Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES February 14, 2022 PRESENT: Mayor Monachino Lapey Trustee Bennett Trustee Owen-Michaane Trustee Cataldi DeLillo Attorney Cornachio Manager Pierpont ABSENT: Trustee Senerchia 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 Mayor Monachino Lapey opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. She wished everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. The gave a Covid update. She said that the Village maintains its Covid Hub on the website. She said that we encourage people to follow the science and remain vaccinated and boosted if they are able. The Mayor said that the Governor and County Executive have lifted the mask mandate for County buildings. The Mayor said that the Village-wide newsletter has gotten great feedback. She said that some people have told the Board of Trustees that it’s difficult get to meetings and some find it a bit onerous to go online and weed through meetings the next day. The Mayor said that she was very proud of the newsletter and she thanked the Board members especially Trustee Bennett. She said that the newsletter is in a digestible format and is a high level overview so that people have a great sense of what’s going on. ----------- THE CITIZENS’ NOMINATING COMMITTEE The Mayor announced that David Sparano was here tonight to speak about the Citizens’ Nominating Committee. She said that Romina Levy reached out to the Board to see if someone could speak about this committee. The Mayor said that this has been allowed in the past. She said that this is not a political enterprise so we’ve allowed this. Mr. Sparano, 555 Manor Lane, said the Committee was back after a two- year hiatus due to the pandemic. He explained that the CNC is a non partisan group that helps facilitate candidates with regard to positions for the school board. It lets residents know that there are openings on the school board. Mr. Sparano said that this year there will be three openings. He said that the Citizens Nominating Committee is a non- partisan non- political group that was founded in 1954. Its purpose is to recruit, interview and nominate highly qualified individuals who are willing to serve. He said that they are there to help identify candidates who want to run for the Board of Education. Mr. Sparano said that the CNC is independent of the school district and the Board of Education. He said that he is the Chair of the Committee this year and he’s asking to help identity candidates who want to run for the Board of Education. He said candidates must be U.S. citizens, eighteen years old, and have one year residency in the school district. They do not have to have children in the district and no prior experience is required. The CNC asks that people have a general interest in education and our public schools. He said if people were interested, they should go to the local website www.pelhamcnc.com for additional information. 1 The Mayor and Board thanked him for his work. ----------- MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 24, 2022 REGULAR MEETING The Mayor said that in the first paragraph on the top of page two on the eight line where it says that “we are next to areas that have markedly higher crime rates than we do”, the word after rates and before we should be than rather than that. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was RESOLVED, that the minutes from the January 24, 2022 Regular Meeting be and hereby are approved as amended. ----------- Mayor Monachino Lapey said that Trustee Senerchia had family coming in from out of town and the car service neglected to pick them up and he had to get them. She said that he will join us if he can. At this time, the Mayor moved the Administration of Oaths of Office up on the agenda. ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE TO POLICE SERGEANT NICHOLAS SCHWARTZ AND POLICE DETECTIVE KIERAN COLLERAN The Mayor said that this is one of the aspects of the job she enjoys. She said that one of the challenges today is to keep Pelham Manor relevant for people who are successful in their field and have options. She said that we’ve been able to do that. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that it has been great to see the progression of Nicholas Schwartz. She said that several years ago there was a suspicious character, with a backpack, at Pelham High School. He was in the Village of Pelham and crossed into Mount Vernon and was found in Pelham Manor. Nicholas Schwartz was a rookie who was alone when he captured this character. The Mayor read the bio for Nicholas Schwartz. He is twenty-seven years old and was born in the Bronx, He currently lives in Hawthorne, New York. He graduated from SUNY Oneonta with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He was a correctional officer at Downstate Correctional Facility for New York State Department of Corrections. He was hired by the Village of Pelham Manor in 2017. Officer Schwartz will continue to be an asset in his new role as a Patrol Sergeant. All in attendance congratulated the new Sergeant. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that there was another exciting assignment this evening. She said that Police Commissioner Bennett once said that she knew an assignment would be handled properly because Kieran Colleran was on the scene. The Mayor read the bio for Kieran Colleran. Police Officer Kieran Colleran is thirty years old and lives in Montrose, New York with his wife and two and a half year old son. He attended Pace University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 2013. He was hired by the Village of Pelham Manor in 2014. In 2018 he earned a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Iona College. Officer Colleran is being assigned to the position of Detective. All in attendance congratulated the new Detective. ---------- REPORTS Police Commissioner Bennett discussed the Police report with Chief Atkins. The Police 2 Commissioner asked about the theft of catalytic converters. The Police Chief said that the investigation is ongoing regarding catalytic converters that were stolen from the bus depot on Canal Road. He said that the detectives have done some excellent work. They have worked collaboratively with outside agencies and the investigation is ongoing. Police Commissioner Bennett spoke about a trespasser who was caught going into a car in a resident’s driveway. Chief Atkins said that the suspect was seen on Roosevelt Place. Officers Pompilio and Witkowski responded and apprehended the suspect. The subject was going through vehicles in that area. The Chief said that since that arrest, larcenies from vehicles are down. The Police Commissioner reminded residents to lock their cars. She also spoke about identity theft. She said that people should not give personal information over the phone. The Police Chief said that people should not text personal information if you don’t know who you’re dealing with. He said if you’re on the phone with someone and you don’t know who you’re dealing with, you should hang up and call your bank. Police Commissioner Bennett said to make sure you initiate the call. She also reminded people to be aware when they’re in shopping centers. She said that someone was putting their groceries in the trunk and their bag was in the carriage and someone came by, took it, and they were gone. The Mayor and Board thanked the Chief for his report. The Village Treasurer discussed the January report. He said that the expenditures are running where they should be and the revenues are exceeding our expectations. He said that we’re two thirds of the way through the fiscal year. He said that we’ve had some snow storms but nothing that we didn’t anticipate when putting the budget together. He said that we put salt on streets and plowed the streets, and we may have to do more of that, but said that the Village was in good shape. The DPW Superintendent said that the overall recycling rate was sixty-nine point one percent. He said that rate might not be as high going forward. He said that the amount of debris taken to the Resource Recovery Center was four hundred eleven tons in September because of Ida. The Village normally brings two hundred tons per month. The Village delivered what we usually take in two months in one month. The numbers may appear higher. He also said that the Village had one hundred sixty- eight hours of overtime this month for snow removal. In early March the Village will begin the next phase of sanitary sewer system lining. The engineering company that we deal with for this program is Techtronics. They are in the field right now locating manholes that are in easements. They are locating manholes that are not in the streets. The first part of the program is cleaning and tv’ing lines. They will find out where all of the connections from houses are and they’ll map that out. When they come back and line the pipe they’ll know where to send the robot to cut the sewer line and restore the connection to the house. There will be no interruption of service now, but when the lining happens there will be one day of interruption for those houses that are affected for that day. There will be notices on our website and when the time comes there will be door to door notices for the people who are affected. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo asked how much notice the Village will give people. The DPW Superintendent said that they will receive at least twenty-four hours notice. He said that there will be an area notice for cleaning and tv’ing. Work will disrupt service when the lining is done. People won’t be able to use water in the house for that day until the liner is in place and service can be cut back in. The DPW Superintendent also mentioned that the new front end loader has been delivered. He said that the Village got good use from the old one. The Village Clerk said that building permits slowed down during the month of January. He said that the Village will meet its revenue number this year. There were ten letters in lieu and three certificates of occupancy issued. He said that houses continue to trade. 3 Trustee Owen-Michaane asked how the number of building permits compared with earlier this year and was told that January was slower with twenty-seven building permits compared with the thirty- five to forty we were getting. He said that it is also seasonal. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Police, Village Treasurer, DPW and Village Clerk reports be and hereby are approved. ----------- REQUEST FROM ZOE PURSEL TO HOLD THE “MANOR LANE MILE” A WALK/RUN ON MANOR LANE AND SIWANOY PLACE TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY Mayor Monachino Lapey said that a request was received form Zoe Pursel, 484 Manor Lane, to hold the “Manor Lane Mile “ a walk/run on Manor Lane and Siwanoy Place that would raise money for local charity. She asked the Village Manager for additional information on this request. Manager Pierpont said that he had spoken with a representative of Ms. Pursel who understood that if there’s traffic control they will have to reimburse the Village. He said that it was also understood that if there is a request to close streets a petition from all residents affected will be required. The Mayor asked if there was more clarity on when this would occur and was told no. The Mayor asked the Village Manager to ascertain an exact date and time, whether streets need to be closed, approval from all neighbors and whether police presence will be required. The Mayor said that, with additional details, she was in favor of conditional approval. Trustee Owen-Michaane said that he lives on Siwanoy Place. He said that this seems like a worthwhile endeavor. He said that if the petition is received, he would support this. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that Zoe Pursel be and hereby is given conditional permission to hold the “Manor Lane Mile” provided that she meets the requirements set by the Board. ---------- RESOLUTION TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING ON A LOCAL LAW REGARDING ADDITIONAL VETERANS’ REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION Mayor Monachino Lapey said that the sense she’ received from her colleagues is that this is a worthy law to explore. There is a deminimis increase per lot and per resident. A draft of the law should be on the website and ten days’ notice is required. The public hearing could be set for the next Board meeting on February 28, 2022. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the public hearing on a local law regarding an additional real property tax exemption for veterans be and hereby is set for February 28, 2022 at eight-fifteen in the evening. . ---------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ELECTION INSPECTORS TO RESIDE OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE BUT WITHIN WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND APPOINTING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ELECTION INSPECTORS 4 The Mayor asked the Village Manager to give an overview on this. Manager Pierpont said that the first is s resolution to be able to appoint Election Inspectors who reside outside the Village but within Westchester County if we need it. The list of eligible inspectors comes from Westchester County. The second is a resolution appointing the Chairman of the Elections Inspectors. He said that Sydney Thayer is very strong and well- versed candidate. He worked for the Village last year. He said that some of our more seasoned inspectors may or may not be able to attend. Sydney said that he would be there. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded it was unanimously RESOLVED, that Mr. Pierpont be and hereby is granted the ability, as provided in Village Law Section 3-300 2, to certify Election Inspectors who reside within the County of Westchester but not within the Village of Pelham Manor and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that Sydney Thayer be and hereby is appointed Chairman of the Election Inspectors. ------------ RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTRACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 29646-29724 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 29646-29724. ---------------- PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Monachino Lapey asked if anyone had any comments or questions. Amy Goodman,1242 Pelhamdale Avenue, spoke about the improvements at Clay Avenue for the drop off and pick up at Prospect Hill elementary school. She spoke about the recent increases in Con Edison bills and requested that the Board look into Westchester Power through Sustainable Westchester. The Village is a member of Sustainable Westchester. She said that Con Edison’s rates from December to January tripled from five and a half percent to fifteen and a half percent. She said that the Standard rate for Westchester Power is 6.8 per kilowatt hour and 7.5 per kilowatt hour for Green Supply. She said that the Board looked at this five years ago. She said that it looked attractive as an option and thought that the Board might want to reconsider. She thought that it might be a practical solution to consider making it a default power supplier. She said that many municipalities including Larchmont, Rye and the Village of Pelham have done this. She said that the She said that it is about a six month process which would line up with the next lock up time. She said that municipalities can come in at any time. She said that her house in not eligible for solar and she thought that this organization might be worth another look. The Mayor said they were great points. She said that they have taken a lot of hard looks at this. She said that there is always an option for consumers to go to a an ESCO (Energy Service Company). The Mayor said that the remedy is to reach out to the Public Service Commission if you feel you’re not getting the proper level of service and concern. She said that she remembered this was an all or nothing default. The Village would have to make this default. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that she recalled that the Village would make this a default so every person would default. She said that there is nothing from precluding the resident from doing this on their own. She said that Con Ed is the wheeler of power. They have the infrastructure and the transmission of power to your home. She said that it is her feeling that we shouldn’t tell you where you should buy your power from. 5 Amy Goodman said that making this the default is the only option through the Public Service Commission. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that was not what she recalled and said that she would like to see that in writing. The Village Manager said that he would also like to see that. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that one is a flat rate and one is a moving rate (Con Ed). She said that up to about a month and a half ago Con Ed was beating this company’s rates and on balance was lower. We gave it a hard look and elected not to go with it. She said that she has not seen the terms change but she would be happy to take a look. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that once this block goes to auction it’s possible that the rates could increase. She said that they would probably go up. She said that she is always willing to read more information. Amy Goodman said if the Village joined, she could also join. She said that she wished she could default in on her own. She said that there are reports that Con Ed put in for an increase of eleven percent in 2023.and an eighteen percent increase for gas. The Mayor spoke about the Green Option. She said that this would be forcing the taxpayer to have a more expensive option. She said that when the Village of Pelham opted in, many residents tried to opt out and had a hard time trying to opt out. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that there is a movement to decrease dependency on gas. She spoke about the use of electric vehicles and no longer allowing gas hook ups. She said that the demand on the electrical grid will be higher. There will be the need for a better grid. She said that this is about supply and demand. The demand is increasing. It’s moving from one contract to another. She said that this is all a matter of what happens on the free market. She said that she didn’t see the Board making those typed of decisions. She said that it is outside our purview. Trustee Cataldi DeLillo said that she didn’t understand why someone can’t opt in because we don’t default. Amy Goodman said that she tried to opt in online but she couldn’t because Pelham Manor was not participating in the program. Trustee Owen-Michaane said that he saw the debate on social media. He said that the delivery charge is two times the rate of supply because Con Ed owns all the lines. He said she should file a complaint with the PSC. People need to tell the Governor to appoint people to the PSC who are not going to rase rates eighteen percent. Amy Goodman said that she was asking the Board to look into the Standard and Green rates. She said that supposedly to switch in and out is no problem and there is no cost to the resident or the municipality. ------------ EXECUTIVE SESSION The Mayor said that there were issues regarding a personnel matter and a legal matter. 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 and a Legal matter No action was taken in Executive Session. -------------- 6 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. -------------- Clerk 7