Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES September 23, 2019 PRESENT: Mayor Monachino Lapey Trustee Annunziata Trustee Senerchia Trustee Bennett Trustee Cataldi DeLillo Attorney Cornachio Manager Pierpont PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND FIRE SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT Mayor Monachino Lapey led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance and notified those in attendance where the fire exits were located. The Mayor said that she and Trustee Senerchia had the pleasure of attending the 9/11 Memorial ceremony. It was an event sponsored jointly by the Town and the American Legion. Joe Durnin, a past American Legion Commander and Mayor of Pelham, was in charge of running this special event and he did a lovely job. The Mayor said that it was well run and a very thoughtful service. The Mayor asked the Village Manager to give a paving update. Manager Pierpont said that Suez is finished its water main project on Pelhamdale Avenue and Pelhamdale Avenue will be paved this week. Milling will start on Wednesday. There will be no parking on Pelhamdale Avenue on Wednesday and on Thursday there will be no parking and the road will be closed all day. Siwanoy Place and Manor Lane residents need to get their cars out by seven o’clock in the morning on Thursday. They can use Highbrook Avenue or Esplanade. It will probably be a little congested on Esplanade because the teachers from Siwanoy will be parking on that street. Residents will be displaced, but this will allow the Village to get the smoothest surface possible. Thermoplastic markings will be done after the paving and that will take a day or two. Pedestrians will be able to cross at Witherbee if they want pedestrian access during the paving process. The Mayor said that one day of inconvenience will provide the best finished product for that street. She said that residents are welcome to call Village Hall at 738-8820 with questions about the project. She said that a person answers the phone and will be able to help you. The Mayor said that Police Chief Carpenter notified her that the Village won a Silver award from the 2019 Community Traffic Safety Awards Program. She said that the Village is committed to traffic safety and honored by this award. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that procedural issues are being reviewed regarding the e commerce proposal. Trustee Bennett said that from the time Shore Park opens until nine o’clock in the morning dogs are allowed to be off lease as a courtesy. She said that dog owners should be mindful of what their dog is doing and should be sure that they obey their commands. She reminded everyone that this is a people park and everyone should be mindful of the dogs. The Mayor mentioned that that board meetings are posted the day after the meeting and said that she also gives a radio update every Thursday at eight twenty in the morning on station WVOX channel 1460. ------------ MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 The Mayor asked if there were any corrections to the minutes. There were no corrections. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously  RESOLVED, that the minutes from the September 9, 2019 Regular Meeting be and hereby are approved. -------------- REPORTS Fire Commissioner Senerchia discussed the Fire report with Chief Ruggiero. Commissioner Senerchia said it was a fairly routine, but busy, month. He asked about the August 21, 2019 lock in call and was told that a child was locked in the bathroom and the call took about five minutes to get the child out of the room. The Chief discussed a serious incident at Game Stop on Pelham Parkway. A car drove into the store. It went from the front of the store to the back of the store. There were six patients. All went to Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx. One person was pinned under the car and he was removed in about ninety seconds. The man was out, on a back board, and on his way to Jacobi within ninety seconds. The car was inside the store and up against the wall. The Chief said that this was no easy task and he gave kudos to those working that day for the great job they did. Commissioner Senerchia asked about the hazardous situation behind Home Goods. Chief Ruggiero said that Yonkers, who provided mutual aid, was there. He said that they’re the best equipped company to handle this type of incident. They have their own division for Hazardous Materials. He said it’s important to have mutual aid agreements in place for situations like this. Trustee Annunziata mentioned that of the forty- seven incidents in the report, eleven were car accidents which was twenty five percent of the fire department’s calls. They were on the Hutch and I-95. The Mayor and Board thanked the Chief for this report. The Village Treasurer said the that report was for the second month of the fiscal year. He noted that ninety-eight point one percent of taxes have been collected. That is two hundred fifteen thousand dollars under budget. The collection rate is usually ninety-nine point nine percent. He believes the percentage will increase by the end of the fiscal year. The Village Clerk said that the building department was busy. The Village has a new code enforcement officer. His name is Louis DiMeglio. He is fully certified in the state codes. He issued eighty- two notices of violation. The Village Clerk said that Mr. DiMeglio was taking the place of Charles Varone who retired in June. Mayor Monachino Lapey thanked Mr. Varone for his many years of distinguished service. The Mayor thought that this new hire was very prudent because it frees up the Village Manager/Building Inspector to handle some more demanding office duties. Louis DiMeglio is a retired fire chief from the City of New Rochelle. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Fire, Village Treasurer, and Village Clerk reports be and hereby are accepted. --------------- SWEARING IN NEW VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER WALTER O’HANLON The Mayor said that the Village is so fortunate to have a paid force supplemented by a volunteer force. Mayor Monachino Lapey read the bio which said that Walter O’Hanlon is twenty- two years old and is a life-long Village resident. He graduated from Pelham High School and attended Pelham Middle School and Siwanoy Elementary School. He participated in Pack 4 Scouting. He is a Help Desk Technician at Numerix which is global research firm. Walter was voted into the volunteer company on January 7, 2018. He completed the one hundred forty- one hour, Firefighter 1 course in May 2019, and he has been responding to calls in Pelham Manor since the completion of his county training. Mayor Monachino Lapey swore in Walter O’Hanlon. All those in attendance congratulated him. ------------- RESOLUTION TO ADOPT ADJUSTED BASE PROPORTIONS FOR 2019 The Board adopts base proportions annually. In 1998, after reevaluation, the Village used Article l9 of the Real Property Tax Law to adopt the Homestead base proportion option, which is divided into Homestead and Non- Homestead classes. Using this option, the Village is allowed to choose which assessment roll to use once the tax levy is set. The base proportion divides between homestead, which is for single family homes and non- homestead, which is for condos, co-ops and non-residential units, options. This year, using the 2019 Final Assessment roll, the Homestead rate is slightly lower which is in favor of residential homeowners. Mayor Monachino Lapey asked Manager Pierpont which final assessment roll he favored and he recommended using the 2019 Final Assessment roll. The Mayor and Board concurred. The Mayor said that she and the Board are always trying to be mindful of the taxpayers, and the 2019 Final Assessment Roll slightly favors the homeowner. Using 2018 Final Assessment Roll Using 2019 Final Assessment Roll Homestead 80.957008 80.841790 Non-Homestead 19.042992 19.158210 After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Adjusted Base Proportions for 2019 be and hereby are adopted using the 2019 Final Assessment Roll. ------------- REQUEST FROM LOUISE KELLY TO USE PELHAM MANOR STREETS FOR HUGUENOT MEMORIAL CHURCH’S ANNUAL 5K RACE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2019 Louise Kelly, Chair of the Huguenot Memorial Church Fundraising Committee, requested the use of Pelham Manor streets for its annual 5K race on Saturday, November 16, 2019 starting at eight o’clock in the morning. The route would be the same as last year’s route. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that Huguenot Memorial Church be and hereby is granted permission to use Village streets starting at eight o’clock in the morning for its annual 5K race on Saturday, November 16, 2019. ------------ REQUEST FROM CAROLYN FROST TO USE SHORE PARK ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2019 Carolyn Frost, 1370 Pelhamdale Avenue, requested the use of Shore Park on Sunday, October 27, 2019 from two o’clock in the afternoon until four o’clock in the afternoon for the Pelham Newcomers Group for a Halloween party which would include more than two hundred parents and children. The Village Manager said that Shore Park should be able to accommodate this party because no other large groups are scheduled to use the park that day. Trustee Annunziata said that it would be mostly first and second graders and their parents. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that Carolyn Frost be and hereby is granted permission to use Shore Park on Sunday, October 27, 2019 from two o’clock in the afternoon until four o’clock in the afternoon for the Pelham Newcomers Group for a Halloween party. ------------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 26703-26750 After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Mayor be and hereby is authorized to sign abstract of vouchers numbers 26703-26750. -------------- PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Monachino Lapey opened the meeting for public comment. Toby Marxuach Gusciora, 901 Plymouth Street, asked about the status of the monopole, the e- commerce proposal and the status of the Amy Paulin grant. The Mayor said that the Village is waiting for a response from the attorney from Crown Communications. Regarding the e-commerce proposal, there are some procedural issues that have been raised and concepts that are still on the table. She said that there has been communication from the developers. She said that the Village has outside counsel looking at this. Ms. Marxuach Gusciora asked if the trucks were going to take Connor Street to get to the facility. Manager Pierpont said that Connor Street is the route they’re planning to take. That has not changed. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that this site is not zoned for this use. The proposal would have to be a home run for the Village of Pelham Manor and one that we could enforce stringently. Ms. Marxuach Gusciora commented that in the past month there has been a lot more truck traffic on Boston Post Road and she didn’t know why. Trustee Bennett that that is an alternate route when other routes are closed or backed up. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that the funds from Amy Paulin’s office have been earmarked for pedestrian improvements for the Village and we’re proceeding. Trustee Annunziata said that the DOT is not going to tell us when they do the pedestrian count on Boston Post Road. It will be done surreptitiously. Maurice Owen- Michaane, 457 Siwanoy Place, asked about the traffic regulations for Pelhamdale Avenue. Manager Pierpont said that effective seven o’clock Thursday morning there will be no parking or traffic on Pelhamdale Avenue. There will be no parking on Wednesday, but the road will be open. Pelhamdale Avenue will be closed Thursday. No vehicle traffic will be permitted on the road. The entire paving will be done that day. Mr. Owen-Michaane asked when the road would re-open and was told that it would be approximately five o’clock in the evening. Mr. Owen-Michaane read correspondence from Jill Funk, 22 Priory Lane, who was unable to attend the Board meeting. She said that she is the mother of three small children and it is very difficult to navigate Pelhamdale Avenue toward Shore Park with a stroller. She would like to have dips and treads for walkers which they have on Manor Circle. She said the stone curbs are difficult to manage and walking in the road is another challenge. The Mayor asked the Village Manager to explain the paving schedule. Manager Pierpont said that Pelhamdale Avenue is a perfect example. He said when the Village paves across an intersection without dropped curbs or ADA tactile matt, we put them in. The balance of Pelhamdale Avenue is a big, long road. Paving would probably be split over two years like the Esplanade. It is a two step process that will be done within the next three or four years. When that happens, an ADA ramp will be done. That’s how we work it into the process. Many streets do not have dropped curbs, and they don’t have to have them. He said that if went around the Village and did all the curbs, we would have to suspend our paving program for two years. He said that he understood how hard it is to navigate sidewalks with a stroller. He said he has five kids and is not unsympathetic to this concern. Trustee Senerchia spoke about MUTCD ( Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices ) requirements regarding crosswalks. Manager Pierpont said that there are a tremendous amount of requirements if the Village is going to consider a crosswalk. Gianni Magnani, 435 Carol Place, asked if the material being used to pave Pelhamdale was different than what was used on the side streets and he was told there is no difference in paving material. The Village wants to give the material a chance to cool to get the best possible result for that road. ------------- EXECUTIVE SESSION No action was taken in Executive Session. -------------- ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. -------------- Clerk