Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 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 safety exits were located. OPENING REMARKS The Mayor welcomed everyone and said we have a socially distanced small group here this evening. She said that the Governor has continued his suspension of the Open Meetings Law and we are continuing to review that situation and are exploring the option of having some limited number of the public at the next meeting. The Mayor said that we will continue to evaluate the situation. She said that it is our fondest wish to have as many people as possible here with us. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that we don’t love this very austere set up but it is important not only for your safety but our safety. The Mayor was on a conference call with the County Executive this afternoon and he said that we have gone back a little bit in Pelham Manor. There are currently two active confirmed cases of Covid-19 according to the Westchester County portal. One of the cases has met the two-week mark after which the person is not deemed to be active according to the Department of Health, and will hopefully come off the list. The Mayor said that we need to remain mindful that we are still operating under a public health emergency. She mentioned Florida, Arizona and Texas as areas with poorly controlled Covid-19 cases and said that we don’t want to go backward. She reminded people to observe the Governor’s Order and Guidance with respect to social distancing by remaining six feet apart in public and wearing face coverings in public. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that New York has come a long way and we don’t want to go backward. There are thirty active cases in Westchester. There was a spike reported due to the high school graduation in Chappaqua. Twenty-seven cases were associated with that one event. Things can spin out of control very quickly. She asked the Village Manager if he wanted to add anything. Manager Pierpont said that Westchester County has done very well. He said that he monitors the numbers closely, but said that that it can be volatile and everyone has to keep that in mind. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that as we mentioned at our last Board meeting and as we’ve noted in Village communications June was LGBTQ Pride month. She said that we stated on the record and re-affirmed that we are proud to support all members of our community and recognized that certain groups have faced challenges. The Mayor said that we acknowledge progress and achievement often at our Board meetings. She said that we did have a request to fly a flag at Village Hall during Pride month. Specifically, it was an LGBTQ flag. The Mayor said that we looked into this matter internally and with outside counsel. She said that we have a policy that predates my arrival here and this Board’s service. The Village does not display symbols such as flags, insignias or emblems other than the official ones of the Village of Pelham Manor or the United States. She said that this stems from a desire not to pit neighbor against neighbor or put the Village in the position of having to decide which symbols merit Village endorsement. She said that we support everyone. We are respectful of everyone and we certainly stand with stakeholders who have met challenges along the way. The Mayor said that we did take the opportunity to review this approach with our outside advisors. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that we have had requests from other stakeholder groups including what some would consider very worthy not for profit organizations and advocacy groups and we have applied this policy even handedly across the board over the years. She said that she was confident that we support everyone equally and we are here for each and every individual every day of the week. She asked the Board members if they wanted to add any additional thoughts. Trustee Senerchia said that the Mayor laid it out very well. He said that there have been other requests from other organizations for flying a flag or placing an insignia and we’ve taken them all into consideration. This is our policy and he said that he thought the Mayor covered it well. The Mayor said that Trustee Bennett has had some inquiries from residents about what our Village approach is to pedestrians and walking in the street. Trustee Bennett said that she wanted to say a few words about safety. She said that she was approached by some of our neighbors who walk. She asked everyone to be very conscious of safety. She said that it was best to walk on the sidewalk, but some people don’t feel comfortable doing that. She said if you walk in the street you should stay as close to the curb as possible. She recommended that you walk against traffic so you can see and hear what’s coming. She asked drivers to be aware that there are people walking and exercising and they should slow down. She added a personal note that she knows of four seventeen-year-olds who just got their licenses in the last ten days. There are a lot of young, new drivers. Trustee Bennett said that we need to work together to be safe. ------------ MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 22, 2020 REGULAR MEETING The Mayor asked if there were any questions, comments or corrections. There were none. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the minutes from the June 22, 2020 Regular meeting be and hereby are approved. ------------ REPORTS The Village Clerk said that the report for June shows that there were fifty- two building permits. He said that there has been a lot of pent up desire to do work. That tapered off when the construction industry wasn’t able to work unless it was an emergency. Since construction was allowed to resume, building department activity is now picking up. He said that we continue to cite residents with Notices of Violation for putting out organic waste bags when they are not supposed to. Residents who are north of the Boston Post Road should put out their organic waste on Sundays after seven o’clock in the evening for Monday collection and residents south of Boston Post Road should put their organic waste by the curb on Mondays after seven o’clock in the evening for Tuesday collection. The organic waste should be loose in a garbage can or in a brown paper bag. He said that it takes up a lot of time sending these notices but we’re doing it because we have to. Trustee Senerchia said that he was asked about debris following Friday night’s storm. He asked if it fell on the homeowner’s property would the Village pick it up. Manager Pierpont said that the Department of Public Works was picking up branches today. They will pick up the debris tomorrow and probably Wednesday. If they get the branches to the curb, the Village will get them to our organic compost site. The DPW Superintendent gave the end of the fiscal year May DPW report. It shows the deliveries to the Resource Recovery Plant in Peekskill where we take our refuse and it’s converted into electricity, the Material Resource Center which shows the bottles, cans and paper that are collected separately and segregated, the materials dropped at our Recycling Center and it also lists the organic waste that has been collected so far. He said that at this point sixty percent of the waste stream that we’ve measured has been recycled. He said that next month we will account for tires, batteries and several other items not included in this list that we recycle to make sure we account for everything we recycle. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Village Clerk and DPW reports be and hereby are approved. ------------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTRACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 27702 -27739 (Voucher Numbers 27689 and 27701 were voided) 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 27702-27739 with voucher numbers 27689 and 27701 voided. ------------- The Mayor said that this was an abridged docket. Out of respect of keeping density down we don’t have some of the reports we look forward to and she said that she is hopeful that we can have the Police Chief and Fire Chief at our next meeting. Fire Commissioner Senerchia said that the Fire Department was keeping busy. Last Friday there was a storm with very gusty winds. Trees and power lines were down and they were out during that storm. He said that they were also keeping up with the day to day work activities. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Mayor said that Village Counsel will be joining us for Executive Session. She said that we have a personnel matter and said that we will be discussing potential Village litigation with respect to New York State’s proposed monopole on property in our jurisdiction. 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: A personnel matter and potential legal action with respect to New York State’s proposed monopole on property in our jurisdiction. No action was taken in Executive Session. -------------- RESUMPTION OF REGULAR MEETING POTENTIAL LEGAL ACTION WITH RESPECT TO NEW YORK STATE’S PROPOSED MONOPOLE ON PROPERTY IN OUR JURISDICTION After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Village be and hereby is authorized to commence a legal action to stop Crown Communications New York, Inc. from erecting a proposed monopole at Exit 7 at the Hutchinson River Parkway. ------------ ADJOURNMENT Mayor Monachino Lapey asked people to stay safe and said that the link for this meeting will be available tomorrow. She said that she looks forward to seeing everyone soon. There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. -------------- Clerk