Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Dennis Siry, Deputy Mayor Kevin Smith, Trustee Jessica Bernius, Trustee Whalen, Trustee O’Neill ALSO PRESENT: Village Attorney Bruce Kennedy AFD Chief Rob Waegerle APD Chief Bryan Burton Superintendent Bruce Hopper Building Inspector Bryan Donato Clerk/Treasurer Catherine Murdock Assistant to the Mayor Wendy O’Neill The salute to the flag was led by Chief Bryan Burton. Mayor Siry welcomed everyone to the December 14th Meeting of the Board of Trustees, conducted via Zoom Meeting. He then asked the Trustees to provide November Committee Reports: DPW (Trustee O’Neill): Trustee O’Neill read highlights from the following report: o Carted and disposed of Leaves 94.56 tons, 18.71 tons of debris; 2.58 tons of garbage o Matched the grade and put down asphalt at the rear of the Main Firehouse o Prepared snow removal equipment for the upcoming snow/ice season o Completed the installation of the cooling radiator for the wheel loader #40. o Removed the tree blocking the crash gate in the rear of the Snug Harbor complex, a request from AFD Chief Waegerle. Stump was removed, topsoiled and seeded. o The Village’s fall leaf pickup last week December 1st has been completed. o Working with the company (Bus Patrol) to install signage at various locations for the Suffolk County proposed camera on the swing arm of stopped school buses to enforce passing a stopped school bus violation o Sign repairs and replacements o Completed putting holiday lights on the downtown trees and the virtual tree lighting (12-05- 2020) decorations including gazebo, entrance sign decorations, park decorations o Working on the requirement for the DEC and the DOH of replacing the sump cover for the fuel dispensing system; decided to complete this task in house saving the village $22,000.00. o Started to grind tree stumps throughout the village the rest of this week and will continue into next week. Includes removal of the grindings replacing with top soil and grading o Met with the TOB representatives LiRo group the engineer and discussed a solution to minimize the sand collection at the street end o Streetlight repairs, pole fixture transfers park lighting repairs holiday light repairs and replacements continue at various locations throughout the village o Worked with vendor representative on the installation of the new Village phone system o Picked up and removed trash and garbage including discarded face masks and latex gloves o Completed work with Johnson Electric to repair the broken wires for the west side of Peterkin Park o Meter calibrations and replacement and repairs on going in the commuter lot o Street sweeping ongoing as weather permits o Park leaf cleanup ongoing 1  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 o Cleaned the old generator room in preparation for a storage rack o Closed gate to the fishing pier as the last storm washed away the repair made in the spring. o Flipped a motor vehicle in the firemen’s training area for use in a training session Trustee O’Neill reported that the west jetty at the beach is now closed. He thanked Bruce Hopper for doing a good job in getting the area usable for the summer season but they are looking at what can be done to address the erosion longer term. Amityville Fire Department (Chief Waegerle): Santa visits went well and there were a lot of smiling faces. He congratulated Santa and his crew for making their way around the Village in two days, despite the Covid situation. Mayor Siry thanked the Fire Department for arranging Santa Claus visits which everyone appreciates. He also gave a shout out to the Department and to member Joe LaManna who saw smoke coming out of the Beauty Salon on Broadway and called in a fire before it could spread to the other buildings. It was a job well done. Justice Court (Trustee Bernius): Trustee Bernius gave a report for the month of October which was delayed due to the annual audit being done. Grand total reported to the state $30,294.00 ($20,127.00 Village Justice; $5,427.00 Assoc. Village Justice; $4,740.00 Parking Violations). Penal/Criminal, Vehicle & Traffic, and Village Ordinances: 114 charges processed, 184 charges closed out, $25,554.00 collected in fines and surcharges. Parking: 95 tickets written: 46 tickets collected on; and $4,740.00 collected in fines and surcharges. Because of the increase in Covid-19 cases, on November 16, 2020 it was announced that the commencement of criminal or civil jury trials is prohibited until further notice. All future bench trials and evidentiary hearings in District, County, Supreme and Town and Village Court will be conducted virtually, unless the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge permits otherwise. Senior Center (Trustee Bernius): The Senior Center is open on Wednesdays and a few of the members are coming to watch movies. There can be a total of 10 people including the director, Myra Lee. She noted that Myra does a great job and she continues to reach out to the seniors regularly to check on how they are doing. Amityville Police Department (Deputy Mayor Smith): 4 Arrests (129 for the year), 455 blotters, 41 cases, 84 citations, 65 medical-aided, and 20 traffic accidents. Chief Burton also provided a year- end review with highlights: The APD made over half dozen arrests for burglary in progress; recovered a couple of stolen cars (with occupants); made 4-5 Narcan saves, and one murder arrest. Two Officers of the Year were named: P.O. Eric Kreuder who had two arrests – one for murder and recently, a grand larceny arrest at Security Dodge (subject was caught in the act, stealing tires and rims). The second Officer of the Year, P.O. Will End, had 20 arrests throughout the year, and he recently made an arrest for assault with a knife. Chief Burton stated he is very proud of them and all the officers, especially in this year of Covid-19. Mayor Siry and Deputy Mayor Smith concurred and thanked the APD for their hard work. 2  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Building Department (Deputy Mayor Smith): A report was provided following the meeting. Revenue: $12,223.00; 28 Permits Issued; 53 Inspections Performed; 6 Notices of Violation Issued; 9 Violations Corrected; Fire Marshal performed 17 Fire Safety Inspections and 1 plan review. The Mayor asked the Building Inspector to investigate a dumpster that is sitting on Ocean Avenue and poses a danger, as it has no lights or reflectors. Mr. Donato will look into the matter right away. Village by the Bay apartment complex has been completed and they have received a temporary Certificate of Occupancy. Mayor Siry wished everyone a happy and healthy Christmas and announced that the next meeting will be on a Wednesday, Dec. 30th at 8:15 a.m. It will be a meeting to pay bills and to hire a couple of police officers. Mayor’s Actions: Approve the hire of Megan McGuirk, as a Call-in detention attendant at the hourly rate of $15.30 for days and $20.40 for nights, effective December 15, 2020 MOTION to APPROVE was made by Deputy Mayor Smith and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Hire Lovetta Nixon as a call-in school crossing guard at the hourly rate of $17 effective December 15, 2020. MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Appoint Robert Russo as an alternate member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, effective immediately, for a one-year appointment ending on April 12th. MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays 3  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Accept the retirement of Thomas J. D’Amato, General Foreman, Department of Public Works, effective January 6, 2021. Mayor Siry acknowledged TJ’s 35 years of service and everything he has done for the Village. He also wished him well in his retirement. MOTION to APPROVE (with regrets) was made by Deputy Mayor Smith and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Licenses: Landscaper License (Renewal) Dennis Stein, 146 E. Main St., East Islip, NY 11730 for Skeeter Den’s Mosquito Service, DBA Mosquito Joe Amilcar Estrada, 121 E. Roosevelt Ave. Roosevelt, NY 11575 for Estrada Landscaping MOTION to APPROVE both of the applications above was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Bernius Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays On-Street Parking Courtney Slack, 53 Carleton Ave., Amityville MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Deputy Mayor Smith Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Cabaret License Renewal William Hall for Liam’s Landing, 248 S. Ketcham Ave., Amityville A discussion on previous parking stipulations took place and the Trustees stated they would like to look into the parking situation given there are new owners. 4  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 MOTION to TABLE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Coin Operated Amusement Device License Arely Franco Cardoza, 58 Albany Ave., #103-4, for Shalom Delight, Inc. The Trustees considered the Covid- related issues, as well as input from APD on the owner’s plans for the space. MOTION to DENY was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Tow Truck License Renewal Adam J. Heller for Avanti Automotive LI Inc., 60 Sprague Ave., Amityville Thomas A. Nuss for Bang’s Towing, Inc. 67 Albany Ave., Amityville John T. Lauria for Coastal Collision & Towing, 9 DeForest St., Amityville MOTION to APPROVE the three above applications was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Storage of Trailer Ralph Giglio, 10 Marconi Blvd., Copiague, NY 11726 for R & C Rubbish Removal Inc. MOTION to APPROVE was made by Deputy Mayor Smith and seconded by Trustee Bernius Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays 5  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Deputy Treasurer Request to approve abstract from November 19th – December 9 MOTION to APPROVE was made by Deputy Mayor Smith and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Clerk/Treasurer Request to approve the Village holiday schedule for 2021 MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request to approve a waiver of residency for APD Police Sergeant Justin McElmoyl MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request to pay Verizon for monthly billing account 487168528-00001 invoice 9866057411 in the amount of $5,767.78 as follows: $40.01 (A3620.420) / $72.89 (A5010.420) / $64.89 (A3120.261) / $5,589.99 (A2706) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays 6  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Request from Jordan Hoffman to film an episode of Showtime’s “City on a Hill” in the Village Hall Court Room during a week in January 2021 Trustee Bernius reminded the Trustees that the Courts were recently ordered closed. MOTION to DENY was made by Trustee Bernius and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request from Police Department Request to pay Total Technology Solutions for monthly billing with DATTO in the amount of $3,306.50 (A3120.261) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Deputy Mayor Smith Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request from Fire Department Request to pay SCM Products, Inc. for Invoice #10308 2021 SCM/FRS annual Maintenance Contract in the amount of $8,795.00 (A3410.450) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request to pay Hometown Benefits, Inc. for contribution for LOSAP Budget year 2020-2021 in the amount of $50,000.00 (A9025.800) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Bernius and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays 7  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Request to pay All American Awards Inc. for Invoice #58240, Uniforms for All American Awards in the amount of $5,830.89 (A3410.414) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Deputy Mayor Smith and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request from Department of Public Works Request to carry over five (5) Days of Vacation for Thomas D’Amato and Michael Lee MOTION to APPROVE was made by Deputy Mayor Smith and seconded by Trustee Bernius Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request to pay ADCO for Garbage bags/leaf bags in the amount of $3,474.00 (A8160.442) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Bernius and seconded by Deputy Mayor Smith Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Request to pay Omni Recycling of Babylon for Dumped 62.74 tons in the amount of $4,681.06 (A8160.442) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays 8  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Request to pay SERVPRO of Port Jefferson for Covid-19 Cleaning of Village Hall in the amount of $3,693.75 (A1623.460) MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Resolutions Approve Resolution 20-12-14-01 to adopt Suffolk County Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Bernius and seconded by Trustee Whalen Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Public Hearings Call for a Public Hearing on January 11, 2020 for Introductory Local Law No. 5 of the year 2020 to add Chapter 80 “Filming and Photography” to the Village Code regulating filming and photography for movies, television and commercials in the village. MOTION to APPROVE was made by Trustee Whalen and seconded by Trustee O’Neill Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Good News Deputy Mayor Smith shared the following community news: • Non-perishable food is being collected for drive for Town of Babylon at the Library through Dec. 19th and St. Martins Outreach can use donations of food. • A lottery is being conducted for 12 affordable apartments at Village by the Bay, with applications due on Jan. 4th. • Save the Great South Bay will conduct conservation seminars in cooperation with the Amityville Public Library, starting in January 16 – Bay Friendly Gardens, and Feb.13 on Butterfly Gardens and on March 13th on Rain Barrels. Please check the Village website for dates and information. 9  Board of Trustees Minutes December 14, 2020 Public Commentary Lisa Strollo, 80 New Pointe Pl., voiced her ongoing disapproval of the marina. Many trucks are coming down the street trailering boats to be shrink wrapped and stored. Building Inspector Donato advised that the marina is fighting the Court violations that have been issued and is challenging the Village in Court to determine whether Planning Board approval is necessary. Additional comments were made on the subject by Al Strollo,, 84 New Pointe Pl., Debbie and Jack Magnani, 75 Meadow La., Jean Castaldi, 67 Meadow La., who addressed concerns about the marina’s effect on their quality of life. They discussed the large numbers of boats in storage (50-70), some of which are positioned along the fence line. This has obstructed residents’ views and is seen as a hazard by some. Mayor Siry informed them that there has been no update from the Army Corps (likely due to Covid- 19) and there has not yet been a Court date assigned (due to Covid-related Court closure). The Village will continue to monitor the marina situation and do all they can to serve the needs of the residents and the businesses in the Village. Village Attorney Bruce Kennedy advised we will need to wait for the judge’s ruling in the Court case. Joan Donnison, 150 S. Ketcham Ave., asked if the matter was assigned a docket to which Mr. Donato replied it has not. On another matter, Rizwan Alladin, President of the Ahmadiyyah Movement in Islam Mosque, 64 Union Ave. announced that his congregation would be conducting another food distribution event this Saturday. Mayor Siry thanked him and acknowledged their community service and outreach. MOTION to ADJOURN was made by Trustee O’Neill and seconded by Trustee Bernius Vote on Motion: Mayor Siry aye Deputy Mayor Smith aye Trustee Bernius aye Trustee Whalen aye Trustee O’Neill aye Motion Carried: 5 aye 0 nays Meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m. _________________________________ Catherine C. Murdock Clerk/Treasurer 10