Board of Trustees

Village of Walden Board of Trustees Regular Meeting May 7, 2024 Mayor Ramos called the regular meeting of the Village of Walden Board of Trustees to order at 6:30pm. On roll call the following were: Mayor: Present: Deputy Mayor Chris Batson Trustees Becky Pearson Kristie Hall Liz Kyle Bill Taylor Absent: John Ramos Ralph Garrison Jr Also Present: John Revella, Village Manager Marisa Kraus, Village Clerk Dave Donovan, Village Attorney Public Hearing – CDBG Trustee Pearson made a motion to open public hearing for CDBG. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to close public hearing for CDBG. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Hearing – Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting Trustee Pearson made a motion to open public hearing for Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to close public hearing for Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Hearing – Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket Trustee Kyle made a motion to open public hearing for Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to close public hearing for Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Hearing – Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager Trustee Taylor made a motion to open public hearing for Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Sue Taylor: Can I ask what verbiage you used to change that? Attorney Donovan: The current language in the code says that the village shall have a Deputy Mayor. It's been changed to say is authorized to have. Sue Taylor: OK. Thank you. Trustee Pearson: When I reread it again, Dave, it talks about filling the position, I would like it to read somewhere that it would be appointed by the Board of Trustees as opposed to the manager 1 appointing it because I think that it's going to be a Deputy Manager position, that it still should be kind of overseen by the board. Is that something we can do in statute law? Attorney Donovan: That is something that you can do, you need to look at your fellow board members. Is that legal? So, my understanding of Village Manager's role in Article 15A Village Manager, is that this would be his or her appointment, as Deputy Manager and that power could be modified by local law. Just on that issue I did bring with me tonight the NYCOM handbook. What this says and I'll just read briefly out of the NYCOM handbook, a small number of villages, including Walden, operated under the manager form of government established pursuant to former Village Law Article 15A. In those villages, the Manager has the exclusive authority to appoint individuals to all positions except the positions of Clerk, Treasurer and Attorney, which our board appointments. The Village Manager's appointments are not subject to board approval. For those villages, the Manager retains the duties provided under former village Law Article 15A unless the duties were subsequently changed by local law. Trustee Kyle: We would have to make a local law. Trustee Pearson: Yeah, I'm good with that. I just think that because the position is the biggest position in the village of Walden that I think the board should at least have a say, even if the Manager is thinking of somebody that the board should approve that appointment. That's how I feel. Whether the board picks it or not, I just still think that the board should have a say whether they like that person or not, because maybe that Manager is going to leave and then we're going to be left with the Deputy Manager for a while. The board, I think, should have that ability to say that. That's just my thoughts to the board. Attorney Donovan: In my view that that's legal, that's up to the board though if you want to do that, that would be by local law. Trustee Pearson: That's a whole something completely different than this, that does not be worded in here? Manager Revella: No, because in here it says as prescribed by law. So if you change that law, this is still going to be filed. Trustee Pearson: So, we can do that at another meeting. Attorney Donovan: Absolutely. Trustee Pearson: How does the board feel about that? Trustee Kyle: I think it's worth the discussion. Trustee Batson: Agreed. Add that to a future agenda then. Trustee Pearson: I think it's very important that we look at that. I mean, it may not even be John. It could be 20 years down the road. It could be something that's not the next 5 years. It could be the next 20 years. Why wouldn't the board want to have a say in what's happening in this village for the Manager? Sue Taylor: The board hires the manager. The Manager serves at the pleasure of the board. I don't think you should have a problem with the Manager choosing his assistant Deputy Manager. If you're not happy with it, you can always fire the Manager. 2 Trustee Pearson: Only if you have a board that will do that. Sue Taylor: And that's always a chance you take. You don't know who's going to be sitting there, but if you're not happy, the Manager follows direction of the board. If you're not happy with the job that the Deputy Manager is performing, then you can always go to the Manager. So, the Manager is hired and can be dismissed by the board. What auspices does the Deputy Manager fall under, Mr. Donovan? Attorney Donovan: Currently, if there was a Deputy Manager, it would be up to the Village Manager to make that appointment. Hire and fire. Sue Taylor: I just wanted to clarify that. I don't see there's a problem with a Manager choosing someone that they can work with. Trustee Pearson: We're not saying that. I'm just saying if he or she appoints someone that the board can have the approval on it, they should have a say in it. Sue Taylor: I don't think the board should have approval on it. That should be a choice of the Manager. You hired him as the CEO of the village. He should have some leverage as to who he works with. What qualifications and talents that person is looking for. If you don't trust your Manager to hire his deputy, then he shouldn't be or she shouldn't be sitting in that chair. That's just how I feel about it. Thank you. Trustee Kyle made a motion to close public hearing for Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. Village Manager’s Report Manager Revella: Since last meeting obviously had a lot of meetings with Department Heads going through things for the year end and the new year. Went over things with the contractors for the floor and the cameras, they are going forward. Floors are done. They have a couple little caulk things to do. Cameras are up at two of the parks. The final park will be up next weekend. They're coordinating with NYSEG on the pole cameras as well and with the PD to make sure everything is coordinated. Had meetings with the Clerk, Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer. Going over applications for new Deputy Clerk/Treasurer. We finalize those tomorrow. Hopefully get appointment shortly thereafter. Had a bunch of discussions with residents about the delinquent notices they received for unpaid bills. St. Baldrick's event at the Firehouse went well as always. Was a great event, well attended. They raised a lot of money for children's cancer research. Capital projects, just working on different things with the office to make sure things are moving smoothly just for transition purposes and catching up. Rec Department, they have pickle ball going as well. One day a week, through the summer. Tennis starting, they started last night with 60 participants, more than previously. Flag football registration and summer camp registration are up and they're doing lawn maintenance now. Building Department, the Inspector issued 22 new permits, did some follow up on a few problem properties. Code Enforcement Officer did 49 violation notices and 50 letters for violations, 53 follow-ups, 26 corrections. 20 inspections, 15 of those were for bulk pickup, 2 for 911 address, 19 for grass. Part Time Inspector did 3 permits, 1 certificate completion, 1 CO, 7 residential inspections for 18 apartments, 3 commercial and 4 follow up letters, as well as working with rehab loans. They all did certification training as well. Clerk’s been helping out, working on personnel matters, FOILs, handicap permits. Met with me and the comptrollers on the audit and helping out with the interviews and payroll, working on minutes. Finance, working with me on invoices, some Edmunds clarifications and training, sent out the state budget, working on year end, bank reqs and doing interviews as well. Public Works, maintaining equipment, working on the sludge at the plant, checking stations. Water Department did 24 mark outs, 3 meters, replaced 22 3 endpoints and an inspection. Hydrant flushing should be finished this week. And was doing some pricing for capital to get those ready from the capital project list that the board approved as well as doing catch basins and road repairs. Police Department, we're doing interviews again tomorrow for full timers. The new list is out, so we're starting those interviews now to get those positions filled. They did issue 11 traffic tickets, 15 parking tickets, responded to 2 MVA's and did 10 arrests. It was 353 blotters. Trustee Pearson: The letter to the school is still sitting in the office and not signed. We never got that out to the school yet. Manager Revella: I need everyone to sign it. Everyone said they wanted to sign it. Trustee Pearson: Been 2 weeks already and people can't sign in 2 weeks. So, everybody is going to sign it or not going to sign it? Manager Revella: I hope. I left it in there for everyone. Trustee Pearson: North Montgomery Street House, where are we with that? Manager Revella: They're just waiting for the asbestos RFP's to come back. Trustee Pearson: Do they have somebody to tear it down? Is that what’s happening? Manager Revella: They will. Yeah. But they just need to have the asbestos part come back. Trustee Pearson: You had a department head meeting? All of them together? Manager Revella: Well, we're supposed to have all of them, but the Librarian had to miss. She was very upset that she had to miss. I filled her in after. Trustee Pearson: I know cause she liked those before. Are you going to have them regularly now? Manager Revella: Yes. Trustee Pearson: Let's talk about Millspaugh Park, where we at with that? Manager Revella: Contractor is supposed to be starting this week. Trustee Pearson: The Scout cabin is done, done or almost done? Manager Revella: Done. Done. We're actually doing some painting on the outside, but they're finished. Trustee Pearson: I know Kristie shared with me a blacktop debacle at the Olley Park with a big hole in it. What's happening with that? Manager Revella: Yes, we know about that. The contractor is coming back and doing that parking lot over again. Trustee Pearson: The whole parking lot is going to be redone? 4 Manager Revella: They have to do that section and extend it as well. Trustee Pearson: 29 Grant St, you had a meeting about that. What's happening down there now? Manager Revella: I think I mentioned once before there was a new developer that came in that was looking to do development there. They're trying to do applications for the Planning Board, so they wanted to meet with me to let me know they’re coming. Trustee Pearson: Is it still business on the 1st floor? Manager Revella: Yeah, mixed-use. I talked to him, I said it was very apparent from the entire populace of the village that we want a sit down restaurant there so he said he was gonna try to make that happen. Trustee Pearson: I would like more information on police reports. Manager Revella: Whatever information you'd like because there are a lot of different reports he can make, so whatever particular information, just let me know and I'll get the report for the board. Trustee Pearson: I'd like parking enforcement. How many tickets are given out? Where are they located? Where are people not following? You have parking lots. You have Main St. Manager Revella: I can have them do it by location. I just want to make sure that’s what you want. Trustee Pearson: Yeah. And how many are happening? Events that could be happening within the last 2 weeks in the village. You don't think be specific, but things that might have happened that we don't know about. I'd like to know about. I just think it’s important. As I said, you're not gonna give me names because we don't need that. It's just what's happening within the village. Manager Revella: Absolutely, yeah. Just let me know. Trustee Pearson: Any action on the zombie poles? Manager Revella: Yes, we're starting to get reports in. Residents are letting us know what poles. We're getting pole numbers. A lot of them don't have pole numbers, but we're trying by location. Trustee Pearson: How about Hill Street? I mean the cutaway on the hill on Scofield St that compromises our road. What's happening? The blue building across from Sweeney’s dug into that hill. Manager Revella: They've been cited. They have an engineer’s report. They're working with the Building Department engineer on that. That’s the 36 Orange Ave. Trustee Pearson: Any 12 hour shift news? Talk about the executive session or no? Manager Revella: Yes, I'm waiting for the PBA to have their meeting. Trustee Pearson: What are we getting out of it? Manager Revella: 12 hour shifts. That's a bonus for us. 5 Trustee Taylor: Bonus how? Manager Revella: It doesn't cost as much for the village. We're getting more hours out of the officers. Trustee Pearson: Yes, but only if we have the full time presence. And I know that you are going to be doing part time interviews. Did they happen as well for the Police Department? Have you hired anybody? Manager Revella: I haven't hired anybody part time as a police officer in a couple of weeks. We're still reviewing applications that are getting background checks. Trustee Pearson: You met with RDAC. About what? Manager Revella: They're doing a small house program. The Town of Montgomery approved it already. They weren't sure if it was something the Village Board would be interested in. I told them to get whatever information they had. Trustee Pearson: Tiny houses? Manager Revella: There was a presentation a few years ago on it, Trustee Mishk was bringing it up at the time. They were looking to do it because there's a lot of state funding now. I said to get whatever they have and we'll do a presentation to the board. Trustee Pearson: You talked about the Clerk/Treasurer position, you're done with interviews? Manager Revella: No tomorrow. Trustee Pearson: Are you going to do second interviews or you just going to pick somebody out of those interviews? Manager Revella: It depends on how we feel as a group. If there's somebody that sticks out, then I may make that selection tomorrow. I don't want to wait too long if there's somebody great, then I don't want to leave and go somewhere else. Deputy Mayor Batson: I thought I mentioned something about cameras on poles, any updates on when we got all the cameras deployed? Manager Revella: We got the 2 parks done, Olley and Wooster. Bradley will be done this coming weekend and we're coordinating with NYSEG to get the other ones because some of the poles are going to be on are getting removed. So, we're trying to coordinate as they're replacing. Deputy Mayor Batson: Done as in physically installed or done as in feeds in, live in feeding. Manager Revella: Feed in live. PD has live feeds of the parks. Trustee Pearson: Do we have cameras in this building, that work and record? Manager Revella: Yes. Trustee Pearson: All of them record? 6 Manager Revella: They can record. We have 3 in the building, 2 outside the building. Trustee Pearson: They can or do they? Manager Revella: I haven't asked for it. We can ask. They do play back the tapes. I'm not sure how long they hold for. Like how many days or hours. Deputy Mayor Batson: Do they have tapes? Manager Revella: They have a digital recording there. Approval of April 16, 2024 Minutes Trustee Pearson made a motion to approve the April 16, 2024 minutes. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Comment Sue Taylor: Orange County transit. Never thought it possible. We would still be dealing with this company and the same issue. How wrong I was. Back in January of 2020, the board was discussing how long this process would take. May of 2024 we are still seeking the light at the end of the tunnel or the sewer hookup, if you will. The owner has proven that he is quite content with the situation and that he isn't really the good neighbor as he was portrayed. If not for insistence by a majority of the board, he never would have addressed the invasive lights, nor the drainage issue impacting the Winum family. Despite assurances to the contrary, the owner moved his assets from the Village of Maybrook to the Walden facility without notice to the village. And recently there was a sewage issue on the property that impacted the Tin Brook. Admittedly, the NYS DOT is not an easy agency to deal with. However, I have the feeling that they are not the only entity to blame for the absence of a sewer hook up to date. Orange County Transit has never seemed eager to complete this project, which was a condition of the agreement with the village in the 1st place. Kudos to the Trustees who argued for limited extensions and most recently to Trustees Hall and Garrison, who have attempted to convince fellow board members that 12 month extensions and absence at village board meetings were hardly advantageous to the village and its residents. The time has come for the games to end. Hopefully this board will realize that endless extensions haven't helped the problem, but have exacerbated it. Paperwork obstructions can only go so far when they cause delays. This isn't the first rodeo for this owner. Busing has been his business for years, not hard to figure out, which dropped cross T's or dotted I's can hold up the works. If that is your desire. Brenda Adams: I see the EV station ribbon cutting. You're going to set up tonight. Will you be talking about how that's going to work? Is that something you put a credit card in? Manager Revella: It is. It’s not free. It's through an app called Charge Point. Mary Ellen Matise: I asked about the IWS contract and I see it's on here and I don't know why it's on here. There was nothing in the packet, but a car the other day because they left all the cans in the street and the car was parked on the street on a 40 foot wide street. With what? 3 foot wide garbage cans on each side of the street. This guy had to back up and turn around because 2 of us couldn't go down the street or pass each other because of the way all the garbage cans were placed strategically in the street and cars parked in the street. They just don't get it, do they? This is now 3 days a week because it's garbage, recycling and yard waste season. I don't get why they don't understand how to collect garbage and how to leave the village looking halfway decent after they're done collecting garbage. It looks worse after them than before they've been there. So I don't know why you have it 7 on the agenda, but if you guys don't do something soon. I don't know. I would think that village residents won't be held responsible for their actions. CDBG Trustee Pearson made a motion to approve the CDBG application as discussed for the sidewalks on Pleasant Avenue. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt negative declaration in regards to SEQR. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt negative declaration in regards to SEQR. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt negative declaration in regards to SEQR. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Masons BBQ Olley Park Eric VanDalinda: I'm the Master of Wallkill Lodge, 67 on Main Street. I'm pretty sure everyone in here knows about the Masonic building. I'm also a retired Marine 21 years. Masonry in this town has been around for about 130 years. Our motto is hope, faith and charity. We do a lot of charity in this town. I thought I'd take the time to explain some of the charity we're going to be doing next year, as well as Olley Park. We've always given scholarships to Valley Central High School. We're doing that again this year. And then next year, we're actually gonna do 4 schools, we're gonna add Newburgh, Wallkill and Pine Bush to that from a donation perspective because we feel like we'd like to extend ourselves a little bit more. On top of that, we will be adding an annual donation to Honor Flight, which is around there somewhere. We're also going to do an annual donation to Montgomery Food Pantry. And 1 more in town we're gonna be doing as well we're adding as an annual donation. We did the bench and the suicide awareness over at Olley Park. So, everyone in here knows you probably got letters today for a lot of you. Today we're doing the dedication of that next Saturday. I think it's May 18th. If you could come out, we would love to have you. Greatly appreciate the town supporting us because we're trying to support the town. Those are some of the things that are happening at our lodge. If you don't know as well, we do a breakfast with Santa every year. Where we get 4 families, we give them free gifts. Santa comes. It's a really great time. Free food. Everyone in this room is invited to breakfast with Santa. We also do a First Responders breakfast as well, where First Responders come in and we do a breakfast for them. Those are kind of the things we do that I wanted to present. As for the park, we've been working with Mike Bliss. We want to help. We know that Mike and the town has been wanting to expand Olley Park with the fire pit, with the gazebo there, just to help bring more people out there to the park. We've already talked to Mike and told him that we would support the laying of the cement and the building of the fireplace so that we would take that on. He's going to control the GC part of it, so to speak, he is 8 going to be the one that's going to make sure it gets done. We're going to support him with the cost for the cement and we're out there already looking for how much cement costs and how much cinder blocks cost. We also have grates that will fit and we're thinking it's going to be about 30 feet long. It's about four and a half feet wide and we have grates that will already fit that. There is already a shed there. So, we're going to give them to Mike and let them keep them in a shed. We're just going to ask him that they don't just get handed out. We’re just going to ask him that they don't just get handed out. Going to talk about some sort of maybe rental program with the person who wants to rent it or some sort of way of making sure that they're just not carried off because they're expensive and we had them made. Sammy Phelps made them like 90 years ago. With that being said, that's what we’re presenting to everyone. We would love that we can use that for our chicken BBQ in the summer on the annual basis with no cost to us to use, since we're helping build it. Whether there be a timeline on it 5, 10, 15, 20 years or just forever. We’d love forever obviously. We would just like to help build it and then be able to use it on annual basis for our chicken BBQ, which again everyone is invited. We will send out invites for you for that. Manager Revella: Just so the board’s aware, if you go to Olley Park, it's the long pavilion, it'll be to the left on the hill. It'll be cut into the hill there. That's where we are anticipating it going just behind where the vending machines are. Eric VanDalinda: We have another brother who's completely in charge of the Chairman of that board basically. He's in charge of making sure that gets done. I'm the Master, so I just perform some of the stuff out. I've seen it and it looks good there. I'm pretty sure it's where you're saying. Trustee Taylor: Do we have any plans? Manager Revella: It's about 30 feet long by 4 feet wide. Eric VanDalinda: The actual the actual plans of the fire pit. Honestly, I made them myself in Excel 100%. I can definitely e-mail it to every single one of you or one person, if you give me your card. I'll go home tonight and I'll e-mail it. I did that so we would be able to figure out exactly how many cinder blocks and how much square yards of cement we're going to need. Trustee Taylor: I would love to see it. Trustee Pearson: And did you talk about a gazebo? Eric VanDalinda: What we're being told is, at some point a gazebo will be built over it. Really just 4 to 6 legs with a roof. Trustee Pearson: So, it's not a gazebo. A gazebo is down at the other end. Eric VanDalinda: If you were to look at the Firehouse on 17K, down the hill they have their area where you could have the parties but then to the side a fire pit with an overhead basically. Gazebo is the wrong word. More like overhead. That's what Mike’s saying they're going to do. It's not there now. We're going to build a fire pit 1st and if next year you guys decide to build the overhead, that's fine. If you build it a month later, that's fine. That's up top up to Mike. Trustee Pearson: We have funding for that? Manager Revella: They're funding it. Not the overhead. Eric VanDalinda: We're funding the fire pit 100%. 9 Trustee Pearson: Who's gonna be doing the over top part, us? Manager Revella: Don't know yet. We haven't discussed that. That's a down the road project. Deputy Mayor Batson: Were there internal discussions, John, that you said possibly rented out? I get that's probably our discretion, but some sort of form or something like the alcohol waivers or other use forms that would at least give us some sort of control over the grates so they’re not damaged? Manager Revella: It’ll be made part of the Olley Park request form. Deputy Mayor Batson: How long do you think this project would take to complete? Eric VanDalinda: Probably a weekend. We're looking to break ground probably in the next 4 to 6 weeks, I'd say. If not sooner. You say yes, we'll start. Trustee Taylor made a motion to accept the donation from the Masons to build the fire pit at Olley Park and allow the Masons Lodge 67 to use it for their Annual Chicken BBQ. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. 4 ayes. 1 abstain (Trustee Pearson). Motion carried. Veterans Park Ceremony Request – Flag Day Trustee Hall made a motion to approve the Veterans Park Ceremony Request for Flag Day on June 9, 2024 at 11am. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. 4 ayes. 1 abstain (Trustee Pearson). Motion carried. Orange County Transit Update Trustee Pearson: I have a big issue with that. I get that we got an e-mail asking if they could change it, but they have representation as attorneys. When Anthony couldn't be here, there was somebody else that could be here for them. I wrote back and said we should still have them. Because they just don't have a law firm with 1 attorney in it. There are many people that come. I don't know who voted to allow them to come on the 21st, but I was a little upset. I just wanted to voice my opinion. Thanks. Trustee Taylor: I'm inclined to say the same thing. We've been dealing with this. I've sat on the other side of this dais and heard the same thing for the last 2 years. When is that expiration of that extension? Manager Revella: July 18th. Trustee Pearson: Yes, but the problem is they could have showed up tonight. They have other attorneys that work in their business and would be able to come. There was a woman who used to come all the time when Anthony couldn't come. So whether they're not prepared or don't want to deal with it, then there's a whole other issue. If they're doing their due diligence, this is not due diligence to me. I want to put that on the record. If they can't show up to a meeting. Even though they want to postpone it, they shouldn't be. Trustee Taylor: John, they had a drainage issue down there. Have we gotten any feedback from that? What happened? Manager Revella: Major, major issue with their pumping out of one of the buildings it was disgusting. Our Building Inspector went down, contacted DEC to make sure that they were aware and they were required to clean up whatever was there. 10 Trustee Pearson: Have they any fines? Manager Revella: I don't know, that’s up to the DEC. Trustee Taylor: We've heard nothing from the DEC on that issue. Manager Revella: I haven't no. Trustee Pearson: And it was their septic tanks that were overflowing or what was it? Manager Revella: I don't remember what Robert said. Trustee Pearson: Whatever they called and they didn't call them septic tanks. They called them something else. Manager Revella: They're definitely septic tanks. Trustee Taylor: If they're coming the 21st, they need to be prepared to address that issue. Not with an e-mail. Manager Revella: Absolutely. Trustee Kyle: I was going to say that I feel like they shouldn't be allowed another extension after that because they were already supposed to be here tonight. Manager Revella: They said they were coming the 21st. Trustee Kyle: They can’t just keep being pushed off and pushed off. Trustee Taylor: They said they were coming tonight too. Manager Revella: They asked if they could be excused to the 21st and there was a majority that said it was okay as long as they were here the 21st. They weren’t happy with it. Trustee Pearson: Was it people that didn’t answer emails? Manager Revella: No, the majority said it was okay. Trustee Hall: Yeah, I wasn't very pleased with it, but from when I read it and obviously I didn't understand they may have had another lawyer that there was a conflict in the lawyer, the firm couldn't be here or something. Attorney Donovan: But just to be clear, they have an extension to July 18th. The board granted an extension to July 18th. Do you want them to be here? There is no compulsion. There is no, you can't send the sheriff down to make them come here. I know that you want them here. Trustee Pearson: I know and we had asked them in the very beginning when they got that extension to please come every month and fill us in and let us know what was happening. 11 Attorney Donovan: I'm not arguing that at all. The board is upset and I understand that they're not here. I think the question is, what penalty can you impose upon them for not being here? There is nothing you can do. Deputy Mayor Batson: I think the July discussion is also going to be contentious because if you remember correctly in reading that contract it states that they have to make reasonable appropriation for it. Which is a very again, I'm not a lawyer, but pretty subjective legal term. Even if we play hardball and say no extensions, I don't know that it's going to result in a fine. Trustee Pearson: That’s the way it was written. Deputy Mayor Batson: I think that might be the challenge, but yes, we should definitely have them here and we should go back and hold them accountable for coming every month like we originally asked. They've been not diligent in that. Park Use Request - Odle Trustee Hall made a motion to approve alcohol waiver for park use request on 5/31/2024. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. 4 ayes. 1 no. (Trustee Pearson) Motion carried. Park Use Request - Tapia Trustee Pearson made a motion to approve alcohol waiver for park use request on 9/21/24. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Discussion – Liaisons Deputy Mayor Batson: The possibility of us being liaisons to certain entities within the Community, I think that we had eliminated the possibility of us being liaisons to any sort of governmental departments, but there are other pieces that that we wanted to talk about. We don't have a list here, but it was things like school boards or local businesses Manager Revella: Library, Town, Ambulance and Fire, Community Council. Those kind of things. If the Board Members have suggestions for areas of concern. Please bring them up so we can have that for all the other board members to discuss that'd be great. Discussion – Residency Law Trustee Hall made a motion to schedule public hearing for Local Law – Residency on May21, 2024 at 6:30pm or soon thereafter. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Deputy Mayor Batson: I do just want to be clear on this. The reason is that we've discussed in other sessions is that as the workforce changes, we feel that it is in our best interest to expand our scope of talent that we can draw in. It’s nothing more than that. There was an issue where in a previous position where we may have dismissed a very strong candidate, I don't want to say the candidate but a strong candidate because of residency requirements and as the workplace has changed, commutes are becoming more and more common. We simply just want to expand that to make sure that we can get the absolute best candidates in the position. Attorney Donovan: The next paragraph which remains unchanged in the existing law is that the expansion to the County of Orange would not include the Mayor, Trustees, members of the Planning Board, Zoning Board, Village Manager and Village Police Chief. All of which positions shall be filled by persons who are over 18 and residents of the village. Discussion – East Ave Parking 12 Manager Revella: If you go down East Ave from Route 52 it would be the left side. There's parking on both sides of the street allowed right now and if there were cars parked along both sides, you wouldn't get a fire truck down. It's impossible. Trustee Taylor: There are some other issues there too we need to take a hard look at. There's a house there on any given day, there's 6 vehicles in the driveway, 3 on the street. Individuals transiting in and out. Have we looked at that? Manager Revella: There's not a limit to how many cars someone can have at their house, so I'm not sure if that's some indication of a different activity, which is what you're alluding to. Trustee Taylor: Have we looked at the plates to see? Manager Revella: I'll ask PD what they did last time they were there. I know they've been there at least once. Trustee Kyle: Can you do that? Can you just start running everybody's plates? Manager Revella: If there is a parking issue, they can check that. You have the license plate reader on the back of the car. It reads every license plate when you drive down the street. Trustee Pearson: You're talking on the opposite side of the driveway. Manager Revella: Correct. You try to get the parking on the opposite side of the majority of the driveways and there are more driveways on the West side than the East side. I think the board should consider that at least. Trustee Pearson: I'll consider it. I'd like to take a couple rides up there and just see. I’m not really sure what it looks like in the daytime and nighttime. Trustee Taylor: If you're coming off of 52 more often than not, you're going to have to try to pull off somewhere and wave somebody on. Manager Revella: That’s with parking on one side. Parking on both sides is even harder. So we have got to be careful. Going to try and do our best to at least one side done. Appointment of Registrar and Deputy Registrar Manager Revella: I'm required to announce to the board and public who the Registrar is and that's Marisa Kraus. I am going to wait for the Deputy Registrar until tomorrow. Hopefully we have that Deputy Clerk/Treasurer position appointment and then that person would be Deputy Registrar. Village Clerk Duties Manager Revella: The board had discussed last time bringing this up because there was a concern about what duties of Clerk was supposed to do and not supposed to do, what extras. There were a couple of board members that thought that the Clerk should do whatever the statutory rules were for the Clerk to do. And then cross training for the other duties. But the main focus should be whatever the statute says the Clerk should be. Not sure how the board feels about that or want to discuss. Trustee Pearson: It would have been nice to have the statue put in here. 13 Deputy Mayor Batson: The duties were emailed. For me the issue is that I get nervous when jobs are changed to meet the expectations of a person, rather than the expectations of a role. I want to make sure that the job descriptions remain consistent, that they remain clear, and that the role is the role. The counterpoint to that obviously is if you have an incredibly talented individual, it doesn't make sense to flex them into other aspects of the job. I think that, to me, that's where the cross training piece is. But from an accountability standpoint, which is I think what we are after with role clarity, my preference is that the job description stays as the job description. It should be cross trained and quite frankly that should be part of the job description. You're always going to extend out in times of need, but when it comes to things like performance appraisals and what we can specifically hold people accountable to, I think the job description should be clear and unchanging, except for in the most extreme of circumstances. Trustee Kyle: I agree. Definitely for the purposes of evaluating performance and if they're fulfilling the duties that they were hired to fulfill. I feel like there could be a little leeway for a person who goes above and beyond and does more, but the bare minimum is you're being evaluated on what you're supposed to perform. So if you go above and beyond that I wouldn't want a person in any position to not be able to go above and beyond. If they could and wanted to, but you're going to be evaluated on these items. Don't feel in your other duties because you started taking on different responsibilities. If you can manage what your job responsibilities are and then you go above that, that's great and awesome. But this is what you're going to be evaluated on. Trustee Pearson: I did read in NYS that there is some financial responsibility of the Clerk anyway, so that there are responsibilities financially that they are required to do financially. Like we were talking about don't cross over the Treasurer and the Clerk duties. But when you're short handed that's the whole cross training thing. I'm happy with that for a certain amount of time and then things should be up and running and back to normal. I don't have a problem with that, but I agree with Liz with having that what your performance is on and then anything above or below that you're going to figure out. And I also think we should have more reviews in shorter periods of time than what we have in the last 2 years. Trustee Taylor: There's definite ways to address somebody that has gone above and beyond on occasion. Whether that be cross trained or but the goal here is to put something in place that's clear and concise that we're going to evaluate an individual on whether they meet, exceeds or doesn't meet. Trustee Pearson: Well, we are having that meeting with Deputy Mayor Batson so maybe we can put some things together for the board and go by what the Clerk's duties are and just see how you feel about what is being proposed. Does that work for everybody? All: Yes. IWS Contract Manager Revella: 3 year contract. Same rate for 3 years. This is year 2. Again, I encourage anybody, the board or the public if they have any issues to please get a hold of me right away or the office right away to let us know the issue. Address, date, time, whatever they can so that we can address it with IWS. Trustee Hall: I think it's been better in the last several months. Over by me, I think it has. Trustee Kyle: I kind of wanted to ask, there was the thing in the contract. Line C, where it says that they shall not be required to provide services to any property on a private road, which for any 14 reason is impassable to the contractors vehicle. Is there any elaboration on what that means by impassable? Manager Revella: If their truck can't get down a private road, we can't make them. If the road's not wide enough or paved enough or gravel, too many holes. It could be anything. Could be tree branches blocking the way, low overhangs, those kind of things. Trustee Kyle: But then the village inspects the road and makes the final determination as to whether or not it's deemed impassable. Manager Revella: That’s correct. You want them going down your driveway? Trustee Kyle: I know it sounds personal, but my 2 neighbors are both in the Town of Montgomery and the garbage trucks for them both come down our road. Right past me and the Village of Walden does not come to my house. Manager Revella: Did you ask them to? Trustee Kyle: Yes. Kevin called or talked to Marisa. Or he might not even have talked to Marisa. I don’t know. Manager Revella: Send me an e-mail that you’re requesting that and your address and I’ll make it official. Trustee Kyle: Thank you. Manager Revella: And anybody that has an issue on a private road, let me know because that's our determination. Trustee Kyle: Our road is not impassable. It's wide. Manager Revella: Which garbage trucks go down now? Trustee Kyle: I don’t know what Town of Montgomery uses. Manager Revella: It could be anybody. If you find out which company, let me know. Trustee Kyle: And every single delivery truck comes down my road. There's no truck that has a problem coming down that road. I do have issues with our village. Trustee Hall made a motion to accept year 2 of the IWS Contract. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. EV Station Ribbon Cutting Manager Revella: Just need to know if you put some dates together for everybody to do an actual ribbon cutting ceremony there. It's one of the requirements of the grant, so if you guys think of dates let me know. It's starting to get nice out, so it'll be perfect the next few weeks or so. If you have a date in mind, we can even do it if everyone's coming to the Memorial Day Parade, we can do it after. Is that okay with everyone? All: Yes 15 Surplus Truck 9 Trustee Hall made a motion to approve the surplus of Truck 9. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Relevy of Village Taxes Manager Revella: This is the power to collect taxes and things that have been unpaid through the year, so unpaid water and sewer of $327,214.56. Unpaid services performed of $95,540.04. Unpaid commercial garbage of $12,872.29. Village tax rate from the budget including the library, $5,895,310. It's $19.75 per thousand with both of those included. Trustee Kyle made a motion to adopt Resolution 26-23-24 Levying Village Taxes for year 2024- 2025. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Comment Brenda Adams: First, I want to say thank you for approving the Flag Day request for Veterans Park. If we could get a brief explanation of your event at the Firehouse. The Fireman has always been very supportive of our park and of the getting us water and all sorts of things. If you could get me a short, we’ll add it into the closing comments to let everybody know, maybe they want to go there and have lunch. Trustee Hall: I'll send it over to you and hopefully I'll be up there doing that, but we'll have a couple of guys come down like normal. Brenda Adams: Thank you. You've always been really great to helping us out at the park. Secondly, we got our crosswalk back on Orchard St. that was great. Were you able to talk them into it or? Manager Revella: We have one more to go at the end of Scofield and Orange Ave. Sue Taylor: I watched a speech by Senator Skoufis addressing the fact that despite Orange County paying MTA taxes, we still do not have a direct train access to New York City. Riders can take the Port Jervis line, but must stop at Secaucus or get off at the Hoboken stop and take the path into the city. He also pointed out that his pleas to the governor for some relief for Orange County commuters landed on deaf ears and were summarily rejected. I respectfully ask that our board send a letter of support to the Senator. I would also like to ask that any of our board members who attend city and towns dinner meetings to encourage their members from other municipalities to do the same. We are being taxed for services that are not available to our taxpayers. I don't have to ask if the letter to the school board went regarding Walden Elementary School, because that was already discussed. But I hope that regardless of anyone’s support for closing Walden Elementary School and funding a new school building, sign that letter along with everybody else on this board. Yes, that building is old, having been constructed in 1926. But it has stood the test of time and was built by those that understood construction and knew that the Hudson Valley sits on the Ramapo Fault. That is probably why Walden Elementary School was designated as a Fallout Shelter along with the post office building. And it may be worth mentioning that Montgomery Elementary School was also constructed in the 1920s. I did ask if that building was evacuated because of the earthquake, but never got an answer, possibly because that building is not considered as feeble as ours is. Shiny and new is not always wonderful. I still have a photo on my phone taken of the violent storm that ravaged this village may of 2020. That storm felled huge oak trees on Oakland Ave. and caused much damage on its way to Newburgh. Walden Elementary School stood tall. She may be old, but she was still as solid as she was in 1926. The idea that Walden Elementary School is on her last legs is fallacy. Could she use some upgrades? Absolutely. Make no mistake, that school is critical to this 16 community. Abandoning it would be devastating to this village. I expect every member of this board to vigorously defend it and urge the school district to renovate instead of abandoning. Budget session is over. Once again, Walden stayed under the tax cap, which is generally considered the litmus for responsible finance. Daily I read or hear about how critical it is becoming to fund affordable housing. In my opinion, our village has some of the most diverse housing in the county and in the Town of Montgomery. One point I find that is generally missing from those housing discussions, is the fact that so many are being displaced from their homes because the focus seems to be on future residents and not necessarily those who have called community home for years, even generations. When our budget was done, the tax increase amounted to roughly $80.00 per year for the average home in Walden. In the face of it, that doesn't sound too bad, or does it? Keep in mind, village residents also pay town, county and school taxes. And all those little bits. It's only this. It's only that much. Together, along with taxes already paid, we have all created a hardship. I understand it takes money to sustain a village and a town and a county and a school district. I also understand what it takes to sustain a home. Isn't it time for municipalities within Orange County to address the issue of continued sustainability for all of us? Again, we are the members of the cities and towns organization, is staying below the tax cap. The only goal these days. Are we doing enough for all generations who live within our borders? It isn't only seniors who are making tough financial decisions. I'm guessing one trip to the grocery store takes care of that. Affordable housing also means keeping people in their homes. That should be part of the affordable housing discussion. And I just about fainted when you said there was $327,000 of water and sewer bills that were unpaid in this village. I think that's astounding. I really can't believe that people would not pay those bills. Those two funds have to sustain themselves. We have to pay bills from those funds, salaries, retirement. And we count on that revenue. People are using the water and sewer. And not paying. I just can't believe that it amounts to $327,000. I remember when I first moved to the village that we had a dedicated employee who did nothing but take care of water and sewer bills I just think it's, I understand we get this on our tax bill, but that doesn't mean that we can sustain those funds during the fiscal year and there have been occurrences where those two funds have had to borrow from the general fund and repay that money. I don't know what the answer is. That's above my pay grade these days. We really need to think about how we're doing those two funds. They're critical to the village and I just find it astounding that $327,000 of usage we have to wait until this point in the year to collect. Maybe it's easier for people not to pay their bills and just put it on the tax bill. I don't know. I find that to be totally disheartening. Mary Ellen Matise: Sue brought up the letter to the board of Ed. Did it go? Manager Revella: I drafted it the day they told me to draft it and left it for all the members to sign. Not everyone signed it. Trustee Hall: Can we send it without that? Am I allowed to ask that? Manager Revella: We'll go and look after the meeting to make sure. See who’s missing. Trustee Pearson: The Mayor hasn't signed it yet. Mary Ellen Matise: Having spent yesterday afternoon at Walden Elementary, a new building is the least of their problems. Anyway, so this is some research I've been doing for a couple of years and Memorial Day is coming. We have this big monument out here. We'll be having a ceremony right in front of this monument, but I'm going to read out the names of 30 men who are not honored by that monument who came from the Town of Montgomery and I'll give this to Marisa when I'm when I'm done. This was a big eye opener for me when I started doing this research, and it's about 30 men from Montgomery, which I think is a lot for a really small town who served in the USCT, the US Colored Troops in the Civil War. There were several regiments, the 26th Regiment, which served in 17 South Carolina and fought in several battles, Honey Hill and a couple of others near Charleston *read names into minutes*. The 20th Regiment USC was stationed in New Orleans and their camp parapet. *read names into minutes*. There were several men, not as many who were in a couple of different regiments. Some were assigned to, I think, to white regiments because they were waiters and cooks and things like that, *read names into minutes* Over the years, I’ve asked a couple of times that they be honored at our Memorial Day Ceremony and that hasn't happened yet. Payment of Audited Bills Trustee Hall made a motion to approve payment of audited bills. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Miscellaneous Comments from the Board of Trustees Trustee Pearson: New York State budget came out and the aim increased. Do we know how much we're going to be getting and what we can use it for? Manager Revella: We can use it for whatever we want, but I didn't see what the amount of increase was yet. I think it was $6000 something increase. Something like that. Trustee Pearson: On top of what? Manager Revella: $49,000. Trustee Pearson: So we could use it for anything. Manager Revella: Anything. It's in the budget already. Trustee Pearson: It won't fix sidewalks. It won't fix roads, so it's not enough for that. When does that come through? Manager Revella: We usually get it by the end of the year. Trustee Pearson: We have a working supervisor in the DPW department. Manager Revella: Working Leader. Yes. Trustee Pearson: When you say you're filling in for DPW Supervisor, what does that mean? Manager Revella: That person cannot do anything related to HR. Time off, time and attendance. They can't do that. They can't do anything with purchasing. They can't make those kinds of decisions, so I would make those decisions. Trustee Pearson: Are you down there the whole time? Manager Revella: No. As I said, I usually check in, see how things are going. I'll check on the jobs, but I'll do most of it from here. I'll check in with the Secretary, and sometimes I'll go at the end of the day to make sure everybody checks out on time and there's no issues for the whole day and see what to do in the next day. Trustee Pearson: DPW Supervisor talked about the water bills, which I know you brought up, but we talked about what we need to do differently, possibly to get that revenue into us. So are we going to put that on the agenda one of these days to talk about? 18 Manager Revella: The one thing that he wanted is already in our code and we'll be on the next bill. If you don't have your meters updated, there's a $75 charge per quarter that's going on your bill. Trustee Pearson: Is there anything else we need to do? Can we get a report from him? What he would like that we can do? We want to help out. Manager Revella: Those are huge. That's one of the things he wanted to have done. Trustee Pearson: Is there anything else? If you can ask him and see if there's anything else that we can do to make things better for that department. And I have one other thing that really disturbs me a lot. I came in to pay bills couple weeks ago when the office was on the 2nd floor and it was on a Sunday. I went into that doorway and there were people sleeping in the hallway. There are people here, for me, that should not be here during the day. There's a lot of loitering in this building. There are a lot of things happening in the staircase that shouldn't be happening with young, young people. Then I came in on Saturday night to pay the bills in the office up here and I get off the elevator and there's 3 people coming out of the, this is at 5:30-5:45 at night. Library is closed. Building to me should not be open at those hours as far as I'm concerned. They're coming out of the elevator. I asked them why they were here. They were going to the bathroom and I said, you're loitering you shouldn't be in this building. And of course I got sweared at all the way down the stairs and they went downstairs and then I went to pay the bills. I came out of the bill paying and I went down the stairs and I get down to the second floor and that doorway to the elevator opens up, 2 of them are on the elevator and 1 is downstairs on the 1st floor. It's very disturbing. I talked to Ginny today as well in the library. I know she's had a lot of issues. They put new furniture out in the hallway when they redid the floors, that's already been cut up with knives and kids are destroying things. I have an issue with this building being open on hours when people shouldn't be in here. I get it's a public building, but you don't go into the Town of Montgomery when the building is closed. You don't go into the Village of Montgomery. You don't go into the school. You have to have a door buzzer to get in. I'm thinking of burnt bathrooms upstairs being closed. I think everybody has a key to get into the bathroom on the second and third floor, keep the bathroom open on the 1st floor if needed. What if somebody has a knife? What if they have a gun? What if? These are people that I don't know how stable people are today. It was concerning to me to come into this building to do what I needed to get done over the weekend and have to deal with something that I wasn't comfortable with. I don't think that should be happening in here. Ginny has chased kids out of here every day, she said. It's terrible and she, again the person who knifed up the chairs and stuff. She told him that day she had no idea he had a knife. He had a knife in his pocket. He could have stabbed her, done something to her. So there are issues in this building that I think we need to address and really talk about and be able to get locked up. The library, when I was talking to Ginny, her hours are from 10:00 to 8:00 every day except for Friday. Her other hours is 10:00 to 6:00 on Friday and Saturday. She does 10:00 to 2:00. So after 2:00, there's nothing in this building. People should not be in here Saturday or Sunday. We used to have the door locked during COVID because nobody would come in this building and they were buzzed in at the Police Department. Those doors, if they still lock, I don't know, we can possibly lock it up, lock up the 2nd and 3rd bathrooms during the day and the office people have a key to get in. They can go in by themselves if there's any event, Ginny said. And I asked Ginny to come this evening because she had a lot of issues lately, the last probably 6 months with these kids in the hallway and just being really disrespectful and it's, I don't want to say it's scary, but again you just never know and I don't think we need to subject people in this building to that. So a lot of buildings do close, you need to get in, you can buzz the buzzer and the police can let you in. I told Ginny that if we lock the door that she goes. If she's doing a program on a Sunday, they can lock the front door, which have it locked and all her people could come in through the library. If there's a handicapped person, they can then come in the front door that the library staff would let them in. So I think we really need to address it. I really think meeting with Ginny and the Manager and getting something settled. I don't think it should be left open all the time. 19 Manager Revella: People like Trustee Pearson was saying the one person was arrested and trespassed from the building. When people are act out that way, we can trespass and we do. Right now, the building locks at 10:00 PM because that's what the board decided. If the board wants to make it different times, that's fine. It's up to the board. You can make that decision anytime you want. Trustee Pearson: When I went downstairs that day on Saturday, I went into the Police Department and asked the police officer to please get the people out of the building because it was not where they should be and he said, we do this all the time. Why should we have to do this? I hope you address it. And so I am bringing it up. I mean that is part of the responsibility and to maybe to do sweeps in the building. I was talking to Ginny tonight and she said that between when the kids get out of school, they come and they hang out here. She does have other students that get tutoring done, but they are not the troublemakers, she said. But the other kids are just plain trouble, she said, and she has to deal with that almost every day. She's been down to the Police Department. So why can't the police come out and do a sweep after school every day and then at night time? When she closes, they can do another sweep and make sure nobody's in the building and lock it up be done. Manager Revella: They can. You just have to make a decision as to what time you want to do that. Trustee Pearson: I invite Ginny to come to the next meeting. If you'd like to hear what she has to say because it's been going on long enough for her. She's tired of it. She doesn't want to deal with it. And heaven forbid, something happens and somebody comes in with a knife or a gun or something, that's not going to be pleasant. I think we need to deal with it as a board. Manager Revella: Just so the board knows, for safety purposes, they all do have the safety buzzers at all the stations in case something gets crazy. The kids and they’re kids, some have been disrespectful. The vast majority leave when we say leave and move when we say move. There was a couple that were a problem and one of them did get arrested and trespassed. Trustee Pearson: Yes, but he's back. Manager Revella: Not in this building. Trustee Pearson: Yes. So, we're saying from when the library is open, this building would be open. When the library is closed, it would be closed. You can lock second and third bathrooms, they can go to the bathroom on the first floor. Manager Revella: Right now it's 10 o'clock. You can change it. Trustee Taylor: Who monitors the comings and goings here? Manager Revella: Nobody. We don't have a door monitor. It’s open to the public. Trustee Pearson: Sometimes there’s board meetings, ZBA, Planning Board have meetings. Sometimes there are events that happen here. The Historical Society will come on a Sunday. But Ginny was saying that they can open up the room for those people and people can come in one door only and be monitored. And when that event is finished, police officer would do a sweep of the building and say, okay, it's good to go lock the front door. So, it is involving the police in this as well for the time being and making sure. Trustee Hall: Like most municipal buildings. 20 Trustee Pearson: Yes, they're not open. We happen to have a library here. You just can't walk into an elementary school in the middle of the day. You can't go to the governor's office at 2:00 in the afternoon and decide you want to get in there. There are rules and regulations that can be followed. Trustee Taylor: I heard a couple of things here, 1, loitering 2, I've heard vandalism. And now I hear that a Trustee of this village was verbally abused because she had the audacity to tell them that they shouldn't be here in the first place. That's unacceptable. You don't find that in any other municipal building that I've been in. We would be remiss not to address this. We don't know who's coming in. We don't know what they're bringing in. Especially, at that hour. Trustee Pearson: Ginny, will come in on a Sunday and there's kids in here. She goes, the back door was left open or... Manager Revella: Do you want to propose to lock the building down at the end of the libraries hours because their hours are later than ours? Trustee Kyle: Yeah, I would say library hours. Trustee Pearson: I would say that yes, but I would like to have her here and really figure out how it's really going to work and maybe have the Chief here as well. So, that the police officers can do sweeps and do things like that. So, we have the whole group together maybe at the next meeting and discuss. Attorney Donovan: You may very well want to have Chief here to provide recommendations on how the building can be made safe. I'm sure that the PD is going to have recommendations on that. Trustee Pearson: They have to walk right by the dispatcher when they go in that building. Manager Revella: They come in the library door, too. Trustee Pearson: Not when the library is closed. They're not coming in that day. That's not on a Saturday night and a Sunday. They're not coming in that way. They're walking right by that dispatcher. So, whether that happens and we make that a little bit more accessible for people to really look at. Manager Revella: They caught the kid and arrested him. He allegedly stole the knife from the Thruway. Trustee Pearson: When Ginny approached him, she goes, I had no clue he had he had a knife. I didn't see the cuts in the thing until later on. Manager Revella: Anybody can have a knife anytime you walk down the street. We can control, what we can control. Trustee Pearson: I get it. But this building doesn't need to be susceptible to that. This building is better than that. Manager Revella: Absolutely. Trustee Taylor: It's our job to create a safe work environment for the people. Trustee Pearson: Even for the people who work here during the day. 21 Trustee Taylor: We need to address that. Trustee Pearson: Let's do it next meeting and get something with the Chief and Ginny, hopefully she'll be able to show up. She couldn't come tonight. She was going to, but she couldn't come. Thank you very much. Arbor Day, Thursday. It is a little later. Usually it's first thing in the morning. It is at 12:15 at the elementary school. Hopefully it's going to be outside by the playground. It’ll only be an hour. It's going to be a shorter ceremony because that's all they have. They're supposed to do the historic tour in the morning through the village and then they're going to do Arbor Day at 12:15. Hope people can come. I get it's on a Thursday and during the day, so I understand completely. But it's always a great thing and I hope we are planting some trees this year as well. Manager Revella: Yes. Trustee Pearson: I just came by the cherry trees this year. They look great. Manager Revella: I love them. We had a group that planted some trees in Wooster’s Grove, Saturday. We have more, a lot more to plant. Trustee Pearson: Are they going to be the pine trees in the back? Manager Revella: We always do at least 2 for that, but we have other ones to plant too. Trustee Pearson: Can someone let me know when they’re planting? I’d like to take some pictures. Manager Revella: 18th at Scout Cabin they’re planting. Trustee Pearson: I can't get there. Can someone take pictures for me? I can’t get there. Manager Revella: Yeah, I will. Trustee Pearson: It's great for our Tree City application as well. And Jimmy likes to get some pictures as well. Thank you. Trustee Taylor: I understand there is a vacancy on the comp committee. Manager Revella: Yes. Trustee Taylor: I would like to volunteer to fill that void. Manager Revella: If that’s the pleasure of the board. All: Yes Trustee Taylor: I don't want to beat a dead horse, but we really need to look at this security issue that we have in the building. I understand we're going to talk about it further but that has to rise to the level of importance here and not get tabled and tabled and tabled. Trustee Kyle: I just want to say St. Baldrick’s was amazing. As always. Thank you, Kristie. A great time. Great prizes, great raffles. 22 Trustee Hall: Is there a list of residents who do not have the updated meters? Have they been contacted? Manager Revella: Yes. They’ve been given notices and post cards.. They get it on their bill every quarter. Trustee Hall: Okay, I called to make sure that I wasn't one of those. I made sure though. St. Baldrick’s was the 27th. It was a great turn out. This year, we just did our last event this past Sunday. The bingo total this year is about $55,000. In the 17 years that it's been in the village and the community, we've done a little over $700,000. I've set my date for next year April 12th. Tried to get the same weekend, but it was already booked. I want to say thank you guys for coming down. Becky donated stuff for the raffle. John was there with his family. Bill and Sue came down, donated a purse. They got some raffles. Liz was there with her family. Kevin shaved. They won everything. Her mother-in-law volunteered, so it was a good day. Just in case, I know it's a little ways out, but if somebody didn't see it on Facebook or don't know, the Fire Department is hosting a spaghetti dinner on May 30th for the Sager family. He is a past Chief, a current Lieutenant and a 24 year life member who was hurt at work this past week. We're doing that on May 30th. Tomorrow May 8th we're doing the Emergency Preparedness course. If you didn't register, I think go online still and register now. It starts tomorrow at 6:00 PM and that's at the Community Center. Deputy Mayor Batson: Do we have any continuity plans for civil unrest that are unique to the village? Manager Revella: Unique, no. We have an emergency preparedness packet. It's big, it’s filed with the county. Deputy Mayor Batson: Up-to-date, potentially ready to go given the state of events happening everywhere. Manager Revella: Trustee Carley had updated it with me when he first came back on this last term. Trustee Kyle: How often is it updated? Manager Revella: Every few years. I think next year we update it one more time. I try to do it every 3 years. *Read Community Events into Minutes* Executive Session – Personal History of a Particular Employee Trustee Hall made a motion to enter into executive session to discuss personal history of a particular person. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Reconvene Trustee Hall made a motion to reconvene the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Kyle made a motion to add to the proposed residency law that the Village of Walden Police Chief to live within the Town of Montgomery. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. 23  Village of Walden Board of Trustees Regular Meeting May 7, 2024 Motions & Resolutions Public Hearing – CDBG Trustee Pearson made a motion to open public hearing for CDBG. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to close public hearing for CDBG. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to approve the CDBG application as discussed for sidewalks on Pleasant Avenue. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Hearing – Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting Trustee Pearson made a motion to open public hearing for Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to close public hearing for Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt negative declaration. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt Local Law 6 of 2024 – Special Meeting. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Hearing – Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket Trustee Kyle made a motion to open public hearing for Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to close public hearing for Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt negative declaration in regards to SEQR. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt Local Law 7 of 2024 – Appearance Ticket. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Public Hearing – Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager Trustee Taylor made a motion to open public hearing for Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Kyle made a motion to close public hearing for Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt negative declaration in regards to SEQR. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustee Pearson made a motion to adopt Local Law 8 of 2024 – Deputy Manager. Seconded by 24 Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Approval of April 16, 2024 Minutes Trustee Pearson made a motion to approve the April 16, 2024 minutes. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Masons BBQ at Olley Park Trustee Taylor made a motion to accept the donation from the Masons to build the fire pit at Olley Park and allow the Masons Lodge 67 to use it for their Annual Chicken BBQ. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. 4 ayes. 1 abstain (Trustee Pearson). Motion carried. Park Use Request - Odle Trustee Hall made a motion to approve alcohol waiver for 5/31/2024. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. 4 ayes. 1 no. (Trustee Pearson) Motion carried. Park Use Request - Tapia Trustee Pearson made a motion to approve alcohol waiver for park use request on 9/21/24. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Veterans Park Ceremony Request – Flag Day Trustee Hall made a motion to approve the Veterans Park Ceremony Request for Flag Day on June 9, 2024 at 11am. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. 4 ayes. 1 abstain (Trustee Pearson). Motion carried. Discussion – Residency Law Trustee Hall made a motion to schedule public hearing for Local Law – Residency on May21, 2024 at 6:30pm or soon thereafter. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. IWS Contract Trustee Hall made a motion to accept year 2 of the IWS Contract. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. Surplus Truck 9 Trustee Hall made a motion to approve the surplus of Truck 9. Seconded by Trustee Kyle. All ayes. Motion carried. Relevy of Village Taxes Trustee Kyle made a motion to adopt Resolution 26-23-24 Levying Village Taxes for year 2024- 2025. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. Payment of Audited Bills Trustee Hall made a motion to approve payment of audited bills. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Executive Session – Personal History of a Particular Employee Trustee Hall made a motion to enter into executive session to discuss personal history of a particular person. Seconded by Trustee Taylor. All ayes. Motion carried. Reconvene Trustee Hall made a motion to reconvene the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Seconded by Trustee Pearson. All ayes. Motion carried. 25 Trustee Kyle made a motion to add to the proposed residency law that the Village of Walden Police Chief to live within the Town of Montgomery. Seconded by Trustee Hall. All ayes. Motion carried. 26