[00:00:03]
WELCOME TO OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.
UH, TODAY IS NOVEMBER, UH, 25TH,
[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
AND, UM, WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THE PLEDGE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.[ MOMENT OF SILENCE In memory of Napoleon Mitchell, Civic leader and Democratic District Leader In memory of Harold Rose, who was a CERT Team Member for almost 20 years. Harold was one of the most dedicated and hard-working members of the Greenburgh CERT Team. He donated thousands of hours of his time volunteering for initiatives that helped Greenburgh prepare for emergencies. He was also responsible for the CERT van. 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 IF YOU COULD, UH, STATE, UM, STANDING, UM, IN MEMORY OF, UM, UM, NAPOLEON MITCHELL.NAPOLEON MITCHELL WAS, UM, FORMER, UM, HEAD OF THE POLICE COMMUNITY, UM, ADVISORY BOARD, UM, WAS VERY ACTIVE IN MANY ASPECTS OF, YOU KNOW, OF THE TOWN, UH, FOR, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
HE WAS A DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT LEADER.
HE, UM, WAS INVOLVED IN LIKE NUMEROUS, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, INITIATIVES THAT MADE WEAVER A A BETTER PLACE, UH, TO LIVE IN AND, AND WORK.
AND HE WILL BE, UH, MISS, UH, TREMENDOUSLY.
UM, HE REALLY MADE THE TOWN A MUCH BETTER, UH, MUCH BETTER PLACE.
AND ALSO IN MEMORY OF HAROLD ROSE, WHO WAS A CERT, UH, TEAM MEMBER FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
HAROLD WAS ONE OF THE MOST DEDICATED AND HARDWORKING MEMBERS OF THE GREENBERG CERT TEAM.
HE DONATED THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TIME VOLUNTEERING FOR INITIATIVES THAT HELPED GREENBERG PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES.
AND HE WAS ALSO, UM, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CERT.
UM, YOU KNOW, VAN, UM, HE WAS JUST AN AMAZING, UH, HUMAN BEING AND A REAL GREAT ASSET TO THE TOWN.
AND FINALLY IN MEMORY OF THOSE, UH, KILLED, UH, IN THE UKRAINE, UM, UH, IN THE EIGHT IN UKRAINE, DUE TO THE RUSSIAN INVASION MEMORY OF THOSE HAVE PERISHED DUE TO THE TERRORIST ATTACK BY HAMMA ON OCTOBER 7TH AND OTHER, UM, INNOCENT VICTIMS. THAT'S EVERYONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE, UH, THAT WE HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk]
THANK YOU.AND THE TOWN CLERK WILL DO THE ROLL CALL SUPERVISOR.
PRESENT, COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS, PRESENT TOWN ATTORNEY AND PARLIAMENTARIAN.
[ Presentation by 6 year old Zoe Wong and 4 year old Hope Cole - Trees at the Bob Gold Parklet]
WE'RE GONNA START THE MEETING WITH A PRESENTATION FROM, UM, OUR YOUNGEST ACTIVIST IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN, UM, ZOE WANG AND WHO IS SIX YEARS OLD AND HER 4-YEAR-OLD, UM, HER 4-YEAR-OLD, UM, COUSIN, HOPE COLE AND BOTH, UM, HAD SENT ME, UM, UH, A LETTER, UH, TALKING ABOUT THEIR DESIRE FOR, FOR TREES.SO THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
SO I'M THE FATHER, I'M, I'M, UH, REPRESENTING THEM.
THEY'RE GONNA SAY SOMETHING IN A MOMENT, BUT, UM, THEY, THEY'VE SENT, UH, A LETTER, UH, AS EVIDENCE, UH, OF, UH, OF, OF THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE TREES AT BOB GOLD PARKLET.
ZOE WONG IS FOUR AND HOPE COLE IS SIX.
YOU COULD MOVE THAT MICROPHONE AS WELL.
MY NAME IS SO WELL, SHE KNOWS.
MY NAME IS HOPE AND I'M SIX YEARS OLD.
I LOVE TREES SO MUCH, MUCH TREES HELP US TO BREATHE.
AND THE PARK SHOULD BE MORE PLAYFUL.
[00:05:02]
SAY YOU'RE FOUR YEARS OLD.SEE THAT? YOU'RE FOUR YEARS OLD.
SO NOW BECAUSE OF YOUR ADVOCACY CALLING FOR MORE TREES, WE'RE GONNA CALL THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND WE'RE GONNA ASK IF, UH, THEY'RE GONNA, BECAUSE THEY WERE COMPLAINING TO ME ABOUT THE LACK OF, UH, UH, TREES AT BOB GOLD PARK, AND I'M WONDERING IF THEY MADE ANY IMPACT ON, ON YOU AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY RESPONSE TO THEIR ADVOCACY.
I'M THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
ZOE HOPE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND TELLING US ABOUT YOUR TREE ISSUES.
WE, WHAT DO TREES NEED TO GROW WATER AND SUN.
SO WE TOOK SOME TREES DOWN SO THAT THE TREES THAT ARE THERE CAN GROW.
AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA PLANT ANOTHER TREE IN THE FALL, UH, THE SPRING.
BUT WE'VE HAD A DROUGHT RECENTLY, SO WE HAVE TO WAIT TO PLANT.
AND ALSO WE'RE GONNA PLANT A BORDER OF BUSHES OUT IN FRONT TOO, SO THAT NO ONE WILL GET INTO THE STREET WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING IN THE PARK.
SO I HOPE THAT, DOES THAT HELP? YES, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WOULD WE BE ABLE TO INVITE THEM, UH, WHEN THE TREES ARE BEING PLANTED? BECAUSE THEY HAVE, THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE TREES PLANTED.
SO THIS WAY WHEN THEY'RE IN COLLEGE, THEY COULD PUT APPLYING FOR COLLEGES, THEY COULD PUT
WELL, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHEN WE'RE GONNA PLAN IT.
IT'LL BE IN THE SPRINGTIME SOMETIME WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE WITH THE WEATHER.
AND IT'LL PROBABLY BE DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAYTIME AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM MIGHT BE IN SCHOOL, I'M NOT SURE.
BUT ONCE THEY'RE IN THERE, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
WE'LL PUT SOME, SOME NICE BORDER UP THERE.
WE'RE ALMOST FINISHED WITH THE, WITH THE UPGRADE TO THE PARK AT THIS POINT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
IF YOU MAY GIVE THE LETTER TO THE TOWN CLERK SO WE CAN PUT YOUR LETTER IN THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE TOWN.
[ Sarah Hu - Environmental Impacts of Curbside Pickup of Food Scraps for Recycling vs. Drop Off]
NEXT, UH, SARAH, YOU WILL TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF CURBSIDE.PICK UP THE FLU SCRAPS FOR RECYCLING AND JUNK OFF, AND TALK ABOUT HER ADVOCACY FOR THIS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
I'M SARAH HU, A SENIOR AT EDGEMONT HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TO PROPOSE A FOOD SCRAP PICKUP PROGRAM IN GREENBURG NEXT.
OKAY, SO THERE HAS BEEN A FOOD SCRAP DROP OFF PROGRAM SINCE 2018, BUT AFTER THE INITIAL INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION, THE NUMBERS HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY CONSTANT WITH REGULAR FLUCTUATIONS.
AS I WENT DOOR TO DOOR IN OUR TOWN, MANY FAMILIES EXPRESSED HOW THEY WOULD LOVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DROPOFF PROGRAM, BUT COULDN'T BECAUSE OF THE INCONVENIENCE OF DRIVING TO THE DROPOFF LOCATIONS.
A FOOD SCRAP PICKUP PROGRAM WHERE TRUCKS COME DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE'S HOMES AND DELIVER THE FOOD SCRAPS FOR COMPOSTING WILL EXPAND THE REACH OF OUR COMPOSTING PROGRAM, REDUCE WASTE, AND HELP OUR ENVIRONMENT NEXT.
OKAY, SO WHY WOULD WE WANT TO COMPOST FIRST? FOOD SCRAPS MAKE UP MORE THAN 20% OF OUR RESIDENTIAL WASTE.
REDUCING THIS WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TRASH TO BE PROCESSED.
SECOND, OUR TRASH GETS SENT TO AN INCINERATOR IN PEAK SKILL KNOWN AS THE WHEEL BRAIDER.
SINCE FOOD SCRAPS CONTAIN A MOISTURE CONTENT OF APPROXIMATELY 70%, THEY'RE A VERY INEFFICIENT SOURCE OF ENERGY TO BURN.
THIS PLANT ALSO RELEASES THE MOST POLLUTANTS AND GREENHOUSE GASES IN ALL OF WESTCHESTER, POLLUTING BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN PEAK GILL.
THIS CAUSES NUMEROUS HEALTH EFFECTS, WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE CHART SHOWN IF WE COMPOST COMPOSTED OUR FOOD SCRAPS.
INSTEAD, WE CAN REDUCE THE TRASH GOING TO THE INCINERATION PLANT, RECYCLE ORGANIC MATERIALS, AND PRODUCE NUTRITIOUS COMPOST THAT CAN BE USED IN OUR SOILS NEXT.
OKAY, SO NEXT WE ANALYZE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO TO ESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF GREENHOUSE GASES WE COULD SAVE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
WE COORDINATED WITH THE SCARSDALE DBW BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A FOOD SCRAP PICKUP PROGRAM IN SCARSDALE AND THE GREENBERG DBW FOR DATA ON OUR OWN TOWN,
[00:10:01]
WE WERE ABLE TO ESTIMATE THAT WE'LL SAVE MORE THAN 500,000 KILOGRAMS NEXT, SORRY, OF CO2 A YEAR, WHICH FOR COMPARISON IS EQUIVALENT TO DRIVING AROUND THE WORLD MORE THAN 50 TIMES.AND THEN, UM, FOR MORE DETAILS ON MY, ON THE CALCULATIONS, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN REFER TO THE APPENDIX OF MY REPORT, WHICH I'LL HAND OUT TO YOU AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
AND JUST TO KEEP IN MIND, THIS NUMBER DOESN'T EVEN ACCOUNT FOR THE CARBON SAVINGS OF HAVING A TRUCK PICK UP THE FOOD SCRAPS INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT SITUATION WHERE EACH FAMILY DRIVES TO AND FROM THE FOOD SCRAP DROP OFF LOCATIONS.
SO NOW LET'S EXAMINE THE ECONOMIC COSTS.
THERE ARE MANY DIRECT COSTS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WE WOULD PAY FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES, THE GAS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, NEW DISPOSAL TRUCKS.
THE NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION SUBSIDIZES 50% OF THE COST OF MATERIALS USED FOR RECYCLING.
SO WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE COST OF THE TRUCK.
THE WESTCHESTER R-F-S-E-A-D PROGRAM SUBSIDIZES OUR COST FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL OF FOOD SCRAPS.
SO IT IS GUARANTEED TO BE COST SAVING WHEN COMPARED TO SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL.
IF WE GET THE SAME SUBSIDIZED RATE FOR COMPOSTING ES SCARSDALE, WE CAN SAVE $272 PER WEEK FROM THE DIFFERENCE IN TIPPING FEES AND SAVE $195 A WEEK ON THE CONTRACTOR THAT CURRENTLY DRIVES OUR FOOD SCRAPS.
FROM THE DROP OFF LOCATION TO SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT IN COURTLAND MANNER, THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO MORE THAN $24,000 IN SAVINGS A YEAR.
WE CAN USE THESE SAVINGS TO THEN HELP PAY FOR OUR COSTS.
AND THEN NEXT, UM, LASTLY, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND NUMEROUS LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
HERE'S THE GREENBERG CAC IN THE PICTURE, AND THEY'RE ALSO HERE WITH ME TODAY IN THE, THE CROWD.
I REALLY WANNA THANK THEM FOR HELPING GUIDE US ALONG THE WAY,
AND ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERY NEIGHBOR, EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT HAS SUPPORTED OUR PROJECT.
WE'VE GAINED 396 SUPPORTERS THROUGH OUR ONLINE FORM, AND HERE'S SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, THE PICK PREP PROGRAM WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR CUSTOMERS BY 1000%.
THE REASON WE STOPPED DROPPING OFF WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A MESS, A HEADACHE, AND WE ENDED UP NOT WANTING TO DO IT AT ALL.
CURBSIDE COLLECTION WOULD BE CONVENIENT AND MAKE IT EASIER TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL AS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
IT WOULD BE A TOTAL GAME CHANGER.
I WOULD PARTICIPATE FOR SURE, BUT I'M ALSO CERTAIN THOSE ON THE FENCE WOULD CHOOSE TO DO SO AS WELL.
AND I HAVE A NEXT SLIDE OF MORE FEEDBACK, UM, BUT IN CONCLUSION, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO FIRST FOR THE NEXT STEPS, WE FIRST REQUEST THAT THE GREENBERG DPW CONSIDER THIS PROGRAM AND ASSESS ITS FEASIBILITY.
AND WE COULD START WITH A PILOT PROGRAM, TARGET ONE COMMUNITY THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED A HIGH INTEREST IN A CURBSIDE FOOD SCRAP PICKUP PROGRAM.
WE CAN USE ONE TRUCK TO PICK UP FOOD SCRAPS ONCE A WEEK TO LIMIT OUR INITIAL COSTS.
IF WE SEE A LOT OF SUCCESS, WE CAN THEN EXPAND THIS PROGRAM TO COVER MORE OR ALL OF THE TOWN.
SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY PRESENTATION AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE US EXPAND, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK FLU SCRAP RECYCLING IS, IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT.
UH, THE COMMISSIONER HAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE IS BASICALLY A BIT COST INVOLVED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, MORE TRUCKS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF EDGE ONE INCORP INCORPORATION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING EXPENSIVE NEW PROGRAMS WHEN WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE LIKE, UM, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOOD SCRAP, WHO DO FOOD SCRAP RECYCLING, YOU KNOW, REGULARLY.
THEY REALLY DON'T NEED TWICE A WEEK GARBAGE PICKUP.
UM, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE PICKED, IF WE TESTED OUT, SAY ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, AND WE GOT SAY, ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO SAY WE WILL BE A PILOT IF, UM, AND WE GOT CONSENT FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, IF WE COULD HAVE TESTED OUT, SAY ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, UH, FOOD SCRAP RECYCLING, CURBSIDE PICKUP WITH ONE DAY A WEEK, UH, GARBAGE PICKUP.
UH, AND THEN WE COULD SORT OF TEST IT OUT AND SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE AND THEN REPORT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE THEN WE COULD SAY TO RESIDENTS, THIS IS REALLY GONNA BE A SAY, IT'S GONNA BE A, A, A BIG SAVINGS.
YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO FOOD SCRAPS KNOW FOOD, YOU KNOW, THE COMPOST KNOWS THAT THEY DON'T REALLY NEED TWICE A WEEK, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE.
BUT PEOPLE, IT'S A BIG, IT'S A CHANGE IN ATTITUDES.
[00:15:01]
TO IT, YOU KNOW, IT REDUCES THE GARBAGE WASTE A LOT.I MEAN, DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I MEAN, FOR MYSELF, WHEN WE STARTED COMPOSTING, OUR TRASH SIZE DECREASED BY A LOT.
AND THOSE PHOTOS ARE ACTUALLY FROM MY SPANISH TEACHER.
HE LIVES IN SCARSDALE AND HE PARTICIPATES IN THE, UM, PICKUP PROGRAM.
AND HE SAYS THAT HIS TRASH WAS PROBABLY REDUCED BY A HALF, AND ALL HIS NEIGHBORS DO IT AND THEY LOVE IT TOO.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, OR MAYBE THE CAC WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IF YOU COULD GET LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD SAY WOULD BE LIKE A PILOT AND THEN, AND, AND THEN WE COULD SUPERVISOR, THERE ARE SOME LOGISTICS INVOLVED BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, UM, SCARSDALE HAS AN OPT-IN PROGRAM.
AND SO WOULD WE BE CONSIDERING DOING AN OPT-IN PROGRAM? SECONDLY, THEY HAVE A SPECIAL TRUCK.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T MIX THE TWO TYPES OF GARBAGE BECAUSE IF YOU USE A REGULAR GARBAGE TRUCK, IT POLLUTES THE FOOD SCRAPS.
SO, UM, WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO, ALONG WITH THE CAC TO SEE WHAT WE CAN MAKE HAPPEN.
THE YOU JUST HAVE TO, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T START OUT WITH JUST REDUCING GARBAGE.
SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME LOGISTICS.
I THINK WE SHOULD WORK OUT MORE DETAILS, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO SARAH SOME MORE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE SHE'S DONE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH.
AND SHE'S, SHE'S REALLY, UM, REALLY BEEN BEEN PASSIONATE AND VERY THOROUGH.
THE OTHER THING IS, THERE'S A GROUP AND, AND THEN THERE'S A, WELL, YOU COULD GO FIRST, MY QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU DO THE COMPOST FOOD, DO YOU USE LIKE MIME OR ANYTHING THAT IS BREAKABLE DOWN? SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BURNED, YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S BURNED.
UM, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS THAT OUR TRASH GETS BURNED, BUT IF WE COMPOST IT INSTEAD, IT COULD BE NATURALLY DECOMPOSED.
AND THEN YOU COULD, WE COULD IN TURN.
YOU KNOW WHAT, UM, IF, IF WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW PAT TO SPEAK, WHY DON'T WE GIVE HER A MICROPHONE SO THAT IT'S RECORDED, THAT'D BE NICE.
NOW ORIGINAL QUESTION WAS, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
NOW MY ORIGINAL QUESTION WAS FROM COMPOSTING TO ACTUALLY RECYCLING THE USAGE, HOW MANY YEARS DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD TAKE YOU? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TIME.
UM, SO AT CORTLAND MANDER, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT, THE SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT IS WHAT THE, UM, LOCATION IS CALLED.
I THINK IT TAKES A COUPLE MONTHS FOR MM-HMM.
AND THEN THEY CAN THEN SELL THESE TO LIKE GARDENERS OR MM-HMM.
AND THEN THAT WAY I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT THE TOWN CAN BE INCLUDED IN IT, AND THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD REDUCE TAXES FOR EVERYBODY.
I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA.
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP SORT OF TO COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICK'S COMMENTS.
UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I MET WITH, UM, THE GREENBERG NATURE CENTER AND A GROUP IN HASTINGS THAT DOES PRIVATE CURBSIDE PICKUP.
AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT, UM, FOR YEARS, AND THEY DO A REALLY GREAT JOB.
AND IF, UM, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE FOR US TO USE TOWN TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE OPTION IF WE'RE GONNA TEST OUT A CONCEPT WOULD BE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET, SAY, A COUPLE STREETS OR, YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBORHOOD TO SAY, WE WILL, WE'LL TEST THIS OUT.
UM, AND WE WILL ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE WILLING, IF THE TOWN ABSORBS, SAY THE COST, SAY, WE'LL DO ONE DAY A WEEK PICK UP AND YOU DO THE CURBSIDE, AND THEN WE CAN MAYBE COMPARE AND SEE IF THEIR SAVINGS, AND THEN, THEN WE CAN BASICALLY, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
AND, UM, IF WE COULD WORK WITH YOU AND THE CAC AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING, THEN WE COULD ACTUALLY, UH, DO SOMETHING.
BECAUSE I MET WITH THEM, WE HAD AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS WITH THE NATURE CENTER.
AND THEN NATURE CENTER WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN DOING THIS.
[00:20:01]
BE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, YOU COULD WORK AND SEE IF WE COULD FIND A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S A STREET OR TWO STREETS.AND THEN WE COULD COMPARE HOW MUCH GARBAGE IS BEING PICKED UP.
THERE'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY'RE, BUT, BUT, BUT WE COULD, IF WE GOT, LET'S SAY WE GOT A STREET OR TWO STREETS OR THREE STREETS, AND THEY ALL AGREE, AND THEN WE TEST IT OUT, AND THEN WE GIVE A REPORT SAYING, THIS IS THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE HAD, AND THIS IS HOW THE TOWN COULD ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY.
I PERSONALLY THINK THIS WOULD BE REALLY FABULOUS.
AND I, I'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SET UP EVEN A MEETING WITH THE NATURE CENTER AND THE, UM, THE HASTINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUP THAT, THAT DOES THIS BECAUSE, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF MEETINGS.
I THINK, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT EVERYTHING, BUT I, I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO WORK ON THIS.
SO WE CAN DO THAT OFFLINE OF THE MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH SARAH.
AND THANK YOU TO THE C FOR HELPING HER OUT.
CAN I HAND OUT SOME OF THE REPORTS? SURE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU CAN SEND IT TO US ALSO.
I, I'LL GRAB A HARD COPY AND I COULD GIVE IT TO EVERYONE, SO, OKAY.
[ Elmwood – Sprain Brook Parkway Ramp Realignment Update - CD&C Commissioner Garrett Duquesne]
NEXT, UH, WE HAVE GARRETT TO KA WHO'S GONNA GIVE US A LITTLE, UM, UPDATE ON THE SPRAIN BROOK PARKWAY RAMP REALIGNMENT.FINER TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS APPRECIATE THE TIME BEING ABLE TO GIVE THIS UPDATE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT, TONIGHT ABOUT IS A SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
I'LL ALSO FOLD IN A BIT OF AN ELMWOOD, UH, SUBDIVISION UPDATE.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M GONNA PRESENT IS, IS A SIGNIFICANT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN, UH, THE TOWN BOARD, THE PLANNING BOARD, HEAVY INVOLVEMENT, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT, PARKS COMMISSIONER, UM, NEW YORK STATE, DOT ARE SOME OF THE PRIMARY PARTNERSHIP GROUPS THERE.
AND ALL OF THIS ARISES OUT OF THE PROCESS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF ELMWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH WAS A FORMER GOLF COURSE AND IS NOW APPROVED FOR 113 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UH, THE TOWN BOARD'S ROLE IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS WAS AS THE SEEKER LEAD AGENCY, THE TOWN BOARD CONDUCTED THE COMPREHENSIVE AND FULL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS, AND THE TOWN BOARD ULTIMATELY IMPROVED WHAT'S KNOWN AS A CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION.
UM, THE CD OVERLAY, THE CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION IS ESSENTIALLY CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION, UH, IS AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO DEVELOP, UH, LAND THAT'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO YOUR CUSTOMARY SUBDIVISION.
AND WHAT WAS DONE IN THIS INSTANCE IS THE INNOVATIVE TOOL WAS TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE LOT SIZES, WHICH WERE UP TO 50%, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN WHAT IS OTHERWISE PERMITTED ON WITH THE UNDERLYING ZONING.
AND WHAT THAT INNOVATIVE TOOL WAS ABLE TO DO WAS ENABLE, UM, THE GREEN SPACE, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE.
UM, AND IT, IT ALLOWS FOR A LOT MORE OPEN SPACE AND, AND, AND ESSENTIALLY, UH, PERVIOUS SURFACE, WHICH IS A GREAT THING, UM, BUT STILL MAINTAINING, UM, THE DENSITY, UH, THAT WAS ENABLED BY THE, THE UNDERLYING ZONING.
SO, UM, JUST TO ORIENT EVERYONE, I'M GONNA USE THE, EVERYONE I'M GONNA USE THE CURSOR A BIT HERE.
THIS IS THE FORMER ELMWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, AND AGAIN, THE 113 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THIS, UH, WHITE BAND HERE IS, UH, THE CONED TRANSMISSION LINE.
AND TO THE RIGHT OF THAT IS A 14.2 ACRE PARCEL, UM, WHICH, UH, THE TOWN BOARD, UM, WILL ULTIMATELY BE THE RECIPIENT OF AN OFFER OF DEDICATION FOR A 14.2 ACRE, UH, PARCEL.
AND THAT LAND IS DESTINED TO BE A NEXT TO THE EAST BROOK PARK, WHICH, IF I USE MY CURSOR, UM, IS THE LARGE PARK THAT EXISTS OVER HERE.
AND FOR FURTHER REFERENCE, UH, YOU'VE GOT THE SPRAIN BROOK PARKWAY HERE AND THE ASSOCIATED OFF RAMPS.
SO IN THIS GRAPHIC, I'M, I'M, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT TOO BUSY, BUT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UM, WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE SLATED AS A RESULT OF THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT I'VE REFERENCED BETWEEN THE TOWN AND, UH, THE DOT.
SO THE NEW YORK STATE, DOT ALWAYS AS ITS INVOLVEMENT IN THE ELMWOOD, UH, COUNTRY CLUB REDEVELOPMENT, IDENTIFIED THAT THE DEVELOPER HAD TO CONTRIBUTE SOME TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
[00:25:01]
WAS THOUGHT THAT WITH THE TWO OFF RAMPS FROM THE SPRAIN PARKWAY, UM, IT MADE SENSE TO HAVE TWO SIGNALS THERE THAT THEY CALL OFFSET SIGNALS.BUT IN TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO IT, UM, THAT MADE ONLY INCREMENTAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY, UH, A BETTER LASTING SCENARIO.
SO IN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER, THE TOWN, AND THE DOT, UM, WHAT WAS DERIVED AT IS A LONGER TERM SOLUTION.
UM, AND THAT IS TO DO THE FOLLOWING.
SO TO ORIENT YOU, AGAIN, THIS IS THE SPRAIN PARKWAY.
THIS IS THAT POWER LINE THAT I DISCUSSED.
THIS IS THE 14, UM, ACRE PARCEL THAT'S NOW VACANT.
THAT'S, THAT'S GOING TO BE A PARK.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE THE BALL FIELDS.
THESE ARE ACTUALLY EXISTING FIELDS.
UM, WHAT'S PROPOSED IS AN ABANDONMENT OF THE N-Y-S-D-O-T, UH, SOUTHBOUND ON RAMP TO THE, UH, SPRAINED PARKWAY.
SO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABANDONED AND IT WOULD BE REDESIGNED AND, AND, AND PLACED IN A GEOMETRY THAT LINES UP WITH THE, UM, SOUTHBOUND OFF RAMP, WHICH EXISTS.
AND AT THAT POINT THERE WOULD BE A NEW SIGNAL PUT IN.
SO THAT'S A LOGICAL, YOU KNOW, STANDARD OFF ON RAMP CONFIGURATION, AND THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
SO THAT WILL BRING MUCH SAFETY AND, AND, AND TRAFFIC EFFICIENCY TO THE AREA.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'VE GOT THIS EXISTING, UH, PARK ENTRANCE THAT WE ALL KNOW AND USE OFTEN, AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SITUATED RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE OFF RAMP.
THE OTHER MAJOR PART OF THIS EQUATION IS TO ACTUALLY ABANDON THAT EXISTING DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE TO THE PARK AND RELOCATE IT.
AND I'M MOVING MY CURSOR HERE.
THE RELOCATION IS PROPOSED TO BE RIGHT ABOUT WHERE MY CURSOR IS.
AND FOR FRAME OF REFERENCE, THAT'S JUST INSIDE THE POWER LINES.
THE GENERAL AND SIMPLE RULE OF THUMB IS THE FURTHER YOU GET THAT NEW DRIVEWAY AWAY FROM THE, UM, PARK ENTRANCE AND AN ON RAMP, UM, IN GENERAL, YOU JUST HAVE MORE SITE DISTANCE.
SO IT, IT INHERENTLY IS MUCH SAFER.
SO, UH, IN WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER, UM, WE DID SITE VISITS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, PARKS ENGINEERING, DPW, AND, UM, IDENTIFIED A VERY FLAT LOCATION THAT HAS GREAT SITE DISTANCE, BOTH EAST AND WEST.
AND IT'S, AGAIN, RIGHT WHERE MY CURSOR IS.
AND THAT IS, UM, PROPOSED TO BE THE NEW PARK ENTRANCE.
AND THIS BLUE LINE HERE REPRESENTS, UH, A HYPOTHETICAL NEW CUT THROUGH DRIVEWAY THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO A POINT, UM, TO THE EXISTING DRIVEWAY, UM, WHICH IS RIGHT ABOUT HERE, KIND OF TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE OF EAST BROOK.
AND THAT'S A LOGICAL POINT BECAUSE IT'S FLAT AND ACTUALLY THERE'S A GATE THERE.
AND, UM, I THINK VEHICLES SOMETIMES TRAVERSE BACK AND FORTH AS NEEDED.
UM, AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH THE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY BOARD AND DEVELOPING PROGRAMMING.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? SO THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEIR, THEIR ADVISORY BOARD, UM, IDENTIFYING USERS, AND, UM, THEY'VE IDENTIFIED SOME GREAT OPTIONS THUS FAR, WHICH ARE A COMBINATION OF WALL FIELDS, UM, UM, A PARK FOR DISABLED PERSONS.
THERE'S, THERE'S A VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING THAT THEY HAVE A VISION FOR, AND THERE'S AN ARCHITECT THAT'S ASSISTING, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH THAT PROGRAMMING.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PASS OFF THE DESIGN FOR THIS NEW ENTRANCE TO THE TOWN'S, UH, ARCHITECT FOR THE PARK.
SO EVERYONE'S WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, AND THE REASON IT KIND OF ZIGS AND ZAGS LIKE THIS IS A LOT OF THE, UH, FUTURE PARK PROGRAMMING, IT, IT LENDS ITSELF TO HAVING KIND OF BALL FIELDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ROAD.
SO THIS IS KIND OF SET, SO WE KNOW WHERE KIND OF THE BEGINNING POINT IS, WHERE THE END POINT, AND IT GENERALLY WILL RUN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, SOME OTHER, UM, VERY IMPORTANT I ITEMS TO MENTION IS THE FACT THAT, UM, THE DOT IS HAS, IS IS TAKING A MAJOR ROLE HERE.
AND THE DOT HAS SIGNED ON TO YORK STATE, SORRY, THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SO THAT MEANS THE ABANDONMENT OF THIS SECTION HERE, THE NEW GEOMETRY AND, AND, AND, AND AND SECTION HERE, THE SIGNAL AND THIS OFF RAMP AND SIGNIFICANT IS THAT THIS OFF RAMP IS PRESENTLY ONE LANE, SO IT TENDS TO BACK UP PRETTY QUICK WITH JUST ONE LANE OF CAPACITY.
UM, THIS WILL THEN, WHEN IT'S COMPLETE, BE TWO LEFT TURNS, UH, HEADING IN AN EAST EASTERLY DIRECTION TOWARDS 100 B, AND THEN A DEDICATED RIGHT TURN, UH, HEADING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION.
SO THE CAPACITY WILL IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY.
NOW, THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS ALL TO
[00:30:01]
YOU THIS EVENING IS BECAUSE, UM, WITH THE THREE PARTNERS, THERE'S A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE ON TONIGHT.AND, UM, THEY REALLY SET FORTH THE OBLIGATIONS THAT AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF BOTH THE DEVELOPER AND THE TOWN.
IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, TOWN ACQUIRING THE 14.2 ACRES, UH, THE DEVELOPER HAS AGREED TO DESIGN AND BUILD THE ENTRANCE PORTION.
SO I'M GONNA SHOW YOU IN JUST A MOMENT HERE, THEY'VE ALSO AGREED TO, UM, CONTRIBUTE $700,000 CASH TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG THAT THE TOWN WOULD HOLD, PUT INTO AN ACCOUNT AND USE FOR THE PURPOSES OF ACTUALLY BUILDING OUT THIS, UH, ROADWAY, WHICH AGAIN, IS IN THIS BLUE LINE.
SO THESE ARE ALL THE, THE, THE BUILDING BLOCKS THAT THE NEW YORK STATE DOT WANTS TO SEE.
THE DOT NEEDS TO SEE SURETY THAT THIS DRIVEWAY WILL BE ABANDONED, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY IT'LL BE A WORK ZONE WHEN THIS PROJECT GETS GOING.
AND THEY OF COURSE WANT THE TOWN TO GUARANTEE, UM, SAFE AND FUTURE ACCESS FOR ITS PARK.
UH, THIS SITE WAS A FORMER GOLF COURSE, SO THEY USED A VARIETY OF PESTICIDES OVER THE YEARS, AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE, PRETTY MUCH EVERY GOLF COURSE THIS IS THE CASE.
UM, SO THEY WILL BE CLEANING UP THE SITE IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING THE 14.2 ACRES.
AND IN TERMS OF ORDER OF OPERATIONS, THE DEVELOPER WILL, UH, FIRST CLEAN UP THE SITE THROUGH THE NEW YORK STATE, DEC, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, UH, BROWNFIELD CLEANUP PROGRAM.
AND AFTER THAT POINT, THEY WILL THEN, UH, BUILD THIS ENTRANCE.
SO THE LAST SLIDE I WANNA SHOW, OH, THIS HERE, IF YOU LOOK ON THE SCREEN I MADE, I TOOK OFF, I MADE IT LESS BUSY SO THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE FINAL PRODUCT.
SO, UM, WHAT I DID, SO THIS IS THE BEFORE, AND THIS IS THE AFTER.
SO YOU SEE THE LOGICAL, UH, MEETING POINT FOR THESE RAMPS IN THE FUTURE.
I TRIED TO GRAY OUT THE EXISTING, UH, ROAD HERE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S BEFORE, AND THAT'S AFTER.
SO THIS REPRESENTS MASSIVE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT.
UM, AND THE LAST THING IS, UM, I HAD INDICATED BEFORE THAT THE DEVELOPER, UM, IS WILLING TO DESIGN AND BUILD THE ENTRANCE RAMP.
THEY'VE GONE SO FAR AS TO DESIGN THIS ENTRANCE RAMP, I'M SORRY, THIS ENTRANCE TO THE PARK, THE FUTURE PARK, UM, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE.
UM, SO THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THAT TO DOT STANDARDS AND THEY HAVE IT SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL WITH DOT.
SO ALL THIS IS, UM, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, UH, FROM THESE EFFORTS BY THE DEVELOPER.
AND AGAIN, FOR FRAME OF REFERENCE, THIS SWAP HERE IS THE, UH, TRANSMISSION LINE.
JUST TO ORIENT YOU WHERE THIS DRIVEWAY WILL BE.
AGAIN, IT'LL BE WAY FAR FROM THE OFF RAMPS.
UM, I THINK THE ONLY OTHER PIECE THAT I FAILED TO MENTION IS THE TOWN DOES HAVE, UH, FISCAL CONTRIBUTION, UH, FOR THE SIGNAL.
AND THAT'S, UH, CD ONE, WHICH IS THE TOWN'S, UM, UH, I'M SORRY, CD TWO IS THE GUARANTEE OF THE FISCAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE TOWN TO THE DOT CD THREE IS THE TOWN'S, UM, UH, ASSURANCE THAT IT'S WORKING TOWARDS, UH, DEVELOPING THIS ALTERNATE PARK ENTRANCE.
AND CD ONE IS THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE DEVELOPER.
AND AGAIN, THE DEVELOPER'S OBLIGATIONS ARE $700,000 CASH TO THE TOWN AND THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW ENTRANCE.
SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UM, BUT IT, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME GETTING TO THIS POINT.
AND, UH, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME TIMELINE STUFF, WHICH I'M SURE YOU WANNA KNOW.
UM, BUT I DO REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS, UH, MUCH TO THE BENEFIT OF THE TOWN AND OUR RESIDENTS.
WHEN IS THE WORK GONNA, WHEN DO YOU THINK THE WORK WOULD START? AND WILL THIS BE DONE BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION, BEFORE THE HOMES ARE BUILT OR TOWARDS THE END OF THE, THE CONSTRUCTION? SO WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE ON FOR THE TOWN BOARD THIS EVENING, UM, CD TWO AND CD THREE, I'LL SEND OVER TO NEW YORK D STATE, DOT AS SOON AS THEY'RE, UM, STAMPED THAT WILL KICKSTART AN 18 TO 24 MONTH NEW YORK STATE DOT DESIGN, UH, PROCESS THAT AT THE END OF THAT 1824 MONTHS, THEY ARE READY TO GO TO BID ON THIS WHOLE RAMP REALIGNMENT SCENARIO.
SO
UM, IN SPEAKING WITH THE DEVELOPER, THEIR GOAL IS TO BREAK GROUND ON THE BROWNFIELD CLEANUP PROGRAM, UM, EARLY NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT WORK, UM, WILL BE SITE WIDE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POWER LINES, BOTH THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF THE HOMES AS WELL AS THE PARK SIDE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE ACTIVITY ON THIS, ON THAT SITE, I, I'M SURE NEXT YEAR BY THE DEVELOPER STARTING WITH THE CLEANUP.
AND ONCE THEY GET THROUGH MUCH OF THE CLEANUP, THEY'LL START DOING, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE RETAINING PONDS AND, UH, SOME ROADWAYS FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
[00:35:01]
THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THE HOMES WILL REALLY START RAMPING UP PROBABLY 20 26, 20 27.UM, AND OUR GOAL WORKING WITH JOEL CASEY, UH, IS TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT PARK DESIGN AND AT A MINIMUM GET A GREAT GEOMETRY FOR OUR ROADWAY SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT DESIGN KNOWING WE'VE GOT $700,000 TO BUILD IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
SO ARE WE RECEIVING 700,000 OR IS IT A PASS THROUGH
AND, UM, THAT MONEY WE WORK WITH THE COMPTROLLER AND THE TOWN TO DO WHATEVER YOUR PREFERENCE IS, BUT OKAY, IF THAT 700,000 SITS IN THE ACCOUNT AND IS THEN A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE SUBSEQUENT BIDDING THAT THE TOWN WILL DO FOR THE DRIVEWAY, THAT'S FINE.
UM, I DID WORK WITH THE TOWN BOARD IN THE LAST CAPITAL BUDGETING, UM, SESSION TO, UH, HAVE $700,000 APPROVED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SIGNAL IMPROVEMENT TO DOT.
SO, UM, IT'S ALL ACCOUNTED FOR IN THAT FASHION.
UM, BUT IT'S COMING FROM DOT, I'M SORRY, IT'S COMING FROM DOT, THE FUNDS, UH, THE FUNDS FOR THE RAMP IN, UH, SORRY.
FOR THE OVERALL, UM, RAMP REALIGNMENT IS, IS DOT FUNDED.
WHICH WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY THE $700,000 TOWN COMP, UH, CONTRIBUTION.
SO THEN WE HAVE A SEPARATE SINGLE AUDIT THAT HAS TO BE INCLUDED ANNUALLY.
YEAH, WHATEVER YOU NEED, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU AND I'LL KEEP YOU APPRISED OF, UM, TIMELINES.
THE DOT DOES NOT HAVE AN EXPECTATION TO GET CASH, UM, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS IT BID.
SO THAT'LL BE TOWARDS SOMEWHERE IN THAT 18 TO 24 MONTH PERIOD.
YOU'RE REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB.
WAIT, TERRY, HOLD ON A SECOND, PAT.
UM, KIMBERLY, DO YOU HAVE THE, CAN YOU GIVE, CAN YOU GIVE MS. WILLIAMS THE MIC? YOUR MIC THE MIC? CAN YOU GIVE HER MIC SO SHE CAN, YOU CAN TALK, YEAH.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, THE PARKS, WHAT IS THE JURISDICTION, WHAT IS THE PARK? WHERE DO THE PARKS FOR, WHO WILL THEY BE OPEN TO? ARE THE FEES? SO EASTBROOK PARK, WELL ACTUALLY
UM, BUT EASTBROOK PARK IS A, UH, TOWN PARK, OF COURSE.
AND THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A NEXT TO THAT.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UM, ANYONE THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO USE EAST BROOK PARK WOULD ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE, UH, THIS EXPANSION.
IT WILL BE OPEN TO ALL THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
UM, YOU KNOW, NEXT, UM, WE ARE
[ Recognition of Greenburgh Building Inspector Frank Morabito, who is also Deputy Commissioner of Public Works, for his creative solution, coordination of key town and construction worker personnel, and hands-on implementation of significant improvements in the vacinity of 100 East Hartsdale Avenue, a solution only possible due to the evolving logistics of this very complicated sewer pipe repair. The improvements provided safer emergency access for firefighters and other first responders, much more convenient entranceway access for residents of the building, and restored safe pedestrian access along an unobstructed sidewalk.]
GONNA HAVE, UM, THE, WELL, I GUESS, UM, WE COULD, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, BUILDING INSPECTOR FRANK MARTO, WHO'S ALSO DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, WHO IS ALSO, UM, UM, ASSISTING, UH, THE COMMISSIONER OF, UM, OF PUBLIC WORKS.FIRST CREATIVE SOLUTION COORDINATION OF KEY TOWN AND CONSTRUCTION WORKER PERSONNEL, AND HANDS-ON IMPLEMENTATION OF SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AND THE VICINITY OF RATING RECOGNITION THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.
OH, I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING A BUDGET HEARING.
WELL, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, FIRST WE'LL JUST, UH, DO FRANK MODO.
IT'S, THAT'S ONLY GONNA BE FIVE MINUTES.
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VICINITY OF A HUNDRED EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, A SOLUTION ONLY POSSIBLE DUE TO DEVOLVING LOGISTICS OF THIS VERY COMPLICATED SEWER PIPE REPAIRED IMPROVEMENTS PROVIDED SAFER EMERGENCY ACCESS FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS, MUCH MORE CONVENIENT ENTRANCEWAY ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE BUILDING AND RESTORED SAFE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ALONG AN UNOBSTRUCTED, UM, SIDEWALK.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA START IN JANUARY, UM, RECOGNIZING, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EMPLOYEES, UM, WHO HAVE DONE, UM, EXCEPTIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND, UH, FRANK'S EFFORTS, UM, HAVE, UM, HELPED, UH, MAKE, UH, EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, UM, SAFER, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR PEDESTRIANS WHILE, UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO, UM, WORK, UH, TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS, UM, FOR THE SEWER PIPE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
SO WE WANT TO THANK FRANK MURDO AND WE WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, THE, UH, UH, TOWN ENGINEERS, UM, UM, AND DPW AND
[00:40:01]
THE POLICE FOR ALSO THEIR EFFORTS, UM, MAKING, UH, THE SEWER, UH, REPAIR JOB, UM, MORE MANAGEABLE.UM, SO NEXT, UM, WE HAVE, UM, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, TALKING TO ME? UM, YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT YOU AND NO, I MEAN, I MEAN, LISTEN, PAUL SAID IT ALL.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZED, UM, FRANK MOTO, BECAUSE IT WAS HIM WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO MAKE SURE THE EQUIPMENT WAS OUTTA WAY OUT OF THE WAY TO MAKE IT SAFE, TO PUT DOWN THE, TO MAKE THE TEMPORARY SIDEWALK, AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS AN ENTRANCE WAY FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES.
HE WORKED WITH HAND WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THERE'S MOMENTS LIKE THIS THAT WE, WE, WE DON'T JUST WANNA BRUSH OVER.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN, UM, STAFF MEMBERS DO WORK LIKE THIS, THAT THEY ARE RECOGNIZED.
BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES THAT, AND, AND YOU SEE IT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE PRESS CONFERENCES AND NEWS 12 IS OUT, YOU DON'T SEE THE STAFF WHO'S REALLY DOING THE WORK.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, THAT THEY SHOULD BE REALLY RECOGNIZED.
SO THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT WHEN WE HAVE INCIDENTS, JUST LIKE, UM, EAST HARTSDALE, WHEN, AND EVEN, I MEAN, BEYOND THAT, WHEN THERE WAS ISSUES OVER AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, I MEAN, HE JUST JUMPED RIGHT IN AND JUST LIKE REALLY USED HIS EXPERIENCE AND HIS EXPERTISE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
SO THIS IS WHAT'S JUST MOST IMPORTANT, AND WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE AND PLACE WHO CONTINUE, JUST GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND REALLY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
AND YEAH, I JUST WOULD ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CJ UH, AL, HE'S, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, DEPUTY ENGINEERS, AND HE'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON, UH, THE SEWER BRAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, REPAIR JOB.
AND IT WAS SORT OF INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN THE SEWER, YOU KNOW, BROKE, WE THOUGHT THAT, UM, THE, THE SEWER LINE, UH, THE PIPE BROKE, WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAVE TO SHUT DOWN EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
BUT THEY'VE, THEY'VE ALL, YOU KNOW, UH, FRANK, UH, THE ENGINEERS, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE, THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, WITH OUR, UH, CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS.
AND THEY BASICALLY CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT WILL MINI MINIMIZE DISRUPTION.
SO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG CRISIS WILL BE LIKE A SMALL CRISIS, A SMALL CRISIS, UH, WILL BE LESS OF A CRISIS AND IT WILL BE MORE MANAGEABLE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE I THINK THEY'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO REDUCE THE INCONVENIENCES.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO THANK THE WHOLE TEAM FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
THIS, THIS TOWN IS VERY FORTUNATE.
WE HAVE A STAFF, WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE PROFESSIONALS WHO REALLY WORK HARD AND OVER AND ABOVE AND REALLY GIVE US THEIR ALL.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY A, A VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE IN A, IN A CRISIS SITUATION.
THEY ABSOLUTELY COME THROUGH AND THANK YOU, FRANK.
I THINK RICH IS ON ZOOM, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, RICH.
I AM, HOW IS EVERYBODY TONIGHT? MY NAME IS, UH, RICH BONN.
I'M THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS.
HE, UH, GOT TAKEN OFF BY, UH, A FIRE MATTER.
HE DID ASK ME TO READ SOMETHING TO THE BOARD IF I COULD.
UH, HE'S SENT ME THIS, I SINCERELY THANK THE COUNTY BOARD FOR HONORING THIS, THIS EVENING, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE TOWN'S TEAM WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, NOT JUST ON THE TEMPORARY SIDEWALK REPAIR AND RESTORATION OF THE SEWER, BUT THIS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AND CONTINUALLY CHANGING PROJECT.
AND HE GOES ON TO THANK MYSELF, THE ENTIRE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING TOWN ENGINEER, JASON OLA, DEPUTY TOWN ENGINEER, CJ GERARDO, SERGEANT BENJAMIN FONT, TOWN ATTORNEY, JOE DANKO, FIRST DEPUTY TOWN ATTORNEY, AMANDA MAGNA, DEPUTY BUILDING INSPECTOR LIZ GARRITY, CBW, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER MONTE BRUSO, CHIEF RAY MESS, AND CAPTAIN FRANK.
I'M GONNA MISPRONOUNCE HIS LAST NAME, MR. FARTY WITH THE DALE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
MIKE MURANO, SENIOR OF MURANO CONSTRUCTION.
HE SAYS, I'M GRATEFUL TO BE WORKING WITH SUCH A GREAT TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS AND THANK THEM FOR ALL THEY DO AND THEIR HARD WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.
FRANK BARBIDO, I DO WANT TO SAY THIS GENTLEMAN REALLY THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX.
HE'S CONTINUALLY WORKING DAY AND NIGHT FOR THIS TOWN.
HE'S BEEN A GREAT ADDITION FOR THE TEAM OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, AND I WANT TO THANK BOTH, UH, COUNCIL FRANK RASHINA AND COUNCILMAN JAMES JACKSON AND THE BOARD, UH, COUNCIL, TROY HABER, ALLEN HENDRICKS, PAUL FINER FOR ALL THE SUPPORT.
AND I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD TEAM.
AND FRANK HAS BEEN AN UNBELIEVABLE ADDITION TO IT AS LIZ AND THE REST OF THE PEOPLE MENTIONED.
[00:45:01]
AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT THANKSGIVING.
I, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WHILE, UM, YOU KNOW, A RECOGNITION OF FRANK BODO, THE, UH, BUILDING INSPECTOR AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF OF PUBLIC WORKS, UM, THE REASON WHY THIS IS NEEDED, FRANKLY, IS THE NEWS 12 AUDIT, UH, STORY THAT, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTED THE SIDEWALK BEING OPEN AND OTHER SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, BUT NO STAFF MEMBER WAS RECOGNIZED IN THAT STORY.
AND SO THIS IS TRYING TO GIVE RECOGNITION.
WE ARE, RECOGNITION WAS DUE, UM, THERE WAS GOING TO BE A MEETING OF THE RESIDENTS WITH THE TOWN BOARD ON NOVEMBER 12TH DAY AFTER VETERAN'S DAY.
AND FRANKLY, PEOPLE WERE SCRAMBLING AS TO HOW COULD WE GET SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS DONE.
WHERE FRANK DID WAS WORK THROUGH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITH OTHERS AND THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO TOTALLY REDESIGN HOW THAT SYSTEM WAS WORKING.
NOW, PEOPLE MIGHT ASK, WELL, WHY WASN'T IT DONE SOONER? WELL, THE PROGRESS DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM HAD NOT ADVANCED TO THE POINT WHERE THIS TYPE OF A SOLUTION COULD HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT HE MADE IT.
I'VE ALSO HAD THE, UH, PLEASURE OF WATCHING MR. MARGI DO INSPECTIONS.
AND WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT HIM IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE A SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNER, OR YOU ARE THE LARGEST CORPORATIONS IN THIS TOWN.
UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE CODE COMPLIANCE, HE'S SHUTTING YOU DOWN AND HE DOESN'T TREAT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY.
UH, I SAW HIM IN OPERATION WHERE HE WENT TO A VERY LARGE CORPORATE, UM, ENTITY, AND THEY HAD PUT IN RESIDENTIAL PLASTIC PIPING IN THE GROUND, AND HE TOLD 'EM IT HAD TO COME OUT.
THEY WERE ABOUT TO POUR FOUNDATION.
I'VE ALSO SEEN HIM OPERATE WHEN DEALING WITH THE LARGEST, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE NAME, BUT RESEARCH FACILITY IN THE TOWN.
UM, AND CONTRACTORS WERE GOING TO BE POURING FOOTAGE AFTER A RAINFALL INTO WATER, AND HE STOPPED THEM BECAUSE THAT WOULD'VE UNDERMINED THE INTEGRITY OF THE CONCRETE.
AND HE HAD THEM STOP UNTIL THEY DRAIN THE FOOTINGS.
THIS IS WHAT OUR STAFF DOES ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
BUT WHAT MAKES THIS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IS TO GET CREDIT WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE PASSED OVER OF ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
AND AS YOU SAW, HEARD IN THE LETTER THAT HE WROTE, EVERYTHING IS TEAMWORK.
TO GET ANYTHING DONE, YOU NEED TEAMWORK.
AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE STAFF THAT WE APPROVE, UH, HAVE GATHERED WHERE THEY WORK TOGETHER, THERE'S A SYNERGISTIC EFFECT, AND THEY GET THINGS DONE EVEN OVER A LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND, EVEN WHEN THE WEATHER WASN'T GREAT.
I CAN REMEMBER, UH, THEY GOT THINGS DONE, UH, AND FRANKLY, THE RESIDENTS ON EAST DALE AVENUE DESERVE IT.
AND INSTEAD OF SHOWING UP TO THAT MEETING AT FIVE 30 ON A TUESDAY NIGHT AS PART OF OUR WORK SESSION TO ANGRY CROWDS YELLING, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IN THE FUTURE? INSTEAD, THEY WERE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WAS DONE AND WAS DONE OVER A WEEKEND, UH, WHEN MOST PEOPLE WERE HOME AND MOST PEOPLE WERE STAYING DORM, UH, THEY GOT IT DONE.
AND SO, UM, I, I APPRECIATE IN PARTICULAR, WE HAD GONE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND GINA JACKSON LIAISON TO DBW, UM, WHO WORKED THAT.
[ Presentation of 2025 Preliminary Budget - Comptroller Kimberly Gutwein & Town Supervisor Paul Feiner]
[ To consider the Town of Greenburgh’s 2025 Recommended Capital Budget and 2026 and 2027 Capital Plan]
OKAY.NEXT, UH, WE HAVE THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
UM, WE SUBMITTED A PROPOSED BUDGET OCTOBER 30TH.
WE ALSO SUBMITTED A, THE CAPITAL BUDGET, UM, FORGOT WHICH IS ONLINE.
AND, UH, THE CONTROLLER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE US A, UH, A BRIEF SUMMARY? MAY I ASK SOMETHING JUST PROCEDURALLY SURE.
IT, IT'S, IT'S PART, PART OF THE PRESENTATIONS, BUT SHOULD WE OPEN THE HEARING TO MAKE THIS PART OF THE RECORD? YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT NOW.
AND, AND JUST AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
[00:50:01]
YOU ARE REVIEWING CAPITAL BUDGET AT THE SAME TIME AS THE OPERATING BUDGET.A RESIDENT CORRECTLY POINTED OUT THAT THERE'S A TYPO ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
UH, WHILE THE TOWN BOARD HAS MOVED TO OPEN BOTH THE OPERATING BUDGET HEARING AND THE CAPITAL BUDGET HEARING TONIGHT, UH, THE AGENDAS THAT WERE HANDED OUT DID NOT MAKE NOTE OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, SIMPLY THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
HOWEVER, BOTH ARE BEING HEARD TONIGHT AND THERE'LL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE OPERATING BUDGET DEFENDANT'S MEETING.
THAT'S RIGHT, THE DECEMBER 11TH MEETING.
THE OPERATING BUDGET HEARING WILL BE HELD OVER UNTIL THAT TIME AND CLOSED ON THAT NIGHT AND THEN VOTED ON AT THE DECEMBER 16TH MEETING.
WILL YOU OPEN UP THE HEARING SECOND.
GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD AND TO TOWN ATTORNEY, TOWN CLERK AND THE RESIDENCE.
THIS IS A REVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
I'LL BE REVIEWING THE CHART OF FUND STRUCTURE, THE TAX LEVY CALCULATION, TOWN TAX, AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD FUND, APPROPRIATION FUND BALANCE, FISCAL HIGHLIGHTS, EXPENSES OF RE AND REVENUES TAX IMPACT REV REVIEW AND THE CAPITAL.
I INCLUDED IT SO THAT, UM, THE BOARD AND THE RESIDENTS COULD SEE THAT WE HAVE, UM, NUMEROUS FUNDS THAT ARE ON BUDGETARY BASIS, WHICH IS TAXATION AND NUMEROUS FUNDS THAT ARE NOT ON BUDGETARY, UH, BASIS.
THE ONES THAT ARE NOT ARE, UM, EITHER ENTERPRISE FUNDS POOLED CASH OR TRUST AND AGENCY WHERE WE HOLD FUNDS FOR.
UM, SAY SOMETHING LIKE IF WE TAKE OUR, UH, UNION DUES OUT OF SOMEONE'S CHECK, IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE COULD POSSIBLY HOLD THOSE IN TRUST AND AGENCY TILL WE RELEASE THEM AND PAY THOSE DUES.
THIS IS THE TAX CAP CALCULATION.
UH, THIS IS DONE EVERY YEAR TO REACH THE TAX LEVY.
UM, THIS YEAR WE HAVE A 2025 TOTAL TAX LEVY OF 80 MILLION 7 95, 3 75, AND THAT'S SPLIT UP BETWEEN THE A AND B BUDGETS.
WITHIN THERE, THERE ARE TRANSFERS TO OTHER FUNDS.
THIS YEAR'S LIMIT IS UH, EQUAL TO 2.09.
THAT'S THE ALLOWABLE LIMIT TOWN FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
I'VE ALSO INCLUDED THE PROPERTY TAX CAP, UM, INFLATION AND ALLOWABLE LEVY GROWTH FACTOR, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE CALCULATION THAT WE VIEWED ON THE PREVIOUS SCREEN.
THE TOWN TAX, BY AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD VALUE OF ASSESSED VALUE HAS NOT CHANGED.
UM, GIVEN THE TOWN ENTIRE A BUDGET RATE PER 1000 AT 42 CENTS ON A HOUSE THAT'S $500,000 WOULD BE $210.
AND A TOWN OUTSIDE B BUDGET A RATE PER 1000 AT 500 AND UH, $5 AND 35 CENTS WOULD BE $2,673.
AND I GAVE SOME OTHER EXAMPLES.
NEXT IS THE FUND APPROPRIATION.
SO WE HAVE GENERAL TO TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS OF 130 MILLION 843 84.
WE HAVE ESTIMATED OTHER REVENUES OF $36,000,974 965.
WE HAVE UNENDED FUND BALANCE OF 17,865,950.
AND WE HAVE A TOTAL TAX LEVY OF 76,002,169.
THESE ARE THE TRANSFERS THAT I'VE MENTIONED.
THERE'S A TRANSFERS TO THE LIBRARY OF 4,645,603 TO THE HIGHWAY FUND FOR 9,180,691.
UH, THERE IS A TRANSFER TO THE BERG STATION OF 3 MILLION 5 79 6 1 62.
AND THEN LOOKING AT METERED, UH, WATER SALES, THE WATER RATES HAVE NOT INCREASED AND THE SEWER AGAIN IS ON TAXATION.
THE ASSESS VALUATION INCREASED BY 8.27%.
THE TOTAL TAX LEVY A INCREASED BY 8.28% AND TOTAL TAX LEVY B INCREASED BY 3.27%.
ALTHOUGH BUDGETED EACH YEAR, THE APPROPRIATIONS FROM FUND BALANCE HAS NOT YET TO BE USED SINCE 2020.
THIS IS DUE TO UNANTICIPATED OFFSETS BETWEEN REVENUE AND EXPEN EXPENDITURES.
SO I'M JUST SHOWING A HISTORY HERE OF THE APPROPRIATION OF FUND BALANCE AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO USE THAT.
[00:55:04]
SO IN DISCUSSING AND LOOKING AT THE FUND BALANCE, THE 2024 COMBINED FUND BALANCE FOR ALL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS IS $152.9 MILLION.THIS HELPS TO ELIMINATE SHORT-TERM BORROWING SUPPORTS.
A FAVORABLE BOND RATING SMOOTHS OUT FLUCTUATIONS IN TAX RATES AND MEETS CASH FLOW AND CONTINGENCY NEEDS IN THE BUDGET.
LOOKING AT THE EXPENSES AND THE DRIVERS FOR 2025 WAGES AND SALARIES INCREASED BY 644,000 OR 1.5%.
THIS INCLUDES CONTRACTUAL INCREASES FOR NON-UNION EMPLOYEES BY 3%.
SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS REMAIN AT 7.65, INCLUDING OVERTIME.
FRINGE BENEFITS SUCH AS HEALTH INSURANCE ESTIMATED INCREASE AT 6% WITH A FI WITH THE FINAL INCREASE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BROKER.
OPERATING EXPENSES OVERALL IN THE A FUND HAVE DECREASED BY 9.7% AND IN THE B FUND BY 7.5%.
SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO READ THE DETAIL BEHIND THE HIGHLIGHTS, THEY CAN DO THAT IN OTHER REVENUE.
THE MORTGAGE TAX IS PROJECTED TO DECREASE BASED ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL TRENDS, AND THE SALES TAX IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE BASED ON PROJECTED REPORTING FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
INTEREST INCOME HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO UNDER BUDGETING IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT REASSESSMENT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY INCREASE YOUR ASSESSED ASSESSMENT OR TAXES, YOUR TAXES BEING INCREASED, DECREASE, OR STAY THE SAME IN DISCUSSING THE 2025 CAPITAL.
THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET INCLUDES CAPITAL REQUESTS OF $19 MILLION, OF WHICH 18.5 MILLION IS LONG-TERM BORROWING AND APPROXIMATELY 500,000 WILL BE GRANTS.
CAPITAL REPRESENTS EXPENDITURES OF VITAMINS WITH MORE THAN ONE YEAR OF USEFUL LIFE.
ON THIS BORROWING, THERE IS A COMBINED WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF 13 YEARS.
THE ANTICIPATED ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE FOR THE B FUND WILL BE $1.3 MILLION WITH APPROXIMATE AVERAGE INTEREST RATE OF 3.4%.
I'M RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD THAT WE REDUCED THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES BEFORE ADOPTING THE BUDGET, THE DEBT SERVICES INCLUDED IN THE B FUND BUDGET.
ANY QUESTIONS? I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORT.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST DETAILED AND BEST I THINK, UM, PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET SINCE I'VE BEEN SUPERVISOR.
AND YOU MADE IT VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND I THINK YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND THIS IS YOUR FIRST YEAR, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
THIS IS REALLY THE WAY BUDGET PRESENTATION SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE MADE.
SO I'M REALLY PLEASED THAT YOU'RE THE CONTROLLER AND DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB.
UM, SO, UM, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH THE SUPERVISOR.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME READING BETWEEN THE LINES, LIKE THE INCREASES, UM, THE 3% IS A COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER INCREASES ARE DUE TO STATE MANDATED INCREASES IN AND, UH, IN THE HOURLY RATES.
AND THERE ARE OTHER INCREASES AS WELL, WHICH WE'RE REFLECTING.
AND IF, IF THE CONTROLLER CAN JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RUNDOWN OF ON WHY SOME OF THOSE INCREASES OCCURRED, JUST BEYOND WHAT I'VE SAID, UNLESS I COVER IT ALL, BUT I DOUBT IT 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT MY FIELD.
WELL, I, I THINK YOU HAVE COVERED MOST OF IT, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.
UM, THERE'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE INCREASES THAT PIECE, WHICH USUALLY ALIGNS WITH THE CSCA.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN SPEAKING OF THE CONTRACTUAL, THERE'S STEP INCREASES AND SO FORTH.
SO WE'VE PRETTY MUCH COVERED ALL OF THAT IN THERE.
UM, THERE'S SOME LONGEVITY THAT'S BUILT IN THERE AS WELL.
UM, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN IN TERMS OF THE, OUR BUDGETS? SO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
THAT'S KIND OF HARD UNTIL THE STATE DOES IT BUDGET.
AND THAT WON'T BE, THAT WON'T BE FINALIZED UNTIL APRIL ONE, ROUGHLY.
[01:00:01]
REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT WE, WE KNOW ANECDOTALLY THAT THE BUDGETS ARE GOING TO BE TIGHTENED.SO IF IT'S TIGHTENED, I MEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS WE SHOULD LIKE AN SHOULD WE, I MEAN, IF WE COULD ANTICIPATE LIKE WORST CASE SCENARIOS MAY BE THAT'S KIND OF HARD TO DO BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH AND WHAT THE NATURE OF THE BUDGETING, IT MIGHT MEAN THAT THERE ARE FEWER GRANTS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST HARD TO, HARD TO SEE HOW IT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT.
UM, SO NOW WE WILL OPEN UP THE, THE P NO, NO, NO.
UH, SO KIMBERLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE PLEASURE BEING A LIAISON TO THE CONTROLS OFFICE AS WELL.
DO YOU WANNA ANSWER THE QUESTION OR YOU GONNA ASK
IF WE REMOVE THE APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE, HOW MUCH WOULD THE TAXES INCREASE?
SHE WOULD, UH, SHE WAS STRESSING ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TIME AND ATTENTION THAT YOU PUT INTO THE, UH, PREPARING THE SLIDES AND PRESENTING, UH, IT PAID OFF.
SO COULD YOU JUST, UM, EXPLAIN FOR THE PUBLIC A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR LITTLE EXCHANGE, WHAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IN LIKE, MAYBE TRANSLATE THAT SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I THINK OUR TWO CONTROLLERS, WELL CAPABLE EITHER ONE OF YOU.
WELL, WHAT FRANCIS ASKED YOU, COUNCILMAN SHEHAN ASKED, HE KNEW THE QUESTION THAT WAS GONNA BE ASKED.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS? OH, SO WE APPROPRIATE FUND BALANCE, WHICH HELPS, UM, IF WE REFER BACK TO THAT SLIDE MM-HMM
SO IF I WERE TO REMOVE THAT APPROPRIATION, THAT WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TAXES.
AND SO, UM, THAT WOULD CHANGE THE RATE.
SO THEN THE RATIO BETWEEN THE ASSESSED VALUE AND THE, UM, TAXES WOULD, WOULD BE OFFSET DIFFERENTLY.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DEPEND ON THAT ASSESSED VALUE DRIVES DOWN THAT RATE, SO THEN PROPORTIONALLY IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
SO YOU'D BE PAYING MORE TAXES.
BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT, UH, HISTORICALLY THE TOWN HAS NOT ALWAYS USED ALL THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE'VE, UH, APPROPRIATED IN THE BUDGET, RIGHT? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE END UP HAVING EITHER WE'RE, UM, UNDER BUDGET IN OUR EXPENDITURE LINES OR WE'RE OVER IN OUR REVENUE LINES SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ENABLE, ENABLES US TO AVOID USING THAT FUND BALANCE.
AND, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT AS TO WHY WE CAN'T SAY THIS IS THE BUDGET AND WE'RE STICKING TO IT.
COME, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT OR NOT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOMETIMES UNEXPLAINED ISSUES LIKE THIS PIPE BURST ON EAST HARTSDALE AVE, WHICH THEN TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY, UM, TIME, EFFORT TO, TO CORRECT.
SO WE CAN'T ANTICIPATE SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES.
THAT WAS A RATHER DRAMATIC EXAMPLE.
AND THIS IS MORE OR LESS A PAPER ENTRY, IT'S JUST AN AUTHORIZATION TO USE THAT MONEY IF WE NEED TO.
WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY DOING A JOURNAL ENTRY TO MOVE THAT MONEY DOWN.
SO THE MONEY STAYS IN THE EQUITY LINE.
I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION JUST TO HELP CLARIFY THE RECORD.
SO PREVIOUSLY THE TOWN HAS TYPICALLY DONE OPERATING BUDGET AND THE CAPITAL BUDGET AT SEPARATE TIMES OF THE YEAR.
SO FOR SOMEONE TUNING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT, OR HASN'T SEEN THE PAST TWO MONTHS OF OUR, UH, WORK SESSIONS WHERE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGETS, CAN YOU JUST GIVE A BRIEF EXPLANATION WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET AND, AND HOW ESSENTIALLY THEY BOTH WORK SEPARATELY AND UM, TOGETHER? YEAH, SO THE CAPITAL'S IN A SEPARATE FUND, SO WE'RE JUST INCLUDING THE, THE H FUND, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL FUND.
WE'RE INCLUDING WITH THE A AND B, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA PASS THEM TOGETHER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BORROWING FOR THAT, FOR THE, FOR THE DEBT SERVICE.
NOW WE AMORTIZED ONE YEAR, OR WE, WE HAVE THE AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE.
ACTUALLY THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF ALL THOSE ASSETS COMES OUT TO ABOUT 13 YEARS.
SO WE NOW TAKE THE AMORTIZATION FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND WE PUT THAT IN THE DEBT SERVICE EXPENDITURE LINE FOR FISCAL 2025.
SO THE IMPACT OF THAT DEBT SERVICE IS INCLUSIVE NOW TO THE OPERATING BUDGET.
[01:05:01]
ONLINE.SO WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD TO ADOPT THE OPERATING WILL ADOPT THEM BOTH TOGETHER.
AND THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF OUR CONTROLLER AS A, A MORE FISCALLY SOUND WAY OF DOING GOVERNMENT, UH, OF, OF MANAGING OUR GOVERNMENT.
IF I COULD GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT TO THAT QUESTION THAT I ASKED.
UH, THE REASON WHY I KNOW THAT'S A QUESTION I FREQUENTLY ASK IS BECAUSE KIMBERLY ACTUALLY WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE RECORDING PRIOR BUDGET, HEARING A PREDECESSOR TO HE TO SEE WHAT QUESTIONS ARE TYPICALLY ASKED AND THEN TOLD ME ABOUT IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAID TO HER QUESTION ASKED, IT WAS HER, IT GOES TO SHOW THE LEVEL OF RESEARCH THAT YOU DID DILIGENCE.
I SAID, DON'T ASK ME 'CAUSE I ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER,
ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC COULD SIGN UP WITH THE CLERK AND YOU'LL HAVE FIVE FULL MINUTES TO, UH, MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THE BOARD IS PLANNING ON HOLDING THIS OVER TO THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL.
SO YOU'LL GET AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL, ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES TO DISCUSS ON BOTH OF THE BUDGETS.
TERRENCE, WOULD YOU PLEASE BRING THE MICROPHONE IN FOR MS. WEEMS? WE HAVE THE NEXT CHAIR.
DECEMBER 11TH, THE NEXT TOWN BOARD MEETING.
MY QUESTION IS BASICALLY, I'M, I'M SORRY, THE FIRST PERSON ON THE LIST IS MURRAY BODEN.
I AM SURE MY COMMENTS, REALLY, THE EXACT PART OF THE BUDGET WILL BE ADDRESSED BY OTHERS, BUT THE FORM OF THE MEETING TONIGHT WAS SO DIFFERENT THAT I MUST COMMENT ON IT.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND BROUGHT A MICROPHONE OVER TO SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUES IN REAL TIME.
GARRETT'S PRESENTATION TONIGHT WAS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE PAST.
AND IT SHOWS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THINGS IN NEW WAYS.
AND I NEED TO POINT OUT, I WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE BOARD HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED.
THE FLEXIBILITY OF THIS BOARD CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
AND WHEN GARRETT WAS SPEAKING AND A QUESTION WAS ASKED BY A PARTICIPANT, IT WAS ANSWERED IMMEDIATELY.
THERE WAS A TRAIN OF THOUGHT THAT FOLLOWED THROUGH AND IT MADE SENSE WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER WITH THE GENERAL PEOPLE SPEAKING.
SO I WANT YOU, I WANT TO POINT OUT HOW MUCH THIS MEETING HAS CHANGED FROM EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
I'VE BEEN HERE MANY, MANY TIMES, AND I THINK THAT YOU WILL BUILD ON THE FACT OF THE FLEXIBILITY AND DEMONSTRATED BY THE MICROPHONE OVER THERE.
WHEN GARRETT WAS HERE, A QUESTION WAS ASKED, IT WAS ANSWERED IMMEDIATELY.
CLEARLY THERE WAS NO GAP IN THOUGHT TRAIN IN THOUGHT.
AND SO ANYTHING I WOULD'VE SAID ON THE BUDGET, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL SAY.
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE HOW VASTLY IMPROVED THE MEETING WAS TONIGHT.
AND YOU, I COMPLIMENT YOU ON IT.
MURRAY, YOU CAN TAKE MY NAME OFF.
EVERYTHING ELSE I'M GOING WRONG.
NEXT FOR THE HEARING WE HAVE WALTER SIMON.
UH, I'D, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, BUDGET PRESENTATION.
OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ A, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN IT, BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UH, UH, DUE TO THE CURRENT, UH, UH, ETHICS COMPLAINTS AGAINST SOME MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND, UH, EXCEPT PAUL FINER AND, AND, UH, OUR TOWN ATTORNEY, UH, UH, I WOULD, THERE'S NO REASON WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE IN THE BUDGET A COST TO HIRE ATTORNEY TO PURSUE THIS WHEN THERE'S A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION.
I WROTE A LETTER TO, UH, THE TOWN BOARD AND THE ATTORNEY OUTLINE A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION HOW YOU COULD HAVE JUST SETTLED THE MATTER WITHOUT, WITHOUT INCURRING THE TAXPAYER COURSE.
I SEND IN THE LETTER, I'LL READ IT IN PUBLIC.
UH, PAUL, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO RESTORATIVE CIRCLE AND THE
[01:10:01]
EFFORTS OF LAND COBBS, THIS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE APPLICATION OF THIS APPROACH.AVOID MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ETHICS COMPLAINT.
WE ARE ASKING THE TOWN BOARD IT.
ALL WE ASK IN THE TOWN BOARD IS TO FOLLOW THE LAW, ACCEPT PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN IN EFFECT FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THREE PLANNING BOARD CHAIRS, INCLUDING MYSELF, THE TOWN BOARD HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE REGARDING APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
THIS INCLUDE SITTING CHAIRPERSONS.
THE TOWN BOARD SHOULD STATE THAT THERE WERE DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH, PHILOSOPHY, ET CETERA, AND WILL NOT REAPPOINT YOU TOWARDS THROUGH THE PLANNING BOARD.
IN ADDITION TO MAKING THEIR LEGITIMATE DECISION NOT TO REAPPOINT, IT IS APPROPRIATE AND WELL DESERVED THAT THE TOWN BOARD THANK YOUTH SCHWART FOR ITS CON CONTRIBUTION TO THE PLANNING BOARD IN THE TOWN.
THE SOLUTION DOES NOT REQUIRE RESTORATIVE CIRCLE SESSION, BUT RATHER SIMPLE CORRECTIVE STATEMENT FROM THE TOWN BOARD, THE TOWN NUMBER TWO, THE TOWN BOARD OWN A DEPUTY TOWN ATTORNEY AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION RESEARCH.
THE TENURE OF PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE FOUND MAJOR DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE REAPPOINTMENT DATES AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW.
THEY HAVE DRAFTED A PLANNING BOARD REAPPOINTMENT SCHEDULED CONSISTENT WITH THE SEVEN YEAR APPOINTMENTS WHERE ONE MEMBER FACE A REAPPOINTMENT EACH YEAR.
THEY GAVE THEIR PROPOSED SCHEDULE TO THE TOWN BOARD OVER THREE MONTHS AGO, BUT THE TOWN BOARD HAS YET TO ACT ON, ON THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY'S RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS NOT UP TO THE COMPLAINT COMPLAINANTS TO TAKE ANY ACTION OR PARTICIPATE AND RESTORE IN, IN A RESTORATIVE CIRCLE.
IT IS UP TO THE TOWN BOARD TO CONSIDER THE DEPUTY, UH, RECOMMENDATION ON REAPPOINTMENTS AND FOLLOW THE LAW.
THERE ARE CREDIBLE ARGUMENTS THAT TB ONE IS IN FACT A MODIFICATION OF THE ETHICS CODE AND REQUIRES PUBLIC HEARING CONSISTENT WITH CODE CHANGES.
EVEN IF ONE WAS TO TAKE A CONTRARIAN POSITION, THAT ENFORCEMENT OF TB ONE AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION IS UNENFORCEABLE.
AND SUBJECT TO A ARTICLE 78 CHALLENGE BASED ON UNEQUAL APPLICATION OF THE LAW, YOU SWAR JOHAN SNAGS AND I NEVER ASSIGNED A TB ONE REQUEST, BUT YOU, YOU SWAR WAS FORCED INTO POSITION TO RESIGN.
JOHANN IS STILL ON THE PLANNING BOARD AND, UH, UH, AISHA SAW, UH, SPARKS SIGN THE DOCUMENT, BUT NOT, BUT HAVE NOT RESIGNED FROM ANY OF THE APPLICATION.
IT'S A CORRECTION TO MY ORIGINAL LETTER.
UH, UH, UH, AISHA SPARKS NEVER MADE THE ARY CHOICE DE DEMANDED BY THE TOWN.
IN FACT, THERE HAD BEEN REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET BOTH JOHANN TO PAR, JOHANN AND, UH, AND ALICIA SPARKS TO PARTICIPATE IN BOARD MEETING.
AGAIN, IT'S UP TO THE TOWN BOARD TO DECIDE DO THEY MAKE A T TB ONE INVALID OR ENFORCE IT AND FACE THE ARTICLE 78 CHALLENGE.
BECAUSE THIS HAD BEEN UNEQUAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
AND DURING THE TENURE YEAR OF THREE CHAIRPERSON, THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES FOR THE PLANNING BOARD AND PROVIDE THE EVALUATION TO THE TOWN BOARD.
WHEN A NEW MEMBER JOINED THE PLANNING BOARD, AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, ALTERNATE MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD BECAME A VOTING MEMBER OF THAT BOARD.
THIS SYSTEM WORKED VERY WELL AND AFFORDED THE ALTERNATE TIME TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING ATTENDING TRAINING SEMINARS TO THE CODES AND BE EXPOSED TO A VARIETY OF THANK YOU MR. SIMON.
WELL, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, I SUBMIT THIS TO, I'LL SUBMIT THIS TO THE CLERK AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WILL EQUALLY ENFORCE THE TIME LIMIT TO ALL SPEAKERS.
I'LL READ THE REST OF IT IN PUBLIC.
I'M HOLDING EVERYONE TO THE FIVE MINUTES.
YOU COULD WATCH BACK ALL THE TAPES FROM THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE EVERY, WE CAN HAVE TWO SCHWARTZ.
FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYBODY AND, UH, GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY PRESENT TONIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD.
[01:15:01]
PRESENTATION BY OUR NEW CONTROLLER TOO.IT'S VERY COMPLICATED FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS STUFF.
UH, MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT THAT PART OF IT IS WHEN WE HAVE TO TAKE 17 MILLION OUT OUT OF OUR RESERVE FUND, IT MEANS WE GOTTA DO EVEN HARDER WORK IN TERMS OF COST SAVINGS.
'CAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT JUST BEYOND OUR CONTROL AND AS IT IS, OUR STAFF IS VERY, VERY TIGHT AS WE KNOW.
WE HAVE FRANK, FRANK
AND, UH, WE REALLY NEED TO SUPPORT THAT STAFF.
I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE YOU SUPPORT THE STAFF.
MY ONLY RESPONSE TO THAT IS THAT I WISH YOU'D TO SUPPORT THE VOLUNTEERS THE SAME WAY YOU SUPPORT THE STAFF.
I SUPPORT MR. SIMON'S REMARKS TO NOT WASTE MONEY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BUDGET IS TIGHT.
THERE IS NO GOOD REASON TO SPEND SUBSTANTIAL TAX PAYER DOLLARS ON, ON THE ISSUE THAT HE TALKED ABOUT, PARTICULARLY WITHOUT EVEN ATTEMPTING TO SIT DOWN FACE-TO-FACE TO RESOLVE THIS AMICABLY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY.
IF THE TOWN AUTHORIZES USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO DEFEND THESE CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST EACH OF YOU PERSONALLY, EXCEPT MR. FINER, IT COULD COST TAXPAYERS OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN LEGAL FEES.
THERE'S SURELY BETTER WAYS TO USE THIS MONEY FOR NO SOLY NEEDED STAFF, LIKE AN ADDITIONAL BUILDING INSPECTOR ENGINEER OR STAFF ATTORNEY.
SOME COULD BE USED TO SEND THE NOW TOTALLY INEXPERIENCED PLANNING BOARD TO THE NEW YORK PLANNING FEDERATION CONFERENCE, LIKE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DO.
THE COMPLAINANTS IN THIS MATTER ALREADY WILLING AND ABLE TO PURSUE THEIR CLAIM OF RETALIATION.
IF THE TOWN BOARD CONTINUES TO RESIST OUR REPEATED OFFERS TO MEET THE BOARD OF ETHICS HAS ALREADY UNANIMOUSLY FOUND THAT THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE PROVIDED SUFFICIENT REASON TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER FURTHER.
NEVERTHELESS, THE COMPLAINANTS BELIEVE IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR TOWN TO SIT DOWN TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS.
SAVING THE TOWN NOT JUST LEGAL FEES, BUT EVERYBODY'S VALUABLE TIME.
TAXPAYERS' MONEY SHOULD NOT BE USED TO DEFEND BOARD MEMBERS PERSONALLY ACCUSED OF ETHICS VIOLATIONS.
AT A MINIMUM, I URGE THE BOARD TO NOT APPROPRIATE MONEY FOR OUTSIDE COUNSEL, AT LEAST UNTIL THERE'S A FACE-TO-FACE DISCUSSION, WHICH SHOULD OCCUR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND ONE QUESTION BEFORE I CLOSE, AND IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE RHETORICAL.
IF THIS COMPLAINT GOES FORWARD IN THE BOARD OF ETHICS LINES AGAINST YOU, WILL YOU ABIDE BY THE DECISION AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS? THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL AND THANK AND SAY THANKSGIVING.
NEXT WE HAVE PAT WEEMS. IS THAT ON THE BUDGET? YES.
IT'S STILL THE BUDGET HEARING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
IT IS ON, YES, COME CLOSE ENOUGH.
UM, TONIGHT I'M ASKING A QUESTION AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.
I'VE GONE TO, UM, LEGISLATOR ALBANY, UH, BANKING, UM, COMMITTEE AND DIFFERENT ONES.
NEW YORK STATE IS A DONOR STATE UNDER THESE TIMES AND WHERE WE ARE NOW, I WANNA SEE TO IT THAT OUR DOLLAR STAYS IN NEW YORK.
IT'S NOT DONE ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS.
WHERE DO I GO? WHAT MONEY? I'M ASKING THE NEW COMPTROLLER WHAT MONEY, WHERE SHOULD IT BE THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE THAT WE PROBABLY DON'T GET THE MUST THE MOST OF? WE PAY MORE INTO THE FEDERAL BILL FOR THE NUMBER ONE DONOR AND WE GET BACK THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY.
IT'S NOT DONE ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO NOW I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO ASK MY QUESTION TO THE TOWN CLERK TO GET THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO LOOK TO SEE WHERE OUR DOLLAR BILLS ARE GOING AND WHY WE DO NOT GET MORE BACK FROM THE STATE.
WE PAY OUT, BUT WE DON'T GET BACK.
SO NOW THIS IS SOMETHING I WANTED TO GO TO COUNTY, BUT I FIGURED I'D START HERE FIRST.
COULD YOU FIND OUT AS THE TOWN CLERK, UM, WHO WE NEED TO SEE WHERE TO GO? AND FOR ANDREA STEWART COUSINS, WHICH AGENCY THERE WITH BANKING FOR, UH, ASSEMBLY PERSON? WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING BILLIONS.
WE'RE PAYING TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
OUR TAXES GO UP AND WE GET NOTHING IN RETURN.
THEY'RE EIGHT DON ESTATES AND WE SUPPLY MONEY TO THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
[01:20:01]
IT STANDS NOW, I DON'T WANT MY TAX DOLLARS TO GO TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T PAY TAXES ON, ON, LET'S JUST SAY TOLL TAXES, BRIDGES.THEY DON'T HAVE PARKING METERS.
THEY PAY A LESSER AMOUNT IN DIFFERENT THINGS.
I WANNA LEVEL THE PLAYING BOARD.
IF THEY DON'T PAY ANY TAXES, HOW CAN YOU GET ANY OF THEM FROM US AS THE DONOR STATE NUMBER ONE? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT QUESTIONS THAT I WANNA ASK SO THAT WE CAN GET AN ANSWER ON IT.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK I, SHANE IS NOT HERE TONIGHT.
HE'S THERE, BUT HE SHOULD HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ANSWERS OR KNOW ABOUT WHERE WE CAN GO AND HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA COME UP WITH IT IN 10 SECONDS, BUT I, I DO WANT THIS ON THE TABLE.
I'D LIKE THE TOWN CLERK TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT.
EXCUSE ME, FOR THE BUDGET HEARING.
YEAH, NEW YORK, THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE NOT PUTTING IN A, YEAH, A WHOLE UMBRELLA AND NOT SUBMITTING A FOIL.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO SUBMIT THE FOIL TO.
SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE CLERK.
NOW I STILL HAVE FIVE SECONDS UP HERE, RIGHT? YOU STILL HAVE TWO? A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, UM, ALSO FOR THE TOWN CLERK, THE TOWN ATTORNEY HAS STATED THAT HE HAS DONE ACROSS THE BOARD, AND I WISH TO DISAGREE WITH THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK UP FOR THE ESTATES WHEN THEY WERE HERE SPEAKING.
AND ALSO WITH THE, UM, DEBORAH BLOOM, SHE'S PRESIDENT OF HER CIVIC ASSOCIATION OR HER HOUSING.
SO IF YOU COULD GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, THE MANNER IN WHICH THE ATTORNEY ACTUALLY DEALT WITH THAT GROUP AS AN OPPOSITION TO MY GROUP.
SO THEREFORE, YES, I'M DISCUSSING DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AND THOSE ARE TWO, AND WE COULD ALL, I'M GONNA STOP AT THOSE TWO.
THOSE TWO I, I FOUND COMPLETELY OFFENSIVE.
AND I'M SUBMITTING THAT IN FOR GROUNDS, FOR TERMINATION OF SERVICES FOR DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, WHICH I WILL NOT TOLERATE.
FOR ME, THAT'S MY, BUT I DO WANNA SPEAK ON ANOTHER ISSUE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIVE MINUTES OR WHATEVER.
I I HAVE TO RESPOND BECAUSE THIS IS YOU DON'T, NO YOU DON'T.
THAT WILL BE FOIBLE AND SEPARATE FROM PUBLIC COMMENT LATER TODAY.
JUST LIKE TO SAY, THOSE WERE PRESENTERS, THOSE WERE NOT RESIDENTS SPEAKING UNDER FIVE MINUTE TI.
I REMEMBER THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
SO I TREAT EVERYONE IN PUBLIC.
I'M NOT DISCUSSING FIVE MINUTES, I'M DISCUSSING THE MANNER IN WHICH HE PARTICIPATED WITH THE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE HAL TERRENCE, SHE'S DOING PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL.
YEAH, I'LL, I'M JUST GONNA RECHARGE IT.
WELL, I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE THE WHOLE NOTICING OF TONIGHT IS, IS REALLY GOT ME ABSOLUTELY CONFUSED.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON WHAT LOOKS LIKE WE WOULD CALL INITIALLY THE OPERATING BUDGET.
THEN SOMEHOW IT BECAME THE OPERATING BUDGET AND THE CAPITAL.
HOW, WHILE YOU WERE AT THE ROOM, HOW I SPOKE TO THIS, WHEN YOU WALKED OUT, OUR TOWN ATTORNEY ADDRESSED YOUR, UM, CO CORRECTION AND YOU WERE CORRECT AND HE EXPLAINED THAT.
BUT, UM, NOW WE HAVE A HEARING, WHICH IS AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THE AGENDA, JUST ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HOLDING IT OVER BOTH OF THESE THINGS.
BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY PERSONALLY, I FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT ON TONIGHT.
I'VE, DURING THE COUPLE OF WEEKS I'VE MADE NOTES ON VARIOUS THINGS.
I WILL MAYBE JUST THROW A FEW OF THEM OUT IN THE OPERATING BUDGET.
UH, WE ARE TALK TONIGHT ABOUT ALL THE EMERGENCIES THAT COULD COME UP.
HOW WE NEVER KNOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA NEED OUR MONEY FROM AND GOOD THAT WE HAVE THE FUND BALANCE, BUT YOU HAVE LINE ITEMS IN THE A BUDGET AND THE B BUDGET FOR THE CONTINGENT ACCOUNT.
IN 2024 IN THE A BUDGET YOU HAD FOUR 1,441,000.
AND FOR 2025, YOU'RE KNOCKING IT DOWN TO 700,000.
SEEMS TO BE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT'S A CONTINGENCY, WHY WOULD YOU LOWER IT FROM WHAT YOU ALREADY SPENT
[01:25:01]
IN 2024? THE B BUDGET GETS WORSE.AND IN 2025, YOU'RE GONNA GO DOWN TO 3,000,004.
DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? TAXPAYERS SHOULD KNOW.
IT'S NOTHING THAT THE TOWN IS DOING REGARDING THE BUDGET.
THE REVENUE IS 80% YOUR TAXES, WHETHER THEY'RE IN SALES TAX, MORTGAGE TAX, PROPERTY TAX, A LITTLE STATE COMES IN.
SO IT'S YOU WHO ARE LIVING IN GREENBERG WHO ARE SUPPORTING THIS WHOLE SHOW.
AND THE POSITION'S POSITION, UH, PART OF THE BUDGET BOOK.
WHERE'S RICHARD FOND? HE'S THERE IN 2024, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE HIM FOR 2025.
MR. FINER, YOU HAVE A CONFIDENTIAL SECRETARY.
WHY IS SHE GETTING MORE? UM, BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE ME,
UM, A LOT WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE IT WAS IN TERMS OF THE HEARING, BUT, UH, WE'RE ALL WORRYING AND BITING OUR NAILS BECAUSE MR. SCHWARTZ AND, UH, WALTER SIMON ARE ALL HAVING FITS ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE GONNA LOSE LOTS OF MONEY.
DO WE HAVE ANY INSURANCE POLICIES ON THIS? IF THEY WERE TO SUE US, HE'S GOT ANSWER.
WELL, I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IT'S RAISED.
WE DO HAVE INSURANCE ON MOST OF THE CLAIMS AGAINST THE TOWN.
SO IT MAY NOT ACTUALLY COST TAXPAYERS BECAUSE WE HAVE MONEY TO DRIVE IT OUT.
UM, WELL, ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY SAVE EVERYTHING TO NEXT WEEK.
BUT THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT BOTHER ME ABOUT IT.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE REVENUE LINES IN THE BUDGET, YOU SEE AS OF OCTOBER 31ST, OCTOBER 30TH, WHAT YOU SEE IS THERE'S A NUMBER THERE.
I'M TOLD IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A REAL NUMBER THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY COLLECTED.
AND THEN BY THE END OF 2024 ZERO, SO WE STOPPED GETTING REVENUE.
WE, WE'VE LOST IT ALREADY ON OCTOBER 30TH.
I MEAN, ALL THIS IS VERY CONFUSING TO ME.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW ACTUALLY ABOUT, THAT'S THE OTHER THING YOU SAID THAT IT'S GONNA BE, THE HEARING WILL BE HELD OVER DECEMBER 11TH AND HERE'S THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
WHEN ARE YOU GONNA MAKE THAT RESOLUTION? IT'S NOT ON THERE.
YOU DON'T NEED A RESOLUTION TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING TO HOLD IT OVER.
WE NEVER SUBMIT A NEW RESOLUTION.
WHEN WERE YOU GONNA TELL THE PUBLIC? WE, WE, WE SAID THAT, UH, WE POSTED THAT FOR WEEKS.
WE'VE TOLD PEOPLE THAT'S WHERE HOLDING OVER.
YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT.
I THINK I PUT IT ON EVEN THE E LIST.
BUT WE'VE MENTIONED IT AT SEVERAL MEETINGS, RIGHT? LISTEN TO NEXT WE HAVE CLIFTON ABRAMS. ARE YOU SPEAKING ON THE BUDGET? UM, CLIFF ABRAMS, UM, GOOD EVENINGS SUPERVISOR FINDER IN THE TOWN BOARD.
I'M KIND OF NEW TO THIS, BUT, UM, BUT JOE, I WATCHED THE MEETING ONLINE, THE LAST BOY BEATING, AND I COULD HAVE SWEAR IT WAS, I WANNA GET TO THE POINT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THIS AND I COULD HAVE SWEAR THERE WAS PUBLIC COMMONS AND A LADY WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT CONED TRUCKS BEING IN HER AREA.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE SHE HAD THE FIVE MINUTES, THE BELL RUNG.
SHE TALKED FOR ANOTHER TWO OR THREE MINUTES, THEN ELLEN AND THEN PAUL GOT IN, WENT BACK ON FALL.
NOW IT WASN'T, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
I STAND TO BE CORRECTED, BUT I JUST SAW AT THAT TIME, LIKE WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND IT'S LIKE SHE GOT, SHE WAS SO, YOU WERE SO GRACEFUL TO HER TO ALLOW HER TO KEEP ON TALKING.
AND I JUST WISH THAT THAT GO ALONG WITH MS. PAT AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME.
SO WE DID NOT FOLLOW OUR REGULAR PROCEDURE AT THAT MEETING.
BUT WHAT THE CLUB OF COMMENT, HIS TIME IS UP.
I AIN'T WORRYING ABOUT IT WAS THE CLUB OF COMICS.
[01:30:01]
DON'T HAVE TO.SO TO THE, UM, CONTROLLER, I'M KIND OF LOST HERE, RIGHT? LIKE THE A BUDGET AND THE B BUDGET.
UM, NOW I WAS HEARD THAT THE, A BUDGET, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT THE, A BUDGET SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE DALE FAIRVIEW? NO, THE, A BUDGET IS THE WHOLE TOWN, INCLUDING THE VILLAGES.
AND THE B BUDGET IS ONLY UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
UM, AND WE PROVIDE LIMITED SERVICES TO THE VILLAGES AND YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THE REP, SO THE A BUDGET IS YEAH, THE MAIN BUDGET.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, MEALS AND WHEELS PROGRAM IS AN A BUDGET BECAUSE WE PROVIDE MEALS AND WHEELS AND THE NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO, UM, TO SENIORS IN THE VILLAGES AND UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE PROVIDE THE AMBULANCE SERVICES, ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, A, YOU KNOW, THE A, A BUDGET WE HAVE, UM, THE SWAT TEAM, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOME CIVIL DEFENSE PROGRAMS THAT'S, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE A, A BUDGET.
WE HAVE PROGRAMS, UH, AND RECREATION FOR THE DISABLED.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE, WE DO STRIKE.
AND THE B BUDGET IS, THE B BUDGET IS THE WHAT AFFECTS YOU ON A DAILY BASIS, PICKING UP THE GARBAGE, UH, THE SNOW REMOVAL FIRE, THE TOWN POOL, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE B BUDGET.
THAT WOMAN DID HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO SPEAK.
AND SUPERVISOR DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED THAT INDIVIDUAL, AND THAT IS WHY TIME PROCEEDED AS PARLIAMENTARIAN.
I DID ASK THAT SHE REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING AFTER THE FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
COULD YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION? I WILL, WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTER THIS MEETING, NOT ABOVE.
I DON'T RECALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND, AND MR. ABRAMS TIME IS STILL ONGOING, SO IT, WE, I I'M NOT ANSWERING THAT LEGAL QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
UH, THERE ARE NO MORE NAMES WRITTEN FOR THE BUDGET HEARING.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET? IF YOU DID NOT WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN AND A SECOND, UM, ROUND IS WAIVED BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE ADJOURNED.
WELL, WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, WE HAVE TO MAKE MOTION.
I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN THE HEARING, OF COURSE, TILL DECEMBER 11TH AT SEVEN 32ND.
I WANT YOU BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE HEARING, THE CONTENTS OF THE HEARING.
RIGHT? RIGHT NOW WE'LL HAVE THE HEARING ON THE, BUT JUST TO MAKE, IF YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS, WAIT, THIS IS ONLY ON WANTS TO NO.
THAT'S WHAT WE SPOKE ABOUT PRIOR TO, YES.
SO THE HEARING, I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THE HEARING FOR BOTH THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING UNTIL DECEMBER 11TH.
HOLD OVER UNTIL, HOLD RIGHT SECOND.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION IN TERMS OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SPOKE TO, UM, RICH FUN, AND I'M NOT SURE IF, I'M NOT SURE IF RICH'S, UH, HE, UM, STILL ON THE LINE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, UH, I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING IS THAT HE INDICATED THAT, UM, BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL BE PRETTY CLOSE TO, UM, ADDRESSING THE ROAD REPAVING, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
SO, SO IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY, UH, HAD TO DO A LOT OF CATCH UP.
BUT AFTER NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ON SORT OF A REGULAR SCHEDULE AND THE TOWN OWN, UH, ROADS WE'LL BE RELATIVELY IN GOOD SHAPE.
UM, SO WE'LL WE WON'T HAVE TO BE PUTTING IN AS MUCH MONEY EACH YEAR.
UM, AND THE STATE, THERE'S A LOT OF, MOST OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING ARE STATE OWNED ROADS THAT WE HAVE NOTHING NO CONTROL OVER, YOU KNOW, CENTRAL AVENUE, DOS FERRY ROAD, UH, NO KNOLLWOOD ROAD, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, SOOMO RIVER ROAD, WEST, YOU KNOW, WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CRACKS AND POTHOLES AND THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
BUT ON THE TOWN OWNED ROADS, I THINK WE'RE DOING A PRETTY, UM, YOU KNOW, GOOD JOB AND WE'LL DO, WE WILL BE IN BETTER
[01:35:01]
SHAPE, UM, AFTER NEXT YEAR'S CAPITAL BUDGET IS IMPLEMENTED.AND, AND BELIEVE ME, IT IS CONFUSING TO US ALL BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A WEB OF ROADS.
SOME ROADS IN PART ARE OWNED BY THE MUNICIPALITY THAT IT RUNS THROUGH, AND THEN IN PART BY THE TOWN AND IN PART BY THE COUNTY AND IN PART BY THE STATE.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A CRAZY PATCHWORK OF ROADS AS, AS THEY'VE EVOLVED OVER TIME.
AND THEN THE CAPITAL BUDGET, UM, UH, WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED FUNDING, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I THINK IN 2017, WE HAD TRUCKS LOOKING AT EACH ROAD AND TAKING PHOTOS OF, UM, EACH ROAD CONDITIONS.
AND THEN IT HELPED THE TOWN, UM, EVAL, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZE WHICH ROADS SHOULD BE DONE.
SO WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT SINCE 2017.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA UPDATE, UM, YOU KNOW, UPDATE THE, AND HAVE SORT OF LIKE A STATUS PRIORITIES OF ALL THE ROADS.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT COULD LOOK AT, UH, ALL THE ROADS IN THE TOWN AND THEN DECIDE EACH YEAR WHICH ROADS ARE MOST DESERVING OF REPAVING AVENUE.
AND THAT'S LIKE TWO LONG BOXES, BUT I COULD WALK THAT IF THE ROAD, DO WE WANNA DO THIS IN PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH.
THAT, THAT SHOULD BE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MS. SWES, WOULD YOU MIND? I JUST, PAING ROAD, WE, AND IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT IN PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT'S GREAT.
WE SHOULD, IT'S IMPORTANT AND GOOD.
DO YOU WANNA SIGN? DO YOU WANNA PUT YOUR I SIGNED UP.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED MENTION ONE OTHER THING IN TERMS OF RIVERDALE ROAD OVER THE YEARS, UM, OCCASIONALLY PEOPLE, UH, WHO HAVE WALKERS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE CONTACTED US AND THEY'VE COMPLAINED THAT IT'S HARD TO WALK BECAUSE THE ROADS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BUMPY.
AND EVERY TIME WE'VE HAD A COMPLAINT, BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST ONE, WE'VE ALWAYS GIVEN PRIORITY TO THAT.
SO IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, FOR SOMETHING LIKE RIVERDALE, I'M GONNA LIKE SPEAK TO THE ENGINEERS AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE AND, AND BASICALLY WALK, UM, AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY.
SO I'M GONNA SPEAK TO OUR ENGINEERS TOMORROW ABOUT THIS.
WHY DON'T YOU RESPOND? YEAH, I'M, I THINK THIS IS, IS A, A REAL PRIORITY, THE ROAD WE'RE PAVING, SO THANK YOU.
ARE WE READY TO OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT? NO.
IS THIS BEING HELD UP? WE HAVE TO OPEN THE NEXT HEARING.
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 235 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh as it relates to Historic & Landmark Preservation Board composition and procedures]
LET ME JUST SEE, UM, NEXT HEARING, UH, TO CONSIDER, UM, A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 2 35 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AS IT RELATES TO HISTORIC AND LANDMARK PRESERVATION, BOARD COMPOSITION AND PROCEDURES.FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL AND ALL THOSE WATCHING FOR THE RECORD.
GARY DUQUE, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS RELATED TO A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 2 35 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND LANDMARKS.
THE PRIMARY CHANGES PROPOSED ARE AS FOLLOWS, PROVIDING NEWLY DEFINED TERMS FOR HISTORIC RESOURCE OR HISTORIC PROPERTY, AND THE TERM LOCAL HISTORIC INFORMATIONAL MARKER.
SECOND MODIFICATION IS TO UPDATE THE COMPOSITION OF THE HISTORIC AND LANDMARK PRESERVATION BOARD FROM SEVEN MEMBERS TO FIVE MEMBERS.
THIRD MODIFICATION IS TO STREAMLINE THE NOMINATION PROCESS FOR NEW HISTORIC PROPERTIES OR DISTRICTS TO INCLUDE THE TOWN BOARD AND H AND LPB AS THE SOLE BOARD'S INVOLVED.
THIS PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE 2023 TOWN OF GREENBURG HISTORIC SURVEY UPDATE, WHERE RECOMMENDATION NUMBER NINE OF THAT STUDY IDENTIFIES THAT THERE NEED NOT BE AN APPROVAL OF THE PLANNING BOARD IN THAT PROCESS.
WITH REGARDS TO THE MODIFICATION TO UPDATE THE H AND LPB FROM SEVEN MEMBERS TO FIVE, I NOTE THAT THE TOWN BOARD FAIRLY RECENTLY APPROVED A SIMILAR REDUCTION IN MEMBER CHANGES FOR THE ANTENNA REVIEW BOARD, THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE HARTSDALE CONTEXTUAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE LOCAL LAW WAS DRAFTED BY TOWN STAFF WITH SUPPORT FROM THE H AND LPB.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE TOWN BOARD MAY HAVE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM RESIDENTS.
I BELIEVE H AND LPB CHAIRPERSON MADELINE, OSHA IS PRESENT AND WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MAKE A FEW REMARKS.
THANK YOU, MADELINE? YES, THE HISTORIC AND LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD, H AND LPB TO ITS FRIENDS.
[01:40:01]
AARON SCHMIDT, MATT BRI, KIRA JONES, PATTY AR, AND YOU, THE TOWN BOARD FOR THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT.EVERYONE HAS GIVEN TO THE HISTORIC BOARD.
THOSE AT THE NEW YORK STATE PARKS RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION WHO VETTED OUR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS HAVE SAID THAT THEY FEEL THAT THE HISTORIC BOARD'S LEGISLATION IS VERY THOROUGH.
I AM SO FORTUNATE TO CHAIR A BOARD WITH FABULOUS COMMITTED PEOPLE, ARMENIA CURCIO, VICE CHAIR, ANNETTE PURDY,
DIANA JUT SOME OF THE HISTORIC BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE FLEDGLING BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM.
H AND LPB HAS BEEN DOWN SOME OF THE ROADS.
THEY ARE GOING TO TRAVEL AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LARGE MAGNIFICENT HOUSES, WHICH THE H AND LPB WOULD WORK TO REPURPOSE SHOULD THESE HOUSES EVER COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
ANOTHER GOAL IS TO PUBLICIZE THE HISTORY BEHIND THE STONE WALLS OF GREENBURG.
THESE WALLS HARKEN BACK TO WHEN GREENBURG WAS AN AGRARIAN COMMUNITY.
ONE FARM AFTER ANOTHER, KEEPING THE WALLS IN THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION.
FREE OF CEMENT OR OTHER MORTAR IS PRESERVING HISTORY.
LASTLY, BY LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER, H AND LPB HOPES TO BRING BEFORE YOU GREENBURG'S FIRST HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE HISTORY OF GREENBERG IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
YOU DO A VERY GOOD JOB HIGHLIGHTING, YOU KNOW, HISTORY AND PROMOTING IT.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE, THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR DEDICATION.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THIS HEARING? OKAY.
JUST ONE QUICK POINT BY THE FACT YOU'VE HAD TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE BOARD SHOULD TELL YOU GUYS SOMETHING.
YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING VOLUNTEERS AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
YOU OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT THAT REALLY, REALLY HARD IN TERMS OF THIS, UH, LEGISLATION.
I SUPPORT THE SUPPORT FINALLY GETTING CRITERIA BY WHICH TO DECIDE WHETHER A HOUSE IS HISTORIC OR NOT.
THAT HAS BEEN LACKING OR AS FAR AS FAR BACK AS I KNOW, UH, AND HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY AS A FORMER CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
UH, I DO, I DON'T BELIEVE THE PLANNING BOARD SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF, UH, THE PROCESS.
THE PLANNING BOARD ACTUALLY PROBABLY MAY HAVE SAVED THE TOWN FROM LITIGATION A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THE HISTORIC BOARD PRESENTED A, UH, PARTICULAR PROJECT ON OLD ARMY ROAD, UH, FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION WHILE THE HOUSE WAS ENCLOSING, THAT'S WHEN THEY APPROACHED THE, THE POTEN, THE OWNER, WHILE THE HOUSE WAS ENCLOSING.
NO SPECIFIC CRITERIA, BUT IT WAS WHY THE HOUSE WAS CLOSING HAPPENS FOR YOUR HOUSE.
IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE ON THE HISTORIC REGISTER.
IT'S AN OLD FARMHOUSE, BUT THAT WASN'T THE TIME TO DO IT.
THE PLANNING BOARD HAS A PRAGMATIC APPROACH.
I, I LOVE WHAT THE HISTORIC BOARD DOES.
I BELIEVE IN PRESERVING OLD HOUSING.
BUT I THINK HAVING THE PLANNING BOARD'S PRAGMATIC APPROACH, UH, INVOLVED IN THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER THING IS YOU, YOU HAVE LEGISLATION WHERE YOU'RE TAKING THE PLANNING BOARD OUT OF IT, YET THE CHAIR, THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD, NOT ME, THE CURRENT CHAIR, DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION AS OF FIVE 30 THIS EVENING TILL I TOLD THEM, THAT IS TERRIBLE.
YOU GUYS SHOULD BE ASHAMED NOT TO INVOLVE THE PLANNING CHAIR IN THIS AND LET THE HAVE, LIKE YOU DO IN ALMOST ANY OTHER CODE, REFER TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR RECOMMENDATION.
AS I SAID, THE REST OF IT, THAT'S FINE.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT YOU HAVING TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF BOARDS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT BARELY, UH, CERTAIN BOARDS ARE, ARE HAVING, HAVING, UH, ARE, ARE, ARE HAVING QUORUMS AT THIS POINT, INCLUDING THE PLANNING BOARD RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT SHOULD BE, THAT SHOULD BE A TOP CONCERN OF YOU GUYS.
[01:45:01]
YES, GET CRITERIA, CONTINUE THE FINE WORK OF THAT BOARD, BUT KEEP THE PLANNING BOARD INVOLVED.IS THERE ANYONE WHO'S, UM, ON THIS LIST THAT WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC? I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU ARE YOU MAKE STATEMENT ON, SORRY, TARA, ON ONE SECOND.
CAN YOU BRING IN A MICROPHONE PLEASE? HOLD, THERE'S A MIC RIGHT THERE.
PAT, CAN YOU HOLD ON A SECOND? WE'RE BRING YOU MIKE, WELL JUST KEEP IT THERE.
JUST, MY QUESTION IS ON THE BLACK MUSEUM AND LISA, EXACTLY, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO BE? WHERE, WHAT IS GONNA DO? LISA? LISA, WE, WE, IT'S BASICALLY, UM, WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST, WHAT IS IT, FIVE, SIX MONTHS.
UM, AND SARAH GRACIE WHITE HAS HAD ART EXHIBITS ON THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR OF THE TOWN HALL FOR, FOR SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE, UM, THE HIS SOME OF THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE THAT PARKWAY GARDENS, PARKWAY HOMES HAD, CAMP CALLAWAY LIVED HERE, UH, GORDON PARKS LIVED HERE, MOMS MAYLEY LIVED HERE, OLIVIA H****R, UH, YOU KNOW, LIVED HERE.
UH, ROY CAMPANELLA, UH, LIVED HERE.
SO THE COMMITTEE'S BEEN TAKING, LOOKING FOR PHOTOS AND, AND SEEING IF WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CAB CALLAWAY FOUNDATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ALSO HAVE CONTACTS WITH THE, UM, WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER FOUNDATIONS WITH ATLANTIC STAR.
AND, AND WHAT WE WANNA DO IS HIGHLIGHT THE HISTORY OF, OF, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN AND, AND CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT GREENBURG IS A SPECIAL PLACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HAS A HISTORY THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF.
AND I THINK THAT, WELL, IT'S THE HISTORY THAT BASICALLY WE WERE FORCED TO MOVE HERE BECAUSE OF RED LINING AND GERRYMANDERING.
NUMBER TWO, NOT GO, GO, UH, GORDON, BUT IN WHAT YOU HAVE, WHAT YOU'VE STATED ABOUT THE PERSONS WHO ARE GOING TO BE IN THE MUSEUM OR THERE HIGHLIGHTED, MY QUESTION IS, I DON'T HEAR ANYONE LIKE, UM, UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PERSON FROM HERE.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE ENTERTAINERS HERE BECAUSE NEW YORK WAS A PLACE WHERE YOU HAD HARLEM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE COULD MAKE THINGS PLAY, TAKE PLACE AND ACTUALLY DO VERY WELL.
BUT IT'S NOT SO MUCH AS A MUSEUM, AS WHAT I WOULD CALL THINGS THAT HAVE DONE, BEEN DONE TO SEE TO IT THAT THE PROGRESSION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY FROM THE DAYS OF SLAVERY WHO'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN IMMIGRANT.
I DIDN'T COME THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND, NONE OF MY GRANDPARENTS, MY, ON THE, UM, MATRIARCHAL AND, AND ALL HERE.
AND, UM, BY THE TIME YOU GO THROUGH ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, WHAT WE END UP WITH IS INDIVIDUALS THAT MAKE OTHER PEOPLE COMFORTABLE.
AND SO I'M DISCUSSING NOW THE MURAL THAT IS THERE.
THREE JEWISH PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT THAT MURAL THERE BECAUSE OF FARRAKHAN, BUT YOU HAD REVEREND DR. LEWIS, UM, UM, MARTIN LUTHER KING ON IT, AND HE WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
YOU HAD, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, HIS NAME WAS THERE AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MALCOLM X.
HE WAS VERY, YOU KNOW, I WANT PEOPLE THERE THAT SHOWS EVERYONE THAT BLACK PEOPLE HAVE FOUGHT THEIR ENTIRE LIVES FOR DEMOCRACY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND, UM, BASICALLY PUTTING UP A MUSEUM ON THE SECOND FLOOR HERE IS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, A BYPRODUCT.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE ARE GONNA DO THIS TO ACCOMMODATE THE THREE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT LOUIS FARRAKHAN ON, UM, MANHATTAN AVENUE.
AND THEY PROBABLY HAVE NEVER DRIVEN ON MANHATTAN AVENUE.
SO FOR ME, NO, I, I WOULD LIKE, I WILL, I'M SO SORRY THAT THEY, Y'ALL COULDN'T SAVE THE, UM, THE, UH, THE, THE KINDERGARTEN, THE SCHOOL THAT WAS OVER THERE ON OLD TERRY TOWN ROAD WAS THERE FOR, FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, I'M SORRY, WHICH CALL'S NOT HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE COULD PROBABLY TELL ME IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1700 BARNYARD, YOU KNOW, SO YES, I JUST SAYING, I'M JUST SAYING YOU'RE PUTTING IT THERE, A MUSEUM THERE FOR WHAT REASON TO TELL ME ABOUT THE ARTISTS THAT ARE HERE.
BASICALLY, WE'VE BEEN, OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT IN THE TOWN TO PROMOTE HISTORY.
WE'RE MAKING REAL PROGRESS ON THE ODELL HOUSE, UH, WHICH WAS, HAD PLAYED A REAL SIGNIFICANT ROLE
[01:50:01]
IN THE HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, OF MADAM THE TOWN.UH, WE BASICALLY, UM, STARTED A LIVING HISTORY INITIATIVE YEARS AGO WITH, UH, WORLD WAR II AND KOREAN, UH, YOU KNOW, VETERANS.
UH, WE HAVE 150 VETERANS, MANY WHO ARE NOW DECEASED, UH, WHO TOLD THEIR STORIES OF BEING HEROES IN WORLD WAR II AND THE KOREAN
BUT YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT.
UH, WE HAVE A NINE 11, UM, UH, STORIES INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE, UM, AN INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING WITH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND CHILDREN OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS TELLING THEIR STORIES.
SO ALL OF THIS IS PART OF A PACKAGE BECAUSE WE WANT FUTURE GENERATIONS IN THE TOWN TO APPRECIATE THE HI, THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN YESTERDAY I SPOKE TO.
SO YOU'LL HAVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, IT WON'T BE JUST ALL BLACK PEOPLE, BUT NO, YESTERDAY I SPOKE TO, UM, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT ALL THE GIRL SCOUTS, UM, AND, UM, THEY WERE CELEBRATING THEIR HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY, THEY'LL ODDS LEAGUE GIRL, GIRL SCOUTS, UM, HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SET UP NOW, UH, A LIVING HISTORY WHERE THE GIRLS, CURRENT GIRL SCOUTS ARE GOING TO TELEVIS DO INTERVIEWS SAYING WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHY THEY'RE DOING IT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ARCHIVE THEIR INTERVIEWS.
AND, UM, AND HOPEFULLY 50 YEARS FROM NOW AND A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW, FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL APPRECIATE WHAT GIRL SCOUTS IN 2024 DID.
SO WE WANNA KEEP HISTORY CURRENTLY.
WELL, IF YOU WANNA BE HISTORY ON GIRL SCOUTS, DID MY GRANDMOTHER STARTED THE FIRST GIRL SCOUT TROOP HERE.
WE'RE GONNA INTERVIEW THIS, YOU KNOW.
NO, WE, WE SHOULD INTERVIEW YOU BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
SEE, I DO NOT WANT SEE ALL BLACK MUSEUM.
IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON, WE WANNA FOCUS ON EVERYTHING.
ARE WE GONNA FOLLOW THE PROCESS SUPERVISOR? OKAY.
I I THINK WE CAN SPEAK FURTHER ABOUT THIS AND LISTEN TO SOME OF YOUR IDEAS.
ALL OVERLAP ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
ALL, AND ONCE AGAIN, GLAD TO HEAR THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE SUGGESTED OR PROPOSED CHANGES TONIGHT TO THE HISTORIC BOARD LAW.
SO THIS ISN'T FOR, THIS ISN'T PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M THIS, THIS IS THE HEARING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, MUSEUM.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE TOPIC IS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S NOT PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE LAW.
THERE WERE STRIKES AND UNDER LINES IN THE LAW.
YOU CAN REFER TO THAT IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT THOUGH IF YOU WISH.
IF YOU WANNA REFER TO THE MUSEUM.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PUBLIC, UH, ABOUT THE HISTO THE HISTORIC HEARING? ANY ANYONE ELSE? SURE.
NO, WE'RE, UH, ANYONE ELSE REFERRING TO CHAPTER 2 35 OF THE CODE? UH, UH, AMENDING THE LOCAL LAW? NO, SUPERVISOR.
WHEN YOU COURT, THEN I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT, UH, WE CLOSE THE HEARING AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN FOR SEVEN DAYS.
IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR A SECOND ROUND.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO, UH, SPEAK AGAIN ON THIS? NO, NO.
UH, JUST ON THE, JUST ON THE HISTORICAL CHANGES, THE CHANGES TO THE LOCAL LAW.
THE HISTORICAL LANDLORD, CLIFF, CLIFF, IT WAS MENTIONED AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD IS DOING, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LOCAL LAW.
BUT IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, YOU CAN SAVE IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
NO, I WANTED TO DO WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
TALKING, HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
THIS IS A HEARING ABOUT THE LOCAL LAW.
I TOO FULLY, UH, SUPPORT AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARK HAS TO ME HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS.
I THINK PART OF THE CONFUSION, UH, COULD BE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS THE GENESIS OF REMOVING THE PLANNING BOARD, BUT THERE WERE SEVERAL APPLICATIONS THAT CAME BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND WE FELT THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DATA PRESENTED TO MAKE AN OBJECTIVE DECISION TO SUPPORT OR REJECT THE APPLICATION.
SO, UH, I THINK ON SEVERAL APPLICATIONS, UH, UH, UH, EXCEPT THE ONE THAT HUGH SCHWARTZ TALKED ABOUT, WHERE, WHERE WE DID, UH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT ON SEVERAL OF THEM, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HA WE DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAME TO THIS DECISION.
WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PROCESS WAS EMPLOYED TO COME TO THAT DECISION.
THEREFORE, WE FELT THAT THE PLANNING BOARD COULD NOT MAKE A DECISION.
SO IT WASN'T THAT THE PLANNING BOARD
[01:55:01]
OBJECTED OR DID NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED.I THINK IT IS A LEGITIMATE, UH, UH, UM, ROLE FOR THE PLANNING BOARD.
THIS LAW SHOULD HAVE A PROCESS WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION FOLLOWING A PROCESS THAT COULD NOT BE CHALLENGED IN COURT.
THAT'S STILL OUR CONCERN, WAS IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PROCESS AND JUST SAY YOU CAN'T, AND YOU MAKE SOMETHING LANDMARK AND ANOTHER HOUSE THAT YOU DID NOT MAKE LAND AND YOU CAN'T HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO TELL, TO MAKE A DISTINCTION, THEN WE JUST OPENING UP OURSELVES TO A LAWSUIT.
THAT WAS THE REASON WHY THE PLANNING BOARD DID NOT MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS ON IT AND JUST SAID, WE ARE NOT GONNA TALK.
IT WASN'T FOR LACK OF INTEREST, IT WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PROPER PROCESSES WERE IN PLACE TO MAKE AN OBJECTIVE DECISION.
IF THIS LAW HAS THAT BUILT IN, UH, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAW, I DIDN'T READ IT, BUT IF THIS LAW HAS IT BUILT IN THAT THERE ARE STANDARDS AND THERE'S A PROCESS TO, TO MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT A HOUSE IS HISTORIC, THEN THAT'S FINE.
BUT I STILL FEEL THAT THE PLANNING BOARD SHOULD AT LEAST BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
HAVE COMMISSIONER COME UP FOR A MINUTE TO CLARIFY? ANYONE ELSE? LISA, WAS THAT THE, NO, THE REASON WHY I'M SAYING IS BECAUSE NO ONE HAD SIGNED UP.
THEY HAD SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ON THE LIST, I HAD TO ASK IF THEY WERE WANTED TO MAKE, UM, COMMENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR LAW.
SO IS THERE ANYONE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS LAW? OKAY.
JUST TO, UH, CLARIFY A FEW THINGS.
UM, GOOD COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, THE PROCESS FOR NOMINATING EITHER A SITE OR A LANDMARK OR AN ACTUAL DISTRICT IN THE CODE IS PRESENTLY QUITE ROBUST.
THERE'S A VERY, UH, REGIMENTED PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED AND, UM, THAT'S NOT CHANGING.
UH, WITH REGARDS TO THE PLANNING BOARD'S ROLE, WHICH ADMITTEDLY WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THIS PROCESS BY VIRTUE OF THIS LOCAL LAW, AS I DESCRIBED, UH, THAT AROSE FROM ARCHITECTS THAT PROVIDED, THAT PREPARED THE 2023 UPDATE.
THEY TOOK A FRESH LOOK AT CHAPTER 2 35 AND THEY ACTUALLY, UH, CAME TO US AND SAID, UM, IT'S NOT CUSTOMARY TO HAVE A PLANNING BOARD, UM, BE, UH, EITHER, UM, A REP RECOMMENDING BOARD IN THE NOMINATION PROCESS FOR DISTRICTS OR SITES OR LET ALONE AS THE, THE, THE LAW IS WRITTEN NOW.
ESSENTIALLY THE PLANNING BOARD HAD VETO POWER ON, UM, ON, ON THE NOMINATION.
SO, UM, YOU, YOU ADD THAT TO THE PLANNING BOARD'S, THE FACT THAT THE PLANNING BOARD HAS A TREMENDOUS WORKLOAD, WHETHER IT'S SUBDIVISION SITE PLANS, SPECIAL PERMITS, IF ADUS ARE APPROVED, THAT'S, UM, SET UP TO BE THE PLANNING BOARD'S APPROVAL.
UM, PLANNING BOARD HAS A LOT GOING ON.
IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A LEVEL OF RESPECT FOR THEIR OPINION, BUT IT'S JUST WHEN AN, AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD SAYS THAT IT'S NOT CUSTOMARY, THEY RARELY, IF EVER SEE A PLANNING BOARD INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, UM, THAT MADE ITS WAY INTO THE EASTERN REPORT.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING, UM, THAT MADE ITS WAY INTO THIS LOCAL LAW.
AND IF I MIGHT COMMENT, UM, I THINK WE ALL LISTENED EARLIER TO THE COMMISSIONER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION, UM, AND HOW THOROUGH AND CAREFUL HE WAS AND HOW WELL HE LOOKED INTO THE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HE WAS MAKING AND EXPLAINING TO US.
AND HE'S DONE THAT CONSISTENTLY.
SO HE IS GOING TO BE THE PERSON WHO WILL BE HELPFUL AND COMMENTARY ON THOSE, UM, INITIATIVES.
SO I THINK THAT, THAT THE STRENGTH OF HAVING OUR COMMISSIONER NOW IN THE LAW IS, IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THIS, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING AND, UH, LEAVE HOPE AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN FOR SEVEN DAYS.
DO WE NEED TO DO A SECOND ROUND SECOND? NO, WE JUST HAD, WE JUST HAD TO SECOND HERE.
[ 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.]
OKAY.NOW WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE WALTER SIMON.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S ONE FIVE MINUTE ROUND FOR EACH SPEAKER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
BEFORE YOU START THE CLOCK, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
[02:00:01]
I GOT THROUGH HALF OF MY STATEMENT, I SUBMITTED THE FULL STATEMENT.HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE REFLECTED IN THE RECORDS? UH, 'CAUSE HALF WAS SUBMITTED UNDER ONE CIRCUMSTANCE, THE, THE FULL STATEMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED IN THE PUBLIC HEARING RECORD.
WHERE I LEFT OFF PREVIOUSLY FOR OVER 25 YEARS, AND DURING THE TENURE OF THREE CHAIRPERSONS, THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING BOARD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES FOR THE PLANNING BOARD AND PROVIDE THEIR EVALUATION TO THE TOWN BOARD.
WHEN A NEW MEMBER JOINED THE PLANNING BOARD, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD BECAME A VOTING MEMBER OF THAT BOARD.
THIS SYSTEM WORKED VERY WELL AND AFFORDED THE ALTERNATE TIME TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING ATTENDING TRAINING SESSIONS ON THE CODES AND EXPOSED TO VARIOUS APPLICATION BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD.
AT NO TIME WERE THERE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE TOWN BOARD ON THIS PROCESS, YET THE TOWN BOARD ABRUPTLY TERMINATED THIS PROCESS.
HOW IS THE TOWN BOARD GOING TO ATTRACT AND DEVELOP EFFECTIVE PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS WITH NO PRIOR LAND USE EXPERIENCE? IF THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE TRAINING SYS, UH, EXPERIENCE NUMBER FIVE, THE LAND USE COMMITTEE AMENDED A TOWN BOARD REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD WITHOUT THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOWN BOARD.
THE SIMPLE AND LEGAL REMEDY IS SIMPLY TO ESTABLISH A RULE THAT THE LAND USE COMMITTEE OR ANY OTHER BODY IS PROHIBITED FROM CHANGING A RECOMMENDATION OF THE TOWN BOARD WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL OF THE TOWN BOARD.
THE POSITIONS, THE PO UH, UH, THE POSITIONS OF THE COMPLAINTS OF THE COMPLAINANTS IS FAIR, LEGAL, CONSISTENT WITH PROVEN PRIOR PRACTICE AND EASILY REMEDIED BY THE TOWN BOARD.
IT IS NOT THE COM UH, COMPLAINANT'S DESIRE TO HARM THE TOWN.
WE ALL WORK HARD TO SUPPORT AND ENHANCE THE TOWN THAT WE LOVE.
THE TOWN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEXT STEP IN THE ETHICS COMPLAINT PROCESS WILL HURT THE TOWN EXPONENTIALLY MORE THAN ANY POSSIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON US.
JOE DANKO PUBLICLY ADMITTED THAT HE HAS LEGAL BACK OF BACK.
HE HAS A LEGAL BACK LOAD ON FOUR CASES.
HOW WILL HE FIND TIME TO FOCUS ON THE ETHICS COMPLAINT? ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE TENSION OF THE TOWN ATTORNEY ON THIS ETHICS CASE WHILE SPENDING INSUFFICIENT TIME ON INCORPORATION AND OTHER IMPORTANT TOWN ISSUES.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT THE COMPLAINT THAT THE COMPLAINANTS FELT WOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A, UH, ETHICS VIOLATION.
WE DID NOT PURSUE THEM BECAUSE WE JUST WANTED THE BASIC IDENTIFIED ISSUES RESOLVED WITHOUT HURTING THE TOWN.
HOWEVER, GOING FORWARD AND DURING DISCOVERY, THESE ADDITIONAL CASES MAY BECOME KNOWN AND CREATE ADDITIONAL COMPLICATIONS FOR THE TOWN.
IT'S TIME, IT IS TIME FOR THE TOWN BOARD TO FOCUS OF WHAT IS BEST FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG SUBMITTED BY WALKER.
I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMENTS FROM, UH, GARRETT AND, UH, COUNCILPERSON HENDRICKS BECAUSE IT'D BE NICE IF WE ACTUALLY CONSIDERED FACTS WHEN HE CONSIDER SOMETHING.
UM, THE FACTS, THE PLANNING BOARD HAS NOT WORKED PAST 10 O'CLOCK EXCEPT TWICE IN OVER FOUR YEARS.
SO IT SAME PLANNING BOARD IS OVERWORKED, IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE OF EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S CONTINUED.
BY THE WAY, I THINK THE LAST MEETING ENDED HIT NINE.
SO THERE IS TIME FOR THE PLANNING BOARD TO DO THESE.
SECOND OF ALL, YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT'S VERY, VERY SERIOUS.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T TAKE THIS LIGHTLY BECAUSE IF YOU, IF YOU GET A HISTORIC DESIGNATION, IT HAS HUGE IMPACTS ON YOUR HOME.
IT RESTRICTS YOU FROM DOING AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS.
AND YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT VERY CAREFULLY OF WHEN YOU WANT TO USE THIS.
AND IT DOES HAVE PLANNING IMPLICATIONS.
THE ONE ON OLD ARMY ROAD, THERE WERE PLANNING IMPLICATIONS.
THAT'S THE, THE EXPERTISE OF THE PLANNING BOARD.
[02:05:01]
THE EXTRA EYES IS WORTH IT.IF ANYBODY'S OVERWORKED IN THIS TOWN, IT'S GARRETT DECAY.
GARRETT WORKS, I THINK 27 HOURS A DAY.
OKAY? I MEAN, I'VE, I KNOW HE STAYED HERE OVERNIGHT.
GOD BLESS HIM FOR DOING THE WORK HE DOES.
HE'S DONE A LOT OF THINGS FOR THIS TOWN.
BUT TO PUT ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ON HIM AND TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE PLANNING BOARD IS LUDICROUS.
THE PLANNING BOARD HAS THE TIME TO DO IT AND GARRETT DOESN'T.
THAT WHOLE, THAT WHOLE STAFF IS OVERWORKED.
LET THEM FOCUS ON WHAT THEY DO AND IF THEY'RE GONNA FOCUS ON ANYTHING ELSE, LET THEM FOCUS ON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
LET THEM FOCUS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
NOT THAT HISTORIC IS BOARDS ARE AREN'T IMPORTANT.
THEY ARE, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO THE HOMEOWNER.
IT'S A VERY, HAS ANYBODY EVER TRIED IT? ANYBODY EVER LOOKED AT THE LAWS IN HISTORIC BOARDS? I HAVE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING APPROVED IN YOUR HOUSE.
OKAY? SERIOUSLY, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR PRIVATE HOME BECOMES A CO-OP WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO TO ALL THESE PEOPLE, OKAY? IT HAS RAMIFICATIONS ON RESALE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BUY THOSE HOUSES.
ALL RIGHT? SO THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT IT.
WE, WE REALLY NEVER REALLY DESIGNATED FOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WAS THE LAST TIME WE DID A STUDY OF WAREHOUSES SHOULD BE IN THERE.
THERE ARE HOUSES THAT WEREN'T IN THERE.
WALTER WINCHELL'S HOUSE WAS NEVER IN THERE.
THE CARVE CASTLE I DON'T THINK WAS EVER IN THERE.
AND I THINK IT'S BEEN TORN DOWN.
NOW, CARVE CASTLE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER SAW THAT HOUSE.
IT WAS AN AMAZING HOUSE AND YOU KNOW, TOM CARVE WAS AN IMPORTANT CITIZEN OF THE, OF THIS TOWN.
EVEN IF HE DIDN'T DECIDE TO BUY A MCDONALD'S
BUT HE WAS STILL A VERY IMPORTANT CHARACTER IN THIS TOWN.
AND THAT HOUSE WAS A LANDMARK.
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A MUSEUM.
OKAY? THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE.
THE PLANNING BOARD DOES HAVE EXPERTISE IN THIS AND GARRETT'S GOT PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO AND I BET YOU YOU CAN FIND ANOTHER 10, 15 THINGS FOR HIM TO DO IN THE OTHER 25 HOURS A DAY.
OKAY? SO SERIOUSLY, THINK ABOUT THAT.
I BELIEVE IN WHAT THEY DO, AND WE DO HAVE SOME INTERESTING THINGS THAT NEED TO BE PRESERVED.
BUT WHEN YOU PUT IT, DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY ABOUT PUTTING, MAKING A DISTRICT, A HISTORICAL DISTRICT, OKAY? THAT, THAT HAS HUGE RAMIFICATIONS.
OKAY? SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU THINK THIS THING THROUGH CAREFULLY.
DON'T JUST SAY, WELL, GARRETT RESEARCH IT, THEREFORE IT'S RIGHT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE ON THE PLANNING BOARD.
I'VE BEEN DOING LAND USE FOR OVER 25 YEARS, OKAY? WALTER'S GOT EVEN MORE EXPERIENCE THAN I HAVE.
OKAY? THE PLANNING BOARD HAS EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA.
IN FACT, AS A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD, CORRECT? DECIDE WHO'S ON BOTH BOARDS.
OKAY? SO THINK IT THROUGH AND DON'T TAKE SO LIGHTLY THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF MYSELF AND, AND MR. SIMON WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND AGAIN, I WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE A HAPPY AND VERY SAFE THANKSGIVING.
ANYBODY ELSE? HAVE A GOOD HAPPY HOLIDAY.
UM, I'M OUT HERE TONIGHT FOR LIKE MAYBE FOUR REASONS AND ALL FOUR REASONS GO BACK BECAUSE I'VE MISSED ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS.
BUT THE MEETING THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT TODAY IS, UM, WELL TONIGHT WOULD BE ONE ELECTION.
I THINK EVERYBODY WAS SURPRISED WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THAT MAP AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN.
IN FACT, I KIND OF LIKE RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
ANYTIME YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO IS, UM, NO, ANYTIME YOU HAVE A PARTY THAT DOESN'T STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY AND WILL NOT PERMIT AN ADDITIONAL PERSON TO SPEAK AT A DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, WITH THAT PARTY.
NOW, THAT BIG RED LINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAP IS WHAT I WANNA DISCUSS WITH THE DONOR STATES.
I DON'T WANNA SEE OUR MONEY GO THERE SPECIFICALLY.
I DON'T MIND HELPING OUT WHEN THERE'S A TORNADO, YOU KNOW, HURRICANE AND WHATNOT.
BUT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO THE, BECAUSE
[02:10:01]
IT IS IMPORTANT.NOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I'M LOOKING AT IS THAT THEY HAVE CHARGED NETANYAHU AND HIS CHIEF GESTAPO OFFICER WITH, UM, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.
HOW LONG ARE WE AS A COUNTRY GOING TO NOT SPEAK UP AND SAY THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS RIGHT AND WRONG IN WAR? WAR SHOULD NOT EXIST.
YOU CANNOT HAVE A WAR WHEN ONLY ONE SIDE HAS WEAPONS.
WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT AT THIS TERM AND AT THIS NOW, THERE IS NO WINNER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOSE, LOSE SITUATION.
NOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO, IN GAZA AND PALESTINE AND THE PART ON ISRAEL, UM, I WANNA SUPPORT AND SALUTE THE, UM, JEWISH PEOPLE IN NEW YORK CITY.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE A FABULOUS JOB.
THEY'VE COME OUT AND THEY'VE SPOKEN NOT AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE SPEAKING AGAINST WAR.
THEY'RE SPEAKING AGAINST, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE UNITED STATES.
YOU CANNOT GO INTO A GROCERY STORE AND NOT PAY LESS THAN $5 FOR EGGS, BREAD AND BUTTER MILK, ALL OF YOUR STAPLES.
SO WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS? WE HAVE IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN HOTELS AND MONEY TO EAT ON, AND YOU HAVE AMERICAN CITIZENS LIVING IN, IN, IN, IN, I DON'T, IN, IN SHELTERS AND IN THE STREET, AND THIS IS WHAT I CALL SUPPRESSION OF THE VOTE.
THE AMERICAN CITIZENS, THEY CAN'T VOTE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS.
SO WHERE'S OUR DEMOCRACY? WHAT, WHAT ARE WE HERE TO DO AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AS A PERSON WHO BELIEVES IN THE DEMOCRACY, BECAUSE MY ANCESTORS FOUGHT TO SEE TO IT THAT THERE'S A DEMOCRACY HERE.
I WILL NOT ACCOMMODATE DISCRIMINATION OF ANY TYPE.
I'M GONNA GO GET A JOB WITH, UM, ICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN TRUMP IS PUTTING EVERYBODY OUT THIS COUNTRY, THAT THOSE PARENTS WHO GAVE UP THEIR CHILDREN, NOW SEE, MY ANCESTORS DIDN'T HAVE A RIGHT TO SAY, NO, WE ARE GONNA KEEP OUR KIDS AND MOVE.
THEY JUST TOOK 'EM TWO YEARS OLD.
NOW THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT'S HAPPENING TO THE PALESTINIANS IN, IN, IN, IN EGYPT.
I'M SAYING EGYPT BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET OUT THERE, BUT THERE'S WAR ALL OVER.
YOU GOT LEBANON, YOU HAVE, UM, IRAN, YOU HAVE YEMENI.
YOU, YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE PLACES.
AND WE HAVE 53% OF THE, OF THE ARMED FORCES IN THE UNITED STATES COMPRISED OF, OF PEOPLE OF COLOR BLACK.
AND THAT'S FORCED MARGINALIZATION.
I, I, LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, WE WERE DISCUSSING BLACK COLLEGES.
I STARTED THE WOMEN'S RIFLE TEAM AT VIRGINIA STATE COLLEGE THINKING THAT THIS WOULD GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO THE, THE, UM, STATE DEPARTMENT OPENING UP JOBS, FORESIGHT.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO USE A GUN TO KILL ANYBODY EVER.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SAY? THE JEWISH PEOPLE HERE ARE NOT SPEAKING OUT.
I HAVE TOO MANY JEWISH FRIENDS.
I'VE GONE TO AN ALL INTEGRATED SCHOOL.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL START SPEAKING UP AND SPEAKING OUT SO AT LEAST I CAN COME IN ON, I WANT EQUALITY AND EQUITY ON BOTH SIDES, HAL.
OKAY? I KNOW YOU'RE ALL EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THE STUFF, BUT WAIT, WE'LL ALL OPEN IT TOGETHER.
I DIDN'T USE THIS DURING THE OPEN HEARING IS ON THE BUDGET, BUT THERE'S MONEY INVOLVED.
I ESTIMATE $200,000 THAT THE TOWN OVERPAID FOR WORK THAT WAS NOT DONE ON THE NORTH WASHINGTON AVENUE'S SIDEWALK.
[02:15:01]
PAGE ONE IS THE RESOLUTION YOU PASSED AND YOU GAVE IT TO CONTACT CONSTRUCTION.AND THE ISSUE FOR ME IS INSIDE YOU'LL SEE A LINE ITEM $63,000 FOR ROCK EXCAVATION.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT IS FOR THE BIDDERS ALSO BID $63,000.
NEXT PAGE IS THE COVER OF THE A HUNDRED NOT 39 PAGE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE CONTRACTOR.
UH, IT WAS PREPARED BY THE TOWN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE BUREAU OF ENGINEERING, AND IT SAYS IT IS INSTALLATION OF THE SIDEWALK FROM WEST HARSDALE AVENUE TO CENTRAL AVENUE.
HOWEVER, THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT IT.
ONE THIRD OF THAT SIDEWALK DOES NOT EXIST.
THE NEXT PAGE IS ALSO FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE BUREAU OF ENGINEERING.
AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE, AGAIN, IS FROM THE WEST HARSDALE AVENUE TO CENTRAL AVENUE.
AND UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT YOU SEE A LITTLE MAP SHOWS AN UNBROKEN SIDEWALK.
NEXT PAGE IS A LINE, ONE OF THE PAGES, LINE ITEMS, AND IT SHOWS TWO AREAS OF ROCK EXCAVATION.
ONE FOR $97,000, AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE 63,000.
THE 63,000 ADDRESSES A PROBLEM THAT THE ENGINEERS SAID HAS PREVENTED THEM FROM BUILDING THE OTHER PART OF THE SIDEWALK.
THE NEXT PAGE IS FROM, FOR THE CONTRACTOR WHO SAYS HE'S BEEN TO THE SITE, HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS BEFORE HE BID ON IT, AND THAT HE'S PAYING FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO DO IN THE CONTRACT.
THE NEXT PAGE IS FROM THE CONTRACT AGAIN, AND IT'S FROM MR. FINDER'S SIGNATURE THAT HE AGREED TO IT.
THE NEXT PAGE IS FROM THE TOWN COMPTROLLER, WHICH SAYS SHE PAID THE CONTRACTOR $718,447.
THE NEXT PAGE IS FROM AARON HARWOOD OF THE JUNIOR ENGINEER, AND IT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE NO CHANGE ORDERS AND IT SHOWS THAT WE HAVE NOW PAID THEM 718,000 OF THE 737,000.
THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION WAS 737,000 NOT TO EXCEED IT.
SO WE DIDN'T, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BUILD A THIRD OF THE SIDEWALK.
THE NEXT PAGE IS FROM THE PRESENTATION TO THE, UH, TOWN BOARD.
AND AGAIN, THEY REPEAT THE 7 37, THE SEVEN 18, AND WE SHOW THAT'S A DIFFERENCE.
WE SAVED 19,000, BUT WE DIDN'T BUILD A THIRD OF THE SIDEWALK.
THE NEXT PAGE IS FROM RICH FA AND IN MAY 28TH, HE'S TOLD US, CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO PLANS TO ATTACH THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE SIDEWALK ON NORTH WASHINGTON AVENUE.
THE NEXT PAGE IS AGAIN, FROM THE PRESENTATION AND SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS.
AND HERE'S TRYING TO TELL US THAT THE REASON WE DIDN'T BUILD IT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT NEED SIDEWALKS.
FINE, EXCEPT WE STILL HAVE THE SAME HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ON NORTH WASHINGTON FOR WHERE THE SIDEWALK ISN'T.
THE NEXT PAGE IS THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU APPOINTED JAMES MEHAN AS INTERIM TOWN ENGINEER, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2022.
HE WAS THE SENIOR GUY ON THE JOB AT THE TIME WHEN THE BIDDING WENT OUT.
AND AS SOON AS YOU APPOINTED HIM, TWO MONTHS LATER, HE LEFT THE TOWNS EMPLOYEE LEAVING ALL THAT BEHIND.
AND THE NEXT PAGE IS A RESOLUTION THAT YOU PASSED MORE RECENTLY, MARCH THIS YEAR.
AND IT SHOWS THAT YOU CONTACT CONSTRUCTION WITH BIDDING.
AGAIN, THEY WEREN'T THE LOW BIDDER.
HOWEVER, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL MORE PEOPLE BIDDING THIS TIME THAN WE'RE BIDDING FOR THE SIDEWALK.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT MEANS? POSSIBLY THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO DO EXCAVATION OF ROCKS, MORE FIRMS WERE ABLE TO BID BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT AREA.
ALL IN ALL, WHAT YOU SEE IN ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS, IT COMES DOWN TO THREE THINGS.
WHATEVER THE TOWN ENGINEERS WANT TO SAY, THE TOWN ENGINEERS PUT TOGETHER THE CONTRACT.
IT SAYS ON THE VERY FIRST PAGE FROM WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE TO CENTRAL AVENUE.
IT DOES NOT SAY, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THE MIDDLE SET THIRD OF THE SIDEWALK.
THE NEXT PAGE IS THERE MAPS, AND AGAIN,
[02:20:01]
FROM WEST HARTSDALE AVENUE TO CENTRAL AVENUE.AND THE THIRD PAGE IS, THANK YOU MR. SAMS. MR. FINER SIGNED THE CONTRACT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE PUBLIC SPEAKERS? WE HAVE CLIFTON ABRAMS, SIR, UM, CLIFF ABRAMS. THANK YOU.
I GOTTA USE A MINUTE OF MY TIME BECAUSE I KNOW DURING THE HEARING, PAUL, YOU TALKED ABOUT CV CALLAWAY, UM, MOM LEY.
AND I'M LIKE SAYING, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, I GOT THE RIGHT TO GET UP HERE TO, TO SPEAK WHAT I WANT.
Y'ALL BRING THE LAW GAME ON ME, OKAY? NOW, NONE OF DON'T DESERVE NO REP.
I'M FROM GREENVILLE MY WHOLE LIFE, JOAN, ANYONE DESERVE ANY RECOGNITION IS ATLANTA STAR CAPELLA.
HE, HE DIDN'T GIVE NOTHING BACK TO FAIRVIEW CAB CALLWAY, NOTHING.
MABEL, SHE WAVED TO PEOPLE SHE LIVED AT RIGHT HERE ON HILLSIDE AVENUE.
BUT AS FAR AS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, NONE OF THEM.
SO YOU NEED TO PUT PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
WHO KNOWS GREENBERG, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAD PARK CAFE DOWN THERE THAT'S, I SHOULD BEEN ON LANDMARK, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS NOW, IT'S BJ'S.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A BASEBALL FIELD THERE.
I GOT PICTURES OF THE GUYS WHO WERE PARK CAFE THAT MR. UM, BOSTON GAVE ME.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S PUT SOME PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
WHO KNOWS THE REAL GREENBERG, THE TASTY FREEZE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S OVER THERE ON ONE 19 WHERE TEXTS AT NOW I WASTE ALL THAT TIME BRINGING THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T ALLOW ME TO SHARE WHEN YOU SHARE.
YOU KNOW, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING OUR LIAISON FOR THE HOUSING AND T-D-Y-C-C, YOU KNOW, UM, I ASKED PAUL ABOUT A MONTH AGO TO PUT SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR, UM, FOR COMMUNITY CENTER WILD WALLS, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
AND, BUT PAUL, YOU KNOW, WE MESSED UP.
BUT ANYWAY, HE SHARED IT WITH THE BOARD AND OF COURSE THE BOARD GOING TO SAY NO GOING TO SAY NO.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I KNOW JOY.
WE TALKED ABOUT WORKING WITH THE CENTER TO HELP OUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE COMMUNITY CENTER WITH OUR WALLS.
I SENT YOU AND PAUL SOME PICTURES OF WHAT WE DONE THIS LAST SEASON, WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING THIS SEASON.
AND I HAD A MEETING ON NOVEMBER 19TH, THANKS TO TERENCE, HE ALLOWED US TO COME TO THE CENTER AND UM, WE HAD OVER 18 KIDS THERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN CALLING ME UP, WANTING TO BE A PART OF IT, BUT I CAN'T DO NOTHING UNTIL JANUARY BECAUSE MR. GEORGE LAMORE BEEN FANTASTIC, RIGHT? HE GAVE US $15,000 LAST YEAR, UM, EARNEST MATTER FACT, AND SAID, OH, CLIFF, YOU GOTTA SPEND THE MONEY FIRST AND THEN WE REIMBURSE YOU.
NO, MR. BURY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WAS TRYING TO DO AND HE GAVE US THE MONEY UP FRONT, YOU KNOW, AND INSTALLMENTS.
SO, BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE DID HAVE WAS THE KIDS.
WE HAD ABOUT I AVERAGE OF 10, YOU KNOW, BUT WE LEARNED FROM WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
AND SO I WAS LIKE SAYING, NOW I GOT ALL THESE KIDS AND NO MONEY, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M REACHING OUT TO CERTAIN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS, AND I'M ASK THEM TO DONATE WHATEVER THEY COULD DONATE, YOU KNOW? AND LIKE WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS IT AIN'T ABOUT ME.
I'M, I'M GOOD, YOU KNOW, I GOT GOD.
SO I AIN'T WORRIED ABOUT NOTHING.
BUT THESE ARE THE KIDS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE ON RIGHT IN FAIRVIEW, THAT WHO'S LOOKING FORWARD FOR IT, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, WITH THE COUNTY, I HAD TO, FIRST OF ALL, I HAD TO GET ALL THIS ASSURANCE RIGHT? AND NOW I'M SPENDING MY OWN MONEY BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO INTO JUNE TO SPIN UP ALL THE MONEY THAT MR. BERG GAVE US.
SO I HAD TO GET RENEWED THE CONTRACT WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY, WHICH THE SEXUAL MOLESTING THEN THE UMBRELLA, WHICH COST OVER 25, UM, HUNDRED DOLLARS THAT I HAD TO SPEND MY MONEY NOW BECAUSE I HAD TO REDO IT FOR THEM TO LET US SPEND THE LAST BIT OF MONEY.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING, WE GOT THE MONEY.
I ASKED TERRANCE CAN I GET A COUPLE OF MONTHS? HE GAVE ME NOVEMBER, BUT HE SAID THAT THE TOWN BOARD DON'T WANT PEOPLE JUST TO KEEP ON HAVING IT.
SO JOY AS YOU BE THE LIAISON, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA GET TERRANCE IN TROUBLE 'CAUSE TERRANCE ALWAYS LOOKS OUT FOR ME, YOU KNOW, SO YOU'RE GONNA GET ME IN TROUBLE AND
[02:25:01]
STILL, YEAH, I DON'T MIND THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE THE BOARDSO I JUST HOPE Y'ALL COULD LOOK IN YOUR HEARTS, NOT LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT WHAT THE COMMUNITY CENTER WILD WALLS IS ABOUT AND YORK COULD EVEN COME TO THE DECEMBER, UM, EVENT WE HAVE.
YOU, I WOULD TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON, UH, THE CENTER PERIOD, UM, I'M SORRY, BUT IS THERE, IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER? WE ARE IN PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE ARE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL FIVE MINUTES.
LISTEN, WHILE HE WAS HERE, HE SAID SOMEBODY WAS PAID, AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE
PART OF THE AGENDA IS ASKING THE QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD.
WHY ARE, DO YOU WANNA COVER? AND YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN HERE.
OKAY? I JUST WANNA KNOW WHY ARE THEY PAYING THIS? THE CENTER WAS PUT THERE FOR A SPECIFIC REASON AT SENIOR.
I'M, PLEASE DON'T, THIS ISN'T DAY A CONVERSATION.
WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS OFFLINE, BUT NOT AT THE MEETING RIGHT NOW.
STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR APPRECIATE YOU HAVE GOOD QUESTIONS, ELLEN.
ELLEN, SUPERVISOR THERE ONLY THREE, THERE'S FOUR PEOPLE HERE SPEAK.
IT'S NOT GONNA MESS UP THE TOWN.
IF, UH, IF WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, UH, WITH CLIFF, UM, COULD YOU MAYBE, UM, UH, ADVISE THE BOARD WHEN, UH, YOU'RE HAVING YOUR UPCOMING COMMUNITY CENTER WITHOUT WALL'S EVENTS? BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND AND YOU KNOW, I SORT OF FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE ABLE TO REACH, UM, PEOPLE WHO GENERALLY DON'T GO TO THE CENTER AND IF THE PROGRAM HAS PARTICIPANTS AND THEY'RE BENEFITING FROM IT, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO OBSERVE IT AND MAYBE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WILL ALSO, CLIFF WILL TELL US WHEN THE MEETING IS AND THEN WE CAN SEPARATE AND JUST REAL FAST, REAL FAST.
I WILL, I WANTED TO INVITE THEM TO COME HERE, THE PARENTS AND MY, AND MY YOUTH, BUT THEY CAN'T STAY AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE IF LIKE BEFORE Y'ALL HAD CLUB COMMON EARLY, THEN THEY COULD COME BY AT LEAST EIGHT O'CLOCK OR SO, BUT 10 O'CLOCK NOBODY COULD DO THAT.
SO, YEAH, I WILL TIME, I STILL HAVE A WHOLE AGENDA.
I STILL ON THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE SENATE, SO YOU, YOU SHOULD, I THINK YOU SHOULD DISCUSS THAT WITH, WITH MR. ABRAMS OFFLINE.
IT'S NOT DISCUSS THE MONEY, PLEASE.
LOOK, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET HEARING DECEMBER 11TH AND THIS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS AT THE DECEMBER PARK.
ANYTHING, ANYTHING YOU WANNA DISCUSS ON DECEMBER 11TH IS FINE.
AND, UM, SINCE IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION TOMORROW AFTER WORK SESSION.
I'LL BE THERE AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT NORTH WASHINGTON AVENUE.
I BELIEVE WE ALREADY HAVE A FULL AGENDA.
I HAVE THIS AND I'LL REVIEW THIS WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
[ Appointment of Michele Moir to the Planning Board, for a term to expire December 31, 2026 ]
OKAY, GOOD.UH, NEXT, UH, APPOINTMENT OF MICHELLE MOORE TO THE PLANNING BOARD FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 31ST, 2026.
[ TB 1 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing a Catering Contract in connection with the Westchester Municipal Officials Association (WMOA) meeting to be hosted by the Town of Greenburgh on December 12, 2024, for an amount not to exceed $5,000]
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CATERING CONTRACT IN CONNECTION WITH WESTCHESTER MUNICIPAL, UH, OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION MEETING TO BE HOSTED BY THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2024 FOR AMOUNT NOW TO EXCEED $5,000.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ TB 2 - 11/25/2024 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Release of Easement Agreement between the Zakrzewski Living Trust, by Richard and Barbara Zakrzewski as trustees, and the Town of Greenburgh related to property located at 65 Marion Avenue (To be held over to December 11, 2024 Town Board Meeting)]
THANK YOU.WHAT IS THE, UH, MAXIMUM DOLLAR? ABOUT 5,000.
WE BUILT IN A BIG CUSHION AND, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING EVERY, UH, MONTH, A DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITY, UM, UH, SPONSORS, UM, A MEETING FOR ALL THE MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS AND, UM, I THINK EVERY TWO YEARS, UM, IT GOES TO GREENBURG.
SO THIS IS A ONE TIME EXPENSE FOR TWO YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, AND ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE, UM, EACH, EACH MONTH AND THEY'RE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, VERY
[ TB 3 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Water Main Easement Agreement between Mulligan Development LLC and the Town of Greenburgh regarding the dedication and transfer of a water main in connection with The Mulligan Lane Subdivision]
INTERESTING.UH, TB THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A WATER MAIN EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN MULLIGAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG REGARDING THE DEDICATION AND TRANSFER OF AWARD OF MAINE IN CONNECTION WITH THE MULLIGAN LANE, UH, SUBDIVISION.
[ TB 4 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Water Main Easement Agreement between Rick Hendrik Van Der Vegte and Madeline Rose Berkman and the Town of Greenburgh regarding the dedication and transfer of a water main in connection with The Mulligan Lane Subdivision]
AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A AWARD OF MAINE EASEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BRICK HENDRICK V UH, VANDER VET AND MADELINE ROSE BERKMAN, AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG REGARDING THE DEDICATION AND TRANSFER OF AWARD MAINE IN CONNECTION
[02:30:01]
WITH THE MULLIGAN LANE SUBDIVISION.[ TB 5 -11/25/2024 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh authorizing the continued retention of Cozen O’connor for the review and evaluation of the Article 78 petition filed for the purposes of village incorporation for an additional $25,000; $50,000 in total]
IN FAVOR? AYE AYE.RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, ARE WE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY TB FIVE.
WE, UH, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF COZEN O'CONNOR FOR THE REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF A PETITION FALL FOR THE PURPOSES OF VILLAGE AND CORPORATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL 25,000.
WE REVISED THE WORDING ON THAT ONE.
WHAT DO YOU, WHICH ONE? TB FIVE.
I, I WAS NOT PRESENT AT THAT WORK SESSION, BUT I DO RECALL TO ADD THIS IS OH, YES.
FOR THE REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE ARTICLE 78 APPEAL, RIGHT.
FILED BY, UH, THE EDGEMONT INCORPORATION SUPPORTERS.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE TOWN BOARD PLEASE MAKE A MOTION BASED ON THAT AMENDMENT AS AMENDED.
DO WE SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WHO SECONDED IT? I SECONDING IT.
WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER FIRST.
ALL IN ALL IN ALL IN FAVOR? NO FAVOR.
[ AT 1 - 11/25/2024 Resolution approving the continued retention of the law firm of Morris Duffy Alonso Faley & Pitcoff to represent the Town of Greenburgh in the matter of Patrick A. Navas v. The Town of Greenburgh, et al for an amount not to exceed $25,000]
AYE.A T ONE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUED RETENTION OF THE LAW FIRM ON MA STUFFY ANSO AND PIT TO REPRESENT THE TOWN OF GREENBERG IN THE MATTER OF PATRICK NAVIS VERSUS TOWN OF GREENBERG FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 25,000.
WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ AT 2 - 11/25/2024 Resolution approving the continued retention of Kenneth E. Pitcoff, Esq., and the law firm of Morris Duffy Alonso Faley & Pitcoff to represent the Town of Greenburgh and Town of Greenburgh Police Department In the Matter of Leonard Mack v. The Town of Greenburgh, et al., for an amount not to exceed $25,000, $50,000 in total]
AYE.RESOLUTION APPROVING AT AT T TWO RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTINUED OF, UH, KENNETH PITCOCK AND THE LAW FIRM OF MA STUFFY ALONSO FA AND PITCOCK TO REPRESENT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF LEONARD MACK AND THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, UH, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 25,050,000 TOTAL.
[ AT 3 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing settlement of property damage related Claim, File No.: 58/24C by Gerald L. Sheldon for an amount not to exceed $355.22]
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.A T THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT, PROPERTY DAMAGE RELATED CLAIM.
UH, FILE NUMBER 58 24 C BY GERALD SHELDON FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $355 AND 22 CENTS.
[ AT 4 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing tax certiorari settlement with petitioner Ziza Associates LLC for property located at 10 County Center Road. The Town’s share of the refund is $79,303±; the County’s share is $37,736±; the Bronx Valley Sewer District’s share is $6,951±; The Consolidated Sewer Mtc. District’s share is $2,837±; the Fairview Fire District’s share is $61,853±; the Greenburgh Central School District’s share is $206,555±. Refunds from all sources total $395,236± ]
AYE.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX SARY SETTLEMENT.
PETITIONER ZZA ASSOCIATES FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10 COUNTY CENTER ROAD.
THE TOWN SHARE OF THE REFUND IS 79,000 3 0 3.
REFUNDS FROM ALL SOURCES TOTAL.
3 95 2 36 WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CL 1 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing closing Edgemont Road, from Artillery Road to the triangle with Edgemont Place, for the Edgemont Community Council to hold its annual tree light at Crane's Pond on Sunday, December 8, 2024, from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM]
IN FAVOR? AYE.CL ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CLOSING EDMOND ROAD FROM ARTILLERY BERRY ROAD TO THE TRIANGLE WITH EDGEMONT PLACE FOR THE EDGEMONT COMMUNITY COUNCIL INTELLIGENCE ANNUAL TREE LIGHT AT CRANES POND ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH FROM 5:30 PM UNTIL 7:30 PM I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CL 2 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing closing Edgemont Road, from Round Hill Road to the triangle with Edgemont Place, for the Edgemont Community Council to hold its annual Christmas Eve caroling event at Crane’s Pond on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, from 4:30 pm until 6:30 pm]
AYE.UH, UH, CEL TWO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CLOSING OF EDGEMONT ROAD FROM ROUND HILL ROAD TO THE TRIANGLE WITH EDGE.
ONE PLACE FOR THE EDGEMONT, UM, UH, COMMUNITY COUNCIL TOLD IT'S ANNUAL, UH, CHRISTMAS EVE CAROLING EVENT, CRANES POND ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, DECEMBER 24TH FROM 4:30 PM TO 6:30 PM I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND
[ CL 3 - 11/25/2024 Order of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh setting a Public Hearing on December 11, 2024, at 7:30 PM, to consider an extension of the Finmor Sewer District in the Town of Greenburgh]
ON YE ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD, THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, SERVING A PUBLIC HEARING CL THREE CL THREE, UH, A PUBLIC HEARING ON DECEMBER 11TH AT 7:30 PM TO CONSIDER EXTENSION OF THE FINMORE, UH, SEWER DISTRICT IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.[ CL 4 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing closing a short section of Lawton Avenue from the Sacred Heart Church parking lot to Wilson Street, with Wilson Street remaining open to traffic, on December 1, 2024, from 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, for the dedication, by Bishop John S. Bonnici, of the newly constructed Marian Memorial Garden located on church property at 11 Lawton Avenue.]
IN FAVOR? AYE.RELU C FOUR RESOLUTION OF AUTHORIZING CLOSING A SHORT SECTION OF LAWTON AVENUE FROM SACRED HEART CHURCH PARKING LOT TO WILSON STREET WITH WILSON STREET.
REMAINING OPEN TO TRAFFIC FOR THE DEDICATION BY BISHOP, UH, JOHN CHE.
ON DECEMBER 1ST OF THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED MARMION MEMORIAL GARDEN LOCATED ON CHURCH PROPERTY AT 11 TON AVENUE.
[ CD 1 - 11/25/2024 Resolution approving a service agreement with Ridgewood Elmwood Owner, LLC, for surveying and engineering design and related construction services for a new park expansion driveway entrance accessing East Rumbrook Park and accepting funds for park driveway improvements]
UM, CD ONE, UH, RESOLUTION APPROVING A SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH BRIDGEWOOD ELMWOOD OWNERS FOR SURVEYING AND ENGINEERING DESIGN AND RELATED CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR A NEW PARK EXPANSION DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE FOR ACCESSING EASTBROOK PARK AND ACCEPTING FUNDS FOR PARK DRIVEWAY IMPROVEMENTS.[ CD 2 - 11/25/2024 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh approving a cost share and responsibilities related to a Sprain Brook Parkway 100B (Dobbs Ferry Road) ramp alignment project being undertaken by the New York State Department of Transportation within the geographical jurisdiction of the Town of Greenburgh]
AYE.UH, CET RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG APPROVING A, A COST YEAR AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO SPRAIN, UH, BROOK PARKWAY A HUNDRED B UM, DO ROAD BLE ALIGNMENT PROJECT BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHICAL, UH, JURISDICTION OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ CD 3 - 11/25/2024 Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh affirming its commitment to have established a new entrance to a future expanded East Rumbrook Park in advance of New York State Department of Transportation letting associated with a Sprain Brook Parkway Route 100B (Dobbs Ferry Road) ramp alignment project]
AYE.UH, CD THREE RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AFFIRMING ITS COMMITMENT TO HAVE ESTABLISHED A NEW ENTRANCE TO A FUTURE EXPANDED EASTBROOK PARK IN ADVANCE OF THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, LETTING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STRAINED BROOK PARK GRAY ROUTE A HUNDRED B UH, REAMP ALIGNMENT PROJECT.
[ CD 4 - 11/25/2024 Resolution granting an extension of a prior amended site plan approval of an application by Ferncliff Cemetery, for property located at 280 Secor Road (P.O. Hartsdale)]
FAVOR? AYE.RESOLUTION GRANTING EXTENSION C FOUR FOUR.
[02:35:01]
A PRIOR AMENDED SITE PLAN, APPROVAL OF AN APPLICATION BY FERNCLIFF CEMETERY FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT TWO 80 SECRET ROAD.[ CD 5 - 11/25/2024 Resolution granting an extension of a prior amended site plan approval of an application by BMR Ardsley Park LCC, for property located at 410-460 Saw Mill River Road (P.O. Ardsley) [TB 19-05]]
AYE.UH, CD FIVE RESOLUTION GRANTING AND EXTENSION OF A PRIOR AMEN CIP PLAN.
APPROVAL OF AN APPLICATION BY BMR LEY PARK, LLC FOR PROPERTY LOCATED, UH, FOUR TEN FOUR SIXTY.
SO RIVER ROAD, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ CR 1 - 11/25/2024 Resolution accepting on behalf of the Department of Community Resources a $5,000 donation from The Metropolis Country Club Foundation to help support the programs at the Theodore D. Young Community Center]
AYE.ACCEPTING ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, $5,000 DONATION FROM THE METROPOLIS, UM, COUNTRY, UM, CLUB TO HELP SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION PROGRAMS. THE YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER.
SECOND, SAY, FOUNDATION WHATEVER.
[ PW 1 - 11/25/2024 Resolution authorizing Absolute Auctions & Realty, Inc., an online auction company to sell, at no cost to the Town, older vehicles and miscellaneous equipment considered surplus or needing significant repair]
AYE.PR PW ONE OR, UH, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ABSOLUTE AUCTIONS AND REALTY ON ONLINE AUCTION COMPANY TO SELL AT NO COST TO THE TOWN OLDER VEHICLES AND MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT CONSIDERED SURPLUS OR NEEDING SIGNIFICANT REPAIR.
I WANT, WHAT I SAW WAS IT'S A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS CHANGED TO TWO'S SUPPOSED TO BEEN TWO YEARS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S ALRIGHT.
SO WE NEED TO, SO SO WHY DON'T WE JUST SAY THAT FOR UP TO, FOR TWO YEARS MAYBE IF IT'S NO, BUT WE NEED TO SEE WHAT NO, I THINK IT SHOULD BE ON A NO.
I YOU WANNA HOLD IT OVER? NO, NO.
THE RESOLUTION DOES STILL SAY NOT TO EXCEED FIVE YEARS.
SO WHY CAN'T WE JUST AMEND AND SAY TWO YEARS TO EXCEED, NOT TO EXCEED FIVE YEARS? I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN THINK WE SHOULD DO TWO YEARS.
I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE UP AUCTION, AUCTION HOUSE, UH, COMPANY TO DO IT.
SO WHY DON'T WE SAY THAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSIONER TO, UM, UH, TO USE THIS, UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND BASICALLY TO REPORT, UH, TO THE TOWN BOARD AFTER EACH PW UH, EACH OPTION AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER WE WANNA CONTINUE TO USING THEM.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE JUST SAYING.
WHY, WHY DON'T WE JUST SAY THE TIME BEING, UM, FOR SIX MONTHS SHOULD SAVE HERE FOR SIX MONTHS.
FOR SIX MONTHS? THIS, THIS WAY WE SAY, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER OPTION, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A YEAR.
I JUST, I JUST THINK WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE GETTING QUALITY FOR A DOLLAR WITH THE, UH, SO WHAT, HOW DID THE FIVE YEARS GET IN THERE TO BEGIN WITH? I DON'T KNOW.
PROBABLY THEY'VE BEEN USING, UH, YEAH, THIS AUCTION COMPANY AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT, BUT I THINK THE SAME ONE THAT YOU PASSED LAST YEAR.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING MAKES A LOT OF SENSE BECAUSE THIS WAY WE COULD SEE IF WE'RE GETTING A DIFFERENT AUCTION COMPANY AND EVERY TIME WE'RE GONNA GO OUT TO BOXING, WE DON'T GO OUT AUCTION.
BUT, BUT, BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE IN THE PAST IS HAVE FIVE YEAR CONTRACTS AND ONE YEAR CONTRACTS, ALL THREE
THEN THERE'S AN AUCTION TO BE HELD AND WE DON'T OPEN THAT OFTEN.
WE GET TO LOOK OVER WHAT'S ACTUALLY GETTING PUT ON THE LIST AND THEN AN AUCTION COMPANY FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I RAISED THIS I BELIEVE, BUT I'M HELD OVER.
BUT I, UH, IF YOU WANT TO PUT A TIME LIMIT ON IT, I WOULD NOT, BUT IN SIX MONTHS BECAUSE THEN
DO YOU THINK, DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE LIKE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND REACHED OUT TO OTHER COMPANIES AND, UH, AND SEEN IF WE COULD GET BETTER DEALS? NO, I THINK, I THINK THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT USING EXISTING COMPANIES, UH, WHICH I SUPPORT AND UM, AND, UH, I'M FINE WITH USING THIS A NEW COMPANY.
I JUST THINK THAT, UH, WE SHOULD DO IT WALK.
CAN WE AMEND IT? WE COULD EITHER HOLD IT OVER TO DISCUSS FURTHER OR WE CAN AMEND THE CURRENT RESOLUTION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CLERK, WAS THERE AN OFFICIAL VOTE ON THE RESO ALREADY? BECAUSE IF THERE IS, WE NEED TO ALSO HAVE A MOTION TO RESCIND THAT VOTE.
YOU HAVE TO RESCIND BECAUSE IT WAS SECOND BY JOY AND I AND IT WAS OKAY.
SO IT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD TO EITHER HOLD IT OVER OR TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO SAY
[02:40:01]
NOT TO EXCEED A TERM OF SIX MONTHS INSTEAD OF FIVE YEARS.WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ASK RICH TO, UM, MAKE A PRESENT PRESENTATION NEXT TUESDAY AT THE WORK SESSION AND JUST DISCUSS? WELL, I DON'T LET JUST DISCUSS, UH, THE SUCCESS THAT HE'S HAD, UM, BUT HE'S NOT THIS YEAH.
LET'S DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THIS.
IT'S A DIFFERENT AUCTION HOUSE.
NO, BUT I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT IF WE COULD, IF, WOULD IT MAKE ANY SENSE, UH, IF WE HAD THE COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMENT AND DISCUSS THE AUCTION PROCESS AND HOW WE DISPOSE OF, UM, TOWN, UM, VEHICLES AND SURPLUS AND YOU KNOW, WHY THEY'RE RECOMMENDING, UH, THIS APPROACH YOU BECAUSE MY FAILING IS, UM, WHY NOT? YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A OLD VEHICLE, YOU MAYBE WE COULD GET MORE THEN WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.
I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE MISSING THE PRO.
I THINK YOU NO MISUNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, BUT, BUT OKAY.
WE CAN, I'M SAYING SO WHY DON'T WE HOLD IT, WHY DON'T WE HOLD IT OVER UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY AND THEN HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF RICH IS STILL ON, BUT WE LOOK AT THE EXTENSIVE LIST OF EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? DID YOU SEE THE LIST? YEAH.
AND WE NEED, WE NEED TO WELL, DO YOU WANT, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT STEVE? WE KNOW THAT, WE KNOW THAT FRANK BARBIDO IS ON TOP RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER IS GOING OUT FOR BID, UH, DOES NOT HAVE NEW TIRES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND UM, UH, BUT THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE USE OF OUR YARD BY HAVING THESE OBSOLETE, UH, EQUIP HANGING AROUND.
NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING I THINK WE SHOULD DO, I THINK WE SHOULD DO, WE SHOULD JUST DO THE SIX MONTHS RE RESEND IT AND THEN DO THE SIX MONTHS AND THEN THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT WE STILL CAN'T DO THE PRESENTATION.
WE JUST TRYING TO, SO LET, LET'S DO IT FOR SIX MONTHS.
SO WE NEED TO RE RESEND AS AMENDED TO SIX MONTHS IS WE RESCIND THE FIRST RESOLUTION RE RIGHT? WE HAVE TO.
SO THEN I, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, UM, RESEND RE UH, REAPPROVE, WE REVOTE ON, UM, PW ONE.
UH, FIRST YOU HAVE TO RESEND, IT COULD BE DONE IN ONE TOTAL MOTION RESCIND THE PRIOR VOTE.
AND TO RE-VOTE WITH AN AMENDMENT FOR AN AMOUNT FOR A TIME LIMIT NOT TO EXTEND SIX MONTHS.
WELL YOU CAN SAY IT SUPERVISOR MAKES THAT MOTION.
[ PW 2 - 11/25/2024 Resolution awarding the contract for the Surveying Sections of the Manhattan Brook and Troublesome Brook to MJ Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Land Surveying, P.C. as the best qualified and most responsible proposer for an amount not to exceed $334,000]
AYE.RESOLUTION AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR THE SURVEYING SECTIONS OF THE MANHATTAN BROOK AND TROUBLESOME BROOK TO MJ ENGINEERING ARCHITECT.
LANDSCAPING, ARCHITECTURE AND THE, UH, LAND SURVEYING PC AS THE BEST QUALIFIED AND MOST RESPONSIBLE, UH, PROPOSER FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THREE 34,000.
I MOVE THAT WE MAKE A MOTION THAT THE MEETINGS ADJOURNED.