Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 22, 2024 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. Trustee McLaughlin spoke about the meeting on noise hosted in the Town of Pelham. Senator Fernandez, the Mayor, Manager Luft,, Trustee Case, and Lieutenant Sancho attended the meeting. The Mayor spoke about the high level of noise coming from the Bronx and Mount Vernon. There were representatives from New York City and Mount Vernon. She thought that it went well. The Mayor said that much of the noise comes from outside Village boundaries. She said that we do not have the authority to shut them down. The Mayor said that we have been working collaboratively with the 45th and 47th precincts in the Bronx and with Mount Vernon. She said that the parties with the loud music move from place to place so that it can be difficult to locate them. Trustee Bennett said that we have been working with other municipalities including the Bronx, Mount Vernon and Westchester County. She stressed that residents need to call the Police Desk at (914) 738- 1000 so that the occurrence will be logged. This data is very important. She said that an e-mail has been set up, loudmusic@pelhammanor.org, to report incidents of loud music. She said that the Police Desk will give you the phone number to call the police at the location the music is coming from. She urged residents to call and send e-mails. Trustee Case said that he was very impressed with New York City/Bronx. He said that they seemed very responsive. He said that it’s a difficult problem because the noise is here one week and another place the next week. Trustee Owen-Michaane spoke about infrastructure and the watersheds in the Village. Manager Luft gave an overview of Watersheds 1, 3 and 5. ---------- MINUTES Mayor Monachino Lapey asked if there were any comments or questions on the minutes from June 24, 2024. There were no comments or questions on the minutes. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was RESOLVED, that the minutes from the June 24, 2024 Regular Meeting and the June 24, 2024 Public Hearing be and hereby are adopted. 1 Trustee Bennett abstained from voting because she was not at this meeting. ----------- MAYOR LAPEY TO SWEAR IN JEFFREY STRATI AS A FIREFIGHTER The Mayor read the biography for Jeffrey Strati. He currently lives in West Harrison with his wife Katelyn and daughters Amelia and Maddalena. He graduated from Valhalla High School where he played football, was an all-section wrestler and a goaltender for the travel ice hockey team. He pursued a career in the automotive field and attended the University of North Western Ohio where he received an associate’s degree in business. He was the chief technician for a private car collector with oversight of a seventy- car collection. He was hired by the Harrison Fire Department in September 2021 and graduated from the Fire Fighters Academy. The Mayor swore-in Jeffrey Strati as a Firefighter for the Village of Pelham Manor. All in attendance congratulated Firefighter Strati. ----------- REPORTS Fire Commissioner Case discussed the Fire Report with Chief Greco. He noted the uptick in traffic accidents. Chief Greco said that people everywhere need to slow down. There were sixty-two calls. He said that a tree was down on The Hutch. Pelham, Pelham Manor and Westchester County removed the tree. The Chief said that two firefighters graduated from the Academy and one just passed his probationary period. One hundred eighty hours of in-service training were completed. The Mayor and Board thanked the Chief. Police Commissioner Bennett discussed the monthly report with Lieutenant Sancho. She said that Police Chief Atkins was on vacation. She said it was a busy month in the business district. Lieutenant Sancho said that there were eighteen larcenies in the business district. One larceny was from a car. The Lieutenant said that car windows have been smashed and valuables grabbed from cars. He reminded residents to keep doors locked and purses out of sight. He suggested that wallets and purses be kept with the person when they are loading a car. The Police Commissioner reminded residents that summonses are being issued for gas powered blowers being used in June. Electric blowers can be used now, but gas powered movers cannot be used until October. She asked the Lieutenant to speak about an incident involving fraud. Lieutenant Sancho said that the suspects said they were from Con Edison and the victim needed to wire money. He said that no legitimate business will ask for gift cards or send texts asking for money. He said that people must be aware of these types of scams. The Police Commissioner said residents should be to be very wary of these calls. She mentioned the Town meeting on noise and asked Lieutenant Sancho to give a little more detail on the meeting. The Lieutenant said that it was a good meeting. He was very pleased that representatives from Bronx precincts attended. He said that last weekend there were eleven complaints that took four hours to handle. This weekend there were three complaints. He said that some progress is being made. These complaints took thirty-seven minutes to solve. He said that there is still a long way to go. He thanked both precincts for making themselves available for this meeting and their continued communication on the subject. He said if you have a noise complaint call the Pelham Manor Police Department and we will try to ascertain where the music or sound is coming from and then contact that agency. The Mayor and Board thanked Lieutenant Sancho for his report. 2 The DPW Superintendent said that she, the Police Chief and Fire Chief attended an Evacuation Zone workshop sponsored by the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services. The New York State Hurricane Evacuation Zone Study was used. The Superintendent spoke about the street sweeper, repaired and replaced street lights and street signs. The new asphalt Hotbox is being used for street maintenance and is being put to good use. Twenty- two tons of asphalt were used for repairing potholes and road repair and maintenance. Planting was done at Tressel Park. Smoke testing was done in June and July and the Village continues work on the design phase for storm water projects and to fine tune traffic regulations. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Fire, Police and DPW reports be and hereby are approved. ---------- TO AWARD BID FOR MILLING AND RESURFACING VARIOUS STREETS The Mayor spoke about the resolution for milling and resurfacing streets and said that the Village has done this in the past. Manager Luft said that this is one of many “shared services:” that that the Village uses. The Village of Pelham, Village of Larchmont and Village of Pelham Manor go out to bid together to get the best price. The low bidder for the Village of Pelham Manor was ELQ Industries. The Village of Pelham and the Village of Larchmont found the unit prices of Laura Li Industries to be more beneficial for them. Mayor Monachino Lapey said that the Village always looks to gets the best possible services and the best possible prices. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that based on the evaluation by the Village’s consulting Engineer, Benedict A. Salanitro, and recommendation by the Village Manager, the contract for Milling and Resurfacing of various streets be and hereby is awarded to ELQ industries, Inc. for the total contract price of three hundred eighty-three thousand two hundred forty-seven dollars and ninety cents. ($383,247.90) ----------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT The Mayor said that this was a very exciting opportunity involving green infrastructure technology and water quality improvement for Esplanade and Ely Avenue. Manager Luft said that this is a grant application through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It is for green infrastructure. She said that this location is upstream of the FEMA Flood Zone. It is for smaller stormwater events. It would involve some component of holding water on site and would be gravity based. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the application for the Esplanade and Ely Avenue water quality improvement project be and hereby is authorized. ----------- RESOLUTION ADOPTING EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK AND NON-UNION SCHEDULE OF BENEFITS The Mayor said that this was a very compelling effort by the Village Manager. It addresses the needs of today’s workers. She asked the Village Manager to give a little detail on this. Manager Luft spoke about the Employee Handbook and Non-Union Schedule of benefits. She said it 3 was important that we have all these things in place in a central location for referencing benefits and it also allows policies to be kept up to date. The Mayor said that it was a herculean effort by the Village Manager who worked with an outside employment attorney. She also thanked the Village Attorney for his input. The Mayor said that it was very well done. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the Employee Handbook and Non-Union Schedule of Benefits be and hereby is adopted. ----------- INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL LAW 3 of 2024 AND SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR AUGUST 12, 2024 The Mayor said that when Local Law 1 of 2024 was adopted, we said that there would be tweaks if necessary. She asked the Village Manger to explain this in more detail. This local law is to clarify that certain parking regulations are applicable during school days and during specific times. It is to regulate parking on Carol Place to ensure that emergency vehicles are able to get through the roadway safely when there are weekend events. The Village Manager said that this local law will repeal and replace wording relating to days and hours on various streets. There is a proposed change for Carol Place because there was a parking concern from a resident on that street. On the East and West sides of Carol Place from the Esplanade to the end of the street there will be a one hour parking limit on School Days during School Hours. On the West side of Carol from Iden Avenue to the end of the street there will be no parking on Saturday and Sunday from two o’clock in the afternoon until ten o’clock in the evening. A fire hydrant is also on that side of the street and it is important that emergency vehicles be able to traverse the roadway. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that a public hearing on Local Law 3 of 2024 be and hereby is set for Monday, August 12, 2024 at eight fifteen in the evening. ------------ STREET USE AND CLOSING REQUESTS Daniel J Deal, Board of Directors of the Pelham Children’s Center, requested the use of Highbrook Avenue, Witherbee Avenue and Monterey Avenue for the Annual Kid’s Fun Run and 5K Race on Saturday, October 19, 2024 from eight o’clock in the morning until approximately nine o’clock in the morning. The races are in conjunction with the Pumpkin Festival. Jim Arden, Race Director, requested permission to use Village streets during the 2024 Pelham Half Marathon and 10K Run on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Rachel Arbeit Robertson requested that Manor Ridge Road be closed from Boston Post Road to Colonial Avenue for a Block Party on Saturday, September 14, 2024. A rain date of Sunday, September 15, 2024 was also requested. After discussion and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously RESOLVED, that the requests from Daniel J. Deal, Jim Arden and Rachel Arbeit Robertson be and hereby are approved. --------- RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN ABSTRACT OF VOUCHERS NUMBERS 32603-32688 4 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 32603-32688. --------- PUBLIC COMMENT The Mayor asked if there were any comments or questions from the public. Cindy Courtien,1044 Clay Avenue, spoke in favor of keeping the Village Elections in March. --------- 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 pending litigation. No action was taken in Executive Session. ---------- ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING Mayor Monachino wished Kate Douglass good luck at the Olympics and a happy Twenty First birthday to Catherine Morrison Lapey. There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. ---------- Clerk 5