Board of Trustees

Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 501 THREE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH REGULAR MEETING Rutherford Hall Village Hall November 13, 2018 A Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale was held in the Trustees’ Room in Village Hall on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 8:00 P.M. Present were Mayor Hochvert, Trustees Arest, Crandall, Finger, Ross, and Veron. Also present were Acting Village Manager Cole, Village Attorney Sapienza-Martin, Deputy Village Attorney Garrison, Assistant Village Manager Richards, Village Treasurer McClure, Village Clerk Conkling, and Assistant to the Village Manager Ringel. ******** The minutes of the Board of Trustees Regular Meeting of Tuesday, October 23, 2018 were approved on a motion entered by Trustee Finger, seconded by Trustee Ross and carried unanimously. ******** Bills & Payroll Trustee Crandall reported that she had examined the payment of bills made in advance of a Board of Trustees audit totaling $813,357.91 which were found to be in order and she moved that such payments be ratified. Upon motion duly made by Trustee Crandall and seconded by Trustee Ross, the following resolution was adopted unanimously: RESOLVED, that payment of claims made in advance of a Board of Trustees audit totaling $813,357.91 is hereby ratified. Trustee Crandall further reported that she had audited the Abstract of Claims dated November 13, 2018 in the amount of $705,205.03 which includes $21,207.65 in Library Claims previously audited by a Trustee of the Library Board which were found to be in order and she moved that such payment be ratified. Upon motion duly made by Trustee Crandall and seconded by Trustee Finger, the following resolution was adopted unanimously: Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 502 RESOLVED, that the Abstract of Claims dated November 13, 2018 in the amount of $705,205.03 is hereby approved. ******** Mayor’s Comments Mayor Hochvert reported that on October 24th, he attended the Scarsdale Woman’s Club Centennial Celebration. He noted that two or three assembly persons were present, as well as the County Executive and the candidate for State Attorney General trying to get the vote out. It was a well-attended event. He stated that the exact date of the Centennial is in December. On October 25th, Mayor Hochvert stated that he and Assistant to the Village Manager Ringel accepted an award for Scarsdale from the Automobile Club of America in Garden City. The Village received a Gold Award, the second award down from the Platinum Award, of which five were awarded. One of the things the Village has been doing is using traffic devices to control traffic. For example, a push button for pedestrian crossings. The one on Fenimore Road makes a large difference, especially during the evening when visibility is difficult as there is a flashing light on the pedestrian sign. Slow down signs are also being deployed. There are a lot of ways the Village can reach for the Platinum award and gain safety for the residents. Mayor Hochvert stated that there was a ‘Meet and Greet’ with the merchants and the Scarsdale Business Alliance on October 25th. Trustee Veron will report on that event. Mayor Hochvert stated that he met with an Eagle Scout candidate on October 27th. The young man is interested rehabilitating a path that is a sort of loop path from the main path between the Library property and Dean Field. He is expected to do this on December 1st and 2nd. On October 28th, Mayor Hochvert stated that he was out of the Village cutting vines from the trees along the Bronx River Parkway. Afterwards, he attended a Forum meeting to listen to a speaker discuss Hudson River Art. He stated that it was a lovely presentation and very well attended. There was a County Executive meeting at the Scarsdale Woman’s Club on October st 31 . This was part of County Executive Latimer’s effort to explain how difficult it is to keep the County tax rate down in light of what had been happening in the past. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 503 On November 1st, he attended a League of Women Voters meeting with a terrific speaker who spoke about the history of the Supreme Court. She pointed out how many different justices were appointed by one party or the other. On November 5th, there was a Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service Aging in Place meeting at the Scarsdale Woman’s Club. This was the 2nd year they held this meeting. After that meeting, he went to Eric Rothschild’s son’s house where a gathering was held to celebrate our knowledge of how much Eric Rothschild contributed to the community. Not only was he one of the best teachers in Scarsdale’s history, he also hired a very good teacher twice, Maggie Favretti, who just retired. He was also the Village’s Historian. Even when he was not able to get around much, he still worked for the Village until he passed. That same evening, there was a SNAP meeting and security issues were discussed. A community wide activity for December 20th (changed to January 23, 2019 several days after this meeting) is being planned which would include Village Schools, businesses, and religious institutions. Security is not just an issue for schools. A meeting was held with the traffic consultant Brian Dempsey. Mayor Hochvert hopes to have the approval on improving northbound Scarsdale Avenue by adding a green arrow so that there will not be the traffic making the right hand turns south on East Parkway fighting with the traffic making the left hand turns heading north on Scarsdale Avenue. On Veteran’s Day, there was an event that Trustees Arest, Crandall, Finger and he attended at the Village Center. He stated that he found it very interesting to talk to men who were overseas during World War II; until you talk to someone and learn what they had gone through, you don’t fully appreciate it. He stated he was happy he was there to praise them for their service. Regarding leaves in the street, Mayor Hochvert stated that he believes there are fewer leaves in the street this year than last year at this time. He stated that he appreciates those who have had their landscapers bring the leaves to the edge of the property. He noted that there are still exceptions and he hopes that people learn that it is dangerous to put leaves in the street. This activity also clogs up drainage basins. Thanks to Trustee Crandall. Mayor Hochvert stated that he was learned that Jane Veron was named for the ‘Daily Point of Light’ award. The Daily Point of Light award is given each weekday as a point of light. The world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service was founded in 1990 by George H.W. Bush to recognize individuals creating meaningful change in their communities. The organization grants the award in both the United States and the United Kingdom. This award states specifically “This award recognizes exceptional individuals for using their time, talent, voice and treasure to improve the lives of others," said Jaqueline Innocent, vice president, Points of Light Recognition Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 504 Programs. "These points of light, like Jane Veron, make an impact on individuals while also helping build resilient communities." ******** Manager’s Comments: None. ******** Trustee Committee and Liaison Reports Trustee Crandall added to the Mayor’s words regarding leaves and urged residents to mulch in place. A Recreation Committee meeting was held this evening to discuss a potential dog park in Weinberg Nature Center. To be clear, several sites are possible for a dog park. It is a complicated issue as heard this evening from the consulting firm of JMC Site Planning; Lucille Munz, Senior Landscape Architect, and Drew Corn, Designer. The consultants demonstrated by providing an illustration of what it would take to have the appropriate setbacks from residential homes, sensitive water areas, etc. Since there were reporters there from Scarsdale10583 and the Scarsdale Inquirer, she stated that she trusts there will be full coverage. The meeting was also recorded and will be aired on Scarsdale Public Television. If anyone has any site in mind that they believe might be appropriate for a dog park, she asked that an email be sent to the Mayor, at mayor@scarsdale.com or she will receive calls at home at (914)725-9721. Finding a location is only one of many issues to consider. There are costs, environmental impacts, etc. It is more complicated than one might realize. Most people spoke in opposition to Weinberg Nature Center or other sites and a few people did mention that it would be an asset to have a place where the community could gather casually with their dogs. Personally, she stated that she is in support of anything that helps the community come together but we do have to be practical and listen to one another politely and think things through. She urged residents to help with the process and share their thoughts. Trustee Crandall next stated that it is her pleasure to announce that the Village and the Conservation Advisory Council received an award from NERC (North East Recycling Council). NERC is a nonprofit organization that conducts research projects, training and outreach on issues associated with source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and environmentally preferable purchasing. This award was presented to the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) and the Village of Scarsdale. The receipt of this award was really due to the leadership of Ron Schulhof and Michelle Sterling over a number of years. They brought food composting to the community; they started in the schools. She thanked the Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 505 Board of Education as well as District leadership for enabling this environmental initiative to get started in Scarsdale. She thanked Ron Schulhof, Michelle Sterling, other members of the CAC, the many parent volunteers who help in the schools, the teachers and everyone who participates in the food composting program. Tomorrow, November 14th, Aging-in-Place is showing a movie at the Girl Scout House on Wayside Lane at 10:30 am entitled "Brain Health with Dr. Rudy Tanzi and Dr. Deepak Chopra." This is a free event open to the community. On October 25th she attended the Westchester County Saw Mill River and Bronx River Advisory Boards joint meeting. She learned that scientific studies are being conducted to figure out the various sources of pollutants in these waters. Also, bids for building a pathway between the Hartsdale and Scarsdale Train Stations along the Bronx River came in too high, so the project is being redesigned. The County will provide a further update in February at the next meeting of these advisory boards for the two rivers. On October 26th Trustee Crandall stated that she had the pleasure of meeting members of Scarsdale Volunteer Fire Company No. 2 at their Annual Clam Bake. She heard some stories that made me appreciate their bravery and volunteerism even more. If anyone is interested in being a volunteer firefighter, they should contact one of the Fire Companies through their website or contact information can be found on the community calendar. Trustee Crandall stated that the Halloween parade on October 31st was a lot of fun. The Village Recreation Department and the Police force worked hard to make sure that kids of all ages had a good time in a safe environment. Trustee Crandall wished everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. Mayor Hochvert stated that he had received a letter from Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, addressed to Superintendent of DPW Benny Salanitro, asking for help from the Village relative to collecting food scraps. Mr. Feiner is considering the expansion towards collection at curbside. Mayor Hochvert stated that he finds it amazing that people want to come to Scarsdale to find out anything they can regarding this program. Scarsdale is well known for collecting food scraps. Trustee Finger noted how important and informative the Veteran’s Day ceremony was. He stated that Trustee Callaghan read a letter that John Kelly (President Trump’s Chief of Staff) wrote, which described courage and the meaning of courage in a story about two soldiers. He stated that it was very interesting; each time he has attended these ceremonies for Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and the September 11th Memorial ceremony in the last several years he has learned something and have been impressed by the people that are dedicated to organizing these events. He stated that that he hoped in the future we would be able to have a few more people attend because the ceremonies are very valuable as a way to Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 506 honor our veterans and as a way to learn what our democracy is all about which is always a timely subject. In regard to the Mayor’s comments concerning all of the traffic safety devices that have been installed, Trustee Finger reiterated that the Village is working very hard on solutions for traffic safety. Funds have been budgeted for these items and the Village will continue to work on this. In regard to comments made by Trustee Crandall regarding the dog park, Trustee Finger stated that the Village is in the initial stages of what it anticipates to be a broader discussion. He stressed that no decisions have been made concerning a dog park. This will be discussed further, it is clear that it is a complicated issue and may or may not be feasible. He reassured residents that the Board is looking for more input on this before any determination is made one way or another. He wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Mayor Hochvert stated that in regard to the award that the Village received for traffic safety, the American Automobile Association presented a device that was made by someone who lost their cell phone between the console in his car and the seat and was reaching down for it and didn’t stop the vehicle in time before running into the back of another vehicle. This person invented this device which will fit between the car seat and the console to prevent anything from falling down in the space between. The device has text written on it that says “Don’t Drive Intexticated”, which is a good message these days. Trustee Veron underscored Trustee Finger’s comments regarding the dog park. It is a complicated issue and the Board is here to listen to all comments and receive feedback from the community. All discussions to date have been incredibly preliminary; no decisions have been made. Trustee Veron spoke about happenings in the business community. There has been a renaissance in the Village Center; there has been much more vibrancy and action and it has been reflected as well in the coming together of so many business owners to form the Scarsdale Business Alliance (SBA). There was a meet and greet of the SBA which now represents business owners in all of the retail hubs – it is not solely the Village Center. Rothman’s hosted the meet and greet and it was very well attended. Trustee Veron stated that there will be parking discussion that will be held this Thursday evening with the business community. There is true value to the business owners coming together and enabling the Village to help improve the situation in the Village Center. Trustee Veron reminded everyone of the fun event “Light the Dale”, on Friday, November 30th from 5 pm to 7 pm. Those who would like their child to have the possibility of winning the chance to light the tree and the menorah with the Mayor should submit their child’s name, school and grade to lightthedale@gmail.com. Santa will visit, there will be Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 507 carolers, hot cocoa from Lange’s, food stations from local Scarsdale eateries, and crafts. She urged everyone to come out for a phenomenal time and be part of that community effort. She stated that in addition, the merchants are pursuing a holiday shopping late night effort along with some other raffles and inducements to encourage people to shop in early December. She stated that this information will be shared with the public when it is finalized. Trustee Veron next spoke regarding the library; she encouraged everyone to attend the Board meeting on November 27th where they will be receiving a full report from the library with respect to demolition and construction, furniture and all of the initiatives that Building Committee is working on. She noted the cooperation between the Boards and Councils – the Cable Commission has been working in partnership with the Library to direct PEG funding to help underwrite the cost of technology at the library – this shows the tremendous partnership between the Boards and Councils. Trustee Veron noted that the Halloween pilot seemed to have gotten anecdotally positive feedback. She stated that Trustee Finger volunteered, managing traffic. This pilot will be evaluated for future years. Trustee Veron reported on the Freightway project, stated that the Village has received seven submissions of proposals regarding development of the site. On November 27th, the Board will be sharing with the community updates on the themes and the information the Village has received from developers. She stated that the information received is incredibility exciting, innovative; the developers spent a lot of time thinking about what would suit the Scarsdale residents and keep in mind the principles that were articulated by the Freightway listening exercise before the proposals were solicited. She encouraged everyone to attend the November 27th meeting at 6:00 pm at Village Hall. Trustee Veron spoke next about the Ad Hoc Communications Committee. She stated that the Committee is concluding its second year of work. There is a resolution on the Board’s agenda this evening that advances the Ad Hoc Communications Committee as a permanent committee. She stated that she is delighted this evening that there are three members in the audience: Carol Silverman, Dara Gruenberg, and ML Perlman. They will be sharing their recommendations of this past year with the Board. She stated that it is a tribute to the high quality and positive efforts of this hard working committee that it will be, upon resolution, considered to be a permanent committee. She thanked the members for all of their hard work. She then invited the members present to approach the podium and speak. ******** Dara Gruenberg, Hampton Road, stated that she was speaking on behalf of the Ad Hoc Communications Committee. The following statement is an excerpt from a letter from the Committee sent to the Mayor and the Village Manager last month and is included in the Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 508 Board packet this evening. The following is the Committee’s observations and recommendations that the Committee believes is valuable for Village staff and the Board to consider as it once again assesses the state of Village wide communications. “1. Establish a Communications Policy: the Village does not currently have a written communications policy with a statement of values, goals, objectives, and methods. The absence of such a policy has at times hindered the Committee’s pursuit of all six components of its current charge. 2. Appoint a Public Information Officer: The Committee has noted the benefit of having a clearly stated and set agenda from year to year, along with the added benefit of having immediate feedback and guidance during discussions. The Committee recommends that the responsibilities typically assigned to a PIO could be added to an existing staff member’s responsibilities. This staff member should manage the development and implementation of the communications strategy. A job description should be created with the Committee’s input as well as research into other municipalities’ PIO job descriptions. The Committee recommends that the Village’s newly appointed PIO participate in ongoing professional development. 3. Social Media Communications Policy: As noted in the Committee’s 2017 Report, Scarsdale Village is the only example of comparable municipalities that does not have a Social Media presence of any kind. We have heard arguments over lack of control, however, the fact is that this albeit private utility has become an important source of news for many residents. Efforts to encourage the widespread use of scarsdale.com – a digital communications platform – can include a social media communications component. The Committee would like to explore the use and controls of social media further. Like any municipality, the Village would need to establish guidelines, access, permissions, and content supervision to ensure conformity with administrative and legal considerations should the committee advise, and the Village agree, to move forward with the use of social media. 4. Development of Staff Generated Content: The Committee was asked to facilitate the development of specific content: standard forms and FAQs for relevant departments. The Committee recommends that staff begin to work on this content with input and assistance from the Committee. Most pertinent information lies with staff and should be part of staff’s responsibility to generate. 5. Development of Committee Generated Content: The Committee was asked Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 509 to facilitate the development of specific content; new resident’s packet and department profiles (written and video). The Committee recommends that its members begin to focus their attention on these tasks in due course. 6. Visual Identity: The Committee continues to observe a wide range of logos, typefaces, colors, fonts, and formats across all communications tools (print & digital). The Committee recommends that the Village continues to refine and clarify its graphic visual language in order to make “official” correspondence more recognizable and consistent to the public. 7. Scarsdale Public TV: SPTV is an under-utilized resource for the Village and the public. The Village should disseminate notices and helpful reminders between programs and as chyrons across the bottom of broadcasts. Budget allowing, the Village can explore the creation of programming that reinforces its communications goals. The 2017 Report notes that the committee produced an instructional video for the new scarsdale.com. 8. Media Relations: The Village should establish a regular calendar year of proactive media outreach; quarterly “Letter from the Mayor” or “Letter from the Manager” updates are examples of useful tools that embellish and deepen existing “Scarsdale Official” bi-weekly news. To the extent the Village considers extending the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Communications, these observations are intended to provide some guidance as to the circumstances under which the Committee will experience success – and potential challenges. 1. Village Staff Participation: The Committee feels that the involvement of Robert Cole, Deputy Village Manager, has been an invaluable resource for the Committee’s work. The Committee encourages continuing Mr. Cole’s membership on the Committee. 2. Member Composition: Unlike other boards and councils, the Ad Hoc Committee benefits from the service of members who serve on other boards and councils concurrently. The Committee has observed that this inter- committee communication has been invaluable to discussions and accomplishments as committee members provide insight and knowledge from various aspects of the Village that are extremely additive in the Committee’s work. At the same time, since its charter is to provide and facilitate resident feedback, the composition of the Committee should be partially refreshed on a yearly basis. 3. Goal-Oriented Mandate: Committee acknowledges the benefit of having a Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 510 Specific charge as an outline for its work from year to year. If the Committee were to continue from year to year, it is recommended that the board and staff annually review and determine the Committee’s specific charge and evaluate its work. 4. Long Term Goals Now: The Village staff and board selected near-and- medium term goals from the 2017 Report for its 2018 charge. The Committee encourages the board and Village staff to consider that long term goals still require the development of timeframes, tasks and responsibilities, irrespective of the implementation dates that might be proposed for such goals. 5. Use of 2017 Report: Committee has observed that its 2017 Report continues to accurately reflect the state of Village communications. The 2017 Report should be reviewed annually – and updated when necessary - to assess both changes that may impact the activities described in the report and the Committee’s progress from year to year. 6. Should the Committee be transitioned to a permanent role, we strongly suggest its best role would be advisory in nature, in direct coordination with whichever senior Village Staff member (formally or not) assumes the role of PIO. The Committee feels strongly that it cannot continue its work effectively without coordination with a senior member of the Village Manager’s Office. In closing, the Committee would like to acknowledge and extend recognition to Trustee Jane Veron and Deputy Village Manager Robert Cole. The contributions of these individuals cannot be overstated. As residents, we have been impressed by their unwavering commitment toward our shared goal of improving the communication between our municipality and the public it serves. Additionally, the Committee would like to thank Trustee Justin Arest and former Trustee Deb Pekarek for their invaluable perspective, guidance and work in furthering the charge of this committee. Respectfully Submitted, Ad Hoc Committee on Communications Lee Fischman Dara Gruenberg Laura Halligan Barry Meiselman Mary Louise (ML) Perlman Scott Rompala Andrew Sereysky Carol Silverman Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 511 Thank you for your time.” ******** Public Comments: Ron Schulhof, speaking on behalf of the LED Committee, reminded the community that the residential LED streetlight pilot, which has been underway will soon be coming to a close. He asked that residents view the lights; there are 11 pilot locations, 2 in each neighborhood. In Edgewood they are on Boulevard and Nelson Road – 5 lights on each; in Heathcote they are on Kelwynne and Murray Hill Roads; in Quaker Ridge they are on Crossway and Springdale; in Fox Meadow they are on Church and Fox Meadow Roads; in Greenacres they are on Brewster and Greenacres Avenue, and an 11th location on Fenimore Road. He asked that any feedback be sent in by November 19th at which point the committee will come back to the Board and the community with a recommendation on how to move forward. Submit any feedback to LED@scarsdale.com. All feedback and questions are welcome. Greg Schwend, Barry Road, stated that he is representing Drake Edgewood Neighborhood Association to express his appreciation to the Village staff, specifically Josh Ringel for his help and efforts in the project to enhance the crosswalk across Post Road at Edgewood Road. It is a dangerous crossing across a four lane road with vehicles moving quickly. With Mr. Ringel’s help, the equipment is being installed and this all happened in short time span – three months or so. The continued responsiveness is appreciated in helping to improve traffic issues brought to your attention. Mr. Schwend stated that he also wanted to pass on comments from a retired neighbor regarding empty nesters living in the neighborhood and the issue of rising taxes, and what the Village can do to entice people to remain in Scarsdale once their children have moved out. Having empty nesters in the Village helps to reduce the burden on the school system. The Village may or may not have programs to help people to stay which he would like to hear about. Mr. Schwend continued, stating that he does see that leaves in the street are a problem in his neighborhood. Leaves are in the street, storm drains are blocked. Some people are mulching, but not enough people are. He suggested that the Village make it easier for a contractor to be notified about the leaf program and be able to register during that time instead of having a timeline for when they have re-register in the system to be able to bring the leaves to the recycling center. Mr. Schwend stated that another issue in the neighborhood is flooding and sewer overflows and those are items that he would appreciate discussing regularly. He stated that Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 512 he would like to hear at every meeting what has been going on for the past two weeks to improve the decade’s long problem of sewer backup and flooding. Neighbors are having sewers back up into their house; they are a public system and they expect it to work. He stated that he has spoken to Village Manager Pappalardo several times and he knows that the Village is working on a study of the system that affects their area. He noted that it has been suggested by Village officials that residents need to fund their own sewer backflow prevention devices and that for him is a non-starter, to have to protect themselves from the public sewer system. Trustee Arest suggested that Mr. Schwend tell his neighbor that they can reach out to Carol Silverman, Chair of the Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens; in connection with the Recreation Department, they have incredible senior programs. Trustee Finger added that interested residents can go to the Scarsdale website, type in senior citizens and a listing of programs will be found including rides to doctors’ appointments, trips to museums, etc. Mr. Schwend thanked both Trustees for those suggestions, however, he stated that increasing tax burdens was at the front of his neighbor’s mind when it was brought up to him. Carol Silverman, Spier Road, Chair of the Advisory Council on Scarsdale Senior Citizens, stated that the seniors have several programs through the Village’s recreation department – exercise programs, lectures, and trips. It is only $15 per year to join the Senior Club. Trustee Veron acknowledged Carol Silverman’s participation in the Ad Hoc Committee on Communications because she has been working on behalf of the entire senior population to insure that the Village provides communication that is accessible to seniors and represents that demographic. She is a very dedicated volunteer. Robert Berg, 32 Tisdale Road, asked if there would be a public hearing after this on the sign law. Mayor Hochvert replied that there would be; there are two public hearings but since the Board started as a direct connection with Jane’s work on the Communications Committee, he thought the Board would continue public comment and then move to the public hearings. Mr. Berg stated that he would then limit his comments to another issue and speak later at the public hearing on the sign law. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 513 Mr. Berg stated that when the Mayor met with SNAP earlier in the month, he had been asked to adjourn this evening’s Recreation meeting regarding the dog park because they felt there wasn’t enough information that had been gathered concerning possible alternative sites. There was a lot of misplaced focus in the community on one particular site – Weinberg Nature Center. He stated that when SNAP came up with the idea of a dog park, they specifically stated that the Village should investigate all possible sites and had not focused on any one particular site. Unfortunately, the public thought the Village selected Weinberg Nature Center as the site through miscommunication. This brought a lot of people against the dog park that live in the neighborhood. However, he felt that the consultant the Village brought in did a good job this evening at the meeting, analyzing the cost and issues involved with Weinberg Nature Center as a site. He stated that he felt it was very important for her job to be expanded to analyze on an unbiased basis all potential sites for a dog park in the Village. He felt that there was a lot of misinformation and hysteria about dog parks being dangerous, unsightly, unsanitary, etc. Sara Bell, 368 Heathcote Road, stated that she grew up in Scarsdale in Quaker Ridge and moved back two years ago, and has two children in Quaker Ridge School. She summarized the stack of emails she has received from residents of the West Quaker Ridge Neighborhood on the dog park issue. She read off a list of names not in favor of a dog park at Crossway, with one in support. In her own personal opinion, for a number of reasons she does not support the idea of a dog park at the Crossway field complex; however, that is not to say that she would not support it in another location. She does not support it at Crossway because there are a lot of fields in the area, many children play there every single day of the week and should not be exposed to dogs as there are plenty of children and adults who are afraid of dogs and also, there will be standing water. One of the greatest threats to health and safety is mosquito breeding. The surest way to get the mosquitos breeding is standing water. If you have dogs with water you will have mosquitos. Another reason is Lyme disease, and as we know dogs carry ticks and where there are ticks there is probably Lyme disease. So if you increase the number of dogs in any particular area, you have greater risk. Rodents are another possible problem, as well as coyotes. Where you have an increase in dogs, there will be an increase in other wild animals. The little league field is there as well, not to mention liability issues, mold spores, smells. If we are talking about priorities for the Village, there are others that are much higher on the list. We should spend any extra monies on school safety and security. Mark Lewis, 98 Brewster Road, stated that the County police have offered to give free dispatching for communities from 12 am to 8 am. The only community that has taken them up on this offer is Tuckahoe. He did not understand why Scarsdale is not taking them up on this offer, it would free a police office and since there is no charge for it from the County, it is a win-win situation. The second issue Mr. Lewis would like to address this evening is the proposed amendment to the sign law. He said that he has spoken to Trustee Finger and he Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 514 understands that the only thing that his being changed right now is to change it to a 3 day waiting period. He feels that the problem with the proposed law is that it doesn’t explain whether or not, he, as the Democratic chair, needs to get permission for every individual sign to be placed in the right of way whether it’s in front of his house, in the park, in front of another District Leaders house -- the law does not state whether each individual sign needs a permit. He felt that the law needs to be more specific. Sabine Bochner, 1 Barker Lane, stated that she compared dog parks in different municipalities. Ossining has a dog park; this dog park is 500 feet from the closest property owner which is the Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehabilitation Center – it is very isolated. She stated she then looked into Katonah, where there is the Beaver Dam Park. This is located 700 feet from the closest property owner’s rear yard. The Pleasantville Dog Park is located in an industrial area. Ms. Bochner mentioned the wildlife she sees from her home at the Weinberg Nature Center. She said that it is very enjoyable to hike in the park and a dog park would destroy it. Mayor Hochvert responded to Mr. Schwend’s concern about flooding. He stated that the Village is attempting to have the neighbors along the Hutchinson River trim back all of the shrubbery at the edge of their property. He has found that items get caught in the water and form islands based on the growth that comes over the river. If that could be cleared out it would be very helpful and is a step that we neighbors can do. The Village Manager is putting together a draft letter that will be distributed to those residents. He stated that he will ask Mayor Bramson to do the same for New Rochelle. Mayor Hochvert then responded to Mr. Lewis’ comments, stating that the Board is only considering one item tonight. Mr. Lewis had raised several others which the Board needs to discuss further. This particular change was flagged to the Board – there was no interval for approval on the permits for signage. This is not focused on election aspects – this could apply to almost any sign that someone might want to put in the right of way in front of their house. One of the things he noticed was that there was a letter to the editor that suggested a very large number of permits requested but many of those people could place their signs on their own property for which they need no permit. The Board will go into many of those issues raised tonight but right now it only has the one item that needs to take care of. There being no further public comment offered, Mayor Hochvert closed the public comment portion of the meeting. Trustee Finger stated that he wanted to clarify that with regard to the dog park, the Board had two reports from civic organizations that brought this issue up as something that could be beneficial to the community. That was the genesis for everything the Board is Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 515 doing now. Those reports had not been specifically referenced at the meetings – there was a report from the Scarsdale Forum and SNAP. The SNAP report was referenced. ******** Public Hearings Trustee Finger stated that the first public hearing this evening is a proposed local law to amend Chapter 256 of the Scarsdale Village Code, entitled Streets, Sidewalks, and Public Places. This amendment is a change in the time frame within which the Village Engineer needs to make a decision regarding an application for an obstruction in the right of way. Mr. Lewis mentioned a waiting period of three days, but to clarify it is not a waiting period, it is a maximum time frame for the Village Engineer to make a decision on any permit application. The change is “the Village Engineer’s decision to grant or deny a permit application shall be made within three business days after a completed permit application has been received by the Village.” That is the change that he will open the public hearing on. Trustee Finger agreed with the Mayor that the Board believes that this issue merits a broader conversation; however, for the moment it was brought to the Board’s attention that this would be an important change to the statute. Trustee Finger opened the Public Hearing to public comment at this time. Robert Berg, 32 Tisdale Road, stated that he strongly opposes this proposed amendment to the Village Code, adding that he has publicly spoken about it before the Board at previous meetings and has published an op-ed piece in the Scarsdale Inquirer decrying it as a violation of residents’ constitutional rights under the First Amendment. He stated that the Board has never explained to the public why this amendment is needed and what is driving it. Who brought this to the Board’s attention? What is the purpose of it? He asked why the Code governs political speech at all – political signs that residents place on their front lawn, perhaps in the right of way – it’s unconstitutional and un- American. No one is talking about commercial signs; we are talking about political signs in the right of way. He stated that he is totally opposed to this amendment and opposed to regulating political signs at all. Michael Levine, Walworth Avenue, asked what would happen if the Village Engineer did not provide a response in the three days. Does this amendment make that clear either way? Trustee Finger stated that the amendment does not offer a ramification, it just states that the Village Engineer is required to make that determination in three days. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 516 Mr. Levine asked what would happen if the Village Engineer is on vacation? He stated that it should be made clear. Trustee Finger stated that he was advised that as to unavailability issues that the Village has a succession of staff that would be able to review an application within the three day period. The absence of the Village Engineer for a short period of time should not preclude a response. Mayor Hochvert stated that when he reads the word ‘shall’ that means it is required whether it means the Engineer or the Village Manager, it is a requirement on staff to act within three days. Mark Lewis asked that if the Village Engineer or whatever staff gives a denial on the application, is there an appeal process to the Board or anyone else to appeal that decision. Trustee Finger responded that there are legal remedies, but no remedy within the Village organization. Village Attorney Sapienza Martin replied affirmatively when Mr. Lewis asked if he would have to go to court for relief from a denial. As no further public comment was offered, Trustee Finger closed the public hearing, and requested any further comments from the Board members. Trustee Arest stated that just because someone thinks or states that something is unconstitutional, doesn’t mean that it necessarily is. We have to be cognizant in this community and New York State that the public right of way is not private property. The public right of way is public property. We are not doing anything that actually touches property owners’ rights, in fact, because of the way that public property is the public right of way; this has to do on anyone’s property in the Village. It’s not actually specific to what’s in front of your own house. It could be your neighbor, if you want to use politics as an example, you could be the Democratic chair and you could put one in front of the Republican Chair’s house. It’s public property. In response to the idea of political signs, to discuss anything other than being content neutral would be unconstitutional and we as a government can’t do that. But what we can do is regulate the size, materials. Mr. Lewis had mentioned size and that is a good conversation to have. What we are doing here is, and how we found our way here, is that we have an obstruction provision in the Code, but it has to do with public safety and there is a defect in it. It was an unlimited amount of time for the Village Engineer to respond and so what we are doing is, rather than just leaving this here, while we have a public conversation which we fully intend to do. We are fixing this defect now as soon as we could and make the time frame three days for the Village Engineer to make his determination. It is a logical step. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 517 Trustee Arest stated that if you look at the Reed case, a Supreme Court case, his belief is that Clarence Thomas is pretty clear. Public right of ways are very different from private property. And so we can regulate based on aesthetics, public safety and those are the things that we should be looking at. When it comes to non-commercial speech everything has to be content neutral. It doesn’t matter whether its politics, religion, etc., it’s irrelevant, it just has to do with it’s a sign and it has to be looked at exactly that way. Trustee Ross stated that picking up on one of Trustee Arest’s points and that is that this really is a measure that the Board believes is necessary to correct what we believe is a deficiency in the ordinance as it exists now. He stated that he has not really heard any argument against adopting this amendment. What he has heard are arguments in favor of going much further than this and those arguments are well taken and that discussion is needed. He has heard no actual reason not to adopt this amendment. Trustee Finger stated that the Board has discussed in certain instances whether we want to vote after a public hearing or not vote afterwards. He did not see any reason not to vote this evening. Upon motion entered by Trustee Finger, and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following Local Law to Amend Chapter 256 of the Scarsdale Village Code, entitled Streets, Sidewalks, and Public Places, was adopted by the vote indicated below: INTRODUCTORY LOCAL LAW #6 OF 2018 LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 256 OF THE SCARSDALE VILLAGE CODE ENTITLED STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND PUBLIC PLACES BE IT ENACTED by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale as follows: § 256-1 Permit required to obstruct. No person shall obstruct any street, sidewalk, public easement or other public place without first securing a written permit from the Village Engineer and complying with such regulations affecting obstructions as the Village Engineer may prescribe. The Village Engineer’s decision to grant or deny a permit application shall be made within three business days after a completed permit application has been received by the Village. No owner or lessee of any premises in the Village shall permit any goods, wares or merchandise owned or controlled by him to be kept, stored, displayed or sold on or directly above any sidewalk adjoining such premises. No owner or lessee of any premises in the Village shall permit any refuse or waste from such premises to be kept or stored on or directly above any sidewalk adjoining such premises without first securing a written permit from the Village Manager and complying with such regulations and restrictions as may be prescribed in such written permit. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 518 EFFECTIVE DATE This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Arest None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Crandall Trustee Finger Trustee Ross Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert Trustee Arest noted that he voted aye because he believes there is a defect in the Code that needs to be changed. ******** Trustee Finger introduced the second Public Hearing to consider a proposed local law to amend Chapter 90 of the Scarsdale Village Code, entitled Traffic Violations Bureau. This amendment will allow the addition of special parking for electric vehicles in the statute and as a result in order to consistently administer that, an amendment is needed for the General Provisions dealing with enforcement. Trustee Finger opened the public hearing for any public comments. As there were no comments offered, Trustee Finger closed the public hearing. Upon motion entered by Trustee Finger, and seconded by Trustee Veron, the following Local Law to Amend Chapter 90 of the Scarsdale Village Code, entitled Traffic Violations Bureau, was adopted by the vote indicated below: INTRODUCTORY LOCAL LAW # 5 OF 2018 A LOCAL LAW AMENDING CHAPTER 290 OF THE SCARSDALE VILLAGE CODE ENTITLED VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC BE IT ENACTED by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale as follows: ARTICLE I General Provisions § 290-1. Definitions Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 519 A. The words and phrases used in this chapter shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by Article 1 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York. B. The following words and phrases, which are not defined by Article 1 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section for the purposes of this chapter: BATTERY CHARGING STATION – An electrical component assembly or cluster of component assemblies designed specifically to charge batteries within electric vehicles. BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE (BEV) – Any vehicle that operates exclusively on electrical energy from an off-board source that is stored in the vehicle’s battery or batteries, and produces zero tailpipe emissions or pollution when stationary or operating. CURBLINE – The prolongation of the lateral line of a curb, or in the absence of a curb, the lateral boundary line of the roadway ELECTRIC CHARGING STATION – A public or private parking space that is served by battery charging station equipment for the primary purpose of transferring electric energy, by conductive or inductive means, to a battery or other energy storage device in an electric vehicle. ELECTRIC VEHICLE – Any vehicle that operates, either partially or exclusively, on electrical energy from the grid, or an off-board source, that is stored on-board for motive purposes, including battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles. ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING SPACE – Any marked parking space identified for use exclusively by electric vehicles. HOLIDAYS – New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Election Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. NON-ELECTRIC VEHICLE – Any vehicle that does not meet the definition of “electric vehicle”. OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD – Whenever certain hours are named herein or on traffic control devices, they shall mean the time standard which is in current use in this state. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 520 PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE (PHEV) – An electric vehicle that: (1) Contains an internal combustion engine and also allows power to be delivered to drive wheels by an electric motor; (2) Charges its battery primarily by connecting to the grid or other off-board electrical source; (3) May additionally be able to sustain battery charge using an on-board internal combustion driven generator; and (4) Has the ability to travel powered by electricity TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE – A committee established by the Village Manager to review and advise on village-wide traffic safety matters. This Committee shall consist of representatives of the Village Manager's Office, Police Department, Public Works Department and other employees from time to time as determined by the Village Manager. ARTICLE V Handicapped Parking Other Parking § 290-42. Use of handicapped parking spaces. Other Parking A. Use of Handicapped Parking Spaces A. 1. Where parking spaces have been designated as handicapped parking and where such spaces have been posted with handicapped parking signs, only those vehicles displaying a legally issued, currently valid New York State handicapped parking permit shall be permitted in such parking spaces. B. 2. Where parking spaces regulated by a Village parking permit have been designated as handicapped parking spaces by the Village Manager and where such spaces have been duly posted with handicapped parking signs, only those vehicles displaying a properly issued New York State handicapped parking permit along with the proper village issued parking permit shall be permitted in such spaces. C. 3. Use of any parking space designated in Schedule XXXVI (§ 290-87), Handicapped Parking Spaces, shall require conformity to the requirements of § 290-42 of this article and § 1203-a(1)(ii) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 521 B. Use of Electric Vehicle Parking Spaces 1. The Village Manager or his/her designee is hereby authorized to designate the location of electric vehicle charging stations and electric vehicle parking spaces within each public parking area and structure. The Village Manger or his/her designee is further authorized to designate entire public parking areas or a portion or portions of public parking areas and structures for the exclusive use of electric vehicles. Said areas or portions of public parking areas and structures so designated shall be identified through signage and/or appropriate pavement markings. 2. Any electric vehicle or non-electric vehicle parked in a designated electric vehicle charging station space and not electrically charging, or parked beyond the days and hours designated on regulatory signs posted at or near the space, shall be subject to a fine. For purposes of this subsection, “charging” means an electric vehicle is parked at an electric vehicle charging station and is connected to the battery charging station. 3. Electric vehicle charging stations are reserved for parking and charging electric vehicles only when parked in an electric parking space. 4. Electric vehicles may be parked in any space designated for public parking, subject to the restrictions applicable to said parking space. 5. Non-electric vehicles parked in an electric vehicle parking space shall be subject to a fine pursuant to § 90-6 of the Scarsdale Village Code. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Arest None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Crandall Trustee Finger Trustee Ross Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Mayor Upon motion entered by Mayor Hochvert,, and seconded by Trustee Veron, the following resolution Establishing the Advisory Council on Communications was approved by a unanimous vote: Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 522 WHEREAS, there is substantial civic value in the effective and efficient exchange of information between Village government and the public using methods and practices that recognize the range of individual communication preferences and needs under both routine and non- routine circumstances, such as public emergencies; and WHEREAS, fostering public trust and confidence in local government is a continual conscious endeavor with many public communication touchstones, including such critical dimensions as promoting transparency in governmental affairs and encouraging broad participation in local governance; and WHEREAS, communications that successfully reach diverse audiences amidst a dynamic technological environment are critical to cultivating an informed and engaged community, serving to nurture enhanced public involvement in official decision-making and constituting a hallmark of local government excellence; and WHEREAS, using a combination of existing and emerging communication platforms requires an integrated Village identity characterized by visually appealing, interesting, and informative messaging and programming; and WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Ad-Hoc Committee on Communications, initially established by resolution on October 13, 2016, and renewed by resolution on November 28, 2017, has demonstrated the value of resident volunteers working in an advisory capacity to shape communication strategies and promote community participation in local governance; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that a permanent advisory council to the Village Board of Trustees titled the Advisory Council on Communications is hereby established, comprised of seven to nine members, inclusive of a chair, each appointed to serve a two-year term, with a two-term maximum, which may be waived by approval of the Village Board; and be it further RESOLVED. it is the Village Board’s intent in establishing this Council that it shall work in coordination with staff to support professional, effective, and efficient public communications and to promote community engagement in local government affairs; and be it further Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 523 RESOLVED, that the Purpose, Duties, and Membership of the Council are herein established in the Constitution of the Advisory Council on Communications, attached hereto and made a part hereof. ******** Trustee Veron noted that MVP truly is Deputy Village Manager Rob Cole and the voice of Scarsdale Official enabling the Village to become as transparent and open as it possibly can. Trustee Arest seconded Trustee Veron’s comments. ******** Finance Committee Upon motion entered by Trustee Ross, and seconded by Trustee Finger, the following resolution regarding Acceptance of a Gift for the Scarsdale Public Library Addition and Renovation Project was approved by a unanimous vote: 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 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; 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 the retention of the fund raising consulting firm of Plan A Advisors, P.O. Box 165, Thornwood, NY 10594, to design and conduct a capital campaign to implement such a project, subsequently identified in the July 20, 2015, Schematic Design Report prepared by Dattner Architects, at an estimated construction cost of $16,500,000 and total project cost of approximately $19,500,000; and Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 524 WHEREAS, in accordance with a Village Board request at a March 07, 2016, Committee of the Whole meeting, the Library Board and Architect value engineered the schematic design plans, reducing the total project cost to $17,900,000, as identified in Option A-1, which the Architect presented at the July 19, 2016, Committee of the Whole meeting; 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, with the remainder of the $17,900,000 to be paid by private donations and grants; and WHEREAS, on January 09, 2017, and with thanks to Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, the New York State Dormitory Authority awarded the Village of Scarsdale a $500,000 State and Municipal Facilities Program grant in support of the project, with the execution of a grant agreement pending upon completion of various program review requirements; and WHEREAS, on February 13, 2018, the Village Board amended the December 2016 Bond Resolution to provide for an increased total library addition and renovation construction cost of $18,400,000, to be funded by a $9,900,000 bond combined with $500,000 from funds previously appropriated from the Village and the Library unassigned fund balances for the Supply Field temporary library and professional service contracts, respectively, and $7,500,000 to be paid from private donations and grants, including the aforementioned $500,000 State and Municipal Facilities Program grant; and WHEREAS, on June 26, 2018, the Village Board awarded library construction contracts which contributed to an increase in the overall project cost, now totaling an estimated $20,176,755, inclusive of a 5% construction cost contingency, with total available funding of $20,275,501, reflecting new Library General Fund and Trust Fund transfers and an additional $500,000 in donations through the Library Capital Campaign, which brings the fundraising total to $8,000,000; and WHEREAS, the following donations have been offered to the Scarsdale Public Library Addition and Renovation Capital Improvement Project: Friends of the Scarsdale Library - $65,075.35, and Leona Kern - $2,500. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 525 WHEREAS, pursuant to Policy #106: “Gifts to the Village of Scarsdale” of the Village of Scarsdale Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual, acceptance of all gifts valued at $500 or greater must be approved by the Village Board of Trustees; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Village Board hereby accepts the following gifts toward the Scarsdale Public Library Master Plan Improvement Project: $65,075.35 from the Friends of the Scarsdale Library; and $2,500 from Leona Kern; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Treasurer take the necessary steps to complete the transaction and accept the financial gift totaling $67,575.35 and deposit said funds into the Library Capital Campaign Account; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees hereby extends their heartfelt thanks and great appreciation to the Friends of the Scarsdale Library and Ms. Kern for their generosity and commitment to the Scarsdale Public Library and the community it serves. ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Ross and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following resolution Adopting Internal Control Policy for 2018-19 was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, New York State General Municipal Law (GML) Section 104-b requires the Village Board to review its procurement policies and procedures on an annual basis; and WHEREAS, the Village Board last reviewed and adopted the Internal Control Policy #201 of the Village of Scarsdale Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual on November 14, 2017; and WHEREAS, staff reviewed and discussed the Internal Control Policy and does not recommend any changes to the existing policy; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Internal Control Policy be adopted in accordance with the attached document dated November 13, 2018, titled “Internal Control, Policy # 201, November 13, 2018.” Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 526 AYES ABSTAIN NAYS ABSENT Trustee Crandall Trustee Arest None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Finger Trustee Ross Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Ross and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following resolution Adopting 2018-19 Village Investment Policy was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, the Village’s Investment Policy provides that the Finance Committee of the Village Board, acting as an Investment Committee, shall formulate a written investment program at least annually and submit same to the Village Board for approval; and WHEREAS, the Village Board last reviewed and adopted the Investment Policy, Policy # 501 of the Village of Scarsdale Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual, on November 14, 2017; and WHEREAS, recognizing the importance of the Village’s Investment Policy, Village staff on an annual basis reviews said policy and recommends any proposed modifications to the Village Board for consideration; and WHEREAS, staff performed said review and is not recommending any changes to the existing policy; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the 2018-19 Village Investment Policy be adopted in accordance with the attached document dated November 13, 2018, titled “Investment of Village Monies, Policy # 501.” AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Arest None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Crandall Trustee Finger Trustee Ross Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert ******** Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 527 Municipal Services Committee Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following resolution regarding Placement of a Crèche in Boniface Circle was approved by a unanimous vote: WHEREAS, the Scarsdale Crèche Committee has requested a permit to place a Crèche in Boniface Circle from December 14, 2018, to January 08, 2019; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees consent to the requested placement of said Crèche; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the application of the Scarsdale Crèche Committee to place a Crèche in Boniface Circle is hereby approved pursuant to Chapter 240 of the Scarsdale Village Code; and be it further RESOLVED, that a permit be issued to the Scarsdale Crèche Committee for a public display in Boniface Circle from December 14, 2018, to January 08, 2019, in accordance with Village Code Chapter 240; and be it further RESOLVED, that the display shall be dismantled and removed from Boniface Circle no later than January 08, 2019. ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following resolution regarding Placement of Menorahs in Boniface Circle and Chase Park was approved by a unanimous vote: WHEREAS, the Westchester Reform Temple has requested permission to place a Menorah in Boniface Circle during the Annual Tree Lighting to be held November 30, 2018, and Chabad Lubavitch of Westchester County has requested a permit to place a menorah in Chase Park from November 30, 2018, through December 14, 2018; and WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees consent to the requested placement of said Menorahs; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the application of the Chabad Lubavitch of Westchester County to place a Menorah in Chase Park is hereby approved pursuant to Chapter 240 of the Scarsdale Village Code; and be it further Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 528 RESOLVED, that the application of the Westchester Reform Temple to place a Menorah in Chase Park on November 30, 2018, is hereby approved pursuant to Chapter 240 of the Scarsdale Village Code; and be it further RESOLVED, that a permit be issued to the Westchester Reform Temple for a public display in Boniface Circle on November 30, 2018, and to Chabad Lubavitch of Westchester County for a public display in Chase Park from November 29, 2018, through December 14, 2018; and be it further RESOLVED, that the display shall be dismantled and removed from Boniface Circle no later than December 03, 2018, and from Chase Park no later than December 17, 2018. ******** Upon motion entered by Trustee Veron, and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following resolution regarding a Professional Services Agreement with Blackboard Connect, Inc., for Operation/Maintenance of an Emergency Notification System was approved by the vote indicated below: WHEREAS, mass communication capability, including the ability to target sub- areas of the community with focused messaging, is critical to maintaining public health, safety, and welfare, particularly during broad-scale emergency events; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Professional Services Agreements authorized by the attached resolutions of the Village Board at their meetings held on October 26, 2010, and January 14, 2014, Blackboard Connect, Inc., has provided the Village with a system facilitating mass emergency notifications to residents and other system users by telephone and optionally for registered users by email and text; and WHEREAS, Blackboard Connect emergency notifications have not only been of great value in supporting emergency and other urgent communications, but have also proven popular with Village residents; and WHEREAS, staff has negotiated a three-year, successor Agreement with no fee increase to replace the one presently continuing on a month-to- month basis following its expiration on October 31, 2018; and Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 529 WHEREAS, the proposed annual fee will remain $10,000 for the term of the Agreement, as it has been since 2014; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Village Manager is herein authorized to execute a Professional Services Agreement, in substantially the same form as attached hereto, with Blackboard Connect Inc., 1111 19th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036, to serve all Village households and businesses for an annual $10,000 fee; and be it further RESOLVED, that the cost associated with this agreement be charged to General Fund Account A-9990-SPCL-SPCL-500 1921; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Village Manager is further authorized to undertake all the administrative acts required pursuant to the Agreement. AYES NAYS ABSENT Trustee Arest None Trustee Callaghan Trustee Crandall Trustee Finger Trustee Ross Trustee Veron Mayor Hochvert Trustee Crandall urged all residents to sign up for ‘Notify Me’ to receive these emergency notifications by the option of email and text. Trustee Arest noted that if one isn’t already on Blackboard Connect, they should know that it is very important for emergency notifications. ******** Personnel Committee Upon motion entered by Trustee Arest, and seconded by Trustee Crandall, the following resolution regarding an Appointment to the Board of Architectural Review was approved by a unanimous vote: WHEREAS, the Board of Architectural Review consists of seven members and two alternate members appointed by the Village Board for three-year terms; and Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 530 WHEREAS, Richard Davies was appointed by the Village Board of Trustees to serve as an Alternate Member for a three-year term ending April 6, 2020, but has submitted a letter of resignation effective October 25, 2018; and WHEREAS, Sigal Hurvitz Bin, 16 Springdale Road, has submitted an application expressing interest in an appointment to the Board of Architectural Review; and WHEREAS, the Village Board’s Personnel Committee met on October 30, 2018, to discuss potential candidates to fill the vacancy on the Board of Architectural Review and herein recommends to the Full Board that Ms. Bin be appointed to the Board of Architectural Review to serve the unexpired term of Richard Davies; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Village Board of Trustees hereby appoints Sigal Hurvitz Bin, 16 Springdale Road, to the Board of Architectural Review as an alternate member to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Davies, ending April 6, 2020, or until such time as a successor is appointed. ******** Written Communications The Village Clerk reported that seven (7) communications have been received since the last regular Board of Trustees meeting. Please note that all written communications may be viewed on the Village’s website at www.scarsdale.com. • A letter from the Ad Hoc Committee on Communications regarding their 2017/2018 charge with their observations and recommendations moving forward. • An email from Mark Lewis, Chairman, Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee regarding political yard signs. • An email from Robert Berg, 32 Tisdale Road, concerning the Village Attorney’s office. • An email from Jason Cavalier, 271 Nelson Road regarding the possibility of a dog park at Drake Field. • An email from Russ Kopp, 12 Sage Terrace, concerning the leaf collection program. • An email from Susan Levine, Ardmore Road regarding leaf mulching. Village Board of Trustees 11/13/2018 531 • An email from Dr. Melissa Grigione, Professor, Department of Biology at Pace University regarding the proposal of a dog park at the Weinberg Nature Center. ******** There being no further business to come before the Board, on a motion entered by Trustee Crandall, seconded by Trustee Ross and carried unanimously, the meeting adjourned at 9:55 P.M. Donna M. Conkling Village Clerk