City of Newburgh City Council Work Session - October 22, 2026

The City of Newburgh City Council held a work session on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 6:05 PM to discuss 13 agenda items covering engineering, finance, planning, grants, police, and local laws. Key topics included water supply alternatives for the Browns Pond withdrawal analysis, the Newburgh Colored Burial Ground Memorial Project, the purchase of a city-owned condominium unit at 408 Carpenter Avenue, and scheduling of a public hearing for a charter amendment on council salaries. Several resolutions were slated for a vote at the next council meeting, while one item was tabled due to transparency concerns.

Engineering Items

• Award of Bid No. 7.26 1G to Gallo Construction Corp. (Item 1): Resolution to award a $7,768,650 contract for the Water Filtration Plant Filter and SCADA Improvements Project, funded through a grant and loan from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation. No questions.
• ARCADIS Proposal – Browns Pond Water Withdrawal Alternatives Analysis (Item 2): Resolution to accept a $49,850 proposal to analyze alternatives for withdrawing water from Browns Pond. City Engineer Jason Morris explained that planned Catskill Aqueduct shutdowns in 2028 could last up to 11 weeks, while the city can currently only rely on Browns Pond for about six weeks before depleting the reservoir. The study aims to find more efficient withdrawal methods. Mayor Harvey asked about a potential connection to the Delaware Aqueduct; Morris noted a planned pipeline from Shaft Gardner could eventually connect to Newburgh. Councilmember Zaria clarified that the study would produce cost estimates for feasible alternatives, with the city then seeking grant funding. The resolution will be voted on Monday.
• ARCADIS Proposal – Lutheran Street Fire Flow Analysis (Item 3): Resolution to accept a $7,500 proposal for a fire flow analysis required by the Orange County Department of Health for the redesign of the Lutheran Street water system. No questions.

Finance Items

• Orange County Exemption for City Reservoir and Filter Plant Properties for 2028 (Item 4): Resolution to request county tax exemption for water supply properties. Mayor Harvey noted that the Town of New Windsor is the only municipality that does not grant such an exemption, and he offered to reach out to the new town supervisor. Councilmember Zaria inquired about negotiating a broader deal. The resolution will be voted Monday.
• DPW and Police Vehicles and Equipment Surplus (Item 5): Resolution to declare surplus vehicles (including police cars and an old dump truck) and snow plows for auction. Public Works Superintendent Chad explained items are sold via online auction and picked up by buyers. No questions.

Planning and Economic Development Items

• Newburgh Colored Burial Ground Project – SEQRA Lead Agency and Negative Declaration (Item 6): Resolution to declare the city lead agency and issue a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Director of Planning Allie Church confirmed this is the final environmental step before bidding and construction. The project has an estimated cost of roughly $2 million, with $1.9 million in reserved funds and additional grants being sought. Councilmember Shakur explained that the name “Colored Burial Ground” is preferred by state historians working on African American burial sites. Mayor Harvey suggested considering bonding if grant funds fall short. The resolution will be voted Monday.
• 2026-2027 Youth Employment Program Application (Item 7): Resolution to enter into an agreement with Orange County for a school-year youth employment program with four interns (two in planning, two in codes). The application deadline had passed, but the city is working closely with the county administrator. Councilmember Rushmore asked about improving the program. The resolution will be voted Monday.
• Purchase of 408 Carpenter Avenue Unit 24 (Item 8): Resolution to authorize the sale of the condo to Ruben Cotto for $105,000. Extensive discussion ensued after Mayor Harvey and Councilmember Stewart raised transparency concerns, citing complaints from another bidder—an African American woman—who had submitted earlier offers that were not accepted. Planning Director Allie Church provided a timeline: the property was listed December 3, 2025, at $164,900; reduced to $149,900 on January 20, 2026; the first offer from the other bidder was received by April 3, 2026, but withdrawn; a second offer of $127,000 was withdrawn after a misunderstanding about bonus points; a third offer of $50,000 was rejected; then Mr. Cotto’s $105,000 offer was received. Mayor Harvey called for more details and felt the process lacked transparency, especially given past city corruption narratives. Councilmember Shakur noted speaking to both families. Councilmember Zaria cautioned against delaying the sale and potentially harming Mr. Cotto’s financing pre-approval. Councilmember Martinez requested a formal log of bids for future transparency. Councilmember Stewart moved to table the item, and the council agreed to leave it off the Monday agenda pending a clearer timeline of all offers.

Grants/Contracts/Agreements

• Orange-Ulster BOCES Agreement for Storage of Archived Municipal Records (Item 9): Resolution to continue an agreement for off-site storage of paper and microfilm records in climate-controlled conditions. Councilmember Zaria asked about expanding the service to records currently stored in the courthouse basement. The resolution will be voted Monday.

Police Department

• Police K9 Ballistic Vest Donation (Item 10): Resolution to accept a donation from Spike’s K9 Fund for a vest valued at approximately $3,500. No questions.

Local Laws

• Local Law Authorizing a Property Tax Levy in Excess of the GML Section 3-c Limit (Item 11): Resolution to adopt a local law allowing the city to exceed the state tax cap if needed for the 2027 budget. City Manager noted there is no current intent to exceed the cap. Ready for vote Monday.
• Scheduling a Public Hearing – Local Law Amending City Charter Section C4.00 (Item 12): Resolution to schedule a public hearing on November 9, 2026, to consider amending the charter to increase the annual salary of the Mayor and Council Members, returning to a uniform salary structure. The resolution will be voted Monday.

Discussion Items

• Rescheduling the November 5, 2026 Work Session (Item 13): The next work session was scheduled for Thursday, November 5, 2026, but three council members planned to attend a conference. After a count, four members indicated they would be present, providing a quorum. The council decided to keep the session on November 5 and provide a Zoom link for absent members.

Key Outcomes

• The council agreed to table the resolution for the purchase of 408 Carpenter Avenue Unit 24 (Item 8) and will revisit after receiving a complete timeline of all offers.
• The November 5, 2026 work session will be held as scheduled, with remote participation available for members attending the conference.
• All other resolutions (Items 1–7, 9–12) are expected to be voted on at the next regular council meeting on Monday, October 26, 2026.
• The council will seek to improve transparency in the city-owned property sales process, including providing bid logs and clearer communications to applicants.
• Mayor Harvey committed to reaching out to the Town of New Windsor supervisor to request tax exemption for city water supply properties.
• The council noted that further grant funding may be needed for the Colored Burial Ground Memorial Project if construction bids exceed the $1.9 million reserved.