Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES June 12, 2023 PRESENT: Mayor Monachino Lapey Trustee Bennett Trustee Owen-Michaane Trustee Case Trustee McLaughlin Attorney Cornachio Manager Luft 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 said that on June Eighth Fire Captain Bryan Sutorius retired after almost thirty-four years of service. She said that other service departments were there to recognize his service. The Mayor said that he is a Pelham High School graduate and many people remember his mother Marilyn who was very active in the community. The Mayor read a note from him that said that he was thankful for the opportunity to help people especially during the Biltmore Fire, the 911 terrorist attacks and Super Storm Sandy. He said that he would miss the Fire Department and, although he is leaving Pelham Manor, a piece of it will always remain with him. The Mayor said that Fire Commissioner Case was in attendance. The Fire Commissioner said that his family came with balloons and his service was recognized. The Mayor said that June is Pride Month and during this month we commemorate the Fifty-Fourth anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. She said that some history is on the Village’s Facebook page and the Library of Congress provides a historical background for Pride Month. The Village is committed to promoting an inclusive community. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that the Village had an opportunity to recognize historic places while working with outside planners. As a result of this work, the Hutchinson River Parkway was highlighted and now has historic eligibility status. She said that the New York State Department of Transportation has issued a letter of concurrence. The Mayor said that the background is on the Village’s website. The Mayor thanked Trustee Case for attending the ceremony for Bryan Sutorius. Manager Luft attended the annual managers conference in New York State and said that timely topics such as EMS and stormwater efforts going on in other communities, were discussed. She said that the quarters for the paramedic was painted and a toilet was replaced. Manager Luft said that the elevator is on track for a final inspection and then it will be fully operational. --------- PRESENTATION OF VILLAGE-WIDE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT The Mayor said that the Village’s outside retained engineers from Dolph Rotfeld Engineering, which is now a part of AI Engineers, who have been with the Village for decades are here tonight. Mayor Monachino Lape said that the Village has for decades had a commitment to the proper maintenance of our two collection systems. The commitment of this current Board to have accurate 1 appraisals of what conditions are and, going forward, how we can make informed decisions so we can continue to provide the best services. The Mayor asked the Village Manager to give some additional details on this topic. Manager Luft said that the Village has done many stormwater projects in each watershed. The Village has replaced sections of pipe, relined piped, rehabbed catch basins and installed new catch basins here it’s been deemed appropriate, and eliminated pipe flow restrictions. She said the Village continues to take monthly and annual measures to maintain the stormwater system to prevent debris from entering. Most recently this infrastructure assessment was done. She said that the Village now has a solid foundation going forward. It is a comprehensive look at our system and a way to move forward for long term planning. She said that the Village needs to start work downstream and work upward. Manager Luft said that the narrative portion is on the Village’s website and the full detail is at Village Hall. She said that there are question cards which will be collected at the end of the meeting and each person asking a question will receive a response. Anthony Oliveri is a licensed professional engineer for AI Engineers, Inc. Dolph Rotfeld Engineering is a subdivision of this company and they have been consultants for the Village for decades. He said that they were engaged to assess the Village systems and potential improvements. He said that the targeted areas were Highbrook, Wolfs Lane, the lower area of Monroe and Mount Tom Road. An aerial map was done and the entire drainage area overlaid the aerial map. Field work was done. Fifty-eight thousand feet of pipe were televised and a hydrologic model was developed. He said that the Village has five Watershed areas. Mr. Oliveri said that interim repairs were done to catch basins and there was an overall cleaning of the lines for the maintenance of the system. He said that a goal is to establish capacity and increase that capacity. He spoke about types of storms. Ninety percent storms, fifty year, one hundred year and five hundred year storms were discussed. He said that they considered the condition of the pipes and took a comprehensive look at the system. They looked at the five watersheds in depth and possible improvements. The April 28, 2023 storm, which started on Friday and ended on Sunday, was discussed. He spoke about green infrastructure and said that it could work on the Esplanade, but said that engineers do not recommend it for flooding. Mr. Oliveri said that this report serves as a guideline. It can be used to model any storm in the Village. It can model any intensity and any duration. He said that it is a great tool. Mayor Monachino Lapey thanked Mr. Oliveri for his presentation. A large printout of maps is available at Village Hall and she said that Manager Luft remains available for residents. She said that this will be an incredible resource for us. ---------- MINUTES The Mayor asked if there were any questions, comments or corrections to the minutes. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the minutes from the Regular meeting on May 8, 2023, the Public Hearing on May 22, 2023 and the Regular meeting on May 22, 2023 be and hereby are approved. ---------- REPORTS Fire Commissioner Case discussed the monthly report with the Chief Greco. The Fire Commissioner asked the Chief to speak about a truck rollover. The Chief said that a dump truck rolled over on a curve that was under construction. He said that there was a dual response with New York City. He read a note regarding the dual response from 2 the Battalion 15 Chief saying that help is always needed and appreciated. Chief Greco said that it was a collaborative effort. The Fire Commissioner asked about a call that started as an EMS assist. The Chief said that a person fell and they got him up. The person then had signs of what appeared to be a stroke. He said that the person is now home and recovering. The Chief spoke about Captain Sutorius and his thirty- three years of service. He said that he was a mentor to him when he first started in the Fire Department. He said that they had twenty-eight years together and he is honored to have served with him. The Village Clerk said that there were four vital statistics records, eight business licenses, nine dog licenses, forty-five building permits, six notices of violation, one Planning Board application, four Zoning Board of Appeals applications and twelve Letters in Lieu of a Certificate of Occupancy for the month. The Superintendent of Public Works said that of the total material collected for the month, seventy- three percent of the material was recycled. She said that the street sweeper will be in the Village on the second Monday and Tuesday in June, July and August. She said that the streets are being prepared for paving. Streets scheduled for paving will be milled on Thursday and paving will begin on Friday. The Superintendent also said that three students from Pelham Public Schools painted storm drains throughout the Village. She said that Sophia Riviello, Eleanor Condon and Keilana McLean worked on this project for two days. The wording reads “No Dumping Drains to Waterway.” She said that this is another way to be mindful of the storm drains. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Fire, Village Clerk and DPW reports be and hereby are adopted. ------------ REQUESTS TO USE SHORE PARK Christopher Baldassano, 108 Iden Avenue, requested the use of Shore Park on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 from four o’clock in the afternoon until six- thirty in the evening, with a rain date of June 22, 2023 for the Siwanoy Pack 4 Cub Scouts Annual End of Year meeting. The Mayor noted that there was a request that was received after the agenda was posted. Rediet Assefa, 39 Oak Lane, requested the use of Shore Park on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 from two o’clock in the afternoon until six o’clock in the evening for Pelham Memorial High School’s Model UN End of School Year Picnic. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the requests from Christopher Baldassano and Rediet Assefa to use Shore Park be and hereby are approved. ---------- REQUEST FOR STREET CLOSING Mayor Monachino Lapey said that this was an add-on to the agenda. Sylvie Spengemann, 434 Carol Place, petitioned the Board to close Carol Place between Iden Avenue and the Pelham Library on Friday, June 23, 2023 from four-thirty in the afternoon until eight-thirty in the evening with a rain date of Saturday, June 24, 2023 for an End of School Year Block Party. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously 3  RESOLVED, that the petition from Sylvie Spengemann be and hereby is granted. --------- SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR 15 CANAL ROAD BACK-UP GENERATOR The Site Plan proposal for15 Canal Road was referred to the Planning Board for review. The Planning Board recommended additional bollards around the generator and changing a swinging door to a sliding door. The Mayor thanked the Planning Board for their review and recommendations. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that site plan approval for the back- up generator at 15 Canal Road be and hereby is approved. ----------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTRACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 31293-31327 After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Mayor be and hereby is authorized to sign Vouchers Numbers 31293-31327. ------------- PUBLIC COMMENT The Mayor asked if there were any comments from the public. Giancarlo Terilli, 123 Townend Avenue, met with Manager Luft about a month ago. He said that he has a low house and he expressed concern that his pool may shift and be damaged because of water running through his backyard. Manager Luft said that when she and Mr. Terilli met, he told her that the contractor had concerns about the water table on his property which is the reason additional drainage was added. Marissa Medina-Mora, 39 Edgemere Street, spoke about the idea of having barrels to collect water. She suggested that Village incentivize residents by getting each house two large barrels. Benjamin Argyle, 440 Pelhamdale Avenue, spoke about runoff, the watersheds in the report with particular attention to watershed 1, and possible design solutions. Peter Bazeli, 8 Rockledge Drive, spoke about communication, transparency, municipal debt, hiring a grant writer, and his desire for immediate action. Toby Marxuach-Gusciora, 901 Plymouth Street, spoke about climate change grants and mentioned that the Climate Smart Communities grant deadline is June Twenty-Eighth. She asked for a status on the red-light camera and the Save the Sound lawsuit. The red-light camera is in the final inspection stage with Con Edison and she was told that there is nothing additional to add regarding Save the Sound. Alexy Scholl, 1076 Grant Avenue, spoke about commitment to projects, plans and budgeting, and a timeline for the plans. Dave Berry, 446 Pelhamdale Avenue, spoke about a Highbrook Avenue letter. 4 The Mayor said that former Trustee DeLillo crafted the document. She said that a lot of work was done on that. John Pierpont, 1006 Prospect Avenue, said that he knows how important this document is to the Board. He said that it was similar to when the Village completed the SSES. He said that the Village is in a good position for attracting funding. He said that this is a good road map, and that it can’t happen overnight, but it will happen. He said that the Village is in a good position to address flooding issues. Mark Cardwell, 86 Reed Avenue, spoke about the Town of Pelham’s ambulance service and EMS. He wanted the Village to take its surplus and give it to the Town to help fund the ambulance. The Mayor explained that the Village cannot gift funds to the Town. Trustee Bennett said that the Town is working on this and the Village is working in collaboration with the Town. ------------ 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: Employment history of a particular person (s) No action was taken in Executive Session. -------------- RESUMPTION OF REGULAR MEETING SALARY ADJUSTMENTS After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was RESOLVED, that the following salary adjustments be and hereby are approved effective June 1, 2023. Police Chief $191,580 $ 6,500 Longevity Police Lieutenant $182,104 $ 2,500 Longevity Fire Chief $170,125 $ 2,500 Longevity DPW Foreman $102,485 $ 1,500 Longevity Deputy Clerk $ 98,262 $ 8,750 Longevity Personnel Mgr. Duty $ 12,360 Treasurer $118,450 $1,000 Longevity Building Inspector $139,050 Int. Acct. Clerk $ 27.33 Per Hour Int. Acct. Clerk $ 42,488 $ 5,000 Longevity Int. Typist $ 49,080 $ 6,000 Longevity Int. Typist $ 41,174 Int. Typist $ 15.76 Per Hour Crossing Guards $ 29.25 Per Hour ----------- ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. -------------- Clerk 5