ANY BOARD MEMBERS INVOLVED SHOULD STEP DOWN AND REIMBURSE THE TOWN OF ANY FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN MISUSED IN THIS PROCESS.

NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THE LEGAL BREACHES ARE CONFIRMED.

I ALSO ASK THE POLICE, CONSIDER ACTION FOR ANY IDENTIFIED VIOLATIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY RUSSO.

WOW.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

MY NAME'S KATHY RUSSO.

I LIVE AT SEVEN LAUREL STREET IN HARTSDALE.

IT'S RIGHT OFF CENTRAL AVENUE, ONE BLOCK SOUTH OF MARSHALL SHOP CENTER.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG HAS BEEN INUNDATED BY CON EDISON'S WORK.

SEVEN LAUREL STREET IS A SMALL ONE WAY STREET RIGHT OFF CENTRAL AVENUE.

THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE CON ED MOVED IN THEIR BULLDOZERS, THEIR ALL OF THEIR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, THEIR PIPING, THEIR FENCING, AND EVERYTHING WAS DUMPED ON LAUREL STREET.

AGAIN, IT'S A SMALL ONE WAY RESIDENTIAL STREET.

WE PUT UP WITH IT FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AND THEN WE STARTED QUESTIONING THE CONSTRUCTION CREW.

WHY OUR STREET? WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WOULD NOT PROVIDE THEM WITH ANYWHERE TO PUT ALL THIS EQUIPMENT.

THEY AND THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TOLD THEM THIS WAS THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO.

CONED HAS TOLD US THAT WE WOULD LAST TWO TO THREE MONTHS, WE'RE ON SIX MONTHS.

THE MACHINERY WAS MOVED AFTER A WHILE DOWN TO THE CORNER OF NORTH WASHINGTON AND CENTRAL AVENUE, WHICH IS A PARCEL OWNED BY THE TOWN.

BUT THE PLATES, THE PIPING, THE FENCING, AND ALL OF THEIR OTHER EQUIPMENT IS STILL SITTING OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.

AND THE HOUSES ON THAT STREET, IT'S SIX MONTHS.

THE AMOUNT OF NOISE OF THEM DRAGGING THE PLATES DOWN THE STREET WITH BULLDOZERS HEAVY EQUIPMENT ON AND OFF OF OUR STREET, HAS DESTROYED THE ROAD.

WE WEREN'T EVEN ABLE TO KEEP OUR WINDOWS OPEN AT ALL THIS YEAR.

WE ASKED THEM TO CLEAN THE STREETS.

THEY DID NOT CLEAN THE STREETS.

MY HUSBAND WOULD GO OUT AND CLEAN THE STREETS AND THEY'D COME BACK IN WITH MACHINES.

IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SIX MONTHS.

IT'S RIDICULOUS THE AMOUNT OF NOISE.

UH, I HAVE THINGS FALLING OFF MY WALL AT NIGHT.

FROM THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC GOING DOWN CENTRAL AVENUE, HITTING THE PLATES, THINGS CRASH OFF THE WALLS.

THE HOUSE IS SHAKING.

MY DOGS ARE HAVING PANIC ATTACKS.

THE AMOUNT OF NOISE AND DIRT AND DISRESPECT BY SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION CREW IS OUTRAGEOUS.

WE'VE ASKED THE TOWN, I'VE TALKED TO PAUL FINER ON THIS BEFORE.

I'VE BEEN REFERRED TO RON FAWN, RICK RICH, RICH FA, UM, NEVER GOT ONE RESPONSE BACK FROM THE MAN I'VE LEFT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, NOT ONE RESPONSE.

PAUL SENT MY LETTER AGAIN TO HIM TODAY AND HE SAID HE'D LOOK INTO IT.

HE'S BEEN LOOKING INTO A LOT OF THINGS OVER THE SUMMER.

NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.

WE ARE TIRED OF IT.

OUR PLACE IS A DISASTER.

I SPOKE TO THE CONSTRUCTION CREW AGAIN YESTERDAY AND THEY SAID TO US, WE ARE GONNA START MOVING STUFF WHEN WE HAVE TIME.

WE HAVE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORK ON RIGHT NOW.

AND WHEN WE GET SOME TIME, WE'LL START MOVING IT OUT.

I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU WOULD WANT TO BE LIVING WHERE WE'RE LIVING RIGHT NOW.

IT'S FILTHY, IT'S DISGUSTING.

IT'S NOISY AND IT'S AFFECTED OUR SIX MONTHS.

THAT'S HOW LONG IT'S BEEN ON OUR STREETS.

WE'RE ASKING FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO PLEASE SPEAK WITH CON EDISON AND REMOVE, THEY'RE USING OUR STREET AS A STAGING

[00:35:01]

SO WE ARE NOW ASKING PAUL FINER AND THIS WHOLE COMMITTEE TO PLEASE SPEAK WITH CON EDISON AND REMOVE THE EQUIPMENT AND THE FENCES AND FIX OUR ROAD.

IT'S DISGUSTING AND NO ONE ELSE WOULD WANNA BE LIVING THERE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NEXT WE HAVE DIEGO RENDON.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, MY NAME IS DIEGO RENDON.

I'M FROM 36 LAUREL, RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM THE LADY THAT JUST SPOKE.

I'M HERE TO ECHO BASICALLY THE SAME THINGS THAT SHE'S SAYING.

UM, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THIS WORK IS BEING DONE, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BEING UPDATED, BUT SIX MONTHS, IT'S JUST TOO, TOO LONG, UH, FOR A PROJECT KNOWING THAT THEY'RE WORKING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEY'RE DONE.

ALL OUR METERS WERE REPLACED AND COMPLETED ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO WHEN THEY TOLD US, OH, WE'RE DONE WITH WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

HOWEVER, ALL THIS STUFF IS STILL IN OUR STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.

MY HOUSE SHAKES AT 2:00 AM OR 2:00 PM BECAUSE ANY CAR THAT GOES OVER THESE PLATES, THEY'VE BEEN THERE SO LONG THAT THE SEAL AROUND THE PLATES HAVE COME LOOSE.

SO NOW THE PLATE JUST WOBBLES EVERY TIME A CAR GOES OVER IT.

THAT'S THE WAY TO LIVE.

RIGHT.

AND WE UNDERSTAND IT TAKES TIME AND SO FORTH, BUT SIX MONTHS WINTER'S COMING, MAYBE A SNOW STORM.

THERE'S NO WAY A PLOW IS GONNA GO ON OUR STREET AND TAKE CARE OF OUR STREET WITH ALL THESE PLATES.

IT'S A VERY SMALL STREET, RIGHT.

TO HAVE PLATES FROM BEGINNING TO END ON THE STREET.

IT'S ABOUT 13 HOUSES ON OUR STREET.

AND THERE WERE PLATES IN FRONT OF EVERY HOUSE FOR SIX MONTHS.

RIGHT? SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR HELP BECAUSE WE DUNNO WHO'S HOLDING THESE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, RIGHT? OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT YOU, YOU HAD A HARD TIME GETTING TO THE STREET.

'CAUSE THERE WAS A BULLDOZER, A TRUCK PLATES, EQUIPMENT, PIPING.

THEY HAD THESE LONG SETS, UM, OF PIPING ON OUR STREET.

AND IF, IF THEY WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE WAY, THEY WILL LET YOU IN.

IF NOT, THEY WILL MAKE YOU GO THE WRONG WAY AROUND THE BLOCK, REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF DAY.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANTED TO GO IN OR OUTTA YOUR DRIVEWAY.

OH, WELL, SIR, GIVE US A FEW MINUTES.

IT ENDED UP BEING 20 MINUTES, HALF HOUR.

WHO'S OVERSEEING THIS WORK TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING PROTOCOLS AND THAT QUALITY OF LIFE IS MAINTAINED RIGHT.

WHEN THEY'RE DONE, WHO IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY REPAIR ALL THE DAMAGE THAT THEY'VE CAUSED TO SOME OF THE GREEN SPACES, TO THE SIDEWALKS.

SOME OF THE SIDEWALKS ALONG THE VERIZON STORE ARE CRACKED, THE CURBS ARE DAMAGED.

WHO'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THESE PEOPLE PICK UP THEIR STUFF AND LEAVE ARE GOING TO REPAIR EVERY SINGLE PIECE THAT THEY'VE DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS? SO WE'RE ASKING FOR HELP.

WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

UM, IT'S JUST BEEN TAKING TOO LONG FOR THIS TO, TO, TO BE OVER WITH.

RIGHT.

HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO CONNAN? I'VE REACHED OUT TO CONED.

UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CONAN BASICALLY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE GONNA ADDRESS IT.

BUT LIKE YOU SAID, THEY DIDN'T GIVE A TI THEY DIDN'T GIVE A TIMETABLE.

I'LL REACH OUT TO CONED.

I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

SO I HAVE AN UPDATE.

SO IT APPEARS THAT, UM, CON ED SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE REMOVING THE PLATES.

IT APPEARS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BEEN TODAY AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BACKFILLING THE, THAT AREA NEXT WEEK.

SO I'M LOOKING AT AN EMAIL EXCHANGE BACK AND FORTH.

OH, AS OF TODAY, THE PLACE IS STILL THERE.

SO, SO, SO THEN, SO IF YOU COULD JUST REACH OUT TO US TOMORROW AND, UM, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY I HAVE, UM, THE BUILDING, THE DEPUTY BUILDING INSPECTOR, SHE'S LISTENING IN.

SO SHE, SHE, IF YOU CAN CONTACT HER, UH, LIZ GARRITY, SHE'LL GIVE YOU SOME, SHE'LL HELP YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH.

WE'LL, I'LL REACH OUT YOU TO CONTACT ALSO LATER TONIGHT IF YOU WANT MY CARD.

I CAN, YEAH.

THANK YOU JOE.

CONTACT INFO.

SO LIZ IS LISTED.

THANK YOU.

UM, THE DEPUTY BUILDING INSPECTOR IS IN CONTACT WITH THEM NOW.

SO IF YOU CONTACT JOE, UM, THEY'LL, HE'LL CONNECT YOU UPSTAIRS TO HER.

ALRIGHT.

OKAY.

PERFECT.

MAYBE YOU CONTACT HER IN THE MORNING.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THING IS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER CONED BECAUSE OF THE UTILITY.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF STREETS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON AND IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING.

THE PEOPLE ON MANOR WOODS, THEY'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, PLATES ON THEIR ROADS FOR PROBABLY OVER A YEAR NOW.

AND, UM, WE JUST GOT, UM, I, THE COMMISSIONER INDICATED THEY JUST CUT A CHECK AND WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE PAVING ALL THE STREETS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON MA IN MANOR WOODS, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL.

THEY STARTED AT SIX 30 IN

[00:40:01]

I I KNOW THAT NINE RIGHT NOW.

WHEN WE LEFT, THEY JUST SET UP FROM MICHAEL.

DO YOU WANNA COME BACK? I'M SORRY.

NO.

OKAY, SO.

NO, NO MA'AM.

WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GO TO WORK ON IT.

SO I, WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE SPOKEN FOR YOUR FIVE MINUTES.

OKAY.

AND SO ONE WE UNDERSTAND 6 30, 30 MORNING PLEASE.

THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE WHO ARE WAITING TO, WELL, WE NEED YOUR HELP.

WE, WE, YES, WE'RE GIVING IT AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE IT.

WE, WE REALLY FEEL FOR YOU.

MM-HMM, .

OKAY.

NEXT WE HAVE JOANNE AMON.

THANK YOU.

HELLO, JOANNE.

MI MONACO, 43 LAUREL STREET.

THE REST OF THESE PEOPLE ALSO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR STREET.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY.

I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE ALL SAID, BUT THIS IS A TOWN PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE ANSWERS TO WHO GAVE THE APPROVAL AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO PLACE LARGE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES ON A ONE WAY STREET THAT CAN, YOU CAN ONLY COME IN THROUGH CENTRAL AVENUE AND EXIT ONTO NORTH WASHINGTON AVENUE.

THE TRUCKS ARE MASSIVE.

NOT ONLY DID THEY PARK ON THE ENTRANCE THE WHOLE LENGTH, THEY ALSO TOOK A BACKHOE AND PUT IT AT THE EXIT.

SO THAT, AS MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SAID, WHEN THEY ARE HAULING ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT, AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE JUNE, IT IS NOT SIMPLY THE PLATES, IT IS THESE TRUCKS AND THEY'RE MOVING AND THEY'RE MOVING HEAVY EQUIPMENT.

THEY ARE INCONSIDERATE.

THEY DO NOT LISTEN WHEN YOU ADDRESS THEM, WHICH I DID.

THEY ARE NOT PLEASANT AND THEY ARE RUDE.

I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO OUT AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THAT I NEED TO GET INTO MY HOUSE BECAUSE I LEFT THIS MORNING AND THE ROAD WAS OPEN.

I CAME BACK AND YOU HAVE SHUT IT DOWN.

AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO AROUND ON WASHINGTON AVENUE AND COME THE WRONG WAY ON A ONE WAY STREET.

WE HAVE PLATES, AS THEY SAID, IT IS A SMALL ROAD.

SO EVERY TIME ANY OF THOSE, ANYTIME ANYBODY COMES OVER, THEY'RE GOING OVER THOSE PLATES.