Legislative Meeting

AGENDA VILLAGE OF OSSINING BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING IN PERSON AT Birdsall-Fagan Police Court Facility 86-88 Spring Street Ossining, NY 10562 and VIA ZOOM Members of the public can view the meeting via computer or mobile app: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86385828923 Members of the public can listen to the meeting by dialing in via phone: +1 646 931 3860 Webinar ID: 863 8582 8923 **Please note that by dialing in, your phone number will be visible to the host, participants, and attendees of the meeting.** Wednesday, December 3, 2025 7:30 PM MAYOR Rika Levin BOARD OF TRUSTEES Robert M. Fritsche Omar Lopez Dana White Patrick Yost I. CALL TO ORDER – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – ROLL CALL II. RESOLUTION APPROVING NIKO HERRERA AS POLICE OFFICER RESOLVED, that that Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining hereby appoints Niko Herrera a second year Police Officer in the Village of Ossining effective December 8, 2025 at an annual salary of $90,973 (second year salary); and Be it Further RESOLVED, that this appointment is subject to a probationary period of not less than twelve (12) nor more than fifty-two (52) weeks. III. PUBLIC HEARING IN THE MATTER OF: A. A cable television franchise renewal agreement between the Village of Ossining and Cablevision of Ossining, L.P. Ossining V. Optimum Franchise Renewal Final 2025 IV. MAYOR’S AND TRUSTEES’ ANNOUNCEMENTS V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS A. Village Manager Karen D'Attore B. Corporation Counsel Stuart Kahan C. Police Chief Aaron Zimmerman VI. ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements shall be event related only, shall be no longer than two (2) minutes in length. VII. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS Visitors shall be accorded one (1) four (4) minute opportunity to address the Board on any of the resolutions on the agenda. Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 1 of 10 VIII. VISITOR RECOGNITION Visitors shall be accorded one (1) three-minute opportunity to address the Board on issues not relating to the Agenda, but of relevance to the common good of the Village. IX. VILLAGE BOARD RESOLUTIONS A. Approval of Minutes - November 19, 2025 RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining hereby approves the Minutes of the November 19, 2025 Regular Meeting as presented. Legislative Meeting - Nov 19 2025 - Minutes - Pdf Legislative Meeting - Nov 19 2025 - Minutes - Html B. Approval of Voucher Detail - December 3, 2025 RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining hereby approves the Voucher Detail Report dated December 3, 2025 in the amount of $590,498.10. DOC112625-11262025121429 C. Corporation Counsel-Adoption of Local Law 8-2025, “A Local Law amending Chapter 92 (Building Construction and Fire Prevention Code Administration and Enforcement) of the Village of Ossining Code”. WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining (“Village Board”) has been considering the adoption of proposed Local Law -2025, titled, “A Local Law amending Chapter 92 (Building Construction and Fire Prevention Code Administration and Enforcement) of the Village of Ossining Code”; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was conducted on November 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm at the Birdsall Fagan Police-Court Facility, 86-88 Spring Street, Ossining, New York and via the Zoom platform affording members of the public an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the public hearing was closed on November 19, 2025; and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 617.3(f) of the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) regulations, no determination of significance, environmental impact statement or findings statement is required for Type II actions; and WHEREAS, SEQR regulation 617.5(c) lists Type II actions including: i) routine or continuing agency administration and management, not including new programs or major reordering of priorities that may affect the environment and ii) adoption of regulations, policies, procedures and local legislative decisions in connection with any action on the Type II list; and WHEREAS, the proposed local law is a Type II action requiring no determination of significance pursuant to the SEQR regulations; and WHEREAS, there are no impediments to approving the proposed local law; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining hereby adopts as Local Law 8-2025, A Local Law amending Chapter 92 (Building Construction and Fire Prevention Code Administration and Enforcement) of the Village of Ossining Code; and be it further RESOLVED, that Local Law 8-2025 shall become effective upon filing with the Secretary of State pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law. Chapter 92 (Building construction) (Revision 1) D. Corporation Counsel- Adoption of Local Law 9-2025, “A Local Law amending Chapter 247 (Towing) of the Village of Ossining Code”. WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining (“Village Board”) has been considering the adoption of proposed Local Law -2025, titled, “A Local Law amending Chapter 247 (Towing) of the Village of Ossining Code”; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was conducted on November 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm at the Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 2 of 10  Birdsall Fagan Police-Court Facility, 86-88 Spring Street, Ossining, New York and via the Zoom platform affording members of the public an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the public hearing was closed on November 19, 2025; and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 617.3(f) of the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) regulations, no determination of significance, environmental impact statement or findings statement is required for Type II actions; and WHEREAS, SEQR regulation 617.5(c) lists Type II actions including: i) routine or continuing agency administration and management, not including new programs or major reordering of priorities that may affect the environment and ii) adoption of regulations, policies, procedures and local legislative decisions in connection with any action on the Type II list; and WHEREAS, the proposed local law is a Type II action requiring no determination of significance pursuant to the SEQR regulations; and WHEREAS, there are no impediments to approving the proposed local law; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining hereby adopts as Local Law 9-2025, A Local Law amending Chapter 247 (Towing) of the Village of Ossining Code; and be it further RESOLVED, that Local Law 9-2025 shall become effective upon filing with the Secretary of State pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law. Chapter 247 (Towing) E. Corporation Counsel- Adoption of Local Law 10-2025, “A Local Law amending Chapter 229 (Streets and Sidewalks) of the Village of Ossining Code”. WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining (“Village Board”) has been considering the adoption of proposed Local Law -2025, titled, “A Local Law amending Chapter 229 (Streets and Sidewalks) of the Village of Ossining Code”; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was conducted on November 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm at the Birdsall Fagan Police-Court Facility, 86-88 Spring Street, Ossining, New York and via the Zoom platform affording members of the public an opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the public hearing was closed on November 19, 2025; and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 617.3(f) of the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) regulations, no determination of significance, environmental impact statement or findings statement is required for Type II actions; and WHEREAS, SEQR regulation 617.5(c) lists Type II actions including: i) routine or continuing agency administration and management, not including new programs or major reordering of priorities that may affect the environment and ii) adoption of regulations, policies, procedures and local legislative decisions in connection with any action on the Type II list; and WHEREAS, the proposed local law is a Type II action requiring no determination of significance pursuant to the SEQR regulations; and WHEREAS, there are no impediments to approving the proposed local law; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining hereby adopts as Local Law 10-2025, A Local Law amending Chapter 229 9Streets and Sidewalks) of the Village of Ossining Code; and be it further RESOLVED, that Local Law 10-2025 shall become effective upon filing with the Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 3 of 10  Secretary of State pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law. Chapter 229 (Streets and sidewalks) F. CORPORATION COUNSEL- AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE OF OSSINING TO RENEW A CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH CABLEVISION OF OSSINING L.P. TO OPERATE A CABLE SYSTEM IN THE VILLAGE OF OSSINING WHEREAS, the Village of Ossining (the “Village”) is a “franchising authority” in accordance with Title VI of the Communications Act of 1934, (the “Communications Act”), and is authorized to grant one or more nonexclusive cable television franchises pursuant to Article 11 of the New York Public Service Law, as amended, and Title 16, Chapter VIII, Parts 890.60 through 899, of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York, as amended (collectively the “Cable Laws”); and WHEREAS, the Village, executed a franchise agreement with Cablevision of Ossining L.P. (the “Franchisee”) on April 2, 2014, which was thereafter confirmed and made effective by the New York State Public Service Commission (“Commission”) on May 21, 2015, for a term of ten (10) years (Case No. 15-V-0004), and WHEREAS, said franchise agreement expired on May 21, 2025; and WHEREAS, Franchisee has submitted a proposed franchise renewal agreement (the “Franchise Renewal Agreement”) to continue operating its system within the Village; and WHEREAS, The Village and Franchisee have mutually agreed to the terms of said Franchise Renewal Agreement; and WHEREAS, the Village has determined that the Franchisee is and has been in substantial compliance with all terms/provisions of its existing franchises and applicable law; and WHEREAS, the Village has determined that Franchisee has the requisite legal, technical and financial capabilities to operate a Cable System within the Village and that Franchisee’s proposal for renewal of the franchise meet the cable related needs of the Community; and WHEREAS, a duly noticed Public Hearing, affording an opportunity for all those interested parties within the Village to be heard on the proposed Franchise Renewal Agreement was held before the Village Board of Trustees on December 3, 2025; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Village Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interest of the public to award the Franchise Renewal Agreement to the Franchisee; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Board of Trustees hereby authorizes the Village Manager to enter into the Franchise Renewal Agreement with Cablevision of Ossining L.P., and to execute any other documents necessary to effectuate the granting of the franchise renewal on behalf of the Village of Ossining. G. Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Adoption WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining received from the Town Assessor for the Year 2026, a combined total taxable assessment of real property and special franchise properties of 3,159,247,556; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees received the 2026 Tentative Budget on November 5, 2025 in accordance with Section C4-3 of the Village Charter and has since amended same; and WHEREAS, a Public Hearing on the Tentative Budget was opened and closed on November 19, 2025; and Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 4 of 10  WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees, upon giving further consideration to requests and recommendations of all department heads; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining does hereby adopt the Budget of the Village of Ossining for the Fiscal Year 2026, showing that there be levied and assessed upon the sum of taxable and special franchise properties of the Village of Ossining, as hereinbefore listed, the sum of $26,415,033 to be raised by Real Property Tax Levy, which sum is more completely set forth in the budget for the Village of Ossining; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Tax Rate rounded to the nearest penny and the same hereby is fixed at $8.3612 per thousand dollars of assessed taxable valuation, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Adopted Budget for calendar year 2026 shall include the appropriations and estimated revenues for the General Fund, Water Fund, Sewer Fund, Section 8 Program Fund and Debt Service Fund as modified by the Board of Trustees, as follows: and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees does hereby authorize the Capital Plan for the calendar year 2026 as presented (see attached), subject to follow-up Board resolutions for Capital Projects to implement. 2026 Capital Budget Adopted Budget 12032025 Memo for 2026 Village of Ossining Adopted Budget 12032025 H. Adoption of Changes to Fee Schedule for 2026 – Other than Water and Sewer Fees WHEREAS, the Village’s adopted Financial Goals and Policies requires, in part, the establishment and periodic evaluation of user charges and fees to help reduce reliance on real property taxes, and WHEREAS, at this time Village management has recommended certain changes to the adopted Fee Schedule for 2026, now therefore be it RESOLVED, the Village’s Fee Schedule is hereby amended, effective January 1, 2026, for the following user charges and fees: Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 5 of 10  And be it further RESOLVED, all other user fees in the adopted Fee Schedule for 2026 shall continue in effect until and unless changed by Resolution of the Board of Trustees. I. Adoption of Changes to Fee Schedule for 2026 – Water and Sewer Rents and Fees WHEREAS, the Village’s adopted Financial Goals and Policies requires, in part, the establishment and periodic evaluation of user charges and fees to generate revenue sufficient to support the costs of the Water and Sewer Funds, and Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 6 of 10  WHEREAS, at this time Village management has recommended a 5.0% increase to water and sewer rates in the adopted Fee Schedule for 2026, and for Meter Fees and related Service Connection Charges, now therefore be it RESOLVED, the Village’s Fee Schedule for water and sewer rates and fees is hereby amended, effective January 1, 2026, as follows: J. Finance –Resolution Regarding Unpaid Water and Sewer Charges WHEREAS, the Village Treasurer has presented to the Board of Trustees a statement setting forth the amounts of all delinquent unpaid water and sewer charges in arrears located in the Village limits, including penalties, with the identification of the real property affected, and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 11-1118 of the Village Law such water charges are a lien upon the premises affected thereby, and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 452 of the General Municipal Law such sewer charges are a lien upon the premises affected thereby, now therefore be it Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 7 of 10  RESOLVED, that pursuant to section 11-1118 of the Village Law and section 452 of the General Municipal Law, the unpaid water and sewer charges, plus penalties, as set forth in the submitted statement from the Village Treasurer be, and the same hereby are, levied upon the property in default, and added to the annual tax levy with respect to such property, and be it further RESOLVED, the amounts levied hereby shall be collected and enforced in the same manner and at the same time as may be provided by law for the collection and enforcement of Village taxes. Memo - Relevy of Unpaid Water Sewer Property Cleanup and ETPA Dec 3 2025 resolution K. Finance – Resolution Regarding Unpaid ETPA Charges WHEREAS, by resolution dated September 5, 2018, the Board of Trustees declared that an emergency existed as set forth in the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA); and WHEREAS, by resolution dated February 25, 2019, the Board of Trustees modified the September 5, 2018 resolution so that the ETPA would only apply to buildings completed prior to January 1, 1974 with twenty-one or more units; and WHEREAS, New York Unconsolidated Laws section 8628(b) provides, “The legislative body of any city, town or village acting to impose regulation of residential units pursuant to the provisions of this act may impose on the owner of every building containing housing accommodations subject to such regulation an annual charge for each such accommodation in such amount as it deems necessary for the expenses to be incurred in the administration of such regulation”; and WHEREAS, New York Unconsolidated Laws section 8628(e) provides in part, “the failure to pay the prescribed assessment not to exceed twenty dollars per unit for any accommodation subject to this act…shall constitute a charge due and owing to such city, town or village which has imposed an annual charge for each such housing accommodation pursuant to subdivision b of this section. Any such city, town or village shall be authorized to provide for the enforcement of the collection of such charges by commencing an action or proceeding for the recovery of such fees or by the filing of a lien upon the building and lot. Such methods for the enforcement of the collection of such charges shall be the sole remedy for the enforcement of this section”; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act the annual ETPA stabilization fee is $20.00 per unit; and WHEREAS, the village received from New York State Homes and Community Renewal an invoice for $5,840 based upon a charge of $20.00 per unit with 292 eligible units; and WHEREAS, the Village may assess a surcharge for its administrative costs in connection with the ETPA program; and WHEREAS, by resolution dated September 2, 2020 the Board of Trustees authorized the Village Treasurer to assess a $5.00 per unit surcharge for each of the ETPA eligible units; have the Finance Department send out notices to the owners of the eligible units of the $5.00 surcharge and that payment must be made to the Finance Department by a certain date; and that the aforementioned notice should advise owners of eligible ETPA units that if payment is not timely made, the outstanding amounts shall be added as a lien on the building’s property tax bill; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that pursuant to the September 2, 2020 resolution, the unpaid ETPA charges as set forth in the annexed list are levied upon the listed properties and added to the annual tax levy with respect to such properties; and be it further RESOLVED, the amounts levied hereby shall be collected and enforced in the same manner and at the same time as may be provided by law for the collection and enforcement of village taxes. Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 8 of 10  Memo - Relevy of Unpaid Water Sewer Property Cleanup and ETPA Dec 3 2025 resolution L. Finance- Resolution Regarding Unpaid Cutting and Removal Charges WHEREAS, the Village of Ossining Code (“Code”) section 88-8 provides in part, “It shall be the duty of any owner…or person legally in possession of real property in the Village of Ossining…to cut and remove all grassweeds and rank vegetation at an average height greater than 10 inches and to remove all brush, dead or noxious weeds…within 10 days after notice to cut and remove the same has been served…”; and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 88-10 of the Code, where the owner fails to timely cut and remove the grass, brush, et. al, the Village Manager, “shall direct the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works or a designee thereof to have the grass, weeds or vegetation as detailed in section 88-8 cut and removed from the property”; and WHEREAS, pursuant to section 88-11 of the Code, “within 10 days of the cutting and removal…the Superintendent of the Department of Public Works, or the Building Inspector shall send to the owner…of the real property by certified mail a notice of proposed assessment of costs, detailing the amount and purpose of the proposed assessment for the work performed; the date, time and place the Board of Trustees will meet to hear and determine all objections to the proposed assessment and assess an amount found to be just and reasonable not exceeding in the event of default the amount stated in the notice”; and WHEREAS, section 88-11 further provides, “if the amount so assessed is not paid to the Village Treasurer within 30 days of the Board of Trustees’ determination, an action to recover the amount may be maintained by the Village against the property owner…; a special warrant may be issued as directed by the Board of Trustees; or the amount of the assessment may be included in the next annual tax levy to be collected and enforced in the same manner as property taxes”; now therefore be it… RESOLVED, that pursuant to section 88-11 of the Code, the unpaid fees for cutting and removal as set forth in the attached statement from the Village Treasurer be, and the same hereby are, levied upon the property in default, and added to the annual tax levy with respect to such property, and be it further RESOLVED, the amounts hereby shall be collected and enforced in the same manner and at the same time as may be provided by law for the collection and enforcement of Village Taxes. Hunter Lot LLC Hunter Street Lot 97.07-2-70 420.00 Memo - Relevy of Unpaid Water Sewer Property Cleanup and ETPA Dec 3 2025 resolution X. CONTINUING BUSINESS OF THE BOARD XI. NEW BUSINESS OF THE BOARD A. Village Manager- CivicPlus RESOLVED, that following review by the Corporation Counsel, the Village Manager is authorized to sign two proposals from CivicPlus, 302 South 4th Street, Suite 500, Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 9 of 10  Manhattan, Kansas 66502:  Q-97570-1, Central Starter Agreement migrating the village’s current website to the CivicPlus WebCentral platform and  Q-102224-1, Standard Department Header Page beginning with the Recreation and Parks Department. XII. ADJOURNMENT Legislative Meeting December 3, 2025 Page 10 of 10