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GOOD EVENING.WELCOME TO OUR GREENBERG TOWN BOARD MEETING.
TODAY IS, UM, OCTOBER 14TH AT 7 54, UH, PM WE'RE SORRY THAT, UM, THE MEETING STARTED A LITTLE LATE, BUT THERE WERE SOME TECHNICAL, UM, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS. WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UM, A ROLL CALL FROM THE TOWN CLERK.
I THINK WE DO THE P ALLEGIANCE FIRST.
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH WE DID STAND.
[ ROLL CALL: Town Clerk]
UM, THE TOWN CLERK, JUDITH VILLE.PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN DIANA JUTT, DELAYED.
AND COUNCILMAN IAN, PRESENT AND TOWN ATTORNEY TIM LEWIS.
[ MOMENT OF SILENCE Jacquelynn E. Beville (sister of Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith A. Beville) Jacquelynn Ethel Beville, beloved sister to her surviving siblings, aunt, great aunt, cousin and dear friend to so many, was received by the Lord on October 8, 2020. Known to most as “Lynn” and her cultural name, “AdaZeke,” Lynn attended Valhalla public schools, received a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Defiance College, and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Atlanta University. She became grounded in her lifelong commitment to studying and interpreting the African American experience with respect to presenting history factually and with integrity, cultural awareness and understanding, disparities in education, housing, employment, economic systems, criminal justice systems, politics as well as overall social injustice and systemic racism throughout our society. She maintained, though, through her personal narrative of unity, what she believed to be the need for all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, culture, complexion, religion and personal lifestyle to seek “common ground…we are one race…the human race…,” Lynn always said. A Licensed and Certified Clinical Social Worker, Lynn worked in the Yonkers City Public Schools as a School Social Worker, activist and advocate for quality education for all children, serving on several community planning committees as well as advisory committees to the Yonkers School District administrators. Lynn continued her studies in the fields of Human Behavior, Education and African American History at Columbia University. She was regularly enrolled in ongoing study, research, writings, as well as producing presentations related to education, African American History, women’s rights and social justice. Here in the Town of Greenburgh, Lynn was part of the first administration and program planning team, during the early years of the Fairview Community Center/ Theodore D. Young Summer Camp Program, a founding member of the Greenburgh African American Historical Alliance, Inc. and a member of the Black Women’s Political Caucus. She was a valuable Greenburgh Town Hall Summer Internship Program guest speaker each year and volunteered to help coordinate special events held at Town Hall related to civic engagement, cultural awareness, education and women’s history. Countywide, she was a former member of the Westchester African American Advisory Board and an active member of Aquehung Women’s Democratic Club (Yonkers), the Ethical Café sponsored by the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester and the Scarsdale Library Writers Center. Lynn was a fifty-year (Golden) member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and supported the local chapters in Westchester. A prolific writer, poet, storyteller, historian, jazz, blues and folk singer, performer and stage director, Lynn was a creative and talented artist of several expressions and genres. She touched and improved many lives. She will be missed.]
UH, WE'RE GONNA NOW HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, UH, SOME SAD NEWS IN MEMORY OF LYNN BEVILLE, THE SISTER OF TOWN CLERK, JUDITH, UH, BEVILLE.AND JUDITH IS GONNA, UM, MAKE SOME REMARKS ABOUT HER SISTER.
DO YOU WANT ME TO DISPLAY IT, JUDITH, OR DO YOU OH, YES, PLEASE, FRANCIS, BECAUSE YOU DID A SHORT, SHORTER VERSION.
SO FIRST I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, AND, UM, AND, UH, HONOR MY SISTER IN THE FORM OF MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AND AT TRIBUTE, UH, AS SHE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO OUR TOWN.
UM, JACQUELINE ETHEL BEVILLE, BELOVED SISTER TO HER SURVIVING SIBLINGS AND AUNT, A GREAT AUNT COUSIN, DEAR FRIEND TO MANY, UH, PASSED AWAY OCTOBER 8TH, 2020, KNOWN TO MOST AS LYNN AND HER CULTURAL NAME, ZEKE LYNN ATTENDED VALHALLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, RECEIVED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK, UH, FROM DEFIANCE COLLEGE IN DEFIANCE, OHIO, AND A MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK FROM ATLANTA UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
SHE BECAME GROUNDED IN HER LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO STUDYING AND INTERPRETING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE WITH RESPECT TO PRESENTING HISTORY FACTUALLY AND WITH INTEGRITY, CULTURAL AWARENESS, AND UNDERSTANDING DISPARITIES IN EDUCATION, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, ECONOMIC SYSTEMS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS, POLITICS, AS WELL AS OVERALL SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND SYSTEMIC RACISM THROUGHOUT OUR SOCIETY.
SHE MAINTAINED THOUGH THROUGH HER PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF UNITY, WHAT SHE BELIEVED TO BE THE NEED FOR ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF GENDER, ETHNICITY, CULTURE, COMPLEXION, RELIGION, AND PERSONAL LIFESTYLE TO SEEK COMMON GROUND.
MY SISTER USED TO ALWAYS SAY TO ME, JUDY, WE HAVE TO SEEK COMMON GROUND 'CAUSE WE ARE ONE RACE, THE HUMAN RACE.
A LICENSED AND CERTIFIED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER THEN WORKED IN YONKERS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, WHERE SHE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE AND ADVOCATE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN.
SHE SERVED ON SEVERAL PLANNING COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO THE YONKERS, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.
SHE CONTINUED HER STUDIES IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR EDUCATION AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, AND REGULARLY ENROLLED IN ONGOING STUDY RESEARCH WRITINGS, AS WELL AS PRODUCING PRESENTATIONS RELATED TO EDUCATION, AMERICAN HISTORY, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, AND SOCIAL.
HERE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, LYNN WAS PART OF THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM PLANNING TEAM DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF THE FAIRVIEW COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER DE YOUNG COMMUNITY, UH, YOUNG SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM.
AND I, AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS REALLY BRIEFLY BECAUSE I, I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT POINT.
FORMER COMMISSIONER, FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE COMMISSIONER, BARBARA PERRY.
SHE, UH, REFLECTED ON WORKING TOGETHER WITH LINEN.
SHE SAID, JUDITH, WE RAN A SUMMER CAMP
[00:05:01]
PROGRAM WITH KICK BALLS, BASEBALLS, AND BATS, SOME TABLETOP GAMES, A BIG GAMES COORDINATOR AND FIELD TRIPS.AND SHE SAID, AND IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO WATCH HOW WELL LYNN WAS ABLE TO RELATE TO THE COUNSELORS AND THE CHILDREN 'CAUSE SHE LOVED CHILDREN.
UM, SHE WAS A, A MEMBER OF THE BLACK WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS, AS WELL AS ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY AND NATIONAL OH, OH, I'M, I'M, I'M JUMPING BEFORE MYSELF.
SHE WAS A VALUABLE GREENBERG TOWN HALL, CONTRIBUTED TO THE GREENBERG TOWN HALL SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AS A GUEST SPEAKER EACH YEAR, AND VOLUNTEERED TO HELP COORDINATE SPECIAL EVENTS HELD AT TOWN HALL RELATED TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CULTURAL AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND MOVEMENT HISTORY.
SHE WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE WESTCHESTER AFRICAN AMERICAN ADVISORY BOARD, AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF AQUA HUNG WOMEN'S DEMOCRATIC CLUB IN YONKERS, THE ETHICAL CAFE, SPONSORED BY THE ETHICAL CULTURE SOCIETY OF WESTCHESTER, AND THE SCARSDALE LIBRARY WRITERS CENTER.
SHE WAS A 50 YEAR GOLDEN MEMBER OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, AND SUPPORTED THE LOCAL CHAPTERS HERE IN WESTCHESTER, A PROLIFIC WRITER, POET, STORYTELLER, HISTORIAN, JAZZ, BLUES, AND FOLK SINGER, A PERFORMER AND STAGE DIRECTOR.
LYNN WAS A CREATIVE AND TALENTED ARTIST OF SEVERAL EXPRESSIONS AND GENRES.
ACCORDING TO MANY GREENBERG RESIDENTS, SHE TOUCHED AND IMPROVED MANY LIVES.
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO YOU DURING THIS, UH, LOSS.
UM, YOUR SISTER WAS A REMARKABLE WOMAN.
UM, UM, WE, I HEARD HER SPEAK MANY TIMES BEFORE THE INTERN.
SHE WAS INSPIRATIONAL, UM, ALWAYS, UM, UM, GAVE OF HER TIME, HER KNOWLEDGE, UM, INSPIRED A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, AND, YOU KNOW, TREATED THE INTERNS LIKE THEY WERE FAMILY.
AND MY HEART, YOU KNOW, GOES OUT TO YOU.
AND I ALSO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MENTION, YOU KNOW, HOW, UM, DEDICATED YOU ARE, EVEN, UH, DESPITE YOUR TREMENDOUS LOSS, AND YOU WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO YOUR, YOUR SISTER, UM, YOU HAVE BEEN AT TOWN HALL, UH, YOU'RE DOING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WORK.
AND YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, YOU SHOW THAT YOU'RE PUTTING, UH, THE PUBLIC FIRST EVEN AHEAD OF YOURSELF.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, IN THIS TIME OF, UH, GRIEF FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'VE DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TOWN, AND, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS WANTING TO GIVE BACK AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, BETTER.
BUT YOUR SISTER WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED AND, YOU KNOW, AS A ROLE MODEL FOR, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIZENS.
AND SHE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
AND THANK YOU TOWN BOARD MEMBERS.
[ PRESENTATION(S) Nathan Goldrich - Offering Free Tutoring of Biology and Chemistry for High School Students Siddanth Karthik - Reflective Clothing]
WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE WITH US, UM, UH, TWO YOUNG PEOPLE, UM, WHO ARE GIVING OF THEIR, UH, TIME AND KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, UH, TRYING TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR OTHERS.UM, THE FIRST, UM, YOUNG MAN IS, UM, NATHAN GOLDRICH.
UM, AND HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, A FREE TUTORING INITIATIVE THAT, UH, HE'S OFFERING, UM, UH, STUDENTS IN THE GREENBURG AREA IN TERMS OF BIOLOGY AND, AND CHEMISTRY.
SO, UM, NATHAN RESIDES IN THE EDGEMONT SECTION OF TOWN.
AND, UH, NATHAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING? OF COURSE.
I HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, UH, SO WE WILL GET THAT.
CAN YOU ALL SEE THE POWERPOINT? YES.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, MR. PAUL FINDER AND THE GREENBERG, UH, TOWN BOARD FOR INVITING ME, UH, TO THE PROGRAM.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE STEM POD TUTORING WITH ALL OF YOU.
I THINK IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM THAT WILL BE USEFUL IN COMING BACK TO THE GREENBERG AND WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT, UH, THERE IS A DEFICIT IN EDUCATION RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.
AND SO WHAT STEM PO TUTORING IS, IS IT'S AN ACADEMIC PHILANTHROPY ORGANIZATION TO HELP FILL THE DEFICIT AND PROVIDE BACK TO, UH, GREENBERG.
AND, UH, TODAY WE WILL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS STEM POD TUTORING, TWO, HOW TO GET INVOLVED, OR WHAT THE VIRTUAL
[00:10:01]
POD SESSIONS ARE.AND THEN THREE IS HOW TO GET INVOLVED.
SO THIS PROGRAM DID NOT COME OUT OF THIN AIR.
SO WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AT EDGEMONT, I GRADUATED IN 2016.
UH, I STARTED A PROGRAM CALLED THE EDGEMONT PERFORMING ARTS CLUB, IN WHICH MEMBERS WHO WERE MUSICIANS WOULD GO TO LOCAL NURSING HOMES IN GREENBURG ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND PERFORM FOR THE RESIDENTS.
AND WE WOULD ALSO HAVE BIANNUAL BENEFIT CONCERTS.
BY THE TIME THAT I WAS IN NORTHWESTERN, I WAS GRADUATE, I WAS, UH, I WAS VOLUNTEERING ON A MORE, UH, CLINICAL AND PRE-MED, UH, UH, TYPE OF TYPE OF THING.
AND SO I WOULD GO TO HOSPITALS AND I WOULD GO TO REHAB CENTERS, AND I WOULD VOLUNTEER MY TIME AND TRY TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR HELP AND, UH, COMPLETING EXERCISES AND PROVIDING MUSIC.
AND SO, UH, STEM PO TUTORING IS MERELY AN EXTENSION OF THAT, THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION RIGHT NOW.
BUT SINCE I AM FROM THE AREA, IT TAKE A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN TRYING TO REALLY, UH, HELP THE GREENBERG AND WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT WE OFFER ARE, WE OFFER THREE OUR FREE VIRTUAL PODS IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY.
WE DO TWO PODS A DAY, UH, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
THE PODS ARE IN REGULAR BIOLOGY AND REGULAR CHEMISTRY.
SO THEY FOLLOW THE NEW YORK STATE REGION'S CURRICULUM.
UH, AND WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ARE, UH, THE AP CURRICULUM.
SO THEY FOLLOW, UH, THAT STANDARDIZED SYSTEM.
WE HAVE PODS OF UP TO FOUR STUDENTS, AND THE IDEA IS THAT WE WANT THERE TO BE ENOUGH STUDENTS SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, BUT WE DON'T WANNA OVERWHELM THE POD WITH TOO MANY STUDENTS OUT OF FEAR THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE WILL GET DROWNED OUT IN ALL OF THE NOISE.
THAT WE WANT TO PERSONALIZE THE EDUCATION TO EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, THERE IS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE.
WE WANNA SUPPLEMENT THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE BY OFFERING OUR FREE SERVICES.
SO YOU CAN SIGN UP, UH, AT STEM POD TUTORING.COM, AND WHEN YOU GET THERE, YOU WILL SEE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
SO THERE IS THE BIOLOGY PODS AT THE TOP, AND THERE'S THE CHEMISTRY PODS AT THE TOP.
YOU CLICK ON ONE OF THOSE, IT'LL GIVE YOU A LIST OF EVENTS.
YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR ONE OF THOSE.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE IT WILL ASK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AND IT WILL GIVE YOU THE EMAIL NOTIFYING YOU THAT YOU HAVE SIGNED UP.
YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO, UH, PITCH YOUR SELECTED TOPICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO COVER.
THERE IS A SEPARATE SECTION FOR THAT ON THE HOMEPAGE.
YOU CAN SIGN UP ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
AND AGAIN, TO, JUST TO SUMMARIZE, WE ARE NORTHWESTERN PRE-MED STUDENTS OFFERING FREE VIRTUAL POD TUTORING IN BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY.
IT'S A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, BUT AS AN ACADEMIC PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, WE ARE LOOKING TO SPECIFICALLY TARGET GREENBERG AND WESTCHESTER AS THEY HOLD SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO ME.
AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OFFERING THESE EDUCATIONAL POSITIVE STUDENTS IN NEED.
IF YOU OR IF ANYBODY YOU KNOW, IS INTERESTED IN SOME OF THESE SERVICES, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO EITHER EMAIL ME, UH, AT STEM POD TUTORING@GMAIL.COM OR GO TO THE WEBPAGE AND, UH, CHECK THIS OUT BECAUSE IT IS ALL FREE.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON, UH, NOT TO, IT, IT IS, IT IS ALL FREE.
AND WE ARE DOING THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPLEMENT THE LEARNING AND TRY TO GET EDUCATION.
AND, UM, WE'LL TRY PUBLICIZING IT AND, YOU KNOW, SPREADING THE ROAD.
I, UH, WORD I'VE ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTACTED, UM, UH, SOME LOCAL CLERGY, UH, THE, UH, THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP.
AND WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE A COPY OF THIS, UM, UH, VIDEO, THIS PRESENTATION AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE IT.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, WE, WE'LL, WE'LL FIND STUDENTS.
ARE YOU FOCUSING, UM, ON PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT ECONOMIC, UH, UH, AREAS OR, YOU KNOW, WHERE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY SERVE, YOU KNOW, MORE LOWER INCOME KIDS? WE'RE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY TO TARGET LOWER INCOME AREAS.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE OPEN TO EVERYBODY, UH, WE FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE, UH, A BETTER USE OF, IT WOULD BE A BETTER SERVICE TO TARGET PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE SERVICES.
SO WHILE WE WOULD LIKE TO TARGET, UH, LOWER INCOME AREAS, WE ARE OPEN TO ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN
[00:15:01]
AND ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT THIS IS THAT, UM, WE'RE GIVING, YOU'RE GIVING, UM, HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL.
SO WHEN THEY GET TO COLLEGE, THEY'LL HAVE A, A LEG UP OVER STUDENTS WHO MIGHT EVEN, UM, YOU KNOW, BE ATTENDING SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A MORE PRESTIGIOUS, UH, YOU KNOW, REP, YOU KNOW, REPUTATION.
UM, SO THIS IS A REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY OF A, YOU KNOW, SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND WITH A LITTLE EXTRA HELP, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL GET INTO A BETTER COLLEGE FROM THIS AND HAVE A BETTER CAREER.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY EXCITING AND REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THIS.
HI, NATHAN, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
I NOTICED IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU MENTIONED CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY, BUT ALSO SAW A TAB THAT SAID PRIVATE INSTRUCTION.
WILL THAT INCLUDE MORE THAN JUST CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY? I'M LITERALLY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FOR MATH, SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OFFERED FOR MATH.
UM, SO PRIVATE TUTORING, SEPARATE ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT IS TARGETING EACH INDIVIDUAL.
WE'RE JUST INTERESTED IN THE PAUSE.
UM, UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UM, A STUDENT WHO IS, UM, UH, YOUNGER.
UM, BUT, UH, THEN NATHAN IS ONLY A SEVENTH GRADER, BUT HE'S ALREADY BEEN MAKING A, A REALLY POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO, UM, UH, TO THE TOWN.
UM, HIS NAME'S SSID, UH, KARTHIK, AND HE'S AL HE'S BEEN INTERNING IN MY, UM, OFFICE REMOTELY.
AND HE'S ALREADY PRODUCED, UM, TWO, UM, UM, TWO, UH, YOUTUBE PUBLIC, UH, SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND ONE OF THEM ON COYOTES HAS GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE VIEWING IT THAN, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE YOUTUBES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO, SSID, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND THEN INTRODUCE THE PSAS THAT YOU'VE WORKED ON? SURE.
SO, I'M A SEVENTH GRADER AT THE EDMONT JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I RECENTLY STARTED IN INTERN INTERNING WITH MR. FINER.
AND SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN HAVING A GREAT TIME WORKING ON THE PROJECTS THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME.
THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE WATCHING THE ED AND RANDY ZUCKERBERG INTERVIEW AND HELPING TO EDIT IT.
I ALSO HELPED EDIT THE HILLARY CLINTON INTERVIEW, BUT WHAT I CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS MY PSAS.
I RECENTLY MADE MY FIRST P SS A ON COYOTES.
I CREATED THIS TO ADVISE RESIDENTS OF WEST CHESTER TO BE CAREFUL OUTSIDE AND TO INFORM THEM ABOUT COYOTE SAFETY AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A COYOTE.
MY SECOND P S A WAS A P S A TO EDUCATE PEDESTRIANS ON THE BENEFITS OF USING REFLECTIVE CLOTHING.
HI, MY NAME IS SADAN KARTHIK, AND I'M A SEVENTH GRADER AT EDGEMONT JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, I'VE CREATED A P S A TO EDUCATE PEDESTRIANS ABOUT THE REASONS TO WEAR REFLECTIVE CLOTHING, BE SEEN, BE SAFE, BE SMART.
I'VE COME TO YOU WITH SOME PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT STATISTICS IN THE US FOR 2015, AND FOUND THAT OVER 5,000 PEDESTRIANS WERE KILLED AND ALMOST 70,000 INJURED, AND OVER HALF THAT WAS AT NIGHT.
FOR SAFETY REASONS, PEDESTRIANS SHOULD WEAR REFLECTIVE CLOTHING AND HEADLAMPS AT NIGHT.
A FEW OTHER THINGS YOU COULD DO TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INCLUDE WEARING VISIBILITY BANDS OR WALKING ON THE PAVEMENT AND CARRYING REFLECTIVE ITEMS. REFLECTIVE A ACCESSORIES AREN'T JUST FOR HUMANS.
USE REFLECTIVE LEASHES AND COLLARS ON YOUR PETS AND KEEP THEM SAFE.
AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER P S A ON, UM, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, COYOTES.
THAT WAS A FANTASTIC P SS A VERY, VERY TALENTED THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU REMEMBER THE INTERVIEW WITH MARK ZUCKERBERG'S FATHER, UM, I THINK IT SAID THAT HE, UH, THAT HE SAID THAT HIS SON WAS SO SMART THAT HE SKIPPED A COUPLE GRADES WHEN HE WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO YOU SORT OF REMIND ME A LITTLE BIT OF,
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UH, OF, OF HIM, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH YOU'RE IN SEVENTH GRADE, YOU PROBABLY, UH, UH, COULD BE TAKING, UM, HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES.AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE FRANCIS IS, UM, UH, SETTING IT UP, OH, SORRY.
HI, MY NAME'S SADAN KARTHIK, AND I'M A SEVENTH GRADER AT EDGEMONT JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A LOT OF COYOTE SETTING RECENTLY.
SO I'VE CREATED A P S A TO TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH COYOTES.
COYOTE WARNING, A P S A BY SADAN KARTHIK COYOTES CAN BE DANGEROUS, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF.
THE FIRST TIP THAT I HAVE FOR PROTECTING YOURSELF IS KEEPING PET FOOD INSIDE YOUR HOUSE.
YOU SHOULD ALSO SECURE TRASH CANS AND PICK UP FRUIT THAT HAS FALLEN.
IF YOU RUN INTO COYOTES, THEN YOU SHOULD HAZE THEM.
WHAT IS HAZING? HAZING IS WHEN YOU STAND TALL AND MAKE YOURSELF LOOK BIGGER BY WAVING YOUR ARMS. YOU CAN ALSO YELL AT THE COYOTE, SPRAY WATER OR THROW OBJECTS.
KEEP CONSTANT EYE CONTACT WHILE YOU HAZE.
AND LASTLY, YOU SHOULD NEVER RUN FROM A COYOTE.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, UH, YOU'RE DOING FOR THE TOWN, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK.
UH, YOU, WITH YOU, YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
DO YOU WANNA GO INTO GOVERNMENT? GREAT JOB ON YOUR, ON YOUR, UM, PSAS.
DO YOU WANNA GO INTO GOVERNMENT AND WHEN YOU GET OLDER? I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVEN'T REALLY DECIDED ABOUT ANYTHING WITH THAT YET.
[ DECISION(S)]
SO, UM, NEXT, UM, ON THE AGENDA, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONS, UM, UH, WE HAVE DECISIONS CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, TITLE ZONING AS IT RELATES TO ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES, SIMILAR SPECIALIZED SENIOR HOUSING, THE ONE FAMILY.[ To consider a request for a modification with respect to a previously approved site plan application of Avalon Green III, LLC, for property located at Town Green Drive (P.O. Elmsford, NY) (Held over from 9/23/2020 Town Board Meeting)]
OKAY.SO NOW WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR A MODIFICATION WITH RESPECT TO PREVIOUSLY APPROVED SITE PLAN APPLICATION OF AVALON, UM, GREEN, UH, FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT TOWN GREEN DRIVE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.
FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD FOR THE RECORD.
GARRETT DUQUE, COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING PERTAINS TO A REQUEST FROM AVALON WHO OPERATE A MULTI-FAMILY, UH, APARTMENT BUILDING COMPLEX ON TAXI ROAD IN THE ELMSFORD PO PORTION OF THE TOWN.
AND AS PART OF THAT, THAT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, AVALON HAS OPERATED A SHUTTLE FOR ITS RESIDENCE TO THE, UH, NEAREST METRO NORTH TRAIN STATION.
AND, UH, ANNE KLEIN, REPRESENTATIVE ON BEHALF OF AVALON IS HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ANNE.
FINER MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
MY NAME IS ANNIE KLEIN AND I'M ASSOCIATE AT DALBELLO DONNELL AND WEINGART AND WE AND WHITAKER.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF, UH, AVALON GREEN.
UH, WITH ME ALSO IS RON MARTIN FROM AVALON BAY.
UH, SO WE ARE HERE, UM, REGARDING THE SITE PLAN APPROVAL, THE TOWN BOARD GRANT IN MARCH OF 2014.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, FOR AVALON GREEN, WHICH IS NOW FULLY CONSTRUCTED AT 617 UNITS.
UM, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY AT FULL CAPACITY WITH 1,265 RESIDENTS SINCE 2016.
UH, PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENT OF THAT SITE PLAN APPROVAL, AVALON GREEN HAS OPERATED A SHUTTLE BUS TO THE TERRYTOWN TRAIN STATION.
UM, AND THE RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY LOW SINCE, UH, SINCE THAT TIME IN 2016.
UM, SO DUE TO THAT, UH, WE ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THAT CONDITION OF THE 2014 SITE PLAN APPROVAL BE ELIMINATED.
UM, THE SHUTTLE BUS, UH, HAS AVERAGED APPROXIMATELY 18 RIDERS ANNUALLY, WHICH IS ONLY A LITTLE MORE THAN 1% OF THE RESIDENTS AT AVALON GREEN.
[00:25:01]
AVALON HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE, UH, CURRENT OPERATOR OF THAT SHUTTLE.UH, SO THEY LOOKED INTO A, GETTING A NEW OPERATOR, UM, AND REALIZED THAT THAT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY 33% MORE PER YEAR, UH, THAN THE EXISTING COST OF THE SHUTTLE, UH, WHICH IS STILL PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL AT 68,000, UH, DOLLARS PER YEAR.
UM, AT THAT POINT, AVALON LOOKED AT ITS HISTORIC, UH, USAGE RATES, UH, OF THE SHUTTLE, AND DETERMINED THAT IT REALLY JUST IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE DEMAND OF, UH, OF THE RIDERS.
UM, SO WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL APPLICATIONS, PROBABLY IN THE HISTORY OF, UH, THE TOWN.
I THINK IT TOOK ABOUT A DOZEN YEARS FOR THE APPLICATION TO ACTUALLY BE, UH, BE APPROVED.
AND, UM, I REMEMBER WE MADE REPRESENTATIONS BECAUSE WE, WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE RESIDENTS WITH THE TOWN, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT, AND WE WORKED OUT ALL THESE CONDITIONS.
SO I FEEL, FOR ME, IT WOULD BE HARD TO GO ALONG WITH, WITH THE REQUEST UNLESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, SIGNED OFF OR UNLESS THERE WAS A BENEFIT TO THAT IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME WHEN THIS WAS PROPOSED, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORS WERE VERY CONCERNED.
THERE WAS A LOT OF ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL IMPACTS TO, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF, OF LIFE, YOU KNOW, FOR RESIDENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET THE COMMUNITY TO, UM, TO BUY INTO, UM, APPROVING THE, SUPPORTING THE APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT.
AND THE CONCERN I HAVE IS IF WE GO AHEAD AND SAY, OH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT AFTER WE MADE PROMISES TO THE COMMUNITY, THE NEXT TIME A DEVELOPER COMES IN WITH AN APPLICATION AND WE SAY, OH, WE PROMISE YOU WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
NOBODY'S GONNA BELIEVE US, AND NOBODY'S GONNA BELIEVE THE DEVELOPER.
AND I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE TREMENDOUS CREDIBILITY PROBLEMS FOR THE TOWN.
AGAIN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, AND AVALON COULD COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT EAST IRVINGTON THEN, UH, WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, TO CHANGE SOMETHING.
WE, WE DID MEET WITH, UM, WITH THE EAST IRVINGTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION, UM, IN JULY AND DID DISCUSS THIS PROPOSAL WITH THEM.
UM, THEY HAD SOME QUESTIONS, CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC AS WELL.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE SHUTTLE BUS, UH, DOES SEVEN TRIPS IN THE MORNING AND SEVEN TRIPS IN THE EVENING.
SO REALLY IT'S NOT SAVING THAT MUCH TRAFFIC FROM THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE DRIVING TO WORK.
UM, THE 14 TRIPS, 18 RIDERS, IT'S JUST A COUPLE TRIPS.
UM, AND NEARLY EV, EVERY SIX
UM, SO ELIMINATING THIS, UH, THE SHUTTLE IS NOT GOING TO RESULT IN ANY INCREASE IN TRAFFIC.
WEBSITE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS AVALON GREEN TAKEN TO, UH, INFORM THE RESIDENTS OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE SHUTTLE? THEY ADVERTISE IT ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S ALSO PRESENTED TO THEM AS AN OPTION WHEN THEY, UH, GO TO LOOK AT APARTMENTS.
AND IT'S ALSO, AGAIN, PROVIDED AS AN OPTION WHEN THEY SIGN THE LEASE, COULD THE RIDERSHIP BE, UH, LOW? BECAUSE IT COSTS $1,200 A YEAR TO SIGN UP FOR THE SHUTTLE? UM, ACTUALLY, BUT AS I SAID, MOST PEOPLE, AVALON HAS ACTUALLY FOUND THAT MOST OF ITS RESIDENTS EITHER, UH, WORK FROM HOME OR ACT AND PRE, PRE PANDEMIC, UM, ACTUALLY ARE NOT COMMUTING TO THE CITY THAT MUCH.
A LOT OF THEIR RESIDENTS WORK LOCALLY AND ARE NOT ACTUALLY, UM, TAKING THE TRAIN ALL THAT MUCH.
SO THEY FIND THAT THE SHUTTLE IS NOT REALLY NECESSARY HERE.
IT'S JUST NOT, THIS IS ALL, THIS IS ALL ABOUT CREDIBILITY.
BECAUSE IF WE MAKE A PROMISE TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE BREAK THE PROMISE, WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO GET ANYTHING APPROVED.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOMEWHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTROVERSIAL.
UM, UNLESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT
[00:30:01]
BASICALLY SUPPORTED THIS APPLICATION SIGNS OFTEN SAYS, OKAY, WE COULD SUPPORT IT.FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, ONE THOUGHT THAT I HAD, YOU KNOW, AFTER I HEARD ABOUT THIS IS, LET'S SAY IT'S COSTING $60,000 A YEAR FOR THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS, THE ENDS AND THE, THE SERVICE.
AND LET'S SAY YOU SAID TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WE WILL, INSTEAD OF $60,000, WE'LL PUT IN 30,000, 40,000, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, UM, INTO A SPECIAL FUND THAT COULD BE USED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, PARKLAND ACQUISITION OR, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD SEE, YOU KNOW, BENEFICIAL.
WE HAD A MEETING A COUPLE, UH, ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO, UH, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS WERE ASKING FOR SIDEWALKS FROM THE OLD SCHOOL IN EAST IRVINGTON.
UM, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S GONNA BE EXPENSIVE.
IF, IF WE HAD SOME EXTRA FUNDS, UM, FOR THE SIDEWALK, THEN MAYBE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD, MAYBE YOUR CLIENT COULD SAVE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BENEFIT, AND THE TAXPAYERS WOULD BENEFIT BECAUSE WE COULD DO SOMETHING THAT'S POSITIVE WITHOUT ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, COSTING THE TOWN TAXPAYERS AS MUCH MONEY.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I WOULD LOOK FOR.
I, THAT'S SOMETHING I'D HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH MY CLIENT.
UM, AS PART OF THAT SAME RESOLUTION, AVALON DID CONTRIBUTE, UM, OVER $131,000, UM, TOWARDS PARK LAND IN THE TOWN.
UM, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A REQUIREMENT.
BUT IT WASN'T DONATION MEAN ALSO THE RESOLUTION, THE RESOLUTION DOES SAY THAT AFTER THREE YEARS OF OPERATING THE SHUTTLE, UH, THE APPLICANT, UM, CAN COME BACK TO THE TOWN BOARD IF, YOU KNOW, RIDERSHIP IS VERY LOW, UM, TO REQUEST SOME KIND OF RELIEF THAT WAS BUILT INTO THAT CONDITION WE'RE DISCUSSING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE'RE HERE.
DID ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, WISH TO COMMENT? DID ANYBODY SIGN UP? YES, I'M, I'M TOM GRAY.
I'M WITH THE IRVINGTON, THE EAST IRVINGTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION, AND I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE AT THE MEETING, THE YOUNG LADY REFERRED TO.
AND, UH, WE, TAX ROAD IS OUR CORRIDOR THREE IRVINGTON.
IT'S, UH, WE ALWAYS HAVE ISSUES OF, UH, IMPROPER, ILLEGAL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES GOING THROUGH THERE, BUT MORE LIKELY SPEEDERS GOING THROUGH THE AREA.
AND WE HAVE FAR MORE YOUNG FAMILIES IN EAST IRVINGTON NOW THAN WE DID 20 YEARS AGO.
UH, WHAT WE, UH, SUGGESTED AT THAT MEETING THAT, UH, UH, THAT A MORATORIUM BE ESTABLISHED THAT PERHAPS THIS SHUTTLE SERVICE CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, BUT THAT GREATER FAR GREATER EFFORTS BE MADE TO PROMOTE THE SERVICE AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF AVALON GREEN.
UH, UH, AT THAT MEETING, IT WAS REFERENCED BY SOMEONE REPRESENTING THE AVALON GREEN.
WE SAID IT HAS BECOME AN UNRELIABLE SERVICE.
AND IT WAS SOME REFERENCE HERE THAT THE CURRENT VENDOR HAS NOT BEEN AS, UH, PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE.
SO IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP ON TIME, UH, UH, TO PICK UP THE BUS, OR IT DOESN'T GET TO THE TARRYTOWN STATION ON TIME TO CONNECT WITH THE TRAIN SCHEDULE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND A LOT OF USAGE.
AND ALSO, THE, UH, ISSUE OF, I TOOK A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT RIDES THROUGH THE COMPLEX.
I DIDN'T SEE ONE SIGN THAT SAYS, THIS IS THE SHUTTLE SHUTTLE TO TRAIN, STOP.
YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT UNLESS YOU SOMEHOW KNEW IT ON YOUR OWN.
UH, AND YOU WOULDN'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD KNOW.
THERE'S NO PRESCRIBED AREA WHERE YOU PICK UP THE SHUTTLE.
NOW IT'S A SPRAWLING, UH, UH, UH, FACILITY.
SO YOU'D NEED SEVERAL THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY.
UH, FROM THE BOTTOM, THERE'S, UH, THAT ONE PERSON WHO DOESN'T HAVE A CAR, GOD BLESS 'EM, I HOPE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK UP THAT HILL.
UH, AND, UH, UH, THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT CREATES SIGNAGE THAT TELLS PEOPLE ABOUT THE, UH, UH, THE, THE SERVICE DOES EXIST, UH, AND THEN PROMOTE IT PERIODICALLY THROUGH YOUR NEWSLETTER, IF YOU HAVE ONE, UH, UH, OR, UH, UH, THROUGH EMAILS TO YOUR MEMBERSHIP, YOUR RESIDENTS, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE SERVICE DOES EXIST.
AND OF COURSE, I THINK THE KEY HERE IS TO GET A RELIABLE VENDOR.
MAYBE THE TOWN COULD BE HELPFUL IN THAT REGARD.
I ONLY KNOW ONE SCHOOL BUS OR OPERATION IN, IN THE AREA, AND THAT'S THE ONE ON, UH, SOEL RIVER ROAD.
UH, BUT IF, UH, IF THAT RELIABILITY FACTOR IN, IN TRANSPORTATION IS ESSENTIAL, AND IT WAS, UH, AGREED THAT IT WAS NOT RELIABLE.
[00:35:01]
SO THAT ACCOUNTS FOR AT LEAST SOME, IF NOT A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF THE ABSENCE OF USE.UM, SO PRIMARILY IS, LET'S, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
I WAS SORT OF THINKING, HAVE IT RUN NOW AT LEAST TO JUNE 1ST, AND THEN HAVE, AND LET THE, THE, UH, AVALON GREEN MANAGEMENT LET US KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO PROMOTE THIS SERVICE.
HEY, UH, TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, UM, ONE GENTLEMAN, UH, COULD NOT MAKE IT THIS EVENING, AND HE DID SUBMIT SOMETHING IN WRITING.
UM, I JUST, BEFORE I READ THAT, AND I'M GONNA SHARE A SCREEN WITH THE LETTER IN CASE SOMEONE TO READ ALONG, UH, I JUST HAD ONE COMMENT AND, UM, I, I DID POSE THIS DURING THE MEETING THAT, UM, UH, MS. KLEIN REFERENCED WITH THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, AND IT BUILDS A LITTLE BIT ON COUNCILMAN SHEEN'S QUESTION ABOUT THE COST STRUCTURE.
AND, UM, I WAS, MY QUESTION IS, IF THE, UH, COSTS WERE BORN BY, UM, THROUGH THE RENT OF, OF, OF THE, UH, THE RESIDENTS, UH, IN EVENLY DISTRIBUTED, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD, WOULD THAT LEAD TO GREATER RIDERSHIP? MEANING, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WHATEVER IT IS, IF THE RENT WAS $5 EACH MORE PER MONTH PER EACH UNIT, UM, OR WHATEVER IT COSTS TO, TO FINANCE PER YEAR, AND THEN ESSENTIALLY THE SHUTTLE WOULD BE OPEN TO ALL RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST THOSE THAT, UM, COULD MAKE THE, UH, MONTHLY PAYMENT OF, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED OR SO DOLLARS.
SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE AT LEAST SOMETHING COULD BOOST RIDERSHIP, UM, AND BE, UH, FISCALLY NOT, NOT AS, AS DRAINING ON, ON A FEW RESIDENTS.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL, UH, COMMENT.
AND IF I COULD, UH, I WOULD, I WILL READ THIS, UH, LETTER FROM, UH, MR. HENRY UCK.
AND AGAIN, I'M GONNA SHARE THE SCREEN.
UM, GARRETT, IS THAT THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT YESTERDAY? UH, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
MY NAME IS HENRY FEIN TUCK, AND TOGETHER WITH MY WIFE ALICE AND SON ALEX, I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AVALON GREEN AND ELMSFORD SINCE JUNE 16TH, 2016.
THAT'S NOT THE MO, THAT'S NOT THE MOST RECENT LETTER.
UH, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, I APOLOGIZE.
I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS, UM, I KNOW THERE WAS ATTEMPTS TO SEND A VIDEO THAT RON'S SUCCESSFUL, RIGHT? I, I, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LATEST ONE.
WE HAVE THESE BECAUSE HE SENT IT IN TO THE, TO THE ZOOM, UH, EMAIL ADDRESS.
SO, UH, I CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THIS.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN BOARD.
MY NAME IS HENRY UCK, AND TOGETHER WITH MY WIFE ALICE AND SON ALEX, I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF A AVALON GREEN IN ELFORD SINCE JUNE 16TH, 2016.
AFTER DOWNSIZING AND SELLING OUR HOME, WE WERE LOOKING FOR A RENTAL WITH EASY PROXIMITY TO THE METRO NORTH RAILROAD, ANY STATION.
SINCE I WAS A DAILY COMMUTER TO MANHATTAN, WHERE I OWN A TECHNOLOGY PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM, THERE WEREN'T MANY OPTIONS FOR A THREE BEDROOM UNIT.
WE WERE ATTRACTED TO AVALON FOR SEVERAL FACTORS IN, FOR SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING THE FACT THEY OFFERED A SHUTTLE TO FROM TARRYTOWN TRAIN STATION IN BOTH THE MORNING AND EVENING RUSH HOURS.
I ALSO LEARNED THIS DEVELOPMENT WAS COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
THESE WERE THE FINAL REASONS WE DECIDED TO MOVE TO ELMSFORD.
THE SHUTTLE HAS WORKED WELL FOR TWO MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY AND FOR OTHERS.
I SHARED MY MORNING AND EVENING COMMUTES WITH PRE PANDEMIC.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT AVALON IS SEEKING TO DISCONTINUE ITS SHUTTLE SERVICE DUE TO MONTHLY COSTS AND LOW RIDERSHIP.
SURELY THERE IS SOME OTHER SOLUTION OTHER THAN COMPLETION, COMPLETE TERMINATION ONCE HOURLY SERVICE, SMALLER ELECTRIC VEHICLES, SHARING THE ROUTE WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY, THE FACT THAT AVALON SELECTED AN UNRELIABLE VENDOR'S AVALON'S ISSUE.
THE AVALON WEBSITE TODAY IN PART, TALKS ABOUT THE COMPANY'S CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I QUOTE AVALON AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST.
WE ARE OWNERS AND INVESTORS FOR THE LONG TERM, ALLOWING US TO CONSIDER THE FULL LIFECYCLE IMPACT OF THE DECISIONS WE MAKE EVERY DAY.
WITH THIS IN MIND, OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD AND OPERATE MUCH MORE THAN BUILDINGS.
THE CITIES AND SUBURBS IN OUR CORE MARKETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE REINVENTING THEMSELVES THROUGH HIGHER DENSITY, AMENITY RICH LIVING.
THEY'RE OFFERING RESIDENTS MORE OPTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WAYS TO LIVE FROM GREEN BUILDINGS AND WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BETTER TRANSIT AND COMMUTING ALTERNATIVES.
[00:40:01]
AND THEY'RE MOVING TO A LOW CARBON EMISSION FUTURE.WE'RE PROUD TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS REINVENTION, CREATING COMMUNITIES THAT ACHIEVE LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL EFFICIENCY AND FOSTER BETTER LIVING FAR BEYOND THEIR WALLS, COMMUNITIES THROUGH WHICH WE MAKE OUR CORE VALUES VISIBLE.
A COMMITMENT TO INTEGRITY, A SPIRIT OF CARING, AND A FOCUS ON CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
REALIZING THIS VISION IS AN ONGOING JOURNEY AND IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, BUT FOR US, IT'S ALWAYS RIGHT.
THE SHUTTLE SITUATION IS NOT A SHORT-TERM ISSUE, BUT A LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE.
THEY SHOULD STICK TO THEIR PRINCIPLES AND MAINTAIN THE SHUTTLE SERVICE, EVEN IF THE SCHEDULE IS MODIFIED TO SAVE SOME COST.
GREENBURG SHOULD MAKE THE DEVELOPMENT STICK TO ITS COMMITMENT AND NOT USE THE PANDEMIC AS A WAY OF CUTTING COSTS LONG AFTER THEIR BUILDING PERMIT WAS APPROVED.
THANK YOU, HENRY F*K, AND THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I, I AGREE WITH, UM, THE, THE IDEAS, SOME OF THE IDEAS SHARED BY FRANCIS AND GARRETT, AND, YOU KNOW, TOM GRAY AND MR. UCK.
I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AVALON COULD LOOK HARDER AT THIS SERVICE TO SEE, UH, HOW IT COULD BE BETTER PUBLICIZED, MADE MORE ECONOMICAL, AND MORE RELIABLE AND CONVENIENT FOR RESIDENTS BEFORE THEY JUST, UH, ARE ALLOWED TO DO AWAY WITH IT, PARTICULARLY FOR THE REASONS THAT PAUL UNDERLINED.
UM, WE DID LOOK INTO AFTER, UH, OUR MEETING WITH THE EAST IRVINGTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
WE DID, UM, LOOK INTO THIS IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, THE, WITH THE VENDOR, UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO AVALON'S ATTENTION BY ITS RESIDENTS.
THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING WITH THE VEHICLE THE VENDOR WAS USING.
UM, AND SO IT WASN'T THAT HE WASN'T SHOWING UP ON TIME, OR THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH SNOW, SNOW DAYS.
BUT, UM, FOR THE MOST PART, THE RESIDENTS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE VEN THE VEHICLE THE VENDOR WAS USING.
AND, UM, HE WAS JUST PUSHING BACK ABOUT GETTING A NEW VEHICLE THERE, HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THAT.
UM, HE HAS SINCE GOTTEN A BETTER VEHICLE.
UM, BUT THERE'S JUST SOME ISSUES WITH HIS RESPONSIVENESS AS FAR AS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP GOES.
UM, SO THAT, THAT, THAT WAS A MORE RECENT, UM, ISSUE.
THE, THE SERVICE HAS BEEN CONSISTENT SINCE 2016, AND THIS ONLY CAME TO LIGHT RECENTLY, WHICH IS WHY AVALON STARTED LOOKING INTO CHANGING VENDORS.
UM, SO THE SERVICE, THE USE OF SERVICE IS NOT NECESSARILY TIED TO, UH, THE VENDOR ITSELF.
THAT'S MORE OF A RECENT, UM, PROBLEM.
CAN, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? MM-HMM.
HI, MY NAME IS RON, UH, MARSON.
I'M WITH AVALON BAY COMMUNITIES.
UH, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST COMMENT ON, ON GARRETT'S QUESTION ABOUT ADDING THE, UH, THE COST TO THE RENT.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT, UM, A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND WE'VE GOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUSHBACK FROM OUR RESIDENTS AT THAT TIME.
A NUMBER OF THEM FELT THAT THEY WERE BEING CHARGED FOR A SERVICE THAT THEY, THAT THEY DIDN'T USE.
AND SO WE WENT BACK TO THE CURRENT MODEL THAT WE HAVE WHERE, UM, IT'S, IT'S CHARGED ON A PER PERSON BASIS AS AN OPT-IN IF THEY WANT TO USE IT.
SO I, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MENTION THAT, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID LOOK AT AND, AND WE GOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUSHBACK 'CAUSE PEOPLE FELT IT WASN'T FAIR IF WE PRICED IT THAT WAY.
THE OTHER, THE OTHER COMMENT, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE WAS THE, UM, THE LACK OF SIGNAGE, UM, AS PART OF, UH, THE WAY WE MARKET IT.
AND, AND THE WAY ANNIE MENTIONED IT IN HER, IN HER, UH, INITIAL COMMENTS, WHICH IS AS PART OF THE, UM, LEASING EXPERIENCE, WE DO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THAT WE OFFER THIS SHUTTLE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GO THROUGH AGAIN AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE LEASE.
UM, AND, AND, UH, EVERYONE KNOWS AS PART OF THAT, THAT YOU CAN, UH, GET THE SHUTTLE AT EACH OF OUR CLUBHOUSES.
THERE'S, UM, ONE UP IN SORT OF THE TOP TWO THIRDS OF THE PROPERTY, UM, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CLUBHOUSE DOWN AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE HILL.
AND, AND SO TO THAT, THAT CONCERN ABOUT SOMEBODY HAVING TO WALK UP TO, UH, UP THE HILL TO, UH, TO GET THE SHUTTLE, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S WHY WE OFFER, UM, BOTH, UM, TWO LOCATIONS THERE.
UM, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THEM DRIVING AROUND THE, THE PROPERTY JUST BECAUSE THERE'S ADDED RISK, UH, WITH THAT.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE DESIGNATED THE, UH, THE CLUBHOUSES AS THE SPACE.
SO, UM, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENT ABOUT THERE BEING LACK OF SIGNAGE, WE ARE COMMUNICATING TO OUR RESIDENTS WHERE THEY CAN, CAN GO, UM, TO BE PICKED UP AND DROPPED OFF.
AND, AND FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING,
[00:45:01]
UH, FROM, UH, DISCUSSING IT WITH OUR RESIDENTS, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S ANY, UM, ISSUES WITH THAT, THAT SETUP.YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF MY SUGGESTION, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MY MAJOR CONCERN IS REALLY THE PRINCIPLE WHERE PROMISES WERE MADE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY INITIALLY DID NOT WANT THE APPLICATION APPROVED.
UM, YOU KNOW, TOOK MANY, MANY YEARS.
A LOT OF PERSUASION, A LOT OF GIVE AND TAKE.
UM, AND I'M SORT OF WONDERING, LET'S SAY THE SHUTTLE SERVICE, YOU KNOW, ISN'T PRACTICAL BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WHO GO TO AVALON PROBABLY HAVE CARS.
WOULD AVALON BE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU COULD SAVE SOME MONEY, BUT PUT SOME, YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF THE MONEY THAT, UM, UH, WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS INTO, UM, SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY? OR, YOU KNOW, I WAS EVEN THINKING, YOU KNOW, AS, UM, I WAS LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN, UM, YOU KNOW, GREENBERG OR EAST IRVINGTON.
SOME PEOPLE ARE IN FIXED INCOMES.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT HAVING A PROGRAM WHERE, UM, WE'RE PROVIDING, UM, UM, SCHOLARSHIPS, SAY IF SOMEBODY NEEDS OR SUBSIDIES OR SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.
UM, OR IF SOMEBODY HAS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO DO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD MAKE SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK IS IMPRACTICAL INTO, UH, A, YOU KNOW, A REAL PLUS FOR, UM, FOR THE TOWN? I WOULD'VE TO TALK INTERNALLY ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, UH, IN ALL, IN ALL FAIRNESS, I, I CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION.
BUT, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY GO BACK AND TALK THROUGH IT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE AT SOME OF THE OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE WESTCHESTER AREA WHERE WE'VE NOT, WHERE WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WHERE, WHERE THERE'S BEEN ROAD RIDER, UM, WHERE RIDERSHIP, WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT OTHER PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH UBER OR, OR LYFT, ET CETERA, THAT HAVE BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL.
AND, AND I THINK FOR US, IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SOLVE FOR IS, IS THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT, UM, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LOW DEMAND HERE FOR, FOR A, A SERVICE, UM, THAT, UM, THAT ISN'T BEING USED BY THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND, AND AS ANNIE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PART OF YOUR, PART OF THE INITIAL APPROVAL FOR THE SITE WAS THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS RELIEF AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME HAS PASSED.
UM, IF, UH, IF WE'RE NOT SEEING THE, THE TYPE OF USAGE THAT WE, WE HAD HOPED, UH, WOULD BE.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE HERE IT IS, IS TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH THAT.
AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHY I CERTAINLY, UM, CAN EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR VIEWPOINT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CREDIBILITY FACTOR.
I ACTUALLY THINK THIS, THIS STILL FALLS IN LINE WITH YOUR CREDIBILITY BECAUSE AS PART OF THAT INITIAL APPROVAL, UM, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, THERE WAS A, A PART SET ASIDE FOR US TO, TO CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE AROUND THE SHUTTLE.
UM, IF, IF IT WASN'T GETTING THE RIDERSHIP, UM, THAT, UH, THAT WE ALL HOPED IT WOULD.
WELL, TOM GRAY, YEAH, I JUST COMMENT THAT YOU JUST HAVE TWO PICKUP SPOTS.
THAT'S A VERY ATTRACTIVE AND SPRAWLING FACILITY UP THERE.
IF, I GUESS I'M ONE OF THE ELDERLY, I'M 72, BUT I LIVE FURTHER BACK INTO EAST IRVINGTON, THAT WOULD BE A HECK OF A LONG WALK FOR ME TO GET TO THAT ONE.
EITHER OF THOSE CLUBHOUSE, UH, EITHER IN THE MORNING OR IN THE, UH, EVENING, AFTERNOON WHEN THEY DROP US OFF.
NOW, AS AGAIN, I THINK OUR INITIAL, UH, WISH IS THAT THE SERVICE CONTINUE FOR A PERIOD OF, I THINK I SAID SIX TO EIGHT, EIGHT MONTHS, AND WITH APPROPRIATE PROMOTION DONE BY AVALON GREEN, BUT SOMETHING PICKING UP ON SOMETHING THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED.
UH, IF IN FACT IT'S, IT'S DECIDED THAT THIS ISN'T AT ALL FEASIBLE, EVERYTHING WE DO IS THAT WE CERTAINLY COULD USE PERHAPS, UH, OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS, IF THIS IS A $68,000 A YEAR PROJECT, UM, IN THE PRESUM COSTS STAY STEADY, THAT WOULD BE A SAVINGS FOR AVALON GREEN OF $680,000, IF PART OF THAT COULD BE THEN ASSIGNED TO THE, TO THE PARKS OF RECREATION DEPARTMENT OR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, AND HELP US CREATE PARKING AT, UH, THE TAX TO SCHOOLHOUSE, UH, CONDOMINIUM, UH, WHICH IS FURTHER DOWN INTO EAST IRVINGTON.
BUT RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO PARKING AND, UH, IT'S, UH, YOU CAN ONLY GET THERE IF YOU WALK.
AND FOR THE LITTLE GUYS, IT'S A, FOR THEM, IT'S A LONG WALK TOO.
UH, AND, UH, WE HAVE FAR MORE YOUNGSTERS NOW.
I MEAN, I'M TALKING ABOUT LITTLE 3, 4, 5, 6 YEAR OLDS.
UH, AND, AND MOM AND DAD HAVE TO, UH, UM, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
[00:50:01]
PARK 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T LEAVE THEM THERE.SO THAT'S A, IF THE FIRST SUGGESTION DOESN'T PLAY OUT, THE SECOND SUGGESTION, I WILL ASK THE TOWN TO TAKE UP.
UH, AND IN DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATION WITH THE, UH, THE OWNERS OF AVALON GREEN AND MANAGERS, ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK WHO HASN'T SPOKEN ALREADY? OKAY.
YOU KNOW, MR. MARTIN, DO YOU THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UM, TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT NOW THAT THE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN HEARD? AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO BACK TO, UH, SOME PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION TO SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE.
I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE.
SO HOW WOULD THE TOWN BOARD LIKE TO, UH, PROCEED AT THIS POINT? IF WE WANT TO MAYBE LEAVE THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING OPEN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME? YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU KNOW, OPEN.
I MEAN, I'M NOT READY TO VOTE ON THIS AT THIS POINT, SO I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S TRUE TOO.
I THINK THAT WE NEED MORE INFORMATION BACK FROM BACK FROM THE DEVELOPMENT.
DO WE, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS BACK ON THE AGENDA IN LIKE JANUARY? WELL, THE CLIENT IS HERE AND SHE'S REPRESENTING THE CLIENT.
LET'S, LET'S HEAR FROM HER AND WHAT HER THOUGHTS ARE.
UM, WELL, I GUESS, UH, YEAH, WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE, UM, DISCUSSING THIS AND SEEING WHAT OTHER, UM, COMPROMISES COULD BE MADE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, FIGURE THIS OUT SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE RIDERSHIP IS EXTREMELY LOW RIGHT NOW, ONLY FIVE PEOPLE ARE USING THE SHUTTLE, AND AS I SAID, IT'S MAKING 14 TRIPS A DAY.
SO, UM, SO YEAH,
UH, DID WE HAVE TO NOTICE EVERYONE IN AVALON GREEN FOR THIS MEETING? WE DID.
SO IF YOU DON'T PUT A DATE CERTAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN.
AND, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WHAT WE ADVISED WERE NOTICES IN EACH BUILDING, UH, DISPLAYED, AND THEN THEY HAVE AN INTERNAL, I BELIEVE, UH, EMAIL OR SOME OTHER ME MESSAGING METHOD.
SO I THINK THE NOTIFICATION WAS NOT OVERLY COMPLEX.
SO THERE'S THE MOTION FROM THE TOWN BOARD TO, UH, ADJOURN THE HEARING.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION SECOND.
UH, WHAT, AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN UNTIL ONE, AN UNDETERMINED DATE.
AND WE'LL COME UP WITH A DATE TO PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA AND NOTIFY EVERYONE.
UH, WHO SECONDED THAT? I DID? UM, OKAY.
[ To consider Local Law(s) amending Chapter 460 of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh entitled “Vehicles and Traffic” to create a new subsection authorizing the forfeiture of vehicles operated by persons while engaged in unlawful speed contests or races]
NEXT IS THE SECOND HEARING COMING UP.TO CONSIDER, UM, A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR SIX, IT'S ACTUALLY LOCAL LAWS AMENDING LOCAL LAW, RIGHT OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC TO CREATE A NEW SUBSECTION AUTHORIZING THE FORFEITURE OF VEHICLES OPERATED BY PERSONS WHILE ENGAGED IN UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTESTS OR RACES.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE OPEN UP THE HEARING.
ANYBODY LIKE TO, UH, UH, ACTUALLY, UM, WOULD TIM WANNA JUST START, START IT OFF, OR? YEAH.
SO, UM, THIS IS A, UM, A NEW ARTICLE, UH, TO THE TOWN CODE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S ENTITLED, UH, FORFEITURE OF VEHICLES IN CONNECTION WITH CRIMINAL ACTS.
AND, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THIS CASE, IT PERTAINS TO UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTESTS, UH, OR DRAG RACING.
AS, AS, UH, MANY OF US KNOW IT AS.
AND IT INVOLVES THE OPERATION OF TWO OR MORE VEHICLES, UH, FROM A POINT, UH, SIDE BY SIDE AT ACCELERATING SPEEDS IN A COMPETITIVE ATTEMPT TO OUT DISTANCE EACH OTHER OR THE OPERATION
[00:55:01]
OF ONE OR MORE VEHICLES OVER A COMMON SELECTED COURSE, UH, FROM THE SAME POINT TO THE SAME POINT WHERE TIMING IS MADE, UM, OF THE PARTICIPATING VEHICLES, UH, AT, UH, COMPETITIVE ACCELERATING SPEEDS.UM, SO AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, UM, DRAG RACING IS A, UM, IS A DANGEROUS ENDEAVOR.
UM, PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN, IN MANY INSTANCES, YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF, UH, 16 AND 20.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND I'VE SEEN MANY, MANY EMAILS TO THE TOWN BOARD AND THE TOWN SUPERVISOR IN PARTICULAR ASKING US TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN MANY WAYS.
UH, SO ONE WAY WE'RE DOING IT IS THAT WE'RE ADDING IT TO, UH, CHAPTER FOUR 60, UM, AS AN ADDITIONAL, UH, VIOLATION, UH, SPECIFICALLY DRAG RACING WITH RESPECT TO, UM, SPEEDING.
ANOTHER WAY WE'RE ADDRESSING IT IS WE'RE PUTTING IT IN OUR, OUR NOISE ORDINANCE, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY THERE, AND THAT'S THE SUBJECT OF ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
AND LASTLY, UH, IT INVOLVES THE FORFEITURE, UH, OF A VEHICLE AFTER, UH, A CIVIL PROCEEDING IN, UH, SUPREME COURT, UH, IN WESTCHESTER.
SO WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A PROVISION IN THE LAW THAT AUTHORIZES THE TOWN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO BRING THIS TYPE OF PROCEEDING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LAW DOES.
IT ALLOWS US TO BRING THIS TYPE OF PROCEEDING, UM, SO THAT A COURT CAN CONTEMPLATE THE FORFEITURE OF THE VEHICLE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PROVE THAT SOMEONE WAS, UM, NOT ONLY TICKETED, UM, BUT FOUND GUILTY OF, UM, DRAG RACING.
AND THEN WE WOULD BRING THIS PROCEEDING IN SUPREME COURT AND PRESENT OUR EVIDENCE.
AND THEN A, UH, JUDGE OR OTHER ARBITER WOULD MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE, UM, COULD BE FORFEITED.
UM, AND THERE ARE HARDSHIP PROVISIONS IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, REASONS THAT SOMEONE MAY NEED THEIR VEHICLE, WHETHER IT BE FOR WORK OR TO TAKE CARE OF AN ELDERLY PERSON, OR MAYBE THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN, IN DRAG RACING, AND IN FACT, THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WASN'T INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO THERE ARE SOME MITIGATING PROVISIONS TO, UH, AMELIORATE THE HARSHNESS OF THE LAW.
OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M, I, DO I DO? KEISHA WINGS? DOES I DO
UM, I, I HAVE A LIST THAT'S LIKE A WEDDING.
UM, I HAVE A LIST AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK HAS AN OPPORTUNITY.
SO WHAT I'LL DO IS, UH, I WILL CALL YOU OUT AND IF YOU COULD CHAT WITH ME DIRECT GARRETT, DUANE, UH, I CAN, UH, QUEUE YOU UP.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, JAMES NOLAN.
JAMES, YOU READY TO SPEAK? AND DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? YEAH, AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT EVERYONE GETS, UH, FIVE MINUTES, SO WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS.
SO, UM, LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND, PLEASE.
SO BEST CONNECTION, BAY CONNECTION.
OKAY, JAMES, WE'LL GET RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
I, UH, I THINK I KNOW MOST OF YOU.
IT'S, UH, NICE TO VIRTUALLY SEE YOU AGAIN,
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK PAUL AND THE BOARD, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT EVERYBODY AROUND HERE HAS STRUGGLED WITH EVER SINCE I MOVED HERE, UH, SEVEN YEARS AGO.
UM, WE MOVED UP FROM MANHATTAN WHERE WE WERE SERENADED TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF NOISE.
AND, UM, WE WERE FRANKLY VERY SURPRISED AT THE, THE SORT OF THE, THE, THE, THE ROAD NOISE THAT EMANATED FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE HIGHWAYS AND FREEWAYS AND PARKWAYS AROUND HERE.
UM, IT WAS A BIT OF A THING AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOKED AROUND AND WE ASKED OUR NEIGHBORS AND EVERYBODY SAID, YEP, THAT JUST KIND OF WHAT HAPPENS AROUND HERE.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TALKED WITH ACTUALLY, UM, GREENBERG POLICE LOCAL, UH, ARLEY POLICE, UM, AND QUICKLY FOUND OUT THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S NOT AN EASY PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
AND I THINK WE ALL, WE ALL KNOW, UM, THAT THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THERE, THERE'S SAFETY CONCERNS.
YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, GO CHASING THESE PEOPLE AND CAUSING HIGH SPEED ACCIDENTS AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT STARSKY AND HUTCH.
UM, AND WHAT WE ALSO NOTICED WAS THAT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SEASONAL, MEANING THAT IT WAS ONE OF THESE LOCAL ISSUES THAT EVERYBODY WAS ALL UP IN ARMS ON FACEBOOK ABOUT, UNTIL, YOU KNOW, THE SEASON SHIFTED AND, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF GOT A LITTLE BIT LESS OR WHATEVER.
AND, YOU KNOW, REAL LIFE TOOK OVER AND WE HAVE JOBS AND KIDS, AND WE KIND OF, UM, LOST FOCUS ON IT.
UM, WE JUST TO HAVE SOME MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES NOW,
[01:00:01]
UH, WITH THE VIRUS WHERE EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, UH, SEQUESTERED AT HOME.YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL BEING ANNOYED BY THIS 24 7.
AND SO THIS, UH, THIS ISSUE HAS KIND OF COME BACK UP TO PROMINENCE.
I ACTUALLY CREATED, UM, THE, UH, THE PETITION A A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
WE GOT, YOU KNOW, A GRAND TOTAL OF 15 SIGNATURES ON IT WHEN EVERYBODY WAS UP IN ARMS AND THEN SORT OF BARBECUE SEASON, YOU KNOW, LEFT.
AND THEN EVERYBODY KIND OF FORGOT ABOUT IT, BUT THE PETITION WAS REDISCOVERED.
UH, THIS TIME HAS KIND OF TAKEN OFF.
UM, COMMUNITY ENERGY BEHIND THESE THINGS WE ALL KNOW IS SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SAW OURSELVES COME TOGETHER OVER CAUSES LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, THE JEFFERSON THING.
IT, IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD WHEN WE CAN ALL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PUT ASIDE OUR OTHERWISE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES AND GET TOGETHER ON THESE THINGS THAT WE DO AGREE WITH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, PLEASE REMEMBER,
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, LET'S GET AS MANY SIGNATURES ON THIS AS WE CAN.
I KNOW PAUL SIGNED, I KNOW A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED, SO THE COMMUNITY'S HERE WITH YOU AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO TAKE THIS, UH, THIS ENERGY THAT'S BEHIND THIS NOW AND NOT LET IT GO TO WASTE.
I BELIEVE JAMES NOLAN IS BACK.
JAMES, ARE YOU ALL SET NOW? UM, OKAY.
JAMES, IF YOU'RE MUTED, I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
YOU DID CHAT WITH ME TO SAY THAT YOU'RE GOOD NOW.
UM, BUT WHILE YOU'RE GETTING SET, UM, PATRICIA'S COMING BACK IN.
JAMES, ARE YOU, UH, UH, CONNECTING TO AUDIO? JAMES, ARE YOU WITH US? JAMES, IF YOU'RE READY, WE'RE, WE'RE READY TO HEAR FROM YOU TO SPEAK.
IN THE INTERIM, LET'S GO TO PATRICIA LEE AND THEN, UM, AND JUST LET HIM KNOW THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE, UH, ON THIS TOPIC NOW.
IS HE, I THINK HE PROBABLY WENT OFF BECAUSE HE, HE WASN'T AWARE.
THE OTHER AARON WAS ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC AND HE THOUGHT THAT HE CALLED EARLIER.
WELL HOPEFULLY JAMES, JAMES, WHEN YOU GET BACK, YOU JUST LET US KNOW.
BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS, UM, THAT I BELIEVE ARE READY.
UH, PATRICIA WEEMS, ARE YOU ALL SET? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS IT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND THAT'S, UM, ONE SAFETY FOR THE KIDS.
YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS THE AGE OF BETWEEN 16 AND 21.
UM, WE NEED SPACE FOR THOSE KIDS TO DO THINGS PROPERLY.
IS THERE ANY PLACE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY WHERE THEY CAN DRAG RACE? YOU'RE TALKING JOBS, YOU'RE TALKING, UM, MECHANICS, YOU'RE TALKING DETAILING, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH DRAG RACING.
IF WE DO IT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S A SECTION THAT THEY ACTUALLY TEACH THE CHILDREN HOW TO DO THINGS SAFELY.
RACING IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE NEVER GOING TO END.
I DON'T WANT IT DONE ON 2 87 BECAUSE I CAN HEAR THEM ALSO, AND I JUST SAY A PRAYER FOR 'EM BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY GOING FAST.
AND THOSE ARE MO MOTORCYCLES, BUT I WANT THEM TO HAVE SOME PLACE TO GO AND DO IT IN SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, LET'S THINK OF SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO FOR THOSE KIDS WHO REALLY ENJOY RACING.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE ARE DISCUSSING JOBS, WE ARE DISCUSSING LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU NAME IT, I CAN THINK OF 10 DIFFERENT JOBS THAT YOU CAN GET OUT OF ORDER RACING.
SO WHY NOT PUT THOSE KIDS TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DO? OKAY.
HOW DID YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW? ADVOCATE FOR THE CHILDREN.
THANK YOU, MS. WEEMS. UH, JAMES.
CAN I, CAN I INTERVENE ON THAT? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UH, NO, THE REASON WHY IT'S, IT SHOULDN'T TRY AND MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR THEM BECAUSE
[01:05:01]
THERE'S ALREADY PLENTY OF TRACKS THAT ARE AROUND THE LOCAL AREA THAT THEY COULD DRIVE TO.IT'S JUST ABOUT THEY DON'T WANT TO DRIVE TO THOSE AREAS.
AND SPEAKING FROM A, A STANDPOINT OF LOSING A BROTHER FROM A RACE THAT WASN'T HIS, BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED TO RACE FOR MONEY, TRYING TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO DO IT, THEY'RE JUST GONNA BRING MORE ATTENTION TO GREENBERG TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA THINK, WELL, WE DO IT IN GREENBURG ON THE TRACK, WELL, LET'S DO IT ON THE STREET.
ALSO, THE MAIN THING IS NOT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE IT.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT BRINGS JOBS, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T PUT A JOB OR A MONEY PRICE ON SOMEBODY'S LIFE OR SOMEONE'S LIVELIHOOD.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, LAST WEEK I SPOKE TO SOMEBODY, HER NIECE WAS DRIVING ON 2 87, GOING TOWARDS TERRYTOWN, HER AND HER BOYFRIEND, INNOCENT PEOPLE DRIVING IN THE CAR, TWO CARS WERE RACING BEHIND THEM, A MERCEDES AND A HONDA.
MERCEDES HIT THE WOMAN AND KEPT GOING.
DIDN'T EVEN SEE IF THAT WOMAN WAS OKAY, WAS ALIVE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THANK GOD HER FATHER GAVE HER A CADILLAC CAR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THAT THE TRUNK SIZE OF THAT CAR SAVED HER LIFE.
AND IT ALSO TOOK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 20 MINUTES TO CUT HER OUTTA THAT VEHICLE.
SO THERE'S PLENTY OF INNOCENT PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING INJURED.
AND THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHER TRACKS IN NEW YORK, JERSEY, CONNECTICUT THAT THEY COULD DRIVE TO.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TRYING TO LIKE LIMIT THE MATTER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING AND ACTUALLY BECOMING VICTIMS. TO THIS LAST WEEK ON, UH, I THINK IT WAS ON CHANNEL FOUR, THERE WAS TWO PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE, ON THE BRONX EXPRESSWAY RACING.
BOTH OF THEM DIED DUE TO DRAG RACING.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BECOMING MORE OF, UH, THEY FEEL A LIFESTYLE TO THEM, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S PUTTING US AT RISK.
IT'S PUTTING EVERYBODY ELSE AT RISK, AND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE DRAG, BUT YOU HEAR THOSE LOUD MUFFLER DRIVING BY AT NIGHT, AND YOU'RE WAKING UP CHILDREN, WAKING UP KIDS.
IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, WONDERFUL.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA GIVE PEOPLE HARD TIME TRYING TO SLEEP TWO, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S BECOME MORE OF A LIVELIHOOD, AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD MAKE IT CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO MAKE IT, TO DO IT EVEN MORE.
UM, THANK YOU, JAMES, FOR YOUR WORDS.
I ECHO EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER.
I, MY BACKYARD IS BACK UP AGAINST THE SAWMILL, SO SINCE SHUT DOWN, I HAVE HEARD THE RACING, UM, ON 87 AND THE SAWMILL RIVER PARKWAY, AND IT'S REALLY BEEN OUT OF CONTROL.
I'M VERY WORRIED ABOUT RESIDENTS.
I WAS WORRIED ABOUT EMERGENCY WORKERS ON THE ROADS.
UM, I'M SO GLAD THAT THE TOWN IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
UM, WE HAVE A PETITION GOING AND A COUPLE OF HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED IT ALREADY.
'CAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED ON CURBING THIS PROBLEM.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO DO ANYTHING I CAN TO SUPPORT IT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF IN THE FUTURE WE CAN DISCUSS SOME TYPE OF SPEED CAMERA, UH, POSSIBILITY ON BOTH HIGHWAYS TO MONITOR SPEEDING POTENTIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE OUT TICKETS, UH, TO PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING IN EXCESS OF 85, 90 MILES AN HOUR.
BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE REACHING THOSE SPEEDS EVEN ABOVE A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR.
I'VE WATCHED THEM WITH MY OWN EYES.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE.
UM, AND I, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
UM, I, UH, SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF A LAW THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE, UH, IMPOUNDMENT OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN DRAG RACING.
BUT THE, THE WORDING OF THIS PROPOSED LAW, UH, IS IN MY JUDGMENT, QUITE AMBIGUOUS ON THAT ONE CRITICAL REMEDY.
UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE PURPOSE OF THIS LAW IS TO DO WHAT I JUST SAID, THE POLICE, THE AUTHORITY TO IMPOUND ANY VEHICLE THAT IS CAUGHT, UH, OR FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN DRAG RACING.
UH, SO WHAT I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IS A STATEMENT IN THE LAW THAT SAYS, WHEN SOMEONE IS ARRESTED, UH, AND CHARGED WITH DRAG RACING, OR, OR THE NOISE VIOLENCE, THE ORDINANCE, THAT THE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, THAT THEIR VEHICLE WILL BE TEMPORARILY OR, OR PERMANENTLY, WHATEVER, IMPOUNDED, UM, SUBJECT TO,
[01:10:01]
UH, UH, THEIR BEING ABLE TO GET IT RELEASED.UM, INSTEAD, UH, UNDER THE SECTION DEALING WITH THAT, UH, WHICH IS FOUR 80 DASH, UM, 86, UH, WHICH IS ENTITLED, FORFEITURE OF VEHICLES OPERATED BY PERSONS WHILE ENGAGED UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTEST TO RACES.
THAT'S WHERE YOU EXPECT TO SEE THAT.
UM, AND IT STARTS OFF BY SAYING THE TOWN ATTORNEY MAY COMMENCE A CIVIL ACTION FOR FORFEITURE, UH, WHEN SUCH VEHICLE IS OPERATED OR USED.
SO THE TOWN ATTORNEY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO COMMENCE A LEGAL PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THE CAR, BUT IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT ITS IMMEDIATE IMPOUNDMENT.
UM, UH, IS THERE A PROCESS? DOES THE POLICE FOR THE, DO THE POLICE WHEN THEY, UH, ARREST SOMEONE, UH, TAKE THE CAR, THEN THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC APPLICATION BY THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
THE POLICE WOULD, UH, CONFISCATED SPEAKING FROM, EXCUSE ME, JANKA'S EXPERIENCE, UM, WHAT THEY HAD TO DO, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE AND EXCUSE FRONT OF THE JUDGE.
YOU CAN'T JUST JUMP IN WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE IS SPEAKING.
LET HIM LET MR. BERNSTEIN FINISH HIS COMMENTS, AND THEN IF WE HAVE TIME FOR ANOTHER ROUND, THEN YOU CAN SPEAK.
STATUTE DOESN'T CLAIM
I'M SORRY, THAT WAS INADVERTENT.
THE, WHEN THE STATUTE IS DECLARED NULL AND VOID, VERY PURPOSE TO TRY TO ACHIEVE, DOESN'T GET ACCOMPLISHED.
SECTION B UM, UH, SAYS, AFTER THE TOWN ATTORNEY CAN COMMENCE AN ACTION, UM, IT THEN PROVIDES HOW LONG THE TOWN ATTORNEY HAS TO BRING THE ACT, WHICH IS 60 DAYS.
UH, AND THEN IN FOUR 60 DASH 87 IT SAYS THAT A PERSON WHO IS ARRESTED OR RECEIVES A SUMMON BY ANY POLICE OFFICER OF THE TOWN, UM, SHALL RECEIVE NOTICE AT THE TIME OF ARREST FOR SUMMONING ON SUCH CHARGE, AND JUST READING AHEAD AS SOON THEREAFTER AS PRACTICAL INFORMING SUCH PERSON HOW AND WHEN THE VEHICLE MAY BE RELEASED, AND THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL FORFEITURE PROCEDURE.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN THIS ENTIRE STATUTE, WHICH IS A LOT OF WORDS, SINGLE SPACE, UM, WHERE THE CONCEPT OF IF YOU ARE ARRESTED FOR DRAG RACING, YOUR CAR WILL BE IMMEDIATELY FORFEITED, UH, AND STATE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PROCEEDING THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BASICALLY GET A LAWYER TO HIRE TO GET IT BACK.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT HA THAT'S EVEN MENTIONED.
AND IT'S ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF HOW YOU GET YOUR CAR BACK.
SO AGAIN, THE CONCEPT HERE IS GOOD.
THE TOWN SHOULD HAVE A LAW THAT ALLOWS FOR THE, THE IMPOUNDMENT, IMMEDIATE IMPOUNDMENT OF VEHICLES FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN DRAG RACE.
THIS LEGISLATION DOESN'T DO IT, AND WOULD DO A REAL DISSERVICE TO ALL THE FOLKS HERE WHO WANT A LAW IN PLACE TO GET THIS DONE.
SO I SUGGEST THAT YOU GO BACK TO CONSULT WITH A LAWYER WHO KNOWS HOW TO DO THIS AND GET THIS WRITTEN PROPERLY, BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOULD BE AN ERROR.
NOW, I, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THOUGH, IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION FOUR 60 DASH 87, THE LAST SENTENCE SAYS, THE PROCEDURE SET FORTH IN CHAPTER FOUR 60 OF THE GREENBERG TOWN CODE WITH RESPECT TO IMPOUNDMENT TOWING STORAGE AND RELEASE OF VEHICLES SHALL APPLY WHENEVER A PERSON HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR AN OFFENSE UNDER THIS SECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW.
SO THERE IS A PROVISION THERE FOR AN, YOU KNOW, IMPOUNDMENT, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE MORE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED.
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND WE'LL TRY TO, UM, REVISED THE LAW TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT YOU EXPRESSED, UH, TIM AND BOB.
DO, DO WE KNOW THAT WE AREN'T PREEMPTED BY NEW YORK STATE LAW IN THIS AREA? UH, I DO NOT KNOW THAT.
YOU KNOW, I, I WILL CHECK THAT OUT, UH, TO SEE.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE PREEMPTED, BUT I, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON SOLID FOOTING.
I MEAN, I KNOW AT LEAST IT'S SECTION 1182, THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW DOES, DOES RELATE TO SPEED CONTESTS AND RACES.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE IN THE V T L THAT REGULATES THE, THE FORM
[01:15:01]
OF PUNISHMENT IN THAT WOULD, UH, PREEMPT US.AND ALSO REMEMBER WE'VE GOT A LOCAL LAW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SUBJECT TO A PUBLIC HEARING FOR, FOR LOCAL ROADS AS WELL.
THE V T L PRIMARILY, UH, RELATES TO, YOU KNOW, STATE ROADS.
SO WE'RE ALSO ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON SAWMILL RIVER ROAD, THAT, THAT SOMEONE ALLUDED TO EARLIER MM-HMM.
I HAVE A REQUEST FROM MR. PETER RODICK TO, UH, RECITE THE STATEMENT THAT WAS SENT IN.
THIS IS FROM PETER RODICK, CHAIRMAN OF THE LEY TRAFFIC PARKING, PEDESTRIAN CYCLING AND SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO SUPPORTS THE AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER FOUR 60 OF THE TOWN CODE.
ANY STEPS THE TOWN CAN TAKE TO MITIGATE THIS RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE ADOPTED.
IN ADDITION, WE WOULD ALSO ADVOCATE FOR ANY AMENDMENT OR NEW LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ENCOMPASS ALL TYPES OF UNLAWFUL SPEEDING, NOT JUST RACES OR CONTESTS IN TOWN LIMITS ON ALL ROADWAYS AND HIGHWAYS, WHERE AN ADDITIONAL NOISE VIOLATION OR CITATION COULD BE ATTACHED TO A SPEEDING TICKET AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LOCAL COURT, AND A PENALTY WOULD BE LEVIED UPON A GUILTY PLEA.
UH, IS THERE A MISS, UH, ELISA GREENSPAN ON THIS ZOOM? I DON'T KNOW THAT I SAW HER.
I THINK IT'S LISTED UNDER CHRISTINE HOWARD.
HI, I AM ELISA, AND I AM WITH THE OLD EDGEMONT CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
AND DRAG RACING IS DEFINITELY A HUGE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IN OLD EDGEMONT FOR RESIDENTS AND SPECIFICALLY CHILDREN.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH WHITE PLAINS AND YONKERS HAVE ANTI DRUG, OR PARDON ME, ANTI DRAG RACING LAWS, AND CENTRAL AVE IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SIMILAR LAW, AND BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY DANGER, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD ENFORCE IT, AND THAT THE, UH, OLD EDGEMONT ASSOCIATION WOULD APPRECIATE THE TOWN BOARD RECONSIDERING THE MINIMUM PENALTY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS PROPOSED TO BE ONLY $150.
UH, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS MINIMUM IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE REFLECTS THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE SAFETY DANGERS THAT DRAG RACING PRESENTS TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ALSO A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING, UM, IN TERMS OF THE FORFEITURE, SO I'M NOT SURE IF I HAVE THIS COMPLETELY, UH, IF IT'S COMPLETELY ACCURATE, BUT THERE IS A TOWN INSTALLED SIGN ON CENTRAL AVENUE NEAR THE OLD ARMY INTERSECTION THAT SAYS THAT THE LAW WOULD RESULT IN A FORFEITURE OF THE VEHICLE.
THAT PENALTY DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE PROPOSED LAW, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE IF I'M ACCURATELY INFORMED ON THAT LAST POINT.
WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR COMMENTS AND TH THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, WELL TAKEN.
UM, TIM, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, COULD WE, IN TERMS OF THE FORFEITURE LAW, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S FEDERAL COURT CASES WHERE, WHERE COURT CASES MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO JUST TAKE AWAY A, A VEHICLE.
SO WHEN WE REVISE THE LAW, YOU KNOW, AND TWEAK IT, SHOULD WE MAYBE HAVE LIKE A FIRST OFFENSE, UM, FOR THE CAR HAS TAKEN AWAY FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, SECOND OFFENSE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE FINES AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT A CAR, ACTUALLY A VEHICLE WOULD ACTUALLY BE TAKEN AWAY.
BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO IMPROVE THE LAW AND MAKE IT, UH, STAND A BETTER CHANCE OF HOLDING UP IF IT'S CHALLENGED IN COURT.
AND SO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE COULD BE A FORFEITURE THAT COULD REALLY BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE IS SO GREAT THAT THE FINE WOULD BE DEEMED IN FORFEITURE WOULD BE DEEMED EXCESSIVE UNDER THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT.
AND I CIRCULATED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT CASE TO THE TOWN BOARD, WHICH IS GIVEN TO ME BY SOMEONE IN MY OFFICE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY THERE'S DISCRETION THERE ON THE PART OF A COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT'S, UM, INAPPROPRIATE AND UNFAIR.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UM, HARDSHIP PROVISIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED IF SOMEONE OBVIOUSLY NEEDS A VEHICLE TO, TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ATTEND A, A, A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THERE IS SOME DISCRETION ON THE PART OF A THIRD PARTY IN THE FORM OF A JUDGE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING INAPPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, OCCURS.
BUT CERTAINLY WE WE'RE WILLING TO,
[01:20:01]
IF, IF YOU WANT THOSE PROVISIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT PROVIDE, UM, MORE HARSH PENALTIES FOR, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL OFFENSES, WE COULD DO THAT.SEE, I, I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT IF WE HAVE A MINIMUM, UH, YOU KNOW, PENALTY THAT'S REASONABLE AND THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE SUSTAINABLE IN COURT, I WOULD THINK THEN WE'RE LETTING THE, THE COURTS KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING EXTREME THAT WE'RE BEING REASONABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE JUST STEP IT, YOU KNOW, KEEP STEPPING IT UP.
YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD SHOW SERIOUSNESS AND AGAIN, HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF, OF PASSING.
SO MAYBE IN THE NEXT, UM, TWO WEEKS OR SO, WE COULD WORK ON TWEAKING LEGISLATION AND, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE IDEAS.
UM, MS. WEAM, AND I KNOW THE CHIEF, THE POLICE CHIEF IS ON AS WELL.
AND I, AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE, WE WERE, THIS LAW WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY THE POLICE CHIEF WHO PROBABLY SPOKE TO RESIDENTS, SO HE MAY HAVE SOME COMMENTS AS WELL.
AND IS THERE ANYBODY WHO HASN'T SPOKE A FIRST TIME, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK BEFORE MS. WILLIAMS SPEAKS A SECOND TIME? OKAY, MS. WILLIAMS, LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN SPEAK.
I WANT US TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN IN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 21 PRIMARILY.
I WANNA RE I WANT US TO REDIRECT WHAT WE ARE SAYING.
YOU WANNA TAKE THE CAR FINE FORFEIT TO THE CAR, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE TO TEACH THOSE CHILDREN.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE THE POWER THAT THEY HAVE WITH A 8,000 POUND CAR OR VEHICLE.
WE ARE MISSING THE POINT WE WANT TO TAKE THAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY HAVE THAT'S DRIVING THEM TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS INCORRECT, TO FOCUS IT SO THEY CAN MAKE IT INTO A CORRECT THING.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO.
YOU'RE GONNA ALWAYS HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S GONNA WANT TO, YOU KNOW, RUN AGAINST THE LAW.
WE HAVE TO TRY TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND MAKE THEM SEE, FORCE 'EM TO TAKE, UM, IF THEY, IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE UNDERAGE, FORCE 'EM TO TAKE DRIVER'S EDUCATION, FORCE 'EM TO WORK AT A, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICE AT A, UH, AT A GARAGE WITH ONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS.
WE HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING.
WE WANT CHILDREN TO GROW INTO PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
ON THAT NOTE, I'M GONNA STOP, BECAUSE IF YOU JUST WANNA SEND THEM TO JAIL, YOU JUST WANNA TAKE THEIR CARS.
YOU'RE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING, LET'S DO IT CORRECTLY.
AND, AND, AND, AND TRY TO, LIKE I SAID, FORM CHILDREN WHO CAN, CAN LIVE IN THIS SOCIETY AND BE PRODUCTIVE.
I DIDN'T COME TO SPEAK ON THESE ISSUES, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK WE NEED, WE ARE LOOKING AT IT THE WRONG WAY.
I I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, UM, HELP YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THOUGH WHILE DRAG RACING AND SPEEDING MAY BE DARING, IT'S ALSO DANGEROUS AND IT'S ALSO LIFE THREATENING.
I THINK THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT TO WHATEVER THE, THE BOARD, UM, CHOOSES TO WHATEVER ACTION OR DIRECTION THE BOARD CHOOSES TO TAKE ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST, JUST DRIVE AROUND TOWN, NEVERMIND, GET ON THE HIGHWAYS, JUST DRIVE DOWN CENTRAL AVENUE AND NOTICE THE SPEEDING ON LOCAL MAIN STREETS.
AND I THINK THAT THE, UM, I THINK THAT IT, IT, IT WOULD REALLY BE PROGRESSIVE AND POSITIVE ON THE PART OF THE TOWN.
IF THERE WAS SOME WAY THAT WE COULD GET SOME MESSAGES OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT, WELL, THE TOWN DOES NOT CONDONE SPEEDING.
AND, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT'S BEARING, IT'S DANGEROUS, BUT IT'S ALSO LIFE THREATENING.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALTERNATIVES CAN BE OFFERED TO THEM, BUT, UM, I, I, I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME MESSAGES DRIVE DOWN THE BRONX RIVER PARKWAY.
40 MILES AN HOUR IS THE SPEED LIMIT.
VERY FEW PEOPLE DRIVE UNDER 60 MILES AN HOUR ON THE BRONX RIVER PARKWAY.
AND THE SPRING BROOK PARKWAY IS THE NICKNAME, IS THE SPRING BROOK RACEWAY.
AND IT'S A Y IT'S A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE OUT HERE WHO ARE CHALLENGING THE CONVENTIONS,
[01:25:01]
CHALLENGING THE RULES.AND, UM, I I, I JUST THINK THAT WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP TO THIS A GOOD COMMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS PUBLIC, UM, HEARING TO ADOPT THIS LOCAL LAW TO ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS THAT MANY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT.
AND I APPLAUD THE PEOPLE WHO'VE, UM, SUGGESTED IT.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE TAKING ACTION.
UM, AND TO MS. ELLA'S POINT, I KNOW SHE ASKED WHETHER YOU CAN HAVE A LICENSE SUSPENSION, LICENSE SUSPENSIONS USUALLY COME ABOUT WHEN YOU GET A CERTAIN NUMBER OF POINTS.
UM, GENERALLY 11, BUT THERE'S NO PER SE SUSPENSION SIMPLY FOR, UM, SPEEDING.
LET'S SAY IT'S A FIRST OFFENSE, IT'S USUALLY POINTS RELATED THAT LEADS TO A SUSPENSION.
I JUST WANTED TO WEIGH IN A LITTLE BIT ALSO.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE THINK THAT THIS LOCAL LAW IS, IS ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE CAN USE TO HELP END THIS, THIS PROBLEM.
IT'S HAPPENING THROUGHOUT WESTCHESTER, THROUGHOUT NEW YORK.
UM, WE HAVE RECKLESS DRIVING IN A VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW.
WE HAVE UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTESTS.
UM, BUT THIS GIVES US THE AUTHORITY TO SEIZE A VEHICLE, TO SEIZE PROPERTY.
AND THAT AS A DETERRENT, UH, WE THINK HAS MORE TEETH THAN THE STATE LAW.
UH, AS FAR AS SOME ALTERNATIVES IN TO, UM, MS. WEEMS HAD MENTIONED, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH THE COURT.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF, UH, AUTHORITY AND THEY HAVE SOME DISCRETION TO, TO ORDER CERTAIN KINDS OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS.
WE THINK THAT THE WHITE PLAINS AND YONKERS HAVE SEEN SUCCESS WITH IT, AND, AND WE THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN.
CHRIS, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO LEGISLATE IN THIS AREA? YEAH.
UM, COUNCILMAN JONES, I DON'T SEE IT AN ISSUE.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL LAW WITH RESPECT TO SPEEDING AND SOME OF THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, VIOLATIONS THAT ARE CODIFIED IN STATE LAW MM-HMM.
WE SEE THAT, UM, WITH OUR LOCAL SPEED THERE, THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT OF LAWS EN ENFORCING LOCAL LAW ON STATE ROADWAYS, THAT VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC NEW YORK STATE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW MAY, UH, YOU KNOW, MAY PREEMPT OUR LOCAL LAW ON THOSE ROADS, BUT WE STILL HAVE RECKLESS DRIVING.
THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, UM, USE AS A TOOL, YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THOSE STATE ROADS TO, TO SEIZE A VEHICLE, YOU KNOW, AND NOT NECESSARILY CIRCUMVENT THE STATE LAW.
WE CAN STILL CHARGE 'EM WITH AN UN UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTEST.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T GO TO THE STATE AND ASK FOR THEM TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO DO IT.
YOU KNOW, PREEMPTION USUALLY COMES INTO PLAY WHEN WE TRY TO EXCEED STATE LAW.
YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT GOING ABOVE, PARTICULARLY ON A STATE ROAD, WE'RE GOING BEYOND WHAT THE STATE AUTHORIZES.
THAT'S WHEN THEIR CONCERN WITH RESPECT TO OUR LOCAL ROADS, WE USUALLY HAVE MORE JURISDICTION AND WE'RE NOT PREEMPTING MM-HMM.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE TO YOUR, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMAN JONES, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT THESE HIGH SPEEDS ARE PREDOMINANTLY ON STATE ROADS.
UM, WHAT ABOUT LIKE, UH, VEHICLE MODIFICATION LAWS LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, MODIFIED MUFFLERS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TELLTALE SIGNS OF LIKE THESE SPEED RACERS WHERE THEY'VE MODIFIED THEIR CARS IN, YOU KNOW, ILLEGAL WAYS.
UM, CAN WE USE THESE TYPES OF THINGS AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, NON-HIGH SCENARIOS, LIKE WHEN THEY PULL OVER FOR GAS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, IS THERE A WAY WE CAN USE, UH, TICKETING FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS TO DISSUADE THE OVERALL BEHAVIOR? ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE, UH, DETAILS THAT WE'RE OUT ENFORCING, UH, SOME OF THE SPEEDING COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
UH, I THINK ON ONE, ONE NIGHT RECENTLY WE ISSUED 15 TICKETS, AND I THINK THE, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WERE FOR, UM, UNLAWFUL MUFFLERS.
SO WE, WE WROTE A BUNCH OF SPEEDING TICKETS, BUT WE DID ALSO WRITE EQUIPMENT VIOLATIONS FOR, FOR ILLEGAL MUFFLERS.
SO ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO.
LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS SOMEONE WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, USED TO, UH, HANDLE ABOUT 200,
[01:30:01]
UH, TRAFFIC TICKETS IN, IN TOWN COURT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, UH, THE BIGGEST INCENTIVES NOT TO SPEED IS TO GO TO COURT AND FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY A $375 TICKET.AND I FIND THAT THAT'S A DETERRENT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT USUALLY TAKES A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT YOU WATCH YOUR INSURANCE INCREASE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU WATCH YOUR CHECKBOOK AMOUNT, UH, DECREASE, AND THAT TENDS TO, UM, TO WORK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UH, MR. BERNSTEIN WANTS TO SPEAK.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE IS A CONFLICT IN THE WAY THAT YOU'RE APPROACHING THE ISSUE.
UM, DRAG RACING IS DIFFERENT FROM CARELESS DRIVING OR RECKLESS DRIVING, IF ACTUALLY, IF YOU MAKE DRAG RACING A CRIME, UM, THE, THE CAR USED IN DRAG RACING IS THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE CRIME, AND GENERALLY THE CRIME.
WHEN, WHEN A CRIME IS COMMITTED AND THE POLICE ARE THERE ON THE SPOT TO MAKE THE ARREST, UM, THE, THE, THE PERSON DOESN'T GO HOME WITH THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE CRIME.
IT'S THE EVIDENCE, WHETHER IT BE CONTRABAND OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THE, THE CONCEPT HERE, AS I THOUGHT YOU WERE TRYING TO DO, WAS NOT MERELY TO, UM, AMEND THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC LAWS TO CREATE A NEW OFFENSE, UH, CALLED DRAG RACING, AKIN RECKLESS DRIVING, OR AKIN TO, TO, UH, UH,
UM, OR A, OR, OR, BUT INSTEAD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A WILLFUL OFFENSE OF, OF OFFENSE THAT INQUIRE REQUIRES.
AND USUALLY WHEN WE SAY IN A CRIMINAL LAW, MEN'S RAY, YOU INTENDED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE SPECIFICALLY SAID YOU CANNOT DO, WHICH IS RACE YOUR CAR.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, I THOUGHT GREENBERG WAS GOING TO TAKE THE BOLD STEP OF SAYING, AND IF YOU DO THAT, WE WILL CONSIDER THE CAR THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE OFFENSE, AND WE WILL EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO SEIZE IT IMMEDIATELY.
SUBJECT TO YOUR BEING ABLE TO ARGUE THAT IT SHOULD BE RELIEF, UM, FOR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, REASONS OR EQUITIES MAY EXIST.
THE, THE, THE, THE IDEA HERE IS IF THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT RESIDENTS, I'M HEARING SAY IT IS, AND I DON'T DOUBT IT FOR A MINUTE, UM, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA BE ANYWHERE NEAR THE ROAD WHEN THERE'S SUCH A RACE TAKING PLACE.
THE NOISE IS BAD, BUT, BUT IT'S SO UNSAFE THAT ANYONE COULD BE KILLED.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE MAKING IT A CRIME.
IN EFFECT, IF YOU CAN DO THAT AND MAKE IT A CRIME, THEN THE CAR IS THE INSTRUMENTALITY.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEIZE IT.
AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU SHOULD SAY SO EXPRESSLY IN THE LAW.
UH, AND, AND, UH, IF THAT CREATES A, UH, AN ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO PREEMPTION, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE AUTHORITY ON THAT BECAUSE ME, UM, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU OUGHT BE ABLE TO DO IN THE EXERCISE OF YOUR, UH, UH, POLICE POWER.
UM, CAN I, CAN I ASK, UH, ONE QUESTION OF THE CHIEF, UH, MIKE SIEGEL? YES.
UH, CHIEF, UM, A PARALLEL QUESTION, UH, KIND OF PARALLEL TO MR. BERNSTEIN WHEN THIS WAS DISCUSSED WAS GOING ON.
I WAS THINKING, WOULD IT BE NORMAL POLICE WITHIN KIND OF NORMAL, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICE TO UPON THE COMMISSION OF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT ENDANGERS PUBLIC SAFETY, LIKE THE USE OF A HEAVY PIECE OF STEEL THAT MOVES AT A HIGH RATE, THAT THAT DANGERS THE PUBLIC? WOULD IT BE COMMON TO BE ABLE TO CONFISCATE THE VEHICLE AND THEN LEAVE IT UP TO THE DEFENDANT, UM, TO GO TO COURT AND GET IT BACK RATHER THAN PUTTING THE BURDEN ON, UM, THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO ACTUALLY BRING THE ACTION IN A CIVIL COURT? AND, YOU KNOW, THE PRACTICAL WORLD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A HALF YEAR LATER BEFORE IT EVER GETS HURT BY ANYBODY? AND I, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD, YOU MAY BE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO LOOK AT, UH, BUT I JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAD ANY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WELL, IT'S A GOOD POINT, AND WITH RESPECT TO THE INITIAL SEIZURE THAT, THAT MR. BERNSTEIN IS TALKING ABOUT, THE IMPOUNDING OF THE CAR, THAT IS NOT CODIFIED IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAWS.
SO SEIZING PROPERTY, THERE'S A REASONABLENESS STANDARD.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE A LICENSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEIZE A VEHICLE.
[01:35:01]
OKAY.BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A REASONABLE SEIZURE IF THERE'S NOT A LICENSED DRIVER TO DRIVE AWAY.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A, THERE'S NOT A MECHANISM IN THE LAW THAT SAYS THE POLICE MAY IMPOUND THE VEHICLE.
SO WE HAVE A REASONABLENESS STANDARD
SO DO, DO I THINK THAT IN THIS LAW, MR. BERNSTEIN IS SAYING THAT WE NEED THAT MECHANISM? I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
YOU KNOW, COULD IT HELP? YEAH, I GUESS IT COULD EXPRESSLY STATING THAT IT COULD, IT COULD MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER.
BUT WE IMPOUND CARS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S, WE HAVE THAT REASONABLE STANDARD.
ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS? I JUST WANTED TO ASK MCNERNEY, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET YOUR CAR OUT OF IMPOUND, UM, UNIT FOR ONE DAY? WHAT IS IT? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT STORAGE? YES.
WELL, WHEN IT'S IMPOUNDED, WHEN YOUR CAR IS IMPOUNDED, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET IT OUT PER DAY? PER DAY? I BELIEVE IT'S A A $30 PER DAY STORAGE CHARGE.
UH, THERE'S A $30 ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AND WHATEVER THE TOW COMPANY CHARGE IS, WHICH I THINK IS ABOUT 125 TO $150 FOR THE TOW FEE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT IT'S $30 A DAY.
300? NO, IT'S MAXIMUM TWO 10 ON MY SIDE.
30 FOR THE SECOND DAY OF STORAGE AND $30 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE.
SO IT'D BE ABOUT $210 IF THERE WAS, IF WE HAD IT FOR TWO DAYS.
IF, AND WE DON'T GET, WE DON'T COLLECT THE TOFI THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE TOW COMPANY.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA ADJOURN THIS HEARING? UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE MAY BE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO LOOK.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK YOU NEED? AT LEAST TWO WEEKS.
SHOULD WE ADJOURN THE HEARING FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEN YES.
NOW THAT THIS WAS A GOOD HEARING.
NEXT ON OUR LIST, UH, CAN YOU PUT THE SCREEN UP, UH, LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR 60 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC TO CREATE A NEW SUBSECTION AUTHORIZING THE FORFEITURE OF VEHICLES OPERATED BY PERSONS.
WELL, THAT'S THE ONE WE JUST DID.
[ To consider a Local Law amending Chapter 380, “Noise,” of the Code of the Town of Greenburgh listing the noise created due to an unlawful speed contest as an enumerated restricted offense]
CONSIDER A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER THREE 80, NOISE OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG LISTING THE NOISE CREATED DUE TO AN UN UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTEST CONTEST AS AN ENUMERATED RESTRICTED OFFENSE.AND THIS IS JUST A RELATED LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO THE TOWN'S, UH, NOISE ORDINANCE, UH, WHICH IS CHAPTER THREE 80, UH, WHICH COULD BE SOUNDS RELATING TO, FOR EXAMPLE, LEAF BLOWERS OR LAWNMOWERS, OR LOUD PARTIES OR HOWLING DOGS.
UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROVISION THAT PERTAINED TO NOISE, UH, RELATED TO, UH, DRAG RACING OR SPEEDING.
AND THIS LAW JUST, UM, UH, PUTS THAT LANGUAGE IN, IN TERMS OF AN UNLAWFUL SPEED CONTEST.
SO IT JUST CODIFIES OUR LAW TO GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL TOOL TO USE, UM, TO PENALIZE SOMEONE WHO MAY BE, UM, UM, MAKING EXCESSIVE SOUNDS.
UH, IS THERE A WAY TO JUST EXPAND THIS LAW THOUGH, TO, TO INCLUDE ALL SPEEDING, NOT JUST SPEED CONTESTS, AND HOW PLAUSIBLE IS IT THAT NOISE CI LIKE CITATIONS OF THIS TYPE CAN BE APPLIED TO REGULAR SPEEDING TICKETS ANYWHERE THEY'RE HANDED OUT ON WHETHER IT'S A, LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A COUNTY ROAD, A STATE ROAD, OR A, A TOWN ROAD.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE CHIEF CAN COMMENT ON? YEAH, I'M NOT, YEAH, HE'S AVAILABLE.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? OR CAME IN AND OUT? I WAS JUST ASKING THE PLAUSIBILITY OF, OF ADDING A NOISE CITATION ONTO A SPEEDING TICKET AT A LOCAL LEVEL TO INCREASE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO SPEEDING IN GENERAL.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, CAN, CAN THIS AMENDMENT BE EXPANDED TO NOT JUST INCLUDE SPEED CONTESTS, BUT SPEEDING OF ALL TYPES? BECAUSE THE NOISE THAT EVERYONE HEARS IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ISN'T JUST RELATED TO DRAG RACING SPECIFICALLY.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A SINGLE PERSON JUST SPEEDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S POSSIBLE TO EXPAND
[01:40:01]
THE NATURE AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE LAW ITSELF.WELL, I THINK THERE IS A PROVISION IN THIS LAW, OR IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFERENT LAW THAT SPEAKS TO NOISE RELATED TO THIS.
UM, AS FAR AS ENFORCING NOISE VIOLATIONS, IT'S CHALLENGING IF, IF WE GO TO COURT, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT THE THRESHOLD IS.
WE NEED, UH, NOISE METERS TO DO THAT IN SOME CASES.
SO, UM, WE GENERALLY DO IT BY ENFORCING THE ILLEGAL MUFFLERS, WHICH WE KNOW ARE ALLOWED.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S GENERAL, IT'S PRETTY EFFECTIVE, BUT WE ARE, WE DO HAVE LOCAL LAW THAT SPEAKS TO SPEEDING AS WELL.
I MEAN, THE IDEA WOULD, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT ON TOP OF WHATEVER THE SPEEDING TICKET WOULD BE, THEY WOULD PAY THIS, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IT, IT WOULD BE, BUT IT, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE BASED ON SOME KIND OF DECIBEL LEVEL, UM, THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE OFFICER TO, UH, ADD TO THE TICKET.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I MAY DEFER TO, UH, LIEUTENANT ATTORNEY TIM LEWIS, TIM, THERE IS SOMETHING IN THIS LAW, OR IT'S AN ADDITIONAL LAW THAT SPEAKS TO NOISE.
WELL, I MEAN, THE, THE ISSUE IS WHEN THE NOISE IS BEING MADE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DEVICE THAT REC, YOU KNOW, THAT RECORDS THAT NOISE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF A POLICE OFFICER IS, IS, IS WALKING AROUND WITH A DECIBEL METER, AND IF HE IS, WHETHER THAT METER IS OUT RECORDING THE SOUND OF THAT SCREECH AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, YOU KNOW, OR SOMEONE'S MUFFLER IS LOUD, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTA HAVE A DEVICE THAT RECORDS THAT SOUND AND IT'S GOTTA EXCEED A CERTAIN LEVEL.
BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO COURT, YOU KNOW, HOW AM I GONNA, HOW AM I GONNA PROVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH DRAG RACING, THERE'S OTHER THINGS INVOLVED IN TERMS OF WHAT I SAW TWO CARS, I CLOCKED THEM, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFERENT, UM, IT'S A DIFFERENT STANDARD.
I MEAN, EVEN WITH A LOUD PARTY, SOMEONE CALLS, I COME OUT, I'VE GOT A DEVICE THAT'S RECORDING THAT NOISE THAT I CAN USE IN COURT.
SO I THINK WHEN THE CHIEF TALKS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, IT'S IN TERMS OF HOW AM I GONNA PROVE THAT SOMEONE'S TIRE IS SQUEALED AND IT WAS IN EXCESS OF THE LEVEL OF, OF NOISE IN THE AREA.
UH, MICHELLE, UH, SPINA, UH, ASKED A QUESTION ON THE CHAT.
CAN WE GET A LEGAL MUFFLERS REPORTED DURING YEARLY INSPECTIONS? RIGHT.
I THINK I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT RIGHT NOW, UM, INSPECTIONS ARE ALSO BEING DENIED FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DARK TINT ON THEIR WINDOWS.
UM, SO JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR THAT TO BE EXPANDED TO MODIFIED MUFFLERS OR ACCEPT YEAH, I'LL, I'LL WRITE TO THE STATE, UH, COMMISSIONER OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
CHIEF, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE EXHAUST IS PART OF THE, UM, EMISSIONS INSPECTION, SO IF THE MUFFLER IN AFFECTS THE EMISSIONS, THE CAR WOULD FAIL.
I MEAN, IF I COULD JUST ADD, OBVIOUSLY THE POLICE ARE CARRYING SPEED RADAR.
THEY MAY EVEN HAVE CAMERAS WITH MICROPHONES IN THE DASH OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF.
I DON'T SEE, I MEAN, IT COULD BE VERY, VERY RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF METER THAT WOULD ALSO MEASURE DECIBEL LEVEL IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT.
SO CHIEF, DO DO OFFICERS WHO ARE ON PATROL CARRY, UH, DECIBEL METERS WITH THEM? OR IS THAT SOMETHING, UM, THAT'S ONLY GIVEN TO AN OFFICER WHEN THERE'S A SPECIFIC COMPLAINT? YEAH, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF DECIBEL METERS.
I THINK THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
WE PROBABLY HAVE TWO OR THREE THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING NOW.
AND, UM, CERTAIN OFFICERS ARE CERTIFIED IN IT.
THERE'S A, THERE IT IS PRETTY INVOLVED GETTING CERTIFIED IN IT.
SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, WHAT ABOUT THE TRAFFIC DIVISION? WHEN THEY'RE PATROLLING? YEAH, THE TRAFFIC DIVISION HAS THEM, BUT YOUR, YOUR SECTOR CAR, YOUR, YOUR BASIC PATROL CAR IS NOT GONNA HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT.
DOES THE TOWN BOARD WANT TO, UH, ADJOURN THIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE MIGHT BE MODIFICATIONS TO THE LOCAL LAW AS WELL? OKAY, LET'S DO IT FOR TWO WEEKS AGAIN.
SO YOU MAKE THAT MOTION, PAUL, I MAKE THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR FOR OCTOBER 28TH.
[ To consider a one-year agreement between the Town of Greenburgh and the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson for Fire Protection Services to Unincorporated Greenburgh residents of the Donald Park Fire Protection District for the year 2019, at a cost not to exceed $339,057]
NEXT, UH, TO CONSIDER, UM, UM, A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT, UH, BETWEEN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG AND THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON, UH, FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES TO UNINCORPORATED GREENBURG RESIDENCE OF THE DONALD PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, FOR THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $339,057.[01:45:05]
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT.SO THIS IS A, UH, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACT THAT THE TOWN HAS, UM, WITH THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON TO PROVIDE, UH, FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES TO AN AREA OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA THAT, UH, IS SERVED BY THE FIRE, UH, COMPANY IN HASTINGS.
THE, THIS YEAR, THE CONTRACT, WELL, FOR 2019, THEY ALWAYS DO IT ONE YEAR BEHIND.
SO THEY HAVE ACCURATE NUMBERS, UH, FOR 20, AND THEIR CONTRACT IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CALLS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT VERSUS THE NUMBER OF CALLS IN THE VILLAGES.
AND THEN THEY DIVVY UP THE COSTS BASED ON, ON THAT CRITERIA.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT THAT WAY FOR, FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT SEEMS, SEEMS TO WORK OUT.
UH, JUST FOR REFERENCE, THE 20 $19 AMOUNT IS $339 AND 57, UH, $339,057.
AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, IN 2017, IT WAS $334,019.
AND THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 1% AGAIN.
AND SO, IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK, UH, REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, UH, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.
FIRE DISTRICTS WERE DESIGNED A HUNDRED, 200 YEARS AGO WHEN EVERYBODY LIVED IN THE SAME DISTRICT, AND THEY WERE VOLUNTEERS.
NOBODY WENT TO WORK IN NEW YORK CITY.
NOBODY BOTHERED CHANGING THAT SYSTEM.
FIRE PROTECTION FROM MY HOUSE COST ME VIRTUALLY THE SAME AMOUNT AS FIRE AS THE WHOLE TOWN.
PUBLIC WORKS SAN, UH, PARKS, TOWN HALL, SAME AMOUNT.
SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, WE DON'T HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT LIVE IN A DISTRICT ANYMORE.
WHY DO WE HAVE 4, 5, 6 FIRE CHIEFS, ASSISTANT CHIEFS, AND ALL THE STAFF THAT GOES WITH IT? WE BUILT A NEW FIREHOUSE ON WEST HARSDALE AVENUE, NEVER SHUT THE ONE ON FOUR CORNERS.
WE'RE LIVING IN A NEW WORLD CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC.
YOU'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET HERE, AND YOU'RE GONNA PICK IT APART DOLLAR BY DOLLAR.
AND YET THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IS GOING TO THE FIRE DISTRICTS.
THE OTHER DAY I SAW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO COMBINE A VOLUNTEER E M SS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO VOLUNTEERS TO RUN THE E M SS ANYMORE.
FIRE DISTRICTS TURNED AROUND FOREVER.
NOBODY'S HAD THE FORTITUDE TO SAY, THIS DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.
THIS IS NOT 200 YEARS AGO WHEN SOMEBODY WENT OUT THERE WITH A BIG HAMMER AND IT WAS A BIG ROUND PIECE OF METAL AND THEY BANGED ON IT, AND EVERYBODY COME RANTING OUT TO TAKE CARE OF THE FIRE.
SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS TO COMBINE FIRE DISTRICTS.
SOMEBODY'S GONNA LOSE THEIR JOB.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA LOSE THEIR JOBS.
WELL, RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS.
THEY'RE GIVING OUT MONEY TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM STARVING.
THE CHIEFS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE WELL PAID.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE FANTASTIC PENSIONS.
PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR JOBS AS HOUSEKEEPERS AND GARDENERS DON'T HAVE THOSE ADVANTAGES.
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
THESE PEOPLE LOWER PEOPLE NEED THE MONEY.
WE CANNOT SUPPORT FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT FIRE CHIEFS AND THE SUPPORT STAFFS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO CHANGE THAT.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BUDGET HEARING IN A VERY SHORT TIME, AND YOU'RE GONNA LOSE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
AND THE FIRE DISTRICTS GONNA HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND I MAY WIND UP PAYING MORE FOR THE FIRE DISTRICT
[01:50:01]
THAN FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THE TOWN DOES.POLICE DEPARTMENT, PARKS, SANITATION, SOCIAL SERVICES, ALL THOSE THINGS COMBINED.
I WON'T BE AROUND MUCH LONGER TO SEE THIS SOLVED, BUT YOU HAVE TO DO THIS ON A RELATIVELY EMERGENCY BASIS.
THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EAT TODAY.
YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE FOUR OR FIVE FIRE CHIEFS, ASSISTANT CHIEFS, TRAINING DEPARTMENTS.
YOU GUYS HAVE TO STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
MOST OF MY FRIENDS ARE ALREADY DEAD.
I READ THE PAPERS EVERY DAY, AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING ARE YOUNGER THAN I AM.
THE WORST PART IS I'M MAKING MISTAKES AND CAN'T REMEMBER.
THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THEIR JOBS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF FOR FIRE SHEETS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO CARE, TAKE CARE OF EXCESS FIREHOUSES.
THIS IS AT FOUR CORNERS, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT BANKS CLOSED FIREHOUSE, TEAR IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S MY GRANDCHILDREN'S LIFE AND YOUR KIDS' LIFE AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN'S.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY, AND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MANY PEOPLE IN GREENBURG WHO DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
SO AS I HAVE TO DO, EACH TIME WE HAVE A FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, UH, CONTRACT, NONE OF THE COMMENTS YOU, YOU JUST HEARD ARE RELEVANT TO THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE DONALD PARK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, UH, WHICH IS THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK? I DO.
UM, I JUST WANNA FOLLOW ON THAT ONE.
AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND I'M BEGINNING TO THINK IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
PAUL SUGGESTED THIS YEARS AGO AND EVERYBODY WAS AGAINST IT, BUT I FIGURE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE TO CHANGE OUR FIRE DISTRICTS.
PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN, ONCE YOU, I'M STILL 29, BUT ONCE YOU RETIRE, NOTHING GOES UP OTHER THAN THE COST.
FRANCIS, WE HAVE A $20,000 NEW YORK CITY METRO TAX ATTACHED, ATTACHED TO THE FAIRVIEW FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET ADANTE JUST TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND I CAN'T BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME.
AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO EXPLAIN IT TO ME.
HOW CAN NEW YORK CITY TAX MY FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH ONLY RECEIVES MONEY FROM TAXES? I KNOW THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF WAY WE ARE BEING HAD AND IT'S NOT WORKING.
I'M GONNA BE ETERNALLY 29, BUT, UM, I'M SERIOUS.
WE HAVE GOT TO COME UP WITH A ANOTHER SOLUTION.
I CAN'T CONTINUE TO BUY UNIFORMS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE JUST THINGS THAT CANNOT STAY THERE.
AND, AND EVERY PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA HAVE TO PICK UP FOR ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER ONES BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS STILL TAKE MONEY FROM THE, FROM OUR FIRE DISTRICTS AND IT JUST WON'T WORK.
SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, I STILL HAVEN'T EVEN COME, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I CAME TO THE MEETING FOR
BUT WE, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE VERY, VERY RELEVANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S NOT GONNA LAST LONG.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE ONES THAT ARE, AREN'T MAKING, I'M A FLORIST.
I HAVEN'T PICKED UP A CHECK SINCE FEBRUARY.
SO I'M JUST SAYING WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AT ONE TIME WE WERE DISCUSSING, UH, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THEN IT WENT TO BILLIONS, AND NOW
[01:55:01]
WE ARE DISCUSSING TRILLIONS, WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHERE'S THE MONEY COMING FROM? WE'RE GONNA PAY $5 FOR A LOAF OF BREAD SOON.THEY HAVE TO, SCHOOL TAXES ARE GOING UP BECAUSE STAR IS GOING DOWN.
WHERE'S THE MONEY COMING FROM? PAUL, ON THAT NOTE, I'M, I'M FINISHED WITH THIS ONE TOO.
I I I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH BOTH PAT AND UM, AND MURRAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, A FEW MONTHS AGO I SENT A LETTER TO ALL THREE PAID FIRE DISTRICTS, GREENVILLE, FAIRVIEW, AND HARTSDALE.
AND I SUGGESTED THAT WE ALL SIT DOWN AND MEET AND DISCUSS WAYS, UM, THAT WE COULD SAVE MONEY BY WORKING TOGETHER, BY EITHER SHARING SERVICES OR, YOU KNOW, OR CONSOLIDATING.
I GOT ONE RESPONSE FROM GREENVILLE SAYING THEY WERE NOT, UM, INTERESTED IN, UM, IN MEETING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, UH, COUPLE WEEKS, WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE WORKING ON THE TOWN BUDGET AND WE'RE MAKING CUTS IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD, YOU KNOW, LARGE, YOU KNOW, TAX HIKES.
UM, SO THERE'S GONNA BE SERVICE DISRUPTIONS.
WE COULD BE, IF WE EVEN COME CLOSE TO A 0% INCREASE AND THE SCHOOLS INCREASE THE TAXES AND FIRE DISTRICTS INCREASE THE TAXES, NONE OF US ARE GONNA LAND UP.
UM, UH, PEOPLE ARE STILL GONNA BE PAYING MORE TAXES AND THEY'RE GONNA GET LESS SERVICES.
SO IF WE ALL SIT DOWN AND SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH, UM, SOME SENSIBLE, SO, SO, YOU KNOW, SOLUTIONS, EVEN IF IT'S DONE INCREMENTALLY, IT MAKES SENSE.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAD GREENVILLE FIRE CHIEF, UM, RETIRE AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE WHEN THERE'S A RETIREMENT, UH, THEY COULD HAVE SHARED A CHIEF WITH ANOTHER CHIEF THAT WOULD'VE SAVED OVER $220,000 FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR EDGEMONT.
UM, YOU, UH, THE HARTSDALE FIRE CHIEF ED RUSH RETIRED A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSOLIDATION, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.
IT COULD BE DONE GRADUALLY AS CHIEFS AND AS CAPTAINS, UM, ARE RETIRING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE, UH, MAKE, MAKE SENSE.
THERE MAY BE SERVICES THAT THE TOWN THAT, THAT THE TOWN PROVIDES, MAYBE THE FIRE DISTRICTS COULD HANDLE IT, UM, UH, TO SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE WORK, SAY IN A BUILDING DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WAYS THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY.
SO I WOULD, I WILL, YOU KNOW, RESUME MY EFFORTS TO, UM, INVITE THE FIRE DISTRICTS TO SIT DOWN, HAVE A, A GIVE AND TAKE YOU A DISCUSSION WITH US.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ADVERSARIAL.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO WHEN I SAID JUST CONSOLIDATE WAS LIKE US VERSUS THEM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL ARE IN IT TOGETHER.
WE ALL HAVE ONE GOAL PROVIDING SERVICES AND DOING IT AT THE LEAST, UM, COSTLY MANNER.
SO, YOU KNOW, MURRAY AND PAT INSPIRED ME, AND I WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK ON THIS AGAIN.
WELL, IT HAS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
IT, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DO IT TOMORROW OR TOMORROW.
NOW, REALISTICALLY, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SAVE MONEY AND THE BEST WAY TO DO IT SO THAT NONE OF THE FIRE DISTRICTS WILL LOSE ANY OF THE COVERAGE THAT THEY NEED.
BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE IN THE VEIN THAT WE ARE GOING IN.
THERE'S OTHER SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP.
SO BEFORE YOU GUYS SPEAK A SECOND TIME, I'M FINISHED.
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN THE FIRST TIME AND I THINK WE JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM THEM.
JEFF SHERWIN, ARE WE STILL ON THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT? YES.
SO WE SHOULD KEEP OUR COMMENTS LIMITED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE PROBABLY JUST SPEND $500 OF TAXPAYER MONEY TALKING ABOUT FIRE DISTRICTS AS OPPOSED TO FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS, WHICH ARE OPERATED BY VOLUNTEERS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING TO DIRECT IT BACK TO THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
AND IF SOMEBODY HAS AN OBJECTION TO THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT TO GET INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT FIRE DISTRICTS AND THE THREE PAID FIRE CHIEFS AND THE, UH, CONSOLIDATION EFFORT OF THE FIRE DISTRICTS, HARTSDALE, GREENVILLE, AND FAIRVIEW, THAT'S TOTALLY, TOTALLY IRRELEVANT TO THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT WITH THE, WITH THE VILLAGES WHERE WE'RE PROVIDING, UM, SERVICES WHICH ARE PAID SOLELY BY THE RESIDENTS IN THAT FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
SO ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED THAT
[02:00:01]
THE VILLAGES ARE GETTING MONEY FROM THE FIRE DISTRICTS.I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THIS CONTRACT, $339,057 WILL BE SOLELY PAID BY THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THAT FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
THE PEOPLE IN FAIRVIEW FIRE DISTRICT, HARSDALE FIRE DISTRICT, GREENVILLE FIRE DISTRICT WILL NOT PAY A PENNY OF THAT AMOUNT FOR THOSE FIRE SERVICES.
SO I, I, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD JUST, AND IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME WE HAVE A FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, UM, THAT WE GET INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT CONSOLIDATING THE FIRE DISTRICT.
AND, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE, IF WE POSSIBLY CAN, UH, TO KEEP IT, AND THEN WE CAN CLOSE THIS HEARING AFTER EVERYONE HAS SPOKE.
I DON'T WANNA DENY ANYBODY SPEAKING ABOUT THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT CONTRACTS.
UM, BUT THEN WE COULD CLOSE THIS AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT FIRE DISTRICTS IN GENERAL IF WE WANT TO.
BUT, UM, TO DO THIS ON THE RECORD, THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT, UH, IT'S JUST, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE FOR A CLEAN RECORD.
RIGHT? AND REMEMBER WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WE'RE PAYING TO BE HERE THAT YOU CAN SEE TYPING AWAY.
SO WHEN YOU GENERATE THESE COMMENTS, IT'S COSTING THE TOWN MONEY.
SO WE PAY BY, WE PAY, WE PAY BY THE PAGE, RIGHT? YES, WE PAY BY THE WHO'S NEXT? GARY? UH, JEFF SHERWIN.
SO I, I, I HEARD SOMETHING, I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK ON THIS, BUT I HEARD SOMETHING INTERESTING.
YOU CALCULATE THE WAY IN WHICH YOU PAY, UM, THE HASTINGS FIRE DISTRICT, UH, THE FA HASTINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT BASED UPON THE, THE PROPORTIONAL NUMBER OF CALLS, UH, TO THE, THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND DO THOSE CALLS ALSO INCLUDE E M S CALLS THEIR FIRE, THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENTS DON'T DO E EMMS IT.
WELL, OH, THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING YOU 'CAUSE THEY'RE ON THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT, IT SHOWS THE AMBULANCE CORP.
AND I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS, IF THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THOSE CALLS.
I, I, I'D HAVE TO CHECK TO BE SURE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
BECAUSE THIS IS A FIRE PROTECTION CONTRACT.
WELL, I JUST WONDER BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO A, A CALCULATION BASED UPON A NUMBER OF CALLS, AND NOW YOU'RE SITTING HERE AND SAYING TO ME BEFORE YOU VOTE ON IT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT IT INCLUDES FIRE AND AMBULANCE, BEFORE YOU DO THAT, MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST KNOW THOSE NUMBERS AND KNOW WHAT THE DATA IS BEFORE YOU MAKE IT, BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU AUTHORIZE THAT.
CAN YOU JUST CHECK THAT AND, AND VERIFY THAT WHATEVER IT DOES, IT DOES IT EQUALLY TO BOTH.
AND, AND IT'S JUST BECAUSE THERE'S, THIS HAS BEEN A CRAZY WEEK TRYING TO DEAL WITH METROPOLIS
IT'S, IT'S VERY BUSY AND I GET IT.
AND IT'S, AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.
BUT BEFORE YOU GO AND AUTHORIZE IT, CAN YOU SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE PAYING FOR E M S CALLS IN ADDITION TO FIRE CALLS? OR IS IT JUST FIRE CALLS? YEAH, WE'LL CERTAINLY DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE'RE NOT GONNA VOTE TONIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'RE GONNA DO OKAY.
AND IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
ANYBODY ELSE? UM, THERE WAS A REQUEST, UH, MR. BOWEN ASKED TO SPEAK AGAIN ON THIS MATTER.
UH, FRANCIS KIND OF CONFUSED THE ISSUE.
IT'S ABOUT MONEY AND WHETHER YOU TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE SPEND ON THIS ONE OR HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON NEXT YEAR'S, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.
WE'RE VERY GOOD, FRANCIS, TO DEFLECT FROM WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON.
THE REAL CONVERSATION IS HOW DO WE GO FORWARD? AND THIS IS JUST ONE PART OF IT.
YOU'RE VERY GOOD AT DISTRACTING THE CONVERSATION AND DISTRACTING AND GETTING PEOPLE CONFUSED.
BUT THIS IS ABOUT MONEY, AND WHETHER YOU CALL THIS PARTICULAR ONE MONEY OR THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF FIRE DISTRICT'S MONEY, IT'S THE SAME THING.
IS THAT IT? CAN WE CLOSE THE, UH, HEARING JUST JEFF, JUST TO ADDRESS JEFF'S QUESTION AND THE REASON WHY I WANT TO CHECK THE CONTRACT ITSELF SAYS THAT IT'S BASED ON THE PROPORTIONAL FIRE SERVICE, FIRE SERVICE RELATED CALL VOLUME.
I'LL FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE MISUSING, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE THAT FIRE SERVICE CALL VOLUME TO INCLUDE AMBULANCE SERVICE.
IT THE, YOU, YOU REALIZE THE REASON I'M ASKING IS IF WE'RE ALSO GONNA CONTEMPLATE SHARED SERVICES IN OTHER, IN OTHER MUTUAL MUTUALIST MUTUAL AID, WE COULD BE DOUBLE PAYING.
WELL, YOU, YOU COULD BE DOUBLE PAYING BECAUSE IN ADDITION, WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THE SOURCE OF THOSE AMBULANCES, WHERE WHO'S, WHO'S ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THE,
[02:05:01]
THE TOWN AMBULANCES TOO.AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE WHILE THIS MAY BE THE WAY THINGS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DONE, IF YOU'RE GONNA GO AND ADJUST THE WAY THINGS GET DONE IN A DIFFERENT VENUE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY APPROVING THIS MONEY TOO, IT'D BE GREAT TO KNOW HOW MUCH THE TOWN IS ACTUALLY PAYING FOR CERTAIN SERVICES IF IT'S PAYING FOR IT TWICE.
SO YOU COULD BE DOUBLE COUNTING AND LET'S JUST GET THE DATA AND THEN LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
BUT MY POINT IS THAT I AM TAKING THEIR WORD FOR IT, THAT WHEN THEY SAY FIRE SERVICE RELATED CALL VOLUME, THEY MEAN FIRE SERVICE RELATED CALL VOLUME AND NOT E M S, BUT JUST TO BE DOUBLY SURE.
I WILL CHECK THAT OUT FOR YOU.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE HEARING AND LEAVE THE RECORD OPEN FOR SEVEN DAYS.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT Advance signup via PublicComment@GreenburghNY.com is required. See instructions on first page. A three minute limit per speaker will be strictly enforced. No interruptions by Town Board members, the Town Clerk or the public will be permitted. Any questions on agenda items should be asked at this time. Department Heads have the option of leaving the meeting following Public Comment. Therefore, if anyone has questions that are related to resolutions/items on the agenda involving a specific Department Head, those questions should be raised at this time]
OKAY.THERE'S, UH, CHRISTINE JONES, HOWARD.
OKAY, MS. HOWARD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY NAME CHRISTINE JONES HOWARD, I'M A DIRECTOR OF THE OLD EDGEMONT CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FLOATING ZONES.
UH, PROTECTION OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES IS IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
OUR RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES IS ONE OF THE RESIDENT'S LARGEST FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS.
AND WHERE MOST OF US RAISE OUR CHILDREN, THE OLD EDGEMONT ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS STRONGLY OPPOSE THE CONCEPT OF FLOATING ZONES.
IF SENIOR HOUSING FACILITIES ARE TO BE PLACED IN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, WE SUPPORT THE APPROACH OF APPROVING SENIOR HOUSING FACILITIES BY THE TRADITIONAL SPECIAL PERMIT PROCESS WITH STRONG PRECISE STANDARDS.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT INTRODUCING FLOATING ZONES INTO OUR ZONING CODE AND WHAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO IN THE FUTURE IN OLD
YOU MAY, YOU MAY, YOU MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED AT THE LAST MEETING WE TOOK FLOATING ZONES OFF THE TABLE AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SPECIAL PERMIT, UM, UH, PROCEDURES.
SO WE HAD A CONVERSATION, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT ESCOS AND, UH, YOU PROCEEDED TO VOTE ON IT ANYWAYS, AND THEN I SORT OF FOLLOWED UP AS SOON AS THE ESCO VOTE WAS COMPLETED AND PAUL PUBLISHED THE RATE AS TO WHAT EVERYBODY WAS GONNA BE PAYING, AND IT WAS 12% HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET.
AND FRANCIS, WHEN I ASKED PAUL THE QUESTION, HE SAID, YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE, YOU WERE THE ONE ON THE CALL.
HE THREW YOU UNDER THE BUS AND HE SAID YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS, THIS WAS A GOOD RATE OR NOT.
SO I SAID THAT I, I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANNA, I NEVER, UH, I, I NEVER, UH, UH, SAID THAT IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, FRANCIS' RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEN I VOTE ON SOMETHING, I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY VOTE.
AND OKAY, SO, SO I DO MY OWN RESEARCH.
I DON'T RELY ON OTHER, SO, OH, SO YOU'RE DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
I GUESS MY QUESTION THEN IS, DID YOU GUYS DO A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH TO FIND OUT WHAT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE RATE FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY WAS FOR A SIMILAR TENOR AVAILABLE ON THE PUBLIC MARKET? DID ANY OF YOU DO A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH? OH, I DID.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA LETWIN FINISH HIS COMMENTS.
MR. LEWIS, YOU ARE NOT THE ELECTED OFFICIAL AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WANNA ENGAGE IN ME.
PLEASE ASK THE ELECTED, ELECTED OFFICIALS IF THEY'D LIKE TO FOLLOW YOUR PROCEDURE OR IF THEY'D LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH ME.
WE JUST WANT YOU TO FINISH YOUR COMMENTS AND THEN WE WILL RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, MR. FINER WHO WE'VE ELECTED IS ENGAGING WITH ME? NO, BUT, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE BOARD HERE AND WE WANNA STAY FOCUSED ON THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
YOU ASK YOUR QUESTION AND HE'LL RESPOND.
I ASKED A QUESTION, DID YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH?
[02:10:01]
I ASKED THAT QUESTION QUITE CLEARLY AND HE'S RESPONDING TO ME.DO YOU HAVE OTHER COMMENTS OTHER THAN THAT WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME? 'CAUSE YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? I ASKED A QUESTION.
MR. LEWIS, YOU ARE CONSUMING MY TIME RIGHT NOW.
AND NOW THE SUPERVISOR'S GONNA RESPOND AND WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
I'VE, UH, DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON ESCOS AND THERE'S A LOT OF ESCOS THAT HAVE VERY, VERY BAD REPUTATIONS THROUGHOUT, UH, THE STATE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CHOSE SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE STAFF AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY OF VETTING, UM, THE, THE ESCOS AND DETERMINING WHICH ESCO, UM, IS MOST VIABLE AND COULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE OUTSTANDING SERVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TO RESIDENTS THAT ARE RELIABLE AND, UM, AND, AND, AND EFFICIENT.
UM, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS INVESTIGATED ESCOS OVER THE YEARS.
UM, UM, AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE RATES, IT'S BASICALLY DO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES TO EVERYONE, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW, WITHIN GREENBURG, I SHOULD MENTION THAT WESTCHESTER SUSTAINABLE, WESTCHESTER HAD A PUBLIC BIDDING PROCESS.
UH, THE COMPANY THAT YOU'RE, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BID.
UM, AND THEY CHOSE NOT TO BID.
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, IF THEY HAD COME UP WITH A, A RATE THAT WAS, UM, WAS LOWER AND IF, UH, SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER FELT THAT THEY WERE, UM, VIABLE, I'M SURE SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER WOULD'VE GONE WITH 'EM.
BUT THEY DID NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID NOT WANNA, UH, BUT WANT A BID.
AND SOMETIMES, AS YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE A LOW BID AND, UH, ON ANYTHING.
AND SOMETIMES YOU GET CRAPPY SERVICE FOR CRAPPY PRODUCTS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK A FIRST TIME BEFORE MR. SHERWIN GOES A SECOND TIME? I DUNNO IF I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS.
TIM, UM, MURRAY BODEN AND PAT.
UH, CAN YOU GET THAT PICTURE UP? IF NOT, WE WENT APPLE PICKING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND WE GET OFF IN SUFFERANCE.
IT'S THE SAME PLACE WE WENT WITH THE KIDS 40 YEARS AGO.
AND AT THE EXIT THERE'S A, UH, LITTLE TRAFFIC ISLAND IN THE AGO AREA IN FRONT OF IT.
AND UH, THERE, IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR, BUT YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU GO TO THE RIGHT AND THE ISLAND IS THERE.
AND THAT SPACE IN FRONT OF IT IS CALLED THE GORE AREA.
THE MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES SAYS YOU CAN ONLY HAVE, IF YOU'RE GONNA CROSS THE GORE AREA, IT HAS TO BE ON A PAVED SURFACE.
OBVIOUSLY WITH THE SIGNS IN THE MIDDLE THERE, YOU CAN'T CROSS.
I SENT THIS TO, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND HE SAID HE LIKES THE GORE AREA.
HE LIKES THE WHITE LINE ON BOTH SIDES.
NOW THAT LINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS SUPPOSED TO BE YELLOW, TO GIVE THE DRIVER INFORMATION THAT THIS IS THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS ROAD.
TRAFFIC ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN DOING IT INCORRECTLY FOR YEARS.
THE ONE IN FRONT OF THE HARTSDALE STATION, EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
YOU CAN'T CROSS THE NEUTRAL AREA ON A PAVED SURFACE.
YOUR TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT IS FAMILIAR WITH THE MANUAL.
I GAVE YOU THE LINKS TO WASHINGTON.
THE COMMISSIONER'S PERSONAL FEELING ABOUT WHETHER THAT LINE SHOULD BE WHITE OR YELLOW IS HIS PERSONAL APPEAL AND NOT LEGAL.
SO WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO PUT A LEGAL LINE IN? BECAUSE IT'S BEEN DONE WRONG AROUND TOWN, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, SPECIFICALLY IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN STATION.
THE LINE BETWEEN GOING LEFT AND GOING RIGHT IS A DOTTED LINE.
THEY HAVE A BROKEN LINE, WHICH MEANS THIS IS BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
IT'S TO GIVE THE DRIVER ADVANCED NOTICE THAT THESE LANES DON'T GO IN THE SAME PLACE.
SO WHO ENFORCES THE LAW? OKAY, PAUL, YOU ANSWERED SOMEBODY ELSE'S QUESTION.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WILL YOU OR YOUR BOARD ENFORCE THE LAW AS WRITTEN?
[02:15:02]
WELL, WE, UH, REACH OUT TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY AND, YOU KNOW, POLICE, UH, DEPARTMENT TO ADVISE US WHAT THE LAW, YOU KNOW, IS AND THEY ARE ENFORCED.WILL YOU CORRECT IT? IF THE LAW SAYS IT HAS TO BE CROSSED ON A PAVED AREA IN FRONT OF THE RAILROAD STATION, ALL THESE LITTLE POSTS, WILL YOU HAVE THEM PUT THE LINE YELLOW NEXT TO THE POSTS? WILL YOU IN FACT PUT A DOTTED LINE IN BETWEEN THE TWO DIRECTIONS? THIS IS SAFETY.
YOU KEEP SAYING WE WANT A SAFER COMMUNITY HERE, AND YET YOU DON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
I'M PUTTING IT ON THE RECORD THAT THE LAW SAYS UNLESS IT'S A PAVED AREA, YOU CAN CROSS THE LINE ON A RIGHT SIDE, ON A DRIVER'S LEFT IS YELLOW.
WE'LL DEFINITELY, WE'LL DEFINITELY ENFORCE THE LAW.
HOW LONG ARE WE TAKE? WELL, WE WE'RE GONNA SEE, SO WE HAVE MS. WEEMS AND I CAN SEE WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON WHO ARE WAITING FOR SOME OTHER BUSINESS, AND THEN WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
YES, MS. WEEM AND THEN, AND THEN BOB BERNSTEIN REQUESTED.
SO, MS. WEEMS, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY 15 THINGS AND IF I COULD SAVE TIME BY BRINGING THEM UP LATER ON, I WILL.
BUT I DO WANNA SAY, PAUL, YOU STARTED OUT WITH THIS OPT OUT AND I HATE OPT OUTS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT.
SO YOU NEED TO SET UP AN OFFICE THAT I CAN CALL IN AND SAY PAT WILLIAMS IS OPTING OUT RIGHT? ALONG WITH A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW THEY'RE GONNA CALL IN AND SAY, OPT OUT NOW.
I'LL GO ON THE SECOND HALF SO I WON'T TAKE UP MORE TIME OTHER THAN I DON'T LIKE CON ED AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE'RE SUPPORTING CON ED IN ANYWAY.
AND I'M STOPPING RIGHT THERE AND I'M UNDER A MINUTE.
THANK YOU MS. WILLIAMS. MR. BERNSTEIN, I WANNA FOLLOW UP, UH, ON WHAT DR.
DURWIN SHERWIN HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE ESCO.
UH, I DON'T THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO HAVE BEEN INTERRUPTED LIKE THAT, UH, AND GIVE HIM SHORT DRIFT BECAUSE HE RAISED A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT ESCO WAS AGREED TO REALLY AT THE LAST MINUTE BY GREENBERG.
UM, IN TERMS OF ITS WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE OVER A FAIR AMOUNT OF OPPOSITION.
UH, PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE, UH, UH, BEING FORCED INTO THESE CONTRACTS.
BUT THE PITCH THAT YOU GAVE AND THE PITCH THAT SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER GIVES IS THAT AGGREGATION MEANS LOWER PRICES.
NOW, AGGREGATION FOR AN ALL GREEN CONTRACT MEANS YOU DO PAY A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PRICE.
UM, BUT YOU'RE GONNA GET THE LOWEST PRICE THAT AN AGGREGATED DEMAND WOULD GET FOR YOU, UH, FOR DOING A GREEN CONTRACT.
THAT IS WHY NO SOONER DID YOU ANNOUNCE THE RATE THAT JEFF GOOGLED THE, THE, THE RATE IN CON THAT CONED WAS SHOWING FOR ESCOS FOR ALL GREEN.
AND HE FOUND THAT THE RATE THAT YOU HAD AGREED TO, THAT YOU HAD COMMITTED ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN GREENBERG TO WAS 12% HIGHER.
NOW, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY YOU SAY, CAN I GET OUTTA THAT DEAL? IS THERE A RESCISSION? IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WAIT A SECOND.
UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR.
UM, SO INSTEAD WHAT WE GOT WAS SOME, UH, UH, SPEECH FROM MR. FINER ABOUT HOW, UH, ESCOS THAT AREN'T APPROVED BY SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER ARE BAD OR THAT PARTICULAR ESCO WASN'T BIDDING.
BUT SOMETHING IS FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WHEN YOU DO AN AUCTION DESIGNED TO GET THE HIGHEST, THE LOWEST PRICE 'CAUSE YOU'RE AGGREGATING AND THERE ARE PRICES AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS, YOU OR I OR ANYONE ELSE COULD GET AN ALL GREEN CONTRACT FOR AS LONG A PERIOD OF TIME FOR 12% LESS THAN WHAT YOU LOCKED US INTO, UNLESS WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPT OUT.
NOW, THAT STRUCK ME AS FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG, AND I WOULD'VE THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD'VE JUMPED IMMEDIATELY, WHETHER IT BE FRANCIS OR OR ANY ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS.
WHAT WENT WRONG HERE? UH, WHO MADE THESE DECISIONS? WHO INVESTIGATED THIS? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT BIDDING WAS LEGIT? UM, JEFF RAISED SOME VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, UH, THE BACKGROUND OF SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
NONE OF YOU FOLLOWED UP WITH ANY ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT THE WHOLE THING LOOKED VERY, VERY FISHY.
[02:20:01]
IT WAS WRONG FOR YOU TO GIVE SHORT THRIFT TO JEFF.I HOPE HE FOLLOWS UP WITH MORE.
BUT THIS GOES TO THE VERY HEART OF THE TRUST THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE TOWN GOVERNMENT AND A CONSTITUENT.
SO I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS AND GIVE US A REPORT ON WHAT WENT WRONG, WHY, WHY GREENBERG GOT LOCKED INTO A CONTRACT TO SIT FOR 18 MONTHS, BUT 12% HIGHER THAN THE MARKET PRICE FOR GREEN CONTRACT FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME.
AND I JUST WANNA MOVE THE AGENDA, BUT I THINK THERE'LL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE.
AND SO MAYBE THIS IS A GOOD TIME JUST TO MOVE THE AGENDA, AGENDA SECOND, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UH, FRANCIS, COULD YOU JUST PULL UP THE AGENDA? OKAY.
[ TB 1 - 10/14/2020 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to extend for an additional year a contract with CBRE, INC. for real estate consulting services to assist the Town with the acquisition of space for a Town Court and Police Headquarters Facility as well as with the disposition of the existing Town Court and Police Headquarters facilities]
ONE, UM, AUTHORIZING, UH, THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXTEND FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR CONTRACT WITH C B R E FOR A REAL, UM, ESTATE CONSULTING SERVICES, UM, TO THE TOWN.UM, WE, I'M JUST, UH, COULD YOU PULL IT ALL OVER A LITTLE BIT LEFT? 'CAUSE I'M SURE I CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING.
THIS IS, YOU HAVE TO WAIT A FEW SECONDS.
DO WRITE A, UH, ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH C V R A FOR REAL ESTATE, UH, CONSULTING SERVICES TO ASSIST THE TOWN WITH THE ACQUISITION OF SPACE FOR A TOWN COURT ON POLICE HEADQUARTERS FACILITY, AS WELL AS THE DISPOSITION OF THE EXISTING TOWN COURT AND POLICE HEADQUARTERS AS AMENDED.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE A SECOND IN FAVOR, AYE.
AND I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UM, UH, THERE WERE YESTERDAY AT THE BOARD MEETING, SOME PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT THAT THERE COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST AND THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THIS.
UM, RIGHT THERE, THERE WAS SOME, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER PROPOSED RESOLUTION, UH, DURING THE SUMMER THAT, UH, WAS HELD OVER AND THEN HELD OVER AGAIN, AND THEN IT JUST DIED.
WE DIDN'T PUT IT BACK ON FOR A SPECIAL MEETING SO THAT, THAT ONE THAT HAD THE $5,000 PER MONTH NOT TO EXCEED $60,000, UH, WAS NOT ENACTED.
AND THE CONTROLLER HAS VERIFIED THAT C B R E NOT ONLY HASN'T BEEN PAID, BUT THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN SET UP AS A VENDOR BECAUSE THERE'S NO REQUEST FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY CAUSE.
[ TB 2 - 10/14/2020 Resolution authorizing the Town Supervisor to execute a Master Municipal Multi-Modal (MM) Capital Project(s) Agreement for use only with Municipally-owned Highway, Bridge, or Aviation projects where a State Comptroller (OSC) approved contract is required]
AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A MASTER MUNICIPAL MULTI-MODEL CAPITAL PROJECTS AGREEMENT FOR USE, UM, ONLY WITH MUNICIPALLY OWNED HIGHWAY BRIDGE OR AVIATION PROJECTS WHERE A STATE CONTROLLER APPROVED CONTRACT IS REQUIRED AS AMENDED.I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
[ ATTORNEY – 989-1615]
NEXT, UM, A T ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY DAMAGE, UH, CLAIM FILE NUMBER THREE 20 C BY MICHAEL O'NEILL AND STELLAR O'NEILL, UH, A T TWO RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY, I SHOULD SAY THEIR AMOUNT, UH, $1,800, UH, SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY DAMAGE RELATED CLAIM FILE NUMBER 50 20 C BY JESSICA PARIS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE $71 AND 31 CENTS.UM, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX TERTIARY SETTLEMENT OF PETITIONER MARSHALL CAVENDISH, UH, CORP REFUNDS FROM ALL, UH, TOTALS SOURCES 1 0 2, UH, $750.
UH, NEXT TO, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA, UM, UM, SOMEBODY ELSE COULD READ IT, BUT I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT I RESIDE AT BOULDER RIDGE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, CONDO THERE, UH, THERE'S A, THERE WERE ARIES.
UM, THERE'S A REFUND BEING, UH, GIVEN TO ALL THE RESIDENTS AND MY WIFE AND I BOTH, UM, UH, DECIDED, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS WAS FILED THAT WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT, UM, ANY OF THE REFUNDS THAT, UM, WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING AWARDED TO ANY OF THE, THE RESIDENTS.
UM, UH, THIS REFUND WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO ABOUT $1,500 THAT WE LOST OUT ON A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
THERE WAS ANOTHER SOI AND, UM, WE BOTH GAVE UP ABOUT $25,000 IN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN REFUNDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR, UM, THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO FILE A RE UM, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THE TOWN, UH, OR TO COLLECT A REFUND.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, UM, WITH A T FOUR AND A T FIVE, SOMEBODY ELSE CAN MAKE THE MOTION.
I'LL MAKE 84 IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX TERTIARY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER BOULDER RIDGE CONDOMINIUM FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT BOULDER RIDGE ROAD.
RE REFUNDS FROM ALL SOURCES TOTAL $253,639 85 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TAX, HER
[02:25:01]
ALREADY SETTLEMENT WITH PETITIONER BOULDER RIDGE CLUB CONDOMINIUM FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT CLUBHOUSE LANE REFUNDS FROM ALL SOURCES TOTAL $64,590,000.I'D LIKE TO MOVE A T FOUR AND A T FIVE.
[ CLERK – 989-1500]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PERMISSION TO CLOSE KEMPSTER ROAD BETWEEN SHOLD WAY AND HADDEN ROAD ON OCTOBER 31ST FROM FOUR UH PM UNTIL 7:00 PM FOR THE RESIDENTS TILL THE PANDEMIC APPROPRIATE HALLOWEEN PARTY, UH, PARADE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXTENDING THE HOURS OF CLOSING STANDARDS PLACE BETWEEN JOYCE ROAD AND FARM ROAD CLOSED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION C L UM, 1 9 23 2020 FROM THREE TO 7:00 PM TO INSTEAD REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL 10:00 PM ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31ST FROM, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF STANDARDS PLACE TO HAVE A PANDEMIC APPROPRIATE HALLOWEEN EVENTS SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE GREENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT IN HARTILL, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT.AND I'LL EXPLAIN THE, THE, THE REASON WHY CL TWO IS REWORDED FROM WHAT THEIR REQUEST WAS IS THEY MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED THAT THEIR STREET WAS ALREADY SUBJECT TO CLOSING DUE TO A, A, A MUCH LARGER, BASICALLY, UH, HALLOWEEN PARADE, WHICH ENDS AT 7:00 PM SO WHAT THEY'RE REALLY ASKING FOR IS TO EXTEND IT FOR THEIR ONE STREET FROM 7:00 PM TO 10:00 PM AND AS LONG AS IT'S OKAY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, WE HAD JUST APPROVED, APPROVED THAT REQUEST.
[ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – 989-1538]
UH, RESOLUTION DECLARING THE INTENT OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG TO BE LEAD AGENCY FOR AN AMENDED SITE PLAN, SPECIAL PERMIT AND RELATED APPLICATION OF EAGLE ENERGY STORAGE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 200 NORWOOD ROAD EXTENSION, ELMSFORD, AND REFERRING THE AMENDED, UH, SITE PLAN APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING BOARD, UM, FOR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS.RESOLUTION, UH, ISSUING NEG DECK FOR A SEEKER DETERMINATION FOR THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS RELATED TO A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED ZONING AS IT RELATES TO ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES, AND, UH, SIMILAR, UH, SPECIALIZED SENIOR HOUSING IN THE ONE FAMILY RESIDENTS DISTRICT AS AMENDED.
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ADOPTING A LOCAL LAW WITH RESPECT TO HIS ZONING TAX.
AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBERG ENTITLED ZONING AS IT RELATES TO ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES, AND SPECIAL, SIMILAR SPECIALIZED SENIOR HOUSING IN THE ONE FAMILY RESIDENTS DISTRICTS.
AS A AMENDED, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT SECOND.
UH, RESIDENTS, UH, RESOLUTION ISSUING AN EGG DECK FOR SECRET DETERMINATION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBERG WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS RELATED TO THE ZONING TAX.
AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBERG ENTITLED ZONING TO ADD A NEW DEFINITION AND SPECIAL PERMIT USE IN ONE FAMILY RESIDENTS DISTRICT CONTINUUM OF CARE FACILITIES AS AMENDED.
AND, UH, RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN OF BOARD OF GREENBURG ADOPTING A LOCAL LAW WITH RESPECT TO HIS ZONING TEXT.
AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 2 85 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG ENTITLED ZONING TO ADD A NEW DEFINITION AND SPECIAL PERMIT USE IN THE ONE FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT'S, UM, CONTINUUM OF CARE FACILITIES AS AMENDED.
[ COMPTROLLER – 989-1603]
AUTHORIZING FISCAL YEAR 2020.[ PARKS & RECREATION – 693-8985]
TOWN OF GREENBURG, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO GO OUT TO BID FOR PAPER GOODS, ATHLETIC SUPPLIES, T-SHIRTS, LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES, UH, GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES, TARIFF AND LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT, POOL SUPPLIES, PROFESSIONAL PRE-SERVICE, TURF FERTILIZATION, ARTS AND PREF SUPPLIES, SECURITY GUARD SERVICES, OUTDOOR CLOCK FOR DESANTE PLAZA AND BUS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.[ PHILANTHROPY – 989-1515]
AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE AN INTO MUNICIPAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN GREENBERG AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY TO REIMBURSE THE TOWN FOR THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AT THE THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 13TH THROUGH AUGUST 30, 21ST, 2020.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN SUPERVISOR TO EXECUTE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER AND TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR KITTY LAND PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT PROJECT AT WEST WASHINGTON AVENUE PARK IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, BLOCK GRANT.
UH, FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONTRACT WITH
[02:30:01]
THE COUNTY WESTCHESTER TOWN OF GREENBURG FOR THE OLD TAR TOWN ROAD.I'M MANHATTAN AVENUE SIDEWALK PROJECT IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT AFTERNOON IN FAVOR, AYE.
[ PUBLIC WORKS - 989-1575]
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH NEW YORK, UH, LEAK DETECTION TO PERFORM A COMPREHENSIVE, UH, SYSTEM WIDE BOARD OF LEAK DETECTION SURVEY FOR THE GREENBERG CONSOLIDATED WATER DISTRICT.I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT THOUSAND $250.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WOODARD AND CURRENT ENGINEERING AND GEOLOGICAL SERVICES, PA P C WOODARD AND CURRENT TO PREPARE A RISK AND RESILIENCE ASSESSMENT AND AN UPDATE TO THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMERICA'S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2018.
COMPLIANCE FOR THE GREENBERG CONSOLIDATED WATER DISTRICT.
NUMBER ONE FOR AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $34,700.
ALL IN FAVOR? UH, THAT'S PD UH, PW TWO IS NOT AMENDED.
WHO SECONDED THAT? WHO SECONDED THAT? WAS IT GINA? NO, I, I THINK KEN, I DIDN'T.
AND RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH MATH TELUS FINANCIAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE AS NEEDED FINANCIAL SERVICE CONSULTING TO THE GREENBERG CONSOLIDATED WATER DISTRICT FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $22,020.
A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT HERE AGAIN.
SO, MR. SHERWIN, YOU'RE UP, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING YOU EARLIER AND FEEL FREE TO BEGIN.
SO PAUL, YOU SAID THAT YOU DID RESEARCH AND YOU SIMPLY REFER BACK TO ESCOS IN GENERAL ARE UNREPUTABLE AND SO, OR DISREPUTABLE.
AND SO THEREFORE YOU RELY SOLELY ON THE, ON THE, ON THE, YOU ALSO RELIED ON THE ON, ON SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER TO DO THE RESEARCH FOR YOU.
IS THAT ACCURATE? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? UH, I INDICATED THAT I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE CF TO VET, UM, THE ESCOS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTED BIDS AND, UM, AND TO REACH OUT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ESCOS, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO, UM, FOR, FOR A LIVING.
AND I THINK IF YOU GOOGLE ESCOS AND THE PROBLEMS THAT NEW YORK STATE HAS HAD WITH ESCOS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE AVERAGE CONSUMER TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHICH ESCOS ARE GOOD OR, OR NOT GOOD.
YOU KNOW, THE ONE YOU CHOSE MAY BE GOOD, IT MAY NOT BE GOOD.
YOU SAID BEFORE THAT YOU DID GOOGLE IT, SO I, I GUESS MY QUESTION, BUT, BUT, BUT MY, MY, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, GIVEN THE FACT THAT I PROVIDED YOU THE INFORMATION, THAT ENERGY WAS CHEAPER FOR A FORCED CONTRACT ONTO EVERY CONS, EVERY RESIDENT IN GREENBURG.
DID YOU EVEN MAKE AN, DID YOU HAVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE WITH SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER TO ASK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE? I DID.
I SENT, I SENT THEM YOUR EMAIL.
AND WHAT, WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE? YOU KNOW, I WILL LET THEM RESPOND TO, TO YOU.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT, WAIT A MINUTE.
YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I'M GONNA GET A RECO RESPONSE BACK FROM SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER? UH, I WILL REACH OUT TO, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
DID YOU SEND MY EMAIL TO THEM? AND DID, DID THEY SAY THEY WERE GONNA RESPOND? ME TIRED? STORY KEEPS CHANGING.
I WILL, I I'M NOT GONNA RESPOND.
I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HONESTLY FROM YOU, PAUL, HONESTLY, WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN I SENT YOU THAT EMAIL? I SENT IT TO SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER.
AND WHAT WAS AND WHAT DID THEY RESPOND TO WITH I WILL, I WILL, UH, ASK THEM TO GET BACK TO YOU DIRECTLY.
THIS, THIS, I I'M ASKING YOU WHAT DID THEY RESPOND WITH? THIS SEEMS A LOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW PEOPLE AVOID ANSWERS.
YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
CAN YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION? QUESTION.
I TOLD YOU I WILL HAVE THEM GET BACK TO YOU.
SO THEY DIDN'T RESPOND AT ALL.
THEY HAD NO RESPONSE AND YOU HAD NO FOLLOW UP.
EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE YOU, EVEN THOUGH YOU AUTHORIZED THE TOWN TO PAY 12% HIGHER, LIKE A 12% HIGHER PRICE, YOU DID NO FOLLOW UP.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT'S RIGHT.
CAN YOU PROVIDE THE EMAIL FORWARD THAT YOU SAY YOU SENT SO THAT THIS WAY EVERYBODY HAS IT AND THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW UP, CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE THAT YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW UP ON THIS? I'M NOT SAYING, AND THAT YOU'RE ONLY FOLLOWING
[02:35:01]
UP NOW THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP AGAIN AND I'LL, AND, AND, AND UNDERSTAND THE REASON.AND AND LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE A GOOD REASON, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD, OKAY, I'M NOT, I DON'T, THEY HAVE NO REAL REASON AS TO WHY WE'RE PAYING A HIGHER PRICE.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? DO YOU CARE? YEAH.
SO THIS IS WHY WE DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF DIALOGUE BECAUSE IT'S MORE OF A CROSS EXAMINATION AS OPPOSED TO A QUESTIONING AND GIVING THE PERSON AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER.
SO THIS IS WHY WE DON'T DO IT, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
SO YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS IF HE CAN ANSWER THEM, HE IS GONNA RESPOND IF HE CAN.
HE'S NOT, I I, I, I AM FULLY AWARE THAT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, AND I JUST WANT EVERYBODY ON RECORD TO SEE THAT HE CAN'T ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE WOULD DO IF THE, IF, IF THE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A REASONABLE EXPLANATION AS TO WHY WE'RE PAYING A 12% HIGHER PRICE.
OKAY? SO MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
WHO'S NEXT? AM I NEXT, MS. SWES? I CAN GO.
I KNOW MR. BERNSTEIN WANTS TO SPEAK AND I'M SURE MR. BODEN WANTS TO SPEAK.
I, I, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T MIND YOU JUST AS LONG AS I GET IN THE MIX, I DON'T CARE.
WELL, YOU CAN GO MR. BERNSTEIN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? MR. BERNSTEIN'S GONNA GO, UH, VERY BRIEFLY.
I WANNA FOLLOW UP AGAIN ON WHEN, UM, BUT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO DIRECT A QUESTION TO SOMEONE WHO GENERALLY IS MORE RESPONSIVE.
UM, FRANCIS, CAN YOU POST THE CONTRACT THAT WAS, UM, ENTERED INTO WITH, UH, THE ESCO AND THE TOWN, OR EXCUSE ME, ES THE CONTRACT BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER AND THE ESCO AND THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE TOWN AND SUSTAINABLE WESTERN, THE ONE THAT YOU GUYS WERE PRESSURED INTO AGREEING TO AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE, JUST BEFORE THE AUCTION.
UH, THE VERY CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THAT OCCURRED SHOULD HAVE RAISED, UM, YOUR ANTENNA THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG.
UM, UH, I KNOW MANY OF YOU WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW WHEN THE, SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT.
UH, AND, AND SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER CAME TO YOU AFTER HAVING A CRACK RECORD THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
UM, THEY HAD PROMISED RESIDENTS THAT THEIR AGGREGATED PRICE AND THE PRICE THEY WOULD GET WOULD BE LOWER THAN MARKET.
AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THE PRICE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN MARKET FOR A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THEY CAME BACK TO YOU AND SAID, WELL, THIS TIME WE'LL DO GREEN.
IT'LL BE HIGHER THAN MARKET, BUT IT'S GREEN.
YOU CAN TELL, TELL EVERYBODY IT'S GREEN, THAT'S WHY IT'S HIGHER.
BUT THEN THEY, THEY PRESSURED YOU AT THE LAST MINUTE TO AGREE TO SOMETHING.
UM, ONE MIGHT SAY IT WAS DEALING BLIND BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHAT OUT DID YOU NEGOTIATE, IF ANY, AND I KNOW, UH, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE OVER THE YEARS WITH CABLE TV CONTRACT, THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, THAT SORT OF THING, WHERE YOU WOULD NEGOTIATE THESE THINGS AND THEY WOULD ALWAYS COME DOWN TO THE LAST MINUTE.
BUT THERE WERE ALWAYS PROTECTIONS PUT IN.
WHAT PROTECTIONS WERE PUT IN HERE, IF ANY, WHAT RIGHT OF RESCISSION WAS THERE, IF ANY? UM, BECAUSE COMING IN WITH A CONTRACT PRICE THAT'S 12% HIGHER IS A HUGE RED FLAG.
I MEAN, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING STUFF IN THE ENERGY BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS.
UH, THE PRICE DIFFERENTIALS ARE IN THE FRACTION OF PERCENTAGES AMONG COMPETITORS.
YOU DON'T SEE A 12% INCREMENTAL INCREASE OVER WHAT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET.
THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE RED FLAG THAT SOMETHING IS FISHY WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY COMING OFF BEING ASKED TO DO THIS IN SUCH A RUSHED MANNER.
I REMEMBER AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, UM, WHEN, UH, DAN WELSH WAS HERE AND HE WAS BEGGING YOU TO GET AN AGREEMENT, AND EACH OF YOU SAID, NO, NO, NO, I WANNA WAIT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE WE DO THIS RIGHT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE IS, IS CORRECT.
UM, AND THEN IT WAS DONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
WE NEVER SAW IT, BUT NOW WE SAW THE RESULTS.
SO I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD BE APPALLED.
I WOULD THINK YOU'D BE OUTRAGED, UM, THAT YOU WOULD COMMIT, UH, THE OTHER SUSPECTING TAXPAYERS TO GREENVILLE TO A 12% INCREASE WITHOUT
[02:40:01]
EVEN FOLLOWING UP.JEFF'S QUESTIONS ARE NOT RHETORICAL.
JEFF'S QUESTIONS ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD BE ASKED OF FINER, BUT SHOULD BE ASKED OF EACH OF YOU.
'CAUSE YOU OWE US A DUTY OF CANDOR ABOUT WHAT WAS DONE, HOW THIS THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS REALLY, REALLY WRONG.
UM, AND TO ME, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT MAYBE A THIRD PARTY NEEDS TO LOOK INTO BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING THE STRAIGHT ANSWERS FROM YOU GUYS, AND WE EXPECT THAT, RIGHT? OKAY.
UH, MR. BOWDEN, AND YOU'LL LOOK MUCH BETTER WITHOUT THE BOW TIE THAN IN THE FORMAL STOP.
FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, WE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUTTING IN CONCRETE CURBS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
THERE'S NO NEED TO HAVE ANY CURB.
AND THE SIDEWALK SHOULD BE ASPHALT, ECONOMIC ECOLOGICALLY BETTER SHARED AT LEVEL WITH THE, UH, ROADWAY.
SO BICYCLES AND PEOPLE LIKE THE COUNTY TRAILWAYS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIKE THIS NE NEXT STATEMENT, BUT IN REALITY, IT'S TRUE.
SIDEWALKS AND CURBS ARE RACIST CURBS, ESPECIALLY
CAN YOU MUTE YOURSELF? BECAUSE, UM, THE FANCIER HOUSE, THE FANCIER, THE SIDE, THE CURB, THAT'S KIND OF OVER, IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS AROUND, WE HAVE PEOPLE WALKING ALL OVER.
THERE SHOULD BE A DECISION MADE BY THE TOWN IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS NOT TO REPAIR OR INSTALL ANY CURBS.
AND THE SIDEWALKS THAT YOU WERE PLANNING AND YOU SPENT $10,000 TO HAVE A SURVEY MADE OF THE TOWN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAN DO IT AT A QUARTER OF THE COST.
THEY CAN DESIGN IT, THEY CAN INSTALL IT.
THEY'RE USED TO WORKING WITH ASPHALT, THE NEWEST SUPERMARKETS.
WE WENT TO WEGMANS IN, UH, WEST HARRISON THE OTHER DAY JUST TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE.
THE PARKING LOT IS LEVEL WITH THE ENTRANCE.
THERE IS NO CURB AND OTHER SUPERMARKETS AND ALL OVER THE, THAT ARE BEING INSTALLED TODAY LEVEL.
I GOT A NEW LICENSE PLATE THIS WEEK, MY FATHER'S INITIALS FROM 50 YEARS AGO.
I STILL HAVE IT, BUT ON IT, IT HAS A, UH, HANDICAP SYMBOL.
IT'S ABOUT THAT BIG, ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF TALL.
USED TO BE AS BIG AS THE LETTER.
THEY'VE MADE IT VERY SMALL BECAUSE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE, AND I'M ONE OF THEM, YOU DON'T NEED TO CALL ATTENTION TO MY HANDICAP.
I USED TO FORGET TO PUT THE HANGER DOWN.
THE POLICE OFFICER NEEDS TO SEE THAT.
AND IT NOT STICKER ON THE WINDSHIELD ALSO HAS A LITTLE X NEXT TO IT, WHICH TELLS ANYBODY WHO SCANS IT.
WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS? I'M TELLING YOU THIS.
BECAUSE THE WORLD HAS BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE.
CURBS, RACIST, HANDICAPPED PEOPLE ARE JUST PEOPLE WHO NEED A LITTLE EXTRA, UH, WHATEVER.
SO THE TOWN NEEDS TO MAKE IT A POLICY THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE CURBS INSTALLED OR REPAIRED.
AND THE MONEY USED TO PUT IN COUNTY ASPHALT WALKWAYS, TRAILWAYS, SHARED TRAILWAYS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE, I LIVE ON THE EDGE OF JOYCE ROAD TO HARTSDALE, TO HARLEY'S A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE, WALKERS.
AND YET THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM TO GET OFF THE ROAD BETWEEN HERE AND GOING INTO ALEY, INTO ALEY.
THEY PUT THESE MASSIVE CURBS IN THERE, BUT THERE'S NO PLACE TO WALK.
YOU CAN'T GET OUTTA THE WAY OF A CAR.
THERE'S A CHANGE IN THINKING FORCED ON US BY THE PANDEMIC AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T TRAVEL THE WAY WE USED TO.
[02:45:03]
BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.FOR 200 YEARS, THE ROADS HAD NO CURBS.
MOST OF THE RESIDENTIAL ROADS IN OUR IN GREENBURG HAVE NO CURBS AND NEVER HAD THEM.
SO WHY ARE WE INSTALLING THEM NOW? WELL, INCREASES PROPERTY VALUES.
THAT'S A WORD THAT, UH, IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE RECOGNIZED AS SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE THOUGHT WERE REALLY GOOD TURN OUT TO BE NOT SO GOOD.
AND I GUESS I'M NOT MAKING ANY FRIENDS TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, MURRAY, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S FIVE MINUTES FOR YOU.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE HAVE MS. WEEMS, I THINK SHE WANTED TO SPEAK.
AM I, AM I, AM I ON? YOU'RE ON MS. LIAM.
OKAY, YOU CAN START MY COUNTDOWN.
PAUL, I'M BACK TO THE OPT-OUT.
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO TO HAVE IT COME THROUGH? UH, TOWN HALL? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING THROUGH WITH THE OPT-OUTS THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT.
SO YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING.
UM, THE OTHER ONE IS, UM, BACK TO CON ED.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KEEPS TALKING ABOUT ESCO AND THIS AND THAT.
CON ED GETS A PERCENTAGE OF EVERY DIME THAT GOES IN BECAUSE THEY'RE CHARGING THEM TO DO THE COLLECTIONS ON THE MONEY THAT THEY GET.
I DON'T SEND MONEY TO ESCO, OTHERWISE ESCO WOULDN'T GET A PENNY.
CON ED GETS A, THEY GOT THEIR HANDS IN EVERYTHING.
WHOEVER GOES AND WORKS WITH CON ED, THEY'RE GONNA UP THEIR PRICES MERELY BECAUSE WHAT THEY ARE GONNA GET A PORTION OF WHATEVER IT IS.
CONED GETS MONEY FROM EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY'RE USING WHATEVER IT IS.
CONED IS RIPPING US OFF AND THEY HELP WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, ARE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE NOT VESTED IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
YOU DON'T LIVE IN GREENBURG THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME.
THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY, PAUL, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, PEOPLE PICK UP THEIR SALARIES AND THEY LEAVE IF THEY, IT GOTTA BE SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO WHITE PLAINS, GREENBURG, WHATEVER, ARDSLEY, ANY OF THE VILLAGES.
BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE VILLAGES.
SO WHEN ARE WE GONNA CHANGE POLICIES AND MAKE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA BE HEADING OUR COMMUNITY, OUR, OUR COMMISSIONERS AND DIRECTORS AND WHATEVER, MAKE 'EM VESTED IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THIS WAY? THEY'RE PAYING TAXES.
THEY SEE THE PROBLEMS AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE AN EXCUSE.
AND YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IF I WAS TALKING ABOUT CON EDISON.
SO IF THAT STREET HAD A SIGN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WRONG PLACE, MARTY, WHERE DOES THAT, WHERE DOES THAT COMMISSIONER COME FROM? IS HE, DOES HE LIVE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG? DOES HE CARE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE PROBLEMS? I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
AND I SEND IN FOR A, UM, A LIST OF ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND WHERE THEY WERE FROM AND I WAS DENIED.
I COULDN'T GET THAT INFORMATION.
NOW TIM, MR. LEWIS, IF I SEND IT BACK AGAIN, CAN I GET IT NOW? YEAH, IT WOULD BE PROCESSED AS A FOIA REQUEST.
WELL, I'M TIRED OF FO REQUESTS.
SO CAN I ASK A COUNCIL PERSON TO DO IT? YOU SEE, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO, UH, REQUEST ANYTHING.
I SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO PAUL'S OFFICE OR KIM JONES, OR DIANA JUTT FRANCIS, SHE AND ANY OF THEM, AND TELL 'EM THIS IS WHAT I NEED.
WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO FOIL SOMETHING WHEN THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
IF I ASK A QUESTION, I'D LIKE AN ANSWER.
DIANA, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
AND AT THE NEXT MEETING, I'D LIKE TO GET AN ANSWER.
PAUL, I APPLIED FOR A WORK SESSION IN 2019 AND WE'RE MOVING INTO 2021.
YOU SAID YOU'D SCHEDULE IT, RESCHEDULE IT.
WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO RESCHEDULE THAT WORK SESSION MEETING FOR ME? BECAUSE I HAD ONE WHEN THE TOWN BOARD HAS THE TIME.
OH, WHEN YOU HAVE THE TIME, YOU TOOK THE TIME TO REMOVE ME FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO RESCHEDULE ME IN, IN 2021.
HOW'S THAT? OKAY, I WILL SPEAK TO, UH, THE TOWN BOARD AND WE WILL FIND A SCHEDULED TIME TO WHEN, WELL, YOU DIDN'T SPEAK TO THE TOWN BOARD WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CANCELED MY, MY APPOINTMENT.
YOU SPOKE TO NO ONE OTHER THAN ME.
OKAY, WELL I WILL SPEAK TO THE TOWN BOARD.
WELL, THAT'S FINE, BUT I WOULD
[02:50:01]
LIKE AN ANSWER.OKAY, WELL, YOU'LL GET AN ANSWER.
OKAY, MY OTHER ONE WAS, UM, BACK TO THE SAME ONE, URBAN RENEWAL.
NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MONEY.
URBAN RENEWAL TOOK ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OFF OF URBAN RENEWAL, BUT EVERYBODY ON THAT ONE 19 CORRIDOR BUSINESSES DIDN'T COME OFF.
NOW WHY IS THAT? WHY DIDN'T, WHY WASN'T IT ALL DONE AT ONE TIME? I THOUGHT I SAW MCCARTNEY HERE.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS GONNA BE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT IT.
SO WHY DID THAT HAPPEN? YOU KNOW, I'M PLAYING THE RACE CARD.
I WANNA KNOW WHY I'M NOT FINISHED.
OKAY, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME ANSWERS FOR YOU.
UM, MS. WEEMS, WELL, I CAN'T GET IT NOW.
WELL, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW.
AND PAUL, THAT'S THE LAST SPEAKER.
WHO'S THE LAST, THAT WAS THE LAST SPEAKER.
SO THEN I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT RE ADJOURN.
I THINK I SAW KEN MOVE HIS LAST SECOND.
I JUST NEED THE BOARD MEMBERS JUST, I HAVE ONE QUICK, QUICK, QUICK THING.
SO IF I COULD JUST HAVE THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR TWO SECONDS PLEASE.
ARE YOU SAYING ANY BY THIS SESSION OR NO? YOU JUST SAY YOU NEED TO NO, NO, NO.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU WANT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES.
I'M REQUESTING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
RIGHT? I'M MAKING A MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
CAN I, EVERYBODY WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE BASIS? PERSONNEL.
AND WE WON'T BECOME, I'M LEAVING YOU.