[I. CALL TO ORDER]
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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON, NEW YORK BOARD OF TRUSTEES PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2026 AND 2027 BUDGET AND REGULAR MEETING.
TODAY'S TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH, 2026.
PLEASE RISE TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, ALL FLAG FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE, ONE NATION UNDER INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL? TRUSTEE FLEISIG.
PRESENT, MAYOR DRAKE, PRESENT, VILLAGE MANAGER MURPHY.
HERE, VILLAGE ATTORNEY WHITEHEAD.
[Additional Item]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF PARTICULAR PERSONNEL IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND LITIGATION.UH, AND WE SHOULD BE RESUMING THE MEETING, OPEN MEETING BY APPROXIMATELY 6:45 PM SO MOVED.
[V. PRESENTATIONS ]
MOVE ON.UH, JUST TO THE NEXT, UH, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
UH, FORMER MAYOR PETER SUKI AND FORMER TRUSTEE DAN LEMONS.
JUST GIMME JUST A MINUTE TO GET REORIENTED FOR YOU GUYS.
IT'S THREE SLIDES, SO DON'T PANIC.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME ON YOUR AGENDA FOR US.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO PRESENT ON THE OUTCOME OF THE DEAR IMMUNO CONTRACEPTION PROJECT SINCE IT CONCLUDED, AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT HAPPENED AND THE LESSONS LEARNED AS YOU FACE A VERY SIMILAR SET OF DECISIONS TODAY.
WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR MAYOR, I KNOCKED ON SEVERAL HUNDRED DOORS AND WAS SURPRISED AT HOW OFTEN I HEARD ABOUT THE DEER PROBLEM, COMPLAINTS ABOUT GARDENS BEING EATEN, LYME'S DISEASE, CAR ACCIDENTS, AND IN FACT, ALL THREE HAD HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY.
IT SEEMED AN INTRACTABLE PROBLEM GIVEN THE DENSITY OF HOUSING HERE AND A MISPERCEPTION THAT IF YOU REMOVE THE DEER, NEW ONES WOULD JUST MOVE IN.
IN FACT, WE LEARNED DEER HERE SPEND MOST OF THEIR LIVES WITHIN SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS OF THE SAME LOCATION.
IF FOOD IS ADEQUATE AND THERE'S NO PREDATOR, A SUSTAINED EFFORT COULD BRING DOWN THE NUMBER OF DEER, BUT WOULD NEED TO BE CARRIED OUT FOREVER INTO THE FUTURE TO MAINTAIN REDUCED NUMBERS.
SINCE THERE IS NO WAY TO ELIMINATE ALL THE DEER AND THEY EVENTUALLY BREED BACK TO THEIR LARGEST SUSTAINABLE POPULATION.
WE EXAMINED SEVERAL APPROACHES AND LANDED ON IMMUNO CONTRACEPTION, NOT BECAUSE WE WERE PHILOSOPHICALLY OPPOSED TO LETHAL METHODS, BUT BECAUSE IT SEEMED POTENTIALLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE APPROACH.
WE FIRST LOOKED AT BOW HUNTING AT THAT TIME.
NEW YORK STATE'S RULE ON BOW HUNTING REQUIRED A 500 FOOT RADIUS AROUND THE HUNTER, CLEAR OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND SCHOOLS, AND VERY LITTLE PARKLAND WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A HUNT.
WE THEN LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE CALLED NET AND BOLT.
THIS LETHAL APPROACH INVOLVES SETTING OUT FOOD TRAPS, DROPPING A NET ON THE DEER WHEN THEY GATHERED TO FEED.
WHEREUPON HIRED PROFESSIONALS WOULD DISPATCH THE DEER WITH A TOOL CALLED A CAPTIVE BOLT RIFLE, WHICH IS USED IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES SINCE, SINCE THIS DIDN'T INVOLVE A PROJECTILE, IT COULD BE USED ANYWHERE IN THE VILLAGE, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT THIS APPROACH WOULD BE CULTURALLY DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT HERE BECAUSE OF ITS BRUTALITY.
IN 2010, WE WERE APPROACHED BY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS WHO PUT US IN TOUCH WITH DR.
HE HAD RUN SEVERAL EXPERIMENTS USING IMMUNO CONTRACEPTION.
THIS INVOLVED INJECTING THE DEER WITH A SUBSTANCE THAT PROVOKED AN IMMUNE RESPONSE THAT PREVENTED A SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY.
THIS METHOD IS USED GLOBALLY FOR CONTROLLING MANY WILD POPULATIONS, INCLUDING HORSES, ELK, ELEPHANTS, AND OTHER MAMMALS.
WE DECIDED TO GO WITH THIS APPROACH BECAUSE IT COULD BE AS EFFECTIVE AS CONTROLLED HUNTS
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AND WOULD RESULT IN VERY LITTLE PUBLIC PUSHBACK OVER AN ONGOING LETHAL HUNT.IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PEOPLE'S RESIDENCES AND SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE HUMANE SOCIETY, TUFTS AND THE HASTINGS VILLAGE GOVERNMENT AGREED TO COOPERATIVELY RUN A FORMAL EXPERIMENT.
IT WOULD INVOLVE DARTING THE DEER WITH A POWERFUL ANESTHETIC THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE DEER.
THEN ADMINISTERING, ADMINISTERING THE IMMUNO CONTRACEPTIVE SHOT MANUALLY, AND TAGGING THE DEER EAR OF THE DEER WITH A NUMBERED YELLOW TAG.
MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER SEEING IN SUBSEQUENT EARS, THE TAG DEER WOULD BE REIM IMMUNIZED BY DARTING THEM DIRECTLY WITH THE CONTRACEPTIVE.
BECAUSE THE DARK GUNS WERE NOT LETHAL, WE WERE ABLE TO OPERATE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE VILLAGE, AND WE RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS TO GO ON THEIR PROPERTY.
IF THE TEAM WAS IN PURSUIT OF A DEER, WE WOULD DETERMINE A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME BASED ON THREE METRICS, A DROP IN DEER POPULATION OVER TIME, BASED ON PERIODIC VILLAGE WIDE POPULATION.
SURVEYS, A LOWER NUMBER OF VEHICLE DEER COLLISIONS FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT STATISTICS AND LESS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
AND WE ATTEMPTED TO IMPOSE SOME RIGOR ON THAT METRIC RATHER THAN RELYING ON ANECDOTAL STORIES.
BY INITIATING A CITIZEN SCIENCE EFFORT, WHICH INVOLVED DISTRIBUTING 45 POTS OF HOSTAS, WHICH AS EVERYBODY KNOWS IS CRACK FOR DEER ACROSS THE VILLAGE.
THESE WERE PLACED IN VILLAGE, UH, IN RESIDENCE YARDS, AND THEN TABULATING HOW QUICKLY THEY WERE EATEN BY THE DEER.
WE ENGAGED SEVERAL HUNDRED RESIDENTS AS VOLUNTEERS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THIS EFFORT, FROM HOSTING HOSTAS TO HELPING THE HUMANE SOCIETY STAFF ON THE GROUND IN THEIR DARTING.
IT WENT ON FOR SEVEN YEARS AND COST A VILLAGE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 9,030 8,000 ANNUALLY.
IN THE YEARS WHEN DARTING OCCURRED, AFTER SIX YEARS OF DARTING, WE SAW THAT THE DOSE WHICH HAD BEEN DARTED DROPPED FROM 90%, HAVING FAWNS DOWN TO 15%.
AND THIS IS CALLED THE FAWNING RATE.
THOSE THAT WERE DARTED TWICE DROPPED EVEN FURTHER TO ONLY 10% AND STAYED THAT WAY.
SO WHAT DID THAT MEAN? THIS IS MY ONLY SLIDE.
THE PUNCHLINE HERE, AND THE FACT NOT WELL KNOWN IS THAT THE EFFORT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE DEER POPULATION DOWN, BOTH IN NUMBER OF FAWNS AND OVERALL POPULATION BY OVER 50%.
WE ALSO SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN VEHICLE ON DEER ACCIDENTS.
THIS WENT FROM AN AVERAGE OF NINE IN THE YEAR PRECEDING THE EXPERIMENT DOWN TO THREE OR FOUR ANNUALLY AFTER WE WERE UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
FINALLY, THE HOSTA EXPERIMENT SHOWED SUCCESS AS WELL.
THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT WITH HOSTA SURVIVAL, NEARLY TRIPLING FROM 9% TO 24%.
THE EXPERIMENT WAS CONCLUDED AFTER SEVEN YEARS.
FOR US TO CONTINUE DOING THIS ANNUALLY, WE WOULD'VE NEEDED FDA APPROVAL FOR THE PCP 22 CONTRACEPTIVE CURRENTLY CONSIDERED EXPERIMENTAL, AND ALSO THE DEC WOULD'VE HAD TO APPROVE THIS APPROACH AS A METHOD OF MANAGING GEAR POPULATIONS.
THE DEC HAS A HISTORIC ORIENTATION TO MANAGING GEAR BY HUNTING, AND THIS WAS A CULTURAL BARRIER.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SURMOUNT.
THERE WERE MANY LESSONS LEARNED HERE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DECISIONS YOU FACE.
I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUE DAN, WHO IS INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT FROM DAY ONE TO COVER THOSE.
SO, UM, OUR SECOND SLIDE IS A DEMARCATED VILLAGE MAP THAT MARKS, UM, THE AREAS, UH, THAT WE USED IN OUR STUDY, AND IT SHOWS THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE PRESENTED BY A DISPERSED DEER POPULATION.
I I DO HAVE, I WILL BE GIVING YOU A PAPER COPY OF THIS IN A IN A MINUTE.
THE CIRCLED AREAS ON THIS ARE THE DARING ZONES THAT WE USED.
UH, AND THOSE WERE BASED ON A HEAT MAP OF OVER 500 REPORTINGS OF DEER.
UH, AS WE WERE MOVING INTO THE STUDY, UH, WE OBTAINED THE PERMISSION OF 140 RESIDENTS TO DART DEER ON THEIR PROPERTIES WITHIN EACH OF THESE ZONES.
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THE END, WE WERE, WE WERE ABLE TO COVER THE ENTIRE VILLAGE.AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, AT LEAST THE AREAS WHERE WE SAW THAT THERE WERE DEER, MOSTLY CONCENTRATED 70, DO 72 DOUGH WERE IMMUNIZED, UH, IN THESE AREAS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IS THAT WE HAD TO USE THESE AREAS BECAUSE YOU, WE USED BAIT BAIT, UH, DISTRIBUTORS.
DEER WILL NOT GO FROM WHERE THEY NORMALLY ARE TO A BAIT DISTRIBUTOR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT EXISTS.
AND SO WE FOUND THAT WE HAD TO DISPERSE OUR EFFORTS AROUND THE VILLAGE IN THIS WAY.
SO IN THIS, UM, MAP THAT YOU SEE, THE DARK GREEN AREAS, UH, ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE WITHIN HILLSIDE WOODS THAT WOULD BE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR BOW HUNTING.
THE THE EXPOSURE IS NOTED THERE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULDN'T BE BOW HUNTING IN THERE BECAUSE THERE WOULDN'T BE DEER IN THERE.
UH, THERE ARE TWO OTHER LIGHT GREEN AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED HERE ON THIS MAP, WHICH ARE POSSIBLE BOW HUNTING AREAS.
GIVEN THE 150 FOOT STATE RESTRICTION ON BOW HUNTING WITHIN, NEAR TO SCHOOLS OR RESIDENCES OR BUILDINGS, THOSE ARE LESS LIKELY AREAS SIMPLY BASED ON OUR OWN EXPERIENCE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF ENCOUNTERING DEER THERE IN THOSE AREAS.
THE AREAS THAT ARE HIGH PROBABILITY FOR BEING ABLE TO BOW HUNT, YOU CAN SEE THE CALCULATION IS FIVE AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE VILLAGE AREA.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POSSIBILITY OF, OF ACTUALLY HUNTING DEER IN A, IN A, IN A QUITE SMALL AREA.
SO TO, TO ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT REGENERATION IN HILLSIDE WOODS.
ACCORDING TO ESTIMATES BY WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS, WE WOULD NEED TO GET THE DEER POPULATION DOWN TO UNDER 15 PER SQUARE MILE, WHICH MEANS WE NEED TO HAVE ONLY ONE OR TWO DEER IN THE NON EXCLOSURE PART OF HILLSIDE WOODS.
WHETHER THAT'S ACHIEVABLE WITH BOW HUNTING, WE DON'T KNOW.
UM, UH, IF IT IS ACHIEVABLE, IT WOULD HAVE TO, OF COURSE, BE SUSTAINED FOREVER BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET ABOVE ONE OR TWO DEER IN THE WOODS, THEY'RE GOING TO EAT EVERYTHING LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING EXCEPT FOR THE INVASIVES, WHICH THEY DON'T SEEM TO LIKE, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT METRIC TO KEEP IN MIND IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, AND SO WHAT, WHAT SHOULD WE DO? SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD BE CLEAR ABOUT ITS GOALS.
IF WHAT SEEMS ACHIEVABLE MATCHES THE GOALS THEN PROCEED.
BUT IF NOT, THEN THE EXPENDITURE, UH, FOR BOW HUNTING WILL BEST FEND OFF CRITICISMS THAT THE BOARD IS DOING NOTHING BUT POSSIBLY NO MORE.
SO WHAT WE SEE AS POSSIBLE GOALS FOR DOING, UH, CUING THROUGH BOW HUNTING WOULD BE ONE, TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF LYME AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES.
TWO, REDUCE DEER VEHICLE COLLISIONS.
THREE, REDUCE DAMAGE TO RESIDENTS PLANTINGS.
FOUR, FOSTERING THE RESTORATION OF THE WOODS AND THE PARKS IN THE VILLAGE.
AND FIVE, DEMONSTRATING THAT THE VILLAGE IS ATTEMPTING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT DEER.
IN OUR VIEW, THE ONLY, ONLY THE LAST TWO ARE REALISTIC GOALS OF BOW HUNTING.
SO AS WE SEE IT, THE BOARD NEEDS TO ASSESS WHETHER THOSE ARE WORTH THE COST.
AND, UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, OBVIOUSLY REQUIRES CONSIDERATION.
ONLY THE LAST GOAL IS A CERTAIN TO BE MET.
WE FURTHER RECOMMEND THAT IN MESSAGING TO THE VILLAGE RESIDENTS, THE BOARD, BE CLEAR THAT DEAR MANAGEMENT IN AN URBAN SUBURBAN AREA IS HIGHLY COMPLEX AND THEREFORE CHALLENGING AND NOT ACHIEVABLE WITH A SINGLE SIMPLE SOLUTION.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM? ARE YOU, ARE YOU BOTH OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
UM, MAYOR KY, UM, ON THE PCP 22, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THE FDA APPROVAL IS ON THAT? I DON'T THINK IT MOVED FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, UM, IF WE WERE TO USE THAT PARTICULAR FORMULATION, IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW LONG YOU WOULD HAVE TO WAIT.
THERE ARE OTHER FORMULATIONS USED ON DEER IN OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY RESTRICTED TO THAT, BUT IT WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED AS AN APPROVED GEAR, POPULATION CONTROL MECHANISM BY THE STATE.
AND REALLY, IF YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE HURDLES YOU
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HAVE, THAT'S YOUR BIGGEST, AND FINDING THE VOLUNTEERS TO CARRY OUT THIS EFFORT IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT.ACTUALLY, I, I HAVE JUST ONE, SORRY.
ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT, ON THAT, AT THE END OF THE MEMO HERE, IT SAYS THAT THE DEC WOULD NOT ALLOW LONG, LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT BASED ON ITS RESULTS AND BE PART OF THAT WAS BECAUSE THE PPCB WAS NOT, DID NOT HAVE THE FDA APPROVAL.
YEAH, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT IN PART, BUT IT WAS AN EXPERIMENT.
RIGHT? UH, SO THE PARTICULAR VERSION OF PCP THAT WE UTILIZED WAS EXPERIMENTAL.
THAT, THAT TUFTS DEPLOYED AND THAT WAS PART OF THEIR EXPERIMENTAL STRUCTURE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE TESTING HERE.
HOWEVER, ELSEWHERE THEY'VE USED OTHER FORMULATIONS, IT, IT DOESN'T MUCH MATTER.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE DEC HASN'T APPROVED THE USE OF ANY IMMUNO CONTRACEPTION IN NEW YORK STATE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE CORE PROBLEM.
AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT SUGGESTING THIS IS A MECHANISM FOR YOU UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO BANG AT THE DEC IN ALBANY AND SEE IF THEY APPROVE IT, UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, AND IF SO, IT'S BEEN PROVEN TO WORK AND WORK VILLAGE WIDE, WHICH IS ITS MAJOR ADVANTAGE.
WAS THERE ANY KNOWN IMPACT ON THE CONSUMPTION OF THE DEER MEAT, WHETHER BY HUMAN OR COYOTE THAT HAD BEEN ADMINISTERED THE CHEMICAL? UH, ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN, SORRY.
UM, IS THERE ANY KNOWN OR WAS THERE ANY KNOWN IMPACT IF THE DEER MEAT WAS THEN CONSUMED, WHETHER BY A PREDATOR OR, I GUESS HUMANS ARE PREDATORS TOO, BUT, UM, ANY IMPACT ON EATING THE MEAT OF THE DEER THAT HAD BEEN ADMINISTERED THIS CHEMICAL? SO, UM, APPARENTLY IF YOU CONSUME IT, THE PCP DEGRADES IN HIS STOMACH AND IT DOESN'T CAUSE CONTRACEPTION ISSUES IN OTHER MAMMALS, INCLUDING HUMANS.
THE ANESTHETIC IS NOT SOMETHING YOU'D WANT TO CONSUME THAT'S ACTUALLY DANGEROUS.
BUT THOSE DEER THAT WERE IZED OR HUNTED DOWN AND THEN MANUALLY ADMINISTERED AND, AND THERE WAS, UH, OVERWATCH UNTIL THEY CAME TO AND RAN OFF.
BUT THE PCP YOU CAN CONSUME SAFELY.
THE, IF YOU GUYS COULD SWAP, RAISE HIS RIGHT HAND
PLACE YOUR HAND ON THE, UH, CODE BOOK OF THE BILL JASON DOWN THERE.
HUDSON, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
AND TO FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE MY DUTIES OF AND TO FAITHFULLY DISH, YOU CHARGE MY DUTIES OF POLICE OFFICER OF THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICE OFFICER OF THE, OF THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT WAS THE ACTUAL APPOINTMENT DATE? IS IT A MONTH AGO? YEAH.
I HAVE AN EXACT DATE DOWNSTAIRS.
OFFICER WMAN, CHIEF DOCENT AND LIEUTENANT GAGLIARDI AND BOTH FAMILIES.
MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.
GA YURI, THE ZERO WASTE ACTION TASK FORCE.
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I DO NEED YOUR, YEAH.DO WE NEED TO MUTE THAT SOUND MY FIRST DAY? HOLD ON,
THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
I MEAN, PART OF THE REASON WHY I THINK WE GOT TO THIS POINT IS 'CAUSE YOU CELEBRATED FOUR YEARS AS A, A SUCCESSFUL TILLY GARAGE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR GROUP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MAYOR AND TRUSTEES, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
I HAVE LIVED IN HASTINGS FOR 12 YEARS.
ONE IS A SOPHOMORE IN COLLEGE AND ONE IS A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL, BOTH THROUGH THE HASTINGS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, I RUN A SMALL BUSINESS OUT OF HASTINGS CALLED BTA.
IT'S A HOME ORGANIZATION SERVICE WITH A DEEP FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ZERO WASTE PRACTICES, WHICH IS HOW I CAME TO BE IN THIS REALM.
UM, I WANNA GIVE TWO QUICK SHOUT OUTS.
ONE IS TO FORMER MAYOR NIKKI ARMCO, WHO MENTIONED A TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT COMPONENT THAT EXISTS OUT IN THE WORLD.
AND POINT ME TO THE WONDERFUL ELISA CSRA, WHO'S THE OTHER PERSON I OWE A DEEP DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO.
ELISA WELCOMED ME TO THE ZERO WASTE COMMITTEE WHEN SHE WAS CHAIR, SHOWED ME THE ROPES, TAUGHT ME ALL THINGS I KNOW, AND THEN CO-FOUNDED AND HELPED ME RUN THE TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT GARAGE FOR ITS DURING ITS FIRST YEAR OF INCEPTION, I THINK MAYBE LONGER.
ELISA MOVED TO KINGSTON A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OR SO, AND I BECAME THE CHAIR OF THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY TASK FORCE AS IT IS TODAY.
UM, Z SWAT, AS WE ARE KNOWN, IS A TEAM, AND I REPRESENT A GROUP OF INCREDIBLE WOMEN WHOSE NAMES YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE PAGE.
I WANT TO, UM, REQUEST THAT IF NOTHING ELSE, YOU TAKE TWO POINTS FROM THIS, UH, PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
ONE IS ABOUT OUR CONSERVATION COMMISSION LIAISON HAVEN HAVEN, COLGATE.
AND I'M GONNA READ SO I DON'T GET TOO EMOTIONAL HAVEN.
COLGATE SHOULD HAVE A SEAT AT ANY TABLE WHERE OFFICIAL DECISIONS ARE MADE REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY, ECO-CONSCIOUS PRACTICES AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION MATTERS.
HAVEN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AND IS INVOLVED WITH MOST, IF NOT ALL VILLAGE INITIATIVES, PROMOTING AWARENESS AND ACTIONS TOWARDS ALL THINGS GREEN.
SHE HAS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS, AND I MEAN COUNTLESS HOURS, I BELIEVE HAVEN HERSELF WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COUNT THE TOTAL HOURS SHE SPENT AND CONTINUES TO SPEND VOLUNTEERING HER TIME, HER KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND HEART, UM, ON IMPROVING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
HERE IN BEAUTIFUL HASTINGS ON HUDSON, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO TALK A LOT.
YOU'LL FIND THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MAYBE YOU'LL FIND THEM IN THIS ROOM.
AT TIMES HAVEN WALKS THE TALK AND GETS DOWN AND DIRTY SOMETIMES, LITERALLY, AS SHE CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE AND FIGHT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES IN THE REAL WORLD.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I HOPE YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THIS MEETING IS OUR MISSION.
THE ZERO WASTE, UH, ADVISORY TASK FORCE MISSION IS TO IDENTIFY WAYS FOR HASTINGS TO REDUCE SOLID WASTE AND TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE RESIDENTS TO EMBRACE PRACTICES IN LINE WITH THAT GOLD.
OUR VISION IS A VILLAGE THAT SENDS A FRACTION OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY SEND TO THE INCINERATOR IN PEAK SKILL AND PROVIDE MEANS TO DO SO.
AND OUR VALUES ARE SUSTAINABILITY, RESPECT FOR STAFF AND MATERIAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCY.
AND OUR ZERO WASTE MEMBERS ARE ALL KIND OF SPREAD OUT IN BEAUTIFUL WAYS THROUGH DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT WE LOVE TO PROMOTE.
SO THE TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT GARAGE IS ONE INITIATIVE.
UM, THE COMPOST, UM, STATION HERE IN HASTINGS IS SOMETHING WE FEEL DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
UM, A BOOK BIN FOR RECYCLING BOOKS CALLED BAYSTATE BOOK COMPANY, A TEXTILE BIN RIGHT NEXT TO THAT BOOK.
UM, A RE-UP, WHICH IS A RESEARCH WE HAVE DONE REGARDING, UM, UH, REUSE OF TAKEOUT CONTAINERS, UM, EDUCATING OUR HASTINGS YOUTH ABOUT ALL THINGS SUSTAINABILITY.
AND THEN TWO SATELLITE INITIATIVES THAT ZERO WASTE, UM, MEMBERS ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN AND DRIVING ARE THE RIVER TOWNS THRIFT AND THE RIVER TOWNS REPAIR CAFE.
THE TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, UM, WAS LAUNCHED IN 2022.
IT STARTED KIND OF BARE, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE.
THIS WAS YEAR ONE RIGHT AFTER OUR LAUNCH, REALLY.
UM, WE STRAP, BOOTED, WHATEVER WE COULD DO.
UH, THIS IS PROBABLY YEAR TWO OR THREE.
YOU CAN SEE THE VOLUME OF GOODS CONTINUES TO COME THROUGH.
AND WE CONTINUE TO SHIFT AND PRIORITIZE BASED ON WHAT COMES THROUGH THE DOORS.
AND THIS IS A VERY NICE AND NEAT IMAGE OF HOW WE ARE TODAY.
[00:25:01]
PRETTY, UH, BUT VERY PHOTOGENIC.WELL, THIS IS OUR OPERATIONS TEAM.
I GUESS WITHOUT THIS GROUP, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN.
THESE PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTEERING ENTIRELY.
THEY'RE GIVING HOURS, COUNTLESS OF HOURS TO SHOW UP AT THIS PLACE.
MANAGE THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE THAT COME AND THE GOODS THAT THEY BRING, THE GOODS THAT GET TAKEN AND, UM, KEEP IT GOING ON A, ON A WEEKLY BASIS WHEN POSSIBLE.
THERE'S, UH, ABOUT 140 PEOPLE THAT FREQUENT OUR GARAGE ON A WEEKLY BASIS WHEN WE'RE OPEN.
UH, AMOUNT OF GOODS DEFINED, GOOD AS, AS A DEBATE FOR A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
BUT THOUSAND ITEMS THAT WE ESTIMATE COME THROUGH THE DOORS ON AN AVERAGE SUNDAY, WHICH AMOUNTS TO MORE THAN 30,000 ITEMS PER YEAR.
OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE REALLY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT, OH, I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU MAYOR FOR POINTING OUT.
WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR FOURTH ANNIVERSARY THIS COMING WEEKEND.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT TEA LE CONTINUES TO OFFER IN THE VILLAGE.
UM, BUT OTHER EQUALLY NOTABLE AND IMPORTANT INITIATIVES THAT THE ZERO WASTE MEMBERS CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN IS, UH, FOOD SCRAPS AND COMPOSTING AS A MEANS TO DIVERT AND REDUCE WASTE IN OUR VILLAGE.
UM, THIS IS AN IMAGE OF A TOUR WE'VE TAKEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO THE, UH, H MUR RF UP IN VALHALLA, WHERE THEY OFFER COMPOST, UH, SERVICES.
WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT BINS THEY USE, HOW THEY CART, WHERE THEY SHIP IT TO.
AND WE BROUGHT ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE BACK TO OUR VILLAGE AND HELPED CONTINUE TO INSTITUTE OUR OWN COMPOST STATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE SIGN CONVEYS THAT LANGUAGE OF WHAT THE DO'S AND DON'TS, HOW TO MANAGE IT.
AND I'M THRILLED TO KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO, IN ADDITION TO OUR LOCAL FOOD SCRAP SOLUTION, A PRIVATELY OWNED COMPANY CALLED HUDSON COMPOST SERVICES THAT OFFERS CURBSIDE SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T MAKE IT DOWN TO OUR DPW YARD.
UM, WE KIND OF TRY AND EDUCATE OUR YOUTH AROUND IT AND INSTILL SOME OF THESE OFFERINGS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, WE RAN A PROGRAM WHERE OUR ZERO WASTE VOLUNTEERS WOULD COME EVERY FRIDAY FOR A SOLID SCHOOL YEAR AND TEACH THE KIDS HOW TO PROCESS THEIR FOOD SCRAPS AND HOW TO DISCARD SUSTAINABLY OF THEIR FOOD, UM, WASTE OF VARIOUS KINDS.
IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE WITH THE SCHOOL IS, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
BUT I THINK THE PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS.
THE BAG REPRESENTS WHAT WAS TOSSED INTO A GARBAGE ON A AVERAGE FRIDAY VERSUS THE DUMPSTER, WHICH IS COMPOSTABLE ITEMS. SO THE VOLUME OF WHAT CAN GET DIVERTED IF WE DO THE RIGHT THING IS VISIBLE AND MEANINGFUL.
UM, OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE HELP PROMOTE IS BRINGING A BOOK RECYCLING BIN TO THE VILLAGE.
IT'S NOT JUST ANY BOOK RECYCLING.
WE KNOW THAT THEY SELL FOR PROFIT TO STAY AFLOAT, BUT WHAT THEY CANNOT SELL, THEY PROPERLY RECYCLE.
THEY SEPARATE BINDING FROM PAPER, FROM GLUE, AND THEY DO THE RIGHT THING.
UM, THIS BIN, AS YOU CAN SEE, FILLS UP QUITE FAST.
IT, UM, GETS CLEARED ONCE A WEEK.
AND IF WE HAD TWO OF THOSE, THEY WOULD BE FILLED.
SAME GOES FOR THIS BIN SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
THESE ARE BOTH LOCATED AT OUR ZINZER COMMUTER LOT ACROSS FROM THE TRAIN STATION.
AND THE TEXTILE IS ANOTHER FANTASTIC COMPANY.
HERE'S A PICTURE OF THEIR FACILITY IN THE BRONX, AND THIS IS US VISITING THEM.
WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE OWNERS OF THESE COMPANIES.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO STAY, YOU KNOW, IN KEEPING WITH OUR VALUES AND OUR CORE GOALS.
AND, UM, AND THEIR INCREDIBLE COMPANIES.
AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD BE VALUABLE FOR OUR VILLAGE TO CONSIDER DEEPENING DOWN ON THESE LOW HANGING FRUITS 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY IN PLACE AND VALUABLE.
AND THEN THE OTHER RELATED INITIATIVES, AS I MENTIONED, THE RIVER TOWNS THRIFT A ZERO WASTE MEMBER IS, UH, PART OF THE SPEARHEADING TEAM OF THIS INCREDIBLE OFFERING THAT OFFERS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ITS SELL PROFITS TO OUR, UH, FOOD PANTRY HERE IN THE VILLAGE.
YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY GET THEIR, UM, HANGERS FROM TEALY.
THEY GET THEIR, YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF SYNERGY BETWEEN THESE OFFERINGS.
HERE'S, UH, THE REPAIR CAFE, WHICH IS ALSO, UM, LED BY A ZERO WASTE MEMBER ELA GELLE WITH VILLAGE OWNED LINDSEY TAYLOR.
AND THEY, UH, OFFER THROUGH OUR COMMU, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, AT LEAST I THINK THREE TO FOUR TIMES A YEAR, LOCAL REPAIR SERVICES, FREE OF CHARGE, ALL VOLUNTEERS TRYING TOR WASTE AND TEACH THE ZERO WASTE WAYS.
UM, BUT WHEN IT'S NOT, UH, RE REUSABLE, THIS IS WHAT RECYCLING LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS A TOUR OF AN IMAGE OF A TOUR WE TOOK TO THE HRF UP IN YONKERS BY THE LEONARDS.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THE, THE, THE BOARD AND ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT HOW OUR WASTE IS MANAGED BEYOND OUR CURB.
TAKE A TOUR TO THESE PLACES, ASK QUESTIONS, SEE HOW IT'S FUNCTIONING.
WE MAKE IT OUR BUSINESS TO VISIT IT FREQUENTLY AS WE CAN, UH, AND BRING AGAIN AND BRING THAT KNOWLEDGE BACK TO THE VILLAGE AND HELP IMPLEMENT IT IN SUSTAINABLE WAYS WHEN POSSIBLE.
THIS IS A WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY.
I BELIEVE OUR VILLAGE MANAGER TOOK THIS PHOTO, I BELIEVE, UM,
[00:30:01]
FASCINATING PROCESS.IT'S A SMELLY, IT'S A SMELLY TOUR, BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SITE.
IT'S REALLY, IT GIVES YOU HOPE,
UM, AND THEN WHEN ALL, WHEN EVEN THAT SOLUTION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, GO AND VISIT OUR PEAK SKILL INCINERATOR.
SEE THIS 40-YEAR-OLD FACILITY, WHAT IT DOES AND HOW IT OPERATES, UH, TO BURN THE REST OF OUR SOLID WASTE.
UM, WE WILL DO OUR BEST IN CONTINUING EDUCATION ABOUT IT.
IT'S A BIG CORE MISSION OF THE ZERO WASTE GROUP.
WE START WITH SMALL, CUTE SIGNS, EDUCATING AND SHOWING HOW WE CAN PARSE OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WASTE AND RECYCLING SOLUTIONS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, THIS IS US ATTENDING SPRING THING.
UM, THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL GAME THAT WE'VE BEEN RECYCLING OURSELVES FOR THE PAST TWO TO THREE YEARS, AND IT'S HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AMONG THE YOUTH.
ON THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER, YOU CAN SEE A TRASH BIN.
TAKE ALL OF THESE ITEMS IN THE TRASH BIN AND PUT THEM IN THE MAGNET ON THOSE SQUARE CUBES.
ACE THIS TEST IN HASTINGS, I'M PLEASED TO SAY.
UM, AND THEN WE DO OUR BEST IN SUPPORTING WITH GRAPHICS DESIGN.
WE WORK WITH THE VILLAGE TO REALLY CREATE, UH, A SLEW OF MATERIALS FOR ALL TO USE USING QR CODES AND WHATEVER RESOURCES, UH, MODERN AGE CALLS FOR, TO REALLY HELP IT MAKE IT VERY ACCESSIBLE AND EASY FOR THOSE WHO WANNA BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN DO BETTER.
UM, SABINA RAHAR IS A ZERO WASTE MEMBER AND SHE'S OFTEN OUR GO-TO PERSON FOR THESE KINDS OF EFFORTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR WEBSITE, UM, HAVEN.
COLGATE CONTINUES TO MANAGE IT.
GILLIAN USED TO BE A HASTINGS ZERO WASTE MEMBER.
I THINK SHE'S IN COLORADO NOW.
UM, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS WEBSITE, WHICH OFFERS A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE CONVEY ONGOINGLY, HAS SYNERGY WITH THE VILLAGE WEBSITE SO THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT IN OUR MESSAGE WITH WHAT THE VILLAGE OFFERS ITS RESIDENTS.
UM, WE HAVE PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT'S AN INSTAGRAM PAGE MANAGED BY A ZERO WASTE MEMBER.
WE ANNOUNCE ALL THINGS VILLAGE WIDE GREEN AND, UH, LOVE TO PROMOTE WHATEVER IS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE ALSO HAVE A MONTHLY COMMUNICATION EMAIL THAT THE VILLAGE SENDS VILLAGE WIDE.
IT'S, UH, MONTHLY TIPS THAT ARE KIND OF IN LINE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE VILLAGE AND HOW CAN YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM A ZERO WASTE OR SUSTAINABLE WAY.
AND WE HAVE GOALS 'CAUSE WE ARE LIKE THAT.
WE REALLY, UM, HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, KEY ASPIRATIONS FOR HOW WE CAN SEE THINGS CONTINUE TO GROW.
OVERALL, I THINK WE REFER BACK TO OUR MISSION, WHICH IS ONCE AGAIN TO IDENTIFY WAYS FOR HASTINGS TO REDUCE SOLID WASTE AND TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE RESIDENTS TO EMBRACE PRACTICES IN LINE WITH THAT GOAL.
TO INSPIRE RESIDENTS, IT HAS TO BE CONVENIENT AND IT HAS TO FEEL LIKE THE NORM.
SO A KEY ASPIRATION WOULD BE A DPW YARD THAT IS STAFFED WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN EDUCATE AND HELP PEOPLE LEARN.
ANOTHER ASPIRATION WOULD BE BINS THAT SELF-EDUCATE PEOPLE WITHOUT SORTING FOR WASTE STREAMS. THIS WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO ACHIEVING OUR GOALS OF, YOU KNOW, LOW WASTE TO ZERO WASTE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO SAY THIS IS WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE ON THE IMAGE.
I'VE, WE PULLED RESOURCES FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND COMMUNITIES WHERE ADDITIONAL ITEMS CAN GET RECYCLED.
UH, UH, PERFECT EXAMPLE HERE IS CURBSIDE BINS.
CURRENTLY OUR BINS ARE OPEN IF IT RAINS ON A, ON PAPER RECYCLE, OR PAPER AND CARDBOARD COLLECTION DAY, ACCORDING TO OUR RECENT, UH, VISIT TO, UH, THE MURPH.
THAT STUFF, ONCE IT REACHES A CERTAIN, UH, VOLUME OF, UM, MOISTURE, IT'S DEEMED WASTE AND NOT RECYCLABLE.
I THINK IT'S A RELATIVELY LOW HANGING FRUIT TO CONSIDER LIDS FOR THOSE BINS SO THAT WHEN WE OFFER THOSE TO NEW COMING VILLAGE MEMBERS OR THOSE WHO NEED ADDITIONAL BINS CAN DO, DO BETTER.
UM, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THE RIGHT IMAGE IS A SCREENSHOT FROM OUR HASTINGS HARDWARE STORE WHERE THEY OFFER TO PARTNER WITH THIS, UM, COMPANY CALLED PAINTCARE THAT OFFERS RECYCLING SOLUTIONS.
WE COULD OFFER THIS AT A LARGER SCALE IN A DPW YARD IF WE, IF WE SO WISH.
YOU KNOW, I'M DREAMING BIG A TEALY WITH A REPAIR CAFE AND A MAKER SPACE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING COMBINED UNDER ONE ROOF WHERE WE CAN OFFER ALL OF THESE RESOURCES.
IT'S DONE ELSEWHERE AND WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE APPETITE TO DO IT HERE TOO.
WE'RE ENERGIZED AND EXCITED BY THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH THE VILLAGE IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND TO LISTEN TO ME AND FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT.
YOU GAVE ME EDUCATION LAST SUNDAY.
APPRECIATE AND TO HAVEN'S LOVE FEST.
UH, BUT NO, SERIOUSLY, LAST SUNDAY, I, NO, SHE DIDN'T KNOW SHE WOULDN'T LET ME.
OH, SHE WAS, SHE NOT, SHE WAS CRINGING AND SHRINKING DOWN INTO THE, THE CHAIR BACK.
I THOUGHT SHE FORCED YOU TO DO THAT.
UH, AND THEN SHE SLIPPED YOU MONEY.
BUT, UM, THE, THE LAST SUNDAY I CAME AFTER WE HAD DONE A MASSIVE SPRING CLEANING EFFORT AND YOU EDUCATED ME, YOU TOOK THE TIME TO SIT AND TALK WITH ME, TOOK SOME ITEMS,
[00:35:01]
BUT THEN TAKE CLEATS TO THE TEXTILE BINS.AND SO, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE JUST THE HELP THAT YOU OFFERED ME IN THAT MOMENT.
AND IT WAS NEAR THE END OF YOUR DAY AND I'M SURE YOU WERE PRETTY TIRED.
YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE DOING AND I APPRECIATE IT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT.
FIRST, UH, ITEM BEYOND THAT, WE'RE NOW
[VI. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2026-2027 BUDGET ]
MOVING ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED BUDGET, OUR 20 26 20 27 BUDGET.DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE TO MAKE COMMENT ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR PROPOSED 26 27 BUDGET? OKAY.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR PROPOSED 26 27 BUDGET? SO MOVED.
[VII. APPOINTMENTS ]
IS AN APPOINTMENT TO OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE.UH, SEAN HARRINGTON OF TWO SOUTHGATE AVENUE AND HASTINGS ON HUDSON, UH, HAS BEEN WIDELY SUPPORTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND ENCOURAGED BY US TO CONSIDER THEM FOR APPOINTMENT TO THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, AND I KNOW EVERYONE'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW, UM, SEAN CARRINGTON'S RESUME, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST ANNOUNCE THAT THEY'VE BEEN NOW APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE AND THANKING THANK THEM FOR VOLUNTEERING, UH, ON ONE OF OUR MANY COMMITTEES HERE IN THE VILLAGE.
MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES,
[VIII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MARCH 17TH, 2026.HOPEFULLY EVERYONE'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT MEETING.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR CHANGES TO BE MADE TO THAT? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT? UH, THOSE MINUTES? WE COULD DO ONE MOTION FOR BOTH.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES BUDGET WORK SESSION AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH MINUTES.
[IX. APPROVAL OF WARRANTS ]
GENERAL FUND AA $574,804 AND 84 CENTS FEDERAL DRUG GRANT CD $1,350 DRAPER FUND, EM $590 AND 95 CENTS POOL FUND, ER $1,717 AND 60 CENTS CAPITAL FUND, HH $40,202 AND 26 CENTS LIBRARY FUND, LL $5,613 AND 58 CENTS BETTERMENT FUND TT $1,302 AND 49 CENTS.PROFESSIONAL ESCROW TT 3040 $3 AND 36 CENTS PAYROLL FUND TT $3,659 AND 18 CENTS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? IS THAT MOVED? SECOND.
[X. ACCEPTANCE OF TREASURER’S REPORT ]
UM, THE TREASURER'S REPORT THAT I PROVIDED JUST THE MONTH, END OF FEBRUARY.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON IT OR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING THE BOARD WOULD LIKE ME TO TALK ABOUT? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TREASURER'S REPORT.
[XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS ]
OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.IS THERE ANYONE HERE? THIS IS OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
NOW, JUST OUR NORMAL ROUND OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IS ANYONE HERE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD IN PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING? PLEASE, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND STATE YOUR ADDRESS.
UH, HI, MY NAME IS LAUREN FINKELSTEIN.
UH, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A SERIOUS CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT THE ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS IN THE VILLAGE, UH, THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES AND SORT OF NATIONWIDE, FRANKLY.
UM, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE RECENT INCIDENT, I GUESS, UH, IN OUR VILLAGE A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UH, THE, THE, THE, THE INCIDENT HERE IN, UH, HASTINGS AND, UH, ARDSLEY.
UM, I, I SAW THE EMAIL, UM, UH, FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE, UH, A MONTH OR SO AGO ABOUT, UH, THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED HERE AND THE, UH, THAT THE PERSON WAS CAUGHT, UM, UH, WITH THE INCIDENT HERE IN OUR VILLAGE.
UM, AND, UH, ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO, UH, UH, TRUSTEE FLEISIG WAS BY MY HOUSE, UM, COLLECTING SIGNATURES, UH, FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND FOR PEOPLE TO GET ON THE BOARD.
UM, WE HAD A QUICK CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND, UH, IT SURPRISED ME ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT THAT YOU WEREN'T AWARE OF THE LETTER FROM THE CHIEF.
I SAID, I THINK YOU SAID YOU WERE AWAY ON VACATION.
YOU WERE GONNA LOOK INTO THAT, UH, AND GET BACK TO ME ABOUT IT.
[00:40:01]
UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU ABOUT IT, SO I DON'T REMEMBER SAYING I WAS GONNA GET BACK TO YOU, BUT I'M SORRY.THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY, IT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT, WELL, YOU'RE MAKING AN ISSUE OUT OF IT.
I DON'T REMEMBER SAYING THAT, BUT PLEASE PROCEED.
UM, AND SO, UM, I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP, UH, TO EVERYBODY HERE.
NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT, UH, UH, TRUSTEE FLEISIG HERE AND THE INTERACTION THAT WE HAD ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO TAKE THESE, UH, THESE, UH, SITUATIONS SERIOUSLY HERE.
RIGHT? UM, I SAW ON THE CHIEF'S, UH, NOTE THAT IT DIDN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
UM, AND I THINK YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT NOT RUINING ANYBODY'S LIFE, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID.
I ALSO THINK THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU HOPE THAT THEY SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF THE PERSON.
I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU SAID.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE BARE MINIMUM, RIGHT? UH, A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I DON'T THINK IS, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO GO TO JAIL FOR SOMETHING.
THIS, I DON'T EVEN, I'M NOT A LAWYER ISN'T RAISED TO THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, BUT CERTAINLY, I DON'T KNOW, VANDALISM, COMMUNITY SERVICE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK CONSEQUENCES NEED TO BE HAD HERE BECAUSE I THINK ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
RIGHT? YOU DO SOMETHING AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME FOLLOW UP AND FOLLOW THROUGH FOR THAT.
UM, AND SO, AGAIN, 'CAUSE THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME KNOWING WHO THAT PERSON IS, I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS.
I DON'T CARE WHO THE PERSON DID IT.
'CAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE MINORS INVOLVED IN IT IN LEY, RIGHT? BUT IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION ABOUT THESE THINGS, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM IN A SERIOUS MANNER, IN A SERIOUS WAY, AND WE JUST LET THEM GO BY THEN THEY WILL CONTINUE TO, TO, TO HAPPEN IN THESE VILLAGES AND IN THESE COUNTIES, IN THIS NATION.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS TAKE IT, SORRY, EXCUSE ME.
AS SERIOUSLY AS I DO, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU, UH, LISTENING TO ME, LISTENING TO ME HERE TODAY AND, AND JUST KNOW THAT I'M, I'M WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AS WELL.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANY OF YOU GUYS ABOUT ANY OF WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT OR CATCH WITH YOU AT ANOTHER TIME.
I I HOPE YOU ALSO SAW THE, THE LETTER THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND I CO-SIGNED TOGETHER, THAT WE SHARED WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CONDEMNING THOSE ACTIONS.
UH, I CAN'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE A BETTER CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE CHIEF.
UH, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DID NOT RECOMMEND, UH, THEY, THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T RAISE TO THE LEVEL OF A CRIME.
SO I THINK IF THEY MADE A, A BASELESS ARREST, UH, BASED ON ADVICE FROM THE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE VILLAGE WOULD BE OPEN TO LITIGATION AT THAT POINT AS WELL.
UH, SO I, I DO AGREE THAT HOPEFULLY THERE IS SOME TYPE OF A LEARNING LESSON THAT COMES FROM THIS.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE ARREST AND PROCEDURES AND EVERYTHING, JUST PLEASE TAKE THAT UP WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
AGAIN, THIS ISN'T ABOUT FINDING OUT WHO THAT PERSON IS OR WHAT IT IS.
THIS IS TO ME ABOUT DRAWING ATTENTION TO IT TO ALL OF YOU.
AND IT WAS IRVINGTON THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND WELL, YEAH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS JUST SOME MEME ACTIVITY AT THE SCHOOLS.
IT WAS JUST IN THE PAPER LAST WEEK.
RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THOSE THINGS.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF IT.
'CAUSE WHEN I HEAR YOU SAY ABOUT ANOTHER TOWN AND, UH, TRUSTEE FLEISIG IS NOT, AND, AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS TALKING ABOUT.
AND, AND TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND NOT AWARE OF IT.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST THINGS THAT JUST, IT NEEDS TO BE AS, JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ZERO WASTE AND JUST AS IMPORTANT AS CONTRACEPTIONS FOR DEER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE FROM THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
[XII. RESOLUTIONS & PROCLAMATION]
RESOLUTIONS.THIS IS GONNA BE LONG
UH, SPRING STREET SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS BE IT RESOLVED THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES AWARD THE WORK FOR SPRING STREET SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT OF PALADINO CONCRETE CREATIONS CORP IN THE AMOUNT OF $394,420 AND AUTHORIZED THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AS NECESSARY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
31 OF 26 AUTHORIZATION TO SOLICIT BIDS FOR SOLAR ARRAY INSTALLATION AT HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY BE RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES AUTHORIZE THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO SOLICIT BIDS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A SOLAR ARRAY AT THE HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A MOTION.
32 OF 26 INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK DECLARATION.
WHEREAS THE AESTHETIC BEAUTY AND WONDER OF A NATURAL NIGHT SKY IS A SHARED HERITAGE OF ALL CREATURES ON PLANET EARTH.
AND WHEREAS THE EXPERIENCE OF STANDING BENEATH A STARRY NIGHT SKY INSPIRES FEELINGS OF WONDER AND AWE ENCOURAGING A GROWING
[00:45:01]
INTEREST IN SCIENCE AND NATURE, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE AND VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.AND WHEREAS LIGHT POLLUTION HAS SCIENTIFICALLY ESTABLISHED ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE ECOLOGY AND HUMAN HEALTH OF ALL COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS 80% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION, INCLUDING MANY PEOPLE IN HASTINGS ON HUDSON, LIVE UNDER A DOME OF LIGHT POLLUTION, EXCESSIVE ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING AT NIGHT THAT DISRUPTS NATURAL DARKNESS AND MAY NEVER EXPERIENCE THE VISUAL WONDER OR ECOLOGICAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF LIVING UNDER A DARK SKY.
AND WHEREAS LIGHT POLLUTION REPRESENTS A WASTE OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AMOUNTING TO ROUGHLY $3 BILLION PER YEAR OF WASTED ENERGY IN THE UNITED STATES AND CONTRIBUTES TO DIMINISHED ENERGY SECURITY.
AND WHEREAS HASTINGS ON HUDSON HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO PROTECTING THE WELLBEING OF WILDLIFE, INCLUDING POLLINATING INSECTS WHICH ARE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY LIGHT POLLUTION.
AND WHEREAS DARK SKY INTERNATIONALS THE GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED AUTHORITY ON LIGHT POLLUTION AND HAS CREATED INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE EFFECTS OF LIGHT POLLUTION, PROVIDE FREE EDUCATION RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS TO THE PUBLIC TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC OUR PROTECTION OF AN ENJOYMENT OF DARK SKIES AND RESPONSIBLE OUTDOOR LIGHTING.
AND WHEREAS THE ORIGINAL 2013 AND THE UPDATED 2025 HASTINGS ON HUDSON GREEN BUILDING CODE REQUIRE THAT ANY APPLICATION THAT COMES BEFORE THE PLANNING BOARD THAT INCLUDES LIGHTING MUST PREVENT LIGHT TRESPASS.
I PRE-WARNED EVERYONE TO EXISTING PROVISIONS REGARDING THE SHIELDING OF EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
THE MAYOR OF AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES DO HEREBY DECLARE APRIL 13TH THROUGH APRIL 20TH, 2026, IS INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON, NEW YORK, AND ASK EACH RESIDENT TO JOIN THEM NOT ONLY IN OBSERVING AND PONDERING UPON THIS IMPORTANT WEEK, BUT ALSO IN RAISING AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR PROTECTING AND OUR PRECIOUS DARK SKY RESOURCES.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
33 OF 26 EARTH DAY DECLARATION, THE GLOBAL, WHEREAS THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY FACES EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGES SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD AND WATER SHORTAGES, AND GLOBAL HEALTH ISSUES.
WHEREAS ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, GENDER, INCOME, OR GEOGRAPHY, HAVE A MORAL RIGHT TO A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.
WHEREAS IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY MUST STEP FORWARD AND TAKE ACTION TO CREATE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE TO COMBAT THE AFOREMENTIONED GLOBAL CHALLENGES.
AND WHEREAS A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT CAN BE ACHIEVED ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL THROUGH EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS, PUBLIC POLICY AND CONSUMER ACTIVISM CAMPAIGNS, AND WHEREAS IT IS NECESSARY TO BROADEN AND DIVERSIFY THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SUCCESS.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES DO HEREBY DECLARE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2026 AS EARTH DAY IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON, AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES IN THE VILLAGE REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY, AND TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO UNDERTAKE SIMILAR ACTIONS.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS RESOLUTION OR DECLARATION? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
WE ARE MOVING INTO EARTH MONTH AND THAT'S WHY THESE ARE OUR ANNUALLY, UH, RECOGNIZED, UH, DECLARATIONS.
34 OF 26 ARBOR DAY DE DECLARATION ON JANUARY 4TH, 1918 72, JAY STERLING MORTON PROPOSED TO THE NEBRASKA BOARD OF AGRICULTURE THAT A SPECIAL DAY BE SET ASIDE FOR THE PLANTING OF TREES.
AND THIS HOLIDAY CALLED ARBOR DAY WAS OBSERVED WITH THE PLANTING OF MORE THAN A MILLION TREES IN NEBRASKA ON APRIL 8TH, 1874.
AND IN 1875 BECAME A LEGAL HOLIDAY IN NEBRASKA.
AND WHEREAS AIDE IS NOW OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE NATION AND THE WORLD, AND WHEREAS TREES REDUCE THE EROSION OF OUR PRECIOUS TOPSOIL BY WIND AND WATER, CUT HEATING AND COOLING COSTS STORE CARBON AND THUS MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE, MODERATE THE TEMPERATURE, CLEAN THE AIR, PRODUCE OXYGEN, AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE.
AND WHEREAS TREES ARE RENEWABLE SOURCE RESOURCE GIVING US PAPER WOOD FOR OUR HOMES, FUEL FOR OUR FIRES, AND COUNTLESS OTHER PRODUCTS.
AND WHEREAS TREES IN OUR VILLAGE INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES, ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF BUSINESS AREAS AND BEAUTIFY OUR COMMUNITY NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON RECOGNIZED AS A TREE CITY USA COMMUNITY BY THE NATIONAL ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION FOR 42 YEARS DESIRES TO CONTINUE ITS PLANTING WAYS AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES DO HEREBY DECLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2026 AS ARBOR DAY IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO CARE FOR OUR TREES AND WOODLANDS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? MAY MAY HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DECLARATION.
35 OF 26 DECLARATION DESIGNATED APRIL AS NATIVE PLANT
[00:50:01]
MONTH IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON.WHEREAS NATIVE PLANTS ARE INDIGENOUS SPECIES THAT HAVE EVOLVED AND OCCUR NATURALLY IN A PARTICULAR REGION, ECOSYSTEM, AND HABITAT.
AND WHEREAS NATIVE PLANTS HELP PREVENT FLOODING, DROUGHT AND EROSION AND CAN HELP RESTORE DAMAGED ECOSYSTEMS AND NATIVE PLANTS PROVIDE SHELTER AS WELL AS NECTAR, POLLEN AND SEEDS THAT SERVE AS FOOD FOR RAPIDLY DECLINING POPULATIONS OF NATIVE BUTTERFLIES, INSECTS, BIRDS, AND OTHER WILDLIFE IN WAYS THAT NON NON-NATIVE PLANTS CANNOT.
AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 200 OF THE NATIVE, NATIVE PLANT SPECIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN LOST SINCE THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY.
AND WHEREAS HABITAT LOSS IN FRAGMENTATION, EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, INVASIVE SPECIES AND HERBICIDE, UH, U USE, HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECLINE OF NATIVE PLANTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS NATIVE PLANTS ARE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS AND OUR NATURAL HERITAGE NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED.
THE MAYOR AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DO DECLARE APRIL, 2025 AS NATIVE PLANT MONTH IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAY HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
UH, I THINK NOW THAT WE'VE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR BUDGET, COULD WE MOVE ON TO APPROVE AND ADOPT OUR BUDGET AND TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 27? YES.
THE BOARD WISHES TO IT CAN IS EVERYBODY IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH APPROVING OUR BUDGET AND TAX RATE FOR 26 27? OKAY.
UH, THIS WOULD BE 36 OF 26, UH, ADOPTION OF BUDGET AND TAX RATE FISCAL YEAR 2026.
THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT THE 26 27 VILLAGE BUDGET AS FOLLOWS, APPROPRIATIONS GENERAL FUND $19,768,067 LIBRARY FUND, $1,165,564 POOL FUND, $550,359 DRAPER FUND, $29,696 FOR A TOTAL OF 21,000,513 AND 68 680 $6.
OUR REVENUE PROPERTY TAX, $13,743,548 STATE AID, $765,319 SALES TAX, $2,300,000 AND OTHER ITEMS, $4,704,819 TOTALING 21,513 $621,513,686.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE ESTABLISHED AT $5 5.1 9 4 4 4 1 PER THOUSAND OF ASSESSED VALUE.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SORRY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST BRING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO VILLAGE MANAGER MURPHY AND TO OUR TREASURER, UH, CONSTANTINE E ON THEIR EFFORTS, UH, ALONG WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, ALL THROUGHOUT OUR VILLAGE, PAID AND VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO HAVE MET, UH, PRIOR TO OUR BUDGET MEETING, UH, FOR THE 26 27 CYCLE AND, AND PUT IN A LOT OF WORK TO, TO, UH, RAISE OR LOWER AREAS OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS.
UH, BUT THEIR EFFORTS RESULTED IN A 2.6% RE REDUCTION OF OUR TAX RATE AND A LEVY LEVY INCREASE OF 1% LOWER THAN OUR PREVIOUS BUDGET CYCLE LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS 4%.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE A LEVY INCREASE OF 3%.
OUR, OUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE WAS INCREASED BY $776,343 IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE, WHICH ALLOWS THE VILLAGE TO MANAGE THE EXPENDITURES REQUIRED FOR THE MANY REIMBURSEMENT GRANTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE, AS WELL AS COST, UH, TO COVER THE COST OF MATCHES IN SOME CASES, CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO BUILDING MANAGER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. TREASURER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK, UM, AND MAKING THIS A VERY SMOOTH PROCESS THIS YEAR.
UH, MOVING ON TO THE TAX WARRANT.
IS EVERYONE ONE OKAY WITH US MOVING ON TO APPROVE THE 26 27 TAX WARRANT AS WELL? YES.
UH, CONSIDER THE TAX WARRANT FOR 20 26, 27, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE TAX WARRANT FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 27.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
MOVING ON TO THE MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE DAY 2026, WHEREAS THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY, MONARCH BUTTERFLY, UH, IS, IS AN ICONIC NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES WHOSE MULTI-GENERATIONAL MIGRATION AND METAMORPHOSIS FROM CATERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.
[00:55:01]
OVER 20 YEARS AGO, MORE THAN 1 BILLION EASTERN MONARCH BUTTERFLIES MIGRATED TO MEXICO.BUT IN THE WINTER OF 2014, ONLY 60 MILLION MADE THE TRIP.
AND WHEREAS VILLAGES, TOWNS, CITIES, AND COUNTIES HAVE A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY TO HELP SAVE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON HAS PLAYED A LEADERSHIP ROLE BY SUPPORTING THE CITIZEN LED HASTINGS POLLINATOR PATHWAY PROJECT AND LAUNCHING THE MUNICIPAL ADOPT A SPOT PROGRAM WHERE IN CITIZENS CAN ADOPT PORTIONS OF VILLAGE PROPERTY TO INSTALL AND NURTURE NATIVE PLANT GARDENS THAT PROVIDE SU SUSTENANCE TO MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND OTHER POLLINATORS.
AND WHEREAS EVERY CITIZEN OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE MONARCH BY PLANTING NATIVE WIL MILKWEED AND NECTAR PLANTS TO PROVIDE HABITAT FOR THE MONARCH AND POLLINATORS IN LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, LEARN, PLAY AND WORSHIP.
AND WHEREAS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON WHO HAVE ALREADY JOINED ME IN CREATING HEALTHY HABITATS FOR THESE MAGNIFICENT BUTTERFLIES, I AM HONORED TO SIGN THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE'S FEDERATION'S MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE.
AND I ENCOURAGE MAYORS ACROSS OUR GREAT NATION TO TAKE A STAND WITH ME SO THAT THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY WILL ONCE AGAIN FLOURISH ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT I THOMAS DRAKE, MAYOR OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 7TH, 2026 MAYOR'S MONARCH PLEDGE DAY IN THE VILLAGE OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SITTING THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
[XIII. VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT ]
VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT.UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, VERY BRIEFLY LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT, UM, WE WILL BE SUBMITTING A, UH, NOMINATE A NOMINATION, UH, TO NOMINATE THE VILLAGE FOR A PLANNING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM THE WESTCHESTER MUNICIPAL, UH, PLANNING FEDERATION.
I'LL WORK WITH OUR, OUR, OUR VILLAGE PLANNER AND VILLAGE ATTORNEY TO GET THAT APPLICATION IN AND, AND HOPEFULLY THE BOARD WILL BE RECOGNIZED FOR ITS GOOD WORK IN, UH, IN THE CREATION OF THE, UM, THE UPDATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF, UH, BRIEFLY, UM, TALK ABOUT THE, UH, VISION STATEMENT AND THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES UNDER THE, EXCUSE ME, THE, UM, STILL FIGHTING THIS SILLY COLD THAT WILL REFUSES TO LEAVE ME, UH, THE URBAN FOREST.
UM, GRANT THAT WE RECENTLY, THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS REALLY OF WRAPPING UP AT THIS POINT, THE INVENTORY HAS BEEN DONE AND THE, THE, UM, THE, UH, MANAGEMENT PLAN IS UNDERWAY AND THIS VISION STATEMENT, I THINK IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER, UH, AS WELL AS THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
SO IF THERE'S ANY, UM, INPUT OR COMMENTS, WE HAVE A DRAFT THAT WAS PREPARED BY, UM, ACTUALLY BY THE PARK SUPERINTENDENT.
AND, UM, I WANTED TO JUST GET YOUR INPUT EITHER TONIGHT OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST SEND ME COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, BY, BY EMAIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHATEVER'S, UH, IN THE BED, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER'S, UH, BEST FOR THE BOARD.
CAN I JUST ASK, UM, SORT OF TAKING ON WHAT GUESS WHAT WAS, UH, FOR THE, UM, SWAT HAS HAVEN, COLGATE OR THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION AND SO FORTH HAD INPUT, DO THEY HAVE INPUT OR THE TREE COMMISSION IN ADDITION? I KNOW CERTAINLY, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION, BUT I JUST WONDERED NO, WE HAVEN'T HAD INPUT FROM ANYBODY ELSE.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SHARE IT WITH THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION FOR THEIR INPUT? IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS PRETTY IMPORTANT AND LIKE, I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMETHING, HAVE SOMEONE LIKE THIS REALLY, UM, SO FOCUSED IS ON THE, ON THE TREES, SO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT SURE.
UM, THE BROADWAY TRAINING CENTER, YOU, YOU MAY RECALL, UH, ALL OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD AT THAT TIME, BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE BROADWAY TRAINING CENTER CAME TO THE VILLAGE, UH, BECAUSE THEY, THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT A RAMP, UM, IN FRONT OF THEIR ENTRYWAY BECAUSE IT'S ON, IT'S ON WASHINGTON AND LOWER WASHINGTON AND IT'S QUITE STEEP AND THEY WANNA PUT A, A HANDICAPPED RAMP IN SO PEOPLE CAN GET, GET INTO THE FACILITY THAT ARE HANDICAPPED.
AND, UM, UH, THEY HAD A, A WHAT I THINK WAS A VERY GOOD PLAN.
THEY GOT, YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO EXTEND QUITE LONG BECAUSE OF THIS STEEPNESS.
UH, AND, AND THEY AGREED THERE HAS TO BE A ONE TREE, UH, ONE TREE THAT'S REMOVED BECAUSE IT'S WHERE THE, UM, BECAUSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THE, THE, ACTUALLY THERE'S
[01:00:01]
NO TREE IN THE TREE PIT NOW, BUT THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THE TREE PIT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO KEEP THAT AREA FLAT FOR REGULAR PASSAGE ON THE SIDEWALK THERE.AND, UM, THEY, THERE IS AN EMPTY TREE PIT DOWN THE STREET, WHICH THEY'VE AGREED TO PLANT A TREE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE BOARD IS, IS STILL, UM, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF, OF, OF THEIR, THEIR PROPOSAL TO PUT A, UM, RAMP ON THE, ON THE SIDEWALK THERE.
IT'S STILL GONNA LEAVE, UH, PLENTY OF ROOM FOR REGULAR SIDEWALK.
THE RAMP ITSELF WILL BE, UM, UH, WITH THE RAMP, WIDTH WITH THE CURB AND HANDRAILS WILL BE 44 INCHES.
AND, UM, THERE'LL BE 30, UH, 36 INCHES OF CLEARANCE FOR RAMP USE.
UM, ON THE SIDE OF THE, UM, THE SIDEWALK, THE SIDE CURRENT ON, IN, ON THE SIDEWALK, THE SIDEWALK ITSELF IS, IS, UH, 10 FEET, FOUR INCHES WIDE.
SO IT LEAVES PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE RAMP AND THE, AND THE, AND THE EXISTING SIDEWALK TOO TO, UH, HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE PASSAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOING INTO THE, INTO THE, UH, BROADWAY, YOU KNOW, THE, INTO THE BUILDING.
I, I WAS TOTALLY CONFUSED BY THE GRAPHICS BECAUSE I, WE DID TALK ABOUT THIS YEARS AGO MM-HMM
AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A DIFFERENT BUSINESS.
THE PICTURES THAT WE HAVE, THAT LOOKS LIKE A, I THOUGHT THE, I THOUGHT THAT THE, THE NEXT BUILDING DOWN WAS THE BROADWAY TRAINING CENTER.
THEY HAVE BOTH STOREFRONTS NOW.
THEY DO HAVE BOTH RIVER, RIVER RUN BOOKS HAD MOVED NORTH, I BELIEVE.
AND THEY TOOK OVER THE LEASE FOR THAT SPACE.
THESE ARE THE, SO THEY CONNECTED THE TWO? YEAH, ACTUALLY I THINK THEY, THEY MIGHT OWN THE BUILDING.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US AT THIS POINT? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD WITH IT.
SO THAT WE CAN LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO AHEAD WITH THE PROCESS.
DO WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY, A TREE? SORRY.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE OFFER OF PLANTING A TREE.
AND THEN DO WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY ON OUR END INSPECTING THE WORK THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO TO FILL IN THE TREE? UM, THE BUILDING, THE BUILD? UH, YEAH.
WE, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UM, WE'VE RECENTLY HAD A STUDY DONE OF VILLARD AND ALSO OF, UH, OF RAVENSDALE IN CONNECTION WITH, UM, TRAFFIC SAFETY THERE.
AND, UM, THE, THE, OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE RECOMMENDED, UH, THAT THERE BE TWO CROSSINGS, UH, INSTALLED, UH, IN, ON THE, ON VILLARD.
ONE BETWEEN CROTON AVENUE AND EUCLID, AND THE OTHER, UH, BETWEEN CROTON AVENUE AND SOUTH CAL CAL AND WITH, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER NECESSARY OR OTHER TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, A DA COMPLIANT RAMPS AND, AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, SO, AND, AND IN ADDITION, WITH REGARD TO RAVENSDALE ROAD AND ROSEDALE AVENUE, THEY, UH, RECOM, THEY SAY THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A FOUR-WAY STOP.
IT DOESN'T MEET THE AWS C, UH, WARRANTS FOR THAT.
UM, UH, THEY DID SAY THAT, UM, THEY RECOMMENDED GEOMETRIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BETTER MANAGE VEHICLE SPEEDS, UM, THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.
AND THOSE POTENTIAL MEASURES COULD INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING CURB EXTENSIONS, BUMP OUTS, TIGHTENING THE CURB, EXCUSE ME, RADAR, UH, AND OR ASSESSING THE FE FEASIBILITY OF A, UH, COMPACT MINI ROUNDABOUT.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE, THE ESSENTIAL, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY'VE MADE.
AND, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING FURTHER INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE ON, ON THESE, UM, IS ON THESE PARTICULAR INTERSECTIONS OR, OR WANT TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS OR ANYTHING.
I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THAT A THOUSAND QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL ONLY ASK ONE.
UM, WHAT WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL, WHAT WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES IF WE WENT AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE, UH, TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND DID WHAT? INSTALLED SIGNS? I'M JUST LIKE, WE DECIDED, WELL, YOU'RE WRONG.
WHAT WOULD BE THE, A FOUR-WAY STOP? YEAH, THE FOUR-WAY STOP AT RAVENSDALE AND ROSEDALE.
WHAT WOULD BE THE, LIKE, WOULD WE BE SUITABLE IF THERE WAS A OKAY.
UM,
UH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD, UM, CERTAINLY IF, IF THERE WERE AN ACCIDENT AT THAT INTERSECTION MM-HMM
WE WOULD BE VERY, VERY VULNERABLE.
SO IT'S ABOUT THE CONS, THE, THE VULNERABILITY OF THE
[01:05:01]
BOARD.UM, IF SOMETHING WERE TO GO WRONG, BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO INSTALL A SAFETY MEASURE, RIGHT.
WE'VE HAD, SO YOU'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT, THAT IF THAT'S NOT A SAFE ALTERNATIVE, AND IT COULD RATE, YOU KNOW, CAUSE PROBLEMS. IT WAS, THAT'S NOT THE WAY I READ THE MEMO, BUT I THINK THAT'S A, MAYBE A SUBTLE DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY, I MEAN, IT'S NOT REC, IT'S NOT SAYING IT WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS. IT'S SAYING IT DOESN'T MEET THE SPEED OR TRAFFIC FLOW.
IT DOESN'T ORION IT DOESN'T MEET.
THERE'S, THERE'S TRAFFIC RULES, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CREATE OR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
AND THOSE TRAFFIC RULES DICTATE WHEN CERTAIN, WHEN CERTAIN THINGS CAN OR SHOULD BE DONE.
AND IN THIS INSTANCE, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VARIOUS, UH, UM, THINGS THAT THEY CONSIDER CRASH EXPERIENCE, SITE DISTANCE TRANSITION TO SIGNAL CONTROL, OR TRANSITION TO YIELD CONTROL AT A CIRCULAR INTERSECTION, EIGHT HOUR VOLUME.
AND OTHER FACTORS, UH, DO NOT, UM, WARRANT THE, THE, UH, ACCORDING TO THAT, NOT SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT STOP SIGNS.
NO, YOU, I UNDERSTAND THAT, ROSE, THE QUESTION IS REALLY ABOUT WHAT IS OUR LIABILITY? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCE? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE QUESTION.
I JUST HAVE TWO COMMENTS ON IT.
THE FIRST WAS, UH, RELATING TO VILLARD.
IT, IT'S, IT'S VILLARD AND CALUMET, NOT CROTON.
ROSEDALE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAILAND WAS CLEAR ABOUT IS THAT THEY HAD ALREADY PERFORMED A STUDY YEARS BEFORE THAT MADE THE SAME CONCLUSION.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS OUT ANY LONGER, BUT WOULD THIS BE WORTH HAVING A SECOND OPINION FROM A DIFFERENT COMPANY? BECAUSE MAYBE THEY WERE ALSO AFRAID TO CHANGE THEIR CONCLUSION FROM SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
UH, AND, AND MAYBE THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE OPENING.
SO IT WAS SAM, IT WAS SAM SCHWARTZ, SAM SCHWART, BUT IT WAS SIMILAR.
BUT THAT WAS THE PREDECESSOR TO COURT WAS THE THAILAND PREDECESSOR.
AND HE HAD SAID THAT IN HIS MEETING WITH US THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FROM SAM SCHWARTZ, THEIR PRIOR FINDING.
SO I DON'T WANT TO PROLONG THIS, BUT I THINK, I MEAN, I KIND OF AM IN THE SAME FEELING AS, AS TRUSTEE ALLGOOD AND WONDER IF, IF WE HAVE A SECOND OPINION ON THIS, UM, I MEAN, WE'RE ABOUT TO REDESIGN RAVENSDALE ROAD.
I PROPOSE THAT WE MAKE THIS PART OF THAT DESIGN EFFORT TO SOLVE THAT INTERSECTION AND KENT, THAT INCIDENT.
AND FOCUS OUR, OUR IMMEDIATE ENERGY ON VILLARD AND MAIN STREET.
IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION, WHERE DO WE STAND ON, UH, A DESIGN FOR RAVENSDALE? UM, WE ARE WAITING FOR CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED CONTRACTS FROM, UM, THE STATE, UH, FOR THE GRANT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
AND WE ALSO, UM, HAVE BEEN, UH, ADVISED THAT WE EXPECT TO ALSO RECEIVE A PARTIAL, SOME ALSO GRANT FUNDING FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY, WHICH I'M AWAITING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION ON.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO OUT TO BID FOR AN ENGINEER.
UM, WELL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ALREADY WITH, UH, YES, I GUESS, UH, DIFFERENT GRANTS HAVE DIFFERENT KIND OF, UM, RULES AND REGULATIONS ABOUT WHO YOU CAN AND CAN'T USE.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN USE AN ENGINEER THAT YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING WITH.
AND I, I HAVE TO REALLY, UH, BONE UP.
I, I'M NOT SURE YET WHAT'S GONNA BE IN THIS CONTRACT IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, RETAIN AN ENGINEER.
WE HAVE MADE COMMITMENTS TO THE RESIDENTS THAT WE'LL BE MEETING WITH RESIDENTS MM-HMM
AND SPEAKING WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND HOW TO ADDRESS THEM.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE A, A LOT OF PROCESS THAT'S GONNA BE NECESSARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, THE RAVENSDALE PROJECT.
CAN I JUST ASK, UH, VILLAGE MANAGER, CAN YOU JUST GIVE A, UM, WHERE, JUST 'CAUSE IT'S PART OF THAILAND WHERE THE MAIN STREET CROSSWALK IS, UM, THE MAIN STREET CROSSWALK.
I AM LOOKING INTO SOME OTHER, UM, UH, POTENTIAL, UH, INFORMATION ON, ON, ON THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO, BUT IT'S STILL, WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH IT? YES.
SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO EXPLORE, UM, UH, WHAT I CAN DO IS I CAN GET BETTER INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT THE GRANT PROCESS AND TIMELINES AND, AND THAT KIND OF INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD SO THAT YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AT THAT WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY.
WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL? I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL ALSO, UH, AN EXPLANATION, NOT JUST OF
[01:10:01]
THE CRITERIA AND WHY IT DOESN'T MEET THE RAVENSDALE, ROSEDALE DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA.FOR SOMETHING THAT EVERY RESIDENT KNOWS IT IS DANGER.
BUT ACTUALLY, WHAT WOULD BE THE HARM THEY NEVER EXPLAINED WHAT WOULD BE THE PROBLEM CAUSED BY PUTTING A FOUR WAY STOP SIGN IN? THEY JUST SAY IT DOESN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OR IT DOESN'T MEET THE STANDARD.
BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE PROBLEM? THE CARS BACK UP.
WOULD THEY CRASHING? YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, WHAT, WHAT WOULD, CAN THEY, I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING IF IT'S ILL-ADVISED VERSUS IT DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA TO EXACTLY.
AND WHY PUT IN WRITING, RIGHT.
PUT THE ENTIRE TOWN AT RISK IF WE PUT STOP SIGNS IN THERE TO TRY TO INCREASE SAFETY, BUT THEY'RE NOT TELLING US WHY, WHY NOT? THEY'RE JUST, THERE'S LIKE, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROBLEM? MM-HMM
THEY NEVER, THEY NEVER EXPLAIN THAT.
THEY JUST SAY, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH CAR, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH CAR ACCIDENTS.
LIKE, THAT'S THE MOST, TO ME, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
IT'S A VALID, VERY VALID QUESTION.
I, I MEAN, I WOULD JUST ALSO LIKE TO GET A BETTER TIMELINE OF, OF THE RAVENSDALE REDESIGN PROJECT MM-HMM
'CAUSE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I PREFER TO WAIT ON.
UH, I MEAN, SO IT WOULD BE MY FEELING THAT I'D LIKE TO GET A SECOND OPINION FROM A DIFFERENT PERSON, A DIFFERENT GROUP, JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY WERE, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, KIND OF MARRIED TO THEIR ORIGINAL REPORT.
UH, AND THEY, THEY WOULD FACE SOME TYPE OF CRITICISM, RELIABILITY BY GOING AWAY FROM THEIR ORIGINAL REPORT.
SO, WELL, ONE, ONE WAY, UM, PERHAPS OF DOING THAT MAYOR, IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE ROSEDALE PROJECT, WHICH IS MUCH, UM, MORE PROGRESSED BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE AN ENGINEER ON BOARD THERE.
AND THIS IS THE INTERSECTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OF ROSEDALE AND RAVENSDALE.
SO MAYBE WE TACK IT, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE IT LOOKED AT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE MET ONCE WITH, WITH THE RESIDENTS OF ROSEDALE AND WE'RE IN THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE.
SO MAYBE WE KIND OF, UH, HAVE IT LOOKED AT BY THEM IN AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL FOR ME? YES.
AND THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL ALL THE RAVENSDALE STUFF COMES TO FRUITION.
WE COULD JUST LOOK AT IT AS PART OF THE, THE ROSEDALE PROJECT.
BUT LET ME GET THIS, I'LL GET THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR EVERYBODY.
I'LL TALK TO OUR ENGINEER WHO'S WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH ON THE, ON THE, UM, ROSEDALE PROJECT AND, UH, REPORT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING TO THE BOARD.
I MEAN, THE OTHER THING THAT I DIDN'T SEE ANY COMMENT ABOUT IN, IN THAT REPORT WAS, I MEAN, SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM THE TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP YEARS AGO, WHICH IS THAT RAVENSDALE NEEDS TO BE RETRIED AS A NARROWER ROAD, AND IT JUST KEEPS GETTING RES STRIPPED AT THE SAME WIDTH.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT RICHARD BASS HAS BROUGHT UP MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
SO, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT BE AN INTERIM SOLUTION IS TO RETRIP IT AND, AND ACTUALLY WORK ON THAT INTERSECTION WITH, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND LIKE A TON OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IF WE'RE GOING TO, IF WE'RE GONNA REBUILD THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE REPORT ALSO IS THAT THE TURN OFF OF, UM, RAVENSDALE ONTO ROSEDALE, WHICH IS A VERY FREQUENTLY USED TURN.
IT'S, IT'S A QUITE A, IT'S KIND OF A, IT'S NOT REALLY A SHARP YEAH.
IT'S MORE LIKE A, AND, AND PEOPLE DO MOVE MORE QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS LIKE, IF YOU GO UP, UM, FARGATE, FARGATE AVENUE, THE PART THAT'S COMES UP TO THE PARKWAY, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE COMING ONTO MM-HMM
THE, THE COUNTY DID A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORK JUST WITH STRIPING THERE TO ACTUALLY RIGHT.
UM, REDUCE THE ANGLES OF THOSE CURVES AND SOME, SOME PYLONS TOO.
SO THAT MIGHT BE AN INTERIM SOLUTION.
I, I ACTUALLY HAVE MADE A NOTE OF THAT BECAUSE, UM, USUALLY WE, YOU KNOW, THE ROAD PAINTING GETS DONE SUMMER, YOU KNOW, SUMMER-ISH.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA TALK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, DPW ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE THEY, THEY'RE USUALLY THE ONES THAT ARE IN TOUCH WITH A LOT OF, GREENBERG DOES A LOT OF OUR STRIPING FOR US.
BUT, UM, IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY HELP.
SO I HAVE A, A LIST OF THINGS.
THAT WILL, THAT WILL THANK YOU UNDERTAKE WITH REGARD TO THIS.
ANY UPDATES ON IT? ANY OTHER PROJECT? UH, LET ME SEE.
UM, UH, NO, THAT WAS, THAT WAS, UH, REALLY THE, THE ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN CONCRETE, WHY IT FEELS LIKE PUSHED
[01:15:01]
TO GET, UM, AT AND T TO COME AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, THEIR STUFF IS THE WAY THEY WANT IT, BECAUSE IT SO COME OFF THE SLEDS, IT'S AT AND T'S STUFF IS STILL ON THE SLED, BUT, UM, WE JUST HAD T-MOBILE HERE TODAY, AND THEY SIGNED OFF ON EVERYTHING.THEIR STUFF IS BACK ON THE PARAPET ALREADY.
AND WE HAVE STARTED TO RESTORE THE INTERIOR OF THE VILLAGE HALL.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE'VE, UM, WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS.
WE, THE CONFERENCE ROOM IS DONE, AND, UH, THE JUDGES CHAMBERS ARE BOTH DONE WINDOWS AND, AND, UH, WALLS.
AND MY OFFICE IS RIGHT NOW A CAVE.
IT'S GOT THOSE, THOSE, UH, WOODEN PANELS OVER THE WINDOWS WHILE THEY REPAIR THE WINDOWS.
AND THEN THIS, THIS ROOM IS OBVIOUSLY NEXT, UH, FOR THE WINDOWS, AND THE WHOLE ROOM WILL BE PAINTED AS WELL.
UM, BUT THERE, YOU, IT'S IN PROGRESS.
IT'S MORE ONLY PAINTED ON ONE HALF.
SO WE'RE MAKING SOME REALLY GOOD PROGRESS.
AND, UH, I THINK THE WHOLE STAFF IS JUST FEELING GOOD ABOUT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST IMPROVING A LOT.
AND, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT JUST A COSMETIC THING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
IT'S, IT WAS A REALLY NECESSARY TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING, BOTH THE WINDOWS, UH, AS WELL AS THE, THE WALLS AND STUFF.
SO, UM, WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, MOVING ON TO BOARD
[XIV. BOARD DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS ]
DISCUSSION AND COMMENTS.UH, THE ONLY THING I HAVE THAT I ADDED THIS EVENING WAS JUST A, A CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON DEER MANAGEMENT.
UM, I APPRECIATE MAYOR SUKY AND TRUSTEE LEMONS, UH, COMING IN THIS EVENING TO PRESENT TO US.
AND I, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID SAY THIS EVENING RESONATED WITH ME, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, WITH TRUST.
FORMER TRUSTEE LEMONS HAD BROUGHT ABOUT, UH, THE, THE POSSIBILITY OF US HAVING TO DO THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, UH, VERSUS WHAT THE, UM, THE VILLAGE OF IRVINGTON AND DOBBS FERRY ARE DOING, WHICH IS A FIVE YEAR, UH, THING ONE, ONE OF THE, OUR PROGRAM, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME, THAT I WASN'T AWARE OF IS THAT, THAT MAYOR SOKI HAD REFERRED TO IT AS A FORMAL EXPERIMENT, UH, OVER THE YEARS.
AND, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT HEARING THAT WITH THIS, UH, POSSIBLE NEXT STAGE THAT WE MIGHT GO TO, UH, AS BEING AN EXPERIMENT.
IT SEEMS PRETTY MORE, IT SEEMS MORE DEFINITIVE TO ME.
SO, I MEAN, I, MY FEELING IS I'D LIKE TO, TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND MAYBE, UH, BRING THE CONSULTANT BACK IN, UH, FOR MAYBE A MORE FORMAL MEETING WITH HIM, UH, BETWEEN THE VILLAGE MANAGER AND THE CONSULTANT.
UH, BUT I'M ALSO OPEN UP TO THE BOARD'S DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
I'M ONLY ONE VOTE HERE, SO I REALLY WANTED JUST TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY IS THINKING AND WHERE WE MIGHT GO BEYOND THIS POINT.
I WOULD AGREE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH TALKING AGAIN WITH THE, UH, CONSULTANT.
UM, I MEAN, I AGREED, I AGREE WITH, UM, WHAT, UH, MAYOR RODSKY AND, UM, TRUSTEE LEMONS HAS TALKED ABOUT MAN, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT, MANAGING VILLAGE, UM, RESIDENTS EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY DEER, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HOW MANY DEER IN A, IN A, WHAT, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT A SEASON, AND, AND WHERE THOSE DEER WOULD, YOU KNOW, WHERE, UM, UH, WE WOULD SEE THE EFFECTS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF KEEP TO, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP IN COMMUNICATION IN THE PROCESS.
UM, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO, TO MEET WITH, WITH THE CONSULTANT, AND, UH, I WAS IMPRESSED, VERY IMPRESSED WITH HIM.
UM, I AGREE WITH MAYOR RUSKY AND TRUSTEE LEMONS THAT, UH, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE AN ONGOING MANAGEMENT PROJECT.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS A, AS A, I THINK IT'S JUST LOOK, GARDENS NEED MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE AND, UM, I, I GUESS THE ONE THING I, I WOULD WANT TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT IS I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE CAN HIT ALL OF THE FIVE CRITERIA THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT.
I MEAN, I THINK ULTIMATELY WE CAN REDUCE LYME DISEASE AND COLLISIONS AND PROPERTY DAMAGE, UH, AND, UH, AND, UH, ACHIEVE SOME FOREST RESTORATION AND, AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THE BOARD IS MAKING AN EFFORT.
UM, BUT THE, THE FOREST RESTORATION, I ALSO AGREE WITH, UH, SOMETHING THAT DAN LEMONS HAD PUT IN WRITING TO US, WHICH IS THAT WE NEED TO GET DOWN CLOSER TO A DENSITY OF 20 DEER PER SQUARE MILE.
AND I, AND I DID DISCUSS THAT WITH A CONSULTANT.
HE IS PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT HE'S ALREADY GOTTEN IRVINGTON, UH, DOWN AND MAYBE DOBBS FERRY.
NO, I THINK IT'S MOSTLY IRVINGTON.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE THE SECOND COUNT ON DOBBS FERRY YET, DOWN TO 30.
SO I PUSHED HIM ON WHETHER WE COULD GET TO 20.
HE'S, HE, HE THINKS HE'S GOTTEN T TOWN DOWN TO 20
[01:20:01]
PER SQUARE MILE, BUT IT'S, IT REALLY IS GONNA REQUIRE AN ONGOING EFFORT.AND, UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF DETAILS THAT HE GOT INTO THAT.
I DON'T THINK HE'S, YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA, UM, ANYWAY, I, I THINK THAT, UM, I, I DO THINK THAT THE, THAT THE VILLAGE MANAGER SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH A, A MORE FORMAL CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
HE NEEDS TO, HE NEEDS TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IN THE VILLAGE LOOKING AT THE AREAS, THE OTHER AREAS THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE POTENTIAL DEER MANAGEMENT AREAS BESIDES HILLSIDE, WOODS.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MISSING ON THE MAP, I THINK IS A POSSIBILITY IS RALLIES BRIDGE TRAIL.
UM, BUT THERE ARE JUST A TON OF PLACES WHERE DEER GO IN, INTO PEOPLE'S YARDS.
AND THAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I DID DISCUSS WITH THEM, IS LIKE, WHAT ARE THE METHODS FOR GETTING THEM OUT OUT OF THERE? AND THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HILLSIDE, SORRY, THAT IRVINGTON IS LOOKING INTO NOW WITH HIM, IT'S LIKE SORT OF THE NEXT STAGE.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO DO THE FIRST STAGE.
AND, AND ON TOP OF IT, JUST THE FACT THAT OUR SISTER VILLAGES ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF, OF DOING THIS.
I THINK THEY'VE, THEY'VE ASKED US TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE, I MEAN, HONESTLY, I THINK WE'RE SEEING MORE DEER RIGHT NOW, PARTIALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING MORE DEER MANAGEMENT TO THE NORTH OF US.
WITH THE OTHER VILLAGES, THOUGH, AS THEY'RE CALLING DOWN TO THEIR TARGET NUMBERS, IS THERE ANY DATA OR TRACKING OF THE REPRODUCTIVE RATE OF THE DEER THAT ARE LEFT AND HOW FAST THAT NUMBER IS GETTING BACK UP? HE, HE HAD SOME OF THAT DATA.
UM, I MEAN, IT'S JUST FOR IRVINGTON, IF HE DOES, IT'S JUST FOR IRVINGTON, IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT EARLY FOR T TOWN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES YOU WANT, I MEAN, YOU WANT TO GET A MORE MATURE DOUGH.
THE YOUNGER FAWNS THAT HAVE ONES THAT WERE JUST FAWNS THE LAST YEAR, THEY MAY ONLY HAVE ONE, ONE, UH, FAWN IN THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT THE MORE MATURE DOUGHS MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE TWO AND POSSIBLY EVEN THREE FAWNS PER YEAR.
SO THE GOAL IS ACTUALLY TO GET THE MORE MATURE DOUGH, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND YES, THEY ARE, THEY'RE MEASURING BOTH THE FULL DEER POPULATION, BUT THEN ALSO THEY'RE COUNTING BETWEEN BUCKS, DOUGH AND FAWNS.
THEY NEED TO COME TO MY HOUSE.
AND THEN YEAH, EXCEPT THEY NEED TO COME TO MY HOUSE, BUT THEY CAN'T HUNT AT YOUR HOUSE.
WELL, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT OR ANY OTHER TOPICS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO BRING UP TONIGHT? OKAY, WE'RE MOVING ON TO UPCOMING EVENTS.
IT'S BOLD AND HIGHLIGHTED, RIGHT? OKAY.
UH, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8TH, RIVER TOWNS THRIFT 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET, THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH, RIVER TOWNS THRIFT 11:00 AM 6:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET, THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH, MEDICARE WITH PAINT AND SIP.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH, RIVERTOWN THRIFT 7:00 AM 6:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET, FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH, FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE.
WORDS ON HUDSON, SIX TO 9:00 PM AT THE JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
9:30 AM TO 1:00 PM ZINZER COMMUTER LOT.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH, RIVER TOWNS THRIFT 11 TO 5:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET, SUNDAY, APRIL 12TH, THE 24TH ANNUAL.
TERRY RYAN MEMORIAL, 5K AND FUN RUN.
11:00 AM HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL.
COCHRANE GYM, UH, THAT WAS RESCHEDULED FROM, FROM EARLIER IN THE YEAR BECAUSE OF WEATHER, I GUESS.
UH, SUNDAY, APRIL 12TH, HASTINGS FLEA MARKET.
10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM ZINZER COMMUTER LOT.
HASTINGS, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT GARAGE.
TILLY CELEBRATING THEIR FOURTH ANNIVERSARY.
11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AT ANDRE ON HUDSON.
UH, SUNDAY, APRIL 12TH, RIVERTOWN THRIFT.
11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET, SUNDAY, APRIL 12TH.
FRIENDS OF THE OLD QUOTE AND AQUEDUCT ANNUAL MEETING, 2:00 PM AT THE HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND SUNDAY, APRIL 12TH VI VILLAGE ARTS COMMISSION OPENING RECEPTION ALAN M. HART.
FOUR 4:00 PM TO 6:00 PM AT THE VILLAGE HALL RIVERTOWN THRIFT.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 11 TO 6:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET.
UH, THEN THURSDAY THE 16TH OF APRIL.
SENIOR THURSDAY, SENIOR DISCOUNTS AND MOVIE, 1:00 PM TO 3:30 PM SCREENING THE GREAT SANTINI HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY ORE ROOM.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH, RIVERTOWN THRIFT 11 TO 6:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET, SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH, HASTINGS REPAIR CAFE 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT THE JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH, RIVERTOWN THRIFT 11:00 AM TO 5:00 PM AT THREE SPRING STREET, SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH.
HASTINGS, TAKE IT OR LEAVE A GARAGE.
11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM AT ANDRES ON HUDSON.
AND THEN SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH, RIVERTOWN THRIFT 11:00 AM TO 2:00 PM THREE SPRING STREET.
[01:25:01]
MOVING ON TO[XV. PUBLIC COMMENTS ]
OUR SECOND ROUND OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.EVENING, DAVE SKOLNIK 47 HILLSIDE.
UH, I WAS LISTENING TO THE, THE MEETING FROM HOME, AND I JUST, UH, WANTED TO, UH, COME TO, UH, OFFER MY APPRECIATION AND SUPPORT FOR THE, UM, COMMENTS THAT THE MAYOR AND TRUSTEE ALLEGO DID, UH, MADE WITH REGARD TO PURSUING FURTHER LOOKING INTO THE, UH, LIMITATIONS OR WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE WITH REGARD TO, UM, UH, RAVENSDALE AND THE IN GENERAL TRAFFIC.
I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THE CONSULTANT COMES BACK SAYING THAT THE RULE SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S NORMALLY THE END OF IT.
I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT IN PURSUING THAT FURTHER.
UH, I WAS APPALLED, MILDLY APPALLED, UH, WHEN I HEARD, UH, TRUSTEE FLEISCH MENTIONED SOMETHING.
IT WAS, I GUESS, COMING FROM THE CONSULTANT ABOUT A, A MINI ROUNDABOUT AS A POSSIBLE CONSULT, UH, AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION.
UM, MY, MY ARM TWITCHED, UM, AT THAT, ON THE OTHER HAND, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRUSTEE FLEISIG RE MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT, UM, ABOUT THE, UH, TRAFFIC COMMITTEE MENTIONED, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO WITH REGARD TO NARROWING, UH, RAVENSDALE.
AND I THINK ANYTIME I HEAR THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION BEFORE, WE HAVE A REAL SERIOUS STUDY, UH, OF THE IDEAS THERE.
I, I GET, I GET NERVOUS THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPINION THAT THERE'S NO BENEFIT, THERE'S A, A NEGATIVE, UH, BENEFIT IF THAT WOULD, EXCUSE ME, WHATEVER THE WORD IS, TO NARROWING THAT ROAD ANY FURTHER.
SO I WANTED TO JUST, UH, UH, MENTION THAT.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE, THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY OTHER THING, THE DOCUMENTATION, IF I, I KEPT ON LOOKING, I MIGHT'VE MISSED IT.
REPORTS UPDATES ON EITHER ROSEDALE OR RAVENSDALE, UM, THAT YOU MIGHT BE GETTING.
AND I REALLY, AGAIN, WILL ENCOURAGE YOU EMPHASIZE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THE INFORMATION BEFORE IT'S BEING PRESENTED, UM, AT A MEETING.
IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US YOUR ADDRESS.
HI, MY NAME IS NATHAN BURKE, UH, A RESIDENT OF FIVE THREE FENRICK ROAD.
UM, I LIVE NEARBY, OH, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR MAKING THIS, UH, A POSSIBILITY.
UH, I LIVE NEARBY THE INTERSECTION OF, UH, ROSEDALE AND RAVENSDALE.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I AM HEARTENED BY THE, UM, BORDER TRUSTEES WILLINGNESS TO REENGAGE WITH, UH, THE, UH, COMPANY DOING THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE SMALL SUGGESTION, UM, WHERE THAT TO HAPPEN IS TO, UH, ACTUALLY ASK THE, UM, PERSON DOING THE STUDY TO TRY AND CROSS RAVENSDALE, UH, DURING A BUSY TIME OF DAY, RATHER THAN JUST PUT UP A, UH, TRAFFIC MONITORING CAMERA OR OTHER PASSIVE NON-HUMAN FLESH IN THE WAY OF A TRAFFIC WAY OF APPRECIATING THE INTERSECTION.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COMPUTER DOING IT AND LOGGING NUMBERS, AND ACTUALLY RUNNING THAT GAME OF CHICKEN WHEN YOU NEED TO CROSS RAVENSDALE.
AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF THAT PERSON COMING FROM GOD KNOWS WHERE IS ACTUALLY GONNA STOP.
THEY'RE SLOWING DOWN, BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING 45.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR, SO HAVE THEM CROSS THE ROAD ONCE, MAYBE TWICE.
UH, MATT CUMMINGS, UH, 33 FENWICK ROAD.
AGAIN, THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PARTICULARLY, UH, TRUSTEE ALL FOR, UM, WORKING WITH US ON THE SAFETY COMMITTEE AS WELL AS, UH, THE MAYOR FOR, UH, AS NATE SAID, BEING WILLING TO, WILLING TO REENGAGE.
YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I HEAR A LOT ABOUT LIABILITY TO, TO TRAFFIC.
YOU KNOW, PART OF ME AS A PARENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN WHO CROSSED THAT ROAD, YOU KNOW, STROLLER OR THE YOUNG CHILD WALKING, IS WHAT'S THE VILLAGE LIABILITY IF SOMEONE WAS HIT BY A CAR AND KILLED DESPITE, YOU KNOW, REPEATEDLY FOR A DECADE, SENDING, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS TO THE BOARD THAT THE, THE, THE INTERSECTION IS FRANKLY UNSAFE.
I MEAN, A BIKER WAS KILLED, UH, A DECADE AGO ON THE ROAD.
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HEARING A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIABILITY.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE LIABILITY IF A, IF A, IF A HUMAN, LET ALONE A CHILD
[01:30:01]
WAS HIT BY A CAR, CROSSING THAT ROAD, UM, IT'S UNSAFE.I CROSS IT EVERY DAY TODAY, DESPITE HAVING A PEDESTRIAN, UH, SIGN THERE.
I WATCH 10 CARS GO BY AT ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR EACH, MANY TRUCKS AS WELL.
NOT STOPPING WHEN I'M THERE WITH A STROLLER READY TO CROSS THE ROAD WITH MY KID.
AND AGAIN, WHEN THEY'RE STARTING TO GO TO HILLSIDE OR MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT, IT, IT REALLY IS SCARY TO THINK ABOUT THAT ROAD.
AND SO I WOULD AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU FOR REEVALUATING, UM, THE, THE REPORT AND INSTEAD OF HEARING AS, AS TRUSTEE ALGA HAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, DOUG, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN INDICATION TO PUT IT IN, BUT FRANKLY, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S A REASON NOT TO.
AND AGAIN, I JUST, AS A, UM, PHYSICIAN MYSELF, I, IT, IT REALLY TERRIFIES ME HAVING KIDS CROSS THAT ROAD AND, AND THEN AS A PARENT AS WELL.
SO I WOULD JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO, TO, TO THINK ABOUT A WAY TO CROSS THAT ROAD SAFELY.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT SAFE.
UM, LAST YEAR, UH, MARCH 25TH, I WAS WALKING DOWN RAVENSDALE ROAD AND I SAW THIS, AND THEN I SAW THE SIGN, I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU IF YOU WANT.
UM, AND IT WAS SHOCKING TO ME.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE EVERYONE'S SAYING, LIKE TO CROSS THAT INTERSECTION, YOU HAVE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU WAIT FOR THE CARS, BUT NOT ALL CARS STOP.
AND SO I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE SAFETY COUNCIL AND IT'S, THAT GOT THE THING, IT BECAME OUR PROJECT.
UM, ELIZABETH FELBER COULDN'T BE HERE.
SHE SAID SHE HAS ISSUES CROSSING THE ROAD.
WE TOOK SIGN, WE GOT PEOPLE TO SIGN A PETITION.
I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 40 SIGNATURES.
UM, SO IT'S VERY UPSETTING TO HEAR THIS ENGINEERING REPORT THAT SOMEHOW IS MISSING THE MARK ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO ADDRESS THE PEDESTRIANS.
AND I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP BY, UH, FEB, UH, JANUARY 5TH, 2026, I WALKED OVER THERE.
'CAUSE THEY REPU THEY PUT THE SIGN UP AGAIN AND LOOK, THIS IS A YEAR LATER.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE'RE PUSHING SO HARD TO GET A FOUR-WAY STOP SIGN.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER OPENING IT UP AGAIN BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T THINK SIGNAGE IS GONNA, YOU KNOW, SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
AND IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE USE THAT.
IT'S A, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT, EAST, WEST TO CROSS, UM, AND NORTH SOUTH TOO.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UM, REEVALUATE.
KATHY SODERSTROM, THREE 40 FARGATE WALKING, RAVENSDALE CROSSING AT THAT INTERSECTION MANY TIMES.
CAN I ASK IF THAT ENGINEER'S REPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE OF US RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT WANNA READ IT, CONSIDERING TWO OF THE TRUSTEES DIDN'T SEEM TO READ IT THE EXACT SAME WAY? UH, YES.
CAN WE TAKE OUR OWN OPINION OUT OF IT?
I'M NORMALLY, I PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE BOARD AND THEN WE CAN POST IT TO THE WEBSITE.
AFTER THAT WE CAN, SO WE'LL GET THAT GO OUT.
I MADE A NOTE TO, TO, UH, TO, TO SEE THAT WE DO THAT TOMORROW.
WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, THERE'LL BE LIKE A KIND OF A, THERE'S KIND OF LIKE A CURRENT EVENTS OR CURRENT THINGS OF INTEREST.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A, A, LIKE A A, IT'S EITHER PEDESTRIAN OR SIDEWALK.
YOU'LL, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU'LL SEE A SECTION THAT SEEMS APPROPRIATE, AND THEN YOU DRILL DOWN AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S, UH, UH, SOMETHING RAVENSDALE IF CAN FIND IT.
AND I, I'LL MAKE EMAIL YOU TO MAKE SURE.
YOU CAN EMAIL ME AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU TOO.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PEOPLE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON LEFT IN THE ROOM THAT HASN'T COMMENTED.
YOU WANT ME TO SAY SO? NO, THANK YOU.
[XVI. ANNOUNCEMENTS ]
ANNOUNCEMENTS.THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING 7:00 PM JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING, 7:30 PM JAMES HARMON COMMUNITY CENTER.
TUESDAY, APRIL 14TH, CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING 8:00 PM HOSTED VIA ZOOM, THURSDAY, APRIL 16TH.
PLANNING BOARD, REGULAR MEETING 7:00 PM VILLAGE HALL.
SAFETY COUNCIL MEETING, 7:00 PM VILLAGE HALL.
MONDAY, APRIL 20TH, HASTINGS VILLAGE ARTS COMMISSION MEETING
[01:35:01]
7:30 PM THE HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY ORE ROOM.AND TUESDAY, APRIL 21ST IS THE NEXT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
REGULAR MEETING, 7:00 PM VILLAGE HALL MEETING ROOM.
UH, I ASK THE BOARD, UH, THIS EVENING TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING AND MEMORY OF RESIDENT JOSEPH COHEN, WHO PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, MARCH 29TH AT THE AGE OF 91 YEARS OLD.
JOE COHEN WAS DUBBED THE MAYOR OF HASTINGS LONG BEFORE ME, AND PROBABLY BEFORE MAYOR ARMCO, RODSKY, AND MAYBE EVEN CANAL.
UM, HE WAS A CLOSE FRIEND AND MAJOR SUPPORTER OF THIS VILLAGE IN OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES.
JOE'S SON, STEWART COHEN, MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY HERE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY ON APRIL 8TH, 2007.
JOE, HIMSELF WAS A SURVIVOR, UH, WAS A PART OF KOREAN WAR NUCLEAR TESTING AT YUCCA FLATS, UH, NEVADA, WHICH RESULTED IN HIM BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A, WITH A RARE FORM OF LEUKEMIA.
AS A RESULT OF THAT TESTING, HE ADVOCATED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER FOR BENEFITS FOR ALL OTHER SOLDIERS WHO WERE SUBJECTED TO SUCH POOR AND DECEPTIVE TREATMENT BY THEIR GOVERNMENT, WHICH HE ACHIEVED.
JOE COHEN MAY HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.