Board of Trustees

Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 106 THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY-NINTH REGULAR MEETING Rutherford Hall Village Hall March 27, 2018 A Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale was held in Rutherford Hall in Village Hall on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 8:00 P.M. Present were Mayor Hochvert, Trustees Finger, Pekarek, Ross, Samwick and Veron. Also present were Village Manager Pappalardo, Deputy Village Manager Cole, Assistant Village Manager Richards, Village Attorney Esannason, Deputy Village Attorney Garrison, Village Treasurer McClure, Village Clerk Conkling, and Assistant to the Village Manager Ringel. ******** The minutes of the Board of Trustees Regular Meeting of Tuesday, March 13, 2018 were approved on a motion entered by Trustee Pekarek, seconded by Trustee Finger, and carried unanimously. ******** Bills & Payroll Trustee Finger reported that he had audited the Abstract of Claims dated March 27, 2018 in the amount of $570,682.21 which includes $2,208.00 in Library Claims previously audited by a Trustee of the Library Board which were found to be in order and he moved that such payment be ratified. Upon motion duly made by Trustee Finger and seconded by Trustee Samwick, the following resolution was adopted unanimously: RESOLVED, that the Abstract of Claims dated March 27, 2018 in the amount of $570,682.21 is hereby approved. ******** Mayor Hochvert stated that the first order of business this evening is to allow the Trustees to say some kind words to those Trustees whose last meeting is this evening. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 107 Trustee Ross: “Trustee Samwick – living in a relatively small community is special in that it gives us the opportunity, through proximity and exposure over time, to get to know each other in so many of our various aspects. I first got to know you when our young sons were in school together. I saw you at school and at the kids’ activities and got to know you as an involved parent and a little league coach who was there not only for his own child, but also for the others who were there to have fun and to learn and grow. I appreciated the work you were doing and the spirit in which you were doing it, but our acquaintanceship was casual. Watching you serve as a Trustee and later being able to serve with you has been a true privilege. Your strong background in finance, land use, and a number of other substantive areas has been a great resource for the Village, but what most impresses me is the same natural tendency you showed when I first met you to devote yourself and your time and energy and expertise to the common good. You have been a shining example for me as a new Village Trustee. Trustee Pekarek – I feel we’ve been through a lot together, and through it all I’m not sure that anyone else has upheld the values and standards of conduct of this community, and modeled the qualities that make Scarsdale special, the way that you have. Your grace under pressure, your unflappable nature, and your readiness to take on sometimes contentious issues and situation and to foster dialog rather than confrontation not only makes you who you are but plays a really significant role in making Scarsdale what it is. Your influence on the local conversation regarding a variety of issues, including the environmental concerns that are so important to you and, increasingly, to all of us, is profound.. To both Trustee Samwick and Trustee Pekarek – although each of you is completely unique and brings to Scarsdale and to this Board things no one else can bring, at the end of the day I see you both in a very similar light, as exemplary public servants who are extremely bright and capable, extremely knowledgeable, thoroughly ethical, and not only willing but eager to give of yourselves for the betterment of your community. You will both be missed on this Board, but the good you have done will benefit us all well into the future and, of course, I hope to see you both continue as active and involved members of the community.” ******** Trustee Veron: “Trustee Pekarek, you have brought to our board a very special combination of energy, passion, intelligence, and commitment. Nothing is ever too much for you, and from your first day until your last, you have served with unwavering dedication and drive. You care deeply about our Village, and it shows in everything you do. No matter the issue, you research, consider, question, and integrate vastly divergent community input. Always prepared, you provide meaningful, insightful perspective that benefits all of us. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 108 But I knew that would be so. I have had the good fortune to work with you in several roles before our shared term on the Board. We were partners in the League of Women Voters, where you led a thorough study of planning and zoning. As Secretary/Treasurer of the Bowl Committee, you were the backbone of the event. I never once worried as everything was in your capable hands. So, I was not surprised that you would be my colleague who never let anything fall through the cracks, who worked with industry and determination, who always held paramount her firm conviction to do right by Scarsdale. Deb, I have been so impressed by your leadership as Chair of Sustainability, liaison to the CAC, advocate for our parks and trees, and general supporter of healthy living. In such short order, you have helped Scarsdale make huge leaps forward. What began as aspirational is now going to be common practice in our town, be it food scrap recycling, knotweed control, or biking path linkages. You have educated us on invasive species, raised our awareness on grass and leaf mulching, and supported LED lights. What has been particularly noteworthy is that you skillfully balance your desire to move us forward with you keen appreciation for the readiness of the Scarsdale community. You also always think about the financial implications and are forever sensitive to the impact on residents’ taxes. In addition to our regular Trustee work, we’ve had the shared experience of embarking on a new initiative together. You’ve been a vital member of our Ad Hoc Committee on Communications as its board liaison. In true Deb form, you rolled up your sleeves, worked side by side with committee members to develop plans for outreach to the community. You were delightful in your cameo appearance in our website video, instrumental in our brainstorming sessions, and forever dedicated, calling in on your vacations. I am proud that we have made so much progress together. Deb, you will be sorely missed. You have gone above and beyond as Trustee - always at the ready to wrestle down the next issue or advocate for more positive change. I feel honored to have worked by your side, and the entire Village has been made better by your service. Deputy Mayor Samwick, it is hard to imagine a Village Board without you. Your service has been a priceless gift to our Village. For four years, you have shared with us your quick mind, your keen insight and your strong leadership. That talent coupled with your abiding commitment to all of the residents made you the perfect Village Trustee. We didn’t really know each other when I joined the board, but I quickly saw that you knew your stuff. You were quite impressive, always prepared, always knowing what questions to ask, never hesitant to speak your mind. Your ability to synthesize vast amounts of information, consider competing interests, and get to the heart of an issue, in mere nano seconds, was truly awe inspiring. You worked tirelessly with integrity and determination. I Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 109 would watch you parse the data, not quieting, until you felt the Village Board’s decisions would best advance the collective good. You made your mark in so many different ways, but perhaps most significantly was the way you shepherded the Village budget. No one knew the numbers better than you. You examined the intricacies of each line item, department by department, and extrapolated forward, feeling the enormous responsibility of setting taxes for the residents. You always considered the implications for today’s tax payers as well as for their future tax burdens, and you were forever mindful that our residents expected no diminishment in services. During financing discussions, we regularly benefited from your creativity. Multiple times, I marveled at your ingenuity. In the countless discussions about library financing, it was you who would most often offer suggestions that produced the best win-win-win combination for all of the stakeholders. You showcased your extraordinary capabilities as Finance Chair although I saw them at work in every area you touched. As Land Use Chair, you set in motion a project that will have a lasting positive impact. With you and former Mayor Jon Mark at the helm, the community listening effort to imagine the future for the Freightway site produced exciting possibilities. Your role in engaging diversity of perspective and extensive outreach cannot be overstated. You showed a deep sensitivity to all views, and our town will be better off for it. Similarly, you listened and responded to the challenges faced by Land Use boards and kicked off the discussions to articulate priorities for fixing. You care deeply about our heritage, preservation and character. Marc, you don’t rest until you believe we are doing the best we can for Scarsdale. You make it known when more work needs to be done. You are quite clear and transparent. We saw it in response to the Assessor’s Office study, in committee on the tree legislation, in commentary on sanitation recommendations, during personnel discussions, and even in extraordinary times, when you insisted we find a way to prepay taxes. Marc, I am incredibly grateful for the privilege of working with you these past two years. You have been an invaluable colleague, partner, and friend. You made us all better at our jobs, and the Village and our residents have reaped the rewards.” ******** Trustee Finger: “Deb, it has been my pleasure to work with you for the last two years. I second everything that Trustee Veron and Trustee Ross said. I appreciate your sitting next to me for the first year or two and holding me in check. A few people know how much better our meetings were as a result of the fact that you could keep me from perhaps saying something incredible. You’re always prepared, dedicated, available, and thoughtful. I appreciate that Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 110 you bring something to the table outside of what we are all thinking about every time. As I mentioned, your references to authors and things like that were appreciated and meaningful and I think ground us in something other than the particular way we were looking at things. Your willingness to advocate for ideas, especially on sustainability, and to compromise and to adjust to what we hear at public meetings is honorable and really helps us all to see a way to get things done, which is what we’re all here for. Mark, I have similar observations about your preparation and you clearly go through everything with a fine tooth comb. Your comments on the budget and financial matters as well as land use questions and other things are always well taken and you’re not afraid to ask the difficult questions. Not just of staff, but also of us and occasionally of the public. Between the two of you I think that the common thread is that you always have in mind our goals as a community, as a Board, and in representing our community because you have those common goals in mind, and you voice them and you give proper respect to them and so forth, it really allows us all to work together as a team and when we have consensus up here it’s because of that effort that you make to resolve things, to argue your position, but to do it in a way that’s respectful and to be reasonable and get us to the result where we need to go. So, I’m hopeful and optimistic that we can continue in the vein that you’ve been training us, or me, for three years and that you will come to the podium and remind us of those perspectives in the future as issues continue to percolate that you’ve been working on. So thank you both very much; I appreciate all of your service; I appreciate everything you’ve taught me; and I appreciate your friendship which I look forward to maintaining in the future.” ******** Mayor Hochvert: “I’ve known Trustee Pekarek for about ten years. My first opportunity to see her in action was when she became the President of the Greenacres Neighborhood Association. She succeeded somebody who was very busy and had very disorganized meetings. The change was night and day. Trustee Pekarek had an agenda, she followed it, managed all the comments to flow into each of these particular items. I think the results for the Greenacres Neighborhood Association were very much improved because you took over that job. Then I didn’t see you as much for a while. The next major opportunity was to work with you in the Friends of Scarsdale Parks Harwood Project where you dug up the big knotweed. You came back there many times, even after the major planting event, I would be there, you would be there, maybe a couple of others. But I think you were the most frequent to revisit that project and it has really blossomed as a result of some of the work that you’ve done. I also had maybe 20 or 30 conversations on the phone with you. Sometimes we talked about the Village management activity, sometimes there are other things that we’d just share with each other. I will not miss those because I hope that you will continue to call and we’ll just talk about things that are going on in Scarsdale; maybe not even related to the Board. Just things that you and I enjoy. And finally I would say I don’t think anybody gave the liaison Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 111 assignments that you had more attention than you did including reporting on each of the things that you had been assigned to do. You are a role model for other people to try to emulate and I will miss you on this Board.” Trustee Samwick, as many people have said, Finance details. You would find things as Bill Stern said at the dinner earlier, that some of us never saw, and as a result, we have better financial recording. Some of the improvements in that, some of which Treasurer McClure has said to me many times, in fact when I suggested that you weren’t going to chair that committee anymore, she almost wept. However, I said that you are going to serve on it. So that kept the tears back. You also have concern about money being well spent and that I think, is of value for all of the people in our Village. I could see the proof of your digging into the resolutions because you’d have tabs in here and folded on there at our agenda meetings or you’d be asking Mary Lou or Donna, is this the right one. That kind of detail is necessary on any Board and I think you did more than your share of that. Your contribution to the Freightway Steering Committee activity was great. I sat through most of those meetings and you were an active participant in them. Other people might have just sat back – you didn’t; you participated. You brought rapport from that which I think people in the Village benefited. I enjoyed our first walk – we walked from your house over to the Recycling Center. You were carrying a bag of compost material. That is on target as far as I’m concerned regarding sustainability in his family. I do also hope that both of you find ways to continue to contribute to the health of this Village over the next year, two or three. I don’t think we can find people who can replace all the details that you folks have brought to benefit this Village. With that being said, I will suggest that maybe Deb has a word to say.” ******** Trustee Pekarek: “Thank you Mayor. I do have a few words to add this evening. What I would like to do is to start off by thanking staff for a really wonderful sendoff roast that we had earlier this evening. It was fun; it was self-deprecating and we were happy on one hand to laugh at ourselves but on the other hand, it’s bittersweet to leave. It is truly difficult to write this story. There is too much to say and much of it is personal and would tend to the sentimental. There are thankyous, the inevitable person or persons I forgot, the anecdote I wished I had remembered, the project I overlooked. But here goes. Among the grand benefits of being a Trustee has been the people I have worked with. Trustees, Mayors, Village Staff and neighbors individually, those on Boards & Councils, neighborhood associations, and other Village organizations and service groups, Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 112 Police and Fire departments. This represents the fabric of this community and it has been a real treat to get to know you all better and to work with an impressive group of community and staff folks. So some thankyous first. I must thank Jon, my husband. His patience, council and abundant good humor has been awesome. Listening to me prattle on about storm water, sewers, and our latest board endeavors was not as fun for him as it was for me!!! He generously supported and applauded me these past four years. And faithfully turned in to cable every Tuesday evening! Jon you’re the best. The Trustees I have worked with are next… Seth - this year as Personnel chair, a role that one new Board member is responsible for, and one that is quite challenging, you handled this ably and have populated Boards and Councils with great community volunteers. Thanks to you and all who applied for their efforts and willingness to serve and lead. As a new Board member this year you have articulately participated in all Board conversations and discussions lending your deep, thoughtful, deliberative style and provided the Board wise council. You frequently suggest a different way to consider issues and you have clearly expressed your unique approach representing your considered point of view. Your contemplative style will continue to assist the board and I look forward to your thoughtful voice. It has been my distinct additional benefit to have work with 3 mayors, Bob Steves, Jon Mark and Dan Hochvert. Each has been truly distinctive, loved Scarsdale, were great leaders and ready to mentor, council and collaborate. Many thanks for your significant service and friendship. Matt - you are the consummate gentleman, always jovial, and kind. And don't you look dapper in a uniform! Your delight and high regard for your service as a Scarsdale Volunteer Fireman, and this year as Fire Commissioner, has been your passion for many faithful years of membership and dedication to the community. And this year as you have advocated for your liaison groups, you have provided the Board some historical insights and perspective. I have enjoyed our service together on the Board and look forward to seeing around the neighborhood. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 113 Jane - you are awesome! Whatever the task you handle it with verve, intelligence, a can do spirit and a generosity and enthusiasm that is to be emulated. Your advocacy for your liaisons is laudatory, and also provides the board and the community with insight on the work of these volunteer groups. Your work with many stakeholders in the Village Center to improve their appeal to potential customers, to work proactively with developers to assist them to attract the types of businesses the Village needs and will support has reaped rewards. The Farmers Market, a personal favorite, has been a wonderful addition to our community. And the Communications Committee has provided great suggestions on more effective platforms to use to inform our community of current initiatives and to provide more timely information that answers questions with accurate information. It has been a true pleasure to have served with you and I am certain that you will provide on-going leadership and enthusiasm on this Board. Carl - it has been wonderful to work with you most recently on the Tree Code. Your guidance and thoughtful consideration of this code, modifications, debating the pros and cons, has been helpful, serious and wise. I hope that your voice provides direction and leadership as this tree legislation is further discussed during the next Board season. This year as Chair of Finance you have navigated the budget process with skill, depth and focus on short term and long-term expenses, revenues, capital improvements, and operating budgets. The board and members of the community attended our many public meetings over the course of about three months where the questions asked teased out the rational and under pinning’s of this year’s budget and set the stage for what is now a well- considered and fiscally responsible 2018-2019 budget and financial plan going forward. Your experience will be a great benefit and provide seasoned leadership during next year’s budgetary process. Carl, it has been great to meet and serve with a member of the community I did not know before you joined the board. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you. Dan - you are a made in America original! Down to earth, practical and a boots on the ground guy. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 114 Dan, you are the embodiment of all the folks who live in Scarsdale, men, and women, young, old and you aim to help them understand the issues – in an uncomplicated manner. You are the heart and soul of all who live here and you believe that all of us have things to share and can make a contribution to the community. Your decision to reorganize our Board meetings so that Board Committee and Liaison reports are now at the very beginning of our meetings has been a great change. This provides the community with a brief snapshot of both the volunteer efforts within the ‘dale’ and further provides examples of the more undefined or unnoticed work of the Board. And it is simply delightful to shine a light on the good works within our Village! Your Mayor’s reports are always noteworthy – stories of life in the “dale…just as frequently addressing individual letters from elementary students, regaling us with a story of a wedding you performed, and noting with accuracy and calmness why the base rate for water went up and the excess water rate went down!! And because you are ever-present, generous with your time no matter what the event - a dinner, a walk in the neighborhood, or digging up weeds and irrigating an 11-acre newly planted wetland plot – you are a visible presence in our community and a “splendid” mayor. And you do this without accolade or fanfare. You do it because it needs to be done and it is your pleasure to be of service to the community you clearly love. I will truly miss our conversations on the pertinent issues under consideration, your enthusiasm, your unique sense of humor and your fabulous oatmeal cookies. I so enjoyed this past year serving with you as Mayor Dan. All splendid indeed! Marc - Marc Samwick…who is he? I had no idea who you were 4 years ago…but since then, I have so valued your council, and collaboration, exchanging ideas, discussing the nuances of Village finances, budgets and fund balances, both assigned and unassigned. Your clear and deep knowledge of financial statements, budgeting processes, your facility with numbers, allows you to challenge the underlying nuanced details of the Villages operating and capital budgets, bonding philosophy, fund balance application during budget season and the glee you derive when talking about BANS with The Village Treasurer is almost infectious! It's a different language but one you speak fluently! And it doesn’t stop there. You have been a true advocate for the Freightway Development project, helping move this project forward to study. That robust study is now complete and I hope you will be involved in some capacity, moving this forward even Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 115 further as a potential transit oriented hub development, further revitalizing our downtown centers. Back to budgets. This year you were focused on, among other concerns, the FTE’s - Full Time Employees/Equivalents - and so appropriate as it is a driver of ever increasing salary, healthcare and pension costs that represent a very large percentage of our operating budget. Marc, it has been a blast, especially sitting across from you at Board meetings. I look forward to your future involvement and leadership in Scarsdale. Day in and day out I have so enjoyed working with everyone at Village Hall. We are so fortunate to have these consummate, super smart and caring professionals attending to our daily municipal needs, some very visible and others less so but equally important. Every year they work with a different board getting everyone up to speed, navigating a new Board of Trustees’ agenda, and initiating an annual five month budgetary process. Thank you all so very much for working in Scarsdale. This has been so much fun. A postgraduate degree in municipal government. And who knew I would find this so fascinating. And just to mention one task Trustees do, I really loved auditing the bills…it was just like a little, sometimes a big, puzzle! We are fortunate here in Scarsdale, abundantly blessed with so much. Our issues are important to us but remain primarily quality of life concerns. We have all that we need and almost all that we want. So in government we hope that we can provide the services that will assist us in navigating our lives with few bumps, few inconveniences. Fair services, roads that are maintained, infrastructure that is thoughtfully considered and attended to in a timely fashion, fair taxes, safety, a library, good schools, to mention some top of mind benefits of living in this community. But more that these services are the people in Scarsdale, those who live here, those who work here and those who pass through. Who are we as a community? It seems to me that we are by and large a community who gives back, Non Sibi, all the time, in so many ways. I have been only one volunteer, in a huge sea of volunteers, committed members of this community who are determined to make this place, this neighborhood, just that, a neighborhood. And many, many of us add to the fabric of our Village in a Park. The true benefit of serving as a Trustee is to witness this commitment, this lovely design, from a bit of a higher perch, to have a broader more global overview of its scope, its depth and its strength. We constantly rail about not finding enough volunteers for all of our committees, organizations, boards and councils…but every year there are new folks who step up and serve. I find this remarkable, heartwarming and the hallmark of this Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 116 vital and generous community. I am happy to call Scarsdale home, happy to call you neighbors and happy to have served this truly grand and dynamic place called Scarsdale. I am reminded of a quote from a book called the Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield… “The beginning is never where you think it is. Impossible to understand one part without having a sense of the whole. Our lives are the continuation of someone else’s story.” For me this provides some reflection and keeps me humble. Our service on this Board is the continuation of Village life with roots in the past and with reverberations now and in the future. Our service is but a part of the whole. The benefit of our work on behalf of the residents of Scarsdale is primarily to keep the focus centered on the basics. I am humbled and honored to have served as Trustee for four years. I thank you for this amazing and grand opportunity to serve.” ******** Trustee Samwick: “Before I start, I would like to thank staff for everything they did this evening. It really was very moving, it was incredible, it was funny and it was very much in keeping with the things that we see from you every day, which is going above and beyond. So, thank you. And to all the Trustees who were there and for all of those who commented, thank you. The past four years have been very rewarding on many levels. I have met and worked with incredible people on varied projects and issues. I have seen the endless passion and dedication of our village volunteers and our professional village staff. As just a couple of very recent examples will illustrate, we are very fortunate to have such a wealth of volunteers and professionals working tirelessly on behalf of our Village. I will start with our professional staff, who worked throughout Christmas weekend, particularly Rob Cole, the deputy Village Manager, Mary Lou McClure, the Village Treasurer and Wayne Esannason, the Village Attorney -- to figure out a way for the village to accept 2018 municipal real estate tax payments in 2017. More recently, the staff of the Department of Public Works led by Benny Salanitro, worked around the clock during the barrage of storms that hit our area in the past month. He and his staff were supported by Chief Andrew Matturro and Chief Jim Seymour and the dedicated members of their -- and our -- Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 117 police department and fire department. Of course, SVAC too worked overtime throughout the storm events and for that David Raizen and his crews deserve our thanks. In short, I cannot overemphasize the effort by village staff – through each and every storm and every ordinary day. The Village Manager, Steve Pappalardo, leads by example with dedication and professionalism and sets the tone for the entire village staff. I would also like to highlight three recent volunteer efforts that have worked for the benefit of our community. This list is not at all exhaustive, it is meant merely to illustrate the hard work that goes into making our village a better place. Library: First, I would like to thank the Library Board, staff, Campaign Committee and Building Committee for years of planning, balancing needs and resources and fund raising to get us to a place where we expect a groundbreaking within months. Scarsdale is clearly a better place as a direct result of your effort and we can’t wait to use our library and see this new expanded community hub come to life. Communications Committee: Second, I would like to thank the ad hoc Communications Committee for your selfless work to think and rethink every detail about the way the village communicates with its residents. We saw clear and comprehensive communications during the recent storms and power outages. We also have a new village website with added functionality – and I must add a plug for “Notify Me”, the new communication tool that enables residents to sign up for news that is relevant to them. We also have a new bimonthly newsletter, “Scarsdale Official”, that provides residents with updates of village activities. And, there is more to come, hopefully including social media. The result is that communication between the village and residents has never been better and has never been easier to obtain.” Freightway Steering Committee: Lastly, I would like to make a shameless plug for the Freightway Steering Committee, a committee on which I served. A little over a year ago, the Village Board formed the Freightway Steering Committee to evaluate alternatives for the Freightway garage site. As the 45 year-old parking garage is showing its age and is expected to require over $2 million of investment over the coming years, the committee dove into an extensive community outreach program to determine what alternative uses may be suitable for the property while maintaining commuter parking for residents. The steering committee issued its final report in mid-February 2018 with outstanding work by its consultant, BFJ Planning. The report is available on the village website and all are encouraged to review the principles it sets forth for possible future development of the site. The next step is the issuance of an RFP or RFQ to the development community to see the specifics of what might be proposed that is consistent with the principles set forth in the Freightway Steering Committee report. The community will have many more opportunities for input as this process moves forward. Please stay involved in this important project. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 118 On a personal level, I have learned and benefited greatly from my time serving as your representative. I have grown – even through difficult times and issues – and met so many people that I now call friends. It is heartwarming to see so many people give so much to our community. We are all so very fortunate to live in a place where so many give so tirelessly. Scarsdale is a terrific community that I appreciate more today than ever before. Based on my personal growth and experience, I highly recommend getting involved – in a small way or large – the rewards to our community and to ourselves are tremendous. I would also like to acknowledge the support of my family. I could not have undertaken being a Trustee without the full-fledged support of my wife, Cynthia. Thank you Cynthia for being endlessly patient with countless meetings, phones calls and village events. Now moving along to my fellow trustees. Trustee Ross – It was great to have you (finally) join the Board this year. While it may have been a mixed blessing that things worked out the way they did, your character and perseverance clearly came through over the past two years. You have consistently handled yourself with poise and your thoughtful, active listening skills are an example that future Trustees and village residents can learn from – I know I have. Our community has also benefitted from your legal and logical intellect. Together with your experience as a member and chair of the Planning Board, you have added your thoughtful insight into all matters brought before the Board. Trustee Veron – I am not sure where to begin to describe the work you have completed in only two years. It may, in fact, be easier, and certainly quicker, to list the things you haven’t accomplished. You have established yourself as a tireless advocate for our Village – from encouraging more open communication using a wide array of tools to communicate with residents, to seemingly single-handedly breathing new life into our Village Center, to filling every vacancy on every board and council, to walking door to door to meet with every merchant in the village center to discuss parking to so much more. I really could keep going, but I would like to be mindful of time and simply say that you have accomplished so much in two years and you have set the bar very high for future trustees. I would also like to personally thank you for your instrumental work in getting the farmer’s market off the ground. Cynthia and I thoroughly enjoy the eggs we get from Marty at Kiernan Farms and the sourdough bread we get from Orwashers each week. I admire and appreciate all that you do for our village and it has been a privilege to work with you. Trustee Callaghan – You bring passion and independent thought to all that you do as a Trustee. The dedication you bring to the Fire Department is above and beyond. The professional and volunteer firefighters are well represented by you and your experience as a long-standing member of the volunteer ranks. You bring the same passion to all that you do - from Parks and Recreation to SCAV to the Advisory Council on Senior Citizens. The instances in which you exercise more independence can be productive and often encourage others to think about differing perspectives. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 119 Trustee Finger – You are passionate about Scarsdale, the town you grew up in and have lived in for most of your life. You approach issues from the perspective of what is best for our village. You speak with a wide range of residents and you take time to explain your thinking on issues in a detailed manner. Your legal background and logical thought process has benefitted the village. Though understated, particularly during your 1st term, you have quite a sense of humor – which is always present and probably not fully appreciated by those who are not sitting next to you. The balancing of your logic, legal experience and humor serve you well as a Trustee. Mayor Hochvert – You dove right into being Mayor. You are incredibly hardworking and diligent. I can’t recall the last time I was in village hall when I didn’t bump into you. Your devotion and energy are endless – whether walking door to door throughout the village center; speaking with merchants about improving parking; studying and quoting from the historical preservation code from Mamaroneck and Bedford (let alone Scarsdale’s HP code); gleefully lighting the holiday tree; speaking at numerous events; working with, appreciating and encouraging younger members of our community (including students of City 2.0) - you have fully embraced being Mayor of Scarsdale. And, our community is a better place for your effort, inclusive spirit and consensus-building approach. Trustee Pekarek – Deb, you and I met as we were waiting to make our respective presentations to the CNC. I learned a lot about you in those first few minutes - things that were shown to me time and again over the past four years. I quickly noted that you are a genuine and caring person who deeply considers what’s best for others and the community. You also showed real grace and dignity during your reelection process. You spent part of your career as a teacher and you have certainly taught me many things – from handling difficult situations to balancing the needs of different segments of our community to being humane when managing the issues we faced as a Board. Whenever attending a town function, it was always nice to see your smiling and supportive presence. It has been a pleasure to spend four years with you on the Board and I thank you for all that you have taught me. I will miss working closely with each of you and I wish you much success as you continue to manage village affairs in a thoughtful and dedicated manner. ******** The Mayor then opened the meeting to any public comments concerning the Trustees that are leaving the Board. Public comments on other matters will be held later in the meeting. Diane Greenwald, President of the Library Board, spoke on behalf of the Library Board, offering their sincere gratitude to Trustee Pekarek and Trustee Samwick for their truly exemplary service to Scarsdale. She stated that the Library project could not have gotten this far without each of their commitments, support and guidance. She stated that Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 120 the Library Board has experienced their careful review of the library’s proposals and materials, their detailed and probing questions, their command of the issues, diligent oversight and thoughtful deliberations that factor in their broader perspectives. Countless hours have been given to learn about other communities and library trends. You have pushed the Library Board for greater clarity and more information which has improved communications and also offered them great creative ideas and suggestions for finding concepts and resources. This effort has proven that working together does not mean always agreeing, but does mean trusting, listening and adjusting for the best outcome for everyone. Ms. Greenwald commended Trustee Pekarek and Trustee Samwick for the diligence, integrity and intelligence in service to the library project, the community, and for the greater good. On a personal note, she stated that she has found that one of the great benefits of volunteering in Scarsdale is working with and getting to know smart, interesting and kind neighbors. She stated that it has been her privilege to work with Trustee Pekarek and Trustee Samwick and to now count them each as a friend. She thanked them for the good work they have done. Andrew Sereysky, Walworth Avenue, thanked the entire Board for all the effort and time and work that they have done over the past year and in particular to Trustees Pekarek and Samwick. He noted that he was also here this evening as the President of the Greenacres Neighborhood Association. He asked Trustee Samwick to come down to the podium and presented him with a Certificate of Appreciation (which he read to those present) for his work as the Greenacres Neighborhood Association Liaison. Trustee Pekarek thanked the Greenacres Neighborhood Association and noted that their Town meeting was last week and that Board presented her with a resolution. She thanked Mr. Sereysky for that as a current member of the neighborhood association and former president. Michelle Lichtenberg, Greenacres Avenue, expressed her appreciation to the Board for their great service to the community. She also thanked Village Manager Steve Pappalardo and his superlative staff, capable and professional, who serve the Village every day of the year. In particular, she stated that she would like to highlight the five storms they had – the tax storm at the end of December, and then the four nor’easters. She stated that she and her husband really appreciated the numerous phone calls and emails that they received from Steve Pappalardo. She stated that the communication strategy over the past year deserves an A++. Ms. Lichtenberg congratulated the newly elected Village Trustees – Lena Crandall, Justin Arest, and Jane Veron. She stated that Trustee Samwick very ably served the Village over the past four years as the Board’s financial expert with his keen and critical eye that has helped ensured the Village’s financial wellbeing. To Trustee Pekarek, she stated that she is a dedicated volunteer and Greenacres resident who is always so thoughtful, approachable, a Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 121 good listener, and has the ability to connect a concerned individual with the right Village person. In both cases, both Deb and Marc are exemplary volunteers and leaders and Scarsdale has been enriched by their generosity of spirit, steady reasonableness, and consistent wisdom. With deep appreciation and admiration, she thanked them both. Justin Arest, Lakin Road, stated that when he started volunteering, both Trustees Pekarek and Samwick were strangers but it has been a pleasure getting to know both of them. They have always been accessible, available for questions, and willing to consider public input. He appreciated working with them, whether it be on Freightway or Communications or elsewhere. He has learned a lot and appreciated their leadership and volunteerism. He thanked them both for their service. Matt Miller, 8 Roosevelt Place, thanked Trustees Pekarek and Samwick for their service. He also thanked all of the Trustees who put so much time in working for the Village. He thanked some of the Village staff, including the administration, Superintendent of Public Works Benny Salanitro, and Building Inspector Frank Diodati. He stated that the Village is blessed to have these employees, and others who work very hard that most people don’t even know about. He added that employee that works for Sanitation by the name of Joe had the initial idea to have the clothing bin placed there for donated goods. Before that, this employee would take the clothing to Salvation Army himself. He is another hidden asset. He also stated that Assessor Nanette Albanese is an excellent Assessor, works very hard and in his opinion, was treated very unfairly by some residents because of the 2016 revaluation. The staff that works in Village Hall is great and don’t receive the recognition they deserve. Janice Starr, Church Lane, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale, along with Linda Doucette-Ashman, also here this evening. On behalf of the League’s Board, she stated that she would like to honor and thank outgoing Scarsdale Trustees Deb Pekarek and Marc Samwick. She stated that both of them are exemplary public servants who approach the task of governing the Village with great care, enormous commitment and impressive responsiveness. She acknowledged the tremendous service each has done for Scarsdale over the years. Ms. Starr stated that Trustee Pekarek has served two full terms as a Village Trustee with a background in teaching and an impressive record of community service. Trustee Pekarek has a deep understanding of the community and its values and priorities and she put that to work for the benefit of the residents of Scarsdale. As Trustee-Liaison to many community organizations and neighborhoods, Trustee Pekarek is universally respected for her compassion, accessibility, and willingness to roll up her sleeves and help out when things need to get done. Her quiet leadership and determination have led to many improvements in the Village – most notably she has been a champion of sustainability initiatives in the Village including her work on LED lighting and the tree ordinance. She stated that they will Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 122 miss working with Deb Pekarek in her capacity as Village Trustee but look forward to interacting with her in her future roles in Scarsdale. Ms. Starr stated that Marc Samwick is also completing his second term as Trustee. As a real estate developer and investor, he was uniquely suited to making outstanding contributions to the Land Use and Finance Committees and the Ad Hoc Freightway Committee. With practicality and humor, Marc was able to break down complex issues and move the agenda forward with clarity to a reasoned conclusion. He was always meticulously conscientious about answering the League’s questions and addressing their concerns. He was never afraid to challenge the conventional wisdom and applied an analytical approach to getting the right answer. During the budget meetings, Marc was acutely aware of the need to strike a balance between taxes and services and worked tirelessly to achieve the perfect solution all while keeping an infectious smile on his face. Ms. Starr stated that both Trustees Pekarek and Samwick set the bar high on volunteerism in a community blessed with an abundance of people who give back and inspire her and the League and make her proud to be part of this community. The League also welcomes and congratulates Trustees-elect Lena Crandall and Justin Arest. They congratulate Trustee Jane Veron as she begins her second term. They also thanked Mayor Hochvert, and Trustees Callaghan, Finger and Ross for their continued service. They also thank the excellent Village staff who go beyond the call of duty every day. ******** Village Manager Pappalardo presented Trustees Pekarek and Samwick with engraved pewter trays to commemorate their four years of service as Trustees and thanked them for his service to the Village. ******** Mayor’s Comments Mayor Hochvert stated that on March 15th, Andrea Stewart-Cousins was the main speaker at the Forum’s membership meeting. He stated that her speech was unique in that she gave the audience a history of her maturation and achieving, and how happy she is to be a leader of the majority in the New York Senate. He stated that she is a great asset to Scarsdale. Also on March 18th at the Forum’s meeting, Simone Kestelman explained her art work and brought in a number of people she works with – either teaching them or working together on projects. On March 19th and 23rd, there were two sessions – the first one was with the County Legislators who had both New York State Electric and Gas and Con Edison representatives there. The session started out very softly until Mary Jane Shimsky spoke harshly to the Con Edison representatives, pointing out that their profit had risen in Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 123 the five years since the last storm from 1 billion dollars to 1 ½ billion dollars, and their staff has decreased by 2,000. On March 23rd, a meeting led by New York Assemblyman David Buchwald and attended by New York Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and New York Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Westchester County Legislature Chair Ben Boykin, representatives from the Governor’s office, and representatives from NYS Senator Schumer’s office. There were two people at that meeting from the New York State Public Service Commission. In addition, there were approximately 40 representatives from various municipalities. Mayor Hochvert shared a letter that the Chairman of the Public Service Commission wrote to the President/CEO of Con Edison. Mayor Hochvert noted that the Village staff has set up a link for residents to share their storm related issues at the following site: stormstories@scarsdale.com. These comments will go directly to the NYS Public Service Commission, which is tied in with Public Service Commission’s statement in its letter to Con Edison that ‘the public is being encouraged and given the opportunity to provide input.” Mayor Hochvert urged residents to utilize this link to provide any information that may be helpful in the future and to take a few minutes to write their story and send it along. Mayor Hochvert stated that last Saturday, he had the opportunity to blow the horn to start two races – the 4 mile run and the 15K run and one of the Village Department Heads, Angela Martin, Human Resources Director, ran the 15K. He stated that he always liked seeing staff ‘go the extra mile’. Yesterday, Mayor Hochvert stated that a meeting was held with the League of Women Voters to go over the proposed 2018-2019 budget. Village Manager Pappalardo and Village Treasurer McClure led the discussion. He and Trustee Pekarek added to the discussions as well. A meeting was held with the West Quaker Ridge Neighborhood Association last evening and Ron Schulhof was present and sold four more food scrap compost kits. Mayor Hochvert noted that the Library RFP’s are due back on April 17th. In regard questions regarding the water rates, Mayor Hochvert noted that one of the things that people may not understand is that New York City sets rates for the excess water and they decreased that by ½%. However, some people thought that should not happen but they didn’t realize that those people, before they arrive at the excess rate in their usage, have to pay the increased basic rates. The rate is increased because the Village ran into some excess costs that were not anticipated in the update of both pumping stations and the reserve was depleted. The Water Department is an Enterprise Fund, separate from the rest of the Village Board, like the Pool and Library. With a depleted reserve fund, there is a danger that when something needs to get done there will not be any money available. Therefore, that money is being built back into the reserve fund by the increase in the rates. ******** Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 124 Trustee Committee and Liaison Reports Trustee Veron reported that a full report on the Library fundraising will be given at the next meeting of the Village Board on April 10th. Trustee Veron stated that she had the opportunity to meet with the seniors and there were three items that the Village has followed up on. The first is the seniors’ request to be integrated into the programming and space discussions at the library – the library has reached out to the Scarsdale seniors and will be attending their next meeting. Trustee Veron stated that she is delighted that the Library Board continues to foster a relationship with the seniors. Secondly, the seniors have asked that the library look into potential additional discounts, such as taxi service. The Mayor, Assistant to the Village Manager Ringel and she plan to investigate the implementation of a service that another municipality has in place. The third item has to do with the Girl Scout House – she stated that the Mayor offered to go to the Girl Scout House and fix some of the things that are in need of repair. In regard to the Farmer’s Market, Trustee Veron stated that a resolution is in the Board’s packet this evening to renew the Farmer’s Market – it will be outside once again. It is anticipated that many of the residents’ favorite vendors will be present, as well as some additional new vendors added to the mix. Trustee Veron gave details on the Drug and Alcohol Task Force Healthy Teen Brain Day. She stated that on Thursday, April 19th, there will be an opportunity for the entire community to join. They may enter the Middle School Auditorium to go into an inflatable brain. She stated that it is fascinating. There will be a symposium style presentation. Both students, 5th-12th graders and parents will be able to see and touch the various areas of the brain and watch circuits light up in addition to seeing how brains react adversely to nicotine, alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. The Village, through the Recreation Department, is one of the sponsors. There will be a ceremony acknowledging the partnership with the government and other stakeholders. This should be an incredibly worthwhile experience. ******** Trustee Pekarek reported as Police Commissioner, and stated that she just received a notification that the Scarsdale Police Department has been awarded the highest accreditation standard from the National Law Enforcement Commission. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies has awarded the Scarsdale Police Department an accreditation with excellence under the Gold Standard Assessment Program. This accreditation was awarded on March 24th in Texas. The program is a voluntary program and requires the Police Department to comply with 484 sets of standards. Only 5% of agencies in the nation are fully accredited, according to the Commission. Of those, only 20% receive accreditation with excellence. The Scarsdale Police Department has been continuously Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 125 accredited by New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services since 1990. Chief Matturro said the accreditation is “an outstanding honor and achievement for the men and women of the Scarsdale Police Department. This is a validation of their exceptional work ethic and the highest level of professionalism.” Trustee Pekarek stated that she seconds that statement and added that it has been her pleasure to serve as Police Commissioner this year. ******** Trustee Finger noted that the accreditation that the Police Department received as reported by Trustee Pekarek places them in the top 1% of those that are getting accredited. That accreditation and qualification is known throughout the County and the State – people know that the Scarsdale Police Department is top notch. Trustee Finger stated that a page on the Village website has been set up for persons to report ‘storm stories’. He stated that an easier way to find the site is to put in ‘PSC’ in the search field on the Village website and it will direct you to that option. ******** Public Comment Matt Miller, 8 Roosevelt Place, spoke briefly about the food scrap pick up and his support for the program. He brought several newspaper articles with him to show the Board regarding different homes in Scarsdale, as a developer, he had demolished. He noted that he regrets taking down the 18th century historic house and that he should have never taken it down. Mr. Miller stated that development is very good for the Village and delays, such as what happened with the discussions on amendments to impervious surface laws, hinders the Village. He wondered if the tree ordinance amendments as proposed would be legal. Mr. Miller showed the Board a black walnut board that he milled from a tree he cut down 15 years ago on his property. He showed them the same board put through a planer and polyurethane. He then showed them his son’s 7th grade school project – a marshmallow catapult. His son used wood from a tree that had been cut down on his property. The wood was put through a planer and made into a catapult. He thought the Village should get a portable mill and mill the trees that are taken down. The kids in school could then use the free lumber in woodworking class. He added that the children in Kindergarten should have a class for tree planting. He added that the Village should use some of the money for subdivision recreation fees and plant little trees. He then spoke about some of the economic hardships facing the empty nesters in Scarsdale. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 126 Mayor Hochvert suggested to Mr. Miller that the best way to offer his ideas or suggestions to the Board are to send an email to mayor@scarsdale.com. He stated that would be much more effective. Mr. Miller stated that he does not put anything in writing. In regard to Freightway, he stated that the Village should turn that site into a housing complex for empty nesters so they can stay in Scarsdale. Mayor Hochvert again stressed that Mr. Miller should put his comments in writing to make a difference. Mr. Miller stated that he had just wanted to make some points. He loves this town; he grew up here, and works here. He just wanted to bring his concerns to the Board’s attention. Trustee Veron commented on the Freightway site – she stated that one of the key targets is both millennial and empty nester in terms of provisioning – they do not know what will ultimately happen, but that is one of the goals and one of the things that the community articulated, a desire to be able to enable people to stay in Scarsdale. She stated that Mr. Miller should keep an eye on that conversation and give his input as it evolves. There being no further comments, Mayor Hochvert closed the public comments portion of the meeting. ******** Finance Committee Trustee Finger reported on the statements of expense and revenue for the various funds of the Village for the first nine months of fiscal year 2017-18. General fund appropriations were 72.09% spent as of February 2018 as compared to 72.06% in 2016-2017. General Fund Revenues other than property taxes are $13,963,816 through February 2018. After adjusting for the sale of 32 Ferncliff ($956,300) the resulting total of $13,007,516 represents an increase of $290,296 from the 2016-2017 figure of $12,717,220. The 2017-18 tax penalty revenue is down over $155,000 from 2016-2017. Last year’s revenue included over $240,000 in tax penalties on a single property. Mortgage tax increased $273,500. Building Permit revenue (included in License and Permit revenue) is down $50,400 from last year. This accounts for the reduction in overall License and Permit revenue. Parking revenue increased $44,000 in 2017-2018. Court fines are down $24,000 while miscellaneous revenue is up $190,400 due to reimbursements from Con Ed for Police Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 127 overtime. Recreation Department revenue decreased $152,000 due to decreased enrollment in some summer camp and athletic programs. Cable TV and gross receipts taxes declined $34,200. Investment income increased $115,300 partially offsetting the drop in other revenue categories. Sales tax receipts rose $46,600. Overall rental income increased $64,400. The actual collection of Village taxes through February 28, 2018 is at 99.56%. This is a decrease of 16 basis points from last year’s collection rate. ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Finger, and seconded by Trustee Veron, the following resolution calling for a Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Tentative Budget was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, pursuant to New York State Village Law §5-508 (3), a public hearing must be held on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Tentative Budget on or before the fifteenth day of April, with notice of such public hearing published in the official newspaper; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Village Board of Trustees herein schedules a public hearing for Tuesday, April 10, 2018, at 8:00 PM in Rutherford Hall in Village Hall to receive comments on the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Tentative Budget filed on March 20, 2018; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Clerk is hereby directed to publish notice of said hearing pursuant to Village Law. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Ross Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Municipal Services Committee Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Pekarek, the following resolution Awarding VM Contract #1237 – Masonry Repairs for Concrete Deck and Stairwell at the Freightway Garage was approved by the vote indicated below: Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 128 WHEREAS, the Village Manager reports that he publicly advertised in the Scarsdale Inquirer on Friday, February 02, 2018, for the receipt of bids pursuant to VM Contract 1237, Masonry Repairs for Concrete Deck and Stairwell at the Freightway Parking Garage, having also provided direct notice to six vendors known to provide the services; and WHEREAS, on the bid opening date, February 22, 2018, four bids were received, with the lowest responsive bid received from Scholar Painting and Restoration of 2 Klarides Village Drive, #145, Seymour, Connecticut 06483; and WHEREAS, Village staff met with Scholar Painting and Restoration at the Freightway Garage on March 06, 2018, to verify that the full scope of work was understood and feasible to complete within the project timeline, with the contractor having confirmed they are able to comply with all terms of the bid solicitation and would be sensitive to daily parking demands; and WHEREAS, individual references provided by Scholar Painting were interviewed and all provided positive recommendations relative to Scholar’s work on projects similar to the Freightway Garage bid contract scope of services; and WHEREAS, there exists up to $60,000 in available project funding comprised of $10,000 in a remaining FY 14/15 Capital Budget appropriation and a $50,000 FY 17/18 Capital appropriation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that VM Contract #1237, Masonry Repairs for Concrete Deck and Stairwell at the Freightway Parking Garage, be awarded to Scholar Painting and Restoration of 2 Klarides Village Drive, #145, Seymour, Connecticut 06483, at the unit bid prices itemized in the February 27, 2018 bid tabulation sheet, attached hereto and made a part hereof, with the total cost based on estimated work quantities and expenses not to exceed $60,000; and be it further RESOLVED, that the cost of same be charged to the appropriate Capital Budget accounts for the Freightway Garage, H-3397-962-2015-066 ($10,000) and H-3397-962-2018-067 ($50,000); and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Manager is hereby authorized to execute VM Contract #1237 on behalf of the Village of Scarsdale with Scholar Painting and Restoration of 2 Klarides Village Drive, #145, Seymour, Connecticut Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 129 06483, and to undertake administrative acts as may be required under said agreement AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Ross Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Samwick, the following resolution Awarding VM Contract #1239 – HVAC Systems Service & Maintenance Contract – Village Hall, Supply Field Building, Public Safety Building, and Scarsdale Public Library was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, the Village currently has a single heating, ventilation, and air- conditioning (HVAC) system service and maintenance contract covering the Village Hall, Public Library, Public Safety Building, and Supply Field Building; and WHEREAS, the current contract was awarded by resolution of the Village Board on March 27, 2013 (attached), for a two-year term and has been renewed for three additional one-year periods in accordance with the contract, which expires on April 01, 2018; and WHEREAS, Village staff prepared bid specifications for a new HVAC service and maintenance contract and the Village Manager reports that he publicly advertised for the receipt of bids on March 02, 2018, under VM Contract # 1239 – HVAC Systems Service & Maintenance Contract – Village Hall, Supply Field Building, Public Safety Building, and Public Library, and provided direct notification of the bid opportunity to six contractors; and WHEREAS, VM Contract # 1239 provides for a two-year contract term with an option to renew for three additional one-year periods at the sole option of the Village, with monthly pricing for the Public Library requested so as to only pay for service while the library remains open prior to renovation; and Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 130 WHEREAS, the bid proposal also requires that the contractor provide the Village with an hourly labor rate for repair or replacement work that is beyond the scope of services included in the contract; and WHEREAS, on the bid opening date of March 20, 2018, three sealed bids were received for VM Contract # 1239 – HVAC Systems Service & Maintenance Contract Village Hall, Supply Field Building, Public Safety Building and Public Library, with the lowest responsive bid received from Clean Air Quality Service, Inc., 161 Brady Avenue, Hawthorne, NY 10532, for the total two-year cost of $88,000; and WHEREAS, the apparent low bidder, Clean Air Quality Services, submitted a monthly fee of $100 for the Library portion of the contract to be paid until the construction commences on the Library Renovation and Expansion project; and WHEREAS, Village staff has reviewed the bids, checked references, and discussed the contract scope with a representative of Clean Air Quality Service Inc., who conveyed a clear understanding of the scope of work and comfort with the bid; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that VM Contract # 1239 – HVAC Systems Service & Maintenance Contract Village Hall, Supply Field Building, Public Safety Building and Public Library, be awarded to the lowest responsive bidder, Clean Air Quality Service, Inc., 161 Brady Avenue, Hawthorne, NY 10532, for a total two-year price not to exceed $88,000 for the Village Hall, Supply Field Building and Public Safety Building, subject to adequate budget appropriations; and be it further RESOLVED, the Village will pay a monthly fee at the bid rate of $100 for the Library portion of the contract until the construction commences on the Library, at such point the Library portion of the contract will be terminated; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village may utilize Clean Air Quality Service, Inc., to perform time and material work for services beyond the scope provided for in VM Contract # 1239 at the bid rate of $130.00/hour and shall reimburse the contractor for materials used to perform any such repair or replacement work; and be it further RESOLVED, that the cost for VM Contract # 1239 – HVAC Systems Service & Maintenance Contract Village Hall, Supply Field Building, Public Safety Building and Public Library be charged to the Department of Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 131 Public Works, Fire Department, Police Department, Library, and Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department General Fund operating budget accounts, as determined by the Village Treasurer; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Manager is hereby authorized to execute VM Contract # 1239 – HVAC Systems Service & Maintenance Contract Village Hall, Supply Field Building, Public Safety Building and Public Library on behalf of the Village of Scarsdale with said Clean Air Quality Service, Inc., 161 Brady Avenue, Hawthorne, NY 10532, and to undertake all associated administrative acts; and be it further RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 2.12 of the Village Internal Control Policy, this contract may be extended annually by the Village Manager for three additional one-year periods subject to the availability of adequate budget appropriations and in accordance with the federal and State indices identified in the contract, as long as all other contract terms and conditions remain unchanged. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Ross Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Trustee Veron stated that the next two resolutions are acknowledging the library work in its fundraising, but to be very clear, she stated that the funds that are being used to pay for the fundraising efforts are funds that are privately raised and are not Village funds. Since the Village and the Library are in partnership, the Village has to provide complete transparency and therefore the Village Board has the following resolutions before them. Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Samwick, the following resolution regarding the Public Library Master Plan Fundraising Contract with Plan A Advisors was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Library Board completed a Master Plan dated June 10, 2013, which identifies a number of building renovations and additions that will increase the capacity of the library to provide a broader range of rapidly evolving library services while maintaining Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 132 popular traditional collections and programs by offering a more balanced utilization of the building space within a safe, attractive and inviting comfortable environment, said master plan supported by the Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees via resolution dated April 8, 2014 (attached); and WHEREAS, the improvements identified in the Master Plan will transform the Library into a multi-purpose community asset for future generations, maintain its preeminent status among free public libraries in the County and State, enhance its technological capacity to further library services and create a physical environment that will be a welcoming and versatile learning center; and WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Public Library Board, at their October 21, 2013 meeting, authorized a two year contract with the fund raising consulting firm Plan A Advisors, P.O. Box 165, Thornwood, NY 10594, to design and conduct a capital campaign, such contract subsequently extended through March 31, 2017, said contract further supported by the Village Board via resolution dated December 10, 201; and WHEREAS, on December 13, 2016, the Village Board of Trustees authorized a $9,900,000 bond to pay part of the $17,900,000 addition and renovation of the existing Scarsdale Public Library Building, contingent upon the Library Capital Campaign raising $7,500,000 through private donations and grants; and WHEREAS, the work of the Capital Campaign is on-going and the services of Plan A are still necessary for securing funds for the Library renovations; and WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Public Library Board, at their March 13, 2017 meeting, authorized the Library Director to extend the professional services agreement with Plan A Advisors for a period of one year, as further supported by resolution of the Village Board on March 15, 2017 (attached). The $90,000 cost for these services were funded from the Library Capital Campaign with the Library Board having now also approved a subsequent one-year extension at their March 12, 2018 meeting, with the associated $54,000 cost also funded from donations available in the Library Capital Campaign Account; now, therefore be it Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 133 RESOLVED, that the Village Board of Trustees herein concurs with the Scarsdale Public Library Board’s authorization to enter into a one-year extension of the professional services agreement with Plan A Advisors, P.O. Box 165, Thornwood, NY 10594, to assist the Library with a capital fund raising campaign for the Library Master Plan Project; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Board herein authorizes the Village Treasurer to appropriate $54,000 from existing Library Capital Campaign donations to Capital Budget Account HL-7497-964-2014-070 - Master Plan Fundraising Consultant. AYES NAYS RECUSED ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Ross Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Samwick, the following resolution regarding the Library Contract for Capital Campaign Assistant was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Public Library completed a Master Plan dated June 10, 2013, which identifies a number of building renovations and additions that will increase the capacity of the Library to provide a broader range of rapidly evolving library services while maintaining popular traditional collections and programs by offering a more balanced utilization of the building space within a safe, attractive and inviting comfortable environment; and WHEREAS, on December 13, 2016, the Village Board of Trustees authorized a $9,900,000 bond to pay part of the $17,900,000 addition and renovation of the existing Scarsdale Public Library Building, contingent upon the Library’s Capital Campaign Committee raising $7,500,000 through private donations and grants; and WHEREAS, in order to provide the necessary administrative support for the Capital Campaign Committee, and the various related subcommittees established, the Library Board engaged the services of Melissa Biffert via agreement dated May 4, 2015, with successive renewal agreements Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 134 approved by resolutions dated May 10, 2016 (attached) and March 15, 2017 (attached); and WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Public Library Board, at their March 12, 2018 meeting, authorized the Library Director to extend the professional services agreement with Melissa Biffert for a period of six months utilizing donated funds from the Library Capital Campaign Account to cover the $22,750 cost of the extension; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Village Board of Trustees herein concurs with the Scarsdale Public Library Board’s authorization to enter into a one-year professional services agreement with Melissa Biffert, 110 Beverly Road, White Plains, NY, in substantially the same form as attached hereto, to provide administrative support to the Library Capital Campaign Committee; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Board will appropriate $22,750 to account HL-7497- 964-2014-070, not to exceed $22,750. AYES NAYS RECUSED ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Ross Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Samwick, the following resolution to Authorize the Execution of a Professional Services Agreement – Farmers Market was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, the Village is desirous of establishing a Farmers Market (“Market”) in the Village downtown as markets are used by many municipalities as a tool to help energize their downtowns by increasing pedestrian traffic to the area thereby supporting and sustaining retail and service businesses; and WHEREAS, in the fall of 2017 the Village commenced a pilot Market at Boniface Circle to determine if Scarsdale residents would be amenable to a market and to provide an opportunity to garner experience and resident feedback to develop a future Market that would best meet the community’s needs; and Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 135 WHEREAS, On Thursday, September 7, 2017 the Village unveiled the Pilot Fall Farmers Market, which included various vendors who sell produce, crafts and prepared foods as operated by Village Green Markets, Corinna Makris, Farmers Market Manager; and WHEREAS, Scarsdale residents welcomed, supported and enjoyed the Pilot Fall Farmers Market, and the excitement continued through an ongoing, indoor Winter Market; and WHEREAS, due to the community’s enthusiasm and high quality vendors included in the Pilot Fall Farmers Market, the positive survey results received from consumers and seamless operation it is recommended that the Village engage Ms. Makris of Village Green Markets to operate the Spring 2018 Scarsdale Farmers Market; and WHEREAS, the Village has prepared a Professional Services Agreement with Corinna Makris to use Boniface Circle for the Farmers Market under the terms and conditions specified by the Village, now therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Village Manager is authorized to enter into a Professional Service Agreement with Corinna Makris, in substantially the same form as attached hereto, to manage and operate the “Scarsdale Farmers Market” on Boniface Circle, Thursdays from April 5, 2018 – November 15, 2018. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Ross Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Before the vote was taken, Mayor Hochvert asked Trustee Veron to explain how Ms. Makris is compensated. Trustee Veron explained that Ms. Makris is the Market Manager and the Village does not incur fees for her to manage the market. She receives compensation in arrangement with the vendors. ******** Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 136 Police Commissioner Upon motion entered by Trustee Pekarek, and seconded by Trustee Samwick, the following resolution to Award VM Contract #1238 – Furnish and Deliver Police Uniforms was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement between the Village of Scarsdale and the Scarsdale Police Benevolent Association, all sworn officers in the department receive replacement uniforms on a bi-annual basis; and WHEREAS, the proposed FY 18/19 Police Department Operating Budget includes $34,600 for the purchase of Scarsdale Police Department uniforms; and WHEREAS, the Village Manager reports that on February 23, 2018, he publicly advertised for the receipt of bids under VM Contract #1238 – Furnish and Deliver Police Uniforms, and sent notices to six qualified vendors; and WHEREAS, on the bid opening date of Tuesday, March 13, 2018, one sealed bid was received from New England Uniform LLC of 356 Main Street, Danbury CT 06810, for multiple unit bid prices in the attached bid tabulation sheet made a part hereof, for a total contract price of $27,519.67; and WHEREAS, New England Uniform LLC has previously provided police uniforms to the Village and staff has been satisfied with the quality of the uniforms provided; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that VM Contract # 1238 – Furnish and Deliver Police Uniforms be awarded to New England Uniform LLC of 356 Main street, Danbury, CT 06810, at a bid price of $27,519.67; and be it further RESOLVED, that the cost of same be charged to the appropriate Police Department FY 2018/19 General Fund Budget account, subject to Village Board appropriation; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Manager is, herein, authorized to execute VM Contract # 1238 – Furnish and Deliver Police Uniforms with New England Uniform LLC of 356 Main street, Danbury CT 06810, at a bid price of $27,519.67 and that all administrative acts in accordance with the contract. Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 137 AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Ross Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Recreation Committee Upon motion entered by Trustee Samwick, and seconded by Trustee Finger, the following resolution to Award a Renewal of Preferred Source Agreement – Village Properties, Applications & Special Services was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, New York State's Preferred Sources were statutorily created to advance certain social and economic goals, with all State agencies, political subdivisions, and public benefit corporations required to purchase approved products and services from Preferred Sources in accordance with NYS Finance Law, Article XI, Section 162; and WHEREAS, Groundskeeping & Lawn Maintenance is a Preferred Source offering by New York State Industries for the Disabled (“NYSID”) through their eligible lawn care service provider, Alternative Earthcare Tree and Lawn Systems, 1 Jem Court, Bayshore, NY 11706; and WHEREAS, on March 26, 2014, the Village entered into a one-year Preferred Sources agreement with the NYSID for landscaping-related services, including such tasks as fertilization, aerating, seeding and other organic applications for turf, having renewed that agreement for the successive 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 seasons in response to competitive pricing and quality work performed; and WHEREAS, Village staff have now negotiated a one-year renewal agreement for the 2018/19 season at the price of $49,900, which is the same fee as it has been since 2015; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that pursuant to NYS Finance Law, Article XI, Section 162, the Village Manager is herein authorized to enter into a Preferred Source agreement with NYSID in the amount of $49,900 to provide the Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 138 scope of services identified in said agreement for a one-year period, commencing April 1, 2018, and ending on March 31, 2019; and be it further RESOLVED, that the scope of services identified in the agreement will be performed by Alternative Earthcare Tree and Lawn Systems, 1 Jem Court, Bayshore, NY, 11706, acting as an authorized affiliate of NYSID; and be it further RESOLVED, that the cost for the services provided in the agreement be charged accordingly to the General Fund Operating Budget Account #A- 7020-PARKS-MAINT-400-499, where sufficient funds are available. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Finger None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Pekarek Trustee Ross Trustee Samwick Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Written Communications The Village Clerk reported that eight (8) communications have been received since the last regular Board of Trustees meeting from the following: • An email from Emma Townsend regarding restriction of gun sales. • A letter from the Friends of the Scarsdale Parks in support of the proposed Tree Code Amendments. • Comments from Michael Levine regarding the proposed Tree Code amendments. • An email from Michele Braun regarding the Village’s electrical infrastructure. • Two communications from Robert Harrison; the first regarding the power outages during the storm and the second in appreciation to the Village Manager and staff for all of their efforts during the storm. • An email from Brice Kirkendall-Rodriguez regarding the new water rates. • An email from Mayra Kirkendall Rodriguez regarding property assessments. ******** Village Board of Trustees 03/27/2018 139 Future Meeting Schedule • Tuesday, April 10, 2018 – Agenda Committee Meeting – 7:30 P.M. – Trustees’ Room • Tuesday, April 10, 2018 – Village Board Meeting – 8:00 P.M. – Rutherford Hall ******** There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:30 P.M. on a motion entered by Trustee Samwick, seconded by Trustee Pekarek and carried unanimously. Donna M. Conkling Village Clerk