Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES April 13, 2020 PRESENT: Mayor Monachino Lapey Trustee Annunziata Trustee Senerchia Trustee Bennett Trustee Cataldi DeLillo Manager Pierpont ABSENT: Attorney Cornachio 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. OPENING REMARKS The Mayor welcomed everyone said that the meeting would have a very modified format. She said that the Board, the Village Manager and Deputy Clerk were in attendance. The Village Attorney, whom she always considers essential, was not at the meeting to keep the density down and the Police and Fire Chiefs are not at the meeting in recognition of the public health emergency and the need to limit exposure and minimize risk. The Mayor said that the Board is sitting six feet apart and said that the Board room was sanitized before they entered and it will be cleaned when they leave. She said they were wearing masks when they came into the room, but took them off so they would be able to speak. Mayor Monachino Lapey spoke about losses in the greater community and Pelham and Pelham manor and said that the County Executive does a thorough job of highlighting loss across the County. He highlighted three people, who served their communities, who died as a result of COVID-19. They were Glenn Belitto, a councilman from the Town of Eastchester, Richard Brodsky, who retired after many years as a County and State representative and Billy Sullivan from the Yonkers Police Department who was a right hand man to Mayor Spano. Flags are at half staff at all county facilities for all people in the county who have died as a result of the coronavirus. The Mayor said that while she cannot note every passing in the Village, she had to speak about the loss of Tom Imperato who often attended Village Board meetings. She said he was a personal friend. She said that they met at our children’s early days at Siwanoy school. He was involved in the Pelham Civic Association and the Board of Education. He had not been well for some time. She expressed her sympathy to his wife Theresa and their children Sam and Olivia. The Mayor said that she knew him for almost twenty years and he never had a bad thing to say about anyone. He had a cherubic smile and didn’t miss a trick. She said we will miss him dearly. Trustee Bennett offered her condolences to his family. She said that she worked with him on several projects over the years, and said that he was so smart. Trustee Bennett said that he will be sorely missed. She said that he was a tremendous worker and devoted to all of Pelham. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that she worked with him on the Citizens Nominating Committee and said he was a very bright man. He was extremely articulate. When working with large groups there can sometimes be pettiness. She admired him because he was never petty. He was always the adult in the room. Trustee Annunziata said that Tom Imperato served the whole Town wonderfully. He offered his condolences to his family. Trustee Senerchia said that he knew him for quite some time. He and his family were personal friends. He said that he was one of the most tenacious and successful people in working with the Board of Education and really got things done. He said that he cared about the whole town. He said that our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends and said that he was quite an asset to the Town and he will be sorely missed. Mayor Monachino Lapey gave updates on the coronavirus. She said that there are calls with Westchester County three times a week and calls with New York State officials. There is a call with Senator Gillibrand tomorrow. The Mayor said that people can find our updates in a variety of ways. They can find they on Facebook, Email -blasts, Nixle texts and on 1460 a.m. WVOX radio. She said that people are still answering the phones at Village Hall and you can call 738- 8820. The Mayor said that you can sign up for Nixle alerts by texting 10803 to 888777. The Mayor said that as of this evening the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Pelham Manor is fifty- five. She said that some of those people are beyond the two-week period and have been cleared to discontinue quarantine measures. The Mayor said that there is a gap between the State and our numbers. There is a slight delay. The Governor has real time numbers. There have been five hundred fifty- seven losses of life in Westchester County. She said that the trends are starting to become more positive. There is an eleven percent hospitalization rate. If we stay at this level for the next two weeks, we may have some additional hospital beds and capacity to share with neighboring counties. She said that is a bright light in this gloomy picture. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that she wanted to echo what the Governor has been saying that the reason the plateau is occurring is because of our actions. She said that it is really important to not back down from that and continue doing that. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that a lot of these models are subject to what people do. No matter when restrictions are lifted, and they will be lifted at some point, we have to follow advice, protocol and guidance in place at the time. The Mayor said that Detective Carrol was designated to work with Con Edison for the storm. The Manager said that one large tree limb brought down power lines and having Detective Carrol as a liaison with Con Ed helped. Manager Pierpont said that it appears that the Fairway lease in Pelham Manor is going to continue. Village Supermarkets, which is a third generation family store and part of the Shop Rite Cooperative plans to continue as Fairway and the liquor store will also continue under the Fairway banner. This still has to be approved by the court, but there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of objection. The Mayor said that, in her view, this was the best we could have hoped for. Mayor Monachino Lapey spoke about the best way to proceed with this budgeting process is to not only hold the public hearing open for ten days, but to also put in place some type of mechanism where people can call in and have a dialogue with us and ask questions. Manager Pierpont thought that a conference call could be setup where people can listen and we can answer them. You will then be able to conclude the public hearing on the budget and vote on it. The Mayor said that she wanted to be very clear that we will still answer the questions we received. The best information at this time is to hold the public hearing open until the next board meeting, take oral questions from the community members who call, conclude the budget and then vote on it at that point. ------------- MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 23, 2020 REGULAR MEETING The Mayor asked if there were any comments or corrections to the minutes as distributed. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the minutes from the Regular Meeting on March 23, 2020 be and hereby are approved. ------------ REPORTS Police Commissioner Annunziata said that Police Chief Carpenter was not here tonight and he would give a summary for the month of March. The Police Commissioner said that there were some incidents such as shoplifting, identity fraud an attempted burglary and a domestic dispute. A disturbing incident involved a burglary at an unoccupied home that was severely ransacked and said that is being investigated. He said that so far in April there has been an increase in shoplifting and entering unlocked vehicles. He again reminded people to lock their vehicles. Police Commissioner Annunziata said that our police are remaining on duty and always putting their own health and safety at risk to protect the health and safety of our residents. On behalf of our residents and the Board he offered them a heartfelt thank you. Mayor Monachino Lapey noted that the County Executive has said how significantly more dangerous it is to be a first responder because they have to treat everyone as though they are a COVID-19 positive person. She said that we have had some people who have been apprehended who have spit and been poorly behaved which is of heightened concern during this time. Trustee Senerchia said that he spoke with Chief Carpenter on Saturday and said that the Chief has implemented a plan to call our elderly and senior residents on a weekly basis to basically to check in on them. It is a tremendous attribute to this Chief and department and he should be recognized for that. Fire Commissioner Senerchia spoke about the February and March fire reports. There were thirty- five calls in February. It was a busy month. The Edo fire was knocked down very quickly and it could have been a lot worse. They responded very quickly. There were typical car accidents, wires down and gas leaks. In March there were fifty calls due to COVID, ems lift assists, car fires and mutual aid. There were three brush fires in three different locations. There were unintentional alarms and a number of lift assists. He said that our first responders are treating every call as if it is a COVID positive case. Fire Commissioner Senerchia thanked all first responders. Manager Pierpont said that in March the building permits were about sixty percent of what they were. There were four letters in lieu of a certificate of occupancy issued and said it may be that house sales and refinancing are slowing. The Mayor said that these are summaries of the monthly reports and there will be no motion to adopt at this time. -------------- PROJECT COMMUNITY COLOR RUN – REQUEST POSTPONEMENT FROM MAY 17, 2020 UNITL SEPTEMBER 13, 2020 The Mayor said that request was received from Anne Frost to postpone the Project Community Color Run, which was previously approved by the Board, from Sunday, May 17, 2020 until Sunday, September 13, 2020 from ten o’clock in the morning until approximately noon. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the request to reschedule the Project Community Color Run from May 17, 2020 until September 13, 2020 be and hereby is granted.  ----------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTRACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 27370-27422 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 27370-27422. -------------- EXECUTIVE SESSION After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Board be and hereby is authorized to conduct an Executive Session to discuss the following: Personnel Matter No action was taken in Executive Session. -------------- ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. -------------- Clerk