Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES March 28, 2022 PRESENT: Mayor Monachino Lapey Trustee Bennett Trustee Owen-Michaane Attorney Cornachio Manager Pierpont ABSENT: Trustee Cataldi DeLillo PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND FIRE SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT Mayor Monachino Lapey led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance and she notified those in attendance where the fire safety exits were located. ------------ OPENING REMARKS Mayor Monachino Lapey opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. She said that deputy Mayor Cataldi DeLilllo sends her regrets. She is under the weather, but the Mayor said that she has spoken with her several times she is is thoroughly engaged. The Mayor said that she has an outstanding attendance record. She and the Board wished her a speedy recovery. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that she, Trustee Bennett and Trustee Senerchia, who is co-chair of the of the Pelham Hockey Association, attended the parade on Saturday. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that she was honored to sign a proclamation for Coach Witz. She asked Trustee Senerchia if he would like to say a few words about the retiring hockey coach. Trustee Senerchia said that on Thursday night the Pelham Youth Hockey Association will have its end of year dinner. He said that this proclamation will be presented to Coach Witz. It is bittersweet because Coach Witz will be hanging up his whistle. He said that the parade on Saturday for the hockey team was great. He said that he is heavily involved in the Youth Hockey Association and he said that the end of year dinner will be a wonderful night. Trustee Senerchia said that Louie Marcellino was voted onto the 2022 All State Hockey Team and named Player of the Year. Coach Witz was voted co-Coach of the Year. He said that in addition to forward Louie Marcellino being on the All State Hockey Team for 2022, forward Ben Rosenberg, defenseman Eric Elbery and goalie Jack Mallinson were also named to the team. He said of seven or eight positions, four of the players are from Pelham. He said that they should be proud. The Mayor congratulated all the young men and Coach Witz. Mayor Monachino Lapey mentioned that Kate Douglass, a 2019 graduate form Pelham High School broke three American swimming records in the 50 Freestyle, the 100 Butterfly and the 200 Breaststroke at the NCAA Women’s Championships. She said that she was so happy for Kate whose dreams are being realized. Trustee Bennett congratulated Kate Douglass and Jennifer Bell who is a diver on the same team as Kate. She is also doing very well. Trustee Senerchia said that they are role models for our youth. He said that we should be proud of them, celebrate them, and recognize them often. Trustee Bennett said that it was so adorable to see the hockey team giving autographs to the younger children on Saturday. Sheh said that it was a tremendous community event. ----------- 1 MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 10, 2022 REGULAR MEETING The Mayor asked if there were any questions, comments or corrections on the minutes. There were no questions, comments or corrections. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the minutes from the March 10, 2022 Regular Meeting be and hereby are approved. Trustee Senerchia abstained because he was absent from this meeting. ----------- REPORTS Fire Commissioner Senerchia discussed the monthly report with Chief Ruggiero. There were fifty- one alarms and thirteen of those were personal injury auto accidents. The Fire Commissioner said that we get a lot of accidents. The Fire Chief spoke about a fire involving an excavator machine. He said that the fire was in a difficult position to get to, and the department knocked it down quickly. He said that inspections were down because of Covid. The program was suspended. It just re- started and had to be suspended again because of the uptick in Covid cases. He said that the safety inspections have now started aggressively. The Fire Commissioner asked about a mutual aid call. Chief Ruggiero said that was the fire in Pelham. He said that they requested that Pelham Manor stay in quarters to cover the Town. The Chief said that we covered the Village of Pelham and the Village of Pelham Manor during that fire. The Mayor and Board thanked the Chief for his report. The Village Treasurer discussed the report for February. The total revenues for the month were seven hundred six thousand four hundred sixty- one dollars and sixty- six cents. Eight hundred ninety- five thousand six hundred fifty dollars and thirteen cents was expended. Six hundred ninety- five thousand dollars in non-property tax revenues was received. This included the quarterly distribution of sales tax from the County in the amount of three hundred fifty-nine thousand dollars, the gross utility receipt payment of one hundred twenty- nine thousand dollars, license fees of sixty- six thousand dollars and building permit fees of twenty- five thousand two hundred ninety- four dollars. The expenditures included ninety- seven thousand dollars for general government support, four hundred thirty thousand dollars for public safety, fifty- five thousand dollars for transportation, twenty thousand of which was for snow and ice control operations, sixteen thousand six hundred dollars for parks and recreation, two hundred thirty-five thousand dollars for employee benefits and sixty-six thousand for community services. He said that the budget is running well and with just a few months left, it is anticipated that the Villag will end the Fiscal Year in good shape. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Fire and Village Treasurer’s reports be and hereby are approved. ----------- INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF THE TENTATIVE 2022-2023 BUDGET Mayor Monachino Lapey said that the new Fiscal Year begins on June 1, 2022. The tax cap is 2 usually two-point five percent. She said that the Board is committed to fiscal responsibility. She said that we continue to deliver high level services and do not carry debt. This year the Village’s tax cap is two- point seven one percent. Hat amount is set by the State Comptroller. The Village’s budget is coming in at two- point six five percent. She asked the Village Treasurer to discuss this in a little more detail. The total appropriations went up one point four million dollars. This is an eight-point three five percent increase. The vast majority is moving from General Fund Fund Balance to Capital Fund. This is for improvements to the storm drainage system. He said that we will be participating in the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant program. This is a reimbursement program. Of the one point four million dollars one million will go toward storm drain system improvements. The Village will spend more than this. This starts the funding. The Village will be reimbursed for seventy five percent of the costs and those funds will be reinvested. There was an eight-point three five percent increase in General Fund appropriations over last year. The Fund Balance went up eight- point zero seven percent. There will be a transfer for paving and a fire truck. The transfer for the fire truck will be seven hundred fifty thousand dollars. He said that this budget maintains the standard of services that the Board wants. It was figuring out a way it can be done tax cap compliant in a way that’s fiscally responsible. The Mayor said that Mr. Pierpont has put together a helpful Executive Summary with the big points and major takeaways. Trustee Owen-Michaane said that this was a very thoughtful and thorough budget. He said that there are two sources for funding the Village’s services. There is the tax levy which are the taxes that everyone pays and the non tax levy which are revenues such as sales tax and mortgage tax. The non tax levy revenues are about three million dollars and they help reduce the tax levy burden. He said that some of these revenues we can count on and some we can’t. Trustee Owen-Michaane said that the Village has one point five million dollars to invest in our infrastructure without having to take out any fixed or rotating debt. He said that he’s happy the Village is applying for FEMA Grants and putting the funds back into Capital projects. ---------- RESOLUTION TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR THE 2022-2023 VILLAGE BUDGET After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Public Hearing on the 2022 -2023 Village Budget be and hereby is set for Monday, April 11, 2022 at eight fifteen in the evening. The Mayor reminded everyone that the Annual Organizational Meeting will be held on April 4, 2022. ------------- PARK REQUESTS Mayor Monachino Lapey said that there was a request from the Reverend Paul Seelman from Huguenot Church to use Weihman Park on Saturday, April 2, 2022 from eleven o’clock in the morning until two o’clock in the afternoon for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that there was a request from Nandita Sinha, 541 Pelhamdale Avenue, to use Shore Park for a Holi festival on Sunday, April 3, 2022 from eleven o’clock in the morning until two o’clock in the afternoon for a Holi festival. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously 3  RESOLVED, that the requests to use Weihman Park and Shore Park be and hereby are approved. ------------ RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTRACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 29809-29876 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 29809-29876. ---------------- PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Monachino Lapey asked if anyone had any comments or questions. Toby Marxuach Gusciora, 901 Plymouth Street, asked when the 2021 Audit Statement be available and was told that it is almost ready to present to the Board. It will be ready in the near future, within the next Board meeting or two. Toby Marxuach Gusciora asked if there was a multi- year capital plan and, if so, when it would be available. Manager Pierpont said that there is one, but it is an internal document and he would have to think about that. --------------- EXECUTIVE SESSION The Mayor said that there were issues regarding an employment 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. -------------- ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. -------------- Clerk 4