[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1525 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: HCancro@Greenburghny.com https://greenburghny.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
[00:00:03]
SO, UH, WE COULD START THE MEETING.
IT'S, UH, APRIL 22ND, SHORTLY AFTER FIVE 30.
AND, UH, THE FIRST ITEM, UM, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM, UH, THE LANDLORD, UM, ON EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE, WHO'S GONNA MENTION, UM, A POSSIBLE, UM, UM, NEW TENANT THAT COULD HELP, UM, REVITALIZE EAST HARTSDALE, UM, AVENUE.
SO, MR. WEISSMAN, HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
IT IS, UH, IT IS 5 41, ACTUALLY.
I'M A REPRESENTATIVE OF 48 30 REALTY COURT.
WE'VE BEEN AN OWNER OF, UH, PROPERTY IN HARD SCALE FOR 70 YEARS.
SOME OF YOU HAVE MET ME BEFORE.
UH, SOME OF YOU I'VE MET IN YOUR OFFICES, SPOKEN TO YOU.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, UH, OUR ACTIVITIES TO TRY TO LEASE 1 96 EACH THESE PARTS OF THE AVENUE AND THE HURDLES THAT, UH, WHAT HAS, UM, AT THE END OF MY COMMENTS, I, MR. FEINER, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STEVE GOLDBERG TO FOLLOW THEM UP.
UM, 'CAUSE HE HAS SOME IMPORTANT STATISTICS RELATED TO, UH, MY COMMENTS.
UH, I'VE BEEN MARKETING THE, THE SPACE AT 1 96 FOR OVER 14 MONTHS.
AND FRANKLY, IN ADVANCE OF THAT, ONCE, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD THE WRITING WAS, UH, HEADED INTO BANKRUPTCY.
ANYWAY, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, VACANCIES IN HARTSDALE ARE INCREASING.
THERE ARE VACANCIES ON MY SIDE OF THE STREET.
THERE ARE VACANCIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS A, A PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE ACUTELY AWARE OF.
UM, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS IS NOT FOR LACK OF AT LEAST MY GROUP, UH, EXPENDING MONEY, UH, OR CAPITAL TO TRY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, WE HAVE INVESTED WELL OVER $50,000 IN CLEANING OUT THE SPACE.
WE HAVE UTILIZED MULTIPLE LEASING BROKERS TO, UH, LEASE THE SPACE.
WE'RE USING DIRECT PHONE CALLS.
WE'RE DOING SPECIFIC TENANT SEARCHES.
IT IS TO, IT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT MY INTENTION TO DELIVER A QUALITY TENANT TO HARSDALE.
HARSDALE DESERVES A QUALITY TENANT.
I THINK YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THIS.
UM, I'VE HAD SEVERAL SHOWINGS, UH, OF THIS SPACE OVER 14 MONTHS.
UH, SOME OF WHICH, YOU KNOW, OUR TENANTS THAT I WOULD NOT BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, THEY WOULD NOT PASS MUSTERS WITH THE COMMUNITY OR WITH ME OR MY PARTNER.
UM, RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY A, A, A FARMER'S MARKET FULL SERVICE GROCERY THAT HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN, IN THE SPACE.
BUT THE FIRST THING THAT THEY MENTIONED, OKAY, AND IT'S THE SAME THING EVERYBODY MENTIONS, IS PARKING, PARKING, PARKING, PARKING, FIRST RULE OF RETAIL.
FOR RETAIL TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE, IT MUST HAVE CONVENIENCE, AFFORDABLE AND PLENTIFUL PARKING, PREFERABLY FOR FREE.
UM, FOR THE TENANTS, NOT ONLY ON MY SIDE OF THE STREET, BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
IT'S THE LIFEBLOOD OF WHAT GOES ON HERE.
UM, THIS TENANT HAS MADE A SPECIFIC REQUEST THAT 40 TO 60 SPACES, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THAT.
UH, THE PLAN THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER IS A ONE HOUR FREE PARKING WITH A, UH, SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A PARK MOBILE TYPE APP.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS AND HPPD ARE FOLLOW, AND, AND MR. GOLDBERG ARE ALL MORE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, SOPHISTICATED PARKING ARRANGEMENTS THAN I AM.
BUT THE PARK MOBILE APP WOULD ALLOW A CUSTOMER AT ANY ONE OF THESE, UH, LOCATIONS TO COME IN, ESTABLISH THAT THEY'RE IN A SPACE, START THEIR HOUR, FREE PARKING, UH, BE ABLE TO ATTACH A DOLLAR VIA A VR CODE OR MORE TIME TO IT.
BUT WELL ADVERTISED FREE PARKING IS WHAT THESE TENANTS DEFINITELY NEED TO SURVIVE.
UM, THAT'S REALLY PRETTY MUCH IT.
I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A LETTER OF INTENT.
I'M NOT PREPARED TO IDENTIFY THIS TENANT AND PUT HIM IN THE PUBLIC SPACE,
[00:05:02]
BUT I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.'CAUSE THIS IS A SHARED PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE, AND WE MUST COME UP WITH A GROUP SOLUTION.
SO, WITH THAT, MR. FINER, I APPRECIATE IF YOU'D OPEN THE MICROPHONE TO MR. GOLDBERG AND LET MR. GOLDBERG, UH, PROVIDE SOME OF HIS INSIGHTS.
I KNOW YOU'VE ALL MET WITH HIM.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A RESIDENT IN HARTSDALE WITH THE SOPHISTICATION AND BACKGROUND OF MR. GOLDBERG.
AND WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD ALL THANK HIM AND UTILIZE HIS EXPERTISE.
TRY TO GET TO, YOU KNOW, A A BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, COMING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MARKET THEIR SPACE IN HARVILLE, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL HAMLET, AND COME UP WITH THIS PARKING SOLUTION TOGETHER.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
BE BEFORE YOU BEGIN, UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT FAMILIAR WITH MR. GOLDBERG.
SO IF YOU COULD TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR CREDENTIALS THAT MAKE YOU PART OF THIS CON, YOU KNOW, RELEVANT TO THE CONVERSATION, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
ALSO, I HAVE, IT WAS STATED THAT WE HAD MET AND THAT YOU HAD MET WITH THE TOWN BOARD WITH, AND WE HAVE, AND THE COUNCIL HAS NOT MET WITH YOU, SO THAT'S WHY WE JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY OF WHO YOU WERE.
THAT'S, AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET HIS NAME.
SO IF I CAN HAVE HIS NAME, STEVEN GOLDBERG.
UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? SURE.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF EAST HARTSDALE FOR 10 YEARS, UH, WHICH IS WHY I AM DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE BECAUSE MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE FROM NEW YORK CITY 10 YEARS AGO TO BE IN OUR FAMILY AND OUR GRANDKIDS.
UM, MY PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS, UH, IN RETAILING ARE PROBABLY LONGER THAN I REALLY CARE TO THINK ABOUT.
BUT I AM CURRENTLY, UH, AND HAVE BEEN A CONSULTANT IN THE RETAIL, CONSUMER BRAND AND INVESTOR SPACE.
I CONSULT WITH BRANDS, RETAILERS, INVESTORS.
I'VE WORKED PERSONALLY SCOOPING ICE CREAM IN BOSTON.
I HAVE WORKED IN MY FAMILY SHOE STORE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE MERCHANTS ARE GOING THROUGH AT THAT LEVEL.
BUT I HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH RETAILERS THAT HAVE A THOUSAND DOORS, A HUNDRED DOORS AND TWO DOORS.
I HAVE PERSONALLY MET WITH MANY OF THE MERCHANTS ON EAST HARTSDALE.
BOTH THE MERCHANTS THAT I KNEW, THE TRAIN STATION AND THAT DISTRICT, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT ARE CLOSER TO CENTRAL AVENUE.
WHY AM I DOING THAT? I'M DOING IT SO I REALLY CAN UNDERSTAND ON THE GROUND WHAT THEIR ISSUES ARE PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT ANECDOTALLY.
AND THE FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF 'EM HAS BEEN VERY CONSISTENT.
NUMBER ONE, THE PARKING ISSUE.
NOT ONLY AVAILABILITY OF PARKING, BUT THE VISIBILITY OF PARKING.
OUR PARKING GARAGES, ALTHOUGH YOU MAY THINK THAT THEY'RE VISIBLE TO EVERYBODY OR NOT, WE DON'T REALLY DO A GOOD JOB IN THIS TOWN OF MAKING PEOPLE AWARE THAT THERE IS A PARKING FACILITY.
NUMBER TWO, AND THIS IS EXPRESSED BY ALMOST ALL THE RESTAURANTS IN OTHER TOWNS, PARKING IS FREE AFTER SIX O'CLOCK.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE FREE PARKING IN SOME PARTS OF THE PARKING DISTRICT ON SATURDAYS, AND IN OTHER PARTS ON SUNDAYS, WE DON'T COMMUNICATE THAT.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER, AS YOU HEARD MR. WEISSMAN SAY, THERE IS THE PROSPECT OF A TENANT FOR WHAT IS CALLED AN ANCHOR.
AND THIS STORE IS A FULCRUM AND AN ANCHOR TO THIS PARTICULAR STRIP.
NOW, YOU MIGHT SAY, THOSE OF YOU ON THE TOWN BOARD, AND I THANK YOU, BY THE WAY, ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, BUT YOU MAY BE THINKING, WELL, WHY SHOULD I BE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THIS LITTLE AREA? WE'VE GOT LOTS OF OTHER RETAILERS, LOTS OF OTHER COMMERCIAL AREAS.
WHY? BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE REALLY PREDOMINANT EAST WEST THOROUGHFARES THAT CUTS THROUGH THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ON EAST HARTSDALE AND UP TO WEST HARTSDALE ATTRACTS PEOPLE, OR DID ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM SCARSDALE HILL AND OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND IS UNIQUE IN THAT REGARD.
AND RIGHT NOW, THIS ENTIRE STRIP IS IN FREE FALL.
WE HAVE A PSYCHIC READER AT ONE END OF THE STRIP.
WE HAVE TWO CONVENIENCE STORES THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE ON THESE, ON THIS STRIP THAT ARE SELLING CONTRABAND BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
AND THEY'RE SELLING IT TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE A VERY DYSFUNCTIONAL MIX OF RETAILERS
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AND RESTAURANTS, AND WE HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF EMPTY, AND I CAN TELL YOU CATEGORICALLY THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL MORE THAT INTEND TO LEAVE AND THEY'RE LEAVING FOR OTHER TOWNS.AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT GREENBERG IS IN COMPETITION IN SPITE OF A VERY CHALLENGED RETAIL ENVIRONMENT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, IN MY LONG, LONG INVOLVEMENT IN THIS WORLD OF RETAIL, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE TIME.
BUT GREENBERG IS LOSING TO OTHER SURROUNDING TOWNS.
AND THIS STRIP IN PARTICULAR, WILL IMPLODE UNLESS WE SECURE IT WITH SOME PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT BY THIS TOWN BOARD.
BECAUSE IF THAT SPACE IS NOT RENTED, THERE'S GONNA BE NO REASON FOR OTHERS TO COME AND INVEST IN THIS AREA.
AND WORSE, THEY'RE SEEING OTHER TENANTS COME IN THAT ARE REALLY SUBOPTIMAL AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
'CAUSE I PERSONALLY WANT TO SEE THIS AREA SUCCEED.
LAST I VOLUNTEERED MY SERVICES TO THE TOWN, WHICH PAUL KNOWS, AND GARRETT KNOWS.
I DID A SURVEY A YEAR AGO OF SURROUNDING TOWNS OF POTENTIAL TENANTS ON MY, ON MY OWN.
AND I HAVE OFFERED MY SERVICES TO THE TOWN FOR FREE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED, NO HIDDEN AGENDA, SIMPLY BECAUSE I LIVE HERE.
AND SO IT'S NOW TIME FOR THE TOWN BOARD PARTICIPATE, AND TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE CREATIVE IDEAS THAT ARE GONNA BE PUT FORTH.
AND SOME OF THAT'S GONNA INVOLVE THE PARKING DISTRICT, WHICH IS A WHOLE LONG OTHER CONVERSATION.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S MY BACKGROUND, THAT'S MY REQUEST.
AND I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
FIRST OF ALL, AS, AS, UM, COUNCILWOMAN HABER POINTED OUT, UM, WE, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH YOU.
SO IT, IT, IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE YOU'RE UPSET THAT WE HAVEN'T AVAILED OURSELVES OF THESE SERVICES YOU OFFER.
BUT SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE HEARING ABOUT IT, THAT IS, UM, I PLEASE ACCEPT OUR, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T APOLOGIZE FOR SOMETHING WE DIDN'T KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW THAT, PLEASE ACCEPT THAT.
I'VE TALKED TO PAUL MANY TIMES AND GARRETT MANY TIMES, SO IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT AT ALL.
NUMBER TWO, I THINK THAT I, I, I SHOULDN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHERS, BUT I'M CERTAINLY ON BOARD FOR HAVING QUALITY TENANTS FOR THE RETAIL OUTLETS ON EAST HARTSDALE AVE.
UM, BUT WHERE IS THERE AN ISSUE? THE ISSUE IS THAT IT'S REQUIRING A, A SEPARATE ENTITY, THE, THE, UM, HARTSDALE PARKING AUTHORITY THAT ISN'T ON THE CALL TO GIVE UP FUNDS.
AND THEY'RE HARD PRESSED FOR FUNDS TOO.
UM, AND SO THE, THE, UH, SUPERVISOR HAS PROPOSED THAT PERHAPS THE TOWN COME UP MAKES SOME OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT COST.
BUT THAT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR EVERYONE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO PAY IN EFFECT FOR, UM, FOR A SELECT GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO, AS YOU SAY, COME, MAYBE COME FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE SCARSDALE.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT WITHOUT DATA, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, WITHOUT DATA THAT WOULD JUSTIFY ANY, ANY OUTLAY OF MONIES ON THE PART OF THE TOWN.
WE'RE HARD PRESSED TO, TO GIVE YOU SOME SORT OF ANSWER AT THIS JUNCTURE.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I SPEAK FOR OTHERS THAT WE WANT TO SEE EAST HARTEL APP BE SUCCESSFUL AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO FACILITATE IT, THAT WON'T BE HARMFUL IN ANY WAY TO ANY OF THE OTHER ENTITIES.
SO HOW COULD, WAS THE PARKING DISTRICT INVITED TO THIS? YEAH, WE'VE INVITED THEM THIS MEETING.
WERE THEY INVITED TO THIS MEETING? MEETING? YES.
WELL, WE HAD ACTUALLY, YES, THEY WERE INVITED AND WE THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD BE PARTICIPATING, ALTHOUGH IN, IN MY MIND, WE SHOULD BE HAVING, UH, THIS IS SORT OF LIKE THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF THIS PLAN, AND I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA SORT OF BREAK THAT DOWN FIRST.
I THINK WE'RE SORT OF PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE TO HAVE YOU COME OR NOT.
YOU
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UH, WORKING WITH THE PARKING DISTRICT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER THROUGH, YOU KNOW, CONSENSUS RATHER THAN SAYING, OH, WE HAVE TO GIVE MONEY, OR WE HAVE TO DO THIS OR THAT.SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, MR. GOLDBERG, YOU WERE GONNA GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DISCOVERED IN YOUR SURVEY OR THAT TO GIVE US MORE OF A BACKGROUND, WAS THAT YOUR, WAS THAT WHAT YOU WERE PLANNING TO DO? WELL, UH, THE, THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'LL TELL YOU ARE THAT THE, EVERY SINGLE MERCHANT, EVERY SINGLE RESTAURANT HAS SAID, UH, WE ALSO NEED SUPPORT FROM THE TOWN.
THEY HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE TOWN, AND THEY'RE SEEKING FROM THE TOWN SOME KIND OF HELP IN TERMS OF MARKETING.
AND YOU KNOW, PAUL AND GARY HAVE TALKED ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO THAT IN TERMS OF BRINGING SOMEBODY ON THAT CAN SUPPORT EAST HARTSDALE MARKETING EFFORTS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER MEANS.
BUT THAT PERSON CAN ALSO SUPPORT GREENBERG.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE WHAT I CALL MOMENTS OF TRUTH.
AND THIS IS GOING TO EITHER IMPLODE OR SUCCEED.
WELL, AND IT'S ON THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO SUPPORT IT, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE MERCHANTS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAVE SAID THE EXACT SAME THING.
AND LAST THING I'LL TELL YOU, IN TERMS OF STATISTICS, WHICH IS INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD, AND I'VE MET WITH THE PARKING DISTRICT, AND I'VE LOOKED AT THEIR BOOKS AND I'VE LOOKED AT THEIR, THEIR, THEIR INCOME THAT THEY POSTED AND SO FORTH.
THE METER INCOME IN SITE A IS DRAMATICALLY OFF.
WE HAVE NO FOOTFALL, NO FOOT TRAFFIC, NO CAR TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING TO RITE AID OR THE BAKERY THAT LEFT, OR THE OTHER MERCHANTS THAT ARE LEFT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
AND YOU WILL HAVE A STREET THAT'S FILLED WITH PSYCHIC READERS AND GUYS WHO ARE SELLING POT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ON THE STREET.
AND IS THAT WHAT GREENBERG WANTS? THAT'S ANOTHER POINT, BY THE WAY.
GET, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET TWICE.
NOW, YOU'VE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, A STORE SELLING POT, THE TOWN BOARD DIDN'T RENT THAT STORE TO SOMEBODY WHO'S SMOKING, WHO'S SELLING POT.
AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO, I'M JUST REPEATING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I WAS THERE THE NIGHT THAT ONE OF THE CONVENIENCE STORES WAS CLOSED DOWN.
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT IT WASN'T THE TOWN BOARD THAT GAVE THAT LEASE.
THEY DIDN'T SAY IT WAS ONE OF THE OWNERS.
I KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU SAY THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A TOWN HAS TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS, BUT WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY NOT WHEN IT COMES TO WHO RENTS TO WHO OR WHAT RENT THEY CHARGE.
AND AS FAR AS THE TOWN BEING INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, WE JUST LAST MONTH APPROVED $114,000 FOR THE HARTSDALE PARKING DISTRICT, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE PERSONNEL THAT WOULD GO AROUND AND ENFORCE THE METERS SO THAT THE MERCHANTS AT THEIR REQUEST YEARS AGO WOULD HAVE A TURNOVER.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE PEOPLE WOULD JUST PARK THERE FOR THE TRAIN AND NEVER LEAVE THEIR, MOVE THEIR CAR.
AND WHERE WOULD PEOPLE PARK? SO WE ARE PUTTING MONEY IN $114,000 FOR THE PARKING METERS.
YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY LIE ON THE PARKING METER WITH DUE RESPECT.
YOU GUYS HAVE JUST BEEN SCAMMED.
YEAH, SIR, COULD I JUST GIVE YOU SOME STATISTICS FROM ACTUALLY, BUT WE SHOULD DO AWAY WITH THOSE PARKING METER PEOPLE? NO, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
COULD I JUST SCAM, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE SCAM IS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE USE INFLAMED WORDS, I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN.
WHAT IS THE SCAM? I'LL JUST EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAPACITY AND WALK INTO THOSE PARKING GARAGES, THEY'RE NOT FILLED, NUMBER ONE.
AND NUMBER TWO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS OF THEIR METER INCOME AND THE CORRELATION OF THEIR METER INCOME YEAR OVER YEAR, IT'S VERY CLEAR WHY IT'S DOWN.
SO THEY'RE SAYING TO YOU THEY NEED MORE ENFORCEMENT.
I MEAN, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
SO WE SHOULD GO AWAY WITH THAT, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IN FACT, THE MERCHANTS HAVE ALL SAID, OUR CUSTOMERS, PEOPLE WITH DINING, THEY'RE GETTING TICKETED IN TWO SECONDS FLAT BECAUSE THE, THE METER WENT OVER FOR A MINUTE AND THEY'RE NEVER COMING BACK BACK.
THAT'S A VERBATIM QUOTE FROM THE RESTAURANTS.
YOU THIS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE HAVE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, I MEAN, THE HOUSING PARKING AUTHORITY, ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT I HAD DEFEND THEMSELVES, THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM.
ALSO ALSO SUGGEST, UH, UH, INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF THE PARKING AUTHORITIES OPERATIONS.
AND, UM, THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGETS, THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE VACANT SPOTS, UH, THEY COULD LOOK AT, UH, WELL ASPECTS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, PARKING, AND THEN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BOTH THE PARKING.
DID YOU YOU SAY, I'M SORRY, I MISSED THAT.
NO, I'M SUGGESTING THAT THE PARKING AUTHORITY OR AN THE TOWN, UM, OR YOU KNOW, BOTH THAT WE HIRE LIKE AN INDEPENDENT, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO BASICALLY COULD EXPL TAKE A LOOK AT THE PARKING AUTHORITY OPERATIONS AND SAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING
[00:20:01]
RIGHT? WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG? AND COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MR, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR THE LANDLORDS.UM, BECAUSE WE, TO ME, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE IS, UM, WE HAVE TO ACT RELATIVELY QUICKLY BECAUSE THE, THE POTENTIAL GROCER, HE'S EITHER GONNA BE INTERESTED IN THE PROPERTY OR HE'S GONNA WALK AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY.
SO IF THEY FEEL THAT THE TOWN BOARD THAT WE HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION AND WE REALLY ARE COMMITTED TO REVITALIZING THE AREA, AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH A PLAN THAT COULD WORK FOR EVERYBODY, THEN I THINK THAT WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD CHANCE OF, UM, OF, OF GETTING THE GROCERY AND MAKE, MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
SO MY, SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BOARD, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, REFLECTING, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR A WEEK OR, YOU KNOW, OR TWO WEEKS, I'M GONNA BE AWAY NEXT WEEK.
AND JOY, YOU ARE ALSO, UM, BUT MAYBE THE, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY, WE COULD, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, UH, COME BACK AND THEN BOARD MEMBERS COULD DO SOME OF THE DUE DILIGENCE.
WE COULD INVITE THE PARKING AUTHORITY TO ATTEND, YOU KNOW, MEETING COME A PLAN.
BUT WE WOULD NEED DATA, MORE DATA THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT'S, BUT MAY I OFFER SOME DATA? YES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SOME DATA AS SOMEONE WHO SPENDS HALF HER TIME IN HARTSDALE, AND I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LET ME JUST TALK ABOUT MY ANECDOTAL EXPERIENCE OF BEING THERE.
BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING I THINK RIGHT NOW IS SORT OF, WE'RE GETTING THIS VERY ADVERSARIAL PUSH AT US ON THE TOWN BOARD INSTEAD OF AN UNDERSTANDING AND LIKE A PRESENTATION OF INFORMATION.
SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, IF YOU COULD, THANK YOU.
JUST, I AGREE THAT THERE ARE NOT THE KINDS OF SHOPS CURRENTLY AND THEY, THAT HAS DETERIORATED, THAT ARE GOING, GOING TO ATTRACT THE FOOT TRAFFIC THAT WILL FILL THE PARKING AUTHORITIES SPOT, UH, UH, LOTS.
SO IT'S SORT OF A VICIOUS CYCLE.
YES, THERE IS MORE, UM, DUE DILIGENCE OF, OF ENFORCING THE PARKING METERS, BECAUSE I HAVE GOTTEN MORE TICKETS THERE RECENTLY.
AND IT USED TO BE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, YOU TOOK YOUR CHANCE AND IT WASN'T REALLY ENFORCED.
SO ENFORCEMENT IS ONE THING, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SPOTS IN THAT LOT THAT IS BEHIND THE SHOPS.
IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF, UH, EAST DALE AVENUE, THERE ARE A LOT OF SPOTS.
IT'S A MULTILAYER, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S CERTAINLY SHOULD BE POTENTIAL FOR US TO, TO DISCUSS IF, AS THE SUPERVISOR SAID, WE DID AN AUDIT OF WHAT SPOTS ARE, ARE, UH, VACANT ON A DAILY BASIS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT, UM, BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT OTHER WAYS OF, OF HANDLING IT.
BECAUSE WHY SHOULD THEY JUST SIT THERE, THOSE SPOTS OF IT NOT BEING USED? YEAH.
CAN I OFFER NO, I'M NOT, I'M NOT DONE.
UM, AND THE RITE AID WAS A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD GO OUT AND BUY A CARTON OF MILK OR A LOAF OF BREAD.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY RESIDENTS WHO LIVE THERE.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO HAVE THOSE THINGS.
SO HAVING A MARKET WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD WELCOME THAT.
SO I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
I HAD JUST A SUGGESTION BECAUSE SINCE YOU'RE, UH, SPEND 50% OF YOUR TIME IN DALE AND ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED, AND YOU'VE HAD GOOD NEGOTIATING SKILLS IN THE PAST, VOLATILE KNOW AS EVIDENCED BY, I ALREADY CALLED, UH, NORTH WASHINGTON SIDEWALK THAT YOU HELPED GARY, BUT NOPE, I'M JUST SAYING YOU HAVE SUCCESS.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO LIKE, HEAD UP LIKE A LITTLE TASK FORCE, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH STEVE, WORK WITH GARRETT, UH, WORK WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY, WORK WITH THE LANDLORD, AND THEN WE COULD COME UP WITH A PLAN WITH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD BE PRESENTED TO THE TOWN BOARD? BECAUSE I SORT OF FEEL THAT, UM, SINCE YOU'RE SO COMMITTED TO THIS, I'M HAPPY TO LEND MY EXPERIENCE OF BEING A HALFTIME RESIDENT THERE TO THIS EFFORT.
NO, NO, I FEEL, BECAUSE I FEEL I, I'M SORT OF OPTIMISTIC THAT THE MORE INVOLVED YOU ARE, THE BETTER OUR CHANCES ARE THAT DON'T TO BUTTER ME UP, PAUL.
NO, BUT I'M, I'M NOT BUTTERING YOU UP.
I'M NO, I I REALLY FEEL THAT YOU COULD BE LIKE THE GODSEND FOR THIS.
I, I LIKE YOUR, IN YOUR SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.
LET'S LOOK AT HOW MANY SPACES ARE AVAILABLE AT, AT ANY ONE TIME IN A WAY, AND WHAT THE INCOME IS.
AND SO, AND, AND LET'S SEE WHAT THAT IS SO THAT WE HAVE THE DATA THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT ISOLATING SPACES FOR THE, FOR THE VENDORS ON THE STREET WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT HPD.
AND THEN, AND ULTIMATELY PER YOUR PLAN, THE TOWN.
SO I THINK ESPECIALLY IS ONE HOUR OF PARKING, AS YOU SAID.
BUT WE NEED TO MAKE, BUT I THINK WORK WITH THEM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INDEPENDENT, ONE OF OUR INDEPENDENT, UM, OPERATORS OF THE TOWN.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
IT'S NOT WASTE TIME WITHOUT, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S JUST NOT FAIR TO THEM FROM TODAY, PLEASE.
PIECE OF DATA FROM TODAY, 12:30 PM LUNCH HOUR.
[00:25:01]
OKAY.ON A TUESDAY, BUSINESS DAY, COMMUTER DAY LEVEL ONE OF THE PARKING GARAGE HAS 56 SPACES.
THE UPPER LEVEL HAS 61 SPOTS, 18% A 18 SPACES OCCUPIED.
THE UTILIZATION OF SITE A AND I'VE, I'VE, I'VE PARKED UP THERE, I'VE, I'VE HUNG OUT UP THERE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE WATCHED MY, MY PROFESSIONAL ESTIMATE, AND I, I'M INVOLVED IN REAL ESTATE, YOU KNOW, FULL TIME.
MY ESTIMATE IS THE SITE A GARAGE UTILIZATION IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 20%.
WELL, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO, NUMBER ONE, HAVE HPD HERE AND NUMBER TWO, HAVE MORE THAN A, AND HAVE MORE THAN ANECDOTAL, UM, DISCUSSION OF, OF YOUR OBSERVATIONS, AS ACCURATE AS THEY MAY BE FOR 1230 IN THE AFTERNOON ON A SINGLE DAY.
AND, AND WE APPRECIATE, WE'RE TRYING TO BE ON YOUR SIDE, BUT I DON'T, WE'RE NOT ADVERSARIAL HERE.
I DON'T WANNA BE ADVERSARIAL HERE.
I'M TRYING TO DELIVER FOR YOU.
I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH MR. FINER AND GARRETT, AND YOU KNOW, I ASSUME THAT YOU GUYS TALK REGULARLY.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO OPERATE A PIECE OF REAL ESTATE, BUT I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP THIS ISSUE.
UH, WE'RE GOING ON THREE YEARS HERE, OKAY? SO I APOLOGIZE REALLY IF, IF IT'S NEW TO ANY OF YOU, BUT I HAVE BEEN PLEADING, PLEADING FOR, FOR YOUR POLITICAL HELP AND LEADERSHIP.
OKAY? I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING ABOUT HOW THE SITE EIGHT GARAGE CAME ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, SITE EIGHT GARAGE PROPERTY WAS GRANTED TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG BY MY GRANDFATHER IN THE 1950S.
AND THAT GRANT FOR DEED WAS AMENDED LATER TO FACILITATE THE PARKING GARAGE.
BUT PART OF THE, OF THE GRANT DEED SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THAT IT'S SPECIFIC, THAT THE PARK, ANY PARKING THERE IS FOR THE ANCILLARY BENEFIT OF THE BUSINESSES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET.
YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT.
WE NEED TO HAVE THESE GUYS AT THE TABLE.
MR. GOLDBERG IS RIGHT ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, HPPD HAS MAYBE, MAYBE SPEAKING WELL INTENDED, BUT IS NOT ACTING WELL INTENDED.
THEY'RE NOT ACTING IN YOUR BEST INTEREST.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZING, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE CHARACTERIZING, WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULD ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THEIR, THEIR TIME TO SIT AND SPEAK TO US AS WELL.
LET'S JUST TALK FACTUALLY AND NOT CHARACTERIZE, YOU KNOW, THEM AS, YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF CHARACTERIZATION HERE OF THE HPD THAT HAS FAILED YOU.
WE ARE HERE, BUT WE SEEM TO HAVE IN, AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU GUYS, WE FAILED YOU EVEN THOUGH WE HAD NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S, BUT BEFORE, BUT BEFORE YOU MOVE ON FOR THAT, I THINK WE ALSO MUST RECOGNIZE TOO, OR MUST BE AWARE, OR IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, THAT WE ALSO PASS LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE TYPE OF STORES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
SO WE PASS THE LEGISLATION ACROSS THE BORDER IN GREENBURG.
SO THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF YOU, WE HAVE BEEN, AND WE HAVE RECOGNIZED, WHEN WE HEAR COMPLAINTS OF HAVING THOSE TYPE OF STORES THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED ON, ON, IN THAT, IN THAT COMMUNITY, WE'VE MADE SURE THAT THOSE, THOSE STORES ARE NOT NO LONGER THERE.
AND WE PUT LAWS IN PLACE FOR, TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
SO, SO WE ALSO, FIVE YEARS AGO, WE HAVE A WEBSITE THAT WE CREATED.
SO WE CAN ALSO LIST ALL OF THE OPEN VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE ON, IN AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
THE, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE WEBSITE? GAR, PLEASE.
GREENBERG, EDO, WHICH IS GREENBERG ECONOMIC.COM.
PAUL FI, THE SUPERVISOR IS LEADING THE CHIN GREENBERG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HE STARTED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, SO HE HAS A GROUP OUT THERE.
SO I GUESS FOR, FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SENSITIVE TO WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE TOWN IS NOT SUPPORTIVE AND WE ARE SUPPORTIVE 'CAUSE WE ARE DOING THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE ARE DOING RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE ARE PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CLEAR.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS, WELL, WHAT I COULD DO, I'LL ASK GARRETT, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST SENDING THOSE LAWS TO YOU, AND WE CAN SEND YOU THE LINK TO THAT, UM, WEBSITE OR TO THAT WEBPAGE WHERE WE HAVE IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGE.
BUT WE ARE WORKING TOWARD THAT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE CHALLENGED, BUT WE ARE WORKING.
IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING AND ANCILLARY TO, TO THE RETAIL.
WE HAVE, WE, WITH GARRETT'S GREAT HELP, GREAT LEADERSHIP APPLIED AND RECEIVED FUNDS TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW ON EAST HARTSDALE AVE.
UM, WE'VE GOTTEN GRANTS TO IMPROVE FOUR CORNERS.
WE ARE WORKING ON SIDEWALKS TO MAKE IT MAKE DOWNTOWN MORE
[00:30:01]
ACCESSIBLE.SO THOSE ARE ALL PART AND PARCEL OF INCREASING THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF EAST HARTSDALE AVE AND ITS RESIDENTS AND THE STORES THAT SERVICE 'EM.
BUT WE, I THINK WE SHOULD SAY THAT TODAY, DAY ONE, RATHER THAN LOOK BACK.
SO IF WE ALL, I THINK EVERYBODY ON THE TOWN BOARD IS COMMITTED, UH, TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THE GROCERY STORE.
AND I THINK THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN OF ACTION.
AND IF JOY COULD WORK WITH US IN TERMS OF COMING UP WITH A STEP BY STEP PLAN, AND THEN, UM, AND WE'LL TRY DOING IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL MEET WITH A PARKING AUTHORITY.
WE'LL HAVE FOLLOW UP MEETINGS AND WE'LL WORK, UH, WITH YOU UNTIL WE COME UP.
AND WITH STEVE AND WITH, UH, THE RESIDENTS.
I'VE SPOKEN TO OTHER, UH, UH, UH, SHOP OWNERS ALSO, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO, UM, PEOPLE ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
PEOPLE REALLY WANT US TO DO SOMETHING.
SO I FEEL THAT IF WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, I THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS, UH, HAVE A POSITIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOLUTION.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING, WE'RE NOT JUST YESSING YOU, WE'RE GONNA STAY INFORMED, YOU KNOW, ON A WEEKLY, BASICALLY ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, GARRETT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HERE YOU'VE GOTTEN GRANTS TO FOLLOW UP ON FLOODING, UH, YOU KNOW, ON IN TERMS OF WE'RE GONNA BE DOING MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS ON EAST HARSDALE AVENUE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, NEXT YEAR.
SO I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS.
SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROB MAYBE WE COULD, WHEN WOULD YOU THINK WOULD BE READY TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP? UM, WELL, I'LL BE ON ALL NEXT WEEK.
SO, SO YOU WANNA SAY, UH, AND THEN THE FOLLOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND I'LL BE BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK, SHOULD WE MAKE IT TWO WEEKS LATE? YOU KNOW, UM, WAIT, IT WOULD BE, WHY, WHY DON'T, IF, IF, IF, UM, COUNCILWOMAN HABER IS GOING TO HELP PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER, GIVE HER A LITTLE TIME TO GET IT STARTED AND HAVE THE, WE COULD DO MAY 13TH, INSTEAD OF SETTING A DATE BEFORE, LET'S, LET'S THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE POTENTIALLY MAY 13TH.
WHY DON'T WE SAY MAY 13TH? WE'LL TRY COMING UP WITH A PLAN.
SO THIS WAY YOU DON'T FAIL, THAT WE'RE GIVING YOU THE RUN AROUND.
AND THIS, IS THAT GONNA INCLUDE, ARE YOU GONNA HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE HOUSING, WITH EVERYBODY HAPPEN? BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE DISCUSSION.
WE'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THAT.
NOT HOUSING, HBI MEAN HB, THE HOUSING, THE PARKING AUTHORITY.
I'M SORRY, STEVE AND I AND GARRETT, WE'VE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PARKING DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, A FEW TIMES.
IT'S BEEN LIKE A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? NO, BUT I'M SAYING, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO YEAH, BUT, BUT NOW, NO, IT'S NOT OKAY.
BUT THEY NEEDED, THEY NEEDED TO BE HERE.
THAT'S NOT THIS, THIS, THIS BECOMES A WASTE OF TIME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE CAN'T COME TO A SOLUTION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A KEY PARTY HERE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE SOLUTION TODAY.
BUT WE NEEDED TO HEAR FROM MR. GOLDBERG AND MR. I THINK IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE.
AND DALE REALLY GOOD THAT WE'RE GONNA GET SOMETHING.
I'M REALLY FEELING GOOD ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S ONE, THERE'S ONE PIECE THAT IF I MAY SAY, UH, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO A MARKETING, UH, ROLE AND A BUDGET FOR SOME TYPE OF MARKETING THAT WOULD SERVE EAST HARSDALE, BUT ALSO RADIATE BEYOND EAST HARSDALE.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, PRESENTED TO THE TOWN BOARD.
AND YOU, I, I MENTIONED FOR EXAMPLE, THE HASTINGS, THEY CLOSE DOWN THE STREET, UH, THE MAIN STREET EVERY, EVERY MONTH.
LIKE THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT HELP TO REVITALIZE THE, SO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DOES YES, TRUE.
MORE OR LESS, BUT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THE SAME TYPE.
I THINK WE DON'T NEED TO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING LIKE, DOES A GREAT JOB OF THIS HAS TO DO, THIS HAS TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH LEVERAGING NO, WE UNDERSTAND OF THE BRONX RIVER.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER, UH, ELEMENTS THAT ARE NOT COSTLY.
IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF A PERSON THAT COULD STRING THESE ELEMENTS TOGETHER INTO A COHESIVE MARKETING.
I, I WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING ON THE, THE, UM, DOWNTOWN ADVOCATE FOR HASTINGS.
SO I'M ABSOLUTELY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT GREAT IT WAS NECESSARY AND WHAT SHE HAS ACCOMPLISHED.
SHE'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE, BY THE WAY.
SO, SO ABSOLUTELY WE ARE, WE ARE VERY MUCH ON BOARD WITH THAT.
BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER GUESTS HERE THAT, AND WE'RE RUNNING QUITE LATE, SO, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER, WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER MEETING ON THE 13TH AND BEFORE THAT, BETWEEN THAT AND TODAY AND 13TH, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
AND, UH, THERE'LL BE SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE WILL FOLLOW UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT'S POSITIVE FOR, FOR THE AVENUE.
WE WON'T GIVE UP UNTIL WE GET THE GROCERY STORE.
CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION, PLEASE? HAS THE 114,000 ALREADY BEEN
[00:35:01]
PAID TO THE PARKING DISTRICT? THIS IS KELLY SHEHAN.I WILL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT, MR. ADMINISTRATOR.
I THINK THE CHECK'S IN THE MAIL, NO, UH, PAUL WOULD KNOW.
HE, HE'S THE ONE THAT SIGNED THE CONTRACT.
YOU KNOW, I, WHEN WE APPROVE
IS THE, THE FIRST I I HEARD OF IT.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE TOWN PAID FOR PARKING ATTENDANCE.
IT, IT, IT, IT'S ESCALATED A LITTLE BIT.
IT'S UP A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE.
AND THEN, BUT IT'S, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WITHOUT THAT, PEOPLE WOULD'VE JUST PARKED FOR THE TRAIN STATION, LEAVE THEIR CAR THERE.
IT'S NEWS TO ME THAT, THAT ENFORCEMENT IS NOT NEEDED.
NOW, MAYBE FOR THE RESTAURANTS, THEY NEED LONGER TIME ON THE METER THAN THE METER PROVIDES.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT IF WE DID THE, LIKE A AUDIT AND, AND, AND, UH, SOMEBODY WHO SPECIALIZES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IF THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ALL ASPECTS OF THIS AND THEN COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, MAYBE WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME CREATIVE IDEAS THAT COULD HELP AND WILL HELP ALL THE LANDLORDS MARKET, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE SUCCESSFULLY.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE DISAGREES WITH THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I DID SPEAK TO, UH, THE, UH, INDIVIDUAL FROM HASTINGS, AND I WAS TRYING TO STEAL HER.
I STEAL HER FROM, HAS I, I ASKED HER IF SHE HAS, YOU KNOW, MORE TIME.
ACTUALLY SHE LIVES IN GREENBURG.
YEAH, NO, SHE'S REALLY EXCELLENT.
SHE'S LIKE, THERE'S NO ONE BETTER THAN HER.
UM, UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG HASTINGS IS IN GREENBURG.
LET'S NOT CONFUSE PEOPLE IN ANYMORE, BUT WE, WE NEED, WE NEED TO DO THINGS THAT WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, GET PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
THERE'S A NEW ICE CREAM STORE AT THE CORNER OF FOUR CORNERS.
AND I, THEY HAVE LIKE A LITTLE CART.
AND I SAID, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO MOVE THE CART, SAY TO, UH, NEAR THE TRAIN STATION AS A WAY OF GETTING MORE, YOU KNOW, STREET TRAFFIC TO THAT AREA.
AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I SPOKE TO SOMEBODY ELSE TODAY, YOU KNOW, WELL, WE, WE DO HAVE TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA COME UP.
I COULD, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE MORE LAST POINT.
JUST FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE.
I'M TAKING EVERYTHING IN CERTAINLY THE SIGNAGE TO THE, UH, PARKING DISTRICT, SOMETHING WE CAN COORDINATE.
BUT ON A ZONING LEVEL, I'M DEFINITELY A PROPONENT OF, YOU KNOW, POPULATION DENSITY THAT'S WALKABLE TO THE DOWNTOWN.
TYPICALLY, YOU WOULD EXPECT SOMETHING WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO THE HARTSDALE, UH, TRAIN STATION THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME WOULD'VE BEEN THREE STORY DEVELOPMENT ON EACH SIDE.
AND THERE, THEREFORE YOU HAVE BUYING POWER, RIGHT? IN THOSE BUILDINGS ABOVE THOSE RESTAURANTS.
I'M NOT SITTING HERE SAYING IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THAT WE WOULD NOT BE SITTING HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WE ARE.
BUT, AND I'M ALSO NOT SUGGESTING WE SHOULD LAUNCH INTO A REZONING TO FACILITATE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE YOU SEND ME THE NEXT PLANNER GREENBURG, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, WE'LL PROBABLY BE BRINGING THAT TO YOU WON'T BE HERE.
WE'RE GONNA BE VERY COGNIZANT NOT TO ENABLE COMPETITION TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES DOWN THERE.
BUT THAT'S BUYING POWER THAT IF THAT AREA'S REDEVELOPED CAN WALK AND SUPPORT.
UM, EAST, YOU KNOW, EAST HARSDALE DOWNTOWN, THERE ARE LIMITED DEVELOPABLE SITES, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VACANT OFFICE BUILDING, OR IT'S LARGELY VACANT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TWO 50 EAST HARSDALE AVENUE.
I DO GET CALLS AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE INTEREST IN CONVERTING TO RESIDENTIAL THAT WOULD BE BUYING POWER.
THAT'S IMMEDIATELY WALKING DISTANCE.
YOU KNOW, THE GAS STATION TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE A GAS STATION LIKE THAT IN YOUR IMMEDIATE DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF THE KEY SITE.
SO THERE ARE LITTLE POCKETS OF, WELL, THERE'S THERE SO MANY, THERE'S ALREADY SO MANY DEVELOP, I MEAN, THERE'S ALL THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS ON EACH SIDE THERE, THERE BEFORE YOU THERE.
THERE IS A LOT OF BUYING POWER.
BUT YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT ABOVE THE SHOPS.
SO THERE, THERE COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT COULD, THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO SKIN THE CAT, AS IT WERE.
THEY HELP ME GET THIS GROCERY FOR YOU GUYS.
AND WOULD, UH, LIKE YOU, JOY OR ME, UH, OFFLINE IN NOT PUBLIC, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH THE POTENTIAL TENANT AND, AND HEAR WHAT THAT'S NOT NECESSARY, PAUL.
OKAY, NEXT ON OUR LIST IS, UH, THE MAYOR OF, UM, ORLEY, UH, NANCY IAN.
I THINK YOU ALL KNOW DEPUTY MAYOR STEVE EDELSTEIN.
HOW ARE YOU, STEVE SIR? UM, SUPERVISOR FINER AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US COME TONIGHT.
UM, I THINK YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHY WE'RE HERE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE INTEREST AND FEES THAT WERE ASSESSED ON THE UNPAID TAXES ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THE VILLAGE BOUGHT 2017.
I HAVE EAST DALE AVENUE IN MY HEAD.
[00:40:01]
ROAD IN ARDSLEY.UM, I WANT, I WANT FIRST ASSURE YOU THAT WE RECOGNIZE WE OWE THE TAXES ON THIS PROPERTY.
IT, THE BU THE BUILDING, THE PROPERTY WAS BOUGHT LIKE BETWEEN TAX YEARS AND THE TAXES WERE ASSESSED.
AND, UM, WE ONLY RECENTLY LEARNED THAT WE OWN THE PROP.
SO THERE'S NO ISSUE THERE IN MY MIND THAT WE OWE THE TAXES.
WE ALL AGREE THAT, BUT OVER THE YEARS FEES AND, AND INTERESTS HAVE ACCRUED ON THE, IN THE TAXES OWED.
AND, UM, UH, WE HAVE APPEALED TO THE BOARD ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS TO WAIVE AND CANCEL THOSE FEES AND INTEREST ON THAT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD HAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT SETTING A PRECEDENT IN THIS AREA, BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THE BOARD HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY DONE THIS, UM, WAIVE FEES AND INTERESTS ON UNPAID TAXES IN THE PAST.
IN FACT, YOU DID IT FOR THE VILLAGE OF IRVINGTON IN 1997.
NOW, I, I HAVE COPIES OF THE RESOLUTION THAT THE BOARD AT THE TIME PASSED TO DO THAT.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T CITE A LAW THAT ACTUALLY ALLOWS YOU TO DO THIS, WHICH IS THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW 1182.
THAT RESOLUTION DIDN'T CITE THAT LAW.
IT DIDN'T CITE THAT LAW BECAUSE THAT LAW DOESN'T APPLY TO TAXES THAT WERE OWED PRIOR TO 1995.
THE TAXES THAT WERE OWED FROM THE VILLAGE OF IRVINGTON WERE ACCRUED AND OWED IN 1992 AND 1993.
SO THAT RESOLUTION DOESN'T CITE SECTION 1182, WHICH GIVES THIS BOARD SPECIFIC APPROVAL TO WAIVE INTEREST AND FEES ON TAX TAXES OWED.
ADDITIONALLY, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, THE TOWN HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPANY THAT SENT OUT ITS BILLS FOR TAXES.
NOW, WE ALL KNOW AND RECOGNIZE THAT IF YOU DON'T GET A BILL, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T PAY YOUR TAXES.
YOU STILL OBLIGATED TO PAY YOUR TAXES.
THAT'S WHY WE KNOW WE OWE THE TAXES ON THIS PROPERTY.
AT THE TIME, PEOPLE ASKED, THERE WAS ABOUT A THOUSAND BILLS THAT WENT OUT AND PEOPLE ASKED THAT THE INTEREST IN FEES BE WAIVED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET A BILL.
THIS BOARD AT THE TIME DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, ON THE GREENBERG WEBSITE, THERE IS A MEMORANDUM AND OPINION BY THE THEN ATTORNEY FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBERG, CITING TWO OTHER INSTANCES WHERE THE TOWN BOARD WAIVED INTEREST AND FEES ON TAXES OWED AND SPECIFICALLY CITED TO SECTION 1182 OF THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW.
SO THERE'S ALREADY PRECEDENT SET BY THE TOWN FOR DOING THIS.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE NOT SETTING A PRECEDENT HERE WHERE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A WIDESPREAD, YOU KNOW, UH, REQUESTS FROM PEOPLE TO WAIVE THEIR INTEREST IN FEES FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIFIC INSTANCE THAT THE LAW VERY SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS ONE MUNICIPALITY TO WAIVE THE INTEREST IN FEES ON UNPAID TAXES FOR ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY.
AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
UM, I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE INTEREST OF GOOD NEIGHBORSHIP AND IN THE INTEREST OF WORKING TOGETHER, THAT WE CAN COME TO A RESOLUTION.
WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS TAX LIEN IN APRIL OF 2024.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH THE TOWN TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER SINCE THEN.
UM, AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO GET IT RESOLVED.
'CAUSE EVERY MONTH THAT PASSES MORE INTEREST IN FEES ARE BEING ACCRUED HERE.
AND IF YOU WAIVE THE INTEREST IN FEES, IT DOESN'T REALLY COST ANYBODY ANYTHING.
'CAUSE IT WAS NOTHING EVER, IT WASN'T REVENUE TO THE TOWN BEFORE.
IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT THE TOWN WAS OWED.
RIGHT? AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA GET HURT BY THIS ARE THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE END.
SO HOW MUCH IS THE PENALTIES AGAIN, AS OF, UH, MARCH 31ST? THE PENALTIES ARE ABOUT $69,000.
I MEAN WE'VE ALSO, BUT 1182, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, KNOW THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE HELPING, YOU KNOW, THE VILLAGES, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, I REMEMBER IN HASTINGS WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, THERE WAS A PROPERTY ON OFF OF FARGATE, AND WE BASICALLY TURNED IT OVER TO, UH, TO THE VILLAGE.
AND WE DIDN'T CHARGE, I DON'T BELIEVE WE CHARGED THEM FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED ON WITH THE WATER WHEEL, WE'VE WORKED WITH, UH, THERE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON, UH, WAR BRITAIN.
SO I FEEL THAT IF WE WOULD WORK WITH, UM, A VILLAGE THAT IS WITHIN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND WAIVE THE
[00:45:01]
PENALTIES, IT CREATES, UM, UM, COOPERATION.UH, YOU KNOW, WE, IT WORKS IN OUR ADVANTAGE TO HAVE GOOD WORKING RELATIONS WITH, UH, WITH VILLAGES WITHIN THE TOWN.
AND I FEEL THAT WE'LL GET MORE VALUE, WE'LL GET MORE FROM WAIVING THE PENALTIES THAN IF WE'RE, IF, YOU KNOW, THE VILLAGE FEELS, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN ISN'T MAKING AN EFFORT TO, TO WORK WITH THEM ON, ON THIS.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS REQUEST.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BETTER FOR, THERE'S SO MANY EXAMPLES THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING UP IN THE COMING YEARS WHERE WE'RE GONNA NEED THE VILLAGES.
SO THE THING IS, AND THE VILLAGE COOPERATION.
SO TO ME, UM, SOME GESTURES OF COOPERATION WILL GO A LONG WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE A MUCH BETTER RELATIONS WITH ALL THE, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE VILLAGES, THE MORE WE WORK WITH, WITH THE VILLAGES.
SO, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO SOUND FRIENDLY, BUT IT'S ALL BUT IT, WE'RE ALL FRIENDS HERE.
YOU SAID THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT ANYONE.
WE DON'T ALLOW, WE DON'T WAIVE FEES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO HOW CAN WE NOT, HOW CAN WE, WE PENALTIES AND PENALTIES.
SO HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE HONESTLY DO THAT? THERE'S A SPECIFIC LAW, NANCY.
LET ME JUST, I MEAN, MAYOR, LET ME JUST FINISH.
HOW CAN WE DO THAT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE IF WE CAN'T DO IT FOR OUR OWN RESIDENTS? THAT'S NOT FAIR.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT BEING FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, I DO, I I ASKED JOE 'CAUSE WE HAD SOME CONVERSATION.
UH, CAN YOU JUST GIVE SOME BACKGROUND WITH REGARDS TO THE TWO PROPERTIES THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED AND SOME HISTORY ABOUT? SO JUST, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE'RE JUST CLEAR.
I DO NOT KNOW GOING BACK THAT FAR, WHAT WERE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THOSE CASES? I DO KNOW THAT THE LAW ITSELF IS RRP TL 1182 AND SAYS YOU COULD WAIVE PENALTIES AND INTEREST IF IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAX JURISDICTION.
AND I KNOW THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN TOWN ATTORNEY, WE HAVE DONE IT ON FOUR OCCASIONS.
BUT IN ALL FOUR INSTANCES, THEY WERE AREAS THAT, UH, PROPERTIES THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TAXED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO THREE WERE OWNED BY AFRICAN COUNTRIES, SO WE INADVERTENTLY TAXED 'EM.
SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN A TAX BILL, SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PENALTIES AND INTEREST.
SO THOSE WERE WAIVED FOR THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
ANOTHER WAS A PROPERTY IN IRVINGTON, WHICH BY WAY OF A STIPULATION, A SETTLEMENT SIGNED BY A JUDGE, THEY RECEIVED A RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION.
AGAIN, SHOULD HAVE NEVER RECEIVED TAX BILLS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, I WAS NOT AWARE GOING BACK TO 1997, I BELIEVE YOU SAID WHAT THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES WERE BACK THEN, BUT IT REALLY IS A FACT SPECIFIC, UM, REVIEW AND A POLICY REVIEW.
WE ALSO, I COULD LOOK AT THOSE MORE CLOSELY.
WE HAD, THERE'S ONE YEAR PLEASE WHERE WE WAIVED ALL THE PENALTIES.
UM, UH, AND BASICALLY WE SAID WE WERE GONNA, WE HADN'T DONE FORECLOSURES FOR MANY YEARS.
AND WE SAID, WASN'T THAT COVID FOR COVID? NO, THIS WAS BEFORE COVID.
AND WE BASICALLY SAID WE'RE GONNA NOW START OUT, WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? THAT WAS AN AMNESTY PROGRAM.
OH, THIS WAS PROBABLY 20 YEARS AGO.
UH, I'M LIKE A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE.
AND THEN WE SAID WE'RE GONNA HAVE LIKE A ONETIME, UH, YOU KNOW, WAIVER FOR AMNESTY FOR EVERYBODY.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE COLLECTED A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BACK TAXES.
AND THEN WE SAID, OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA START INITIATING FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS IF PEOPLE DON'T PAY THEIR TAXES ON IN A TIMELY MANNER.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE THING IS, IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE BREAK THE BANK AND THE GOODWILL THAT WILL GET, WE'LL HELP THE TOWN MORE THEN BY SAYING NO.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VA SEPARATE, A VILLAGE WITHIN THE TOWN.
AND, UM, INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE A VILLAGE, THEY'RE BASICALLY PARTNERS WITH US IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WORKING THINGS OUT.
WE HAVE COOPERATE EXAMPLES, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM, SAY IN PUBLIC WORKS, AND WE NEED AN EXTRA TRUCK, WE CONTACT THE VILLAGES.
YOU KNOW, THEY DONATE, THEY LEND US TRUCKS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY NEED IT.
SO WE HAVE CO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS MUTUAL AID WITH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE, SO MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE COOPERATIVE, UH, UH, RELATIONSHIPS WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH SURROUNDING VILLAGES.
AND I SORT OF FEEL THAT THE MORE, UM, WE GO OUT OF THE WAY, THE MORE THEY'LL GO OUT OF THE WAY FOR US.
AND I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT, WE'LL, THAT THIS WILL BE A NET POSITIVE FOR THE TOWN RATHER THAN NET NET NEGATIVE.
SO BASED ON WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, IF OUR TOWN ATTORNEY WOULD AGREE THAT THAT KIND OF, UM, RELATIONSHIP, UH, WOULD MAKE IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXING JURISDICTION OR NOT.
DOES THAT COME UNDER, I'M GIVING YOU A VERY POLITICAL ANSWER HERE.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAW IS, IS PRETTY VAGUE BECAUSE REALLY WE DON'T HAVE A PRECEDENT FOR IT BASED ON WHAT, UM,
[00:50:01]
OUR ATTORNEY HAS JUST EXPLAINED.THOSE THAT DIDN'T FALL UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN TAXED.
SO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WOULD BE UNUSUAL AND AN OUTLIER.
WELL, WE ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES BEHIND THE ONE IN THAT ONE IN 1997 OR THE OTHER TWO THAT WERE REFERENCED ON THE WEBSITE.
SO WE, I DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES BEHIND THOSE.
COUNCILMAN SHEHAN, DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION? SO, SO, SO WE SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT ONE.
'CAUSE THE ONE FROM 1997, UH, WAS NOT ON OUR RADAR.
SO WE FOUND ONE THAT WAS IN IRVINGTON, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE OF A, UH, BASICALLY A STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT OF AFTER, UM, QUITE EXTENSIVE LITIGATION WITH, UH, PARTICULAR, UM, CHURCH.
SO THERE ARE TWO IRVINGTON, SORRY, THERE ARE TWO IN IRVINGTON.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER ONE? I'M ONLY AWARE OF THE ONE THAT I HAVE.
I DON'T KNOW, IT'S STILL, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT ONE IS DEALING WITH A RELIGIOUS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THIS ONE DOESN'T REFERENCE WHAT THE PIECE OF PROPERTY IS.
BUT 1182 IS, IT HAS INTERESTING WORDING TO IT.
AND THE INTERESTING WORDING IS THAT IT HAS TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXING DISTRICT.
SO NOW PENALTIES AND INTEREST WERE COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS THAT MONEY WENT INTO OUR FUND BALANCE.
AND BASED ON THAT, WE SET OUR TAX RATE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR BASED ON WHAT WAS IN THE FUND BALANCE.
IT'S NOT LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FREE MONEY THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE NOW.
UH, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
SO I JUST THINK ABOUT BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, UM, TROUBLES ME BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY THREE WEEKS AGO, PAUL WAS EVEN MENTIONING YOU WERE, OURS WASN'T A GOOD NEIGHBOR AT THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WHEN YOU WENT INTO A CONTRACT WITH ELMSFORD TO DEPRIVE THE UNINCORPORATED TAXPAYERS OF A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S NOT THE END OF GOOD NEIGHBOR.
BUT THE TOWN GOES INTO CONTRACT WITH ARDSLEY EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING RECENTLY FOR A THIRD OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, 65% OF WHICH GOES FOR THE VILLAGE OPERATION.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE NOT GOOD NEIGHBORS IN WORKING WITH ALEY.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, THAT'S 65% TO ALEY.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE.
WE'RE DEALING WITH THE LAW AND SOMETHING THAT SAYS IT HAS TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TAXING DISTRICT.
I, WE HAVE, WE HAVE NEVER DONE AN EXEMPTION OF INTEREST IN PENALTIES, INCLUDING SOME HORRENDOUS, HORRENDOUS STORIES THAT WE HAVE HEARD OF.
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE HOSPITAL COULDN'T POSSIBLY MAKE IT, OR THEIR THE MAIL WASN'T DELIVERED OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
BUT IF WE WERE TO GRANT THAT, THEN PEOPLE WOULD COME IN AND SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT ME? NOW PAUL DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY, UH, PENALTIES OF INTEREST.
SO I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT'D BE WILLING TO WAIVE THIS.
BUT IF THERE ARE NO PENALTIES IN INTEREST, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR, TO ENFORCE PEOPLE PAYING THEIR TAXES ON TIME.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE COULD BE HERE IN 2025.
ARGUABLY 2024 WHEN YOU RAISED THIS.
SO IF I DOUBT ABOUT THIS FOR SOMETHING THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT YEARS IT 2018? YES.
I MEAN, HOW DID THIS GO UNNOTICED IN LEY? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
I MEAN, WE ONLY FIRST LEARNED ABOUT IT IN 2024.
UM, AND WE IMMEDIATELY, UH, CONTACTED THE TOWN.
OUR ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE TOWN'S ATTORNEY TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS.
IT'S BEEN LITERALLY A YEAR WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET, UM, YOU TO FOCUS ON THIS AND COME BEFORE THIS BOARD COUNCILMAN.
SHE AND I DID NOT SUGGEST OR BE TO SUGGEST THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN GOOD NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS REAL POSITIVITY IN LEARNING TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU JUST CITED ABOUT THE FIRE DISTRICTS IS SOMETHING THAT WE VERY MUCH WORK TOGETHER, UM, IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
SO, UM, THIS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS.
'CAUSE I THINK WE ACTUALLY ARE GOOD NEIGHBORS AND WE DO WORK TOGETHER.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE THAN AN INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNER.
I THINK THIS IS A MUNICIPALITY TO A MUNICIPALITY, AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE MOST HARMED BY THIS ARE THE TAXPAYERS OF LEY.
NOW, I, AGAIN, I RECOGNIZE WE OWE THE TAX.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE DON'T OWE THE TAX, WE OWE THE TAX.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO ACTUALLY REFERENCE SOMETHING.
[00:55:01]
JACKSON SAID IT, I, THIS, THESE ARE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.THEY'RE NOT GONNA OPEN A FLOODGATES OF PEOPLE COMING AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, UH, I WANT YOU TO WAIVE OUR INTEREST AND, AND FEES.
THERE IS A SPECIFIC LAW THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THIS.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S AT YOUR DISCRETION.
UM, THAT'S WHY I AM APPEALING TO YOUR DISCRETION, UM, TO DO THIS.
BUT I I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN IT'S A MUNICIPALITY TO A MUNICIPALITY AND WE ARE JUST REALLY ASKING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
DO YOU THINK THE OTHER VILLAGES WITHIN, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN, UH, WOULD SUPPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THE REQUEST? BECAUSE I'M, I'M SAYING THAT IF, UH, YOU REACHED OUT TO, UM, SAY THE MAYORS OF THE OTHER VILLAGES AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IN THE SPIRIT OF BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, UH, WE COULD BASICALLY, UH, GO ALONG WITH THIS THEN, THEN IT WOULD, UM, IN SOME WAYS ANSWER THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE TOWN.
I, I, I WON'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER VILLAGES.
I WILL, UM, AND I COUNCILMAN SHE AND REFERENCED IT.
UM, I, I WILL SPEAK FOR THE FACT THAT OFTENTIMES THE VILLAGES DO TRY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, UM, FOR DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AND WE DO SIGN ON TO LETTERS, UM, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER FOR THINGS THAT THEY WANT.
SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT THEY WOULD DO IN THIS INSTANCE, UM, BECAUSE MAYBE THAT'S SORT OF A WAY OF, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAKING, UM, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT REALLY ADDRESSED THE LEGAL ISSUE AND THE, AND THE PRECEDENT, WHICH IS THE CONCERN.
BUT I DO UNDERSTAND AND, AND WOULD WANT TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO HAVE THE GOODWILL AND RELATIONSHIP SO TO, IN, IN MY VIEW, UNLESS WE CAN SORT OF HAVE IT BE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THIS BEING IN OUR INTEREST.
WHAT IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN? I MEAN, WHAT, OR I MEAN, IT'S THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE, WE BOUGHT A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
I MEAN, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE, THERE WILL BE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE VILLAGES OR TOWNS BUY PIECES OF PROPERTY AND THAT COME OFF THE TAX ROLL.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.
AGAIN, I'M SAYING IT'S NOT GONNA OPEN A FLOODGATE OF PEOPLE ASKING TO WAIVE THEIR INTERESTS AND, AND, AND FEES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WENT ON VACATION AND THEY DIDN'T PAY THEIR BILLS.
AND I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE GET SICK AND THEY DON'T PAY THEIR BILLS.
BUT THIS IS A VERY SPECIFIC FACT SCENARIO WHERE WE PURCHASED A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE OF A TAXABLE YEAR, AND THE TAXES, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESUMABLY, UM, PAID AT THE END OF THAT TAXABLE YEAR WHEN WE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
AND THEY WERE NOT, UH, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THAT WE OWE THE TAXES.
IS THIS, IS THE, IS TWO 20 HEATHERDALE OR THE HIGHWAY GARAGE? YES.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU A QUE THIS IS OFF THE TOP OF MY, I JUST THOUGHT I WAS SPEAK NOW.
SO IT MAY BE, UH, IF, UH, I'M SORT OF WONDERING, I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO RICH FUNN ABOUT HAVING LIKE A RECYCLE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A TOWN WIDE LIKE RECYCLING.
NO, I'M JUST SAYING GO OFF TOPIC.
THIS IS NOT A TAN, THIS IS NOT A TAN OFF TOPIC.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY, UH, THROWING THE BALLS UP IN THE AIR HERE,
PEOPLE COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE VILLAGE OF SCARSDALE HAS, UH, IN THEIR HIGHWAY GARAGE, LIKE A PLACE YOU COULD DROP OFF FURNITURE, YOU COULD DROP OFF, UH, UH, UH, TEXTILES.
YOU COULD DROP OFF BICYCLES, YOU COULD DROP OFF THINGS.
AND I'M WONDERING, IS THERE ANY SPACE IN THAT PROPERTY THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY USED FOR, UM, FOR A JOINT, YOU KNOW, PURPOSE? UM, AND THEN WE COULD WORK TOGETHER AND THEN WAIVE THE PENALTIES AND SAY, LISTEN, THERE'S A TOWN PURPOSE.
I, SO LIKE A BARTER, YOU'RE SAYING I CAN'T ANSWER FOR THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY AS TO WHETHER THERE IS SPACE THERE, BUT I DO KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE VILLAGE BOARD HAS BEEN DISCUSSING, UM, WE, WHERE OUR OLD HIGHWAY GARAGE WAS, WHICH IS, UM, OFF OF, WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT STREET? UM, HOUSE OF SPORTS, ELM STREET.
UM, WE STILL HAVE THAT FACILITY BACK.
I WOULDN'T CALL IT A FACILITY.
WE STILL HAVE THAT AREA BACK THERE.
UM, THAT'S ON A LEASE WITH NEW YORK STATE.
SO WE, WE HAVE DISCUSSED PUTTING IN THAT LOCATION, UM, ELECTRONICS RECYCLING AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER KINDS OF SITE RECYCLING.
SO THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE DISCUSSED.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN AT TWO 20 HEATHERDALE, BECAUSE I'M NOT NO, I'M SAYING WHAT IF WE, WHAT IF WE SAID, OKAY, WE WILL WAIVE, I'M JUST THROWING OUT, WE'LL WAIVE THE PENALTIES.
UH, BUT IN CONSIDERATION, UH, THE TOWN WOULD HAVE ACCESS.
[01:00:01]
WE WOULD, UH, WORK COOPERATIVELY ON A RECYCLING CENTER AT THAT LOCATION BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING FINDING A, A LOCATION AND THIS WAY WE'RE GETTING, THEN NOBODY COULD SAY WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE NO.WHAT IS THAT LEGAL, IF IT WOULD PASS MUSTER? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S LEGAL.
I WOULD, I WOULD DEFER TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF IT.
SO HOW ABOUT WE GIVE IT SOME CONSIDER, I THINK IT PROBABLY DEFINES IT.
IT PROBABLY, UH, RESOLVES, REVOLVES AROUND YOUR DEFINITION OF WHAT THE BEST INTEREST.
THAT'S I THINK ATTORNEY TO ANOTHER RIGHT.
DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO ASK COMMISSIONER FA ABOUT THAT EVENT AND WHAT SERVICES ARE NEEDED AS WELL.
LOT HOW WE TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION AND YOU KNOW, I ONLY ASK THAT, MAKE SURE IT'S LEGAL, THAT YOU TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
BECAUSE EVERY MONTH THAT GOES BY.
UM, DOES ACCRUE NOW YOU'VE PAID THE PRINCIPAL? NO, WE HAVE NOT PAID ANY PART OF THIS.
AND WHAT IS THAT? I DON'T THINK IT STOPS THE ACCRUING OF THE INTEREST OF THE PENALTIES.
IS THAT THE PROPERTY YOU SAID WE'RE GONNA FORECLOSE ON? I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I ALREADY ASKED THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO LOOK FOR THOSE RESOLUTIONS.
BUILDING ALL THREE OF THEM SO WE CAN LOOK INTO THE HISTORY AS WELL.
YEAH, AND I THINK WE ALSO NEED, YOU KNOW, THE FINAL NUMBERS AS WELL BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, THE NUMBERS I HAVE AS, OR AS OF MARCH 31ST.
UM, SO WE ARE WELL INTO APRIL NOW.
UM, I'LL HAVE THE TAX RECEIVER DRAFT A NEW AMOUNT.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I PERSONALLY THINK YOU SHOULD CUT OFF AT LEAST THE LAST YEAR WHEN WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS.
BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT PART ALONE BECAUSE, UH, FOR NOW I WANT THE WHOLE THING SORT OF CANCELED.
COULD WE, UH, HAVE LIKE A FOLLOW, SINCE WE SAID THE FIRST THING, THE EAST TAR STILL AVENUE, WE WERE DOING IT ON MAY 13TH.
COULD WE COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF ANSWER, SAY MAY 13TH OR THE WEEK LATER? JUST HAVE LIKE A DATE THAT WE COULD SAY WE'RE GONNA GET BACK TO YOU WITH AN ANSWER.
OTHERWISE I'LL GET BACK TOMORROW.
WE'LL, I, THIS'LL THINK INTERNAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE, CAN WE, BUT WE UNDERSTAND IT IS TIMELY.
WE GET BACK TO YOU WITH A DATE PLEASE.
THERE'S SOME INTERNAL WORK THAT THE ONLY, ONLY THING THAT I'M SAYING IS IF WE, IF WE SAID I'M A SUPERVISOR.
CAN I JUST FINISH THERE? THERE'S SOME INTERNAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, I THINK BETWEEN TWO OFFICES.
SO ONCE THAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE, I THINK THEN THEY CAN COME BACK TO YOU TOMORROW AND, AND EMAIL YOU WITH EVERY, WITH ALL OF US ON THE EMAIL WITH THE TIME WHEN THEY CAN GET BACK TO YOU.
I JUST TO, TO GIVE YOU A DATE NOW.
AND THAT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WORK IS GONNA ENTAIL.
I I, I APPRECIATE THAT COUNCILWOMAN JACKSON, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, IS TOMORROW REASONABLE? BECAUSE I'VE HEARD TWO WEEKS, FOUR WEEKS, SIX WEEKS AND TOMORROW IT'S BEEN AN ENTIRE GET YEAR.
TOMORROW MAYORS WHEN THEY COULD GET BACK TO WITH THE DATE TO SAY HEY, 'CAUSE THEY STILL NEED TO FIND SOME I UNDERSTAND THAT DATA AND SO, BUT MAY 1ST I, THERE'S MORE INTEREST ACCRUED HERE.
I'M, I'M, AND WE ARE SENSITIVE TOO.
I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GONNA WORK.
THEY'RE GONNA WORK TO MAKE SURE TO GET THE INFORMATION TO YOU.
PAPERWORK TO SAY THAT IT'S EXEMPT BECAUSE IT'S THE MUNICIPALITY.
WELL, THERE HAVE BEEN NO TAXES FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS, THESE DATE BACK TO, NO.
THIS STATES, THIS DATES BACK TO THE YEAR OF THE SALE SALE.
THERE'S, THEY'VE BEEN EXEMPT EVER SINCE.
IT'S BEEN EXEMPT EVER SINCE EMERGENCY REGARDING MAY 1ST.
SO ONLY IN SO FAR AS THE INTEREST KEEPS ACCRUING ON THE UNPAID TAXES.
SO LET THEM GET THEIR STUFF TOGETHER AND YEAH.
AND JUST KNOW, I THINK, UH, I, YOU KNOW, SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAT WE, IF WE CAN GIVE YOU RELIEF, WE CERTAINLY, OR I WOULD CERTAINLY WOULD WANT TO, BUT IT HAS TO BE LEGAL AND IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE.
UM, I, I DO AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT IS LEGAL AND THAT THIS BOARD IN ITS DISCRETION HAS THAT AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW 1182.
UM, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE USING THIS TERM IN THE BEST INTEREST.
I VIEW THIS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL MU OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY THE RESIDENTS OF LEY, WHICH ARE ALSO THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
SO I SEE THAT AS THE BEST INTEREST THAT GO HERE.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, BUT IF I COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT, 'CAUSE WE HEAR THIS AS A TOWN BOARD ALL THE TIME.
YOU'RE AN EXTREME FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR ADVOCATE FOR ARDSLEY.
THE UNINCORPORATED AREA DOESN'T HAVE THAT DEDICATED FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
WE REPRESENT WHAT THE UNINCORPORATED AREA AND THE VILLAGES.
WE DON'T REPRESENT FIERCELY FOR UNINCORPORATED LIKE MAYORS DO FOR THEIR VILLAGES.
WE, THE, WE HAVE A BALANCING THAT WE HAVE TO DO HERE.
AND THAT BALANCING IS, IS IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
[01:05:01]
TAX DISTRICT TO DO THIS? AND I WOULD THINK IT SETS A PRECEDENT, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT 1997 CASE, UH, WHICH IS NEW TO US.ISN'T THE TAXATION UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR ADVOCATES FOR THE VILLAGE OF WILEY? BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT YOU COULD TAKE THAT COULD MAKE YOU MORE EFFECTIVE IN BEING EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES.
AND I SORT OF FEEL THAT BY COOPERATING WITH THE VILLAGE WE'LL LAND UP GETTING, WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S FOR UNINCORPORATED.
NO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING YOU CAN'T SAY WE'RE NOT, UH, EFFECTIVE AND, UH, PASSIONATE ADVOCATES FOR UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG WHEN THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE DEDICATED.
WE FIGHT VERY HARD FOR UNINCORPORATED.
WE'RE NOT, NO, I DON'T WHAT HE SAID COUNCILMAN.
SHE, I ADD COUNCILWOMAN SHEEN EXPLAINED HIMSELF.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? UM, ISN'T THE TAXING AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ALSO THE PARTIALLY A TAXING AUTHORITY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY? BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE OF LEY ALSO PAY TOWN OF GREENBURG TAXES.
UM, SO I MEAN THE TAX ISSUE AND THE BENEFIT HERE GOES ACROSS THE BOARD.
I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR THE VILLAGE OF ARDSLEY.
THIS IS ALSO AN A BUDGET ITEM.
IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE AN, A BUDGET ITEM BECAUSE IT'S TAXES.
SO IT'S BASICALLY NOT UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG.
THIS IS, THEY'RE BASICALLY ASKING FOR A PENALTY TO BE IT INCORPORATED.
GREENBERG, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW, DON'T THINK IT'S UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
NO, BUT I'M SAYING UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG ALSO PAYS BUDGET.
NO, BUT I'M SAYING THE, A BUDGET IS BASICALLY THE BUDGET THAT THE VILLAGES AND UNINCORPORATED PAY FOR.
SO BASICALLY LIKE THE GOAL OF THE A BUDGET IS TO HELP THE VILLAGES, NOT ONLY TO HELP UNINCORPORATED GREENBERG.
SO IF, SO IF, UM, THE VILLAGE IN R FARLEY, WHICH IS PART OF THE, A BUDGET IS ASKING FOR HELP, UM, WITH AN A BUDGET ITEM, UM, AND IT'S GONNA HELP, UH, THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS, UM, WITH THEIR MUNICIPAL TAXES, THEN I FEEL THAT IT'S DEFINITELY IN THE BENEFIT OF THE TOWN BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AND I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THE OTHER VILLAGES PROBABLY WOULD, WOULD WANT US TO BE, UM, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OF UM, NUMBER SIX REQUESTS MADE BY V BY DIFFERENT VILLAGES.
I LOOK, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING TOMORROW.
SO, SO TOMORROW WE'RE HAVING A MEETING AT EIGHT 30 INSTEAD OF SEVEN 30 RIGHT.
SO WE CAN GO AND BE RESOLVED CONFLICT THAT, UH, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD.
AND, UM, UH, CONGRESSMAN LATIMER WILL SPEAK, UH, ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S FIRST A HUNDRED DAYS IN 2025.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA BE AT EIGHT 30.
ARE WE
WE'LL HAVE THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, SO IT'LL IT'LL BE SHORTLY AFTER THAT.
SO MAYBE WE DON'T DO THE REPORTS 'CAUSE WE'RE STARTING LATE.
WE DON'T DO THE LIAISON REPORTS AND WE HAVE OUR GUEST SPEAKER TABLE DOES.
SO THERE'S NO PUBLIC HEARING TOMORROW, SO NO, NO, NO PRESENTATIONS OTHER THAN GEORGE VLADIMIR.
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE, WE CAN START THE 30, THE A DU DISCUSSION, UH, PUBLIC HEARING WILL CONTINUE ON MAY 28TH.
IT'S BEING RESCHEDULED, NOT ENTERTAINING THAT TOMORROW NIGHT.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT TOMORROW NIGHT? NO.
ARE YOU ASKING OR YOU STATING OH, WHAT DID YOU SAY? NO, I'M JUST IN CASE ANYBODY'S WONDERING, IT'S NOT THAT THEY SPEAK TOMORROW NIGHT AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SCHEDULE IT AGAIN ON MAY 28TH.
IT IS MOVED ENTIRELY TO MAY 28TH.
AND, UH, I SPOKE TO JOE EARLIER, UH, TODAY, YOU KNOW, RICH LING, UH, YOU KNOW, SENT THE BOARD, UM, AN EMAIL ABOUT, UM, A RE A RESOLUTION AND THEY BASICALLY WANTED TO GET PAID FOR THE TARRYTOWN FIRE DISTRICT.
AND YOU SAID THAT THAT WAS RESOLVED? I, I MENTIONED TO YES.
PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO RESOLUTION ON THE CONTRACT AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SIGN IT, I BELIEVE, TOMORROW.
AND THEN HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THEM TO GET PAID, WOULD YOU SAY? I DON'T KNOW.
[01:10:01]
GENERALLY THE, THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY, THE, JUST THE, UH, OKAY.SO I'LL TELL 'EM THE CHECKS IN THE MAIL AND, UM, I'M ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE REMOVE, UH, A T TWO.
I HAVE PROVISIONS MISSING FROM THE CONTRACT.
I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE READY BY TOMORROW NIGHT, SO I PREFER TO JUST HAVE THAT ON THE MAY 14TH.
JUST AS AN ASIDE, DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THE, UM, DALE FARMER'S MARKET YET? WE, WE ARE STILL WAITING, UH, BECAUSE I SAW THE OTHER ONE HEAR BACK FROM HIM.
I JUST WANNA COMMEND AARON AND SCHMIDT.
THEY DID A REALLY NICE JOB OF REPLANTING, UM, THE BUSHES AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOWN HALL.
YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT A GREAT JOB HE DID AND HE REALLY HAS A GOOD, UH, LANDSCAPING EYE.
ANYTHING ELSE? STILL LOOKING? I WON'T, I'M GOOD.
YOU WANNA CHECK? JUST CHECK THAT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IS READING IT OVER RIGHT NOW, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
UH, SHE'LL LET YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES.
I THINK THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS MEETING TOMORROW.
UM, UH, THINK IT'S LIKE SIX O'CLOCK HERE.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UH, ATTEND, UM, THE MEETING, YOU'RE, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.
LEMME JUST MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE IT RIGHT, LADY.
DO THEY HAVE MEMBERS FROM EAST DALE AVENUE ON THAT? WAIT, UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHAMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WHO'S THE MEMBERS? UH, YEAH, WE HAVE, UH, WHAT'S REPRESENTED WITH COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE BUNCH OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHICH COMMUNITIES, UH, TRUDY HOLLAND IS THE HEAD OF, UH, UH, THE CHAMBER.
AND KRISTA HAS BEEN ALSO HELPING, UH, YOU KNOW, MY ASSISTANT KRISTEN MADISON HAS BEEN HELPING ORGANIZE ON, UH, THE CHAMBER AND THEY'VE BEEN AVERAGING 30 TO 50 PEOPLE AT EVENTS.
AND FROM WHAT COMMUNITIES? UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG.
BUT DO WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THERE LIKE FOR EASTDALE AVENUE? I MEAN, IF THEY ALL HAVE AN INTEREST IN OH YEAH, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE SOUNDING A PARKING PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY CAN HELP US ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, INVI, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN I WENT TO THE ICE CREAM STORE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEW BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, I'M TELLING THEM ABOUT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND, YOU KNOW, IT BASICALLY IS STARTING TO REALLY BECOME A, A REALLY GOOD FUNCTIONING, UH, YOU CHAMBER, BUT IT TOOK A, IT TOOK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO BUILD UP A GROUP LIKE THAT.
WELL, I'M, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH 'EM, SO IT'S, ARE YOU THE LIAISON? I'M THE LIAISON AND I'M LIKE THE GEORGE WASHINGTON OF THE, SINCE IT WAS, I CAME UP WITH THAT AND I'M JUST FOLDING UP MYSELF.
NO, NO, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I, WE, WE HADN'T HAD A CHAMBER FOR DECADES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZE ONE.
YOU KNOW, MY ASSISTANT KRISTEN MATSON HAS BEEN WORKING AND YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE AT THE STAGE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE ALMOST SELF SUPPORTING AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'LL BE A REALLY GOOD AND WHERE'S THE MEETING? IT'S GONNA BE HERE.
WHERE'S THE MEETING? I THINK IN THE LEE JACKSON ROOM CAFETERIA.
I THINK IT'S THE LEE JACK TOMORROW.
I THINK TOMORROW'S JUST LIKE A GENERAL MEETING.
AND HOW LONG DOES THE MEETING USUALLY LAST? UH, I HAVE NO IDEA.
YOU KNOW, I'D SAY LIKE AN HOUR OR LESS.
IS THERE, DO YOU HAVE ANY, CAN YOU JUST SEND ME, UM, THE, I'VE ASKED FOR THE MEETING NOTES AND THE, THE NOTE.
CAN YOU SEND 'EM TO ME? YEAH, I'LL, I GOT, SHE, SHE ADDED ME TO THE RIGHT, SHE SENT ME THE EMAIL ABOUT THE TIME, BUT I
[01:15:01]
DIDN'T SEE THE MEETING NOTES THAT WHAT YOU'VE GUYS BEEN DOING.WHAT TIME DOES IT START? WE, WE HAVE TOMORROW EVENING WE HAVE, UM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE STRATEGY.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, FINE.
BUT THEN IN THE FUTURE I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
NO, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA SHOW THAT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TIME.
SO, SO CAN YOU HAVE CRYSTAL OR WHOEVER IS THE SECRETARY FOR JUST SEND THE AGENDAS, THE PRIOR AGENDAS OF THE OTHER MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HAVING AND ALL OF THE MEETING NOTES THAT YOU CAME.
I HAVEN'T TAKEN, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S TAKEN MEETING NOTES, BUT I'LL, I'LL ASK IF SHE HAS AND IF SHE HASN'T, YOU KNOW, I'LL ASK IF THEY COULD, THEY SHOULD START, HAVE NOTES THAT WE COULD CIRCULATE.
ANY, ANY AGENDAS THOUGH, DO YOU THINK? THERE'S NO AGENDA.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE GREENBERG POLICE SHOWED UP AT A MEETING ONCE AND THEY GAVE, UH, THE, SOME OF THE BUSINESSES TIPS ON HOW TO BE SAFE, YOU KNOW, SAFER, UH, YOU KNOW HOW TO, IN TERMS OF BURGLARIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE, UM, CHAMBER MEETING, I GUESS A COUPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, MONTHS AGO WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BRANDING, YOU KNOW, GIVING ADVICE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HAD INTERESTING SPEAKERS AND THEN SOME NETWORKING.
SO WHAT IS THE CHARGE OF THE CHAMBER? UH, THE CHARGE OF THE CHAMBER IS GONNA BE, UM, BASICALLY TO HELP BUSINESSES, UH, YOU KNOW, SURVIVE AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, BASICALLY LIKE THE REGULAR, WHAT ANY CHAMBER DOES, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD NETWORKING, HELPING, AND THEY DO THE CEREMONIAL THINGS.
THEY'LL DO THE, THE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, DO ORGANIZE THEM LIKE A MISSION STATEMENT OR ANY KIND OF COMMERCE.
SOME KIND OF CHRIST HAS BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT, CAN'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY MEMBERS ONLY.
YOU HAVE TO PAY TO BE A MEMBER.
AND YOU'RE USING HALL PUBLIC CAN'T ATTEND THESE MEETINGS WITHOUT PAYING NO, YOU HAVE TO PAY MEMBERSHIP.
WELL, THAT'S YOUR, THIS IS YOUR COMMITTEE.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I HAVE TO SPEAK TO THEM BECAUSE I'M NOT, IT'S NOT MY COMMITTEE, I'M JUST WELL, THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ARE NOT PART OF GOVERNMENTS.
IT'S, THEY'RE SEPARATE ENTER AND YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE HOLDING THE MEETINGS HERE.
BUT I THINK, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MY GOOD, I SORT OF FEEL THAT THE CHAMBER OF COMM WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS. THEY'RE NOT QUESTIONING.
WELL, NO ONE'S SAYING WHY IT SHOULD BE HERE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A CHAMBER OF CONFERENCE SINCE I GOT ELECTED.
BUT WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THERE'S A CHARGE FOR THAT.
SO WE NEED, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE FRAMEWORK OF THE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT YOU CREATED.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE FRAMEWORK OF THAT.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR BYLAWS? WHAT ARE YOUR PROCESSES? WHAT YOUR PROCEDURES, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HAVING THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS, WE ALSO NEED TO TALK, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE RIVER TOWNS OR IF YOU'VE BEEN WITH IN CONTACT WITH SLEEPY HOLLOWS.
UM, 'CAUSE I'VE MET THE CHAMBER, THE PRESIDENT OF THAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SO I'M JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING, ARE THEY UTILIZING A WEBSITE THAT WE PUT IN PLACE A COUPLE YEARS AGO? SO THERE ARE THINGS, AND AGAIN, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE THAT THEY CAN TAP INTO.
BUT THE RESIDENTS IN, INCLUDING MYSELF, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE GREENBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND WE'VE ALL AM ASKED ALL THE TIME ABOUT WHAT DID THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS HERE IN GREENBURG.
OR AT LEAST THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
I CAN'T DRIVE THEM TO A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO SAY, HEY, WELCOME STORE OWNER.
HERE'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN, HERE'S A PLACE YOU CAN GO FOR DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
OR IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO FIND DIFFERENT AVENUES OR TO CONNECT PEOPLE, BE A BRIDGE FOR, FOR OTHERS, THAT'S FINE.
THERE'S, SO WE DON'T, I MEAN THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT YOU, HAVE.
WE DONE AN FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE BOUGHT POST, UH, A LOT OF THE, UH, MEETINGS ON, UH, NO, BUT I MEAN, LIKE MORE THAN JUST THE MEETINGS HAPPENING NOW.
THIS IS OUR NEW, YOU KNOW, NEWLY IMPROVED.
WHAT'S THE COST? WHAT'S THE COST FOR MEMBERS? WHAT'S THE COST FOR NON-MEMBERS? WE'VE DONE SOME OF A, THEY HAVE A WEBSITE NOW.
IS IT POST? IS THERE LINK WEBSITE IS A LINK.
SO WE CAN PUT IT ON THE TOWN WEBSITE.
LET ME SPEAK TO THEM AND JUST SAY THEY NEED TO CONNECT WITH US.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I COME TOMORROW, MAYBE I CAN GET SOME MORE INFORMATION.
WHY SHOULD RESIDENTS HAVE TO PAY TO COME TO MEETINGS IN TOWN HALL? WHICH THEY BE TAXES TO SUPPORT? WELL, WE DO OTHER NO MEMBERS? NO, WHEN YOU JOIN PART OF, WHEN YOU JOIN A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, YOU BECOME A MEMBER.
NO, THAT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S I WHAT QUESTIONS? PEOPLE WHO CAN ATTEND OUR MEETINGS, OUR MEMBERS.
BUT WE, WE NO, NOT FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
NO, NO, THAT'S, PEOPLE CAN COME.
I, I'M NOT SURE THAT, NO, I'VE SEEN OH, ALRIGHT.
WELL WE SHOULD FIND, FIND THAT OUT.
WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE, I HAVE TO SPEAK TO THEM AND JUST FIND OUT.
WELL, NO, I'M SAYING HE, HE'S PART OF IT, SO, BUT WE DO, WE DO ALLOW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES WHETHER WE'RE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S, BUT DO THEY PAY, DO WE, DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE TO PAY TO GO TO THESE MEETINGS THAT ARE HELD IN TOWN HALL? NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S
[01:20:01]
NO COST.I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION, BUT PLEASE, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION I WANNA SPEAK TO TOMORROW AND, UM, WE WILL NOT BE HOLDING WORK SESSION NEXT TUESDAY.
TWO OF YOU WILL BE AWAY AND, UM, CAN'T, OKAY, GREAT.
UM, UH, SO MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING PERSONAL MATTERS INVOLVING PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS TO INTERVIEW A CANDIDATE FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AND TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING PENDING AND CURRENT LITIGATION.
BUT, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.