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THIS EVENING.[I. CALL TO ORDER]
THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON, REGULAR BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING.TODAY IS TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD, 2026.
PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR MR. CLARK, CAN YOU CONDUCT A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? TRUSTEE FLEISIG.
[IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
I HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.DID EVERYBODY HOPEFULLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING? DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR, OR UPDATES TO THE MINUTES? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SUBMIT? SECOND.
[V. APPROVAL OF WARRANTS]
MOVING ON TO WARRANTS GENERAL FUND AA $172,720 AND 71 CENTS.TRAER PARK, EM $691 AND 67 CENTS CAPITAL FUND HH $314,000 AND FIF OR 314 AND $15 $314,015 AND 91 CENTS LIBRARY FUND, LL $7,458 AND 16 CENTS BETTERMENT FUND, TT $6,141 AND 37 CENTS.
PROFESSIONAL ESCROW TT $900 PAYROLL FUND TT $3,598 AND 56 CENTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE WARRANTS? SO MOVED.
[VI. ACCEPTANCE OF TREASURER’S REPORT]
TO THE TREASURER'S REPORT.MR. TREASURER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? UM, NOTHING EXCITING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE TREASURER'S REPORT? SO MOVED.
[VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
HI, MARIA SILVER FROM 1 0 4 HEATH PLACE.
I'M HERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE VILLAGE MANAGER'S UPDATE ON THE MAIN STREET SAFETY PROGRESS REPORT.
I LIVE AT 5 65 BROADWAY AND I'M THE WOMAN WHO WAS HIT BY THE CAR ON MAIN STREET LAST AUGUST.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ON MAIN STREET.
AND I'M PLEASED THAT A CROSSWALK AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS BEING CONSIDERED AS AN OPTION, ONE OF THE OPTIONS, AND ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE RANGE OF $350,000.
NOW, I AM AWARE THAT SCHOOL TAXES ARE SEPARATE FROM MUNICIPAL TAXES, BUT WE RESIDENTS PROVIDE FUNDS FROM OUR OWN POCKETS FOR BOTH ENTITIES.
MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT IF THE RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE ARE WILLING TO SPEND $8 MILLION FOR TURF ATHLETIC FIELDS, THEN $350,000 FOR A NEW TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THAT SITE IS A REASONABLE EXPENSE.
SUCH A LIGHT WOULD PROTECT THE PUBLIC SAFETY ON MAIN STREET, ESPECIALLY ALL THE CHILDREN AND SENIORS WHO USE THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE SAFETY OF THE VILLAGE PEDESTRIANS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? LAUREN BERMAN, 45 MAIN STREET.
WHEN YOU GROW UP AS THE CHILD OF AN ADDICT, YOU SOMETIMES FEEL AS THOUGH THE SHAME IS VISIBLE TO EVERYONE, THAT IT'S WRITTEN ALL OVER YOU.
I WAS ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN THROUGH INNER STRENGTH SUPPORT AND SOME LUCK, I WAS ABLE TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE UNHEALTHY PATTERNS THAT WERE NORMALIZED IN MY HOME.
I OVERCOMPENSATED BY EXCELLING IN SCHOOL AND TAKING ON LEADERSHIP ROLES FROM THE OUTSIDE.
I BELIEVE I KEPT MY FAMILY'S STRUGGLES HIDDEN, BUT INTERNALLY IT OFTEN FELT LIKE THERE WAS A GIANT FLASHING SIGN ABOVE OUR HOME, ANNOUNCING THE DRUG USE, THE NEGLECT, THE INSTABILITY.
THERE WAS NO SIGN, BUT THE WEIGHT OF IT WAS VERY REAL.
YEARS LATER, I BUILT A DIFFERENT LIFE.
IN 2012, MY HUSBAND AND I CHOSE TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN AT 45 MAIN STREET IN HASTINGS.
ON HUDSON, WE CHOSE THIS COMMUNITY INTENTIONALLY.
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NOW IN A PAINFUL TWIST, AN ACTUAL SIGN OF A CANNABIS DISPENSARY IS AT THAT VERY ADDRESS.IN 2023, OUR CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION FORMALLY OBJECTED TO THIS PROPOSED LOCATION.
THE VILLAGE GOVERNMENT ALSO SUBMITTED TWO LETTERS OF OBJECT OF OBJECTION TO THE STATE OUTLINING SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
AND DESPITE THESE OBJECTIONS, THE STATE APPROVED THE LOCATION.
MANY OF US HAVE COME BEFORE YOU URGING YOU TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS.
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR YOU TO CHANGE STATE LAW.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO STAND FIRM ON THE QUESTION OF PLACEMENT AND COMPATIBILITY.
THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
FAMILIES LIVE THERE AND ALREADY A STAIRWELL AND HALLWAYS CONTINUOUSLY SMELL OF MARIJUANA.
A NEIGHBOR REPORTS SMELLING IT IN HER KITCHEN AND BATHROOM.
FOR ME, THIS IS NOT THEORETICAL.
THE NORMALIZATION OF DRUG USE IN THE HEART OF OUR DOWNTOWN, ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND IN MY HOME BUILDING PSET WOUNDS, I HAVE WORKED MY ENTIRE LIFE TO OVERCOME.
THIS IS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ARE RAISING OUR CHILDREN.
I URGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE INAPPROPRIATE LOCATION AND TO EXPLORE AVENUES TO PROTECT THE WELLBEING AND PUBLIC HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY.
[VIII. RESOLUTIONS]
ON TO RESOLUTIONS 20 OF 26 RESOLUTION, SUPPORTING INCREASED AID TO MUNICIPALITIES AND STRENGTHENING NEW YORK'S STATE LOCAL PARTNERSHIP.WE RELY HEAVILY ON STATE AND FEDERAL AID, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ROADWAYS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS. SO IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR US TO SUPPORT THE STATE AND SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS DOING.
WE'RE WE'RE SENDING THIS TO THE STATE TO ASK THEM TO CONTINUE THIS TYPE OF FUNDING IN THEIR BUDGET.
UH, GOING FORWARD, UH, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE IN THERE AT LEAST FOR THIS YEAR.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENT, SUGGESTIONS? NO.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
SECOND RESOLUTION, 21 OF 26 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION TO THE TRANS TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM AND COMMITTING LOCAL MATCH.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS ADDED ON A LITTLE LATE.
WE APOLOGIZE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THAT, BUT IT'S ALL POSITIVE.
SO VILLAGE MANAGER MURPHY, DO YOU HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THIS? UH, YEAH, SURE.
UM, SO WE, AS EVERYBODY PROBABLY KNOWS, WE DID RECEIVE, UH, TWO CDBG GRANTS FOR PARTS OF MAIN STREET, UH, TO, UM, CONTINUE WITH OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THERE WITH REPLACING THE SIDEWALKS.
AND, UH, WHEN THE TAP GRANT OPPORTUNITY CAME ALONG, WE THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, UM, ENHANCE THOSE GRANTS BECAUSE THOSE ARE 50% GRANTS AND WE CAN USE THE TAP, UH, GRANT AS A MATCH AND ALSO ADD THE AREAS THAT WHERE WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE GRANT AS WELL AS, UH, ADDITIONAL AREAS.
UH, WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE GRANT FOR, UH, MAPLE SLASH SOUTHSIDE, WHICH IS BASICALLY FROM HERE IN VILLAGE HALL, UH, DOWN TO, UM, THE, THE ROAD RIGHT BEFORE THE GOOD WITCH.
AND WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE, A GRANT FOR THE UPPER PART OF MAIN STREET, THE VERY, THE VERY EAST END ON BOTH SIDES.
SO THOSE HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS TAP GRANT APPLICATION.
AND WE ARE ALSO INCLUDING, UM, THE EAST SIDE OF WAR BURTON AVENUE, UH, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE.
WE DID IN FRONT OF, I THINK WHEN, WHEN THE, WHEN THE COUNTY REPAVED WAR BURTON, I BELIEVE THEY DID THE AREA RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, UH, V UH, VFW.
AND ONE YEAR WE HAD A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY IN OUR C-C-D-B-G GRANT.
SO WE INCLUDED SOME SIDEWALK JUST TO THE, UH, NORTH OF, OF THE VFW.
BUT WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE, UH, AND FINISH ALL OF OF WAR BURTON AND ALSO SOUTH SIDE AVENUE FROM THE CORNER OF SPRING STREET, UH, TO WASHINGTON AVENUE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE PROJECT.
UM, IT INVOLVES A LOT OF, OF, A LOT OF AREAS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE MATCH IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT, BUT IT WILL REALLY COMPLETE, UH, THE SORT OF BUSINESS AREA OF THE DOWNTOWN WITH ALL NEW SIDEWALKS.
UH, NICE, YOU KNOW, PASSAGE TO, FOR COMMUTERS TO METRO NORTH AND, AND FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHO, UH, FREQUENT THE DOWNTOWN, UM, OFTEN AND, AND THOSE WHO LIVE HERE AS WELL.
UH, SO THAT WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL WITH TAP GRANTS.
THIS WILL, WE'VE, AND IN MY TIME HERE, WE'VE MADE TWO APPLICATIONS, BOTH SUCCESSFUL.
UH, AND SO WE'D, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE THIS THIRD.
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ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ IT.UH, 'CAUSE THERE WAS A MONETARY, UH, PORTION OF THIS, WHEREAS VILLAGE IS APPLYING TO THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A GRANT UNDER, UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM, TAP FOR THE DOWNTOWN AND TRAIN STATION CONNECTIVITY PROJECT.
AND WHEREAS TAP REQUIRES A LOCAL MATCH OF 20% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COSTS BE, IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON DOES HEREBY SUPPORT THE PROJECT AND AUTHORIZE THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE TAP PROGRAM.
AND UPON APPROVAL OF SAID REQUEST COMMITS TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE REQUIRED MATCH IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,290,000.
MOVING ON TO 22 OF 26, ADOPTION OF POOL FEES.
THESE ARE ALL LISTED ONLINE, MR. TREASURER, IS THAT CORRECT? FOR PEOPLE TO SEE AS PART OF OUR, UH, THEY'RE ON THE RESOLUTION, UH, PACKET THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE WHOLE LIST.
UM, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CLERK TREASURER? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
THIS IS ADOPTION OF CAMP FEES FOR THIS SUMMER.
UH, HAS EVERYBODY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THEM? ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CLERK? CLERK TREASURER? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
[IX. VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT]
MOVING ON TO THE VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT.UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, WHICH WAS THE, UH, TAP GRANT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THAT.
UM, THE, I JUST WANNA MAKE CLEAR THAT THAT MATCHES A NOT TO EXCEED NUMBER.
WE, UH, STILL HAVE OUTSTANDING REQUESTS.
WE, WE RESUBMITTED FOR THE TWO CDBG GRANTS.
SO, UH, THAT IS, THAT'S STILL PENDING OUT THERE.
SO, SO IT MAY, IT, IT MAY WELL BE, BE LESS THAN THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, UH, UH, KNOWS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE, UH, CONSERVATIVE IN OUR ESTIMATES.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I JUST WANTED THE BOARD TO BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, UH, PLANNING GRANT FOR THE ZINZER WATERSHED, ZINZER NORTH BROADWAY WATERSHED.
AND, UH, IN THE, AND THE, AND, AND THE RISK, UM, OR, OR DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING IN, OR HER HOUSING, AND I DUNNO, THE STATE
UM, HAS, UH, NOW MADE AN IMPLEMENTATION, IMPLEMENTATION FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WITH CON IN CONNECTION WITH STORM WATER AND, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE IDA RELATED IN TERMS OF THEIR DAMAGE, WHICH, UH, WAS, UH, DEFINITELY THE CASE WITH REGARD TO THE VILLAGE AND, AND THE, AND IDA, UH, ALL THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED AT THE END OF RIVERVIEW PLACE.
UM, SO WE ARE, UH, HO WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING TO GET ALL OF, TO GET ALL OF OUR ENGINEERING, UH, DONE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT GRANT CYCLE.
THEY'LL ONLY BE AWARDING FIVE GRANTS, UH, FOUR FOR $3 MILLION AND ONE FOR $5 MILLION.
AND, UM, UH, IT'S OPENED OBVIOUSLY TO TWO GOVERNMENTS.
WE HAD A MEETING TODAY WITH OUR LIAISON, UH, FROM THE STATE IN THE RISK PROGRAM AND, AND HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT ABOUT IT.
THE, THE, IT TURNS OUT, UM, I MEAN, I, I'D LIKE TO AT SOME POINT HAVE THE ENGINEER COME IN AND, AND EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE MORE THOROUGHLY TO THE BOARD, BUT AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE'S A LOT OF WATER COMING, NOT ONLY FROM THE ZINZER WATERSHED TO, UH, THAT AREA OF RIVER GLEN AND ALSO, UH, RIVERVIEW PLACE, BUT THERE'S ALSO WATER THAT COMES NORTH DOWN BROADWAY FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HIGHER HILLS THAT ARE, THAT ARE TO THE NORTH OF, OF, OF BROADWAY IN THAT LOCATION.
SO, UH, IT REALLY SPANS TWO MUNICIPALITIES IN TERMS OF WHERE THE, THE WATER IS ACTUALLY, UH, GENERATING FROM.
AND SO, UM, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT GRANT, UH, APPLICATION IN THAT'S DUE IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, I HAVE ALSO ALERTED OUR GRANT CONSULTANT THAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING THE NEW YORK FORWARD GRANT THIS YEAR, UH, IN THE CFA ROUND, WHICH IS, UH, IN JULY.
BUT THAT GRANT REQUIRES A LOT OF PREPARATION.
UM, SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO GET THAT WORK DONE AND, UM, THE SKATE PARK OPPORTUNITY SHOULD COME AROUND AGAIN.
AND WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH
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THE STATE WHO INDICATED THAT THEY THOUGHT OUR APPLICATION WAS QUITE THOROUGH.IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HAVING ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW MUCH MONEY WAS THERE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE GRANTS THAT ARE KIND OF IN THE HOPPER RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE NOT, UH, WE HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED THEM, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE, UH, BEING, UH, CONTEMPLATED AND WORKED ON.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE OTHER GRANT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE VILLAGE IS WORKING ON.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH THE BOARD IS, UH, THE CONED MONITORING PROPOSAL.
UH, AS YOU RECALL, WE JOINED WITH ABOUT, UM, 4 39 OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO, UH, UH, CONTEST THE CONED, UM, COST INCREASES.
AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOME CONCESSIONS FROM CONED, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE REALM OF, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS EXP HOW MUCH MONEY IS SPENT ON CAPITAL PROJECTS IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY VERSUS NEW YORK CITY.
AND ALSO THE COST OF THAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE WORK IN NEW YORK CITY, WHICH HAS AN UNDERGROUND SYSTEM VERSUS THE COST OF IT IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, WHICH HAS AN OVERGROUND SYSTEM.
UH, IT HAS AMONGST OUR, AMONGST OUR, THE MUNICIPALITIES WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE, UH, JOEL TER, WHO IS THE ATTORNEY WHO REPRESENTED, UH, THE, ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THAT MATTER CONTINUE TO HELP US WITH, UH, THE MONITORING THAT WILL BE DONE MOVING FORWARD.
AND THE ANALYSIS THAT WILL, WILL, WILL NEED TO BE DONE, UM, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED BY, BY THE, UH, BY, BY CONED WITH WHICH THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE TO US.
UM, THAT'LL INCLUDE, UH, QUARTERLY, QUARTERLY REPORTS THAT, THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ON CAPITAL SPENDING AND AFFORDABILITY, AND ALSO, UH, ANNUAL MEETINGS ON CAPITAL PROJECTS PROVIDING US, UH, DATA, UM, WITH REGARD TO, UM, THE, THE, UH, DIFFERENTIAL COST BETWEEN THE UNDERGROUND GRID NETWORK AND THE OVERHEAD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
AND IF ALL MUNICIPALITIES PARTICIPATE, IT WILL COST, UM, $1,500 A MONTH FOR EACH MUNICIPALITY.
IT'S A TOTAL COST OF $60,000 A YEAR FOR THIS REPRESENTATION.
UH, I, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT BY THE VILLAGE AND, UM, MANY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE AHEAD WITH IT.
SO, UH, WHAT I WOULD ASK THE BOARD IS, IS IF I CAN, UH, PUT A RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA TO, UM, UH, UH, AT, AT THE NEXT MEETING TO INDICATE THAT WE ARE, UH, WE WOULD BE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS, IN THIS PROCESS.
I MEAN, I CAN SAY TO EVERYONE THAT PRETTY MUCH EVERY MUNICIPALITY THAT WAS A PART OF THE FIRST ACTION IS SIGNING ONTO THIS.
UH, THEY'VE SAID IN OUR EMAIL, THEY'VE SAID THAT, YEAH, WE, WE HAVE A LONG REPLY TO ALL THREAD GOING AND, AND EVERYONE IS ON BOARD.
UH, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE OPTING OUT ACTUALLY.
IS IT, YOU SAID ONE YEAR, IS IT ANTICIPATED TO LAST ONE YEAR.
THREE YEARS? IT'S THREE YEAR PROGRAM.
AND IT'S NOT GONNA GO UP? NO, NO.
IT'S A, IT'S A, UH, THE, THE AGREEMENT IS COMMITTED AT $60,000 A YEAR.
1500 PER MUNICIPALITY IF EVERYBODY PARTICIPATES PER MONTH.
I SAY PER, OH, I'M, I WAS GONNA, WAS GONNA ASK THAT, BUT YES, IT'S PER YEAR ERROR PER MONTH.
YEAH, THAT'S, IF EVERYBODY SOUNDS LIKE A NO BRAINER, THAT'S IF EVERYONE, UH, PARTICIPATES.
SO WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE FINAL NUMBER.
SO EVERYBODY'S AND EVERYONE WOULD HAVE TO COMMIT FOR THE THREE YEARS.
IS EVERYONE GOOD FOR ADDING THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING? YES.
UM, THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO DISCUSS WAS THE, A LETTER TO, UH, NEW YORK STATE YOU THE ROUTE NINE, UH, PROJECT, UM, FOR SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS.
UH, THE BEGINNING, FIRST PHASE OF IT ESSENTIALLY IS, UH, ESSENTIALLY COMPLETE.
AND THEY HAVE ASKED, THE STATE HAS ASKED THAT THE, ALL OF THE, UM, UH, VILLAGES INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT SUBMIT A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, I HAVE PREPARED ONE, UM, AND YOU, I THINK ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF IT.
AND, UM, IF YOU ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT, I WILL SEND THIS TO THE STATE.
UM, AND THEN JUST, I WANT, WE WANTED TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE BUDGET SCHEDULE.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, I'LL, I'LL HAVE A TENTATIVE BUDGET TO THE BOARD BY MARCH 17TH, THAT FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, THE TENTATIVE BUDGET MEETING FOR THE, UH, FOR THE B FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WOULD BE MARCH 25TH.
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YOU WITH A, UH, SUMMARY OF ALL OF THE, UH, SIGNIFICANT AND SOME INSIGNIFICANT CHANGES, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE BUDGET OF VARIOUS LINES IN THE BUDGET.AND YOU'LL GET BUDGET BOOKS AS WELL ON THE 17TH AND, UM, A PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 7TH.
AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY ADOPTION ON APRIL 21ST.
WE HAVE TO ADOPT IT BY THE END OF APRIL.
AS YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST HAVE AN OFFLINE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SCHEDULING OF THAT SECOND PORTION, UM, JUST BECAUSE IT MIGHT NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE.
IF THERE'S A WAY, MAYBE IF YOU CAN SEND A POLL OUT ABSOLUTELY.
UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THE DATES ALL WORK.
BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S A GOOD SCHEDULE, SO, OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY'S HERE FOR.
UH, SO, UM, WE EXPECT A PROPOSAL FROM TY, UH, NEXT WEEK WITH REGARD TO THE CROSSING AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT ALREADY, AND, UH, HE HAS INDICATED THAT HE THINKS THAT THERE'S, UM, IT'S A POSS REAL POSSIBILITY THAT IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.
HE WAS GONNA ACTUALLY TALK TO, UH, ONE OF THE ELECTRICIANS THAT THEY USE WITH REGARD TO THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THAT LOCATION TO SEE, UM, HOW IT COULD BE, UH, ADJUSTED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, OBVIOUSLY BOTH THE, THE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND, AND CROSSING, UH, UH, CROSSING, YOU KNOW, UH, NOTICES.
AND, AND ALSO, UM, MAYBE SOME KIND OF LIKE BUZZER OR ALARM SYSTEM THAT, YOU KNOW, ALERTS PEOPLE IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN THE CROSSWALK WHEN AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, THAT IT WOULD, WOULD ALERT THEM TO THAT.
UH, I HAVE ALSO, UM, AND I'VE ASKED, SO WE SHOULD GET NEXT WEEK, AS I SAID, A PROPOSAL, UH, FROM THAILAND WITH REGARD TO, UH, PREPARATION OF DESIGN, UH, FOR THAT AND, AND COST, UH, ESTIMATES.
UM, I'VE ALSO SPOKEN TO THEM, UH, ABOUT BOLLINGER PLAZA AND ASKED THEM TO GIVE US A PROPOSAL WITH REGARD TO THE SAME THING, CROSSWALK AND, AND COST ESTIMATES AT THAT LOCATION AND ABOUT MAIN AND WAR BURTON IN INTERSECTION.
UH, I SUBMITTED ACTUALLY A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAD, UH, COME UP WITH WITH REGARD TO THAT.
AND I'M, I'M WAITING FOR THE RESPONSE ON THAT.
UM, THIS WEEK, OR NO, SORRY, THIS COMING WEEK, THERE WILL BE, THERE'LL BE COLLECTING DATA AT BELLARD AND RAVENSDALE WITH REGARD TO THOSE, UH, TWO LOCATIONS WHERE WE WERE LOOKING TO PUT, UM, CROSSWALK SITES THE 10TH AND THE 12TH NEXT WEEK OF, OF, AND THAT, THAT THE WEATHER IS IMPROVING AND THE SNOW IS MELTING.
SO I THINK KIDS ARE PROBABLY BACK TO WALKING TO SCHOOL A BIT AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND, UH, SO, BUT HOPEFULLY BY, BY, UH, BY THE 10TH IT'LL, IT'LL BE QUITE CLEAR FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, YOUNGSTERS TO, TO GET TO SCHOOL.
THOSE WERE THE MAIN THINGS I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OF ANYTHING ELSE, IS THERE A WAY TO, TO SEPARATE THE MAIN STREET CORRIDOR AND, AND JUST PRIORITIZE THE CROSSING AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND WHILE WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THE OTHER TWO LOCATIONS? OR DO YOU THINK THEY ALL NEED TO BE NO.
IN SYNC? I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE TO ALL BE AN IN SYNC.
I, I, I'VE ASKED THEM FOR SEPARATE PROPOSALS.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE SEPARATE AND WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY PRIORITIZE THAT.
SO WITH THE, SORRY, SO WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE, YOUR CONVERSATION WITH THE, WITH THE FIRE CHIEF, IT'S, THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY POSITIVE YEAH, THE RESPONSE WAS, I THINK THAT THAT WAS, THAT WAS SOMETHING WE WEREN'T SURE THE RESPONSE WAS VERY POSITIVE.
YEAH, I'D, I'D LIKE TO PRIORITIZE THAT AND MM-HMM
HAVE THAT HAPPENING FASTER IF POSSIBLE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL FOR THE VILLAGE MANAGER? NO.
[X. BOARD DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS]
OKAY.MOVING ON TO BOARD DISCUSSION.
UH, FIRST ITEM FOR BOARD DISCUSSION IS CONSIDERING A RESOLUTION FOR COUNTYWIDE GAS POWERED LEAF BLOWER BAN.
UH, THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGESTION, UH, IS COMING FROM OUR CONSERVATION COMMISSION THROUGH TRUSTEE FLEISIG.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO COMMENT ON THIS? UH, JUST TO BACK UP? SURE.
UM, I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THE, THE MODEL, UM, RESOLUTION THAT THEY PROPOSED, WHICH, UM, WHICH THEY CIRCULATED TO THE BOARD.
SO I DUNNO IF YOU'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, BUT IT'S NOT SO, SO THE ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S A PATCHWORK, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH, WITH HOME RULE, THERE'S A PATCHWORK OF LOCAL RESOLUTIONS, WHICH CONTINUES TO CREATE, UM, CONFUSION WITH THE VARIOUS LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS.
AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION WOULD, WOULD LIKE THE REST OF THE COUNTY TO ADOPT THE SAME SET OF REGULATIONS THAT WE'VE ADOPTED, WHICH WOULD BE A, WHICH RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SUMMER BAN, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FULL BAN
[00:25:01]
STARTING NEXT YEAR.BUT THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR THAT.
ALL THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS THAT THE COUNTY, UM, APPLY SOME, SOME STANDARDIZATION TO THE, TO THE PATCHWORK OF THE COUNTY AND JUST, UM, ADOPT A, A COUNTRYWIDE COUNTYWIDE, SORRY, UH, SUMMER BAN ON GASOLINE POWERED LEAF BLOWERS AS A MINIMUM STANDARD.
UM, AND THEN BEYOND THAT, STILL EXPLICITLY PRESERVING THE AUTHORITY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES.
SO WE'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, ONLY, I BELIEVE FIVE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY HAVE A FULL BAN.
WE'RE NOT COUNTED IT AS ONE OF THEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, THERE ARE 26 THAT HAVE SOME SORT OF PARTIAL BAN, AND THEN THERE'S 14 THAT HAVE MINIMAL RESTRICTIONS, WHICH COULD MEAN ANYTHING.
IT MEANS ALMOST NOTHING, BUT IT PROBABLY MEANS LIKE, DON'T FIRE IT UP BEFORE 11:00 AM ON SUNDAY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE CONTENT OF THE ASK.
AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S JUST A RESOLUTION.
IT'S NOT A LAW THAT WE'RE PASSING, IT'S JUST A RESOLUTION ASKING THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO, TO WORK ON CRAFTING THIS, THIS LEGISLATION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DOES EVERYBODY SEEM TO BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS? WE'VE ALREADY PASSED OUR OWN LOCAL LAW.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN, OR IF YOU KNOW, UM, THE GROUP THAT WAS PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S OUR, THE HASTINGS CONSERVATION IS INTEREST, BUT WHAT, WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL GROUP? UM, IT'S THE, IT'S THE BEDFORD CONSERVATION COMMISSION.
SO THEY'RE, THEY ARE BED BEDFORD 2030.
BEDFORD 2030 IS IS 2020, YEAH.
BUT I MEAN, THEY, THEY ARE THE SORT OF THE POWERHOUSE OF CONSERVATION REGULATIONS FOR THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, THEY'VE ADOPTED A LOT OF THESE THINGS AHEAD OF, OF, UM, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
OKAY, MR. CLERK, YOU GOOD WITH ADDING THAT ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA? YES.
UH, SECOND ITEM IS DOCTORS CLARK.
UM, WAY REQUEST FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
THE HISTOR, UH, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY CAME TO THE LAST MEETING, UH, AND REQUESTED AN AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $16,000 FROM THE VILLAGE TO ASSIST IN COMPLETING THIS PROJECT, WHICH WOULD BE LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF MOUNT HOPE AND FARGATE.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL DONATION OF $16,000.
SO THEIR ASK OF THE VILLAGE HAS NOW CHANGED TO $2,000 TO ASSIST IN, UH, COMPLETING PROPER SIGNAGE FOR THE LOCATION.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, IN SOME WAY, EVEN THOUGH NOW IT'S NOT THE BIG ASK, UH, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY THERE AND SOMEBODY SWOOPED IN AND HELPED THEM OUT, THANK GOD.
UH, AND, BUT I, I'M GONNA ASK THE BOARD IF WE CAN APPROVE $2,000 TO ASSIST IN THAT, UM, EFFORT.
ONTO DEER MANAGEMENT, OR EXCUSE ME, ONTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'LL, WE'LL GO TO THAT FIRST.
UH, SO AT THE LULA CONFERENCE, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, UH, THAT INCLUDED A FEW OF THE TRUSTEES AS WELL AS THE VILLAGE, UM, ATTORNEY AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING BOARD AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
UH, WE WERE DISCUSSING, WE WERE, UM, THE, THE SEVERAL ISSUES RELATING TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVES OR REQUIREMENTS FOR DEVELOPERS ACTUALLY REQUIREMENTS NOT RECE, NOT INCENTIVES.
AND, UM, THERE WERE FIVE DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS AT THE EVENT.
AND TWO OF THEM WERE, TWO OF THEM TOOK THE TIME TO EXPLAIN TO US THAT IT'S, THAT OUR 10% PLUS 5% REQUIREMENTS ADDING UP TO 15%.
SO 10%, I THINK IT'S 60 A MI, AND THEN ANOTHER 5%, WE CALL THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING AT 80% A MI, UM, CREATES A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL STACK FOR THEM.
AND WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL STACK THAT WE WERE STILL LEARNING.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT AT 10%, WHICH IS, UM, AT 60% OR 70% BLENDED A MI, MAY YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT A MI IS, PLEASE.
UM, AVERAGE MEDIUM INCOME, IS THAT CORRECT? THANK YOU.
MEDIAN INCOME, AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
UM, AND, UM, WHAT THAT IS GOING TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU ARE EARNING 60% OF THAT, THEN 10% OF THE HOUSING WOULD BE AT THAT LEVEL OF INCOME.
UM, AND WHAT THAT THEN WOULD DO IS THERE'S, UM, FUNDING FOR 20% OR MORE REQUIREMENT, AND THEN THERE'S AN INCENTIVE FOR DEVELOPERS TO GO TO 10%.
BECAUSE AT 10%, OR AT A 10% REQUIREMENT, THEY CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THEIR PROFIT OR THEY, THEY CAN PENCIL OUT, UM, BASED ON THE 90% OF MARKET RATE HOUSING.
[00:30:01]
THAT THEN MADE US START TO THINK, WELL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPERS TO PUSH PAST 15%? UH, 'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO DECREASE TO 10%.SO WE STARTED TO LOOK, FIRST OF ALL, AT THE OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES AROUND US.
SO DOBBS FERRY, IRVINGTON, AGAIN, HELP ME OUT HERE IF I GET IT WRONG, BUT, UH, ING AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? CROTON.
MOST OF THE COUNTY IS AT 10%, AND THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY'S MODEL ORDINANCE REQUIRED.
AND THEN FOR, AND THAT'S FOR, AND THEN THAT'S FOR 60% FOR THE RENTABLE, AND THEN 80% FOR THE FOR SALE UNITS.
AND SO I WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
SEVERAL OF US TALKED ABOUT IT, PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA JUST AS A DISCUSSION POINT, SO WE CAN START TO THINK ABOUT HOW OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, LAWS AND REQUIREMENTS CAN BE UPDATED.
I THINK THEY'RE ONE OF THE EARLY EARLIEST ONES THAT WERE WRITTEN IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, MAYBE 2001, AND WE'RE UPDATED, I THINK IN 2013.
AND THEN HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN STUDIED SINCE THEN WHILE THE KIND OF THE WORLD AROUND US HAS CHANGED.
SO WE THINK IT'S PROBABLY THE RIGHT TIME TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AND START THIS DISCUSSION, AS WELL AS INVITING A FEW DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE TO TALK, TALK ABOUT OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THIS IN TERMS OF DENSITY OR SIZE OF UNITS.
AND I WON'T GO INTO THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION, BUT THIS IS THE, I'LL LET THEM SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT THE, THE, THE, UM, I WANTED TO OPEN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE FOR 10, 10% PLUS AT 60, 60% A MI, AND THEN ANOTHER 5% AT 80% A MI FOR THE RENTALS.
AND MAYBE IF, IF, UH,
UM, NO, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD, A GREAT SUMMARY.
I, I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT I'D, I'D LOVE TO INVITE SOME, SOME OTHER, UM, AND WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, EXPERTS OR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE RIGHT PHRASE IS, BUT TO COME AND TALK TO US.
I'M, I'M THINKING MAYBE SOMEONE FROM PATTERNS FOR PROGRESS, MAYBE SOMEONE FROM, UM, LIKE WEST TAB FOR INSTANCE.
UM, SOME, MAYBE ONE OR TWO DEVELOPERS THAT, THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH, WITH THESE PROBLEMS AND CAN REALLY EXPLAIN IT TO THE WHOLE BOARD.
UM, AND, AND ALSO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR SUGGESTIONS ON OTHER PEOPLE TO INVITE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TEASE OUT BOTH THE PERCENTAGES OF, OF, OF, OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING VERSUS WORKFORCE HOUSING OR WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA CALL IT.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME UP IN THIS WHITE PAPER THAT I CIRCULATED THIS MORNING FROM THE PATTERNS FOR PROGRESS, IS THAT THEY'RE LIKE, THE, THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE CALLING IT ARE A PROBLEM IN ITSELF.
I THINK, UM, THEY, THEY BROUGHT UP, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PROBLEMS WITH A MI THAT IS REALLY KIND OF A VERY BLUNT TOOL, BUT IT IS THE TOOL THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT KIND OF FORCES US TO USE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW WE CAN INTELLIGENTLY WORK WITH THE A MI BUT ADDRESS OUR LOCAL NEEDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW, THE A MI FOR WESTCHESTER FOR 2025, I JUST LOOKED IT UP FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR IS $170,000 AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THAT THE POINT THAT PATTERNS FOR PROGRESS MADE, WHICH I HAD NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT, IS THAT THEY MAKE NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN, UM, TWO PARENTS, TWO BREADWINNERS WITH TWO KIDS VERSUS ONE BREADWINNER WITH THREE KIDS VERSUS JUST A HOUSEHOLD OF FOUR INCOME EARNING ADULTS.
SO THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM RIGHT THERE.
AND, AND THEN THE OTHER PROBLEM IS IT DOESN'T REALLY HELP US FOCUS IN ON THE NEEDS OF, OF OUR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT $170,000 MEANS ACTUALLY FOR HASTINGS, QUITE FRANKLY.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S JUST AN AVERAGE OF SOMETHING.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE RICHEST PERSON AND, AND THE POOREST PERSON.
SO IT'S NOT HELPING US THAT MUCH.
AND SO 60% OF A MI IS $102,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR OR 71,000 FOR A SINGLE PERSON, WHICH IS REALLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS NOT REALLY ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM.
AND THAT'S, THAT WAS THEIR POINT TOO.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO TEASE OUT THE A MI QUESTION FROM WHAT PERCENTAGES WE ASSIGN WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THE THIRD ISSUE IS LIKE, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE STUDYING AT THE LAND USE LAW CENTER IS LIKE, WHAT IS THE VILLAGE GONNA DO AS, AS A LANDOWNER ITSELF? LIKE, ARE WE GOING TO, ARE WE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM IN THE WAY THAT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE STARTED DOING, LIKE BASICALLY PUTTING UP A PARKING LOT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR HOUSING.
UM, BUT THAT'S, I THINK WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST WEEK, YOU
[00:35:01]
WANTED TO, YOU, YOU THOUGHT WE SHOULD DISENTANGLE THESE ISSUES RIGHT.AND TALK ABOUT THEM SEPARATELY.
I THINK THAT LAST ONE IS, IS, WELL, THEY'RE ALL THORNY ISSUES, QUITE FRANKLY,
AND CURRENTLY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE'RE AT 15%, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE 10 PLUS FIVE.
SO IT EITHER HAS TO BE 10 OR JUMP TO 20.
IS THAT WHAT YOU, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, AND IT HAS TO BE 10 AS A MINIMUM.
RIGHT? BUT THE FIVE IS, IS, IS, I, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THIS IS 24, 25 YEARS AGO, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO BETTER THAN THE MINIMUM, RIGHT? AND GOING TO 5% LEAVES DEVELOPERS IN A, IN THIS QUANDARY OF, WELL, I CAN'T MAKE, I HAVE TO AT 10% I CAN MAKE A PROFIT AND IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD DEAL FOR ME.
THIS IS WHAT TWO OF THEM SAID, NOT EVERYBODY.
AND THAT AT 20% I CAN, THERE ARE, UM, UH, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OR, YOU KNOW, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING MAKE FUNDING THAT THAT HELPS COUNTY, YOU KNOW, STEP IN, UH, TO FILL MY, MY, MY OWN FUNDING GAP.
AND AT 15%, I'M LITERALLY STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, RIGHT? THERE'S NO, BASICALLY THE COUNTY'S NOT GONNA GIVE YOU ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY REQUIRED BY LOCAL LAW TO PROVIDE ABOVE THE 10%.
SO DO YOU BOTH FORESEE US EITHER HAVING TO PICK ONE OF THOSE TWO NUMBERS TO ADJUST OUR, THERE MAY BE OTHER WAYS TO OKAY.
BUT, AND, AND JUST TO, TO PICK UP ON WHAT TRUSTEE ALLGOOD SAID AT THE BEGINNING, YOU, YOU, YOU WERE AT THE FOREFRONT OF ADOPTING, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MM-HMM
STATUTES AND LAWS AND REQUIRING THIS, BUT THAT WAS 25 YEARS AGO.
AND, AND I'VE READ THROUGH THIS AND I'VE DEALT WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING STATUTES AND A NUMBER OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW THEY WORK, UM, WORKED ON SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED HERE.
UM, IT'S JUST DONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY NOW.
AND EVEN THERE IS A DENSITY BONUS PROVISION IN HERE, BUT IT'S BASED ON NUMBER OF UNITS.
BUT I THINK MOST OF YOUR MULTIFAMILY DISTRICTS, WE'VE NOW SWITCHED TO FAR NOT A DENSITY.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A BONUS, IT NEEDS TO BE AN FAR BONUS TO BE MEANINGFUL.
UM, YOU'VE GOT ON, ON THE, UM, FOR SALE UNITS, YOU USE 70% A MI, BUT ALL THE FUNDING SOURCES ARE 80% A MI.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE CORRECTED.
UM, BUT I THINK IT CAN BE CLEANED UP AND, AND MADE TO WORK BETTER.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUE THAT WAS RAISED ABOUT THE 10% AND THE 15%, THE FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS CHANGED A LOT SINCE THIS WAS DRAFTED.
UM, A A DEVELOPER WHO'S MEETING A 10% REQUIREMENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED SPECIAL FUNDING, IF YOU WILL, FROM AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING SOURCE.
THEY CAN MAKE UP 'CAUSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, THEY, THEY LOSE MONEY ON THOSE, ESSENTIALLY, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO RESTRICTED ON THE RENTS OR WHAT THEY CAN SELL THEM FOR.
SO THEY MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE ON THE MARKET RATE UNITS.
AND MOST OF THEM, MOST OF THE TIME CAN MAKE THAT WORK IF THEY'RE ONLY DOING 10%.
AND SOME OF IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS IF THEY GET UP TO 20% OR MORE, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BUT AT 15 THERE ISN'T THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING NECESSARILY AVAILABLE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY KIND OF EXPLAINED TO YOU.
AND THAT CAME FROM A COUPLE OF DEVELOPERS WHO I KNOW DO A LOT OF THIS.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BRING IN SOME DIFFERENT PARTIES THAT THE COUNTY CAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE AT THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY HOUSING OFFICE, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COULD COME AND SORT OF SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT HOW THE FUNDING WORKS, HOW THESE THINGS WORK, DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
UM, THEY CAN HELP INFORM WHAT YOU MAY WANNA DO TO SORT OF, UM, BRING THIS MORE UP TO DATE.
AND AGAIN, TO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MY GOAL ISN'T TO REDUCE THE, THE, THE, THE REQUIREMENT NUMBER TO REQUIREMENT TO 10%.
I DO REALIZE THERE'S A RISK IN THAT BEING, WELL, THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
I'M HOPING THAT WE AS A BOARD CAN FIND A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPERS TO GO TOWARDS TO, TO GO HIGHER.
WE MAY NOT HAVE TO CHANGE THE 15%, BUT THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO, UH, TO, TO LOOK, YEAH.
TO PUSH FARTHER THAN THE MINIMUM.
I MEAN, I DO, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FAR BONUS.
I THINK THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS IN THE CITY, AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S A VERY GOOD WAY TO INCENTIVIZE.
WE CAN ALSO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT OTHER CODES FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTY.
UM, THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE DOES HAVE A LINK TO A NUMBER OF OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING CODES.
I CAN TELL YOU, LIKE THE VILLAGE
[00:40:01]
OF AUSTIN IS CONSTANTLY MAKING CHANGES AND UPDATING THEIRS BECAUSE THEY'VE, THEY USE IT A LOT.THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT INCORPORATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THERE.
SO THEY'VE SORT OF, FROM EXPERIENCE HAVE UPDATED IT A LOT.
UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM OTHER CODES.
THE, THE NEW ROCHELLE SLIDING SCALE THAT SEEMED INTERESTING.
AND WHITE PLAINS HAS A SLIDING SCALE.
ROCHELLE HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A LOT MORE LARGE PROJECTS.
BUT YEAH, THERE ARE SLIDING SCALES ALSO, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY, THE FAR, WHAT IS FOR AREA RATIO.
SO IT'S THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE YOU CAN BUILD BASED UPON THE AREA OF THE PROPERTY.
SO WHAT ARE EXPERTS? WHAT IS, WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS AS A BOARD ON THIS? ARE WE INVOLVING ZONING AT THIS POINT OR ARE WE STILL, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME, SOME PEOPLE COME AND BRIEF THE BOARD.
I THINK WE SHOULD COME UP WITH A SHORT LIST OF PEOPLE THAT BRIEF THE BOARD.
AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH, UM, TRUSTEE ALL AND TRUSTEE KLEISER ON, ON SORT OF, AND, AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE ON SORT OF PUTTING TOGETHER HOW WE CAN GET SOME PRESENTATION, WANT THEIR INPUT MM-HMM
UH, I MEAN, I'M GONNA OPEN THE FLOOR TO YOU IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY AT ALL ABOUT THIS, UH, OR ANYBODY FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE HE, I THINK TRUSTEE ALLGOOD SAID THAT HE WAS HOPING FOR SOME INPUT.
SO I'M, I'M, WE'RE GONNA SHARE A MEETING WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE NOW.
UM, ARTHUR REALO, 32 MAIN STREET.
UM, AND I'M CHAIR OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
UM, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE NEEDED TO, TO LOOK AT OUR CODE TO UPDATE IT, AND THERE WERE MANY ITEMS AND, UM, TO, TO TO ADDRESS.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, WHEN, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF A POSSIBLE OPTION IN THE ONE WALL BURTON AVENUE SITE, THERE WERE THREE UNITS THAT WERE TO BE AFFORDABLE.
AND, UM, AT TODAY'S, AT OUR STANDARD, IT, THEY, THOSE UNITS NEEDED TO BE 80%, THE SIZE OF THEM NEEDED TO BE 80% OF THE MARKET RATE UNITS.
SO IF THE MARKET RATE UNITS WERE 26 TO 2,800 SQUARE FEET, THE AFFORDABLE UNITS NEEDED TO BE 2000 SQUARE FEET.
2000 SQUARE FEET IS A VERY, VERY LARGE UNIT FOR, FOR A TWO BEDROOM AFFORDABLE, UM, TOWNHOUSE.
AND WHAT OUR COMMITTEE, UM, MET WITH THE DEVELOPER AT THE TIME, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE DEVELOPER SAYING TO THE DEVELOPER, LOOK, WE WOULD BE AS A COMMITTEE IN FAVOR OF YOU PUTTING FOUR UNITS IN TWO OF THE TOWNHOUSES, TWO PURCHASE UNITS AND TWO RENTAL UNITS.
IN OTHER WORDS, SOMEONE WOULD BUY THE TOWNHOUSE AND, AND THEN, UM, AND THEN YOU COULD RENT THROUGH AN A DU, BUT AN AFFORDABLE A DU TO, TO, TO OFFSET LIKE THE OTHER SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES THAT WE HAVE IN THE, IN THE VILLAGE.
WE HAVE THREE OF THOSE RIGHT NOW.
TWO ON WALL BURTON AND ONE ON FARGATE.
SO, AND, AND, AND IN TURN YOU WOULD GET THE ADDITIONAL MARKET RATE UNIT.
NOW, THIS DIDN'T COME TO PASS, BUT I'M JUST WANTING TO LET YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ADDRESS THE, THE ISSUE OF THE SIZE OF THE 80%.
WE DON'T FEEL THAT 80% IS, IS ACCURATE, CERTAINLY NOT HAVING TO DO WITH TOWNHOUSES, BUT MAYBE EVEN APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN THE RENTAL PART OF IT.
UM, IT, IT ALL IS INTERMINGLED IN THE, WHETHER YOU DO FLOOR AREA RATIO, UM, OR, OR HOW YOU COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF AN INCENTIVE, UM, TO, TO A DEVELOPER TO WANT TO BUILD AND, AND TO WANT WHATEVER WE HAVE, IF WE WENT TO 20% AFFORDABLE, UM, THERE HAS TO BE SOME OFFSET FOR HIM BESIDES THE FINANCING.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME OFFSET TO, FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE MONEY.
I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT, THAT, I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING THIS TO MAKE MONEY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT DEVELOPERS ARE ABOUT.
AND, AND SO WE NEED TO GIVE THEM SOME INCENTIVE.
AND THAT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE WERE THINKING OF IN REFERENCE TO ONE WARPER THAT DIDN'T COME TO PASS.
I MEAN, THERE'S STILL, UM, BUT THEY MAY, MAY, THEY MAY COME TO, TO THE VILLAGE AND SAY, WE'D LIKE TO IMPLEMENT THIS TYPE OF, OF A SITUATION SO WE COULD GAIN ANOTHER MARKET RATE UNIT, AND THEN YOU COULD GAIN AN ADDITIONAL AFFORDABLE UNIT.
SO JUST THE, BUT WE'RE TOTALLY OPEN AND, AND WANNA WORK WITH YOU TO, TO MAKE THIS, YOU KNOW, WORK.
[00:45:01]
SO THANK YOU.THANKS FOR LETTING ME, UH, PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I, I MEAN, I FELT YOUR INPUT'S VERY VALUABLE ON THIS AS WELL, ALWAYS.
SO THANK YOU, MR. REAL ACTUALLY MAKES A REALLY INTERESTING POINT BECAUSE WE DID, WE DID CHANGE SOME ZONING, THE MRO ZONING AND I BELIEVE POSSIBLY THE MRO 1.5 ALSO, WE REDUCED THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE SIZE OF A UNIT.
SO THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAKE UNITS MORE AFFORDABLE.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CREATING AFFORDABLE UNITS, BUT WE, I THINK WE CALLED IT TRANSIT ORIENTED, BUT WE ALLOWED THEM TO BE AS SMALL AS I BELIEVE 500 FEET OR RIGHT.
SO THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT, AND IT APPLIES, I THINK MORE TO TOWNHOUSES, IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL, YOUR CODE REQUIRES THAT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS BE AT LEAST 80% OF THE FLOOR AREA OF YOUR MARKET RATE UNITS.
SO ON, IN A TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN BE LIMITING.
I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE TO, TO THE POINT THAT TRUSTEE ALLGOOD WAS MAKING EARLIER IS THAT THAT WAS A VERY WELL-INTENTIONED IDEA, BUT IT MIGHT HAVE BACKFIRED.
I MEAN, IF IT'S NOT PRODUCING MORE HOUSING, IT'S NOT DOING ANY GOOD.
WELL, IF YOU ALSO, YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THE IDEA OF THE FLOOR AREA BONUS, RIGHT.
THAT YOU ACTUALLY THEN GET A DOUBLE BONUS IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE, THE REDUCE REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE UNIT TO SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE AND THEN GETTING THE INCREASED AREA THAT YOU CAN USE FOR MORE UNITS MARKET.
I THINK, UH, I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION OR JUST MY THOUGHTS, UH, JUST WE LEAVE IT TO YOU ALL TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.
AND IF IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WANNA BRING MULTIPLE PEOPLE, MAYBE WE JUST CALL FOR A WORK SESSION.
UH, IF YOU THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HEAR FROM THREE PEOPLE IN ONE NIGHT INSTEAD OF JUST ONE PERSON, AND WE DO A PIECEMEAL IF, IF WE'RE ABLE TO SET IT UP AND WE COULD DO THAT, MAYBE WE CONSIDER THAT AND JUST HAVE ONE MEETING DEDICATED TO THAT, IF THAT SOUNDS OKAY.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION, RIGHT? YEP.
SO, AND I THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A LIST AND THEN MAYBE THE SUGGESTION OF SOME PEOPLE, UM, CERTAINLY WOULDN'T TRY TO ADD ANOTHER MEETING ON YOU UNTIL AFTER BUDGET IS DONE.
MOVING ON TO DEER MANAGEMENT IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON, UH, THE VILLAGE MANAGER AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE MAYORS AND VILLAGE MANAGERS FROM OUR OTHER RIVER TOWNS.
WE MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS ACTUALLY.
UM, AND, AND WE WERE RECENTLY URGED BY THE VILLAGE OF IRVINGTON AND DOBBS FERRY TO CONSIDER ENTERING INTO A, UH, CULLING PHASE AS WELL.
UH, THE TWO VILLAGES HAVE ALREADY, I THINK IRVINGTON'S COMPLETED SEVERAL DOB FERRY JUST COMPLETED THEIR FIRST ROUND.
UM, THE COMMITMENT IS NORMALLY A FIVE YEAR COMMITMENT.
UM, AND IRVINGTON HAS DONE EXTENSIVE STUDIES ON THIS, AND, AND I KNOW THAT ME, MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AS WELL.
I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOME NON-SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO BRING IT UP THIS EVENING AS A CONSIDERATION FOR THE BOARD.
UM, IRVINGTON'S STUDY HIGHLIGHTED THAT, UH, REDUCTION OF DEER POPULATION LEADS TO THE REDUCTION OF SERIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, UH, INVOLVING DEER, THE AMOUNT OF DEER FENCING, UH, ONE OF THE, THE NOTES THAT THEY'VE MADE IN THEIR, UM, IN THEIR POWERPOINT, WHICH WE CAN SHARE WITH EVERYONE.
UH, IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE JUST SOME OF THE STATS THAT THEY HAVE, BUT ALSO THE AMOUNT OF DEER FENCING THAT'S GOING UP, UH, IN THE COMMUNITIES, UH, INCLUDING MY OWN STREET WHERE THREE HOUSES AROUND ME NOW HAVE DEER FENCING.
SO MY YARD IS NOW THE DEER YARD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND BASICALLY WE'RE FENCING EVERYTHING AND, AND WE'RE JUST LIMITING THEM TO ROADWAYS AND, AND PUBLIC AREAS WHERE THEN NOW YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AS WELL.
UH, IT ALSO HELPS REGENERATE, UH, YOUNG PLANT GROWTH AND TREE HEALTH IN OUR WOODS, UH, BECAUSE THEY TEND TO EAT 10 TO 15 POUNDS OF FOOD PER DAY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO EAT ANYTHING THAT'S GREEN IN OUR WOODS.
AND IF IT'S A BRAND NEW, YOU KNOW, A SAPLING THAT'S GROWING IN OUR, IN OUR WOODS, THEY'RE GOING TO EAT IT.
UH, AND IT, IT HAS PROVEN TO HELP REGENERATE, UH, WOODED AREAS AS WELL.
UH, THE HASTINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS HAS REPORTED 12 MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, UH, INVOLVING MOTOR VEHICLE AND DEER.
AND THEY'VE ALSO HAD 48 TOTAL COMPLAINTS, UH, FROM RESIDENTS, UH, INVOLVING DEER.
I DIDN'T ASK THEM TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR US WHAT THOSE ACTUALLY MEANT, UH, IF THEY WERE TRESPASSING OR WHATEVER THEY MEANT.
BUT, UH, THEY HAD 14 COMPLAINTS IN ADDITION TO 12 MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DEER.
SO, UM, IF THE BOARD, WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE OUR OPINIONS ON THIS AT THIS POINT, UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, TO MOVE IT, UH, FORWARD IN OUR PROCESS.
BUT I THINK THAT THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO INVITE THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR BOTH OF THOSE VILLAGES.
MEL KISCO, RIGHT THERE OUT OF SOMEWHERE IN NORTHERN WESTCHESTER.
BUT IT'S A DEER MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, MR. KELLY TO COME TO A VILLAGE BOARD MEETING TO KIND OF GO OVER THE PROCESS, UH, THE EVALUATION THAT, THAT HE DOES WITH HIS TEAM, UH, INVOLVING TRACKING.
[00:50:01]
OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR IS WE KNOW THAT THE DEER AREN'T ALL LIVING IN OUR WOODS.AND OBVIOUSLY THE ONLY PLACE THAT THIS COULD OCCUR IS IN OUR WOODS.
SO I ALSO DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A, HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF THE VILLAGE THAT WE WILL HAVE NO DEER LEFT IN OUR VILLAGE AFTER ONE YEAR, TWO, THE TWO OR FIVE YEARS.
UH, I THINK THE INTENT IS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT ALL DEER, UM, WANTS, YOU KNOW, MR. KELLY IS DONE WITH HIS HUNTING OR DONATED TO LOCAL SHELTERS, UH, FOR PROCESSING AND FOR FOOD.
UM, I'D ALSO ENCOURAGE HIM TO CONSIDER THERE, THERE IS A WOLF CONSERVATION IN KATONAH THAT ALSO RELIES ON DEER BEING BROUGHT THERE, THAT ARE STRUCK ON THE HIGHWAYS AND STUFF THAT ARE DROPPED OFF THERE TO HELP PRESERVE, UH, THE WOLF CONSERVATION THAT'S IN KATON.
SO, UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WOULD ANYBODY BE OPPOSED TO ME BRINGING MR. KELLY TO THE NEXT MEETING? YES.
IS MR. KELLY, IS THAT AN ORGANIZATION? DOES HE DO THE ASSESSMENT OR HE'S ACTUALLY ALSO DOING THE CULLING? HE'S ALL THE ABOVE.
HE'S, HE ALSO APPLIES FOR ANY PERMITS THAT WE WILL NEED AS WELL.
I KNOW IT INVOLVES CAMERAS, DRONES IN THE EVENING AT NIGHT, UH, TO JUST KIND OF TRACK AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY'RE BEDDING DOWN.
UH, AND THEN THE SPECIFICS WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM HIM.
BEYOND THAT IS OKAY WITH THEM BEING INVITED.
UM, MY NEXT SUBJECT IS JUST MY FIRST 90 DAYS, UM, HERE IN OFFICE.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS UP AS JUST CONSIDERATION TO LET THE BOARD KNOW JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH, UH, SINCE TAKING OFFICE.
AND I'M TRYING TO DEAL WITH TECHNOLOGY HERE.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL BE SENDING OUT TO THE PUBLIC TOMORROW.
AND ANTHONY
I HAD IT ALL QUEUED UP AND NOW IT'S NOT QUEUING UP.
IT, IT'S A COMMUNICATION THAT I'LL BE SENDING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TOMORROW.
UH, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS, UH, I'M NOT GONNA READ THE ENTIRE STATEMENT THAT'S GOING OUT TO THE VILLAGE TOMORROW, BUT ONE OF THE TRUE JOYS THAT I'VE HAD, UH, SINCE TAKING OFFICE IS OFFICIATING TWO WEDDINGS HERE IN VILLAGE HALL.
ONE OF A VERY GOOD FRIEND, ACTUALLY, BOTH PEOPLE WERE VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE, WITH A THIRD WEDDING COMING UP AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
UH, I ALSO JOINED FORMER MAYOR ARMACOST IN REPRESENTING THE VILLAGE AT A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR A BELOVED RESIDENT AND FRIEND WHO PASSED AWAY FAR TOO SOON.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE FOCUSED ON IS INFRASTRUCTURE, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
WHILE I CAN'T TAKE TOTAL CREDIT FOR US SECURING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE DID SECURE IT, UM, SINCE MY TAKING OF OFFICE, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY, UH, SERIOUSLY BENEFIT THE FARGATE PARKWAY, FENWICK AND ROSEDALE AVENUE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WE ALSO PASSED LOCAL LAWS, EXCUSE ME.
WE ALSO PASSED LOCAL LAWS, ADDING STOP SIGNS.
UH, THIS ALSO HAS TO DO WITH, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY STOP SIGNS IN SEVERAL INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE.
AND WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO SEVERAL INTERSECTIONS, INCLUDING RAVENSDALE AVENUE, ROSEDALE, THE ARD AVENUE AT CALUMET AND SOUTH CALUMET AND THE MAIN STREET CORRIDOR.
AND THE SAFETY COUNCIL IS ALSO CONSIDERING AND DISCUSSING AND REVIEWING WASHINGTON AVENUE AT AQUEDUCT LANE AND MOUNT HOPE BOULEVARD AT HAMILTON AVENUE.
WE'VE ALSO PASSED LOCAL LAW, OH, SORRY.
TRANSPARENCY AND IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
UH, THAT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT I PLEDGE THE FOCUS ON.
UH, SINCE COMING IN, WE ADDED A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
INSTEAD OF WAITING ANOTHER TWO WEEKS TO, TO ADD A PUBLIC COMMENT TO OUR BOARD DISCUSSIONS, WE CREATED THE TRUSTEE LIAISON PROGRAM TO STRENGTH AND COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OUR VARIOUS COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, BOARDS, COUNCILS AND DEPARTMENTS.
AND I REMAIN COMMITTED TO BEING MORE TRANSPARENT IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING INFORMING RESIDENTS OF MEETING INFORMATION AND CURRENT TOPICS BEING DISCUSSED BY THE BOARD.
WE'RE STRENGTHENING OUR DOWNTOWN.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING, LIKE I SAID, ON THE, WITH THAILAND ENGINEERS ON IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ON MAIN STREET.
AND ANOTHER SUBJECT THAT'S COME UP TO HELP HOPEFULLY STRENGTHEN OUR DOWNTOWN WOULD BE THREE HOUR FREE PARKING IN OUR DOWNTOWN, ALONG WITH RESIDENTIAL, UH, AND BUSINESS PARKING ZONES.
WE'VE ALSO PASSED A RESOLUTION, UH, AND SENT TO EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT, CONDEMNING ABUSES BY ICE AND CBP AND CALLING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND REFORM OF THESE AGENCIES.
WE ALSO PROVED A RESOLUTION URGING NEW YORK STATE TO STRENGTHEN IMMIGRATION PROTECTIONS.
FINALLY, WE ALSO, WE RECEIVED A 100 OUT OF 100 RATING ON THE MUNICIPAL EQUITY INDEX, MEI, WHICH EVALUATES HOW INCLUSIVE MUNICIPAL LAWS, POLICIES AND SERVICES ARE FOR LGBTQ PLUS
[00:55:01]
RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES OF OUR VILLAGE.THAT'LL BE DISTRIBUTED OUT TO THE VILLAGE TOMORROW.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE A QUICK HIGHLIGHT OF THAT.
UM, THIS EVENING, THE FINAL SUBJECT IS, UH, NOW I HAVE TO ANTHONY, UH, UPDATE ON AMERICA TWO 50.
WE, WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY HASTINGS GROUP, WHO IS ALSO ORGANIZING OUR AMERICA TWO 50, THEIR PROPOSAL TO THE VILLAGE, UH, TO CONTINUE OUR CELEBRATIONS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
THEY'VE ASKED FOR, UH, AND I THINK THE BOARD HAS ALL THIS, HAS ALL BEEN SHARED BY VILLAGE MANAGER MURPHY.
THIS IS A SERIES EVENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR WITH OBVIOUSLY THE LARGEST EVENT OCCURRING ON JUNE 5TH, UH, WHICH WOULD BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY REVOLUTIONARY HASTINGS, THE HASTINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS, INCLUDING A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES, UH, LIKE THE GOOD WITCH.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY HOSTING SOMETHING, I THINK, IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE THERE.
UM, WE DO IN THE UPCOMING EVENTS.
THERE IS A, AN EVENT COMING UP SOON AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH, AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UH, I, I'M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF IT.
UH, I JUST WANT TO HEAR WITH THE BOARD IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATING TO IT, UM, IN SUPPORT AND IF WE CAN ADD THIS TO OUR NEXT AGENDA AS WELL.
YES, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLAN, MR. CLERK TR AND TREASURER
OKAY, I'M GONNA DO THIS IN A MORE THOROUGH MANNER.
RIVERTOWN THRIFT WILL OCCUR FROM 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM AT THREE THREE SPRING STREET ON THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH, FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH, SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH, BUT JUST TILL 5:00 PM THAT DAY.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH TILL 6:00 PM FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH, AND SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH.
THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IS SUNDAY, MARCH 8TH.
UH, WE HAVE A CHAMBER MUSIC CELEBRATION FROM FOUR TO 5:30 PM AT ST.
BARNABAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TWO REVOLUTIONARY ROAD IN ARDSLEY ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11TH, DISCUSSION WITH HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT THE USE OF AI FROM FIVE 30 TO 7:00 PM AT THE JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH, UH, IS THE WINTER FARMER'S MARKET FROM 9:30 AM TO 1:00 PM AT THE ZINZER COMMUTER LOT.
UH, ON THAT, I SENT OUT A MESSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA RECENTLY JUST PRAISING OUR DPW, UM, WHO ACTUALLY CAME IN AT 5:00 AM THIS PAST SATURDAY MORNING TO MAKE SURE THE PARKING LOTS WERE CLEAR ACCESS TO THE SHED AND TO THE ELECTRICAL PANELS WERE ALL, UH, CONFIRMED.
UH, AND, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GO OFF WITH A FARMER'S MARKET THIS PAST SATURDAY.
AND, AND THOSE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR DPW PROBABLY HAD THE LONGEST WEEK OF THEIR CAREERS, UH, THIS PAST WEEK AND THE LONGEST MONTH OF THEIR CAREERS OVER THE LAST FOUR WEEKS.
AND I GIVE THEM A LOT OF CREDIT FOR, FOR RECEIVING THE CALL FROM US, UH, AT THE LAST MINUTE LATE IN THE WEEK AND STILL COMING INTO WORK AT 5:00 AM SATURDAY MORNING TO ENSURE AND ALSO WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO REMOVE SOME CARS THAT WERE BURIED IN SNOW.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ABLE THROUGH INVESTIGATIVE, INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES TO IDENTIFY THE OWNERS AND HAVE THEM COME DOWN AND ASSIST THEM IN REMOVING THEIR CARS AS WELL.
SO, THANK YOU TO THE DPW AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR, FOR EVERYTHING RELATED TO THIS PAST SATURDAY.
I KNOW, I ALMOST EVERY DAY LAST WEEK, AND THANK YOU.
WERE HERE AT 5:00 AM YOU KNOW, OR 2:00 AM THERE WERE ACTUALLY, THERE WERE SOME 2:00 AM NIGHTS.
WE, WE HAD ONE RESIDENT, UH, SEND US A, UM, A MESSAGE, NOT A COMPLAINT, UH, JUST ABOUT THE NOISE IN THE DOWNTOWN OVERNIGHT, THE OTHER NIGHT.
AND ONCE WE EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THAT WAS THE DPW CLEARING YOUR ENTIRE AREA, UH, THEY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A COMPLAINT ANYMORE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S BEEN APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY THEIR HARD WORK, AND ESPECIALLY AROUND OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL.
UM, MOVING ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
MONDAY, MARCH 9TH, ARCHITECT COMMENT.
[XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE, I'VE SKIPPED IT.
THANK YOU FOR CATCHING ME AGAIN, EVERYONE.
I GOTTA WHAT ABOUT THAT? I NEED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU ALL DID.
TRUSTEE FLEISIG AND, UH, ATTORNEY WHITEHEAD.
I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT IT IN BOLD AND
UH, EVENING DAVE SKOLNIK 47 HILLSIDE.
UH, I HAVE FOUR ITEMS. UH, I SWITCHED THE ORDER BECAUSE ONE THING I DIDN'T WANNA MISS IN CASE I RAN OVER, AND THAT'S, UM, UH, THE ROUTE NINE ISSUE THAT THE VILLAGE MANAGER MENTIONED, SORT OF IN PASSING.
UM, AND I'M, I'M, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE BEING APPALLED BY IT, BUT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE FOLLOWED, YOU KNOW, THAT AT LEAST I AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUSHING TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD.
I'M ASSUMING IT'S THE ROUTE NINE
[01:00:01]
PROJECT THAT INVOLVES, UH, THE ENTIRE VILLAGES, NOT THE ONE THAT'S JUST DOWN ON, UM, UM, UH, FURTHER DOWN ON BROADWAY.UM, YEAH, I'M, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS LETTER OF APPROVAL THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO SEND, GIVEN THAT THERE STILL HAS BEEN NO REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FEW ISSUES THAT RELATE TO HASTINGS, WHETHER IT'S THE ROUNDABOUT, UM, ANY OF THE, ANY OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT, THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.
UH, I REALLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING WITHIN THE VILLAGE DISCUSSION BEFORE YOU GO OFF AND SEND, UM, YOU KNOW, A APPROVAL TO THE STATE.
THE OTHER THREE, I HAVE A QUESTION WHETHER THE, ANY OF THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THAILAND'S, UH, PRESENTATION WOULD BE AVAILABLE BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
I'M, I'M ASSUMING THEY HAVE SOME UPDATED YOU, UH, THE VILLAGE CLERK CAN TELL ME IF THERE'S ANY, ANY MORE RECENT INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
UM, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF IT.
UM, IT WAS RIGHT AROUND THE TIME SCHOOL.
DISMISSED, UH, UP ON HILLSIDE NEAR, UM, UH, ROSEDALE AND SCHOOL.
UH, BEST I CAN TELL, UH, THERE WAS NO SERIOUS INJURY.
UH, BUT GIVEN WHAT I WITNESSED, AND YOU ALL MAY BE WITNESSED, UH, FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH THE SNOW AND THE DIFFICULTIES, BUT ALSO THE WAY THE, THE, THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THAT CONTINUE TO EXIST, INCLUDING WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO RESOLVE WITH ROSEDALE, I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER, SERIOUSLY CONSIDER, UH, AN A VERY, UH, AN ORGANIZED, UH, COORDINATED, UH, EFFORT WITH THE SCHOOL AND REALLY HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT ARE NOT IN ANY WAY GONNA BE RESOLVED.
EVEN IF YOU GO AHEAD FULL STEAM WITH, UH, ROSEDALE, THERE ARE SO MANY LITTLE THINGS THAT ONCE YOU'RE THERE AND YOU SEE THEM, UH, WHETHER IT'S SIDEWALK, WHETHER IT'S THE LIMITATIONS OF THE SPACE ON SIDEWALK, AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE JUST, UH, UH, LACK OF TRIMMING.
UM, THERE'S SOMETHING I KNOW THAT YOU, UM, WORK WITH SCHOOL.
I, I, I'M TOLD THAT YOU COORDINATED WITH THE SCHOOL, UH, MORE REGULARLY WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THIS NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF AND, AND THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A MUCH MORE, UM, ACTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT.
DID YOU HAVE A FOURTH? YOU CAN ADD IT WHEN YOU MISSED THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
NO, THEY WERE, THEY WERE THE TWO.
I, I ACTUALLY COMBINE TWO AND THREE.
[XII. ANNOUNCEMENTS]
ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT THAT MONDAY, MARCH 9TH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW MEETING 7:00 PM VILLAGE HALL, MEETING ROOM.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10TH, CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING, 8:00 PM VILLAGE HALL, MEETING ROOM.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
MEETING, 7:00 PM JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEETING, SEVEN 30.
JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
MONDAY, MARCH 16TH, ARTS COMMISSION MEETING, 7:30 PM VILLAGE HALL, MEETING ROOM.
AND TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD, BOARD OF OH SEVEN 17TH.
PATRICK'S DAY, REGULAR MEETING.
7:00 PM VILLAGE HALL MEETING ROOM.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO NOT RETURN TO THIS REGULAR MEETING? SO MOVED.
WHAT'S THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING, UH, DISTRICT, UH, MATTERS OF PERSONNEL.