City Council

City of Mount Vernon, New York 1 ROOSEVELT SQ. RM. 104 CITY HALL, MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK 10550 & VIA FACEBOOK.COM/MOUNTVERNONNY Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, January 8, 2025 7:00 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CITY HALL City Council NICOLE BONILLA, MBA City Clerk JORDAN A. RIULLANO, JD Deputy City Clerk City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF THE MOUNT VERNON CITY COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2025. Scheduled for 7:00 pm in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, Mount Vernon, New York. *** This meeting was held in the City Council Chambers, with virtual participation via ZOOM and CMVNY Facebook. The meeting was not closed to the public.*** PRESIDING: Danielle Browne, President OTHERS: Nicole Bonilla, Deputy City Clerk; Antoinette Anderson, Legislative Aide; Johan Powell, Deputy Corporation Counsel. CALL TO ORDER / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Lead by Deputy Corporation Counsel Johan Powell Council President Danielle Browne called the meeting to order and provided general house-keeping rules, including encouraging citizens to share the meeting on social media and what to do “in case of emergency”. Council President Gleason explained the 3-minute-plus-1 public comment rule. She then asked a Councilperson to lead the council in the Pledge of Allegiance. Council President then proceeded to the Public Speakers session of the evening (listed below as public comment). Page 1 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 PUBLIC COMMENT 7:09 pm Wilma Frank, Mount Vernon, NY Discussed tax burden on homeowners and the elected official raises. Councilman Boxhill - arrived late did not catch the speakers comments Councilman Poteat - spoke on taxes juxtapose with pilots and the lack of economic development for the city. Councilman Gleason - agree with the speaker on not continuing to over tax the taxpayer. Council is partnering with the administration on economic development updates Councilman Thompson - all council members are tax payers, we are not happy with increases either, we work very hard. We all must work together. 7:13 pm Gabriel Thompson, Mount Vernon, NY Over a year since any info on what will be done about me and my neighbors flooding. Also, approval of ezone for low income housing project that will require 10’s of millions of dollars in PILOTS-council is effectively approving PILOTS in advance, whether they want to claim otherwise or not. Councilman Boxhill - residents are due an update and offered speaker to reach out to him directly. Spoke on pilots and low income housing and the saturation of those projects in Mount Vernon and suggested that they should be spread out throughout Westchester. Councilman Poteat - we have to answer to the residence in the community on second avenue and the dilapidated eyesore rodent ridden building. Councilman Gleason - Agree that an update is needed. Contacted Department of Public Works. Councilman Thompson - pilots are not under council, they are under the Industrial Development Agency (IDA). Spoke in past history with business receiving pilots. Do not agree with pilots. Spoke on the hard work that the Council does to do the best of the city. REFERRAL SESSION Roll Call administered by Deputy City Clerk Nicole Bonilla PRESENT: President Danielle Browne Esq., Pro Tempore Edward Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Derrick Thompson, Councilperson Jaevon Boxhill, and Councilperson Cathlin Gleason ABSENT: None REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND ACTION THEREON To the Council: The LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC WORKS Committee recommends for ADOPTION the following entitled legislation: Page 2 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 1. TMP -1046 Code: LPW Attachments: Referral Letter - USCM 93 Winter Meeting.pdf USCM - 93rd winter meeting agenda.pdf Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None 2. TMP -1085 Code: LPW Attachments: Referral Letter - NYCOM Winter Legislative Committee.pdf NYCOM - 2025 Winter Legislative Meeting Agenda.pdf Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None 3. TMP -1116 Code: LPW Attachments: Lease Extension 6 Gramatan.pdf held Page 3 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 4. TMP -1000 Code: HR Attachments: ABICA2025.pdf DPW Response to ABICA Event.pdf FD Response ABICA Food Festival.pdf PD ABICA Response.pdf Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None 5. TMP -1129 Code: PSC Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None 6. TMP -1130 Code: LPW Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None Page 4 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 To the Council: The HUMAN RESOURCES Committee recommends for ADOPTION the following entitled legislation: 7. TMP -1036 Code: HR Attachments: Funfilled summer letter2025.pdf Moved: Councilman Thompson, Seconded by Councilman Poteat On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None 8. TMP -1102 Code: HR Attachments: ALB Yth Conf.pdf 25 YLF Itinerary.pdf Moved: Councilman Thompson, Seconded by Councilman Poteat On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None 9. TMP -1105 Code: HR Attachments: Extended WCHC Referral Letter- SP4OG .pdf Extended WCHC - SP4OG.pdf Moved: Councilman Thompson, Seconded by Councilman Poteat On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Page 5 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 Nay: None Absent: None To the Council: The PUBLIC SAFETY AND CODES Committee recommends for ADOPTION the following entitled legislation: No Items To the Council: The FINANCE AND PLANNING Committee recommends for ADOPTION the following entitled legislation: 10. TMP -1103 Code: FP Attachments: MV East.pdf Moved: Councilman Boxhill, Seconded by Councilman Gleason On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None ADD-ON To the Council: The LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC WORKS Committee recommends for ADOPTION the following entitled legislation: 11. TMP -1133 Code: LPW Attachments: NYCOM Winter Legislative Mtg 2025.pdf Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Page 6 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 Nay: None Absent: None 12. TMP -1141 Code: LPW Attachments: Charter Review Appointments.pdf Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: none. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None To the Council: The FINANCE AND PLANNING Committee recommends for ADOPTION the following entitled legislation: Page 7 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 13. TMP -1142 Code: FP Attachments: COMP2024-17 – List of Delinquent Taxes.pdf Moved: Councilman Gleason, Seconded by Councilman Boxhill On the question: none. Response: Councilman Boxhill: New York State requires that the Council to accept notice and have seven days to decide. Associate Corporation Counsel Powell: Next meeting will be to approve the list. Then comptroller has specific requirements. Councilman Gleason: There's constant question as to what is the next step. ACC Powell: After council approves the list, the comptroller has publishing requirements with New York State, county and internally. List becomes public then the liens can go out. Councilman Poteat: Comptroller sent an email on Christmas eve, they have to put on an Request For Proposals. Councilman Poteat: It will help seniors more Councilman Boxhill: People who have responded to notices are not on the list Councilman Gleason: I had brief conversation with comptroller. I would support another tax amnesty. Council President Browne: Gleason, how many people take advantage of the program? Councilman Gleason: I can work to get a list from the Comptroller. adopted Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None OTHER BUSINESS/CLOSING COMMENTS Motion to Adjourn approved Aye: President Browne, Pro Tempore Poteat, Acting Pro Tempore Thompson, Councilperson Boxhill, and Councilperson Gleason Nay: None Absent: None Page 8 of 9 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 8, 2025 There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:51 pm Jordan Riullano, JD Deputy City Clerk Page 9 of 9