Village Board of Trustees Meeting

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Village of Nyack Board of Trustees Held at Village Hall at 7:30 pm on Thursday, October 23, 2025 Present: Joseph Rand, Mayor Pascale Jean-Gilles, Trustee Donna Lightfoot-Cooper Joseph Carlin, Trustee Nathalie Riobe-Taylor, Trustee Also Present: Andrew Stewart, Village Administrator Dennis Michaels, Village Attorney Linda Donnelly, Village Clerk Meeting called to order at 7:37 pm Pledge of Allegiance Mayor’s Introduction Congratulations to Craig Smith and Elise Stone for organizing a successful fourth annual Phoenix Festival, noting its positive impact on Nyack. Thank you to all those involved in making the event a success. Reminder about the upcoming Halloween festivities, including the parade on Saturday, followed by parties at the Orangetown Firehouse and the Nyack Center for kids. Additionally, there will be a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show near Hezekiah Easter Square around 7:00–7:30 PM. Mayor Rand commended the Chamber of Commerce, especially Bill Batson, for their efforts in coordinating the movie event. Halloween weekend, the Village will assist Upper Nyack by closing North Broadway north of Sixth Avenue to help alleviate traffic issues caused by previous road closures near Tallman. This adjustment will allow drivers to reroute more easily via Sixth Avenue. Mayor Rand acknowledged the passing of former Mayor Terry Hecker, describing her as a remarkable woman and a valued mentor during his early days with the Village. He recognized the Hecker family's longstanding contributions to Nyack and extended condolences on behalf of the Village. A moment of silence was held in her honor. COMMENTS FROM THE VILLAGE BOARD Trustee Jean-Gilles – Reminder to residents that early voting begins on Saturday. Most Nyack voters can vote at any town hall, with Orangetown being the closest. She encouraged everyone to make a plan to vote and to bring a friend. Page 1 of 9 Trustee Lightfoot Cooper – Thank you to the community for supporting a recent fundraiser at the Angel Nyack benefiting displaced families from the Nyack Plaza fire. Special recognition to David and Brienne Budway, Susan Wilmick, and the Angel Board for organizing the event, which raised $14,000 that evening. There will also be a Halloween event at the Angel featuring Phantom of the Opera, a dinner, and live organ music. Trustee Carlin – Shared that he spoke with the Mayor regarding the Depew House on Piermont Avenue. A group called Friends of the Depew House is seeking historic landmark designation for the property. He noted a strong presentation was made at a recent library board meeting and expressed interest in having the group present at an upcoming Village Board meeting. Trustee Riobe-Taylor – Reminder – November 1st is the Legacy Gala at the Nyack Center PRESENTATION Marcy Denker, DRAFT Nyack Climate Adaptation Plan Thorough report presented; encouraged more people to sign up for the Village emergency alert system; Village is still working on completing the MS4 mapping with grant monies; Mayor Rand thanked Marcy Denker and Steve Cea for their leadership in sustainability efforts, crediting them for achieving silver status for the Village and advancing climate initiatives. PUBLIC HEARINGS AMEND §238-4 (PROHIBITED NOISES) AND §238-5 (EXCEPTIONS), OF CHAPTER 238 (NOISE), OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF NYACK, SO AS TO ADD AN EXCEPTION (EXEMPTION), FROM THE PROHIBITION OF GASOLINE-POWERED LEAF BLOWERS, FOR VERY LARGE LOT SIZE PROPERTIES ONLY DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, DAYS OF THE WEEK AND HOURS OF THE DAY Motion by Trustee Jean-Gilles, seconded by Trustee Riobe-Taylor at 8:07 pm to open public hearing on Amending §238-4 (Prohibited Noises) and §238-5 (Exceptions), of Chapter 238 (Noise), of the Code of the Village of Nyack, so as to Add an Exception (Exemption), from the Prohibition of Gasoline-Powered Leaf Blowers, for Very Large Lot Size Properties Only During Certain Times of the Year, Days of the Week and Hours of the Day Mayor Rand invited public and Board comment. Frank Phillips, Atty representing Oak Hill Cemetery – Requested a seasonal exemption from the Village’s gas-powered leaf blower restrictions. He cited safety concerns for visitors, the impracticality of battery- powered equipment on the 50-acre property, and the cemetery’s efforts to reduce noise and emissions. He noted community support and emphasized the cemetery’s historic and economic significance to Nyack. Trustee Carlin – Shared noise mitigation suggestions from a recent cemetery visit, including increased mulching and spreading out blower use to reduce sound impact. He asked if these ideas had been considered. Lewis Kriegel, Groundscare Ltd. – Agreed to implement smaller work groups to reduce noise and confirmed they already use mulching practices, though leaf volume and oak leaf acidity limit effectiveness and damages the lawn. He expressed willingness to expand these efforts. Trustee Carlin – Noted that newer battery-powered blowers offer airflow comparable to gas models and asked what electric blowers are currently in use. Page 2 of 9  Lewis Kriegel, Groundscare Ltd. – Stated they use a Husqvarna commercial battery-powered blower, the newest available model. He noted ongoing improvements in equipment and efforts to source the most effective tools for their needs. Mayor Rand – Suggested narrowing the proposed eight-week exemption for gas-powered leaf blowers to six weeks starting in early October, noting minimal leaf fall in late September and aiming to balance community concerns. Trustee Carlin – Agrees with narrowing the span. Trustee Jean-Gilles – Suggested narrowing the exemption criteria by specifying cemeteries rather than using a minimum acreage requirement. She also asked whether a sunset clause could be added to the law. Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper – Expressed support for finding a compromise on the cemetery exemption, acknowledging she hadn’t considered its unique needs when voting on the ordinance. Attorney Michaels – Stated that a sunset clause is unnecessary, as the law can be amended or repealed anytime as technology evolves. He confirmed that adding a sunset provision is legally possible. Barbara Cohig – Cited Greenwood Cemetery’s successful use of battery-powered leaf blowers on a much larger property, challenged claims about their inefficacy, and highlighted noise and public health benefits. She referenced other municipalities with bans and invited the board to a symposium on sustainable landscaping. John Gromada – Emphasized that effective electric leaf blower technology already exists and is used by cemeteries like Greenwood. He urged the Village not to compromise public health for convenience and suggested finding a landscaper willing to adopt cleaner practices. Henry Rand – Stated that battery-powered commercial leaf blowers are readily available and urged the board to maintain the current ordinance. He added that adopting this technology would benefit landscapers competitively. Beth Riso – Argued that commercial electric leaf blower technology is already available and effective. She spoke on behalf of elderly neighbors disturbed by gas blowers and urged the board to honor their campaign promises to uphold the ban. Camille Barone – Lives near the cemetery, strongly opposed the exemption, citing increased noise since more residents work from home. She warned it could lead to broader misuse and shared past negative experiences with cemetery staff. She urged the Board not to reverse the ban. Lori Donald – Urged the board to uphold the gas-powered leaf blower ban without exceptions, citing health, environmental, and quality-of-life benefits, and emphasized that effective electric alternatives are already available. Mary DeLuise, Oak Hill Cemetery – Acknowledged the existence of electric blower technology but said it’s not yet sufficient for their needs. She requested a seasonal exemption to allow time for a full transition, emphasizing the cemetery’s good faith and commitment to improvement. Trustee Carlin – Supported the gas blower ban but favored a limited exemption for the cemetery due to its unique size and safety needs. He proposed narrowing usage to six weeks in fall and three to four weeks in spring, with a three-year sunset clause and stronger enforcement elsewhere in the village. Trustee Jean-Gilles – Supported narrowing the exemption to cemeteries, limiting it to six weeks in fall and five to six weeks in spring, with a three-year sunset clause, and acknowledged safety concerns. Trustee Carlin – Urged the cemetery to formally commit to exploring cleaner technology and noise mitigation, noting the decision is unpopular and requires mutual accountability from both the village and the cemetery. Suggested sharing the cemetery’s green transition plan with the community. Motion by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper, seconded by Trustee Riobe-Taylor to change the dates to April 1st through May 15th and October 8th through November 21st. Motion Carried. Motion by Trustee Riobe-Taylor, seconded by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper to approve the legislation as amended. Motion Carried. Motion by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper, seconded by Trustee Jean-Gilles to close the public hearing on 10/23/2025 at 9:23 pm. Motion carried. Page 3 of 9 Motion by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper, seconded by Trustee Carlin to set a public hearing for December 11th, 8:00 pm at Village Hall, to add a sunset date of December 31, 2028 to the gas- powered leaf blower exemption. Motion carried. Motion by Trustee Riobe-Taylor, seconded by Trustee Jean-Gilles to move the public hearing from December 11th to December 1st. Motion carried. ADOPTION OF MINUTES – 10/09/2025 On motion of Trustee Carlin, seconded by Trustee Jean-Gilles. The minutes of the meeting held on 10/09/2025 were accepted as presented. ACTION ITEMS RESOLUTION NO. 2025-182 – ACCEPTING AUDITED VOUCHER SUMMARY The following resolution was offered by Trustee Jean-Gilles, seconded by Trustee Riobe-Taylor. WHEREAS, the Audited Voucher Summary was presented to the Nyack Village Board of Trustees at its regularly scheduled meeting of October 23, 2025. RESOLVED, the General Fund Claims set forth on Pages 1 through 10 in the below listed amounts are approved for payment: GENERAL FUND $ 43,778.51 NYACK PARKING AUTHORITY $ 1,065.29 WATER FUND $ 24,281.12 CAPITAL PROJECTS – 2017 Improvements $120,963.00 CAPTIAL PROJECTS – Water $618,898.45 On roll call the vote was as follows: Trustee Jean-Gilles . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Riobe-Taylor . . . . . Yes Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper . . Yes Mayor Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Carlin. . . . . . . . . . . Yes RESOLUTION NO. 2025-183 – APPROVE FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH YMCA FOR SPORTS PROGRAM FOR NYACK YOUTH The following resolution was offered by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper, seconded by Trustee Riobe- Taylor to approve the resolution as amended. Page 4 of 9  RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack approves a funding agreement with the YMCA for a total of $31,500 for the period September 2025 to August 2026, to provide youth basketball scholarships, open-run basketball, kickball (in Memorial Park), as well as aquatics instruction, both swim lessons and life guard employment certification training, at no cost to Nyack youth, contingent on a funding agreement and insurance indemnification acceptable to the Village Attorney. On roll call the vote was as follows: Trustee Jean-Gilles . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Riobe-Taylor . . . . . Yes Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper . . Yes Mayor Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Carlin. . . . . . . . . . . Yes RESOLUTION NO. 2025-184 – APPROVE A PERMIT APPLICATION FROM YMCA TO USE MEMORIAL PARK BASKETBALL COURT FOR OPEN-RUN YOUTH BASKETBALL ACTIVITY THURSDAY EVENINGS, JULY AND AUGUST 2026 The following resolution was offered by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper, seconded by Trustee Jean- Gilles to approve the resolution as amended. RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack approves a permit application from the YMCA for use of the basketball court for open-run youth basketball activity and kickball, Thursday evenings, 4:00 – 8:00 PM, July 2 – August 26, 2026. On roll call the vote was as follows: Trustee Jean-Gilles . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Riobe-Taylor . . . . . Yes Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper . . Yes Mayor Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Carlin. . . . . . . . . . . Yes RESOLUTION NO. 2025-185 – APPROVE A PERMIT APPLICATION FROM SUNRUN INSTALLATION SERVICES FOR PEDDLING LICENSES FOR THREE SALES REPRESENTATIVES The following resolution was offered by Trustee Riobe-Taylor, seconded by Trustee Jean-Gilles. RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack approves the Village Clerk to issue a peddling license to Sunrun Installations Services to canvass Nyack neighborhoods door- to-door to sell residential solar equipment, between the hours of 10 AM and 6 PM, weekdays, for one year, contingent on the satisfaction of all licensing requirements. Page 5 of 9 On roll call the vote was as follows: Trustee Jean-Gilles . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Riobe-Taylor . . . . . Yes Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper . . Yes Mayor Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Carlin. . . . . . . . . . . Yes RESOLUTION NO. 2025-186 – APPROVE A STREET CLOSURE REQUEST FROM VILLAGE OF UPPER NYACK ON N BROADWAY ON HALLOWEEN, OCTOBER 31, 2025 The following resolution was offered by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper, seconded by Trustee Jean- Gilles. RESOLVED, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack approves the closure by Upper Nyack DPW of N Broadway at Sixth Ave, and Tallman Ave at N. Broadway, from 5 PM to 8:30 PM, to allow for pedestrian only use of N Broadway during Halloween “Trick or Treat” activities on October 31, 2025. On roll call the vote was as follows: Trustee Jean-Gilles . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Riobe-Taylor . . . . . Yes Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper . . Yes Mayor Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Carlin. . . . . . . . . . . Yes RESOLUTION NO. 2025-187 – AMEND §238-4 (PROHIBITED NOISES) AND §238-5 (EXCEPTIONS), OF CHAPTER 238 (NOISE), OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF NYACK, SO AS TO ADD AN EXCEPTION (EXEMPTION), FROM THE PROHIBITION OF GASOLINE-POWERED LEAF BLOWERS, FOR VERY LARGE LOT SIZE PROPERTIES ONLY DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, DAYS OF THE WEEK AND HOURS OF THE DAY. The following resolution was offered by Trustee Jean-Gilles, seconded by Trustee Riobe-Taylor. At 8:07 PM, during a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Nyack (“Village”), convened on October 23, 2025 (“Public Hearing date”), the below-described Public Hearing was (i) opened, or (ii) was opened at, and continued from, a prior meeting (or meetings), or (iii) was opened at, continued from, and closed at, a prior meeting (or meetings); and the following Resolution was duly offered and seconded, to wit: Page 6 of 9  WHEREAS, the Village Board of Trustees (“Village Board”) is the duly elected legislative body of the Village and authorized to adopt Local Laws amending the Village Code, including amendments to the provisions embodied in Chapter 238 (Noise) thereto. WHEREAS, the Village Board has published a Notice of Public Hearing in the Journal News, digitally posted said Notice on the Village’s website, and physically posted the Notice on the Village’s official bulletin board, in accordance with NYS Municipal Home Rule Law §20, with regard to proposed text amendments to the Village Code, which amendments are summarized as follows: the proposed Local Law, if adopted by the Village Board, will amend Village Code §238- 4 and §238-5 so as to add an exception (i.e., exemption), from the prohibition against gasoline- powered leaf blowers, for very large lot size properties, and only during certain times of the year, days of the week and hours of the day; which Local Law is appended hereto, made a part hereof and marked as “ATTACHMENT C.” WHEREAS, a copy of the proposed Local Law was provided to the Village Board, in accordance with NYS Municipal Home Rule Law §20. WHEREAS, following compliance with all public notice requirements as mandated by the applicable NYS statute(s) and the Village Code, and distribution of the proposed Local Law to the Village Board as per NYS Municipal Home Rule Law §20(4), on the Public Hearing date the Village Board (i) opened, or (ii) previously opened at a prior meeting, and held open/continued, or (iii) previously opened and held open/continued, and closed, at a prior meeting (or meetings), a Public Hearing on the proposed Local Law. WHEREAS, the Village Board finds, after reviewing the proposed Local Law, and after hearing from affected property owners/managers, Village residents, and business operators in the Village, that these amendments are pragmatically necessary, until such future time that battery- powered leaf blowers are substantially improved and available, so as to enable very large properties to clear their land of fallen leaves and vegetation, which has been very difficult to accomplish with the currently available battery-powered leaf blowers, which amendments are a practical balancing of ameliorating the unavoidable hardships of these property owners, and preserving and protecting the quality of life of Village residents and businesses, and their guests, invitees and customers, and the tourists of the Village (“legislative intents and purposes”). NOW, THEREFORE, based on all of the documentation and information before the Village Board, and the findings and determinations made herein; BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board finds that this Local Law will fulfill its legislative intents and purposes, and that the Village Board hereby adopts the Local Law in the form and substance as appended hereto as “ATTACHMENT C,” and as same may have been amended “by-hand” during the Public Hearing. On roll call the vote was as follows: Trustee Jean-Gilles . . . . . . . Yes Trustee Riobe-Taylor . . . . . Yes Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper . . Yes Mayor Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes Page 7 of 9  Trustee Carlin. . . . . . . . . . . Yes DEPARTMENT REPORTS (based on availability) OPD – Agreed to meet with Trustees in pairs Village Administrator – Reported on efforts to increase participation in the Village’s food waste collection program, highlighting free compost bags at Village Hall, and weekend access at the library. Updated emissions data shows 88,000 lbs. of avoided greenhouse gases. NY Tourism Grant application round is open; North side sidewalk project will resume with paving and restoration work next week. OLD BUSINESS Nyack Rat Control Project The Building Department is inspecting downtown mixed-use buildings to ensure compliance with trash, carding, and pest control requirements. we need to come up solutions for storing containers when not in use. Adaptive Re-Use of School and Religious Properties The Board discussed allowing maximum flexibility for site redevelopment, including new construction and conversion to housing, especially for non-historic buildings. It was suggested that the Village Board serve as the final authority on related permits and that increasing affordable housing requirements be considered as part of the special permit process. Nyack Outdoor Fitness Park Start discussion – How to fund, potential proposal for Parks Commission review. NEW BUSINESS DRAFT Village Board Meeting Calendar Options 2026 – Thursdays 2026 – Tuesdays 2026 – Wednesdays January 8, 22 January 13, 27 January 14, 28 February 12, 26 February 10, 24 February 11, 25 March 12, 26 March 10, 24 March 11, 25 April 9, 23 April 14, 28 April 15, 29 May 14, 28 May 12, 26 May 13, 27 June 11, 25 June 9, 23 June 10, 24 July 30 July 21 July 22 August 27 August 25 August 26 September 10, 24 September 8, 22 September 9, 23 October 8, 22 October 13, 27 October 14, 28 November 12 November 17 November 18 December 7 December 7 December 7 Page 8 of 9  Village Board Meetings will continue with Thursday meeting dates and move time to 7:00 pm. COMMUNICATIONS Terry McGlynn, Lighthouse Swim – donating 4000 each to Nyack Center and Soup Angels, from annual swim across Hudson River. PUBLIC COMMENT Jack Dunnigan – Noise late at night from the Woolworth building. Doors open, exceptionally loud music. ADJOURNMENT Motion offered by Trustee Jean-Gilles, seconded by Trustee Lightfoot-Cooper to adjourn meeting at 10:20 pm. Motion carried. VILLAGE CLERK Page 9 of 9